In the 2015 season Alana Curnow was one of the most successful and determined strongman athletes in Australia. Then she topped it with a record Atlas Stone Lift of 138.2kg. So it was great to have 10 mins to catch up with her..
PB: So we know Alana the Strongwoman, when you’re not doing Strongman what do you do?
Alana Curnow: I always feel like I should have a more exciting answer for this question, my jobs pretty awesome , I work for Ben and jerry’s but that’s kinda where the excitement ends .. I think anyway . I’m a mother of 3 and I work full time .. so house work and KPIs lol and if I’m lucky catching up with a few friends.
PB: Tell us about the daily life of Alana?
Alana Curnow: 7 am wake up , usually oats for breakfast , supplements vitamin C , magnesium, fish oil , MSM . Pack my car , decide what area I’m working , go to my rep thang for 8 hours, eat my prepped lunch and not be tempted by the thought of ice-cream for lunch .
Later I head to the Hut , train for usually at least 2 hours . Get home at about 7 . Cook dinner , feed animals 2 dogs and 2 cats , have supplements , shower, bed .
PB: Did you do many sports when you were younger?
Alana Curnow: I did a few different sports soccer, basketball and I loved Athletics at school. I was also a very competitive horse rider .
PB: You are now Australia’s top female Stone Lifter, is this event your favourite?
Alana Curnow: It’s a love hate thing . I like it more now with stone sleeves !
I had been training without them but then when I tried out my 4 Armor sleeves .. it was a game changer . I could train stones more frequently.
PB: How often do you train the stones? Any tips?
Alana Curnow: At the moment, once a fortnight . Leading into that record stone lift it was weekly . I’ve found that volume on stones was very effective for increasing my max .
My Tip , train lighter to a higher platform to build your extension technique and strength.
PB: Your progress is really impressive, what do you use to help your recovery?
Alana Curnow: I’m lucky enough to be sponsored by MASS nutrition Kawana , so they are always hooking me up with the best supps . Vitamin C and MSM and creatine really assist with recovery .. and nurofen .
PB: You mentioned MSM, and in previous conversations you have spoken highly of it, can you explain more?
Alana Curnow: MSM is a supplement I sourced out for my horses having one old boy with clicking stiff joints . After seeing this improve I started to look into this supplement more . It turns out this form of sulphur is essential for healthy cell development .
Biologically active sulfur is one of the most critical nutrients for our bodies to remain youthful and energetic. As we age, along with a diet deficient in essential nutrients, our bodies become stiff, our cells become rigid, and our overall energy begins to rapidly decelerate.
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is an organic sulfur compound that’s naturally derived during the earth’s rain cycle. Sulfur is present in many natural unprocessed foods, but it’s quickly lost during the cooking process. MSM is gaining a lot of attention due to the recent focus on longevity and anti-aging technologies. Here’s a a few impressive benefits that MSM delivers:
1. Improves skin health and complexion
MSM is necessary for collagen production. Sagging skin and wrinkles, as well as dry, cracked skin are all developed through a loss of collagen. MSM works together with Vitamin C to build new, healthy tissues. MSM can normalize collagen formation and radically improve skin health.
2. Improves flexibility
Research has shown that MSM is highly effective in improving joint flexibility. Additionally, it helps to produce flexible skin and muscle tissue. This leads to an increase in overall flexibility due to a restoration of the “juiciness” in the tissues.
3. Detoxifies the body
One of the most important features of MSM is that it makes your cells morepermeable. This means that it allows toxins and metabolic waste products to easily be moved out of the cells, while essential nutrients and hydration can be moved in. It’s a calcium phosphate dissolver, so it has a remarkable ability to break up the bad calcium that’s at the root of degenerative diseases.
4. Strengthens hair and nails
Collagen and keratin and both critical for the production of healthy hair and nails. MSM is a bonafide “beauty mineral” that provides the sulfur needed to produce collagen and keratin. It’s also highly noted to contribute to exceptional strength and thickness of the hair and nails, which can be noticed in just a couple weeks of consistent use.
5. Accelerates healing
Lactic acid and other byproducts cause pain and soreness in the body. MSM increases the ability of the body to eliminate waste products at the cellular level. This speeds recovery and frees up more energy for rebuilding.
