I will continuously be updating this post with how I'm tracking and feeling.
I'll be eating each update on this blog to make it easier to follow along and catch up.
Scroll down to the bottom to get to the start
22/10/20
I'm on Night shift at the moment, so timings make it hard work to get through them all. Anyway quick update on how my body is holding up. My warm up routine had developed. I'll try and remember to film it tomorrow and post it. I really enjoy it, plus it gets me feeling really prepared. My body has clearly adapted more and more. I'm less and less sore. My wrists still hurt but not as bad as they were. My lower back still hurts some times, but again, not as bad as it was. My neck is starting to hurt though and that's new. I'm constantly stretching and moving it which eases it a lot. I think that becuase I'm getting more tired, obviously from the burpees but also from night shift, I'm letting my head move around a lot more while doing the burpees and that's affecting my neck.
I'm still having cold showers and have completely stopped any warm or hot showers. It sucks at the start but I feel grouse afterwards. I usually spend about 5mins in there. I wash myself clean then spend 30sec on my back, each arm/shoulder/neck, and each leg. If I have any time left I will spend it on the part I feel needs it most. Which lately has been lower back, wrists and neck.
Still sleeping with a pillow under my knees. It sounds weired but I love It now. Very comfortable.
I'm very thirsty and am definately not drinking enough water. I'm really going to try and force this more. I'm going to try and get through 2 -3 litres of water a day. Not sure how much this will help the body, but I know that it wont hurt it and it'll at least quench my thirst.
16/10/20
Just a quick update here. Leading up to this month I tried a few times to do burpees at the 1 hours World Record pace of 15 burpees a minute. One Burpee every 4 secs. Well the best I was able to do in September was 11mins. Today I got 300 burpees in just under tat pace (I was 14.8sec per burpees). It took me 20.23 mins. I enjoy this goal. It's a great target to have and very motivating, but it also get them done in the shortest time.
I rested 3 mins and went for another 100. Rested 3 mins and completed the last 91. All up, not including the two breaks it was 34.17mins.
The cold showers I've been doing have been working a treat and, although the initial step into them sucks, I actually enjoy them and feel grouse afterwards.
15/10/20
Day 15. Wow its been a big 15 days. I was wanting to update this blog every day or two but that clearly hasn't happened. This fundraiser has taken up a lot of my time. Not just doing the burpees (which does take a fair whack out of my day) but resting and recovering from them too. I didn't expect to be bouncing back after each session but I am surprised at how little I do afterwards. I usually play with the kids, try and help with a little bit of house work and then just relax.
I've been spending a lot of time researching nutrition stuff for one of my social media posts. Ill also be using it for a big blog I want to put up today. I've had a lot of discussions with my wife and cousin (who is a superstar mum and is raising 3 kids on the spectrum - she's my go to for knowledge, inspiration and advice) about ADHD and its impact. Specifically we have been talking about Dopamine seeking. It's extremely interesting and seems to be the root of a lot of issues and behaviours. Such a powerful natural drug. Serotonin is another one we've been talking about. It goes hand in hand with Dopamine.
I've been back at work for the past six days and that has taken up a lot of my time. That's at least some of the excuses I have for being slack with these blog updates. The rest is just forgetfulness. I've never written a blog before and I'm now trying to make it a priority but I keep forgetting, I clearly haven't worked hard enough. Ill try and be better.
Anyway, here's what you've come for. Perfect timing by my wife who just handed my a coffee.
My body is, I would say almost fully adapted. I am able to do all the daily burpees with either no rest or if I halve it, very minimal rest (10mins). I still don't look forward to them. The thought of having to do them tomorrow I really dread. I start to pump myself up the few minutes before I start them. My warm up is really good and developing. I'm using Animal Flow movements, taught to me by Mountain Pilates instructor Jeanette. Its awesome stuff and has an great effect for me. It not only warms my muscles up, but loosens and lubricates all my joints and ligaments, stretchers out my back, but the thing I like about it most is how it calms and focuses me. It's a really cool effect. Once I'm finished the 5 or so minute routine I feel calm but ready. Not fully energised, I'm still not looking forward to what I'm about to begin, but I am prepared for it.
