Jessica Coughlan
“Make success a habit not a goal”
Thank you to The Fitographer for generously allowing TBC to share some of his beautiful photographs of Jess.
26 Year old Jess Coughlan is a fixture on the Australian elite Crossfit scene. She placed sixth this year in the fiercely competitive Australian Region, narrowly missing out on a spot to the Crossfit games. I know that Crossfit is all about being a Jack of all trades rather than a master of individual skills but, Jess is seriously strong. As someone who lifts almost exclusively, I'm in awe of her lifting numbers. Some of her PRs include a back squat of 150kg, front squat 130kg, bench 92.5kg and a clean 110kg with a bodyweight of just 64kg. Holy crap. She works and trains at CrossFit Norwest and is coached by Rob of RAW Strength and Conditioning in Sydney.
Jess has a background of 14 years as an elite level gymnast, followed by 5 years of running and general gym training. She's now been training and competing in Crossfit for three and a half years. Jess' on and off seasons are designed around the Crossfit competition season and with a focus of peaking for Regionals.
Thank you for chatting with The Barbelle Club Jess.
Do you cycle through strength phases? What does that look like? CrossFit is a little different to most strength sports, so typically strength cycles are programmed based around the “season.” Typically I will do eight weeks of a strength program and have testing at the end of each phase. During the “off season” where the goal is to get strong these programs will be 5 high volume days per week, during the “in season” where the aim lis to get as fit as possible while attempting to maintain as much strength as possible the programs drop to three-four days of a lower volume.
Have you had any major strength gaining plateaus? What lift and how did you move through them? I have had plenty of plateaus. In the beginning when you start as essentially a novice lifter the PRs just keep on coming. However as you train for longer and the PRs aren’t as regular you need to focus more on the technical aspects of each lift, and getting the finer details perfect and also ensuring adequate recovery between sessions.
I have extremely high expectations of myself as an athlete and always have. Sometimes, I think I put too much pressure on myself. My expectations for others are not as high however I always expect 100% effort (that being, the effort you are capable of that day - 100% won’t always be the same).
Jess has a background of 14 years as an elite level gymnast, followed by 5 years of running and general gym training. She's now been training and competing in Crossfit for three and a half years. Jess' on and off seasons are designed around the Crossfit competition season and with a focus of peaking for Regionals.
Thank you for chatting with The Barbelle Club Jess.
Do you cycle through strength phases? What does that look like? CrossFit is a little different to most strength sports, so typically strength cycles are programmed based around the “season.” Typically I will do eight weeks of a strength program and have testing at the end of each phase. During the “off season” where the goal is to get strong these programs will be 5 high volume days per week, during the “in season” where the aim lis to get as fit as possible while attempting to maintain as much strength as possible the programs drop to three-four days of a lower volume.
Have you had any major strength gaining plateaus? What lift and how did you move through them? I have had plenty of plateaus. In the beginning when you start as essentially a novice lifter the PRs just keep on coming. However as you train for longer and the PRs aren’t as regular you need to focus more on the technical aspects of each lift, and getting the finer details perfect and also ensuring adequate recovery between sessions.
I have extremely high expectations of myself as an athlete and always have. Sometimes, I think I put too much pressure on myself. My expectations for others are not as high however I always expect 100% effort (that being, the effort you are capable of that day - 100% won’t always be the same).
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Do you always train a mixture of strength and conditioning? Do you have a preference? Generally the balance is fairly even however, it also depends on the time of the year. Obviously in the CrossFit “off season” I do a bit more strength, and closer to competitions there is more of a conditioning bias, however both are covered year round. There used to be the belief that you can’t get fit and strong at the same time however I don’t believe this is true as I have achieved many of my PRs at my fittest. I don’t have a preference as I do really enjoy training in general.
What are your favourite and least favourite lifts? Do you use any mental cues when attempting heavy lifts? Favourite lifts are absolute strength based - squats and presses, with the exception of deadlifts thanks to some t-rex arms. My least favourite lifts are those that are more technical, particularly jerks, due to mobility issues which are a work in progress. What does your warm up and cool down look like? Warm-up involves light conditioning, dynamic stretching and is very core based. Cool down can often be rushed or forgotten due to the busyness of day to day life, however I try to get on a bike for a few minutes and then roll out. How do you schedule recovery or rest into your program? Depends on the time of year, in the off season I have Sundays off, and closer to competitions I usually have two rest days mid week - both include active recovery. 
