Month: February 2017

#neverthelessshepersisted • Today’s #workout (awesome like a hotdog)

I’m dealing with TWO fraudulent, infuriating corporations at the same time! Nevertheless I had a great workout

AT&T is even worse than iPage, because they’re holding my iPhone hostage. I may have gotten through with the AT&T this morning however. My 3rd unlock request failed. Called yesterday (for the umpteenth time) after the 2nd denial. Found out someone there had not gotten my IMEI number into my account, probably when I bought my latest iPhone in February 2015, and therefore the “information didn’t match”, causing their asshole system to throw my request in the trash, yet again. My 2/27 agent said he “couldn’t” put in unlock request #4 from his end, since my account is closed. My 2/28 agent went to a specialist & got permission to initiate, and she put some notes into the request. Who knows if it’ll work? I waited until I was done with my morning work before I checked the unlock portal today, as yesterday I’d been so upset it’d zapped all my energy into oblivion. The frustration and impotent rage sends my adrenalin levels through the fucking roof, and then it takes a long time to calm down, after which I’m often exhausted. Yesterday I fell asleep in the late afternoon for awhile and still went to bed at 9:30.

iPage… the stories are just too long. I only found two other reviews on Google, where I went to get a corporate address for the sake of my Better Business Bureau complaint. The other reviews were both one star, and I added mind. Updated it once already too! Let a picture suffice for today’s summary. Generally, I try to give them three doses of negative exposure each time they irritate me with their ineptness.

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HOW MANY FUCKING TIMES DO I HAVE TO TERMINATE YOU FUCKING FUCKS?
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Cracked 800 on the burn!

Broken Pyramid by Christine Comeau

I decided to just do a Julia workout following along, without any preview at all, pausing where  ever necessary.

Warm up 30:30
1. Walk out pushup
2. Lateral lunge + twist to open
3. High knees
4. Jacks
5. Crab dip + reach back
6. Skaters

Round 1 (14 reps) 13” Elv
1. Lunge: Bulgarian + deadlift (14/leg) 30lbs + 8lb vest

Round 2 (50:10) 13” Elv 10 min +8lb vest
1. Lunge: Lizards
2. Butt: box jump + glute squeeze at the top and bottom
3. Squat: Broad jump + ninja (hands behind head)
4. Push up: Pushup fast knee tuck
5. Kick boxing: 4 plank punches + jump to squat + 4 crosses
6. Shoulders: pike push up + kick up to handstand
7. Bicep: ski squat jump + hammer curl in squat 30lbs
8. Tricep: tricep fall + plank hop in + 180 tuck jump
9. Plank: commando down + elbow to knees + commando up + pike jump in
10. Bench abs: decline tricep push up on bench + hop pike in & back up + toe touches x 2

Round 3 (No rest tabata 20:10 x 6) 6 min 40lbs w/ 8lb vest
1. Lunge: Forward lunge
a. Strict mtn climbers
2. Butt: hip thrusts
a. hip thrust holds

Round 4 (50:10) 9 min + 8lb vest
1. Lunge: curtsy lunge 40lbs
2. Butt: deadlift 40lbs (no longer a challenge but it’s the heaviest I got)
3. Squat: back load box squat 40lbs
4. Push up: push up on weights + t-stand press 20lbs
5. Kick boxing: front kick + elbow + 180 tuck
6. Shoulders: bicep curl + arnold press 30lbs
7. Bicep: narrow to wide bicep curls 30lbs
8. Tricep: weighted plank walk forward + staggered tricep push up 20lbs (failure w/ the staggered push-ups + vest!)
9. Plank: Plank lateral walk x 3 + kickthroughs

Round 5 (12 rep based) + 8lb vest
1. Lunge: Rev lunge 40lbs
2. Butt: sumo deadlifts 40lbs
3. Squat: sumo squat + leg lifts 30lbs

Round 6 (50:10) 6 min
1. Lunge: goblet curtsy up and over and switch 20lbs
2. Butt: lateral box jump + pistol squat+ 180 to switch took off vest just for this move cause of the pistol squats
3. Squat: broad jump + bunny hop back
4. Push ups: SL push up + open to side plank + upper leg lift
5. Kick boxing: 3 hooks + switch kick
6. Shoulders: split lunge snatch 30lbs
7. Bicep: boat hold bicep curl 20lbs
8. Tricep: crab walk forward + flip over to tricep push up + crab walk back + flip over to tricep push up This was harder than you’d think! Liked it tho.

