The Swampling #11 - Making sure that the floor isn't a ceiling

[Swampling]

I'm not sure if "challenge" is the correct term for the next couple of weeks. While there will be a lot of work involved, my challenge is surely not going to be spectacular, there won't be any huge milestones to be achieved, and progress will be slow, at best.

Goal #1: Floor 1
I'll be starting the GMB program "Floor 1", which is supposed to teach me essential strength, agility and body control over the course of 14 weeks or so.
The program has me working on that 6 days a week, alternating balance, strength and flexibility days.

While I will have probably few problems with the flexibility basics, I have a lot to catch up on regarding strength and balance. For example, day 1 will start (after a proper warm-up, that is) with a crow hold, "up to 30 seconds", according to the program. Ha! As if... I can not really do a crow hold at all. For a second, maybe, if I'm lucky, on a good day, when the stars are in favour or something.  
So this is going to be interesting frustrating a good learning opportunity.

I'll also not have a dedicated handstand practice goal this time around, because there is going to be a lot of hand balancing (or training for hand balancing) in this program. No need to put more strain on the wussies than that.

Goal #2: Check up on those Emo Sugar Monsters
Same thing we do every night, Pinky... try to stay sugar free on 21 out of 42 challenge days. This should be easier, now that the holidays are over, and most of the treats have disappeared.

I'll stick to two health / fitness related goals, because anything more wouldn't make much sense for me right now. I will be going to my usual kettlebell and yoga classes on top of Floor 1, then there's Rosie, so in some weeks at least I will probably get mroe exercise than I have bargained for...

Life Goal: Set up a better working environment with Git and possibly a VM for development
Ahem. There is still a lot to do in this regard. So, the life goal stays.

- Check current Ubuntu VM for LANability.   
- Set up Apache + same PHP version as current dev machine on said Ubuntu VM.
- Figure out which DB to use (DB on current dev server? local DB on VM?).
- Install Git on VM, clone project data and set up repo so that we all can work with it.
- Git happily ever after.

Just like the last one, this challenge will be done without stat points and without leveling up. It's more about consistency and keeping doing the things that work than working on major changes.

 

Still, the battle cry remains...

 

JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM????!!!

[AshPS]

Whhhhhhoooooooooo hooooooooo!!!!!! :triumphant:

 

You got this my friend! Smart, sensible goals! 

 

And I will cheer you on all the way.  

 

Love you! Now Kick butt!  

[Swampling]

Thank you, Ash!

 

But Kick butt - right now?! I think I'll have a good night's sleep first. THEN kick butt in the morning.

[hwrdfrnd]

Good luck in your progress, I'm sure you will do well. Also, I really like the way gmb sets up their programs

[Sarah Barr]

Hey Swampling!

 

Floor 1 sounds fun! 

 

I have absolutely no idea what any of your life goal means, which in my book means it must be cool.

 

Good luck!

[Countess D'If]

I feel like I'm lucky if I get both feet off the ground for crow, let alone hold it for 30 seconds!

[Swampling]

Good luck in your progress, I'm sure you will do well. Also, I really like the way gmb sets up their programs

 

Thanks, hwrdfrnd!

 

This is the first "real" GMB program I'm attempting, but last challenge I had a lot of fun (and frustrations learning opportunities) with their 4-week Movement MultiVitamin. That has both rekindled my interest in gymnastics in general and shown me how bad I am at this kind of stuff after not doing anything like that for 25 years or so...

 

You are still rehabbing your shoulder before you can get back to your normal routine?

[Swampling]

Hey Swampling!

 

Floor 1 sounds fun! 

 

I have absolutely no idea what any of your life goal means, which in my book means it must be cool.

 

Good luck!

 

Hi Sarah!

 

Now that I have survived the first day, I still think that the program is a lot of fun.

 

Regarding my life goal - I'm sorry it is far less exciting than the marine biology trivia thingy you did. That was AWESOME!

[Swampling]

I feel like I'm lucky if I get both feet off the ground for crow, let alone hold it for 30 seconds!

 

Yup. Me too.

 

Though what I did find helpful is putting a bunched up comforter in front of me. So even if I topple over, I won't faceplant too hard. At least that gave me enough courage today to actually lean forward enough to get my toes off the ground. For maybe just one or two seconds, but I was able to repeat the miracle a couple of times! WOOO HOOO!

