RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL

There are all kinds of examples of successful people in the world.  We can look at people who have realized their career goals.  Look at how successful she is….she is a partner in the law firm.  Some people have made it rich and have all of those material things that seem to go along with that lifestyle.  Others have reached the pinnacle of their chosen sport…their success judged on victories and accolades.  On the same scale, we can see the people who have been successful in their workouts.  Whether they be runners, gym rats, yogis, or any other type of athlete, these people tend to be in pretty good shape.

Yep…it’s easy to pick out a runner in the summer with their shorts revealing well muscled calves.  It is not hard to see who works out when they wear tight clothes that reveal their lack of body fat and hardened muscles.  Just like the people who are successful in other aspects of their lives, the results of their work are easily seen.  What is not easily seen is the actual work that goes into becoming successful.  We seem to have this vague idea  that so-and-so had to work hard to get where they are at.  This person had to hit the gym for months to achieve that physique and that person had to go to school for four years and climb the corporate ladder to land that position.  But that really doesn’t tell the whole story.

I am beginning to realize that there is something else behind the scenes that makes us successful in our endeavours.  It isn’t just about doing the work or getting the training in.  It isn’t about certificates, education, races won….it is all about HABIT.  When I was in high school I can remember kids getting really good grades on tests.  I would think that kid is really smart and probably studied.  It never occurred to me that the smart kid probably did more than just study before the test.  He or she probably studied several times a week throughout the school year in order to consistently get good marks on tests.  I used to look at the track stars and think that guy is so fast.  True, there is some innate talent when it comes to some things, but, just like everything else, speed takes work…not just a few warm up sessions before the big race…real work…every day work.  It’s a habit.

A habit is a funny thing.  Bad habits are tough to kick and good habits are tough to get going.  Have you ever tried to quit smoking, drinking, or using?  If so, you know how hard a road that is.  Conversely, have you ever tried to get up at 445 am five or six days a week to get your run or your workout in?  Or have you ever tried to only eat healthy foods.  Both of these habits are equally hard to start as some of the others are to stop.  BUT the habit is the key to success.  The races aren’t won on race day…they are won or lost long before that.  You win races in January and February when those who are not quite so committed sit on their sofas and watch television and you are out facing the elements and getting your runs in.

This is what I remind myself of as I embark on my weight training.  I know my weights and reps are low.  I know that the things I am doing are not impressive…even to a rookie like myself…but I know that I am building a habit along with new muscle.  Already I feel slight increases in strength and I know it will only continue.

The HABIT is the key.  The results don’t happen in one day.  Habits are not built in one day.  Realize there will be failures and set backs but every day is a new day and all you can do is just keep pushing forward.  Eventually the habit forms and once it is formed you begin to crave it.  Then the work doesn’t seem so much like work anymore.  It becomes a part of what you do and who you are.  Then some time down the road people look at you and think about how you are in such good shape and they think you are lucky.  It’s true…you are lucky…lucky that you became your habit.

SVEN IS WEAK

Due to circumstances slightly beyond my control, Monday was not the first day of my working out life.  Snowpocalypse pounded our area of the world hard and I spent three hours shovelling my neighbour’s and my driveway…after which I promptly took a two hour nap.  Unfortunately the storm also filled the sidewalks and shoulders of roads with impenetrable white stuff so running has not been on the menu either.  It started out as another lazy week.  Well, lazy except for the whole shovelling snow every day thing.

Finally, yesterday was the day.  I had researched what I wanted to achieve in my workout and how to go about doing it.  I decided to modify the workout a bit as far as which exercises to use.  Before I get into what I did, let me just tell you how weak I am.  I had to laugh.  Ok.  Sure.  I haven’t done an actual workout involving more than just pushups and crunches in over 20 years but I really surprised myself at how little weight I needed to give myself a good workout.

So what exactly did I do?  I did three circuits of 12 squats (40 lbs), 12 good mornings (40 lbs), 12 incline dumbbell presses (20 lbs per hand), 12 dumbbell rows (20 lbs each hand), 15 mountain climbers, and 50 jumping jacks.  On the surface, this did not appear to be a tough workout.  I had done some reading up on the subject, though, and numerous sources did seem to point to three sets of about four or five exercises so that is what I aimed for.  This little circuit training session left me a sweaty, shaky, tired mess.  Yup…this workout took less than a half hour and it kicked my ass.

Despite the low weight and the thorough ass kicking, I feel great about things.  When you start at the bottom there is nowhere to go but up.  On another positive note, I don’t hurt that badly today.  Now it is just a matter of consistency and moving slowly up the ladder.  All about the baby steps.

Another aspect of this whole getting into better shape thing that I wrote about the other day was what kind and how much food I am putting into my body.  HAHAHAHAHA….so far, I am failing…which is fine…I know myself too well and I know that this is what will take the most work.  On the plus side, I ate like a horse shortly before my workout yesterday and ended up paying for it.  I felt sluggish and full.  Gotta pay attention to these things and use them as motivation to eat better and less so that I feel better. 

