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From Running to Strength: How I Built an Effective Upper Body Routine

Hello again, dear readers,

After running 1000 miles last year, I decided my legs were in the best condition they’d ever been, even before my stroke. Encouraged by my previous success, I expanded my exercises to include my upper body. I decided on pull-ups, pullovers, pushups, tricep pushups, and planks. These were all exercises I was previously familiar with and knew how to do, and they should help balance the fitness of my body a bit more. 

Next, I had to find a time/trigger for my exercises and determine how many to do. Since I’d been so good at keeping my running schedule, I used getting ready for my run as my trigger. So, every running day, before I head outside, I do some number of pull-ups, pullovers, pushups, triceps pushups, and planking. At the start of this routine, I only did one pull-up, one pullover, 21 pushups, one triceps pushup, and 1 minute, 21 seconds of planking. I found it easier to keep track of the goal numbers if they were aligned. 

I also decided that if I could achieve the target number 10 times, I would increase the number by 1. Eventually, I found that I could do two sets of exercises and did my first before I ate breakfast and my second before my run. In the beginning, when I was doing relatively small numbers of each activity, I tried to do four sets spread throughout the day. Still, I didn’t have appropriate triggers for 2 of them or 3 of them on non-running days, so I periodically forgot to do them all. Still, my before-breakfast set was reasonably easy to remember. I kept up with this set and have done it daily for over 200 days, gradually increasing my counts to 10 pull-ups, 10 pullovers, 20 pushups, 10 triceps pushups, and 1 minute 50 seconds of planking. There have been non-running days that I’ve missed the second set, but those have been rare enough that I haven’t worried too much about it.

So, after you’ve built and established a habit, consider using it as an anchor for expanding it into an entire routine. In making this routine, I prioritized rooting the practice over starting with higher/more challenging numbers. In the beginning, doing a single pull-up felt underwhelming, but I built the habit of slowly increasing the repetitions in my mind. I’m pretty confident that 10 successful sets aren’t optimal, but it’s easy to keep track of, and it’s working for me now. 

If it stops working, I must find a way to fix it. However, what matters most is that I am progressing and getting stronger.

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The Power of Small Goals: Achieving Big Results Through Consistency

One of the lessons I keep discovering throughout my various habit formation is that small goals done consistently over time can lead to pretty startling results.  

I want to accomplish a goal in one herculean effort, and I often fail when I attempt such a thing. Last year, I ran over 1,000 miles. If I had set out to run 1,000 miles all at once or even in a single month, I’m confident I would have immediately failed; however, by splitting the 1000 miles into more manageable albeit still challenging parts, I could achieve this more significant number. 

I also recently committed to maintaining our front yard better, and the first objective was to weed our planted areas. When I first decided, weeding the entire area would be nearly impossible, but I decided to find a mere 20 minutes to work on it every day. 

I expect it to be finished sometime this week, and I’ll have to maintain it. Again, had I tried to strip the areas of weeds all in one day, it would have been miserable and potentially unwise as it’s pretty hot outside.

If you need help to complete your goals or even get started at them, try to make them smaller. Don’t try to run 1000 miles all at once. Intellectually, I know it’s better to set goals this way, but I still feel an urge to try and do it all at once. 

In my goal formation, I remember to make the habits smaller and plan to practice over a more extended period. Starting earlier and going longer is a safer way to approach many activities.

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“The Unforgettable Journey of Honora: A Review of ‘Sing, Wild Bird, Sing’ by Jacqueline O’Mahony”

“Sing, Wild Bird, Sing” by Jacqueline O’Mahony is a captivating book that opened my eyes. It tells the story of Honora, a young Irish woman who leaves her home because of the Great Famine. Reading this book made me realize how tough life was not just for American pioneers, like in “The Little House on the Prairie,” but also for immigrants like Honora, who came to a brand new country.

What stands out is the author’s fantastic research. The book profoundly looks into the period and makes you feel right there with Honora. Suppose you’ve read other books about Irish or American history. In that case, this one offers something unique by focusing on the Irish Famine. It was so interesting that I even did some of my research on the topic!

One of the most excellent parts of this book is how it keeps you guessing. When you think you know what will happen to Honora, something unexpected comes up. It’s super exciting and makes the book hard to put down.

What got me thinking was the role of women during that time. It made me wonder how different Honora’s life would have been if she were a man. Even today, women often face challenges that men don’t, something I’ve noticed as an immigrant myself. But the struggles Honora faces are on another level.

