Sympatico

Thank you very much for that. I'll have a look at it tonight. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

I'll give almost anything a go. Never know what's going to work. I have not heard of keeping the eyes open though. Maybe any years ago when I read a book that wanted it for focusing on something. A flame from memory. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Hey guys After Xena suggested it, I've been trying out some meditation sessions a bit before bed, after work. The information I've found on the topic is wide and varied. The purpose for the practice is trying for a small positive change of some description. The first night I tried it (on the hotel bed, half sitting up supported by the pillows) I think I mostly fell into a light sleep. After that things hadn't been so bad. I feel like there is a thin line between my trying for an empty mind and sleeping. I say that because last night the time (I'm trying for about 20 mins a go because I have more time then normal for now) felt like it went past extremely quickly. Also I have noticed that at times when there is an expected noise (that I notice) my skin feels like it goes all prickly or jolts of its own accord for an instant. The only time I've felt this sort of thing is when I used to be half asleep in the car as my family went on trips (only the skin would prickly for longer). So all up I feel like I'm just not quite sleeping for 20 mins as opposed to actual meditation. With my experience though, I may be wrong..... I doubt it though. Thoughts? - Sympatico

Hey. I think I'd like to try running as an alternative to other working away from home style work outs for a bit to see how it fits with me. I'm not going to start anything until Monday - Monday being the day I will be able to get a fresh shirt. (I'll need to remember to pack another shirt and shorts for these sort of activities). While looking for where to start, I've done something very uncharacteristic for me and started with a goal in mind first. Should I decide running is going to work for me, I'd like to be able to run 5k for now. After that, if it's going well, I'd like to get a sub 30 min 5k or even less if it looks like my body would be able to handle it. (Baby steps first and at this point I'm thinking of using it part of a grander long term fitness plan. Again, if it works for me). With those goals in mind, a C25K sounds like the right point and had thought about trying out the Zombies Run! app. If I had stopped looking around after that it'd probably all be OK but I'm a long term Underpants Gnome and as such I found references on NF linking back to the Strength Running website. I suppose I'm really wanting to discover if it's be worth forking out a few dollars and reading the SR material on injury prevention (is there really that much of it about?) and their take on strength training and so on would be the better route to take over just using the ZR app. I know there are people who have experience with one or the other but was hoping for possibly a comparison of the two. Thanks in advance for any help in this area. - Sympatico

Hey. Sorry for the late reply and thanks for the feed back. Meditation sounds like a good place to start. Give self a chance to clear my mind eveyday. I've had a bit of a look on the Druids section for places to start and think I have an idea on things. Making a plan starts getting trickier though. I have another hidden problem in the form of goal setting. With no goal making a plan becomes an issue. So many options of things to try out. For now I might try as you digested and do things for a short period of time until I find something that really clicks with me. I do have a few ideas I that direction but might make a daily battle thread for it all and use it more like a journal. -Sympatico Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Hey. Been a few years since I've been on here, I think. I wasn't very good at maintaining records or checking in regular in the first place but then work have me the golden opportunity to completely obliterate everything. Work decided that I was the perfect canddate to send away for work. 10 days on and 4 off. Or 11 and 3. 12 and 2? Even done 13 and 1 for a while there... Doesn't help that the days are usually 12 or 13 hours long. While food is provided for me, it's almost always pub food on the dinner menu. On the other hand, I'll walk a good 20km a day at work and I try to make the best selections from the menu I can. I have been telling myself that I just don't have the time for further exercise after or before work and don't usually have access to the increased nutritional items that I may need to keep my body ticking over. As I tend to sleep for the entire first day I'm home, doing physical things on the precious little personal time I have at home has mostly fallen away to nothing. I'm looking at changing my job in the middle of the year, I just need to find a life direction to head off in. Current job was only ment to be a space filler while I found something better. I also want to reclaim a lot of the conditioning I've lost but can't shake the feeling that I'll run the risk of causing some longer damage at some point. Anyone have thoughts on this? Cheers

I get the feeling that a few of us are MIA atm Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk

I wouldn't worry too much about the Hostels and 18 yr olds haha. I've been over to Europe a couple of times and found that all the hostels I stayed in had strict rules on drinking after hours and noise levels. In my experience most people in a room are generally well behaved and are kind enough to try to minimise noise when someone else is trying to sleep.

