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Step 4

Posted in General Comments, Health, Steps, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , , on July 3, 2025| 2 Comments »

Back in May I started getting a weeping shin (left).  It started off with a single point and then turned into about five(5) spots.  I had no swelling or sense of tightness.  Just running saline.  It stopped on its own after a few days (like 5).  I mentioned it to my cardiologist and my regular physician and they both pretty much said the same thing:  “There’s nothing happening today.  Try to lose some weight and hopefully it won’t come back.”
Early last week, my right shin started weeping – just one spot.  Nothing on the left.  Again, no pain or sensation of bloat or swelling.  So, I took a water pill to drain any extra fluids from my system.  The weeping stopped that evening, came back the following day (morning) and then stopped on its own.
Being the hypochondriac that I am, I’ve decided it’s time to get back to exercising.  Three days ago, I went “mad dog” with 30 mins of steps in the afternoon sun.  The last two days (and today), I’ve been much more reasonable and just gotten up a little earlier and done the steps before the heat of the day.
The initial soreness is beginning to wear off and I’m slowly adding on weight training – shrugs, pull-downs, presses and squats.  For now, just one set of each…  As time goes by, and my body adapts, I’ll begin adding more sets (up to three) and then more / different weight exercises.  Although my legs need “regular” body-weight squats, I’m just going with the steps for now.  The “squat” I’m currently doing is a full “butt to ankles” squat and held for 60 seconds.  This is “my” version of a spinal decompression.  Because I have a 1cm kidney stone, I have to be careful and not do what I’d normally do for lower back release – which is inversion.
So, that’s today’s report.  I don’t know if I’ll be posting about this (frequently) or even how long I’ll be keeping it (the steps) up.  But, I am feeling better, so I’m just gonna do me for a while and see how it goes…  Day 4 done!
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Click here (3 July) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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He Must Be Mad!

Posted in General Comments, Health, Philosophy, Quotes, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on June 30, 2025| 2 Comments »

Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun…
    —    Noel Coward
[Well, today I felt like going “mad dog”…  I went out in the midday sun (1:15pm) to do a half-hour on steps and then workout with some weights…
I only part made it.  I got through the 30min of steps (finished running with sweat), but did nowhere near a full workout with weights.
It turns out weight bars and workout benches are blistering hot in the middle of the day…  Who’da thunk it?
I could not sit on the bench and I barely got one set of shoulder shrugs done before the bar was burning my palms through the sweatshirt sleeves which I’d pulled down over my hands.  Yeah, not my brightest day.  LoL
So, back to the starting line.  I’ll try to get up earlier in the morning tomorrow.   —    kmab]
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Click here (30 June) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Heart Update (+30 Days)

Posted in Cardiac Ablation, Disclaimer, Family and Friends, Health, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , on May 6, 2023| 2 Comments »

Back on 4 April 2023, I had a cardiac ablation procedure.  I survived and am on the road to recovery…
A few days later I posted my “milestones to recovery” timeline.  Here is my post-30 day update:
1) Survive the procedure (check)
2) Survive the first 24 hours and go home (check)
3) 1 week post-op review and EKG with cardiologist / staff.  (check)  EKG results are normal sinus rhythm.
4) Survive the first 11.5 days.   According to the NIH, this is the median point for fatalities in the first 30 days after the procedure.  Fatalities for the procedure are “roughly” .46% – so 1 in 200, but the majority of those deaths are related to co-morbidity factors, which I do not / did not have.  (check)
5) Survive 30 days post-op.  Again, according to the NIH, this is the critical time frame after which fatalities from the procedure drop to near zero(0).  (check)
6) 90 days evaluation of post-op medications and return to almost “normal” activity.
7) After 90 days, and assuming the procedure was successful, my “odds” of living a “normal” life expectancy (compared to those on or off of AFib medications) are the same.
How do I feel at the 30 day milestone?  So-so.  My cardiologist told me it can take anywhere from 30 to 90 days for the heart to heal and I have to continue to go-slow and pace myself until then.  I’m feeling it…  I have a “weighted chest” at some point almost every day.  This happens with or without exercise.  I am also frequently finding myself short of breath – normally when walking.  Most times, it passes quickly, but sometimes it can last for more than an hour, and this is with and without the weighted chest feeling.  I am also popping into AFib most days, although these sessions tend to be of only a few minutes.  (Yesterday, I had my first instance of weighted chest, tight chest and shortness of breath – combined – which lasted about 75-90 minutes.)
The bottom line is the external incision points have closed and are well on the way to being fully healed, but questions remain about my heart.  Not so much about immediate consequences of the ablation procedure, but whether or not it’s helped with my AFib.  So, I have begun light exercise to go along with my daily walk (increased from .4 to .8 mile) around our block.  I do one lap with my wife (walking our dog) and then a second lap on my own.  My resting HR is in the mid-to-high 60bpm range.  Most of the walking is in the 80-90 HR range, but I almost always get a 30 second to 2 minute bump to 140 – 155 HR range.  I’m not “doing” anything different to make it go up (walk faster) or down (walk slower).  It just seems to happen on its own.
In addition to the walking, I’m also doing some light weights exercise – 40lbs pull downs, inclined pushups and pull-ups, body-weight squats and 25lbs dead-lifts for 10 reps (each exercise) of three sets (in cycles / circuit).  I’ve been adding an exercise to each circuit about one per week.  I have brief pauses between each exercise and each set and I have not experienced any significant HR issues during or immediately after these exercises (sets or circuits).  (I originally started with at least one full hour rest between circuits, but I don’t do that anymore.)   I was hoping to start some “Niko-Niko” jogging after the 30 day milestone, but given my walking HR issues, I don’t think I’m up to that level of aerobic exercise quite yet.  Maybe in a week or so…  Ah, well…  Slowly, slowly, Inshallah.
Disclaimer:  As always, I would like to remind anyone reading this that I am NOT a doctor, I am not recommending this medical procedure or exercise program to anyone, and you should ALWAYS consult with your own medical provider / primary physician if you notice any personal health issues and before beginning any diet or exercise regime.  My “road to recovery” checklist is based on my conversations with my cardiologist and my personal research on the Internet.
For anyone who is interested…  I just received my insurance statement for the ablation procedure / over-night stay.  My hospital billed at $260,790!!  Medicare paid $33,000 (rounded) and my insurance paid $1,600.  My out of pocket cost is $0!!  While I’m happy my cost is nil, I have to ask:  Is this any way to run a health care system?  I feel for those people / families too young for Medicare and without health insurance.  Without both insurances, this procedure would have bankrupted us or burdened us with debt for the rest of our lives.
Finally, I (again) offer my thanks to anyone who has or is offering up a prayer or positive thought for me.   I am and will remain extremely grateful.
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Click here (6 May) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Heart Update

Posted in Cardiac Ablation, Disclaimer, Family and Friends, Health, Workouts, tagged , , , on April 16, 2023| 2 Comments »

Back on 4 April 2023, I had a cardiac ablation procedure.  I survived and am on the road to recovery…
A few days later I posted my “milestones to recovery” timeline.  Here is an update:
1) Survive the procedure (check)
2) Survive the first 24 hours and go home (check)
3) 1 week post-op review and EKG with cardiologist / staff.  (check)  EKG results are normal sinus rhythm.
4) Survive the first 11.5 days.   According to the NIH, this is the median point for fatalities in the first 30 days after the procedure.  Fatalities for the procedure are “roughly” .46% – so 1 in 200, but the majority of those deaths are related to co-morbidity factors, which I do not / did not have.  (check)
5) Survive 30 days post-op.  Again, according to the NIH, this is the critical time frame after which fatalities from the procedure drop to near zero(0).
6) 90 days evaluation of post-op medications and return to almost “normal” activity.
7) After 90 days, and assuming the procedure was successful, my “odds” of living a “normal” life expectancy (compared to those on or off of AFib medications) are the same.
I have not been able to find out the mean point for fatalities after the procedure – only the median.  As such, I am hoping the “mean” is on the left side of the “median” and not the right.  (LoL – I am still demonstrating my OCD personality type, seeking control / security where there is no certainty.)
The bottom line is that although the external incision points may have closed and are well on the way to being fully healed, this is not true for my heart.  My cardiologist has said it can take anywhere from 30 to 90 days for the heart to heal and I have to continue to go-slow and pace myself until then.  So, I have begun light exercise to go along with my daily walk (.4 mile) around our block.  40lbs pull down for 10 reps in three sets spaced at least an hour apart.  Ah, well…  Slowly, slowly, Inshallah.
Disclaimer:  As always, I would like to remind anyone reading this that I am NOT a doctor, I am not recommending this procedure to anyone, and you should ALWAYS consult with your own medical provider / primary physician if you notice any personal health issues.  My “road to recovery” checklist is based on my conversations with my cardiologist and my personal research on the Internet.
Finally, I offer my thanks to anyone who has or is offering up a prayer or positive thought for me.   I am and will remain extremely grateful.
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Click here (16 April) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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7 Done, 12 Down

