Ask me to share my dreams with you and one of them will be the tale of the castle I wish to own. I don’t mean that in a metaphorical or figurative sense. I want a castle.
Really, who wouldn’t want to own a castle, private island, private jet and all that comes with it. It is not as silly as it may sound because I am interested in it. While money isn’t how I measure happiness it is a tool I can use to gather more experiences under my belt and owning a castle would be quite nice.
I would be good to the serfs and the peasants in the villages on my land. Lord Jack Steiner, the master of all he surveys- may his vision extend a thousand miles.
Sounds nice, doesn’t it.
Back In The World of Things That Are Easier To Obtain
There was a time in my life when I could 500 push-ups in a day without much effort. Hell, I got to a point where I could picture doing 1,000 but I got bored.
Ok, that is not true, my girlfriend got bored and when you are 19 you listen when your girl says she wants to be part of your exercise session. So I was silly and I listened. Doesn’t mean I gave up exercise altogether because I didn’t but things changed.
Didn’t happen overnight but it feels like it and unlike my dreams of owning a castle this is something I can fix in a relatively short period of time.
Yes, I am working my way towards being able to do 500 push-ups a day again. And for those who are curious I doubt I am going to try to hit 500 in a row.
I have done that, but I was still in my twenties the last time I did it and I am more cautious about what sort of strain I place on my body. Yep, I just admitted I am not invulnerable anymore.
Please don’t share that with anyone as my fragile male ego can’t take it. I’ll probably end up hiding under my desk and once the shame wears off I will come find you and kick you right in the butt with my size 12 boot.
Why 500 Push-Ups?
When and if you ask my why my response is going to be why not. Maybe it is because I consistently work on my motto of Don’t Worry About What You Can’t Control and this fits perfectly.
Maybe it is because sometimes the best way to win the war is to pick and choose your battles. Small victories add up over time and they help build confidence.
Maybe it is because I spend far too much time sitting behind a keyboard and I need to do whatever I can to combat the sedentary lifestyle so many of us have fallen into.
Besides we are in the last quarter of the year and I feel the need to make a big push. 2012 hasn’t been terrible but it hasn’t been great. It hasn’t had enough high moments for me to want to look back upon it with a smile.
I intend to continue to do things to change that. The only question is will my good intentions come to fruition or will they stay here as words on a screen.
The Wii U
Last week I got to participate in a Wii U experience along with many of my fellow Nintendo Brand Ambassadors. I think it is a great unit and that it is going to be hell of a lot of fun to play with.
I played a bunch of different games but my favorite by far was the Batman game. It was really cool and I had great fun being the Dark Knight. If you click on the link you’ll see the video and I am sure you’ll be impressed. Trust me, the Wii U is on my list of things to buy.
But when I got home I looked in the mirror again and said, ‘self, you are soft.’
That is not what you want to say or think. Honest and realistic, but still not what you want, or at least not what I want.
Change is coming and 500 push-ups is part of my process. I owe it to myself and I want my kids to see we aren’t ever too old to take care of ourselves or to try to improve things.
Besides, when I own my castle I want all of the guards to know the Lord of the Manor is a badass who can take them all down. 😉
500 push-ups, that sounds impossible. I know that it’s not in a row, even though you have done that too. I just can’t imagine doing more than 100 in a day, and even that sounds close to impossible to me. I have just started to do push-ups again, and I am usually doing 10 in a row, 3-4 times a day. But, the most I have done is 20 in a row. I guess I need to keep working harder 🙂
Hi Jens,
You can do 500 too, it is really not that hard. The question is whether you are willing to put in some time for training and whether you will stick to it. It is a bit like blogging that way.
You just have to develop your routine and sustain your effort.
500 push ups? God bless. I can get on the balance ball in a stance like the guys in your pic and do exactly 10. If you watch my videos though you can see me shrinking. I have ONE goal. A particular body part to function again in a certain way. That would genuinely thrill me – and it’s kinda hard to do that unless you’ve just made me laugh.
