#nonbinarypowerlifting

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

You can take up space! My new article on @barbend centralizes women and variously gendered folks who are taught to not take up space, and the power of powerlifting (see what I did there?). @uncovering_i_dentity @annavinyasa @albanborova @gdom77 @dumbo_pt_team @helenafayy @dan_krakaur @mi_chael I feel like you'll appreciate this one. #personaltraining #powerlifting #bodypositivity #liftheavy #girlswholiftheavy #bodypositivetraining #womenworkout #womenpowerlifting #girlswholift #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #barbend #fitnessarticles #personaltrainer #fitnessculture #gymlife https://www.instagram.com/p/Btlyo3zgsm4okA-awFRFG4HICI0zCf0W16dsv80/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=17bk1427tv3oc

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

300 club!! Pulled 305 nice and easy, with hella support from the amazing @annavinyasa and @shiner_rock1!!! (Rodney my man, I tried to make us look like comic book characters in the photo because MILES MORALES IS COMING OUT SO SOON!!!!) #cantstopwontstop #writerswholift #deadlift #squad #powerlifting #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #personaltrainer #genderqueertraining #transpersonaltrainer #nonbinarypersonaltrainer #powerlifter https://www.instagram.com/p/BrEbQFhAL79E5470M2BUypbQYZiy3IEiClFxqk0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1gnucsc7hqbx9

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

From last weekend's meet. The second video is the only lift I missed, and one of my fellow lifters reminded me: If you don't miss one in your first meet, you're not trying hard enough. So damn sweet, and a beautifully timed reminder that imperfection can be a wonderful thing. A fabulous time with fabulous people. What a growth curve I've had this year. Wow. #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypositivity #nonbinarypowerlifting #transpositivity #powerlifting #powerlifter #personaltrainer #equinoxmademedoit #squatsfordays #deadlifting #alsobench #thattoo (at CrossFit Downtown Atlanta and ATL Barbell) https://www.instagram.com/p/BozXJi5AMbXIvbSX5A_PRDv1ursCMyKkVEKunA0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=whhgxup0ehcd

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

Bloopers from my meet a couple weeks ago. The first pic is during weigh-in, reacting when they told me that the scale will say how much I weigh: mind was BLOWN. The second photo, I have no frakking clue what I was doing. Dancing on the floor, later, and then just being... well, me. Good to remind myself not to take myself so seriously, not to be so hard on myself (and, frankly, mean to myself), especially when everything feels impossible and my sense of worth is nowhere to be found. Good to remind myself of the person I usually love being; the first to make people laugh when they're nervous, that kinda thing. #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #transpositivity #nonbinarypositivity #powerlifting #powerlifter #bloopers #whyamilikethis #writerswholift #gymlife #gymhumor #equinoxmademedoit #personaltrainer #yesimalsothisweirdinsessions (at CrossFit Downtown Atlanta and ATL Barbell) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpMgx4_AhufL-SHVCaRm0utCLir9BaCN9rNkJU0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1j2n03t29n37j

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

These last eight weeks training for my first powerlifting meet, I've learned so damn much. About lifting, sure; but mostly, about myself. I always knew that lifting was my "me" time, my best alone time aside from writing and watching Agents of SHIELD. But I learned these few weeks that I like being alone *around* people that I care about, that care about me. People like @mrliverich and @theoduscrane and @anthony_vita and @mi_chael. TEAM. I learned what my body handles well (baby food during long lifting sessions, yo) and what it doesn't handle well (coffee makes me SHAKE). I learned that I am capable of so much more than I've always been told I am; that lifting is what I've always been driving toward; that it's a form of loving my body, my mind, a kind of creativity and growth and cleansing I will never stop thirsting for. That chasing constructed aesthetics of white masculinity hurt just as much as when I used to let myself be coerced into chasing constructed aesthetics of white femininity. I just need to chase... being under (and...over? deadlifts yo) heavy barbells, because I fucking love it. For me. Because I deserve things. Dammit. #powerlifting #powerlifter #oneweekout #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypositivity #nonbinarypowerlifting #personaltrainer #liftinglife #queerlifting #writerswholift #equinoxmademedoit #poweredbypride #team #sundaythoughts https://www.instagram.com/p/BoWVj_jgotL5sKcwdct71wOeeXP7u7d_1jJpN80/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dxisvtz7g44x

