Hey everyone,
Went to Muay Thai today and had a good time. Worked on hooks, uppercuts and leg kicks, first seperately and then as combos. We did some rope skipping and shadowboxing to start and then ended class with some stretching. Class was about 75 minutes total. Taking tomorrow off and then will be back in the gym on Monday.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
-Dan
Hey everyone,
Had a good day off yesterday and returned to the gym today with a lot of energy. Here’s the stats:
Sets: 6
Reps: 4
Rest: 60
Didn’t do any mobility, prehab, core or plyometric work today because I was really pressed for time. I did get some light stretching in afterwards, though.
Tomorrow will be a home boxing workout since I have a game to cover tomorrow evening during BJJ class.
Take care,
Dan
I took the past couple of days off from working out. Tuesday I was busy with work and couldn’t get to BJJ class and Wednesday I had a couple of fillings done and just felt out of it most of the day afterwards, so I didn’t really have the desire to workout.
This morning I got in a good home boxing workout, though. Started off with some jumping jacks and running in place, then moved into the meat of the workout and did a lot of shadowboxing and worked my 1-2 combinations on the heavy bag. Did some push-ups, sit-ups and squats and stretching at the end. The workout checked in at 45 minutes.
Tomorrow I’m going to go to BJJ and then will get in a final lifting session Saturday before going out of town for a week. I’ll be taking next week off from lifting and MMA training, but will probably do a couple of cardio sessions while I’m away.
Anxiety-wise I’ve been doing pretty well. Didn’t freak at the dentist yesterday, even when I did get a bit light-headed after standing up following my fillings, but that’s pretty normal. Work stress is pretty low and it will be nice to get away from everything for a week.
Take care,
Dan
Hey everyone,
Well, looks like I started my week off a couple of days early. Woke up yesterday morning and felt dizzy and my stomach was upset. I ended up getting sick, thankfully just once, but it really knocked me on my ass for the rest of the day, especially when it came to eating. I’d feel hungry one minute then sick the next.
So, I ate real bland foods and didn’t overdue it. Woke up this morning feeling a little queasy but thankfully it passed and after a few glasses of water, I was able to eat a piece of toast and some egg whites. Feeling better now, although my head is still foggy and my stomach is still knotted up a bit.
Hopefully I’ll be feeling better tomorrow when we fly. Last thing I want to do is get on a plane when I’m not feeling well.
So, I’ll be gone for a few days but will be back by Friday, and hopefully by then I’ll be feeling well enough to resume training.
Take care,
Dan
I’m back!
Vacation was nice, felt good to have time off and my batteries are definitely recharged, not only for work, but for my training as well. I didn’t workout once while I was away, partly because I still wasn’t feeling great when the trip started, and secondly, because I just needed a break. Now I’m ready to get after things with full intensity.
It looks like this thread is starting to slow down quite a bit, so I probably won’t be posting on here as frequently as before. I’ll likely just update this once or twice a week, just to let you guys know how I’m doing.
Anxiety-wise I’ve been doing well. Being able to relax and stress over work for a week definitely was nice and I feel very under control right now.
I’m feeling a lot better physically than last week, so it appears that all I had was a little 24-48 hour bug.
Hope all is well with everyone.
Take care,
Dan
Hey everyone,
I’ve had a good week of training so far. Sunday went for a 25-minute run and then did some work with a tennis ball to loosen up some knots that I developed from traveling. Monday and today were strength training workouts…I’m still 3x a week of total body workouts at the moment. Monday was 5x4 and today was 3x8. Yesterday I went to BJJ class. We worked a lot of technique from side control.
Been having an issue with dizziness and ringing in my ears the past couple of weeks. The ear ringing is loudest in the mornings after waking. The dizziness happens when I make sudden, sharp movements with my head, or if I go quickly from sitting to standing. Yesterday we were doing shoulder rolls in BJJ and after going through them the first time, I felt wobbly. So, it looks like I have some sort of inner ear imbalance going on. I’m going to my ENT doctor on Monday to get checked out.
I think the dizzy spells and ear ringing are also contributing to my stomach issues. I still have feelings of nausea, but don’t get sick, thankfully.
