[breakwheel] finds balance...figuratively...and literally

[breakwheel]

Main Quest: Find balance with all the things I must do in this life. As life responsibilities increase I will learn to handle all that is on my plate now and then some.

 

Hypothesis: If I balance out my daily routine to include smaller time slots of more things, then I will become more balanced and well rounded in life, therefore making myself more productive and building more discipline to accomplish my major goals in life

 

Notes: I am really good at going 110% into something and neglecting other things in the process. I just got a second job, started rehabbing the SLAP tear in my left shoulder, getting more involved with some career based networking groups here in town, and starting a some new projects at home. I need balance, not all out with one thing while neglecting the rest

 

Goals: Complete the tasks set forth below...

 

Quest 1: Meditate

 

Hypothesis: If I mediate for a short period once a day, over time I will ingrain the mindset of meditation and calm neurologically into my brain, and will be more peaceful and focused with less mind chatter.

 

Goal: 7 minutes a day, 6 days a week (because every needs a day off here and there).

 

Notes: This should be easy right? So far I have never hit this goal, tried twice. Third time is the charm.

 

Quest 2: Read for the Commonplace

 

Hypothesis: If I start to keep a commonplace book, then I will become way more badass and smarter and start to accumulate knowledge that I can then draw upon later.

 

Goal #1:  Finish 2 books by the end of the challenge. I'm almost done with Education of a BodyBuilder (amazing book!), then I will choose and finish one more book by the end.

 

Goal #2: Have 50 notecards for the Commonplace book by the end of the challenge. Don't care what they are about or where they come from (book or quotes or nuggets of information from the interwebs), as long as they are there.

 

Notes: Reading > Netflix (in most cases). when I do read, I will start to take notes on index cards that I keep in each book that I am reading so that I can begin to put together a commonplace book so that I can draw upon that knowledge later, instead of just having a hundred books with highlighting in them that I can never find the information when I want it, like I have now

 

 

Quest 3: Shoulder Rehab

 

Hypothesis: If I do what my physical therapist says, my shoulder will get better .

 

Goals: Hit the gym 3 times a week while maintaining a routine that has my physical therapists stamp of approval.

 

Notes: I've had this injury for a while, and while it hasn't got worse, it hasn't got any better either. So I went to a physical therapist and go a list of no-no's and yes's for my routine

 

I can: do anything with my arms in front of me, ideally around the heart area. This includes: deadlift, rows, pushups, front squat, handstands, L-sits, ring supports

 

I can not: Do involves my shoulders being stretched out of my arms behind me. This includes: dips, squats, muscle ups, back levers, and stretching with my arms behind me.

 

New Gym Goals:

1. 350 lb deadlift

2. 160 lb bench

3. 185 lb front squat

4. 20 sec handstand

5. 30 pullups

 

 

Life Quest: Nutrition System

 

Hypothesis: If I develop a system a nutrition system, with a schedule, recipes, grocery lists, and meal prepping times, then I will make my life so much easier it's ridiculous.

 

Goal: Have a full blown "This is Brice's system for eating healthy in a efficient, non time consuming manner" complete with meal times, sample meal plans, recipes, grocery lists, the whole 9 yards that I can use as a blueprint for the next 6WC.

 

Notes: The bane of my gains is my eating habits. I eat pretty healthy in terms of substance. I also miss meals, allocate too much time (work from home + not meal prep = too many hours in the kitchen), and make myself frustrated constantly. I need a system. I have no organization. I got to get this shit under control. The way I'm doing it isn't working for me so I need to create something better and more efficient or as my time with other things increases my nutrition will suffer immensely.  I'm giving myself 6 weeks of research to come up with a plan, this should be sufficient.

 

Motivation: Self-development is an essential skill in life. Being weak and complacent is not an option.

[wxstormer]

Bro, you can do it...  

[Mera]

Awesome challenge! I totally failed on my meditation goal in my last challenge, so I'll observe your secrets to success (because of course you'll succeed)... What type of meditation are you doing?

