FeistySurgeon

10/17 Update. Goal 1: No questions 10/16. 20 SCORE questions 10/17. UWorld questions when I get a break later tonight. (1/2 total days) Goal 2: Gym yesterday. Workout below. Last PT session tomorrow 10/18, which I'm counting as the gym for tomorrow. Last session will be Saturday at 10. (1/3 this week so far) Goal 3: Went to sleep at 9 yesterday. Tonight I'm on call so meh for sleep tonight but will get 6 tomorrow. (1/1 total nights) Goal 4: So far 2/2 days of sticking with it. I'm having mega sugar cravings, which I'm occasionally giving in to, but whatever because my goal is just to hit the specific meals which I'm doing. (2/2) 10/16 Workout Deadlift 45x10, 65x5 75x12, 12 DB Shoulder Press 15x12,12 Wide grip Lat Pulldown 65x12,12 KB Lunge 10x12,12 Side Plank (Incline to a bench) 2x25s, 25s Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Well. Owning the boards will be its own reward. As will getting enough sleep. Lol. But for the gym stuff, maybe a trip somewhere fun for the weekend! Haven't decided yet, but I should figure that out for sure. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Long/short: Did a challenge back in June, did reasonably well until I hurt my back and fell off the face of the Earth while I rehabbed/got used to a new job/got used to a new bf/got used to a new state. So, rehab is done, time to pick things back up (while properly bracing my spine). Basics here, more details to follow. Bare bones goals: 1. Do 10 SCORE practice questions, and 20 USMLE Step 3 practice questions every day. Basically, study. Because I want to beast these tests. 2. Post gym schedule weekly, go to sessions. Acceptable reasons to RESCHEDULE include getting out of work so late I won't get at least 6 hours of sleep if I gym (rarely under my control if it happens). Acceptable reasons to cancel include being so sick I think I'm dying. (I'm a doctor now, I should know). This is being left intentionally strict because I come up with a lot of dumb reasons to skip. Drive straight to gym from work, keep gym bag in the car. 3. Go to bed to facilitate at least 6 hours of sleep each night. Try to get 6 hours when post-call. Generally, aim for bed by 8:30, stop using electronics at 8, tonight excluded of course. Environmental control with closed blinds/sleep mask when post-call. 4. Eat prepped smoothie, and EITHER lunch or dinner every day. At least 2 prepped meals daily. All would be better but might be too much of a reach right now and let me fall into the "well, if one is bad let all of them be bad" mentality.

Goal 1: No more days of textbook reading. Finishing up online things for orientation. (7.5/28 so far) Goal 2: June and July are planned, working on rest is still in progress. (2/12 so far) Goal 3: See below. (11/14 so far) Goal 4: Today was another caving day. I stopped by CVS to pick up a prescription and bought a bag of candy, I got about half-way through then realized it was WAY too sweet for me and stopped. Not a success goal-wise but a success in that I stopped when I wasn't enjoying it anymore, rather than stuff the rest of the bag into my face just because. (20/31 so far) 6/16/17 Conditioning Notes Prowler intervals 100ft/90s rest x 8. Work intervals were 23-28s long. First interval was 23, then pretty consistently in the 26-28s range until the end. 6/17/17 Strength Notes SQUAT 45x5,5 85x5, 115x3, 145x2 165x2x5 @ RPE 8. These felt really solid. I noticed a slight low-back twinge towards the end of the sets, but wasn't a huge problem. BENCH 45x5, 75x4, 95x2 110x1, 115x1, 120x1 @ RPE 9. 100x3, 90x5. New bench PR! And it went pretty well. Felt a little slow on the way up, but not like a total grind. Power Clean 45x3, 65x3, 75x3x3 @ RPE 7. Coach programmed some power cleans after SEVERAL weeks off. My technique here might have been a little rusty. 75 felt WAY light, but technically these seemed kind of average.

Goal 1: Two more days of textbook reading. Still doing some online things for orientation. (7.5/28 so far) Goal 2: June is planned, working on finishing June, July, August, September, October, November by the end of this week. Goal 3: Forgot to post Tuesday, but still going strong. See below for Tuesday videos and Thursday just workout summary. (10/14 so far) Goal 4: Was doing the occasional Jolly Rancher. The bag is gone now so back to satisfying my sweet tooth with fruits/lemon water!! 6/13/2017 Notes SQUAT 45x5,5 95x5, 135x3, 165x2 185x1, 195x1, 200x1 @ RPE 9.5. 145x5 @ 8. I hit 200!!!!! That was pretty sweet. I think my torso lagged a little but otherwise no issues. PRESS 45x5, 60x3, 75x2 90x1, 95x0, 0 @ RPE 10, 75x5. I failed the first set t 95, and the retry set. I think I just kept letting the bar get too far in front of me. I'm putting a video of 95 and 75. First one is 95, second is 75. DEADLIFT 230x1, 245x1, 255x1 @ 9.5. I think I may have been a smidge short at the lockout at 255, but for the most part it went well. 6/15/17 Strength Training Notes SQUAT 45x5,5 70x5, 95x4, 115x2 135x5,5,5 CLOSE GRIP BENCH 45x5, 60x4, 75x2 85x3,3,3,3 LAT PULLDOWN 85x7,7,7

