Nature You Scary, Biking Adventure pt. 2: The Failed Attempt

"Failure Is Not An Option"

It was interesting having a guest writer on my last post. I think for this entire trip I would like to have both us of write bout how we felt and how we think that day had went. I am going to try this out for a little while and see how this works out. With that being said I give you Lilly and my perspective on our first trip.

 

Lavell's Perspective 

The day was a little too perfect. The sun was shining, birds were chirping and the weather was quite forgiving for it being late june. I had just put air into my tires and felt like it was going to be a really good day, it was our first long distance ride. Water? Check. Snacks? Check. Speaker? Check. Tires inflated to a perfect 100 PSI? Check. Off we go! Let me reiterate, how nice of a day it was. As we barrelled down Center street making our way to Harvard, blasting "Anderson.Paak", "Chance the Rapper", and  "The Internet" on this little UE Boom portable speaker. I swear I saw a baby rabbit wink at me. Okay, I may be exaggerating a bit, but honestly it was that nice of an afternoon. It may have also been my imagination but I swear every street light turned green as we approached them.

As we pedaled closer and closer to Harvard yard everything seemed to be in order. It had the making of a beautiful journey. The kind of adventure you tell your children and grandchildren about years and years to come. The kind of story that you tell so much that everyone is sick of hearing it and nods in agreement to not hurt your feelings. In other words I finally felt free, I hadn't bike across the country yet, but preparing to bike to New York made me feel like I was one step closer. In this case one pedal closer to my main goal, the original purpose of this blog, biking my ass from Boston, Ma to San Francisco, CA. Then it happened...

As we turned onto Kirkland st from Irving st I heard the crunching grinding noise. I looked down and my back wheel was rubbing against the frame, a loose axle. Needless to say I was devastated, we tried to ride a little further but I am kind of a perfectionist and it was no longer interested in trying to continue 15 miles with the grinding of my bike tire. So I was forced to take my bicycle to a shop to get fixed up. 

We'll see what happens when we attempt to do this again. Wish us luck everyone.

 

Lilly's Perspective

 "I don't remember much of that day to be honest. The music was playing. The sun was shining. One minute we were in a great mood and the next Lavell was Pouty McPoutyface cuz his axle broke. And I was annoyed because I asked him if he wanted to turn around at Harvard, but he wanted to keep going. So we kept riding with him in a foul mood for a bit longer, but ended up turning around anyway further down the route. Then we went home and made plans to get his bike fixed and tackle the trip another day."

Words of Wisdom: “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” – Mark Twain

Thank you for reading

Pilgrims Ain't Shit!: Biking Adventure Pt. 1

"Now I ride everywhere, except during the winter (those people are psycho-lists)."

 *Warning this post has nothing to do with Pilgrims*

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and Virginia. What do they all have in common? They're old, and we are biking through 4 out of 5 of these original 13 colonies, that is about it. So fuck pilgrims and follow our biking journey from Somerville, MA to Manhattan, NY. What I am hoping is that anyone who may be interested in doing a journey similar to this can use this post as a blueprint of sorts.
        If you haven't noticed my use of pronouns like "we" and "our", I do not plan on doing this trip alone. I have a very special guest joining me and her name is Lilly (she says that's all you need to know about her). Our game plan is to spend about two or three days riding from Boston to New York making stops in Providence, RI and New London, Ct. We will then take the Cross Sound Ferry from Connecticut to Long Island and spend the rest of the day riding into Manhattan. While we are in the "Big Apple" we will spend two days exploring the boroughs, seeing friends, family and just hanging out (this will be Lilly's first "real" time going to NY).
        Now that I have you hooked this is where I hit you with the, "But wait... there is more!" After spending two days in New York we will rent a car and see some friends who I used to train Jiu Jitsu  with in boston, at their new home in Virginia. The total trip will be about a week, but the highlight is the riding. The main thing I want you to keep in mind is this is our first time trying something like this. I expect there to be much trial and error and with that being said, let's jump right in.

