CUT and JACKED: Rachel Elizabeth Murray Tips

If you are in need of some inspiration for today, as your workout week may be coming to an end, another wonderful woman athlete is Rachel Elizabeth Murray...and since she did an interview with CutAndJacked.com, I wanted to repost a couple questions from her interview to give you ladies an idea of the different types of training and motivation that work for different types of people. I also want you to understand that you can be intense in the gym, lift heavy, train hard and still have a very feminine and sculpted physique. So enough of my talking...here is Rachel Elizabeth Murray.

*The following is from CutAndJacked with photo credit/photos by Mike Byerly Photography and Ian Coble. Source: (http://www.cutandjacked.com/CutAndJacked-Interview-Rachel-Elizabeth-Murray)

Photo credit Mike Byerly Photography of
Rachel Elizabeth Murray
CutAndJacked.com

Q: WHAT TYPES OF CARDIO HAVE WORKED BEST FOR YOU?: A: I have to be honest - as always - I hate cardio. I'd rather stick to my clean eating, cheat it less, lift heavier in the gym with less rest time, and do more plyos than do steady-state cardio for hours a week. I do sprints though. They're more challenging and take less time, so I don't even see them as "cardio" really - So I guess HIIT is the answer to your question. HIIT (sprints and plyos) work the best for me. :) Challenging, strengthening, stamina, and fat-blasting. I've always been an athlete. I love training like one.

Q: WHAT DOES YOUR DIET CONSIST OF?: A: ALL NATURAL, non-allergenic, GI friendly. It's basically paleo with a side of sports nutrition for recovery and lean mass preservation. LOTS of veggies, brown (and white) rice, lean protein and oats basically. During contest prep it's strict with a few added condiments, but when I'm not competing, It's about 80-90% strict with wiggle room for meals with friends (still healthy choices) and social drinks ;)

Q: HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH CRAVINGS FOR JUNK FOOD, SWEETS AND SALTY FOODS?: A: I really don't crave anything other than chocolate... if I don't keep it in my house, I don't think about it. I only struggle at friends’ houses or parties where there's a buffet or appetizer spread. I love trying a little of everything...in those cases, I only have one small plate and try a small piece of the best looking things, then control my self. :) Again however, if I'm in prep mode, I'm very disciplined.

Photo by Ian Coble of Rachel Elizabeth Murray
CutAndJacked.com

Q: WHAT IS YOUR TRAINING ROUTINE LIKE?: A: I'm currently doing a combination of strength and power training using 1RM percentages and increasing them every week for 3 weeks, then drop down for a 'deload' week to refresh the CNS. I lift 5 days a week, heavy for 3-4 sets, then do a volume set of 1 exercise for 10 sets (on the minute for 10 min) then 2-4 more exercises for 2-4 sets of 10-15 each, and finish with a plyo circuit for 10-20 min.

Q: WHAT 3 TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANY WOMAN WANTING TO GET A FEMININE, CUTANDJACKED PHYSIQUE LIKE YOURS? A: Assess your body's strengths and weaknesses and train to sculpt like an artist, for proportion, symmetry, and aesthetics as well as overall healthy conditioning. Ex: I know my legs and butt need the most work, but my quads tend to like to 'take over', so I train lower rep, higher volume glutes and hamstrings, but rarely focus on quad-specific exercises. They get enough work with my other leg exercises. Also, my arms and chest get really lean, and hold muscle easily, so I rarely train them specifically. Rather, I focus on heavy back and shoulder work and they get enough work while helping with the larger muscle groups.

And there you go all my lovely workout ladies. A woman who is a great example of an athlete, a strong lifter, a disciplined enthusiast and a toned, sculpted, feminine physique. Remember that although her diet and workout work perfectly for her, you may have a different body or lifestyle, and you should find a balance and a routine that works specifically for YOUR BODY. However, I think that understanding what other women are doing can be incredibly motivating, and carry over into your life as well. Now go try some plyo circuits!