Do Not Go Gentle...

DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

--Dylan Thomas

Okay, so I have to make two confessions. First of all, though I’ve heard parts of this poem several times, I really never “got it.” Secondly, I was moved to understanding recently while hearing it recited by Rodney Dangerfield in the movie “Back to School”. I would never have imagined being emotionally moved by Rodney Dangerfield!

Dylan Thomas wrote this for his elderly father who was dying. Though my kids might think of me as elderly, at 49 years old I hardly qualify. However, the mounting gray hairs and crows’ feet remind me daily that I am not a kid any more. Will I go gentle into the night? A few years ago, I probably would have said yes. I was content to let myself go soft, not care about my diet or how my carb-laden, sedentary life was wrecking havoc on my future. No longer. I will not go gentle. It is not that I am afraid of old age or of dying. NO! That is a natural part of life. But I have found that I can fight back. Choices I make NOW will affect my future. I understand that there are no guarantees, certainly. But who on earth would argue against going into later years with strength and vitality? We need to fight the urge to be couch potatoes. We need to fight the urge to consume junk food. We need to get moving. Start walking, then running! Start picking up heavy stuff, then start carrying heavy stuff around!

People are getting old before their time and I think it is largely due to the fact that they have gone gentle. I think of the older people I know that I admire the most. These are people who have kept active, kept engaged in the community, and kept going through adversity. These are people who have not quit. They have not gone gentle.

What did Rodney Dangerfield say when asked what that poem meant to him? “It means I don’t take sh&t from no one!”

Do not go gentle.

Workout for Tuesday, March 30

60 push ups in as few sets as possible.

We did this last on February 23

Workout for Monday, March 29

100 jumping jacks
80 squats
60 walking lunge
40 sit ups
20 push ups

For Time

Workout for Saturday, March 27

For time:

30 Jumping jacks
30 Push-ups
30 box jumps
30 v-ups
30 supermans
30 walking lunge
30 KB swings
30 sit ups
30 squats
30 burpees

We did this last on January 27

Workout for Friday, March 26

100 double unders, for time.

Grab a jump rope and at least ATTEMPT to do some double unders. I have done 100 per day for the last 4 days. Improvement can be made. I am determined to get the knack of these!

If you are just really wanting another workout...

3 rounds for time:

Run 2 minutes
50 squats

Workout for Thursday, March 25

Wednesday's workout:

Bent over row--5x5 at 45#

Workout:
1 minute jumping jacks
25 burpees
1 minute jumping jacks

Thursday's workout:

Tabata V-ups, Ab-roller, Supermans, or sit ups. Choose 2. Do 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest of one of these for 4 minutes. Rest 1 minute, then do the same for another one. 8 minutes total!

Workout for Tuesday, March 23

5 rounds for time:

10 push ups
20 squats
30 sit ups

Try to do all sets unbroken…

Workout for Monday, March 22

150 squats, for time

We did this last on February 22

Workout for Sunday, March 21

Tabata--

Use a treadmill, set at 12% grade at 0-30 sec slower pace per mile than best 5k pace. Do not reduce the speed!

Remember, a tabata is 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest, for 8 intervals. 4 minutes total.

This workout is from CrossFit Endurance.

If you do not have a treadmill, run from home. I suggest you run the first 4 intervals away from home, as fast and as far as possible. STOP in place when you have your 10 seconds rest. Run back home for the last 4 intervals. This will give you a good indication if you were able to hold your speed for the entire 4 minutes.

Workout for Friday, March 19

10--DB squats
50--DB walking lunges
20--DB squats
40--DB walking lunges
30--DB squats
30--DB walking lunges
40--DB Squats
20--DB walking lunges
50--DB squats
10--DB walking lunges

Use the same pair of dumbbells for both exercises--probably 10 or 15 lbs. each. Rest the dumbbells on your shoulders for the squats, hanging at your sides for he lunges.

We did this last on February 20

Workout for Thursday, March 18

50 v-ups for time

We did this last on February 18

Workout for Wednesday, March 17

3 rounds for time:

Run 400m (or 2 minutes--1 minute away from home, one back)
21 DB thrusters
12 pushups

The weight for the thrusters should be heavy enough that you will be unsure if you can get all 21 finished in a row.

