Do you remember when you first learned how to ride a bicycle (horse)? I know I don’t. I don’t remember learning at all. I was too small. I mean, I have a vivid memory of the actual bike I learned on, but I don’t remember the actually process. For the record, the bike was a small orange bicycle with a swoop style center bar. I don’t know what they call it now, but it used to be called a girls bike. Amazing the gender assignment. Anyway, we got it secondhand from a neighbor. Once, I learned to ride, then I could get my very own bicycle which for the record was a yellow bmx-style huffy bike.
Now, I do remember teaching my kids how to ride. Kids are generally hesitant. They’re scared of falling. So, we coax and build their confidence while also building their balance. We layer on lesson here or there about turning into the fall to keep the balance. Watch out for cars in the road, etc… They inevitably fall. Rarely does one not fall when riding a bicycle. Eventually, you fall.
The most important lesson I think is what do you do after the fall?
- Do you quit?
- Do you dust yourself off, make sure there is nothing major hurt, and try again?
I was always told get back on that horse (bicycle) as quick as possible to avoid any fear or anxiety or negative thoughts to creep in. The longer you wait, the greater chance a negative thought can sneak in and start to pry itself and sit between you and that horse.
(My mom grew up in rural farming town out west. So, we had a few different horse analogies. I’ve only been horseback riding a couple of times. Anyways, back to the point)
Substitute any Habit for Horse or Bicycle. The entropy is the same. Here’s an example: I stopped writing on my fitness website. I looked, and my last post was April 19. Almost a month. I let too many days creep in between. The rule of thumb is only skip once. Get back on track as soon a you can. If you need to skip for vacation or work or whatever, immediately get back on track. It’s so easy to derail a habit.
For me, the habit I’m building is writing. For you, it could be walking 400 steps daily. For the next reader, it could be lifting weights or core workout daily. For the next reader, it could be eating less ice cream or adding spinach to their diet or eating less ultra processed foods. Doesn’t really matter.
Get back up on that horse as soon as you can. Do not quit. We can not control the past, and we can only control the future by what we do in the present.
Of course, I have continued my daily weekday swimming. I just have not been publishing the workouts. So, what do I do? I get back up, and here is today’s workout.
Today’s Workout: Recovery Swim with Kick Emphasis 3200 Yards
Focus on good technique, smooth long strokes with straight leg kicks. Breathing every third or fifth stroke. During kick drills, really focus on form while also making the heart rate increase.
Dryland Exercises
Today’s Wednesday: Bicep & Tricep Focus
4 X
- 12x 20 Lb Standing bicep curls
- 12x12lb Bench Tricep pulls
Core Workout
- Upper Abs: 15 crunches
- Lower Abs: 15 reverse crunches bent leg ups
- Side Abs: 15X Oblique V Crunches each side
- Back: 12x Reverse Crunch on Exercise Ball
- 60 Second Full plank
Pool
500 Warmup
1x 150 Freestyle no flip turns
1x 150 Freestyle with flip turns
1x 150 backstroke
1x 150 breast stroke
Drills
100 Kick with Kickboard
100 Butterfly Kick
100 Backstroke Kick
100 Breaststroke Kick
100 Freestyle Kick
Main set (~10 second rest)
1 x 500 Freestyle with Pull Buoy & Paddles
1 x 500 Freestyle
1 x 150 freestyle Kick with flippers and kickboard
1 x 100 backstroke kick with flippers
1 x 150 freestyle kick with flippers and kickboard
1 x 100 backstroke Kick with flippers
1 x 25 freestyle kick with flippers and kickboard
1 minute Vertical Kicking with flippers Hands straight up
1 minute Vertical dolphin kick, Hands straight down
1 minute Vertical Kicking with flippers Hands straight up
1 minute Vertical dolphin kick, Hands straight down
1 x 25 freestyle kick with flippers and kickboard
Cooldown
1 x 300 Freestyle with Pull Buoy & Paddles
1 x 300 Freestyle no tools
In pool Stretch
Arm Stretch and Elbow stretching with wide legs
Calf Stretch, Achilles Stretch, Hip Stretch