Round 7 (tabata pairs time pyramid 10:10:20:10:30:10:40:10:40:10:30:10:20:10:10:10) 9:20 min +8lb vest
1. Lunge: alt plyo curtsy
2. Butt: dragon lunges 30lbs 1st round then 35lb kettlebell

3. Squat: 3 weighted squat pulses + squat jump
4. Push up: decline pushup + plank hop DL

Seriously cooked at this point! (1:09)

Round 8 (50:10) 7 min +8lb vest
1. Lunge: weighted lateral touchdowns 20lbs
2. Butt: Step up rev and switch Used higher elevation (my hope chest) now that I’m working out downstairs again. Have to measure it.
3. Squat: twerknado + burpee two 20lbs
4. Push up: weighted ups burpees 30lbs
5. Kick boxing: crunch up + 4 weighted crosses 20lbs
6. Shoulders: around the world arms + squat while front raising 20lbs
7. Bicep: rev grip pushups

Round 9 (10 rep) +8lb vest
1. Lunge: fwd lunge to SL DL to rev lunge (5/leg) 30lbs
2. Butt: decline donkey kicks (10/leg)
3. Squat: front load squats 40lbs
4. Push up: push up + side plank press + tricep ext 10lbs
5. Kick boxing: roll back tuck jump cross cross took off vest here & left it off!

Round 10 (tabata pairs) 20:10 4x each pair 6 min no vest (feels like the cool down, lol)
1. Lunge: groiners
2. Butt: deadlift + plank hop 40lbs

3. Squat: Quadzilla box jumps
4. Push up: pushup plank hop

5. Kick boxing: 4 weighted uppers + 2 sumo squats + 4 weighted uppers 20lbs
6. Shoulders: clean and press 40lbs

(Total time 1:37)

Yoga

About 20min

Wow, that was intense! #workout

That first set! I give myself 15 seconds for transition / list checking / face drying time. I had to slow down on the jump rope because I kept going north of 170 and I hit 180 more than once. Felt ok though, but that’s definitely when I ease up. I can feel the beginning of dizziness there.

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BodyRock – 50 Min Real Time Full Body Workout

  • Two sets of HIIT with a 2min break in between = 49:40
  • (15/50) Repeat cardio: jumprope
  1. Push-up, clean & press, squat & press 40lbs
  2. SA clean & press, squat & press 20lbs
  3. Other side
  4. Squat & arnold press 40lbs
  5. Decline push-up & alt knee touch
  6. Tuck jump burpee
  7. Pull-ups
  8. Side push-up & knee in
  9. Other side
  10. Bent over flies 30lbs
  11. Swings 35lb kettlebell

2min rest Boy did I need this! I hit 180 in the swings, lol. 

  1. Tricep dips w/ switch kicks
  2. Cross push-up Extend alt leg straight to opp side, resting foot on floor, push-up & then same foot to opp elbow
  3. Around the world 20lbs
  4. Sumo squat (with upright rows) 30lbs
  5. Chin-ups
  6. Alt shoulder press 40lbs
  7. Tuck abs 3lbs bet feet
  8. Side lunge with front raise 20lbs
  9. Other side with lateral raise 20lbs
  10. Bicep curls 30lbs
  11. Leg lifts, fast up & down slow 3lbs bet feet

 

  • (10/50=12min) No jump rope this section.
  1. Mountain climbers
  2. Leg lifts, slow up & down fast 3lbs bet feet
  3. Mat jumps
  4. V-abs, on side, 3lbs bet feet bringing back down to flat & torso facing up between reps
  5. Pike abs on sliders
  6. V-abs other side 3lbs
  7. Heel clicks / Donkey kicks
  8. Crunch, elbows to knees & tap feet to floor
  9. Commandos
  10. Elbow to opp knee, elevated feet
  11. Bike abs
  12. Flutter kicks

(time = 1:04)

Yoga

  • About 25min

Great workout today, after 2 days off

I’m really loving Tabata lately, and Velvet Hammer Fitness.

