Erick the Red: Harnessing my Fury

[Erick the Red]

Day 10, Wednesday, 14 Jan 2015

 

Water:

Goal 1: Stay hydrated: 4 liters of water per day. 3/7 for the week.

Goal 2: At least five minutes of pre-hab/re-hab per day, using The Stick and the foam roller. 2/7 for the week. Ack. Got reading Helene Wecker's The Golem and the Jinni and just forgot (again).  :/

 

Earth:

Goal 3: At least two days per week of lifting heavy iron in the gym. 1/2. Rest day. 

 

Metal:

Goal 4: At least two times per week, twenty minutes or more of metabolic conditioning. 1/2. Rest day. In hindsight, should have done something.  :/

[Jakkals]

This makes me wonder? Am I strange?

[Erick the Red]

This makes me wonder? Am I strange?

 

While I think it is safe to say that your strangeness is assured, in what way do you think that you may be strange?

 

EDITED TO ADD:  After a night of sleep, I finally understand your meaning.  In response: yes, Jakkals, you are strange, but you are my kind of strange, so that's all right.

[Xena]

Guilty.  But this crowd are my people

 

Yes we are :-) 

Your metabolic conditioning goal sounds hard (my inner voice is whine-y). How's that one going for you motivation-wise?

[Erick the Red]

Your metabolic conditioning goal sounds hard (my inner voice is whine-y). How's that one going for you motivation-wise?

 

I am actually pretty motivated for this one.  And trying to make sure I get out twice a week for a run and/or some interval training is basic body maintenance for me. 

 

My short term motivation is to be able to have a fun time on the battlefield at this particular SCA event in March, but I also have 10K races and probably even another half marathon later this year that I would like to do.  I need to keep my muscles and especially my tendons in some kind of basic maintenance to be able to do other fun things later. 

 

And fundamentally, the reason I keep coming back to these boards (besides the pleasure of interacting with all of you pleasant people) is to do two things:

 

(1) maintain my own daily quality of life: tie my own shoelaces, climb a few flights of stairs without being winded, carry a few bags of groceries from the store to my vehicle,

 

and

 

2) be prepared for emergencies: sprint to catch a small child before they walk into traffic, pull someone out of a car that has fallen into deep water.

 

I don't have my own clear personal performance standards (but I probably should) to know am fit to do either of these things. 

 

Some people have tried:

 

Every man should be able to save his own life. He should be able to swim far enough, run fast and long enough to save his life in case of emergency and necessity. He also should be able to chin himself a reasonable number of times, as well as to dip a number of times, and he should be able to jump a reasonable height and distance.

 

Emergencies happen, and I have small children.  One of my worst fears, maybe my worst fear, is that at some point I will need to save a child's life and not have the physical capacity to do so.

 

So when I just don't want to do anything, sometimes that is my motivation.

 

And I am sure that was more of an answer than Xena was expecting.

[Erick the Red]

Day 11, Thursday, 15 Jan 2015

 

Water:

Goal 1: Stay hydrated: 4 liters of water per day. 4/7 for the week.  This is becoming habitual during the work week.

Goal 2: At least five minutes of pre-hab/re-hab per day, using The Stick and the foam roller. 3/7 for the week. After being burned the day before, made time before bed to make this happen.

 

Earth:

Goal 3: At least two days per week of lifting heavy iron in the gym. 1/2. Justifiable but lamentable rest day. Plan to get to the gym on Saturday morning.

 

Metal:

Goal 4: At least two times per week, twenty minutes or more of metabolic conditioning. 1/2. Rest day. As above.  Plan for a short run outside this evening (Friday) after work before dinner.  It may get to 45F (7C), so better than earlier this week.

[Librarian of Doom]

Glad to hear the water habit is getting easier! And yeah, it's warmed up nicely here, so hopefully it will where you are as well!

[CourtnieMarie]

yeah on the water! its so nice when it becomes a habit

[Erick the Red]

Glad to hear the water habit is getting easier! And yeah, it's warmed up nicely here, so hopefully it will where you are as well!

 

Warmer is relative.  We had snow yesterday, but it did not stick.

 

 

yeah on the water! its so nice when it becomes a habit

 

Habitual walks to the bathroom as well.  Keeps me active at the office!

[CourtnieMarie]

 

Habitual walks to the bathroom as well.  Keeps me active at the office!

haha! yes! i remember when i first started drinking more water that was typical for me and i was heading to the bathroom probably every hour! i think your body does get used to it though because i'm much better now

[Firedance]

Habitual walks to the bathroom as well.  Keeps me active at the office!

 

This is my life because of all the tea i drink haha!

[RoxyFreefall]

Erick your challenge is looking great so far. Great job on the water. I drink about 2L a day and somedays that is hard to squeeze in. I cant imagine drinking 4L. That just sounds like sooo much water.

