My first trip to Hong Kong. My first airsoft battle overseas. Will be away 1st through 4th March 2013.
Month #24: Strength Building Update
Despite my busy period of renovating and moving to my new home, I still managed to gym on average 3 times a week.
My body weight went down to all-time low of 57.4 KG since the last update as of December 2012. I haven’t weighed myself recently but my body weight should be anywhere between 58 and 60 KG right now.
I shrunk so much it was noticeable, no matter I am on the way filling up the gaps between my arm pits and my shirt 🙂
Here’s the format of the training I am going through right now: unlike before when each day training is dedicated to a specific body part, this time a session includes squats, dead lifts, wide grip bench press, and an ab work out.
The cycle I’ve been through so far:
CYCLE #1 (has 3 sessions)
5 sets x 5 reps per work out on Session #1
4 sets x 6 reps per work out on Session #2
3 sets x 8 reps per work out on Session #3
- Squats – 95 lbs
- Dead Lifts – 106 lbs
- Bench Press – 73 lbs
- Ab Work out
CYCLE #2 (has 3 sessions)
5 sets x 5 reps per work out on Session #1
4 sets x 6 reps per work out on Session #2
3 sets x 8 reps per work out on Session #3
- Squats – 106 lbs
- Dead Lifts – 117 lbs
- Bench Press – 84 lbs
- Ab Work out
CYCLE #3 (has 3 sessions)
5 sets x 5 reps per work out on Session #1
4 sets x 6 reps per work out on Session #2
3 sets x 8 reps per work out on Session #3
- Squats – 117 lbs
- Dead Lifts – 128 lbs
- Bench Press – 95 lbs
- Ab Work out
Just today I started CYCLE #4 – did 5 sets x 5 reps of the following:
- Squats – 128 lbs
- Dead Lifts – 139 lbs
- Bench Press – still at 95 lbs; was struggling with this as of last week
- Ab Work out
After this cycle is done, I will be doing an RM (Rep Maths) to find out what’s the heaviest weight I can lift in one rep.
Power Off, Brakes On
16 & 17 February 2013.
After a whole year void of skydiving activity, I finally got the chance to do the static line jumps again in Segamat. The last time I did was two years ago.
Last year, I wanted to go for the AFF (Accelerated FreeFall) in Thailand; the planes were under maintenance in June so I called off the trip down and due to unpredictable schedule I couldn’t get any other friends to join me.
I was going to go back to static line skydiving but the hangar at Segamat was occupied by Singaporeans for many weekends.
By the time they were ready, I was down with stomach problems!
You would think I went through quite some obstacles for another skydiving adventure but the hurdle didn’t stop there.
It was pouring for most of Saturday that fewer sorties got to make the jump that day. In fact, the first trip up was called down before the jumps could be made due to bad weather!
So most of the time we hang around at the hangar / rest area hoping for the skies to clear. We passed time with Azlan’s lecture for the new would-be skydivers, quite some paranoid practices and listened in on their stories from past skydiving experiences – both hilarious and horror ones.
If you’re going to go skydiving, be prepared to free your entire days for this especially when things don’t go your way and they’re out of your control – the weather being one example.
This time, there were both static line jumpers and students also going for free fall. The first time static line jumpers wore the same anxious look I had when I first jumped two years ago. The free fall jumpers just as anxious if not more – it truly is another level above, and riskier.
I had to come back to Segamat the next day to continue the static line jumps so on Saturday evening itself, I went back to PJ for Delia and Dulcie‘s farewell party before they go to New Zealand again to resume their studies.
Yep, I went through quite some trouble just to ‘make a suicidal attempt’ – as what some of my friends call it. Haha.
But in my opinion and feelings, it just made it all worthwhile when I made the jumps successfully. 🙂
Since I was lined up behind queue, I got to see many other jumpers make their landing. Many did good even for the first time!
One wasn’t so lucky though – he dislocated his shoulder on hard impact; he didn’t toggle to full brakes in the last second that mattered.
When it was my turn to go up there… I wasn’t thinking about what product to launch next. I wasn’t thinking about the problems I have. The faces I hate.
I was thinking of only getting back down to the ground safely.
I also felt a strange feeling not experienced before, how would I describe it? I was afraid… that I was not afraid.
Haha.
I made two static line jumps in this trip, bringing my total to 4 static line jumps + 1 tandem in my experience belt thus far.
Here’s a short video clip of me landing in one of the jumps I did:
So was it worth it? In spite of all the troubles I went through just to get to jump… Yes!
And from the looks of it, I want to do more static line jumps first before I attempt the free fall. Movies make it look too easy and the free fall students performance just show that I am far from mentally ready actually.
My exit from the aircraft still needs working on. Tumbling in 3 seconds might be okay for static-line jumping but it can mean serious panic or even death in free fall.
Static-Line Jump #3 – exit OK (but face down); landed on ass
Static-Line Jump #4 – exit had twist (rectified in seconds); landed by running (Good!)
ADDED 8th APRIL 2013:
This is long overdue. Finally here’s a longer video footage of my experience when doing the 4th static line jump 🙂
So yep, it was an amazing weekend! I could also feel the two round things between my legs had grown bigger. 😛
Attend a seminar and maybe you’ll be enlightened for a few days. But conquer several thousands of feet in a few minutes and you will come back to Earth renewed.
Photos: My Second Home
It’s nearly a month since I moved in! Ah, the trouble I went through…
Turned out that the paperwork and legalities were the least of my problems. Even after the loan was approved after a painstakingly long wait, the contractors I hired were behind schedule in spite of the basic renovation works.
Originally I was to move out of the Puncak Damansara apartment on the 8th of January but I had to postpone it by another two more days, seeing that the contractors were slow.
When I moved out of Puncak Damansara, the apartment was undergoing renovations and new painting works. A small shame actually, since the place looked mediocre throughout the entire time I stayed there.
Even so, I didn’t miss the place; the monthly rent was affordable for a convenient place in PJ but I would later find out that the surrounding area is riddled with domestic fights, family quarrels, and suspicious activities by Pakistani and Nigerian foreigners that would warrant a visit from the police from time to time.
So on the 10th I moved into my new place at Cascadia; it was a rush and I spent the first night with my mother in a half-functional house. Not every room had lights on, and the master toilet had no water and water heater.
Rushing my contractor to complete his works was a frustrating and upsetting ordeal – eventually I fired him and his guys just several days ago and since last week, I’ve been sorting out other options to get other things done in the house.
As mentioned earlier, going through the pains for the new house was like going through the pains I went through 10 years ago – only in reverse.
The house is nearly complete now; one of my uncles and his contacts will be helping with the remainder of the renovation after the Chinese New Year festival.
Here are some photos on my new crib – more to be added later on. 🙂 While this is my second house, I consider it a milestone achievement.
Now that all these are done and dusted with, what’s next? Time to catch up on what I’ve been stalling for the longest time: finding a good, lovely wife. 🙂
Btw Property #3 onwards is going to be strictly for investment!