Things I Can Do

[icfasntw]

Since my screenname stands for I Can't Find A ScreenName That Works, I wanted to give my workout thread a constructive title. +1 for wordplay?

First, I recently missed a boat with a challenge. Since I have a personal goal (birthday!) coming up, I'm going to start using this thread as an alternative to challenges -- because, as it turns out, accountability really does help. Who would've guessed?

Here's the plan, then.

• I'm going to do four weeks of a slightly modified version of Steve's Boot Camp workout. The modifications are inspired by WODs posted on fitness blogs I read, mostly, and they're to keep me from going crazy.
• After the four weeks is up, I'll switch to a similarly modified version of the Body Weight Brigade workouts from the Rebel Strength Guide.
• I'm going to rock climb two or three days a week. Even when my usual partner can't go. If I really want to top-rope, I'll respond to or post a belay partner ad at the gym.
• I'm going to channel my inner yogini one or two days per week. I currently attend a late-night class that's incredibly intense vinyasa style, and I love it more than words; I've never been this good at the Warrior poses, but now I can freaking rock them and I want to keep it up. Also, Wild Thing is clearly the greatest pose ever invented, and my yoga instructor loves it.
• I'm going to eat paleo. i'll briefly record what I eat here (since I already keep a DailyBurn food diary -- same username, if you're interested).

I've already sort of started this process (I've worked out several times over the last week), but I'll officially start tomorrow - since today was a rest day. :]

[MegaCarp]

Woohoo, there you go. Although I'm mildly jealous on the rock climbing I think its awesome that you've taken this step to be accountable.

[Brometheus]

Sounds like fun. Though don't worry about the start date, come on over and start your challenge!!!

[Jax_BabyJeep]

Hurray!!! You're back <3 I've missed you!

Looking forward to tracking your progress over the next few weeks!!!

[icfasntw]

Thursday: Climbing.

Tell you a secret -- this week was the first time I'd been climbing since May. Result: my forearms ache right around the elbow and I've forgotten how to trust my shoes. You know how Mel from The Clothes Make The Girl feels about the barbell? I used to feel that way about my LaSportivas. Demons live in overhangs. My shoes and I fought them. I lost that in the last two months, and this turn of events saddens me.

Since I’m on the short side, I really need my legs. Since my feet are at the bottom of my legs, I need my feet to be beyond solid. And I’d gotten there in May! I had accurate placement, I stayed on my toes, I kept my hips in the wall... and now, back to the drawing board. /le sigh.

I’m really glad my partner was there on Thursday. He’s a pretty good climber, for one thing; for another, he has a degree in corporate education and zero compunctions about using every manipulative trick he knows to get me to send my problems. It took one route accompanied by his (friendly and positive!) yelling to remind me that “Oh hey! I can smear on the wall.†He’s also great for pullup encouragement (“Pull HARDER!!â€). I wish someone like him on anyone who wants to learn climbing. Or anything, really.

Friday: workout, piercing, and Harry Potter-induced nerdgasms

On Friday, I did this:

• Dynamic warm-up
• 400 m run (I didn’t get the times on any of my runs, I am INCREDIBLY ANNOYED), 1 min walk
• Boot Camp Session B set -- 26 lunges, 10 inverted rows
• 400 m run, 2 min walk
• Set: 18 lunges, 9 inverted rows
• 400 m run, 2 min walk
• Set: 16 lunges, 6 inverted rows
• 400 m run, 2 min walk
• Plank and reverse plank x2, each separated by 1 min rest (times: 1:45, 1:30, 1:20, 1:20)
• 2 min walk
• Cooldown

I added the runs because I’m running a Warrior Dash in September. I hate running for any appreciable distance, so I thought I’d throw some sprinty things into my regular workouts so I don’t feel compelled to run three or four miles a day.

Other things I did Friday:

• Went to see a man who had earlobes I could throw a quarter through. We briefly discussed his dogs, StarCraft II and MLG Anaheim (my roommate got knocked in round 2, sadly), and jewelry preferences (we’re both traditionalists, fortunately), then he stuck a GIANT needle through my left nostril. He lectured me about aftercare, and we parted, and I was happy.
• Finally saw Harry Potter 7.2! I thought it was excellent. The battle for Hogwarts was exactly as epic and affecting as I wanted it to be -- watching the professors and Mrs. Weasley put up the shield spell up around Hogwarts Castle? Gorgeous. Really. I could rant about the movie and HP for hours, so I’ll stop.

Saturday: Yoga

The lululemon store around the corner (yes, there’s a lululemon store around the corner; no, I don’t have any money left) has free yoga on Saturday mornings, and I finally took advantage of it. It was crowded, but we spent the day working shoulders (serpentine cobra!) and hips (corpse pigeon!) on our way to side crow. I didn’t make it all the way up into the pose, but it was a good yoga session.

Okay, I’m lying. I did make it up, I just made it up as a kind of intermediary step between not up and falling over. Roadkill crow, maybe?

You made it to the end!

As a reward,

. I saw these guys play live with Tally Hall last weekend. They’re AMAZING. Check out their MySpace.

[icfasntw]

Sunday

...was a rest day. Wooooooo rest days.

Monday

Was bike day. We're in the middle of a bike to work competition here in Wisconsin. A group of my fellow writers and I have started the wRiding Team (GET IT???), and this week we decided to have a Social Event of the "bike to work, then bike to dinner" variety. It was lovely! However, I don't typically bike both ways, since it's an hour each way. I found out why!

Tuesday

Was another day of yoga, although this time it was the class I prefer. Super hardcore vinyasa in a room that's still cooling down from the hot yoga class immediately before it? Yes, please.

Wednesday

I biked to work, then drove home. My friends and I go to Concert on the Square in Madison -- by choice, we walk to the Square from my current apartment. It's a lovely jaunt, and I get to drink three glasses of red wine at the end. Delicious reward.