So the comforter will be my trusty crow companion for the time being.

[Swampling]

Week 1 Day 1:

 

#1: Floor 1 practice

I did this first thing in the morning. Since I'm still on vacation, I had the luxury to tackle this after a good night's sleep. I'm pretty sure that helped a lot - I'll see how things go when I'm back to exercising at 5:30 in the morning.

 

First win for today and for this challenge: I actually did manage to hold the crow pose! Each time only for a second or two, but I did it!

 

We are supposed to write down both the effort we put in for each exercise as well as the technique with which we execute the movement. Let's just say that today's effort was pretty much on the upper end of the scale, and technique rather at the opposite end.

My leet videoing skillz were also solidly on the low end of the spectrum today. Not ONE of the videos I took turned out okay. I was so super proud and reallyreally wanted proof of my bad-ass one second crow hold, and now I have to do it all AGAIN! OHNOES! 

 

#2: Emo Sugar Monster

 

Second win for today: No candy, no chocolate, no cookies, no muffins, no cake, no sugar! Some honey on my greek yogurt, but that is not a problem.

 

Challenge-unrelated win for today: It was sunny today, and I was on pony duty, so I went for a nice walk with Rosie. My left knee + ankle are still a bit wobbly, but it was good to be outside in the sun!

[AshPS]

WOOT WOOT! :triumphant:

 

That's the way to start a challenge!!

 

And yes, you must do it again. I expect to see video woman!

 

Now ROCK day two!

[Swampling]

Thanks, Ash!

 

Week 1, day 2, officially rocked:

 

#1: Floor 1:

First thing in the morning. I still suck terribly at pike push-ups, more so than usual because I haven't done any in a couple of months... But the jumps went well (as well as possible, considering that our basement gym has a very low ceiling, which I can almost touch with my outstretched hands when standing.

Hollow body holds and superman holds are also not really my strong suit (yet), so lots of room for improvement there, too!

In short: again a lot of effort and not so much technique, except for those jumps.

 

#2: Sugar Monster:

What Sugar Monster? Nonexistent today, but today was a holiday in our neck of the woods, there is no sugary stuff lying around at home, tempting me. Ask me again tomorrow after I've been back at work for a day.

 

#Life (so to speak): Ubuntu VM / Git

I hope I can get started on this tomorrow - it didn't work when I tried it from home. Although I was able to access my work machine remotely, courtesy of an unkillable MS Outlook notification I couldn't do diddly squat.

Tomorrow. Day. Another one. Right, Scarlett? *shrugs*

[hwrdfrnd]

 

You are still rehabbing your shoulder before you can get back to your normal routine?

Yeah I'm still down but more so just to be cautious this time around.

P.S. I had to google crow pose and then of course try one on the floor in my office lol I couldn't balance myself for a whole second

[Sygil]

Hurray! You're already kicking ass and I've barely had a chance to stop in to say hi

 

I shall once again wish you luck with "git happily ever after." I can't wait to hear you complain cheer about your git adventures It shall be fun! Quite possibly in a sort of masochistic sense.

[Tearose]

This looks AWESOME! That Floor One looks like something I would like to do at some point. Looks like fun!

[Beaucastle]

subbed

[Swampling]

Yeah I'm still down but more so just to be cautious this time around.

P.S. I had to google crow pose and then of course try one on the floor in my office lol I couldn't balance myself for a whole second

 

Seems I'm in good company - both doing fun exercises at the office (last seen frogging along our hallway during my last challenge ) and with not being able to hold a crow for a serious amount of time.

But I'm hoping to fix the latter.

 

Being cautious with an injury is a lesson I am still learning, too... Though I'm making progress in that regard.

[Swampling]

Hurray! You're already kicking ass and I've barely had a chance to stop in to say hi

 

I shall once again wish you luck with "git happily ever after." I can't wait to hear you complain cheer about your git adventures It shall be fun! Quite possibly in a sort of masochistic sense.

 

I'm sure there will be a lot of complaining cheering once I get my hands on Git & Co. again.

[Swampling]

This looks AWESOME! That Floor One looks like something I would like to do at some point. Looks like fun!

 

So far it is - though I have only three days of the program under my belt, so far.

 

I'll let you know how the fun factor holds up over time...

[Swampling]

subbed

 

Beau!!!

 

How are you doing? I missed you!

