The 12 Month Challenge

Ripped in 30: Days Four and Five

Ok, so last Thursday I ripped it up - but my Grandma’s hospital visits are priority one, so Friday and Sunday I had to skip as the issues surrounding her illness get a bit trickier. It’s more important thatn my fitness though. So day four was Thursday and day five was today, Monday.

Which, if you notice, misses out Saturday. On Saturday I went roller skating for two and half hours, my first time skating ever. Yes I fell down, yes I was like Bambi, YES I GOT BETTER. And yes, I signed up for Fresh Meat Roller Derby training. Which is Wednesday night. So no Ripping on Wednesday as I am told Derby training is hell on wheels.

My three day break has taken its toll though - loads more sweaty and less sure of the movements today. Managed to ace it, but the pushups and side lunge front raise was murder. Im going to do day six tomorrow, then derby train weds, then level 2 thursday.

Also leaves another gap. As I am running the 10k in just over 2 months. Checking my eight week plan, I need to start on Monday 4th Feb to ensure the calendar hits race day, March 31st, properly. So from next week I am Ripping, Derby Training and 10k training. Busy, but fun.

One last note. I’m working on a post about quitting drinking, as it’s been a hell of a few months. But basically, since I have, I am starting to have social activities, hobbies, etc - it’s amazing,

Ripped in 30: Day Three

Burned through the session today, managing to really go for it - with the exception of the final reverse crunch - sticking to the modified version of that. I’m using the 2.5kg weights as standard in all but the side lunges, god I hate side lunges.

Didn’t update yesterday as I had a date at the cinema, which was all sorts of nice. Today’s Day Four and then I am nearly done with Level 1. That’s much easier than Shredding, five days and bam!

Am considering going back to the Shred at badass level once I have done ripped, I’ll need some strength and ab work while I am doing the C25K (WHICH STARTS NEXT WEEK, ARGH)

A hello to my new followers - and a note. I do the workouts, but not really the diet plans with them. I eat as cleanly as I can, moderation etc - but don’t expect dvd box results with this blog. It’s going to be slow, grinding and sore.

Ripped in 30: Day Two

Ok, so today the lower abs you wreck during Hollow Man made me aware of their existence all day. Still hammered them into submission during the session though. It’s weird to call it the Ripped, like you call the Shred the Shred. I don’t know what’s appropriate or linguistically fluid, so the session will do.

Press ups were NOT as easy today, yesterday me with its week and a half of no exercise beyond building a snowman was pretty impressive in comparison.

Loads more sweat, more feeling of argh at those running man movements - still not sure I do squats properly, and can’t bend to reach the floor yet, but moving along nicely.

The thing is, I missed it. The sweat, the self timing and trying to beat myself and Jillian. Had to pause a few times, to shift the mat to the right pace. But that ache in your upper arms, that incline inwards from armpit to waist. I can’t wait to make it happen.

Ripped in 30: Day One

Ok, ok - I know, right? I totally didn’t do what I said I was going to and start back last Wednesday. And I made excuses and they were shit and GOD IM SORRY OK TUMBLR? IM SORRY!

I’ve eaten clean - no pizzas, no beer, no massive junk food binges - moderation. MODERATION! Oh, and about six cigarettes in one night where it was either that or fall off the wagon. I felt grisly the next day, all throaty and coughy. No more fags for me.

So, RIPPED IN 30. First of all, where the shit are my friends from 30DS? What did Jillian do to Natalie and the other one I can’t remember. She gets jealous, I am sure, because they work out instead of yammering on. Anyway.

It’s certainly a step up from Level 1 of the 30DS, and seems about Level 2-ish. I nailed the pushups, skaters - in fact a lot of the stuff I found hard Shredding came easier this time. I’m drenched in sweat, and in no mood for photos. But will take a before picture tomorrow for you all to gawp at dumbstruck by my gross physical presence.

Oh, and the warm down is ace. No more splits position, much better for my lower back.

