My People Folding Journey (mostly anyway!)

val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
For the bees that wished me Happy Birthday back in May this year - thanks so much!!! :happy: *glompy hugs*

I came off a fixed MCL after what felt like forever (almost 10 months overall) and I got back to training for about 3-ish months before I then I had a total hysterectomy at the end of June this year for stage 1 cervical and stage 2 uterine cancer. First follow-up is good news and hopefully my next one in January carries on with that trend! The last two years have not been kind to me as far as physical health goes and it took a massive toll on my mental health. I am grateful to have such great benefits via the SO's job and I am doing almost weekly therapy sessions currently to help with that piece of the bio-puzzle ~

This was all quickly followed by getting insanely busy with two jobs - photography and working at the BJJ club I train at as well.

I live quite rural about an hour outside of the city I work, which is not ideal, or uncommon anymore, but I like my jobs. We are planning on moving closer to the city come the Spring next year so I am feeling quite excited about this future event!
I do find I need to spend a decent amount of time on either my computer, or a screen of some sort, more often than I would like for my photography job. As such I tend to avoid screens when I am at home whenever possible. Sadly that means I miss out on Hive goodness! Perhaps I'll eventually find a good balance going into the new year *fingers crossed*

As for fitness, I am doing the occasional run here and there when time allows with the busy schedule and have managed to get up to 5.5 km already. Contemplating a half-marathon for middle of next year maybe.
I am back training BJJ once a week right now and I hope to bring it up to twice in the next 2 to 3 weeks providing my knee still feels good. I don't want to reinjure my MCL in the slightest! If I can get up to regular training 3 times a week by the end of the year then I'll do a competition in either Jan/Feb.
My weight-lifting/body weight training is a little intermittent currently, but my work schedules are smoothing out so I'll be able to get that better organized soon.

I've mostly just been stacking monthly challenges for the last few months consistently so I was doing something concrete every day + walking, without over doing it. Really looking forward to getting back into the things and hopefully (maybe) some consistent posting here too, but I'll see how that goes :chat:
 

val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
Alright, it's technically under a month since my last post so they're getting shorter between them. Kinda hooray for me I suppose :vibes:

Kiddo's meds aren't working [non-verbal ASD, global development delay, OCD, etc] so it's been a fun handful days of banshee level shrieking and mortal kombat physicality (ahem VIOLENCE) with this not-so-little dude (he's just under 6ft and I am 5ft4). His psychiatrist ok'd upping his current prescription so I am hopeful that will hopefully help balance him out to some effect. If it doesn't it'll be a BIG yikes for the holidays that are coming up waaayyy too quickly! Thankfully I have the last two weeks of the year off from both jobs so that should help kiddo/home matters to a degree.

1,200 high knees for 60 Turkeys for the event today.
Seriously every time I type that I think the math is wrong. 20 high knees = 1 turkey, right? So, that makes 60 turkeys or does that make 12 turkeys? Too many options with all the "mathing" with above mentioned kiddo shrieking and fighting is making math a "not-a-happening" thing currently... :smash:

I am currently working through the programs Push, Pull, Legs and Total Abs again.

Not sure which day I am on as they don't match the calendar days, I just know it's around the third week for both of them. I used to like the dates matching the dates, but I realized that it really doesn't work well for my current work schedule(s) between both jobs and that it led to me either dropping programs or cramming far too many workouts into one day to catch up. This way is much better for program completion and overall mental health.

I am back training BJJ typically two nights a week and it makes me SO DAMN HAPPY ~~~ Not being able to train consistency for so long made me such a sad person. My left MCL is still giving me the teeniest bit of grief, but instead of waiting until it's worsened I connected with my physio. I'm not physically training with partners under a certain belt level (aka no oopsie injuries) so I feel confident between both those things that I won't re-injury it!

I imagine there will be some random lurking on my part on bees threads :smirk:
 

val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
Nov 27th (Wed)

I am little surprised that I managed to get todays program days done and am even doing a post today!
I work the afternoon to evening shift at the BJJ club on Monday and Wednesday's so I've been leaving earlier than needed and doing my workout at the club before my shift starts. This is working really well for the last two weeks! I spoke with my head instructor and he evens fine with me leaving some workout stuff there for me to use throughout the week. Seriously one of the best people I've ever met!!

I realized that I'm actually doing three programs sorta instead of just the two I said the other day or yesterday. I am using TEN as my warm-up and always do 5 sets of that before I start the program days from PPL and Total Abs.

D23 ~ TEN / 5 sets non-stop for warm-up
D23 ~ Level 3 / 40 secs each plank variation / once through

D22 ~ PPL: Pull / 4 sets each exercise / using resistance bands instead of weights since out of the house for workout
10 bicep curls - 40lb band
12 upright rows - 40lb band
10 bent over flys - 30lb band
10 alt bicep curls / each side - 40lb band
8 kickbacks / each side - 40lb band
*12 sword pulls / each side - 40lb band
*12 shoulder squeeze - 30lb band

*these are my additions to the workout

~ 20min mobility flow when I got home from work!

EDIT: I'm slowly catching up on threads. Be prepared some for some en masse reactions!
 
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val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
Oh boy ~ two days in a row after the most sporadic 2 years ever. I'm probably about to jinx it for sure, but *fingers crossed* that it won't be the case!

Nov 28th (Thurs)

D24 ~ Warm-up: Ten / 5 sets -- 3 sets / 45 sec rest / 2 sets
D24 ~ Total Abs / 3 sets all levels / 18 reps -- no rest

D23 ~ PPL: Abs / 4 sets each exercise
10 leg raises
10 windshield wipers
1min hollow hold
10 back exts

Afternoon walk with my Kiddo - 32min 59sec / 2.73 km ~ this is a long walk for him.
We typically do one 'loop' on each walk and he decided at the end of one loop that he wanted to do the second loop so that's what we did. This not-so-little dude struggles with general gross motor activities and exists in a "100% speed" state or a snail state. So, we typically don't do longer walks like this as he gasses out so quickly and then the trek home is trudging through molasses slow. He didn't do too bad today honestly so perhaps this is could be the new norm, if so, then awesome! I imagine once it snows here that will likely be not only a physical deterrent, but a visual distraction as well. I will take the staved off full-on winter any time!

Mr. Grinch Workout / Level 2 / 5 sets -- non stop
 

val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
Nov 29th (Fri)

I slept in to 9:45am this morning and I haven't done that in ages, not even when I was recovering from surgery :shoked:I suppose I needed it as I feel quite rested currently!

D25 ~ Warm-Up: Ten / 5 sets / nonstop
D25 ~ Total Abs - 20sec each exercise / complete once

D24 ~ PPL: Legs / 4 set each exercise
12 cossack squats (BW)
24 side to side lunges (BW)
16 bridge tap exts
12 lat squat walks w/ heavy band
8 single leg deadlifts / each side (BW)

- I changed up some of these exercises as my left knee is still giving my a little grief and opted for only body weight instead of using dumbbells.

~ I work at the BJJ club until just before 7pm this evening and then I'll be doing an hour class before I head back home for the day.
Class usually consists of a general warm-up and line drills and then a takedown + guard pass + choke/submission - sometimes two depending on time and if everyone is getting it. Then we work the whole sequence from start to finish. If you are blue belt and up you typically will do either two 5 minute sparring rounds or three 3 minute positional sparring rounds with the learned material for the day.
 

val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
Nov 30th (Sat)

~ Up far too early to head into the club for a big belt ceremony + gradings this morning + new team picture. We had to brown belts promoted to black belt today; a blue to purple promotion; a white to blue promotion; and finally a bunch of stripes for some white, blue and purple belts. It was an excellent time and some extremely well deserved upgrades for some of my team mates and now Professors for the two new black belts :celeb:

~ I had some mother 'drama' (not me as mom, but my actual mother) to deal with once I was done at the club and then ran some errands. Blasted through the former as quickly as possible thank goodness. I have no patience for any of that these days.

