Finishing the Year Fit And Strong

Are you one of those people who does New Year's resolutions?  THIS! is going to be the year I become the person I want to be. I'll start (pick new habit) or I'll quit (pick bad habit). I'll lose X lb. For 2 weeks you'll be motivated and by Martin Luther King day, you're back to your December persona.

Do you have a case of Screw-it-itis in December and let the foot off the pedal at work, hit the party circuit, and let the diet go? 

Have you ever finished the year at 100% capacity with momentum to fly into the next year. Or done both depending upon the year?  

I answer yes to all these questions. This year I'm choosing finishing the year with momentum and at full throttle. 

The catalyst to this is Hawaii in Mid-November. Went to a benefits/labor convention.  It was my 2nd time out there in 4 months.  I had a FANTASTIC time. My room faced the Pacific Ocean with a balcony at the Waikiki Sheraton.  Post convention there were parties galore with all the free food and drink you would want. Weather was 80 degrees with sun showers every day. I had the best steak of my life at Signature Prime. And finally, went to Pearl Harbor and saw my great uncle's plane at the Aviation Museum.  Pro tip, go to the USS Missouri first.  

It was great, and yes I did go to the gym every day. Walked 20,000 steps a day between the treadmill and too and from the convention center.  I wore out a path on Kalakaua Avenue.  But by day 4 I had had enough of the parties. Let's put it this way. The first full day was Sunday and my buddy and I found a sports bar to watch the NFL.  We were drinking beers at 8 AM.  At the convention, there is a LinkedIn photo of me.  My best friend called me after it posted saying, "Love knowing you were 4 beers deep when that was taken."  Terrific.  So the 4th night, we are at a rooftop bar and they were handing out complimentary Mai Tais.  I took 3 small sips and said, "I'm not doing this tonight,." and pounded water. Woke up feeling great.

Traveled home and arrived at my house on a Thursday and was junk for a couple of days between lack of sleep, fun and on an airplane for 11 hours. Decided middle of the month to turn it around.  

1. No alcohol. Been 3 weeks. Feel great, workouts off the charts good, hyper focused, and sleeping great.

2. A regular sleep schedule.  I always sleep 7-8 hours a night, But I wanted a consistent schedule. Meaning I'm in bed by 10 PM at the latest. Read 2-3 chapters of my Kindle, hit the bathroom one more time, and lights out by 10:30. In the last 3 weeks the only time I've broken this was last Monday watching the Patriots game.  This includes weekends. I awake naturally without alarms. Had 9 + hours sleep Saturday night.

3. Really focusing on my workouts.  Having a plan, not being lazy because I don't want to load the barbell to deadlift, and focusing on every rep.  Stopping with one rep in the tank and without pain.  Focusing on my conditioning using sleds, Ski Erg, Echo Bike or treadmill running. Not mailing it in.

The numbers are going up in my lifts and my conditioning is excellent.  Running 5 miles on the treadmill with a 1 degree incline in 44 minutes. (sub 9 minute miles), finishing 10 rounds of Ski Erg/Echo Bike sprints (more on that in a minute.) and pushing the Prowler combined with 300 two hand swings with a 70 lb. bell. 

I received a great tip from my work colleague about the Echo Bike. He is Captain CrossFit in Kansas City and tries to break Assault/Echo Bikes. I was complaining my quads get the shakes when I'm done. He advised me to lift the seat up one more rung.  The higher the seat, the more it focuses on hamstrings and glutes vs. quads.  THIS is a complete game changer. My wattage for sprints are at least 25 % higher with the higher seat.  Sure it still is a gasser, but it alleviated a lot of fatigue.

I ended up going back to me old gym as it is obvious to see from above.  Ran into a guy there who is older but always in good shape.  Saw him for the 1st time in 5 months and he looked great.  Slimmed down. I told him he looked awesome.  He told me he quit drinking and lost 20 lb. He became my inspiration.  I actually thanked him last week and told him so.  The only thing I'm not doing as much is outdoor walking.  I can deal with cold, it's the wind I can't stand.  Moving South next year is an active conversation that my wife and I are having. 

How's the diet?  Well, about a 6 out of 10.  Not terrible, but not great. I've lost 2-3 lb. I eat too much.  Not crap, because we don't have any in the house. I only eat out once per week.  Would like to push this to about a 7.5-8. I have some lunches coming up and a party with friends, so that's realistic.  If I don't booze, I let myself eat at parties.  Decided today was the day to start on cleaning up the diet.  23 hours into a 40 hour fast, 18 of which will be dry. From just before Noon today, until I wake up around 6.  

