Day 90 .......

There is an expression that goes “Courage in the face of humility”

You’ve all shown this by openly and honestly revealing yourself, physically and emotionally, for all to see – This take courage…

-          I think you all rock !

PCP & Patrick …
It rocks and it gives you the opportunity for something special and unique that is not out there – It takes Nutrition, Exercise, Education, Self Awareness and presents it with no BS – You do it for yourself..

Nice one Patrick, and Thank You…

Take Away …
Mind, Body and soul are totally interconnected when it comes to your “Wellness”
Balance is needed in everything we do and who we are.
Self awareness is the greatest tool…

Thank You….
Everyone, you know who you are, thank you for your time, your ears, your eyes, your words, and your support….. – With out you it would not have been possible and it would not have been fun…

And lastly, and certainly not least, Shirley, so much to say, but to try and put it simply… You might think that I am an iron man, but you’ve always been able to lift me up….

Bye,
Ricky.

(_0_)

Day 88 - Two Roads

Today is a new day and it's a beautiful one at that... I slept for 8hrs last night. I also ate an egg tart ...
Something i wanted to write about, but Robert Frost say's it so much better ....

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood, 
And sorry I could not travel both 
And be one traveler, long I stood 
And looked down one as far as I could 
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
 
Then took the other, as just as fair, 
And having perhaps the better claim, 
Because it was grassy and wanted wear; 
Though as for that the passing there 
Had worn them really about the same,
 
And both that morning equally lay 
In leaves no step had trodden black. 
Oh, I kept the first for another day! 
Yet knowing how way leads on to way, 
I doubted if I should ever come back.
 
I shall be telling this with a sigh 
Somewhere ages and ages hence: 
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— 
I took the one less traveled by, 
And that has made all the difference.

 - Robert Frost

Day 87: Rad...

Super Set Thursday, Superset Shoulders... now that hurt.... oh, has anyone else raised there eye brows at Saturday's work out ?  If it wasn't the second last day, I would suspect it's the last major work out of our program.... Epic is the first word that comes to mind, but probably not the right one....

I'm wearing down, my mind is there, but even that is taking a beating right now. Emotional and Physical exhaustion, breaking point is imminent... Mind and Body into insignificance..... even my muscles feel like they are sagging.... - Dramatic i know, but we all need a release....

I was thinking about our journey and what makes it possible for us all to do this PCP....  The 3 C's.. Compassion, Courage and Conviction... all are applicable to our journey right now;

Compassion to understand what and why and also to support ourselves & each other,
Courage to pursue what we want
and to action with Conviction....
- I totally could have put some other words in there, but i like the 3 Cs... This helps me add some depth to what i'm doing and to continue doing it.... knowing that it takes more of you to step out and to perform, but you've got to do it and do it well...

Stay Rad ....

Day 86: Super What ?

Wow, just finished the ridiculously intense super set work out.... it was intense, fast, powerful and fun.... Yes fun, I like the high energy work outs...

The routine actually went faster then usual....Makes sense when i think about it, even though we are supersetting we are resting one body part whilst doing the super set exercise.... Usually it's the same muscle group being drilled and i find that more exhausting ...... 

Just on the blogs, it's really enjoyable reading all your blogs, especially the regulars... Thanks for the entertaining reads and comments...  It really does help, and i can see from when i needed a break and see others having a break how detached you can come from this and that does affect how well you do this - if it was easy every one would be in peak condition !!!

LIFE, PCP, same same I think, What I'm doing later or who I'm seeing, these things don't concern me, It's about when I'm eating, when I'm sleeping, when I'm working out, when I'm grocery shopping & When i'm eating ... All i see is sets & reps & skips & food! My brain seems to be getting rewired and unfortunately or fortunately(depending who you ask) .... cross wired !

Hvae a Suepr Day ....

Day 85: Business....

Excited is the first word that comes to mind, but it's probably not the right one - Day 85 !

