Smash Those Weights, Girl

Some of you know that fitness has always been a big part of my life. Inside and outside of the gym I work towards being the best version of myself.

So when I came to Northeastern and found out there was a powerlifting team, the only thought that crossed my mind was 'I'm so game'.

Here's a little de-brief for those of you who aren't quite sure what exactly powerlifting is and why most of the girls on the team don't look like smaller versions of Arnold Schwarzenegger....

There are three movements: the squat, the bench, and the deadlift.

Squat, as you would imagine, is when you hold weight on your back, squat down until your hips just break parallel and spring back up.

Bench press is when you're lying down with the bar and weight overhead, lower the bar to your sternum and press back up.

Finally (my favorite), the deadlift is when you have the bar and weights on the ground, you bend down to grab hold of the bar and straighten up to standing - hips locked - and then lower it back down. 

At practice, there are normally 5-7 gals on a rack so doing these movements (along with stretching and accessory exercises) takes up to 4 hours. It sounds like a hell of a long time to be in the gym but it absolutely doesn't feel like it! You're lifting with your friends, you're goofing around when you're not lifting and you're building yourself up to be the lean mean iron-crushing machine you've always dreamed of being. Ahhh music to my tomboy ears..

Competitions on the other hand are very different to our practices. We still do the three lifts but in a different way. The meet is divided into weight classes and within those weight classes the person who lifts the lightest starts first. But just because you're in a lighter weight class doesn't mean you'll go first. You could be in the 158 weight class and lift first while the next lifter up is in the 128 weight class (which was the case of this meet because I was in the 158 class and I don't lift as heavy as ~120 lbs Michelle....yet).

So I was the one who had to kick the meet off on Sunday and there is no other way to say this but I was sh*tting bricks. I don't think I've been that nervous for something since my gymnastic days. I was the first one up on the podium with my least favorite movement with a weight I've only lifted once before in front of a crowd of strangers...could not have gotten more nerve wrecking than that. But the nervousness played so much to my advantage. I was literally shaking in my sock monkey knee high socks but went out there and lifted my heart out. I was so unbelievably besides myself that I lifted as much as I lifted because it came out of no where! Just goes to show that a little confidence and obscene amounts of sugar rushing through your veins can go a long way.

I could not be more proud of the team I've become apart of. I've shed tears and showered in sweat but it has all been worth it. I could have never imagined I'd be where I am now a few weeks ago. Turns out that no matter how much knowledge you have, if you don't have the confidence nor support to put it into action you won't go very far. Without the girls on the team, I would still be lifting little red weights and have low self-confidence levels. They have been my rock hard shoulders to lean on and even stronger slaps on the ass to get myself back in check. They are the force that drive me past the limits I thought I had.

I am a part of NUPL and I'm damn proud.

HallAOKIween

What you do know about the Sugarwoman: she loves music more than a fat kid loves cake.
What you may not know about the Sugarwoman: Halloween is her favorite holiday to be crazy/scary/creative/sugarloaded

So what event would make this Sugarwoman sing with joy? Well, none other than seeing Steve Aoki on Halloween.

And that's exactly what the Sugarwoman did.

After pinteresting, tumbling, googling, and rummaging through my wardrobe for the past week, I decided on some fox ears and tail along with shot glass necklaces and other 'party' screaming accessories to become the Party Animal. And once I was all painted, glittered and ready to go, I met up with my fellow Halloween & Aoki enthusiasts to head out to The House of Blues.

After a dilhema with international IDs and having to jump in a cab to get our passports, we finally got inside and settled into the pulsing mob.

 Where we were joined by Wakka Flakka in - no other way to describe it but - a twerk competition.

 After we twerked to our hearts' content, we spent the next 2 and a half hours enjoying the other opener BUT THEN the real show started.

But of course no concert would be complete without giant robots...

 ...and a trip through the fog wormhole..

 ...and a touch or two from Aoki...

 ...and getting caked!

Completely enthralled in his music and with the fact that we were absolutely drenched in sweets, sweat, and tears of joys, the night went on on the floor and on the shoulder's of friends.

But then all of my concert dreams came true.
Steve Aoki looked at me right in the eyes and called me up on stage.
You read that right..the most incredible unbelievable jaw-dropping thing happened to me and I was almost too in shock to believe what the hell was going on. There I was screaming my lungs out and then the next thing I know I'm dancing onstage. There's no other way to describe it but out of this world magical.
Am I overreacting?

 I think not.

It goes without saying that this was hands down not only the best Halloween of my life, but one of the best nights in general.

I still find it unreal that just when you feel everything in going wrong, it all changes for the better. I walked through the doors with no expectations whatsoever and then all of a sudden, everything I have ever wished for in a concert became reality.

Sounds silly to apply this one night's experience to life on the grand scale but I can't express this enough: if you never have expectations, you will always be happily surprised.
So whatever event is coming up, have it be the weekend's Halloween celebrations or lunch with a blind date, go into it expecting nothing and come out with everything.

Have a wonderful rest of your holiday weekends! x