I've incorporated 24 hour dry fasting this year 3 or so times.  I like it from the time I start until, I go to bed.  I'm not thirsty and get through it easier than with water.  But it's bloody awful from when you wake up until the 24 hour mark. Say at 9:30 AM. So I'm adjusting that down to 18-20 hours.  When I wake up, have a glass of water. let that settle in so I don't feel lethargic and then black coffee.  So I'll get 75% of the benefits vs. 100.  Live to fight another day. 

Next big trip is Sales Kickoff in San Diego on January 4. It will be the 9th time since June 2024 that I've surpassed 2 time zones flying across the country. I wish it were in Las Vegas like our meetings in October, but what can you do?  The weather will be nicer than the 21 degrees we have her in Massachusetts as I type on December 8.  Hopefully I'll be under 190 lb.  Stay tuned. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!

A Tale of Two Gyms

Current status: Flying over Rural Iowa on my way to Las Vegas for corporate meetings.

Figured with 2.5 more hours to kill, a new edition to this blog would be time better spent than arguing with people in the Boston Globe comments section. The most entertaining 99 cent subscription you can purchase by the way. It would be worth it just doing the Sunday crossword puzzle.  Throw in hysterical Democrats and it makes it all the more fun. It's my only form of social media along with the loathsome LinkedIn, which is a necessity but the WORST of all of them. I shut down Facebook, X, and Instagram. All of them are time sucks. 

With a bridge shutdown bringing absolute gridlock to the neighboring town, I decided to put my membership on hold at my gym and rejoin Planet Fitness with its Black Card membership. The hold lasts 3 months and ends November 1. My Planet Fitness membership ends on November 17.

The bridge was supposed to be ready on October 15, but even though they are close to finishing, the union motto is "don't kill the job." So it's not quite ready yet. I've settled in pretty well at PF.  The one I go to has limited and old equipment. It' 5 minutes from my house and I've renewed acquaintances with old friends and having good workouts. There is SUCH a convenience factor to it. Plus throw in the Black Card, I can bring a guest, usually my wife. And have used 5 different gyms with the Black Card while traveling for work or on vacation. I used it in Salem, OR, nicest PF I've ever been to.  Three in Naples, FL while on vacation and finally in North Adams, MA where I went to college after an overnight stay. We hiked Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts. 

But it does have its drawbacks: 

Limited equipment: Dumbbells up to only 75 lb. Poorly made kettlebells up to 30 lb. I only use the treadmills and Stairmasters, of which a 1/3  are broken.  Crappy locker room.  and HORRIFIC gym etiquette. People stealing your machines. Or leaving dumbbells on weight benches along with their water bottle and using it as a shelf. Doing an exercise in front of the dumbbell rack. And yes, I have policed the area by telling them that's not what the bench is for. Handing out judicial rulings in the judgement free zone.  But with all that, I've been told by 2 people that I look, "very fit." So it's working along with my diet.

The Gym, yes that is the name fo the place, has 25 yards of turf to push a sled, Echo Bike, Ski Erg, plenty of new treadmills, Stairmasters and kettlebells up to 48kg/106 lb. For the record, the 106 lb. kettlebell if you've never swung or picked one up, is astoundingly heavy. I do swings with it from time to time. Back in the old days I could push press an 88 lb kettlebell, strict press an 80 and do Turkish Getups with an 88.  I don't think at the peak of my strength I could straighten my arm over my head to even BEGIN the TGU. 

The Gym also has squat racks, deadlift platforms, heavy dumbbells and barbells.  As a guy at PF said, "The Gym is where you get jacked, Planet Fitness is where you get 'fit'."  They also just re-did the locker rooms after 25 years and have a sauna. Yes, the old wall to wall carpet was absolutely disgusting. I horrified my 22 year old son walking barefoot on it. I have a ton of friends there. Lots of trash talk about politics, sports and investments. Also, a physical therapy clinic where they let you use the bands and PVC pipe rollers.

