What Does Andrew Althouse Like to Do When He Is Not Being a Statistician?

Who are you, and what is your statistics position?

My name is Andrew Althouse. I am a biostatistician at the University of Pittsburgh, with a faculty appointment in the department of medicine, supporting clinical research initiatives in a variety of medical specialties. I have collaborated with physicians and written papers about diabetes care, cardiology, cardiac surgery, obstetrics, and gynecology—just to name a few!

Tell us about what you like to do for fun when you are not being a statistician.

I enjoy watching and participating in strength and conditioning sports: power lifting, weightlifting, CrossFit, and Strongman competitions. I perform some type of “strength workout” four to six days per week. My training incorporates several tools—mostly heavy barbell lifts (back squats, front squats, and deadlifts), but I also use kettlebells (a big iron ball with a handle on it), heavy sandbag carries and lifts, and other odd-object lifting whenever possible. I exercise for about 30 minutes every night when I get home from the office … and usually unwind with a nice cold beer afterward!

What drew you to this hobby, and what keeps you interested?

I started lifting weights as a teenager with my father, who competed as a Masters powerlifter for several years (and still lifts weights). I carried this hobby/passion on through high school and college as a football player, and when I purchased my first home last year, I couldn’t wait to outfit a “garage gym” setup with a squat rack, barbells, and bumper plates from Rogue Fitness.

What keeps me interested? There’s both a physical component and a mental component to my enjoyment of lifting weights. Physically, this hobby keeps me feeling healthy, strong, and vibrant. Mentally, the challenge of continuing to make progress and the self-satisfaction one gets from completing good lifts are gratifying. There is perhaps no other hobby where one can draw such a direct line from “work done” to “progress made.” Academia and professional life often feel like a difficult series of ups and downs.