April 6 to 13

 

The pandemic birthday cake. 2020 sucked

It has been a day so far - I'm up early and got out on a coffee date with my wife for my birthday. Sat and chatted and sipped while we listened for birds and thought about our luck. 

I am a lucky lucky man. 

I offer this link as proof of just how lucky I have been and continue to be. I think about how many of the people I grew up with aren't nearly as lucky as I am: to have the ability to live the life I choose and have a shower when I want. Wiggle your toes, for which I thank Dalton Trumbo for reminding me to do. 

The week I have to write about was an odd one - I was off work for a few days for training in being a better person and helping people in need. Mental health triage. All good. I got the sticker and was able to help people out. 

I did hit my morning routine all days, host of the time before 7am. I think the Saturday and Sunday one I finished about 8 am-ish. Can be sure, you can look it up. But they got done. 

Hip is feeling way better and I'm looking for my bike pump and front door key later on today. Seems they have both been sucked into the wilderness of my house. Shrug. We will get things done. 

Morning sessions are looking like this:

10 minutes of baby pose, cat cow stretches, butterfly groin stretch, downward dog to plank, to cobra pose. Kneeling hamstring stretches, hip openings and stuff from the physio. Push ups too. 

10 minutes of abs - Swimmers kicks, seated knee tucks, hollow ab holds, rotating putting on socks stretch, downward dog to leg extensions, push ups.

10 minutes of banded bicep curls, overhead presses and warrior one/two poses.  Push ups. 

The last part, the last ten minutes some times got cut off this week, as I had to get myself and other people in my house moving as quickly as well could to ..stuff. Not very many if any at all hardcore evening workouts. No swimming, but some stretching. HITT training needs to be coming along. With the marner weather, I'm hoping to get these done outside. 

March 28 to April 5

 

Can you hear it calling to you? I hear it calling to me.

A lot of the two steps forward, one step back going on these days. Making mistakes is just par for the course and you just have to keep playing after making the mediocre decisions.  In any event, during this time, close the rings three or so times, some swimming, but a lot of interference from work and family life. Morning routines done every day. Speaking of which ... 

Morning routine this week looked like this:

10-15  minutes of hip and mobility work. baby pose, downward dog, cat cow stretches, 90/90 hip movements, seated groins stretch, World's greatest stretch, downward dog to cobra, planks, hip opening stuff from the physio. Push ups.

10-15 minutes of ab work - BJJ leg pummelling, hollow holds, swimmer's kicks, alternating heel touches, hamstring bridges, push ups, Standing hip and leg mobility exercises from the physio

I was feeling rather unimpressed with the tugs inside my shoulders while swimming during this time, so I started doing this for swimming:

100 m breast stroke, nice and easy for warm up and for getting ready

400 m front crawl, arms only. Slow, moving up to medium pace. Just to get some cardio started here.

100 m breast stroke to clear the lactic acid away

200 m kick board one way, sprint front crawl back. Paddles and flippers used. (25 x 8)

50 m breast stroke as warm down, nice and slow and easy

then into the hot tub if there was time. 

I am starting to see temperatures into the double digits these days, so the kayak has been dusted off and plans have been thought of for that. I'mma get my bike out today as well and see if the legs recall what to do there. I'm going to have to put off buying the park pass for a week or so, but hiking is also on the table for April and May. 

Mar 17 to March 27

I'd say this was me, but I don't do this with shoes

Yeah, man ... I'm getting through these days, but with nothing but a lot of just plain endurance. I'm just "out enduring" these weeks. Like November, but man, just not quite as long or grey. Just happy that next week is April. Anyway, progress continues but with a slow gradual walk forward.

Physio has been helping - I think I got the bad idea to use my kettlebell to strip a hip adductor muscle from them and actually ended up doing some damage to myself. No, they didn't give me the idea, I just recalled the idea when I was there stretching. Going hard with a piece of metal into your muscles is a good thing, right?  

Well, actually, no. It took me a few days to recover from that grinding of my hip muscle into the bell. Duly noted.

Morning routine continues each day - usually in the mornings, but once or twice during this time I got a chance to sleep in and it got done later in the day. 

10 minutes of hip and mobility work. baby pose, downward dog, cat cow stretches, 90/90 hip movements, seated groins stretch, World's greatest stretch, planks, hip opening stuff from the physio. Push ups.

Yeah, this is me in Warrior II pose.

10 minutes of ab work - BJJ leg pummelling, hollow holds, swimmer's kicks, alternating heel touches, hamstring bridges, push ups,

10 minutes of standing stuff - dumb bell curls, dumb bell curls to press. Dumb bell dead lifts, some TRX squats/ squats to face pulls. Standing hip and leg mobility exercises from the physio. Warrior II pose. 

During this time I also got to the pool three times a week. Not always the same nights, but I got it done three times a week. The goopy ears/sinuses are drying up and I can breathe while sleeping, which is nice. No update on the BP check, but I'll get that done this weekend. 

I understand I should be doing one or two HIIT workouts, but they aren't yet being done. I'll get there.

March 1-16

 

Whoa, sorry regular readers. Man, a rather long break from writing on this blog. Meh, there have been longer breaks with a lot worse news. Shrug, life is a balance and I'm a bit off kilter at the moment. 

Anyway, morning routine continues, I got some help with some Physio pointing out some modifications and stretches that I am already doing.