To summarize, “Sing, Wild Bird, Sing” is not just a history book; it’s a story about courage, tough times, and looking for a better life. If you’re interested in history or want a book that makes you think, I highly recommend it. This book made a big impression and made me appreciate my opportunities today.

 

Book: Sing, Wild Bird, Sing: Novel

Jacqueline O’Mahony

 

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Goal-Setting 101: How to Use Rules and Triggers for Habit Building

t helps to determine rules and triggers to develop and maintain your habits. As with my running goal last year, I knew that sometimes events would conspire against me being able to meet my 35k per week goal. As such, I needed to determine some rules to play by. I had to ensure that my rules supported my plan rather than excuses I could fall back on. The first step I took in crafting my rules was to investigate what my goal was.

 

My goal was to run 35k per week, but I wanted to regain mobility endurance and support my health. Recognizing these as my real goals helped me create appropriate rules. For example, one of my rules is that I will not run if there is snow/ice on the ground. This rule would conflict if my true goal were the 35k per week. However, since my true goal is mobility, doing something that has a substantial risk of decreasing my mobility via a broken ankle from slipping/falling is counterproductive.

I tested all of my potential rules against my goals in this manner. Setting up rules like this is crucial because otherwise, I would be relying on Ad Hoc decisions, which are too easily influenced by current emotions.

As much as I wanted to achieve my actual goals and that I became focused on reaching 35k each week, there were plenty of days when I dreaded running, and it took great effort to force myself to go out. If I had not established a strict running schedule on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, I probably would have made excuses and failed to achieve my goal by missing too many days.

The other half of this equation is setting up triggers. Triggers are events or times that prompt a response or when to apply a rule. Every run day, my trigger for getting ready for running is after I use the bathroom. Every morning, after breakfast and coffee, I’ll eventually have to use the toilet; I use this as my trigger for running. After I use the bathroom, I change into my running clothes instead of returning to my computer. My no running on snow ice rule is triggered by looking out the front door when I get my second cup of coffee. If there’s snow/ice visible on my ground now, I cancel my run.

So when trying to develop your habits, First figure out your actual goals and test your habit ideas against your real goals. Second, build your ruleset so you’re not relying on feelings or motivation, and be strict with your rules. Don’t give yourself any excuses for ignoring your rules. You might need to create a new rule if you can’t do the desired behavior. Just ensure you test this new rule against your goals. Finally, make your triggers. Use alarms on your phone if you can’t find commonly occurring events.

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Running Through Rehab: How I Built a Consistent Running Habit

I’ve been running regularly for the past five years. I began my current running program when we still lived in Portland, Oregon. My wife and I had been walking nearly every day since I’d been released from rehabilitation, and I felt I had progressed enough to try running.

A few years before this, I had attempted to get into running but hadn’t committed to it, but I had learned about the couch to 5k running program (c25k). I had enough commitment to maintain my running schedule and found an app for my phone, which allowed me to import some of my music into this program.

 

Couch to 5K (C25K) Program

C25k fit me quite well; it starts relatively slow with short-run segments with walking segments between them. Each week, the run segments get longer and the walk segments shorter. After five weeks, I ran for the entire time, about 5 kilometers. I went through this program several times, and each time, it got easier, and I got faster.

 

Zombies, Run!

Then my wife heard about a running app that was gaining popularity at the time, Zombies, Run! It’s an app that uses game concepts to motivate running. It’s set during a zombie apocalypse, and you play a character helping a small settlement of survivors by running. During each mission, you collect or deliver items while randomly acquiring materials to build your settlement. I found it quite interesting, and motivated me to run more and more to find out what happens next in the story.

After running 5k three times per week for a year, I was ready to push myself more, and I found an extension program by the same group that made the c25k program, which smoothed the transition from 5k to 10k using the same concepts of increasing the duration of run segments and shortening the walk segments. Again, this worked well for me, and I was proud of being able to run 10k. I won’t say it was easy, but it was possible.

 

An Added Challenge

I kept with this as we moved to Nashville, Tennessee; however, this move added a challenge to overcome. The average climate in Nashville is quite different from Portland. It is quite a bit warmer in Nashville, and I needed to keep myself hydrated while running. Luckily, my habit of counting steps helped me figure out a schedule for sipping my sports drink.

I use the schedule every 400 steps; I pause for a few seconds and drink. Conveniently, I discovered that 400 steps is roughly half a kilometer for me.

