Sent from my iPhone
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
My New Toy
to cart around 35# of Kettlebell through the airports (which I've done
multiple times). I'm impressed so far--loving it. More pics & details
when I get back home.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Time Suck
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Work 8p-8a--161#
Of the 60 hours that I was off, I slept 30.5 of them. Today, before work, I slept 13.5 hours! I having extreme difficulty dragging my butt out of bed. As the time to get up approaches, I just lie there or hit the snooze--not so much because I feel like I need more sleep but more because I am enjoying just lying in bed, dozing in and out of consciousness. So I lie there,doing just that, until the very last possible second that I can get out of bed and still accomplish my first necessary task of the day. I think part of the issue is that nothing better beckons to me, calling me away from the bed. I need to fix this. It is a colossal time suck, and goodness knows there are plenty of things I could be doing other than lying around in bed. What a waste! My goal is to limit myself to one snooze daily on the days that I work (I don't use an alarm the other days), and when I go home in the morning, I'll leave one alarm in the living room--that whole 15 feet from my bed, LOL, and set it for 9 minutes after the one in my bedroom, right about the time my first snooze should go off.
TODAY'S WORKOUT: Because of aforementioned sleeping issues, I only had about 15 minutes to workout. Here's what I did...
3 Rounds of:
2 20kg Snatches R/L
2 20 kg C &PP R/L
5 20kg Reverse Lunge R/L
5 Burpees (including push-up atthe bottom)
Plank 30 sec
Rest 90 sec I forgot the plank on the first round. Took me 19'45"
YESTERDAY'S WORKOUT:
12kg VO2 Max w/o: 80 sets, hitting 8 reps through the first 40 and 7 reps for the rest.
FRIDAY: NO WORKOUT Woke up with a migraine. I've been having more of these lately.
THURSDAY'S WORKOUT: Overslept and didn't get one in before work, so I took a 16 with me and did the Essentials test once at work. It felt good, and I didn't have to set the bell down at all.
Work 8p-8a--161#
Of the 60 hours that I was off, I slept 30.5 of them. Today, before work, I slept 13.5 hours! I having extreme difficulty dragging my butt out of bed. As the time to get up approaches, I just lie there or hit the snooze--not so much because I feel like I need more sleep but more because I am enjoying just lying in bed, dozing in and out of consciousness. So I lie there,doing just that, until the very last possible second that I can get out of bed and still accomplish my first necessary task of the day. I think part of the issue is that nothing better beckons to me, calling me away from the bed. I need to fix this. It is a colossal time suck, and goodness knows there are plenty of things I could be doing other than lying around in bed. What a waste! My goal is to limit myself to one snooze daily on the days that I work (I don't use an alarm the other days), and when I go home in the morning, I'll leave one alarm in the living room--that whole 15 feet from my bed, LOL, and set it for 9 minutes after the one in my bedroom, right about the time my first snooze should go off.
TODAY'S WORKOUT: Because of aforementioned sleeping issues, I only had about 15 minutes to workout. Here's what I did...
3 Rounds of:
2 20kg Snatches R/L
2 20 kg C &PP R/L
5 20kg Reverse Lunge R/L
5 Burpees (including push-up atthe bottom)
Plank 30 sec
Rest 90 sec I forgot the plank on the first round. Took me 19'45"
YESTERDAY'S WORKOUT:
12kg VO2 Max w/o: 80 sets, hitting 8 reps through the first 40 and 7 reps for the rest.
FRIDAY: NO WORKOUT Woke up with a migraine. I've been having more of these lately.
THURSDAY'S WORKOUT: Overslept and didn't get one in before work, so I took a 16 with me and did the Essentials test once at work. It felt good, and I didn't have to set the bell down at all.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Off My Game
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Off--161#
You know you have them...those times when you're just not quite in the game. You're two seconds behind the guy you're supposed to be guarding. Or you realize you should have been in the right lane because your turn is 20 yards away and traffic is a bear. You're trying to find a solution to a problem at work, but your mind just will NOT stay focused. You're in lala land. You're not sure exactly where that is, but you're certainly not the frik where you're supposed to be.
So if you find me out there somewhere, will you please tell me to go the hell home?
Really.
