Mountains beyond mountains, then after a shining green country and a swift sunrise

Blitzed through multiple 30 Days of HIIT today. Had to hustle today.

Day 11, 12, 14, 15, and 17. Started Dec 21 -- and aim to finish before Epiphany, if I can.

This 2021 will be special -- I will try to exist in 2 years at once by doing the daily dares for 2017 and 2021 at. the. same. time. Mind blown.

Ok, ok, I know, I know. If time is a mental construct that exists only in terms of its perception, and if all time is One, then we all exist in all times at every and any time. Yeah, I get it. But you know what I mean? One foot in 2021 and the other planted firmly in 2017, holding the cosmos together only by force of will. I will bridge past and present (future too since I am writing this today).

Or, on the other hand, I will just be doing an old set of exercises that were posted online a few years ago.

I like the first idea better. 🤔. And, as the Temptations sang, "I can turn back the hands of time, you better believe I can..."

Interesting thoughts

Wait, wait... I think I have a list of 2018 daily dares too. Maybe I can do 2018 up until I joined Darebee on Nov 22, 2018. Then I can shake my own hand and say, "well done."

Or, I can save 2018 for 2022. 🎉🎊

30 Days of HIIT: Days 16, 18, 19, and 20. Lots of high knees!! ⚡⚡⚡

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

It's over -- the long headache of 2020 is over -- here's hoping for a better 2021.

For today, the fam and I went for a walk in the woods. Drizzly, rainy, but wouldn't have missed it for the world.


A doorway of loblolly pine trees and a carpet of fallen needles.

30 Days of HIIT: 4 more days done ✅
Now just 23, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30. Yeah!

Daily dare: Jan 1, 2017/2021: 3m side leg raise hold/2m jumping Ts. Done and done. ExC.

Spartan 21 day challenge done
EMOM 008 (JLFitness Miami) done

I have been remiss in not posting. Remember the scene in Ghost where dude has to learn to move things with his mind?

* Hint: he gets yelled at by Vince Schiavarelli "



I have been struggling to post to my Darebee thread using only my mind!!!

So far, not so good...

Daily dares:
Jan 5, 2017/2021 -- both done, ExC Jan 6, 2017/2021 -- 40 seagulls done w/ExC; 2 minutes O-pose hold done in 1 go, ExC (did touch heels to floor for a few seconds).

I've found I can sometimes use 'the Force' to move things.
It doesn't always work, but sometimes if there are enough family members around me, I really concentrate, make it theatrical enough and announce what I'm trying to do e.g. "I'm going to use the Force to refill my cup from the teapot!"
My cup will magically be refilled and I'll get a laugh!

Disclaimer: do not try this too often or 'the Force' will get shitty at you.

May the Force be with you, brother! (But not very often).

Ha! My husband does the same, Io6

Training once again... 1968 secret agent style

Weight vest -- 20# -- during high intensity session + Pro boxer workout on hvy bag + upper body tendon strength

Thursday, January 14 ---

Donate. Plasma, RBC's, double red blood cells.
Red Cross or other charity org.

f you can, please. If you can't, maybe share with someone who can?

Saturday! January 16. We are almost 1/2 way through January. How time flies.

Today, Pistol whip workout: Loads of fun.

It's offsite, so if you want a link, let me know.

But we Darebees can do this exercises on site!

Warm up -- jumping jacks, deep squats
A. Pistol-squat or shrimp squat (one leg, then the other, 30 seconds each) x 4 round. As low as you can go w/ good form, chest up)

Or


I sort of did these. Go as low as possible or to the floor, then press back. If you're doing shrimp squats, go to the floor and stand with as little help as possible from the shrimped leg.

Push through the heel -- do not rise to your toes!. If you can't do it all the way, totally all right! Do a split squat to the floor... Do your best!

Shake it out.

B. power session in 2 minute circuits:

At the top of the first minute, do 3 loaded front squats (weight in racked position on front shoulders, with barbell/dumbbells/
kettlebell/sandbag, whatever you have.) Then, do 6 loaded back squats.

Here's imagery:


This picture has 1 kettlebell racked for a front squat -- notice the weight is against the shoulder and the arm is under. The other arm could be extended to the front or side. Do 3 deep squats with the weight on the R shoulder, then 3 on L shoulder.

If you have 2 kettlebells, rack them both and do 3 deep squats. If you have dumbbells, same thing; barbell, same thing). It's a challenge. Go as low as you can, keeping your chest up and back up. Don't slump forward.... Then press up through the heels and midfoot. Chest high and up.

​​​​​​Then, immediately into 6 back squats. In this, you may need a barbell or a sandbag. Here's an image:

obvs, a barbell is ideal for this. Not sure how to safely do this with a kettlebell or dumbbells.

6 of these with good form -- as with front squats.

Rest for the remainder of minute 1 and through minute 2.

On the top of minute 3, repeat the circuit
On the top of minute 5, repeat the circuit
On the top of minute 7, repeat the circuit
On the top of minute 9, repeat the circuit one last time.

Shake it out, stretch, and it's done. 🙂

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You can maybe see why I didn't do these after getting knee injections yesterday. This is heavy duty on the knees.... So Adapt! More reps (but slloooowwwly) and less weight. Or, a shallower squat. Try first circuit with light weights to make sure your form is spot on.

(The instructor suggested trying 70 percent of your 1 rep max. For me, my front squat and back squat maxes are different... To figure this out, get a spotter and do single front and back squats until you cannot go heavier with correct form and control. No sloppiness or out-of-control. That's your 1 rep max. This workout could be done with 70 percent)

If you're like me and you don't have a lot of equipment or your maxes are different, then adapt. You won't have time to add weight in between the front and back squats. So you may have to start lighter, increase the weight in between circuits. Or do more reps, or spenf slightly more time holding the squat -- you got 120 seconds per circuit to do the basic 9 and rest.

(I did 80# for circuit 1 and 2, then upped by 5# per set. Last set at 95#. Because I don't have a lot of free weights, I wore a 20# weight vest to = the totals. My knees tolerated it ok)

Stronger today than yesterday