1) Who is Fern Carver? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
Originally from the U.K., have lived in Norway which I like to call my second home and now living in the Middle East (Dubai)
2) How many years have you been training?
I have been a member of some kind of gym for the last 12 years but started to train Crossfit at the end of 2011.
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)
Most challenging has been my journey to regionals, each year I was getting closer and closer but with the ever increasing level of competition I started to doubt if I would make it. Last year it all paid off though and I finally qualified out of the Africa Middle East Region to compete at the Meridian Crossfit Games Regionals in Madrid.
I’ve had a few injuries over that time, that have cropped up and meant I had to take a step back from how I was training and look at other ways to keep my fitness up. Last year just before the Open I injured my wrist during a max clean attempt and meant I had to leave the barbell for around 2-3 months, that was very challenging for me knowing that the Open was so close.
The amount of things you have to give up also to compete at such a high level can sometimes be a mental battle also , but if the drive to achieve something and reach your goal is strong enough you have to accept the sacrifices. As they say , nothing worth while ever came easy.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like?
Recently I have taken a step back from the level of training I have been doing the last few years and especially going into the regionals last year. I would be training 2 x a day a least 5-6 hours total , 5 x a week with one day active recovery and 1 day off. Luckily for me I had a great Coach , Paul DeAngelis out of Oakville, CA and a member of the Crossfit Endurance Staff, who was always very good at scaling work back as needed to fit with how my body was responding to training load.
Now I am training 1-2 x a day 4-5 x a week but not following any kind of programme , just diving into my friends workouts or taking inspiration from Instagram or the Crossfit Mainsite. Im very much liking trying out more strongman related training and bodybuilding exercises. Also il try to swim at least 2-3 times week even if it’s just 15 mins. Helps clear my mind.
Diet wise I started with a new Coach to dial it in a little more and try to boost my metabolism by eating more . I usually use a meal prep company (Deezmeals) here in Dubai . Eating mostly some kind of meat and rice or potato and veg. Nothing too exciting, but it works to be consistent.
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition?
Training wise I have learnt to try to relax a little in workouts if things are not going to plan all the time. There will be days you are not feeling it and that’s ok. There will be days that you want some choc waffles covered in maple syrup and that’s ok. Just remember to stay true to yourself , what makes you happy, what feeling keeps you coming back and try not to loose sight of that. It’s very easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing and not listen to how you need to be for yourself at that point in your journey.
Leading up to this years Open I had a completely different pre season, my mind was all over the place and even though I had said I wouldn’t get carried away and just see what happens coming out of a back issue , I ended up stressing out more than last year , when last year I actually knew I had given 110%.
Iv learnt to give myself a little bit more credit for doing as good as I capable of at this point in time.
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
That has to be Dim Sum and my homemade waffles.
7) one supplement that you could not live without?
Magnesium it helps me sleep and recover so much better!
8) If you had to start out from scratch with your physique what would you do differently and why?
Hmm that’s a toughy. Iv always been naturally strong and found it quite easy to build muscle . I think I would like to have been able to build myself a little bit more endurance at a slightly more compact size, also give myself a little bit more flexibility.
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
There’s so many different athletes that have inspired me, but really from the beginning of my Crossfit journey it’s been Sam Briggs and Kristin Holte. The work ethic that they give day in and day out and just their ability to stay down to earth at the same time. No matter where we all began , it’s always so nice when you see each other at a competition and there’s always a friendly smile.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
Remember that you are on your own Journey. Do what you have to do to get where you want to be but stay humble while doing it. It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing , as long as that moment in time you are where you should be and that you make time to find your happy place.
11) What new goals are on the horizon?
I’d like to do some team and partner competitions , as well as looking at Strongwoman comps. Also hoping to expand my career some more within health and fitness into working with a more holistic approach to recovery using herbs.
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
IG: Serendiptysota
Fern carver on Facebook
#burnlikefern