~ Got only a shorter walk in as I forgot my tuque and the weather was deceptively winter-y this afternoon combined with a craptastic, chilly wind. Just under 25 minutes for that and I didn't bother tracking my distance since it was just a jaunt around a city neighbourhood. After the little walk, I did some reading + finished the book - rather 'meh' - and headed to a mini work holiday celebration for the photography job. It was so lovely and chill, but I was glad to be heading home for sure. Very stoked that my busy schedule doesn't extend past next weekend *happy dance*

~ I'll be doubling up program days tomorrow for one big cardio workout + one upper body lifting workout since I just had zero time for any of them today on account of not being home all day!
 

val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
Dec 1st (Sun)

~ By the time I finished up bedtime routine with the kiddo I was too bagged to do anything but head to bed. Since my gloriously well-rested Friday morning I'd only netted just over 9 hours over the weekend in total, so my eyelids fully rebelled at being open almost immediately upon laying down in bed last night. I don't feel refreshed this morning like I'd hoped, but at least I'm not feeling to-the-dredges weary currently.
~ Sunday nights are also the kiddo's day back from his dad's place so he decided he was just staying up all night in his room, more or less quietly, making crafts. I woke up early a.m. to get some water and as soon as he heard my footsteps walking around the space he started pretending to be asleep with some very loud "snoring" :chuckle:

Warm-Up -- Time: 22min 11sec
D26 ~ Ten / 5 sets / non-stop
D27 ~ Ten / 5 sets / non-stop
D27 ~ Total Abs / Active Planks: 5 sets / 16 reps
D27 ~ Total Abs / Flutter Kicks: Lvl 3 / 600 reps -- 100 repx (x6)

Lifting Workout: D25 + D26 PPL / 4 sets each exercise -- Time: 46min 47secs
10 shoulder press / 25lb DBs
8 lat raises / 17.5lb DBs
10 kickbacks / 20lb DBs
10 DB chest flys / 35lb DBs
10 DB pullovers / 30lb DB
10 bicep curls / 20lb DBs
10 upright rows / 20lb DBs
8 DB lever rows / 25lb DBs
8 hammer curls (each side) / 20lb DBs
12 bench rows / 65lbs

~ today's workout will be later at the club before I start work this afternoon!
 

val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
Dec 2nd (Mon)

~ Walk before getting to the club to obtain java -- 23min 32sec / 0.88km

All Working Out, Program Days (Minus my walks) -- Time: 20min 38sec
One & Done ~ Days 1 & 2
D28 ~ Ten / 5 sets / non-stop
D28 ~ Total Abs / 3 sets / 18 reps

Line Drills: shrimping, forward rolls, backward rolls, back break fall + technical stand up, ninja run, inside/outside shuffles, gable rolls, duck walks, backward running,

D27 ~ PPL: Abs / 4 sets each exercise
45sec elbow plank
45sec side elbow plank
14 plank crunches
10 back exts

~ Walk before I started work -- 24min 15sec / 2.10 km
 

val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
~ way too bagged to do any posting yesterday evening. I got an insane amount of cleaning up and re-arranging done around the house yesterday. While that felt so AMAZING, I was so tired by dinner time and fell asleep in my computer chair for 20 minutes!

Dec 3rd (Tues)

~ I very nearly didn't get any of this done yesterday, but I am nearly done this 'months' stuff so I'm glad that I didn't skip it.

One and Done Challenge D3 ~ completed

D29 ~ Ten / 5 sets / non-stop
D29 ~ Total Abs / Level 2 / 5 sets + 20 reps
-- did in two sets instead of five sets

D28 ~ PPL: Legs / 4 sets each exercise -- this program is completed. I enjoy it and it was great to do it again!

