mkdutch

Thank you, I wanted to have fun with it and not feel overwhelmed. At this stage in my life I really can't go over board.

Haha, I am and I do. It's been rough. Glad to see you are still around!

God speed, my friend! You can do it. I'll be watching.

Hello Assassins, For the past several months I have been horribly overwhelmed by everything in my life and so to adjust to a schedule that was driving me insane I stopped exercising. Quite frankly I stopped anything that didn't involve work, school, and sleep. I didn't see friends and I dropped so far into depression fighting the urge to drive into oncoming traffic was becoming more and more difficult. Turns out working 58 out 60 days, moving, and trying to balance school is not something I can do. By the end of it I was such an emotional wreck I was crying at my desk at work and had to be sent home one day because I couldn't handle myself. We finally hired a new cashier so I wasn't working every day for weeks on end and so I caught up on my social life first. For about a month and a half I have done this and I keep looking at my gym pass and going "You know I really should go to the gym. Tomorrow, tomorrow I will go to the gym." Well, you all know how tomorrow goes. Then I got tired of lying to myself, because that's all that tomorrow is and turned my gym pact on and came here. I could continue to lie to myself, but I can't lie to you lot. I may be a week late, but I am here and I am determined. So as a promise to myself and to you all here are my goals: 1) Work out at the gym twice a week. 2) Go for a relaxing walk once a week. 3) Climb something once a week. 4) Do something nice for a stranger once a week. Not very assassin-y but I like this forum and the community it harbors so I am entrusting you lot with my promise. I need to make a come back for myself, and when you rebuild you have to start at the base level.

I will be sadly withdrawing from the rest of this challenge and joining again in the next six weeks. I've gone from depression, to cutting up my feet on a suitcase, to now odd abdominal pain that makes it hurt to breathe. Clearly something is trying to destroy me and so I must focus all of my efforts on healing and retaliating once I am physically able to. This is not to say that I will stop exercising until the next challenge, but that I will not be so focused on the goals that I have made. I will still be taking silks (starting tomorrow despite what my body is currently feeling, because honestly it is getting better and I won't push it too far) and I'll start walking again. Gotta make sure that those muscles don't go getting weak on me. ;P Any how, I will be back in a few weeks and starting this challenge over once more with feeling. Now I shall leave you all with a parting shot, have a lovely night.

Great job!!

Thank you, I went to the gym and did some cardio after class. The first 10 minutes were hard, but after that it felt better. If I can accomplish anything(even just climbing would be great) then I will have my instructor take some pictures. There will also be final shots of my splits during week 6.

Thank you.

Wooh get it! And you can have a Treat day every so often. Nothing wrong with that.

Yay videos! I would love to check form... but I wouldn't really know what to look for. XD Keep up the awesome work though, especially with the dancing.

So, I have been in a glorious pit of depression since I think Sunday... maybe Saturday and haven't exercised since Sunday for certain. I couldn't even bring myself to log on here, but now I am back. I forced myself to exercise and will keep doing so until my hormone levels have rebalanced themselves. That being said, here are my stats from last week: Missions: Weightless: Practice hand stands twice a week (50% this week) Boneless: Intense stretching three times a week and light stretching the other four days (85.7% this week, almost have my right split and left split is still lacking and same with center) Fearless: Start taking silk lessons (0% lack of funds until 7/11 ) Powerful: Continue body weight training (100% I did have 4 total workouts last week) Side Missions: Go some where or do something new (N/A) Pass A&P with an A (Passed final exam) (Only practiced handstands once, so I won't be taking credit for the side missions) SOMETHING EXCITING THOUGH! I will be taking silks on the 11th instead of the 19th. That means I get a total of 3 sessions in this 6 weeks instead of just 2.

Thank you.