Now equipped with a rehydration schedule, I ran 5k nearly every day. It took me a while to get used to the new environment. After running 5k at least three times per week for a year, I aimed to push myself further by increasing my run distance by a kilometer each month. During the first month, I ran three 5k per week, then gradually increased to three 6k per week, and eventually, I was able to run 10k three times per week. My goal was to improve my endurance and speed.

 

1 Month: 3 x 5K (to get used to running)

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.

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End: 3 x 10K

 

While I was faster at running 5k, I wasn’t as fast as I wanted to be, although I doubt I ever will be; however, as long as I’m getting better, I should be content with my progress. I repeated this sequence a couple more times and then set a new goal: I will run 35k per week for a year.

3x10k and 1x5k. Some weeks were harder than others, and I had to figure out how to balance my running schedule with other activities and impediments like weather.

 

I had to set up rules so every solution to a complication wasn’t ad hoc but part of a comprehensive plan. First, I made a goal statement: to run 35k per week. Then, I made a list of likely impediments, which included inclement weather and other obligations like birthday parties or doctor’s appointments. Scheduling appointments was easy since I set running days separate from appointment days.

 

The other complications were more brutal to balance, but I found that if I couldn’t juggle the days to fit my schedule, I could spread my anticipated missed days running over the other days so, instead of 3x10k + 1x5k, I could run 2x12k and an 11k. I was happy as long as I accomplished my primary goal of 35k.

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From One Step to 10K: How Small Choices Built a Resilient New Me After a Stroke

People can be characterized by the sum of their habits.

Everybody has habits, but not everybody chooses their habits. Every choice you make is a step toward forming a life-long habit. As such, making choices that lead you toward your desired destination is critical. So, the first step toward developing good habits is deciding where to end up.

 

After my stroke, I wanted to regain my lost mobility and lessen the burden on my wife I had become. The first step along this journey was to be able to take more than one step between resting. My wife helped immensely with this, and we went on daily walks around our Portland neighborhood.

At first, it was challenging as I had to concentrate on moving my legs. One of the things I lost from the stroke was unconscious control of movements. Walking required concentrating on activating the right leg muscles in the proper order, and doing this for more than a couple of steps resulted in neuro-fatigue, a term I learned during physical therapy.

Neuro-fatigue might be something you’ve experienced if you’ve ever spent a long late night studying for an exam the next day and felt exhausted despite being largely sedentary. This used to happen to me just from walking due to the concentration and mental effort this once simple act demanded. Counting my steps helped me maintain my focus on walking, and it also gave me a way to track improvement.

Initially, I would need to sit down and rest every 50 steps. Still, eventually, I was able to last the hour-long walk until we got home again. Now, I can run 10 kilometers without having to sit down midway. In my next posting, I’ll provide a more detailed description of how I built up to a 10k run.

 

If you want to achieve something, you’ve already taken the first step toward accomplishing it, but you need to take the next step. As I see it, the next step is to subdivide your path into small portions. In my walking, this was easy to determine; I just needed to try and put one more effort than I did on the previous walk. If I failed, I had to try that number repeatedly if necessary. Eventually, I would succeed, and I could increase my goal again.

Eventually, I discovered that what was once all I could manage was now merely halfway to my current goal. If you’re stumbling and trying to take your next step, try making your step smaller.

 

Remember the fable about the tortoise and the hare: slow and steady will win many races.

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Unbroken Spirit: Conquering Life Post-Stroke

Welcome, dear reader, to the birth of my blog. I am Brian Lempke, a 44-year-old American who, after discussing with my wife, has decided to share some of the techniques I’ve had to develop to improve myself. 2015, I suffered a right cerebral hemorrhagic brain stroke, nearly killing me. Luckily for my survival, my wife found me and called for an ambulance before I expired. Also, luckily, we happened to be living in Portland, Oregon, at the time, home to a very fine neurological hospital department at OHSU.

After my initial recovery, whereby I regained consciousness and formed some foggy memories of existence, I was transferred to the first of two stints in a rehabilitation unit where I was constantly assessed and underwent physical, occupational, and speech rehabilitation. Eventually, I recovered enough that I was transferred to another rehabilitation institute. This one had a more beneficial patient ratio, and I have much fonder memories of it. My days I was blurred through my daily life being coordinated by medical professionals who constantly assessed my cognitive and physical capabilities. At this time, I could barely stand, let alone walk. I was taught how to use a walker and given strength-rebuilding training.

