1) Who is Tara Jenkins? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
I’m from Melbourne, Australia & I’m a personal trainer as well as a property manager & pretty much a part time CrossFit athlete (I’m very busy!)
2) How many years have you been training?
I’ve been doing CrossFit for 2.5 years. Prior to that I did body building & Gridiron. As a kid I competed in high level track & field.
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)
Last year, 2 days before the Open, I burst my appendix. I was absolutely gutted as I had trained my butt off for so long & I was in peak condition ready to do my best to get our team to Regionals. I shed a lot of tears, decided to be positive & then started moving again in my hospital room (you know, lunges... squats etc).
I did the bare minimum to get a score in for weeks 1 - 3. Trained in a body building gym during the Open so I didn’t use my core.
Ate a lot, slept a lot and managed to complete weeks 4 & 5. Our team scraped in for regionals & we qualified for the CrossFit Games. Best turn around ever!!!
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like?
I train from 5.30am - 8am usually doing Olympic lifting & some cardio.
Then from 5.30 - 7.30 doing gymnastics, wods & accessories (like body building).
I eat fairly clean but stick to my macros... I tend to eat similar things during the week & be a bit adventurous over the weekend (but still stick to my macros)
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition?
I have learnt that you need to listen to your body when you’re training. You should know when you are being a cry baby or if you really need to stop.
I have learnt that you need to eat a lot more than you think you can to perform well.... you can pretty much eat all day and lose body fat still, it’s amazing!
I am currently struggling with the lifestyle part. I live and breathe training & recovery & it’s taking its toll on outside relationships.
So I’m currently trying to work out a balance so I don’t burn out & enjoy the process of becoming a better athlete.
I think we all need to schedule fun times when we work so hard everyday, it will keep our minds happy & healthy.
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
I love Grill’d (healthy burger bar), doughnuts & ice cream!
7) one supplement that you could not live without?
Adrenal Switch.
8) If you had to start out from scratch with your physique what would you do differently and why?
This is a good question. I struggle with my own body image every day.
I feel beautiful & confident in the gym with all of my gym fam... but as soon as I step outside the gym, people stop, stare & talk. It makes me feel so insecure & question myself.
But then I think, there’s nothing else I’d rather do and I feel good! I am strong, I am lean & I can do amazing things with this physique. Why would I want to blend in with everyone else?
If I had to start from scratch, I would have lifted heavier earlier & mobilised more.
The reason being, I piss farted around trying to ‘body build’ for years & never really challenged myself. Those years could have been spent actually becoming a better athlete.
I would have mobilised more because it took me a good 18 months to be able to do an over head squat or a snatch without looking like a fool! These shoulders, hips & ankles were like concrete!
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
Anyone who is putting everything into what they are doing whole heartedly.
There are so many athletes... but one that springs to mind first would have to be Tia Toomey.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
Look after your joints, eat to perform, don’t give up when things get hard & never avoid your weaknesses.
11) What new goals are on the horizon?
I would love for my team to qualify for the games this year & if I can figure out this CrossFit/lifestyle balance, I would love to try for Individuals next year.
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
They can get me on instagram Tara.nicole.jenkins or my Facebook Tara Jenkins.
