Inner Peace

Have you done what you dreamed you would?
Have your dreams been replaced by regrets?
You didn't achieve what you dreamed of because you got injured, someone else got the scholarship, you had to get a job, had to look after a family member.
Shame. Too bad. So sad.
Deal with it. You're not the first first person that has had roadblocks put in their way. Life is all about choices. It's about making decisions and living with them.
There may be regrets, but they should be minimal and remembered only for educational purposes. Get rid of any emotional attachment to the worst bits of the past. Focus on what you can do now. Where can you go from here?
If you are over 25 and you haven't been training full time with the goal of being an Olympian, it's probably not going to happen. (of course, I don't know your circumstances).
If you can let go of the past dreams, then you have a chance to make new ones that you can achieve. They may be more modest, but if they really focus on what is deep down in your guts, then it will be worthwhile for you to pursue.
It may not be a gold medal at the Olympics, but perhaps it can be a gold medal performance.
A life lived by looking at what you missed out on, is a life not lived. Focus on what you do have, and what you can do, and you will have a life that is lived.
Seek it, Find it, Never Yield.
Fight! ... Win!

Workout 36 37 38

Last week was Max week for 531, so I thought I'd just post the achievements:
[All weight in KG].

Workout 36:
  Deadlift: 130x2 [Double Overhand Grip - Sumo Style]
  Dips: 20 rep set. 41 reps in 3 Sets.

Workout 37:
  Bench: 81x3 [Narrow Grip] > Went ok. Didn't strain too much. (No Spotters).
  Inverted Row: 20 rep set. 42 reps in 3 sets.

Workout 38:
  Squat: 115x4 [Below parallel. Low bar position is hell. Will need a lot of work. Upper back is weak link].
  Press: 55x4. [Getting better].
  Chinups: 13 reps. [Been a long time since I could do 13 straight].

Not a bad week over all. One step at a time will get me back to more respectable figures.

Deadlifts will progress quickly once I go back to mixed grip regular style. Just making sure that my form is good enough.
Squats will go up too. My back is the limiter at the moment. Not used to proper low-bar position. Legs are doing the weight easily.
Bench will probably take a while as I try to get focus on my notoriously weak triceps.

The little engine that could keeps chugging along...

An Interesting Point of View

The first post of the week features an article I found interesting.
You can make up your own mind about it here:
http://takimag.com/article/never_trust_anyone_who_hasnt_been_punched_in_the_face/print#axzz1XL0fbs4n

KIS

Something has been sitting in the back of my mind for the past week or so. It's been like a small thorn embedded in my foot. You don't feel it all the time, only when there is a bit of pressure on the spot.
Well, I finally started to give it some attention.

I have been so caught up in trying to somehow include all my conflicting goals and workout options that I broke my own programming principle number 1: Keep It Simple.

It's not always possible to have a really simple program, but 90% of programs should be simple.

Goal: Get Big\Strong? Use Basic Barbell Exercises. Squat, Deadlift, Press, Bench, Row, Chin.
Those exercises pretty much cover the bases. Perhaps you need a little bit of accessory work.
But, it should be supplemental.

I've started working this into my workouts, and it will be more visible in the next cycle.
Guys like Dan John, Jim Wendler, Mark Rippetoe, Bill Starr have layed the foundation.
All we really need to do is build on it.

Will there be more Bodyweight and Kettlebells in the future? Yes.
(Even in the Barbell program, there will be some bodyweight work).
But, for now, I think it's best to focus on one goal at a time. And maybe a supplemental goal.

Goal: Get Strong. (ie Back to strength levels I had before my country shift).
Supplemental: Get Bigger.
Tools: Barbells and Food.
So, the next couple of weeks will determine the success of the approach.

Workout 35

Warmup: Mobility.
               Some bodyweight.
Workout:
     Squat: 50x5, 65x5, 85x3, 96x3, 108x4
     Press: 20x5, 30x5, 40x3, 46x3, 53x3 (final set was a bit high die to lack of weights)
       Alternating with 12 reps of band face-pulls
     Press: 20x20
     Chinups: 12-, 6-, 5-

A good workout. Solid work, Progress still ok.

Note: I'm considering moving some of the CC work into the warmup to be able to keep the workout simple.
         "-" after a number indicates a negative final rep (eg 12- = 12 reps + negative to finish)

Simplicity Is Best

I've read thousands of articles on training, and probably put together thousands of training plans. Most of the plans were only used a few times, if at all. I learned from this.
What I learned was that most people are lazy. It doesn't matter if you work out a fancy 12 week double progression or conjugated periodisation. Most will simply stop using it after the novelty wears off, if at all.
So now my training advice comes in bite-size chunks. Fitness-tweets if you will.
Drink more water.
Eat fewer carbs.
Walk for 15min every day.
Do a push, a pull, a squat and a hinge every workout. And some core.
What about sets, reps, rest periods, % of max? I don't really care. If a person actually does follow through on the advice, they will improve. If they eat fewer carbs, or walk every day, they will get some results. If they like that and decide to ge more serious, then we can talk. If the don't then I've avoided spending my time and effort creating a plan for nothing.

If you decide that simple and sustainable is what you want, and you're willing to put in the work check out info from the coaches that know how.
Check out Mark Rippetoe, Jim Wendler, Dan John. They have plans that you can easily follow. Calculator, stopwatch and numerous exercise machines not required.
Oh, when I say 'easily' follow, it has to do with mental energy. Rest assured that you'll need a lot of physical energy...

Workout 34

Squat: 60kg x 5,7,10
Bench: 30x7 40x6 55x5 65x5 75x7  (531)
C1: Inverted Row: 15 12  10 9 4      (CC)
C2: Leg Raise:       20 15 12 3          (CC)

Plan Your Journey

The way to ensure that you stick to a plan is to make it rewarding. If you are continually rewarded for sticking to the plan, you will stick to the plan. It's a good cycle.
I don't mean eat a cupcake every Fridayif you avoid sweets for a week. (But, hey, if that will continue to work for you - go for it).
Break up your end goal into smaller chunks. These can be as short as a week or a month. It will depend on you, and the nature of your goals.

The 531 plan is a good example: Three weeks out of four you get a chance to break a record. That kind of continual success helps one to stick to a plan that is otherwise pretty plain.

Do the same thing with your goals. Set the long-term goal that resonates with your inner desire, then break it up. Each week (month) knock down a piece of it. Pretty soon you will achieve what you desire.

Workout 33

After a week of kettlebells (for recovery), its back to the heavy stuff:

Warmup: Mobility

Workout:
One-Leg Squats (CC): 5,7,10
Deadlift (531): 50x5,70x5,85x5,98x5,110x5,120x5
C1: Pushups:    20,10,10,10
C2: Face Pulls: 10,10,10,10
Short Bridge (CC): 15,12,13,12

And today I'm feeling it. Went for the extra set on deadlift cos I knew it was in reach. 110 was easy.
I'm glad that the Deadlift strength is coming back quick.

