July 27 to Aug 2

 

Something I want to set up for myself next

Another "not a bad week" this week - just trying to keep things moving forward. I finished a side hustle this week and the first day after, went out to get some yardio done and heard and loud "click click" sound from my left knee. And then an explosion of pain. Not nearly as bad as another incident in the fall, but it was not a fun feeling. I got the gardening done, but then have had Advil to settle things down since. 

I did try to stretch out the legs the next few days, got back to a swim without pain a few days later. I did get a swim pass from the city and have a few ideas about how to get the swimming done along with BJJ training in the coming year. 

I did get a few HIIT sessions done this week, as well as a hike or two - trying to just keep this seemingly fragile body moving while not cracking anything else. 

HIIT session this week was sort of lame, thanks to the knee "injury", but what ever, man. Got this done for a few rounds until I got to 25 minutes this week.

5 min warm up on Air bike

2 min KB swings, cleans, clean and presses, just keep the bel moving

3 min air bike

Other thank that, was grateful that I could put weight on the knee and that walking, stairs and the like weren't affected too badly. Just sore. 

Scary clicking sound though. Should have recorded it for a home made horror movie.

July 20 to 26

 

A nice week overall. Some new experiences for me with the swimming to post about first.

Went to a public swim with people who obviously train. It was an outdoor pool, which was cool. It was a public pool run by the city, which made it flat and slope-y and all kinds of kids around, which was nice compared to my usual private club's pool. And the three levels of swimming - I went in for the slow, slow lane and was not overwhelmed. 

I even had kids try to walk through the lane I was in and the guard yelled at them for me, which is also a nice switch from the private pool I usually swim in. 

Anyway, swimming workouts got a little longer this week, the last workout was 30 minutes of constant movement and trying not to drown. Same workout as years ago, just with me trying to get back to it:

100 m breast stroke

250 m arms only freestyle

50 m breaststroke

350 m freestyle

125 m breast stroke

Not a bad workout- the second set of free got my heart rate up into Zone 2 for about five minutes, which is good. I'm happy that I can get and keep myself at that pace. Do the work first, the pretty comes later.

Earlier on in the week, I did an outdoor sprint session, just to see what would happen. Did a short 15 minute walk and like a set of 6 sprints of about 20 m, Nothing, really. Just wanted to see what would happen. Got my HR up to about 135, which is ok. Nothing special. Total time was 15 minutes.

Even earlier in the week I got out on a 5k bike ride around my neighbourhood. That was pretty cool. Nice and mellow, just to see about legs and rear end afterwards. My rear end was sore, but my legs were asking for more. 

Morning sessions continued every day. Mostly bright and early before coffee. Tried the BJJ long bands around my hips, but I don't have it quite right yet. Will keep trying. 

May 18 to July 19

Saw this stuff this morning, going to have to try it

 Whoa. I must apologize to my loyal reader(s) for the break in updates to this blog. It is going to be the recurring issue of freak out busy. Of course there is also a lot of "Oh yeah, I forgot" as well.

There is a lot of news to share. I did get out in the RV twice more since I last updated this blog. Each time the training conditions were a challenge but I overcame them and had good yoga, swim, bike and hike sessions during this time. Up until recently, my hip precluded kayak sessions, so none of those yet. 

I got tired of paying for a swim pass and not using, so I went back to using it. I got tired of having a garage gym and not using it, so I'm back using it. I got tired of having a park pass and not using, so I went back to using it. 

When I invest money in something I want to make sure I am using it. Not surprisingly, the more active I've become in this time the less chromic pain I've been feeling from various spots.

Almost as if "movement is medicine" is a thing.... 

Anyway ... starting back to closing my circles on my Apple Watch/iPhone, getting back to mobility in the morning and various fun workouts in the evenings. 

Did this HIIT the other day:

Not a bad workout, especially since I've been trying to not injure myself and just get back to limitless cardio. 

The hip, legs, shoulders, back ...neck...ears ...eyes... stopping hurting is just an added bonus. 

This workout was as many rounds needed until I got to 30+ minutes of:

Airbike 3 minutes

12 kilo Kettlebell movement - 2 minutes

Nothing to fancy: swings, snatches, cleans and presses. 

I had the new Superman movie playing while I got this done, and so I had some "inspiration" or something along those lines. All good, all good.

The morning sessions have been done everyday, just not always at the same time. Here is the morning session these days:

10 minutes hip opening 90/90s, baby pose, frog pose, downward dog to one legged downward dog to world's greatest stretch. Push ups.

10 minutes abs - bjj pummelling, hip raises, clamshells, dead bugs, push ups and swimming kicks. 

Because of the swimming, I've been avoiding shoulder and arms in the mornings, as that tends to be a bit much when I'm just getting back into swimming. I'll get back to that morning banded shoulder stuff everyday a little bit later in the summer. 

April 28 to May 17

 

This is me stretching in the RV

Sorry to my loyal readers - life has gotten in the way. Since the last entry on this blog ... hmmm let me check my notes ... 

Gotten out for a bike ride and got to the park to do walks a few times. Got to the beach this morning, but it is still too chilly for me, thanks. That, and quite frankly my hip is getting in the way of everything. 

Most everything.

Morning sessions are coming off on the daily - roughly a half hour of mobility and strength in my house. I did lose my gym for about a week and had to improvise a stretching spot. I also got an away weekend in Harvey the RV and also had to think my way through a mobility session inside the RV. That also required me to be a sort of contortionist. 

In any case, I am on a holiday weekend and things are going as well as they can when I am otherwise busy being a dad. I have made a few trips out to the RV to solve problems and clean up from the last trip. 

See previous post for the morning sessions. 

April 14 to 27

 

A just a quick update for my loyal readers. Some swimming, a lot more yoga/morning sessions being done. I also got the bike up and ready for summer adventures. 

And speaking of adventures, also got the park pass, so hiking can now happen again. I also got the RV out and fuelled up for Season Three of the Adventures of Harvey the RV. I've also got the kayaking stuff to get ready and ... well there's a lot of things to get ready for the summer these days. 

Morning sessions are being awesome every day and the swimming is sort of keeping up. Usually one to two sessions a week. Needs more if only to get my hip moving and still the goal is endless cardio reserves.

Physio continues, other modalities continue. All is moving forward at this time.

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, most of the time before 7am. I think the Saturday and Sunday one I finished about 8 am-ish. Can be confirmed, 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 warner 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.