Primal Challenege- AppalachianMatt page 14

[AppalachianMatt]

Went on a few walks today to clear my head of work. It's been one of those days and I needed some freshly polluted Atlanta air to get me back on track. I need to wash the Vibrams tonight since I have worn them for about 10 straight days. It's amazing the way people look at them, look at you, look at them and shake their head in either wonderment or disbelief. I really don't care anymore about their reactions but it pains me to see that if you don't fit into a little box of whats cool or hip then you're seen as the weird guy. Oh well. I usually just say, "Crazy aren't they?" or "These are the most comfortable shoes ever". Again this throws them off and they just walk away with that confused look on their faces.

Tonight we're having a few friends over for a late dinner. I got a call yesterday and my neighbors wanted to know what we were doing to stay in good shape. I explained a little about how I try to mesh the PB lifestyle with my own methods (good ol' Army). This of course led to silence on their end so I invited them to have dinner so they can see how we eat and how we've set up our home to be one big gym. The wife and I are both former college athletes so we'll always be in decent shape, its a mentality we'll never shake. We've ensured this by putting up a pull-up bar downstairs in the bathroom doorway in the hall by the kitchen. By having this where it is we see it everytime we walk around so we knock out 4-5 pull-ups randomly through the day with my goal being 50-60 per day, the wife's is about 15-20. I do variations like circular pull-ups, pull-ups with different grips (hands facing different directions, etc). I also have some bands downstairs, the perfect push-up things and a 20 lb curl bar and I almost forgot the medicine ball we sit on. I want to explain to them that getting in shape is so much simpler and cheaper than paying $100 bucks a month at a gym with a bunch of people who only go there for the social aspect. I mean who specifically puts on Make-up to work out? And why do you need to look at yourself in the mirror in a speedo flexing. I am as vain as the next person but have some respect for those around you. The gym is a place where you're supposed to work hard and bust your ass not put on a beauty pageant or wear a banana hammock.

Sorry about the rant but back to the lecture at hand (thx Snoop)...I am going to explain to my neighbors that fitness is a continuous state of mind where everything falls on you and what your goals are. It is a realistic mindset, worse person to lie to is yourself, that says I will be prepared for anything whether its combat, a pick-up basketball game or you get a last second call to play in a softball league. It's about being prepared mentally and physically for anything that comes your way. Fitness should be fun but challenging. It should be something that you look forward to and if you don't feel like it then hold off until you do. Even when I am sick I stil get in a little workout to get the blood flowing, to release the endorphins, etc. I don't claim to be a fitness expert but the results show for themselves. I love the way I look but more importantly how I feel. I feel alive and energy is never in short supply. When i see my co-workers going for their 3rd or 4th cup of coffee before 11 AM I just wonder what the hell they eat or why they're so tired. They often wonder why their blood pressure is high and why they can't lose those last 10-15 lbs. It's all about the choices you make.

I wake up every morning excited about what will take place. I see life now as an experience, a challenge that you can enjoy or hate and I've been through depression when I got back home from overseas and its not fun. At some point in your life you need to take a long look in the mirror and take control of your own existence. That was probably the most round about way of explaining my mindset/mentality to my neighbors. Crazy to think I am actually pretty organized in everything besides my own blog. Oh well, I enjoy it.

[AppalachianMatt]

Unfortunately last night we weren't able to have that late dinner due to the devil coming out of my neighbors kids last night. Not a big deal and besides it was nice to spend a little QT with the misses.

Got a great night of sleep last night and woke up pretty refreshed until I remembered how many things I had to do before work. Luckily little man slept in so I was able to knock out about 90%. I always try to cram in as much as possible in the morning to make the day run smoother and it gets me ready for work. Big ol' cup of Nicaruagan coffee, black as night is the best way to wake up. Screw folgers. But got a decent workout in but today at the office I will make sure I finish my daily ritual of push-ups, squats and abs. Just keeps me energy levels consistent throughout the day and also helps manage my stress levels. Probably take another 30 minute walk and listen to some Nonpoint as I go.

[AppalachianMatt]

Little tired from not enough sleep and too heavy a workout this morning. Heading to B'ham to see my App State play so tomorrow I'll hit the heavy bag for a few minutes then finish up all the prep work required ot get a youngin out the door.