The Itinerary

I never been much of a planner. Luckily I have someone going with me who is slightly better at organizing then I am myself. So below is a basic summary of our trip. It includes every city we plan on stopping in, the mileage between each location, the places where we plan on staying,  and how much each place costs. On top of that we put the amount of time we believe it should take to get from each location. There are few expenses that have been left out.  New London, for example, we plan on just sleeping outside or in a park by setting up a tent and sleeping bags. I also didn't include the cost of the ferry from CT to NY, the cost of renting a car, how much we plan on spending in NY, and the cost of the train ride back. I may do a more in depth cost break down at the bottom of this post.

The Bikes

My Bike: 56cm Jamis T6 6061 Aluminum Racing Bike, Year: Unknown

Picture from this website

I got it for pretty much for nothing and if you click on the link for the website it is being sold for $350. What I like about is that it's light, feels about 20 pounds. The bike itself is very fast and going up hill is so smooth it's like "buttah kehd". I don't know to much about bikes, but I would say this bike is everything I was looking for in a bike. The few concerns that I have include how much grip the tires have on the road.

Probably about a month ago I was riding on a slick surface in less than favorable weather and a car cut me off. It was either slam on the breaks or hit the car and flip over it. I chose to hit the breaks and try to swerve to my left. What happened was I lost control and I slid completely sideways. It was like in the those movies where the protagonist on a motorcycle slides under a moving truck just in the nick of time to be able to make his get away. Well me sliding was something like that... just not as cool, or heroic. I sled and rear ended the car that was right in front of me. Luckily I sled underneath the car and caused no damage to their vehicle or myself. The guy who cut me off just looked dumbfounded as me and the car I hit cursed him out. At the time I was furious, but in hindsight the slide was actually kind of cool. If only it would have been under a truck or something like that and I had a cool one liner.

 Another concern about this bike is I am not to sure how well the tires will hold up on rocky terrain. It makes me very scared that something sharp or jagged will pop or break them. It's a kind of irrational fear but I would rather be safe than sorry.

Her Bike: 47 cm Specialized Vita

"My bike does not feel like buttah, unfortunately. It feels like swimming through cement. It's a hybrid road/mountain bike- which makes it useful for brief city errands and off-road jaunts. However, despite its reliability- there are some drawbacks. I got my bike roughly two years ago after the company I was doing my internship at switched buildings. There was only one 40 minute bus route I could take to get to work which included an additional 30 minute walk. With no car, and limited T money/patience, I had to suck it up and figure out how to get to work. So I bought this bike. And thus began my unwitting transformation into a cyclist. 

It was weird how fast the change hit me. I would wake up at 4am every morning to get on the bike trail in Somerville to get to work (a miserable way to start the day if you are not a morning person like me), and by the time I reached Waltham, the birds were singing the sun was rising- everything looked and felt alive, myself included. No more massholes stuck in traffic, taking out their aggression on those around them, no more miserable train rides, no more late useless buses, no more shitty commutes. While my colleagues arrived to work frazzled and stressed out from their commutes, I arrived rejuvenated and relaxed. I was hooked. And after a few months of riding up and down the many hills and roads, 24 miles round trip, I was in the best shape of my life. Now I ride everywhere, except during the winter (those people are psycho-lists).

But enough sentimental bullshit. Back to the details. Frankly, I think I was overcharged for the bike because I didn't know anything about bikes at the time. I walked in blind having done no research whatsoever and simply told them how far I'd be riding everyday. The hipster scumbag who sold it to me suckered me into buying extra items and special installations that in hindsight were totally unnecessary and overpriced. So, heed my warning and learn from my mistakes- do your homework.  To the bike's credit, it has held up pretty well through two long years of abuse. 

Since I purchased it, I've ridden roughly 1500+ miles on it (not including all of the grocery runs, errands, and side trips - like our 30 mile ride to Salem). The rack that came with it fell off after a few months, so now it's patched together with zip ties and a milk crate. I've only had two flats and one bike chain and brake replacement despite the brutal treatment. So, why am I not as please with it as I could be? This bastard is heavy. It's heavy with no load, and I've been riding for two years with it packed up from groceries to backpacks, and tools/supplies. The thing is, I had no idea how heavy this thing was since the last time I rode a bike was back when I was 10 or 11. It wasn't until I took a spin on Lavell's bike that I realized my bike was a hunk of lead. So, despite it being a reliable ride, I'm not sure a long multi-state trip will be as fun with a bike this heavy. So I plan to train using this heavier bike and then switch to a lighter bike for the trip."

