Clare Barks
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Cheers Joe.. I’ll try and be interesting ????
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You’ll be fine Haider. It needs addressing, so there’s nothing you can do about it. The actual reality of how much better you’ll be afterwards far out weighs the anticipation, what if’s and stress of worrying about it. Sometimes forced rest is a blessing in disguise. It is what it is and you’ll pick up and crack on once you’re on the other side.
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Today’s Push workout. Another good session. I’m enjoying the reduced volume, which is less fatiguing and keeping my strength and Intensity up.
Any questions, fire them over.PUSH 2
Shoulder press machine – 2 sets for 8-10 reps
High Inc Smith press – 2 sets of 8-10
Dips – 1 set of 8-10
Cable X over – 1 set of 15
Side raise machine – 3 sets of 15 reps
Tricep bar pushdown – 3 sets of 12
Single arm seated DB curl – 2 sets of 8-10 reps
Dual machine curl – 1 set of 15,
Abs – 4 sets of any exercise, 1 min rest in between, all sets aim for 15 repsInstagram @ClareBarksPT | tb-jp.com/collections/clothing - The most anabolic clothing ever! |
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Hi Matt. Good to see you on here 🙂 I was impressed with the improvements you and Jordan made this year.. be interesting to follow and see what you can do in the lead up to your next show.
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So far this morning I’ve smashed a glass, left my coffee machine running which has flooded my kitchen surface and dropped a box of eggs, so surely the only way is up from here on in! Push Day for me today.. I’ll post my workout afterwards.
Body weight has dropped slightly this morning, so we’ll see where I’m at when I check in with Jordan at the end of the week incase any adjustments need to be made. Food is quite high, so I expect my body to settle soon and begin gaining.
I had an email yesterday from one of the head judges in Italy with feedback on my last show, who highlighted the potential need for additional Lat development to create a more dramatic V taper and to adjust my back pose to lean towards the judging panel more.. so these points will be noted going forward into this off season phase.
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Thanks Charlotte. My main focus is always overall improvements, but I know my Lats and Delts could do with bringing up.. and always more legs/glutes! Adding anything would simply be one more tool left in the box that could potentially help me now with the training age I have. I’ve always wanted to do this naturally for as long as I can.
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Post Show Transition
I get asked quite a bit about my post show transition and how I reverse out of a diet state. To be honest I have never followed what would be considered a structured ‘Reverse Diet’. ie. Slowly reduce cardio and increase calories incrementally each day to reach maintenance and then push up from there. I will always taper down cardio pre contest, which is something I’ve also done since working with Jordan, so I never keep this in post show. I’ll keep a few walks in and be mindful to stay a little active, but other than that, nothing. I also have no motivation to train either. I’m always exhausted and the last thing I want to do is go and lift weights, so that’s out of the picture for usually the first week (I will only go back when I’m missing it enough to want to go back). My main focus is rest, recovery, minimising stress and optimising sleep. I’ll eat intuitively, keeping quality nutrition in, but also allow a few treats and meals that I’ve missed. I won’t binge as I know this won’t do my digestion or mood any good, but I also won’t stop myself eating something I fancy. Obviously we all cope differently and this approach won’t suit everyone and will also depend on where you ended your prep, so this is just a little insight into the way I go about this period (Which may also change in the future). Once I’m back in the gym, I begin my structured off season diet alongside and continue to weigh myself daily (As I always do) to keep an eye on progress. I’m a lists and data kinda person..so everything is recorded and monitored!.. then it’s over to Jordan to adjust plans as necessary and make sure I don’t get tooo fat!
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Pull this morning. I know it’s only my 3rd day back into training, but I’m loving being back in the gym. Really happy with the session too.. Strength seems pretty good and the connection and pump was top notch today. I think we’re all very conscious when we start our new off season plans to make sure we start as we mean to go on, assess load, perfect execution and to make sure every exercise is ‘Felt’.. so I intend to stay like this.
In other news my weight is up a touch since starting the new diet, so we’re headed in the right direction. I posted a pic on my Instagram this morning, so if you’ve seen that, you’ll see that I’m still very lean, so need to keep pushing up and get into a healthier spot. I’m feeling better though (Although I know that’s all relative when compared to a prep state!) Energy and mood is up and I’m sleeping well (I also attribute this to the genius that is Dean and his Sleep Stack!)
I’ll obviously keep you all updated. I’ve posted today’s workout below:
PULL 1
Wide Lat pull down – 1 set of 10-12 reps stay on the same weight and do another set
T bar row – 2 sets of 8-10 reps
Assisted chin – 2 sets of 10-12
Seated cable row (narrow attachment) – 2 sets of 10-12
High cable for rear Delts (Cuffs) – 3 sets of 10-12
Seated Single arm DB curl – 1 quad drop – 12 on the first
Standing calves – 3 sets of 8-10 reps – 1 min rest between sets, last set straight into a stretch
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HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYYYY Corinne!!!!!!! Let’s hope you get the present you deserve this weekend 🙂
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Hey Nick.. Thanks for checking in! And thankyou, I appreciate the support 🙂 Do you compete yourself?
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Rest Day today. PT work this morning, then catching up with other work at home this afternoon. Legs are feeling it from my first session back yesterday, as expected! But it’s good to be back to a structured routine now. I definitely needed the break post comp to recharge mentally and physically.
