Hawkwind's journal and musings

[mitchcumstein]

Interesting work out. how long does that whole thing take?

[Hawkwind]

Originally Posted by mitchcumstein

Interesting work out. how long does that whole thing take?

I neglected to time it. (I had wanted to dangit!) But I believe it only took me about 45 minutes. I move from set to set with very little rest. And no more than 2 sets of any one exercise since this isn't for strength as much as for agility and flexibility.

[jproudj]

Cool pic hawkwind, looks like an amazing environment up there. I live in the flattest part of England so I'd like to go see some proper hills lol.

[Hawkwind]

Thanks. It really is an amazing area. I love living amidst the various mountain ranges of New England.

My parents have a place down in Florida. It's nice...but after three weeks of visiting them...I want to be back in my mountains.

[Hawkwind]

Since I missed my Sunday workout...I decided to do it today instead.

Good mornings 2 sets - 12r/27#
Plate hypers 12r/10# - 12r/bw

Ball-squat push-press 2 sets 12r/8#
Overhead squats 2 sets - 12r/27#
*I felt a bit more stable today. Although my right wrist started to bother me so I tried adjusting my grip a bit.

Standing m-ball oblique twist 2 sets - 12r/8#
M-ball 'dirt diggers' 2 sets - 12r/8#
Saxon side m-ball side bends 2 sets 8r/8#

1-leg squat 8r/15# - 8r/15#
1-leg deads 8r/15# - 8r/15#
*Getting a bit more stable with these also...the deads are freaking killers though. I lose my balance more with these as unlike the squats where I have my toe on a step...I have my toe hanging out in mid air...

Side low lunges 2 sets - 12r/bw

Step downs w/lunge 12r/bw
Step up 12r/bw
*Forgot to load my pack for these dangit!

Weighted hip-hikes 2 sets - 12r/1.5#

M-ball v-ups 2 sets 8r/3#
M-ball slant board torso curls 2 sets 12r/3#

Close grip/double V handle lat pull downs 2 sets - 8r/60#
1 arm pull downs 8r/30# 8r/30#

Cable wood chopper 12r/30# 12r/30# *I'm still not a fan of these.
Face pulls 2 sets - 8r/40#

Horizontal pull ups 2 sets 6r/bw
*I screwed up...should have done these before the lat pull downs.

M-ball propped external rotation *Forgot these today

M-ball pinch grip 3#...did them until my hands got tired (Pick them up/put them down rapidly.)
Plate pinches 2-10# plates left side count of 12/right side count of 18

Triceps bench dips 2 sets 8r/bw
Push ups 2 sets 8r *Man do I suck at these!

50 minutes all total.
*Notes...like a ditz I turned the heat up in my 'gym'. I ended up getting nauseous from over heating. So the heat will stay at 50. I didn't like running up the stairs last Thursday to do my hanging knee raises since my doorway chin-up bar is the only piece of my equipment upstairs...so I swapped out for the v-ups...that worked just as well according to my now cranky rarely worked abs.

In the haze of losing my little Mystery Friday night, taking Kat shopping Saturday to stave off my blues and having the power go out Sunday...I forgot that I needed some heavier medicine balls. Oh well. Next time I'm in the city.

On the ball-squat push-press...I have to be careful not to smack the ceiling tiles when I come up fast! I may take one out when I do them to avoid hitting them.

[Hawkwind]

I now have an elliptical!

Driving downtown to pick up Kat and run errands I spotted one in someone's driveway with a "Free" sign on it. So I picked up Kat and we ran back up the hill, stopped to make sure it worked. It's in 'like new' condition! And we loaded that puppy in my Blazer and brought it home. It's now in my 'gym'...I can do my cardio with my backpack on! Yippee!

Today's cardio: 20 minutes on the elliptical. (No pack...yet. )

[Weee]

A free elliptical, nice one! Packed elliptical sounds tiring, I only recently started hiking at all, and only with a camelback, and my traps are so sore the next day!

[Hawkwind]

Originally Posted by Weee

A free elliptical, nice one! Packed elliptical sounds tiring, I only recently started hiking at all, and only with a camelback, and my traps are so sore the next day!

