Sept 19 to 24

 

via GIPHY

Lots of swimming this week - I think I went three times. Also, the stretching sessions in the afternoon have morphed into stretching and the a bit of a HIIT session. Still, in the end, I stretch and I get sweaty. My heart likes it as well as my major joints.

A typical session is this

start on the mat, baby pose. Stretch out shoulders and back

Then to 90 and 90 on my butt, stretching hips out. 

rolling legs and shoulders and back

downward dog

Runner's stretch to 

One or two rounds of

10 stand up BW squats

20 kettlebell swings - hand to hand

10 kb cleans

10 kb clean and presses

10 -20 kettlebell halos

10 kettlebell rows

The back to stretching - usually lying down hamstring stretches with a towel around the foot

back to stretching out the hips and quads

and ... fini.

A very good month so far

Probably not the greatest use of my time but I'm finding that my body actually feels like it is glowing at the end of it - and not from the sweat.

The other workouts - the swimming ones are like this:

100 m warm up -usually slow breast stroke, just to try and get everything moving and warm

100 m breast stroke with snorkel and hand fins - arms only

100 m legs only - been working on kicking for butterfly and freestyle

100 m front crawl - working on technique

50 m crazy fast front crawl - every piece of kit on to go as fast as we can. 

100 m easy swimming - whatever we want

50m slow down and relax

it's 600m for now, but I know I'll be adding meters to the middle. Feels good. The only difficulty is the fast as heck sets - I keep nearly drowning as I'm flooding my snorkel with how fast I have to breathe. Anyway, I'm just glad to be doing something other than nothing. 

This week coming up I can get back out to hiking, as the heat has taken off, leaving me with the awesome colours to go and see. Hopefully the rain stays away and I can get out there and enjoy.

I did turn on the Sleep Mode for the iPhone and watch. It's interesting to see that data at the end of the week. Not so much fun when I realize I'm not getting enough sleep in the evenings, which necessitate and afternoon nap to get enough sleep altogether. Something should be done there. 

Sept 12 to 18

I'm pleased to write that the good habits continue along here. Workouts everyday continue as does the feeling good and sleeping well things.

It's been busy, but fun.

Friday I had a longer yoga session that should become standard - there was about 35 minutes of raised heart rate and some kettlebells along with body weight squats. A nice way to start off the weekend, if I say so myself.

Swimming was cool this week - getting into the mindset of going every other day and just getting swimming done. Got up to a 35 minute workout on Saturday. The water was HOT, man ... I was actually surprised I could still swim outside, and the water was like a bath tub. I now have my own swim bag for all the equipment I have - snorkel, fins for hands and feet ... all kinds of stuff.  I also got some ear cleaning tools for the guck leaking out of my head. Those might be brains, so I'm being cautious.

My legs and should muscles are complaining a bit, but my joints are smiling along with the swimming, man. It's been a real nice ride this week. I'm ready for next week and to see how far these new habits take me. Should be awesome.

Still need to do more kettlebells, but at least I'm working into that.

I have my garage gym ready to go at home when the outdoor workouts can't happen for the cold, I know that I need to work on my hips and I even have a yoga class schedule on my laptop. I'm ready as I will ever be for this winter...

Sept 5 to 11

 I've had to be very deliberate in these days on my habits. I'm re-reading "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg. A masterwork that book is, man ... anyway, I know that I need habits that are going to help me cure all that ails and threatens me.

Diabetes, poor circulation,  being fat and out of shape, being angry all the time, money and the list goes on.

I did step out of the pool on Thursday and watched my Apple Watch fall off of my wrist. The screen shattered on the deck of the pool. I went to work the next day and ... it was like I was missing a limb. I quickly found and purchased an Apple Watch Series 5 ... which is still darn cool. Still adjusting to it, but it is a cool watch.

I also learned that the boxing guy isn't coming back to my gym. Dang.

11 for 11 so far in September

Control your habits or the habits control you.

So lots of stretching and yoga and working out and HITT training and thinking about the future. About 2023, 2024 and 2030. How do I get there, what do I have to do to get there and how do I get there with a healthy body and a fat wallet?

Habits. Things I do day to day.

Speaking of which, I closed my rings every day this week, even after cranking the circles for Move and Exercise. I'm seeing better sleep and happier mental attitude, but I know I also need to work on proper nutrition and basic fitness, too.

These will come with time and proper habits.

