If YOU keep settin' 'em UP, ... I'll keep knockin' 'em DOWN!

 In early January of this 2023 year, I had just recently UPPED my pushup output to ~50 HIP-ups*.  Every couple weeks, I'll increase by five more pushups.  Soon I told my trainer I aim to do 100 pushups by 2024.  Through slow but steady increases in my kinetic production, today I comfortably demonstrated a SOLID ... 110 "HIP-ups" (75, short break, 35).

YAAAAAAA-hoooo!  YEEEEE-haw!

(Yes, IIIII am the one who's making these goals, so, yes, I'm taking a page outta my mom's book & talking to myself.  But, I NEEEEED that fantastic feeling of accomplishment!  I told my trainer I'm now aiming to do 125 by Independence Day.  He said that's very doable.)

:)

* = I KNOOOW my arms are [very] strong.  It's my lower body that requires more of my care & attention.  Thus, I focus more on pulling my hips up off the mat & less on pushing my chest up.

GOOD work takes TIME.

I meant to post this update on Tuesday.  But, since I mainly just continued with my status quo, I focused more on my book[S]-writing.

I demonstrated my usual 20 LEFT armed barrel curls, 30 RIGHT armed bicep curls, 20 RIGHT armed barrel curls, 100 pushups, five WALKING laps along my parallel bars, 30 calf lifts, two full minutes of planks & ~13 of bike riding around my 'hood.

I have noticed that my respiration is VASTLY improving.

... I'm just now getting used to my kinetic dominance.

 “It’s NOT ‘sorcery.’  It’s SCIENCE!”

– ‘Planet of the Apes’ (2001)

... I was too SCARED [of all the PROGRESS I'm making] to post on Tuesday.

... I have a video clip of my terror.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-NEoEzN08M 

Yep, I had yet another stellar workout of 100 pushups (70 + 30) AAAND a solid community-wide bike ride of ~14 minutes.  To be perfectly honest, occasionally, my progress gets me so HIIIGH that I'll forget my writing duties to just lie in bed to think up more exercising possibilities.

P.S. I may or may NOT have ... wet my pants after that scream.

Can I get MOOORE than what I once haD?!

... I'm sure as hell TRYING!

First, I muscled out 10 [left bicep] curls then 20 [right bicep] curls.

Next, I immediately switched to 10 [left forearm] hammer/forearm-stressors* then 10 [right forearm] hammer/forearm-stressors.

At first I felt indescribably bummed out, 'cuz I felt THAT output was rather pithy & weak.  But, after admitting my feelings to my trainer, he reminded me--on just as recently as Tuesday I had switched to heavier dumbbells (from five to ~7.5 pounds on my left arm & from 10 to 15 pounds on my right).  He reminded me that fewER repetitions accompany a heavIER weigh.

... Thus, I relaxed.

Additionally, I set a new personal record with 105 GOOD "HIP-ups."  (My previous record was 100--which I set as a goal "BY Christmas '23.")

... Plus, not only did I show fantastic arm strength, but I TIED both my top timeS in planks (90 seconds in two trials) & in bike ride (~13 minutes around my community).  Ergo, both my core & my endurance are also improving.

YAAAY!

Upon completing my workout, my trainer impressed me with a movie quote.  He notes,

 "I've never seen a man fight so hard to end up BACK where he STARTED."

-- ’John Wick: Chapter 3 -- Parabellum’

* = I forgot the EXACT name of the exercise. Stay tuned, as I will ask my trainer.

In honor of today's WORLDWIDE holiday, I once again BESTed myself.

 ... Yes, I said "BESTed", as in "more than two competitors" despite my competing only against myself.  I used said diction (= word choice), only because I am taking all ... 5,365* days since my very NEEEARLY life-ENDING accident.

   So, to be more specific, late this morning I did 65 then 40 pushups for a grand total of ... (Carry the one.) ... 105 HIP-ups.  I already know my UPPER body is strong.  My trainer & I both understand that it's the nerves in my LOWER body that were significantly weakened.  I think my UPPER body has actually gotten strongER as an aftereffect of its natural compensation.  Hell, now that I think about it, I seriously doubt I ever got in so much trouble during a martial arts class, that I had to do so many pushups as a punishment.

... Woo-HOOOO!

P.S. The "WORLDWIDE holiday" to which I am referring in the title is "Pi Day"--3/14.  RESPECT it!

* = That's a FULL NON-Leap year plus 5,000 days.

... Part II: Today's INCREDIBLE pushup-accomplishment gave me ... INDEFATIGABLE energy!

 

I thought to apply my [newly SUPPORTED] confidence to my [as of yet ... IMAGINARY] LIFE partner:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbNlMtqrYS0  

[... IIIF I could WALK (... that far), I sooooooo would!)

Part I: HOW do I ... SSSTIIIIILL ... outdo myself ... AHEAD of schedule?!

 I guess it was ... around LAST Thanksgiving.

(My SUB-par memory makes me UN-reliable with dates.)

But, I told my trainer,

"By Christmas 2023, I wanna do 100 pushups in ONE sitting (figuratively)."

(I just mean 'twas only ONE attempt of my lying prone on my raised mat in my gym.)

By starting with [only] 20 "HIP-ups"*, I periodically increase my output--by five to 10 HIP-ups--better my kinetic energy.  SLOOOWLY but steadily, I've UPped my # ... tremendously.  As a matter of [UN-deniable] FACT, at ~midday today, I actually pumped out 

100 HIP-ups!

Well, 'twas really 65 HIP-ups then a resting break of only ~a minute or two followed by 35 more.  This marks the very first time I've actually hit the triple digits!

[Actually, I'm sure I did that many back during my martial arts training days.  I just do not remember.  :(. Also, pushups are generally a form of punishment.  So, I'd like to think I never MISbehaved THAT much.)

... Oh, yeah!  Plus, BIG news for my improving conditioning:

I usually PLANK for 60 seconds, then break to relax for just a minute or two then PLANK for 30 more.  Today I held my upright position for the straight-up 90 seconds.

YAAAY!  WHOO!

* = Since my T.B.I. makes virtually ALL of my movements [ANNOYINGLY] UN-stable, my trainer first helps me stably position both my left hand, my left elbow & my left foot.

Welcome BAAAAACK!

    Yes, I took a sizable break from blogging (~1266 days) in order to concentrate more on my various recovery techniques.  Well, ya know what I learned?  

... I gloriously found out how calmingly therapeutic WRITING is for my traumatically damaged--but still excessively brilliant--mind.  Thus, I now write books.  I've published 12 thus far, but I have ... 50+ drafts on file.  Sooo, I'll be sure to keep my editor busy.

(This is how I spend my NON-therapy time:

EVERY morning -- BOOK-writing; core exercises

Weekday afternoonS -- therapy; leg exercises

EVERY evening -- quality television; hand/finger-stretching exercises

... Do not judge me.  ... Simply cherish my work:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=a.j.+kaynatma+books&i=digital-text&s=date-desc-rank&crid=2CJ1EYFGPJDB9&qid=1678103376&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C93&ref=sr_st_date-desc-rank&ds=v1%3A%2FCMWAoKMx4AbP4yWqbqy383TLXmC4Gr0cMRC97TuIXU. 

("a.j. kaynatma books" on amazon)

P.S. As my Traumatic Brain Injury forces me to REQUIRE a routine, I now write BOOKS in the mornings, & I'll blog in the evenings.  

K?!