Thanks! It will be tiring actually. But the one thing that drives me nuts each spring is getting my conditioning back. I have asthma...so my lungs are what weaken first every single time!

Your traps will eventually get used to the weight. Even now sometimes depending on the the weight I'm carrying and the 'ups and downs' of the mountain/trail Gypsy and I are on we can be pretty sore the next day.

Your body will adjust.

[Hawkwind]

Cardio: 20 minutes elliptical
(early AM/empty stomach)

I promised to help Kat out today...not sure when or if I'll be able to train today. So I decided to get some cardio in first thing.

[Hawkwind]

Quabbin Reservoir Gate 40

I was back in my trail pack today! 8 miles with 20+ pounds. Yeah! It was great to be back out in the woods.

Gypsy and I checked in with each other this morning to decide on where to hike and what time to leave. Then Gypsy wanted to know what pack I was using. I hadn't made up my mind so she told me to bring my big trail pack. "Otherwise you walk too fast and leave me in the dust!"

So I loaded my trail pack.

I have been hoping that my training would keep my conditioning up. I was very concerned about the lack of hiking I have been doing due to hunting season being in full swing. I didn't have any problems other than some upper body soreness towards the end of the day, which is normal for me this time of year.

Gypsy was feeling it by the half way point. I recently sent her the pre/post season conditioning article links that I had found, so she's a bit behind me in training and conditioning. She'll catch up though. She always does.

We had a rather interesting hike today...we were accompanied throughout the hike by two wire-haired pointers! We were barely a quarter mile into our hike when they showed up as we came off a side trail I got it in my head to check into. It look promising for an old foundation or two and I wasn't disappointed. We found one small one. The trail went on, but we had planned ages ago to trek down to an area beyond Dana called "Dead Man's Curve" which continues on down to the water's edge at a place called Graves Landing.

Early on in the hike we spotted a hawk off in the distance. It never did come in close enough for a good clear identification. But I'm pretty sure it was a light phase red-tailed hawk. The dogs kicked up a couple of game birds from the brush, but we never did see exactly what they kicked up.

As we got closer to the reservoir I looked up a short distance away through the woods to see a huge bald eagle lift off from its perch in a tree with its lunch in its talons! There was no way for me to get the camera out fast enough to catch that shot. It would have been awesome!

We went along at a pretty good clip. Looking continually behind and ahead of us for the dogs owners. They were in good condition and after a while we realized that the dogs we basically staying with us. So we kept an eye on them. It did keep us from having lunch at the waters edge as technically dogs are not allowed in Quabbin and we could hear the patrol boats in the area. I didn't want to have to explain to a ranger that the dogs were not ours. They were sticking so close to us that it would have been a hard sell.

We found some cool foundations and spotted a couple side roads and trails we plan on going back soon to hike. There are quite a few trails we haven't hiked out in the old Dana area. Today we held back a bit because of "Blondie" & "Blackie" our polite little k-9 companions. When we stopped for lunch both of them flopped down and fell asleep. But that point they had already done over 4 miles with us. We had no idea at that point how far they were from home. So Gypsy and I decided to relax and little longer to let the dogs get some more rest.
We continued back at a little slower pace for the dogs and spotted a guy going off the other fork of the road we were on. "Blackie" decided that he wasn't getting near her 'girls' and woofed at him. Seems that we were most certainly adopted by the dogs. Gypsy had shared some of her chicken sandwich with them at lunch. I'm suspecting that is what 'sealed' the deal!

When Gypsy and I got back to the Dana Common area we tried calling the number on "Blondie's" tag. No service! Figures! As we got back to the truck the dogs started out the gate area and up the road. We thought they were going home. We waited a few minutes while checking the map. We turned around and the girls were back.

I figure that they were just too tired to go on much more at this point as they had now hiked 8 miles with us and lordy knows how far they had come before they hooked up with us.

So we ended up taking them back to their farm after the hike. Luckily since one of the dogs had the owners name, address and phone number printed on her tag, and I always carry maps, we were able to figure out approximately where the dogs lived and realized it was a couple miles away.

