Skink a dink maroo

There once was a man from sri lanka
He worked as a personal banker
But gave it all up
To follow his dream
Of sailing a big oil tanker

Workout 16 & 17

Last week my computer died a horrible death, so I didn't log my workout. I've now managed to misplace my numbers, so it's a bit of a guess here and there. Time will tell if I'm blowing my own horn.
Workout 16
 Warmup:
   Mobility: Rocking, Rolling, and Crawling. Movement.
 Squats:
   Full Squats: 50,30 (meant to be 2x30, so I guess I can move on!)
 Pullups:
   Plate Rows: 10
   Inverted Rows: 20,15,10 (hmm?)

Workout 17
 Warmup:
   Mobility: Rock, Roll, Crawl. Movement.
 Pushups:
   Incline: 10
   Kneeling: 30,30,28 (didn't force the final 30)
 Abs:
   Seated: 40, 40, 40
I'm cooked after the abs. damn. that was tiring. out...

Workout 15

Mobility
Rocks, Rolls, and Crawls
Pushup:
  Incline: 10
  Kneeling: 30,30,25

Abs:
  Planks: 30sec
  Seated: 40,40,40

I'll take it. Time to move to level 2 abs. I'm tired of the seated version.

Mastery or Multiplicity

Often we are forced to decide what our main focus will be. If we want to stand out from the crowd, we will generally have to focus on a something specific. It's unusual to stand out from the crowd if you do not invest significant time and effort on your chosen area of expertise. That time will no longer be available to use in improving other areas.
If you choose to be multi-skilled, then you must spread your time across the various areas of endeavour. This means that you will not have time to master a single area.
So, ultimately, you will need to decide what appeals to you. Do want to be someone known for a specific skill, or will you trade fame for being known simply for being pretty good at a lot of stuff.
I've always gone for the multiplicitous approach. Not exactly a 'jack of all trades', but someone able to show skill and ability in a wide range of activities. I like the idea of being a 'Renaissance Man'. Look it up. Another name for it is a Polymath. That's my goal. So I accept the fact that I will never deadlift 800lbs, but I prefer being able to do lots of things rather than just one or two.
What are you? A master of one, or an artisan of a few?...

A Code

Do you have a code that you live by?
Ancient warriors often had a rigorous set of rules or tenets to live by. It was a way to maintain order among a bunch of people who trained to fight. It was also a way to allow people to strive toward a goal. The goal was to be a better person, to have more honour, or to be held in higher regard.
The modern world seldom has anything similar to offer a person. The closest thing is the media. The media tells people what they should look like, what they should own, the type of lifestyle they should lead, and what the hot topics of the moment are. But, it never actually encourages one to develop character or to show honour to others. It does not encourage integrity and truthfulness. The main focus is 'me'. Me first.
There is much to be said for living by a code however. Having a code makes one accountable, which leads to acting responsibly. It gives one a barometer by which to measure oneself, and if needed to strive towards improvement. It trains one in reaching for goals. It helps one to be a better child, sibling, or parent. Virtuous people are rare, and valued by any who have the sense to see virtue as a positive trait.
Having a code will not make life easier, but it will give more quality to the time you spend on the surface of the ground. And if you pass it on to others, it will do the same for them.
What virtues do you deem especially noteworthy? Make those part of your personal code. Live by them.
Accept a code. Accept responsibility for your actions. Be better. Live better.

Workout 14

It's been bitterly cold the last few days. Snow, and sleet, and rain alternating.
But, I thought I better brave the freezing garage and get a bit of work done...

Shoulder mobility

Pullups:
  Inverted: 16,10

Squats:
  Half: 10
  Close: 10 (actually jumped ahead a level here)

Now, I'm back in the warmth. Time for a coffee...

Workout 13

Mobility

Pushup:
  Incline: 10
  Kneeling: 30,25,20

Abs:
  Planks: 30sec
  Seated: 40, 40, 20

No chopping of firewood today as the rain has moved in...

Inner Superhero

The problem with superheroes is their lack of all-round ability and fortitude. I mean, if you're going to be a super, why not be 100% super?
Superman: Strong. Fast. Resilient. Often touted to be the best of the best. One word: Kryptonite.
The Hulk: Strong. Resilient. Gets more powerful as his anger grows. Two Words: Bruce Banner.
Spiderman: Strong. Agile. Spider sense. Two Words: Not Resilient.
The list goes on. Every hero has an achilles heel (ha!), a weakness that can be exploited. An enemy just has to strike the weakpoint, and its tickets. (although, for some reason the bad guys never really try to kill the hero. There are only botched attempts to exploit the weakness. Maybe it's because bad guys are not allowed to win by the laws of the universe). Perhaps this is an attempt to make ordinary people feel better about their own weakpoints.
It sucks. I want a superhero that is actually super. No weakpoints, no secret allergic reactions to allicin. A true honest-to-goodness invulnerability (including psychic power invulnerability).
Throw in super-speed, super-strength, flight and you have the makings of a superhero that will kick every other superheroes butt. There are several other powers that can be thrown in for good measure.
I don't think this hero will find much support. Why? Because we actually want to see the hero overcome the weakness, or win in spite of having it. We need to see him do it so that we might feel, even for a second, that no matter how big our issues, we can also overcome if we use our inner hero.
I think deep down we all want to be a superhero. Not because we want to be more powerful than a steaming locomotive (some of us do), but because we want to believe we have the power to overcome our limits.
Our limits seem so rigid, so set in stone that it would take a super-power to break through them. In reality the only power usually required is willpower.
If you knuckle down, believe in yourself and simply hang in there when the going gets tough, you can overcome those limits. So, you can be a superhero. You can overcome your limits. All you have to do is apply your super-power (aka willpower).
Break through those limits.

Workout 12

I feel a cold coming on... hate it. I guess when you move, it takes a while to adjust to the new germs...

Squats
  Half-Squats: 50,50

Pullups
  Plate rows 10kg: 5
  Inverted Row: 19,10,7
 Small foot adjustment to bring my chest in line with bar.
 Might assist a bit.

Then I chopped some more wood...

Workout 11

Back to the grindstone:

Pushups:
  Wall pushups: 15
  Incline Pushups: 40,40,40

Abs:
  Seated Abs: 40, 26, 20

Wasn't really in the mood today... feel like I'm three sleeps behind.

Regrets

"I coulda been a contender!"
We can all look at where we are in life and think "if only I had done such and such" or "if I hadn't done that I'd be in a better position now". We all have regrets. I use the term loosely because for some they are no more than "coulda been" and for others they are true stabbing through the heart wishes that things weren't as they are.
However, no matter which group you fit into, you can still do something about it. It all comes down to choices. You can choose to sit around and waste more time thinking about what could have been or you can focus your energy into something constructive. Maybe you traded a possible life as a sports-star for an education (or even the opposite). Well, you could sit around moping about making the wrong choice or accept responsibility for you choices. You made the choice, life is what it is, but what comes next is up to you. Time to choose.
Will you sit around for another couple of years and achieve nothing and regret more, or can you accept the responsibility now and make a new choice?
Even if your current regretted situation is no fault of your own (inherited disease, victim of circumstances) you are still in a position to choose how you will respond to your situation. How will you go forward?
Life is too short. When you blink, you find yourself ten years down the track. You will never again be as young as you are now. Time is wasting. So, enjoy where you are, but don't accept any limits that are imposed upon you. Limits should be there because you want them there, because you chose them.
To be free of regrets you need to look at your decisions, look at your actions, and decide whether they are what you truly want. If they aren't, the solution is easy: choose again and do what you have to!