SeaSalt

I may have to admit partial defeat for the main goal of this challenge. I was hoping to have guidance on my tumbling during the second half of the challenge, and that hasn't happened. Summer is strange time: instructors often put classes on hiatus because so many members are travelling for vacation, or they have other commitments to summer camps and workshops. Two weeks have passed, and I haven't been able to track down the instructor of my stretch class, which appears to be on hiatus. I have learned a lot from this challenge. First the positive. I've done my splits, strengthened my handstands and seen some improvement in the HICT. Just yesterday I did splits 10 s on both sides, and a 30 s handstand. I have learned the right technique for a cartwheel and I can do it, but I'm also at the mercy of a pre-existing back problem which flares up occasionally and stops me from doing the pain-free side bend needed for a proper cartwheel. The negative. I really need to find out why meditation has become so hard. Thirty minutes was probably too much to start with, no matter how much I used to do. I have to do HICT more regularly, but three times a week was too ambitious a start goal. I should have started at two and worked my way up. With respect to the handstands and cartwheels, I should have built more gradually, because my initial regime put too much stress on my wrists and increased the possibility of injury. The random. I discovered archery. It gave me a space to practice focus and awareness, and provided the opportunity to use and build upper body strength. I like it and I hope to continue it. What I'll take away from this challenge: I'll continue HICT and increase the frequency per week, I'll keep stretching and maintaining my splits, I'll continue to practice handstands and cartwheels, and I'll start meditation from scratch, with small things like the few seconds of focus during archery as well as with larger things like brief periods of sitting meditation.

Sorry to hear about the metatarsals, but well done on meeting the goals of your challenge! I'm not a hiker, but I'd like to take a guess at your snack issue. I can understand how quitting soda has changed your sensitivity to sweet things. How about 'diluting' your dried fruit with a mixture of raw nuts (e.g. cashews or almonds) or some kind of unsweetened oat-cluster type of thing? Another possibility is fat for fuel. Coconut oil in smoothies, soups or coffee (decaf in your case) works for me. No sugar crash, no carb coma. Smoothies can be the breakfast foundation pre-hike (e.g. fruit, coconut/almond milk, linseed, spinach, coconut oil). Then decaf coffee for breaks and soup for a mid-hike meal.

Thanks!

From Thursday last to yesterday Monday, I had unexpected and intense work commitments. I did manage to move around a lot, but I was also less able to choose exactly what I wanted to eat. Today was my rest day. On the bright side, I feel like my wrists are recovering nicely. Tomorrow it's back to tai chi, stretch and archery. A week and a half to go. I hope I can pull myself together for the final stretch!

Thanks, and good luck to you too! I have to say, when I read about your weekend – hiking, kayaking, etc – it reminded me of a very important element that I was leaving out of this challenge. Play. My tai chi coach always uses this word, and I still keep forgetting how central it is. I have had more fun, and worked far harder, when I was playing than when I was 'being self-disciplined'. So this week I took a little time to play. I went to the beach on Tuesday morning. I walked for a little while (I didn't time it). I meant to do some serious swimming ... but you know what? There was a shoal of small fishes that were as curious about me as I was about them, and I didn't want to splash or scare them, so I just snorkelled peacefully and enjoyed their company. Today I did stretches and a 30 s handstand and 10 s splits on both sides and cartwheels on both sides and a cartwheel plus handstand on one side (the handstand was against the wall and there was a bit of a pause between the cartwheel and handstand, but still!). And this evening I did something I've wanted to do since childhood. I went to a beginner's archery class. My elbow is all whacked up, but apart from that I had one and a half hours of pure fun. In future, I won't try to push through the willpower wall with more discipline. I'm going to pause and remember how to play.

That's one impressive weekend! I'm a little jealous of the kayaking/paddleboarding, but on the bright side I finally got a new swimsuit so now I have no excuse not to get in some seaside exercise.

