This is a picture of me (furthest right), with my father and my two brothers. Notice how everyone gets progressively larger from right to left? I didn't do the arranging of us for this pic, but it is interesting how it worked out.
This was 2 years ago-- I have made considerable gains since then. I was in the middle of grad school and not working out in this picture-- I am not proud of it, especially since I have no amazing job to show for that work, but it is what it is. That clothing doesn't fit me now...so there!
I decided to show this picture because of the project I am trying to create with my brothers. Obviously we all exercise-- my father is the cause of that. We all have different approaches to our workouts, but we have a blood relation and genetics that provide us with possibilities to test ideas. I do not know the eating habits of my brothers to any great extent, but I would think that they might be curious as to why I am gluten free, and how I came to be this way (I am the oldest, and something may happen to them in the future).
I digress...
My father told me that our lineage was mostly Scottish, and that we came from a clan called Gunn. This is a clan that descended from Vikings (and this was recently researched by those that do that sort of thing professionally). Without DNA testing and research, I am not completely sold. Nonetheless, I am going ahead with it because I like Vikings, and I like Scotland. I like having a tie to the past-- I like carrying on a lineage. Whenever you can feel greater than yourself, you have a greater motivator to become the best you can be.
Anyways, my father began to accept his heritage, bought us all kilts in our tartan colors, and started practicing with Highland heavy games implements. I joined him once a week, and although I used a lighter weight in some cases, I was actually fairly good at some of the events. I didn't have the mass behind the strength, but over time I gained technique. I continued practicing while my father competed in amateur contests over the span of 2 years. I stopped practicing within a year since I moved to a location without the space for throwing weight around (which it seriously boiled down to). My father was at the top of his class given his age (most people were in rough shape in their late 50's). He stopped in 2015, and I know that he wanted his sons to compete. He lost interest in me because my jobs took up too much time to practice. My immediate younger brother was set to get involved, but he never did. My other brother was probably not asked since he lived in Mass.
Now is the time... at least I think it is! I have floated the idea to both of my brothers, of all of us training for the games-- training and recording videos of it. I wanted to start these videos within the month concerning how we each trained prior to working with the implements. There will certainly be some competition among us, and that may make for some drama worth watching.
My initial issues will be:
- Having both of my brothers agree to doing this.
- Getting my father involved
- Borrowing and buying some equipment
- Getting a decent video editing program
- Finding the best way to record video. My Samsung phone might be a start, but a Canon G7x Mark II would be great for higher end videos.
- Finding an accomplice for recording. A tripod is not as dynamic, and not always the best when motion is involved.
Having a number of videos in the bank and wondering about Youtube will happen later in the game. I feel that my brothers (one who was going to start his own fitness site), might know more about this.
So this is one of my projects for 2017. This is the heart of why this blog started. Otherwise I am a music teacher, ballroom dance teacher, and freelance musician--but I have other blogs for that.
I will continue to update my journey towards the Highland Games. In this case, there is an amateur meet in Belfast, Maine at the end of July. It is very low key, so it is a perfect place to start. The best performers at this meet move on to the Maine Highland Games in Topsham. My goal is just to be able to compete next to people that outweigh me by 100lbs or more, with my brothers of course: The James Gang. (Yes, I realize that was a band in the 70's).
I will keep posting from the Highlands!
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