Goal Changes

Do you suffer from Perpetual Goal Change Syndrome? Are your goals as flexible as a rhythmic gymnast? You're probably not alone.
Many people have a hard time really focussing on one or two goals that are truly what they want to achieve. The world we live is also always obsessed with the latest trend. And those trends seldom last longer than two issues of a gossip magazine.
What to do?
Do you try to keep up, constantly changing your benchmarks? Or doggedly put your head down and keep going for that goal you set way back when you didn't need to shave every day?
The answer is actually a bit of both.
Persistence and Perseverance are important. Sticking to your plan when the going gets tough is a good way to develop many positive qualities.
But, what if your life changes? Or you re-evaluate your goals and realise that they are not what you really want to achieve?
It's no good achieving something which no longer holds any value for you. Better in such cases is to sit down and weigh up your options. Decide whether you really do need to change your goals or whether you are just looking for an excuse.
Goals change, life is not stable.
Sticking to your long-term plan is important, and the way to reach your goal, but if you realise that the goal is not what you truly desire, its better to change it.
If you take the time to really think about what is important to you, you'll find a long-term goal that rings true. Once you've done that, you can apply persistence and perseverance to it once again...

Why Do You Train?

It's easier to stay on the couch. It's easier to eat whatever you want. It's easier to allow your muscles to atrophy and your health to fade away.
It doesn't happen overnight, so there will be no sensation of it happening. Besides you'll be enjoying all the pleasure that can be had from zero activity and supersized meals. You don't need a lot of strength to lift a remote or get a cheeseburger to your mouth.
Enjoy it. Life is too short.

Exactly.
Life is too short for me to try shortening it even more by clogging up my arteries, weakening my immune system, and having a hard time just moving around.
I train to be stronger (muscle mass assists with longevity. And strength is cool).
I train to be fitter (so I can play WITH my kids).
I eat to be healthy (so I can be around to play with my kids' kids).
And I train simply for the joy that comes from achieving goals and self-improvement.

It's about what you want out of tomorrow.
Do you want to accomplish something or simply watch your measure of life slowly drip away...

The Test

Imagine that the world as we know it comes to an end. Whether it's due to major geological events, or the aftermath of a catastrophic political decision to launch some nukes.
Everything that you take for granted is gone. No electricity, no telecommunications, no mechanised transport.
Want food and water? You must hunt/find it.
Want shelter? You must build it.
Want security? You are it.
In that situation, what are your chances given your current physical situation? Would you be able to run away if required, fight if necessary and search for food?
That's the test.
You'll probably never be in that situation, but if you train to be ready for even such an extreme situation then the much smaller obstacles that life throws at you will be much easier to deal with.
Train for the worst, hope for the best, deal with whatever actually happens.

History... And Starting Out

I recently read an interview with Ed Coan. (For those who don't know, he's considered one of the greatest powerlifters of all time). It proved to be quite enlightening.
Here are some points I picked out:
  - He trained 3-4 times a week.
  - He did a few proper worksets
  - He used periodization
What I mostly picked up though, was that he must be gifted. He has always been strong. Which raises the question of whether his training had much impact? Could he have done better on a different protocol?
But, that line of thinking only ends in debates and what-ifs. We'll never know for sure.

So for the ordinary among us (ie those that can't Squat 700 odd pounds RAW) it's best to follow a program for a few cycles, and adjust depending on what success we get. Stay away from the more extreme methods until you have some results that indicate that is the way you should go.

If you're starting out: 3 days a week x 3 exercises a day x 5 sets of 5 reps will get you under way.
Bill Starr or Mark Rippetoe will get you started. Simple, not easy is the way to go.
If you're Intermediate (not a newbie), consider moving onto something like the Texas Method or Wendler 531. There's no rush to move onto an Advanced Plan, and generally it'll be a long time before you really are Advanced. (In my book Advanced starts at 2.5x bodyweight parallel squat/deadlift and 2x bodyweight bench [no wraps, belts, shirts etc.] ).

Want to get bigger? Eat more.
Want to lose weight? Eat the same, or a bit less.
Just remember to train hard and rest well.

If you want to read the Ed Coan interview, it's here > T-Nation: Atlas Speaks
Success leaves clues, but sometimes failures teach you what you really need to know...

Workout 32

Warmup

Squat: 50x6, 70x6, 88x5, 100x3, 112x2 (alternate YTIx10).
One Leg Kneel Squat (CC): 10,10 - Adductor cramp...
RDL: 50x10,10,10,10,10
Lying Leg Raise (CC) : 25,15,10 (50)

Felt powerful with Presses yesterday, but not so much today...But at least strength still going up.

Little Things That Make A Big Difference

Often when we set goals, or make plans to change something we focus on the big things. New Eating Plan, New Workout Plan. Sometimes, though, the progress we're looking for can come from little changes.
Below are some of the little changes that can be made that will make a big difference if done consistently.
Nutrition:
1. Cut out sugar. (Drink fewer sodas, have less tea or coffee, change your snacks).
2. Cut down on food that comes out of boxes. (Try eating some vegetables!).
3. Increase your water intake. (Even just 1 more glass a day is good).
4. Get back on the plan every time you fall off. 80% adherence is better than zero.

Training:
1. Stretch: Calves, Hip Flexors, Pecs, Shoulders all tend to be tight. We all sit too much.
2. Strengthen the Backside: Face Pulls, YTI's, External Rotations. We all push too much at the gym.
3. Stick to a program. At least 8 weeks. Build up some data for future reference.

I found that it was little changes that gave me progress when it seemed that I had exhausted my options.
I started stretching the tight bits (shoulders, pecs, hams, hips, calves), and working the back side more (face pulls, scarecrows, YTI, ext rotations, inverted rows), and miraculously I started to bust through what had been my ceiling of strength, a terrible plateau.

Try implementing some of the easy tips above, and you may be surprised how easy gains (or losses) come...

Workout 30 and 31

Time flies... here are my last two workouts:

11/11
Workout 30
Usual Warmup
Bench: 60x3,68x3,75x4 (supersetting face pulls x10)
Inverted Row: 10(+neg), 10(+neg), 5,7,6
Pushup: 15(+neg), 10(+neg), 7(+neg)
[neg = 5-10sec negative on last rep]

15/11
Workout 31
Usual Warmup + Tennis ball rolling
Military Press: 40x5, 48x3, 53x4
B1:Chinup:  7,   6,  5, 5, 4       +3 [neg on last rep of every set]
B2:Dips:    10, 10, 9, 6, 5
Handstand: 30sec

The increased training density of supersetting dips and chins is quite intense.

Keep Your Eye On The Goal

A lot of people have a specific goal that they want to achieve. Unfortunately that specific goal changes every few days. Some people have lots of goals that they've been striving to achieve for years.
Often the thing these groups have in common is a lack of any meaningful achievement.
The first group never achieves because they never spend enough time on their stated goal.
The second group because they have too many objectives to ever focus properly on achieving just one.