 

The Gear

*We have no sponsorship by any of the products talked about in this section*

So if you haven't been able to tell by this post yet. We are completely new to this shit. Honestly it's a good and a bad thing. Good because you get a first hand experience from people who have absolutely no idea what they are doing. So if this is your first time doing it as well you have a pretty solid guideline to follow. Bad... well because this is completely new we have to buy everything (if we can afford to) or borrow it. So below is a list of all the supplies we believe we need buy to make this trip that much better.

• Wraps: I like the multicolored tape - $40
• Mirrors: German Mirror- $26 x2
• Front and Back Lights: Wishlist- $70
• Sleeping Bags: Warmer Weather- $28 
• Pump/CO2: Inflator & CO2- $50 (this price includes both items)
• Saddle Bags/Bicycle Panniers: Cycling Bag & Weather Panniers - $116 (total for both items)
• Rack: Tubus or Topeak or Ibera - $87 or $50 or $32 (priced from left to right)
• New Chain: Gold Bike Chain- $40
• New Breaks : Local Bike Store- $12
• Tubes: Local Bike Store- $8 x4 = $32
• Seat Cushion: For her- $30
• Tools: Local Shop- $30
  
• First Aid Kit: This One- $20
  
• Helmets: Simple Cheap Helmet- $25
• Bike Lock: Local Bike Store- $40
• Glasses: Cheap Eye Protection- $22
  
• Extra Batteries: Mophie- $100
  
• Clothes: Shorts & Socks- $65
  
• Printed Map: $0
  
• New Tires: Adventure Tires- $70 x2
• Hygiene Products: Local Items
• Cup Holder: Forté- $30
• Cell Holder: MoreZone- $15

Total Cost: $1074

Keep in mind that these are things we would like to purchase to make this trip a little easier on us. Everything that is on this list may not be purchased or it may be substituted for a cheaper alternative.We are pretty broke college students so this list may not be how our final outcome.

 

The Apps

*We have no sponsorship by any of the products talked about in this section*

A quick list of the various apps we will be using for this trip

• InRoute: http://www.apppicker.com/reviews/13564/inRoute-app-review-a-trip-planning-tool
• Google Maps:
• Sports Tracker: http://www.sports-tracker.com/
• Speedometer:  https://play.google.com/store/app/details?id=com.valueapps.utilities.speedometer

Cost Break Down

Here is a total cost break down of what we think this whole trip is going to run us. It includes what I posted earlier about the supplies we are buying, the cost of lodging, the cost of a rental, and spending money. 

1) Lodging: Total: $100

The game plan is to do a lot of camping. Neither of us have a problem with sleeping outside and we plan on using that to help us keep out costs low. In New London, Connecticut where we will be spending our first night we plan on sleeping in a park or somewhere that is out of plain sight. From there once we hit Long Island our second night will be spent in Stony Brook, New York. The cost a night there, for basic camping, is about $20 dollars. The most expensive part of our trip is staying in an Hostel in New York. That alone I averaged to around $60-$100 which should cover the cost of staying there for about two nights. Then after our New York adventure we are going to see a couple of friends in Virginia Beach and will most likely stay with them.

2) Supplies, Rental & Travel: Total: $1074 + $200= $1274

I decided to include the rental into the supplies. When I calculated the total cost of everything we wanted to get I almost threw my calculator across the room. We have about a month and a couple of weeks to start getting supplies together. Some of the essentials from the list I feel like we without a doubt need is racks, tools, tubes, mirrors, lights, sleeping bags, and pumps. So if we can just get those supplies then I believe that may be enough to get us to where we need to go. We also aren't biking bike so the cost of taking a train back form New York to Boston is about $50 per person.
One thing I want to mention is that we also found a bicycle shop within 5-10miles from almost every city that we come in contact with along the route.

3) Spending: Total: $300

We are going to spend two days in NY and one day in VA. Honestly estimating spending is a tricky thing since you really don't know how much you actually will spend. New York is a lot more expensive than Virginia and I am basing this estimate strictly off the amount of time we are staying there.  I would like to go to the Supreme store and purchase some clothes to bring back to home or even eat out. 

