Oldie but goodie #2

Today we continue our short trip down memory lane of revisiting my top 12 favorite blogflections from the past year with oldie but goodie #2.

While the Pierini Fitness banner describes it as a cyberspace for me to chronicle my journey down the superfitness highway in the fast lane, the blogflections I delivered during the first month clearly established my growing interest in writing middle-age man reflective ramblings unrelated to fitness.

My second oldie but goodie blogflection was originally published on October 4, 2008. It was my first of several to follow with a political message. You can read it here: Always be her groom.

It’s one of my favorites because I shared about my personal life and values and discovered that, while I generally am not one to engage in political discussions and debate, there are instances in which it is necessary to do so for my sanity.

I hope you enjoyed today’s Pierini Fitness blogflection oldie but goodie #2.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

And I shall rest

Our trip down memory lane to revisit my top 12 favorite blogflections from the past year, that began yesterday, takes a familiar time out today because it’s Sunday and, as usual, a day of rest for the chief executive blogger to rejuvenate his body, mind and spirit.

Visit Pierini Fitness tomorrow as the oldie but goodies journey continues with another of my favorite blogflections. It is Sunday and I shall rest.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Oldie but goodie #1

Today is the start of a short trip down memory lane to revisit the chief executive blogger’s top 12 favorite Pierini Fitness blogflections from the past year – one from each month. These oldie but goodie classics will appear here during the next two weeks in their chronological order of original appearance.

Pierini Fitness entered the blogosphere on Thursday, August 28, 2008 with this introductory blogflection:

Welcome to Pierini Fitness, a middle-age man's cyberspace chronicle of his journey down the superfitness highway in the fast lane.

For the past four years, I have maintained a training journal on two different fitness forum websites. I've created this new blog to continue my cyberspace training journal, and to record anything else I have on my mind for my archival benefit and for the benefit or disadvantage of anyone else who happens to stumble across Pierini Fitness.

Read at your own risk. I make no guarantees and I do not profess myself to be an expert at anything other than my own pursuit of my own destiny.

The first Pierini Fitness oldie but goodie blogflection was originally published on September 3, 2008 and you can read it here: Every man who looks in the mirror sees a 16 year old kid. It's one of my favorites because it made me aware that I enjoy writing about the thoughts that swirl around in middle-age men minds.

I hope you enjoyed Pierini Fitness blogflection oldie but goodie #1.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Happy Birthday Pierini Fitness!

One year ago today on August 28, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. in the morning Pacific Standard Time, Pierini Fitness was born and entered the fascinating blogosphere universe.

Originally intended as a cyberspace training journal of the chief excutive blogger, Pierini Fitness has become more than that with daily blogflections of middle-age man fitness training ideas, reflective ramblings and occasional economic and political thoughts.

Where did the year go and what's in store for the next year are questions that not even the chief executive blogger can answer despite having an answer for everything else under the sun.

The next two weeks will be devoted to revisiting my favorite blogflections from the past year - one from each of the past 12 months. I hope you'll enjoy this short trip down memory lane as much as I will. Stay tuned because the best is yet to come.

Today's blogflection on the one-year birthday of Pierini Fitness would not be complete without a happy birthday song so please join in below:



Happy Birthday Pierini Fitness!

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Backside barbell thruster

The barbell thruster is an exercise generally performed as part of a circuit or combo of exercises designed to provide an anaerobic challenge. It’s a staple of the daily workouts of the day (WODs) posted on the CrossFit internet fitness website.

The barbell thruster begins by taking a barbell off a squat rack and positioning it in a front squat starting position. You perform a front squat, sometimes to a bottom depth of a bench or large ball and then drive the barbell upwards and perform a push press for one rep. The barbell thruster is a whole-body exercise that, if performed for high reps, will definitely provide a cardiovascular anaerobic challenge.

