How Powerlifting Made Me a Better Software Engineer

This talk outlines the key things I’ve learnt over the last few years as a competitive powerlifter, and how these insights have spilled over into my everyday life and ultimately my day job as a software engineer.

People

Soft Skills

Like many developers, I embodied the classic stereotype: Developers don’t do sports. I’ve been nerdy and, let’s face it, a little bit overweight my entire life. My first memories of sport participation involve being picked last for the team and ridiculed for trying.

Sports were just not for me.

But when I discovered the strength sport of powerlifting that all changed. What started as a casual pursuit of a niche sport quickly became a large and important part of my life.

In this talk, I’ll share with you
- Why individual pursuits still require teamwork
- Why enjoying the process is half the battle in reaching the desired outcome (and some strategies to achieve that)
- Why facing your fears often and in small doses leads to unmatched levels of badassery that will have you confronting challenges head on

Attendees will leave this talk not only with concrete actions they can bring to their life and work, but also inspired to try something new.

Adele Carpenter

Adele is a Software Engineer and Consultant at Trifork Amsterdam where she is working on systems for the educational sector. Most of her work day is spent in the JVM/Spring and React ecosystems, although increasingly she plays a pivotal role as trusted advisor to Trifork’s customers.

Adele is an experienced international speaker, having spoken at multiple editions of NDC, goto, Devoxx and JavaZone. As a speaker, she uses her exposure to real-world customer projects, experiences outside of tech and passion for story-telling to distill complex ideas into their essential parts. All with an air of good humour.

When she’s not at her computer or on stage, you can find her in the gym pumping some serious iron as she pursues the sport of powerlifting.