Warrior Fusion

2010-05-25T11:13:00.001-04:00

2010-01-23T22:00:00.000-05:00

2009-10-11T00:22:00.000-04:00

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2009-09-20T15:56:00.001-04:00

Today's Workout - ETK

2009-07-31T16:23:00.002-04:00

5 ladders 4 rungs clean and press Rite of Passage style with 28kg in 33 minutes
walk 4 miles

I am dropping to the 28kg to compress the workouts to smaller and smaller time frames. I had hit a wall of about 55 minutes with the 32kg and could not compress further.

Today's Workout - Run

2009-07-30T21:02:00.001-04:00

Ran 3 miles
Walked 7 miles running errands and walking the dogs

Low Carb Religion

2009-07-29T13:18:00.003-04:00

I have a lot of experience with low carb diets...from ketogenic to mildly ketogenic low carb. I have also lost a lot of weight in the past and I understand the process fairly well. Here is what I learned about low carb:

You appear to drop weight fast because your body loses it's glycogen which is stored in fluid, so when the glycogen goes so does the fluid that holds it. I have lost 15 pounds in 5 days on a 10 or 15g carb a day diet before. You will lose fat if you keep your calories low after this, but no faster than if you eat carbs. AND you can gain weight if you over eat the low carb stuff. However with the low carb diet that initial 10 to 15lbs happens all at once and makes you think that you hit the magic diet, BUT is doesn't happen again. And you keep trying to repeat it. Here is the catch, AS SOON as you eat carbs and the bodies glycogen refills you get a 10 to 15 pound weight gain all at once...maybe even in one or two days. It is also hard to stay ketogenic for very long. I have lost most of the weight I have lost with a traditional low calorie diet with fairly equal nutrient ratios. The weight loss is slower to get going, but it is just as rapid as low carb. You just don't get the 10 or 15 lb glycogen loss which is an illusion anyway. My experiences with low carb would always give me that initial weight loss and I would become a believer in that "religion", but it has consistently led to disappointment with the low carb lifestyle.

Right now I am eating about a 33% fat, 33% carb, and 33% protein average overall and my weight does not fluctuate up and down rapidly even though I went off my diet 2 or 3 times recently, and I am starting to drop weight. Low carb is not a magic bullet, but exercise IS.

I know many will disagree, but this is my experience. I am trying to discard all diet "religioins" as I realize that there is NO magic ratio.

Today's Workout - ETK

2009-07-29T11:30:00.002-04:00

5 ladders 3 rungs clean and press 32kg
5 minutes swings 32kg, 23 at the top of each minute
3 mile walk

I am recovered from my weird bought of altitude sickness or whatever that was. Had to cut the swings short due to aa meeting this morning.

Today's Workout - No Workout

2009-07-28T20:36:00.001-04:00

I took another recovery day, but I walked 6 miles doing errands and walking the dogs. I figured out what got me was altitude sickness, not overtraining. I am mostly over it now. Tomorrow back to ETK.

Today's Workout - No Workout

2009-07-27T14:22:00.001-04:00

I'm taking a day off. I am beat from the last 2 days. I did walk 6 miles today to run some errands around town and give the dogs a walk.

Todays Workout - Hiking

2009-07-26T22:26:00.004-04:00

In tried to hike the same mountain that ran me off in shame yesterday. I had a repeat performance...clear sky until around 8000 ft...then thunderstorm. What's up with that? My rear, hips, and calves are shredded from the effort. My rear end is seriously sore...lol.

Todays Workout - Hiking

2009-07-25T19:22:00.006-04:00

I took a hike in an Arizona mountain range called the Chiricahuas. This short range continues to surprise me. I have seen so many types of terrain in this range as to be astounding. Initially I found desert which was to be expected, but then I have discovered majestic overlooks of valleys, interesting stone formations, and now semi-moist alpine forests. My wife and I traveled to a place called Johnson Peak in the Chiricahuas. It is an 8550 ft peak. We started our trek at about 6000 ft altitude and found high altitude evergreen forest much like what I have seen in Colorado complete with mountain streams tumbling down the hillsides. There were numerous wildflowers, mushrooms, and many other moist terrain type organisms. I was amazed. We had to stop about 500 feet short of the summit due to a thunderstorm that came out of no where and drilled the mountain top with near tropical force. We were drenched to the bone during the 2 hour hike back to the car. It was slightly scary with all of the lightning and thunder hitting us full force, but it was fun to the extreme.

Today's Workout - ETK

2009-07-24T15:48:00.003-04:00

5 ladders 5 rungs clean and press Rite of Passage with a 32kg kettlebell
3 mile walk with dogs in tow

It was my heavy ROP day. It was an uneventful workout. I felt strong.

Today's Workout - Run

2009-07-23T11:45:00.003-04:00

Ran 7 miles

Viking Warrior Conditioning has really worked out for me. Today I ran 7 miles with little problem. It was zero cardiovascular challenge. My legs did get a little sore. I am trying to use ChiRunning distance running technique. Within 2 weeks I want to be running 10 miles.

Today's Workout - ETK

2009-07-22T11:29:00.001-04:00

Rite of Passage medium day 5 ladders, 4 rungs 32kg kettlebell clean and press
2 mile walk

Just an uneventful workout.

The Power of Place

2009-07-21T20:09:00.007-04:00

More and more I am struck that Carlos Castaneda's ideas about certain places on the earth having a more powerful effect on awareness than others is quite correct. He envisioned it as power spots where energies bubble to the surface. He is quite poetic about the implications of this, but on the surface it just sounds like nonsense. In reality there ARE points on the earth that influence our perceptions more than others. They ARE points where the Earth's energies were aligned in just the proper way to have the effect that they have. Of course you don't need special vision to see this "energy" as it is quite obvious to any one inclined to "see".

I went to such a spot today. I included an image. It is obvious that this spot is special in many ways. The Earth's "energy" breaking through in a vast display is clearly visible. It was a good half days walk to see this, but my perception was severely enhanced by the experience. This has imparted an energy to me that will be with me for a long time.

To gain a beneficial effect from such places one needs to open themselves to what is there. I mean view it with full presence of mind. Leave the baggage at home and open ones self to the beauty and majesty of the experience. I am not implying an occult or supernatural effect, but the power of opening ones self up to nature.

At the invitation of good friend I once went to view the California Red Woods. He joked about it having a profound effect on me, but it did. I came alive then in many ways that I had been dead. The effect echoes in my life to this day...and it brought me here...which is an awesome place these days to be sure.

Today's Workout - Run

2009-07-21T20:03:00.002-04:00

Ran 5 miles.
Walked 5 miles

I forgot to note my workout yesterday. It was Right of Passage easy day with 32 kg kettlebell, and 12 minutes of swings (21 at the top of every minute) for 12 minutes with 32 kg.

Big Toe Disease

2009-07-18T14:42:00.004-04:00

I was going to go hiking, but I developed a sore spot on my big toe from the hiking I have done every single day this week...so today I abstained from everything. I have to learn to entertain myself today.

Hiking in the Chiricahuas

2009-07-17T12:21:00.006-04:00

I have been having some adventures lately hiking in the Chiricahua mountains near where I have settled. Here are a few images.

Today's Workout - ETK

2009-07-17T12:17:00.002-04:00

heavy day
5 ladders of 5 rungs military press with the 32kg kettlebell
Took 70 minutes

I did not do cleans on last 2 ladders due to an abrasion on the left wrist. I have been doing some fairly long hikes on my variety days. I feel that this is good exercise, and if I do more kettlebells on those days my hiking will suffer.

Today's Workout - ETK

2009-07-15T11:37:00.002-04:00

medium day
5 ladders of 4 rungs military press with the 32kg kettlebell
Took 50 minutes

I am using ETK to ease back into my workout routine. Today was medium day. I am not doing swings today as I am going hiking and I don't want to be tired.

Done Moving!

2009-07-14T10:57:00.003-04:00

I am now settled in my new desert environment. I am starting to explore quite a bit and become accustomed to the weather which is awesome. I am surrounded by unbelievable scenery, and the people are all different which is also a great plus. I have always loved Mexican food and here there is the best Mexican food that I ever dreamed existed. The cultural mix here is interesting, and I will get a chance to immerse myself in the ways of other cultures. The outdoor environments are spectacular. There are mountains in every direction, and my trips into the mountains have been very rewarding. I have also settled back into an exercise routine. I am doing Enter The Kettlebell 3 days a week and running 3 days a week. I think this will give me better recovery opportunities for my lifting.

Erasing Self Importance

2009-07-04T19:58:00.003-04:00

When I read Journey to Ixtan by Carlos Castaneda originally, at the age of 15, I was impressed with one of the ideas presented. It was erasing personal history. Well, over the last few years I seem to have adopted Carlos's book as my personal Boy Scout manual...and to great effect no doubt. I have found myself able to effect personal change in nearly any area using the advice Carlos lays out so sensibly. Erasing personal history is a process where one realizes that just because one has established previous behavior pattern that one doesn't need to continue the pattern. There is often social pressure to repeat behaviors...even negative ones...because that is how others have come to define you. Back in the day I was a fairly serious alcoholic. I heard lecture after lecture from others about how bad this was. When I quit I was aghast that this made these same people uncomfortable because they no longer had me pigeon holed. This phenomenon nearly led me to divorce. Carlos was much more eloquent about the subject.

Personal history must be constantly renewed by telling parents, relatives, and friends everything one does. On the other hand, for the warrior who has no personal history, no explanations are needed; nobody is angry or disillusioned with his acts. And above all, no one pins him down with their thoughts and their expectations.

Lately I have decided to uproot and move away from where I have lived all of my life, and I am moving to strange place...oddly enough in the Sonoran desert where Carlos conceived all of this stuff. I find myself being forced to erase my personal history. I have spent the last several weeks getting rid of 23 years of accumulated possessions. This process alone has erased many of my own conceptions about what constitutes me and my life. Losing these things and getting my belongings down to just what is necessary (for a long trip in a car) to re settle 1800 miles away has made me understand that personal history is not just the societal definitions of the self. The societal definitions are perpetuated by the definitions that I have provided. So, in losing all of this stuff I have begun to lose attachments to who I think that I am.

The next step...which starts Monday morning is to leave my place of residence and settle in a place utterly strange surrounded by strangers. This offers me the chance to start over. It has the promise of allowing me to rebuild my self down to my most basic self image. The potential I see for self change is limitless. I can become whatever I can imagine. I only hope that I am up to meeting the challenge.

Training Break

2009-07-04T18:07:00.001-04:00

I have got a huge multi-state move pending so I have decided to take a break from training for a week. In my 3 years of working out (almost 2 years kettlebell) I have only had one five day break back last October. I have been whittling down my possesions to what will fit in a car...with my kettlebells, wife, and dogs. Uh oh..I better place my wife before the kettlebells...lol. Anyhow this is very stressful, and this and the move which starts on Monday will require most of my energy. For the next week my workout will be 4 miles of walking a day with my over fat dogs. Hopefully I can get them into the type of shape that I am in eventually. Once I have settled in my new home in the desert Return of the Kettlebell WILL become my new religion...performed by rote. I am going to break from my many months of VWC because I feel that I am starting to overtrain it a bit.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-06-23T17:39:00.001-04:00

26 sets 36:36 VWC at 19 reps per set 20kg.
1 mile walk

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-06-22T10:42:00.000-04:00

RTK style (snatch) 5 ladders, 5 rungs of the kettlebell double military press with a 28kg and a 24kg, switching arms every set with squats at the end of 5th ladder
2x20 32kg and 28kg sumo deadlift with kettlebells

I got the work out done in 42 minutes, but I got sloppy on the last ladder.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-06-19T18:47:00.001-04:00

25 sets 36:36 VWC at 19 reps per set 20kg.
1 mile walk

Quit when I got a tear on mky right hand. I got a military press PR of 15 reps with the right hand at 32kg.

Kill The Fat Man

2009-06-19T08:41:00.001-04:00

I have noticed that I have fallen into a horrible diet and training mentality. I have focused on weight loss for so long that any weight gain make me get scared that I am getting fat again. I still even view myself as being a fat person, and I have a body fat definitely below 20%. Most normal day to day humans...even so called skinny humans that do not train have more fat than this (they just also have zero muscle so they are skinny). If my weight goes up and I know that I gained muscle I worry over it and contemplate reducing calories further. Sometimes I will kick off on short lived highly restrictive diets just to feel better about myself, but they usually negatively influence my training. My challenge is to let go of my inner fat man...lol...and let him die. In reality training is too much of a habit for me to stop, and the diet that I have established while not perfect (and I go off from it occasionally) my current patterns only show trends towards higher performance. My new goal is to quit worrying so much about being fat and let my body follow it's own inclinations led by performance.

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-06-18T21:01:00.001-04:00

RTK style (snatch) 5 ladders, 5 rungs of the kettlebell double military press with a 28kg and a 16kg, switching arms every set with squats at the end of 5th ladder
2x20 16kg and 28kg sumo deadlift with kettlebells

Just an easy workout.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-06-17T18:34:00.001-04:00

20 sets 36:36 VWC at 19 reps per set 20kg.
1 mile walk

I cycled down today. I will build to 36 sets over the next 2 weeks I suspect. By then I will have totally owned :36 in it's entirety.

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-06-15T19:11:00.000-04:00

RTK style (snatch) 5 ladders, 5 rungs of the kettlebell double military press with a 28kg and a 24kg, switching arms every set with squats at the end of 5th ladder
2x20 32kg and 28kg sumo deadlift with kettlebells

Good workout.

Letting Go of Attachments

2009-06-14T18:53:00.001-04:00

I quit my job recently...I gave notice. It wasn't a pissed off "I hate you and I quit!" type of deal. It was more of an "I love you guys, but I have to move on". I got a very positive response from my employer who openly admires me for leaving.

My life has been in quiet turmoil for just a little while. My youngest child just moved out...no more kids at home, and now I am moving. I am moving 1500 miles out to the edge of the Sonoran Desert (Carlos Castaneda's stomping ground lol)to pursue the American Dream...or at least my version of it. I am going to move in about 3 weeks. My resources are limited...no moving vans or airplanes for Atl. He has decided to reduce his possessions down to what he can carry and drive. It is a pretty awesome minimalistic...warrior like idea even...if I do say so myself. So I have found myself sifting through the detritus of 23 years...yesterday actually...of adult life. What do I have and what is it worth? You would be surprised at how little people will pay for your dream laid out for sale. At the flea market I let a lot of my stuff go for about $500 total. Some of it was severely sentimental stuff that I loved. I was forced to truly evaluate it's worth and let it go. Much of my furniture I set by the road like trash and people stopped and got it. Yesterday I made 2 trips to the city dump to dispose of parts of my existence that I could not sell or give away....some of it was stuff I liked. I have been finding this process to be like a cleanse. I feel healthier with each thing I let go of...with each attachment I sever. It was hard to do at first, but it builds momentum. We accumulate so much garbage that we think is important, but it only ties us down like an anchor to a (often times sinking)ship. When possessions define you and determine your place of residence, job, and ability to experience then they are not possessions. At that point you are a slave to a mindless collection of junk that is probably not worth much. Letting this stuff go go lifted a psychological burden. Now my goal of carrying all of my possessions...and having basic stuff I need...is in sight. Meeting that will allow me a freedom from attachment that breeds freedom of place as I explore the next leg of this journey.

