The Importance of Periodization for HARDER, LEANER, TIGHTER Muscles!!!

Hello Everyone!!! Hope you're all doing great and having a nice weekend! Thanks for stopping by my blog to check up on my training and nutrition updates! So far I have been doing really well, and staying steps ahead of my body; planning my next nutrition modifications and training changes in order to avoid hitting a plateau!
I was deep in thought yesterday (that pic on the right is my laying down thinking lol) and I came to the conclusion that the reason my legs aren't as hard and tight as i want them to be is because i haven't gone through an actual strength phase with low reps in over 6 years! 6 years ago is when I started competing in figure so I got entangled in the whole misconception of how figure chicks should lift lighter/moderate weights for 15-25 reps etc... and how we should stay away from powerlifting and heavier weights. 

After talking to my bf on the phone  & bombarding him with text messages about weight training program designs and the importance of periodization/hypertrophy we both came to the conclusion that a strength phase is a great idea!!! I need to practice what I preach!!! I prescribe and bring all my clients through a full cycle of training which includes a lower rep heavy strength phase just to name a few, so why was I not implementing this for my own training regimen? LOL .... I guess i partly blame myself but also having been in the fitness industry so long and believing a lot of the myths that are published in fitness mags and that are spread around on the internet and forums etc...
THANK GOODNESS I had a mild epiphany and flew over to the closest Goodlife near my parents' house and decided to go crazy on squats and deadlifts!!! I felt absolutely amazing after a couple sets of heavy squats... got back up to sets of 2 plates/side 6-8 reps and some 215lb deadlifts (no straps!!! 6reps 4+ sets) I started to feel SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER ABOUT MYSELF!!!! Not to mention my legs feel a lot tighter now and more solid! Light to moderate weights and high reps have their place in every cycle of training, they help build muscle endurance, shred muscles, re-shape them and also improve cardiovascular strength. That being said, power-lifting and heavy lifts with good form help build harder muscle that can be defined in later phases!!! 
I am bringing myself through a 1-2mth strength phase, with minor diet changes to see how my body responds! I'll be keeping you guys posted on my progress! :)

Stay tuned for more updates and have a wonderful week!!! 
xo,

Alex L. :)