Make It Work

Let's just be clear - I love puppies and pizza more than I'll ever love you.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

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OH HEY. TRAINING LOG: WHATEVER. This was from yesterday, because tbh I've almost completely forgotten about tumblr but anyways quick facts: 1. My programming or ~fitness goals~, etc. can't just be related to powerlifting (which I love) or weightlifting (which I also love), because firefighting demands so, so much more than a triple and a 20rm on occasion. 2. But that being said, being a firefighter isn't reps for jesus or anything, and that's the problem - there is no "typical call". Sometimes you're chilling on a hoseline 20 feet outside, sometimes you're dragging a victim that weighs precisely jesus-take-the-wheel pounds out of a building, and sometimes the tones go off at oh-dark-thirty so you bolt out of bed and run straight into the door frame for something that ends up being an alarm trip (not that I've done that before). Point is, I'm - for the most part - done being a strength athlete. I thought about just being a "powerlifter that runs", but I pull hose with my hips anyways, so giving up weightlifting also seems dumb. But then cardio is important because a) the faster you move, the more likely it is that everyone goes home, and b) the more efficient you are with your air supply, the more you have to work with if you get trapped/lost (which is actually super terrifying and great motivation for burpees). SOoOoOoOo my idea is that I'm sort of training for a super total, but with my mile time being tested as well, and so far so good. It sounds dumb and like I'll never make any gains, but I've always been good with volume training, and my pressing strength has been going up like crazy so I'm not complaining. This was week two of adding weightlifting back in, and my wrist has been rock solid. I've done so much rehab with my right arm that it's actually my left arm that's more unstable with the oh position. My wrist isn't hurting today, and that's definitely a good sign. So far I like this programming, it's definitely showing up when we do drills at the station, and honestly I'm having a lot more fun with it. Still gonna compete though, just in everything fun this time. Side note: the guys wanted to do Murph at the station and when they asked me (I have to say yes to everything) I was like, "of course! I love pain and suffering!" Long story short, finished everything but the last mile at 32:14 (I was in the lead whaaaat) when my engine got a call, so I came back a half hour later and lost completely haha. Major progress though.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

These past eight months have been a hell of a ride, and last night Class 45 officially graduated. Couldn't have asked for a better team, a better academy, or a better opportunity. See you guys on the fireground. ✌

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

HEY TUMBLR.

So today's graduation day for the academy, and since I've been shining my boots for the last hour, I've had a lot of time to think, and it just hit me about how much I've turned my life around this year, and how successful I've been. The past year has not even been close to easy, and the academy was ridiculously intense, but I made it. I'm graduating in the top of my class, I got selected to lead my academy into graduation, heading the colors and carrying the American flag, and my class chose me to give a speech before we *officially* graduate. I tested with my city's fire department and got ranked #2 out of a billion and a half people. I've got selection offers with two other departments (one of which would pay me so well that I could retire by 40, and the other which is the dream department). I got picked up as a firefighter/EMT by a city a half hour drive away from me, and on my last shift we were pushing a patient on a gurney into the ER, and I brought him into the same room where I had laid getting put on pain killers and being told I wouldn't be able to feel or lift anything over 5 pounds with my hand just a year ago. My dad's The Man when it comes to firefighting, and so it means a lot to me that I don't let him down. I was doing a ride along with a Captain who used to run with my dad all the time about two weeks ago, and when we were back at the station after our last call, she said, "you know, you're doing a lot of good out there. I bet your dad's really proud of you", and man that shit just gets me. I just can't wait to graduate tonight. Yeah, I've done some awesome things with sports or academics up to this point, but I've never worked this hard for anything, and it's so, so rewarding to see it all coming back in full. Yeah, I know this is only the first step, but god it's been amazing. I guess hard work really does pay off haha.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