A variation of the classic barbell thruster is one I call the backside barbell thruster. It's a combo of a traditional squat to as low a depth as you can manage, followed by a wide-grip behind-the-neck push press. Here’s a short video of me demonstrating it:



Obviously, you’ve got to have good shoulder flexibility to perform the backside version. I’ve found the wider-grip actually makes the push press easier. Nonetheless, it provides the same whole-body workout like the traditional barbell thruster with a great cardiovascular anaerobic challenge if done in sufficient reps.

Give it a try and tell me what you think of the backside barbell thruster.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Single digit midget

An investment-related website named Investopedia describes the term as when a stock price falls below $10 per share. The popular internet website Urban Dictionary, however, states that the term is primarily used in the military to refer to someone who has been on extended deployment and now has less than 10 days left before going home. In a broader sense, the term can be used to describe a milestone or an event that occurs in 9 days or less.

In the blogosphere world, this term describes what Pierini Fitness is today and has been for the past week with two days to go until its one year anniversary. August 28, 2008 is when the blogosphere universe gave birth to Pierini Fitness and every day since then, middle-age men around the world have had had a blog to visit each morning, in good times and bad times, to be inspired and motivated by the reflective ramblings about this and that appearing early each morning at Pierini Fitness.

Pierini Fitness turns one in two days and is proud to be a single-digit midget.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Forever never made it back to the gym

Last evening I resumed fitness training after a 3-week training rest and recovery sabbatical, managing to arrive at my gym around 6:10 p.m. Since time was short, I took it easy as planned and did a workout that was fast, safe and targeted my whole body. The loads I chose were light and the reps and sets were moderate. I was done 20 minutes later when the clock struck 6:30 p.m.

My workout consisted of a 5-minute warm-up of 25 reps each of the combo shoulder dislocates/overhead squats using a PVC pipe, followed by 4-count cherry pickers. These two warm-up exercises are my favorites to wake up my hibernating body. Afterwards, I completed 5 sets of 5 reps of these three exercises performed as a circuit combo: #1 = front squats - #2 = standard grip pullups - #3 = wide-grip behind-the-neck push press.

As easy as this workout was, I’m sure that by sometime tomorrow afternoon my body will be greeted with delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Quite frankly, I’m looking forward to it.

In a reflective moment as I began my cool-down, I thought about how good it felt to jump back on the fitness training saddle. Three weeks is a long time off, or at least that’s my perception. I’ve always said that, as a middle-age man, I’m only as good as my last workout.

My reflective cool-down ended as I pondered how many out-of-shape and overweight men and women there are who at one time were fit and trim, took some planned rest and recovery time off, and forever never made it back to the gym.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Do something stupid and injure myself

Well my three-week fitness training sabbatical is over. My Plan A for today is to go to my gym this afternoon for a workout yet to be determined. If life gets in my way, there's always Plan B which is to go downstairs to my basement and bang out some sets of pullups and pushups and, if I'm brave enough, some burpees.

I don't know how it will all play out other than resuming my training using common sense and caution as I know how easy it would be to let returning zeal cause me to do something stupid and injure myself.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

See you on Monday

Today is Sunday and I'm resting 100%. Yesterday we had our Helpers' Prayer Vigil for Life. Here's a short video:



I'll see you on Monday.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

More to life than just fitness

Today is our Helpers’ Prayer Vigil for Life, a pro-life event with Holy Mass, Benefiction and a 2-mile plus sidewalk rosary procession led by our Bishop Jaime Soto of the Diocese of Sacramento.

My wife and I have been planning this prayer vigil for months and the past week has been extremely busy as we strive for for a perfect peaceful and prayerful event. There are those in the world, including our government, who believe that pro-lifers are dangerous right-wing extremists. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Our goal today is to present the truth of who we are and what we believe to all those who witness us. We are peaceful and prayerful ordinary citizens who bring the love of Christ and offer compassion and choices to pregnant women seeking an abortion.