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Extra warm-up (10/30×6=4min) jump rope intervals

Matt’s Metabolic Mayhem

Warm-up @ 3:10

Tabata Pairs 20:10 20 Minutes with 8lb vest

Box Squat Jump
Face Melters Feet elevated plank, jog feet down & back up, changing leading foot ea interval.

Quadzillas
Push-up Jacks These are still SO challenging for me w/ an 8lb vest!

Tucks Did mine slow & controlled, no bounce, 7 or 8 per interval
2 Froggers, 2 tricep push-ups, 2 superman

Super Skater Jump 3x, hop up on the 3rd
Broad jump forward bunny hops back

Twist Mountain Climbers
Overhead switch lunge + squat Holding arms overhead

(Took a few minutes break here for notes & happy sitting)

Light Dumbbell Tabata 20:10 20 Minutes

Rolling Squat + 2 punches 2 10lb weights
Split Switch with press up

Side Plank Under & Up (L) 10lbs really challenging by the last interval
Full Burpee+ 4 punches

Side Plank Under & Up (R) 10lbs
1-leg squat,1-arm press, single leg crunch I did alt sides by mistake & took out the crunch cause I was using 20lbs

Bulgarians, alt legs per round 30lbs + 8lb vest, this & last set
Plank rows

Squat + forward press
Grocery Bag Punches

Dumbell Gauntlet (5 rounds, 5 reps per move) 40lbs + 8lb vest all the way thru (kicked my ass)

Curtsy Lunges (L)
Squats + Press 
Curtsy Lunges (R)
Shoulder Presses 
Double Squat Pulses (5 per leg)

Yoga

  • Suryas & fundamentals, one urdhva d
  • Finishing to sirsasana, savasana

Switching my iPhone from AT&T to Verizon has been a #nightmare #phonehostage

After way too much drama yesterday, and no I shouldn’t have written that last post. Delete! Ten views. Might be time to retire the blog again. This one was mainly about my fitness regimen, which, well… Let’s not talk about it.

And of course things are unresolved with the phone. First, neither Verizon (my new carrier) nor AT&T told us I’d need a new sim, and we had to wait a couple days for that. Then I find the activation is going to take a hell of a lot longer than “a few minutes”. It’s not like turning on your credit card when changing carriers, sadly.

AT&T has been hugely negligent

AT&T quite significantly forgot to mention I’d need to have my phone unlocked when terminating my account at the end of my latest contract. I thought they’d just add on the $31 in “Screw you!” cancellation fees to the usual auto-billing and we could call it a day, but no. I needed to log into my account and pay it off in order to get the phone unlocked so Verizon can activate the new sim. Problem was I couldn’t log into my account because my contract was over. They knew I’d need a new sim with a different carrier and they ended my account with my phone locked. I spent like an hour on chat working with “Jesus”. He didn’t save me. He just wasted my time, gave up and gave me a phone number. It took an hour and a half on the phone to be allowed to read off my credit card information.

The lady I was speaking with told me I could get into the unlock portal right after, but she lied. Didn’t work and the website error message said I’d have to wait 24-hours.

I got in a little early, this morning, but now I have to wait two more business days for “processing”. This means we’ll have to try calling back the Verizon people on Monday – Charlie and I are both busy Friday and it might not be fully processed by then anyway – and pray there are no further problems.

Right before I got off the phone with AT&T lady and she said some script-blurb about my having been a “valued customer” I snorted in disgust… It’s so hard not to take it out on these phone drones… I know it’s not their fault but there is something about the particular torture of cell phone providers that is perhaps worse than cable service companies. What do we depend on more? It probably comes down to that.

Verizon has been completely inept

When we were initially going to “quickly” get my sim in and activated before jam night, we looked at the instructions which said, STEP 1: Call this number to activate. First thing the guy asks us is if we’ve got the sim in yet, because it’s gotta be in the phone to get activated. That was our first surprise, which we weren’t prepared for. It’s STEP 2 on the manual, and a lot of the times with computers and networking equipment, the order you do things IS important. The text indicating step order was big and bold. Your instructions are badly written, Charlie and I both said to the guy, in different ways.

Then he told us to find the tool that came with the phone (Sure I’ve got that lying around from two years ago and no there was never a tool in the package to begin with) to open the Sim tray. I googled & found a paperclip would work. C got it open. Then the guy told us it had to be gold side down / logo up top, but was unclear of how to tell us which end went in first. Finally we got that straight but he said we should stick the sim in and then put the little drawer thing in after it. We immediately got the sim stuck in the phone. Right after, he denied saying that but Charlie and I both heard it.