My lower back is still feeling a bit sore. It's a little bit tight and feeling very over worked. Doesn't hurt to move, but more the opposite, if I stay still too long it hurts. So I'm constantly getting up and moving around and stretching or rolling it out. I prefer a massage ball in the area and then hold it in position for as long as it takes before I feel the muscle loosen, then I move it. Once I've done that a few times, I like to put it in the most sensitive spot and lift the same side leg and just move that leg around. This make it feel way better and stay feeling good. Until I do more burpees at least.
My wrists are very sore. Sore to move, and use. It's not fun, but the last two days I've been using some paralettes and today the pain has gone. The paralettes are a different sort of hard. They work the upper chest and shoulders more. I don't really want to be using them too much, so hopefully my wrists can heal and adapt a bit quicker.
My legs are fine, in fact the rest of my body is fine. It was a pretty quick process to adapt to this point, but I think it can get better, but it will be a slower process from here.
2/10/20
Day 2. Feeling pretty good. Went to sleep with a pillow under my legs. I read a while ago that when you sleep with a pillow under your knees it helps put your lower spine back into a more neutral alignment. And thus easing pressure and pain from your back. Well given that I did 491 burpees without rest yesterday, I'm not entirely sure it worked. But in saying that my back doesnt hurt as much as I expected.
My thoughts from yesterday during the burpees, I nearly lost count while I was pondering all this.
My inner voice kinda went like this.
Man this is hard. I don't want to give up. But i would love a break. It's hard work and I'm tired. But I've got to keep pushing. I've got to finish. I made a promise. I have a task I have to complete.
The comparison of parenting kept poping up while I was going up and down.
Parenting, for any parent, whether your a special needs parent or not, is bloody hard work. And we all want a chance to have a break. Especially this year with covid. Man it's been tough.
But none of us give up. We keep battling through. We made a commitment to raise kids to be better than we are. To be more equipped than we were. To just be More. To pass on a little bit of us to create better humans for the future.
The other thought that made me laugh was an old quote. Its ridiculous but effective as Well.
Pain is just weakness leaving the body.
Cracks me up.
Again the comparison to parenting got me here. Stay with me. It'll hopefully make sense.
If pain is weakness leaving the body then we are left with a better stronger body.
Kids make us better stronger people. They challenge us and force us to change and become more. For the exact reason i made early. So we can help them become More.
See burpees are not so mind numbing.
Overall my body is feeling way better than expected. Slight tight lower back, but I'm not in pain anywhere and I don't have any DOMS.
29/9/20
2 days to go.
Im feeling nervous, but excited at the same time.
Im not so worried about the amount of burpees as I am the length of time itll take me to do it. As todays Insta and FB post says, I wanted something life disrupting, so I guess this is a fitting worry.
As long as my body holds up I'll be able to push through to get them done. And as long as I stick to my warm up, cool down and recovery routines I think ill be fine. Theres always the events or situations that we have no control over. But as one of my favorite quotes goes
We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them - Epictitus
Therefor what will be will be and if something happens I will tackle it when it does.
Gotta thank my older brother who forced me to think about taking care of my body. Im always focusing on good form and technique, but because I'm pretty flexible and accustomed to exercise I don't really focus on this other stuff.
I've been waking up with a sore back these last few days, but I spent a fair bit of time with a massage ball in the spot and followed some guidelines from Kelly Starret (if you don't know him look him up) and now i feel grouse.
My body is prepared and about from the minor worry, I'm pumped.
Im going to start with non stop 491 burpees for my first day. Set a standard completion time and try and beat that by the end of the month.
Tomorrow I'm gunna post some stuff about my body stats and the type of food I'll be eating. Here's a hint. Its definately not vegan.
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