Haha, thanks! I'll have to get a 3rd person in so that I can get a picture of it. (That's the down side of having only have a spotter. Their hands are full with you and your hands are full of the ground. XD) A great hip flexor stretch is one called the frog stretch: http://www.riverstonechiropractic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/frog-stretch-pic.jpg It will seriously help to open your hips. This one is great for hamstrings: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p4uLCMfvWUs/UPRNenZUTCI/AAAAAAAABn8/xJUQnXTGjcE/s640/blogger-image-1834748984.jpg You can also sit in a stradle split(at what ever level is comfortable for you) and fold one leg in and stretch forward and side to side. Depending on how I position myself it will stretch my hip adductors, hamstrings, and calves. If you find your glutes are tight too the pidgeon pose will stretch that for you. http://www.brigiddineen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/pigeon_pose.jpg OH! I forgot to mention, I passed the final with a 95%! That means I got an A in the class for this term. Now to kill it for another 25 weeks.

First and foremost I help a handstand!! It was with a spot and only for a 2 seconds, but I held it! Progress is awesome! And now progress photos in order from before and current: Right Split: Left Split: Center Split:

Haha, shiny is fine. Funny enough I will be playing Kaylee from Firefly in a burlesque show. So shiny is perfectly fine. XD I am loving the video! Thank you for the luck.

No, I use TRX bands to do suspended rows since I am trying to get a pull up and I keep sliding because all the traction in my heels are gone. >.< I would do everything barefoot, but the gym frowns upon such things. XD Thanks, we were discussing eating disorders in class a couple weeks ago and it just popped in my head. Feel free to use it whenever.

Great job!! Way to be awesome.

it is picture day! I'm very excited in my splits progress and can't wait to share with everyone. Monday was a rest day. Tuesday I worked on Stretching and strengthening as well as handstands. I need to go buy new shoes though, my current ones have zero traction which is not good when you need to not slide. Today I'll be stretching and strengthening again (with Arastina for those following her thread), and I have my final test in A&P tonight. Wish me luck!

Thank you all.

I am an occult history buff. Not a major or anything, but I love it. My favorite being vampire history and I miss the darkness that was once found in vampire liturature. They are so fluffy now a days. I am also a Table Top Role Player and play more games than I should. I have two seperate WOD vampire games(well one is just vampires the other is a vampire, two werewolves, and a sineater), starting a WOD hunter game soon, Dragon Age RPG, and Numera. I love all of my characters and have found that they all have an amplified peice of me. I also never get to play them and it breaks my heart. I am also a Whovian! My favorite Doctor being Ten, but closely followed by Nine. I also watch Teen Wolf, Supernatural, Game of Thrones (I bandwagoned it and regret nothing. Started listen to the audio books too), Hemlock Grove, and Penny Dreadful. If you think I am not stoked about the new Hellraizer show too, by the by, you are wrong! As for comics I love the Sandman series by Nail Gaiman. Finally video games! I am a hack'n'slasher and a parkour player. Assassin's Creed is my jam, but I lack time to play games anymore.

Oh my gosh, this is a mini challenge I need. I have so much fear of the floor it isn't even funny. It really limits me with these things, but now that it is a mission, I am just going to have to kill it.

Good luck my friend! I wish you a speedy recovery.

Missions: Weightless: Practice hand stands twice a week (100% this week) Boneless: Intense stretching three times a week and light stretching the other four days ( 100% this week, almost have my right split and left split is still lacking and same with center) Fearless: Start taking silk lessons (0% lack of funds until 7/19 ) Powerful: Continue body weight training (100%) Side Missions: Go some where or do something new (N/A) Pass A&P with an A (Final test this week) (+1 STR from Hand Stand Challenge Week 2) I'll add a story at some point soon, but as of right now I can't think very well. Day 12 of 20 consecutive work days and it is taking its toll. >.< I only make it worse for myself though by allowing my social life and exercise to continue late into the evening.

Alright! Let's do this!! #37 Cow Face: Crap!! Not enough straws! (but there is a cat) Next up, #64 Revolved Head to Knee

Wooh!! Great job!!! Way to kick butt!