Because of late I have been seriously "off" in my own personal game of life, just going through the motions trying to keep my piece on the board. Every moment I feel as if I can't truly live and enjoy that moment because I am too worried about arranging and being prepared for the next moment. As I think about that, I realize there's yet another thing that I've not done and create another browser tab so I can send an e-mail in preparation for my trip back to Tennessee next week. Sailing off into the sunset sounds better every day.
Often my one saving grace to the insanity in other parts of my world is my workouts. That 15 or 30 or 60 minutes is mine, no one else's. It serves it's purpose as it focuses me and brings progress in at least one aspect of my life. Lately, though, I'm floundering even there. Again, I am feeling like I have no direction to my workouts, like I'm taking off in too many directions at once and getting nowhere. I looked back at my workout log for the last few months and all I could see was stagnation. I've been working on the 3 4-rung double 16kg press ladder for about 2 months now...What's that all about?! I can't seem to get my nutrition under control. I'll have 2 or 3 good days then 2 or three bad ones, and just hope that of that 2 or 3, one isn't completely dismal enough to totally negate the good ones in one day, leaving a net of 1 or 2 bad ones. As a result, my weight continues to hover 10 pounds heavier than 6 months ago, the same weight I was this time last year. The only comfort in that scenario is that I am neither weaker nor fatter than I was this time last year. That, however, is substantial comfort.
The last time I felt this lost in my workouts I went to work with Mr. Whitley for some direction. Unfortunately, not an option this time. GRRR.
Now that I've sat here with my laptop, well, on my lap, as I played with my callouses for about 20 minutes, I realize that I should just go to bed. That seems to be my solution for everything here lately.
WORKOUT: I slept a few hours after work and got up with only a few minutes to throw a workout in before meeting the hubby for some dinner with his client. So I did AOS Essentials 2 times thru with the 16kg, 3 minutes in between rounds. The first round I didn't set the bell down, but the second one I set is down twice for 30 seconds each time (mostly b/c if it weren't a derivative of 30 sec I would have lost my timer). The first time was after the cleans on the right and the second was after the squats on the left. Oh, and BTW, I left out the TGU at either end.
After I post this, I'm doing 3 rounds of 5 perfect push-ups each, from the knees.
YESTERDAY'S WORKOUT: I decided I'm going to be working some more with the 20kg. I'm going to press that wench before my birthday in August. Happy frikkin' birthday to me! So here's what I'm doing a couple of days a week...
20kg snatch 2/2
20kg C&PP 2/2
20kg reverse lunge 5/5
4 perfect push-ups from the knees (b/c I'm a total frikkin' wimp and have to do them from the knees. I'll be getting something here shortly to start doing them from an elevated position.)
Plank x 30 sec.
For 3 rounds. 1 min b/w rounds.
This was supposed to be followed by some 16kg snatches, but I ran outta time.
SUNDAY'S WORKOUT: Took the day off. My traps gave me a good cussing all day Saturday, and were finishing up the filibuster today. It would have been my 4th day in a row anyway, so I didn't think it would hurt to take it off.
Off--161#
You know you have them...those times when you're just not quite in the game. You're two seconds behind the guy you're supposed to be guarding. Or you realize you should have been in the right lane because your turn is 20 yards away and traffic is a bear. You're trying to find a solution to a problem at work, but your mind just will NOT stay focused. You're in lala land. You're not sure exactly where that is, but you're certainly not the frik where you're supposed to be.
So if you find me out there somewhere, will you please tell me to go the hell home?
Really.
Because of late I have been seriously "off" in my own personal game of life, just going through the motions trying to keep my piece on the board. Every moment I feel as if I can't truly live and enjoy that moment because I am too worried about arranging and being prepared for the next moment. As I think about that, I realize there's yet another thing that I've not done and create another browser tab so I can send an e-mail in preparation for my trip back to Tennessee next week. Sailing off into the sunset sounds better every day.
Often my one saving grace to the insanity in other parts of my world is my workouts. That 15 or 30 or 60 minutes is mine, no one else's. It serves it's purpose as it focuses me and brings progress in at least one aspect of my life. Lately, though, I'm floundering even there. Again, I am feeling like I have no direction to my workouts, like I'm taking off in too many directions at once and getting nowhere. I looked back at my workout log for the last few months and all I could see was stagnation. I've been working on the 3 4-rung double 16kg press ladder for about 2 months now...What's that all about?! I can't seem to get my nutrition under control. I'll have 2 or 3 good days then 2 or three bad ones, and just hope that of that 2 or 3, one isn't completely dismal enough to totally negate the good ones in one day, leaving a net of 1 or 2 bad ones. As a result, my weight continues to hover 10 pounds heavier than 6 months ago, the same weight I was this time last year. The only comfort in that scenario is that I am neither weaker nor fatter than I was this time last year. That, however, is substantial comfort.
