Good Company, Knowledge Bombs and Rehabbing Like a Motherf@#$er
by Amanda Hill
Amanda Hill is one of the OG Barbelle badasses. CrossFitter, Olympic Weightlifter and Strongwoman, this chick lives and breathes strength. Although she has been a coach for many years, she attended The 2016 Barbelle Club Strength Camp as a participant. This year we invited Amanda to join the coaching line-up at Camp though a recent diagnosis of two buldged disks in her neck has meant that she has had to step back from that opportunity. It’s also caused her to reflect on how she successfully moved though past instances of injury. And while she won’t be attending Camp this year, she generously shares her past experience with us which, we hope will help with your own strength journey – one that will unfortunately always, always includes some struggle with injury and recovery.
“Accumulating injuries are the price we pay for the thrill of not having sat around on our asses.”
- Mark Rippetoe
I had been looking forward to it for months and months, and who wouldn’t be?! A weekend away, learning from some of the country’s best female coaches, sharing experiences and lifting with a whole bunch of badass strong women from all the strength disciplines, not to mention using some of the country’s best equipment and facilities at the AIS - where dreams are made!
In the lead up to Camp I placed 3rd at The Best in The West Strongwoman Competition, the heaviest comp in the country for strongwomen. I placed behind two of the countries strongest in the Open category. This was a huge achievement for me.
Unfortunately, I had made a silly mistake on the 2nd event that day and found out later I’d badly torn the labarum in my shoulder, had a stress fracture in the collar bone and I’d most likely be needing surgery to get back to training (let alone back to competitive lifting). I was not only devastated at the thought of this but also at the fact I’d potentially need to pull out of attending Camp. I knew I’d be encouraged to go regardless but I just didn’t think I could cope mentally watching all weekend while it was all so fresh and because I’d been looking forward to the lifting and learning for so long.
But I made the decision to approach the Camp with my coaches’ hat on, with a focus on learning and watching and taking away as much as I could. This had huge benefits as I wasn’t distracted by wanting to try a million things. I was just absorbing and taking notes and asking questions and filming and taking notes. Don’t get me wrong, there were times when I was like - oh my god! I’d love to snatch with Martin and Kiana’s eyes on me, or practise my squat under the watchful eye of Liz...Just casually lifting with a world record holder! I was itching to throw some strongman gear around with some of the best strongwomen in the country, but I kept reminding myself how grateful I was that I could be there at all and still learn in a capacity that made it easier for me to take away new information to share with others.
In the lead up to Camp I placed 3rd at The Best in The West Strongwoman Competition, the heaviest comp in the country for strongwomen. I placed behind two of the countries strongest in the Open category. This was a huge achievement for me.
Unfortunately, I had made a silly mistake on the 2nd event that day and found out later I’d badly torn the labarum in my shoulder, had a stress fracture in the collar bone and I’d most likely be needing surgery to get back to training (let alone back to competitive lifting). I was not only devastated at the thought of this but also at the fact I’d potentially need to pull out of attending Camp. I knew I’d be encouraged to go regardless but I just didn’t think I could cope mentally watching all weekend while it was all so fresh and because I’d been looking forward to the lifting and learning for so long.
But I made the decision to approach the Camp with my coaches’ hat on, with a focus on learning and watching and taking away as much as I could. This had huge benefits as I wasn’t distracted by wanting to try a million things. I was just absorbing and taking notes and asking questions and filming and taking notes. Don’t get me wrong, there were times when I was like - oh my god! I’d love to snatch with Martin and Kiana’s eyes on me, or practise my squat under the watchful eye of Liz...Just casually lifting with a world record holder! I was itching to throw some strongman gear around with some of the best strongwomen in the country, but I kept reminding myself how grateful I was that I could be there at all and still learn in a capacity that made it easier for me to take away new information to share with others.
“It’s those magical knowledge bombs, stories, advice and inspirations you find through connecting with like-minded people - the kind of thing that can’t be planned or scheduled - which really adds so much to recovery being a positive experience.”
I found it to be more beneficial mentally to attend Camp than it would have been if I pulled out. I would have been miserable that I missed it and I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to get advice and draw inspiration and resilience from a huge group of amazing women who had experience with all sorts of injuries and setbacks. Chatting with and just listening to Jess Fraser’s story over burgers and a beer at the end of Camp made the trip worthwhile from a mental recovery point of view. It’s those magic knowledge bombs, stories, advice and inspirations you find through connecting with a whole lot of new like-minded people that can’t be planned or timetabled that really add so much to the experience.
Following the Camp, I was more than inspired to get into rehab and firstly, to get strong and healthy and back doing what I love pain free. And secondly, to get back to competing and along the way hopefully helping and inspiring others who experienced something similar, just as I had been by the legends at Camp.
I was lucky enough on my return to Melbourne to be taken on as a sponsored athlete by Kinematics Health and Performance. Their ideals and values aligned with my own and they believed with my commitment and their support and assistance we could return to full health, better strength and most importantly avoid surgery. I made a commitment to focus only on what was in my control in the recovery process and that was my rehab. I would be relentless, and I would know I was doing everything in my power to get back to where I was plus some.
Following the Camp, I was more than inspired to get into rehab and firstly, to get strong and healthy and back doing what I love pain free. And secondly, to get back to competing and along the way hopefully helping and inspiring others who experienced something similar, just as I had been by the legends at Camp.
I was lucky enough on my return to Melbourne to be taken on as a sponsored athlete by Kinematics Health and Performance. Their ideals and values aligned with my own and they believed with my commitment and their support and assistance we could return to full health, better strength and most importantly avoid surgery. I made a commitment to focus only on what was in my control in the recovery process and that was my rehab. I would be relentless, and I would know I was doing everything in my power to get back to where I was plus some.
“ There were definitely steps backwards, speed-bumps and many melt downs, but I would find the small wins, focus on the progress and take solace in knowing that I was rehabbing like a motherf@#$er and that’s all I could ask of myself.”
Fast forward 6 months with a truckload of hard work and dedication, doubts and fears, learning and self-believing we had done enough to be able to hit a big dream of mine. A huge goal I’d set the year before was to compete at the Arnold Classic. Not to mention avoiding surgery, coming in healthy, strong and confident in my body. Not only was I able to compete but I was able to be competitive in a very fierce field and walk away with 5th place. Something I was very happy with and an achievement I’ll always be proud of. Proud not just of the 5th place, but the whole journey to rehabilitate and get there. The commitment and dedication to moving better and the focus on building a stronger, more resilient me, both body and mind.
We wish Amanda all the best with her recovery.
We wish Amanda all the best with her recovery.