Again it has it's drawbacks

$40/month vs. $25. Not a big deal because I go every day. It also is 12-20 minutes each way depending on when the bridge will be fixed.  I question whether I really need all of it. Finally etiquette can be lacking as well. People stretching on the turf field horizontally instead of vertically. Which means they take up the width of the field and you're playing Frogger if you push the sled.  The sauna can be a challenge.  Guys blowing snot rockets, or doing hot yoga in there instead of just sitting quietly. Yes, I've told some meatball  60 year old guy to shut up and sit still. No consideration for others. 

What makes PF so convenient is I can use it in every town. And I'm traveling a lot more.  If I regularly went to one with new equipment, sign me up, They have everything I need. But the owner isn't reinvesting in new stuff at the one I attend  It's 2010 land in there.  So I'm 90% sure I'm going back to the old gym.  Why don't I keep both memberships?  Good question, it's about peace in the neighborhood with the wife as Paul McCartney sang on the extremely mediocre Off the Ground album.

Good news is my IT band has completely healed. FINALLY. I'm able to squat all the way down and run.  So I have done some kettlebell workouts at home. Only with 45's.  Need to build up to the 55's.  If I push it, doing front squats and double swings, there is a 100% chance I pop my SI joint. I did 50 front squats last month on a Friday with 45's and then hiked Greylock the following day in a cool 90 minutes. Spent 30.minutes at the top, had lunch and 80 minutes back down.  For the next 5 days I had soreness in my hips, legs and calf muscles that I didn't know existed. I'm also able to run 5 miles.  Speed slowly coming back. 5 miles in 47 minutes on the treadmill, incline at 1.0. Would love to cut it under 45 minutes, but that might be wishful thinking. Don't need to be banging my knees hard trying to to that. Whether looks or physicality, Father Time is and always will be undefeated.  

After Las Vegas, it's back to Hawaii for the 2nd time in 4 months.  Poor me. International Labor Benefits  Conference. This time however, I have to take connecting flights.  Did Boston to Honolulu non-stop in August. Ten and a half hours going out, 9 coming home. Usually I can sleep on a plane. Coming back only slept 45 minutes.  

Air travel is getting worse in the United States.  They are all at fault. So far this year, I've wasted 5 hours delayed in Phoenix because American couldn't produce a crew. 3 hour delay Jet Blue in Fort Myers because Boston wasn't allowing in bound planes in. And I missed a connection going to Portland, OR by 5 minutes and had to sit in Minneapolis for 5 hours.  Thanks Delta.  Plus you get a stale cookie, a half ounce of Cheese-Itz and a cup of soda if you ask for a Diet Coke.  Not exactly white glove service.

Door to door from my house to the hotel in Salem, OR was 15 hours and 45 minutes. Coming back was over 14 and I had to change a flight at the last minute to an earlier flight to Seattle to make my connection home.  What an adventure.  It's so much easier to go to the Catskills or Saratoga to a union conference. Get in my car, drive 3-4 hours and if I get stuck in traffic in the 3rd world highway system of Connecticut, no big deal. 

Looking forward to the black jack table this afternoon before the meetings begin.  You can play a drinking game with the marketing jargon at these meetings. Every one is "super excited," God I hate the word "super" as a modifier.  Or our "robust data," no one can explain the meaning of that. Discuss "healthcare journey's." Is everything a journey these days?  The Bachelor TV show is all about journeys.  And the "stickiness" of our "platform," meaning getting members to log back in. Finally we will have 90 minutes discussing our "product roadmap."  

When I hear "product roadmap," I shut down like people who are terrible with their money having to have a conversation about money.  Show me the value to the prospect of what I'm selling, not the features. Features are only good if they offer value. 

Hopefully I've provided comedic value here of a middle aged man who is fighting a slow down metabolism that has decided to counterpunch me at 56. 

I Need To Change The Name of This Blog

 Why? You Ask?  I don't think I've picked up my kettlebells in my house for 5 months.  I just don't use them. At my gym you ask?  Sure, once in a great while I'll do swings. Or double swings for traps, but that's it!  Back in March, I was really into running on the treadmill 3x a week and getting good again at it. Being able to bang out 5 miles at a good clip. Well, I tried to do it for a 3rd time in a week, my shoes were probably wearing out and I pushed through some pain. For the record, David Goggins is an idiot. I got hurt.  IT Band Knee tendinitis.  Which took, 6 weeks to heal. To THIS DAY, I can feel it once and awhile. I also cannot squat all the way down because it catches. No more kettlebell front squats.  I run maybe twice a week on the treadmill and never over 30 minutes.

