Taking up the gun

This post is by both of us: 

We both come from fairly liberal political backgrounds, this has included being anti-gun. We come from more or less anti-gun families, although not rabidly so more that we didn't have them around at all. Even as both of us were drawn to the warrior path and we got into the idea of turning out bodies into weapons through martial arts, the only weapons we were drawn to were archaic. It seemed to be one thing to take up the staff, the bow, and the sword but another to consider a gun. In fact, neither of us really considered the less-than-lethal weapons like pepper gas or the Kubaton until fairly recently.

We have close friends/neighbors/chosen-family who have guns, one of whom has defensive shooting training. We have a mentor who is a shooter and defensive shooting advocate. We have come to realize that the idea that "when seconds count the police are only minutes away" is not only true everywhere but here those are even longer minutes, it could easily take more than half an hour as we live in the sticks. We've also gotten into prepping, influenced by the same people, and that has also altered our thoughts about who we might someday need to defend against.

This has actually been a long process, one we both started going through and repeatedly debating for years. We both questioned why we were stuck in the concept that while we identified as warriors or would-be warriors and we were fine learning things that have killed people for centuries we couldn't make the step into guns. That there was some block. The reality that we were getting messages about as noted above took a lot more time to sink in that it might sound

Although our "brother" is a shooter and took us out shooting both  a .22 target pistol and a shotgun. First he went over the basic safety stuff, and then he walked us through taking our first shots ever.  It was sort of mind blowing, even with the hearing protection it's startling, the kickback too. We'd each take a shot, then have to walk away and let the adrenaline work through. Magaidh admits that at one time she sort of cried a bit, just from feeling overwhelmed emotionally. As he is neither here or our other shooting friends are at this time trained to train so after a few months after that outing we took the advice to take NRA Basic courses. We took two of these, actually, handgun and shotgun.

We were glad for our first experiences so that neither of us cried during either class. The class was fairly small, probably evenly mixed, but there were differences in the reasons that men and women were there. Most of the men seemed there more to "refresh" something that they already had some knowledge of, most of the women were shooting for the first time, some for their own reason of self-defense others because of instance from their male mates. This gender thing seems to be a common observation and that did get us to butch up abit about it.

By the time we finished both classes, we came out feeling far different about guns than we had. The adrenaline turned from overwhelming to exciting.  We now go out with our "brother" to the range at least once a week and get to practice with a number of his guns. We now own our own shotgun, after assuring our housemate that it will always be secured due to her worries about her daughter and her own issues with guns. Because of them we do not yet own our own handguns, that was a step too far, however the child is scheduled for a kids gun safety class and her mom for an adult one in hopes that a further understanding of safety will help her feel comfortable enough for us to have them in our apartment (which the girl has no access to, unless she learns to pick some really good locks, on her own). We already have a pretty clear idea of what each of wants as our first handgun but are warned they're like potato chips. Very, very expensive potato chips. Of course if TEOTWAWKI hits, we can get to our "brother's" right through paths in the woods and he can set us up, chances are we'll all be moving over there anyway while the Zombies are still in full rampage.

This has been a big step for us. We do intend to get some defensive firearms training as soon as we can afford it. Again, we're getting basic ideas on that in our practice but know we should get formal training.

However, we still like our bows, staffs, and swords an awful lot and figure they'll come in handy too especially as ammo runs out (and yeah, our "brother" reloads, but we ourselves know how to make both bows and arrows and there's lots of supplies for that here along with many staffs just waiting to be cut down to).

Okay, this is my last post for the Fitness Challenge

I realized that I should post an update to my stats to finish this up, since that's how I started. I am totally off track on the week....but I think this is done anyway. It seems there are a lot of changes in the challenge site, a lot of controversy or something, and that it ended up with it being a Four Element deal this time. I had already decided that I hate the BLOGGING part so I wasn't going to do it but as I don't use a Four Element system it would be sort of weird.

Tomorrow I start doing Cross-fit for awhile as I noted before. I just need a change and to come back to regular weight training fresh.