Posted in Diets, Health, Juice/Blend Fasting, Running, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 2, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Caution:  This is a long post.  If you are bored about other people’s diets – stop here and come back some other day (LoL)…   You have been warned!
I am a borderline compulsive acquirer / hoarder.  Books, DVDs, CDs, clothes / shoes and now guitars (LoL!).  Way back in December, my wife was observing my closet and said I REALLY need to get rid of some of my clothes.  (She offered to help.)  I have a large number of items which were bought for work (shirts, pants, ties, etc.) which I don’t have a need for – and many of which haven’t fit for some time.  This is because I have been yo-yoing in weight for soooo many years.
Anyway, I told her I’d begin going through my stuff and getting rid of things – mainly items I’ve been keeping because they are slightly damaged and I could then wear them for dirty work around the house before tossing them.  Well, I accumulated them faster than I’ve worked, so I’ve now got a stack buried in the back of my closet…
Since that conversation, I’ve tossed several pairs of shoes and about a half dozen old shirts (which has surprised and pleased the wife!).  Because they are too worn or damaged, the items have not been suitable for donating to charity.
As an addendum, I said anything I can’t fit into by my next birthday (end of March), she can toss or donate.  She was very pleased by this offer…  (She is not the hoarder I am.)
So, on the Monday after Christmas I started my latest “juice / blend” fast and scaled up my workouts to start losing some pounds.  My weigh-in was 374lbs.  Today / this morning, my weigh-in was 362lbs.  Basically, at the end of seven days of not chewing, I’m down 12lbs.
Juicing / Blending:
First off, this is NOT a traditional / “strict” juicing “fast” as defined by Joe Cross or any number of doctors.  Over the last eight to ten years, I’ve been on multiple strict vegetable juice fasts.  They all worked for rapid weight loss.  None of them were useful as lifestyle options.  For the last five years (or so), I’ve been trying alternate day fasting and intermittent timed fasting.  My success with these fasts have been much more limited.  Mostly because I’ve not been strict enough (portion control) in my eating periods.
So, what am I doing?  One 16oz fruit blend in the morning and the same for lunch.  I then have a much larger (34 to 64ozs) vegetable blend for dinner.  I also have a couple of mugs of tea (green or herbal) during the day.  Occasionally, I will have a bottle of warm water with a couple of tablespoons of lemon concentrate in the evening.  Whenever I do this, I keep a smaller bottle to swish in my mouth after drinking from the larger bottle.  This reduces acidic exposure for my teeth.
The “typical” vegetable blend is:  spinach, broccoli, cucumber, onion, celery, bananas, carrot juice and enough fruit juice to make the roughage into what I affectionately call “swamp juice”.  Yes, I do have a “real” juicer machine.  Yes, I have used it in the past.  Yes, it is much better at making “juice”.  The problem I have is / are two-fold:  1)  I think tossing the roughage is a terrible waste of nutrients, and, 2)  juicing on its own does not produce enough body waste (“poop”) – in me, anyway.  This second “problem” means I would have to relieve myself with either a oral laxative or a suppository – neither of which are thrilling options.
Technically then, I’m NOT “juicing” at all.  I’m just not chewing.  Does this matter?  If you want to do a strict juice / health fast, I believe it does.  If you are not that bothered (like me), then the answer is “nope, not in the least”.  The weight loss is not as quick my way, but I’m also okay with that.
