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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: May 22, 2019, 01:22:32 am »good luck!
good luck!
I appreciate it! Yeah, I go home a lot and just kinda stare blankly. Didn't realize how severe it was until I took a break from girlfriend and realized just isolated I was. I didn't have much of a support group or close friends in town that I could go to, so most of the last 4 years my entire existence in Washington just feels like work. Not a good time. need to change that and make my life something I enjoy every day instead.
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: May 20, 2019, 11:41:06 pm »
Not a health/fitness update, more of a life update:
Short version: I'll be applying for a middle school teaching position tomorrow in a better paying school district to focus on me. Everyone wish me luck!
Long version: I've been working a high school job for the past 4 years and honestly it's been exhausting. High school age students are awesome to work with, but the excess of events outside of my normal contract hours has become unbearable. I haven't had a single week during the regular school year where I don't have at least one work commitment in the evening. More often than not it's at least 2-3 due to extra rehearsals/concerts/football and basketball band/region festivals/tours. All of this is separate from the extra work I have to do to plan lessons or do grading, which I mostly try to take care of during my planning period. Teachers measure their course load in "preps" or different classes that they have to prepare for. Ideally you have 2 or 3, maybe 4. Teaching English, that would be maybe 3 different freshman english classes, 2 sophomore classes, and maybe an honors english class. That would be considered 3 "preps."
.... I have 6 preps. Some are similar types of groups but none of them have the same instrumentation, and none of them perform the same music as each other.
Essentially, I've been spread thin for the past 4 years, and it's a big part of what's taken a toll on me physically and mentally (on top of separation from family, difficulty making friends in small-ish town with a schedule like that, and close relationships that have drifted apart partially due to my inaccessability)
Hoping to improve my health through more than just my food and exercise.
Short version: I'll be applying for a middle school teaching position tomorrow in a better paying school district to focus on me. Everyone wish me luck!
Long version: I've been working a high school job for the past 4 years and honestly it's been exhausting. High school age students are awesome to work with, but the excess of events outside of my normal contract hours has become unbearable. I haven't had a single week during the regular school year where I don't have at least one work commitment in the evening. More often than not it's at least 2-3 due to extra rehearsals/concerts/football and basketball band/region festivals/tours. All of this is separate from the extra work I have to do to plan lessons or do grading, which I mostly try to take care of during my planning period. Teachers measure their course load in "preps" or different classes that they have to prepare for. Ideally you have 2 or 3, maybe 4. Teaching English, that would be maybe 3 different freshman english classes, 2 sophomore classes, and maybe an honors english class. That would be considered 3 "preps."
.... I have 6 preps. Some are similar types of groups but none of them have the same instrumentation, and none of them perform the same music as each other.
Essentially, I've been spread thin for the past 4 years, and it's a big part of what's taken a toll on me physically and mentally (on top of separation from family, difficulty making friends in small-ish town with a schedule like that, and close relationships that have drifted apart partially due to my inaccessability)
Hoping to improve my health through more than just my food and exercise.
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: May 12, 2019, 01:04:00 am »
Faaack, I'm so bad at updating stuff with work. BUT I've been good about focusing on actually getting in better health and letting go of small things (like journal updates...)
Minor update:
Bought a pull-up bar a couple months ago. Figured that if I'm not doing a full routine or going to the gym I could use it on occasion. Have added it to small workouts, but since I'm living alone I've gotten in the habit of doing some pullups/pushups/squats any time I walk through the doorway between the living room and the main hallway. It's good stuff
Feel like an actual 6 pack is starting to slowly come back and I'm back up to about 8-10 pullups at a time while simultaneously doing leg raises, though it depends if I'm using neutral grip or wide grip.
Minor update:
Bought a pull-up bar a couple months ago. Figured that if I'm not doing a full routine or going to the gym I could use it on occasion. Have added it to small workouts, but since I'm living alone I've gotten in the habit of doing some pullups/pushups/squats any time I walk through the doorway between the living room and the main hallway. It's good stuff
Feel like an actual 6 pack is starting to slowly come back and I'm back up to about 8-10 pullups at a time while simultaneously doing leg raises, though it depends if I'm using neutral grip or wide grip.
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: December 22, 2018, 03:18:57 pm »
Puncture thing on my hand is almost entirely healed now. Will likely leave a dim scar but I'm able to do things fine now. Finally out for the holidays after some very stressful few weeks leading up to it. Went to the gym with my sister and her husband yesterday and did actual weightlifting for the first time in ages. Everything was pretty light, but I figured I'd be sore anyway since I haven't done weightlifting in a while... I was right haha
WARMUP - 5 min cardio
Cleans: 105lbs 4x5
DB Bench: 45lbs (ea. DB... Obviously) 4x5
Overhead DB press: 35lbs 4x5
ATG squats: 65x5 paused, 95x5 paused, 135x3x5
Lat pull downs: 115x5x5
Chest fly machine: 50x5x5
Not that nothing felt particularly heavy. Honestly surprised the squats didn't feel as heavy as I thought considering how week I've felt in general. Wanted to do full body since I'm just enjoying the time with family and worry about being back in a gym or working out in my sister's guest room
WARMUP - 5 min cardio
Cleans: 105lbs 4x5
DB Bench: 45lbs (ea. DB... Obviously) 4x5
Overhead DB press: 35lbs 4x5
ATG squats: 65x5 paused, 95x5 paused, 135x3x5
Lat pull downs: 115x5x5
Chest fly machine: 50x5x5
Not that nothing felt particularly heavy. Honestly surprised the squats didn't feel as heavy as I thought considering how week I've felt in general. Wanted to do full body since I'm just enjoying the time with family and worry about being back in a gym or working out in my sister's guest room
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: November 27, 2018, 01:33:05 am »interesting about your dad. my dad is similar (probably alot less grip strength in comparison). he is a piano player, whose done lots of "yard work" his whole life (and martial arts/tennis). believe it or not his hands are very strong. his fingers are so much thicker than mine, it's crazy. hah. I think he closed my #1 gripper, first try. I couldn't even close the trainer without tons of work.
damn @ those photos. that looks painful eek!!! put that neosporin on it non-stop heh!
Basically been putting different stuff on it and changing bandaids every 12 hours. Looking much better. Some of the lighter stuff in the second pic is actually some neosporin like stuff left after taking off bandaging. The red spot in the first pic is after healing a bit. was darker before, and that's where all the bleeding was coming from. No debris in it fortunately, but it felt like a thin puncture.
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: November 26, 2018, 01:48:09 pm »
i used to work on my grip strength hard, and this electrician next door could destroy me on anything grip related because he uses his hands every day for work. could close the #2 CoC gripper, first try.
Definitely know what that's like. My dad has worked manual labor since he was 13 or 14. He's been the provider pretty much his whole life since his dad died young. Anyway, he's slightly shorter and a bit weaker than me pound for pound... until you compare anything related to hand strength. There was a time in his old job when his shoulder and elbows were so messed up he couldn't even do a pushup. But try to clamp a vise grip and he could basically destroy anything with it. His wrists and fingers are visibly thicker than mine, and not by a small margin either despite being generally as thin or thinner.
Yeah... we'll see how long this thing takes to heal. Mostly trying trying not to let it get infected right now.
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: November 25, 2018, 11:31:10 am »
Same routine as last post for M-W-F this past week. Super sore today from helping a friend with rusty over used brakes on a car. Was grinding metal to metal. Took like 6 hours to replace the rears. Don't have many power tools to help so my forearms and back are super sore from so much clamping on vise grips and pulling on stuff.
Anyway, 2 nights ago I slipped in front of my house and hurt my palm pretty bad. Scrape wasn't too big but it was super deep, will upload pic later. Can't put even light weight on it, so I'll probably be doing strictly core/leg stuff this week.
Anyway, 2 nights ago I slipped in front of my house and hurt my palm pretty bad. Scrape wasn't too big but it was super deep, will upload pic later. Can't put even light weight on it, so I'll probably be doing strictly core/leg stuff this week.
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: November 15, 2018, 10:43:02 pm »
that reminds me. I think I want to get a 45 degree back extension again.
P chain? haha
Carried some seriously heavy boxes of new stuff today for one of my classes. Kids were excited for new stuff, but I must have not noticed how badly the corners were stabbing into my biceps. Have a small spot on the center of my left, and a bigger one ont he bottom of my right bicep that are in a bit of pain and looks sort of spotted from the damage. Shouldn't be too bad hopefully. Just doing shoulder stretches today.
Last nights wo:
15 Squat Jumps
15 Push-ups
15 Bench dips
15 Pikes
30 seconds side plank on each side
2 minute rest
Repeat 3 times.
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: November 12, 2018, 11:01:02 pm »
Another week of standing in one place entirely too long and traveling on a bus. Football team is out though, so finally the season is over for my students playing in the band.
More hip flexibility stuff over the weekend.
For today's wo:
20 Squats
10 single arm rows with heavy backpack (don't know the weight, just loaded it with junk)
10 Standard Push-ups
10 Pikes
10 Burpees
10 Bench Dips
3 minutes rest
Repeat 4 times. Will decrease rest as I feel better down to one minute. Need to get a pullup bar.
More hip flexibility stuff over the weekend.
For today's wo:
20 Squats
10 single arm rows with heavy backpack (don't know the weight, just loaded it with junk)
10 Standard Push-ups
10 Pikes
10 Burpees
10 Bench Dips
3 minutes rest
Repeat 4 times. Will decrease rest as I feel better down to one minute. Need to get a pullup bar.
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: November 06, 2018, 10:56:11 pm »
More of the same mobility exercises. Feeling pretty good about them but after a few concerts and way too much time on a bus with students for a playoff game last friday my hips have felt super tight, especially my right side, so this weekend and today for my off days I've focused on some of these exercises to start loosening things up.
https://gmb.io/hip-mobility/
https://gmb.io/hip-mobility/
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: October 30, 2018, 01:29:36 am »
Finished up last week pretty well then had performances Friday and Sunday so no updates.
Not as sore as when I've tried to just jump straight back into lifting (which usually leaves me barely walking for a week), but I'm still feeling good about the results. Will probably just redo the exercises for this week while I look for a similar program that isn't super boring generic bodyweight stuff. Not much of a budget to go out and buy programs I don't "need" when I haven't had a roommate for a couple months until just recently.
Left shoulder in particular has been noticeably sore. Not in a bad way, I think the exercises and off-day stretching has been helping it and helping stabilitiy. Definitely a bit of soreness each day though.
Not as sore as when I've tried to just jump straight back into lifting (which usually leaves me barely walking for a week), but I'm still feeling good about the results. Will probably just redo the exercises for this week while I look for a similar program that isn't super boring generic bodyweight stuff. Not much of a budget to go out and buy programs I don't "need" when I haven't had a roommate for a couple months until just recently.
Left shoulder in particular has been noticeably sore. Not in a bad way, I think the exercises and off-day stretching has been helping it and helping stabilitiy. Definitely a bit of soreness each day though.
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: October 25, 2018, 02:38:13 am »
Searched for that. Will probably just start doing a little bit of that every morning. Workout so far have all been the last 20 minutes or so before bed. Not necessariy ideal or even the "best" if you ask anyone trying to gain muscle or work towards performance but it's working out right now and I'm even sleeping better so I don't mind. Save for a short stretch at like 3am last night where I was wide awake for a bit, I've been going to sleep a few minutes earlier every night. Hopefully that keeps up and I can actually fall asleep before midnight on a given day.
Accidentally redid day 2 of the GMB free package thing today. Doesn't really matter since I'm just trying to stay active though. The core work/"hollow body" movements remind me a lot of the sort of stuff I did in track back in the day so that was pretty fun actually.
Left shoulder is surprisingly sore after the shoulder mobility stretches. Not really hurting but I can definitely feel it when I'm laying on my left side in bed. We'll see how that keeps up over time.
Accidentally redid day 2 of the GMB free package thing today. Doesn't really matter since I'm just trying to stay active though. The core work/"hollow body" movements remind me a lot of the sort of stuff I did in track back in the day so that was pretty fun actually.
Left shoulder is surprisingly sore after the shoulder mobility stretches. Not really hurting but I can definitely feel it when I'm laying on my left side in bed. We'll see how that keeps up over time.
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: October 23, 2018, 01:41:46 am »
Active recovery focused on shoulder mobility today. Need to find some proper wrist stretches. Left wrist has felt like it's needed to "pop" since I started this. Probably a minor injury I hadn't noticed or some severe tension since I haven't been lifting for a while.
Oh and tons of trumpet playing for a jazz thing. My face is melted, but that's besides the point haha
Oh and tons of trumpet playing for a jazz thing. My face is melted, but that's besides the point haha
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Progress Journals & Experimental Routines / Re: Scrawny to Brawny Journal
« on: October 22, 2018, 01:50:40 am »
Tons of walking this weekend. Probably 6-8 miles total. Gf's mom was in town so we were showing her around Seattle for a big chunk of the weekend and walking everywhere
Did second day of the GMB stuff yesterday. I'm amazed at how tight my right hip and left wrist are through the movements. Right hip was supposed to be the more flexible one for hurdles way back in the day since I'd lead with my left, but I'm left foot dominant and jump from my left which is weird and backwards from what most people would do. Probably just a result of my left being the stronger side these days in every day use.
Appreciating the fact that none of the stretches are static (so far at least). Maybe I have undiagnosed ADHD or something, but I've always hated static stretches and iso exercises. Hard to stay still.
Anyway, still debating what I'd like to log more obsessively, but just doing more stretching and mobility feels nice.
Did second day of the GMB stuff yesterday. I'm amazed at how tight my right hip and left wrist are through the movements. Right hip was supposed to be the more flexible one for hurdles way back in the day since I'd lead with my left, but I'm left foot dominant and jump from my left which is weird and backwards from what most people would do. Probably just a result of my left being the stronger side these days in every day use.
Appreciating the fact that none of the stretches are static (so far at least). Maybe I have undiagnosed ADHD or something, but I've always hated static stretches and iso exercises. Hard to stay still.
Anyway, still debating what I'd like to log more obsessively, but just doing more stretching and mobility feels nice.