Last night he did 2.5 pull-ups on his on. Not bad for 10.5 months old. The kid looks like a little body builder. Not gross but just ripped. I am glad that we started him out with a lot of physical activity at an early age. I want him to be physically active during his life. People spend far too much time in front of the television wasting away.

I did a pretty basic but hard workout this morning followed by IF (not by choice) and a crap lunch but today was just oen of those days. Did my version of the Simplefit except the pull-ups were circular close and wide grip pull ups. If you've never tried them then please check them out. I have never seen anyone do these before but talk about a killer workout. Pretty simple concept. Start from a dead hang and pull yourself up. At the top move your body in a circular motion (when you are at the bottom do not do a dead hang-not good for the shoulders during this exercise) then reverse directions once you reach the top. I like these b/c it hits the back in so many different ways. It helps build those stabilizing muscles, changes the weight on each arm but still hits every muscle equally. Push-ups on the perfect push-ups with holding my self a few inches off the ground then moving my upper body left to right twice then regular push-up. I typically will do some negatives as well to get a good burn. Regualr squats followed by lunges and I attempted the shrimp squat whihc is damn near impossible. Proves I need more leg work but if you have any questions thej please check out Al's site and he has a tutorial for you to follow. http://www.alkavadlo.com/ Short and sweet version is a one legged squat using body weight. I am almost killed myself.

Next week I am bringing back the Parkour. I did this for years as a training tool in the Army for combat ops and it works. If you aren't necessarily trying to do just add bulk or look like Arnold (don't know why thats even popular anymore) but have a focus geared towards better health and overall fitness then I suggest Parkour. But be warned, its not that difficult yet its easy as hell to injure yourself. During my Army years we trained to jump from buil;ding to building with gear (typically carrying mission essential things such as side arm, ammo, knife, rope, etc.) The key to be good at Parkour is the ability to focus your compete attention on the task at hand. Always remember to use your momentum and keep moving. I'v seen people who'll jump off a 1 story building and roll properly and BAM!!! Ankle snapped or they'll injure their back. Parkour is about trusting yourself, believing in yourself and staying fluid.

Randomness ensues (good thing I don't do this for a living). Last night we ate like kings and queens. I steamed fresh cauliflower and Broccoli but the kicker was fried salmon in EVOO. I had never even heard of this before but being from the south I have an understanding that anything can be fried and salmon is delicious. I know a lot of people like their salmon raw and if necessary I'll do that in a heartbeat but if you don't have to then why not just cook the damn thing? It was scrumptious and absolutely perfect.

Well folks ahve a good weekend, be safe and keep Groking on.

[AppalachianMatt]

What a phenomenal weekend. Drove to Birmingham for little man's first football game whicc was hotter than 2 rats making sweet, sweet love in a wool sock on a hot summer's day. Hopefully that visual will explain how oppressive the humidity was. 4 people mostly older, were taken by ambulance for heat exhaustion. 1 lady may not have been so lucky considering she was in the early stages of heat stroke. It was pretty obvious her body had started the process of shutting down and the paramedics were completely incompetent. How bad is it when a husband and wife holding a baby (wife is a PA, I was a combat medic) have to explain in full detail to not only the lady but also the paramedic how to handle these situations? This is probably the easiest thing to treat. Loosen clothes, take off shoes, douse the head in colder (not super cold), put a cold water bottle in the armpits or on the inside of leg. There are a few other things that could be thrown in but these are trained professionals for crying out loud.

Anyway the game went great, we continously doused little man with waterr and rotated an ice pack on his back and neck to keep him cooled off. He loved it and slept like a log on the way home. Rest of the weekend we chilled, got in some good workouts and organized the house.

Dinner last night- Broiled Salmon, steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots

Breakfast- split with wife- 6 eggs, red bell peppers and mushrooms, bacon and a bagel. I know grains aren't the best but I still enjoy them in moderation.
Lunch- lefotver- salmon, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and acron squash
Snack- can of sardines with bell peppers, grapes, banana, and almond butter
Dinner- fried tilapia, zuchinni, sweet potatoes, and 1 other veggie.

