WolfDreamer

I have been in the midst of Andrew Huberman's extensive conversations with exercise scientist Andy Galpin. It is very informative but also a lot to process. Luckily, Huberman also has a Youtube channel of clips from his episodes. Because I know that most people do not have 12+ hours to listen to every episode, here are just a few of the best: 

On 12/4/2023 at 9:24 PM, spezzy said:

 

 

Following along!

Welcome!

21 hours ago, cn3wton said:

Farmers carries are up there as one of my favorites. Sadly the gym I go to got rid of the handles so I have to use dumbbells again.... 

My first time training with farmer carries was about 10 years ago when I started helping my mentor build houses. I knew I would be carrying buckets of sand and loads of bricks. So I bought two 5 gallon buckets of my own, loaded them with gravel, and carried them as part of my training. This was definitely very helpful. Once I started working, my mentor was surprised when I was able to lug two buckets at once.

I'll be updating everyone Saturday on this week's progress.

11/29/23 Update:

• used another Lebe Stark video to complete the kettlebell workout below
  • 2 rounds of:
    • clean & squat (2 minutes)
    • jerk (1 minute L/1 minute R)
    • snatches (1 minute L/1 minute R)
  • 1 round of:
    • Farmer's carry (1 minute L/1 minute R)
• sat in quiet contemplation for 10 minutes
• continuing Lazarus, a graphic novel series by Greg Rucka
• read another entry in the Henri Nouwen collection The Only Necessary Thing
• listened to an episode of ManTalks in which Connor interviews the creator of the Instagram page The Tin Men.
• listened to more of the Skyrim soundtrack
• completed the daily requirements for Duolingo

3 hours ago, RES said:

Congratulations!!

Thank you! And welcome!

3 hours ago, RES said:

Sub 30 5k sounds like a 2024 goal for me

Yeah, that is likely for me, as well, but I am getting closer. My 30 minute runs have been anywhere from 2.45-2.75 miles.

3 hours ago, RES said:

But back of the pack is better than sitting on the couch

2 hours ago, cn3wton said:

Arete? Tell me more! Always looking for the next book!

Arete is a Greek word that means "excellence or virtue," and it especially referred to living in the fullest realization of your true potential. Johnson says that it would have been the Stoics "one word answer" to how to live a successful life: Arete. Live in the fullest expression of your most true self. On his website for the book, Johnson says, "If you asked the ancient Stoic philosophers how to live a good life, they’d answer you in a single word: Areté. We translate Areté as 'virtue' or 'excellence' but the word has a deeper meaning—something closer to being your best self, moment to moment to moment."

You can find more info about the book here.

The only reason I haven't ordered a copy yet is because my mother asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and this book was the first thing that came to mind. So... I'll need to wait until Christmas. 

11 hours ago, Darciana said:

The Man bought resistance bands he hasn’t used and thus donated them to my workout corner so I now have those, a kettlebell, and my body - plenty enough to get a good workout!

That's my entire gym! As well as a log for really heavy lifting, some cinder blocks, and a 10 lb medicine ball!

Awesome challenge! You got this!

Good to see you again Res. I love that we're both preparing for races and doing it for our own health goals. I am proud of you for setting goals and sticking to them while also recognizing that the pressure of the holidays can make it difficult. We all have limits and setbacks and must accept them with grace.

Here to cheer you on!

I honor your choice to take a break, brother, and I look forward to seeing the progress you make while you're here and greeting you when you return.

11/28/23 Update:

• 2.85 mile run in the cold (32F/1.1C); time was 31:17; while running, this song came on, and I became very overwhelmed with a flood of dopamine and felt near tears:

• started reading Lazarus, a graphic novel series by Greg Rucka
• read an entry in the Henri Nouwen collection The Only Necessary Thing
• sat in quiet contemplation
• listened to a podcast interview with Brian Johnson, founder and CEO of Heroic (also hosted Philosopher's Notes on Youtube); he talked about his new book, Arete, which I plan to get soon. Through this interview, I learned several things about what Arete really means and how it is relevant to the Stoics and to today's society.
• listened to the Skyrim soundtrack
• completed the daily requirements for Duolingo

27 minutes ago, cn3wton said:

 

Following!

Welcome!

Hello fellow Rebels. A lot has been going on in life, most of it good, all of it overwhelming.

• I'm going to be a grandpa (it's a boy)
• My family and I were in the local newspaper because we adopted out fourth and fifth children on November 1st (the first day of National Adoption Month)
• I'm hosting a poetry recitation competition at the school where I teach, as well as sponsoring the Drama Club
• I've signed up for (and completed) several 5k races and have remained a middle-of-the-pack runner without injury
• I grew out my mustache

So yeah, life has been pretty great lately, just busy. I'm sticking to my past goal since they haven't yet been achieved (although I'm getting closer and closer to the sub-30 5k time). And of course I will be channeling movies and characters that inspire and motivate me along the way.