"So how's the academy been going?" It's been absolutely fuckin' lit, for one. I've only got four weeks left, which feels insane. On the plus side, homegirl's got a job (I mean it's prevention/inspection, but close enough while I get my medic's) and I was nominated to be a speaker at graduation, which is beyond awesome. I'd say I made a bunch of friends but honestly they're family. The whole "what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine" deal is really great when we try to fit six people into my elantra on lunch breaks. And while I'm tight with everyone, I'm closest with all the mexican meatheads, and group pictures have never looked so god damn funny. Everyone's like 220 minimum so I fit right in. A huge perk of that is I know where all the bomb taco shops in Fresno are. Lowkey have an addiction but it's fine. My dad's the godfather when it comes to rescue/hazmat (literally what other instructors call him, hullo insane amounts of pressure), so me screwing up isn't an option. But last week he gave me this "I'm really proud of you" speech and lawd. I get two gold stars for not crying in front of him but that got me good. Speaking of gold stars, I got the opportunity to save a life. Thankfully my body took it while my mind was still tripping over "that's not supposed to happen". I swear if I could produce that much force all the time I'd have a 700lb deadlift by tomorrow. My academy holds records for all the pt tests separated by male/female, and since thursday was our final I tried to beat them. I came way too close on three of them, but those are some strong women. I took all those steroids for nothing. Speaking of pt, I've really had to change up how I train. I've added in a lot more cardio, just because when you're on air, you only have a small window before the air in the bottle runs out, and I wanna be more efficient with that consumption when I work. Crawling through a building while pulling hose and being on air is no joke. We have one more unit (firefighter survival, which is essentially bailing out of non-ground level windows when things get no bueno), and then we go do the real deal with an actual station. I'd understand if they don't let me go into burning buildings with them, but hopefully they let me pull hose/throw ladders and not just stand and watch. Buuuuut I think that's it. Tbh, I'll be really happy to stop studying all the time. I'm starting EMT school literally the week I graduate, but it's gonna be okay. Honestly, the academy's been next level, everyone should do it.

[morbidology]

The last messages sent from Eddie Justice, an accountant, to his mother. Eddie was hiding in the bathroom of Pulse nightclub in Orlando when he sent these terrified text messages to his mother. Omar Mateen barricaded himself inside the nightclub in the early morning hours of 12 June, 2016. Once inside, he senselessly murdered 50 people and injured another 50+. Not long after these texts were sent by Eddie, Mateen stormed into the bathroom where he was hiding and shot him dead.

[themerrymisnomer]

Living in the digital age makes death a little more hallowed than in previous times.

You see living ghosts on peoples phones.

[mbakuspocketpussy]

God my heart is heavy man.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

Training Log: This Is Why You Don't take a Week Off Edition So I took all of last week off from training because it was either that or get less than four hours of sleep a night, which, given how intense the academy's been this past week, would not have been the best idea. I did some moderate work and heavy bench yesterday to get back into the swing of things and then picked up my programming where I left off today, which meant 6 back squat singles at 100kg (roughly 90%) every 90 seconds. A hundo's been a daily minimum as far as singles go since February, so I didn't think I'd have that much of a problem. Lolk. Once I hit 75kg I knew that there was a moderate chance 100 might rip my soul out from my kneecaps but whateva. Would've murdered it under normal conditions but it is what it is. As it stands I'm pretty stoked about how it went, all things being considered. Finished up with good mornings, weighted pull ups, and some back hypertrophy, and I can already feel the DOMS. Ah well though. I'm about to go eat twice my weight in sushi before the academy tonight, so it's all good.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

Oh hey update

It’s honestly been like three thousand years. I actually had to log in to tumblr and god knows how I remembered my password.

ANYWAYS. It’s been a minute and since today is OFFICIALLY the one year mark since I broke my arm, aka like barely missed that clean, figured why not update.

The academy’s going really, really well. I love what I get to do, and that’s only increasing with every class. Plus, somehow I’ve managed to find a balance between going to school and studying, working, training, being in a relationship, having a social life, and sleeping, which is 110% new. By the time I go to bed at night I’m completely exhausted (I may or may not have fallen asleep eating last night, but that’s neither here nor there), but every day has been amazing. I really lucked out.

Fighting fire is by far the most fun and exciting thing a human being can do. The first time I did it I was like 50% nervous, 50% excited, and 100% scared, but the next time I was like LEGOOOOOO. I’ve been on the nozzle with a thousand degree fire about ten feet away, I’ve been on the (really fucking steep) roof of a two story house cutting vent holes with a chainsaw, I’ve been running through the foothills chasing down wildfire with what’s essentially a glorified super soaker, and all of it’s an absolute blast. I have the sickest video of all that stuff, but because of a “protect your own” policy I can’t post any of it, so just take my word for it.

I’ve found that learning to be a firefighter is in large part about facing fears. Like one of the skills we had to complete involved climbing a 35′ ladder, wrapping our leg around the beam and locking our foot down under a rung, and then leaning backwards so your upperbody was parallel with the ground. It’s a hell of a rush, to say the least haha.