More tomorrow!

Michael Gove’s Mercernary Mission

So Michael Gove has announced that pay points and pay progression relating to these points will be scrapped in September. In order to “to attract and recruit the best teachers”, headteachers will be given “greater freedom” to decide what constitutes a salary that makes “teaching a more attractive career and a more rewarding job” using their Gove given budgets.

Well firstly, this is anoher Gove iniative, from his Department for Education, which has nothing to do with educating children. See also not understanding how work to rule works, giving blind children bibles and ignoring advice on a vital issue for all children in the mistaken belief that it is his reputation that will suffer the most. Not the education and life chances of the children.

Clever specs on.

But lets examine the language anyway. Gove wants lower achieving schools to offer competitive salaries, a term which can be found in many teaching job adverts. For international teaching jobs. In private schools. Fee paying, private schools. Not that comforting. How about “greater freedom” for headteachers, or, abdicating any responsibility for collective bargaining as all future negotiations will be to determine the upper and lower limits while giving heads yet more to focus on which is not educating children.

Well surely making “teaching a more attractive career and a more rewarding job” and allowing under-achieving schools “to attract and recruit the best teachers” will provide us with some salve. Well, it’s a noble sentiment, sort of. But cash incentive isn’t often the primary cause for people joining the teaching profession, and certainly not since the in profit pension scheme got butchered. In fact, good teachers going to underachieving schools happens, but as missionaries rather than mercenaries – but underachieving schools also produce good teachers.

Not you, Gove.

Teaching was a profession I joined because I wanted to teach. It’s an infinitely infuriating and exhilarating practice that I will never stop learning from, and certainly will never assume I have got entirely figured out. But I am not going to say that teaching didn’t have an appeal with regards to pay. Unlike most private sector jobs, I knew my potential pay scale. Everyone can look at them here. I knew what I was getting, and what my workmates and my boss was getting. Transparent, equal and entirely unimportant to the practice of teaching.

It may be a relic of a state involvement in education Gove seems determined to dissolve, but it was equal, open and honest. And that is now under threat. We will soon be operating in an environment where two teachers of equal quality, in two schools, two miles apart will be on different salaries. And, as a male primary teacher, my first thought was that for the first time there is a chance at inequality between male and female teachers.

Incentives to get into teaching are not new. Training bursaries were part of the advertising when I trained. But once I was on the scale, I knew my earnings and could focus on my teaching. But I am aware of the huge gender gap between the number of male and female primary teachers, just as I am aware of the gender pay gap in the private and public sector. Now the two have the potential to meet, as schools attempt to “attract and recruit” teachers. And that is worrying for the profession as a whole, even if it doesn’t worry Michael Gove one bit.

Taken from my grown up blog over here http://thoughtsfromtheline.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/michael-goves-mercernary-mission/

Ok, 5 days since the end of the Shred.

WHY HAVEN’T YOU STARTED RIPPED IN THIRTY?

I haven’t because I didn’t order it when I said - and even though I planned to watch the youtube version I left it at home because excuses are easy and working out is hard. Also I have a sore throat, and being ill means I can’t visit my grandma in hospital - so resting, and continuing to eat well is the plan. And exercising when I can.

My eating’s changed so, so much - I can head into the shop and come out with a light yoghurt or some unsalted nuts, instead of a cornish pasty, crisps and chocolate. It’s like a big boost every time I don’t buy rubbish food - because I know my body will thank me, and given how I was calorie mad before starting this whole thing, that my weight will drop off if I continue to eat well. Not diet, eat well.

Just ordered Ripped in 30 - will be here within the week, I can start a Couch to 10k thing as well. BUSY.

I will no longer be on this blog.

lilygetshealthy:

I don’t have what it takes. It’s been months, and I’ve made no real improvement. 
I’ll leave it up in case I ever come back, or in case people feel like going through the archive. 

I failed.

You can do it! Honest.