My longest strict “juice” fast was 30 days and I lost 30 to 40 lbs.  I’ve done this type (length) of fast four times in my life and it is cleansing.  It’s just not sustainable and I’m not convinced it’s healthy (due to yo-yoing).  I’ve also done much shorter (7, 10, 14 and 20 days) juice fasts – mostly in the last ten years.  My longest fast was alternating juice with blend days and I went forty-two days and lost 72lbs.  This fast was documented on my blog a few years back.
I haven’t decided how long this session will go, but I seriously doubt I’ll be doing it until the end of March.  At the moment, I’m thinking ten days and then switch to alternating days with stricter portion control on my eating days.  But, I’ll just have to see how it goes…
I case you’re interested – I am feeling terrific in myself, but I tire quickly (after 3 – 5 minutes of “light / continuous” exertion).
Workouts:
There are two universal dieting platitudes:  you can’t spot lose; and, you can’t outwork a bad diet…  I don’t believe the first.  I firmly believe the second.
A couple of months ago (12 Oct 2021), I began working out daily with the idea of of completing a “30-day / 100 push-up per day challenge” and then building a complete body workout which I could continue more or less indefinitely.
I started with presses.  I did 100 presses with 40lbs on a standard 20lbs bar (60lbs total).  I had a number of bad weather days, so I began doing inclined push-ups instead.  In a standard (from the floor) pushup, you are lifting about 60% of your body weight; an inclined push-up at two-feet is about 40% of your body weight.  In my case, this would be 220lbs and 145lbs respectively.  Obviously, there is a BIG difference between 40lbs and 145lbs (let alone 220lbs), so instead of a single set of 100, I did 10 sets of 10 repetitions.  I am now doing 5 sets of 20 repetitions.  I am hoping to move from inclined to floor, but I will have to drop back to 10 (or maybe even 5) reps – so many more sets.
After a while, I added pull-downs (straight, curls and inclined).  Initially with 40lbs and then I upped the weight to 43lbs.  I do 100 pull-downs (via cables), then 50 curls, then 100 inclined pull-downs, and I finish with a second set of 50 curls.  This is a total of 300 pull-down motions (reps).  The number of reps was chosen to provide equivalence between 100 push-ups (at 145lbs) and 300 pull-downs (at 43lbs).  At some point, I hope to be able to do a hanging pull-up, but that’s way in the future (LoL).
As of the start of the juicing, I’ve added “Niko Niko” (smile) pace jogging and crunches.  Niko Niko is what I used to call “slogging”:  slow, ass jogging, but the Japanese name sounds so much nicer (LoL).  Once around my block is .4 miles.  I do three laps: 1.25 miles (according to my FitBit).
For the crunches, I do five sets of sixty for 300 hundred reps in total.  Because I have lower back (a pinched nerve) issues, I do them balancing on a fitball rather than from the floor.
I also spend about 5 – 10 minutes on my inversion stand after completing my workout.  If my back is hurting, I’ll do a shorter hang mixed in-between the sets of crunches.
So, (at long last) that’s it for now…  Thanks to any readers who’ve made it this far.  I will be posting about this at least through the end of March, but (mercifully for you and me) it won’t be every day as I’ve done in the past.  If anyone has any questions, please add a comment to one of the posts and I’ll try to answer as best I can…
Please remember:  I am NOT a doctor and nothing on this blog should be taken as medical advice.  Consult with your personal doctor before beginning ANY diet or exercise program.
“Live long and prosper!“
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Click here (2 January) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Keep Rollin’