In terms of training, it’s been moderately hard to make gains, mainly because the work we do at the academy takes up a lot of energy. I’ve decided that on any given day, my legs are gonna be able to perform at like 90% tops. But it’s worth it for all the fun work I get to do. I just had to greatly reduce my lifting goals for this year from “800lb squat” to “idk like try not to die”.

I’ve also been dying to compete again, but comps don’t really work out with being in the academy. SO I’m holding my own meet 4th of July weekend, singlet, 18 hour breaks between events, and all. I don’t really expect to smash my old comp PRs, but I just wanna see where I’m at.

Long story short, I went into a jiu jitsu gym across town that basically breeds 200 champs a minute for a non-jiu jitsu related thing, and the owner (Mr. Champ himself) came up to me and said, “hey, you do jiu jitsu, right?”, to which I said, “yeah, I’m a blue belt”. He asked what school I went to so I told him, and then he goes, “yeah, I remember seeing you compete, you’re tearing it up out there!” On the outside I was like “naaahhhh, I just have a really good coach and even better teammates,” but on the inside I was a) going full on school girl who just got asked to prom, and b) laughing because somebody didn’t see me compete at the US Open.

I mentioned this in like one of my earlier updates, but there’s this bomb/demolition/explosives expert who is basically The Man for that kind of stuff the world over, and he’s gonna get me into all of his explosives classes for free once I graduate. He told me just to email him with which ones I wanted and that he’d get me in so he could show me “how to properly blow shit up”. I mean, I guess so. But really though like hell yes.

My arm’s gotten a lot better. I’ve almost gotten full ROM back, it only hurts like once or twice a month now, and all the feeling’s back so ayyyy. I still haven’t gone back to weightlifting, but I’m starting to really like powerlifting, so I’m alright with it.

I think that’s it. We’ve got like 11 weeks left in the academy, and I can’t wait to graduate, but at the same time I definitely don’t want it to end. On the plus side though, I just had the best mocha known to man and I’m getting tacos later, so.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

Training Log: This is from Yesterday Also Heeeyyyyy Edition

1) Back Squat: work to 5RM (95kg, +7kg) 2) Bulgarian Split Squats: 3x6x35kg 3) Pull Ups: 3x10

Okay okay okaaaayyyy this was my first workout in liiiiike a week and a half. We'd been throwing ladders at the academy during that time, and for those of you that have never ~thrown ladders at the academy~ before, it's about 4 hours of quarter squatting and push pressing 75 pounds, which really doesn't seem like a lot but when it's spread out over 14 feet it's a bitch and a half by that third hour. ANYWAYS. Didn't wanna workout and lose energy for that, sooooo I waited.

I decided to just pick my program up where I left off because a) who has time to rewrite it, but mainly b) I'm an idiot, so new 5RM it is. On the plus side, I hit a 7kg PR on my 5RM (which came to a little over 1.5xbw) and passed my 4RM by 5kg so ayyyy. On the minus side, I have never had more trouble walking than I'm having today. That aside I can't even begin to tell you how hard this set was. Like it took me 2.5 minutes just to get through it, and even though almost all of them look smooth-ish, I was so damn close to failing that first rep and it only got worse as time went on. The video post-me laying down is actually pretty funny because I tried to get up twice but my legs were like "lol naaahhh honey sit yo ass back down".

My belt came off twice during that set, too. And if putting your belt back on twice mid-set isn't some record breaking skill, I dunno what is. I went for 98 after this and my belt came off on the way down on the first rep so I just bailed haha. Apparently I need to bulk again.

Oh but small, un-important, and non-depressing side note: I gave up olympic weightlifting, for at least the next year. Maintaining a snatch grip was really messing up my wrist to the point where that arm got too weak to be useful, and obviously that kind of wrecks the whole "saving kittens from trees" deal. Cleans were going okay, but they got a little stressful on the joint so it really didn't feel worth it. But anyways I've been doing powerlifting for the past couple weeks, and so far I've had zero problems with it. Nothing against pl, but hopefully this isn't permanent. I'll retest weightlifting next summer and see how it goes. Until then, 600lb deadlift here I come.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

Tagged by @newazatime to post another gosh diggity darn selfie, so lego. Tagging @training-and-gaining (I BEAT YOU THIS TIME :D), @monikerrrrr, @moveyourfit, and @brookiefacefitness yaaaaaayyyyyyyy! And also anyone else who is infinitely sad that national pup day is over.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

I call this one: when you're genuinely trying to be an adult but then you hit yourself with dem gainz and have to put everything on pause to take a swolfie.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

Whooooaaaa academy update.