 

Also love the idea of a commonplace book. Might have to start one myself...

[Kat on the Run]

That commonplace book is such an interesting idea! 

[breakwheel]

That commonplace book is such an interesting idea! 

 

I'm super excited about it. I started last night and I can't wait for the index cards to pile up over an extended period of time.

 

What type of meditation are you doing?

 

I can't say I really have a type of meditation. It's usually one of these three:

1. Some days it involves me trying to silence the mind and focus on breathing.

2. Other days when I can not silence the brain chatter I will try to focus on one thing rather than no thing, visualize goals and the future.

3. There are the days when I can not silence the thoughts at all, so I will just try to be still and let my brain do it's thing till the timer goes off.

 

How about you? What's your secret

 

 

Bro, you can do it...  

 

Yes I can! And so can you . Teamwork to the finish line sir.

[Mera]

 

How about you? What's your secret

 

 

Mindfulness of breathing is definitely a winner and I've also been practicing Mettabhavana (loving-kindness and all that)... There's a guided one here if you're interested.

[Mdowning]

Sub'd to watch you kick this challenge in the rear again, bro

[breakwheel]

Sub'd to watch you kick this challenge in the rear again, bro

 

 

hehe

[breakwheel]

Mindfulness of breathing is definitely a winner and I've also been practicing Mettabhavana (loving-kindness and all that)... There's a guided one here if you're interested.

 

Oh thank you. I will have to check out that guided one. I use those when I have no mental ability to focus so I let someone tell me what to do

[breakwheel]

Tuesday:

 

I gymed today and it was lovely. I got a new workout buddy so I am adjusting to having someone else there with me. It definitely throws off my focus having someone there and talking to them. But at the same time it's good for me to socialize a bit. And my buddy is a really good friend and personal trainer, so he teaches me a lot in the process. I just need to learn to focus my mind for those few seconds I am repping, then I can go back to being with other people while I rest.

 

Today's Workout:

 

Handstand practice 10 min

Front Squat 145lb 5x5

Pullups 4 sets

Ring Supports & Ball Work 4 sets (this is my new "dips" since I can't let actually do dips)

Front lever rows 4 sets

ring pushups 4 sets

 

Meditation: check

 

Commonplace Book: got notecards and a notecard folder and I couldn't be more excited to get this started

 

Nutrition based thingys:

Need to get a weigh in for the challenge (mostly reminding myself). Although I'm not focusing on weight, I need to keep track for later purposes.

 

Also I need to get a measurement for my arms and chest. 24 years of american style marketing everywhere you look has trained me to look at my stomach as a sign of progress, which is stupid as hell for a guy like me and I am aware of this but it's still hard to get out of my head. So I'm going to find a different benchmark of progress: arms and chest size (just like Arnold )

 

These numbers and new mindset will integrate into my nutrition system

[Twilight]

Whoohoo!

[breakwheel]

Thursday

 

Physical Therapy for shoulder rehab plus

Front Squat 150lb 3x5

Dumb Bell Bench 1x12 30lb,35lb,40lb

 

missed meditation

 

Met new bosses. Good work progress.

 

 

Friday

 

Mediation: check

 

Lots of work progress.

 

Yoga = nice.

 

I like coffee

 

I haven't read or note taken in a couple days but I've been working late. No rush.
 

Bought World Domination Summit ticket

[breakwheel]

Sunday

 

Missed my gym day yesterday but that's okay I made it today instead

 

And since it was Sunday there was no one there. Had the whole place to myself almost.

 

I have to say one of the things I am most excited about is how much I enjoy going to the gym lately. It's fun for me now. I was there for 2.5 hours today because it was Sunday and I wanted to work on stuff and I knew what to do so I did it. Which was a fun way to spend the afternoon. You never would have heard me say that one year ago. So this makes me happy.