One place I am without a doubt looking forward to spending money at is "The Doughnut Project", it's a small, hipster, locally owned doughnut shop. They pretty much sell grass fed, free range doughnuts, not really, but you get the gist. Last time I was in New York I went to go try this place out mostly for the novelty factor of eating an "Everything" doughnut or a "Beet and Ricotta" one. Even with the wow factor of trying something slightly out of the ordinary I do have to say they possess some of the best glazed doughnuts I have ever had the pleasure of sticking in my mouth. And after all of that riding I can't wait to eat as many glazed doughnuts as I can.


Words of Wisdom: "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."  —Robert Brault

Thank you for reading

 

End of Semester Post

        "It's funny, this year, especially this semester has been one of great changes. I have met a lot of wonderful people and I have even separated from a few."

 

 

Photo by Steven S.

This semester completely kicked my ass. It was a one sided fight that left me curled in the fetal position begging for my life. Granted, I grew when it came to being involved with extracurricular activities. Yet, when one area thrives another gets dragged through the mud. I noticed a sharp decrease in my grades and my ability to do well in my classes. This semester I walked away with an A and 2 B's. It's funny, this year, especially this semester has been one of great changes. I have met a lot of wonderful people and I have even separated from a few. It has been a very long time since I have updated this thing. I guess I finally found time to sit down in write. I think my main goal of this post is to keep things sweet and to the point. So here is a quick list of updates and where things are going.

Updates:

1) I just got a new (used) bike. A beautiful slightly used Jamis racing bike that needs a little TLC, but has been holding up pretty well.

2) August 19th I am doing a 3 day ride from Somerville, Ma to Manhattan, Ny with a wonderful woman. We will be traveling via NY-25A W (according to google maps) and I am kind of excited to take the ferry. I plan on fully documenting this trip from start to finish. The itinerary as of now looks something like this:
August 19th: Somerville, MA to  Providence, RI - 54.1 Miles, ETA: 6 Hours
August 20th: Providence, RI to New London, CT- 58.4 Miles, ETA 6 Hours
August 21th: New London, CT to Manhattan via Ferry- 137 Miles, ETA 12 Hours
August 22nd-24th: See friends and enjoy the city
August 25th: Amtrak back to Boston, MA.- 250 Miles, ETA 5 Hours
Total Mileage: 500 miles
(Times and hours may change depending on how we feel. Looking at this itinerary I am thinking we may be able to push further on the first to days to make the 3rd day a little easier on us.) 

3) A lot has changed, I have changed a lot psychically, mentally and emotionally. There is a lot that I am able to share that I am hoping I can share in future posts.

4) I am planning from this point on to try my best to post at least once a month. The point of this blog is still to bike across the country and I still plan on holding true to that promise. I guess anything else I post about school, fitness, fighting, or any thing else is just information I believe some people may find helpful.

I promised to keep this short and it's a little longer than I expected so I thank you for taking the time to read this. Please be on the look out for any new posts from me. 

Words of Wisdom: "If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes." -Andrew Carnegie

A month in Peru. What should you expect.

"I knew that Peru was going to be different; I wasn't sure how different from home it would really be."

 Cusco, Peru

Ollantaytambo, Peru - Photo Credit: Me & Daneri

(I would like to thank Bunker Hill Community College, The Center of International Students, Miss Key and Miss Shapazian for the opportunity of being able to study abroad.)

        As I sit on this coach bus with my fellow weary passengers and we slowly make our 3-day journey from Boston, MA to Las Vegas Nevada (I ended up flying out of Kansas City). I can't help but drift off and think, about how pitch black the highway is at 3:00 AM. Seriously, between Indianapolis and Saint Louis the only source of light seems to be from other drivers scared shitless because of how dark it is. So many questions seem to be running through my head right now, why did I decided to take a bus? When will we careen into a ditch? Is it still to late to catch a flight? Most importantly I can't help but reminisce about the last month I spent abroad in Peru.  