So that’s all I have to say because I’ve got my hands full today. It's one of those days when there's more to life than just fitness.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Getting together to pig out

In my constant search for Pierini Fitness blogflection material, I jump with joy and shout “Eureka” when I stumble across a news article meant for me to tear apart or use to have fun. I struck gold Wednesday evening when I read about a small U.S. study that found that overweight children and teenagers eat more when they have a snack with an overweight friend rather than a thinner peer.

While the researchers studied the behaviors of a group of children between ages 9 and 15 years, researcher Sarah-Jean Salvy, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the State University of New York, commented that the same pattern has been found in adults.

The research findings appear in the August 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. You can read an abstract of this research study here:

The presence of friends increases food intake in youth

Thanks to this research, I now know that fat friends are more likely to call one another with a suggestion of getting together to pig out.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

But doctor I want a new drug

For every medical ailment there’s a new prescription drug, rubbed in our face by pharmaceutical company advertisements, to fix it and bring us back to good health. There’s a pill to fix our diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol problems, oftentimes but not always, brought upon us by obesity, poor nutrition, lack of regular exercise, and a lethargic and sedentary lifestyle.

Well my great state of California, whose political leaders are known to be on the cutting edge of bright legislative ideas requiring its citizenry to do what they think we should be doing are at it again; this time with proposed legislation, Assembly Bill 1478, that would require doctors to “inform patients or the patient’s legal representative of the option of medical nutrition therapy for diabetes or heart disease, respectively, including a description of the potential risks, consequences, and benefits of this treatment relative to other medical treatment options.”

Sounds good you say and I argue not. Should we do it? I say no. Wellness and good health are achieved when people have ownership of it. I don’t believe it can or should be mandated by law.

Two additional thoughts fire off in my head about this medical doctor mandate. First, what are their educational and experience qualifications to dispense nutritional advice; could they or do they practice what they preach in greater numbers than society in general? Second, what if this medical nutrition therapy advice is not what the patient wants because it requires too much work and takes too much time to see results.

If this mandate becomes law, it wouldn’t surprise me if patients on the receiving end of this medical nutrition therapy respond with “but doctor I want a new drug”.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Getting ready for next week

This is the last week of my three- week fitness training sabbatical, and I’ve started doing the following flexibility drill in the morning and evenings. I don’t want flexibility shock once I jump back on the fitness saddle next week.



Am I cheating by sneaking in this flexibility drill during my final week of rest? I don’t think so. I’m just getting ready for next week.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

To be fat and happy

So let’s say the economy was booming with near full employment. Employees working for companies and the self-employed were all doing well; making decent incomes allowing them to own their homes, pay their bills, fullfill all family obligations and save money for their future.

Let’s also say that businesses were doing well too; making good profits, reinvesting part of those profits in new capital and technology and, of course, paying decent returns to investors with good dividends and value-based rising stock prices.

Finally, let’s say that our government was doing well also; efficiently and economically deliverying public goods and services, collecting sufficient tax revenues - from a booming economy - to cover its budget and service its debt so that additional national debt was not necessary.

This picture is a classic example from chapter 1 of an university introductory economics course devoted to capitalism where market forces of supply and demand, consumerism and competition all work together to produce outstanding economic results. Textbook only you say and not possible in the real world. I say no; it’s a superior economic model that should guide all individual, business and government economic and political decisions.

If you can imagine an economic utopia like this, ask yourself if all the players would be advocating and demanding a government-mandated and operated national health care system like what is currently being proposed by our misguided political leaders.

If everyone were fat and happy, would they be for the proposed national health care reform?

Personally, I don’t think so which begs the question of what do people really want; I say it’s to be fat and happy.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Like father like son

Last Friday was my Dad’s 83rd birthday and on that day my Dad announced that he believes he’s going to be around for a lot longer. It’s a natural belief that we all have and the topic of this September 29, 2008 Pierini Fitness blogflection: Except the 99-year old man.

Checking out my Dad on his birthday and making my own visual assessments, I see a person who still has a sharp mind, good memory, a desire to live, wit and a clever sense of humor (genetic?), and good old man body strength. My observations provide clues to me of what’s in store should God bless me with old age like my Dad.