[Erick the Red]

haha! yes! i remember when i first started drinking more water that was typical for me and i was heading to the bathroom probably every hour! i think your body does get used to it though because i'm much better now

 

If I did a better job of spreading it out through the day I think it would be easier.  Some days it is not so bad.

 

This is my life because of all the tea i drink haha!

 

If both of us did ten pushups every time we got up, we would have arms of steel.

 

Erick your challenge is looking great so far. Great job on the water. I drink about 2L a day and somedays that is hard to squeeze in. I cant imagine drinking 4L. That just sounds like sooo much water.

 

Good to see you again!  I had missed your ne wchallenge thread.  Sorry about that!

 

My only superpower is a near-infinitely extendable stomach.  Occasionally becomes useful, but usually just means that I have a hard time with using my body as a judge for portion control.  

[Erick the Red]

Day 12, Friday, 16 Jan 2015

 

Water:

Goal 1: Stay hydrated: 4 liters of water per day. 5/7 for the week. 

Goal 2: At least five minutes of pre-hab/re-hab per day, using The Stick and the foam roller. 3/7 for the week.  Evening out, and didn't get home until late.  Forgot.  :/

 

Earth:

Goal 3: At least two days per week of lifting heavy iron in the gym. Still 1/2. 

 

Metal:

Goal 4: At least two times per week, twenty minutes or more of metabolic conditioning. 2/2. Ran for ten minutes, but I did not dress warm enough and was barely getting warmed up as I got back to the house after my first mile.  Probably could have gone longer, but I was back home by then.  Finished my time with a sledgehammer interval workout based on THIS ONE, but skipped the rowing.

[Erick the Red]

Day 13, Saturday, 17 Jan 2015

 

Water:

Goal 1: Stay hydrated: 4 liters of water per day. 5/7 for the week.  Poor early planning meant I did not have enough time to get more than three liters.  But I am glad that I got at least that.

Goal 2: At least five minutes of pre-hab/re-hab per day, using The Stick and the foam roller. 4/7 for the week.  Stretches after lifting at the gym, and a little roller work in the evening.

 

Earth:

Goal 3: At least two days per week of lifting heavy iron in the gym. 2/2.

Rowing 5 minutes warmup.

Deadlift 45 pounds x 5 reps, 135x5, 185x5, 185x5 -- same weight as last week, but added another set.  Felt good.  Will go up in weight next time.

Standing Dumbbell overhead press with two thirty pound weights, five sets of ten.  Last reps of fourth and fifth sets were at maximum effort.

Barbell squat 45x10, 95x5, 135x5, 135x5, 135x5.  Good to get back up to one large plate on each side.  Still room to go up.

Farmer's walk with two 35-pound plates, three laps with a few minutes rest between each.

 

Metal:

Goal 4: At least two times per week, twenty minutes or more of metabolic conditioning. 2/2. Rest day. 

[Erick the Red]

Day 14, Sunday, 18 Jan 2015

 

Water:

Goal 1: Stay hydrated: 4 liters of water per day. Still 5/7 for the week.  Over two liters, but I need to find a cue to drink more in the morning.

Goal 2: At least five minutes of pre-hab/re-hab per day, using The Stick and the foam roller. 5/7 for the week.  A little roller work in the evening. Some quadriceps and hamstring tightness, but otherwise 

getting to be diminishing marginal returns.  Going to introduce some new stretches.

 

Earth:

Goal 3: At least two days per week of lifting heavy iron in the gym. 2/2.

 

Metal:

Goal 4: At least two times per week, twenty minutes or more of metabolic conditioning. 2/2.

[Erick the Red]

Week 2 Round up:

 

 

Water:

Goal 1: Stay hydrated: 4 liters of water per day. 5/7 for the week.  Great during the work week, less so in the weekend, but still over 2L per day, so not too bad.

Goal 2: At least five minutes of pre-hab/re-hab per day, using The Stick and the foam roller. 5/7 for the week.  If my bedtime ritual gets messed up I miss the cue, but otherwise OK.  

 

Earth:

Goal 3: At least two days per week of lifting heavy iron in the gym. 2/2. Good.

 

Metal:

Goal 4: At least two times per week, twenty minutes or more of metabolic conditioning. 2/2. Good, probably need more.

[Xena]

Goal 4: At least two times per week, twenty minutes or more of metabolic conditioning. 2/2. Ran for ten minutes, but I did not dress warm enough and was barely getting warmed up as I got back to the house after my first mile.  Probably could have gone longer, but I was back home by then.  Finished my time with a sledgehammer interval workout based on THIS ONE, but skipped the rowing.