Luckily C was able to pick the card back out (surgeon skills) and install it, in the tray first, which the agent kept insisting he’d said at the beginning. Wrong! Wrong! Powered the phone down. Powered it up and discovered it was still locked & I’d need to contact AT&T.

He said he’d call back in 20-minutes and never did! I can see why. We both refused to agree when he claimed he’d told us to put it in the tray. Why is Verizon having people with no tech training on these kinds of calls? I guess it’s for the same reason the manual is so poor. Or maybe he just knew it’d take an unreasonable amount of time -1½ hours, plus two business days instead of 20minutes – and just been playing dumb before for fun.

#reps #EMOM and no-rest #tabata

Didn’t have time to preview this one at all, which actually takes me longer than following along (just for Julia’s workouts) b/c I like to pause the video after nearly every set to jot down notes.

Also didn’t bother to stretch after, like at ALL! I may get suddenly busy very soon and I have a bit of a commuting problem, in that it’s going to take up too much of my free time for me to be able to work out more than twice a week. That is, unless I do two, 2-hour sets on Saturday and Sunday and don’t do anything else on my weekends besides laundry, lol.

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Format Supersets by Christine Comeau

Warm-up 30:30
1. Lateral lunge +arm reach
2. Body weight squat (slow) + jump for height
3. Warrior 1 reach transition to warrior 3
4. 8 butt kickers + 8 high knee runs
5. Frog squat + hands to floor straight into a forward fold + jump back to plank
1. squat hands down jump out to plank + yoga tricep push up + downward dog

Complex “warm up” (12 reps x 2) 40lbs for all
1. Step ups
2. Deadlift
3. Back lunge

EMOM (60:60) 6 min 20lbs Was a little heavy for me for the swing so ended up being like a hammer curl.
1. SL deadlift (left)
2. SL deadlift + split squat (left)
3. SL deadlift + split squat + switch foot SA swing 4 (left)
4. SL deadlift + split squat + switch foot swing 4 (right)
5. SL deadlift + split squat (right)
6. SL deadlift

No rest Tabata + burnout 4 min raise elv to 13” 40lbs
1. Deadlift + squat
a. Box jumps

Deadlift + squat + box jump burnout (60 sec) 1 min

Complex (5 reps x4)
1. Shoulder presses 40lbs
2. Squats 40lbs
3. Clean and press 40lbs

Twerknado Burpee Complex (50:20) 7 min 20lbs This was a bit hard to follow w/out the preview, but s’ok.
In the 20 sec break complete a twerknado + staggered push up burpee.  2 push ups =1
1. SA clean and press (left)
2. Staggered push up (left)
1. Slams
2. 180 squat jumps
5. Staggered push up (right)
6. SA clean and press (right)

No Rest Tabata + burnout (20:10 x8) 4 min
1 Clean and press 40lbs
a. 180 squat jumps

Twerknado burnout (60 sec) 1 min

Complex (8 reps x 3)
Place heavy weights on chairs to keep them from shifting
Or leg weights
1. Oblique knee in (hanging from pull-up bar)
2. Push ups  / frogger
3. Straight abs (elbows to legs) leg raises

EMOM (60:60) gladiator get ups 6 min 10lbs Still don’t like these moves at all. Feels awkward. But I guess it’s ok to do moves you don’t like every once in awhile. Reminds me of the old days of yoga! Plus I’m about to be a weekend only person.
1. Left arm floor to press up
2. Left arm floor to press up + side plank press
3. Left arm gladiator get ups + front to back toe taps
4. Right arm gladiator get ups + front to back toe taps
5. Right arm floor to sit up + side plank press
6. Right arm floor to press up

No Rest tabata + burnout 4 min
Ankle weights, 5lbs each leg
1. Tricep push up to side plank + leg raise (dynamic)
a. Side leg lifts

Turkish get ups burnout (60 secs) 1 min

Maybe I’ll start teaching #hermetics…

Instead of marketing myself as a private yoga teacher. This came up in conversation when Sam was here, the fact that I could try marketing myself to locals who can afford a minimum of $75 an hour for private instruction. I’ve got 28 years of experience in yoga. And meditation! My introduction to both occurred at once, when I enrolled in two six-week intensive, college credit classes during the summer 1998 at Rivier University in NH. I wanted to get some non studio credits out of the way so I could focus even more on painting my junior year. I took Yoga, Meditation and Mysticism and The Psychology of Communication.

