Valkyrie Squad Day 61, Doing Something Dangerous
It’s not really dangerous, I mean, not exactly. It’s probably something I’ll regret tomorrow, or at least, my muscles will. But we’re not focusing on that…
Blade Day 12 was a Friday workout, as I’m still trying to catch up. Blade Day 14, was supposed to be yesterday’s workout, but I was just getting back into my workout routine. Without altering the workout schedule too much, I want to get back on track, if it weren’t for the sickness I would be on my third week of Blade workouts. So I looked at the schedule, to see if I could combine any work out days. That means taking my workout from 20 minutes to 40 minutes. I think I can manage.
Blade Day 12, is a body weight workout, and Blade Day 14 is a Total Body Strength workout. It might be absolute madness for me to try and do both in one day, but I’ve seen some of my Valkyrie Sisters attempt and complete such shenanigans, and I want to try. Will I be hobbling off the mat? Most likely. Am I at all deterred from doing this? No, no I am not. After so many rest days last week, and almost no soreness today after yesterday’s workout, I want the veritable beating this will be. I want the extreme sore and exhaustion in every limb, that drives me to a hot hot bath, a rich meal, and an afternoon nap.
But before I even get into the craziness that is going to be my workouts today, lets discuss my progress real quick. I have spoken at length about the changes to my mental health and the strength I’ve felt growing in my limbs, in my core, how the workouts have gotten harder and yet I’ve not faltered in completing them. But I haven’t posted any progress pictures either. I haven’t shared how different I’ve become.
As my reward for completing 2 rounds of Novice and getting through the first week of Blade unscathed, I bought myself some Valkyrie Squad Merch, the Practice Makes us Deadly T-shirt. I didn’t think about sizing down when I ordered, because despite the weight and inches I’ve lost during this program, I don’t see it on myself physically. Not in any drastic way that would lead me to believe that I required a different size.
Nesta had to switch to another size of leathers, and when she looked in the mirror each morning to braid back her hair, the face that stared back had lost it’s gauntness, the shadows beneath her eyes. page 568 ACOSF
Yesterday the shirt arrived, and I was so excited as I tore open it’s packaging and held it up to myself. And when I went to try it on… it was loose, baggy in all the places an XL shirt has never been. For years, six years, since the accident that took running and my training from me, I’ve worn an XL XXL shirt to accommodate my big chest and all the roundness of depression and motherhood. Right now, that XL is too big. The shirt goes to the tops of my thighs, the armpits hang low, almost giving me penguin arms, the area around my midsection is baggy, like there’s room for activities in there. I wasn’t prepared for the way it would hit me, the knowledge that I’ve sized down so much that my standard size is too big, I cried. I cried looking at myself, seeing all that progress all at once, like someone lifted a veil from my eyes. I looked at the picture I shared with my Valkyrie Sisters in Discord over and over again, noting how my thighs have leaned out so much, that I’m being swallowed up by this shirt that was supposed to fit better, this shirt that is big enough to be a sleep shirt. Unbelievable.
That’s the motivation I’m taking with me into today’s workouts. The knowledge that my body has changed so much in so little time, and it’s visible to me. Body Dysmorphia be damned. I’m stronger, more agile, balanced, faster, leaner, and more determined than ever. Let’s get it. Back to the Schedule… Alright, 40 minutes of back to back workouts. Body Weight first, then Total Body Strength. I can do this. I want this. I have to talk myself up a little bit, just because I know it’s going to be intense. Traditionally, week 3 of this program ups the ante significantly, and I’m combining Day 5 of week two, and Day 1 of week three. Let’s do Day 14 first. Most of this workout was with resistance bands, and today I leveled up from the lightweight bands into the Medium weight one for my arms. This workout wasn’t too hard, we focused on long time periods and slow movements to build endurance in the muscles. When fighting, whether with fists or with a sword and shield, you need to be able to handle the long time on the field or against an opponent. Endurance in the shoulders has so much value, so that’s were most of our focus was. Blade Day 15 was a little different, a lot like mobility. Sam called it Kickboxing Conditioning, where we focused on the smaller supportive muscle groups and strengthening those little buddy muscles that assist in those big muscle movements. The hip cars we did set a steady ache in my side glutes and my obliques, and while in table top for those, my shoulders were shaking because of all the upper body work I did before. The dead lifts with the full balance and leg extension, followed by a knee drive- those were a sure test of my will, let me tell you. I could feel my legs wobbling with each dip low, my balance challenged big time between the leg extension to the knee drive. Every time I drove my knee up as I stood on one leg, I wobbled for a few seconds and had to find my balance. It was better than last time, in fact many moves I found better than last time I did them. For example, the side planks, where we had the top leg folded over the bottom, and we had to press up- I could actually do those, whereas a month ago, I most definitely could not get my hip to even leave the mat. Or the other side plank variation, where we clam-shelled the legs and did a full leg extension with the top leg- I really couldn’t do those without pain last time, and I did every single rep today. Nesta’s legs wobbled and burned, but she rooted her strength through her toes, focusing on her breathing, her breathing, her breathing, as the Mind-Stilling had bade her to do. She sought that place of calm, where she might be beyond her thoughts of pain and her shaking body, and it was so close, so near, if she could just concentrate, breathe more deeply- page 472 ACOSF
All in all, today wasn’t too bad considering I buddied up two workouts and did them back to back. I’m feeling pretty damned impressed with myself lately, and the rest of my day is going to be fabulous.
I gotta go walk the floof, that turd got into the trash last night again, and she’s not my favorite person right now, but maybe some fresh air and a nice walk will change the tune.
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