Over the last several weeks/months, I have been gearing up to really get in shape, to get serious about fitness, to get that shredded and ripped "beach" body, six-pack abs and all, minus the tan of course.
And not to beat myself up too much, I did run the LA Marathon, (the last of four marathons I had finished in the course of the last 18 months), I ran that Warrior Dash, 3 mile obstacle course and I was flying around with Skye doing aerial arts a couple of times a week, and as "out of shape" as I always claimed to be, my level of physicality was never my undoing in Jiu jistu.
For being in my forties, hell for any age, I would considered "fit" or "in shape".
But I was planning on being more than just average or even just above average and yet I was not and have not been realistic or consistent to that end, respectful of what it takes to achieve those goals. I was coasting along, maintaining at best, sliding back here and there.
It is why in the last LA Marathon rather than going sub-4 or at least getting a personal record, I had my worst time, literally and figuratively of any of those 4 marathons. It's why the Warrior Dash punished me rather than me eating up the course. It's why although I have been able to keep my weight consistent, my doughy mid-section has remained contour-less, more keg than six-pack.
So I eased into a new work out regime/mind-set yesterday and finally "worked-out". I have to work out the details and goals, but I have definitely decided that my little to no effort, resting on my laurels approach isn't getting my where I want to be.
I want to be closer to the top, above "just-above-average". And you can't coast uphill.
That said "ripped beach-bod" here I come, just in time for summer. And of course, have FUN getting there.
I'm serious this time......................
......................
........................................ really, I am.
And don't to forget, to check out the new blog/website www.functionalfitnessdiy.com. Currently it is simply the FUNctional Fitness posts from this sight, but it is growing and gearing up to be much, much more.
Showing posts with label FUNctional Workout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FUNctional Workout. Show all posts
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook
South Central LA's Gemstone
Sometimes the most magical treasures can be found in your very own backyard, as in the case of the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook
This little gem can be found right in the middle of the city. It was my first visit, which in my defense, isn't too bad because they only opened it on April 18, 2009
Just south of Jefferson, amazing southern views of downtown can be had.
And a learning opportunity.
What a beautiful facility, except for that weird antennae thingy
But the reason we were really there was to do a little recon for a work out.
A Stair Climb with Views to Die For
Wow that's a long way down......
But it seems much further going back up.
I only did the climb once because like I said we were really just checking it out, plus it was like 80+F and the sun was blazing, but it was one a..kicker.
Looking forward to attacking this in earnest.
Sometimes the most magical treasures can be found in your very own backyard, as in the case of the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook
This little gem can be found right in the middle of the city. It was my first visit, which in my defense, isn't too bad because they only opened it on April 18, 2009
Just south of Jefferson, amazing southern views of downtown can be had.
And a learning opportunity.
What a beautiful facility, except for that weird antennae thingy
But the reason we were really there was to do a little recon for a work out.
A Stair Climb with Views to Die For
Wow that's a long way down......
But it seems much further going back up.
I only did the climb once because like I said we were really just checking it out, plus it was like 80+F and the sun was blazing, but it was one a..kicker.
Looking forward to attacking this in earnest.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Bounding and spinning
After several hours last night and this morning of trying figure out the digital video camera we've had for a couple of years and then the movie editing program that has been on the computer for a couple of years I finally broke down and opened up one of those "Windows for Dummies" books.
Wow!!!!
What I've been missing and it was so easy.
You now how it is about men and maps or manuals.
Anyway check it out
Skye was a great videographer and cheerleader
Wow!!!!
What I've been missing and it was so easy.
You now how it is about men and maps or manuals.
Anyway check it out
Skye was a great videographer and cheerleader
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Days of Play
Goodbye Cindy
We saw Cindy off this morning. After dropping her off at LAX we headed down to San Pedro to join other home school kids and parents in a PE/movement class led by another home school dad, Efrain (rare) who also studies Brazilian juijitsu (more rare) with the Machado brothers (rarerist). We ran down a trail, bounding around rocks, throwing and carrying rocks of all sizes, ending up doing sprints, bear walks, duck walks and the like ont the wet sand, a beautiful day to be by the beach, unfortunately we didn't think to bring our suits, oh well.
Off to park day
So I'm on this new kick to really try to make my work outs fun. I think the drudgery of all the runs leading up to the marathon and the repitition of "regular"excercise have kept me away. So here I am, back at it with fun.
The Slackline
We tried out the slackline at the Venice Eco-fest and were hooked. So I ordered one from Gibbons Slackline.
I set it up and it was awesome.
Skye sizing it up.
