Starbuck's Battle Log

[Starbuck]

Little bit of background..

 

I've been around Nerd Fitness for quite some time, but have a bit of a tendency to disappear. I have recently turned to powerlifting because squats and deadlifts kept coming up in my rehab from an ACL reconstruction (just over four months ago) and I live near a really good powerlifting gym. So far I am loving it and hoping to stick with it for a while...those that know me may have noticed that sticking with things is not my greatest strength, but it is something that I am hoping to work on.

 

Outside of powerlifting I tend to keep myself rather busy - I work as a junior doctor (as in I have finished medical school, but am not yet a specialist), am learning how to fly, have some involvement in politics, do yoga regularly and will participate in just about any sport/exercise I can. As I am moving interstate next year, I am also trying to prioritise attempting to also have a social life while I can still see all my friends here.

 

I've decided to sit out of the current challenge, because it is going to be a bit of an all over the place next six weeks for me. Next week I (finally) start my annual leave for this year - I'm initially heading to Brisbane for just over a week to prepare for and sit exams for an anatomy course I am doing and then I am going to Europe for three weeks!!! I'd been thinking of starting a battle log for some time, and this seemed like a good opportunity.

[Starbuck]

Monday 9th November

 

#Box squat 

20 x 5 

40 x 5 

52.5 x 5 x 3 

 

#Bench Press

20 x 8 

30 x 8 

42.5 x 2 

40 x 3 x 3 

 

I have no idea what happened to my bench today. It was just awful. The plan was to do 42.5kg x 8 x 3 (I did 40kg x 10 x 3 last week), but I nearly failed on the second rep. I think it was a combo of not enough sleep recently, hot weather, forgetting my waterbottle and being hungry...but it just felt so terrible.

 

#Dumbbell bench press

10 x 10 

12.5 x 10 x 3 

 

#Kettlebell Deadlift

56 x 15 x 3 

 

#Seated Row

90lb x 10 x 3 

[Starbuck]

Crazy thing at the gym today. Ed Coan was there. He was pretty much just hanging out chatting with people + gave a few people some tips and did a few squats himself. 

 

Frustratingly, I was too awkward to go up and talk to him or get a photo. 

[Starbuck]

Tuesday 10th November

Went with a friend to a yoga class at her yoga studio. It was by far the hardest class I've been to since my ACL reconstruction (I've been back at yoga for about a month). I need to work on not being competitive in yoga classes. At my usual studio I am always one of the more advanced people in the classes, but here I wasn't...and I pushed myself harder then I should have because of it. 

 

Overall it was an excellent class. However, my knee has been hurting a bit since, which is annoying. I don't think I've actually done any damage...just overdone it a bit.

[Starbuck]

Wednesday 11th November

 

#Pull down

80lb x 10 

90lb x 10 

100lb x 10 

 

#Seated Row

70lb x 10 

90lb x 10 

110lb x 10 

 

#Seated dumbbell shoulder press

10 x 10 x 3 

- Usually do 12.5 kg pretty easily for these, but really struggled today - only with my left arm though. I've had a sore shoulder for a couple weeks (seemed to be related to falling asleep in a weird position on a friend's couch when watching the RWC), which might be it. I think the same thing might have been my problem with bench press on Monday.

 

#Hamstring Curl

20lb x 10 x 3 

 

#Leg extension

40lb x 10 x 3 

 

 

Got to the gym and realised I'd forgotten my gym bag and definitely didn't have time to go back home to pick up clothes.. Fortunately, I'd just come from an education day at work, so was wearing t-shirt, jeans with vans instead of my usual work clothes - so a workout was possible. At least it was the day that I was just programmed for assistance work. 

 

Ed Coan was there again. I was going to make myself talk to him this time, but then he left when I wasn't looking. 

 

Frustratingly my powerlifting gym is closed for the rest of the week due to the powerlifting competition there. So that may have been my last time there before I go away.

 

[Starbuck]

Triple Post

[Starbuck]

Triple post

 

[Starbuck]

I hadn't planned to go a whole week without updating so soon after starting this. It is largely because this has been just a stupidly busy week and very little actual exercising has happened. 
 
Thursday 12th November
Proud of myself for getting up for the 0600 yoga class on my day off! I really like that class. There are generally only two of us there, we are of a similar level and it is an instructor that I know very well (and in such a small class she can really target what I need to be doing and what I shouldn't be doing yet with my knee).
 
After getting home, I actually spent a bit of time playing around with headstands - for pretty much the first time post-op. They felt fantastic! I think my core strength is actually better now than it was before, which is probably thanks to the powerlifting. (Would post a video here if I could work out how to embed things from Instagram). 

 

Friday - Sunday were just so busy. This was largely due to work - getting stuck back late is particularly terrible when you are supposed to finish at midnight and you're working at the hospital that is not close to home. On top of that I spent all of my free time attempting to socialise - I feel like I need to see everyone because there is very little time left before my move interstate. My powerlifting gym was actually closed over these days due to the big comp there (Pro Raw 7 - very disappointed I didn't actually get to see any of it!). I'd planned to try to get to my other gym, but spent the time sleeping instead. 

 

I was supposed to be flying to Queensland on Monday, but delayed my flight to allow some more time to prepare and so that I would be able to get to a last session at powerlifting gym before going away. Unfortunately, I slept really late and didn't get to the gym. 

 

I'd planned to get some training in at the PTC gym in Brisbane, but frustratingly it is a 20+ minute dive from my parents house in no traffic (but there will always be traffic) and organising to borrow a car to get there is proving difficult. 

 

Today I decided to explore one of the gyms nearby. I was very happy to see that it had a  couple squat racks and an area with lifting platforms where I could do deadlifts. Unfortunately, it is going to cost me $21 every time I go there, which was expected, but is also a bit crazy - my gym (which is far better equipped!) charges $20 for a casual week with no coaching. 

[Starbuck]

Thursday 19th November

#Back Squat

20 x 10 

30 x 5 

40 x 5 x 3 

 

- There weren't any boxes the right height for my box squats, so I had a go without. I was reasonably surprised with the depth I managed on these, particularly as they were without weightlifting shoes. I wasn't really planning to use much more than the bar, but 40 kg was feeling easy.

 

#Bench Press

20 x 10 

30 x 3 x 3 

 

- 30 kg x 10 was supposed to just be part of my warm-up, but I was struggling by the third rep. There wasn't anyone to spot me so I was reluctant to push it at all. I do not understand why bench has been so awful these last couple weeks. My left arm is definitely the culprit, but I can't work out what is actually going on. 

 

#Deadlift

50 x 5 

70 x 5 x 5 

 

- There wasn't a trap bar, so this was my first post-op go at proper deadlifts (I've had physio permission for a little while, but the coach has had me still on trap bar or kettlebell). I was happy with these, they felt good. 

[Starbuck]

Found out there is a gym near my parents' place that offers free 3 day trial passes, which I was all excited about. Frustratingly, you can only activate the pass during staffed hours (it is a 24 hour gym) and it isn't staffed again until Monday. 

 

I really need to be studying (anatomy course exams on Monday and Tuesday) and not wasting heaps of time looking for a gym...but exercise would help my thinking, yeah? 

[Starbuck]

Didn't get back to the gym at all whilst I was staying at my parents.

 

The anatomy exams were brutal. I've now found out that I didn't pass one of the exams (but was really close) and because I couldn't get back to do the supp exam, I didn't pass the course. Very frustrating. 

 

I've spent the last 10 days in the UK, which has mostly been excellent. 

 

I haven't managed to lift any weights at all in that time, which is getting to me a bit. However, my fitbit certainly suggests that I have been doing a lot of walking, including heaps of stairs - that is at least something.

 

I am a little bit concerned about my knee though. Early last week I slipped over when getting out of the shower and twisted my knee on the way down. It did swell up a bit for the day after that, but hasn't been so bad since (and I have been walking a lot). It would be extremely unlucky if I'd re-ruptured my ACL...but I've seen it happen in a patient when the injury didn't seem so bad. There isn't really much I can do whilst I'm away. I'll just work on particularly keeping up the quad strength and see how it goes. 

[Sloth the Enduring]

I'm sorry about the Anatomy course.  Will you have to retake it?  

[Starbuck]

I'm sorry about the Anatomy course.  Will you have to retake it?  .