Goals must be simple and specific: "I want to bench 120kg".
Goals must be measurable: "If 120kg goes up, I did it".
Goals must be achievable: "I am physically capable of doing this".
Goals must be realistic: "I currently bench 110kg. 10kg more is possible"
Goals must be timed: "I want to do this by 1 Jan 2013".

There must be ONE main goal. And perhaps a secondary goal that supports it.
Primary Goal: I want to increase my bench.
Secondary Goal: I want to increase my body weight by 5kg.

Once the goal is set you need to ensure that you have a good plan in place.
Once you have a plan the really hard part begins. Endurance.
This is why it's very important to choose a goal that really resonates with you. Choosing the goal of weight-loss may be 'good', but unless it's what you really want (in the darkest recesses of your soul), you will struggle to hang in there.
Sticking to this goal for the months (years) that it will take is not easy. We live in a world of instant gratification. But, you can't always have it all now. Some things are worth working for. Besides, there are a host of good qualities you develop by hanging in there through the difficult times. Qualities that will help you to achieve the next goal. And the next.

Set it. Stick to it. Achieve it.

Some Info

Adding to your knowledge is always good when it comes to strength and conditioning. There are a lot of people out there putting in time and effort to help others train better, eat better, and accomplish their goals.
I thought I'd post a link of two guys that I have picked up quite a bit from:
http://chadwaterbury.com/waterbury-diet-for-muscle-growth/

http://www.ericcressey.com/creating-an-effective-but-imbalanced-strength-and-conditioning-program

I'm sure they'll give you some more info to ponder.
Grow stronger!

Workout 29

The 531 is starting to come together. It was a bit rough when I started piecing it together, but I've almost got it. I like the fact that as long as you work hard at the basics of it, you have the bases mostly covered. A little bit of added thought will get you to your specific goals.
Warmup: Mobility, Calisthenics
Workout:
  Deadlift: 85x5,95x5,110x5
  Hypers: 2x15 (I can't get Glute-Ham raises sorted out)
  Lying Leg Raise (CC): 20,15,15

Short, Sweet, Hopefully Successful...

Amateur vs Professional

There is a great deal to be said for having an amateur mindset. That is probably the opposite of what the current socio-educational-secular environment encourages. We are encouraged to pursue activities in order to be rewarded for them.
A child does well at school? Good work, keep it up and you can get a high-paying job.
A child does well at sport? Good work, keep it up and you can get a lucrative sports deal.
Sportsmen and women pursue the biggest pay and best offers. Business people look for the highest-paying job.
This is the professional mindset.
What if someone plays a sport for the pure joy they get out of it? What if they sign with a certain club because they actually want to play there, and salary comes second to that.
What if a person pursues a job that they love, even if it doesn't pay much?
That is the amateur mindset.
The professional mindset lends itself to superficial partnerships (founded on money) and unhealthy competition. It leads to a lack of loyalty in business relationships because everybody knows you are there only while the money is "good". And one often grows tired of a job when you don't actually like it.
The amateur mindset lends itself to special friendships (united by common goals) and healthy competition. Business relationships are stable because people know you are there because you want to do the job.
So, although the world is becoming more and more entrapped by the professional mentality, I think a lot is being lost. You can still find some amateurs among us, even in the professional fields. Often they are extremely successful. The success is a by-product of their amateur mindset. People are willing to pay when they know that you are dedicated to the job, and will stick it out in the long run. Others will support you simply because they can identify with the amateur ideals.
I just don't know what will happen when the current young people move into the world at large. They have grown up being told/shown that the professional mentality is the best...

Workout 27

Squat Day

Warmup: Mobilit
Workout:
  Squat: 88x5, 94x5, 100x5
  Kneeling Squat: 5,5,5  -- This is difficult when your legs are sore.
  Hip Thrust: 15,10,10 -- So is this!

Well, my mad soccer game of last night seems to have affected me. Legs are stiff again. Adductors are the worst. They just haven't been able to get used to the sprinting yet.
I will have to see how it all pans out for this soccer thing...

100%

Most of the time we are operating at what amounts to about 50% of our actual capacity. If we really focus and work hard, we may be able to get up to 80%. But, generally we drift along being "good enough".
We always keep something in reserve. That may be a habit rather than a necessity. Sure, we cannot operate at 100% all the time or we may burn out. But, think about the times when you really focused yourself on the tasks at hand and cranked out something you were really proud of. Or simply a time when you focused properly so that what you accomplished was quality rather than simply "done".
Now imagine doing that more often. What could you do if you simply made it a habit to focus properly and completely on what you are doing? You would have a lot more to be proud of.
If you simply work on the habit of performing at 80% rather than 50% you will in the next few weeks produce better results, enjoy better experiences, and perhaps extract more results from your time than ever before.
That sounds good to me. A little more focus for a much larger reward. Time to put some more life into living...

Workout 26

My 531 and Convict Conditioning foray starts today.
The 531 bodyweight template is my starting point for this. I only tweak the bodyweight portion to fit in with the CC progressions. So, it's not strictly Jim Wendler's 531, but I think it's close enough to still work if I give it beans.

Press Day

Warmup: Mobility, Stretching
Workout:
  Shoulder Press: 40x5, 42.5x5, 45x6
  Chinups: 5,5,5,5,5,4
  Handstand Pushup: Crow Stand: 2x30sec

I think it should work out. My Maxes on the exercise have taken a massive dip in the last 6 months.
Hopefully that strength comes back fast. Otherwise waking up at 6am on a sunday morning to train might become a bit of a chore...

The Adventures Of Cord Caldragin: 1.11

Cord moved quickly along the passage, all senses tuned to preventing someone finding him exposed in the corridors. He realised that it would become extremely difficult if he had to go much further into the palace. At any moment a servant could appear out of a bedroom or side passage, and that would create more problems than he wanted to deal with. He arrived at the first side-passage, and keeping his back to the wall quickly glanced around the corner. He was surprised to see the assassin strolling nonchalantly down the middle of the passage as if he had no care in the world. That was when Cord realised that there were no servants or guards about. And that could only mean that someone with a great deal of influence in the palace had organised it so that the assassin would be able to move freely in these apartments. But, with Cord now determined to prevent the assassination, that arrangement would be the downfall of the plan. Cord only had to avoid detection by the assassin. Making sure that the assassin was still looking the other way, Cord moved into the passage. The thick carpets helped him to be silent as he quickly sought to get as close as he could to the assassin.
It had been a strange evening so far, and Cord was sure that there was something brewing in the palace if an assassin could walk around in the royal apartments without fear.
Well, without fear currently. Cord would put some fear into him soon enough...

Workout 25

My bench arrived today, but I haven't put it together yet. Besides, I'm still rather stiff, so need to loosen up first. After today's workout I'll go put it together.

Warmup:
  Mobility: rolls and rocks
Workout:
  Kettlebell Complex: 24kg [swing + Snatch + neg Press (l,r)] : 5x3
  Heavy Swings: 32kg : 6x10

That was quite tiring. I will do these types of sessions in my back-off week during my quasi-531 routine.
So, one more Kettlebell session this week, then from next week, it'll be 531 (sort-of).