Goal 1: No more days of textbook reading, but mostly because I've had a lot of online training things to do before orientation starts this week. (5.5/28 so far) Goal 2: No additional progress so far, microgoal is to plan June, July, August, September by the end of this week. Goal 3: Still going strong, see below. (8/14 so far) Goal 4: Back to no candy. I've been satisfying my sweet tooth in other ways, while sticking to this goal!! 6/11/17 Workout Notes SQUAT 185x1 @ RPE 9, 165x3x3 @ RPE 8.5. No real issues. These felt pretty strong. BENCH 115x1 @ RPE 9. 102.5x3x4 @ RPE 8. Same, no issues. No wrist pain. DEADLIFT 135x5, 185x3, 210x1 @ 8. Tried that hook grip technique from @Grumble's vid. I LIKE IT. 210 is still in my double overhand hook grip range, but I'll definitely keep trying at heavier weights. Conditioning - Sled Pushes I was doing intervals on the rower/treadmill, coach switched it up with a new gym, and it got piggy-backed on with lifting because of gym closure yesterday, which made it kind of rough. It was supposed to be 2 round trips (200ft on the turf)/2 min rest x 8. 2 round trips/2 min rest x 4, 1 round trip/2 min rest x 4, empty sled. I started with 2 round trips/rest with round trips being 60-70s long. About half way through I was slowing down to 85/90s per trip even with the empty sled, and my quads were pretty torched after 1 round in the 5th work interval so I backed off to single round trips.

Goal 1: 2 more days reading as planned! (5.5/28 so far) Goal 2: Meeting yesterday was super helpful. It helped me get a better idea of what my time frames are for making decisions/seeking out research positions, so I can generate an outline for each month, and by the end of the challenge have a rough SMART goal for each month in terms of identifying opportunities, reaching out to program leaders or drafting documents. Plus now I have an arsenal of questions to ask about any position. Goal 3: See below. (7/14 so far) Goal 4: Back to no more than single Jolly Ranchers daily to satisfy the sweet tooth yesterday and today, so success not only for sticking with goal generally, but for not throwing it all away because of one hiccup!! 6/8/17 Strength Training Notes General note for today, my left wrist has been a little painful. It just started today, and is pinpointed to the back/pinky side. Pain is worst when I bend the wrist back with my forearm facing up. I only noticed it getting worse at the bottom of the bench on a few reps, otherwise wasn't a huge issue during today's workout. SQUAT 45x5,5 70x5, 95x4, 115x2 135x5x3 @ RPE 7. Took a chance and tried squatting without the belt. I think it went okay, but I'm maybe not keeping it as tight in the very bottom of the squat. CGBP 45x5, 60x4, 75x2 85x3x4 @ RPE 8. No issues except a little left wrist pain at the bottom. LPD 85x6x3 @ RPE 7.5. No issues.

Definitely interesting, I'll give it a try when I deadlift again later this week! HELLO @MikeWazowski!!!!!! (Love the name btw). It's so hard, but so far going much better than expected!!

Yeah, I'm constantly torn between hook gripping and having better balanced muscles and building grip strength, and needing to save my thumbs a little for operating. I can comfortably hook to about 225/235, and beyond that my grip starts to slip even with the hook. I'm just paranoid about hand/finger problems so I mix it all in. Generally speaking I'm with @Grumble on this though. Hook grip > mixed.

Update on Goals: Goal 1: Read from textbook for 1 hour Monday and it's scheduled it into my days for the upcoming week to prevent backtracking. (3.5/28 so far) Goal 2: Meeting tomorrow, 6/7. Goal 3: See below. (6/14 so far) Goal 4: Days were going pretty well. Today hasn't been the greatest (candy in apartment's leasing office when I had to take things there) and I had several small things. Not awful, but still a little more than I was aiming for. Today is going to count re: breaking my candy curtailing habit, but even 10/11 days is an improvement on previous habits, and I'm not throwing today away because of one moment of weakened discipline/willpower/habit. (10/31 so far) 6/6/17 Notes No major issues with lifts today, everything felt pretty solid. SQUAT 45x5,5 75x5, 105x4, 135x2 150x4, 4, 4 @ RPE 8. Feeling strong. Stll a little torso lag, but getting better each time. PRESS 45x5, 57.5 x4, 67.5 x 2 77.5x4, 4, 4, 4 @ RPE 9. DEADLIFT 135x5, 175x4, 190x4 @ RPE 7.5. Still solid, though I have to figure out angles in this new place to stop chopping off my torso/head.