So we’re in week...10. 11. Something there, I dunno. I feel like I’ve been here my entire life. Anyways, this happened:

We were doing some testing where you had to do a thing within a certain time frame, and since I was the first one to pass, I started walking around helping other cadets cut their time down. After an hour or so, one of the instructors (zero idea who he was at the time) pulled me aside and asked me why I wanted to be a firefighter, so I gave him the ~wanna do something bigger than myself, risk my life to save others, wear the cape~ answer. He nodded and said, “I can respect that, but I can tell you’re way too smart to be pulling hose. When you graduate, look me up and come join my team”. I was like lolk, but after talking with him a bit and asking my dad about him, turns out he’s The Fucking Man, with an extra capital everything. Like he heads the explosives and arson investigation unit for the entire world. He headed that division for Desert Storm and he’s the reason they know how bombs work in space. Yeah holy shit. Grunt first responder rescue/ems work still appeals to me, but damn.

We lost a few cadets from orientation until the first week, but since then we’ve been tight. Unfortunately we lost another cadet two weeks ago, and it really surprised me how hard everyone (including myself) is taking it. Like you don’t realize how close you grow to these people until they get dismissed. Now whenever we’re going through something tough we yell “Class 45! Do it for ____!” and it’s the most motivational thing I’ve ever heard.

So I started the academy as a captain (there are seven of us, each with three people under their command), but after two months we changed who our two battalion chiefs (who are basically the Head Bitches in Charge) were, and our Coordinators let us vote on it. So not only did I get it, but literally everyone voted for me. They were a little disputed on the other bc, but yeah I’m chief now. It’s cool, and I love the responsibility don’t get me wrong, but I think the coolest thing is that a) my battalion trusted me enough to be a capable leader and b) they chose me out of all the men to lead them. Liiiit.

Not gonna lie, the best thing about it is having people say “yes, ma’am!” instead of sir. We haven’t had any female instructors yet, so whaduuuuuup. There is a good deal of sexism though (more than I had to deal with as a captain) and while it’s incredibly fucking annoying (like when talking to “the chiefs”, instructors will only look at the other bc (who’s male)), I really didn’t expect anything else. Like one cadet still calls me sir, and when I confronted him about it, he said, “well I just think you’re more of a man than half the battalion, so sir seemed more fitting”. Like I get where you’re coming from, but we seriously need to work on your compliment skills.

So my dad was a very prominent firefighter before retiring last year, and as such, everybody knows him. Because of that, how “Captain Young’s daughter” is doing in the academy is info that gets spread around everywhere. I was talking with one of my dad’s close friends (who’s a chief currently) yesterday and after talking about how I liked the academy, he told me that he’s heard “some very complimentary things” about me from the other instructors. Instructors shit on every cadet. It’s practically their job. And “eh, they’re alright” is about as good a job recommendation as you’re gonna get post-academy. And while I’ve definitely gotten my fair share of “what the fucking fuck is wrong with you, cadet” while in the academy itself, to know that “some very complimentary things” are making it all the way up the chief level of the department I’m trying to get into is fucking insane. I told him it was all just because of bribery on my part, but I’m so set for this career. Apparently I fuck up in exactly the right way. Go me.

So for every event we have to do for our pt evals, there’s a record. They’re separated by gender, but those pull up and squat records are mine. The squat is at 179% of bw, which is my max. Just have to do that beltless, without wraps, and in nanos and I’ll get my name on that board. For pull ups, the records at 20, and I hit 16 at our eval on Tuesday. The records haven’t been broken since the first couple academies, and I really wanna throw Class 45′s name on there.

But anyways. I think that’s it. The academy’s really fun, but it’s a ton of work both on paper and in hand. But I get to do cool shit like blast hydrants and break down doors for a grade, so it’s all worth it.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

Training Log: Oh I’m Getting That Triple PR Edition

1) Clean and Jerk: 4x2x45kg 2) Back Squat: work to heavy triple (100kg, +3kg), then -10% for 2x3 3) Pull Ups: 3x4x5kg

Some days I knock c&js out of the park. Today was not one of those days haha. We had our second pt eval last night, and since I’m trying to break some records (pull ups and squat, mainly), I’m definitely feeling a little spent today. I was supposed to do some doubles up at 80%, but this’ll do since honestly that was probably a heavy double for the day.