 

It depends. I did this course because it is a one of the prerequisite courses for orthopaedic training, but there is a rumour that they aren't going to count this course anymore - in which case I would have to do another course (that is much more expensive!) anyway. There is also a reasonable chance that I am not going to do orthopaedics...in which case it doesn't matter. 

 

However, if this course still meets the college requirements and I decide I want to do orthopaedics, then I would have to retake it. 

[Starbuck]

Back from overseas. Only managed to get to the gym once in the rest of my time away. A little bit disappointed with myself for that....but I had a great time away and that is really what counts. Also, I did get up to an average step count of nearly 20,000, so I wasn't completely inactive.

 

 

Excited to go back to powerlifting today. Frustratingly, my yoga studio seems to have dropped all of the classes I normally go to during the Christmas/New Years period. I'm going to check out another studio that one of my favourite instructors has moved to - it is much further from my place, but not too far from the hospital I'm currently working at. 

 

I only have three weeks here before the move interstate. So much to do in that time (including finding a place to move to!). 

[Starbuck]

Tuesday 22nd December

 

#Box squat 

20 x 5 

30 x 5 

40 x 5 x 3 

 

#Bench Press

20 x 5 

25 x 5 

30 x 5 

35 x 5 x 3 

 

#Trap bar deadlift

67.5 x 5 x 3 

 

#Pull down

60lb x 10 

70lb x 10 

80lb x 10 

 

#Seated dumbbell shoulder press

10 x 12 

10 x 10 x 2 

 

 

So nice to be back! Went reasonably easy today and everything was feeling pretty good. Frustratingly, I'm going to struggle to get back again this week due to a combination of work and reduced gym hours because of Christmas. 

[Starbuck]

The last month has been crazy!!!

 

I worked all through Christmas and New Years, then I finished up my job, moved interstate and started up my new job here.

 

I've found a gym here for powerlifting and I am so incredibly happy with it. I did a technique session with the coach when I started, which was great. I'm already feeling so much more confident in what I am doing (although some of the changes are still feeling very awkward). I'm liking my program so far. I'm just generally excited because I feel like I can stick with this and will get stronger!

 

I've also found myself a yoga studio nearby. Went to my first class there today and really enjoyed it. They are running this February challenge, which I have just signed up for. It is going to be difficult for me to attend the four classes a week for the challenge, but it gives me something to work towards. 

 

Will put up some of my workouts in a bit and I'm planning to join the next challenge.

[Starbuck]

The main thing that has kept me from posting here has been that I have just been so busy! Much of what has been keeping me busy has been keeping up the regular powerlifting/yoga. 

 

I am still loving my powerlifting gym here! I finished my first program (a five week program to start with) and got PRs for everything when I tested. Then I (at the last minute) entered a novice powerlifting comp yesterday, which was such a good experience!!

 

I also did actually complete that February challenge at my yoga studio and I am really glad that I did. It showed me that it is achievable to get to yoga (/sometimes barre or pilates instead) four times a week and forced me to go to classes that I would normally avoid. I've gone on to buy another unlimited pass and the plan is to go at least three times a week - to whichever class I can. 

 

Will try to post more often.

[Starbuck]

Monday 14th March 2016
 

#Squat

20kg x 10 

42.5kg x 10 x 3 

 

#Single Leg Hamstring Curl

5kg x 10 x 3 

 

#Deficit Deadlift

60kg x 3 x 5 

 

#Ab Wheel

10 x 3

 

 

 

[Starbuck]

Tuesday 15th March

#Bench Press

20kg x 10 

32.5kg x 10 x 3 

 

#Seated Cable Row

30kg x 10 x 3 

 

#Lat pulldown

30kg x 10 x 3 

 

#Triceps pushdown

10 x 3 (unknown weight)

 

 

Then I went to a Barre Class.

 

 

Thursday 17th March

#Deadlift

65 x 10 x 3 

 

#Leg Press

80 x 10 x 3 

 

#Kettlebell Swing

12 x 10 x 3 

 

 

Friday 18th March

#Bench Press

20 x 10 

30 x 5 

35 x 5 x 3 

 

#Overhead Press

20 x 5 

30 x 3 

35 x 3 x 3 

 

#Seated Cable Row

30 x 10 x 3 

 

#Triceps pushdown

10 x 3 (unknown weight)