Category Archives: EMS

saddness and accomplishments

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I had a dream last night that I was at some kind of archeological ruin (most likely influenced by all the episodes of “Bones” I’ve been watching through my new Netflix account). There was a large building and I was with a friend. We entered the building and there were lots of tall shelves throughout the room. It ceased to be an archeological ruin and became the old, dark and musty gift shop of a hotel we were staying in. Minus any people or checkout or signs of store-ness. I was looking for a birthday present for my dad. There were a lot of Japanese-looking items; bonzai trees, statues and figurines. I found a planter that I thought he’d like for his bonzai tree, then I looked up and saw a statue similar to a cross-legged Buddha except that I noticed it looked an awful lot like my pop. My friend asked me what I was looking at. I had a moment of exuberance that I’d found a fantastic gift for my dad, then my heart sank like a rock and I started crying with the memory flooding up that he’s dead and getting a gift for him is pointless.

I woke up with tears still in my eyes and missing my dad something fierce.
His birthday is this week and I wish I could give him a present.

Sometimes I feel that everything I’m accomplishing these days is a present to him. I only wish I could tell him about it all.

Today I dead lifted 110 pounds for the first time. Barbell, from the floor. And it wasn’t terribly difficult. This is after only three weeks of training. Last week I was feeling a bit down that I wasn’t making steps forward with this workout. But I’m well on my way to my goal!

Happy birthday, pop.
I’m working towards something great and you would be proud of me.

working out continued

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I’m finishing up my third week of this workout program. It’s going well, I think. I’ve definitely made some progress; my right shoulder (which tends to crunch when rotating from a skateboarding accident many years ago) can now keep up with my left shoulder in an exercise called the “half-kneeling wood chop“, I can dead lift with confidence 90lbs, and can do 100lbs but haven’t gotten to chutzpah up yet to ask for help getting the 100lb barbell back on to the rack if someone before me put it back up high. My cardio has improved and I can hold the plank hold longer than I could three weeks ago.
Progress is good but I’m impatient and want to be at my goal Now! Now now now!

I eat well in general, but for the first time have been monitoring my food intake online. It’s pretty cool – the website I’m using adds up all the carbs and calories and fats and proteins and tells you what you need more or less of. I tend to need more fats and proteins. I figure this is just an excuse to eat more sushi!

Well on my way to my goals and enjoying it quite a bit. One of the nice side-effects of working out is how it will improve my motorcycle riding – both stamina and confidence. Last week’s birthday ride was seven hours of curvy goodness, with an awesome lunch too. But I was exhausted when I got home. Some of that was from too much sun exposure which definitely wore me out, but some was just plain ole’ stamina wearing out. I guess the conclusion is that I need to go on more long rides and eat more sushi. Excellent!

working out

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When is a lat pull not a lat pull? When you use the machine incorrectly.
Or maybe I did it correctly and my shoulders got in the way.
I don’t think my upper back is supposed to ache after doing a lat pull machine.
hrumph.

I started working out again.
A couplea months late, but better late than never, eh?

Strength matters when you have to carry a 200+lb person who is strapped to a backboard backwards up or down a flight of stairs.

Glutes, quads, hamstrings. Traps, lats, biceps. Balance, body mechanics, concentration.
These are just some of the things that go into an EMT’s job skill set.

Here we go!