A Day in the Life – in Athlete Lockdown with weightlifter Ayo Fadahunsi

Name: Ayo Fadahunsi

Studying: A-levels (Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science)

Sport: Weightlifting

8.30 – 9.00am – Get up (currently loving the leeway I have to wake up late compared to my pre quarantine 5:30/6:00am start), have a bottle of water. I decided to pick up running since I have been out of college so I get changed into running wear and head out for a run (long runs 3 times a week and the other 4 are only about 30 minutes). I am currently doing a run program to get my 10km time to 50 mins which means averaging no more than 5:00 mins per km though I am currently at 56:32. I have set routes for both my short and long runs so that I run through greenery for a bit (for the silence & feeling of euphoria) whilst trying to avoid areas where people might be walking to minimise risk of having contact with anyone. This is then followed by a quick stretch/foam roll for about 10 minutes.

11.00am – Love a large breakfast after an already exhausting morning (for me as a weightlifter at least) which is typically just 3 eggs, a large can of beans as much toast as I can manage to cram onto my plate at once with a big mug of my new addiction since quarantine started – coffee. The dining room is always empty so I eat really slowly whilst normally reading a book or sometimes I would facetime a close friend.

12.30 – 1.00pm – continue programming – I’m currently building an application which is a weightlifting competition manager which I initially created a version of as my computer science project. Since the cancellations of all A-levels this year I decided to expand and redesign the project. I also snack on whatever fruit I brought upstairs because I’ll be lazy enough not to return downstairs till I’m ready to train; today that was just 2 bananas.

5.00pm – Head downstairs to begin training- after a nice and th0rough warmup the lifting begins. Because my goal for the lockdown is a qualitative improvement in my lifting technique rather than strength, my sessions would typically include both of the two weightlifting lifts which are the ‘snatch’ and ‘clean & jerk’ – each session at a semi-low to moderate percent of my 1RM with a bit of either deadlifts or front squats at the end to maintain my strength.

7.00pm – Post training deep joint stretching/ flexibility drills in the living room whilst simultaneously watching an animated show which is always either the Simpsons or Futurama

8.00pm – Dinner time – rice, mixed veg, two chicken thighs and stew with a minimum of one glass of blackcurrant ribena squash then to ‘cool down’ I’d have a bowl of my favourite yogurt – Brooklea Greek style honey yogurt (no doubt the best yogurt in the world – which I have to go on a mission to Aldi every weekend to purchase). All this whilst still watching whatever I was watching in the living room, now on either my iphone or ipad.

9.00pm – Head back upstairs. Solve 1 or more challenging maths or sometimes physics questions usually with a friend over facetime as fast as possible before I start to relax, this time especially serves as preparation for my university course later this year plus it also allows me to not feel guilty later when I begin watching more tv.

10.30pm – Fire up my tv – currently rewatching Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on Disney because I am a big Marvel fan or alternatively it could just be an animation different from what I watched earlier such as Rick and Morty or South Park.

12.00 – 12.30am – Turn off all technology then use a little trick to fall asleep. I grab the book I was reading in the morning and attempt to read now that I’m tired which makes me fall asleep after reading about 2 sentences.

Ayo lifting in competition