TL;DR - Bad goal setting doesn't lead to Woots... But's only half my problem. The other half is Consistency. Yes, capital "C" for he must be the arch-nemesis that lives with in me. He who has been the only reason that I can see why I have had to fail myself on every challenge I've taken up that can't be done straight away. IE every 6-week challenge to date. No frowny faces here though. Although my ability to workout for 6 weeks in a row is not there, I can't log anything past 3 days and I still spend far too much time thinking about things and not doing, I have realised this weekend that I too have Woots. Smaller Woots but Woots all the same. Like I said in the opening, bad goal setting is not a way to get Woots. I have never really been able to set my sights on a single goal that I badly wanted to achieve. Instead it's always been far too general. "Eat healthier" "Socialise more" "Be more active" There is the basis of everything really. Things I have found I am doing - My diet had been cleaned up. It still has a way to go but I'm not buying Hungry Jacks (Burger King) 2 or 3 times a week any more either, I've cut out a LOT of my added sugar intake and I'm progressing on good food prep for work. Eating healthier Woot!! I have played my first season of field hockey in about 5 years. Plus I'm going to try playing indoor over the summer as well. Also my sisters boyfriend as offered to introduce me to his gym buddies (was meant to be today but I also had my first deep tissue massage for a problem in my leg that's still hurting on Thursday and I need to make sure I can work on the leg as a priority). Last weekend I entered and completed the Western Mudd Rush in Western Australia. I was actually surprised by how easy I found the obstacles as I was able to complete then solo and on all but one occasion, on my first try. (I attribute this more to my current work then anything else) Be more active Woot!! Every other Sunday I have a social group that goes down to a great little place that has live music for a catch up and drinks. (I even don't eat the chips or wedges any more) Plus they have some great little dinner parties at times. (I'm not going to comment on when I went to a pub the other night - I actually messaged a friend to call me and he then also came a picked me up due to a social interaction I didn't know how to deal with) (OK, so I commented on it...) Socialising more Woot!!! This year I even started working back in my trade as a housing carpenter. (another Be more active Woot!!! ) Sadly though I haven't been able to play as many video games as I used to. I do miss them a bit but I don't seem to have as much time as I used to for them. I'm sure this is a Woot but I don't know about it at the same time.... So there it is. Main goals have been epically failed but repeatedly trying has led to a positive change none the less. WOOT!!! Once I can land a solid goal (i.e. one that I want to achieve, not one I think I should) I think I'll do better. Just too many targets to hit, and if I don't aim, I miss. (some of these targets are not readily available in my area either which is a shame and just adds distractions to the mix) - Sympatico

My sister and I try to get to the top of Bluff Knoll before sunrise on Chrstmas days - Hint: don't do to bed at 2 am the day before. Yeah, we have a good couple of little earring places down here. Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk

I'm hoping that the bootleg mudrun will be more challenging for me next year. Completed the western mudd rush this last weekend and found the obsticals to be less of a challenge then I thought they might be. Although my sister and DID walk around the course because we were going to need to drive back to Albany afterwards so we could get to work today. As well, I think it'd be more entertaining as a team... Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk

My poor computer is all covered in dust... I wish I was hibernating. I'm actually off to Perth next weekend for a Mud Run

I don't think that strengthbat this point will be my main problem. I'm not saying that I don't need to focus on strength but I know that I need to really get my ability to constantly be moving for longer then 5 mins on the field up considerably. That's why HIIT sounded like a good place to start. I work as a housing carpenter and I've cleaned up my diet considerably over the last couple of weeks. So I'm able to dig trenches, move wood, lift it and so on for a 9 hour day. More strength would make all this easier for sure. However if I play the game largely from the bench this year I'll be a little disappointed with my self.

I'm leaning towards a split training over the week as Raincoat digested. Speintimg HIIT to regain some lung capacity. As for strength training, squats and deadlifts as well as bodyweight push ups, chin ups and planks to start with. I can make adjustments as I go and gather different info. At least I'll have a starting point. My next challenge is finding the right time to train. We're heading for winter down here in Oz and the days are getting shorter. Plus my job right now has me out of the house for 11 hours or more each day during the week. So I'm leaning towards training in the morning before work so there are less to no reasons that I can make for myself to not train. Just need to adjust the sleeping patteren and stop waking up at 03:30. No idea why my body is doing that. 1 more hour and I'd get up...

Thanks for the info guys. I'll work out what I feel I'm able to achieve and build something around that.