Nice redemption on the back squat triple. Last week I was going for this 3kg PR and my belt came off on the second rep which caused me to miss the third. You bet I was checking that belt after every rep haha. Felt relatively good, and I definitely have a little more in me, just not today haha.

Finished up with some weighted pull ups and called it a day. Now to eat my weight in chicken tacos.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

Training Log: I Fucking Hate Velcro Belts Edition

1) Clean: 4x2x80% 2) Back Squat: work to heavy triple (95kg)

So this was from yesterday, and the night before at the academy we had basically moved a bunch of hose (which gets heavy af) for two hours, then had some insane pt for two hours, so suffice to say I was pretty spent. I was actually supposed to hit these cleans at 90% (and do more stuff after the squats), but I did noooot have it in me haha.

The squats were soooo annoying though. My PR triple is 97, and I muuuuurdered 95. Knew I was gonna get at least that three kilo PR but then my belt comes off halfway through the second rep. Reset the bar and couldn’t get through the first rep. UGH. Ah well. Next time I’ll just have an even bigger PR in store haha.

The academy’s been insanely tough and I’ve gotten like zero sleep in the past week, so excuse me while I ktfo at 730 like a god damn adult.

[katonamor]

[shatt3r3dknuckles]

SQUAD

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

Oh hey. Apparently I was also tagged by @newazatime to stop, drop, and selfop last night, SO GUESS WHAT’S HAPPENING @training-and-gaining??

[training-and-gaining-deactivate]

Since you apparently missed this morning’s selfie, I give you another of me on the same couch and still tag everyone who wishes they were under the blanket with me.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

...Oh. Well, excuuuuse me, some of us were busy this morning SAVING LIVES. And by "SAVING LIVES" I mean hitting up this honestly god-like taco truck a few blocks from the academy, eating my weight in street tacos, and then reconsidering my life a little bit. But I mean it's fine same difference WHATEVER.

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

Oh hey. Apparently I was also tagged by @newazatime to stop, drop, and selfop last night, SO GUESS WHAT’S HAPPENING @training-and-gaining??

[makinggains-takingnames-blog]

Training Log: OH HEY FRIENDS Edition

We’re gonna pretend like it hasn’t been 3,000 years since I’ve acknowledged any of you, kay? Kay. Anyways, this happened:

1) Clean: work to heavy single (65kg) 2) Back Squat: 3x5x75% 3) Pull Ups: 3x4x5kg 4) Plank: 3x45 seconds

So here’s some things you should know:

1) I’ve really struggled with finding time to lift. The last two months have been hella sketch, but I think I’ve finally found my rhythm as of these past two weeks. 2) So yeah that “rhythm” means my sessions are soul-crushingly short. 3) I switched to powerlifting, with weightlifting as like a side note. I only jerk once, clean once, and clean and jerk once per week anymore. 4) Okay but whyyyyy pl and no snatches?? Not by choice, lemme tell you. My most recently broken arm is messing up for god knows why (I wasn’t even lifting at the time), and can no longer support holding the bar in a snatch grip without even moderate pain. I definitely wanna get back to wl full time, but not until whatever’s wrong with my arm heals. 5) I’m fucking killing it in pl though. I hit 98% of my belted deadlift 1RM for a relatively easy beltless single last week, and then benched my 1RM for a double yesterday (which was an 8lb PR in and of itself), so I’d say I’m doing pretty okie dokie. 6) What little wl I do do is going great too. I’m always hitting at least 90% (on a bad day), but generally hitting upwards of 97%, hence the larger jump tonight. I’m so close to PRs oh my godddddd. Like my post-injury clean PR is 70 (lifetime is 77.5) and laaawwddd I’ve been so close so many times. Ah well. Just a little more time. And as my dad told me after my second miss: "well, you're not a winner, but at least you've got a big heart." ...Thanks, Pops.

Anyways that’s it. I’m literally studying in between lifts, because I have a test every 2.5 seconds, just in case you were wondering what my life’s been like haha. Hope you all are doing great, and that your pizzas were extra cheesy today.