Current banned kettlebell exercises for Brian

1. Clean and Press

2. Snatch

3. Jerk

4. Front Squat and Goblet Squat

5. Windmill SI joint pops out

6. Turkish Get Up

As you see, the only thing I can do are Rows, Swings and Farmer's Carries.  Hence, collecting dust.

Not that my workouts haven't been good and consistent. I've been doing other things.  My replaced left shoulder is great; my arthritic shoulder is really good. I can't throw a ball 30 feet anymore, but I can play golf, shoot a basketball, and swing a bat. I'm having trouble serving a tennis ball overhead. My right arthritic shoulder doesn't enjoy it. I can do some dumbbell and machine chest presses with decent weight. I don't really go heavy. I don't do pullups anymore, but I can do lat pulldowns palms facing each other for 160 for 6-8 with great form.  Just adjustments.

My gym added a Ski Erg to its functional training room. Two great conditioning workouts I've done are

1 minute Ski Erg at 80-100% effort Resistance on 8

1 minute Rest

1 minute Echo Bike 80-100% effort. Watts usually around 324. 

1-2 minutes rest

Aim for 10 rounds, at least 5.  

This workout is a beast. Around the 6th round, fatigue sets in on the upper body doing the Ski Erg. The Echo Bike just sucks. They don't call it the "Devil's Tricycle" for nothing. The first 30 seconds are fine then the quads start fatiguing and when you get off of it you have the quakes in your legs.  Which is scary. I remember doing hard kettlebell complexes where fatigue set in. The leg quake I feared most, then then shoulder fatigue and finally the grip.  

Another workout is:

500 meters Ski Erg about 2:20

Rest 1 minute

2 minutes Echo Bike, around 220 watts

Rest 1 minute

10 rounds.  

This one might be harder. At least you know the 1st one is only a minute. 2+ minutes on the Ski Erg never seems to end. And on the Echo Bike it is never pleasant.

BRUTAL CONDITIONING

They also have a prowler sled to push on 25 yards of astroturf. The only problem is members of the gym lack etiquette as well as the basics of geometry. They will stretch or do a dumbbell workout in the middle of the field using the width, not the length. It's like playing Frogger. 

Alas, I put my gym membership on hold. It's 4 miles away and due to fixing a bridge in the shit hole town that I live next to where it is located, it takes 20 minutes to get there due to the horrendous infrastructure and traffic. So, I re-joined my old Planet Fitness and bought the black card for 3 months my ego uses my guest pass.  It's fun to see old friends, but I'm SO BORED. There has been no updates to the equipment. We were in Naples, FL last month and there are 3 gyms within 15 minutes, all with brand new plate loading equipment and HUGE. The miser in Milford MA, decided to cheap out. I understand, 60% of his clientele, was how do I put this nicely, guests who overstayed their welcome in this country. Place is CLEARED OUT which equals lost revenue.

I walk every day; lift every other day and cardio on both days I lift and don't. Weight is in the mid-high 190's. Not where we want to be, but I'm healthy. On a small amount of statin, 5 mg of high blood pressure medication and happy. One thing I did try a couple of times was a 24 hour dry fast.  Start at 9:30 AM, no water for 24 hours. The first 12- hours, easy, you're not that thirsty.  The last 3-4 from when you wake up, brutal.  Feel lethargic. But you can lose 6 lbs. in a day. I just think it's too hard on your kidneys.  My creatinine numbers have always been a touch high normal/a little funky so I don't want them to get any higher. 

I do think people are drinking WAY TOO MUCH WATER. 3 quarts is good enough. My wife constantly brings water everywhere.  I'm like a camel. I drink when I'm thirsty. My urine is clear, so I'm hydrated and not losing electrolytes. A gallon of water a day is just stupidity.  You don't need it. I had to drive 3 hours to Saratoga for work. No stops on the way up. One stop on the way home to get gas. Not to pee. My wife can't ride 100 miles without needing to use the loo. When we drive to NYC always need to pullover in Fairfield County.  

Off to Hawaii on a cruise in 2 weeks and then again for a labor conference in November.  Non-stop 12- hour flight from Logan.  I get itchy after 3 hours on a plane.  Not looking forward to it.  I've been on a plane almost every month this year. Phoenix in January on American (which couldn't produce a crew, 6 hour delay). Greensboro, NC in March with a knee that was popping, I was so gimpy the pilot asked if I wanted a wheelchair. Utah in April, Kansas City in May, Florida in July, 2 hour delay, what else is new. Hawaii this month, Asheville NC next month, Probably Utah again in October, Hawaii again in November and most likely Atlanta in December.  

Needless to say, the best airline is Delta and the worst is American. I try and avoid American like a masked up COVID Karen avoids people. 

Remember Friends Don't Let Friends Skip Leg Day

Shoulder Replacement One Year Later

 As the title states:  It's 100%. I have full functionality and no pain.  No bone spurs cutting into my bicep, no clicking, nothing.  That being said, I am really careful with it.  I DO NOT press overhead anymore. For shoulders, I do shrugs or double kettlebell swings outside the knees with no more than 55 lbs.  I'm trying to preserve my right shoulder which is holding up really well. I can play golf. I can't shoot a basketball. Oh well.

The new job has me traveling a little bit. Been to Seattle and Las Vegas the past couple of months and heading to Phoenix in the 2nd week of January for sales kickoff. I'll say this, for such nice casinos, the Mandalay Bay and the old Mirage had awful gyms. And you can't run outside on the Strip anymore because the storefronts are so built up.  I did a LOT of walking, 20k + steps every day.  We had a group trip to the Sphere, and there were so many buses, we couldn't find ours.  Half the people were going to the Venetian to sing karaoke. Not this grizzled 55-year-old veteran. No interest in sitting through meetings with a bruised liver. Been there, done that. I decided to hoof it back to the Mandalay Bay. It took over an hour. Have to enter into the Bellagio to get to the other side as well as the Cosmopolitan.

The last night was fun, my wife went to a show, and I bailed on an optional group dinner. Threw two bets into the sportsbook drank beer, screamed at the TV screens and made lots of friends. Then went to the blackjack table and lost the 1st 8 hands in a row.  Good times.  

Was in Naples, Florida earlier this month where it proceeded to rain every single day. Finally got to St. Pete and it was sunny. My runs there were awful as usual.  1st mile great, 2nd mile ok, 3rd mile so humid I couldn't get any oxygen in.  I've been running a lot.  I did my 1st 5k in 20 years in late September. My cross-country star buddy who designed it said, "it's a brutal course."  My pal Phil, who is in our high school hall of fame for running came down from Albany, NY to run it with me.  At the 2.5-mile mark, I blistered him in the hills and had a 75-yard lead. He then flipped the switch, did what hall of famers do and blew past me. Beat me by 10 seconds.  27:05 to 27:15. Here we are with our old track and hoop coach.

My 3-4 lifting days are total body, 3 sets of 10-12 one exercise per body part. Don't get hurt. Then, I'll do 20-30 minutes on treadmill, Echo Bike or Stairmaster.  Other 3-4 days are 1 just walking and three 45 minutes of cardio. In good health in the low-mid 190's.  Lots of socializing have led to so so diet. Traveling, college reunions and socializing.  Not terrible but need to be cognizant.  My wife and I did a LOT of hiking at the Blue Hills Reservation near Boston.  Tons of trails and ski slopes to climb. After we go for a refreshment or two at the Trillium Brewery a 1/2 mile down the road in Canton. Our dog loves the hikes, hates the brewery because we leave her in the car in shade.  

What's next? Just keeping on keeping on. It's been a great year and I'm thankful for it. Much better than a year ago that's for sure.  Happy Thanksgiving. 

Left Shoulder Replacement 8 months later, FULLY HEALED

In reality it was fully healed around the 6-month mark. I stopped doing my physical therapy exercises at that point. The shoulder is 100% as good as it can be. It gets stiff once in a while, especially jostling it while running. And I can't shoot a basketball lefty anymore which was my strong hand. My form however righthanded is butter. I can play golf!  I hit balls in the middle of May and then went down to Naples. Broke 90 first time out with the new shoulder.  I couldn't do that with the old shoulder!  Then the third time out, did it again in Connecticut! I'm an out of state golfer.  Was supposed to play 36 this weekend, alas it's going to pour tomorrow. 

All I have a scar from the top of my shoulder to my pec. The bride thinks it looks bad ass.  Right shoulder has been good. My goal is to not try and mess that up too soon, though the flexibility is gone.  I can't throw a baseball 30 feet anymore and played 3rd base on the big diamond. These days, that throw is about a par 3.

Workouts are the same.  Total body, one exercise each body part, 3 sets of 8-12.  Mixing up the different plated hammer strength machines.  I can do safety bar squats, and double 55 front squats.  Holding the bells in the rack was a huge victory. I tried to press an 18 lb. bell on the left side.  No bueno. I can't extend fully.  Tried doing a double clean and jerk with 25 lb. bells, just out of curiosity, nope. For shoulder exercises, I do shrugs and double swings.  That's it.  Still do two hand swings every week. I use the wheelbarrow sled now instead of the prowler. 

As I said before, the Echo Bike has been the biggest game changer for my fitness. My heartrate runs between 47 - 51. In March, I found this blog with 30 Brutal Assault Bike Workouts. I was doing them 2-3 times a week, they get progressively harder. I have been stuck at number 19 for a while.  I try it once a week. The good news is I was able to do 12 miles at over 200 watts average which for me is cooking, and I'm able to run 5 miles at a clip outdoors.  My foot has held up well. I'm convinced one session on the elliptical machine screwed it up.  Never again. 

Diet has been meh.  Didn't drink for 8 weeks, lost 18 lb. gained 5lb. back. Went to a college reunion with my buddies in Springfield, MA at the MGM Casino. Made it to 11 PM and my buddy decided enough was enough and bought me a glass of 14-year-old Oban scotch.  Leaped and did a somersault off that wagon. Yes sir.  Then proceeded to lose $200 at the video poker and blackjack table. Was so bored trying to get things going, I doubled on a 9 vs. an 8 and split sevens for shits and giggles.  Hadn't been in a casino in 2 years since I was at the Mirage (RIP) and on a cruise ship to Bermuda.  I won on the ship and told the bride not to let me go back in there. 

Went to the doctor for a physical in April. I was so proud of myself until I saw my cholesterol level,  277!  Doctor told me it's from INTERMITTENT FASTING.  Told me to knock it off. Gladly.  My HDL (good) was 78 and I'm off blood pressure medication.  I eat too many eggs and have too much salt. 

In other big news, I have an old job back. The PT placement business was a disaster. What could go wrong did.  I left the placement industry 10 years ago because I started hating candidates.  They have gotten MUCH WORSE.  Over analyzing everything, too many questions, too many demands, unrealistic expectations.  The worst industry in the world to work in is physical therapy. Going in debt to get a Doctorate in PT just to make $85 K. Clinic owners' margins are razor thin and they can't pay fees or people. Lesson learned.  Good thing my stock portfolio is kicking butt and taking names.  Fantastic 5. 

What I love about my new/old job is it's a new company and all the trash got taken out. There's only 3 people left that I used to work with. Maybe 4.  Jumped right back in like Carl Yastrzemski going back to left field for the 1975 World Series.  God, I'm dating myself.  I just used 2 spaces after the period as well. Here's Captain Carl vs. the Reds that October. Red Sox won that World Series 3 games to 4. LOL

Very pleased with my Celtics winning their 18th championship.  The Lakers may have 17, but 5 were in Minneapolis. And does the bubble count with that poser/fraud Lebron James?  He's such a passive aggressive clown that the Lakers will never win with him again.

Words and phrases that have been driving me crazy.  "Vibe," The "vibe" of the MGM was really cool. Using "super" as a modifier. Whatever happened to the word "really." As in Hi, I'm Brian and I'm SUPER EXCITED to share this blog with you.  New one from my job, "robust data."  What does that even mean? And finally, the word "journey."  Everything is a darn journey these days.  We had a mid-year presentation and the vapid CHRO used the word journey 8 times in the first 7 minutes. Throw in she started off with "I'm super excited" to begin the presentation.  I hung up after 10 minutes.  Wasn't making me any money. Voyage, trek, passage anyone?  I told my soon to be finance major senior in college to get a job in HR. Big bucks for dumb ducks.

I'm late to the party. Get Your Ya-Ya's Out by the Rolling Stones and Live at Leeds by The Who (extended version) have been my go-to music while doing cardio.  One would think that a 13 minute My Generation might be a tad self-indulgent?  NOPE.  And the Amazing Journey (title of song, from 1970, not used as a word) medley into Summertime Blues HNNNNGGGGGGG.  The Stones sound SO tight and Mick Taylor ripping the lead guitar on Live with Me is phenomenal. 

Pick your favorite conspiracy. Michelle Obama was born a man, or we landed on the Moon in 1969.  The former bares the question, who is more confused? Joe Biden at the debate or Michelle's gynecologist? The latter, "I can't get Wi-Fi in some parts of my house, how did they stream film and have a call from the Moon?"