‘If you can’t outplay them, outwork them.”
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Do you enjoy competition? I’m getting there, I used to hate competition and only enjoy the training side of things. However over the last year i have made a real effort to participate in more competitions (big or small) and am slowly beginning to enjoy the thrill of competing.
Competitions are great for allowing you to go beyond what you thought was possible, and take risks - pushing harder or lifting heavier than you thought possible. However competitions for me also bring a lot of expectation and nerves. You’ve been incredibly close to a a games spot for the last three years, how does that make you feel and what are your thoughts on this coming season? After this year it has made me feel frustrated but also allowed me to reflect on what needs to change to reach another level. I am definitely approaching things differently this year and am excited to have undergone surgery for a SVT heart issue which I have had for a few years. How to you transition back to regular training once you’re done with Regionals? I always take two weeks off to eat junk and train however i want, this often means going to Body Attack classes or doing lifts i enjoy. After this period I start a new training phase which is a little lighter than usual. |
Training music? I absolutely love music when training. Sadly, I love gangsta music for lifting, and High tempo/Less Mills type music for conditioning. Most people already know this about me however it still feels embarrassing to admit!
Harder than you think - Public Enemy, Levels (Skrillex remix) - Avicii, Jubel - Klingande, Intergalactic - Beastie Boys, On to the Next One - Jay z, Infinity 2008 - Guru Josh project, Pandor - Tony Romera, Kyoto - Skrillex, Blind Faith - Chase and Status, Party Up - DMX, Baptism - Crystal Castles.
Harder than you think - Public Enemy, Levels (Skrillex remix) - Avicii, Jubel - Klingande, Intergalactic - Beastie Boys, On to the Next One - Jay z, Infinity 2008 - Guru Josh project, Pandor - Tony Romera, Kyoto - Skrillex, Blind Faith - Chase and Status, Party Up - DMX, Baptism - Crystal Castles.
Do you have any particular training or life philosophies that play a big part in how you approach things? Never give up. I have had so many injuries and set-backs but I know what my ultimate goal is and how much I enjoy the process that i just keep giving it my all.
What is your best asset and your biggest weakness as a crossfitter? Best assets are natural strength both barbell and bodyweight. Biggest weakness is poor mobility, which is slowly improving. I am treated by Nick Papastamanis from Balance Health and Performance three times a week and together we have made great improvements.
What is your best asset and your biggest weakness as a crossfitter? Best assets are natural strength both barbell and bodyweight. Biggest weakness is poor mobility, which is slowly improving. I am treated by Nick Papastamanis from Balance Health and Performance three times a week and together we have made great improvements.
Does your training impact your self esteem? Definitely, my training and self esteem are closely linked depending on how successful my training has been that day - I definitely ride the highs and lows - just ask my partner. However, through constantly pushing the physical and mental boundaries I have become a lot more confident in my ability.
Do you have any feelings on OTHER women lifting/ training? The more women taking part in strength sports the better. It teaches women to respect their bodies and respect the lifelong process of getting strong both physically and mentally. It won’t happen overnight but be patient, stay committed and it will happen.
What physical or mental “gift” has strength given you? Doing things I never thought possible, some of the weights moved and skills acquired I never thought I would achieve. It’s an awesome feeling!
What favourite physical feature you owe to your training? My legs - big, strong and useful!
Do you have any feelings on OTHER women lifting/ training? The more women taking part in strength sports the better. It teaches women to respect their bodies and respect the lifelong process of getting strong both physically and mentally. It won’t happen overnight but be patient, stay committed and it will happen.
What physical or mental “gift” has strength given you? Doing things I never thought possible, some of the weights moved and skills acquired I never thought I would achieve. It’s an awesome feeling!
What favourite physical feature you owe to your training? My legs - big, strong and useful!
Thank you to The Fitographer for generously allowing TBC to share some of his beautiful photographs of Jess.
Do you follow a particular diet? Food is fuel, eat to ensure you feel good during every session. Sometimes I think I over eat however when you analyse it with the amount of training i do I think it is warranted. I absolutely love food and am often told by my partner that my mouth is not a vaccuum! I briefly went Paleo when I started CrossFit however it did not work for me and I now eat fairly similarly to the way I used to - which was pretty good to begin with. I will often indulge after major events but not for very long.
Could you briefly describe what you would eat on a training day? 5 Weetbix and milk for breakfast, Infrared NRG during my morning session, Sweet potato post workout, Lebanese bread with some sort of meat and veg, Boiled eggs or a Quest bar as a snack, Infrared NRG during my PM session, Sweet potato or a protein shake post workout and then dinner - usually some sort of meat and veg, often with rice.
Do you get comments from random strangers about your physique? I often get comments about being “big” initially it used to really upset me but the longer I have been involved in this sport and the more positive comments i have received from its community makes it easier to ignore the negative ones. I personally put on size by looking at a barbell so my program has to make me as strong as possible whilst still allowing me to be functional and fast in other areas e.g. gymnastics.
Do you have any thoughts on what you do and how you do it impacting your body in terms of aging? Do you see longevity for yourself in this sport? To be honest I am really not sure. No elite sport training is healthy, and i personally am very injury prone due to naturally poor mechanics, however I do spend a lot of time and money on the mobility and recovery side of things so here’s hoping it pays dividends in the future.
Could you briefly describe what you would eat on a training day? 5 Weetbix and milk for breakfast, Infrared NRG during my morning session, Sweet potato post workout, Lebanese bread with some sort of meat and veg, Boiled eggs or a Quest bar as a snack, Infrared NRG during my PM session, Sweet potato or a protein shake post workout and then dinner - usually some sort of meat and veg, often with rice.
Do you get comments from random strangers about your physique? I often get comments about being “big” initially it used to really upset me but the longer I have been involved in this sport and the more positive comments i have received from its community makes it easier to ignore the negative ones. I personally put on size by looking at a barbell so my program has to make me as strong as possible whilst still allowing me to be functional and fast in other areas e.g. gymnastics.
Do you have any thoughts on what you do and how you do it impacting your body in terms of aging? Do you see longevity for yourself in this sport? To be honest I am really not sure. No elite sport training is healthy, and i personally am very injury prone due to naturally poor mechanics, however I do spend a lot of time and money on the mobility and recovery side of things so here’s hoping it pays dividends in the future.
Do You Even Not Lift?What is your favourite non training hobby? Playing with my animals - three dogs and two cats, Reading and watching movies.
What would you tell your 20 year old self? Be content with who you are and what you were given. Favourite cheat meal? A burger and chips! What is the most horrible physical activity you have undertaken in a gym? Any interval work involving air dynes or prowlers. Who inspires you? Why? My partner Rob is the most mentally strong person I know, he is incredibly driven, knows no limits and demands success. What is your favourite training accessory, piece of clothing or pair of shoes? My brand new Inov8 F-lite 195s in white and lime, and my Brave booty shorts. What’s next for Jessica Coughlan? I will be competing in a few competitions throughout the year but ultimately my training is focused on the 2015 CrossFit Regionals. I am very blessed, and am enjoying the journey for as long as I can! 
Jess and her Coach Rob of Crossfit Norwest
Jess has a big support team who look after her.
Her partner writes her program through RAW Strength and Conditioning/CrossFit Norwest. She visits Nick Papastamanis and the team from Balance Health and Performance multiple times per week for ART and Pilates. The Brave Project and Inov8 Australia look after all of her apparel and footwear needs. SMAI looks after all of her equipment needs and ATP Science and ASN Miranda look after nutrition and supplement needs. |
What’s in your gym bag?
Numerous pairs of Inov8s, Belt, wrist straps, Mobility balls, Neon Yellow Beats by Dre Headphones, TheBrave floss bands, Infrared NRG, Creatine and baby food.
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Thanks again to Travis for letting us use some of his photographs. You should have a look at The WOD Dogs Project and The Fitographer. Excellent work Travis!