Posted in Health, Philosophy, Quotes, Running, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , on September 1, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Drivin’ My Life Away
Favorite Line(s):
Those windshield wipers
Slappin’ out a tempo,
Keepin’ perfect rhythm
With the song
On the radio,
But I got to keep rollin’
Ooh,
I’m drivin’ my life away,
Lookin’ for a better way for me
Ooh,
I’m drivin’ my life away,
Lookin’ for a sunny day
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Click here (1 September) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Back To Paying Dues

Posted in Health, Philosophy, Quotes, Running, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 1, 2021| 1 Comment »

It isn’t the shoes, socks, clothes, or even the speed that makes me a runner.  It’s running.  I pay my membership dues every time I lace up my running shoes.  I realize that every time I challenge myself to do more, struggle to get a little faster, or face the limits of my abilities, I am a runner.
      —    John “The Penguin” Bingham
From his book:  “No Need For Speed“
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Click here (1 September) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Dragging

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Running, Workouts, tagged , , , , , on August 4, 2021| Leave a Comment »

The days when you have to drag yourself out the door are very often the days when you will learn the most about yourself, not necessarily as a runner, but as a person.
     —     John “The Penguin” Bingham
From his book:  “No Need For Speed“
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Click here (4 August) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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They Are All Perfect

Posted in Health, Philosophy, Quotes, Running, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on July 24, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Try to keep your expectations reasonable.  You’re beginning the journey of a thousand miles with a single step.  Each step is important;  every step counts.
    —    John “The Penguin” Bingham
From his book:  “No Need For Speed“
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Click here (24 July) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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DIY: Outdoor Gym Modifications (2)

Posted in Boxing, Family and Friends, Health, Pictures, Sports, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2021| Leave a Comment »

My “Do It Yourself” (DIY) efforts on setting up a home workout station are proceeding.  Below are some images of the yesterday’s progress…
Yesterday, I assembled my “double-double”.  Basically, it’s two striking targets attached at two ends.  The bottom target is roughly the height of a body shot (waist to lower ribs).  The top target is roughly the height for head shots (chin, front and side of the head).  You may notice a few things:
1)  the top attachment is vertical while the bottom is horizontal.  The bottom target would normally be either fixed to the flooring below or (using some type of rope or bungee) attached to a weight to stabilize the target and limit random / excessive swinging movement.  In this case, I had to work within the “command structure” of:  “I don’t want any of your weights damaging my concrete!”  So, I used a horizontal bungee (with a loop to keep the rope from sliding left and right).  The practical limitation to this setup is I cannot work around the target;  I am limited to the 180° on the front side.  Still, I can live with it…
2)  less obvious until you start hitting the targets…  They are not “fixed” within the netting.  There are gaps above and below the balls where they can move when struck.  The practical effect of this is they are not staying in the same place in the netting when you try to do a double-up punch (like two jabs to the head).  I will try to correct this by tying rope / paracord around one end of each ball / net to “lock” them into a more standard position within each net.
3)  FAR less obvious, (but which I have learned from recent experience,) is that these targets hit back at you – and from unexpected angles (at least up to now unexpected).  In my initial setup (prior to my wife’s objection), I had the bottom ball / net secured by weights.  This tended to produce reaction motion for both balls in a relatively circular motion around a vertical axis (much like an up-right cylinder).  After the modification to the bottom to include the horizontal bungee, a solid right punch to the bottom target resulted in a solid left hook by the upper ball to the right side of MY head.  My wife started laughing and said:  “It hits back!!”  (Note:  Not “Are you okay, dear?“)  As near as I can tell, this is due to the back and forth (back to front) motion of the lower horizontal bungee and the circular (like a vertical cylinder) motion of the upper vertical bungee.  My response:  “I’m gonna need a head-guard.”  Her reply:  “You sure are!“, still giggling.  Fortunately (for me), there wasn’t sufficient mass / speed in the basketball to knock me out, because it certainly struck me full on the side of my head at roughly temple / cheek height.
My next brilliant (okay, obvious) idea was to attach the original horizontal double-end target (“bag”) and see what that felt like.  To my surprise, a “triple-double” and it is terrific!  I now had a target (the bottom ball) for body shots, a target (the middle ball) for upper-cuts and body jabs, and a top target (the top ball) for chin and head shots.  The only trick now is to find a way to attach the original double-end to the double-double which keeps them together (when used together), but which also easily separates so I can continue to use the single-double on its own.  The original horizontal “single-double” works as a “slip-rope”.  A “slip” is when you move your head side to side (like a metronome) to avoid an incoming punch.  It is frequently accompanied by a “bob” (up and down head movement).  Together, they are referred to as “bobbing and weaving”.  Basically, I stand next to one post and move to the other ducking under the rope with each step to the side.  When I get to the middle, I release an upper-cut.  I then continue to the opposite post.  When I reach the post, I turn around and start back, trying to time the steps so my next upper cut with be with the other hand.  (Always try to practice every punch with both hands.)  Anyway, there is still some tweaking to do…
The next image is what’s happening in the background.  I attached a “hook-screw” to the back post and then I just swing the weighted chain up to it and hook onto it.  The lat-pulley set up is then out of the way for the boxing.  It is adjustable for more clearance, but because of the angles, it (the chained weights) doesn’t have to be as far back as I initially expected.
And, finally, here’s an image of the “normal” lat-pulldown.  We timed the set up and take down and it takes under a minute to set up or take down!  It takes longer to put on a single boxing hand-wrap than it does to set up the station for boxing.
And so the adventure continues…
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Click here (20 January) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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DIY: Outdoor Gym Modifications

