Athlete of the Week: Sarah Cripps

Sarah Cripps is not new to the fitness world but she set her sights on a new goal: becoming a body-building competitor.

Cripps competed in the Ultimate Fitness Event (UFE) Halloween Mayhem on Saturday, October 27 at Mohawk College in Hamilton as a Natural Figure competitor.

“I decided to do this competition because I have dreamed about doing one for so many years. I wanted to make it a reality and really push myself,” says Cripps.

Not only did she achieve her goal, she won the Gold medal with her first-place finish in the Figure Masters 35+ class. “Everyone has a different goal or focus, and that is okay. This was my goal, I did it for me,” she says.

Cripps has been doing strength training at the gym for three years. “I followed programs from a few athletes that inspire me, and then hired Ashley Bird as my coach in June 2018.”

Working out is what helps Cripps’ overall mental and physical well-being. “I feel empowered, strong, confident, and like it’s my purpose—I am meant to do this. I like the challenge, seeing my personal records, progress through pictures, and just seeing my overall mind set shift. I feel I have a new perspective on life.”

The 18-week journey to the competition challenged Cripps’ mental strength more than anything. She described her experience with three words: discipline, self-control and rituals. “I found that I didn’t give up social outings or social situations just because I had a goal and a focus to compete. I simply brought my own food with me, made sure I ate before, or made sure I brought my measuring tools to select and track foods I ate.”

This may have been difficult a difficult task, but Cripps had to truly believe in her ability to do it. “I watched many motivational videos, surrounded myself with positive people and places. I had to create a strong mindset and trust the process of my coach Ashley Bird.”

Bird, who owns The BarBelles, says that Cripps “is an absolute pleasure to coach. She is consistent, determined and dedicated to any goal she sets. She is a natural on stage and has a lot of potential as a figure athlete in the future. We are proud to have her represent Team BarBelles.”

Throughout the challenge, Cripps found her goal tough at times but exciting and rewarding. “I would say this process was worth it, and I can’t wait for what is next.”

Cripps plans to compete in another UFE competition in June 2019 in a variety of categories, including Figure, Women’s Fitness and Women’s Physique. In the meantime, Cripps would like to build more muscle and focus on her weaker areas. She wants to be stronger and wants to learn something new about her new sport—target different muscles, discover how her body responds to food and workout routines, and create balance in food selection with flexibility. “I want to be better than I was the day before,” she says.

Dedication can make a goal achievable and Cripps has proven to herself that hard work pays off. “This wasn’t at all about winning the medal. I felt I already won, because I set out a goal, I worked hard to achieve that goal, and learned a lot about the process and about myself along the way. I felt confident, happy, and found that I am passionate about fitness and my fitness goals. I will continue to keep plugging away, so I can continue to grow, learn and be the best I can be! This experience was absolutely life changing for me and I loved it all.”

Supplied photos

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