Another Swim

Eating: had a nice lunch at Milos

Drinking: nothing, should have some water I suppose

Listening: In Fiction again and again and again

 

Swam for a full 20 minutes!  All breast stroke.  I went before lunch, for a change.  It is a good workout, surprisingly fatiguing, and good for the breath too I think.  Steamed and cold showered afterwards. 

 

I found a training program for first time marathon runners.  It is a shit load of running.  Not really my style, but we'll see how it goes.  I'll have to start in three or four weeks to get in the 18 weeks before November. 

 

Today was a reasonably productive day, and I got some stuff off of my desk that has really been hanging over my head. 

 

 

who speaks does not know

Eating: chocolate

Drinking: water

Listening: Metronomic Underground

 

Boxed Master of Puppets - No More Blood - Ace of Spades.  Above average intensity.

 

Rowed 5:00 / 1140m. 

 

Great little mini workout.  The boxing was intense and I felt drained afterwards.  Using the new gloves so not much wrist pain or thumb jamming, and I was able to really unwind on the bag quite a bit.  I would have done another song or two but a woman who had prior rights to the boxing area was graciously letting me go first and I wanted to bow out without her telling me to.  After rowing (kind of out of left field, that) I spent over 5 in the steam room, then cold rinse, about 3 minutes hot shower, then 3 or 4 minutes cold shower.  Needless to say, I feel incredibly good right now.  Going to head out to the welcome new meat party shortly.

 

Had lunch with RP today.  She's reading Rapt, this book about attention that was reviewed lately.  The conversation reminded me of the importance of taking time out to focus on breathing, every day.  There's no reason to not do it (rather than read internet nonsense) several times per day at work. 

BBS

Eating: nothing

Drinking: TGY

Listening: nothing

 

seated row 90# 11 0:56

chest press 110# 10 1:10

pulldown 120# 11 1:18

OH press 50# 11 0:54

leg press 240# 12 0:54

 

I spent the entire day prior to my workout trying to not look at the internet, then looking at the internet.  I might as well admit that I am depressed.  Coming in to work and not having anything at all to do is depressing.  I need some stimulation.  I don't even really feel like listening to music. 

 

Anyway, the workout.  I suppose it qualifies as stimulation.  I deliberately did not slow down at all.  I'll do that next time.  I'm sure I was 'coasting' particularly as I got in to the higher reps, because if I did slow down I died on that rep.  The times are all very short.  Next time I think the goal will be to be over 90" for each exercise. 

 

After the workout, I did 5' in the steam room, cold rinse, 4' very hot shower, 4' cold shower.  I feel great now. 

 

My diet this weekend was garbage.  Tons of refined grains, tons of sugar, lots and lots of alcohol, a bunch of cigarettes, and poor sleep.  I hope I can keep a little cleaner this week (tomorrow is yakitori day) and we'll see how that affects the workout.  Not sure if I should go back to Monday or maybe make Monday a swimming day or something. 

Weekend Running

Got some running in up in the motherland this weekend.  On Friday the Wife and I ran around the neighborhood, including a few trails.  Probably about 2 miles.  On Sunday we all drove up Mount M, and I ran along the ridge and back.  Probably closer to 3 miles.  The group was incredibly uneven, and there was an 800' elevation gain, so "ran" is kind of a stretch - I ran where I could, and when I wasn't totally out of breath.  The experience took me back to BC.  Run a bit, stop and stare at the scenery, run a bit more.  It was very, very hard to get a rhythm going (because of poor conditioning).  Much closer to a stair run than a regular run. 

Out for Blood

Eating: apple and Fage full fat

Drinking: I'll get some water shortly

Listening: Bablyon Sisters, for some reason

 

Boxed: Stop Biting - Ace of Spades - Second Round K.O. - ALL CAPS

 

A nice little session, reasonably intense.  Second Round K.O. was very motivating.  Afterwards steam-cold-hot tub-cold. 

 

I have been totally idle at work lately and it's really getting on my nerves.  I was in a complete tizzy yesterday afternoon after talking to LP, who apparently has tons of work.  When I got home the BH put me in a good mood almost immediately, so that was nice.

 

I've been eating a lot more cleanly lately.  I had a a big glass of milk, a croissant and an espresso for breakfast and a huge salad for lunch. 

 

Maybe swim tomorrow?

 

 

Corset

Just saw this.  Something to think about for my next run. 

Big 5

Eating:  just had an apple

Drinking:  lots of water

Listening:  a colleague on the phone

 

seated row 90# 6

chest press 110# 6

pulldown 120# 8

OH press 50# 7

leg press 240# 10

 

AM bran

 

Form was OK.  Kind of felt like a weak workout but improved as it went on.  Maybe I should reinstate a warm-up?  I think the overarching problem is that I have no muscle mass in my upper body.  When I get to my legs I finally feel like I am under control.  BBS does have an example of someone who should work out 2x per week in the beginning - maybe that's my situation.  I could do pushups and pullups to failure on Thursdays or something. 

 

The bran probably didn't help, and I have not been eating totally clean, either.  I've been having a lot of grains, including two sessions of red velvet cake this weekend.  I also had three or four cigarettes on Friday night. 

 

The plan for next week (I will have an extra day to recover) is to push hard for 12 on all the exercises. 

Weekend Running

Ran twice this weekend.  Both runs about 2 miles.  Form was, I think, pretty good.  I kept it nice and slow.  Second run was the orthodox two-mile loop with the Wife and the Monstermobile. 

Two Thoughts

1. I should do something more targeted to strengthen my wrists.

2. I should do a fast-punch Tabata session. 

Take a Look to the Sky Just Before You Die

E:  apple

D:  water

L:  wife on phone

 

BOXING.  Slip It In - For Whom the Bell Tolls - Welcome to the Jungle.

 

Great session.  Some straight lefts and switch hit straight rights, some body hits, tons of one-twos, and a couple two-handed fast hits.  I think my jab is pretty good right now, and I am getting some good fireworks with the right, although it's a lot flukier.  I got really into it and kept the fight-or-flight intensity up for a lot of the workout. 

 

I hit the steam room and took a short cold shower afterwards.  After my run last night, I tried the Twight "recovery shower" - five minutes as hot as you can take, five minutes as cold as it goes.  I lasted a minute and a half under the cold, but it felt amazing.  Good to actually time it too - I stayed in much longer than I usually do. 

Running Again

Eating: will be getting into some sauerbraten shortly
Drinking: water is on the agenda
Listening: wife's pilates DVD

Ran approx. 2 miles

What a great run.  Nice evening light, beautiful warm air.  I went clockwise on my 2 mile loop.  On the first PPW stretch I ran on the retaining wall for a bit.  As I came around into the actual forest part, I started shutting my eyes for a count of ten steps.  It helped me focus on footfall a bit, but also really made me feel the air and hear the birds and the wind in the trees.  As I came up to the picnic house, I could hear music.  Really good music.  Kind of GD-ish music with thoughtful solos and a kind of plaintive lead vocalist.  It was a band of Jewish hippies playing to a picnic.  I ran up to an older Haredi man to ask the name of the band (Bruce Parnes) and the grass felt so good that I kept running across the Long Meadow and then down it to the tunnel.  Perfect freedom.  Before I got to GAP, I ran up a little trail to the left and down a sharp drop to the sidewalk.  A wonderful run.  Legs and ankles felt good and I am back to believing in the five fingers. 

BSS breakthrough

Eating:  just had a Mr. Softee shake

Drinking:  as above

Listening:  nothing

 

Forgot my watch, so no times.

 

seated row 90# 8

chest press 100# 12

pulldown 110# 13

OH press 40# 15!

leg press 220# 13

 

My reps were definitely faster this time around, though not so fast as to make momentum too much of a factor, I think.  Even if they were, it was very important for me psychologically to get some progress.  It feels really good to be moving up on 4 out of the 5 for next week.

 

After I finished, I did a mini-onsen, steam / cold shower / hot tub / cold shower.  As a result, I feel like a million bucks.

 

I was talking to BK today - he's been doing some road races.  I really need to start running again.  2 miles, twice a week, in the Five Fingers should not make undue demands on my time.  Maybe I can start tomorrow night. 

Swim Yesterday

Did another approximately 15 minutes of swimming yesterday, which added up to ten laps.  I felt pretty good afterwards, not as fatigued as last time. 

 

Parents are in town, so I am sleeping on the living room floor.  Odd dream last night about John Noise Manis - something about his name being on street signs. 

Onsen Style

Eating: I am about to go up to the summer kick-off cocktail party

Drinking: water; see above

Listening: Kyorei

Went to the gym to box, but forgot my iPod.  I was in kind of a sleepy out of it mood anyway.  I punched for ten minutes - a mix of left and right straights, one-twos, body blows, and one 70-punch free-for-all.  My arms felt kind of heavy and tired, and I have a little pain in my left hand (knuckle of my pinky), so it was kind of blah.  Afterwards I hit the steam room, then took a cold shower, then hit the whirlpool, then took another cold shower.  Now I feel like taking a nap more than anything. 

BBS Workout

Eating: nothing

Drinking: also nothing

Listening: Minglewood Blues

 

seated row 80# 12 1:38

chest press 100# 11 1:43

pulldown 110# 10 1:42

OH press 40# 11 1:42

leg press 200# 12 1:30

 

New rule - up if over 12 reps AND over 90 seconds.  More of a Drew Baye type protocol.  Here's the reasoning: I fucking HATE super slow.  I hate it.  I am willing to go slow enough that there isn't much momentum, but slower than that is too fucking brutal.  I can go to failure without making myself totally miserable. 

 

Right now I feel pretty buzzed.  Colors are looking pretty bright, and I'm getting mini tunnel vision.  Pretty nauseous too.  I had too much coffee this afternoon. 

 

I should also consider mixing up the order, like start with pulldown and OH press next time maybe. 

 

I miss deadlifting.  The really nice thing about it is that it really made me a lot more flexible in the waist.  I should try really wide stance leg press for hip flexibility. 

Friday Boxing

I made a little mix and went and boxed to it on Friday.  I listened to All Caps, Welcome to the Jungle, Simon Says, and Master of Puppets.  Maybe 20 minutes total.  It was great.  I started doing little drills, for instance: 10 left jabs, switch stance, 10 right jabs; go at the top of the bag full bore with both hands, forget technique; hug and do body shots.  Again, not the intensity of a ten-minute session, with lots of little breaks, but still very intense.