Giving Death the Middle Finger: My First Pullup Since Losing the Skill

 Initially, I thought my pullup days were done.  My last attempt to complete a pullup workout a year ago left me with crippling elbow pain after just three repetitions.  In retrospect, it did not help that most of my days for 10 months were occupied by holding and rocking increasingly heavy babies multiple times per day, stressing out and building my elbows and biceps specifically, which grew to match my middle aged belly.  Considering my health condition, I reluctantly and sadly resolved to cease practice of pullups, replacing them with kettlebell standing rows, which hardly matched half the intensity per repetition with a 70 pound bell.  

During this sad time of illness, infection with latent TB, and overwork, I was challenged to match repetitions in deficit pushups with the director of my martial arts school.  Since I would not be a man to decline the challenge of a man in his 60's, I have week by week expanding my deficit pushup numbers until I can now complete three slow sets of 20 comfortably, and can finish with a set of 30+.  Interestingly, the low range of pushup develops much more than just the anterior pushing muscles of the chest, shoulders, and triceps.  By lowering down slightly past the level of the hands, the traps, lats, biceps, and midsection are also greatly taxed by these deep pushups.  My improving strength in my back and concern about muscle imbalance prompted me to include high repetition bodyweight rows under my desk at work, which have improved my grip strength as well as mass in the upper back and rear shoulders.  

Yesterday, while at the park with my son, he climbed onto the play equipment and it occurred to me I should try to pull myself up using the play equipment.  To my surprise and joy, I was able to easily pull my body up using the bars and elevate my chin above my hands provided I started by standing on the ground.  Every time he stepped onto the equipment, I did another single repetition, totaling 11 pullups from a standing position over 45 minutes.  This alone is not impressive, but I did this with ZERO elbow pain during or after the pullups, which was impossible last year.  Now that I have overcome my inability to have a family, by having kids, I have also regained the pullup, which was once the cornerstone of my physical strength development.  I will now ensure I keep the pullup against all odds.  I took this ability back from death and I'll be keeping it for myself as long as possible while my kids grow, further shaming the bastard.

I also completed a full course of Rifampin.  As I understand it, there is no way to know if I have sterilized TB from my system.  So all I can do now is to monitor symptoms, avoid starvation, get adequate rest, support my immune function, and hope I'm not one of the 10% for whom the disease becomes active, or the 5% of active infections who slowly die from it.

A New Challenge for a Tired Body

Much has changed in the intervening years, yet much stays the same.  I am now able to confidently say I have met many life goals, yet my focus has needed to shift to accommodate.  Things that used to be quite important are now lesser priorities or are on track without need for my intervention.  

I have been challenged to partake in a 100 opponent kumite in my martial arts school for a 3rd degree black test.  This is NOT the original Mas Oyama kumite which consisted of 100 rounds of 2 minutes each and a requirement that a certain proportion be victories.  Rather, this will be a gauntlet of 1 minute rounds with fresh opponents, the purpose of which is to test my heart, not my ribcage.  When asked if I felt able to participate, I said "maybe, let me find my physical limits and get back to you."  

My current goal is to complete 200 minutes of combinations nonstop (the combo will be a front, cross, rising kick).  I can currently complete 60 minutes once per month without cardiovascular symptoms.  I will add 10 minutes per month until I am able to nearly complete 200, and by that point will be nearly at the point next year of accepting the challenge.  It will verify that I am physically able to complete the challenge (1 hour and 40 minutes of being beat down and giving back my worst).  The only barrier past that point will be will power to endure the beating that awaits me.  The 20 opponent gauntlet for my 2nd degree black test was a brutal test.  I hadn't cried after a beatdown since I was 6 years old and that test did the trick, reducing me from grown man to little boy over 12 hours.  Despite that, I can say I earned my second degree and have diligently kept returning for more.

My current workout routine is 120 deep stretch extended range of motion pushups per week, 10 minutes of repetitive high kicking to build range of motion, balance, and hip muscle development, as many repetitions of kettlebell lifts as prescribed by rolling dice and adding a zero to the results (a range from 20 - 120 lifts per week to be completed as quickly as possible), running around a park with my loved ones as many repetitions as they require.  One of the problems with this training is the high volume of anterior chain movements.  The kettlebell lifts will help balance my muscular development, but I will also require a pulling movement.  I will be adding bent over rows, since I can no longer perform a full pullup, and a 30 second neck bridge to my isometric routine after exercise.  I also incorporate bear crawls as a finisher that integrates all muscle groups.  At times, I add 100 stance switches (jumping and switching left vs. right forward positions), 100 hook strikes per arm, 100 in to out hammerfist strikes per arm, and 200 horizontal straight punches.  Accordingly, my body composition has improved dramatically and I am currently avoiding any joint pain or cardiovascular symptoms.

My hope is to be physically ready for the challenge ahead by next summer.