 

 

I know that one well...once you get cold, it's all over. Good that you came back in and even better that you did something else. Overall the last few days look great...you are ready to move on to harder or different versions of things. That all sounds very promising!

 

[Librarian of Doom]

Great week 2! Let me know if you figure out something that works for the water when at home; that is such a struggle!

[Erick the Red]

I know that one well...once you get cold, it's all over. Good that you came back in and even better that you did something else. Overall the last few days look great...you are ready to move on to harder or different versions of things. That all sounds very promising!

 

 

Thanks, promising is what I am good at.  I need to get better at delivering.

 

Great week 2! Let me know if you figure out something that works for the water when at home; that is such a struggle!

 

My wife has a big bottle that she has marked the hours of the day on the outside, so that at a glance she can tell if she is "on schedule" or not.  So one column for AM and one for PM, or something like that to get to two bottles per day.  It works for her (unless someone else starts drinking out of it). 

[Erick the Red]

Day 15, Monday, 19 Jan 2015

 

Water:

Goal 1: Stay hydrated: 4 liters of water per day. 1/7 for the week. Still need to do better in the morning, and had to drink more after 7pm than I had intended.

Goal 2: At least five minutes of pre-hab/re-hab per day, using The Stick and the foam roller. 0/7 for the week. Chaotic bedtime, and I forgot.  :/

 

Earth:

Goal 3: At least two days per week of lifting heavy iron in the gym. 0/2. Plan for Tuesday evening and Friday(?).  Saturday will be busy, so I'm not sure there. 

 

Metal:

Goal 4: At least two times per week, twenty minutes or more of metabolic conditioning. 1/2. Warmer afternoon, up to 70F/21C. 4 miles/6.4km, 40 minutes.  Ran up the hills and walked down som of them.  Sore and tight later in the day, should really have stretched/rolled/done something rehabilitative.

[Librarian of Doom]

My wife has a big bottle that she has marked the hours of the day on the outside, so that at a glance she can tell if she is "on schedule" or not.  So one column for AM and one for PM, or something like that to get to two bottles per day.  It works for her (unless someone else starts drinking out of it). 

 

Yeah, the kids are constantly drinking out of mine, so that probably wouldn't work. Same problem I have with tracking food. I get it measured out, and the munchkins are like "Can I have some?"

 

 

Day 15, Monday, 19 Jan 2015

 

Water:

Goal 1: Stay hydrated: 4 liters of water per day. 1/7 for the week. Still need to do better in the morning, and had to drink more after 7pm than I had intended.

Goal 2: At least five minutes of pre-hab/re-hab per day, using The Stick and the foam roller. 0/7 for the week. Chaotic bedtime, and I forgot.  :/

 

Earth:

Goal 3: At least two days per week of lifting heavy iron in the gym. 0/2. Plan for Tuesday evening and Friday(?).  Saturday will be busy, so I'm not sure there. 

 

Metal:

Goal 4: At least two times per week, twenty minutes or more of metabolic conditioning. 1/2. Warmer afternoon, up to 70F/21C. 4 miles/6.4km, 40 minutes.  Ran up the hills and walked down som of them.  Sore and tight later in the day, should really have stretched/rolled/done something rehabilitative.

 

 

Oh, chaotic bedtime, I know it well. Nice temps! It's getting colder again here. All I want is a planet with no/limited axial tilt and a mean temperature of about 70F. Is that too much to ask?

[Evicious]

[Xena]

 

Goal 4: At least two times per week, twenty minutes or more of metabolic conditioning. 1/2. Warmer afternoon, up to 70F/21C. 4 miles/6.4km, 40 minutes.  Ran up the hills and walked down som of them.  Sore and tight later in the day, should really have stretched/rolled/done something rehabilitative.

I can't remember what that would be like.

I don't know how formal your work situation is. I have a lacrosse ball at my desk and I love using it for pressure points during the work day. It really helps my hamstring. Doesn't replace your stretching/rolling goal, but is a good supplement.

[Erick the Red]

Nice temps! It's getting colder again here. All I want is a planet with no/limited axial tilt and a mean temperature of about 70F. Is that too much to ask?

 

We have had some pretty wide fluctiation in temperature over the last two weeks, but I'll take it. 

 

 

 

 

I could not have imagined a cuter snail.

 

I can't remember what that would be like.

 

Come visit us in Alabama.  Leave the cold home this time.

 

I don't know how formal your work situation is. I have a lacrosse ball at my desk and I love using it for pressure points during the work day. It really helps my hamstring. Doesn't replace your stretching/rolling goal, but is a good supplement.

 

I have a couple lacrosse balls at home that I hardly ever use anymore.  I should bring one in to work for this.  And as a weapon if occasion requires.  "Be Prepared!"