15 Weeks Post Shoulder Replacement Surgery

Today, the Leap Year, was a triumphant day. For the first time since pre-surgery, I was able to do a total body weightlifting workout.  It felt GREAT.  I was nice and loose, and my shoulders felt fantastic. I have been going to the gym 6 days a week. Doing legs with machines and the Echo Bike or Stairmaster, Treadmill or Sled.  I received the clearance from my physical therapist to "try it and go light."  The only upper body stuff I've done were TRX rows, band chest presses, band curls and band triceps press downs. I've been doing my physical therapy exercises 5 days a week and it's been a surprisingly easy recovery.  The rotator cuff in the back of my shoulder is still weak, but I have 150 degrees of motion and no pain.  It does get stiff and there is a lot of work left to do.  

I had the surgery on November 17. Because they put a nerve blocker in my neck my pinky was numb for two days.  I thought I would have pierced pain post-surgery, but it was nothing more than an intense dull ache. I was in a sling for 2 weeks.  For the first 6 days, I took Tylenol and Advil regularly and 5 mg of oxycodone once a night for sleeping purposes.  I stopped all pain relievers after 6 days. Didn't want any junk in my body.

I met with the doctor after 2 weeks to get the staples out. They were itching, but the orthopedist was really happy and said, "see you in 6 months."  I took off the sling and started physical therapy.  I've been dedicated to it as well as the homework exercises which have gotten progressively harder.  It takes about 35 minutes to do all of them and when a new one is added it is a nice reminder of how far I still have to go.  The physical therapist asked me to put my arm behind my back and see how far I could reach up my back. I barely got above my waist. She had me do it again, put a towel in my left hand and draped the slack over my right shoulder, put the other end in my right hand in the front and said, "pull and hold."  That might have been the most painful think I've done in a LONG time. But now, I can reach to the middle of my back.  

Today's lousy rehab exercise is lie on your stomach face down. Clasp your hands behind your head. Squeeze your shoulder blades today and lift your elbows off the ground.  It's laughable how hard it is and how weak the rotator cuff still is.

The cardio end of my workouts has been going fantastic.  I can do 10 miles on the Echo Bike or 10 minutes of HIIT sprints. I can run for 20 minutes at a 9 minute/clip on the treadmill and having great Stairmaster workouts.  My resting heart rate is 46-53 and FINALLY, I've locked in my diet.  I did get fat after surgery.  Ballooned to almost 205 and that was my cue to do something.  Ate like a complete asshole, throw in some weekend drinking and I was the Michelin man. I am down almost 10 lb. to 195, with at least 10 probably15 lb. to go. I've been doing the Kettlebell Burn Extreme Diet and recovery methods. It's working. I fasted twice for over 40 hours no problem and am locked in on day 11. It is amazing how the metabolism slows down at spry age of 55. I've discovered the cheat code for the cold exposure.  My gym has a nice sauna that is over 175 degrees.  Sit in there for 15-20 minutes, then jump into the cold shower.  It makes it a treat after sweating out the toxins.  I'm also getting walks in 5 days a week in the afternoon and over 10,000 steps. The hardest part of the diet in the first week was the no carb days, but this week, it's been much easier.

But isn't this a kettlebell blog?  Ok here it is. I can do and have done goblet squats with a 24 kg and anywhere from 100-300 two-hand swings, multiple times.  That's it.  A couple of weeks ago, I was showing someone a snatch at the gym and did a 24 with my right hand for 2 reps.  It was a shock when I got to the top how heavy it felt.  I'm never pressing again, it's not worth it. I also was fooling around with my dog, on the floor and did a Turkish Getup with no weight off the floor.  Zero coordination, it took me 2 tries

Today's workout, Machine calf raises 3 x 10, Hammer Strength Seated Rows 5x10 with a 45 lb. plate on each side.  Machine chest press 40 lb. 3 x 10. Hammer Strength Shrugs 45 on each end 3 x 10. Goblet Squats 5 x 10. Deadlift 135 lb. 3 x 10, machine curls and triceps extensions 3 x 10 40 lb.  Nice and slow and easy.  

It's GREAT to be back.