And what might that be that in my old man store?

I’ll likely be a few inches shorter, move a little slower, not be as strong as I was when younger, still want to live to be age 100 like the 99-year old man, and more likely than not, still sporting a moustache, like father like son.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

And I'll enjoy mine

Those who regularly visit and read my blogflections can almost read my Sunday blogflections blindfolded because they always announce that Pierini Fitness is closed so the chief executive blogger can rest his body, mind and spirit. Today is no different.

They also know that if they return on Monday, waiting for them early in the morning, like a hot cup of coffee, will be a creative and original blogflection about a topic not yet known but guaranteed to be original.

Enjoy your Sunday and I’ll enjoy mine.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Not doing much fitness stuff

Today finds me knee deep in final tasks preparing for an upcoming peaceful and prayerful pro-life event my wife and I have been planning for months in connection with her pro-life apostolate, The Helpers of God’s Precious Infants. She has the official episcopal endorsement of our Catholic Diocesan Bishop who will lead a public prayer procession joined by hundreds of others from our pro-life community. We all believe that life begins at conception and are committed to a respect life ministry. There’s still much to do to be well-prepared for next Saturday morning's August 22, 2009 Helpers' Prayer Vigil for Life.

It’s hard to write about fitness stuff when you are not doing much fitness stuff.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

I still need more

Today is the 11th day since I last trained at my gym and I am enjoying the time off. I’m continuing my training time out through at least the end of next week. If my time out ends then, it will amount to a 3-week training sabbatical.

In a recent Pierini Fitness blogflection, I wrote that I was due for a training rest here: An extra rest and recovery day. Hindsight tells me that I was right on in my assessment that day.

Rest and recovery does the body good. Today I’m enjoying my 11th day of rest, and continue listening to my body that is instructing me that I still need more.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

My belated IF update

Regular followers of Pierini Fitness know that I’ve written about intermittent fasting (IF) and my experiences with the IF-lifestyle since I began it as my 2009 Lenten sacrifice. I made a decision to continue IF after Lent ended because of the lifestyle benefits it provided, and devoted several blogflections to provide my readers with IF updates. It’s been a while since my last IF update so today’s blogflection is a quick note that I am taking a short-term sabbatical from my Monday through Friday practice of IF.

Why you ask? Good question and I have a good answer.

My recent flu hiccup resulted in me dropping 3 lbs. more of bodyweight that I haven’t regained despite being back on the saddle. Quite frankly, I believe it is difficult to gain weight while practicing an IF-lifestyle. This 3 lbs. of recent bodyweight loss puts my cumulative loss at 21 lbs. from my morning bodyweight on February 25th when I began my IF journey. The daily critics who are part of my life in the real world and my own assessment based on my daily encounters with the bathroom mirror are all telling me I need to add at least 5 lbs. to my present bodyweight.

It’s time to eat more and with more frequency to gain some good quality bodyweight and that will be my goal effective immediately. Ladies and gentlemen, that is my belated IF update.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Cash for clunkers

Father Tom Euteneuer, President of Human Life International, is a wonderful Catholic priest my wife and I both got to know when we attended a pro-life contemplative retreat in Mexico City earlier this year. While the Father Tom we both know is a great resource of spiritual guidance in our Catholic faith journey, his political perspectives are also keen and refreshing as evidenced in his most recent entry in his Spirit & Life e-newsletter. I like Father Tom’s suggestion.

Spirit & Life®

"The words I spoke to you are spirit and life." (Jn 6:63)

Human Life International e-Newsletter
Volume 04, Number 24 Friday, August 7, 2009

Cash for Clunkers

I have a modest proposal for getting rid of wasteful spending, irresponsible government and even out-of-sight deficits: let's demand cash for trading in congressional clunkers. The idea occurred to me when I recently found out that our esteemed House of Representatives just authorized $200 million for three new luxury jets to take them on the "necessary" trips that they have to go on in order to do the business of government that we have not asked them to do. Since "we the people" are their bosses, we technically "own" their services, and therefore, if we just told them that their services were no longer needed and traded them in for cash, we may finally be able to get some value out of them or get new ones that actually function properly. It works for deadbeat and inefficient cars, why not for congressmen - and congresswomen of course?

