Archive for February, 2005
Thursday and Sprinting?
Kat’s really cool. She says, “Why don’t you sell your XBox and buy those rings you want with the money?” Smart, eh? I normally don’t think this way. (Which is part of why I have problems with money.)
I hit the gym today and did some of the stuff I missed from yesterday. I focused on my triceps mostly, doing several vertical dips at one of the ab stations. (You know those things people rest their elbows on, and then bring their legs up and down? Well, that’s where you can do dips, too!)
I went from that into an ouchy triceps exercise called the bodyweight triceps extension. You take a Smith machine, set the bar a little higher than your waist, and stretch out so that you’re grabbing the bar about shoulder width apart. Walk your legs back until you’re forming a flat line diagonally from your feet on the floor to your hands on the bar. Then, bend your elbows and lower your body a little bit (still straight line). To complete, straighten your arms back up. Ow! But really good, and bodyweight-a-riffic.
I did some dumbell cleans, which I decided to do after neca mentioned on her site that she was following a workout she found on stumptuous.com. Those were pretty neat, though I felt a weird clicking ouchy thing in my front deltoid.
And then, the sprints.
For once, I remembered to bring my iPod, so I had my own music on board. It’s amazing sprinting around their stupid indoor track (I do a sprint up the long leg of the track, and jog the other three to catch my breath) while listening to Limp Bizkit, System of a Down, Public Enemy, and others. It’s amazing how much you push yourself when you’ve got thrashing music to accompany you.
I did around 20 laps like this, to the point where my lungs were doing that old fashioned “ow! Stop doing this or I’ll bring up blood!” kind of complaining. But it sure felt nice.
On the food, I’m trying something different today. I’ve written down the menu of what I intend to eat today. I’ll keep track of what I eat, and see how I match up. But, having that list of foods lined up from Breakfast, through the snacks, until my treat before bed, I feel is a neat way of sticking to a plan. It’s not as open-ended and nebulous as just reporting what I chose to put in my body. We’ll see if this somehow influences my caloric intake.
I’m in a great mood today. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and opinions.
Spirals of the Downward Kind
It’s amazing how failure begets failure. Here is a lesson in all the things that move our lives away from our targets without much effort. I want to write about this because it’s important for me to view the downs with the ups. Obviously, I focus on improving my strengths, but focusing on eliminating my weaknesses is vital, too. This story, in short, is about every thing I did wrong in the past 48 hours.
Backstory: I’m a financial moron. I’m always a day late, dollar short. I make plenty, but because of past actions, I’m always in these weird binds where I pay more than normal people. I pay almost twice what you pay for your mortgage. I pay twice what you pay for my car payment. Short answer: I’m the best paid guy I know living check to check.
Flash Forward: So, I skate through the weekend with zero available dollars in the account. Come Tuesday, I start paying out to people I owe, including a guy I inadvertantly wrote a bad check. I talk to Kat later in the day on Tuesday (yesterday) and say something really insensitive related to finances, and come off sounding like a real big a-hole. Mostly because I’m just furious at myself for my financial situation. Something else happens, also in the money vein, but I can’t mention it.
Tuesday night: we bring home the Valentine’s cake I should’ve picked up Monday, but didn’t have the cash to collect. Why a cake? Because Kat likes to celebrate these events with our daughter. We usually eat a little smidge, and then bring the rest to work. But no. So, now there’s this chocolate cake with butter cream frosting in the house.
Later Tuesday night: Kat’s gone to bed, but I’m looking to zone out. I get the XBox going and play some Counter Strike. I play HOURS of this. The game involves repeatedly murdering members of the opposite team. It’s what guys call “fun.” I realize it’s really late. I get mad at myself for this. What do I do?
I go eat some cake.
This Morning: So, now I wake up late. One hour later than normal. I have amazing dreams, but yeah. I head to the gym. They say, “Your check bounced. You owe us money plus money.” Sure. No problem, I say. I walk to the ATM, which is right nearby, and bring back the cash. I endure my third humiliating financial moment in two days.
I work out one hour instead of two. I do a fairly decent workout, but I’m still down, and don’t get in my cardio because I don’t have the time.
Disclaimer: First off, the finance thing is just spelled out here so that you can understand the impetus for all the other actions. I don’t give a rat’s ass normally about my finances. They are what they are. I’m slowly moving towards resolution, and will have things in clearly better shape by the end of 2005. I need no advice, but if you want to lob bags of $20 bills at me, have at!
Lessons Learned: First off, I am utterly responsible for everything I do. That’s the most important thing to keep at heart. Second, I knew my Inner Critic was acting up, and that’s where spirals start. When self-esteem is low, there’s the gatekeeper to problems happening. Third, with the first two points in mind, I should’ve made a contingency plan for the cake being in the house. Fourth, I’m packing up my XBox. It’s clear that my addictive personality is not well spent with a game console.
I am committed to success with my fitness and nutrition efforts. Each setback is merely an opportunity to train harder, to learn more, and to move forward. No one dies when I make mistakes. I just learn, evaluate, choose new courses of action, and move foward.