Oh, and for more great news, my grandmother had to be rushed to the hosiptal this morning. They thought she had a stroke, but turned out to be a seizure. They’re keeping her for observations, though, just to be sure. She has Alzheimer’s, so this is just another problem our family has to deal with. I think we’re all in our own way preparing for her to not be with us (either in the physical or mental sense), but it’s still hard to cope at times because we remember how she was a few years ago and she’s completely gone now.
Well, I think that catches everyone up to date. I’m going to the therapist on Friday, and it’s good, because it will help to get some of the issues out and to work on some more relaxation techniques.
Take care,
Dan
Hey everyone,
Just here wrapping up a good weekend, so I thought I’d catch up on my posting here on the log.
Took Thursday and Friday off from training. Yesterday I went to Muay Thai class and that went well. No signs of nausea or dizziness. I think this thing might be clearing up, of course, just as I get ready to go get checked out. Anyway, at class yesterday we worked on defensive positioning and moving out of the way of strikes, and then counter-punching and kicks. Good class and I had good stamina throughout.
Did some cardio today, nothing exciting, just a long walk-run with the dog.
I went to a local sports bar to watch the UFC PPV last night. I was so happy GSP won the title! The place I was at was pro-Hughes, so it was good to rub it in everyone’s face when he got knocked out.
My grandmother is doing better. She went home yesterday.
Tomorrow I think I’m going to go to the gym in the morning, since my doctor’s appointment is in the mid-afternoon. With Thanksgiving this week, I’ll have to go to BJJ on Tuesday.
Well, I think that’s it. Hope everyone’s enjoying the weekend.
Take care,
Dan
Hey everyone,
Just got back from the gym and had a really good workout. Here’s the stats:
MOBILITY
Supine Bridge
Superman
Yoga Twists
RESISTANCE
Sets: 3
Reps: 8
Rest: 90
1A. Rack Lockouts: 255
1B. Seated Calf Raises: 110
2. DB Incline Bench: 70
3. Hammer Curls: 45
4. Cable Lateral Raises: 20
ENGERY SYSTEMS
Skipped rope for 5 min. then ran a 1/2 mile.
FLEXIBILITY
Did 10 min. of stretching.
Ended up not going to BJJ last night. It was nearly 70 and sunny so I had to take advantage of the nice weather and went for a 3-mile run outdoors then came back and did 4 rounds of shadowboxing, then 5 rounds of working the heavy bag with different combos.
Taking tomorrow off (obviously), but will hit the gym Friday…probably in the A.M. when everyone’s out shopping.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. I’m thankful for a lot of things, but one of them is the great community of people I’ve met on T-Nation in the past year, including: AG1, Jinx Me, BGB, Ragoo, PGA, Brokenground, Blue Pfaltz (hope I spelled that right) and everyone else who’s contributed to this thread I started in the beginning of the year. You all have helped me through some rough times and have also helped me to sit back and take pride in what I’ve accomplished.
Thank you all, your friendship is truly cherised.
Take care,
Dan
Hey everyone,
First, I hope you all enjoyed Thanksgiving yesterday. I had a great day, nice and relaxing, and of course, plenty of food. For dinner we had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls and salad. Took me, oh, about an hour to fall asleep after that. After the nap, I woke up and had some Pecan pie for dessert. Definitely my favorite pie. It was quiet around our place, which was nice and we even found time to take our dog for a big walk, since it was around 65 yesterday.
Today I went back to my normal eating schedule, and I hit the gym this morning and got in a good workout. Here’s the stats:
MOBILITY
Supine bridge
Superman
Fire Hydrants
ABS
Cable crunch, 3x15: 130
RESISTANCE
Sets: 2
Reps: 15
Rest: 120
ENGERY SYSTEMS
10 min. on the elliptical
FLEXIBILITY
10 min. of stretching
Tomorrow’s my Muay Thai class and I’m looking forward to that. Have a football game to go to tonight for work, but that’s it and I’m off till Monday.
Take care,
Dan
Hey everyone,
Went to Muay Thai yesterday and it was a great class. Only 4 of us, which was a bit expected b/c of the holiday weekend. But, it made for a fun class, even though the workout itself was quite brutal.
