Fitness Bump

Went running a couple of times this weekend and also went kayaking yesterday and today.....but I don't really count kayaking as working out. Apparently, some people do. I was talking to a guy yesterday who told me he doesn't go kayaking because he's a smoker and he thinks it would be too much for him. Seriously, dude?

 

Wow, he must feel like he is in really poor health. How much does he smoke?

 

Not sure but it must be a lot or he is really over-estimating how much effort it takes to drink beer all afternoon and keep a kayak going the right direction on a river.

 

i know what you mean. i teach kayaking classes several times over the summer, and it always amazes me at how hard it is for so many people. i'm like you; i think kayaking for 2 hours is like walking slowly for 2 hours (of course, a lot of people would claim that walking slowly is working out too), but every time there's someone 5 minutes into the class begging to go back to shore because they're exhausted. and then it seems like everyone claims that they're sore when they're done, or will be sore tomorrow.

when i got certified as an instructor, they taught us to start every class with stretching. i just can't imagine needing to stretch for that. like, do you also stretch when you stand up from the couch to walk to the bathroom and take a shit?

 

No kiddin!

I had a friend with me today who is kind of out of shape and has never been on a kayak. I had to show him how to get in the boat, etc. I put him in a tandem by himself while I was in my regular Old Town single. He was wearing gym shoes and socks when we were putting in. I told him he should take that shit off and that he should just assume he will get wet when boating. So he takes his shoes off and things mostly go uneventful. We come to a creek/inlet that I normally stop at. The water is pretty high so the sand is fresh and unsettled....even in the really shallow area up-creek. I got out of my boat and sunk almost to my knees in the sand. I helped pull his boat to the bank and warned him about the sand. He got out, sunk in the sand and fell backwards into the water in slow motion with his arms flailing. I couldn't help but to just start laughing my ass off. It was so damn funny. He just slowly tipped over backwards until he was submerged. He was a great sport though. I told him "See? I told you that you should just plan on getting wet!"

 

I don't have a lot of upper body strength and am usually sore after a day of kayaking (on the lake where you're fighting currents created by motorboats, , rivers are easier). I've always thought of it as a great workout for my arms.

 

yeah, i forgot about all the people that are completely shocked and upset when they find out they're going to get wet. i mean, it says right on the class description that you're going to learn how to get back on after a capsize.

you're supposed to mostly use your torso to paddle. you don't really use your arms all that much if you're using the "proper" form.

honestly, i use my arms more than i'm supposed to too. it still gets the job done, and it's more comfortable if you're slouched in your kayak just cruising around. if you really want to cover some ground fast though, the correct form does work a lot better. and it does save your arms if they're getting tired.

 

Well that explains a lot, I have been taught form but no one has ever mentioned using your torso so I'm not sure I was taught proper form

 

Spent Saturday and Friday night hauling around a bunch of crazy drunks in the back of my rickshaw bike, peddling uphill as well. I mostly hauled them to bars, comedy clubs, hotels, and strip clubs. Made decent tax free money and worked my lower body to death. Except I got ripped off by this one guy and girl who I picked up after they left a male strip club, and wanted to go to a diner that was 15 blocks uphill. I normally charge $1/person/block, but I negotiate. They said they'll trip me very well for it, and I expected them too. But when I got there, they realized they only had $10 in 2-dollar bills between the two of them.... That sucked.

 

Weight room, full body workout. My form is back! My trainer said my deadlifts were "perfect"! *does happy dance*

Next lifting day = Saturday.

I can't wait for summer.

 

Does anyone else have calluses on their hands, from lifting?

I am noticing some start to form on mine....

 

^ i always have calluses on my hands, but they tend to be thicker when i'm lifting regularly. which, unfortunately, means they're pretty thin right now...

uphill both ways? in 3 feet of snow?

 

I get calluses on my hands from lifting but also from my regular job. Pretty much the same calluses. My job keeps me in good enough shape that I probably don't need to do much else but going to the gym balances things out a bit and keeps me working some of the muscles I might not use as much at work.

 

I don't mind mine. They make me feel pretty bad ass.

 

Best way to stay fit is by doing fun stuff :-D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWz9VN40nCA

 

Dude, she is putting on a free concert in my city this summer! I definitely plan on going to see her. Can't wait, actually.

 

Bump. Did cardio/burned 500 calories yesterday.

 

I went around seawall on my roller blades today.

 

I think I am finally back up to my pre-mono strength. Am back up to 215 on my bench press, with a 225 one rep max. I am back up to 265 on my squats.

 

So I was feeling pretty guilty for skipping three workouts last week so I could go rollerblading around the seawall, but I think it actually worked out in my favor, because everything was nice and loose for me tonight at the gym while I was doing resistance training.

I am not going to make it a habit to skip workouts to go rollerblading, though. If anything, I will do both.