Castles are a pita. Even things that don’t look like castles but have the air of them – such as boats and very costly sports cars- are no good. Trust me, my castle is crumbling around me. Makes me long for a tiny beach house. And no staff to manage, either 🙂 Alone is good.
Ten is a good start. Keep working at it and you’ll double that in three months or less. In six could double again and look how much closer you’d be to 500.
Small victories, little steps- big goals.
Please kind sir, when you obtain your castle might we pop in for a short stay? I too am trying to get back in shape so I know a little of what you are going through. Reality has reached up and slapped me this year and the time has come to hit back!
Hi Bridget,
Yes you may. A castle without visitors is an empty pile of rocks. Got to love these moments with reality, all sorts of fun.
A castle sounds kind of cool, although it would be a bit drafty in the winter and imagine the cost of heating a place like that!
I was thinking of doing a similar thing as the 500 push-ups. Maybe just some jogging for me though. Good luck in your endeavours.
Hi Tim,
You have a big advantage over me- we don’t really have castles here in the states. Or maybe it is more accurate to say we don’t have the same sort as you.
Jogging sounds like a reasonable way to get into or stay in shape. I wish you luck with that too.
When the shirt comes off if I puff my chest up just enough and keep the straight on angle, I don’t feel so much like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. In my minds-eye I know what needs to be done, but when I roll out of the rack in the early am, sometimes the ‘want-to’ just doesn’t match up.
I’m healthy and know I’ll probably never have washboard abs again, so I just do what I can and be comfortable in a comfortable body at this point.
I don’t know if I ever did 500 push-ups in a day, but back in the Army I do know it was quite common to get into the hundreds………I’m achy now, sometimes it’s hard to even get started w/out the sharp pain in the shoulder………waaaahhhhh……….:).
Do what you can; rock on sir.
Hi Bill,
All a question of priorities. If I flex I still see the cuts, but only when I flex. Things aren’t quite the same as they used to be. 😉
I hear you about the shoulders. Try the Perfect Push-Ups exercise tool and you might find it reduces the strain.
Large volumes of push ups are becoming a fitness necessity for me once again, if only because of the simplicity and effectiveness of the move. I don’t know if I could do 500 in a row at any point, but 100 would be doable. Herschel Walker built his legendary physique using mainly push ups and sit ups. Of course, he did 1,500 and 2,500 a day respectively. That’s the kind of workout that crushes normal people.
I think 300 to 500 a day is a good target number for me to strive for. I could do 200 now in 4 sets of 50 without a problem. I love the push up!!
Hi Joe,
I use the Perfect Push Up bars because they reduce the strain on my shoulders, but what I love about push-ups is their simplicity. Don’t have to have any equipment and we have examples like Herschel. Man, that guy was a monster, still is.
It is a great exercise. Two hundred a day is nothing to scoff at either.
I have the Perfect Push Up as well. Used them again last night. Only about 100 last night, though. I was busy watching the Yankees bomb the Red Sox, then watching the Cowboys fall apart. Great night… 🙂
I never want to live in a castle. Too much housework. LOL! And everyone gravitates to the same room anyways…
But the push-ups I get. Been there. But not with push-ups. Good for you. Let us know how you do. 🙂
Hi Betsy,
If you live in a castle you have enough cash to have a staff and they’ll handle the cleaning. 😉 Will keep you posted about the pushups.
I’m one of those who would clean before the maid came by…I can’t live long in my own mess unless it’s a creative one…
Hey Jack, I too, dream of owning a castle someday. It has to have a moat though. Castles without moats seem as pointless to me as owning a unicorn with a glued on horn. Then it woudl just be a horse, wouldn’t it? So I guess in closing, what I’m saying is that I don’t want to own a castle that looks like a horse…
Hi Chris,
A moat is a priority, got to have a moat. What is the point of a drawbridge without a moat. Can’t argue with anything you said, a castle that looks like a horse might be Trojan in nature. But it is not the kind of Trojan I want to be around,so…