Some New Goals

Been a while, but luckily nobody reads this blog.  Nonetheless, I think I'm going to pick things up a little bit again.  I'm still working out at Instinct Fitness and really enjoying.  But I have a couple new goals and hopefully this blog will keep me accountable.

Pistol by June
At the gym, we were encouraged to create a goal around new years - something realistic but challenging.  One thing I've always wanted to be able to do but never thought possible is a pistol squat - one legged squat.  I would make excuses as to why I can't do it - not flexible enough, bad knees, bad ankles etc.  But screw all that...I put it on the board as my goal - pistol by June.  It's mid-Feb and I have a long way to go yet, but I'm starting to feel like it's doable.

I have a few things I'm working on - ankle mobility, balance and strength.

For ankle mobility, doing some dorsiflexion work - heel walking, feet extensions, kneeling/standing ankle stretches..  Hopefully as this gets better, I'll be able to do a bodyweight feet together squat (butt to heels).  I can only do with a counter balance weight right now (or in my sport shoes with the elevated heel).

For balance, bodyweight single leg deadlifts.  Also in the close feet squat, extending one leg at the bottom if I can.  Balancing on my left foot is pretty good, but right needs a lot of work.

For strength, no real plan yet.  Been doing bodyweight squats and single leg squats on a box/bench and close feet squats.  But I think I really need to start doing some heavy squats....just not sure where I can yet (need to see if I have access to a barbell at the gym).

Right now, if I use a counter weight of about 15 pounds, I can get down into the bottom position of the pistol on my left leg, but I can't get up.  And I can't get there on my right yet.  So a lot of work to do, but I think I can get there.

Lotus Position
For as long as I can remember, flexibility has always been a problem for me.  Two places that I'm really tired of being tight are my hamstrings and hip flexors.  While researching pistol progressions, it was also mentioned that hip flexors could be a limiting factor.  While searching for ways to open up the hip flexors, I came across the lotus position - like indian sit, but both ankles are on top of the opposite thigh.  I want to be able to do that.

I'm SO far from it right now, I can't even put a date on it.  But I'm ready to take the first step on the journey.  So I found a few main stretches that I'm going to work on.  If I'm consistent and keep after it, I should be able to get there.  It might be a year from now, but that's not really that long.

It doesn't help that I sit all day long at work (shortening my hamstrings and hip flexors), but that's even more reason to be stretching every night, regardless of the end goal.

So that's them.  My two new goals.  Writing them down was the easier part....now I have to do the work.