During my first experiences with basic, hatha yoga, the meditation was of equal importance.

I like the fact that with my introduction to yoga, there was a simultaneous introduction to experiential learning in meditation. We used the basic method outlined in Lawrence Leshan’s How to Meditate. See? I still remember the f-ing title. I’ve been recommending it ever since is why.

The class was taught by a couple in their early 70s, thereabouts, and met twice a week for 3-hours a session. During each class we sat for meditation for 20-minutes, and also did 40-minutes of very basic, democratic asana. The rest of the time we discussed our reading and writing assignments, the history and philosophy part.

It took awhile, but I did get the RISD liberal arts department to accept BOTH of my grade A credits. I got into a phone fight with the head of the department while I was still in NH. Must’ve gotten a notice of the rejection of that course in the mail… I’d done my homework though, and had checked to see that Rivier was fully accredited before I enrolled. I’d worked hard too! Taking two classes together was so intense I couldn’t work my normal menial summer job at the same time. I wanted my As, see… As part of Yoga, Meditation and Mysticism I’d vowed to do the 20-min sit and 40-min yoga every single day the entire 6-weeks of the program, while completing all the reading and writing assignments of course. This had a profound and lasting effect.

There were some total bullshit liberal arts classes at RISD, like one where you grew a plant and kept a journal of its progress for a semester. Didn’t waste my brain cells on that one but I’d heard about it and snorted. I’d slammed the phone down on the department head, after he said I “must be crazy” if I thought he was going to accept those credits. I decided to wear him down. When I got back to school in the fall, I brought all of my heavily highlighted course books and all my papers for the class tied up in a nice, little bundle with a bow. I dumped the lot on his desk and said, “You can’t tell me this isn’t as much real work as a lot of the classes you’ve got going here.”

I got my way.

How might I market myself?

If I do this, I’ll still teach whatever yoga (cardio and strength training) would be appropriate to the client, but I’ll include the meditation and advise from the beginning that meditation takes priority. Five minutes is a good place to start for beginners.

Kabbalah, Magic & the Great Work of Self Transformation

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My new read

I’m still reading Initiation into Hermetics, but I’ll be in that for 2-3 years if I stick with it. It’s more like a bookshelf of encyclopedias crammed into one tomb of practical exercises than a mere book, and it’s not all that user friendly in figuring out the practical application of all the insanely difficult, mental exercises. As in the first chapter title of Kabbalah Magic, Though Only a Few Will Rise. And this is another set of practical exercises – “A COMPLETE COURSE” – though I haven’t gotten that far into it yet.

The first ritual detailed is the LBRP, which I already know. I wouldn’t include the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentegram in any yoga teaching program! It’s far (+1,000,000) more esoteric than any asana class or (the lite description) “relaxation exercise”.

My visitor

Figures that it’s suddenly much warmer and brighter outside, the last morning my friend is in town. She’s at the airport now… We had a last afternoon of sight seeing and hanging out yesterday. I’ll post some pictures once I get clearance.

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I’m all into archangel Gabriel still.

Stopped by New Renaissance Bookstore yesterday for a second time. She picked up some things for the kids. I got two goldstones, specifically for working with the archangel Gabriel, and a pear candle (ditto). I’d been looking for another of the inexpensive, great light & long burning apple candle. All they had was pears. Then I revisited this site and noticed that his/her “angelic thoughtform” is a pear. All right then! They’re the same price as the apple shape and probably just as good.

#Tabata #strength & #ashtanga #yoga

That felt good today! And sometimes it’s better to have a time limit (a lunch date in this case), so you don’t dither endlessly.

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Agility Tabata + Posterior ChainAgility Tabata + Posterior Chain

Warmup (10/30×6=4min) jump rope intervals

Tabata Pair Workout excellent cardio set!