We've decided to go ahead and cook 3-4 veggies a night in order to ensure we don't waste anything and always have a steady supply of healthy snacks. This also gives us a more nutritionally balanced meal that night as well. My wife and I had a nice discussion last night about truly committing for thirty days to our version of the PB. I always try to do this but my life is always on the go and with a schedule never set in stone it always seems to throw off my eating habits. So with this methodolgy of always having fresh veggies to snack on I'll be able to handle this is a better manner. I am also putting more emphasis on Parkour training. I talked about it briefly last week but this seems to me, at least for now, as the ultimate way to have a complete body workout that not only encompasses muscle memory but also coordination and self confidence. My view is that fitness is preparation. Yes it should be fun and challenging but it should encompass having the ability to handle any situation.

Hope everyone has a good day and remember that we choose how we feel.

[MeatMe216]

Way to go on the parkour training! I hope to be athletic enough to do the same sooner than later.

[AppalachianMatt]

Meatme216. I'm sure you'll hit the ground running when you're ready.

[AppalachianMatt]

Been a few days and I have to admit i have taken a break form training. My little man has been sick with his first ear infection and quite frankly I was just tired. I go so hardcore for weeks at a time then I shut down for a few days and regroup. I am going to start taking a litle different approach to my training to add more structure. yes I love being able to pick up and bust out a quick workout on the go but my personality needs more structure and discipline. Depsite my break I have still workedout but just a few reps here and there.

I have added a few wrinkles to my pull ups and I plan on posting videos when I have the time. I have been doing 3-5 pull-ups then bringing in my legs upwards through my arms and doing pull-ups basically upside down. I'll slowly rotate back to the orginal position and repeat for 2-3 more reps. Now 3 pull-ups then the upside down pull-ups and returning to my original position is one rep. I shoot for 3-4 without stopping. Tough stuff.

But I am recommitting myself to a more structured program where I will block off 30 minutes 5 times per week to hit every possible muscle group and all my stabilizing muscles. We are about to start training for Wipeout eventhough we'll probably never get on the show. I have put up the rope ion the backyard, started my sprints back-up and refocused my abs efforts. With my back getting better I really need ot push forth with building strong abs and the stabilizing muscles to take the pressure off my spine. I hate those exercises but if they work then so be it. Also my diet has blown lately but that will end shortly. Tomorrow morning I am going to cool all my meals for the day when I first wake up. Steamed Broccoli, sweet potatoes, fish, steamed carrots, etc. I need to start getting into this routine more often but its so nice to sleep in that extra 5-10 minutes.

[AppalachianMatt]

Alright back in full force and ready to rumble. After reading the beginning of my last post I need a pick me up and what better way then to start a ridiculous 6 week plan to get me my dose of structure and ass kicking madness. I had been doing very well but its time to get serious again so here it goes.

Plan- 6 weeks
Focus on complete and proper nutrition
4-5 days per week of body weight exercises
1 Yoga session P90x style
1 Day of sprints

Now the workouts will consist of various bodyweight exercises that are creative and challenging. My variaton pull-ups, push-ups, squarts (hopefully or eventually shrimp squats). I sold the bowflex today so that piece of crap will be gone. I want to truly commit for 6 weeks and see what bodyweight alone can do.

At work I will sit on the huge medicine ball I have instead of my chair for at least 3 hours per day but again the most important aspect will be my commitment to eating properly and focusing on the goal at hand. This isn't about hitting a certain weight or a certain number of reps. This is about can I live up to my own challenge. Can I make this my bitch and stay motivated for an entire 6 weeks. I will force myself to take pics tonight and post tomorrow so I can see and show the transformation I am abotu to go through. My inspiration for this is b/c I am tired of starting these programs then quitting 2 weeks later. It's time to stop the whining, excuses or whatever else is holding me back and take the bulls by the horns.

[MeatMe216]

your modified pullups sound awsome. Im making good progress with my regular pullups and will definatly be trying these soon.

[AppalachianMatt]

The key to doing these is just building enough strength to feel comfortable enough to attempt. One way to really try it is to not even do the pull-ups but just hang in that position for a few minutes ot get a better feel for it and slowly work your way in. I used ot think fitness was a sprint until I realized its actually a marathon.