First the bad. Meditation is not happening. The amount of willpower this requires of me is too much after the activities of the past four weeks. However, I got back to tai chi classes last week, and I do get a level of concentration or moving meditation when I do the forms. This is still well below par. The good. I did 2 rounds of HICT on Thursday, and on Friday tai chi, stretches (including my brief full splits), cartwheel practice and the 30s handstand. I really must be careful not to overdo it with the wrists now. I made Saturday a rest day and did another 2 rounds of HICT today. I've already modified the handstand goal to allow for some rest time for my wrists. I'm also modifying (i.e. conforming to reality) my HICT goal. Doing tai chi as a warm up does not appear to be feasible, partly because tai chi forms need some space and the joy of HICT is that it does not, and partly because the two styles of exercise do not feel like a good fit. Different mindset. So my tai chi goes back to twice or three times a week in an area with sufficient space. I felt completely drained of will today, but I still managed the HICT, which pleases me. I really appreciate the fact that it doesn't need a lot of preparation, space or props, so it's easy to do without having to think too hard about it. I am adding leg raises to my HICT routine to work my lower abs and back. There are already crunches for the upper abs, and I need stronger lower back and abs.

Well, that's a unique incentive! I like it Are the different scents meant to inspire different experiences of the class? You keep hanging in there. You're doing so well!

The physical challenges are going well. Yesterday I did stretches and managed a few seconds of uncomfortable yet unsupported splits on both sides. I also managed a 30 s handstand. Half a minute! I practised my cartwheels. The left side is still better than the right, but at least the right side is becoming less awkward. I bought wrist supports and I think they're helping. Today I did two rounds of HICT. I decided not to try the handstands because I think the handstand-per-day goal was a bad idea. I'm not giving myself enough time to heal, and it's straining my wrists. So I'm going to have at least one rest day, maybe even two, between handstands and cartwheel practice. The meditation is a real problem. In a way, I could easily fail this goal and still pass my main challenge, but I'd really like to find out why this is so hard for me. I may make it the primary goal of the next six-week challenge. I just took a glance at my original challenge post and realised that I've touched two of my goals – the 30 s handstand and the splits on both sides. Focus on the positive indeed! There is yet time to come up to scratch with the other goals (I haven't yet managed HICT three times in a week).

Today I'm giving myself a break from handstands because my arms are still sore. Plus, I will be back in stretch class tomorrow and I can do my handstands supervised then (I don't do unsupervised handstands if I'm feeling shaky). I did two rounds of HICT. Still failing a bit on the meditation, but after a few more sleeps I think I will be better able to re-tackle that goal.

Not exactly a grading system. More like a little prod to discourage slacking. I must admit that if at the end of six weeks I can cartwheel and come to a handstand on both sides, I consider the challenge successful, regardless of slippage in the supporting goals. Weak side ... this is the strange thing. It feels like more of a lack of courage/co-ordination than a lack of strength. And I thought I'd be more comfortable on my right side because I'm right handed, but for some reason I always lead with my left foot into cartwheels and handstands. Thanks for the support!

Oh man, get better soon! Glad you're sensible and to know when to ease off. Back problems are no joke.

Wow, I just read through your week 1 and 2 and you're doing a fantastic job. Special congrats on the soda goal. If you can kick that for six weeks you may never go back to it again. Keep it up. You're inspiring me

Oh yes, and I was supposed to come up with a penalty system. I'm drawing a blank, to be honest. The thought of having something more to track makes me recoil. Maybe for the next challenge! On the bright side, I think that my left side cartwheel is pretty solid now, and my right side cartwheel is still amateurish but no longer terrifying to attempt.

I am returning to a normal schedule (or as normal as it can be for me). Last week, the only thing I failed at utterly was meditation, and that was in part because of some unusually intense social activity and decision-making that left me wired. But I did manage a little bit of my other goals. Incidentally, I built up some noticeable muscle as a side-effect of all my luggage-lifting during travel. Today I did meditation (30 min), stretches and handstands. I can now handstand for 25 seconds. I am still feeling some strain in the wrists, however, and although I know much of this is due to luggage, I'm watching it to make sure it doesn't become chronic.