It's 22:41, at least ten hours will pass before this is published, and it's time for another update on my working out.

I was hesitant to post it, because proper workout is what I didn't have since my last update. What I did have is visits to the university gym and pool, and rarely did they go by a plan. Usually I came in, did a bit of work and got out - not because I don't like physical training (though I have to admit, my mind resists it with guns every time I hit it hard) but because it's mandatory in order to get the PE mark at the end of this semester, and I work terribly under the premise of "I just have to". But I do want the mark, and the bad experience with skipping PE at the last university is still lingering in my head (I had to run laps under the hot summer sun), so instead of skipping I decided to cut my workouts short.

For the gym, I used the beginner's guide for exercises and amped up the numbers: doing 20 times when the guide says 14, 16 when the guide says 10, so on. I'm a newbie when it comes to physical growth and I'm anxious to dive into it as it, like some other things (like cooking or driving), appears to be a whole sea I have to swallow, even though I know it not to be true. For now, I'm just glad to go by the guide amped up and be done with PE this semester.

For the pool, I earn my early leaving by doing a straining swim. It was difficult for me to swim even once in one direction when I started, so I decided to do four consecutive swims without stopping. As I felt more capable in water, I raised the numbers: went five times, then three by three times, then six, then three by four times, and so on. Yesterday, I did a full ten times swim, of which I'm proud; it's a small achievement, but an achievement nonetheless. I'll continue with increments of two until I finish the swims, which ought to happen on the next week ("this week" for those of you reading the posted material).

That being said, I do have a routine of my own - a small one since I'm starting from the ground again. Every other day I get down and push up for a growing number of times each time. I do 10, rest; if I can do 20 more, I do 20 more, rest; if I can do 30 more, I do 30 more, rest; and so on until 50. I did 1020 today and I feel like next time I'll do 1020+30 with no big problems. I'm planning to add planks and other such simple exercises to the routine with time, after I finish the PE classes and get the mark. I feel like I can't do much while this thing is lingering over me, though it must be just a mental barrier rather than a real condition.

I'm also thinking about starting running in the mornings again: it turned out that I had a capable winter sportsuit with a pair of gloves and some boots to match. One problem that will remain for the next three months is the cold: for those of you who don't know, I live in Western Siberia, and winters do, in fact, turn out to be cold here. It's not so much the cold, though, but the particular morning chill soon after the night which gets me. I do have a scarf to cover the face, though, and streets promise not to be crowded (though slippery, whoo boy), so might as well give it a try. If I do, I'll post about it.

As a sidenote, I must admit that it feels odd to post this nowadays. I don't know what drove me when I started #tfgsworkout because I'm not the type of guy to tell everybody about how am I doing. One thing that inspired me was the #letsdoit tag: I felt like then was the best time to start, maybe because in that way I'd get my so desirable external approval. I say that because people have, indeed, been quite supportive of me working out and posting about my progress on Hubski - something I didn't expect and am not used to. It is, of course, a silly reason to do something like it - external approval has an efficiency worse than steam - but if it got me going, good for me.

Besides, I'm being far more honest posting these than most anywhere else, which is something I enjoy and appreciate the opportunity of. Physical exercise is never merely physical: mindset matters, and if I expose mine, it may give others the insight they might need - for working out of their own or for other matters. It's one of the safe havens of honesty that I have in my life; if it makes you think "This guy's life is full of shit", you won't be wrong, even as I do give the effort to take up on less of it. So, as much as it is a physical improvement, it's a psychological therapy for me as well. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have that.

Well, it's 23:19 on the clock, so it's time to wrap it up. It's nice talking to you, fellas, and I wish you all to be good and be healthy.