Eventually, I was released to the care of my wife at home and began my true recovery process, which will be the focus of my blog. I used what I learned from the rehabilitation facilities, other doctors, nurses, and my errors. While there will likely always be after-effects of my stroke and some things that I cannot completely heal, in some ways, with my wife’s support, I’ve surpassed my pre-stroke self.

In this blog, I will detail the goals I set, the obstacles I encountered, and how I have worked to overcome them. If I could achieve the recovery I’ve enjoyed, others can do it and perhaps even better than I managed in my stumbling. Immediately after my stroke, my wife searched online for hints about what she could expect and how to help me. She couldn’t find much, so this blog may help others search as my wife did. I hope that some of my techniques can be used by those who haven’t suffered a stroke and won’t have as far to climb. I hope that my blog can provide you with some tricks and tips to help you along your self-improvement journey and provide some entertainment.

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Exciting News: Adding a New Voice to Our Journey!

Hey Everyone,

Guess what? I’ve got some exciting news to share! After having a good chat with my husband, we’ve also decided to include his thoughts and experiences in this blog. You might find his journey super inspiring, just like I do.

So here’s the deal: My husband had a cerebral brain stroke in April 2015. Yeah, it was a tough time for us. The stroke affected his mobility, especially on his left side, and his right side was weaker, too. For a while, even simple tasks like walking, eating, and going to the bathroom became enormous challenges for him. But here’s the amazing part: he started rehab in July 2015 and has come a loooong way since then.

Okay, he’s not exactly like he was before the stroke. He struggles with some things, but let me tell you, he’s way fitter now than he was after the stroke. Can you believe he runs 10K and does more than 20 pull-ups every single day? Yep, he’s a champ!

He was relatively young when he had the stroke, which might’ve helped his recovery. But here’s what is important: his progress wasn’t just because of his age or some magic overnight change. It took seven years of hard work and dedication. He practiced what the Japanese call “Kaizen,” which means making little improvements consistently over time.

So yeah, I asked him to share his thoughts, tips, and journey on this blog whenever he can. His experience and mindset could help and inspire many of you.

So stay tuned, and let’s give him a warm welcome!

Take care, everyone!

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From Packed Shelves to Digital Reads: My Ever-Evolving Book Journey

Every year, right after my birthday, I go through a little ritual: sorting out my books. Why right after my birthday? Well, because my loved ones know how much I adore books, I often get many of them as birthday presents.

When I think back to my younger days, especially my 20s, my love for reading was undeniable. There was this particular interest I had in books from North America. I was curious! I wanted to understand more about the people here, their way of life, and their traditions. So, each time I was getting ready for a business trip, I packed 3 to 5 books in my suitcase. It was my way of taking a piece of this newfound love with me wherever I went.

During my childhood, books were a common sight in my surroundings. Our house resembled a mini-library, with bookshelves occupying almost every nook and cranny. This love for books was not just limited to my home; even my paternal relatives had an abundance of books in their house, ranging from storage rooms stacked with books to proper libraries. It appeared as if my family had an insatiable appetite for books.

However, during a big move from Ontario to British Columbia, I finally realized the enormity of my book collection. The number of books I owned was mind-blowing. I even got a unique bookshelf for an 8×5 room to accommodate them. But seeing them all, I knew it was time for a change. I needed to declutter. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I gave away 45 boxes of books. I only kept those that I really loved and revisited often. And even though it felt good to free up space, giving away my books was bittersweet. There’s something magical about the touch and smell of an actual book.

To make reading more convenient, I transitioned to digital books. My first e-reader was a Sony, but I later switched to a Kindle Fire. With this device, I could have hundreds of books with me all the time, all in one place. A bonus was that my Kindle connected to my Goodreads account. Sometimes, I’d even get free books from there! Plus, whenever I stumbled upon a word I didn’t know, I could quickly check its meaning with the built-in dictionary.

When I later moved from Oregon to Tennessee, I was secretly glad I’d reduced my physical book collection. Trust me, relocating is way easier without heavy boxes of books. Now, a fun fact about my husband: while he didn’t own as many books as his parents, he valued and loved them just as much. I remember the shock on his face when he saw me giving away so many books. But over time, he understood my reasons. Both of us love books; even today, we buy them or get them as gifts. But we’ve made it a point to check our collection regularly. We give away the ones we believe might find a better home elsewhere. It is sharing the joy of reading.

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Diving into Darkness: A Reflection on Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray

For my fourth book in the Dark Academia reading list, I chose “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. I decided on this book because Wilde’s name popped up in “Maurice,” which I had just finished. I had heard of Oscar Wilde before, but this was my first time diving into one of his books.

