Current state of my health and fitness as of September

Fitness Update

Back on August 27th, I wrote that my fitness rocket has officially successfully launched but I was premature. It seems like I was Elon Musk cocky because I already had an injury resulting from going from zero to CYCLEBAR too quickly, eagerly, persistently, and with way too much vigor. As a result, sharp pains in both my inner knees and quite a lot of tightness and stiffness made me cancel the last week of biking. I went too quickly. So, that happened. 

I might go back to CYCLEBAR later this Autumn; however, as of now, I am pivoting back to the Erg because the annual Concept2 Fall Team Challenge starts on the 15th and then my club, Potomac Boat Club (PBC) is hosting an on-water and virtual regatta starting on the 19th, the Virtual Charlie Butt Scullers’ Head of the Potomac Regatta, which I signed up for under the 50-59 Grand Master level (I am going to take a second right now to come to terms with being a quinquagenarian).

So, from now until October 15, I will return to the erg and the art of indoor rowing. Like always, I will slow row and keep most of my pieces in my Maffetone heart rate range of 105 bpm-115 bpm with 20-minutes of warmup and 20 minutes of cool down, on the erg, and then I plan to break up the longer pieces with power-10s and power pieces.

Health Update

First, health update: I have been able to hold onto heart sinus rhythm for months in a row now, with the help of Dofetilide AKA Tikosyn and an amazing Bi-PAP machine that yogic breathes for me every night for at least seven-nine hours-a-night. And, the x-factor of all of this, all things considered, and taking obstructive sleep apnea out of the mix, I have given up all forms of alcohol since maybe April (I know I drank with Zandria at Jaleo right near my 50th birthday but I sort of stopped after that, though I am not sure when) because there were two things I could delete from my life and it wasn't going to be coffee—and espresso didn't seem to do anything to pop myself into atrial fibrillation (AFib). But drinking did. Drinking does. It results in weaponized sleap apnea and terrible acid reflux and everything that seems to contribute into going from beautiful, beautiful, sinus rhythm and into afib. So, since I am not so much an addicted alcoholic so much as a glotton, it was too easy to stop—even when socializing out, over dinners, and even nights at bars. A glutton is happy slamming back ice teas and Coca-Colas as readily as he is Malbec, Tequila, or Single-Malt Scotch. So, it was totally worth it and seems to be working like a dream. Also, since nothing good happens after 7pm, I'll go to bed at 7, 8, 9, or 10PM, get my 7, 8, or 9 hours of sleep, and then wake up at 4, 5, 6, or 7AM and get the day started bright and early (the whole early bird gets the worm thing). 

Functional Training

We'll see how much energy I have but I would also like to add some functional training to the mix since I have a studio apartment chockablock with kettlebells, bands, TRX straps, and even a dip station and pull-up door frame-mounted pull-up bar. And, always remember, Chris, to get your arse down on the floor and start—yes, start, I am ashamed to say—doing situps and pushups every single day, beginning with bench-assisted and knee-assisted push ups. It's OK, Chris, baby steps! What is functional training? Via Wikipedia: 

• Functional training is based on functional tasks directed toward everyday life activities.
• Functional training is individualized – a training program should be tailored to each individual. Any program must be specific to the goals of an individual, focusing on meaningful tasks. It must also be specific to the individual state of health, including presence or history of injury. An assessment should be performed to help guide exercise selection and training load.
• Functional training is integrated – It should include a variety of exercises that work on flexibility, core, balance, strength and power, focusing on multiple movement planes.
• Functional training is progressive (progressive training steadily increases the difficulty of the task)
• Functional training is periodized (mainly by training with distributed practice and varying the tasks)
• Functional training is repeated frequently.
• Functional training uses real life object manipulation.
• Functional training is performed in context-specific environments.
• Functional training feedback should be incorporated following performance (self-feedback of success is used as well as trainer/therapist feedback).

So, baby steps, indeed. While my fitness rocket did successfully launch, it didn't even make it to near earth orbit and splashed down into the sea. And, since I am in the sea, it's time for me to start rowing!  Thanks for following along with me on this journey!