After a warm-up we worked shadowboxing for a couple of rounds, then went into working our leg kicks. After that, we did some focus mitt work and then came the grand finale: a 5-round stanza that constisted of the following:
1 round of punches
1 round of punch-kick combos
1 round of punch-knee combos
1 round of punch-elbow combos
1 round of punch-kick-sprawl-circle combos (this was a killer)
I was spent after class but it was a great feeling. My kicks were a lot better than a week before, I’m finally starting to get good hip rotation and coming through with more power.
After class took the wife out on an afternoon date. We went and saw “The Prestige.” Very good movie, although since I like Bale, Jackman and Caine, I’m probably a little biased but it was a good suspense movie that had twists and turns, and really told the story of the dueling magicians and their obsessions with each other very well. Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins) directed and wrote, I believe, the movie. We then to our favorite pizza place and had a great meal.
I bring this up b/c during that meal, I had a revelation. As I was eating a garlic knot, suddenly the room became blurry and I had a quick dizzy spell. My heart fluttered for a second and it was at that moment that I had a flashback to my very first panic attack. Why? Because, this was the same exact thing that happened during the original attack. My body freaked then b/c it didn’t know what was going on, but yesterday, I recognized what was happening, took a couple of deep breaths and moved on (no medication either yesterday, which was big for that to happen).
So, that got me to thinking…could my anxiety be traced back to an inner ear problem (Meinere’s disease is what I could have according to the ENT doctor)? It now seems very likely that’s the case, although I know there are other factors, but I think this is a big one that at the time I didn’t think of at all.
I’m very excited about this development…I go in for tests on my dizziness on Dec. 6, so we’ll see what happens then. I could be on the path to unlocking another door in my anxiety puzzle.
Take care,
Dan
Dan, that’s fascinating! Imagine if all this time, your anxiety attacks were actually an inner ear issue that was causing symptoms that frightened you so much that you mistook the whole package as an anxiety attack. It’s totally possible. You likely still have some predisposition to anxiety, but it would be interesting to know that the attacks themselves weren’t entirely due to that, but partly due to another unrelated problem.
Even if that’s NOT the case, just your reaction to your symptoms seems to be a lot more level now. You’re learning to take them in stride and not be terrified of them. That’s a huge step. It seems like your confidence is really growing. Do you think that’s reflected in other parts of your life?
It seems like this whole process has been a pretty amazing growth period for you. You’re rising to the challenge, which is really admirable, instead of retreating into self-pity and victimization.
[quote]Jinx Me wrote:
Dan, that’s fascinating! Imagine if all this time, your anxiety attacks were actually an inner ear issue that was causing symptoms that frightened you so much that you mistook the whole package as an anxiety attack. It’s totally possible. You likely still have some predisposition to anxiety, but it would be interesting to know that the attacks themselves weren’t entirely due to that, but partly due to another unrelated problem.
Even if that’s NOT the case, just your reaction to your symptoms seems to be a lot more level now. You’re learning to take them in stride and not be terrified of them. That’s a huge step. It seems like your confidence is really growing. Do you think that’s reflected in other parts of your life?
It seems like this whole process has been a pretty amazing growth period for you. You’re rising to the challenge, which is really admirable, instead of retreating into self-pity and victimization. [/quote]
Jinx,
I think your’re right about being predispositioned to anxiety regardless, but like we both said, it would be interesting to know if this inner ear problem was triggering anxiety-like symptoms.
Yes, my confidence has carried over into other parts of my life. I used to be very quiet and reserved, and in some cases, still am, but I have been more vocal about things at work or socially that bother me or that I don’t think are right.
Thanks for the kind words. Every day is a new challenge, but I definitely feel like I have the skills to tackle things better now than I did a year ago.
Hey everyone,
Had another solid workout today. Here’s the stats:
MOBILITY
Supine Bridge: 10
Fire Hydrants: 10
Yoga Stretch: 10
ABS
Cable Crunch, 2x15: 130, 140
Medicine Ball Twists, 2x15: 10 lbs.
RESISTANCE
Sets: 6
Reps: 4
Rest: 60
1A. Squats: 205, 215 (5)
1B. Seated Calf Raises: 140
2. BB Bench Press: 205
3. Lat Pulldown (close-grip): 160
ENERGY SYSTEMS
5 min. of rope skipping followed by a 1/2-mile run.
FLEXIBILITY
10 min. of stretching
Tomorrow night’s BJJ class.