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

Pulling heavy for the first time since my meet, guest starring the brilliant human flag doer @atpunderscore. Not featured: his badass calisthenics work and my 295lb deadlift (unbelted and without chalk; I'm coming for you, 300 club. Then, I'll be coming for the 1,000 club, dammit). #deadliftinglife #powerlifting #personaltrainer #transpersonaltrainer #nonbinarypersonaltrainer #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #transpositivity #wewontbeerased #stillhere #antidepressant #selflove https://www.instagram.com/p/BqvgK3NgETxs-zsj3YJiIAGBTIsPoUqPnej66E0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1adw3duljab68

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

About 8 weeks out from my first #powerlifting meet with @ftmfitnessworld!! Enby and trans folks -- including wonderful and powerful transfemme folks, of course -- who need some training community and/or guidance, hit me up! I have online personal training packages but also, we all need community so like ;) #personaltrainer #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #nonbinarycommunity #transcommunity #writerswholift #squatsfordays #poweredbypride (at Atlanta, Georgia)

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

Flying again, but this time with a bar on mah back. Some light barbell jump squats to go with my day of trying new things/working on things I'm not good at -- wound up with a 3 hour session!! It was amazing. Working at a place I love to spend time in that much? Wow. #personaltrainer #posthoneymoon #squats #jumpsquats #unevenliftoffbutworkingonit #waitthisisnttumblrcalmdownwiththehashtags #writerswholift #authorsofinstagram #traininglife #nonbinarypowerlifting #transpowerlifting #powerlifting

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

It's been an intense few months -- my first novella is out today (!!!!), my book launch party is on Thursday (!!!!!), my debut novel drops Monday (!!!!!), and then I'm off on my book tour, which includes #ClexaCon -- and my two constants have been #chosenfamily and #gymlife. I don't know what I've done to deserve the people that are in my life, but wow am I grateful. The people who love me most know that there will be hours every day where I'm unavailable because I'm gymming and because I'm writing; and they support me all the way through. Feeling very grateful tonight. #debutauthor #writerslife #gymming #fitlife #powerlifting #veganpowerlifting #transpowerlifting #transmasc #transfitness #nonbinaryfitness #nonbinarypowerlifting #progress #selfcare #selflove #gratitude #writerswholift

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

New hair cut, new kicks, new knee brace; same drive. 215 lbs x 4 followed by 230 for a double and a triple. Then I rack pulled 270, which for yall who don't know the lifting world is the literal "pick it up and put it down" phenomenon. I'm pretty pleased with my training today, especially considering that tomorrow night is the biggest night of my life so far: my #booklaunch!! Keeping myself locked in, and god does it feel good. #gymgoals #trainingislife #writerswholift #squats #squatting #powerlifting #fitlife #veganpowerlifting #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #transpositivity #nonbinarypositivity #legday #snowday #offtoreadnow

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

Last week, one of the people I love most in the world told me that I've made myself unattractive and unhealthy-looking by cutting off my hair and by broadening my shoulders and muscles generally through training and powerlifting. This person is disgusted by my transitions: in gender and in fitness. They have both always been in me: I am only now in a place in my life where all of me -- the nerdy nonbinary powerlifting author -- is embraced and supported by my chosen family. I am only now in a place where who I am -- who I've always been -- can manifest on the outside. The afternoon that I had to hear this transphobia and misogyny (because he certainly wouldn't have told me I look unhealthy if I were a cis man), I went to the gym. I trained harder than ever: and I trained, of course, safely. Because training journeys -- like gender journeys -- are about loving yourself enough to explore what kinds of potential you have inside you. I love myself; I love the body I am carving for myself; I love how I look, broad shoulders and short hair, powerful and bold and brave, whether I'm packing and wearing my binder or rocking six inch stilleto boots and a push-up bra. I deserve that self-love, even when people who are supposed to love me well try to take it from me. And you deserve that self-love, too. My trans and nonbinary friends: your transitions, whether from the gym or hormones or surgery or clothing or makeup or something else or some combination of the above, do not make you unattractive. They do not make you look unhealthy. They make you YOU, and therefore they make you incredible. My women (trans and nonbinary and cis alike) who train: you look amazing and you look powerful. My folks of all genders who *don't* train: you also look amazing and you also look powerful. Because, training or not, whatever kinds of bodies you have, you all ARE amazing and powerful. Unconditionally. So keep being unabashedly YOU. The world needs you. -- #powerlifting #transworkout #nonbinaryworkout #bodybuilding #veganbodybuilding #traininglife #powerliftingwomen #training #writerswhotrain #writerswholift #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #nonbinary #transgender