I recently re-watched "Bullet Train," which is still amazing. Tangerine remains my favorite character. So...

STRONGER:

GOAL: By the end of this challenge, I will have increased my physical strength by at least 25% as measured by an increase in number of reps to failure of kettlebell single-arm overhead press.

HOW: I will pick "heavy things" up and put them back down for at least 20 minutes, three days a week; this will include mostly kettlebell training with some "greasing the groove" using resistance bands, random heavy objects, and my kids. Training will look like this:

Sunday: Benchmark (single arm overhead press to failure, count reps; 30 minute run, note distance)

Monday/Wednesday/Friday: Strength training

Tuesday/Thursday: 30 minute run + "grease the groove"

Saturday: Long trail run

FASTER:

GOAL: By the end of this challenge, I will be able to run a sub-30 minute 5k as measured by a 5k run.

HOW: I will run for 30 minutes at least two days a week, with a distance/endurance run at least one day a week and sprint/speed intervals at least one day a week.

SMARTER:

GOALS: By the end of the challenge, I will increase my daily use of Duolingo; I will increase my daily reading habit by at least 5 minutes a day; I will learn at least one new thing daily.

HOW:

I will set a reminder to complete at least the daily requirements to achieve a 30 day streak on Duolingo
I will set aside at least 30 minutes of reading time daily
I will use apps such as Humane and Kinnu to learn new information, as well as the NPR app and podcasts.

CALMER:

GOAL: By the end of the challenge, I will improve my mental health by reducing my angry reactions to stress.

HOW:

I will use a meditation app to increase my meditation/contemplative prayer practice from 10 minutes to 15 minutes.
I will write down what I am grateful for and create daily affirmations using the 5 Minute Journal app.
In moments of stress and frustration, I will apply a relaxing breathing technique (short inhale through nose, long exhale through mouth).
I will listen to music that elevates my mood.

On 11/20/2023 at 3:10 PM, juliebarkley said:

How are things going?

Thank you for checking in. I wish I could answer with, "Great!," but it's more of a, "Meh," at this point. I do plan on following the same challenge goals next challenge but perhaps taking a simpler approach. I make so many excuses for why I do not do the things I know I need to do, but I also try to be gracious when I consider how hectic and busy my life really is most of the time. With six kids, three dogs, and a full time career, life really does interfere with my plans.

But I'm not giving up, nor am I abandoning my goals. I am always grateful for fellow Rebels like yourself who check up on me when I've been "off the boards" for a while.

Week 1 Update:

So, I recovered well enough from COVID. I did not work out much last week, other than a few runs, including a night time 5k trail race. I did complete the benchmark with the following results:

• 30 minute run: 2.44 miles
• kb press total: 8 per arm

I was consistent with my SMARTER goals but slacked with my STRONGER and CALMER goals. However, this week is looking better for me already.

Thank you everyone who sent healing vibes. I feel so much better today. I'm going to attempt my benchmark workout tomorrow rather than my usual Monday workout, while also not overdoing it. I guess the good news is I know I will see progress down the road because I haven't worked out in over a week, so the bar will be set rather low. But I am ready to get back at it, just baby steps so as to not overdo it.

I tested positive for COVID earlier this week and had to take the rest of the week off from work. I should be getting better Sunday or Monday (when I can return to work). So no progress on my physical challenges yet. I have, however, been meditating and reading and also keeping up my Duolingo streak (51 days now). I have looked through the Long Covid collection on Darebee just in case I don't feel fully recovered next week to ease back into working out.

Returning to my original goals with the hope of sticking to them this challenge:
 

STRONGER:

GOAL: By the end of this challenge, I will have increased my physical strength by at least 25% as measured by an increase in number of reps to failure of kettlebell single-arm overhead press.

HOW: I will pick "heavy things" up and put them back down for at least 20 minutes, three days a week; this will include mostly kettlebell training with some "greasing the groove" using resistance bands, random heavy objects, and my kids. Training will look like this:

Sunday -- Benchmark (single arm overhead press to failure, count reps; 30 minute run, note distance)

Monday -- Five rounds of:

200 meter run
kettlebell clean and press x 2 each side
goblet squat x 5
two-handed kettlebell swing x 20
rest 2 minutes

Tuesday -- 30 minute run; record time

Wednesday -- 5-10 rounds of:
25 double-arm kettlebell swings
30 seconds rest
25 alternating kettlebell swings
30 seconds rest
25 single-arm kettlebell swings L
30 seconds rest
25 single-arm kettlebell swings R
2 minutes rest
Alternating kettlebell clean & press x 30 (15 per side)
2 minutes rest
Alternating kettlebell dead snatch x 14 (7 per side)
Straight leg singe-arm kettlebell deadlift x 30 (15 per side)
Overhead triceps extension x 15

Thursday -- 30 minute run; improve previous distance

Friday -- 15-45 minutes of:

clean with left hand
press with left hand
one arm front squat with left hand
one handed swing with left hand
park the kettlebell, recover, repeat with right hand

Saturday -- Distance run on trails; mark distance and pace
 

FASTER:

GOAL: By the end of this challenge, I will be able to run a sub-30 minute 5k as measured by a 5k run.

HOW: I will run for 30 minutes at least two days a week, with a distance/endurance run at least one day a week and sprint/speed intervals at least one day a week (see 200 m run above).
 

SMARTER:

GOALS: By the end of the challenge, I will increase my daily use of Duolingo; I will increase my daily reading habit by at least 5 minutes a day; I will learn at least one new thing daily.

HOW:

I will set a reminder to complete at least the daily requirements to achieve a 30 day streak on Duolingo
I will set aside at least 30 minutes of reading time daily
I will use apps such as Humane and Kinnu to learn new information, as well as the NPR app and podcasts.
 

CALMER:

GOAL: By the end of the challenge, I will improve my mental health by reducing my angry reactions to stress.

HOW:

I will use a meditation app to increase my meditation/contemplative prayer practice from 10 minutes to 15 minutes.
I will take 30 minute mindful walks to help clear my mind.
I will write down what I am grateful for and create daily affirmations using the 5 Minute Journal app.
I will practice a relaxing breathing technique (short inhale through nose, long exhale through mouth) and apply this technique in moments of stress and frustration.
I will listen to music that elevates my mood.

On 9/28/2023 at 12:56 PM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Sorry for your loss my friend. I bet you are a Mr. Ray to a lot of people.

On 9/28/2023 at 7:21 PM, Scaly Freak said:

 

And as long as you are he lives on, in a way.

 

@WolfDreamer, I'm sorry for your loss.

On 9/29/2023 at 5:12 AM, Silmarilliane said:

So sorry to hear of your loss

Thank you all. I really love this community, and it is because of Rebels like you.

On 10/6/2023 at 4:04 AM, Severine said:

Just wanted to check in and see how you're doing. The loss of a mentor is a tough thing to deal with. I hope your recent work on mental fortitude and spirituality are giving you a good grounding as you work through it.

Thank you. It did derail me for a bit, but I think I'm back on track. On my best days since his passing, I've leaned on positive memories of him. The end of September was also the anniversary of my grandfather's passing six years ago, as well as the anniversary of the death of a coworker who died unexpectedly in her sleep six years ago. It's just been a few weeks of new grief and a return to past grief.

As far as goal, I can sum it up in a few quick sentences. I am way behind on my STRONGER and FASTER goals due to inconsistency. Most mornings I just did not feel like running or working out. However, I have been consistent with my CALMER and SMARTER goals. I will definitely be continuing with these four goals in the next challenge, especially since I have a 5k race every month for the next three months, including a haunted dark trail run on October 27th.

13 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

 

This is very likely. There may also be something you can ahead of time as preparation for the fast, such as getting lots of sleep perhaps, to try and reduce the possibility of negative reactions.

Thank you. Yes, I admit my life last week was not restful, and I did stay up later than I probably should have during my fast. More sleep might have helped.

I am working through some grief right now. One of the best men I have ever known, my high school band director, passed away last night. He got an infection in his abdomen Monday, and it became septic. I wrote this about him today and posted it to Facebook:

3 hours ago, Silmarilliane said:

Ooft, that fasting response doesn't sound fun - hope you feel better now. Good job sticking with the other parts of the challenge though

Thank you. I do feel better. It wasn't enough to scare me away from longer fasts, but next time I'll make sure I am safe at home as it gets closer to the end of the fast. If I had been able to rest rather than work, I might not have had as negative of a reaction.

W3D2 (Monday):

• 0415 wakeup
• read scripture using the Lectio 365 app
• read a few pages of The Hidden Spirituality of Men as well as a couple of poems
• sat in quiet contemplation for 10 minutes
• no workout because I felt I still needed to recover myself from the fast; I did walk a lot, however
• completed the daily requirements for Duolingo
• listened to an episode of a newer podcast called The PTHFNDR Podcast
• walked barefoot with my dog as the sun was setting
• did not stop eating at 7 pm because my daughter made popcorn for all of us
• read more of The Hidden Spirituality of Men before bed

W3D3 (Tuesday):

