I’ve walked or run by this display of a cross section from a redwood probably hundreds of times since I’ve lived near Henry Cowell Park. It is a pretty popular spot for people to take pictures. The first time I saw the display I have to confess I frowned a little because I thought it was a cross section from a tree that had been cut down.
While I understand the need for paper and wood products, I figure they can be produced without hacking down a tree that has been minding its own business for 2200 years.* Fortunately, once I looked more closely I saw that the tree fell (wasn’t cut) in 1934. (This was confirmed by the rangers I talked to in the information area.) So that gave me a warmer feeling about this display.
Sun, February 28th
(Athlean-X Arm Program, Day Eleven) Tricep Pushdowns (rest-pause as needed): 50 lbs. x 4 sets x 12 reps
Calories: 2334, Protein: 160 g.
Mon, March 1st
- Morning Walk: 1.81 miles.
- I warmed up with some dynamic stretching and indian club work. Then I did the MV Steel Mace Workout.
- I reviewed the “Stances” lesson and then followed along with “White Belt – Class 5” (solo drills) on the Global Martial Arts University website.
- (Athlean-X Arm Program, Day Twelve) DB Cheat Curls with 4 second eccentrics: 25 lbs. x 4 sets x 8 reps. (The program calls for a barbell but I don’t have one yet so I used dumbbells.)
Calories: 2177, Protein: 150 g.
Tues, March 2nd
- Warmed up with some dynamic stretching and indian club work.
- Arnold Press: 30 lbs. x 10 reps, 3 sets x 8 reps
- DB Bench Press: 35 lbs. x 12 reps, 40 lbs. x 3 sets x 8 reps
- DB Lateral Raises: 15 lbs. x 4 sets x 8 reps
- Spring Bar: Heavy x 2 sets x 8 reps, Light (over head) x 12, 10 reps
- Alternating sets with hands supinated and pronated.
- EXERCISE COMPLEX: Face Pulls 12.5 lbs. x 20 reps, Incline Push Ups 3rd step x 10 reps + 4th step x 10 reps, [2 SETS: Hindu Push Up Stretches x 10 reps, TaeKwondo White Belt Solo Drill #2 x 10 times**], Knee Hover (2 seconds) x 20 reps, Bell Tower Crunches (each side) 25 lbs. x 20 reps, KB Alternating One Handed Russian Swings 15 lbs. x 20 reps
- (Athlean-X Arm Program, Day Thirteen) PJR Pullovers with 4 second eccentrics: 35 lbs. x 4 sets x 8 reps
- Ended the workout by picking up my 100 lb. sand bag from a 16 inch platform and walking 30 steps with it and then doing some more indian club work.
Calories: 2408, Protein: 183 g.
Here is a close up of some of the little markers denoting where the tree was in its growth during certain historical events. Apparently the tree predates the historical date of the birth of Jesus by a couple of hundred years or so.
Wed, March 3rd
- Morning Walk: 4.07 miles.
- (Athlean-X Arm Program, Day Fourteen) Rest Day.
Calories: 2167, Protein: 154 g.
Thur, March 4th
- Morning Walk: 3.51 miles.
- Captains of Crush Gripper (Trainer, 100 lbs.):
- (Set 1): Left = 8 mm x 6 reps, Right = Closed x 2 reps + 2mm x 5 reps
- (Set 2): Left = 6 mm x 4 reps, Right = 2mm x 7 reps
- (Set 3): Left = 8 mm x 6 reps, Right = 2mm x 6 reps
- (Set 4): Left = 6 mm x 5 reps, Right = 2mm x 6 reps
- (Set 5): Left = 4 mm x 2 + 3 reps, Right = Closed 0 + 5 reps
- (Set 6): Dynamic Training with the Sport (80 lbs.) gripper. I did 20 reps with each hand. I closed the gripper 15 times with my right but couldn’t close it completely with my left after 10 reps. I ended with some finger extension work and some thumb training using the gripping egg.
- (Athlean-X Arm Program, Day Fifteen) DB Incline Waiter Curls with six pulses each rep: 30 lbs. x 4 sets x 9 reps
- I did an afternoon jog-walk for 7.15 miles. I stayed mostly on pavement and there were substantial hills. Total mileage for the day was 10.66 miles (17.13 km).
Calories: 3286, Protein: 151 g.
Fri, March 5th
- Morning Walk: 3 miles.
- I did some indian club and steel mace work. I also worked on a couple of mace exercises I’ve never done before. The first was the Half Kneeling 360’s, which were pretty easy since they were the 360’s I’ve been doing just from one knee. I like these because I have to go outside when doing standing 360’s so as to avoid hitting the basement rafters. The other exercise was the Swing and Catch, which was a little trickier.***
- (Athlean-X Arm Program, Day Sixteen) Bench Dips with 6 pulses each rep: 4 sets to failure. (I forgot to write down how many reps I did.)
