Fitmark Ambassador Rachelle Dejean encourages you to meet your challenges with high expectations
In 3 months it will mark a full year since I graduated from Bradley University, which completed my training in team sanctioned events. I spent four seasons with the Women’s Volleyball team and my final semester with the Women’s Track team when my final fall season for volleyball ended. That spring semester actually helped me to make the transition into competing, as I was doing sprint workouts with my teammates and lifting with my new regimen on my own for my first show a week after graduation.
Even though it has been quite some time since I competed in the NCAA, I want to be sure to never lose sight of the athlete inside of me. Something that helps me to stand out is the experience I’ve had as an athlete. The sacrifices and commitment I had to make for practice and competitive play while my peers were out late on weeknights and weekends. Of course, when I had the time, I would socialize like a normal student would want to, but prioritizing is crucial as a student-athlete and I made sure to do so. However, I have traded in the volleyball jersey, with a sanctioned (consistent) number of identification, as well as kneepads and spandex. I’ve hung up my short-lived track jersey, running spikes, and running shorts. Now I am sure to have extra Jan Tana, posing shoes, and a couple different choices of blinged-out suits. But just because I am presenting myself in a new way, doesn’t mean I am going to stop training like an athlete!
I strive to be an athlete in all aspects of the word: meet challenges with high expectations, push until I cannot, and making sacrifices so I can improve and grow.
Sports may change but I have found that I benefit from training similarly. Conditioning drills I did with my strength and conditioning coaches for volleyball are actually great for my training as an IFBB bikini competitor.
Speed ladders? Yes. Bleachers—without a doubt! If given the option, I would do the stairwell in my gym over the stairmaster. Shuffling exercises and sprint intervals—you hate to love it but they’re so great for activity and conditioning.
In all, I am blessed to have the ability to stay active. Fitness is fitness! Make it fun. See what works for you, and run with it!
“Stay rich with passion, and humble with confidence”
Stay fit,
Rachelle Dejean
Fitmark Ambassador 2013
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