Following up my posts Another 70-pound Turkish Get-Up, also more lifting personal bests and Two personal bests in a week: Freedom—and, speaking of health and fitness, New resting pulse: 38 bpm—I forgot to mention I finally achieved my third 70-pound Turkish Get-Up. For the meaning of the achievement, read the first link above.

It’s funny that after at least a year of thinking about and planning it, the first one I did I didn’t expect to work. Then the third one I didn’t record when I did it. It was a week or two ago.

I’ll also add that I reached a personal best that week on my one-arm floor press (essentially a bench press but one arm at a time and on the floor) with three sets, the first 9 reps and the second and third with 8 reps each, plus 3 sets of 3 reps Arnold press.

The details aren’t the point, nor are the specific weights. My fitness goals aren’t specific levels of strength, but mental freedom and overall health. Belonging to a gym, needing a trainer to motivate me, spending money, and other external tools all imply dependence and the opposite of freedom.

Creating a lifestyle where health, fitness, and discipline emerge naturally is freedom in one of the most important parts of life.

Mainstream America seems to view fitness as a source of fear, anxiety, shame, even horror. To me, it gives energy, confidence, and such.

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Knowing me, and my discovery that The bigger your achievement, the more it’s a beginning, I’ll find some new way to build on the achievement. I guess we’ll see.

• ← They chopped down the only two apple trees in a local park