        Being in the city of Cusco was without a doubt an interesting experience. Not only was it my first time attempting to speak a different language, but it was also the first time I had ever left the United States. Where I am from people like me don't really get to travel much so you must have imagined my surprise when I received a call saying I won my schools scholarship. Winning within itself was a surreal experience that forever changed me. I knew that Peru was going to be different; I wasn't sure how different from home it would really be. My main concern is not making this a comparison between two countries but more of what I felt/experienced at the time. With that being said, these are strictly my thoughts and opinions about Peru, Cusco and the few surrounding areas I visited. I hope you enjoy it.  

Dogs Are Everywhere:

Urubamba, Peru - Photo Credit: Me

        For the first week or two I expected to feel some form of culture shock. Whether it had been the language barriers or just differences in cultures. Yet, the feeling of being overwhelmed never came. I think I was more worried about the people around me talking about this foreign concept (at least to me) of feeling helpless more than me actually experiencing helplessness. There was one thing that got to me; in Spanish I believe you would call them Perros de la Calle. I hope that is correct my profesora, Nancy Puma, would kill me if it weren't. In English, they are called stray dogs, very rare where I am from.  There are occasions where you may see one or two, but over there it looked like a scene straight out of a Swedish House Mafia video. It made trying to skateboard a little uncomfortable. I'm used to dogs going into a murderous rage when I ride by on my board, but usually they are on a leash so it isn't much to worry about. Only problem there wasn't any leashes for as far as the eye could see. I would ride by and prepare to get mauled by a pack of canines with nothing to lose who hated me just for my bad choice of transportation. To my surprise, it never happened! One of the mentors at the school I went to mentioned how the dogs here are more independent than the people. As I spent more time there I started noticing how true of a statement that was. If you don't bother them they will usually leave you alone and if they don't just pick up a few rocks. 

Street Vendors Are Everywhere:

Street Vendor, Cusco, Peru - Photo Cred: David Zhou

 

         Everyone called me Bob Marley any chance that they could. Being black, taller than most people and having dreads definitely did not help in any way, shape or form. I stood out like a sore thumb. When a child no older then 4 years old looks at you and says, "heh, Bub Maley" you know you have a problem on your hands. More specifically how the hell does a small child born almost 30 years after he died even know who he is? I wasn't even born when Bob Marley died. The biggest offenders of this were the endless sea of street vendors nestled in every nook and cranny waiting for you to make eye contact. "Hola, Bob Marley... Do you remember me" me knowing this was my first day in Cusco, "No I'm pretty sure I never met you before", "Well my name is Pablo Picasso, I am an artist" (later I would meet 5 other people also named Pablo Picasso). "oh hey", I replied less than amused. "You want to buy a painting? They are all handmade." Me looking around, "no thank you Pablo."  "When you come back?"... "No, No Gracias" "Por Que?, just buy one, mira, they are on vinyl. Mira es una llama" quickly shuffling through his book of paintings. "Pablo... no, it's a beautiful llama I am not interested." "You buy next time?" "No", "I see you next time." Shaking my head, "Whatever..."

        I wish I could say that that was an isolated incident, but it happened almost everyday. If vendors weren't trying to sell you knick-knacks then they were trying to massage you. No matter how annoying it may have gotten I had to admire their persistence. Their approach was a work ethic that you really ever see back home it came off almost completely fearless. One thing that really broke my heart was seeing the children outside selling things at very late hours of the night. It would be 3-4am and you would see boys and girls no older than 10 selling hats and candy. I even saw a child who had to be at least three with his older brother who looked like he was six selling candy with a fanny pack strapped around his chest. I gave them both a couple U.S dollar each (I was thinking the exchange rate), later I thought how the hell are a 3 and a 6-year-old going to exchange U.S. dollars. I didn't fully think that one through. 

