Andrew’s (Spring85sigma) BodyBlog

I had another great workout! Hit the abs pretty hard and had a very good 3-mile run. Afterward, took Grandma to the bank and shopping! It’s been a pretty good day for her. Tomorrow is her first dialysis since being released from the hospital. I will be hitting a REALLY early back and planche-push-up workout so that I can accompany her on tomorrow morning!

Let’s get ready for a great weekend!

Here is what I did today:

Had a great leg workout! I know because I feel the soreness! I also did my 3 tuck planche holds. Given my long Monday and Tuesday, I’m still a bit tired, but happy that I’m keeping up with my workouts!

Everyone have a great Wednesday:

Yesterday, I got off track with my workout! I received a call from the hospital saying that I could bring my Grandmother home! So, I finished the lifting portion of my workout, thinking I could do the cardio after getting back home. I arrived at the hospital to find out that Grandma’s blood pressure had bottomed out during cardio and that she could not complete the treatment. The doctor wanted to talk to me about what he was planning to do next. He wanted to adjust medications and the the flow for the dialysis machine and give it another try on Tuesday (today). Needless to say, Grandma was NOT happy! I spent the rest of the evening with her. Today, she is in good spirits. Her blood work looks good and we are praying for success with the dialysis and that she can FINALLY get home. She also WALKED today! We have been truly blessed.

As far as my workouts, I felt "lost" having not completed cardio on yesterday. This morning I decided that I would complete my planche push-up training, which went very well, my chest workout, and then complete my cardio from yesterday and for today! LOL! I can’t check my boxes off on my workout chart until everything is done! Today turned out to be a beautiful day and I was able to get everything done! I feel like I’m back on track now! Tomorrow is leg day!

Now I’m off to the hospital to sit with Grandma as she does her dialysis. Hopefully, she can come home afterward!

I hope everyone is having great Tuesday!

Here is what I did on Monday:

Here is what I did today:

In spite of the most recent events in my life, today I felt RICHLY BLESSED! Grandma didn’t get to come home on yesterday because her dialysis catheter has not quite stopped bleeding. She is, however, eating much better and very much more active and sassy as ever! She comes home tomorrow after dialysis!

Today was rainy and chilly, but as most of you all know, I will get out in the rain and do my cardio! Some of you also know that I like it chilly as well! As I walked my two miles with the rain hitting my face, everything just felt good! I suppose all of us who are experiencing experiencing a period of upheaval in our lives look for that day when there is that hint of the light at the end of the tunnel. Amazingly, today was that day! Ironically, today was one of the wettest, sloppiest, days we’ve had in a while with absolutely NO hint of sunshine! I enjoyed the feeling, the sense of peace and serenity, and being outside in God’s creation. I certainly hope that I am not the only one who has had this experience and if you have not, it is an experience that I wish that EVERYONE experiences!

Planche training went wonderfully! I am greatly encouraged by the strength gains. I think is particulary true sense I’ve changed my planche training workout! All in all a great day! I felt so good, I took a few pics in the rain! LOL! They are a little goofy I suppose, but I hope they reflect how I was feeling.

I wish all of my BodySpace friends and family a great week!

Here is what I did today:

Today was a low energy day for me! I got through the workout, but my cardio REALLY suffered today! I guess the events of the week and the BAD diet this week have taken their toll. Grandma is feeling MUCH better today. She’s called home with her orders. LOL! So, once again, I’m off to the hospital. We are looking forward to her coming home either tomorrow afternoon or Sunday morning.

Today, I did planche push-up training and my back workout! The planche training continues to go well. I’m looking forward to continued progress. The back workout was also pretty good. I concentrated on maintaining good form through all exercises. Now, the run was something different.. I ran the 2 miles in about 18:00! I had very little energy. Hopefully, I will improve on this next week after some rest!

I wish everyone a great weekend!

Here is what I did today:

Had a great workout. Hit the abs hard. Had a respectable 3-mile run! Just a little tired with the running to the hospital. As I write this, the doctors are in the process of working on Grandma and prepping her for her first dialysis. I will be going up to visit her later this afternoon. She should be discharged on Saturday or Sunday. We are praying that she responds well.

The workouts are keeping me focused and grounded. As mentioned before, it was a good workout.

Hope everyone is having a good Thursday! 

Here is what I did today:

I hit the legs really hard today. My quads are really sore! Also, been on my legs most of the day since the workout. We admitted Grandma to the hospital this afternoon. Tomorrow she gets the catheter put in and will have her first dialysis treatment! So, we’ve spent the majority of time comforting her and making sure that she is o.k. When we left she was in relatively good spirits. The doctor told her about a man who was 94 and had his first treatment fairly recently. This seemed to help.

Although I have not eaten much today. I haven’t made the best choices. Over the course of the last 8 hours, I’ve eaten 3 small chili-cheese hotdogs from 7-11. I washed down the last two with a cup of beer! LOL!  Definitely some comfort food for me since this is one of my favorite indulgences. When I was living in Syracuse, there were NO 7-11s. I will get back on track with the diet tomorrow after I hit the abs.

I hope all is well with everyone!

Here is what I did today:

I had a great workout today! Between the planche push-up training and the chest workout, I hit my chest really hard. The tuck planche training went surprisingly well. I pushed myself on two of three of the tuck planches and was able to hold them for 32 seconds. I’ve been working on 30 seconds. I had a great first 3-mile run of the cycle. The legs felt good and the stamina was there. Three miles were complete in 24:12.

Today, I’m getting ready to arrange for my Grandma to have her catheter put in so she can begin dialysis on tomorrow. We are praying that she makes the adjustment. She is still very fiesty and does not like the thought of having to be "on a machine" (as she puts it). Nevertheless, the doctor has told her that a lot of her irritating symptoms will be relieved. Once again, we are praying for a good result.

I hope everyone is having a great Tuesday!

Here is what I did today:

I enjoyed my first workout of the new cycle. Using the lower and slower reps has really allowed me to work my body better. Today, I worked my arms and shoulders and YES, I’m actually feeling a little sore, which I LIKE! LOL! Doing 6 x 12 reps of SLOW chin-ups was pretty intense as well!

Taking the week off allowed me to really appreciate the benefits of being able to take 2 hours out of an otherwise busy day to have to yourself. It has turned out to be some of my best thinking time! I’m working on a book and great ideas come to me, especially during my runs. Today’s run was not too bad considering the week off! I was able to complete 2 miles in 15:12. I could have pushed harder and will do so on my runs!

I’m working hard on keeping the diet clean. Last week, feeling a little sorry for myself, I overindulged. This week I’m more grounded and accepting of the fact that right now, I’m not employed. I’ve concentrated my efforts on helping out my mother and keeping my Grandmother as stable and comfortable as possible. I’m feeling that a positive change for me is coming out of this situation! I appreciate those BodySpace friends who have provided kind and encouraging words.

I wish everyone a great week of workouts and that you continue to get closer to your health and fitness goals!

Here is what I did today:

Today’s planche push-up training workout marks the beginning of Workout Cycle 14!

Given the stress and strain of the past week, I am happy to be back at it again! It gives me a chance to clear my mind and work out some of my frustration and stress. My grandmother is as well as she can be, but we learned last week that the time has come for dialysis. This week we will be vigilantly watching her condition and helping her to make the transition. Right now she will probably require treatments 3 times per week! She’s a tough woman and I am sure she will come through this with flying colors. I thank all of  you for your prayers and well-wishes. 

A brother has really lost his job (long explanation) and I take this as my sign to exit the mental health field. Competence and ability don’t seem to override cliques and mediocrity. ISSA personal trainers, give me some idea about the QUICKEST a person who has earned 3 degrees and almost a Ph.D. can work through the certification program. I forsee creating exercise programs for different age levels and integrating my knowledge of counseling and mental health! I’d appreciate any feedback that you can provide!

As far as workouts are concerned, my areas of concentration continue to be my chest and back. I’ve adjusted my workouts to include more push-ups and pull-ups. I continue to use lower and slower reps, concentrating on maintaining good form and really challenging my muscles. The cardio will remain essentially unchanged. I will also focus on my diet. I need to eat more protein and maintain a clean(er) diet. LOL!

The planche training went very well and I was able to see that the week off helped me to recover and that there was no loss of strength. I forsee adding time to the tuck planche very soon.

Thank you once again for your encouragement and support, my BodySpace friends—old and new!

Here is what I did today: