S S S SQUATS, MAKE ME HAPPY

   LISTENING TO THE JOCKO PODCAST ON MY COMMUTE HOME TONIGHT AND THEY WERE TALKING SQUATS, DEBUNKING RUMORS, AND OTHER FUNNY STUFF, I COULDN'T HELP BUT GET EXCITED FOR LEG NIGHT.  EPISODE HERE.  SQUATS ARE NOT MY STRONG SUIT AND SOMETIMES I AM GUILTY OF MAKING UP AN EXCUSE AS TO WHY I SHOULD DO ANOTHER UPPER BODY ROUTINE.  ANYWAY, I WENT FOR IT.  I LIKE TO WARM UP WITH JUMP ROPE, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ONE FROM ROGUE.  SR-1S SPEED ROPE.  4 SET OF 20, 115#.  FOLLOWED BY A FEW SETS OF SQUAT JUMPS.  NOTHING TOO CRAZY BUT I CERTAINLY FELT IT THE NEXT DAY.  REMEMBER, IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO DO SOMETHING, RATHER THAN NOTHING AT ALL.  EVEN DOING 4 SETS OF 25 REPS BODY WEIGHT SQUATS IS A GREAT QUICK WORKOUT THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE MORNING IN YOUR KITCHEN OR WHEREVER BEFORE THE KIDS WAKE UP.  IT WILL REALLY GET THE BLOOD FLOWING AND GET YOUR DAY OFF TO A GREAT START!       

CURLS, CURLS, CURLS

   HAPPY HUMP DAY EVERYONE!  KEEPING IT SIMPLE AGAIN TONIGHT, WHICH I TRY TO DO MOST NIGHTS.  IT DOESN'T MEAN I AM NOT CHALLENGING MYSELF, I JUST TRY NOT TO COMPLICATE THE WORK OUT.  4 SETS OF 10 REPS, 3 EXERCISES.  SINGLE 35# DUMBELL 2 HAND CURL, STANDARD CURLS WITH ROGUE CURL BAR + 20 POUNDS, WIDE HAMMER CURLS USING ROGUE ARM BLASTER.  

  BELOW IS THE ARM BLASTER IN ACTION.  IT DOES WONDERS FOR FORM WHICH IN TURN MAKES IT HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.  $65 PLUS SHIPPING. TOTALLY WORTH IT.  SOLID YET SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION.  THIS THING WILL LAST FOREVER.  ONE REASON I CHOOSE TO PURCHASE GEAR RATHER THAN GO TO A GYM IS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT WILL HAVE ANOTHER LIFE WITH MY SON ONE DAY AND HOPEFULLY HIS SON.  I NEVER HESITATE TO INVEST IN MY HEALTH.  CHEERS TO YOURS!  REMEMBER, IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR HEALTH, WHAT HAVE YOU?   

NOTE ; FOR SOME REASON YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE VIDEO FULL SCREEN TO SEE IT, OTHERWISE YOU JUST HEAR DEEP CREEPY BREATHING    

PULL UP CHALLENGE

   I WATCHED AN ONLINE LEADERSHIP SEMINAR TONIGHT THAT LASTED LONGER THAN I EXPECTED AND I HAD NOT SEEN MY WONDERFUL WIFE MUCH TODAY AND I WAS FEELING A LITTLE BEAT UP AFTER THE MONDAY NIGHT WORK OUT.  I GAVE MYSELF TWENTY MINUTES TO DO AS MANY PULL UPS AS I COULD MUSTER.  THE TOTAL CAME TO 73.  BETTER THAN I EXPECTED HONESTLY.  I DID 100 ONE DAY AND THAT TOOK ME AT LEAST 45 MINUTES, BEST I RECALL.  I WILL TAKE 73.  I LISTENED TO AN EPISODE ON THE OUTSIDE PODCAST A WHILE BACK INTERVIEWING THE WORLD RECORD HOLDER FOR PULL UPS.  I TRIED TO FIND THE EPISODE TO LINK BUT FAILED.  IT WAS SOME INSANE NUMBER, LIKE 5,000 IN 24 HOURS.  THE RULES ARE QUITE STRICT AND THE TRAINING IS PURE DEDICATION.  THE GUY WOULD DO PULL UPS FOR LIKE 4 HOURS A DAY.  AMAZING.  THERE WILL ALWAYS BE PEOPLE BETTER THAN US AT EVERYTHING, HOWEVER, DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM DOING WHAT YOU CAN OR BEING PROUD OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.  AS LONG AS YOU ARE IMPROVING YOURSELF, THATS ALL THAT MATTERS.  WE WILL AIM FOR 75 ON THE NEXT 20 MINUTE CHALLENGE.    CHEERS!

THE OLD NOT SO TRUSTY PULL UP BAR, CUSTOM DESIGN, AND REPAIR

PULL UP TALLIES

 

PUSH UPS IN THE COLD

 TONIGHT WAS A PUSH UP CHALLENGE.  I STARTED WITH 3 SETS OF 40 THEN I HAD TO SCALE BACK TO SETS OF 30, 20, AND 15 UNTIL I REACHED 250 TOTAL.  WE WILL GET 300 NEXT TIME. 

