Image via WikipediaI started around 2 PM. I made myself some coffee - whole milk, some Nescafe coffee, and some brown sugar - and put a few slices of bread through the toaster, four. Then I drank a liter of water. I strolled around the apartment for about 30 minutes. Then I started doing some basic warm up.
Around 3 PM, I hit the floor. I would do 25 push-ups, then stroll around for a minute or less, and then do another 25. At around 600 I felt like I could not do more, but I pushed and I am glad I did because the block was mental and psychological. Because at 1,000 push-ups it felt to me like I could do 100 or 200 more. 600 used to be my previous ceiling. That is where the mental block came from.
Around 5:45 I got done with the push-ups. Then I drank another liter of water and sliced three apples. Then I went for a stroll to a local store. I had run out of paper towels. I needed that to steam dumplings. About half way through the push-ups I had decided I was going to blog about the experience, and that I was going to celebrate by fixing me some steamed dumplings.
Around 6:30 I started doing squats. After having done 300 of those, I took some time off to shave. I also washed my feet with cold water. It felt so good. With a shaved skin and wet hair, I was looking martial. From 300 to 600 squats was rough. Now you know how they feel at the Everest base camp, I thought. I was breathing so very heavily, mouth wide open.
I got done with the 1,000 squats around 8:45 PM.
I drank another liter of water. Three liters for 3,000 units of exercise is a fair bargain. I drank slowly. Then I decided to take a shower.
9:15 PM, I decided to start on the crunches. This was the easy part. For most people crunches are the hardest. Because most people most of the time totally ignore their stomach muscles, even people who work out or exercise. But I am at a point where I could do 1,000 crunches in my sleep. I hit the mark quite effortlessly. Like today, I would do 35, then just lay there, do another 35.
After 300 crunches, I needed to take a restroom break. The roughage from the apples, and all that water, and the crunches were doing their trick. After 600 I turned my computer on to where you could see the log in box for Windows.
At the 800 mark I signed into Windows, and I put 15 dumplings to steam. I allow 20 minutes for steaming. But I got done five minutes before that and that is when I decided to make myself some lassi. I made it better than last time. ("Where Was This Google All This Time?")
Nine hours would be many people's idea of a work day. It has been my idea of a workout day.
Half way through the push-ups a roomie suggested dumb bells. I said no dumb bells.
"I don't want to get bulky. I want strength and fitness."
I don't do machines. I do freehand. I just feel this immense sense of freedom doing it. Early this decade at one point I had managed it such that everything I owned fit in my car. It was a station wagon, but still. It was a good feeling. I am a huge fan of the minimalist Google homepage, and the Craig's List. Less is more. With a freehand exercise regime, you can do it any place any time, or so it feels. A gym is constricting. And freehand has some major positives to it. Less risk of injury is one.
I am going to add yoga to my regimen down the line. Yoga is in a league of its own. Freehand is muscles and organs. Yoga is the joints and the mind, primarily the mind.
