raptron

New challenge up:

Hellloooo! Your friendly neighborhood flipperdoo is back for more lifting, mobility, gymnastics, and vegetable eating. Same bat time, same bat channel. I've added an intentional outdoor time goal to this challenge. Given that it IS spring, I imagine it will be relatively easy to complete as long as I remember that I am making it a priority -- and that I tough it out and go for walks in the drizzle when the weather is not so nice. 😝 I also want to be able to take full advantage of our yard and porch as the weather warms... plus maybe start to plan actual social events, pending how the vaccine rollout goes in the next month or so as everyone in the state becomes eligible. 🤞 1. Train: 4x lifting and 1x gymnastics or "other" workout weekly 2. Mobilize: Dedicated upper back/thoracic mobility work 1x and hip mobility work 1x weekly 3. Outdoor time: Accumulate 3+ hours of outdoor time during the work week 4. Vegeetabuls: Big serving of vegetables 5x per week 5. Spring cleaning: Get through my outstanding to do list + add more to it with a focus on improving the apt and our outdoor spaces (porch and backyard) It's Easter this weekend, which I almost entirely forgot about! But I ordered a ukrainian egg decorating kit (with the wax and dyes) to do this weekend with my roommates and a BFF. I'll also probably pick out a fancy braided bread to make. And I'm thinking lamb. I've been leaning into making extravagant holiday meals this pandemic and don't intend to stop now. 🍽️

...adding this to my list for the fall after I inevitably wind up with too many apples from apple picking. 😀

I also love it UNABASHEDLY. It's just so great, haha. HELLLL YEAH. I bet you could have gotten it fresh fo sho. Also, I support NF during the work day... it's 99% of my time time here. Work breaks! And it sounds like you need them VERY BADLY.

Yes, I accept blame for the harm that may occur to your household in your bid to join the Flipperdos, though we do not provide any material compensation for said damages. 😇 King Arthur Flour has such good recipes! Yay for strudel.

Happy (very) belated!!

LOVE IT ALL. Glad you guys are settling in well.

Ok, sorry, I MIA'd out of the end of this challenge. Vermont was very pretty and the hot tub was A+, the biggest perk, haha. I made a big wild berry Pop Tart for a work contest for Pi Day and it got little hype, but whatever, it tasted like a really amazing jam bar and I got to eat a 9x12 pie for the next 3 days, lol. I am annoyed at my icing job, but there was no equipment to make anything remotely resembling a makeshift piping bag, so I just had to use the edge of a spatula for this. And honestly, the Pop Tart factory does just as poor of a job, so, it was for authenticity, you see. 😜 I lifted 3x last week after I got back from Vermont. My bench day went awry because I misread the workout, but my other two workouts were strong -- especially squat day. Things feel like they are improving somewhat on squats, which is good, of course. I had kind of intended to go to gymnastics practice on Sunday, but day drinking and hanging out with people I hadn't seen in a WHILE took precedence because we had a beautiful sunny, 63 degree day. Everyone needed to be outside in the sun. Final Challenge Stats Lift according to plan: 19/20 Handstand timer: 4/5 Mobility tools: I literally just ordered them now to avoid the shame of reporting back that I couldn't just press "ORDER" on some silly bands and yoga blocks. WE DID IT, FAM. Hip mobility: 4/5 Big bowl of veg: 22/25 Things went ok on this. I think putting those mobility tools to use is the big thing next challenge. Plus, probably bringing back the gymnastics goal because I think I only went once or twice this whole challenge despite us having access to a new, much closer gym situation on Sundays.

I think the added psychic stress of moving and all of what is related to that gives you a big pass on the goals you left behind. That pasta looks and sounds VERY GOOD. Glad you're back in pulling shape according to your PT appointment.

I did not expect to find myself googling the leech market on a Friday afternoon, but here we are.

UHHH I BET AFTER THE LAST TWO DAYS. SHEESH. Hire your neighbor to throw rocks at your house around lunch time. 😁 TRUTH. 😶

I signed up with Dr. B from this article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/09/health/covid-vaccine-leftover-doses-dr-b.html. Not sure how many places are participating near me or near you, but seemed worth it to me. Hahah, barre DOES that though. Working as intended.

