Social Alchemist

Hey thanks for checking in. Unfortunately, I have regular breathing problems so this is hard to kick. Also it's be hard to keep updated as my personal computer has broken. Currently, I wonder if these challenges are really helping me as the set up doesn't seem to provide me the motivation that I need to keep up with it. I'm currently looking into other ways to keep up with my fitness. Thanks again for checking in on me.

The park I go to has a bathroom that's not too bad. Just as an update, the past few days have sucked. I got sick a few days ago and still am as I type. I know from horrible past experiences that working out while sick only makes me feel worse. So I was unable to do my workout Monday but I hope to be better by Wednesday.

Today's workout went well though the chain rows I've been doing are still hurting my hands at least for a short period of time after the workout. Unfortunately, my other days have a been too lax and I haven't worked on the mini-challenge at all which I know isn't a major priority but I'd like to work on it at least a little bit. I plan on staying at Level 2 for another week at least. I guess that's all for now. Ta ta.

Thank you all for the encouragement and advice. I went out today and was able to complete the workout in it's entirety all exercises at level 2. I recently got actual gym clothes to workout in and I'm sure that my new clothes is what did it. Either that or the fact that I'm a stubborn ass and refused to let anything stop me.

Well today was a disappointment. I went to the park to do my playground workout and I decided to move up to level 2 on all of my workouts. I'm supposed to do the circuit three times but I only made it through it one and a half times before having to stop. It was definitely disappointing. Oh well.

Yeah that's what I was going to go with, at least until my hands start bleeding or something. Thank you for the advice. On with the update, I remembered to go out and jump today. It was fun and stuff but I started getting tired and bored quickly so I was thinking about doing some flexibility work for about half the time instead jumping for the whole half hour. It will also give me time to work on the handstand mini challenge. Woo go team.

True I shouldn't make too many excuses as I could have still drunken more water but at least today has been much better. I was able to wake up early and go do my workout at the playground before it got too hot. I went to a different playground that is just about as far away but this one had swings so I could do my swing rows. The swing rows, however, made my hands hurt (from gripping the chains) and I'm wondering if I'm doing them wrong or if my hands are just wimpy. Perhaps I should invest in a pair of gloves for working out and practicing parkour. Hm...well until next time...

Ugh blah. I was busy all day and didn't have time to play on the trampoline. I was also going to work on handstands for the mini-challenge but that didn't happen either for the same reason. In fact, due to my being away, I couldn't keep up the water drinking and indulged way too much today however the day was nice in other ways and I feel more emotionally healthy so that's good. I do plan on getting off the computer soon and reading until I go to bed so as to better sleep and stick to at least part of my challenge. Well I suppose I best be off to do that. Thank you everyone for your support.

So just a general update: I did what I was supposed to. I started on level one of all the exercises and was still left drained and hufffing. I also found out the hard way that working out in the middle of the day (read as 'the hottest part of the day') is a horrible idea. I'm sure at least half of my sweating was due to the heat alone. Perhaps I should go early in the morning. I also kept with the water drinking, though not as much as I'd like, definitely more than I had been. Hopefully my days continue with progress.

That's a good point. Some of these drinks can be downright ridiculous.

I've really enjoyed this post. As a fellow drummer, I would like to welcome you to the Assassin's Guild, definitely the best and most badass choice. I look forward to seeing how you are doing, especially with your knee seeing as I have a similar issue. I find that I have to make sure to do a good warm up for my legs before my workouts to make sure my knee works better. With all of that, Good luck!

I really enjoyed reading your post and as a new follower of yours, let me say Congratulations on your pull up! I also recently achieved being able to do a single pull up and will also be working on that during my challenge. Also, I very much enjoy how aware you are of possible limitations and issues that might occur. Ypur preparation is enviable and I hope everything goes smoothly. Good luck!