Take care,
Dan
Hey everyone,
Just finished a good home Muay Thai workout. Was going to go to BJJ tonight, but had to scrap that b/c I’ve got some extra work to get done by this evening for tomorrow’s paper.
So, I ended up doing a 45-minute workout which consisted of:
3 min.- jumping jacks
3 min.- shadowboxing
3 min.- shadowboxing
3 min.- jab, jab-cross combos (LH)
3 min.- jab, jab-cross combos (RH)
3 min.- knees
3 min.- jab, jab-cross-elbow combos
3 min.- jab-cross-kick
3 min.- kicks
5 min.- freestyle
7 min.- stretching
Took a 30 sec. break after each round. Noticed my flexibility still slowly improving on my kicks, which I’m really excited about.
Tomorrow it’s back to the gym for another strength training workout.
Take care,
Dan
I can’t believe it. I do a search regarding Creatine, and I come across this thread.
How I wish I came across this a couple of years ago, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and anguish.
I just spent the last hour and a half reading every post (and re-reading some), and I’m blown away at the stories, struggles and experiences shared here. Particularly you DJ.
The similarities and the differences are amazing. Even some words you use to describe how you’re feeling are the same as what I would use, like feeling “off”. Never would have imagined someone could have coined the same phrase, and could understand the meaning of it.
This whole thread has given me strength and understanding, through all the people that have participated, and I share my experiences here as well to hopefully do the same.
My first panic attack, believe it or not, was on my first day of leave almost 2 years ago.
Just finished eating breakfast, and bang. My heart was punching the inside of my chest trying to break through, my mind in a full state of panic not knowing what was going on. I don’t even know where my mind was, but it wasn’t in my head. Had a shower trying to wash away the feeling and distract myself, and started wretching from the anxiety and panic. I could barely turn the knobs in the shower my hands were shaking that bad, and I just didn’t have the strength. While it did subside, I spent the whole day on the couch concentrating and trying to maintain a regular and low heartbeat.
I felt sick, couldn’t eat, couldn’t do anything other than think of wtf had happened and will it happen again. I just thought I lost my mind. I lost 8 kilos in just over a week, and all I could eat was a dry cracker or two.
That was the start of it. To cut a long story short, I had a few subsequent episodes, but my worst problem was the anticipation of another attack virtually had me in a constant state of anxiety. They call this anticipatory anxiety. Loss of appetite, loss of weight, I would be flushed and bright red for hours at a time. It wouldn’t subside until I went to bed, and woke up the next day.
I would look for any reason as to why it happens, and would contribute it to anything I was doing at the time and then forming as association between the two, and then avoiding that particular thing.
I would think that wearing a pair of shoes would have set off an attack, so I would never wear those shoes again. A particular food, particular music, particular movie, anything. Very irrational I know now, but made perfect sense when you’re in that state of mind.
Eventually, I cut out so much out of my life, there was very little left. I just went to work, and came home doing the exact same thing in the exact same way and not stray, in fear of it setting another attack off.
My big thing was my heart rate, and always thinking about it. Sometimes just thinking about it and thinking “how am I feeling?” used to set off an attack. I was obsessed by it. Used to take my pulse, blood pressure, eye dialation. Any variation would require a reason why!
I lived with this for over a year and a half before I went looking for help. Not even talking to anyone else about it. How could I when I couldn’t even describe what I was going through, and not even wanting to think about it.
Like you DJ, I had been keeping a journal for a while, but I don’t think it could make sense to anyone but myself, as no-one could understand what I was living and struggling with every day.
While I thought my routine was my saviour, I think now it was my failure.
I was just building myself a trap. Now I’ve been learning not to hide, but to challenge. Challenge, and take back control, rather than IT controlling me. That’s what it all boiled down to me. I couldn’t keep living my life like this, and if I had to, I’d rather be dead. Not living in this constant fear. You see, that’s where I got angry and drew a line in the sand. I thought, well if happens it happens. I’ll deal with it then and there, but in the meantime, I wanted to live and enjoy life again. I can’t spend the next 40 years living like this. I didn’t fear death like you, I welcomed it. Starting at the gym was part of my road to recovery. I needed to regain my confidence. I needed to look different, and feel different not just mentally but physically.