Spent the last two days building furniture. Update on Goals: Goal 1: Read from textbook for 30 min Wednesday, but yesterday and today Been preoccupied with moving furniture assembly still, so no more progress on this front because I haven't set aside time for it. I've scheduled it into my day for the upcoming week. (2.5/28 so far) Goal 2: Meeting next week, 6/7. Goal 3: See below. (5/14 so far) Goal 4: Had 1 Jolly Rancher today, no candy the day prior. Still no binges, and no full bags of anything. I have been tempted, but I've stuck with my goal pretty well, and the Jolly Ranchers were my compromise to make sure I DON'T go on a candy binge. So far so good (10/31 so far) 6/4/17 Strength Notes SQUAT 45x5,5 95x5, 125x3, 155x2 175x3,3 @ RPE 8. Still probably a little torso lag towards the end, but otherwise I didn't feel/notice anything that was off. BENCH 45x5, 70x4, 90x2 110x1 @ RPE 8, 100x4,4,4,4 @ RPE 9.5. The last rep at 100 was pretty tough. DEADLIFT 135x5, 185x3, 205x1 225x1, 240x1, 250x1 @ RPE 9. 135 and 185 with hook grip for practice/development. 205 with reverse alternating grip (right hand palm up) 250 felt a little slow, and I wasn't convinced I locked out all the way at the top when I first did it, but the video looked pretty good.

I'm relocated to CT now, with most of my stuff. Waiting on some furniture to arrive but otherwise just getting settled and oriented to the area. Tried out the new gym today that seemed pretty awesome. Update on Goals: Goal 1: Read from textbook for 30 min Wednesday, but yesterday and today got kind of preoccupied with moving so they were skipped. (2.5/28 so far) Goal 2: On hold until meeting next week. Goal 3: See below. (4/14 so far) Goal 4: Had 2 Jolly Ranchers each of the last two days when I was craving something small and sweet. No binges, and not even a full individual serving bag of anything yet. So far so good (8/31 so far) 6/2/17 Notes SQUAT 45x5,5 70x5, 95x4, 120x2 140x5,5,5 @ RPE 7. Maybe still a little torso lag on the way up, but these felt pretty solid. Still probably don't need the belt, but will keep using on light days until I stop working with this coach or he says otherwise. Close Grip Bench 45x5, 65x4, 80x2 92.5x4,4,4 @ RPE 8. No issues for me. It was nice working in a bench that didn't make the liftoff a pain in the ass. Lat Pull Down 95x8x4 @ RPE 10. These were supposed to be an RPE 8, and this was an unfortunate case of ego/stubbornness. The first few sets went fine, 3rd set was okay, but I didn't want to admit to myself that it was more a 9, and then the last set I did all 8 reps but the last one was a bit of a fight. Will keep in mind for future and scale more appropriately.

Yep, will definitely keep that in mind. The 200s is right around where my grip starts to go. What I've been doing is hook gripping for all warm up sets except last one before working. Then doing the reverse alternate (left hand prone, it's my non-dominant) for the last warm-up, and right hand prone for working weights. I try to flip a little and also use a hook grip with chalk when I can to not get stuck in one grip/imbalance pattern.

5/30/17 Updates! All my stuff is moved out of NYC. Will be driving it up to CT on Thursday. Goal 1: Read from textbook yesterday and today. (2/28 so far) Goal 2: On hold until meeting next week. Goal 3: See below. (3/14 so far) Goal 4: Had some jelly beans at a BBQ on Sunday at my best friend's house, but not that many, we were really just digging through the container of Jelly Belly to find the fun flavors. Given my history of eating bags at a time, I'm counting this as success. (6/31 so far) Okay, officially moved out of NYC today. Moving up to CT Thursday, then hopefully everything will settle down for a little bit. 5/30/17 Strength Training Notes SQUAT 45x5,5 85x5, 115x4, 145x2 165x4,4,4,4,4 @ RPE 9 (Goal was < 10). These felt pretty good. I watched the video and I can see my torso dropping a little on the way up, which I felt a little during the rep. Still a little bit of a moving target. PRESS 45x5, 60x3, 75x2 85x2,2,2 @ RPE 8.5 (Goal 8.5-9). It's a little wild to think this used to be more than my max press and now it's moving fairly smoothly. DEADLIFT 135x5, 175x3, 195x3, 215x3 @ RPE 9. No problems. My deadlifts have been pretty strong and consistent, from the feedback I've gotten, but if anyone sees anything out of whack I'd love to know!

Yeah. Candy is my kryptonite. I'll eat it when I'm sad, or just bored, so trying to tackle that is a big step. Thanks! Yeah, I should stop doing that. Accomplishments are awesome no matter how simple they may be.