*Note- On the weekends I believe that it's Sunday (probably would help to check both days) San Pedro market has a black market where you can find all type of items. Make sure that you watch your own belongings when you are there. You do not want to be wondering why a very familiar phone is up for sale.*

Beauty Is Everywhere:

Ollanytambo

When I tell people that I didn't go visit Machu Picchu they look at me like I insulted their mother. Hey, it was expensive and I am not the kind of person who likes to visit tourist traps. One place I really fell in love with was the sacred valley. All of my classmates went to spend the independence days in the jungle and I was not able to go. My host sister actually surprised me by taking me to the sacred valley with her. The drive there which takes a little over an hour and shouldn't cost you more than 3-5 soles (if they ask you for more you should go ask a different driver), it is breath taking within itself. It is something about driving from the city to the countryside that is very calming. I won't write much here I think pictures can say a lot more than words.         If you ever get the chance to check out Urubamba or Cusco I have a few suggestions for you. URUBAMBA: Make sure you get off at the right stop in Urubamba. There are two stops the first one is kind of near a gas station. The second stop is in Ollantayambo; it cost double the first stop.  There is a restaurant named Kaia Urubamba (pictured below), this place is simply amazing. It has a very relaxing laid-back vibe and the owner is the nicest woman you will ever meet. They even have an outdoor eating area like no other.  Visit the bar next to Kaia Urubamba. It's a club/bar you can't miss it. The bar has a sculpted tree of a man holding two snakes. They open late and have a huge party with a bonfire for majority of the night. Try Ceviche. It's delicious! Always check out the various markets. You never know what you will find. Markets usually last the majority of the day and they sell interesting items.  Take Moto Taxi's they are just fun and really cheap 1 or 2 soles.   CUSCO: Taxi's will try to over charge you. The usual price for traveling is 3-4 soles (you can bargain).  Don't take any random taxi's there are a few that are worth it: Mama Africa, Rapidos   The local markets have very cheap meals and juices. I got a pitcher of freshly made carrot, orange and apple juice for a total of 3 soles in USD that is roughly 1 dollar.  Shop around for ATM's, some machines have ridiculous fees. There are a few banks that charge little to no fee. Where I was staying off of Av de la Cultura there is a bank called Credinka that charged me nothing to withdraw money.    Photo Cred: Kaia Urubamba Facebook

Motor Taxi- Photo Cred: Me

Peru Panorama - Dave Austria

Plaza de Armas - Marcelo Druck

Words of Wisdom: "You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else." -Albert Einstein 

Thank you for reading  

The Meaning of Life

"If you can take anything out of my blog entries I wish it to be inspiration."

Photo courtesy of gfpeck

        If you only had seconds left to live and you could do one thing that you really wanted to do before your time was up, what would that be? Would you regret any of things that you didn't get to do? Would you be satisfied with the life that you had lived?

       If the answer is no then what can be done to change that. There is something about blogs that I find very interesting. It's a powerful tool that can help or harm others. Now don't get me wrong I am not trying to go on this huge tangent of the almighty blogger. To be honest I don't even know who I'm writing to, to me it's to satisfy the urge I have inside of me to tell a story any story.
        Yet, to myself it seems deeper than that. On the surface what am I doing? I am just trying to document my journey as I trek across this treacherous terrain known as North America (while raising funds for my college education). Under this thin crust of a college student with more goals than he can care to remember lies a filling that wants to leave you (the reader) with something.
        But, what exactly do I want to leave with you? If you can take anything out of my blog entries I wish it to be inspiration. The belief that you can do anything if you truly want to. Now, I'm not saying to go jump off a building because yo believe you can fly. We can't do that, not yet. but it's all about growing as a person and not being scared of being uncomfortable. So with that being said please be a little uncomfortable and don't take things too seriously.

Thank you for reading.

Words of Wisdom: "There is nothing which we receive with so much reluctance than advice." - Joseph Addison 

Beinvenidos Peru

Beinvenidos Al Peru

karlnorling

Where have I been?

Hey, I can't lie I have been busy, really busy. I was surprised myself that the last time I updated was September 2014. Damn!? I knew I was busy, but that is just neglect. Needless to say I am still on track to doing everything that I have had planned. I actually had one of two things that I was aiming to do this summer. 

1. Ride my bike across the country 
2. Study abroad in another country.

Well I have decided to choose the former and this summer, well in actually a months time I will be leaving to stay in Peru. It is something that I didn't think that I would get, but I won the scholarship offered by my school and I do not plan on looking back. 

I will periodically write updates as I continuing working to my goal of getting into M.I.T

Thank you for reading. 