So I asked the poor worn out pair if they "want a ride?" and they both happily jumped into the back of the Blazer. Gypsy and I found the road and took them back home. I located a guy cutting up cordwood out back and asked him if he was missing two dogs. He said yes...just as the pair came around the house. I laughed and told him, "They followed us on our hike all day. We read the tag and figured we would bring them back to you." He was pretty stunned but said his wife would be glad the dogs were home.

No sign of moose today at all. Dangit! All in all we had a great hike. We had interesting companions to be sure. Poor Gypsy. Even during the time of year when I slow down...I'm a bit hyper on her! If all goes well. We'll be back out in the Dana area again next week.

[Hawkwind]

Good mornings 2 sets - 12r/27#
Plate hypers - skipped, my stomach has been bothering me. I have to do these off my bench and it's a bit rough.

Horizontal pull ups
set 1 - 8r/bw-overhand
set 2 - 8r/bw-underhand

Push ups
Set 1 - 8r/toes/feet on step
set 2 - 8r/hands on step
**Moved the pull ups and push ups to the beginning so I would have more energy for them.

Overhead squats 2 sets - 12r/27#
Ball-squat push-press 2 sets 12r/8# *3/4 loaded backpack on

Standing m-ball oblique twist 2 sets - 12r/8# *
M-ball 'dirt diggers' 2 sets - 12r/8# *
Saxon side m-ball side bends 2 sets 8r/8# *

Step downs w/lunge 12r/bw *
Step up 12r *
Weighted hip-hikes 2 sets - 12r/*

1-leg squat 8r/15# - 8r/15#
1-leg deads 8r/15# - 8r/15#

Side low lunges 2 sets - 12r/15#

M-ball v-ups 2 sets 8r/3#
M-ball slant board torso curls 2 sets 12r/3#

Close grip/double V handle lat pull downs 2 sets - 8r/60#
1 arm pull downs 8r/30# 8r/30#

Cable wood chopper *Forgot these today
Face pulls 2 sets - 8r/40#

M-ball propped external rotation 2s - 12r/3#

M-ball pinch grip 3# & 8#...did them until my hands got tired (Pick them up/put them down rapidly.)
Plate pinches 2-10# plates left side count of 18/right side count of 20

Triceps bench dips 2 sets 8r/bw

***Note to self - freakin' eat two meals before doing this. Dumbass...I was exhausted and shakey when I finished today. Much more so than normal.
Working with the pack on really tested my balance. That's the whole point of this routine. I'm happy with it. Still tweaking it. But so far I'm accomplishing exactly what I wanted to accomplish.

[Hawkwind]

Cardio: 20 minutes - elliptical
14# pack on 3.5+ mi @ 3-4.5 mph.
Not bad! Gypsy and I normally average 2-2.5 mph on the trails.

[Hawkwind]

Aight...so I missed my gym workout today. But I actually had a good reason.
I drove two of my single-mom friends into the city to pick up their Toys for Tots gifts. And one friends daughter has been sick, so I drove them to the doctors so the little one could be tested for strep. She's okay thankfully.

But...I realized after helping one of the mom's wrap up her gifts from TFT that her daughter really isn't getting much at all for Christmas. And the mom herself really could use some 'dry goods'. She's running low on some pretty basic stuff.

So on Thursday I'm going out to do some more shopping. Games for the little one and dry goods for mom. I have to bring mom to the doctors for her appointment. So we can stop on the way back and that way I'll be sure to get what she needs.

That will also screw up my normal training routine. So I may go to the gym tomorrow and do what I would have done today and 'skip' my Thursday routine. This time of the year is so hectic....

Alright then...got some cardio in after supper!

Cardio 1: 10 minutes on the elliptical*
*The grandies called to sing "Jingle Bells" to their me'me' and tell me about seeing Santa and Mrs Claus today...so I cut that session short as singing grandies are at the very top of my list of important things.

Cardio 2: 30 minutes on the elliptical - 3.5 to 6.0 mph. Basically doing intervals.
No pack at all tonight for either session.