 

Today's workout:

 

Handstand skill work

Front Squat 135lb. slow and controlled  5x 6 7 5 6 7

Pullups slow and controlled from a dead hang 6x  5 5 5 4 3

Ring Support Holds 7 sets x 15-20 sec

Ring Pushups slow and controlled 6 x 5 5 5 5 4 3

Deadlifts 185lb 3x4, 225 3x4, 245 3x2, 925 3x1, 315 3x1

Stretch

 

I posted a new deadlift form check here. So if anyone wants to drop by and give me form check advice I'd appreciate it.

 

 

Also...

 

I'm almost finished with Arnold's book. I've decided that my next book will be Work the System by Sam Carpenter. I hear it all about creating systems for businesses which is exactly what my new job asked me to start doing for them. The plan is to kick ass with my new job and make my new bosses trust me with more responsibility and therefore more work. Boom

[Mera]

Unfortunately couldn't see your workout link, but I'm sure it was awesome. Great to hear you're feeling happy about enjoying the gym. I had a similar feeling when I went for a run on Saturday morning. I was loving it and a year ago (or even 4 months ago) I would have laughed at the thought.

[Hazard]

Deadlifts 185lb 3x4, 225 3x4, 245 3x2, 925 3x1, 315 3x1

 

Very impressed by the 925. 

[Wufkar]

Very impressed by the 925. 

quite a jump from 245.

 

subb'd

[breakwheel]

quite a jump from 245.

 

subb'd

 

 

Very impressed by the 925. 

 

 

 

Yeah...noo that was totally what it was.......925...haha

 

I might have been a little lower but it was so long ago I can't remember. Probably something close

[breakwheel]

Updates:
 
Meditationing: Only missed one day so far. I feel good about this
 
Read/Commonplace Booking: completely finished Arnold's book. New one is in the mail.
 
Gyming Day. Today: check
 
Handstand work - 10 mins
Front Squat 135lb - 5x7
Pullups (dead hand switching from wide to close grip) 7x 5 5 5 3 3 1
TRX standing rows (pulling towards face and out which hit upper back, flex and hold) 5x10
Assisted one arm pushups 3x7
 
Nutrition Stuffs: I'm onto something here. I was doing research for an hour or two last night. I know what I need. I'm just going to build it out now.
 
 
Absolutely NO PURPOSE what-so-ever:
 
This music video is funny. as. shit.
 
It's pretty inappropriate. It's called "lemme freak". It's by a guy named "lil dicky". So you should know what to expect.
 
But it's hilarious

 

But you may lose intelligence as you watch it

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

I'm interested in hearing about your nutrition research!!  I work from home and have been aiming at making veggie soups in the crock pot - and freezing leftovers to save time on days that get way too busy (and would tempt me to skip a workout or hit fast food). 

[Twilight]

Right on, keep it up!

[Mera]

Ahahahahahaha... that video. Genius. 

 

Have you seen his first one?

[Mdowning]

How're things going?

[breakwheel]

Ahahahahahaha... that video. Genius. 

 

Have you seen his first one?

 

I have seen the first one and it is hilarious!

 

How're things going?

 

Goen well man! (update below) How's your challenge goen over there?

[breakwheel]

Update:
 
I went to Colorado for early thanksgiving with the family. I missed some goals but I was with the family so whatever
 
Meditation: Missed 4 days. Need to get back on track today
 
Gym: I missed deadlift day while I was out of town . But I will make that up ASAP
 
Reading: Getting lots of reading done which is nice. Need to take more notes. *noted*
 
And Gym Stuff:
 
11/18
Completely Forgot to write down exact workout. Looked something like the one below but weights and reps I don't know
 
11/25
I started doing 30sec rests in between sets rather than 2 minutes. I get way less reps in but it's a little different and way faster so I'm trying it out.
 
Front Squat 115lb 5x8
Pullups 3x5
Chin Up Negatives 2x1
TRX Rows 5x10
DB Bench 45lb 4x10

[Twilight]

Hope it's still going well!