I’ve been perfectly fine now for over 6 months, with no attacks or anxiety, BUT, you just know it’s always lurking there somewhere. How could it not be. Once you’ve experienced it, I don’t think you could ever be the same.
It’s been a slow, deliberate, and long process but it’s a matter of re-training your thought processes.
Like I said, I had to take back control and challenge. That’s what did it for me.
If I had tuna for lunch, and had an attack, I would have tuna again the next day and try to provoke another attack.
Challenge/Control.
I slowly started doing all the things that had set off attacks previously, almost trying to provoke another attack. Usually one did not follow, but if it did again, i would do the same thing again the next day.
It really is a battle of wits, it’s just that the other opponent is yourself as well.
Confidence.
That’s why I started with the gym. I needed to look different physically as well as be different mentally.
Acceptance/Perspective
Accept what happens to you, and I think you will find the fear will slowly dissipate.
Distraction.
Sometime you just need to do or find something to distract yourself for a short while. If you become involved in it enough, the symptoms will disappear. As soon as you feel something odd, think/do something else. The quicker you do this the better, and it will soon become habit and you’ll do it without realising. This is also how I had given up other habits like smoking, and eating any junk food.
People just can’t understand what it’s like or possibly imagine until you have been through something like this yourself. I admire you all for you strength and courage, coz I’ve been there and done that myself and know how hard it is and what it takes.
Lastly, apologies for this thread being so long (but trust me, I could have gone on!). If one person has persisted and picked out one little bit of info that has helped or brought them comfort, I will sleep that much better tonight. 
I will be regularly checking this thread to see how you are all doing, and I wish you all well.
Swimmer,
Thanks so much for sharing your story, man. Trust me, it takes a lot of guts to be that detailed, but I think we all come out the better for it.
You’re right about facing your fears or the things and places that you had anxiety/panic at in the past…it’s hard at first but once you get over that mental hurdle, things do get easier.
Congrats on your recent success of not having an attack. Like you, I lived for a while in the fear of having another attack. Breaking that spell really helped me turn a corner.
I look forward to talking to you in the future, and thanks for the kind words of encouragement.
-Dan
Hey everyone,
Well, ended up taking yesterday off from the gym. I had my bag packed and was ready to go, when I looked in the bag and realized I had forgotten my sneakers! I wasn’t about to workout in my boots, especially since I had planned on doing cardio after weights. Plus, with all the snow, I didn’t feel like making the extra trip home to get the shoes, going back out and then having to brush my car off an extra time.
Did get in another home boxing workout today. Workout was 50 minutes and had a lot of shadowboxing, followed by a nice medicine ball circuit at the end of squats, shoulder presses and push-up variations. Finished off with some stretching.
Been having stomach issues again the past day. After breakfast yesterday I got that queasy feeling and had it pretty much all day yesterday. It’s still there today, but not as bad as yesterday. I’m trying to stay away from dairy and gluten products today and the next several days to see if that changes things. Also been wondering if my medication isn’t possibly playing havoc with my digestive system?
Tomorrow I’ll be back in the gym and then Saturday I’ll be taking Muay Thai class before I have to go cover the state championship football game at Invesco Field in the afternoon.
Take care,
Dan
Hey Dan - argh, forgetting gym stuff drives me NUTS!!!
BUT sometimes when that happens, I can’t help but think there’s a reason. And you mentioned digestive troubles - maybe the day off was what the universe intended for you.
Hey man, I’ve suffered from panic/anxiety disorder since I was 11. Been on meds since then, but I just want to throw support your way.
I would suggest just getting back in the gym and easing back into your routine. The thing with this disorder is that you either fight it or you run from it…the meds should help take the edge off, and you’ll learn to work yourself through it a lot better with time. Don’t let it keep you from doing what you love.
Best of luck!
[quote]Jinx Me wrote:
Hey Dan - argh, forgetting gym stuff drives me NUTS!!!
BUT sometimes when that happens, I can’t help but think there’s a reason. And you mentioned digestive troubles - maybe the day off was what the universe intended for you.[/quote]
Jinx, I think you’re exactly right. It’s funny, too, b/c on my way to the gym, I wound up driving right past the turn-in, that’s when I stopped, checked my bag and once I realized I had forgotten my shoes, I just kept going in the direction of home.
My digestive problems are getting better. Felt good enough to workout yesterday and woke up with no problems this morning.