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

Warming up for a #legday intended to completely gas the targeted muscles (today, it was quads, hamstrings, and calves) instead of taxing the central nervous system: mine can seriously use a break! Off to nom #veganprotein now. Ohhh, these days devoted to grading, #training, and #editing. No matter how depressed these days start, at least the squat rack (and chosen fam) will be there. #trainingislife #transfitness #nonbinaryfitness #squats #powerlifting #veganpowerlifting #veganbodybuilding #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #writerswholift #writerswhotrain

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

After some tough medication issues for the last week, I pulled 225x8 and 225x6 for two. Finally #lifting with my own music again courtesy of the mp3 player one of my lovely and overly generous #readers got me. Thank you so much, my dear -- it got me through an intense #trainingday #deadlifts #powerlifting #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #gymlife #workout #writerswholift

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

2 weeks out from the trans powerlifting meet; pulling 265 and 275 for doubles feeling pretty easy. The amount of emotional growth I've gone through in the months leading to this meet has been... incredible. I can feel the fibers of my mind, my heart, healing just as I feel my muscle fibers growing. Even though I still hear "you know you don't *have* to lift that much weight" and "you've made yourself unattractive" and "you look disgusting and ridiculous like that" from people I've loved deepest (some live and in person recently, some engraved in my heart and memory), working up to the meet has been about working through those voices. I'm training my body to push and pull heavy weight, and I'm traininng my mind to recognize and honor my own voice, my own excitements and joys and passions. All this, while working hard at my third novel. I'm... humbled and so, so... ready. #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypositivity #nonbinarypowerlifting #transpowerlifting #powerlifter #powerlifting #training #traininglife #2weeksout #authorlife #amwriting #personaltrainer #equinoxmademedoit https://www.instagram.com/p/BoCQg0wguNuSX5j0fQVR2QwfrryAlC97V5YD0E0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=kxy0tj7lgvxq

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

This year? My first two novels debuted, I got married, and I just blasted through my first powerlifting meet. What a damn year. To have this meet be with other amazing trans lifters, surrounded by queer folks and supporters, who all wanted to know and respected the crap out of our pronouns, was just... I would say spectacular, but @transfitnessathlete reminds me: *fabulous*. I can't thank @cfdowntownatl enough for hosting us so beautifully, or @writerlylife enough for taking such good care of me throughout. Videos and bloopers (Marcos took some amazingly ridiculous pictures of my utter ridiculousness) from the meet to follow: for now, on my flight back home (#comiccon with my wonderful wife in the morning!!!), I'm just... grateful. #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #transpositivity #nonbinarypositivity #transpersonaltrainer #nonbinarypersonaltrainer #personaltrainer #writerswholift #thisiswhattranslookslike #enbieswholift #translove #enbypride #powerlifting #squatsfordays #deadliftinglife #alsobenching #thattoo (at CrossFit Downtown Atlanta and ATL Barbell) https://www.instagram.com/p/BonC6SDgX5hpImLo2Zq6uLsvOTPFPH2rO38a3Q0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1koxn73hv67ad

[jpolish-writes-queer-ya-fantasy]

Less than 4 weeks out from my meet, hitting triples at 190. I had to readjust my squat mechanics for the meet, so I'm essentially re-learning the entire movement: which is why this is such a great sport. Always learning! Also repping my rainbow dinosaur tee and @strengthshop's #veganpowerlifting belt. Totally stoked o.O #powerlifting #atlantabound #transpowerlifting #nonbinarypowerlifting #nonbinarytrainer #transtrainer #lesbianlifting #powerlifter #squatsfordays #writerswholift https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn3obtsHK3WmgwbaJTPecYXpk2d1drQnPq86Fg0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1lzks5cufvzt1