Well…onwards and upwards.  Another circuit training session in place for tomorrow and hopefully a run sometime soon (before I go crazy.)  On to leaner, meaner, cleaner, and greener me.

NEW DIRECTIONS

OK...I am taking a slightly new direction in how I want to hit my running goals.  With this new direction, my little blog here is going to transform a bit as well.  I love life.  I love running.  I love writing.  I have been floundering on how to combine these three things into blog form.  I may have hit on it.

I will be honest here.  Though I am a runner and though I run more often than the average person, I really am not in that great of shape.  See, your body gets used to using certain sets of muscles and looks for ways to operate those muscles as efficiently as possible.  This means that I can still be a runner and kind of fat at the same time.  Yes, I am pretty good shape...but no, I don't look like a skinny elite marathoner.  

I am not getting any younger.  I am 43 and I know that my shot at glory on the local race circuit could be a lost cause but that doesn't mean that I stop trying.  The speed starts to slip away and the older you get, the harder you have to work for it.  But I have set lofty goals for myself and I know that this year will have to include a different approach if I want to be successful.

I have ignored diet and I have ignored common sense.  Really, I eat like a stoned college dropout - yes, I am fully aware of THAT lifestyle...maybe I will talk about that another day.  My diet, though relatively full of healthy foods, has flaws and I eat wayyyyyy too much at most sittings.  My running has been enough to keep everything level but it has not been enough to push me to new levels of fitness.  An equally large problem for me is that I ONLY run.  I am pretty lazy on the rest of it...cross training, stretching, resting, blah blah blah.  

This needs to change.  I can't expect to change my results if I don't actually make changes.  Admittedly, the food thing will be the harder part but I am also committing to cross training.  More specifically, I am going to start working out.  

SO WHAT THE HELL IS THIS BLOG REALLY GOING TO BE ABOUT?

I am a dumbass.  I do things the wrong way.  I learn by making mistakes.  I figure that there are lots of dumbasses out there.  I also figure that there are probably lots of dumbasses that want to get into better shape.  Maybe people will benefit from my haphazard way of going about things.  I know a bit about running but know nothing about working out.  I also know a bit about eating right...I just don't apply that knowledge to my own life...yet.

With running, I was able to unlock a few secrets through my own experiments out on the roads and trails and also through reading obsessively on the subject.  I plan to take this reckless yet obsessive approach to new subject matter...working out.  I will write about what I am doing and how it is working in my life.  If I learn stuff the hard way, you can learn stuff the easy way...through my mistakes.  It will be fun for everyone.

SO - WHAT'S THE PLAN?

Well, the new name of this blog is KEEP IT SIMPLE, SVEN.  That is what I am going to try to do.  Keep it simple.  I am going to continue running, I am going to start working out, and I am going to start eating better.  Right now, I am just throwing miles in the bank.  It's cold outside and it is tough enough to get out for three or four runs a week without throwing in speed workouts and such into the mix.  Tomorrow I will start working out and eating better...not today...it's Super Sunday and I am going to eat way too much food and drink a bit too much beer.

Tomorrow I work out...but what does that entail?  What kind of workout do I do?  My workout goals are to get leaner and stronger and less prone to injury.  I do not wish for bulk or to get bigger.  Weight loss would be ideal because the lighter I am the faster I will run.  I will begin CIRCUIT TRAINING. Not only is it higher reps at lower weights but it is also a quicker workout for the busy guy on the run.  The plan is to do this three times a week.  For the time being it is going to look something like this:

• Hit those QUADS - Squats
• Hit that ASS - Dead lifts
• Hit the PUSH - Incline Dumbbell Press
• Hit the PULL - Dumbbell Rows
• Hit that CORE - Exercise Ball Crunches
• A bit of cardio - 50 Jumping Jacks

My circuit will include 3 sets of 15 reps of each exercise (except the jumping jacks which will be 50.)  There is no rest between the sets...only at the end of the circuit.  After the jumping jacks I get to rest for a minute and take in some water.  Simple, right.

In the interests of full disclosure and so that I (and you) can see any progress that should occur as things go on, I will post up a couple of pics and my relevant stats.  Hopefully, a month down the road, we can say that things have changed.

There you go.  This is what I have to work with.  This is the clay.  Time to sculpt.

Relevant stats:

• HEIGHT - 5'9" no matter how much I work out, I will not make the NBA.
• WEIGHT - 173 lbs hope this changes...to, like, 150 lbs.  :-)
• BICEP - 14" that is at a flex.  not looking for more size but we'll see what happens.
• SHOULDERS - 45" once again, not sure how this will change.
• CHEST - 40" I am not a big dude so I imagine this will go up a bit.
• GUT - 39" looking to shrink this down.  fingers crossed.
• WAIST - 33" another area that should drop...I can see where the extra weight is.
• THIGH - 21" not sure if I am going to get bigger here or lean out.  time will tell.

So I have my starting point.  This is where a new adventure begins.  Looking to the future, I am hoping that this means healthier running with a leaner and meaner body.  PRs and looking great for bikini season...what more can a guy ask for?