- I worked on some Taekwondo high and low blocks from a ready stance.
Calories: 2048, Protein: 159 g.
Sat, March 6th
- I followed along with Jenny Ford’s “Beginner Step Aerobics Fitness Cardio” video for 30 minutes.
- I practiced the Swing and Catch exercise with my 5 lb. steel mace.
- (Athlean-X Arm Program, Day Seventeen) Alternating Cross Body Hammer Curls (rest-pause as needed): 25 lbs. x 4 sets x 12 reps
- Dead Bugs (2-ct): 43 reps
- Stretched and did some foam rolling, etc. in the evening for about 35 minutes.
Calories: 2410, Protein: 150 g. (I lost 1 pound this week, so my total loss is 28.2 lbs.)
* I figure once you make it to that age you deserve some special consideration. š
** White Belt Solo Drill #2 is two low blocks, two high blocks, and two front kicks from a ready stance. You alternate arms and legs so if you do the first low block with your left then you do the other moves starting with the left as well. For the first set I started with the left and the second I started with the right.
*** For anyone thinking of doing the Swing & Catch, I think Vaughn’s advice about doing the swing off to the side and avoiding swinging the mace up toward your face is probably good. As he says, you probably don’t want to have to make an emergency visit to the dentist. (Or the plastic surgeon.)
Ann's Immaterium 
Huh. Seeing the rings on that tree is at once very interesting and quite depressing. At least *that* one wasn’t just hacked down.
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Kind of humbling to realise how ancient that tree was already when the first pilgrims arrived at Plymouth. The rise and fall of nations are just a blink of an eye for those trees.
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Yes indeed they are. I’m glad the current ethos is to protect as best we can what remains of them. Back in the 19th Century there was a lot of logging of old growth redwoods and a bunch of people formed a society to protect them, which is the reason people like me get to walk through them today because those people back then had to fight some interests that wanted to cut down those 1000 – 2000 year old trees and make furniture and barrel casks out of them.
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2000 years to grow but far quicker to cut down.!
Hats off to those far-sighted individuals who formed a society to protect them.
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One big tree there Ann!!
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Yep, it sure was!
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Loads of exercises I’ve never heard of and must investigate šš very glad that tree wasn’t cut down by human hand, guess nature can be brutal when it needs to be
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Yes, it seems that nature is often doing an “out with the old and in with the new” sort of thing. As long as redwoods live and as resilient as they are, I’ve noticed since I’ve lived around them that they do fall from time to time. Especially during this time of year when we have more rain storms and winds and such.
Yes, lots of different things on the exercise front these days. I’m enjoying playing around with different things. I’m finding the mace especially fun and it is a good conditioning tool. I’m thinking of getting a heavier one soon (10 lbs.) to continuing working on the movements from a strength-based angle too, in addition to the conditioning. One thing I like about it is that it promotes circular and other types of movements that are different from the movements one generally does with barbells and dumbbells, so I see it as a supplement with the idea of developing the body in more ways.
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Wow that is an old tree.
Grgeat set of workouts too.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Thanks, Pete. I continue working on things and like the results I’m getting though it is a long process so I’m glad I enjoy doing it for its own sake, not just the results, otherwise it would be hard to stick to.
Yes, that was an old tree indeed. I’m sorry it fell in 1934 but then redwood trees fall all the time as it turns out though usually it is the medium-sized ones from what I’ve seen. The oldest tree that I know of in the area I walk is called “The Giant,” which I’m told is 1400 – 1600 years old but is still alive and growing. I found some measurements taken of the trunk about 4.5 feet or so off the ground back in 2015. I’m thinking of taking my own measurements and seeing if it has gotten any larger in the past few years.
Although they kind of showcase The Giant, I notice many other redwoods in my travels that seem to come pretty close to it in size so I imagine there are very many trees in the 1000 year range.
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Brilliant post about the tree, Ann (as usual, I remain completely unqualified to talk about any exercises other than face pulls)! š I think some pictures of “The Giant” might be good for a future post!
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Thank you, John. It is a pretty impressive tree and I’m thinking of measuring the girth of its trunk to see if it has grown much since 2015, which is the last time I can find it was measured. There is another tree not far called The Fremont Tree, while not as large as the The Giant is unusual in that the bottom of it was hollowed out by fire (it is still alive) and a guy named John Fremont apparently spent the night inside of it back in 1846. I’ve been inside the tree myself and I might try again but take a flashlight with me this time.
Heh, well, you have your niche and it is good to be an expert in a focused field of study of faces. š
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Great continuation with your workouts Ann, what a amazing tree to have lived through so much history
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Thank you, Dave. I keep plugging away at it. š
Yes, I thought it was an amazing tree. There is another tree not far from this display on the Redwood Loop called “The Giant,” which isn’t quite as old (about 1400 – 1600 years old) but it is still alive and appears to be doing quite well.
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