The days are flying by here, so I seem to be missing out on posting all that I want. I will have to try post more over the weekend again.

Old Men And Sport

Once again, I am in the agony of DOMS.

I skipped workouts last week so that I could try to prepare myself for a football(soccer) game on the weekend. I avoided lifting heavy, and rather did some shuttle runs and kicking to try get ready.
Failed!
If it had been a bit of a run, and some social play it might have been ok. I was unprepared for two full 45min halves of sprinting, tackling and marking. My body is not happy.
There are men wiser than I who realise that you cannot just plunge into the competitive arena and come out unscathed. But, they're no fun.
Yes, I'm suffering at the moment, but it was fun to run around like a kid again. I will be doing it again.
But, I will definitely be much better prepared the next time. Guaranteed.
I could sit back and mellow like so many do when the get near middle-age, but where is the fun in that. I don't feel like I've peaked just yet, so I will keep at it until I simply can't run with the boys anymore.
By then there might be a pill that will make me younger anyway...

Workout 23 - 24

It's been such a busy couple of days, I forgot to post the workouts...

Workout 23 (14 Oct)
Usual Warmup
Deadlift: 90x2,3,3,2
Rear Foot Elevated Squat: bodyweight x10,10
Pushup: 10,8
One-Arm Press: 10kg x 10,10
Lying Bent Knee Raise: 20,15
Hip Thrust: 10kg x 10,10

Good solid work, easy. No soreness this week.

Workout 24 (17 Oct)
Warmup
Headstand: 2min
Dips: bodyweight x 10,10,10
Short Bridge: 20,20
One Leg Deadlift: 16kg x 10,10,10
Inverted Row: bodyweight x 4,4,4,4,4
One Arm Band Rows: band x 10,10,10

Starting to get the weight and CC combination going, but I need to get everything a bit more organised.
I need some solid way to track progress and get the benefit of the work.
Wendler's 531 idea worked very well for me before, I may use that again...

The Test

It's agonising. It sucks the life from your bones. It makes you wish you were not in the middle of it. And therefore it is terrific.
What is it? A 2-week detox.
No, not some cabbage-chomping water-only self-denial and "cleansing" ritual. Simply two weeks of cutting out the problem areas in dieting. All stimulants, refined carbs and processed foods are excluded for 14 days.
It's good for two reasons
1. You get a chance to avoid foods that can cause inflammation, and give your body a chance to revitalise.
2. It takes guts. It's not easy to cut out sugars and refined foods. It's easier said than done to stop drinking coffee if you are a bit of a coffee addict.
Some jump right into the 2 weeks, others ease into it. I'm one of the latter. I find it very difficult to go 'cold-turkey'. I am progressively cutting things out. It's a bit slower, as I'll probably be on the detox longer, but I think it's better for me. I'm struggling just cutting a few things. I have an inner rebel, and if I push him too far, I'll end up with a muffin in one hand, a coffee in the other and a chocolate in my mouth. He will not allow himself to be pushed. I must ease him into it. When each part becomes a habit, I'll move to the next. Slow and steady wins the race.
What is a few extra days if it helps me to make a long-term change? They were onto something when they said that patience is a virtue...

Eat

I don't usually get into nutrition because it's such a minefield. Everybody has an opinion. Many have qualifications. Many think qualifications aren't worth the paper they're printed on.
Anyway, here is my short list of nutrition advice for anyone who may be willing to listen.
1. If it had face you can eat it.
2. If it grew from the ground you can eat it. (if you can eat it raw and unprocessed).
3. Drink water.
4. Take multivitamins. Add: Zinc, Magnesium, C, Fish Oil, D3.
That is a pretty short list. The supplements are just to counteract the crappy quality of food, lack of sunlight exposure, and help combat any inflammation one may have.
It not exhaustive, but it's a good start. If you make it a basis and get some exercise, you should end up pretty healthy and fit.
That's all I'm going to say for now.

Workout 22

The Saga of CC and Weights combined continues.

Warmup: Mobility

Workout:
  Chinup: Son (15kg)x 3; 7.5kg x 3,3
  Face Pull: Band x 10,10,10
  Squat (CC): Close Squat: 20,20 [a bit weird for my proportions]
  Swings: 24kg x 15,15,15
  Planks: 30s,30s

Now I'm starved and dying for food...

The Good Old Days

The world has become a sad overly pompous boring version of itself. I'm not exactly an old man, but I find myself thinking about the good old days every now and again.
The Rugby World Cup is on the go currently. (for those who have no idea, you can look it up on wikipedia). There has been some controversy, some of which I can understand.
But, one player was fined $6000 for jumping off a ferry and swimming to shore. From my point of view, that is horseplay. When I was 22 that meant you would be wrapped over the knuckles about it. You were still young enough to be caned if it was serious enough. But $6000? Please, I'd rather be caned and ge it over with.
Ditto the young men who went out drinking before a big game. Stern disapproval from all parties. Seems that young men are not allowed to beyoung men anymore. From birth you are expected to be dull. Shame on all those boring fuddy-duddies who make these silly rules. I think they are overly-impressed by their own ego. They were probably not "in" when they were young, and took it personally.
I long for the times when you were expected to be a bit naughty while you were still a young man. When all you risked was a smack on the rump with a cane. Now you can expect lawsuits and fines just for a bit of mischief.
Fooey!

Workout 21

I'm still working out the finer details of combining CC with some strength and conditioning work. I think it will still evolve a bit as I go forward. Here is the first real workout:

Warmup: Mobility

Handstand Pushup (CC):
  Wall Headstand: 1min, 1min
  Kettlebell Press: 12kg : 2x10
Inverted Pull:
  Inverted Row: 5x3
  Face Pulls: Band : 3x10
Bridges (CC):
  Short Bridge: 3x10
  Bodyweight Glute-Ham Raise: A few Negatives (This is a killer)
Arms:
  A: Curls               : 10kg x 10,10; 7.5kg x 10
  B: Tri Extensions  : 10kg x 15,15; 7.5kg x 15

That was Monday. Today I'm feeling a bit sore, so at least I know I did something...

Workout 20

A mad week this week, so the workout was a minimal session.

Pushup:
   Kneeling: 15,15
   Full Pushup: 10

Abs:
   Planks

Mobility: Some Rocking and Rolling.

Be Prepared

I was put on rescue training this week. I had to learn how to get people out of buildings in the case of major emergency (earthquakes, fires etc). And going through the course you realise that you aren't as prepared as you thought you were.
Perhaps you live in a city that has earthquake or storm risks. Maybe you have a couple of items like water and food to keep you going if you are stuck one day at work. But, do you have clothing and shoes for unforeseen weather? Do you have equipment that will help you get out of the building?
Even if we imagine a disaster, we seldom take unknown variables like weather or time of day into consideration.
It's time to be like the Scouts. Be Prepared. Think of as many possible outcomes as you can, and then implement measures to deal with them.