Definitely looking forward to the next phase.... But I found my mind kind of wondering for the last little while, even though i'm still exerising, my mind as been adrift, i decided to let it drift for a spell, see where it went, and decided to paddle back in to destroy these last 5 days... haha... game on...

I've been creative the last few days during the rain here in HK, there was a whisper of skipping, but wait, with no rope ! If one can believe such a thing... novel idea, yes ? well, I decided to give it a go - i like it... Jumping around in my apartment with no rope, put some 5kgs weights in my hand and doing simple movements with them, shoulder press, da vincis, all that whilst doign the 1, 2 on my feet, it's quite a nice little warm up for the main course....  Give it a go sometime ....

Super sets start tomorrow.... I'm not sure i'm going to be able to fit back in my door after the pump it's going to give me.... not 1, but 2 body parts...  damn .....

Ok rock n rollers.... let's do the business...

Day 84: How do you do it ....

5 sets of abs till failure, something kinda doesn’t sit right with me on this one…. I always like to have a goal and then once I get there, I’m honest enough to know that I can do another 10 more or 2 more…. Suppose it’s one of those mind game things we play with ourselves…

I’ve been thinking a lot, like most of you, about what exercise routine I’m going to have once I finish my PCP, a few considerations, doing it as you feel or making it up as you go along, isn’t going to work, doing skipping only is not going to satisfy my appetite for exercise or allow me to make progress, and like any goal, you need to be able to measure it and making it up or just going with the flow doesn’t allow you to take stock and review…. So, what’s the answer ?

I’m not 100% sure yet, it’ll definitely have the 3 specific core strength session. i.e. legs/shoulder, chest/biceps, back/triceps – Lots more yoga, as I really couldn’t do as much as what I was used to before during the PCP, get some abs in daily too…  generally something everyday… but it will be a little more moderate and lifestyle friendly…

Either way, right now, it's really time to kick it, perhaps boot it, or you can scratch it, possibly sniff it, others can kiss it, I prefer to smash it,  do what ever you want to do, but you’ve got to do it for yourself….

Have a rocking final 6 days ...

Day 81: You are not the clothes you wear or the car you drive....

I was lying in bed today, feeling very tired and fatigued and this is what has inspired my blog today, regret, often people say,  a life of regret is a life not worth living, i personally find that you can use regret to make you strong, to use it as fuel that fights the fear of not achieving or letting something slip by... Could be life, but in this case, PCP, every day exercise, strict eating habits, you might just go out and do it, not think too much about it, think of it as hard and leave it at that, but will you get to a point where you are not seeing the changes you expected and then regret that you didn't push it hard every session, think that you could have been doing it better and harder – Doesn’t this form of regret drive you to excel and or simply, change your ways? The fact that you don’t want to feel regret, so in fact, you are turning that negative emotion into a positive one, motivation…..

What is it to you ? for me this helps with those times I’m in bed and feeling sorry, tired and just all round fatigued, but I know, I know if I don’t get up I’ll feel even worse later on as the guilt will kick in and I’ll regret not doing it. BUT, if I do do it, I’ll feel fantastic for doing it, I’ll get my natural drug kick, I’ll have accomplished something and proven something to myself, that I know that I did it… oh, and of course, why were doing it in the first place, I’ll get fit and be on my way to PEAK CONDITION … (in saying all this, some times I feel like I’m chasing my tail, the peak continues to get bigger and manages to not get any closer  …. ! )

Either way you do it, don't ignore regret, embrace it and use it as motivation to drive you past that plateau you may be on....

On the exercises, I really enjoy side crunches, they were considerably weak at first, i think before PCP my abs were quite 1 dimensional, these days, they are all round solid, either way you look at them, and i notice in everything I do, and i do a bit of yoga, i find that i twist and control movements so much easier, less stress on the back as the abs hold everything in place.... Functional muscles !

Peace and Blue skies...