My stats
I didn't include my weight, but I seem to have gained 5 lbs and this is good as I think it's been a muscle gain.

BeginningSTATS:
Chest: 31
Waist: 29
Hips: 33
Thighs: 17
Arms: 10 (not flexed) 11 (flexed)

End STATS:
Chest: 33
Waist: 27
Hips: 33
Thighs: 17 1/4
Arms: 11 (not flexed) 12 1/4 (flexed)

All around pretty good! I can do 10 push ups with my feet on the bench. I can do 10 chins for at least one or two sets and have managed a few sets of 3 pull ups with a wide grip. Not quite as good as I had hoped but I will still be working on this. Oh, yeah, and I forgot to mention that I will also be giving Yoga another try but only because I can take a class for credit so, why not? Even though I have never liked it.

GOYB Fitness challenge week what?

Seriously, I'm totally boggled as to what week this is now. I totally suck at this blogging bit and I don't think I'll try this again. Maybe random posts on fitness but not this sort of challenge thing. I think I am doing fine with my program but suck at the writing about it.

I am so happy being able to run outside instead of on the treadmill. I love that we have that option too, but this past week or so has been far funner, running with my wife and our roomie. It also shows that we do all have different strengths. Our roommate is not really into the weights but she leaves us in the dust running wise. She has marathon aspirations. We're all thinking about doing something shorter this year though, so we'll see. I want to do one of those Warrior Dashes/MudRuns/Spartan Races things, I need to see if any are near here. I'll dress like Aeron in Centurion for it! (Yeah, big surprise).

On the running, Saigh at The Sarah Connor Charm School Blog has a post on cardiovascular fitness with a lot on running. She is a real-life personal trainer and Pagan Female Warrior type too! This has caused some discussion with our prepper type Cross-fit friend. LOL We are going to start doing that when this challenge is over. Um, or maybe it is? What week IS this?

GOYB week 8 check in

So as I've not been real focused on the numbers, at least weight and measurement, the challenge to not focus on the numbers isn't so hard. But reps I must brag on a bit because yesterday I managed 10 chins, well, mostly, the last might not have been nice and clean, for a set and I am doing 2 whole pull-ups unaided. I probably won't reach my goal before the end of it but it's a huge improvement and I'm happy to just keep going.

The challenge this week is to come up with an emergency plan and I'm going to talk about that now. Because, it's simple, my plan is that no matter what I just keep doing something. Even if it's less than I normally do that is NOT a set back and I need to remember that. I've been talking toa friend who is a personal trainer and has been nice enough to throw freebies at me knowing I am poor at the moment, although I'd love to consult with her and we're discussing barter options in the future, and we discussed this a few weeks ago. I am someone who is too easily daunted by anything I perceive as a failure, from an emotional crisis to time issues to colds and I need to remember that it doesn't set me back to day one if I miss a few days of my workout schedule. I just start up again as soon as I can, back off a little if I need to due to perhaps being weak from illness, and move as much as possible in any way possible if I'm not keeping up with The Plan.

One thing she has noted is that changing routines is actually good. So my plan is to do what I'm doing for the end of this challenge then do a few weeks Cross-fit sort of stuff with the help of a friend of ours who is doing that. I can't afford his gym right now but he's offered to help us at our home. Of course, my cardio will be changing a bit soon as it looks like I can get off the treadmill for running and outside instead. I'm looking forward to that. A LOT. Oh, I do know from him that cardio work is sort of non-thing in Cross-fit, but I run and will keep doing that. I love that when we run out doors, like snowshoeing, we can do that as a "family" but on the treadmill we have to schedule around each other which can make it lonely unless we manage to do it while someone else is there lifting. And I do have to say that while he does seem super fit we left him in the dust when he came snowshoeing with the four of us, one just a kid, last week. Maybe girls are just better snowshoers than guys but, as my trainer friend has noted, you get good at what you do and I think snowshoeing and running are good things to be able to do. ;P

So this is actually the 7th week check in of the challenge

I'm so bad with numbers I cant' even figure out what week it is. LOL My studies are killing my brain. Good thing that I have this to help me get a break.