[Tearose]

Look what I just found http://www.globalbodyweighttraining.com/the-animal-flow-workout-fitness-video/

I thought of you right away.

[Sarah Barr]

Look what I just found http://www.globalbodyweighttraining.com/the-animal-flow-workout-fitness-video/

I thought of you right away.

 

That looks both very fun and nowhere near as cheesy as I thought it might be.

[Tearose]

That looks both very fun and nowhere near as cheesy as I thought it might be.

Yeah when I read the title I laughed and rolled my eyes.

[Swampling]

Look what I just found http://www.globalbodyweighttraining.com/the-animal-flow-workout-fitness-video/

I thought of you right away.

 

You know, this is a wonderful addition to my "when I grow up I wanna be able to do this" list!

Awesome body control!

And nope... not envious in the least... uh-uh...

[Swampling]

Week 1 day 3:

 

#1: Floor 1

Done first thing in the morning. Ho-boy, getting up at 5:15 a.m. for getting the exercise in is really hard after almost so many luxurious vacation days! *sigh* Since day 3 in the current program has warm-up, optional handstand or mobility work, and cool down stretches, this was really nice! I opted for a couple of kick-up handstands.

 

#2: Emo Sugar Monster

 

I had a pretty rough day in this regard.

It was my first day at work, and there on my desk was a huge box of thank-you-chocolates from my boss for coming in an extra day before Christmas.

 

At first, the procrastination Sugar Monster tried to persuade me to "have just one chocolate" before I started any serious work. I declined.

Then the treat Sugar Monster insisted that "just one chocolate for dessert" wouldn't hurt. I declined again.

Because I had planned on taking that humongous box of chocolates home to the FC for safekeeping. And I wanted to hand it over unopened.

Take that, Monsters!

 

Then I spent an hour on the subway (which I hate) to get to and back from an appointment with the Drill Master that didn't happen (d'oh!) because of a mess up with the DM's new minion. Couldn't kick minion's ass there and then, will have to wait for another opportunity...

After I got back to the office, the Frustration Monster wanted me to open that box pretty badly. I declined again.

 

For the rest of the workday, I was fine.

 

But then... life happened. On my way home, my train got delayed "indefinitely", probably thanks to a thoughtful idiot who decided to commit suicide by train during commuter hours. Okay, the last time something like this happened, "indefinitely" had been over after 20 minutes or so, so I decided to wait it out for the time being.

I was also on pony duty that day, meaning that after I got home and changed into more suitable barn attire, I'd have approx. 1 1/2 - 2 hours of drive - barn chores - drive before I could call it a day.

 

After one hour sitting on that delayed train without any info on when "indefinitely" was going to end, they finally decided to tell us that we had to take the (slower) suburban train, then some bus to cover the part of the route where emergency teams were apparently still hard at work, and THEN change back to the "normal" trains - which run only every hour to the place I live.

I did the math, and it wasn't pretty - that would have taken me at least another hour and a half (if I was lucky enough to catch a train immediately) to get home.

 

I still didn't touch that chocolate.

 

TAXI! I found a driver who was 1) willing to drive outside of town and 2) took credit cards, because I knew I didn't have that kind of cash on me.

 

By the time I found the taxi, it was already a quarter to eight. Plus at least 45 minutes drive to my car, home, change, pony duty... Okay. Not ideal, but still doable.  Or so I thought.

 

We arrived at my car, and guess what? The credit card thingy couldn't get any internet reception. Because, yeah, I live in the country. Cell service can be wonky. To the nearest ATM (safe bet, but takes longer) or home and hope the FC has that kind of cash lying around (not so safe bet, but quicker, if successful)?

I opted for the FC and was lucky.

At least I could leave the chocolate in the FC's capable hands while I went on gallivanting, collecting my car from the train station, etc.

 

Back to the car (by taxi, again), scraped ice of windows, hoped that the battery wasn't ALL dead yet (the car had been finicky for a couple of days already), and drove back home. To change and drive to the barn. And drive SLOWLY.

 

Did I mention that there was ice on the roads? No? Well, it was 9:30 before I got to the barn and could finally feed the poor, starving pony.

 

I finally got home at about 10:30 (hooray, dinner! But still no chocolate). Whew.

 

Exhausting day, but I stayed totally chocolate free!

As Ash would say: "so stinkin' proud!"