Clunkers are defined as old vehicles that do not meet minimum standards of fuel efficiency or road performance. In other words, they spew too much exhaust and give their owners a shaky sense of security. Well, this certainly defines the vast majority of congress-persons that govern us in Washington, right? - not to mention many in our state legislatures, too, I would imagine. We have to admit that exhaust just bellows out of Washington, DC these days. In fact, most days it seems like nothing but hot air is generated in the hallowed halls of Congress. I can't recall the last time I applauded a congressional decision or even felt remotely satisfied with congressional performance!

Less hot and dirty air from our nation's center would do us all a lot of good. If we could remove the sources of pollution - our congressmen - then we could also eliminate the thousand-page documents they incessantly generate and call legislation, as well as all second-hand pollution and retardants known as bureaucrats, special interest groups and the rest of the congressional pencil-pushers hanging around in Washington.

Our elected officials do not give us a strong sense of security on the road either. Why should "we the people" be confident about our congress-persons who have voted to enslave several generations of future Americans with a national debt that dwarfs the cumulative total of all government spending in its entire history? Silly me, but I thought our representatives were supposed to serve the common good of the people of this nation. Here they have sold more than a trillion dollars of our national debt to China, taken over large corporations like they were playing a large game of Monopoly® and are presently taxing the middle class out of existence. Now they want to nationalize our private health care decisions, make us pay for other people's abortions and pretend that they really care about the 80 million baby boomers who will soon be marched into the "end-of-life" re-education camps to complete their "duty" to the country. The nation's confidence in our elected leaders is at an all-time low. Tell me again why we need them?

We now have a summer recess in which our congressional clunkers are supposed to consult with their constituents in their districts and states. Here's a thought: instead of tea parties, rallies or town hall meetings this summer let's demand hard cash for these clunkers and begin the monumental task of eradicating our national debt, restoring respect for human life, returning to the vision of a representative republic that our Founding Fathers gave to this great nation and placing our country, once again, "under God" where it belongs.

There, I feel better now...

Sincerely,

Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International

Thank you Father Tom. I want my for cash for clunkers.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Swine flu abs

Question: What do you get when you match up a 54-year young middle-age man fitness dude whose claim to fame is being the ambassador to middle-age men around the world with the swine flu?

Answer: First of all, we are not sure that it was the swine flu. Heck, it could have been the Sacramento flu but that strain, if it exists, isn't making worldwide and national news headlines like the swine flu so I'm calling it the swine flu because it makes for a better read and will probably result in more visits to Pierini Fitness.

Now on to the answer. Well for starters, you get a middle-age man fitness dude who spends about 4 days on his back with whole-body aches, bad headaches, and alternating episodes of fever and chills. You also get new personal records for non-stop sleeping and felonious blog abandonment.

You get a no-show at the Tommy Kono IV Weightlifting Competition and being a second-class host to the greatest Olympic weightlifter that the U.S.A. has produced.

You get a morning bodyweight of 172 lbs., a weight last seen by this middle-age man when he was a youthful age 38.

And finally, you get an August 10, 2009 early-in-the-morning case of swine flu abs.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Trying to get back to the real world

Today's planned tasks may seem modest for most but for me, after being on my back for the past 4 days, they'll be a challenge. This flu really knocked me upside down but I think I'm almost right side up again.

I'll take the day off from work just to be safe and sure and test my recovery with token tasks. First, gopher-boy task is to drive my wife's car to the gas station and fill up her car's gas tank with gas. I'll do the same with my car as we were both on empty by Sunday evening.

Then, I'm picking up Tommy Kono and taking him to Bodytribe Fitness, the gym where I train. My Dad is meeting us there. I'm sure there will be a photo or two waiting to happen during that visit.