Day 80: Here it comes....

It was a spectacular morning in the park today, sun was shining, slight breeze in the air and looking around, a slight spring in everyone's step, or perhaps it was my spring that was uplifting....

I was going to say, i can't believe it's day 80... but i can, it's been 80 days of constant pushing, exercising, testing, healing, writing, reflecting, sleeping, resting, eating, resting, eating... i meant to echo those last 2, as it seems that has been all we do at times....

Seems that even up to this pinnacle of this program we are still reaching new heights and breaking barriers... Both physical and mental .... Usually not one with out the other

I was reading Shirley's blog on contentment, I like this idea... "enjoyment of whatever may be desired". For me, knowing and accepting that you like to grow and pursue what is true for you .... and not confusing it with restlessness ...I like this....

Alright folks, enough philosophising for now... time to get it on...

laterz...

Day 79: Freedom

I’ve said, “11 days to freedom” but to be honest, I feel more liberated in myself now, then I did before…  The knowledge, the self awareness, and the fact that I know what I have and can achieve.  I don’t feel worried or concerned about post 90 days, how can you possibly go back after going so far forward!

I think that If you want to maintain and keep it going, I don’t think you can switch it on and off, you’ve got to be consistent, ease back a little of course, enjoy some moderation, but you know, it’s too easy to let things slip and get back into old grooves, and to be honest, the logic and rational is in the day 1 pictures…   It’s definitely time to make sure that this new you is the one that stays, and the old one stays away…. 

My thinking is, just like this project, you’ve got to have a plan and goals… What will yours be?

Enjoy!

Day 78 - We like cake ....

Had a nice little lie in yesterday as it was skipping only, but once i got started, i needed more, so i saw the gang for the 8min ab session too ... oh, and did some yoga at lunch..... Lovely Yoga teacher even bought a cake in for me as it was my birthday yesterday ... but she also made me do a forearm stand in front of whole class and i kinda fell on my head - it's definitely one of those love/hate relationships...

New work outs and eating plans are in, pretty much same same i think, well, exercises ramped up as per usual and some extra grams...

Oh, here's a pic of me enjoying the birthday cake last night, this was the last installment of my indulgence #3 last night... oh, and one unauthorised pic of PCP Mark, now you can't see the cake anymore as he swallowed it whole, but he's making sure he gets every last piece off his fingers...

Can you smell it, it's called freedom, and it's only 12 days away....
Have a fantastic week ...

Day 76 - Ready, Set, Go ...

Alright, what a session this morning. Have to say, i was very lethargic yesterday, juice level was low, had a great rest day, even a few drinks over a long lunch with the boys, it was just what i needed, after a movie, early Saturday night, woke this morning nice and early and killed it. Oh, can't believe i didn't think of this earlier, I'm not sure about you guys, but i often find grabbing the bar for pull ups can often impact the amount i can do, as opposed to having the actual strengh to do the pull ups. So, i kind of got this idea after reading Yeemans blog, about climbing, well, being a climber in my previous life and have my own gear, i also have a chalk ball that i use for climbing, well, took that bad boy down to the park and chalked up before doing the pull ups. BAM ! 60 pull ups, I laugh at you ...

14 days to go.. my muscles are twitching with anticipation.....

I'm off, 90min massage today, perfect timing really, on the back of the last training day of our week..

Get Ready, Get Set, GO !!!!

Day 75: poo-ped

15 days to go, 75 down..... Awesome.... It's been another huge week of doing what we do, making it happen and making it count...  and can i just say, ever so quietly, I am poo-ped....

It's ok though, i'm good with it, i've got the weekend to eat, chill, sleep and get some deep rest, and all the while have some cheeky indulgences...  Not sure what yet though, I'd say i'll spread it over the weekend with little things - I figure if i have some ridiculously anti PCP meal then I'm going to feel it, hard ! and it's a certain someones birthday on Monday, so i figure I'll have some birthday cake !

Thankfully it's miserable weather in HK, perfect excuse to not do anything ... Does anyone else need to make excuses for not doing anything ? weird...

Oh, and thank god blogger is back, i felt so incomplete for the last couple of days ...

Have a rock, rock ,rock, rocking weekend ...

Day 73: empowered

Woke @ 5:40 this morning, opened the curtains, and saw this, and I thought, Hell yeah I am !!

Pull Ups are coming along, not as fast or as many as I’d like to, 6 sets usually look like this, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4.5  – and throw in another 4 or so afterwards to keep the back guessing - I’m pretty shattered after that… I like the pro tip for the kung fu’s, twist to the side on each raise, nice and slow… I like doing side, middle, side…  ( i use the word "like" very loosely, it's one of those love/hate relationships )

Oh, ok, here's one, exercising this morning, faithless, god is a DJ, came on, and watching the old ladies do some sort of movement, tai che type exercises - I thought i was watching a trippy music video.... I did stop and stare and enjoy it for a little while - suppose you had to be there ...

I read on someones blog of them doing 100+ on a particular exercise, as it was meant to go to failure. I'd imagine their work outs are taking a little over 60mins !!!

After reading some things on blogs and through a recent experience of mine, the word and feeling of empowerment continued to creep in my mind…. I’m sure this means something to everyone participating in their own PCP, as they have made this choice, they have chosen to empower themselves to make a change, and not a small one either.

Often we make excuses, blame others or things in our life, we disempower ourselves and then we turn into victims, as we are always blaming and waiting for something or someone else to make us happy or to make a change for us….  People can blame their careers, relationships, people, magazines, current affairs for not taking control of themselves – It’s up to you how you want things to be …

The more you empower someone else for you, the more you disempower yourself….

I don’t know about you, but I say Yes! to me… oh, and i also say yes to a 6-pack ! :-)

– 17 days left to take it where you want it to go !!!

Day 72 - Muscle Men....

72 days down, 18 days left, 2 weeks and 6 days..... 3 week ends of PCP to go -

I just noticed, I've not been sick in 72 days, and given the beating I've been giving my body, it has surprisingly bounced back....

Brings me onto another thing I've been thinking or noticing .... how this experience makes you much more aware of your body, coming back to my struggle of moderation and the ever fighting battle of expectations and results - that all of us face...

See, and only in retrospect, I can see that before I started this, it's been an up hill battle all along,(and I'm not saying now doesn't feel like a huge challenge) not very balanced workouts, trying to push big weights and nutrition was fairly average - No wonder the results i wanted never came - and I payed by pushing hard with unrealistic expectations, fighting the wrong battle, i got stuck in a cycle and my body was crying for me to change my ways - I just never got where i wanted to be and i felt out of whack. This is compared now to the consistent, balanced, work outs and fantastic nutrition - Results have come in fast and body feels well balanced.

I think this understanding and awareness can set you up for life and it's a recipe for success...

Interesting chat on email today with Robbie and Patrick, he bought up something interesting about not pushing as much at the gym, i too notice the same thing, but my logic and experience is somewhat different to Robbies. I logic is that just because i can't push the same big weights, this is not to say that i am weaker, In fact, I am stronger. The muscles i have are not only bigger, they look good, consistent, they are balanced, they have more strength, they push for longer and harder, they are efficient -  I can lift and push my own body weight in nearly any direction, and not just for 1 rep ! .... Big weights are unnecessary in life, however endurance, stamina and balance in your body and muscles is necessary for a healthy and long lasting body....

You don't need to push big weights, and i don't plan on going back to it - the results speak for themselves...

Oh, i went to the cinemas the other night, checked out Thor... One word, Ridiculous !

Week 10 Pic

66kgs

Day 71: Saturation....

Now we all have those things that we love to hate, those things that we dread, we think about, we don't wanna think about, we think about and we build up the awful nature of what it actually is, a hindrance to our overall calm state of mind... I think you all know what I'm talking about.. Legs and Shoulder sessions !!!

Damn..there ain't too many times i drop to the ground and wince in pain, but every leg and shoulder session, you'll find me on the turf in the middle of the park squirming around.... and you'd be thinking "What the?"

Found my mind drifting from time to time during the session, i really had to bring it back to what i was doing.. See it's brutally hot at the moment, air is thick and the sun is coarse. The body really takes a beating, as does the mind.... - Funnily enough, Patrick mentions about how the body sweats to cool the brain, oh man, if that's the case, I have one hot brain ! seriously, it must be big, or just gets over heated easily - 'Saturation' would be an understatement !

I made a decision the other day, i decided that after this monumental programme that I figure one needs a reward, so i booked 5 nights in Phuket for some hard earned rest and peace... Meditation, Yoga and of course Mai Tai's.....

But before this, 19 days of PCP action - oh, just on PCP, if PCP was a person, I'd use him or her as my sweat band ! ... I'm off to the beach.

Day 67 - Can you drive ...

I'm feeling the heat, well, that's just what the body is producing right now, heat - If i was a chick and over the age of 55, I'd be thinking I was hitting menopause - but thankfully I'm not a chick and I'm not over the age of 55.... but back to the other heat I'm talking about - Do you feel it ? it's counting upwards, and each day it's gets closer to the pinnacle, Day 90... It's when the little blue bar hits our little blue inspiration man on the main page, it's when we get lablled and tagged as completed and get shafted off the main page to "Completed" page.

Some sort of poetic justice...

Just on that, this week has been a bit of a fizz and mostly due to personal factors, no valley syndrome or anything like that, been working out, but I don't feel mentally committed, eating, but just not enough or good enough, but everyday I'd been building it up, the guilt, the pressure, to the point where i just wanna explode with determination and turn it around - as I can't go on like this, why sit in the back seat, when you can be driving in the front - I woke today at 5:45 and decided that now was the time, did todays exercises at 6 and then did it again at lunch in the gym, well, different exercises, and i plan on playing "i wanna be your friend for 8mins, Man" tonight ...

Now my view of what is slacking may be completely different to yours, but i suppose, it all comes back to you being honest with yourself - I like to be tough, so then it doesn't allow me to slack too much... - but in saying that, when i do slack, i slack hard, cause i know i don't really slack too much...  It's crazy how you play these games with your mind... or is it just me! - it's like those people that say, i'm a truly lazy person, so they do everything to the best they can, learn it, get stronger, see, then when they do it again, it becomes easier and hence, you can go into it lazy and not have to try so hard - Some sort of backwards logic !

Ok that's enough.

Day 65: Life Changes....

Wow, I'm not sure about you guys, but i found Patricks email this morning pretty funny "takin your last set of the exercises to failure. The sheet may say 12-15 reps, but on your last set, keep going to muscle failure"

ok, so how many of you can actually do all 6 sets of 10 push ups, keeping to the 20sec rule between sets and then keep going on the last ! Perhaps it's just my weak a$$, but i'm just trying to get all the maximum required numbers out with good form...  - Suppose it comes back to mind over matter, do 2 more, then do another 2 !!!!

Life Changes, like most folks, you get times where you are extremely busy personally or have life jumping around and you're left wondering, what happened ??? This has been me in the last couple of weeks ! now, don't get too worried, exercises are definitely being done and eating is on track, but just as critical and not just for me, but for the team is the blogging.... I find you start to feel slightly removed from it all, which is what you don't want - I'm not one for excuses, so i'll leave it at that and get my butt into action...

On the exercises, I really like these big numbered super sets we have now, the muscle feels stronger and more consistent, especially when compared to the old school gym work outs where you get a huge pump at the end and then the muscles soon deflate....

Alright revellers.... let's rock it