“Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for the lost faith in ourselves.” – Eric Hoffer
Personally, it takes a lot to impress me especially in the realm of athletic endeavors. In an age of ever increasing technologies and training aids it has become harder to decipher what is worthy of high fives and pats on the back. However, when an individual does something extraordinary, I am quick to acknowledge their feat and I feel I have found someone who most of us would agree is praiseworthy.
Last May my first cousin, Eric Patterson, who is an accomplished lifter, asked if he could bring along one of his training partners to my Saturday workout. This is not an unusual question at my small gym. Many long time lifters have requested to bring hopefuls to the house of horror. Most of these wannabes wilt like last week’s lettuce never to venture near the place again and in most cases they find a new hobby such as NASCAR viewing which tends to be much safer on the joints. So, in response to my cousin’s query I cynically said to bring the fresh fish. He nonchalantly added that the individual was a woman…..eh….. and was fifty years old. Boy, I never dealt with this one before. I cautiously told him to go ahead and bring her without openly expressing any chronologically challenged remarks or jokes. I was assured that she was a hard worker who loved intense training and I wouldn’t be disappointed. All I heard was the Queen oldie playing in the back of my mind, Another One Bites the Dust!
Saturday rolled around and the crew, as usual, gathered together for our weekly ritual of grueling exercise and self torture. I tend to get a little wired up before we work out and I had totally forgotten that we were going to have a new playmate. When she walked down the steps into the basement weight room I immediately was shocked how young looking and muscular she was while maintaining her femininity. After a brief introduction it was time to hit the iron. I recall that we did a bench workout and I was impressed with the newbie’s strength level, but I was more endeared with her focus and determination. She exhibited a drive that is not typical of most lifters regardless of gender or age.
Outside we went to the alley of broken dreams. Here is where it became vividly clear that a kindred spirit was in our midst. We decided to drag a giant tire backwards. This is routinely done by grabbing the lip of the tire and then with a slight hop slowly pulling the round implement the length of my fence row. Generally this can be accomplished in thirty seconds or less. When it was time for our female companion to go the crew all sat back and shot the shit waiting for her to succumb to the super sized treaded cylinder. As we became immersed in our enlightened banter we suddenly realized that someone was still striving to accomplish a goal that we took for granted. Minutes had passed and pints of sweat had dropped to the gravel. I wanted to say you proved your point so give it up, but instead of jeering the crew started cheering. I realized this lady is not going to quit come hell or high water. As she neared completion, she stood up and skin was hanging down from her hands looking like slices of cold cuts at the local deli, but she carried on her personal mission with no reluctance or complaint. This just made my little heart go pitter patter and I nearly melted. Holy smokes a woman cut from the same mold as us. Months later, I regard this person as a role model and mentor. Most live by the motto, “the better part of valor is discretion” and they choose to not mess with live dragons, however, she chooses to consume life and its many obstacles with a vengeance because she is quite aware that life is not a dress rehearsal.
You may be asking just who this mystery mighty mite is. Drum roll please. Her name is Carliss Riffle and she is a fifty-one year old mother of two. She is not real keen on focusing on her age, but to ignore this would be like not commenting on Roger Clemens’ number of birthdays celebrated. The fact is that what she does is amazing and is only more deserving of accolades because of her more than half a century on this planet. She is a pleasure to be around because of her inquisitive mind and ability to converse on a wide range of diverse topics. Oh, did I mention she is a professional female bodybuilder, marathon runner, and avid boxer? She has garnered numerous awards and has enough swords as trophies to supply a small barbarian army. Well, without further adieu, I introduce you to someone who has become a good friend and someone I greatly respect, Ms. Carliss Riffle.
Glenn: You are marooned on a desert island. What book would you want with you? You can only choose one.
Carliss: I should purchase and keep with me, now that you bring it up, one of Tom Brown's tracker books. Some years back I really wanted to attend his survival school in the Pine Barrens but didn't because I didn't have enough money, time, or nerve (mostly the last). My kids would probably be eating twigs so I wouldn't be the most favorite mom, but I would be a lot more self sufficient and resourceful.
Glenn: As a personal trainer what are the three biggest myths or misconceptions about weightlifting you hear from the general population? Also, could you list common complaints or excuses for not training or training to potential?
Carliss: From women "I don't want to get big muscles. I just want to get toned." Sometimes, they don't choose me as a trainer because of this concern. Second, there is a myth that weightlifting is not a lifetime endeavor, that it is a short term fix that is not appropriate or effective after a certain age. This belief is, fortunately, changing. Third, there is belief that lifting gets easy when you get "good" at it. Wishful thinking, I suppose.
Regarding excuses:
“I’m sooooo... tired.”
“I don't have enough time”
“I'm not like you!”
“I need to get control of my life, my diet, my relationships, first.”
Sometimes you just have to grab one thing that you can manage. Why can't that be lifting?
Glenn: Please list some favorite quotes, movies, or songs that inspire you during or prior to a workout.
Carliss:
Movies:
Miracle (the "again" training scene in particular) Million Dollar Baby (training scenes, especially the ones where everyone else has gone home) Drumline (last competition)
Books:
Mindfulness by Ellen Langer
Rolling Thunder (about a Native American studied by a student from the Meninger Foundation)
Quotes:
Rest when you're dead.
Pain is weakness leaving the body.
Shut up and train.
Geothe: Whatever you can do, or dream you can... begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. (This is from the Scottish Himalayan Expedition, W.N. Murray.)
Songs:
Heavy, loud, aggressive but with a melody and great drums; Disturbed, Saliva, AC/DC, Silvertide, Breaking Benjamin, Flaw, Rob Zombie, Metallica.
Glenn: I have noticed that I personally enjoy being around individuals who like dogs. People who do not like dogs I tend to have problems with. So, show me a dog lover and I will predict the person and I will get along. Do you have any of these life observances you use?
Carliss: My daughter is my barometer. Children are keen observers and they have an insanely accurate gut instinct until it is culturally clouded. They can read sincerity and the genuine nature (or not) of a person. I like people who don't mind getting messy and who love to laugh.
Glenn: Do you have any ideas or insight into the obesity epidemic in the U.S. especially in regards to youth?
Carliss: Parents are so busy and so tired that they want their children to just be quiet. Since it is no longer safe to send your children out to play unsupervised, that means TV and video games. Our kids are in so many activities that fast food and vending machines take the place of dinner proper. School lunches, at least at my daughter's school, are carb loaded and poorly prepared, so the kids opt for "extras".
Glenn: You participate in a number of physical endeavors ranging from boxing, distance running, and weightlifting. Which one is your favorite?
Carliss: Favorite, right now, is boxing. It's intense physically and mentally, great for shoulders, cardio, abs, therapy. The speed bag is becoming mine. I love acquisition of new skills; it keeps me from feeling stale. When I am at the boxing gym, I have no outside thoughts. All concentration is on the mitts, the bag, footwork, getting it just a little bit stronger, quicker, more accurate. Plus, it just plain kicks my butt every time. For the same reasons, I love being in your basement and your alley. Good teachers, as I have said before, are priceless. I always love the weights, from the first morning I stepped into the Pit Barbell Club at 5 AM with my first weight lifting teacher and did nine work sets for chest. That was ludicrous and, obviously, he was a bodybuilding mentality type. Anyway, it took. I needed to feel strong. Regarding running, ran a marathon (limped it actually) and never came to like distance running. I only like trail running and now my great toes don't even like that.
Glenn: When enduring a particularly grueling or intense exercise what do you envision or think? That is, what runs through your mind and what keeps you going when every muscle and cell in your body is pleading for you to stop? Does everyone naturally have the inner drive to keep going and can it be learned?
Carliss: I always think "Is this the most I can tolerate?" It's uncomfortable, sure, but is it painful because I am at risk for injury? If not, I can keep going. It is such an awful feeling to walk away knowing I had more and didn't give it. Of course, there's always something left, unless you've collapsed, so it's about closing that gap. Also, I just feel so blessed to be able to accept the challenges. Some bodies are fighting for life and would love to be able to push to the limit for fun. Finally, I have found my fiercely energetic 10 year old needs a fiercely fit mom to keep up with her.
Glenn: Describe the perfect workout.
Carliss: Perfect workout: One you dread going in because you know it will kick your butt; one that is comprised of bursts of intensity rather than steady state. A workout where you begin looking somewhat put together and finish like you were "rode hard and put away wet". One where the people you are working out with are tougher than you and leave you seeking food and a nap.
Glenn: Who would you like by your side if you were in an alley fight?
Carliss: Alley fight? You, my boxing coach, one of my clients - Brent, a guy I used to take Muay Thai from, Dan, and I'd say Eric, but have you ever seen him do his fighting Irish boxing thing? It's scary!
Glenn: When we train at my gym there are no cameras, no ESPN, and really no recognition whatsoever. Comment on why you drive two hours round trip to torture yourself in a dungeon weight room and alley. What are the rewards?
Carliss: On coming to Washington, it's for the workout partners, the opportunity to learn something other than a bodybuilder's workout and to step up to a challenge, the music (righteous),new toys to play with, the alley, pride, conversation, and the smile on my face when I'm driving home. Sorry, that was very stream of consciousness.
Glenn: Could you briefly describe your nutrition plan and supplement regime? How much does diet play a role in your overall success and general well being?
Carliss: Supplements are very minimalist: Fish oil, super anti-oxidant, glutamine, and I'm trying glucosamine because a recent study with regard to knee health highly supported that dosage.
Re: diet--Bodyweight in protein; carbs most of the time from fiber vegetables, strawberries, sweet potato; fat from shakes, natural peanut butter, olive oil. I have dieted down so many times for contests that I can't get away with much chaos before I'm carrying too much junk in the trunk.
Diet is huge. If my protein is low I don't get anywhere with lifting and I look soft, plus my food cravings go way up. If I eat high glycemic carbs, I feel awesome briefly and then my energy bottoms out drastically. I used to have way more tolerance for garbage (8 brownies at a sitting, a big- I mean big bag of M & M's, etc.).So, for energy and credibility and to prevent disease, I eat right mostly. It's never easy not to overeat; I have a huge appetite for healthy and not so healthy foods.
Glenn: Lastly, I believe one’s youth has a major impact on personality and character traits. My background has played a key role in who I am today and I feel it is why I choose to lift and to compete with such intensity. Anything in your early life that could have contributed to your never say die attitude?
Carliss: My sister and I worked a lot from early on and learned not to complain. We also found a way between us to have some laughs doing it. My mom and dad insisted on going the extra distance with schoolwork, scouting, church participation, so some of that stuck. My mom, who was not long on education, never knew she couldn't do something. As I watch her battle cancer, I appreciate her tenacity in a way I never did.
On the flip side, sometimes we learn by a less favorable example. It was very important in my family to be clean and quiet and take whatever injustice that came your way in stride. Well, lifting and boxing make me feel not so vulnerable and I have found that I really enjoy getting dirty and making noise.
Thanks Carliss for your insight and truly interesting answers.
GB
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