And in case you think this post has nothing to do with training, think again.
Your workout plan should have built-in "disaster recovery".
What do you do if you have to work late this week? Or travel? Skip all your workouts?
What if you hurt your wrist? How do you train around it?
How do you alter your eating plan if your stove packs up. (Take-out is not a valid backup).

With a little forethought and planning you can be ready to implement Plan B if something unforeseen tries to prevent you from achieving your goals.

Workout 19

So, Monday finally rolled around and I've recovered from the agony I inflicted on myself last week.
Warmup: Rocking and Rolling.

Workout:
  Bridge: Short Bridges: 15,15
  Handstand Pushups: Wall Stands: 45sec, 45sec

I've decided to include all 6 of the CC exercises from now on. Most of the level 1 stuff is pretty straightforward from a bodyweight strength perspective.

I'll be having a Biosignature Assessment done this week or next, and may have to see how the CC can be included if I decide to get a trainer's help in order to get me back on track with where I was before we decided to move country.

We'll see what the continuing journey holds...

I'm Dying!

The pain! The agony!
I thought that I was taking it easy yesterday when I started using my weights again. Ow! I'm having a hard time walking today. So, here's some advice when you start up an exercise program after a bit of a lay-off.
Start much lower than you think you should. I mean somewhere around 25% of your old maxes. And then do half the number of sets.
You can always increase the weights if you feel ok, but if you end up like I am today, it can blow the whole week out.
The new motto is:
Start slow. Slow progress. Steady achievement.
I think I need a painkiller...

Workout 18

You'll notice that this post is not a convict conditioning workout.
What is this? Has CC been thrown to the wind?
No. But I have realised that I need to include other work if I want to reach all my goals.
Will extra work hinder my progress? I don't think so. According to information that I have on hand, spinal loading is the main culprit when it comes to recovery interference. Bodyweight work has a much smaller impact on one's ability to recover from bouts of exercise. I will include weights and see if my CC progress is affected, and if it is, I will reduce the extra work. CC is still the main goal for now.

So, here is today's workout:

Deadlift: 95kg x 3 3 3
Pullup: +10kg x 3 3 3
Kettlebell Swings: 24kg x 10 10 10 10 10  > (speed)
Calf Raise: BW x 10 10 10 +24kg x 10 10  > (slow)

It was a bit of effort to get back to weights after what amounts to 6months without my equipment.
Taking it slow to see how it goes...

I'm Alive!

The news of my demise has been greatly exaggerated. (If you didn't hear about it, no matter).
I have been ill... I know that may come as a shock given my near invulnerable semi-superhuman constitution, but it has happened. The germs of my new country have been having a field day with my immune system. I've never been so sick in my life. Anyway, I'm confident that I will return to full vigour soon enough.
For those in Malaysia, USA, Germany, RSA, NZ who have read posts in the past keep tuning in for the continuing adventures.
Feel free to leave a comment, or just tick one of the boxes under my posts.
I will try to keep it interesting and upbeat, wacky and yet intellectual.

It's almost time to get back on the exercise wagon as well, but I have to make sure that the illnesses have passed first. I still have some way to go on the convict conditioning plan. I will also try to get back to the Adventures of Mr Caldragin, because we can't leave him running around on a roof forever!
All in all, my positivity is coming back, and hopefully that will channel into some more entertaining times here on the basics blog. Keep tuning in...

A Word On Goals

If your goal is to change your body, can you look in the mirror and imagine yourself the way you want to be?
Or if your goal has to do with achieving something, can you close your eyes and see it happening?
Answer those questions truthfully because they are at the heart of what you want to achieve. If you cannot see the end-result in your minds-eye you cannot succeed. For a goal to be achieved you must believe you can do it.
Your body will not do what your mind believes is unachievable. If, deep down in the depths of your being, you don't believe you will succeed, you will not.
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.

Chivalry

Is there still a place in the world for manners and etiquette? Have we moved beyond the times where people lived by moral codes that influenced their interactions with one another.
Many will say that we have. The vast majority will agree that we should forget things like that in the modern world. Women seem affronted when a man insists that they should be treated differently. After all, nowadays we are all "equal".
Well I have news for you: Men and Women are not equal. You cannot say air and water are equal. Both are vital to life, but have very different functions and makeups.
Women are not men, and men are not women. Are they of equal value? There we can say 'yes'. Men are different to women, they have different strengths and weaknesses. The same goes for women. Would it be wrong to have a code to guide men in their interactions with women? Actions that are deemed appropriate and respectful? I think not.
So, if I hold open a door for a women, and let her go through first, it's not that I don't think she can do it herself. It's just a way to show courtesy. Take it at face value.
I've thought long and hard about the 'changing roles of modern men and women' and have decided to reject the majority view.
In my book courtesy and respect will be the guide for interactions with the fairer (gasp!) sex. If you don't like it, get away from the door before I get there...

Value of Time

It seems incredible that we sell our time for amounts of money far below it's actual value. You have a limited number of hours to live, is it really only worth the amount you get per hour?
I don't think so. I doubt you do either. Keep that in mind when you feel tempted to measure a person by the car they drive or house they live in. Those are side-effects of how they sell their time, not measures of a person's worth.
It's ok to work for less, but it's not ok when you use the payment a person receives to rate that person.
Just as you are worth more than what you wear, so is everybody else.
So if you can't measure people by money any more, what will you use?
Time to develop a real set of values, grasshopper...

I'm Melting!

Any guy that has spent an appreciable amount of time in the gym has an inordinate fear of being small. You don't skip a workout because you'll shrink. You can't stop doing certain exercises because you'll shrink. Heck, if you miss one meal, you'll shrink.
At least, that is what the fear is.
It's not true. As long as your pattern of eating is good (enough calories) and you are getting stimulation for your muscles, you do not shrink.
Ok, you may not be getting bigger, but at least you're not going backwards! Why do I bring this up? Well, my weights finally arrived yesterday after a 6 month wait. I have not shrunk. I've been doing a basic bodyweight program (levels below my max ability), averaging 2 workouts a week. I've had several run-ins with illness. (not used to all the new germ varieties here). Also, my diet has been up and down. But, I'm still pretty much in the same condition as I was 6 months ago.
It's not ideal. I prefer to improve, but given the circumstances, not bad.
What does this mean?
1. If you need to focus on something (rehab, prehab, arms, calves), go for it. The rest will stay where it is if you put it in maintenance.
2. If you want to lose (or gain) weight, getting out of maintenance takes effort. Your body wants to stay there. But, if you can get to your goal, soon that will be your maintenance point and your body will want to stay there. So go for it.
Don't fear losing where you are. It's just a step to where you want to be anyway. But at least if things don't go to plan, you can feel more secure knowing that your hard work won't just instantly disappear!