I’ve written my rest day diet up previously and health supps I currently use are listed below:
Omega 3
Vitamin D3
Multi Vit and Mineral
Glutathione
Curcumin with Resveratrol
Ashwaganda KSM-66
Supplement Needs Sleep Stack
Greens Powder
CBD oil 20%
Creatine MonohydrateInstagram @ClareBarksPT | tb-jp.com/collections/clothing - The most anabolic clothing ever! |
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Hi Christian. Hope you’re well.. It’s good to interact with people who have been following me for a while. I’ve been natural ever since I started weight training and competing. It was only this year we discussed the possibility of adding a small amount of assistance. I’ve always been very wary of using anything, not only because of the unknown, but the stigma attached to it when it comes to females.
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Thanks Sam. I don’t think you can ever have ‘Balance’ if you follow this lifestyle seriously, but having people around you that ‘Get you’ and let you get on with it helps!
I don’t think my legs will ever be in Corinne’s league, but it won’t be for the lack of trying. I’m excited to get stuck into this off season now and yeah a training session down at Primitive would be cool.
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Hey IFBB Pro Corrine.. Thanks for stopping by 😉
Love ya,
Claire XInstagram @ClareBarksPT | tb-jp.com/collections/clothing - The most anabolic clothing ever! |
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Hey Sam, Good to see you too! I love training at Primitive Gym when I get the chance and yeah, my legs are beginning to hate me right now, haha!
Good questions! … Ok here we go!
1. When you first began training, did you always have aspirations to earn your pro card or simply just enjoy the process of competing? On the back of that, how early did you realise your potential and legitimately going for the card?
Not at all. I had been weight training for many years and was something I’ve loved ever since I first walked into my first gym. Like I’ve said previously I’ve always been a very competitive person and challenged myself in sports and running events, but didn’t really know of anything I could do with the weight training. I knew a little but about competitive bodybuilding through magazines, but only thought that was for the likes of Ronnie Coleman etc. and didn’t think it was something I could do as a female at my level. It was only really when social media came about and I started to see that women were competing in these kinds of shows that I thought ‘Hey this looks like something I could try’.. Anyway the next step was to google bodybuilding gyms in my local area, which is when I came across Primitive gym, plucked up the courage to walk in, asked for some advice ..next I knew I was picking a federation, show and prepping myself to compete! I trained with Gary Hill at Primitive in the lead up, did my own diet by complete guess work and bits of knowledge I had picked up, You tubed a few poses and went for it! I somehow placed 3rd at the UKBFF Southcoast Championships in April 2013 with an invite to the British Finals and went on to place 5th there. At that point a Pro Card was never on the agenda or a goal at all. I just knew I wanted to carry on doing this. The further I’ve got and the better I did, my first goal was to win the UKBFF British Championships, which I did in 2015, but even then I never dreamt that a Pro Card could be achievable. I guess it was only really after the UKBFF split from the IFBB Pro league recently and seeing others finally getting the recognition they deserved did I start to think.. maybe I could actually do this! Also having Jordan tell me personally that he believes I can do it and with my recent near misses, it’s given me a bit more confidence and belief in myself.
2. Being in a relationship is difficult enough with competing, but children brings about a different dynamic, namely dependency. Are your girls of an age where they understand the process and why mum can’t eat this or is feeling drained leading up a comp?
Yeah they are a little older now. I don’t think it would have been fair to do this whilst they were younger, particularly having a partner in the military away all the time. They’re at an age now where It’s not the done thing to hang around with Mum, so are happy doing their own thing (As long as Taxi Mum is available!) They let me get on with my stuff to be honest and all their mates think what I do is cool. Ha! I still cook meals for the family and do everything I need to do as a Mum. They don’t care what I eat. Obviously there are days deep in prep where I’m tired etc, but I do my best not to let what I do affect them.
3. Women competing can garner a mixed response. People appear to respect the work ethic however there can be negative comments, both online and in real life. How do you deal with negative comments whether they are intentional or not? A classic one is ‘good for you, but I wouldn’t want to look like that’. Almost a back handed compliment and starting with a positive opener is almost trying to detract from the negative. Obviously there can be spiteful comments too.
I honestly don’t care what anyone else thinks. I haven’t actually ever had any negative comments at all.. not sure how I’ve managed to escape that! I just get on with my own thing and if people are interested to follow, get inspiration from or if I’m able to help or advise anyone along the way, then great, but ultimately this is something I love doing, do for myself and would still do without any social media being available or any praise. The training and lifestyle I lead is something I fell in love with well before I contemplated competing and will continue to do once I stop I’m sure.
4. What are your off season goals this time round?
Thanks Clare. P.S. Get ready for being called ‘Claire’. Corinne can attest to that!Goals.. always to make sure I don’t stand on stage looking the same as I did at my last showing. So it’s just to progress, build more muscle, particularly delts and lat width.. and no one can ever have enough legs! Legs like Corinne’s would be a dream!! I’m not afraid to lose condition and push weight up, so whatever Jordan says goes and I’ll do all I can my end to ensure the judges don’t have a reason not to notice me the next time I’m on stage.
And yes.. I TOTALLY get Corinne’s frustration with the incorrect spelling of her name!! Claire drives me CRRAAZZYYYY!!!
Hope that answers everything!
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