[Hawkwind]

When I got up this morning I realized that I don't want to leave the mountain today. I have to run tomorrow and Friday. So I decided today would be a cardio and martial training day.

Cardio: 35 minutes - elliptical @ 2.5-4.0 mph intervals.
AM/Fasted
20# pack. I added six pounds. I pack with 20+ pounds so I decided to bring the pack weight up closer to what I use on the trails. Wholey smackeral...this left some serious pack marks on me! I had to tighten my pack up to my body more than normal.

The closest I can approximate how it felt to train a bit more vigorously was to say it was like a couple hikes this past summer when Gypsy and I had gone over ten miles out...and realized that if we didn't 'hoof it' on the way back we could possibly lose our light and be finishing our hike in the dark. (She has her headlamp. I still have to get one.) But since I'm working to push myself to keep my condition up this was a good thing today.

So, I liked today's cardio in the pack and as I went along I decided that this would also be a good time to inch my pack weight up throughout the winter too. The medicine balls are proving to be helpful as they are small enough to distribute in my pack along with my normal gear to approximate true pack weight distribution.

Which may sound unimportant...but is actually very important. I have never forgotten the harsh lesson I learned about proper pack weight distribution on Mt Madison in the Presidential range of the Whites in New Hampshire when I was 15. My friend Joe, our buddy Tweety and myself were packing the food for the younger teens on the hike up Mt Madison...we hit our first steep climb, leaned forward and bang! bang! bang! All three of us flipped ass over bambox on that trail! The three of us had allowed our packs to be added to after we had packed our own supplies for the week. All three of us had to strip out our packs and repack. We headed out...got to another steep section and bang...all three of us were flipped over again! Stripped our packs out again and repacked and headed on. Cost us nearly two hours of hike time.

*On the 35 minutes...I hit the 30 minute mark and found myself saying...eh 5 more! This from the chick that tends to absolutely abhor indoor cardio!

Martial/karate practice: 45 minutes - strikes and blocks.
*2 blocks in particular are giving me trouble. But all in all I did much better today. Except that my right foot started to cramp even though I kept snagging sips of gatorade while I practiced today.

[Hawkwind]

Cardio 1: 20 minutes - elliptical 3-4.0 mph*
*AM/fasted
Cardio 2: 20 minutes - elliptical 3-3.5 mph**
**PM/20# backpack

Missed yesterdays training - I was off being Ms Santa for a friend of mine that has been having a tough time.

No hike today as Gypsy had too much to do.
Went out to lunch with my beautiful daughter Rissa. We had a great time. I'm so proud of her.

[Hawkwind]

Cardio: 25 minutes - elliptical 3.5.0 mph

[Hawkwind]

Quabbin G-40 12-29

So Gypsy and I headed back to the old Dana area to hike another loop. This loop starting at the intersection of Skinner Hill Rd and Tamplin Rd. Going out almost to Gate 39 and coming back around to Whitney Hill Rd and over Whitney Hill. We actually had a nice steady elevation change from about 500 ft to a bit above 900 ft. With the Whitney Hill summit being at 1,017 ft.

Just before we reached the Dana common area we happened upon a good sized flock of partridge. At first we thought we scared up two. But as we stood there on the access road into Dana watching the path of their departure trying to spot them in the trees and underbrush we had a couple more explode out of the underbrush in a fury of feathers. It was pretty cool and we were both disappointed that we had just put our cameras away after a quick foray along an old barn foundation site. But in the colder weather we keep the cameras a bit closer to our bodies to save the batteries.

We went along at a fairly good clip, but kept getting waylaid by some rather cool foundations all along the road. The road itself was pretty cool as Gypsy and I could imagine that the local kids in the area would have probably gone tobogganing down Tamplin Road. As we got to the top of Tamplin Road we found the foundation and ruins of what was probably a rather large farm at one time. We found what could have been a well or maybe a goldfish pond and then a bit further up we found what looked to have been the remains of a well house. We were up on a hill top and there were no open sources of water and the size of the farm would have demanded a good water source.

For being so late in