UBBT7: A Review - Part 1

Essentially, the purpose of UBBT8 remains the same as for UBBT7 – to develop and nurture the body, the mind, and the spirit, and to maintain and develop mastery of martial arts. A qualitative review of my UBBT7 goals helps me to build a UBBT8 program that will work better for me. By looking at the purpose behind my goals, and then assessing whether or not the goals helped me achieve the larger purpose, as well as analyzing why or why I didn’t succeed will be a great help in building a better set of goals for UBBT8. Today, I would like to focus on the body aspect of my UBBT. To be sure, I both succeeded and failed spectacularly in this area.

1. 100 hours of self- propelled travel (cycle, spin, walk, kayak). My life changed as a result of achieving this goal, and it helped me to fulfill a promise that I have made to myself and then broken many times in my life. The cycling/spinning got me into shape so that I was able to participate in two 100km rides. I was also able to begin doing the type of travel that is in my bucket list of things to do before I die. Ultimately, cycling the Silk Road is a long way off from taking a cycle trip in Austin, Texas, but it’s a lot closer than breaking another promise. Note to self: Increase hours for UBBT8, and head to Philadelphia this August for another LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE RIDE.
2. 52,000 Pushups: Sifu Brinker stressed that this goal was a way of staying engaged in the test. It was something mindless, yet not effortless, that one could do every day and anywhere. Two problems. I had not bought into the idea that pushups were a way of staying engaged. Actually, I found that mindful or mindless knitting or cycling fulfilled this purpose more effectively. The other problem was that pushups hurt, and doctors advised that my shoulders and neck needed a break. I tried to replace the pushups with a workout that developed the neck, arm, shoulders and back muscles for cycling – but that required more time and equipment than was convenient. I feel that I have hit a wall regarding pushups. I really believe that resuming them will only aggravate my osteoarthritis and injure my rapidly aging body. I think it is unwise. At the first UBBT8 meeting yesterday, Sifu Brinker employed his masterful skills of persuasion, and actually had me considering preparing for the 1000 pushup challenge on January 1, 2011. After sleeping on it, and considering the dilemma under the clear light of a new day, my strongest thought is that accepting the pushup challenge of roughly 150 per day, for a total of 52,000 pushups may be met with some success at first, but finally, it will result in failure. I’m thinking of lowering this goal, but not completely giving up on it.
3. 52,000 Situps: In truth, my purpose behind the pushups and situps was to maintain my core. Core is great for martial arts, for cycling, and for injury prevention. And, for almost two years I was able to enjoy the flatness of my stomach and the definition in my arms because I did the sit ups and push ups as well as chin ups and squat thrusts on a daily basis. When the pushups fell away, so did the situps. Such is the ease with which good habits fall by the wayside. Note to self: Make sit-ups part of a daily routine which includes squat thrusts.
4. Drink no coffee: To my surprise, there were absolutely no bumps impeding my success in this area. I did not drink any coffee at all! I plan to continue this goal.
5. Maintain healthy weight and eating through Weightwatchers. Some bumps in the road on this one, but ultimately success. The new Weightwatchers PointsPlus program was introduced at last week’s meeting, and it will make it much easier, because fruits now have no point value: like vegetables, we can eat as much fruit as we want. Protiens are encouraged more. Eating whole foods will be a whole lot easier.

Claire Finnamore
Student Member, Silent River Kung Fu