Dig in and push.
(Thanks for your time).
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Mark made me a nifty logo! 
Market Research
So let me tell you about the book I’m thinking of writing.
I’m thinking of writing more of a memoir than a “how to.” I’m thinking of writing up my experiences with fitness and nutrition and motivation. I feel the central thrust of the book would be around “what worked for me” and hoping that the same could be applied to you (the proverbial “you” who would buy such books).
*Would you read something based on these themes?
*What’s your criteria for purchasing a book on fitness and nutrition? Does the person have to be a doctor? Do they have to be a famous athlete? What draws you to the books you’ve purchased for fitness?
Any answers, in email or here on the page, would be greatly appreciated.
Well Hiya
Yesterday, I got 2.75 chinups out of myself. I ALMOST had that third bastid, but I was just frozen in place about six inches below the top of the bar. Boy, did I try and fight with that rep. But no. I had nothing. And my subsequent sets didn’t really blow me away, either. But hey, I’m getting there a little at a time. Of course, there’s this other guy, this really fit guy, swapping sets on the same bars with me, and he’s nailing 20 at a time. I just felt like, “Why you little…” but whatever. There will ALWAYS be a better-trained athlete than me around. I will always be on the way to a destination with someone ahead of me in the line. I’m okay with this.
My weight is standing dead still. I’m thinking of doing a Fig for a month. But maybe not. I think I can still fight this the old fashioned way. Ah, the anguish. I’m in that horrible spot for people trying to lose weight: I want it to go faster than it is, and I know that I’m to blame. Get tougher, is what my Inner Critic is saying. He’s drowning out the Coach on this one. He’s saying, “It’s obvious that you’re weak in your motivation.” And I can’t deny it. I guess if I were trying to think with the Inner Coach hat, I’d turn it around: “What can we do to pump up your motivation and your habit-changing?
I mis-spoke. I have one more week of the weird Frankenstein program before moving on to my next evolution. Everything I’m reading is saying that I’m taking my efforts in the right direction. But it is ASTOUNDING how much conflicting information there is out there.
In this last month, I’ve read that multiple sets with far fewer reps was the way to go. I’ve read that multiple reps within a few sets is the way to go. I’ve read that you should use way more weight than you can reasonably handle (at least once a week), and that’ll break the muscles into growth spurts. I’ve read that adding too much weight takes away the focus on the target muscles, and thus you’re not getting as much bang for the buck.
Susan Powter: “Stop the Insanity!”
(I still think she’s a reputable woman, and had lots of decent opinions. Sue me.)
So here’s where I am:
*I still have 20 pounds to lose to hit my next mini-goal. Ultimately, I may have 40 pounds left to lose before I’m at the government’s ideal. The 20 matters. The 40 is a “nice to have.” I believe that having those 20 pounds gone before I do my next serious distance run will greatly improve my abilities as a runner. I know it will help me in my quest to become more fit overall.
*My next evolution involves four weeks of heavy weightlifting with multiple sets and fewer repetitions. (I rolled the dice and picked this method). On top of what was in the plan I’m following, I’ve added plyometric work, sprint drills, and two days of stretching work in between (Movement Prep from Mark Verstegen’s Core Performance). The goal of that evolution is to continue dropping weight, adding power, and building a better body for my running and other endeavors.
*Other areas of my life are a little murky. My work life is in this weird limbo, where I’m plodding along, doing my part here and there, but waiting somewhat impatiently for the change I know is on the horizon. My personal life is mostly neato, though I am a complete and utter idiot around finances. If I could fix that one aspect of my life, I think the rest of my universe would be maybe 60% improved. But family life is great. I had a day off yesterday to go play my guitar and sing for little kids at my daughter’s play day (co-op something or other). It was loads of fun, and it’s nice to feel appreciated for my silliness.
Who had the idea of splitting their goals into 12 week time frames? I loved that. Someone’s blog had that idea, and I’m totally down with that. There’s a recurring theme in my life right now. Everything is telling me to simplify the message. Break it down even simpler. I’m hearing this at work, at home, with all the other things I’m pursuing. Now, how do I listen and comply? That’s the trick, eh?
I hope you’re doing well.
Seeing Changes
I had a pretty good time at the gym this morning. I did the last day of my old lifting program, which was bodyweight heavy. I had plenty of plyometric drills (including doing “X” steps, where you kind of look like you’re doing Chubby Checker’s twist while hopping, and side-sides, and leaping bounds, and all these other things where I feel like a dork). I did some jumproping. I did some sprint drills. And I shot hoop.
Do you know what a Pike’s Pushup is? Painful, that’s what. It’s like a pushup, but you put your feet up on a bench, and make your body into a jacknife. Then, you lower your weight down so that you touch your head to the ground. It’s the precursor to being able to do handstand pushups (only I couldn’t do a handstand if I tried). Anyhow, they were interesting to do, but they click my little shoulder pain.
Deadlifts today. I did dumbell Romanians, and I tried to do the Romanian/rows combo, but it just felt uncomfortable, like I was cheating one or both of the exercises. So, I did them as separate work.
So, regarding changes, I asked Kat to measure me last night. No, not there. I’m Irish. But, I got her to measure my chest, my waist, my arms, and my thighs. I’m not 100% sure, because I forgot to ask her what they were last time we measured, but if I remember correctly, my chest has gone up 2 inches and my waist down 3. My arms might’ve come up 1/2 inch from last time, and my thighs maybe gained an inch, too.
My bodyfat is shifting around, and there’s still plenty to go, but I like how it’s seemingly moving to “departure” status. It’s not just all tucked in firmly above my musculature everywhere any longer. Hopefully, this is a good thing. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Oh, and I lost back the 3 pounds I magically picked up recently, keeping me back down at 230 (10 pounds from the start of my efforts this time around). So, I’ve lost some time for my challenge, but I’m moving in the forward motion again. My only discernable change was upping the ante on my workout again. That did the trick.
Intervals work.
Who’s not feeling it? Who’s out there feeling unmotivated and in the dark? You know, you can post when you’re down. It’s part of the process, right?
Referring Boy
Jank had a great post relating to mental toughness. (I sure do seem to be referring folks a lot lately).
Lose the Last 10 Pounds
If you’re not already regularly reading Jaime’s site, you should. And if you’re not using Bloglines or similar software to keep track of who’s got something new on their journal, you might consider it. That’s how I stay up to date with all the great folks posting out there.
Anyhow, Jaime has a post about losing the last 10 pounds. It reminds us that interval training is a tried and true way to getting your body back in gear to shed fat. Now, I *know* this, but I certainly forget it often enough. Which makes me think, “Maybe THAT’s how I lost the 10 pounds I lost over the last month, and maybe that’s why I’ve stopped dead at the new lower weight.”
So, intervals it is. There are lots of ways to do it. Throw sprints into your running practice (which I’m doing). Work out longer durations. Or work out shorter durations with much heavier weight. Just whatever it takes to jazz your body into understanding that it’s got to turn up the fire and burn more fat to give out more fuel.
Now, if only I can trick my body into losing that last 10 pounds 4 times in a row. : )
Fish In Water
This morning, I felt like a fish out of water at the gym. It was a “rest” day, and there I was, thinking I’d go fiddle around and do something in between workout days. But, though I had a plan of calisthenics, they looked a lot like exercises for the body parts I’d just worked the day before. No, said my body. You need to recovery.
So, I hopped in the water.
I did a little swimming around. Nothing exceptional, and definitely nothing requiring much strain. I just flitted around, stretching and moving, and generally moving my body around for a half hour or so.
But it was weird. I just didn’t feel like I should’ve been there. Like showing up to school on a snow day. I’m still prettying up my new plans, and I think next week will be better than this week.
Vigilance is the keyword on my eating and nutrition needs. It’s amazing what slips past the gates when you’re not writing down every little thing you eat. And it’s more interesting when you ask yourself before every bite, “Is this fuel?” Changes a lot of what I do.
What’s your diet like? What are you eating? What little “rules” are you following? Are you on a name-brand diet? What’s your take on it?
Feeling Medium
My brother shrugs 495 pounds. I just can’t even comprehend that number. Man!
At the gym this morning, I did a little bit more on my new self-cooked program, and I realized that I was hitting a lot of the same exercises that I did on Monday, which wasn’t really the plan. I think this gets better next week, as I was writing my plan over an already-rewritten page (think: garbled messy text in a little notebook). Whatever.
I ran. I did some sprint drills and tried for a general 5K feeling, to make sure I wouldn’t let down Margaret in March. I’ve definitely slipped. It’s weird. I skipped 2 weeks of running, and now I feel like I did last year before my first 5K. I’m obviously better off, but it sure shows what goes into conditioning.
Listening to the guys on sports radio today, they were saying that the Patriots were much better conditioned than the Eagles, and it showed in how tired the Eagles looked in the last quarter of the SuperBowl. That really stuck with me. I want to stay really well conditioned. I want to have great physical ability when the time comes that I need it.
“Training” over a year is a weird feeling. I used to be just doing fitness. I used to just want to lose weight. Now? I am in training. Right now, I’m training to be a better trail runner, because that’s the current sport I’m equipped and skilled to play. I plan to change that over 2005, if I can find something that uses more of my body. If I do not, I really appreciate what trail running has given me for a focus.
But training. I’m doing weight training and hopefully weight loss training. I’m bringing some extra leg strength to my running game. At the same point, I’m trying to train up to be fit enough to do CrossFit. I’ve got goals with deadlines, and I’m feeling like they’re mostly reachable. But then what? The next phase of training is getting my endurance back in order so that I’m ready for ultra-distance racing. My first marathon of the year will be in June (if then). That’s the Nipmuck in Connecticut. And then what? 50K at least.
I’m rambling. Tell me more about you, instead.