Posted in Boxing, Health, Pictures, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 17, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Some of you regular readers may recall I had a pull-up rack set up in a corner of my backyard.  Image below…

Pull-up Stand with Double-End Target
I was always intending to use the setup as a multi-function station for working out going forward.  My initial modification was the addition of two “eye-screws” to setup a horizontal double end punching bag.  As you see, I made it out of an old basketball, a basketball net and a couple of bungee cords.  This has worked out reasonably well…
The “main” goal of the setup was to have a pull-up station.  Unfortunately, it turns out I am FAR too out of shape to hang from the bar, let alone try to do a pull-up.  In my first (aborted) attempt, I nearly pulled my arms out of their sockets “trying” to hang.  I was able to hang for just long enough for me to remember my age before letting go (aka: “falling”).  Also, despite my interest in adding “DIY” boxing options, I will NOT EVER be boxing / sparring.  I have a heart condition and am on blood thinners which (technically) make me a “border-line” hemophiliac (a “bleeder”).  The boxing options are only for their fitness / exercise value.
To make a longer story short, I scavenged some parts from my old “Total-Gym” and have now set up a “Lat – pulldown” system which I can use to build up my strength until I can hang from the bar and try another pull-up.  Image below…

Image of Lower Bar & Lat Pulley Setup

Lower Bar & Lat Pulley Setup
A “Lat – pulldown” is an exercise which concentrates on the latissimus dorsi muscles.  These are the muscles used to pull something down from above your head or to pull your head and body up to something which is above your head / shoulders.  In this case, I am using four(4) ten pound weights.  At the moment I have completed day four(4) of a 30 day challenge to do five(5) sets of fifty(50) “reps” (repetitions).  After each set, I turn 45° and do a cross-body pull down Left to Right (50 reps) and then Right to Left (50 reps).  In all, 250 reps of the double and 250 reps per side.  As I get stronger (and less sore), I hope to get up to 10 sets per day.  Hopefully, by the end of the 30 days I will be able to suspend myself in a hanging position for a few seconds.  Then I can proceed to descending pull-ups, which will lead to actual “up” pull-ups.
I have an additional five(5) modifications under consideration:  1) adding a “slip bag”;  2)  adding a “heavy bag”;  3) adding a vertical “double-end, double bag”; 4) adding a “speed bag”; and, 5) adding a two-grip, low level pulley systems to create a “rower”.
So, that’s the progress.  And, that’s the future plans…  (Oh, yeah.  The posts and the rest of the back fence have to be painted / stained to help reduce / prevent weathering.)
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Click here (17 January) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Boxing (Day: 3) – Double-End Target Setup

Posted in Boxing, Health, Sports, Workouts, tagged , , , , on December 11, 2020| Leave a Comment »

After a couple of days off resting my knee, I got back out and tried to get in a little heavy breathing.
The first picture is of the pull-up stand I had built.  It’s a fairly basic tri-pod (tri-pole?) stand with a solid steel bar running across the two front 4X6’s.  At just about shoulder level, I put in two “eye-screws” to hook things to.  In this shot, I’ve used a pair of bungees to suspend my punching target – a double-end ball.  This is mostly on the “Do-It-Yourself” project list to save money.  The basketball and black / orange nylon cord, I already owned.  The two screws were about $3 each.  The package of bungees was $10 for a pack of 14 assorted lengths.  And the basketball net was another $3.  So, all told, a functional double-end boxing target for under $20.  One of my neighbors moved and he was tossing out three basketballs, so I still have two more to use to set up a “double-double-end” with basketballs (instead of tennis balls).  (Reality check:  a “cheap” double-end ball runs between $12 and $20 on Amazon.  The “decent” ones between $25 and $40.  The “pro” models upwards of $80.)

Pull-up Stand with Double-End Target
This target is a lot more substantial than hitting tennis balls and is fine for the “rough” motor skills of a rank amateur like me (reading between the lines:  that means I miss a LOT).  It’s a good target for jabs and straight punches from both a regular and southpaw stance.  It’s particularly fun for practicing side-slipping and upper-cuts.  I have also learned to use it to practice bobbing with following upper-cuts.  That is how I “learned” about wearing a mouth-guard and the abrasiveness of the basketball hitting you in the forehead and side of the head.  The image below shows the basketball in the net more clearly.

Close-up of Double-End Target
I’ve tried hitting the target with hooks (which are horizontal punches), but I’m not confident in the bungees ability to stay attached on the side the hook is going to.  I think it may be best to wait on those punches until I have the “double-double” set up vertically.  I’m also debating adding extra bungees to make the rebounding response stiffer.  Finally, I’m a bit concerned the bungees might unhook or the cord simply snap off the metal hook at the end.  I’m thinking of using duct-tape to secure the hooks to the eye-screws, but I haven’t yet thought of a way to ensure the cord doesn’t snap free from the metal end hook.  If anyone can think of something, please let me know…
I’ve been trying to get in 45 minute sessions.  Today’s was a bit shorter due to light rain / sprinkles.  The two days off really helped with my shoulder stiffness.  They still tire quickly, but they were definitely better than on day #2.  If anything, it was my hips and hamstrings which were giving me the most issues.  I felt like I was lead-legged and struggling to lift them in treacle.  LoL!  The price of being “mature” and trying to get a little fitter.
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Click here (11 December) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Boxing: Precision Target

Posted in Boxing, Health, Pictures, Sports, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , , , on December 9, 2020| 4 Comments »

No practice today.  I tweaked my right knee walking our dog and then aggravated it more with a LONG walk around Costco (and unloading the car).
Instead, I’m posting an image of the “precision” target I mentioned in my prior post.

Tennis balls adapted for precision punching practice.
As you can see, it’s just two tennis balls strung up on a nylon cord with a bungee cord and a weight on the bottom end and more nylon cord (and rope) tying the top end to a hook in one of my rafters.  Simple, yet effective.  There are knots tied in the cord at either side of the tennis ball to prevent the ball from moving up or down the cord.  The base weight is just so I didn’t have to make any attachment (damage) to the floor.  The weight is just a single 10lb free weight.  I tried lighter and heavier weights.  Lighter (5lbs) and when the balls were struck, the weight moved  and banged into things.  Heavier (25lbs) was just too much of a hassle to move around to set up and take down.
This type of target is sometimes called a “double-end” target (“bag” when actual punching bags are used) or a “kangaroo” target.  My modification to the basic target was to add a second tennis ball.  This gives me a target at roughly chin height and one at roughly rib / solar plexus height.  This is the target I was using when trying on my gloves every couple of days.  Although it was “safe” in this location, it wasn’t particularly useful as I could hit it without “it” hitting anything else, but I couldn’t move around much (at all).  Now that I think about it, this was probably one of my earliest lessons:  “punching” is hitting things;  “boxing” is hitting things while you move around so they don’t hit you back.  (LoL)  Yes, I still learn the hard way every time!
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Click here (9 December) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Boxing (#2): First Lessons

Posted in Boxing, Health, Philosophy, Quotes, Sports, Workouts, tagged , , , , , on December 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

So, what did I learn from my first lesson (yesterday) and today?  This is hard training.  Even with a very basic session…  I am old, and I am sore!  I had a difficult night sleeping because both of my shoulders and my neck are painful when pressed on or when moved.  Net result:  I’m even more tired today from lack of sleep.
I slowed down my punching (attempts) as yesterday I missed the target at least a third of the time.  The target is a basketball suspended with bungee cords.  You would think it would be “easy” to hit something as big as a basketball…  It ain’t!!  Particularly when it’s moving / rebounding from an earlier strike.  So, the first lesson is start slow.  Learn the correct form.  Form leads to accuracy.  Speed will follow from form and accuracy.  (Eventually.)
The nice thing about never intending to hit (or get hit by) anyone is I can take as long as I want to practice individual punches:  left and right jabs, hooks, upper-cuts, straight punches.  Standing traditional and “peek-a-boo”;  conventional and southpaw.  I can also practice slipping and bobbing to my hearts content.  (My heart is pretty content after about a 30 second stretch.)  Then, it’s pause for 5-10 seconds to catch your breath and then start something else (or do it again).
I learned I need to wear my mouth guard and I’m going to need to get a head protector.  The ball “hits” back.  Not hard, like a real person.  But it’s hard enough to bite your tongue or the inside of your cheeks if you’re not concentrating.  The lacing holding the ball can slice you (forehead and cheeks) if you’re not careful.  And, lastly, basketballs have a course “pebbled” surface which makes them easier to dribble, but it will chafe you pretty good if it hits you at the wrong angle.  It might have been smarter to start with a smoother surfaced ball, like a soccer ball.  Oh, well…
End result:  pouring sweat, exhausted, exhilarated – fun!
Wife’s reaction:  “You’re too old to be doing this everyday.  You need to start with every other day or just a couple of times a week.”  When I pointed out she made me promise to use the gloves if I was going to buy them, she replied:  “Yes, but you’ve already used them twice as much as I EVER thought you would.“
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Click here (8 December) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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You Be The Judge

Posted in Boxing, Health, Pictures, Sports, Workouts, tagged , , , , , , , , , on December 7, 2020| Leave a Comment »

My wife isn’t sure if I’m having a mid-life crisis or just going into my second childhood…
This year I’ve been watching A LOT of YouTube.  Well, okay…  It started last year, but that’s just a detail.
I was viewing a bunch of videos on working out and I found myself going through reams of “30-Day Challenge” videos.  Of course, I decided to give one a shot.  My choice:  the “30-Day / 100 pushup per day challenge”.
Day One (Test):  Zero.  That’s correct.  I could not do a single pushup from the floor.  I could get into a plank position, (with effort,) and lower myself to the floor, but not get back up off the floor.
Obviously, some modifications would be necessary…  Inclined pushup from the back of the sofa.  Five.  Okay.  It’s a start.  First day:  20 sets of five, spread through-out the day (and evening).
Days 2 and 3 were more of the same.  Day 4, I was able to do 10.  So, 10 sets of 10, spread through-out the day.
To make a longer story shorter, about day 10 I was finally able to do ONE pushup from the floor.  By then, I was doing five(5) sets of 20 inclined.  At the end of 30 days, I could do 5 pushups from the floor.  (And shorter again…)  At the end of 60 days, I was able to do 15 pushups from the floor.  By way of comparison, Google says an “average” 65 year old man should be able to do between 6 and 16.  In other words, I went from abject failure to the top end of “average”.
And then I got hurt…  (But that’s another story.)
While browsing YouTube, it started feeding me boxing and martial arts videos (over and over again).  So, (of course) I started watching them…  Because I wasn’t able to do much other than walk, I started shadow-boxing in front of a mirror…  And then I bought gloves…  And then I bought hand-wraps…  And then I bought focus pads…  And then I started making home-made (read:  inexpensive) boxing targets.  It turns out YouTube has videos on how to jury rig most of the expensive kit you need to practice boxing.
Here’s some pictures of my gloves…  They are RDX F12 Training Boxing Gloves (16oz.)

Fresh out of the box and still in plastic

Palm side up

“Business” side up
And, after trying them on a few times a week for the last month or so…  Today I did my first “workout” with the gloves.
Now to be fair,  I did actually try them on and use them for a few minutes when I would set up a new target and once for a few minutes of shadow-boxing in front of a mirror, but until today, my wife had put it down to another one of my “phases”.  When approached on the possible purchase, she did insist on a $50 limit on my gloves because she was convinced they’d be gathering dust by now.  So, yes, they’re an inexpensive pair.  Not “cheap”, just inexpensive.  And, no, they are not leather.  They are “engineered” leather.  (LoL!)
Today’s workout was about 45 minutes long, sweaty and exhausting.  But, it was loads of fun and I felt terrific after my hot shower.  Tired and relaxed and starting to get sore in strange (and not so strange) places, but all things considered – terrific!
I’m really not sure if this is a “phase” or not, but I’m going to put up a post every now and then about this “journey”.  I’ll try to come up with a way to let you know in the “post” title when I’m on this topic as I have no idea how many of my blog followers have the slightest interest in this side topic.
A final note (reality check):  I am a 65 year old man, morbidly obese, with a heart condition (AFib) and on blood thinners.  So, NO, I will NEVER be in a fight or EVER sparring.  This is just a way to try to add some fun to my efforts to raise some sweat (and maybe learn a bit about the “sweet science” while I’m at it.)
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Click here (7 December) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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