And soon there was a line to slackline.
River, one step at a time
Okay it was a bit harder than I expected.
I ended up shortening the distance so that it didn't bounce quite so much, making the slack line a little less slack.
We played some frisbee a little latter and then hopped around a bit.
Fun, fun, fun.
Tuesday
Started out with Skye and me doing some yoga.
Later on we were off to the beach for more fun and excercise, swimming and bouncing around in the waves. Again excercise that's fun.
Tommorrow off to circus school.
No really I'm not kidding.
We saw Cindy off this morning. After dropping her off at LAX we headed down to San Pedro to join other home school kids and parents in a PE/movement class led by another home school dad, Efrain (rare) who also studies Brazilian juijitsu (more rare) with the Machado brothers (rarerist). We ran down a trail, bounding around rocks, throwing and carrying rocks of all sizes, ending up doing sprints, bear walks, duck walks and the like ont the wet sand, a beautiful day to be by the beach, unfortunately we didn't think to bring our suits, oh well.
Off to park day
So I'm on this new kick to really try to make my work outs fun. I think the drudgery of all the runs leading up to the marathon and the repitition of "regular"excercise have kept me away. So here I am, back at it with fun.
The Slackline
We tried out the slackline at the Venice Eco-fest and were hooked. So I ordered one from Gibbons Slackline.
I set it up and it was awesome.
Skye sizing it up.
And soon there was a line to slackline.
River, one step at a time
Okay it was a bit harder than I expected.
I ended up shortening the distance so that it didn't bounce quite so much, making the slack line a little less slack.
We played some frisbee a little latter and then hopped around a bit.
Fun, fun, fun.
Tuesday
Started out with Skye and me doing some yoga.
Later on we were off to the beach for more fun and excercise, swimming and bouncing around in the waves. Again excercise that's fun.
Tommorrow off to circus school.
No really I'm not kidding.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Parkour, Parcourse and Freerunning
I haven't posted since the LA Marathon or ran since then for that matter. As much as I enjoyed the experience and will undoubtedly run another marathon. I keep being faced with how much I am not a "runner". There are certainly many things I like about running, but I think training for a marathon brings out a lot of the things I don't like about running; things like the monotony, the feeling like I have to log in a certain amount of mileage or time and the frustration when I don't. Also one of the things I like most about running is the physical conditioning I get from it. When I train for a marathon, I can tend to get too much cumulative pounding on my joints and in ramping up the mileage my cross training and upper body conditioning tends to suffer.
As with many things, Parkour came at me from several different angles. I had seen some beautiful commercials, featuring people jumping from building top to building top sans the SGI/digital effects. The images mesmerized me. And while the car chases in the Bourne Trilogy and the last couple of Bond movies made it into trailers, it was the pursuits over rooftoops and through buildings that caught me.
At some point recently, I meet another home school dad, rare as that is, who also practice Brazilian Juijitsu with the Machados no less and was doing parkour. Skye and I made it out to a weekly PE/movement class/get-together he had organized and it reminded me how much I loved running and jumping over obstacles.
I held off jumping into this type of training until the marathon, didn't want a last minute injury to blow months of work. But since then Skye and I joined other home schoolers for a romp up and down the 100 foot sand dune at Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach. Somehow I had never been there before. It makes for an amazing workout.
Just yesterday, I finally took advantage of the Par Course at Fox Hills Park. I have run past its obstacles many times but I finally actually did them with a twist of course. I definitely had to modify the excercises to make them more challenging and more fun, but man that can make for an intense workout.
Running is fun again.
As with many things, Parkour came at me from several different angles. I had seen some beautiful commercials, featuring people jumping from building top to building top sans the SGI/digital effects. The images mesmerized me. And while the car chases in the Bourne Trilogy and the last couple of Bond movies made it into trailers, it was the pursuits over rooftoops and through buildings that caught me.
At some point recently, I meet another home school dad, rare as that is, who also practice Brazilian Juijitsu with the Machados no less and was doing parkour. Skye and I made it out to a weekly PE/movement class/get-together he had organized and it reminded me how much I loved running and jumping over obstacles.
I held off jumping into this type of training until the marathon, didn't want a last minute injury to blow months of work. But since then Skye and I joined other home schoolers for a romp up and down the 100 foot sand dune at Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach. Somehow I had never been there before. It makes for an amazing workout.
Just yesterday, I finally took advantage of the Par Course at Fox Hills Park. I have run past its obstacles many times but I finally actually did them with a twist of course. I definitely had to modify the excercises to make them more challenging and more fun, but man that can make for an intense workout.
Running is fun again.
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