Day 3: 30 Days in Sparta
If you’re not picking up on these, I’m the one getting kicked. But what goes around comes around.
4:51am, alarm rings, and I’m out of the bed. I’m still limping and hobbling around the house. Yesterday I said I’d give you the reason, and no I’m not injured.
Along with starting this 30 Days of Discipline a few days ago, I started another training program called Body of a Spartan.
For years, I’ve been more of a workout-at-home kind of guy because going to the gym has just been an ordeal in itself: pack up a bag of workout stuff, get in the car or on the T, arrive 10–20 minutes, remotivate self to actually do something, actually do something, get bored 10 minutes later, shower/change, get back in car, 10–20 minutes later get home. So 60–90 minutes = 10–15 minutes workout. The time suck was just a huge bar to actually lifting weights. So I got a little home barbell set, and turned on the P90X3 and had some fun. Or I just went out for a run.
As the years have passed though, it’s become increasingly difficult to motivate myself to do P90x workouts again. As fate would have it though, there’s a gym about 100 yards from where I live. So when I heard about Body of a Spartan, it seemed like the right time to give it a whirl.
The gist of the program is to focus on 8 basic exercises which can be modified in various ways: Deadlifts, Squats, Bench Press, Pullups/Chinups, Shoulder Press, Curls, Triceps Extensions, and Rows.
As the creator of the program puts it:
To develop the Body of a Spartan we will focus on these exercises. First and foremost, we want to develop strength. To do that, we will lift heavy weights. Remember, heavy is relative, but puny weights are puny weights no matter who you are. If you can lift a certain weight 10 times or more it is light. If you can lift a weight between 6–10 times it is moderate. If you can lift a weight between 1–5 times it is heavy.
The goal is to lift heavy, to lift more than you did the last time. The goal is to push beyond the normal and ordinary. The goal is to push past what you thought was possible. The goal is to be able to lift a weight you never thought you would be able to lift.
So this is where I am right now. There are a few variations on the program, and I’m doing the beginner version right now that involves 4 workouts a week, with the goal being to build up to the Spartan 6 times a week workout. Another great feature of this program is that it is designed to be done at a pace where you can finish in 30–45 minutes, so no slogging around — it’s get in, get out, and get on with the rest of your day.
These 30 Days of Discipline combined with Body of a Spartan is why I’ve been so gassed the last few days. Day 1 and 2 of 30 Days corresponded with my first two days lifting heavy (for me) weights in years. Day 3 was a rest day from Body of a Spartan, and it was much needed. Day 4 will be back at it though.
As for the 30 Days program, strangely enough, I’m actually enjoying taking cold showers. It was miserable at first, but now that blast of cold water really gives me a jolt with the added benefit of making me move fast and get in, get out, and get on with my day. Supposedly, cold showers also have benefits for your skin, hair, circulation, and testosterone. That’ll be something to explore for a future post though.
To close out, in one of my last posts, I mentioned that I would be building new elements into this story. At the beginning of 2017, I had the goal of reading 50 (primarily non-fiction) books over the course of the year. I had this goal for several reasons:
- To self-educate.
- To get away from screens.
- To force myself away from the 130-character, limited attention span, way-of-life that is increasingly becoming the norm and towards critical thinking.
- To actively engage my mind instead of passively receiving info through tv and videos.
As I mentioned yesterday, in working towards this small goal, I’ve seen huge changes in other areas of my life. Most notably, my tv time (aside from sports) has cut down to nearly nothing, and correspondingly, we made the call to cut the cord on cable a few weeks ago, and are now saving over $100 on our monthly bills. This has freed up much more time to engage with friends and family, and that’s always a good thing.
The reason I mention this book reading goal is that I’ll be trying to recommend some books on here. Now, if I’m you, I’m wondering, “Why would I listen to this guy’s book recommendations?” That’s a good question, and one that I can’t answer for you. What I can do is show you the things that I value and parts of my character through these posts, and from that you can make a judgment on whether or not I’m somebody you should listen to about anything. I’m not here to tell anyone what to do, I’m just hoping to share my voice and my experiences as a guy in his early-30’s who is trying to do the right thing juggling work-family-life responsibilities in the midst of a noisy world. So maybe you check out a book I recommend, maybe you don’t, but if you’ve read this far, then maybe I’ve got a chance.
So hopefully tomorrow I’ll have some time and a chance to talk about Manfield’s Book of Manly Men. This book has been one of the most inspiring books that I’ve ever read, and as you may be able to pick up from the title, speaks directly to men. So stay tuned.
Quote of the Day
“…[H]onor is a temper of heart, a quality of spirit, a cast of soul that refuses the oppressive, the petty, and the unclean in order to reach instead to what God has intended: nobility, abundance, and strength.”
~Stephen Mansfield, Mansfield’s Book of Manly Men
If you have any feedback, please send me a message or leave it on my Facebook page or Twitter. This is a new project, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Encouragement and criticism are always welcome.