Later in the afternoon, my wife and I will be interviewed by a local community radio station as we plug an upcoming pro-life event that we have been planning for the past couple of months.

Maybe there's more that I'll do but as of right now, that's my current to do list. I'm just trying to get back to the real world.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

As good as chicken noodle soup

Sunday's blogflection at Pierini Fitness is very predictable; it's to always announce that we are closed so the chief executive blogger can rest his body, mind and spirit.

There's one more announcement today and that is I'm still under the weather.Thanks for all who took the time to post comments and wish me well. Those comments feel as good as chicken noodle soup.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Calling in sick

To my cyberspace fitness brothers from different mothers, and to my cyberspace fitness sisters from different misters, there will not be a Pierini Fitness blogflection today because I'm calling in sick.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Under the weather

It was very ironic two days ago that, while at a client’s location where I’ve been working lately, I commented to an employee how young people get sick often and older folks like me do not. My comment was in the context this person’s young co-worker who had called in sick that day. The person to whom I was talking was suspicious of her “illness”.

Later that Wednesday evening, I went to bed with extreme whole-body aches, a bad headache, and a serious case of the chills; so bad that my teeth were clattering like a tap dancer performing on a hardwood floor. At that moment it was very obvious that I was ill. It had been a long time since I was last ill and now it was my turn. Yesterday I was flat on my back most of the day with continuing aches all over my body and a fever. I'm not sure what's in store for me today.

So that’s the extent of today's token blogflection because the chief executive blogger of Pierini Fitness is absolutely and positively under the weather.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Welcome back to Sacramento

Serious Northern California Olympic weightlifters and “ham and eggers” like me are looking forward to this upcoming weekend’s Tommy Kono IV Olympic weightlifting competition on Sunday, August 9, 2009. The venue will be held at Mr. Kono’s alma mater, Sacramento High School, where he graduated 61 years ago. Last year at this time, Mr. Kono extended his annual pilgrimage to his native city to attend a 60-year high school reunion.

With fame comes duty so Mr. Kono will have his hands and mind full during his brief visit, giving his undivided attention to all those who look forward to his sage counsel, attentive conversation and genuine friendship. He will conduct an Olympic coaching seminar on Saturday morning, spend quality time visiting his soon-to-be 87-year young older brother, and be “forced” to listen to the middle-age man nonsense of a relatively-unknown blogger whose claim to fame is being the self-appointed ambassador of middle-age men around the world.

The Tommy Kono IV experience actually began last night when the chief executive blogger of Pierini Fitness had the distinct pleasure, again, of picking up this American Olympic weightlifting legend at Sacramento International Airport while greeting him with a welcome back to Sacramento.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Mouthing off

Today’s Pierini Fitness blogflection is brief because I’m busy with work. I’m quickly composing it like a college student burning the midnight oil banging out a term paper due in the morning after procrastinating until the last minute.

People sometimes ask if I get tired composing and delivering my daily blogflections, or if I’ll ever run out of ideas or thoughts about topics.

Rest assured my small and loyal brigade of faithful readers. Here’s my 100-word daily blogflection announcing that I’ll never run out of ideas or thoughts and I’ll never get tired mouthing off.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Who do you think will be next?

An Associated Press article yesterday is another example of what President Obama has in store for “Joe the Plumber” and other middle-class taxpayers. Two of President Obama’s economic advisors recently said middle-class taxes might have to increase to shrink the budget deficits that will be created to pay for his misguided health care overhaul proposals if they become law.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner recently said that the White House is not ready to rule out a tax hike to reduce the federal deficit while National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers said that President Obama’s proposed health care overhaul needs funding from somewhere.

So now the American public knows the economic truth that money doesn’t grow on trees, and that their President Obama’s campaign pledge of “you will not see any of your taxes increase one single dime” was just another politician fib to intoxicate those whose votes he was seeking.

