1) Who is Karin Baalbaki? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
I'm a 27 year old unicorn loving swedish girl that currently lives in Abu Dhabi.
2) How many years have you been training?
I've always done sports growing up (soccer and horseback riding) until I found CrossFit in Feb 2014. effort in to make it a good experience. 12
3) Whats been the most challenging/hardest part of your journey so far? and how have you overcome them (set backs, rejections, injuries, basically anything difficult that you have had to overcome)
I've been lucky enough not to have any major injuries, only smaller issues like a stress fracture in my foot and currently a wrist. Other than that I struggle a lot with my mental game and believing in myself in this sport. I find it hard to always stay motivated and focused. I always get the job done, but sometimes I'm mentally not there.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like?
My days usually start at 5:30am coaching classes and maybe have a few PT's after that. Then I do my first training session around 10am, chill out for a bit, and then hit session number 2. After that I'm usually off to work again in the afternoon/evening. I get my food delivered daily from a company called Pura, so my meals are ready to eat. It's so convenient and it makes my life so much easier with such busy days.
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition?
I've taken my warm-up more seriously and always making sure to listen to my body. One thing I've been working on lately is to listen to my body. If I don't feel good about a specific movement or workout, I will modify it just to make sure I can move well and that my body is ready for it.
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
Oh I'm a big chips girl! Cheetos are my favourites!
7) one supplement that you could not live without?
I don't really use a lot of supplements at the moment, but I always have BCAA's during training. After a really tough session I'll have some carbs just to make sure I get me energy levels up.
8) If you had to start out from scratch with your physique what would you do differently and why?
Hmm, nothing in particular. However I would change the fact that I didn't used to care about warm-ups and moving well, which today has led to me being a bit asymmetrical and uneven in my lifting.
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
Moving to Abu Dhabi, I'm surrounded by some of the best girls in the world, so many to look up to. One person in particular that comes to mind is Tammi Robinson. She works hard and always has fun with her training. Training is one of the best things she knows and that really shows, session after session. It's contagious and gives me a lot of energy since I train with here every now and then.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
Get the basics down first and build a strong foundation. Don't underestimate the importance of moving well and getting your body ready for the task at hand. After that, the fun part begins!
11) What new goals are on the horizon?
Well, I just qualified for the Meridian Regionals as an individual this year, so I have 8 weeks to put all my focus and effort in making it a good experience.
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
@thunderthighsbaalbakai on Instagram