Korbut was the creator of this skill (in the gif) and I think certain aspects weren't... entirely thought out at the time. More modern versions look like this: I do think my hands would have to move back a bit so that if they were together, I would have room to actually get my head through, right? We'll see haha. I haven't tried to learn the handstand + swing down/chest roll aspect. So we'll see how that affects my hand positioning. 🤔 Day 4.3 Wednesday... was busy I want to say. I went on some errands at lunch, so I walked around a fair bit. Then, obviously, to the gym after. It was super empty and very chill. Loved it. Tempo duffalo bar squats: 3 x 3 x 255# Duffalo bar squats: 5 x 255#, 5 x 245# Close grip bench press: 3 x 8 x 135# Belt squats: 4 x 10 x 140# Incline key press: 2 x 10 x 25#, 2 x 10 x 30# Split stance single arm landmine rows: 4 x 10 x 25# Day 4.4 Warm, but very windy, day up in the Northeast. I sat on the porch for a bit and went for a walk at lunch. I also did 2 loads of laundry, so muy productive. More lifts! I took a short power nap before this. A+ would nap again. This workout was very quick (it's a bit of a deadlift deload after peaking last week), but very spicy. Deadlift off of 2" blocks: 3 x 5 x 305# Stiff leg DB deadlifts: 4 x 10 x 50# BU kettlebell press: 4 x 5 x 25# Single leg extensions: 4 x 15 x 70# Half kneeling single arm pull-downs: 4 x 8 x 80# My legs are very toast after these workouts. RIP legs. I had some hamstring cramping after the stiff leg deadlifts, haha. ☠️ Lift according to plan: 15/16 Handstand timer: 3/4 Mobility tools: X Hip mobility: 3/4 Big bowl of veg: 18/20 I am likely going to be scarce this weekend -- really busy and then going to Vermont for mixed time-off and working remotely from a cute farmhouse. It overlooks the Green Mountains and has a hot tub. 🤩

Aw woof. Gl. Oooh, all fun things. ❤️

Aahah, well done. This is how it starts! Darn cardio being good for you.

Glad you got a hearty meal in. ❤️

Oh fun! Barre can be so brutal.

Bodies are... very weird. 🕉️

You got the lifting and walking in though. So if the energy does not grow today, perhaps it will grow back stronger tomorrow. 🔥

Congrats on the move and the upgrades that come with it -- though RIP to your custom pull-up bar -- are any of the people at parkour handy? Might be worth a shout to see if anyone has tools or has recs for someone who could do it quickly.

It's a new week. Doo doo doo. Day 4.1 Rest day. I played some solo darts and started watching I May Destroy You on HBO. It's incredibly good, but boyyyy, lots of tough topics and heavy material. They do a good job of keeping it from being just a depressing slog though -- it's beautifully shot, acted wonderfully, has great music, and lots of great friendships/relationships and... it is also pretty funny. Definitely recommend it. Day 4.2 QP came by to borrow a pan -- for cheesecake that is going in the next ice cream, haha -- so we played a game of darts (which I ANNOYINGLY LOST ) before I left for the gym. Paused bench press: 3 x 145#, 3 x 155#, 3 x 160#, 3 x 165 Bench AMRAP: 10 x 135# Trap bar deadlifts: 5 x 255, 5 x 265, 5 x 275# Snatch grip rows: 4 x 10 x 65# Single leg glute bridges: 4 x 10 x 35# DB in lap EZ bar curls: 4 x 10 x 35# (gonna be so swole) Ate dinner, showered, played a quick Hades run, and went to bed. Lift according to plan: 13/16 Handstand timer: 3/4 Mobility tools: X Hip mobility: 3/4 Big bowl of veg: 15/20

WEDDING! DANCING! PIZZA! THIS UPDATE HAS EVERYTHING. Excited you are officiating!! That's so fun. Congrats to your bestie.

Ummm, 405# would be very cool and seems like a good medium term (1-2 year) goal. It's universally considered to be painful and terrible. BUT IT LOOKS SO COOL! 🤩

So glad your sister felt comfortable coming out to you and that you're in her corner -- even if it is across the globe. ❤️ Very pretty! Excited for you both. 🖤

I like the idea of putting a "move onnnn" timeline on it. Spines are so weird -- which segment of mine is the most stiff changes almost daily. I've been trying to more regularly do segmented cat-cows / cat-cow waves mostly because they are very hard but also I think they're helping re-develop some of that awareness and control. Highly recommend that you incorporate them -- even if it is just to have someone else be frustrated with me. Ahh, I like that one! It's almost harder now because the end SEEMS close but it isn't. 😒