We did this last on February 19

Workout for Tuesday, March 16

Tabata Mash up

Sit Ups
Push Ups

A Tabata is 20 seconds "work" and 10 seconds "rest" for 4 minutes. For the mash-up, you will do 20 seconds of sit ups, rest 10 seconds, then do 20 seconds of push ups, rest 10 seconds. You will repeat for a total of 16 intervals (alternating 8 each sit ups and push ups.) Your "score" is the total number of sit ups for all sit up intervals, and the total number of push ups for all push up intervals.

Workout for Monday, March 15

Today is a great day to GET UP!

3 rounds for time:

25 jumping jacks
25 jumping squats
25 box jumps
25 tuck jumps

We did this last on February 15

Workout for Sunday, March 14

Run or Walk 5k (3.1 miles) for time

Workout for Saturday, March 13

3 rounds for time of:

As many rounds as possible in 3 minutes of:

10 Split Lunges
10 Jumping sit ups

Rest one minute between rounds

We did this last on February 17

Workout for Friday, March 12

50-40-30-20-10

Good mornings
Walking lunges

We did this last on February 12

Workout for Thursday, March 11

The Pistol (One-Legged Squats)

Do 3 sets of 5 for each leg

We did this last on February 13

Workout for Wednesday, March 10

Warm up with wall sits, bear crawl, inch worm, agility, and ice skaters

3 rounds for time:

20 DB push presses (heavy)
10 Walk out push ups

Workout for Tuesday, March 9

10 sit ups per minute for 10 minutes

Immediately followed by:

10 push ups per minute for 5 minutes

Immediately followed by:

As many air squats as possible (with good form!) in 1 minute

Workout for Monday, February 8

Jumping Jacks or jump rope for exactly 2 minutes followed immediately by
40 squats
30 sit ups
20 push ups
10 burpees
For Time

We did this last on February 8

Workout for Sunday, March 7

Running intervals…

Couple of options. If you have a track, know the distance, or have a treadmill:

Run 400m (1/4 mile)
Walk or rest for one minute
Run 800m (1/2 mile)
Walk or rest for two minutes
Repeat 2 more times. Running should be all-out efforts.

If you don't know your distances:

Run 2 minutes
Walk or rest for one minute
Run 4 minutes
Walk or rest for two minutes
Repeat 2 more times. Again, running should be all-out efforts.

Workout for Saturday, March 6

200 walking lunge. For time.

We did this last on February 6.

Workout for Friday, March 5

Push up Ladder

Do one push up the first minute, 2 the second minute, 3 the third, and so on until you cannot complete the number of push ups for that minute.

Workout for Thursday, March 3

Planks!

Try to hold each of the following planks for 2 minutes:

Front plank
Right plank
Left plank

After the planks, spend about 5 minutes working on double unders. Record how many you are able to get in.

I know planks are not much fun, but they are an amazing core strengthening exercise. I try to have us do them just once a month.

Workout for Wednesday, March 3

Hooray Sunshine! Hooray Warmer Weather! Hooray Running!

400m run
30 squats
25 sit ups
20 dumbbell swings
15 push ups
10 wall ball shots
5 overhead squats, empty barbell
400m run

For time.

Also, sorry I missed posting a workout yesterday. I am pre-posting all of the workouts for the next week, though, so they should be on the blog each night by about 8:30 or so. Thanks for your patience!!

Workout for Monday, March 1

This will be a tough one. You'll be hanging on to dumbbells for 300 reps total. I'm suggesting 10# dumbbells, but use your own judgment. You'll use one of the dumbbells for the jumping goblet squats. The video just shows goblet squats--no jumping. I'm looking for a very SLIGHT jump--just get off the ground. These are tough--and will take lots of energy. Let me know how you like them!

10 DB push presses
50 Jumping DB goblet squats
20 DB push presses
40 Jumping DB goblet squats
30 DB push presses
30 Jumping DB goblet squats
40 DB push presses
20 Jumping DB goblet squats
50 DB push presses
10 Jumping DB goblet squats

For Time
We did this last on February 1.