Monday Workout: All Around

This week, we’re doing a good all-around workout.  We have some stability challenges, some core work, some compound exercises, and even some smaller muscle shapers.  Three rounds!

mountain climbers	30
ball bench press	20
curls	10
clean and press	30
lunges	20
lateral raise	10
plyojacks/jacks/mod jacks	30
squats	20
brains	10

Friday Report on Why I Have No Book Report

I woke up this morning and realized that I had not finished the book I intended to write about for today’s blog post.  This has been happening more often.  My first reaction is that I don’t like it.

From there, I can go lots of different ways.  One way is analysis.  Why don’t I like the trend?  Well, it makes me feel like I am failing, like I’m probably lazy.  I feel like the Great Gradebook in the Sky has written me down a slacker.  There probably isn’t a Great Gradebook in the Sky, so perhaps I should relax.

Then I can analyze why I’m not finishing the books.  Only one small part of the issue is anything kind of like slacking.  I do, in fact, have a lot to do other than read.  The books I have been reading lately are more challenging and often longer than those I’ve read in the past.  Some things that are worth doing take longer.

Practically, I have to decide.  I still think that reading and writing about it is a valid exercise for this blog.  My work is about mind and body, so if all I write about is body, I’m cheating.  Which means that on weeks when I don’t finish the book in time, I’ll write some other mind thing for Friday.

Another way to state the problem, which makes the fitness application clearer, is:  I have a goal that is aggressive.  Aggressive goals with deadlines are useful for motivation, but sometimes the deadlines need to be adjusted when it turns out that the worthwhile end is going to take longer than expected, no matter how hard I am working.  Working hard is important; reading is important; goals are important; the most important parts, however, are not quitting and staying positive.

Festina lente

I am not good at taking my time.  Most often, I want to get as much done in as little time as possible.  When it comes to working out, this is useful, but only to a point.

Some things have to take time.  Allowing the body’s energy systems to reboot between sets makes each set better.  Giving the muscles enough time to relax into a stretch creates more flexibility.  Those same muscles really do need a recovery day between weight workouts to rebuild themselves stronger than before.

Yes, let’s be efficient.  But sometimes we have to make haste slowly.

Steps and Dance

In Pilates, a lot of value is placed on the interaction between stiffness and flexibility, the useful tension that allows motion to occur.  We need both structure and motion, both a skeleton and muscle.

This is true metaphorically as well.  Routines can enable our fitness.  Planning can encourage us to eat right and move enough.  And yet, there are times when that very routine, that very plan stifles us.  We need to use the routine for structure, but remember that our mindful presence is what makes life.  We need both steps and dance.

We can use the autopilot mode to get the unpleasant stuff done and then we can fly freely the rest of the time, reveling in the open air and the wide sky.

Structure for change

There is never a bad time to begin, really.  I know a lot of people like beginning things at the New Year, or on a Monday.  Because of all those years of school, I think of September as the real “new year.”  And there is nothing wrong with starting on a Tuesday, or a Thursday, or a Sunday night.

At this time of year, when the leaves begin to die away and the branches emerge, we can see structure.  We can prune for next year’s growth.  We can envision the tree we want from the tree we have.

How do we want to grow in the next season?  What should we remove?  What sort of fertilizer do we need to add to our roots?  How much water?

I am a terrible gardener, but a good behavior change specialist.  I am here to help if goals need to be made!

Monday Workout: Challenge!

This week we are back to challenging our core and working compound exercises.  Four rounds, using weights just heavy enough that we can barely complete the set.

1 min cardio
heavy squats	10
bench barbell press	10
step ups	20
tricep kickbacks	20
lunge with overhead	20
barbell twist	10