Toning My Biceps and Forearms
The only exercise I'm able to do in my village are my early-morning runs or walks and jump-roping, lunges, and mock cardio-kickboxing in my living room. There's little opportunity for me to keep my arms in shape, which I did in the States by swimming and weight-training.
I do have a once-a-week routine that gives my arms a good workout and keeps my knees flexible. Every Friday is the oh-so-dreaded Laundry Day. Let me tell you, washing clothes by hand is the only way that I can hope to keep my forearms and biceps slightly worthy of a tanktop (to be worn immediately upon arrival in the States). Also, it makes me truly appreciate the efficiency of a washing machine (to be stared at and stroked upon arrival in the States).
My (Jordan) Workout Regimen for Upper Body:
1. Separate Week's Laundry into 2 piles: 1. Socks and Underwear and 2. Everything Else
2. Wait 20 minutes for water heater to do its magic.
3. Fill plastic tub with water and detergent.
4. Squat in my shower, scrub, scrub, scrub each individual sock and underwear.
5. Once satisfied, pour dirty water (don't be scared if it's dark brown) over my kitchen floor.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 (socks are really dirty).
7. Fill plastic tub with warm water only, and wash items again until no longer soapy.
8. Repeat step 5.
9. Hang up underwear on laundry line in living room, hang up socks outside on neighbor's outdoor laundry line.
10. Fill plastic tub with water and detergent.
11. Squat (ignore how stiff your knees are by now) and scrub, scrub, scrub each piece of clothing from pile #2.
12. Once satisfied, pour water over my living room floor.
13. Repeat step 7 for pile #2 items.
14. Repeat step 12.
15. Hang up clothes on neighbor's outdoor laundry line.
16. Wash the kitchen floor with my all-purpose squeegee, using water from puddles of the dirty and soapy water from Socks and Underwear load.
17. Wash the living room floor with squeegee, using water from puddles from Everything Else load.
18. Read a good book and wait.
19. In winter: 3 days later, take down frozen clothes from laundry lines. In summer: 2 hours later, take down dry clothes from laundry lines.
I do have a once-a-week routine that gives my arms a good workout and keeps my knees flexible. Every Friday is the oh-so-dreaded Laundry Day. Let me tell you, washing clothes by hand is the only way that I can hope to keep my forearms and biceps slightly worthy of a tanktop (to be worn immediately upon arrival in the States). Also, it makes me truly appreciate the efficiency of a washing machine (to be stared at and stroked upon arrival in the States).
My (Jordan) Workout Regimen for Upper Body:
1. Separate Week's Laundry into 2 piles: 1. Socks and Underwear and 2. Everything Else
2. Wait 20 minutes for water heater to do its magic.
3. Fill plastic tub with water and detergent.
4. Squat in my shower, scrub, scrub, scrub each individual sock and underwear.
5. Once satisfied, pour dirty water (don't be scared if it's dark brown) over my kitchen floor.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 (socks are really dirty).
7. Fill plastic tub with warm water only, and wash items again until no longer soapy.
8. Repeat step 5.
9. Hang up underwear on laundry line in living room, hang up socks outside on neighbor's outdoor laundry line.
10. Fill plastic tub with water and detergent.
11. Squat (ignore how stiff your knees are by now) and scrub, scrub, scrub each piece of clothing from pile #2.
12. Once satisfied, pour water over my living room floor.
13. Repeat step 7 for pile #2 items.
14. Repeat step 12.
15. Hang up clothes on neighbor's outdoor laundry line.
16. Wash the kitchen floor with my all-purpose squeegee, using water from puddles of the dirty and soapy water from Socks and Underwear load.
17. Wash the living room floor with squeegee, using water from puddles from Everything Else load.
18. Read a good book and wait.
19. In winter: 3 days later, take down frozen clothes from laundry lines. In summer: 2 hours later, take down dry clothes from laundry lines.
