My NROL Experience

[stingo]

Since I took the circuit training class yesterday, I did the strength training (shown above) that I should've done then. I then took the spinning class I normally take on Tuesdays. It was a tougher road today lol but I managed to get through it.

[nutbar]

So I thought of you today...

I get no reception on my cell phone here in the house so have to walk outside to make calls. (Hey, at least we have indoor plumbing now.) Because it was raining, I sat in the van to make the call and so sat there for 30 full minutes of hold time. We've been having massive rains and there's muck and puddles everywhere. We also live on a hill and, believe it or not, water tends to run downhill. On hold, they were playing classical music. Most of it was Disney-fied, pop-type classical but one song came on that just blew me completely away. It was the sound of the rain. The streaks on the windows, the rings left by drops falling in puddles, the trickling of waterfalls falling through the miniature gullies in the hillside, the quick rippling of an miniature Mississippi delta of streams and siltish clay in the driveway -- each of these were in complete oneness with a particular instrument. The music by itself was the most beautiful body I have ever experienced but, paired with the visual accompaniment, it was... just... There are no words and I will remember it for the rest of my life. Wow.

Anyway, once it ended and I snapped out of it, my first thought was, "Man, I wish I could have recorded that because Stingo would know who/what piece of work it was."

Then my call got disconnected, I said a bad word, and went back in the house.

Originally Posted by stingo

Random Person: Dang, that's a lot of food on your plate!

Diane: Shaddup! I'm powerin' up my snatch!

Cue creepy music and the sound of a chainsaw starting up....

[stingo]

Originally Posted by nutbar

So I thought of you today...

I get no reception on my cell phone here in the house so have to walk outside to make calls. (Hey, at least we have indoor plumbing now.) Because it was raining, I sat in the van to make the call and so sat there for 30 full minutes of hold time. We've been having massive rains and there's muck and puddles everywhere. We also live on a hill and, believe it or not, water tends to run downhill. On hold, they were playing classical music. Most of it was Disney-fied, pop-type classical but one song came on that just blew me completely away. It was the sound of the rain. The streaks on the windows, the rings left by drops falling in puddles, the trickling of waterfalls falling through the miniature gullies in the hillside, the quick rippling of an miniature Mississippi delta of streams and siltish clay in the driveway -- each of these were in complete oneness with a particular instrument. The music by itself was the most beautiful body I have ever experienced but, paired with the visual accompaniment, it was... just... There are no words and I will remember it for the rest of my life. Wow.

Anyway, once it ended and I snapped out of it, my first thought was, "Man, I wish I could have recorded that because Stingo would know who/what piece of work it was."

Then my call got disconnected, I said a bad word, and went back in the house.



Cue creepy music and the sound of a chainsaw starting up....

Hmm I don't suppose you could hum the tune could ya? If not, if you could describe more about the piece it might help. It sounds like it's orchestral with different instruments being featured. Was it baroque (Handel, Bach, Vivaldi), classical (Haydn, Mozart, early Beethoven), romantic (late Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Liszt) sounding?

[Kirjava]

Originally Posted by stingo

Since I took the circuit training class yesterday, I did the strength training (shown above) that I should've done then. I then took the spinning class I normally take on Tuesdays. It was a tougher road today lol but I managed to get through it.

Huge props to you Tom. Huge!

[stingo]

Due to my schedule being all out of whack this week, I took spinning again today, this time the 11:30am class. I'm glad I got the workout in already, which means that tomorrow will be strength training at the corporate gym (Tim is needing to reschedule our original time.)

[kfisherx]

Diane that sounds exactly like the reason I am playing the classical guitar. Music can be so special and so magical that it is beyond words.

Tom.... It seems you have been minus Tim for awhile. My trainer and I have not been connecting the past week and a half either. I think I will see him again tomorrow.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

Diane that sounds exactly like the reason I am playing the classical guitar. Music can be so special and so magical that it is beyond words.

Tom.... It seems you have been minus Tim for awhile. My trainer and I have not been connecting the past week and a half either. I think I will see him again tomorrow.

Well not so much as not connecting, just not on our first choice of days. I've seen Tim once a week since we started, just when in the week seems to be the variable.

[nutbar]

Originally Posted by stingo

Hmm I don't suppose you could hum the tune could ya? If not, if you could describe more about the piece it might help. It sounds like it's orchestral with different instruments being featured. Was it baroque (Handel, Bach, Vivaldi), classical (Haydn, Mozart, early Beethoven), romantic (late Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Liszt) sounding?

It was so beautifully complex, so many layers, that I could not even begin to hum it. I can't even get the memory of it right in my mind. If I had to give a rather uneducated guess, I'd say it was Vivaldi-ish with some Tchaikovsky in the mix.

Originally Posted by kfisherx

Diane that sounds exactly like the reason I am playing the classical guitar. Music can be so special and so magical that it is beyond words.

And that's why I love it. I grew up playing guitar (among other instruments) but haven't even owned one in years now. One of these days I'll get one again... Oh, they played a nice Latin-flavored classical guitar piece right before I got cut off and, of course, it made me think of you. You guys are popping up in my offline head now!

[stingo]

If there's interest, I could start posting about pieces/recordings here in my log. Basic repertoire/library selections and some off the beaten track ones.

[nutbar]

I'd love it, Tom!

[stingo]

Rests variable as needed - finish in as few sets/rests as possible.

A: 25 Pull Ups (Barbell Grip) 1x25@-250

B: 50 Suitcase Deadlifts 1x50@40

C: 50 Push Ups 1x25@BW, 1x15@BW, 1x10@BW (to 30lb dumbbell)

D: 50 Step Ups 1x50@BW (alternating sets)

E: 50 Floorwipers 1x20 each side, 1x5 each side

F: 50 Clean/Press 1x50@20 (alternating sets)

G: 25 Pull Ups (Barbell Grip) 1x20@-250, 1x5@-250

Time: 28.00.841 (according to my Ipod stopwatch)

A, G Pull Ups: Closing on finishing in one set on G!

B Suitcase Deadlifts: My legs were more spent this workout than last. I think I took a few more grip breaks, but I was able to get through it.

C Push Ups: Again, this is the problem child exercise due to my bum left shoulder. But I'm encouraged at seeing improvement again.

D Step Ups: This one wasn't too bad, but that's not surprising as I think this was the first exercise I finished in one set.

E Floorwipers: I could've squeezed out one or two more but for some reason my concentration just broke, so I took a little rest and retrieved it.

F Clean/Press: Carbon copy of last time nearly - but my left arm felt more tired this time.

Overall: An improvement, but mainly because I didn't stop to log each exercise, not because of a physical improvement. Still, I'll take it.

[prof41]

Tom

I just took a few minutes to check out your log and clicked on your Progress pics.

You've come a long way baby....Congratulations!!!!

[mel]

Progress is progress Tom! Congrats especially on the push ups and pull ups...to me, those are two of the hardest exercises to master.

mel

[stingo]

Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione, Op. 8 (The Contest between Harmony and Invention)
Europa Galante
Fabio Biondi, conductor/violin

This set of 12 concerti, published in 1725, remains his most enduring work. This is due to the overwhelming popularity of the first four concerti, each of which describes in music a season of the year, based on sonnets which some say Vivaldi himself wrote. Thus you'll hear Vivaldi's interpretation of birds, storms, bagpipes and other things as you listen to the music. (My personal favorite is Winter - L'Inverno.) Though the Four Seasons are often played on their own, the other 8 pieces in the collection are of similar quality and deserve hearing.

Fabio Biondi and the Europa Galante play all 12 concerti with gusto - the type of music making you just have to keep listening to. Even if you're familiar with these works and have recordings of them, this set is worth seeking out. I have to admit I'd always written off Vivaldi until I heard these CDs - Biondi and his band really turned me around. Here was a Vivaldi that was vital, and virtuosic. If you're looking for more of the same, their other CDs are of similar quality. And if you don't believe me, check out the audio samples. I'd also add that you get 2 CDs for the price of one making this a bargain selection as well.

Basic Library Selection (Repertoire and Performance)

[stingo]

A1 Close Grip Bench Press - 3x8
A2 Wide Grip Row - 3x8

B 100 Medicine Ball Throws
Laps Around Gym
5 Squat Thrusts (See Below)

C Incline Walking Shoulder Press - Incline 5, Speed 2, reps 10, 15, 20

D Plank 30 secs, 1 minute, 2 minutes

E Single Arm Chest Press - 2x10

F Single Arm Row - 2x10

G Single Arm Pulldown 3x10

A1 Close Grip Bench Press - My shoulder was protesting on these but I managed to finish out all three sets.

A2 Wide Grip Row - These were much easier than A1, due to the fact that all the moving parts are healthy.

B Medicine Ball Throws - The ball throws are where I'm holding a medicine ball in both hands, squatting, then throwing the ball against the wall and catching it. That's one rep. Tim had me do 10 of those, then had me jog a lap around the basketball court, then do 5 squat thrusts. Then 15 of the ball throws, followed by the lap and the squat thrusts. Then he told me I had 75 to go. He said I could do them in as many sets as I wanted, but if I stopped I had to jog the lap and do the squat thrusts, then return to the ball throws. I'm very pleased to say I did all 75 in one go, surprising even Tim. He told me afterward that he thought I'd stop at 35 or so. After the 75 he had me jog and do the 5 squat thrusts lol. He also said that that was some endurance I had there.

C Incline Walking Shoulder Press - This one was a lot easier this time around. Funny how the brain adapts to the different stimulus.

D Planks - This was one where I surprised myself (and I think Tim too) by going the full distance. Afterward he said "Well, now we know you can go longer than 2 minutes."

E Single Arm Chest Press - once again, easier with my right side than my left.

F Single Arm Row - these weren't too too bad. More comfortable than the presses certainly.

G Single Arm Pulldown - I was originally supposed to do pull-ups, but someone was on the assisted machine at least since we came back and started on the planks. In a way I'm kind of glad because I was getting a little tired of doing them and the change was good.

Overall - Feeling great about this workout. The fact that I even surprised Tim was definitely a high point. Hopefully it shows him that I am making progress and following his workouts. I felt strong and I didn't feel drained - worked out, yes but not drained.