Before I start a new book, I like to learn about the author. It helps me understand their stories better.

Oscar Wilde was a fascinating person. He was a writer from Ireland who lived in the late 1800s, known for his unique writing style and vibrant personality. Wilde loved beauty and art, often dressing in fancy clothes and living a flashy lifestyle.

Wilde wrote some great plays, like “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “An Ideal Husband,” and “Lady Windermere’s Fan,” which are loved for their smart jokes, commentary on society during the Victorian period, and exploration of topics like marriage and social class.

However, Wilde’s life was sad when his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, Bosie, became public. When Bosie’s dad accused Wilde of being gay, Wilde took him to court, but the plan backfired, and Wilde was arrested instead.

Wilde was sentenced to two years of hard work and imprisoned from 1895 to 1897, when his health worsened. After his release, he lived in France but struggled with money and emotions.

Despite all this, Oscar Wilde’s work and personal life make him a significant figure in literary history. His writing continues to be praised for its cleverness, commentary on society, and artistic greatness.

Now, onto the book “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” It’s about a young man named Dorian Gray, who is incredibly handsome. The story starts when Dorian meets an artist named Basil Hallward, who is amazed by Dorian’s beauty and paints a portrait of him.

Influenced by Basil’s admiration and the cynical ideas of Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian wishes to stay young forever while his portrait grows old and shows his wrongdoings. This wish surprisingly comes true.

Following Lord Henry’s ideas, Dorian leads a life of pleasure and wrongdoings. Despite his increasingly wrong actions, Dorian keeps his outward beauty and charm, while his portrait becomes scarier as it reflects his wicked deeds.

As time passes, Dorian involves himself in various bad situations, harming others without consequences. His portrait becomes more and more hideous each day, reflecting his wrongdoings.

Terrified of his ugly portrait, Dorian tries to destroy it, but this ultimately leads to his downfall. In anger and guilt, he stabs the portrait, which causes his death, revealing an old, withered Dorian Gray.

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” is full of symbolism, suggesting that Wilde wanted to show the good and bad in everyone. Dorian starts as a pure character, but Lord Henry’s influence leads him to do wrong. Lord Henry symbolizes temptation and encourages Dorian to live a life of pleasure, representing the “bad” side.

On the other hand, Basil symbolizes morality and ethics. He appreciates the real beauty in Dorian and continues to care for him despite his wrong actions. Thus, Basil represents the “good” side. This idea of duality is central to the book, and Wilde suggests that every person has both good and bad in them.

The murder of Basil is a crucial turning point for Dorian, marking the moment when Dorian fully gives in to his darker impulses. By killing Basil, Dorian eliminates the possibility of turning back and fully embraces his sinful lifestyle.

However, in the end, Dorian’s remorse and self-destruction suggest that the struggle between good and evil continues within him until his last moments. This could indicate that Wilde believed in the chance of saying sorry and fixing mistakes, although it was too late for Dorian.

In conclusion, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” warns about the results of moral decay. The book shows how doing wrong can lead to a person’s downfall, as demonstrated by Dorian’s ultimate end. The ethical decisions of each character push the story forward and reveal Wilde’s views on the hypocrisy of Victorian society, the consequences of beauty over morals, and the need for a balance between being morally right and seeking pleasure.

The book in question is a short story. As an individual for whom English is not my first language, I found certain words quite challenging, which necessitated multiple checks with the dictionary to ensure an accurate understanding of the content. Also, I noticed that some paragraphs were exceptionally long.

Regardless, I found the book to be thoroughly enjoyable. It made me think, and I suspect it will stay with me for a long time. I appreciate books like this one that stimulate deep reflection. I was intrigued by elements of Jacobean tragedies that influenced the plot. As such, I’m excited to explore some actual Jacobean tragedies in the future.
As anticipated, the book has a dark tone. However, it offers a valuable opportunity to consider the moral compass of its characters and even our own.

My decision to delve into this book was inspired by its captivating plot and my desire to push the boundaries of my English comprehension and expand my literary experiences. The book’s ability to provoke profound thoughts and intense emotions makes it compelling. It invites readers to ponder the concepts of morality, enriching our intellectual journey. Without a doubt, this book is an intriguing choice.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a story that challenges the mind and sparks curiosity. Dive into it and let it broaden your literary landscape as it has done for me. Trust me, and it’s a journey well worth embarking upon.