The morning routine is still:

10 minutes of hip and shoulder mobility - baby pose to start, then to downward dog, to plank, to cobra pose. 90/90 hip movements, seated groin stretch, push ups, world's greatest stretch, hip opening stuff I got from the Physio. Push ups.

10 minutes of ab work -  seated knee tucks, swimmer's kicks, hollow abdominal poses, push ups, planks, side shrimp, alternating heel touches, hamstring bridges. Push ups.

10 minutes of arms, shoulders and standing hamstring/hip work. Dumb bell lateral raises. Banded arm curls, banded overhead presses, push ups, standing exercises from the Physio. Banded dead lifts. Some TRX squats and double arm face pulls and bodyweight rows. Push ups.

During this time, I went back to the pool, getting 25-30 minute swimming sessions done twice a week. My sinuses can't stand all the water in there these days, but gross q-tips are the cost of fitness I guess. I do have a "check BP" on my to Do list this week and I will update. 

Feb 17 to 28

 

Starting soon

Where does the time actually go? I dunno everyone, but I guess I missed another week or so there. All good. A rather spectacularly boring section where I got up, got on my program and got through the days in a pleasant enough pattern.

It was nice to have a day off here and there - work was a bit off, as I had a few special days here and there. We got through them with as much grace as we could. I ran into a few old friends at one event for work and it was merely okay.

Morning sessions were done everyday - I mean some were later in the day, but the sessions were still done. I did add "Side Shrimp" for in the ab section of the workout. I'll keep working on getting better at that one. 

10 minutes of hip and shoulder mobility - baby pose to start, then to downward dog, to plank, to cobra pose. 90/90 hip movements, seated groin stretch, push ups, world's greatest stretch, hip opening stuff I see on Youtube. Push ups.

10 minutes of ab work -  seated knee tucks, swimmer's kicks, hollow abdominal poses, push ups, planks, side planks, side shrimp, frog crunches, hamstring bridges. Push ups.

10 minutes of arms, shoulders and standing hamstring work. Dumb bell lateral raises. Banded arm curls, banded overhead presses, push ups, standing hamstring stretches. Banded dead lifts. Some TRX squats and double arm face pulls and bodyweight rows. Push ups.

Feb 9 to 16

 

This was on my phone while I stretched

Ah, my steadfast and loyal readers - it is a holiday Monday in the part of the world where I live these days. So, technically this isn't late. I mean technically it is, but we must abide the times.

Got all my morning sessions done this week - although one or two were actually done later in the day, but they at least got done. I keep seeing social media posts with baseballs for biceps on 80 year olds, so I'm just going to keep myself steady and moving forward.

Morning sessions are still:

SHoveLWOD strong, comrade!

10 minutes of hip and shoulder mobility - baby pose to start, then to downward dog, to plank, to cobra pose. 90/90 hip movements, seated groin stretch, push ups, world's greatest stretch, hip opening stuff I see on Youtube. Push ups.

10 minutes of ab work -  seated knee tucks, swimmer's kicks, hollow abdominal poses, push ups, planks, side planks, alternating heel touches, frog crunches, hamstring bridges. Push ups.

10 minutes of arms, shoulders and standing hamstring work. Banded arm curls, banded overhead presses, push ups, standing hamstring stretches. Some TRX squats and double arm face pulls and bodyweight rows. Push ups.

The cardio sessions were SHoveLWODs. (I'm going to trademark that spelling of it, by the way ... we got like 30 cm of snow on us over the last five days. Great for reading, squishing Zerg and yoga. Also a much coveted snow day as well. But the Apple Watch was slapping me on the back for everything I did this week while covered in snow.  

Feb 2 to 8

 

This could be a pic of me, but I don't do hollow ab poses with socks

A pleasantly boring week for my fitness journey this week. Lots of two a day sessions working on mobility and strength on the mat in my garage gym. I did have to get out on Thursday and replace an iPhone charging cord and came across one item on my wish list - a massage gun recommended by another rugby playing kettlebell enthusiast. It was on sale for forty bucks and so I grabbed it and took it home.

A revelation in recovery help. Oh my goodness, I had it on my hip/quads for  ... let's say ten minutes ... and it was such a benefit to release and recovery. Honestly, just wow. 

I wish I could tell you that I woke up Saturday morning and all was well, but somehow my right ankle got twisted into a pretzel while I slept and I woke up with it inflamed. Had to get stuff done before a major snowfall came, so I soldiered on. But so annoying to have my hip not hurt and something else get in the way of enjoying an average busy Saturday.

Morning sessions are still:

Alternating heel touches for the win

10 minutes of hip and shoulder mobility - downward dog, to plank, to cobra pose. 90/90 hip movements, seated groin stretch, push ups, world's greatest stretch, hip opening stuff I see on Youtube.

10 minutes of ab work -  seated knee tucks, swimmer's kicks, hollow abdominal poses, push ups, planks, side planks, alternating heel touches, frog crunches, hamstring bridges

10 minutes of arms, shoulders and standing hamstring work. Banded arm curls,, banded overhead presses, push ups, standing hamstring stretches of various yoga poses and things that I recall from Wrestling and Rugby sessions in the past. 

Evening sessions tend to be just the first two 10 minute blocks, sometimes intertwined but no arm/shoulder work in the evenings. Just don't need that stress.