• 0415 wakeup
• read scripture using the Lectio 365 app
• read a few pages of The Hidden Spirituality of Men as well as a couple of poems
• sat in quiet contemplation for 10 minutes
• felt back to my old self, so I created my own kettlebell workout:
  • 25 double-arm swings
  • 30 s rest
  • 25 alternating swings
  • 30 s rest
  • 25 single-arm swings L
  • 30 s rest
  • 25 single-arm swings R
  • 2 mins rest
  • Alternating clean & press x 30 (15 per side)
  • 2 mins rest
  • Alternating dead snatch x 14 (7 per side)
  • 2 mins rest
  • Straight-leg deadlift x 30 (15 per side)
  • 2 mins rest
  • Overhead triceps extension x 15
• completed the daily requirements for Duolingo
• listened to an interview with author Matthew Fox Passionate Earth and Spirit Center podcast
• walked barefoot with my dog as the sun was setting
• did not stop eating at 7 pm because I was snacking on vanilla wafers
• read more of The Hidden Spirituality of Men before bed

Just started reading The Hidden Spirituality of Men by Matthew Fox, and I finally dug out my copy of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle to read, as well.

Week 2 Update:

Sorry for the radio silence. I'll go ahead and skip to the TL;DR version of what happened. I did not finish the 72 hour fast. I made it to 64 hours before a slight headache became a migraine with nausea. I tried to avoid vomiting at work, but I was unsuccessful. I went home early Wednesday and, after eating a small lunch, slept most of the afternoon. I felt a little better, but I also felt weak. So my workouts did not happen last week. I did walk a lot, but no strength training and no running.

Regardless, I have been consistent with my SMARTER and CALMER challenge goals. I ordered a copy of The Hidden Spirituality of Men by Matthew Fox, so I have been reading that in the morning:

and The Story of Edgar Sawtelle in the evening.

This morning I completed a really awesome kettlebell workout, so I'm feeling back to my old self. I'll post about it later.

W1D6 (Friday):

• 0415 wakeup
• read scripture using the Lectio 365 app
• read a few more pages of The Four Agreements
• sat in quiet contemplation for 10 minutes
• completed Friday workout
• completed the daily requirements for Duolingo
• listened to an episode of Traver Boehm's podcast
• walked barefoot with my dog as the sun was setting
• I did stopped eating at 7 pm
• read more of The Four Agreements before bed

W1D7 (Saturday):

• 0600 wakeup (needed the extra sleep)
• read scripture using the Lectio 365 app
• read a few more pages of A New Harmony by John Philip Newell
• sat in quiet contemplation for 10 minutes
• ran 3.75 miles of trails later in the day with my sons
• I did not fast today because I wanted to enjoy breakfast with the family
• completed the daily requirements for Duolingo
• read an article on the Opposing Viewpoints database
• walked barefoot with my dog as the sun was setting
• I stopped eating at 7 pm
• read more of A New Harmony before bed

W2D1 (Sunday):

• 0600 wakeup (needed the extra sleep again)
• read scripture using the Lectio 365 app
• read a few more pages of A New Harmony by John Philip Newell
• sat in quiet contemplation for 10 minutes
• no workout today (unless you count running around and playing with my kids)
• I did not fast today because I was enjoying eating and spending time with my wife and kids
• completed the daily requirements for Duolingo
• watched a TedX talk about Shakespeare
• walked barefoot with my dog as the sun was setting
• I stopped eating at 7 pm; in a weird coincidence, my friend Brandon texted me and asked if I would join him in a 72 hour fast (so from Sunday 7 pm-Wednesday 7pm); I agreed.
• read more of A New Harmony before bed

W2D2 (Monday):

• 0415 wakeup
• read scripture using the Lectio 365 app
• read a few more pages of A New Harmony as well as a couple of poems
• sat in quiet contemplation for 10 minutes
• no kb workout, but I did hike 1.5 miles at the city park
• completed the daily requirements for Duolingo
• listened to another episode of Traver Boehm's podcast
• walked barefoot with my dog as the sun was setting
• no food at all since I am continuing my 72 hour fast w/ Brandon
• read more of A New Harmony before bed

4 hours ago, Kalitraz said:

 

I recently watched Demon Slayer myself (one of my favorites of the last couple years) and was curious about the breathing techniques and application, but it was still on the list of things to look into and research someday. Thanks for sharing that video, scratched my curiosity itch.

I recommend trying out Wim Hof's breathing method, or something similar. It is inspired by Tummo breathing. Wim makes some wild claims about what "his" method can actually do, but it is still a pretty great breathing technique. Box breathing is also great. I have an app called Prana Breath, as well.

On 9/9/2023 at 2:14 PM, Scaly Freak said:

The Rules

Rules unclear. Initiating samurai metal:

I finally started watching Demon Slayer, and now I think it's time to step up my breathing exercises:

14 hours ago, Stronkey Kong said:

The mid September, fall is coming weather is too favorable to pass up

I CAN"T WAIT! This morning I stepped outside with my dogs before dawn and could just barely see the fog hanging over the mountaintops. It was 51F, cool but not cold, and I felt my heart soar with the morning breeze.