Today's Workout - No Workout

2009-06-14T18:22:00.001-04:00

be a slacker Saturday
be a slacker Sunday
bask in my 35 sets of 19 36:36 VWC and recover---god hood awaits

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-06-12T17:10:00.001-04:00

RTK style (snatch) 5 ladders, 5 rungs of the kettlebell double military press with a 28kg and a 16kg, switching arms every set with squats at the end of 5th ladder
2x20 16kg and 28kg sumo deadlift with kettlebells

Gave me as good workout, but not too hard.

All I have to test myself with is a 32k bell right now. My last press PR with it was 10 presses on the right side one month ago. Today...after my workout...I tested myself with it. I made 13 presses on the right side. My workouts have mostly been VWC 36:36 for that time and I have played with the RTK grind workouts on my 2 strength days. I wish I had a larger bell to test myself with right now. It makes me wonder if I could strict press the Bulldog, but that will have to wait a few months to find out.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-06-11T18:15:00.000-04:00

35 sets 36:36 VWC at 19 reps per set 20kg.
1 mile walk

I made 35 sets today, but I got sloppy at the end.

Return of the Kettlebell - My First Impression

2009-06-11T10:48:00.004-04:00

I got Return of the Kettlebell (RTK) by Pavel a few weeks back and read it twice and watched the DVD a few times. My main workout these days is Viking Warrior Conditioning three days a week with two strength "maintenance" days. Using Rite of Passage (ROP) (from Enter the Kettlebell) for my strength workout had gotten hard to do. My largest bell right now is a 32kg. I can't buy another one right now because I have a long move impending shortly. Doing ROP with it doesn't even make me break a sweat these days and takes only about 25 minutes. I don't know if I can press the largest kettlebell to half my body weight, but with the largest one I got ROP doesn't cut it really so I was looking at "practicing" a few of the RTK moves for stength maintenance. What I ended up actually doing (Tuesday) was this:
I determined the bell sizes that I had that came closest to approximating the RTK "heavy grind day". This ended up being the 28kg and the 24kg. I wasn't going to build the volume slowly of course....I did the workout full blown all of the way...which may be the stupid way to do it, but I was enthusiastic at least. I did the monster snatch followed by the presses and the squats with the dead lifts at the end (2x20). I did all of the ladders and rungs for the heavy day. I did it in a respectable time...43 minutes. It made me break a good sweat, and it gave a pretty good workout, but thanks to Viking Warrior Conditioning my concept of what constitutes a workout has gotten perverted, and I do not get tired easily at all which makes it entirely possible to kill myself with exercise while still being "comfortable". After doing the RTK sampler workout I felt good. Here was the result:

On Wednesday morning I was sore from my shoulders all of the way down to my ankles. My shoulders, back, my glutes, quads, and calves were all intensely sore. It hurt to sit down and my hip flexors had that fried feeling often imparted by swing workouts that go over 500 swings with the 32kg. I wasn't injured, but I felt like I had taken a pounding. Even today my rear hurts still. My muscles have that deep down soreness that VO2 often imparts...but in nearly every part of my body...not just my rear. I even had to skip a VWC workout yesterday due to soreness.

This isn't a program that I will adopt any time soon because I am still working on VWC, but the stress it imparts is serious. I imagine it will work wonderfully for those that can withstand the punishment.

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-06-09T17:56:00.003-04:00

RTK style (snatch) 5 ladders, 5 rungs of the kettlebell double military press with a 28kg and a 24kg, switching arms every set with squats at the end of 5th ladder
2x20 32kg and 28kg sumo deadlift with kettlebells

I have been practicing the Return of the Kettlebell moves for my strength workouts lately.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-06-08T19:25:00.002-04:00

24 sets 36:36 VWC at 19 reps per set 20kg.
3 mile walk

My internet has been down for a few days so I missed posting a workout.

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-06-04T18:42:00.002-04:00

5 ladders, 3 rungs of the kettlebell double military press with a 28kg and a 24kg, switching arms every set
2x20 32kg and 28kg sumo dead lift with kettlebells

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-06-03T19:33:00.000-04:00

24 sets 36:36 VWC at 19 reps per set 20kg.
3 mile walk

Just a solid workout. Nothing to tell.

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-06-02T19:03:00.002-04:00

5 ladders, 5 rungs of the kettlebell double military press with a 28kg and a 24kg, switching arms every set
4x15 32kg and 28kg sumo deadlift with kettlebells

I was in a hurry today and decided to do my ladders in doubles ala Return of the Kettlebell. The 4 sets of deadlifts were easy, but left my legs trashed. It turned out well and delivered an intense workout.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-05-31T12:40:00.001-04:00

20 sets 36:36 VWC at 19 reps per set 20kg.
2 mile walk

I am cycling back up now. I intend to move up to 28 sets by Sunday and then cycle back down.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-05-30T00:31:00.001-04:00

16 sets 36:36 VWC at 19 reps per set 20kg.
1 mile walk

I cycled down today to provide variable intensity.

