The 2023 Arc Training Montage

Today I went out to the pickleball courts with my dad and played 3 solid hours in 94 degree weather. It was brutal. We tried to do the intermediate courts but didn't do too well but at the more beginner courts we picked up some wins. I came back literally one pound lighter from sweating even though I was drinking water the whole time. Right now I weigh 128 pounds which is the lightest I've been since college. I can actually see a 4 pack coming in! I just gotta keep it up.

Tonight was the longest night I ever did of pickleball. I played for 4 hours straight with my dad, until I could feel my legs were on fire. I made a really cool spike but got a bruise right on my leg from where my racket handle slammed into it. I kind of let myself go as far as food goes on vacation last week and am trying to get back under 130 pounds. I'm trying a diet of 3 Tortilla wraps (150 cal each), tuna salad (750 cal per container), half a can of lentils (~150 cal), 1/3rd bag of cooked shredded carrot / red cabbage / kale / Brussel sprout mix (cooked down so all the water weight is gone), then 3 tablespoons of cilantro dressing to get that nasty vegetable taste out. If I need to I add some greek yogurt to the wraps. Plus side, I lost 3 pounds in 4 days. Downside, the most foul, demonic bathroom sessions of my friggin life. I don't know how these people keep up with a low processed food diet.

So I got a gym membership to Crunch Fitness. Managed to get a monthly sub for only 18 bucks with is really cheap. I've been going at least 3 days a week an hour every time I go. at least 30 minutes of it I'm doing some form or core workout cardio. I got a free personal trainer for the day on the first day I went to the gym after subscribing. Little did I know the guy I chose to book was a professional "elite" trainer who trains professional athletes. I'm not gonna lie after 10 minutes I had to sit down after doing pushup-burpies. I almost passed out. Then I almost died doing chest workouts, then I had to push this thing that rolled across the floor back and fourth. It was so freaking brutal. After the marathon I almost passed out again and got really nauseated. I had no clue those times I was at the gym by myself I never REALLY trained stamina! That guy changed my whole perspective on working out. Now I can do that workout every time without passing out. I'm making progress so much faster!

Here is my current plan. I go about 3 times a week. So far I moved up on weight every subsequent week. I think the biggest game changer for me are the sled push and pushup-stepUp workouts. They build that much needed stamina to actually make progress when I'm at the gym. Today I was there for an 1 hour 30 minutes and I felt great. My favorite workout is the sled push. Why waste 30 minutes of your day on the treadmill when you can wear yourself out just pushing this sled for 5 minutes? I picked exercises that hit all different muscles and maximize the time spent at the gym.

I decided to work out again today. first time trying this in such a short time after only 48 hours of rest. Not only was I able to complete all the workouts but I added two and managed to complete the whole thing in an hour this time. I'm at the point where working out for me isn't really a chore as much as it's a meditative experience. I fully recommend the gym to anybody that has 20 extra bucks a month that they could spare. If you follow the plan I posted, especially the conditioning part, you'll really improve how you feel in life.

I second this^ i just dont enjoy how crowded gyms are, its a constant struggle to deal with traffic and wanting to get exercise done if all the machines or spots are taken. If you got the space id say get a pull up stand, resistance bands and maybe something for rows.

Today a female personal trainer came up to me at the gym and introduced herself. She told me her client canceled today and asked me if she could train me today. Any time someone who is pretty comes up to me and talks to me out of the blue I get really flustered and kind of awkward, but I accepted. She showed me some good workouts to get a good feel of where I'm at. I could do a lot more pull ups than I thought I could. 10 easy. while I was doing some dips she told me how she always sees me at the gym diligently training and being optimistic. Then she flat out said she liked me and I dropped my set. My brain short circuited and I honestly don't know what I said in response after that. Full auto-pilot. It's been so long since someone told me that they liked any part of me that I almost forgot what it even felt like. It was a good feeling.

Today I saw that personal trainer at the gym today and I waved at her. She came up to me and chatted and she told me she was going to give me another free training session today because she liked me. She showed me 3 different kinds of dips to do, and they were so friggin hard. I failed to even do 5 of each and it was easy for her. She then led me to the pull up bar and the goal was to do 7 wide pull ups, 7 shoulder-width pullups, and 7 close up pull ups. Holy crap. I was dying after the dips. I did like three pull ups and I was dying. I tried a couple of each and then had to sit. Then I had to do 10 push ups, 10 diamond pushups, and 10 archer pullups. I did 10 pushups, then tried 10 diamond pushups and collapsed on the first pushup lol I'll break down the 30 minute workout challenge if anybody else wants to try. I'll be practicing this for the next week.

I met with my personal trainer today and we did a leg day. It was brutal. I did sets of squats heavier than I ever had before. Lunges, everything. Then after 20 minutes of that she had me doing jumping pushups. I then did 30 minutes on the treadmill. I might create the workout here but I’m just so friggin tired and sore.