~ Dancing with my kiddo in the evening as his BIG body break before bedtime routine ~ 22min 23sec :happy:

Dec 4th (Wed)

One and Done Challenge D4 ~ completed

D30 ~ Ten / 5 sets / non-stop
D30 ~ Total Abs / 60sec planks
- once through

D1 ~ Fit December / 5 sets / non-stop

D1 ~ 30 Days of Change
Pt.1 ~ my goal was to get 20min solid of running because I knew my knee probably couldn't do 30min yet. I was correct and my knee started getting angry at the 18min (ish) mark.
20min 6sec running / 3.55km
10min 10sec walking / 0.88km

Pt. 2 ~ 5 sets / 12 reps
24 side to side lunges
12 cossack squats
12 slow climbers
 

val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
~ I was sick with another cold from Thursday evening until essentially late last night (Sun), or at least, the worst of that feeling anyway.

Dec 5th (Thurs)

~ One and Done Challenge D5 - completed

~ 30 Days of Change D2: Pt 1 - 5 sets / Pt 2 - Level 1 Planks + Level 1 Wall Sit
~ Fit December D2 / 5 sets

Dec 6th (Fri)

~ sick today. Managed to get through all the exercising somehow....
~ One and Done Challenge D6 - completed


Dec 7th (Sat)

~ sick today. Slept in and whole bunches more throughout the day.

Dec 8th (Sun)

~ sick today, though slightly less than day before, and slept a ton today as well

~ Dancing with the kiddo in PM - 26min 44sec (using as my 'cardio' for 30 DofC D4)

~ 30 Days of Change D4 / Pt.2: 16 reps / 5 sets -- legs
~ Fit December D4 / 5 sets

Dec 9th (Mon)

~ not 100 percent yet, but feeling well enough to do a bunch more moving today. Slept in this morning
~ catch up on One and Done Challenge Days 7 to 9

~ 30 Days of Change D5 / Level 3
~ 30 Days of Change D7 / Level 3 / 7 sets
~ Fit December D5 / 5 sets -- one go
~ Fit December D7 / 5 sets -- one go

5 Day Split: Chest / 5 sets [26min 11secs]
DB Floor Press - 10 reps w/35lb DBs
DB Floor Flys - 10 reps w/35lb DBs
DB Pullover - 8 reps w/35lb DB
Push-ups - 12 reps (wide grip)

~ Walk before work -- 24min 17secs / 2.49km
 
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val.lavigne86

Well-known member
Kunoichi from BC, Canada
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 76
"*smack + boop*"
Dec 10th (Tues)

~ 45 min BJJ this morning. Supposed to be my son's first lesson back after awhile, but it was a challenge to get him rolling. I decided to not waste the time and got a few questions I had about guards/submissions asked in that time frame. Once the kiddo got into the vibe then we did the obstacle course with rolls, dummy submissions, running, sprawls, shrimping, etc. aka all the things my lungs and my knee were done for the day. Glad he got back into it though and hopefully next week will be a little smoother and my knee will hurt less!

~ One and Done Challenge D10 -- completed

~ 30 Days of Change D6 -- Pt. 1: Stat Cycle - 20min 42secs / 7km -- supposed to be a run, but my 'bad' knee isn't doing great so a stat cycle it was instead....
Pt. 2: Stretching -- completed

~ Fit December D6 / 5 sets -- completed

~ 5 Day Split: Legs / 5 sets [Time: 27min 46sec] -- these exercises will likely change depending on how my knee is feeling/doing over the next few weeks
Single Leg Exts (es) - 8 reps w/55lbs
STS Lunges - 24 reps
Glute Bridges - 12 reps w/30lb DB (pause on contraction)
Ham Curls - 8 reps w/30lbs
Single Leg Deadlifts (es) - 8 reps w/30lb DB
 
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