The last time I felt this lost in my workouts I went to work with Mr. Whitley for some direction. Unfortunately, not an option this time. GRRR.
Now that I've sat here with my laptop, well, on my lap, as I played with my callouses for about 20 minutes, I realize that I should just go to bed. That seems to be my solution for everything here lately.
WORKOUT: I slept a few hours after work and got up with only a few minutes to throw a workout in before meeting the hubby for some dinner with his client. So I did AOS Essentials 2 times thru with the 16kg, 3 minutes in between rounds. The first round I didn't set the bell down, but the second one I set is down twice for 30 seconds each time (mostly b/c if it weren't a derivative of 30 sec I would have lost my timer). The first time was after the cleans on the right and the second was after the squats on the left. Oh, and BTW, I left out the TGU at either end.
After I post this, I'm doing 3 rounds of 5 perfect push-ups each, from the knees.
YESTERDAY'S WORKOUT: I decided I'm going to be working some more with the 20kg. I'm going to press that wench before my birthday in August. Happy frikkin' birthday to me! So here's what I'm doing a couple of days a week...
20kg snatch 2/2
20kg C&PP 2/2
20kg reverse lunge 5/5
4 perfect push-ups from the knees (b/c I'm a total frikkin' wimp and have to do them from the knees. I'll be getting something here shortly to start doing them from an elevated position.)
Plank x 30 sec.
For 3 rounds. 1 min b/w rounds.
This was supposed to be followed by some 16kg snatches, but I ran outta time.
SUNDAY'S WORKOUT: Took the day off. My traps gave me a good cussing all day Saturday, and were finishing up the filibuster today. It would have been my 4th day in a row anyway, so I didn't think it would hurt to take it off.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Fortitude
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Off--Slept 1030-1630-161.5#
A little different format today...
My workout today was as follows:
4 purple and black band assisted pull-ups
2/2 assisted pistols
Run ("run" does not equal sprint but instead is a pace faster than a jog which is a lumbering pace I can keep for a long time. "run" is about the speed I can keep for a mile without keeling over.) around the yard=~100-120 yards.
Push-ups with brutally strict form for 30 seconds. These are slightly demoralizing since I have to do them from the knees. Mr. Calleo, however, graced me with some of his wisdom as learned through his many studies, and I have resolved to do them right whatever way I am forced to do them and take solace in knowing that I will surely build to a full push-up some day. I can't say enough about how much I appreciate all the feedback on my video--given both publicly and privately. Thank you.
Run the yard.
Hanging leg raises alternated with hanging knee raises x 10 total (this should be for time, but my watch self-destructed a la Mission Impossible).
Run the yard.
Plank for 30 sec.
Run the yard.
Repeat for a total of 3 rounds.
This was supposed to be done for time, but again, my watch didn't cooperate, so I just worked on through instead of stopping to use a different timing device.
Then...AMAP 20kg TGU which ended up being 1/1x4
I like this workout.
I think I mentioned this the last time I posted it, which was also the first time I did it. And as much as I liked it the first time, I liked it more today, but not necessarily for the reasons you might expect.
I do this workout, or some form of it, to work on those things I feel are some of my weakest points. I call it my "Better Me" workout, version 2, an adaptation of what I've been doing for the last 4-6 weeks (version 1). People, myself included, have a tendency to "mentally masturbate" as a favorite firearms instructor of mine once put it. They will find the thing they are good at and do it over and again, calling it "practice" or "working out." When they finish, praise themselves for the discipline to do it and their remarkable skill and go home. They will stand square and still, facing a still target, in sunny conditions with no stressers, hit the mark a dozen times and go to the house confident they can kick ass in a firefight. They will run a treadmill or an elliptical machine or sit in a machine and move the peg, pushing the resultant weight and work up a glaze of moisture, hit the showers and go to work boasting of the ass-kicking they just gave themselves. Those folks are "mentally masturbating." When the SHTF, they are the ones left looking around wondering what the $^@% just happened.