My push-up progress has been so great I'm now doing them with my feet on a bench and getting out between 7 and 10 per set. I've managed to get almost all the way up for a second pull-up, but man that's a tough one for me. I can get at least one set where I'm up to 8 chin ups, however, those are easier for me.

But aside from numbers, I had a revelation that my back and arms are improved as I picked up my bow, a 28 lb recurve, for the first time in ages and did some shooting. I swear it felt like a toy bow to me! I admit I've been slack so it's been awhile but the pull was nothing at all compared to what I remembered. I may have to get a new bow!

That's all I have for now.

Fitness Challenge I this is 6 week check in

(Although I thought it was 6 and 7)

Still better with working out than with blogging. I've only got a little time so pretty much I'm keeping on keeping on. I have altered my weight training to split my upper body, so now it's

Day one: arms and shoulders
Day two: legs
Day three: chest and back
Day four: no weights

I'm either running and/or snowshoeing three to five days a week, usually with at least one hour or more long snowshoe hike. Not riding as much due to being busy and some days the indoor arena has been too cold although this week should be warmer. Dance lessons are at least a couple days a week, MA practices is a bit more than that.

The return of the milk has felt nice for my body. I missed it, but I think that going without for a short period in Winter before Imbolc might be something we'll do again whether there is actual scarcity or not, not so much for any health reason but for tradition's sake, remembering that without a lot of manipulation we'd go without fresh liquid milk for long periods of time.

I am not seeing any real numbers change, except a bit of increase in some of my lifts. I have plateaued on both types of pull-ups and I'm trying to get myself past that. I am doing about 25 push-ups a set and this week intend to start putting my feet up on the bench for a set or two.

While I'm not seeing a lot of change in my body, my wife says I am showing it. I wonder if I am somewhat body dismorphic and just see myself as I always see myself. I do feel different. Just moving, just the way my arms and shoulders move against my clothes. That feeling of being powerful and the strength increases mean more any numbers or how I think I look anyway. I just have to remind myself of that.

Fitness Challenge 4 and 5 week check-in combined?

Yeah, I missed one check in completely and nearly missed this one. This has given me one major realization, I'm far better at keeping up with my fitness goals than my blogging goals. However, I have a valid reason, I think. First, due to money issues our household has a limited amount of internet usage which we used up. Which led to second, this month we're "budgeting" our usage and we had our withdrawal period and don't feel as big a need to be online all the time. Third, I have started classes which is taking up some time obviously and so when I do get online I am also dealing with emails regarding school.

Now that the excuses, that is reasons, are out of the way for the lack of blogging, on to the check in. After my feeling a bit of a slump during my period, I felt re-energized and back on track. I think my classes which could have been used as an excuse have helped because it's all about forward momentum. Unplugging probably has helped a lot too.

I'm now running on the treadmill an average of 40 minutes at least four days a week. My strength is improving, I can now do 15 push-ups most sets, 5 chin-ups most sets (now sets are all "in air" for chins), and can do one whole pull-up from floor up but am doing several a set, I hope to get to at least 3 "in air" at the end of this challenge.

STATS
Chest: 32 gained an inch (and honestly what I gained was in the back not the front ;p)
Waist: 28 1/3 down from 29
Hips: 33 no change
Thighs: 17 no change in size, but shape seems different, probably bigger lower down where I didn't measure
Arms: 10 1/4 (not flexed) 11 1/4 (flexed) 1/4 gain!

I have also gained 2 and a half pounds, which is good as my goal is muscle gain and not weight loss. And that's from my starting weight so that's actually a five lb gain as I initially lost three lbs. Adding dairy in the forms of cheese and yogurt helped, I think I need dairy and can't go completely paleo. I will be adding fresh milk as of this weekend when we celebrate Imbolc.