Of course the chief executive blogger at Pierini Fitness was not one of those who got drunk “drinking” the President’s “fool’s gold” promises during the Presidential election or his political rhetoric since becoming your newly-elected President. My last thoughts on this was the topic of this recent blogflection: You are going to be rich!

So the truth is slowly emerging as I sport an “I told you so” cyberspace-look that you are going to be rich. Guess what, I don’t believe the cost of all the socialism spending ideas of President Obama can be financed by middle-class tax increases on Joe the Plumber and other middle-class taxpayers like you and me. So after the wealthy and middle-class taxpayers have been taxed to their max, who do you think will be next?

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Under the same rooftop

My cyberspace fitness son just for fun, Mr. Justin P, whose blog I enjoy and read from time to time, recently wrote about his job here: My job. I've written some about mine in prior blogflections but generally in the context of how my busy work season makes it difficult to find time for fitness training. Today's Pierini Fitness blogflection topic is job-related and was influenced by Justin's recent dog and pony show about his work.

Since 1981 part-time and 1983 full-time, I've earned my money to pay my bills as a self-employed businessperson. I originally started out as a sole-proprietor business consisting of me, myself and I and eventually had business partners and employees. Now I'm a sole-proprietor again with one employee and another part-time employee who works during my busy work season. One thing common over the past 26 years is that my business has always been located in an office away from my home. Some people who do the work I do have offices in their homes. I've always resisted that because I've doubted my ability to be productive in a home environment, preferring instead to go somewhere else to work. That may change next July 2010 when my current office lease expires because I'm seriously considering moving my office into my home.

The home I live in would be a great office in home. It's a wonderful and spacious two-story home built in 1905 with a classic architectural design of that era located in an area described as midtown Sacramento less than one mile from the California State Capitol and downtown Sacramento with great freeway access in all directions. It has plenty of room to accommodate my office space needs without compromising family living space. It also has a full-size basement with plenty of room for storing client files and office supplies. Whether it happens or not depends on negotiations in progress with my better half, also known as The Boss.

Just like I've always preferred to go somewhere else to work, that has also been the case with my fitness training. I have always belonged to a gym. My current gym is a 6-block walk from where I live. I sometimes go downstairs to my basement and train where I have a multi-purpose pullup/bar dip/pushup exercise unit along with some resistance bands, jump rope and dust-collecting dumbbells. Personal preference and desire are the only things keeping me from using it as my primary gym of choice.

So changes are brewing in my life and it may be just a matter of short time before Pierini Accountancy, Pierini Fitness and the Pierini Family are all under the same rooftop.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Your Sunday math lesson

Today = Sunday.

Sunday = Pierini Fitness is closed.

Pierini Fitness is closed = so the chief executive blogger can rest his body, mind and spirit.

The chief executive blogger can rest his body, mind and spirit = to be rejuvenated and able to compose tomorrow’s Pierini Fitness blogflection.

Tomorrow’s Pierini Fitness blogflection = a topic not yet determined but guaranteed to be creative and original.

A topic not yet determined but guaranteed to be creative and original = what you’ll find each morning when you visit Pierini Fitness.

That’s all folks. I hope you enjoyed your Sunday math lesson.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

An extra training rest and recovery day

Unlike when my workouts were bodyweight-only exercises 4 to 6 days a week, nowadays with Olympic weightlifting training I find that 3 days a week is the most I can handle. My body needs rest of recovery that isn’t possible with a more frequent training schedule. Lately I’ve been training on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and I really look forward to my Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday rest and recovery days. Sunday has always been my universal day of rest.

Lately I've been feeling that it’s about time to take an entire week off but I’m not quite yet ready to do that. I’m getting close however and my body and mind are sending me frequent messages about what a great idea that is.

Yesterday the message was quite clear so the planned workout scheduled for Friday after work just didn’t happen. I made a “business decision” to skip the gym and this morning I feel great and am glad that I did.

Yesterday I was jumping for joy when deciding that I was "giving" myself an extra training rest and recovery day.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum