SJ1976

SUMMARY OF MY WEEK FOUR: August 16 None! August 17 Proper push-ups 25 Protein shake August 18 MMA train Proper push-ups 25 Protein shake August 19 MMA train Proper push-ups 25 Protein shake August 20 Protein shake August 21 Proper push-ups 25 Protein shake August 22 None! Grading Week Four: MMA quest = (2) B Push-ups quest = (4) C+ Protein shake quest = (5) B So, Week Four fares better than last week. However, friends, a game changer has emerged this week and now I'm unsure how to proceed... This past week I learned that I'm pregnant (5 weeks today). While it's a game changer at any point in your life, this pregnancy comes at the heels of a miscarriage I had earlier in the spring. We have not shared this news with our IRL friends or family to spare us having to share our heartache again in the event of another miscarriage. My miscarriage happened at 9 weeks of pregnancy, so in my mind I keep thinking, "we just have to make it to week 9". Before finding out I was pregnant, I had no symptoms (I still have few symptoms other than having missed my period and bloating (bah). When I trained last week, I did two three-minute rounds of kickboxing drills on Thai pads with my coach. By the end of it, I was hurting. Coach's comment to me was that my cardio needs work. I died a little inside when he told me that. But it was true; I had been struggling with my conditioning as of late in spite of training 2-4 times a week. Even I was flummoxed as to what was going on. Then, serendipitously, I learn the next morning that I'm pregnant. It all made sense then. Because of my miscarriage, I connected with my ob/gyn right away. She had me in to do some blood work, which I will be doing for the next few weeks as they monitor my pregnancy. I'll be booked for an early ultrasound at week 7 and my first prenatal appointment is at week 9. I'm all lined up for my prenatal care, and I'm feeling good about it. I also discussed my training program with my doctor. She gave me the green light to continue rope skipping, weight lifting (with no weight restrictions), as well as pad drills (me striking pads and me holding pads for others). She has insisted I not do any full contact training (grappling, sparring) as we don't want to risk embryo implantation. So, for all intents and purposes, it appears that I can still train 90% business as usual and that I could still test this upcoming Sunday. But the question is, CAN I??? I haven't yet disclosed to Coach about my pregnancy. Truthfully, as much as I respect him, I don't know how empathic he will be about my pregnancy. He's never had children, and while he gave me his sympathies at the time of our miscarriage, he seemed to be more happy about me returning to the club on a regular basis. I worry that, if I put off my stripe test yet again (both delays for legitimate health reasons (first severe knee injuries and now a pregnancy), I may never do this promotion. And, with my daughter's school year coming up, I'll likely be decreasing my training time by at least once a week in order to balance my family life. Without trying to be dramatic, I either do this promotion now, or possibly not again for at least a year (or possibly not ever?). I only have 4 more training sessions between now and Sunday. Is it enough to get my head and my body into game readiness? My conditioning is already compromised by my pregnancy. I worry very much whether or not I can endure the physical intensity of my promotion test. And how much of my trepidation is due to a mental block, rather than a physical block? I'm having a hard time distinguishing. Feedback from my fellow Rebels would be very appreciated. I'm too close to the situation and I constantly flip flop on how to proceed. I want to enjoy my pregnancy, with a healthy baby and with no regrets.

SUMMARY OF MY WEEK THREE: WEEK THREE: August 9 Proper push-ups 20 August 10 MMA train Protein shake August 11 MMA train Protein shake August 12 MMA train Proper push-ups 20 Protein shake August 13 MMA train Proper push-ups 20 Protein shake August 14 Nothing! August 15 Nothing again!! ACK!!! Grading Week Three: MMA quest = A Push-ups quest = C Protein shake quest = C+ Wow. What a brutal week! My cousin got married this past weekend so was a hectic Week Three with life and last minute wedding prep getting in the mix. Thanks for checking in on me, gang. This week: respawn!

SUMMARY OF MY WEEK TWO: August 2 Proper push-ups 15 August 3 Proper push-ups 15 Protein shake August 4 MMA train Proper push-ups 15 Protein shake Also did an additional 39 birthday push-ups (proper!) at our MMA club! August 5 MMA train Proper push-ups 15 Protein shake August 6 MMA train Proper push-ups 15 Ended up doing 120 push-ups (on my knees) because of tripping up on skip rope while warming up (4 trip ups * 30 push-ups!). Yikes! We only skipped for 5 minutes for warm-up! August 7 Proper push-ups 15 Protein shake August 8 MMA train Proper push-ups 15 Protein shake Grading Week Two: MMA quest = A+ (4 times this week!) Push-ups quest = A++ (including 39 birthday push-ups done on Tuesday and 120 assisted push-ups (on my knees) <-- 30 push-ups penalty for tripping up on skip rope during my 5 minutes skipping warm-up)! Yikes! (For my stripe test, I will need to skip for 12 minutes minimum and will need to drop and give 30 PROPER push-ups for EACH time I trip on my skip rope (for my first stripe, I recall tripping on my rope 6 times...gulp.) Did I mention the skipping is just the BEGINNING of the test? Double gulp (gulp)! Protein shake quest = B [emoji109]ðŸ½[emoji106]ðŸ½[emoji123]ðŸ½

Thanks for your encouraging posts! You can see my 6WC progress in the link below (I inadvertently created two intro posts when I started the 6WC <--- n00b fail!) http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/69188-we-are-ka-tet-sj1976s-quest-to-lose-15-body-fat/?p=1574101

Thank you, fellow rebels! You are kind and I am humbled. *bows deeply* Hoping your own 6WC's are going strong as well [emoji109]ðŸ½[emoji123]ðŸ½[emoji106]ðŸ½

Thanks for the reply. However I was more specifically referring to whether or not my assisted pull-ups training of 3x8 can be done daily or if I should be allowing for a day of rest in between like with other strength training?

SUMMARY OF MY WEEK ONE (what I accomplished each day this week!): July 26 Make challenge commitment! July 27 Proper push-ups 10 Protein shake July 28 Proper push-ups 10 Protein shake July 29 MMA train Proper push-ups 10 Protein shake July 30 MMA train Protein shake July 31 Proper push-ups 10 Protein shake August 1 MMA train (*barbell train in lieu) Proper push-ups 10 Protein shake Grading Week One: MMA quest = A Push-ups quest = B Protein shake quest = A [emoji109]ðŸ½[emoji106]ðŸ½[emoji123]ðŸ½

NF Pull-up Program question (apologies if this has been asked before): I'm at Level 3A of the program (assisted pull-ups). Can I do these pull-up workouts everyday? Or is it more advantageous to do this workout every other day?

YES! Push-ups first thing upon getting my ass out of bed has been the best bet. I did that this morning and I feel optimistic about this as the plan. Day 5 quests complete --> 10 push-ups & protein shake DONE!

Day three of my 6WC: quests completed --> 10 daily proper push-ups, protein shake and MMA training DONE! I didn't end up doing my birthday push-ups after all that day! It was a busy class with a number of new folks starting and so there was lots of excitement going on! I'm sure Coach will remember to get me to do them next time I'm at the club [emoji16] Day four of my 6WC: quests completed --> protein shake & MMA training (with my husband) done! I'm a little disappointed in myself that I didn't get my 10 push-ups in... Ahhhh, tomorrow is a new day! Challenges coming up: It's the long weekend coming up (in Canada). Our MMA club is closed which stinks because I intended for Saturday to be my third training for my first week of the 6WC [emoji53] My alternate plan will be to do my barbell workout from home and my pull-up workout (I'm also part of the Great Pull-up Quest of 2015 and aiming for my first pull-up!). Hoping everyone is going strong in their first week as well! [emoji109]ðŸ½[emoji123]ðŸ½[emoji106]ðŸ½

Day two of my 6WC: quests completed --> 10 daily proper push-ups and protein shake done! Looking forward to MMA training tomorrow night. As a sidebar, tonight I also attempted a set of 39 proper push-ups as I will be expected to so when I go to the club tomorrow (it's a club tradition that folks do a set of proper push-ups before class on their birthday (for as many as they are old). I'm proud to say that I was able to pull off 39 tonight! Phew! Bring on tomorrow! [emoji123]ðŸ½[emoji106]ðŸ½

Hi all! Thanks, Teirin, for the shout out! I've been MMA training for the last 2.5 years (boxing, kickboxing, grappling, clinching). Last summer I suffered a severe knee injury during a grappling drill, resulting in two emergency surgeries (injuries: bucket handle tear of my medial meniscus as well as a complete ACL tear). I'm a new member of the NF Ladies Academy and I'm doing my first 6WC as a Recruit. The timing of the 6WC coincides with my second stripe promotion which is on August 30, 2015 so my quests are geared towards earning my stripe! I look forward to getting to know you all on the boards!

Approximately 24 hours into my 6WC: Quests completed today --> 10 daily proper push-ups & protein shake consumed! My plan to complete this week's quest #1 --> MMA train on Wed, Thu and Sat this week. My challenge as of right now: I've been back at my MMA club for the last week and a half and, while I am extremely glad I trained afterwards on a given day, admittedly, because I'm resuming my MMA training after such a physical and mental hiatus, I get major butterflies when I think about the club. But I'm committed to completing my quest this week and I so I will! Day one done and a plan for the rest of the week! [emoji109]ðŸ½[emoji123]ðŸ½[emoji106]ðŸ½

Thank you for the welcome, Teirin! We are well met, as well! I resumed my MMA training earlier this spring and (I'm sure to the dismay of my PT) I haven't been regularly keeping up with my PT exercises. I wear my knee brace when doing certain drills and I continue to focus on building my leg strength when it comes to my weight training in addition to the PT I do. I look forward to checking out the Monk as well as Ranger guilds. When I was deciding what class to join, I realized that Monk seems to be my "natural" class. I do, however, aspire to be a Ranger one day. Thanks again for the greetings; I look forward to seeing you around the boards!

Thank you for the encouragement, Tricera-sister! It makes me feel great knowing you're here!