Never Give Up

Just when you think that you are in cruise mode with your goals an iceberg comes along.
"I am the Titanic, I am unsinkable!"
Er, no, that iceberg is going to rip you open from stem to stern.
Ok, perhaps that's a bit melodramatic, but that's how it feels when you fall off the rails.
"I'm a loser. It's all over. My diet/exercise plan/goal is RUINED!"
Have courage. Very little is completely wrecked by one or two failures.
If you look at a plan over a period of months or years, the blips of falling off the rails won't even register. The big thing is to keep at it. Never give up.
You cannot throw in the towel because there is no towel!
Keep your nose to the grindstone, and you will achieve that goal. One or two stumbles do not define the journey. They do not turn you into a failure. The only way you can be a failure is if you decide that you are a failure.
If you simply stick at it and refuse to give up you will get to that goal.
Stick to that goal. Success is there if you grab it.

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!

Workout 10

A day later than usual this week.

Warm up: Mobility > Seems to be getting more important! Feel like old leather.

Squats: Shoulderstand: 15
             Jackknife: 10
             Assisted: 30,30,30
Pullups: Plate Rows: 10
              Inverted Rows: 15,10,7

Then I chopped a whole lot of wood...

Workout 9

Warmup (mobility)

Wall pushups: 15
Incline Pushups: 40,40,35
(Could go to 40, but need abs to catch up)

Seated abs: 30,18,12

I think I have too many fast-twitch muscle in my abs.
The high reps are just a killer. Anyway, I suppose I'm paying for years of lazy ab training.
I will still overcome this hurdle...

The Lull

Starting body transformation plans? Easy.
Starting diets? Easy.
Sticking to your plan? Not easy.

I find that I'm entering one of those periods in my plans where I experience ambivalence. I want to push ahead and get rid of my newly-acquired 'padding', but at the same time there is the desire to 'take it easy' with my eating. Maybe you're familiar with that voice in your head? That annoying, yet utterly convincing part of you that makes the excuses for you.
"c'mon you don't need to be that thin"... "just one more piece of cake won't hurt"... "you can always get back on track tomorrow"... There are millions of such excuses created by your inner 'wimp'.
'Wimp'? You ask.
Yes. That voice is the reason that you don't achieve all that you can. It's the reason you bail out when things get a little too difficult. It makes you a wimp whenever you listen to it rather than your purposes and goals. It deserves to be harpooned and thrown overboard to the sharks. You can be much better if you get rid of it.
So, what I'm gonna do now is start hurling mental spears at that voice. Every time I feel a 'take it easy' or a 'tomorrow is another day' I will throw my mental 'NO!' spear and 'DO IT!' javelin at that annoying twit.
Starting now. I have a workout to do today, and I will not miss it simply because its the coldest day of the year so far. And I will stick to my diet.
I'm in the mood to kick a little a$$...

Workout 8

I'm very sore from Mon. Who would think some incline pushups could do so much damage?
Anyway, I decided to push through today...

Mobility Warmup

Shoulderstand Squats: 15
Jackknife Squats: 10
Supported Squats: 30,30,30 (Progression, but I'll stick here and narrow my stance a bit)

Inverted Row: 11,8,6

Some parts are slower than others. I think this is an indication of some imbalances I've picked up.
I will try to even out the progressions a bit to get everything onto an even keel.

Workout 7

It took longer to get to this workout than I thought. It's 3 days late, but at least it's on the same day as the previous workout.
I've been feeling quite stiff and restricted in my movements, so I included a mobility based warmup.
I hit the progression standard, so I've moved on to Incline pushups (on a counter-top).
Still struggling with the ab-work though...

Incline Pushups: 40,30,25
Seated Leg Raise: 25,15,10

I was a bit tired before the workout, and those two exercises took it out of me.
At least a hot babe gave me a massage afterwards for my efforts!

Passion

Every little boy and girl in the world can probably tell you in one sentence what their passion is in life. Do you remember when your goals in life were wrapped up in a single mission statement? "I want to be a fireman", or "I want to be a vet". Those were the days of simplicity. You were naive to the realities of life.
You were also without all the anxieties and fears that prevent you from achieving. While the grown-up version of you looks at the reasons why something is "impossible", the little version sees only "possible".
Now, it's seldom possible, or realistic, to be like a child again. We do have bills to pay, mouths to feed, and responsibilities to live up to. That doesn't mean we can't recapture some of the wide-eyed simple joy and zest for achieving our "dreams".
We may need to simplify our dreams, realising that the opportunity to be a spaceman has passed us. But, when it comes to our goals, do we find goals that reignite that childhood passion?
There is no point in setting a goal of being "bikini-ready" if you have no drive to wear a bikini, or to feel the thrill of achieving a particular look. You can't fake passion. If it's not there to drive you when the chips are down, you aren't going to succeed. You may be able to get some of the way, but to get to the endpoint you will need passion and drive.

Does this mean you shouldn't set a goal of bikini-ready?
Do so only if it is right for you. Perhaps your passion is more along the lines of being a healthy and thin-ish wife/girlfriend. That is a different goal, with different plans. (note: I hope you girls go for "bikini"-ready, as I feel the world could do with more bikini bods!).
The main point here is to aim at what you really really want to hit. That gives you the greatest chance of success. And success leads to more success.
If you really really want to be a fireman, get off your butt and go sign up. Don't sit around and live with a regret. If you want to be a powerlifter, get on the right program and stick with it. If you want to be a Victoria's Secret Model, do what you have to do to get there.
If your passion calls, only a fool refuses to listen.

Greeks and Romans

I've been looking at some of the Greek and Roman sculptures (along with some Renaissance sculpture) and am as always impressed by the physical development that is depicted. Make no mistake, the subjects of the artwork were great physical specimens.
Here is the kicker. They didn't have any barbells or dumbbells. There were no treadmills. There was no such things as steroids. Heck, there was no such thing as "Nutrition" back then. So how did they get that way?
Calisthenics. (bodyweight exercises).
For the majority of athletes it was simply a matter of advanced use of bodyweight exercise. Think that's impossible? Modern gymnasts build their bodies through practice of gymnastic movement. You gonna tell me that they aren't supremely well-developed? Ancient athletes knew how to use their bodyweight to achieve body transformation.
I look at those statues and I see what is possible. Now, I may never be a Farnese Hercules, but the Hercules version that is the picture for this blog? That is achievable.
All I know for sure is this: If some guy back in ancient Greece could build a great body, then surely I should be able to do something similar in a world where knowledge of diet and exercise is way more advanced.
I will use the same method of training, which is quite cool, seeing as I've already committed to Convict Conditioning. But, I will apply more modern nutrition methods to make sure I reveal whatever I build.
How about you? Want to be a Venus de Milo, or an Apollo? Set the goal, get on the program and give it 100%.
The only thing in your way is you...

Workout 6

Moved onto level 2:
1 Shoulderstand Squats: 15
   Squats (assisted): 40,40,40 -- Bam! Progression Standard
2 Horizontal Pulls: 10,7,6 -- these will take some work!

Time for grub!

