Day: February 26, 2022

Ukraine

I have no special knowledge here though what struck me is that much of the fighting between the old USSR and Nazi Germany took place in Ukraine.

What we should be doing: I think President Biden is doing the right things. I honestly think that Putin got Russia into a quagmire that he’ll have trouble extracting itself from.

What I remember from the cold war days: the Russians (then the Soviets) had a lot of machines (subs, tanks, etc.) but often in a poor state of repair. Evidently that is still true:

Their in the field tactics are not the best either. I remember a report from Afghanistan where the mujahideen had ambushed a Russian convoy carrying troops in armored personnel carriers. The embedded reporter thought “we are dead; the infantry will come out and kill us, easily”..but they just stayed in safety…

Then there are supply issues..long lines through hostile territory.

For sure, Russia has them outnumbered and their sheer weight would prove decisive if they use it. But it sure looks like the tide is truing against them (with respect to Europe’s reactions..and ours) and it is my (uneducated guess) that they will find a face saving way to pull out…perhaps holding a small corridor from mainland Russia to Crimea.

Note: Putin is NOT Hitler and the Russians are far from the Wehrmacht; Putin might WANT conquest but he isn’t going to get it.

Workout catch up

The back/glute continues to improve; I no longer dread the walk to the office. Oh, I am not close to “being there” but I can at least envision walking a pain free 5K.

I do notice that incorporating a degree of “twisting” to my stretches helps.

Thursday Stretching, ton of PT, 17:00 walk (1.2 miles) on the treadmill, lots of PT, yoga (especially the Warrior 2, triangle, pyramid, revolved triangle, reverse warrior on each side). This took 1:50..much to my surprise.

Yesterday: upper body mostly. 1:50 worth, which included all of my PT.

pull us: 2 sets of 10 singles, 2 sets of 10, 4 sets of 5 (included wide grips, chins) These went fine.

push ups: 3 sets of 30 sissy, 20 flat indoors. Lots of PT.

Inside: bench press: 5 x 167, 5 x 167, 5 x 172 (best since April, when I hurt my shoulder)

rows: 3 sets of 10 with 60

curls 3 sets of 10 with 50 (?)

shoulder presses: 3 sets of 10 x 98, using a belt and elevated seat (with rugs)

Today: I will go into more detail; this took 2:30 to do; mostly due to the warm up/stretch routine. I was hesitant to do the deadlifts with 285 as I felt slight fatigue going in; it turned out not to matter.

My “stretches” usually include: McKenzie, cat/cow, spinal balance, laying hip twists, Half Frogs, lower lumbar twist stretch. These take 6-15 minutes to do, and I usually do them before and between different activities. They add a lot of time to my workout.

Warm up.
Dead lifts: 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 10 x 234, then on the 3 minutes, 5 sets of 3 x 285 (all low). My final set was ragged and so I did not try for extra reps. Belt for the 234 and up.

Then stretching.

PT (2 sets each): single knee lifts, single leg “stand from seating” (down stairs)

upstairs: leg lifts on the side (and behind the body..straight leg), prone knee lifts (including one extra 5 rep set in a more challenging position), dead bugs, clam shells, one legged half bridges, spinal balance (again: moving)

Outside: 2 sets of banded walks.

Inside: headstand, 3 minute plank.

Stretch

30 minute bike (10 fake miles)

Stretch (6 minutes)

Videos: (PT and weight work..yesterday and today)