When I was younger, there was a phrase I heard once. I don't remember where I heard it or why and for most of my life I ignored it. The phrase was in the form of the acronym "K.I.S.S." and stood for "Keep It Simple Stupid". Indeed for most of my life I tried to make things more complex than they should be and so I've seen failure because of it. Indeed, I feel that this complexity is the reason for my failure in the past challenges that I started but didn't really finish. This time, I'm going to keep it simple. My posts will be boring without in depth story or video game references. I've even cut out my level and class from my signature due to its distracting nature. I may not have a particularly interesting challenge but hopefully I'll have a simple and productive one. Now, in my summer between semesters, I'm going to go back to a simpler time for me, when things weren't so complex. I'm going to be a kid again. 1: The Playground Workout Every other day, I will walk up to the playground around the corner and perform this workout starting at the lowest level and staying there for a full week before advancing at all. The link to the workout (as posted on NF): http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/04/12/playground-workout/ 2: Trampolining Despite reducing my complexity, I'm still an assassin and so I'm going to practice all of my sick (not all that sick) flips and tricks on a trampoline in my backyard for 30 minutes (at least) on the days I don't go to the playground. 3: Drink Water During the summers when it gets really hot (particularly here in Florida), my mom would always remind me to drink lots of water while I'm playing outside so that I don't get dehydrated. Indeed, I find that I don't drink enough water and instead quench my thirst with sugary drinks like sweet tea or soda. I figure if I keep a bottle of water nearby at all times and regularly drink from it, then I will reduce my desire for the sugary drinks. It's not the most complex dieting plan but that's the point and I hope it works. 4: Summer Reading Every year, when school ended, we would leave for the summer with no homework. Well almost no homework. We would always have that dreaded summer reading we would have to do that we would end up being tested on as soon as we got back. I don't actually have summer reading but I do have reading that I plan on doing this summer. I will spend an hour every day reading from my large inventory of books I want to go through. So yeah, that's my challenge. Really my goal is just to complete this challenge and hopefully lose some weight along the way as it is harder to jump along buildings when you're carrying extra weight. I plan on posting at least something every single day to keep up accountability even if it's just the sentence "I did what I was supposed to." I look forward to this challenge and hopefully having my fellow Guild Members keep be accountable and motivated.

Yes indeed. I actually find handstands to be very fun but my current ones are a bit lopsided and I can't stay up for too long so that's one of the things I'm practicing.

Dearest fellow Assassins, Please forgive my late posting. I have been largely involved in the Civil War and so most of my time last week was devoted to that but now I have climbed the 7000 steps and my training has begun. Unfortunately, I am no dovahkin and so the Greybeards- who have so graciously offered their assistance- tell me that I must train hard if I am ever to learn the Thu'um. My first goal is the basic shout known as Unrelenting Force. I will work for the next several weeks focusing individually on each of the three words that composes the shout as well as the entire shout as a whole. 1) The first word is "Fus" which is translated into the common tongue as "Force". I must master what it means to create force with one's own will and so I will go to the gym three times a week for strength training. 2) The second word is "Ro" which means "Balance." Force is nearly useless if it is not controlled and directed. I must master the forces in my body and find a balance so that I can use my force right. For this, I will be practicing the art of flexibility and balance three times a week on different days from my strength training with lots of exercises especially the dreaded technique of placing one's feet where their hands were and their hands where their feet were. 3) The final word is "Dah" and means "Push". This is arguably the most important part for all the motivation and creativity in the world means nothing without the extra push. I plan on giving myself that extra push by shying away from drinking any liquids other water. Also on my seventh day (in which I am doing neither strength training or dexterity work) I will put all the words together and practice the shout as a whole through the sport of Parkour. 4) Seeing as I am still an alchemist-whether I know Thu'um or not- I must continue my studies and so in the late hours of the night after I've completed my training and before I sleep, I will study my books for an hour so that my arcane knowledge does not falter during my stay at the Throat of the World. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them here in Ivarstead where my dearest friend Klimmek will take them and deliver them to me and then return with my responses. Thank you!