Oh no!

From distant shore over tempest sea
Came the great one, Khan Khari.
Heard, he had, of a great beauty
Fairest of maidens, Mara Talsee.

I thought it was about time to throw in a bit of poetry, lest my audience mistake me for a common man. An Uncommon man is what I am!
Why is it that we seek to be greater than the average? What moves us to rise above what we discern as the inadequacy of the masses? Life is easier when little is expected of one. If you just coast along, never straining, never pushing yourself what do you actually miss out on?
You won't waste time on exercise, leaving more time for relaxation or entertainment. You won't stress over what you eat. You'll enjoy more tasty foods and worry less about it's impact on your body. Wouldn't that be more fun! ? ?
NO.
Life without striving after something has no direction, and no achievement. You cannot see the value in pursuing health and fitness until you start to achieve something.
For someone looking to lose weight, just a few kilograms off feels terrific. Getting around is easier. Clothing fits better, and self-esteem grows. And a sense of achievement starts to develop. Believe me when I tell you that achieving a difficult goal feels a million times better than a truckload of chocolate ever will.
Often weight-loss goals change into performance goals, and this is where the real joy starts. Ask anyone who has trained for and succeeded with something (it could be a marathon or a PR lift). They gain a new attitude and approach that makes their whole life better.
But everything starts with the first step. And in order to make that step you need a decision. A decision is when you bend your entire will towards achieving the goal. And then you follow the decision with a plan, plenty of perseverance, and patience to stay the course.
Then your life becomes much better than that of the "average". Then you become "super".
I want to be "super". How about you?

I am not a Man

I have been emasculated. My manhood has been removed.
Let me explain...
Yesterday on the train (this train is becoming regular feature!) there were two drunk-and-disorderlies being, well, drunk and disorderly. They were pretty close to where I was, and one of the passengers had already crossed verbal swords with them. I had already started preparing myself to unleash my "crouching tiger, hidden dragon" on them.
Long story short, the rail staff took them off the train. No action.
Late on I told my significant other about the ruckus. What did she say? Not "what would you have done", no. She said I mustn't get involved, because I'm not "prepared" for it. Shlop! Is that my manhood lying on the ground? If in her eyes I'm not prepared to deal with drunk-and-disorderlies, what does that say about her view of my ability to protect her from a real threat? I might as well just hire a personal bodyguard to keep us safe.
Say what you like about the modern world no longer requiring men to fight off threats to his family, or hunting for food. But, as any man worth his testosterone will tell you, there is a deep-seated need to know that you can protect your family, and to know that they trust you can.
My tactic for self-defense has always been "hit first, hit fast, and keep on hitting!" I will not start a fight, but you better believe that I will finish it if you bring it to me. So, could I have dealt with the drunk-and-disorderlies on the train? I am confident I could have. I may not have done any martial arts training for a couple of years, but I still have the knowledge, and I still have the attributes required: strength, speed, timing. I know about angles of attack and vectors. I know I can.
Now I just need a way to convince the little woman...

Workout 5

And back to my poor wimpy abs...
  Wall Pushup: 50,50,50 - Progression Standard.
  Seated Leg Raise: 18,15,9

There is progress, but it's also slow. Bring on the patience!
I have also started trying to get a grip on my eating. It's been in "see it? eat it!" mode for 3 months.
What do I weigh now? No idea. My scale is sitting with the rest of my stuff back in the 3rd World.
Skin pinches tell me that I have a higher bodyfat %, but I have no definitive number.
I'm simply working with what the mirror tells me. At the moment it simply points at me and breaks out laughing. I'm thinking of getting a more forgiving one.
At least it's winter, so I get to hide my current appearance from public view, but I must get it together because the summer is not far away!
Must get my abs showing before I run around in my bikini!  I mean swimming trunks!

How Did It Make You Feel?

In my post "To Eat or Not To Eat" I may have caused some emotional responses.
Ask yourself: "What will I do about it?"
You may choose to ignore the comments, or you can prove them wrong. I know many people are trying to beat the "battle of the bulge". Being overweight is not easy, but then neither is being fit and toned.
You can allow yourself to be fooled by adverts for "5minute abs" or "Instant Fat-loss Secrets".
Or you can accept the post for what it was. A Call to Arms. A Rallying Cry in the battle against mediocrity and modern weaknesses. Look, nobody is perfect. Everybody has their own demons and weaknesses. (Yes, even the super-fit vixen/hunk at the gym). The point here is to take your weaknesses and impale them on your "sword of fortitude". Take those problems (weight, fitness, strength, whatever) and crush them by the sheer power of your will.
Every day, one step at a time, drive them before you.
You could stand where you are and achieve nothing, or you can fight.
You have two real choices: Get busy living, or get busy dying.
Me? I'm going for the gold.

Workout 4

Decided that I need to get the progression standard sorted on the "B" workout.
Only did the Shoulderstand Squats: 50,50,50

Time to move to level 2...

To Eat or Not To Eat

Diet. Its a four-letter word. Women hate it, but spend most of their lives obsessed with it. Men generally think of it in terms of it being an activity carried out by the opposite sex.
At least that is how it used to be. Today almost everyone is on a diet, falling off a diet, or about to go on a diet. Maybe that's why the collective waist-band of modern man has stretched to it's biggest ever. Chairs everywhere quake in fear when people decide to sit. And sitting is the major "activity" carried out by people in this world.
But, it was not always thus...
Your body remembers a time when you ate to avoid starvation. When you ran to avoid being eaten. When you only sat down at the end of the day after a full day of actual activity. Yes, once upon a time the biological machine we call our body ran on good fuel, and performed optimally.
There was no way to get food while sitting on an ever-expanding backside like the drive-through. The absolute ease of obtaining food, along with the empty calories in modern food, has resulted in a population of easy prey. Except we don't have any sabre-tooth tigers around to benefit from it.
Your body will adapt to perform the activities that are the most difficult to accomplish. And your mind will try to find a way to avoid the difficult activities.
Eat with a purpose: "This food fuels me for xxx".
Train with a purpose: "I want to be better at xxx".
If you make your body think it is a gazelle-chasing, tiger-hunting uber-machine of grace and power, by eating and training for that purpose, it will take the necessary shape.
So, what do you want to look like?
A cream-pie or a carved greek statue?
Your choice...

Where is a Super when you need one?

There are times when you shake your head and say "If only I had [Insert Superhero]'s power".
I was standing on the platform waiting for the train to arrive. After nearly 20min of standing around trying not to look anybody in the eye, (why are there such weird people around nowadays?), we were boarded onto a different train that had been standing around sheepishly all the time. Well, I assume it was feeling sheepish because that's how I would've felt if I was in that position.
It took 20min to figure out that we could just use a different train? I will assume that lateral thinking is not the railway speciality.
Anyway, the reason I mentioned Superhero Powers is for the dramatically simple solution they would provide to everyday issues.
Train late? I'll fly home. Or run home like The Flash.
Lawn not mown? I'll use my laser vision to give it a trim.
Low on cash? I'll just pull a cash disenser from the wall... Um, ok, maybe super powers won't be the greatest idea. Power corrupts as they say.
So, I suppose I'll just have to deal with annoyances and setbacks. Dang it! If only I could control the thoughts of other people to get things to work more smoothly. But then, how would I refrain from making everyone obey my every command? Guess being "normal" is safer for everybody...

