More Action in my LARP

[nementai]

Hey, another newbie here!

I'm right at the start of my fitness journey and very excited at the progress I'm making.

 

I've had CFS/ME for 8 years. Before I became ill I was a gym bunny, doing weights, fencing and kung fu pretty much every day, I was 9st of lean muscle and I felt the best I ever had. I came late to exercise, only getting into sports once I got to university and lived next door to the insanely cheap gym, so it was a wonderful feeling to learn the amazing things my body was capable of, and to experience that post exercise high every day.

Then I got ill and everything just fell apart - some days I couldn't hold a conversation, or I'd struggle to the kitchen to make a coffee in the morning and have to crawl back to bed because my legs wouldn't hold me. Thankfully, those days were few, but I had to go part time at work and basically give up all hobbies. Except one - LARP. Role playing has kept me sane through the last few years and over the last 3-4 years, as I've got more control over my energy levels, I've enjoyed being able to fight on occasion and even manage a few long walks and late night drinking sessions.

This year I began to realise that I'd been doing things that even a year ago would have floored me. I haven't done anything to 'cure' my CFS, but I seem to be...better. I'm weak as a kitten, having spent 8 years not standing or walking unless I absolutely had to, but I can do a whole weekend in character, walking and fighting, wearing armour for a bit, and not spend a month recovering. And so I've taken my first steps on the road to being fit again.

 

I did a calorie control diet for 2 months at the start of the summer and dropped a dress size, which made me feel a lot better about myself. So next comes exercise!

I started with the principle that 'everything is a workout', so standing while I waited for the bus, running up stairs instead of walking, walking to the better sandwich shop rather than the closest one, it was hard to unlearn my energy conservation habits, but it felt good to be pushing myself again, albeit very gently! 

Next was the BBWW and am getting close to doing the whole 3 sets without it killing me (5 weeks ago I couldn't get through 1 set, so I'm REALLY proud of that!). I'm doing some martial arts training with my husband once a week (Friday night is Fight night!) to get my form back. I've also started on a C25K programme and am doing better than I would ever have thought with that too. I have vague plans about running the local 10k in May, and then the half marathon in September... I also have plans to do some very basic parkour training to get my jumping, rolling and other badass moves down!

 

I've improved my diet too - fewer processed carbs and sugar, less booze, more protein. And I've lost another 5lb in 6 weeks, without going hungry once.

 

I don't have any concrete goals - I'd like to lose a little more weight, tone up for sure and the other benefits like better sleep would be great. Most of all though, I've decided I want to be awesome at LARP. It's my favourite and just about only hobby (my other big hobby/part time business is sewing...costumes for LARP) and I want to be the warrior who can sprint a field in full plate to save my friend, vault a wall to avoid gunfire, and disarm assassins.

 

So the training starts here! Wish me luck!

[Companion]

Awesome!! Looking forward to updates.

[Helix "The Peasant"]

I wish you success with everything, mainly bacause LARPERS UNITED! (holds his fists up in the air) 

I've been larping for about three years now, mainly sword and shield, and it's great to be strong when you're a warrior. Everyone gets afraid when you battle shout <3