55th Year Tuneup and DO NOT DO THE RITE OF PASSAGE White Album Review

Welp, the time has come. SHOULDER REPLACEMENT SURGERY on my left shoulder on November 16.  The cortisone shots were working for less time and my range of motion was lessening. When putting on pit rub or combing your hair is an effort, it's time to address what's wrong. 6 weeks in a sling, right through the New Year.  Currently practicing shaving and brushing my teeth with my right hand. Three- month recuperation, will be ready by spring.  Going to PT twice a week to make the muscles around the shoulder stronger and to pre-habilitate my right shoulder which isn't great either.

I also need a protein injection in my right cornea to keep it from degenerating and starting Wednesday, removing some pre-cancerous skin blemishes from my face. Going to use an ointment that will turn my face completely red on the left side.  Use for 4 weeks. It's basically, chemo ointment.  Good times, going to look fantastic on the family Christmas card.

Been going to the gym. Physically in good shape, can lose 10 lb. but the engine and cardio are strong.  Echo Bike, Sled, Kettlebell Swings, and Hands-free Stairmaster intervals.  The Echo Bike is the nastiest piece of equipment, I've used in a LONG time.  Worked my way up to 19 miserable minutes, adding 1 each time. Tabata on it is the WORST. Now if I could re-lock in my diet, we'd be in business.

So, what caused all this shoulder problems?  Kettlebell volume.  All the pressing and snatching wore the cartilage down to a nub.  I also didn't start until I was 40 and already had mileage on me. All this work pressing double 70's for reps, snatching a 55, 200 times a couple times a week. Dumb dumb dumb.

I'm not saying don't do presses or snatches, I'm saying, pick a volume and go no higher.  For example, the Rite of Passage has you pressing 3x a week. 30 reps, 50 reps and 75 reps each arm, while doing pullups in between sets.  Recipe for disaster.  Both are brutal on the shoulders.  The ideal reps' scheme is 25-50 reps twice a week.  Lose the heavy day.  Grease the groove instead. Most people when they get to 32kg/70 lb. start getting nicked up. I'd say, for most average men, under 225 lb. don't go higher than a 24kg/52 lb. bell most of the time.  

Snatching is just as bad.  Think of the rolling of the ball and socket as it goes over your head.  Is that really good for your shoulders?  I love the exercise but 50 reps MAX per arm a couple of times a week and NEVER heavy.  Meaning no higher than 24kg/52lb. if you aren't interested in tennis elbow.  

I have no one to blame but myself.  I was the ignorant one. I love working with kettlebells, it's just now my time is over with them. Don't get fooled by programs that tell you, to keep banging your head against the wall to achieve 1/2 your body weight press and 200 snatches in 10 minutes.  Showing up, putting in the work, is all that counts. For the last 30 years, my weight has been between 180-200. It doesn't matter if I was running 5/3/1 and squatting 3 plates for 10 or doing 155 lb. with the safety bar.  Or pressing 70's for 3-5 reps or just doing shrugs.  I look the same. Maybe older, fatter and less muscular, but not much of a difference.  

This is not meant to be bitter.  It's reality and I hope others will learn the lesson. I'd be weary of any pressing programs that have you doing it 3x a week for volume. Including THE GIANT. What's the end game?  Squat instead, do rows, swings. 

Quick recap of the Beatles' 1968 White Album.  They did everything better than everyone else.  The Beach Boys in Back in the USSR, hard rock with Helter Skelter, the blues with Yer Blues and Why Don't We Do It in the Road? Music hall with Martha My Dear, Rock with While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Country with Rocky Racoon and Don't Pass Me By.  

30 songs, uneven, a hot mess. You could easily cull 9 songs off of it. Revolution 9, Long, Long, Long, Everybody Has Something To Hide, Rocky Racoon, Bungalow Bill, Wild Honey Pie, Piggies, Goodnight, Cry Baby Cry, and I would even lop Birthday to make it 10. Dumb lyrics.  

I really don't like most of John Lennon's stuff on here. Yer Blues is awesome and so is Sexy Sadie. Mommy issues and wanting to revert to a child with Bungalow Bill, Julia (McCartney with an acoustic singing is WAY better than Lennon), Dear Prudence (no wonder why she wouldn't come out to play). Revolution 9 should have been put on Two Virgins.  I always thought Happiness is a Warm Gun is overrated (ironic a warm gun killed him). I like Glass Onion, Dear Prudence, and I'm So Tired.  He peaked in 1965.

Back in the USSR and While My Guitar Gently Weeps are spectacular. Mother Nature's Son is better than Blackbird.