Workout 3

Back to Day 1:
 Wall Pushups: 50,40,30
  Seated Leg Raise: 20, 15, 10

Once again I've been humbled by the simple exercises. It's not a brute strength problem, but rather a strength-endurance issue. I've never had the best of strength-endurance, and haven't really trained for it. So, I will continue to be humbled until I get to grips with it.

Every CC progression standard involves quite a bit of endurance, so I might as well get a foundation going for later on. I'm aching to get past the level 1 stuff, but need to be patient. Perseverance is the key.
One thing that is glaringly obvious so far is that my ab\hip-flexor area is not strong enough. I can tell that it will take a while to balance all the imbalances I've picked up from years of "gym".

Off Topic

Every now and then I may fall off the rails and post something that has nothing to do with exercise. (gasp!).
I've been pondering superhero status today. I know, I should get over this obsession with impossibility. But I've been thinking more along the lines of Captain America ("possible"), rather than Superman ("impossible").
Being a son of Krypton is simply beyond what a human being can accomplish, and is reserved for movies, comics and boyhood fantasy.
Cap, on the other hand, is pretty normal. He's just a guy pimped out with some cool gear and pumped up by some funky drugs. This is at least within the realms of possibility.
So after much soul-searching and day-dreaming, I've finally accepted that Cap is the superhero to try duplicate as my uber achievement. (I draw the line at running around in a silly blue and red outfit however).
What this means is that I will break the Cap's superhero makeup into attributes, and work on those in my training.
Cap Attribute 1: Strength. Wow, amazing how that works out. That just happens to be my current goal. What symmetry! (I accept that my strength will be less due to my desire to achieve without steroids).
More thoughts on achievable superhero-ness to follow... And workout 3.
Yeah, yeah in the end the post is still about exercise. I'm not perfect. I'm not even Captain MDV yet. Get over it.
Early days, but the plan is starting to take shape...

Strength, Power and Muscle

Ever since starting on CC, I'm continually plagued by my aspirations of muscular bodacity. Since time immemorial (well... 20 years at least) I've wanted to be big. I wanted to be a superhero. Or at least a reasonable facsimile.
Problem 1: I chose the wrong parents. My genetic construction is not tall, or muscular. These are 2 pivotal qualities in being super-heroic.
Problem 2: I'm actually rather lazy. I look for shortcuts and easy fixes. I like immediate gratification. This lends itself very easily to getting on some type of gear. But...
Problem 3: I'm convinced I need to do it "naturally". Sheesh, what a combination!
Anyway, all is not lost. After years of living in denial I've decided to finally get on with it. Either that, or I've developed a fear of my own mortality and am trying to wind back the clock. So, true reasons notwithstanding, here are the decisions:
1: Pick a goal. Ultimate bodacity is not a goal, it's a state. Defined by qualities. I will simply develop some of those qualities.
2: Pick a plan. I've done it all. HIT, Super Slow, Split Routine, Full-body. I've done high volume and high intensity. But for a long time I had ADD. I jumped around so many times I was the training equivalent of a junkie.
I made good progress on 531. A solid plan. I have just moved country, and my equipment is currently occupying space in a 3rd world shipping facility. I have no idea when I'll see it. Which led me to CC. Achieve goals, make progress, and no need for equipment. The CC train, however, will not allow me to disembark until it is done.
Patience. Perseverance. These will be my guiding thoughts.
Will I get back to lifting iron again? For sure. But only after I wring all the juice out of my current program. As long as that might take.

Workout 2

So CC (Convict Conditioning) calls for Pullups and Squats today.
When I say Pullups and Squats I mean "Shoulderstand Squats" and "Vertical Pulls".
The squats involve propping yourself up on your shoulders with your feet up in the air and then effectively pumping your legs up and down.
The pulls are accomplished by holding an object roughly chest height and pulling towards it.

Seems easy enough. Well, again, it's not as easy as one would think.
I had no problem with the pulls, and cracked the progression standard without breaking a sweat.
The squats are a bit ungainly when you're upside down, and all the blood is leaving your feet to hang out with your frontal cortex. So, as soon as I get used to the blood rush it'll be ok. The squatting action is not a problem, but it does work the erectors quite a bit.

So here are the figures:
Shoulderstand Squats: 40,30,20
Vertical Pulls: 40,40,40 > Progression standard!

I rock! We'll see if I still rock when we get to the more difficult stuff..
Til next time...

What is The Goal?

A goal. That is very important apparently.
I read it somewhere.

So, what's the goal? ... Awesomeness!
I wanna be: Superman. Thor. Spiderman. Name a superhero...
But, realistically I must be SMART about these things.
Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Realistic. Timed.
[What a bummer that I can't just order a batch of gamma radiation or my own mjolnir ]
[Hell, I'll even take some Super-Serum ]
Specific: I want to achieve a 1-arm pullup.
Measurable: Errr.. When I do a 1-arm pullup?
Achievable: Is this possible? [Uh... Apparently it's not that hard!]
Realistic: Ah, well, this one is always open to debate. I vote for "Yes".
Timed: Well, this one will take as long as it takes. So all the in-between steps will be short-term goals.

In order to be successful, I will need one or two other vital achievements:
1. Lower body fat. Somewhere around 10% will be ok. Currently? 14%. [fatty! ;p]
2. Progressing on all Bodyweight Exercises. [No 1 will help here]
   The exercises?
   [1-arm pushup, Handstand pushup, 1-leg Squat, Hanging Leg Raise, Pullup]
3. Guts. Tenacity. Perseverance etc...

Where is that gamma radiation when you need it?

A long post. Sorry. You can wake up now! I'll keep them shorter from now on (probably).
Tune in for Workout 2... Next!
[And perhaps a bit more clarity on short-term goals...]

Why Blog Now?

Have you ever stopped for a moment and thought: "I'm not all that I can be?"
And had the followup thought: "But it's ok because ... [insert numerous reasons here]"

Well, it happened to me. And I decided that it was just an easy way to accept mediocrity.
I will no longer 'go gently into that good night.'
I've decided to fight.
It may be in one small area at a time. It may take years.
But, this blog is the gauntlet. It has been thrown. It cannot be retracted.
So, it begins...

First Workout

The claws of the wild flu-tiger were still in my flesh, but I soldiered on.
It's not like the first workout of "Convict Conditioning" is a killer...
Here it is:
Day 1:
  Wall Pushups: 15,15,15
  Seated Leg Raises: 10,9,8

Notes:
1. The 2-1-2 tempo actually makes this tougher than the paper suggests.
2. What a wimp! I obviously need this program more than I thought!