Those people, though, that the rest of the world sees as just a little bit off their collective rockers, the ones who go to the outdoor range in the rain, set up half a dozen targets, bring a jump rope or a kettlebell and hit that for a couple of minutes or just run around the empty range for a bit then start blasting the hell out of the targets while they're moving, crouching, or finding cover, the ones who you never see in the gym because it doesn't have the right toys, the ones whose workout clothes don't match and stay stained, those are the ones who are truly ready for what life just might throw their way. Those are the people who are comfortable facing a weakness, or even a fear. Only when we acknowledge then turn to face down our fears and weaknesses can we overcome them and, therefore, be better ready for tomorrow.
That is what my Better Me workout is about. I face my weaknesses and in doing so, will hopefully one day make them strengths. As I was facing them today, though, I realized I was building strength in an area I'd not anticipated. About half-way around the yard, somewhere during round 2, I was ready to slow down just a tad, make it a jog instead of a run. Typically, my workouts involve some down time, maybe just 10-20 seconds of shuffling my feet, but some downtime regardless. This workout by design pushes me to keep moving, never stop. I realized today that more than a physical accomplishment for me, this is a mental one. My mind is ready to give up way before my body makes it truly necessary. That realization, somewhere between pull-ups and a plank, where fortitude overrules a treadmill, was an important one for me. I get out there and sweat it out consistently for a thousand good reasons, but I keep finding more. And today, the idea that as I'm not only strengthening my body, I am building fortitude as well, was much more tangible for me. I have known it on some level all along, but today it hit me like a train. I also realized that that is one of the things I like SO much about my friends here in the blogosphere. We are hundreds or, sometimes, thousands of miles apart, most of us out there each day duking it out with ourselves in solitude, yet we are out there, finding our weaknesses, facing them, and pushing through to make them better with no one to hold us accountable but ourselves and the harshness of life itself.
Off--Slept 1030-1630-161.5#
- Main Entry: for·ti·tude
- Pronunciation: \ˈfȯr-tə-ˌtüd, -ˌtyüd\
- Function:noun
- Etymology:Middle English, from Latin fortitudin-, fortitudo, from fortis
- Date:12th century
- 1: strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage
- 2obsolete : strength
My workout today was as follows:
4 purple and black band assisted pull-ups
2/2 assisted pistols
Run ("run" does not equal sprint but instead is a pace faster than a jog which is a lumbering pace I can keep for a long time. "run" is about the speed I can keep for a mile without keeling over.) around the yard=~100-120 yards.
Push-ups with brutally strict form for 30 seconds. These are slightly demoralizing since I have to do them from the knees. Mr. Calleo, however, graced me with some of his wisdom as learned through his many studies, and I have resolved to do them right whatever way I am forced to do them and take solace in knowing that I will surely build to a full push-up some day. I can't say enough about how much I appreciate all the feedback on my video--given both publicly and privately. Thank you.
Run the yard.
Hanging leg raises alternated with hanging knee raises x 10 total (this should be for time, but my watch self-destructed a la Mission Impossible).
Run the yard.
Plank for 30 sec.
Run the yard.
Repeat for a total of 3 rounds.
This was supposed to be done for time, but again, my watch didn't cooperate, so I just worked on through instead of stopping to use a different timing device.
Then...AMAP 20kg TGU which ended up being 1/1x4
I like this workout.
I think I mentioned this the last time I posted it, which was also the first time I did it. And as much as I liked it the first time, I liked it more today, but not necessarily for the reasons you might expect.
I do this workout, or some form of it, to work on those things I feel are some of my weakest points. I call it my "Better Me" workout, version 2, an adaptation of what I've been doing for the last 4-6 weeks (version 1). People, myself included, have a tendency to "mentally masturbate" as a favorite firearms instructor of mine once put it. They will find the thing they are good at and do it over and again, calling it "practice" or "working out." When they finish, praise themselves for the discipline to do it and their remarkable skill and go home. They will stand square and still, facing a still target, in sunny conditions with no stressers, hit the mark a dozen times and go to the house confident they can kick ass in a firefight. They will run a treadmill or an elliptical machine or sit in a machine and move the peg, pushing the resultant weight and work up a glaze of moisture, hit the showers and go to work boasting of the ass-kicking they just gave themselves. Those folks are "mentally masturbating." When the SHTF, they are the ones left looking around wondering what the $^@% just happened.
Those people, though, that the rest of the world sees as just a little bit off their collective rockers, the ones who go to the outdoor range in the rain, set up half a dozen targets, bring a jump rope or a kettlebell and hit that for a couple of minutes or just run around the empty range for a bit then start blasting the hell out of the targets while they're moving, crouching, or finding cover, the ones who you never see in the gym because it doesn't have the right toys, the ones whose workout clothes don't match and stay stained, those are the ones who are truly ready for what life just might throw their way. Those are the people who are comfortable facing a weakness, or even a fear. Only when we acknowledge then turn to face down our fears and weaknesses can we overcome them and, therefore, be better ready for tomorrow.
That is what my Better Me workout is about. I face my weaknesses and in doing so, will hopefully one day make them strengths. As I was facing them today, though, I realized I was building strength in an area I'd not anticipated. About half-way around the yard, somewhere during round 2, I was ready to slow down just a tad, make it a jog instead of a run. Typically, my workouts involve some down time, maybe just 10-20 seconds of shuffling my feet, but some downtime regardless. This workout by design pushes me to keep moving, never stop. I realized today that more than a physical accomplishment for me, this is a mental one. My mind is ready to give up way before my body makes it truly necessary. That realization, somewhere between pull-ups and a plank, where fortitude overrules a treadmill, was an important one for me. I get out there and sweat it out consistently for a thousand good reasons, but I keep finding more. And today, the idea that as I'm not only strengthening my body, I am building fortitude as well, was much more tangible for me. I have known it on some level all along, but today it hit me like a train. I also realized that that is one of the things I like SO much about my friends here in the blogosphere. We are hundreds or, sometimes, thousands of miles apart, most of us out there each day duking it out with ourselves in solitude, yet we are out there, finding our weaknesses, facing them, and pushing through to make them better with no one to hold us accountable but ourselves and the harshness of life itself.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Critique the Arch Nemesis
Friday, May 1, 2009 (Wasn't I just amazed yesterday that it was April?)
Off--163.5#
As I have mentioned numerous times before, my arch nemesis is pushups. I just can't quite seem to get the groove of them. Not only will my numbers not go up like I want them to, but I just never feel like I'm doing them right. They're never... comfortable. A precious friend of mine offered to critique them via the net, so I thought I'd just post the video here for a free-for-all slam on my push-up. Any suggestions appreciated.
WORKOUT:
3 round without rest for time...
Assisted pullups with purple and black bands
Assisted pistols 2/2
Run around the yard (amounts to about 100-125 yards)
pushups x 30sec
Run around the yard
Hanging leg raises x 30 sec (ended up being ~20 sec b/c my arms gave out)
Run around the yard
Low plank x 30sec
Run around the yard
=23'10"
20kg TGU 3/3
I liked this workout. BUT I think I'll had some box jumps or more pistols next time. I didn't feel like my legs got quite enough work.
NUTRITION: Today is my first day totally with the Zone program. I AM STARVING! Wierd thing is, I haven't eaten things that much differently from what I usually do, and my caloric intake is about the same--proportions are what they're supposed to be. I'm hoping that means my metabolism is firing overtime. :)
Off--163.5#
As I have mentioned numerous times before, my arch nemesis is pushups. I just can't quite seem to get the groove of them. Not only will my numbers not go up like I want them to, but I just never feel like I'm doing them right. They're never... comfortable. A precious friend of mine offered to critique them via the net, so I thought I'd just post the video here for a free-for-all slam on my push-up. Any suggestions appreciated.
Jen Push Ups from Marc Bryan on Vimeo.
WORKOUT:
3 round without rest for time...
Assisted pullups with purple and black bands
Assisted pistols 2/2
Run around the yard (amounts to about 100-125 yards)
pushups x 30sec
Run around the yard
Hanging leg raises x 30 sec (ended up being ~20 sec b/c my arms gave out)
Run around the yard
Low plank x 30sec
Run around the yard
=23'10"
20kg TGU 3/3
I liked this workout. BUT I think I'll had some box jumps or more pistols next time. I didn't feel like my legs got quite enough work.
NUTRITION: Today is my first day totally with the Zone program. I AM STARVING! Wierd thing is, I haven't eaten things that much differently from what I usually do, and my caloric intake is about the same--proportions are what they're supposed to be. I'm hoping that means my metabolism is firing overtime. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)