A LITTLE SNOW DECOR ON THE RACK IS ALWAYS NICE

TONIGHTS WEATHER

A SHOT OF THE SHED GYM LAST NIGHT PRE SNOW

FULL BODY

 I WOULD BE LYING IF I TOLD YOU THAT I DIDN'T PUSH MYSELF A LITTLE HARD LAST NIGHT.  I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH AN ELBOW AND A SHOULDER INJURY FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND I AM CERTAINLY FEELING BOTH OF THEM TODAY.  HAVING A VARIETY OF EXERCISE COMBINATIONS IS KEY.  TONIGHT WAS 

5 SETS OF 10 STEP UPS ON EACH LEG, 100 TOTAL, WEARING AN 11# VEST AND HOLDING A 25# DUMBBELL IN EACH HAND

5 SETS OF 20 PUSHUPS BETWEEN STEP UP SETS WEARING 11# VEST

THE NEXT DAY IS ALWAYS THE INDICATOR OF EFFECTIVENESS!  

I RARELY HAVE A PLAN FOR THE EXERCISE ROUTINES THAT I DO.  MY DECISIONS ARE ALWAYS BASED ON WHAT MY BODY TELLS ME AND HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE.  HAVE FUN, GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR ROUTINES, AND LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!  EVEN IF YOU ONLY HAVE TEN MINUTES, GO FOR IT.  YOU CAN DO A LOT OF AIR SQUATS OR PUSHUPS IN 10 MINUTES.  

 

   

WORKOUT OF THE DAY

Bench Press

115# 10 Reps

135# 10 Reps

165# 7 Reps x 3 Sets

175# 3 Reps x 3 Sets

145# 10 Reps

145# 9 Reps

145# 5 Reps

25 Push Up Burpees x 2 Sets

Soundtrack - Stone Sour Radio on Pandora

Supplements - Liquid Collagen 

Rogue Fitness Plates

. . . . AND WE ARE LIVE

 

  This is a photo that was taken by my six year old son right after him and my four year old daughter completed testing for their new belts in Tae Kwon Do at Sun Soo Martial Arts in Asheville, NC.  The picture represents a new beginning in my life, of course, Jordan didn't realize that and nor did I until I pondered the content of this post for a bit.  The picture of the kids below represents excitement, focus, and a pursuit of goals and triumphs.  I can't imagine myself accomplishing what my kids have at this young age.  When there is love, and support, it's amazing what these little minds can absorb.  This post also represents a new beginning for the blog and our life adventures.  

Jordan just earned his Yellow / Green* & Elsa just earned her White / Yellow*

*The belts earned (mentioned above) are not given to the students until their next class.

Since my last blog post, February 5, 2016, exactly one year before Elsa was born and Jordan was about to turn two, much has happened, some good & some not so good.  I have endured a few defeats, other wise known as 'learning opportunities', and a few bouts of 'burn out', but I don't stop.  Here I am stronger than ever physically, healing mentally, and, happy for my kids and their wins, and ready to take on some new challenges of my own.  Compare the above picture of me to this post and know that whatever challenges you may be facing, it will pass, and you will win in the end.   

  The first day of a new year seemed like an appropriate time to make a commitment to myself and to you that I will rekindle the blog that I enjoyed writing so much for many years.  In the time that I have put the blog aside I like to think that I have learned (debatable) and pursued many new things that I can share and maybe even inspire in you.  I will kindly ask that you subscribe and follow along with me in my pursuits and curiosities.  Happy New Year to you and yours, here's to new challenges and getting stronger!   

   

IT'S BEEN AN INSPIRING WINTER

SO WE ARE GOING TO START HERE, THEN GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING, THEN FOLLOW UP FROM HERE, BACK TO THE BEGINNING AND THEN WE SHOULD ARRIVE IN THE FUTURE . . . . .

READY FOR HARVEST

READY FOR SAUTE

THIS IS MY FIRST TRY AT "GROW IT YOURSELF' MUSHROOM KIT.  THIS IS THE 'HANTANA PHOENIX OYSTER' BY THE IMAGINARY FARMER.  INCLUDED IS A GREAT BOOK WITH INSTRUCTIONS.  HOWEVER, I DID HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.  I EMAILED THEM AND THEY WERE EXTREMELY QUICK TO RESPOND AND VERY HELPFUL.  I EXPECT TO HARVEST MULTIPLE TIMES.  THIS FIRST HARVEST PRODUCE 9.7 OZ.  THEY MADE IT INTO TWO SEPARATE MEALS.  DELICIOUS.    

YOU CAN FIND INSPIRATION ANYWHERE

I'VE ALWAYS TENDED TO TAKE THE LONG ROAD

  Like trying to grow vegetables in the woods for instance.  My yukon potato plants seemed to come and go pretty quickly.  I planted them in old wooden barrels.  I filled the bottom with sticks and leaves to provide adequate drainage and filled the barrels with organic soil as the potato plants grew.  The location began in the sun in the spring and slowly transitioned to a shadier spot as the leaves came in. It is certainly not a complete failure but not the potato harvest I had hoped for.  I do have 5 more plants to dig up.  It's interesting the constant test of patience in life.  So I moved my glass box, for lack of a better description, to a new spot today hoping for better results.

  

  It is funny how some things in life seem to happen really quickly and other things, like the ones most desired, have a funny way of making us wait.  I do believe the timing is precisely as it needs to be.  At the end of last season I finally found my first spice bush.  I have found many things wild that I have searched for, but this was one that kept eluding me.  I have been waiting all winter for it to show itself again and today was the day.

  This plant below, still unknown, was a first for me today.  I will keep you posted as to what it is after some research.  It is very minty, floral, and a touch of menthol.  The stems are too small to determine if they are square, linking them to the mint family.  A great find that I am very excited about.

  Ok, so after closer examination, it does have a square stem.  I believe it is mountain mint, which would make sense.