I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was taking part in "Dry January". I didn't make a big song and dance about it, but I decided to go for a calendar month or so with no alcohol. A few people have asked me about my experience, so here are a few points. Why take a break from drinking? Alcohol is an interesting topic. As a drug it is widely accepted in society, central to so much of our socialising and leisure. There seem to be lots of health benefits - so we are told - yet there are also a lot of problems in terms of health, relationships and lifestyle that come from drinking. Over a few years I'd begun to become aware and then concerned that I was drinking too much and too regularly. I am in a busy and stressful job and sometimes a glass of wine after work to relax is really helpful. But over time, one glass became two. Two glasses became ....I might as well finish the bottle. A habit got established....and was starting to get too e...
.......interesting things about fitness, strength, diet and performance.
Comments
When I first started watching these, I was thinking that I was bummed that when I was younger (I'm 57) and I could really work out this hard, this kind of functional, primal training wasn't on the radar.
But the more I think about it, and the more I do this kind of training, the more I realize how much better this is on my joints. And it's clearly the most efficiently effective way to work out.
A few months ago, I finally got a single kettlebell. And after a couple of weeks, I got a couple more. Now I have 7 in various weights. And I'm in the best overall shape I've been in ever, because I'm doing this kind of functional training, strengthening the whole body, particularly the core, all at once in short, intense sessions. And when I started this, I was coming from a long way down in terms of fitness.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you aren't a spring chicken anymore, this kind of training, adapted for your level of fitness and level of joint damage (from years of abuse in various sports) is much better than the old, go-to-the-gym-and-crank-out-the-sets approach. I ALWAYS used to hurt myself in one way or another doing that, if from nothing else, than from the repetitive stress injuries.
So keep putting these up. They are inspiring, and give me great new ideas for dragging myself around and throwing and lifting odd things.