Words of Wisdom:

"Successful people are individuals who are always focused on the positive and they constantly encourage themselves by thinking about the moments when they were the stars, the ones who everyone gathered around to extol." 

DON't GIVE ME THAT PANSY S#&% ! (Nutrition and Weight Loss Tips)

"Don't ever quit, don't ever think you can't do something."

Working Out/Exercise 

        For the last three months I have been working out sparingly (going 2 days instead of 3 per week like i should).  I usually do a full body workout; I know, save me the macho bodybuilder advice. A site that I find that really helps me out a lot is this one right here http://www.bodybuilding.com
And if you are anything like me, you like to have things kind of already made for you. It is just a lot easier to have a workout that is already put together instead of figuring everything out on your own. This is the actual routine that I do. The exercises with the Set #3 blacked out are only two sets

You can find various workouts Here

        Besides lifting weights I also run regularly. So lets say I get my lazy a** to the gym Mon,Wed, and Fri. I usually try to run on the weekend... usually. It's a lot easier to sit around and play Xbox, you reserve energy that way. To bad running away from cops in GTA doesn't count as cardio. I would be like Usain Bolt by now. (Tips on running at bottom of blog)

Photo courtesy of Jonny Ross, Check out more work here

The Secret to my weight loss

        But, Wait Lavell... What about Tuesdays and Thursdays? Do you do anything on those days? Ah, Yes, Tuesdays and Thursdays, the most wonderfully dreadful days of them all. About two five months ago I got involved in the greatest, most tiring thing I have ever done in my life. Because of it my confidence is through the roof. I have lost 7lbs around 20lbs in two weeks 2 and half months (recently weighed myself), and my body (especially my legs) hate me for it. On those two days I fight, simple as that. I train Muay Thai and recently boxing on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Only reason I go to the boxing is because I have to wait for the Muay Thai to start. My coach, trainer, torturer, what ever words pop into my head to describe this man doesn't take away from how much I have learned. 

        Muay Thai has been my favorite martial art probably since I watched Ong Bak; I must have been like twelve or thirteen at the time. My love for martial arts started years before that though, from movies like: The Drunken Master, Romeo Must Die, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and so many others at some point I was bound to get involved. It just so happened that my gym or my soon to be gym was offering classes with registration. I decided to sign up and at first I was nervous to go, but once I did I never really looked back.

        If you are looking for something that not only mixes a ridiculous amount of cardio with strength and conditioning, but provides a great deal of self confidence and the ability to properly defend yourself you should look into a martial art. Even if you never plan on getting into a fight, a martial art can, will get you in ridiculously great shape. That alone should be enough to get you convinced. A typical day of training goes something like this:

Boxing:

6:00pm, Walk into gym, wrap hands and start shadowboxing for boxing

6:10pm, Finish warming up, put gloves on, partner up, and start practice techniques

6:10-7:00pm Gradually increase interval time until we are doing combos back and forth non-stop, 

Muay Thai

7:00pm Get ready for Muay Thai and hit the mat for shadowboxing

7:10pm, 25 Jump Lunges, 50 V-Sits, 25 Jump Squats

7:15pm, Technique 1

7:20pm, 25 Jump pushups, 50 V-Sits, Plank for 1 min

7:25pm, Technique 2

7:30pm, 100 Flutter Kicks, 25 Jump Squats, 25 Jump Lunges 

7:45pm, Technique 3

7:50-8pm, Core circle (It isn't called that but that's what I call it. Basically everyone get's in a circle and does 100 of what ever core strengthen technique the person chooses. So if there are 6 people you end up doing 600 ab exercises.)

8:00-8:30pm, We Spar, if you don't know what that is we basically practice everything we learned against each other. 

Closing

        A little early I mentioned I was going give few tips on running. I am going to make that it's own separate subject in my next post. There is a lot I want to cover on the subject and I feel like I have made this post long enough. So I will leave you with this, don't ever quit, don't ever think you can't do something. Every day that I am in training and I look like I am about to give up, or in life when things seem to get hard. I will remember my coach standing above me, screaming, "Don't Give Me That Pansy S#&%!",and I will keep pushing forward and you can to.

Leave any comments or advice if you would like.