  • Was gonna do this w/ a list & timer initially, but in previewing the first few sets I decided it was too “dancey” for me to remember, so I did it with the video. I’d put 30 seconds for the rest between intervals though…
  • With 8lb vest

    1. Mini Suicide Shuffles
    2. Heel Clicks From standing & with hands on floor

    1. In/Out Fast Feet x4+ plank shoulder taps X4 + heel click
    2. Butt kick lateral hops x3, SL (outside leg)forward and back hop x4

    1. Falling off a log + 2 side heel clicks + 3 bunny hops back Kind of like a forward, crossing one leg over the other forward skip x4. Stop with one foot raised & do 2 kicks out to the side. Alt which leg starts.
    2. 1-2-3’s Sideways shuffle lifting inner knee (like Insanity move)

    1. Hit-the floors
    2. Fencing Shuffle Forward and back, 180 and Switch

    1. In/Out quick squats
    2. Shuffle, Drop and Pop

    1. Cross Hops (L)
    2. Cross Hops (R)

    1. 2 Plank Jacks, 2 Toe Taps
    2. 2 Froggers, 2 Low Cross Jacks

    1. 4 fast feet, 4 in/out fast feet Video sequence got mixed up in the edit but it was ok.
    2. Around-the-World Squats (4 left, 4 Right)

Back Body Finisher/Posterior Chain
(1 minute intervals/15 seconds rest)

  1. Pull-over+ narrow press 30lbs
  2. Supine Rows+Deadlift 40lbs
  3. Squat walk x4 + Upright row x2 30lbs
  4. Pigeon toe DL +Shrugs+ Calf Raises 40lbs
  5. Renegade rows + Glute Raises (alt) 40lbs

Yoga

Was gonna do a Bodyrock isometric thing for part 2, but then I’d have had no time to stretch! Decided yoga would feel better.

  • 32min Suryas & fundamentals, the Linda way, first 3 poses of primary, one 5-breath urdhva d and then a 1min savasana

#Jumprope and #abs, #reps & some closing #yoga

Hadda go a long time to get a workout in, but it was ok as we have no plans for the evening.

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Skipped the video warm-up & did my own, the usual, (10/30×6=4min) jump rope intervals. Then I added it in a bunch more.

Rina’s 1000 Rep Ab Challenge

Sit-Ups/Crunches– 175 reps total, 25 reps/exercise (@ about 10min into video) 

Did this 1st set from a list. I think it’d be good to split these up & do them with light weights bet feet on ankles as ab burn-outs after a HIIT or Tabata.

1. Bent Leg Sit-Ups extending arms overhead on the down & trying to get head through the “window” at the top & get slight upper backbend
2. Sit-Up to 45 degrees Arms out straight, pointing towards feet. Can put feet under something.
3. Frogs Feet together, knees out wide.
4. Sit-up Down to 45 degrees
5. Star Crunches Arms & legs go out wide on the low.
6. Suitcase Sit-Ups
7. Running Rope Pulls SL comes in while arm reaches up 1=1

  • (10/30×6=4min) jump rope intervals
  • Bhujangasana – (10/60)

Started back up with video here.

Pulses-75 Reps total, 25 reps/exercise
1. Side to Side Heel Touch Pulses
2. Crunch Pulses
3. Straight-leg Crunches

Obliques-150 Reps, 25 reps/exercise I actually move faster than the video in this case & had time to type the notes w/in all the sets! If I repeat this routine in part or in full, I’ll do it with just a list & more cardio, possibly some ankle weights.
1. Russian Twists 10lbs
2. Side V-ups (L)
3. Round of Applause C-sit w/ bent knees but feet off floor, arms out wide. Turn to one side & clap hands, back to center & alt 1=1
4. Side V-ups (R)
5. Sit-Up and Twist 10lbs
6. Alt. V-Ups

  • (10/50×5=5min) jump rope intervals Hadda get my heart rate up a bit.

Lower Abs-125 Reps, 25 reps/exercise
1. Flutter Kicks 2=1
2. Reverse Crunches
3. Leg Raises Over Chair
4. Leg Raise + Knee In (L)
5. Leg Raise + Knee In (R)

  • (10/50×5=5min) jump rope intervals

Planks-175 Reps, 25 reps/exercise Arm fully extended for all
1. Reptiles
2. Side Plank Hip Dips (L)
3. Side Plank Hip Dips (R)
4. Side Plank Knee Tuck
5. Other side
6. Plank Toe Taps (26 reps) feet elevated on bench, tapping alt foot to floor. 
7. Forearm Side to Side Hip Drop (26 reps) Knee Tucks

Scrambler-350 Reps, 25 reps/exercise
1. CW Leg Circles (same direction)
2. CCW Leg Circles (same direction)
3. Sit-Ups with Weight Overhead 10lbs
4. 1-Leg Reptiles (L)
5. 1-Leg Reptiles (R)
6.Knee Tucks (On bench)
7. Leg Lowers
8. Scissors 2=1 crossing legs over each other horizontally in boat
9. Leg Circles (circle in)
10. Leg Circles (circle out)
11. Rowing sit-up 10lbs Kind of like a sit-up w/ 1 russian twist at the top
12. Straight Leg Raise, Spread Legs at Bottom

  • (10/30×6=4min) jump rope intervals Just to crack 500, lol

A tired, aggravated Monday morning, but I am very lucky #gratitude

This is what I was thinking very early this morning, listening to the torrential downpour while cuddling next to Sir Henry. We’re safe and warm and snuggly!, I cooed to him. Sure corporate America hates me; I’m an over 40, non nepotism-beneficiary, vagina owner. I’m still a lot luckier than many. I don’t forget to be grateful for the good stuff, which is quite often the simple stuff, the basic human needs and comforts. Do you have heat? hot water? a comfortable bed and warm blankets? healthy food to eat? If you have all of that, things aren’t so bad.

iPage sucks, and I’ve let as many people know about this today as possible

Then I got up and had to deal with my former website host, unexpectedly. That took quite awhile, and it was after another similar session just months ago. There are only two other reviews on Google and they’re both 1-star, lol. All told Charlie and I sat at the table 3½ hours. We also found out it’d have been better to transfer my line over earlier! My iPhone service ended today but I have to change my sim card and will have to wait to receive it and pray there are no technical difficulties. Like, I’m pretty sure AT&T wants to make you pay to get it changed, and I’m not at all handy with crap like this (though I did figure out how to change both the batteries in my Polar heart rate monitor recently).

I will also have to change my phone number and get a 503 area code, like I was saying on Facebook. This is because my AT&T account is already closed and I’d need a temporary activation to port out, which they’d like to charge a total of $70 in parting fees for. I’d been advised in 2015 by a 10-year PDX veteran that it’d be better to keep my 646, NYC area code as long as possible, saying locals are impressed by a New York association. I certainly have not found that to be the case. And my situation is such that it’s better to take the time to change my phone number on all my online accounts, however many times that comes up, over paying $70 and having to suffer through more phone calls through AT&T. Dealing with one cell phone provider at a time is enough! The last agent I talked to had the grace to sound embarrassed when she was forced to try to push television service on me at the end of the call. #asIF

Also this winter sure sucks weather wise

I wasn’t exaggerating earlier this winter. According to The Oregonian it was the coldest January since 1979. Plus we had snowpocalypse as well as other periods of snow induced house arrest. And now the torrential rains! Generally it hadn’t rained in extended periods before. You’d have breaks where the skies would brighten and you could get out and do stuff. This year it’s been a lot heavier and significantly longer, not Portland mist but more like gloomy, New England rain. I’ve really felt like I brought the weather with me! But of course that’s silly because if I did there wouldn’t have been a 2-year delay.

It’d have been really nice if at least we’d had half way decent weather for Sam’s visit. Walking around and hanging out in nature is really the best this area has to offer (and it’s Extreme Budget friendly), but there’s loads of things we haven’t done because it’s been so consistently rainy: Multnomah Falls, the Chinese Garden, walking along the waterfront, Tanner Springs Park, walking around the Pearl.

We did manage to get outside the portion of the one day it was good weather, Friday. Even the Japanese Garden was distinctly underwhelming though, with all the construction going on. The fish ponds were opaque swamps of pea soup too! I’m not kidding. I pointed to an indistinct, orange blob and said, That’s a really beautiful fish, if you could see it. They should really have a reduced admission for off season if it’s like that. Next time I’d just as soon walk on the trails around the zoo, in Forest Park, for free. I think it’s only worth admission starting mid March or so.

We’ve still had a really nice visit

We got in:

  1. Deschutes
  2. The Japanese Garden
  3. 23rd Ave
  4. Dick’s Kitchen & a good “home party”
  5. “Short Cuts” at the art museum, a film festival, curated set of 6 animations. They made a point to not include any American films, so as to provide more of what might not otherwise get seen outside of animation competitions. It was excellent, I thought.
  6. Powell’s
  7. Portland City Grill for happy hour – they are so expensive otherwise! And anyway this time of year it’s dark later. Charlie was looking at the regular menu just for fun and announced that the shrimp cocktail appetizer is $32. We both laughed. We got there just a smidge early for the start of happy hour and were lucky to score a round table. I don’t know how anyone ever manages to get a booth. You probably need the right connections, lol.

The plan had been to meet around midday for Pittock Mansion, but we’re both tired for different reasons. Today will instead be lazy, inward and teetotaling kind. Our last stint of hanging out is probably tomorrow! It went by so fast… I’ve been amazed to have met two long-time blog friends for the first time ever in Portland. I’ve known both Sam and Ursula for about ten years, through the online Ashtanga world. Didn’t think people actually visit Portland unless they work for one of the maybe three, functioning corporations here, LOL. I’ve been especially happy about it because I’m so isolated here, normally.

I’m going to relax, read and then work out in the late afternoon. I’ve gotta work on a creative schedule for the end of the week. I need to get back to the concept work for my logo project and schedule some drawing, painting and illustration.

I’m lucky! I can relax on this gloomy day.

#Tabata #HIIT #reps and #yoga

Tried a new channel for part 1 of today’s workout, more tabata. I must have a shorter attention span lately! Or maybe I’m doing more tabata as a bit of a “relief” alongside rep-based sets. I think reps work me a bit better than HIIT, but though I’m thorough I’m also a bit slow-ish, so they tend to take a longer amount of time that’s hard to predict.

Anyway, if you knew how much wine & beer I had yesterday, you’d be really impressed!

IMG_0626.JPG

Lenula’s Lifting, Leaping Leg Destroyer

Warm-up (@2:30)

HAMSTRINGS
Tabata: (20/10 x4) +8lb vest
1. Shuffle, heel grab
2. Donkey +rockstar

Strength: (50/10 2 rounds) +8lb vest
1. Pigeon DL 40lbs
2. Sumo DL 40lbs
3. 1-leg DL (L) 30lbs
4. 1-leg DL (R)
5. DL + Squat 40lbs
6. Hamstring Curls I did reverse plank to knees-in w/ my feet on sliders instead of putting a dumbbell between my feet

QUADS +8lb vest
Tabata: (20/10×4)
1. Box Squat Jumps
2. Jump Lunges L-R

Strength: (50/10 2 rounds) +8lb vest
1. 1-Leg Squat (L) to forward lunge on R
2. 1-Leg Squat (R) to forward lunge on L
3. Lunge + Stork + Kneel (L) 20lbs
4. Lunge + Stork + Kneel (R)
5. Rotational Goblet 30lbs 1st round, 40lbs 2nd
6. Power Squat (Down slow, power up) 40lbs

GLUTES +8lb vest
Tabata: (20/10 x4)
1. Shuffle, heel grab (again… wah ha ha…)
2. Low Squat + Jump

Strength: (50/10 2 rounds)
1. Shuffle Swing 15lbs 1st round, 20lbs 2nd
2. Dragon Lunge 30lbs
3. Glute Bridge or Hip Thrust
4. Open Hip Raises 30lbs
5. Jumping 1-leg Glute Bridge (L) Changed this move to the Bender style hip thrusts from crab since I feel it more in the glutes that way
6. Jumping 1-leg Glute Bridge (R)

Reps

This is part of a random challenge Lisa posted without a video on her Facebook. Greyed out moves are ones I skipped since I’d just done a legs set. And I did less than half of it! I’m not sure how I feel about 50 reps either. 25 seems more reasonable. Anyway, after move 8 I was at about 90-min into my routine so I changed to  yoga.

  1. 50 Bench Flys (15lbs x 2)
  2. 50 Hammer Curls (15lbs x 2)
  3. 50 Lunge – Left (30lbs)
  4. 50 Lunge – Right (30lbs)
  5. 50 Bent Over Flys (10lbs x 2)
  6. 50 Bench Tuck Abs (3lbs held in feet)
  7. 50 Chest Press (20lbs x 2)
  8. 50 Arnold Press (15lbs x 2) – 30 reps

Yoga

  • 45minutes