Bringing Fun Back

     It's not been fun. Nope, no fun. It's become a chore, and boring and something I dread. I can't have that. So I'm bringing the fun back.
     There was a time, not too long ago, when I looked forward to training and did everything in my power to fit it in wherever I could. I made it a point to involve Emily and make it something we did together (as much as I could). I did all sorts of lifts, not just "The Big Three" and I used every heavy object imaginable. I lifted and carried boulders that I dug up out of my mom's yard. I cut up a maple tree and got a beautiful 125lb - 130lb (depending on how wet it was) log that I would flip around the yard. I made my sandbag and lifted / carried / ran with that damn thing. I had my kettle bells, my weights cement blocks and a medicine ball that I made. Hell, I even weighted down an old car tire and carried that fucking thing up and down the driveway. I had cheapo dumbbells from the scrap yard that I used as well. I had rubber mats that I got out of the trash at work, a wobbly chair from the garage and a pair of adjustable saw horses that served as my "squat rack".  While I did plan out what I was going to do for any given day, and I did always add weight/reps to whatever I was doing, I followed no set program. I just lifted shit and the next time, I lifted more shit.  And you know what? I got strong. I got hella strong. And I had FUN! I was loving the fact that I could see something heavy and lift it onto my shoulders no matter the shape or size. I loved the fact that I could put a safety squat bar on my shoulders and do walking lunges after dragging a damned tire across the parking lot. 
     I think the programs were too dogmatic and straight line for me. I know that sounds stupid because that's the whole point of a program, but I can't sustain that. Something about that little part of me that rebels at being told what to do - it HATED not being able to vary what I was doing. Variety, for me is key. I believe my wonky back plays into that as well. I need to be able to move in different ways while still increasing loads. I need to work all angle of my body because, apparently, my body wants to play by its own stupid, bipolar rules. With all that being said, I think programs are great for novices and for certain types of people. When you're just beginning to lift, that regimented structure is important to setting up good, lasting habits. But for me, regimented doesn't work for me. At least not that strict of a regiment. 
     So I'm switching things up - again; going back to old ways with new knowledge of form and technique; a deeper understanding of muscles worked and why they worked the way they did. I'm adding fun back in. If by adding fun back in, that means that instead of doing a straight 5x5 on bench I mix it up a bit with some pyramids and ladders, then so be it. I'm not counting that as a failure. If by adding fun back in it means that I don't bench, dead, squat, press in that order, every week, then who the fuck cares? My goal has always been to get STRONG. if, at the end of the day I benched more today than I did last week, then I have succeeded. If I can look in the mirror and see muscle definition that wasn't there a couple of weeks ago, then I win. If I can FINALLY lift a 300lb stone then I reckon it doesn't matter one bit if I got there with a regimented program or a varied fun program. The fact that I got there is all that matters to me. By the way, I'm nowhere near lifting a 300 lb stone yet, but I'm just throwing it out to the universe to get some good vibes rolling. (wink wink)
     The weather right now is shitty. It's new England and it's January. So not too much will happen outside. But on good days I can throw Em up on my shoulders and walk her around the neighborhood or jog with her up and down the power lines. I still have a monstrous earth mover tire that we need to figure out how to claim. The thing is half buried and filled with sand, but It's mine! And I need to bring my boulders and log to our new house (yes I really just said that). But in the gym, I'm adding more variety back in. Different variations of standard movements and such. This life is mine. It's my experiment. I want to enjoy my experiment not merely get it done.