Gymboss Product Evaluation

2009-05-29T12:40:00.005-04:00

I know I should be open minded and listen to the stuff other people say, but I cannot help myself if something doesn't measure up then, well, it just sucks. I purchased a Gymboss exercise timer a couple of months ago to pursue the 36:36 protocol section of Viking Warrior Conditioning, and it has been a headache since day one. I will list the pros and cons here in list form to make my point clear.
Pros:

it is portable
it is small
it can measure intervals

Now the cons which are numerous:

it is made very cheaply...it looks like it came out of a bubble gum machine
the battery that comes with it is not even fit for testing the device
the start button and reset button are the same button...a genius obviously thought that one out
the on/off does not always work
it is not very loud
it comes on while sitting still, and then stays on without anything touching the button
it can suck and energizer dry in just a few sessions
even though it requires so much power it has a very dim screen and no back light
it is way too expensive considering the flaws and the cheap construction

Ultimately I think that this product sucks really bad. If I had a dollar for every time I tried to start the timer and then reset it instead I would design my own device and found a company with the funds. Come on, another button dedicated to reset would cost maybe 19 cents to add. I only use the Gymboss because it is the only product really filling this gap. I would pay more for a competently designed and reliable product.

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-05-28T18:17:00.004-04:00

5 ladders 4 rungs kettlebell clean and press @ 32kg
short run

Today I feel that my strength volume can be moved back up so I am returning to Rite of Passage. My two strength days will be medium and heavy days for Rite of Passage from here out until VWC is completed.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-05-27T20:43:00.000-04:00

22 sets of 19 reps 36:36 Viking Warrior Conditioning 20kg
1 mile walk

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-05-25T10:55:00.000-04:00

2x20 kettlebell front squats @ 32kg
2x10x20kg kettlebell military press ea. side
2x10x24kg kettlebell military press ea. side
2x10x28kg kettlebell military press ea. side
3x7x32kg kettlebell military press ea. side

Nothing fancy today squats and presses. Took about 45 minutes.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-05-24T13:09:00.002-04:00

20 sets of 19 reps 36:36 Viking Warrior Conditioning 20kg
2 mile walk

I progressed to 20 sets today. My max heart rate was 162. It is very intense, but manageable.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-05-21T20:02:00.000-04:00

Viking Warrior Conditioning 18 sets 19 reps 36:36 @ 20kg!

Starting over at 19 reps today...it's a real ass kicker.

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-05-20T18:28:00.001-04:00

2x18 kettlebell squats @ 32kg
2x10x20kg kettlebell military press ea. side
2x10x24kg kettlebell military press ea. side
2x8x28kg kettlebell military press ea. side
3x7x32kg kettlebell military press ea. side
27 straight ab wheel rollouts from knees on an incline

Just a good solid workout today.

Technology Review - Acer Aspire One

2009-05-19T21:13:00.008-04:00

Since I am primarily a technology professional it would be unfitting for me to not devote a little of my blog space to technology. In an earlier post I referenced the fact that I was moving, and that I was paring down my possessions to a manageable size. As a computer professional I consider my computer to be a very essential tool to my well being. However, a huge and powerful desktop computer is not very minimalist or mobile, so last week I chose to sell my custom built (by me) desktop and monitor. It's replacement would have to be small, powerful, and feature laden to accommodate a more mobile lifestyle. It also had to be affordable and replaceable. I had heard good things about the Acer Aspire One net book, so I purchased the AOA150 model at my local Walmart for $262.00.

For those who don't follow tech gadgets closely a net book is a small laptop without a CDROM. Instead these devices boast robust networking as their primary mode of data collection. Acer has been a producer of computer parts of peerless quality for many years. Their net book holds to that mark. The AOA 150 has a 8.9 inch display, 1 GB of RAM, 160 GB hard disk, two card readers, 3 USB 2.0 ports, wireless B and G networking, and a 3 cell battery with 2.5 hours of power, though I hear there is a 9 cell battery available for less than $70 which would extend the battery to about 9 hours of use. The CPU is the new low power Intel Atom Processor. The whole works would fit in a large cargo pocket.

I have spent nearly a week putting this little machine through it's paces. It comes with Windows XP Home installed. However I easily installed Ubuntu Linux Net Book Remix with little trouble and configured it as a dual boot. All of the Aspire's devices were detected and worked with no extra configuration. I originally feared that the Aspire would be a bit on the slow side, but it is easily as fast as most low end budget laptops, and a bit faster than many as far as user experience is concerened. The web, Microsoft Office, and my linux apps run more than fast enough to suit me and my standards are high. As an added plus I was able to install a few games which run great. Operation Flashpoint, Descent 3, Commanche 4, and Arx Fatalis all run about 30 frames per second. The wired and wireless networking works flawlessly, and movie and music playback do fine as well. So far I am thrilled at the performance per cost and size. Needless to say the fit and finish are top of the line, but this is to expected with Acer hardware. All in all I give this little computer a whole hearted recommendation.

Today's Workout

2009-05-19T18:14:00.002-04:00

3 mile run

I skipped a VWC session to let my hand heal a little from the intense session Sunday. It went well. I jogged 3 miles in 29 minutes. I didn't push myself, but instead relaxed.

Today's Workout - Strength Maintenance

2009-05-18T18:19:00.004-04:00

5x6 kettlebell squats @ 32kg
2x10x20kg kettlebell military press ea. side
2x10x24kg kettlebell military press ea. side
2x8x28kg kettlebell military press ea. side
3x6x32kg kettlebell military press ea. side
25 ab wheel rollouts from knees

I can say that the weeks of Viking Warrior Conditioning have increased my top strength somewhat. My heaviest bell right now is the 32kg and I am not buying a heavier one due to the pending move so I am just building reps with it. I do note that military presses in volume used to put me in a huge sweat, but now I barely take a hit from large press workouts. I think my VWC training is responsible for this. My goal with this "strength maintenance" workout I have decided is to just build reps. I would like to make 20 reps per side with the military press @ 32kg before moving. Maybe work up to 30 continuous squats with it.

Dropping Attachments

2009-05-17T21:46:00.010-04:00

With a move to southern Arizona pending, I am going to have to reduce my possessions down to the bare essentials to make the move easily. I am not in for the big moving truck across the country scene. I am going to use this as an opportunity to get rid of the things that I see as useless garbage...which is most of my possessions, and separate out the few things that truly have a use. My goal is getting my personal belongings down to what I can carry. This includes my clothing, electronics, and hygiene necessities. I want to arrive at a comfortable minimum.

Over the course of my life I have collected many items. Many of these things were the object of only momentary infatuation, yet I still have them. Why are we compelled to hang on to such meaningless articles? Nearly all of us do this. Why not just let these things go? Often, we even measure our self worth by how much of this junk we own. It is a fact that we will all die...no one is spared that. So this stuff we hang on to is ultimately meaningless. We can't really ever own anything. Everything we have is just on loan. Why take more than we need? Why bleed the world dry just to have more stuff we can't use? With that in mind I intend on making this down sizing a permanent thing. In the end this will benefit me. It will simplify my life and lower my stress levels by allowing me to be more mobile and more able to keep up with the stuff that I have...the stuff I really need and use. It is also apparent to me that by having less I can focus my attention on fewer things. This will help me to become more proficient in using the things I do have. Less attachment means more flexibility and versatility. This leads to a greater range of experiences that I can have or be open to.

A hunter knows he will lure game into his traps over and over again, so he doesn't worry. To worry is to become accessible, unwittingly accessible. And once you worry you cling to anything out of desperation; and once you cling you are bound to get exhausted or to exhaust whoever or whatever you are clinging to.
-- Carlos Castaneda

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning 36:36 Owned

2009-05-17T10:26:00.004-04:00

Viking Warrior Conditioning 36 sets 18 reps 36:36 @ 20kg!
Walk two miles

I made a milestone today. I made 36 sets of the 36:36 protocol. My wife did the same with a 12kg. I would like to say that it was hard, but it really wasn't. All of the work leading up to this WAS hard...extremely hard. I started and finished strong. I sustained a little hand damage on the las 3 sets, but it was no big deal.

Todays Workout - Strength

2009-05-15T18:26:00.003-04:00

5x5 32kg kettlebell squats
1x5 24kg kettlebell military press each side
1x5 28kg kettlebell military press each side
3x5 32kg kettlebell military press each side
1x20 ab wheel rollouts

Today I took it easy and just covered the basics. I am trying to find a strength program that meshes well with both my diet and Viking Warrior Conditioning. I am losing some consistency over this strength part of VWC by not really knowing what to do to make it work with my other programs and diets. It might take a day or two to come up with something. If anyone has any ideas post them in comments.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-05-14T20:46:00.003-04:00

31 sets of 36:36 Viking Warrior Conditioning with a 20kg kettlebell at 18 reps per set
1 mile walk
GTG with 32k kettlebell presses throughout the day

This week I started a very strict low carb/low cal cyclic ketogenic diet and my energy has been real low. On Tuesday my VWC workout was hell and I terminated early. I rested yesterday, and today I felt low energy all day, but about 15 sets in I started feeling good. I finished strong at the 31 set mark, and I still feel great an hour later. I feel like I passed over a hump in this miserable diet and got my wind.

Todays Workout - Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-05-12T19:25:00.008-04:00

Viking Warrior Conditioning 36:36 @ 20kg, 18 reps per set - 25 sets
2 mile walk
GTG 32KG throughout the day

Today I learned a big lesson about severe calorie restriction combined with carb restriction and VO2Max. It is absolute total and living hell. I was aiming for 30 sets today. I got worried when my heart rate quickly jumped into the late 160s...at the start. By the 20th set my technique was slipping and I was getting dizzy after my sets. I quit at set 25 due to a small blister on my right hand. I had been dealing with the lack of carbs and calories quite nicely and comfortably for the last two days, but this workout just kicked my ass. This diet deal is going to call for a little determination. Not eating is fairly easy, but VWC and not eating is hard. This has led me to not be so cocky about saying that I will get 35 sets this week because it is going to be harder to do. I am structuring my Tuesday and Thursday VO2 sessions to be my sub max days and I will go for PRs on Sunday when I am fat and sassy from eating like a normal human being for a day or two. I will also be restructuring my strength workouts. I will post about this tomorrow. I will finish today with 1650 calories. 16% carb, 52% protein, and 33% fat. Due to the calories burned during my workout I incurred a roughly 2150 calorie deficit today.

First Day of Diet Down

2009-05-12T12:01:00.004-04:00

I did my first day of half maintenance. I wasn't that hungry all day, but eating only 1500 calories gave me the strange feeling that I should lick the inside surface of food containers after I ate. I ended up with 55g of carbs (half fiber), 200g of protein, and 40g of fat for the day. This morning I was faced with a 2 lb loss in weight....probably mostly fluid right now....but a good start.

Today's Workout - Rest Day

2009-05-11T17:12:00.002-04:00

I walked 3 miles
GTG with 32k throughout the day

Going Out West

2009-05-11T10:19:00.008-04:00

My wife recently applied for an got a job down near the Mexican border in the state of Arizona. So I will be moving there from Kentucky in July. I have lived most of my life in Kentucky, and while I have traveled, I have never had the opportunity to thoroughly explore the American west. I became fascinated with the west while reading the Carlos Castaneda books many years ago. The images he evoked of the Sonoran Desert were breath taking...now I will live there...in the Sonoran Desert. It is funny how life twists and turns.

It will be a huge adventure for me because I will do this on a limited budget. To do this comfortably I will have to plan very well. Currently I am selling most of my possessions (not my kettlebells) to make the move easier. Most of the stuff I don't need, or lost interest in years ago. This is a wonderful opportunity to streamline my life and sort of start over...another cycle in my self re-invention. I want to make myself much like the desert that I am moving to...only the essentials physically, psychologically, and spiritually. It is an awesome way to trim off the fat from my life. Finding ones self in a strange place surrounded by strangers brings an odd sort of freedom...

Personal history must be constantly renewed by telling parents, relatives, and friends everything one does. On the other hand, for the warrior who has no personal history, no explanations are needed; nobody is angry or disillusioned with his acts. And above all, no one pins him down with their thoughts and their expectations.
-- Carlos Castaneda

Starting a Diet

2009-05-11T09:10:00.006-04:00

After reading the Ultimate Diet 2.0 book by Lyle McDonald I was inspired to start a new diet cycle. The basic idea behind the diet is to spend Monday through Thursday on a ketogenic diet with your calories set to half of your estimated weight maintenance calories. For me this is 1500 calories. The macro-nutrient values I have set are as follows: My carbs are set for 15%, my fat is 35%, and protein is set for 50%. This ensures I get enough protein to protect muscle tissue. Friday through Sunday are carb up days where carbs and calories are increased to above maintenance. The idea is to start increasing carbs and calories on Friday, peaking out on Saturday, and back to maintenance on Sunday. This prevents starvation mode from occurring and boosts the metabolism for a short period as well as providing a psychological break. I am not following the diet as written. I am using my own workouts for glycogen depletion, and I am not having all out birthday cake and ice cream fests all weekend. I intend to eat mostly clean through the weekend. I will try this for 8 weeks. My goal is to lose approximately 20 lbs of fat. My current body fat level is around 20% at 230 lbs. I am using the excellant CalorieKing Software to track my progress and macro-nutrient ratios. I will post on my success or possible failure.

Todays Workout

2009-05-10T22:28:00.006-04:00

26 sets of 36:36 Viking Warrior Conditioning with a 20kg kettlebell at 18 reps per set
2 mile walk
GTG with 32k kettlebell presses throughout the day
PR of 10 military presses on the right side today

Viking Warrior Conditioning

2009-05-05T19:24:00.019-04:00

Here is my take on the Viking Warrior Conditioning book released by Master RKC Kenneth Jay recently, and a summary of my experience with the program.

I discovered kettlebells while surfing the net looking for fitness information back in 2006. I was just starting a weight loss program, and I was horribly out of shape. I wanted something that was quick, efficient, and burned lots of calories. I came across the Dragon Door web forum at www.dragondoor.com. I saw a lot of reference to these things called kettlebells. It wasn't long before I read a borrowed copy of The Russian Kettlebell Challenge by Pavel Tsatsouline, and I was hooked on the idea, though I didn't actually get a kettlebell and start training until I was recovering from a leg injury in early 2008. Fast forward to now. I have been training with kettlebells for over a year now with fantastic results. Over the course of the last year I have come across several good kettlebell programs, but the Viking Warrior Conditioning program described in Kenneth Jay's book by the same name has had more real world effect in my daily life than any other fitness program that I have yet tried.

On the Dragon Door forum I had seen reference to a high volume kettlebell program called MVO2. It is based around the kettlebell snatch exercise, and was designed to promote cardiovascular endurance. In September of 2008 I obtained a copy of the DVD Advanced Strength Strategies by Kenneth Jay. The DVD covered a 15 second and 36 second protocol. Essentially, one would take a 5 minute test that determined ones cadence for the kettlebell snatch. A quick calculation then derives the number of snatch repetitions that one does per interval. MVO2 15 second protocol itself involves doing 15 second intervals of snatches followed by 15 seconds of rest...rinse and repeat. The goal is to make 80 15 second sets. My wife and I started applying the 15 second MVO2 protocol at that time using a 35lb bell for me and a 25lb bell for her. We were doing MVO2 for one or two days a week usually as a variety day while doing Pavel's excellent program Rite of Passage from Enter the Kettlebell (another must do program). At first it was like slow torture. I dreaded it every day that I was scheduled for it. It didn't take long however to realize that this type of interval training had dramatic results. Cardiovascular conditioning has always been a weak point with me. I always got winded very quickly so I had avoided activities that had that effect. I could tell a serious difference in my abilities after only one month of MVO2. I found that I could run in 60 to 90 minutes rugged hiking trails between 5 and 8 miles in length that had taken half a day to cover earlier in the year leaving me exhausted. Now, I would only be mildly tired...not wiped out for the rest of the day and maybe the next. We also found that we had more wind than the most seasoned life long martial artists in my Krav Maga class. I persisted with MVO2 until February 2009 with only a couple of breaks. When I heard a book with more protocols was imminent I laid off from the practice to rest up so I could follow the Viking Warrior Conditioning program in it's totality.

As soon as the the book was released I grabbed a copy and started fresh on the 15 sec protocol. After taking the cadence test with a 35lb bell I scored 8 reps per 15 seconds. Due to my previous experience I made 80 set of 8 reps and then 9 reps very rapidly. About 6 weeks ago my wife and I started the 36 second protocol. It is similar to the 15 second, but the snatch intervals are 36 seconds in length. We both tested at 18 reps per interval and took off...I with my 20kg and her with her 12kg. It was a drastic shock to the system and to the grip. Just a few sets would leave one with rock hard, burning forearms and severely winded. Gradually we have worked up to 32 sets with the goal being 35 sets. The gains from this protocol have been a huge increase in muscle density and tolerance for lactic acid build up combined with further very noticeable cardio gains that go well beyond just not getting out of breath. I have much more energy in the long term. Recently I did Krav Maga practice followed by hiking two steep trails of 3 to 4 miles each in the mountainous terrain of Kentucky's Red River Gorge. This was followed by a 2.5 hour ride home. I arrived at home late at night, and I was minimally fatigued. I also do not over train during my weight training as easily as I used to. As a matter of fact I almost never feel over trained no matter how hard I push it. This is impressive since there are 3 more protocols in the series that I have yet to explore.

The Story So Far

2009-05-05T09:56:00.024-04:00

In order to establish my future path it may help to briefly summarize where I have been so far.

Over 10 years ago, when I was 33 years old, I found myself with several serious problems. I had several chemical dependencies, a weight problem, and a really negative attitude which resulted in many self defeating behaviors. I became inspired by reading a book by Carlos Castaneda (that I had read as a teenager as well). It was called Journey to Ixtlan. The book told the story of a young anthropology student meeting a Yaqui Indian shaman with the intention of researching the native use of the peyote plant. The shaman, Juan Matus...known more popularly as Don Juan, takes the young man as an apprentice and proceeds to teach him the path of a "man of knowledge". A first reading would lead one to believe that they were reading an adventure novel...a second or third read reveals many innovative ideas and strategies for dealing with every day life. Most inspiring of all to me was the example of Don Juan, the "impeccable warrior"...always alert...always ready. He could be an ignorant, unschooled native in one moment and a peerless intellectual in the next. Don Juan could fit in wherever he needed, and he could manipulate his reality with his word and the iron discipline he possessed.

This example was exactly what I needed right then. I used several ideas from the book to overcome anger issues, and ultimately break from a serious, long term alcohol addiction and a life long addiction to allergy medicines due to "allergies" that seemed to dry up as soon as the withdrawals from the poisons I had been consuming ceased. My next project was to discard an unrewarding job as a security guard. I had developed a passion for technology so at age 37 I went back to school and eventually landed a job as a computer and network technician. I managed to accomplish these things while maintaining a family with a wife and 3 small children who were an endless source of inspiration and support for me.

At this point I saw myself as embarking on a path of discipline with the intent of conquering the restrictions that I had placed on my own life. My most recent project was to lose a huge amount of weight after being over 300 lbs for 18 years, and bring myself into athletic condition. This has been a huge challenge and source of joy. Since 2006 I have lost from over 360 lbs (my last weigh in that I had the nerve to do before starting to lose was 360 lbs...I put on some weight after that however) to my now comparatively "svelte" 230lbs. I have also become very physically fit in the process. I have used diet, running, and kettlebell training to accomplish this.

This is where I stand now. I have many interests and several pending projects which I will detail in other posts. I will also post workout and diet updates, as well give reviews of books, videos, or products I like or don't like.

I put this blog up....

2009-05-05T09:36:00.003-04:00

..to use as sort of a diary. For the last 10 years I have been following a path of complete physical and psychological programming. I intend to chronicle the adventures that I encounter while on this path as a way of tracking the progress or set backs that may occur.

I may as well start with a mission statement. My goal is to become fluid in every aspect of my life accepting and implementing change as needed without resistance in order to become whoever I need to be at any one moment to pursue whatever experiences I desire to have. This includes subjecting myself to rigorous physical and psychological training to ensure constant readiness for any situation.