Aug 27 to Sept 4

 Lots of stretching and swimming these days. I did try and get out onto Lake Ontario last week and it was hilarious how much of a failure it was. It was too rough and I didn't have the new to me kayak inflated enough. Both were... hilarious. 

I got my fourth dose this week, too. Ready for my kids' return to school and their inevitable bringing home every virus, bacteria and microbe. <<shivers>>

I was scrolling on tikky tokky and found Musclewiki. What a cool friggin website, man. I used it to add a thing or two to my lifting.

I did my usual session of stretching everyday during these days and just greasing the groove, so to speak. Making sure I get some time on a mat and making my hips and legs and shoulders better. Every day. I'm also trying to get my VO2 Max up. I did test it this week and I ended up with a 31, listed as "fair".

Yeah, need to up that. A lot.

Interestingly, I discovered that my Polar HRM works with my Apple health apps and can help me close my rings. Hashtag awesomesause.

I did "close my rings" every day during this time, too. Stretching and yoga are my heroes these days. Lots of self-reflection and time alone. 

Aug 8 to 26

 This keyboard is messing up - and I know that line about a poor carpenter, so ease up on this old man before you get to commenting. 

This August went really well - lots of activities, lots of playing on a beach. Lots of positive energy and working to form positive habits going into a return to school. 

The long weekend messed me up - basically I slept and didn't do anything. And the 18th - well, I was at the hospital with my eldest helping her with a flare up of her stuff they have going on. 

I discovered I like starting my day with some stretching, which my Apple Watch calls "yoga". I'm not going to complain, as it helps my rings get closed. I'm also enjoying the swimming these days. At least my breast stroke is getting better. I'm being wary of my ears, though. And back it seems is slightly irritated by swimming, too. Interesting.

Most days looked like this:

6-7 up and doing something. Stretching and kayak or walking or training.

9am coffee time ends and I got to an August project

Something cool I saw last week

lunch

drive with family and go and see something cool.

Nap

Dinner

Watch a bit of the Jays game with my wife

Swim or walk outside

Stretch

Sleeping by 11pm, sometimes earlier.

It was nice to see the sleeping pattern being so normal. At least more normal than other Augusts I've had in the past. And ... and I got out there and saw stuff. I'm hoping the purchase of an RV for next season and next summer will be another step towards an awesome retirement for us

July 21 to Aug 7

 So ... like two weeks, right?

Let me check my Apple Rings to see how many I've closed. As I'm looking here, I got pretty stressed about things by the end of summer school. A lot of Activity rings closed, not many Standing or Exercise rings being closed.

Once school was over, it's been pretty close to every day getting everything closed. I even got a kettle bell / HIIT session done today, Aug 7th. See pic for tools. It was a lot of sweat in the heat and a lot of fun. 

I've also gotten the kayak out five or six times - my son and wife each had at least one go on it too. Something I'm leaving in the van in case we get a chance to get to the beach together. And we've been doing that a lot recently, too. 

Generally speaking I'm still getting up stupidly early. The getting to the water in the kayak or out for a walk. Today the kettle bell session was finished by 8am.

Then it's home with coffee with my wife

Then we do separate stuff; we both have things we want to do in August.

Then have dinner together - usually while watching the Jays together. 

I'm generally leaving to get a swim in around 8pm, as the pool closes at 9pm.

Then bed.

I missed being active, I missed being on the move all the time. And while I'm far from being in decent shape, I like this feeling. I'm also finding out how much more energy I have for stupid crap around the house, too. 

I have one basket of laundry to do in the house and that is it. 

Anyway .... here is today's HIIT:

20 Hand to Hand Kb

10 Kb cleans

10 Kb presses

25 yards overhead press walk both sides

10 body weight squats

10 band bicep curls

It took about a half hour to get four rounds of this done. I was walking on the rugby pitch between rounds. It was gorgeous. So green and damp from early morning waterings. Unreal, man. Seriously. 

July 12 to 20

Yeah, this was a long few days. I got to Sunday and the weather around here switched from warm to hot.

That isn't complaining, just point out the obvious. I had to stay up late and get up and get to work. The heat tends to slow everything down.

The rings on my Apple Watch weren't closed in the last four days - but they were up to Saturday. Slow times make it more difficult for me. 

Lots of walks and lots of sleeping going on. Not resting, just sleeping.

The fact is the last walk I did was the one on Saturday and I wrote somewhere that it was pain free. I should not have written that - 'cuz that just was stupid. Meh, whatever. It was a good session, and since then haven't worked properly. That is the way things work around here.