BearsBeetsBSG

Final writeup: Whew, took me a while to get to this. Goal #1 Get Strong: Saw some pretty great increases here. Moved on to working OAPU. Moved on to elevating my feet for pike pushups and bodyweight rows. Increased my chin ups in a workout from 10 to 15. And I'm feeling closer than ever to getting that first pistol. I did miss several workouts throughout, so I'm going with a B for this one Grade: B + 3 STR Goal #2 Get Lean: At the end of the challenge, my weight was 182.4 lbs, meaning that I lost a total of 8.2 lbs from the start of this challenge. My diet was close to perfect throughout, barring a few nights of going out for beers. Also, I saw my now-recent ex the other day and she even thought that I looked like I lost some weight. Hooray for validation. Grade: A + 2 STA, + 2 CHA Goal #3 Get Mobile Did my molding mobility every day, and based on that experience, will continue to. Grade: A + 3 DEX, + 1 CON Goal #4: Get Smart After 1 quiz and 1 exam in my Analytical Chem class, I now have a 91.2% for a grade so far. Seeing as that is an A-, I'm giving myself an A- Grade: A- + 2.75 WIS Now a Level 3 Cossack Assassin! STR: 2.5 --> 5.5 DEX: 2.5 --> 5.5 STA: 2 ----> 4 CON: 5 ---> 6 WIS: 3 ----> 5.75 CHA: 5 ----> 7

The site looks great! Read a few articles; I really like the losing weight vs. cutting one. It was never really a distinction that I would think to make, but it definitely is two very different mindsets. Can't wait to see more!

Whew, it's been a hot minute since I updated this thread. The good news is this wasn't an "I gave up on my challenge and stopped working out" kind of not updating. Just the "sweet Jesus, have I been busy" kind. First things first, workout logs: 5/15 Usual Warm Up Workout: Chin Ups - 5, 4, 4 (-1) Partial Pistols - 4/4, 4/4, 5/5 Elevated OAPU - 5/5, 5/5, 5/5 Single Leg Hip Thrust, shoulders elevated - 5/5, 5/5, 6/6 BW Row - 8, 8, 7 Pike Pushup - 8, 8, 7 5/17 Usual Warm Up Workout: Chin Ups - 5, 5, 4 (-1) Negative Pistols - 3/3, 3/3, 3/3 Elevated OAPU - 6/6, 5/5, 5/5 Single Leg Hip Thrust, shoulders elevated - 6/6, 5/5, 5/5 BW Row - 8, 8, 8 Pike Pushup - 8, 8, 8 5/22 Usual Warm Up Workout: Chin Ups - 5, 5, 5 Partial Pistols - 4/4, 4/4, 4/4 Elevated OAPU - 6/6, 6/6, 5/5 Single Leg Hip Thrust, shoulders elevated - 6/6, 6/6, 5/5 Feet Elevated BW Row - 4, 4, 4 Feet Elevated Pike Pushup - 4, 4, 4 5/24 Usual Warm Up Workout: Chin Ups - 5, 5, 5 Negative Pistols - 4/4, 3/3, 3/3 Elevated OAPU - 6/6, 6/6, 6/6 Single Leg Hip Thrust, shoulders elevated - 6/6, 6/6, 6/6 Feet Elevated BW Row - 4, 4, 4 Feet Elevated Pike Pushup - 4, 4, 4 Whew. So, a few new things: - Skipped my workout on Monday 5/20. Slept in several hours later than usual after feeling completely wiped out after work. Figured I could use the rest. - Diet continues to remain pretty damn spot on. I haven't been counting calories very much recently, but I feel like I have a better sense of my intake. I think strict tracking will be a part of next challenge. - 2 exercises moved up to a new progression: rows and pike pushups. For the rows, I have my feet up on my dog's food container (about 17" raised), and for the the pike pushups, I have my feed up on my dresser (about 30" up). Both are SIGNIFICANTLY harder than the previous variation, and I love it. The rows actually gave me some good DOMS after the first day. Still feel like the pike pushups need a little work on form, mostly trying to have my body straight aside from the bend at my hips. Psyched on the progress though. - Definitely pleased with the chin up progress. I'm gonna try to start getting into that 6 rep range next week. - OAPU progress is going well. I think once I hit 8/8 across all my sets, I'll move down to the dresser I'm using for the pike pushups (about a 10" drop). - The more I do the hip thrusts, I feel the better I get at them. Feeling them more and more in my glutes each time. - I cut back on the reps on the pistol negatives/partial pistols so as to not sacrifice form for reps. Definitely made a big difference. I was able to do more quality reps across all 3 sets. - I got an 87 on my first quiz for my analytical chem class. Not bad, but I felt like I could do better. First exam is coming up on Tuesday, so I definitely plan on hitting the books hard this weekend. - Plane tickets purchased. Vermont from July 10th-17th. Beyond excited.

Yep, I can do it. When I do, my heels stay touching throughout the whole movement; is that how you are?

Three Inches of Blood - "Trial of Champions" Winds of Plague - "The Great Stone War" Or any 80's Metallica

5/13 Workout log: Usual warm up Skill Work: L-Sit work - 5 mins - Pushing off the ground, one leg off the ground at a time, attempting tucks Workout: Chin Ups - 5, 4, 4 (-1) Negative Pistols - 4/4, 4/4, 3/3 Elevated OAPU - 5/5, 4/4, 5/5 Single Leg Hip Thrust, shoulders elevated - 5/5, 5/5, 6/6 BW Row - 8, 7, 7 Pike Pushup - 8, 7, 7 - Not too much to say about the workout; the numbers speak for themselves. I did do an abbreviated skill work session just because I was feeling somewhat crunched for time. - Diet this weekend was spot on, except for a pretty large number of beers. I definitely felt like it was needed, though. - I've noticed that I'm really getting more efficient, food wise. My repertoire of recipes is getting larger, and I basically plan out a week worth of meals ahead of time, and buy just the ingredients for that. Which usually means my typical breakfast stuff (lots of eggs, milk, veggies, etc.) and the ingredients for whatever recipes I'm making for lunch/dinner (the other meal I eat per day, haha). This whole IF/2 meals a day thing has really been a nice simplification.

Thanks! Interesting call on the support/L-sit. I feel like my abs are very much the weak point in my L-sit; even after my support holds, my abs definitely feel like the weak link in my L-sits. I'll try the ab work in conjunction with the ring support next time. For the OAP's, I feel like at this point, rotation is little to no issue. But I keep hearing about how it's the big, bad problem. So I look for it. I basically try as hard as I can to keep my chest as parallel with the ground as it is with normal pushups. Is that what I should be looking for? Or is it just an issue that will show up as the OAP's get lower? Thanks, bud!

5/10 Workout log: Usual warm up Skill Work: Ring support work - 2 mins - Holds for time L-Sit work - 5 mins - Pushing off the ground, one leg off the ground at a time, attempting tucks Handstand work - 5 mins - Wall walks and stomach to wall handstands Workout: Chin Ups - 4, 4, 4 (-1) Partial Pistols - 5/5, 5/5, 5/5 Elevated OAPU - 4/4, 4/4, 5/5 Single Leg Glute Bridge - 5/5, 5/5, 6/6 BW Row - 7, 7, 7 Pike Pushup - 7, 7, 7 - Another all around good workout. Felt a little more worn down throughout it, but my Friday workouts are usually like that. On Mondays, I'm always in tip-top ass kicking form. - Finally hit a stage on my hip thrust progression that's challenging enough. Woo! - Rows and pike push ups just keep chugging along. At this rate I'll probably be onto the next progression before the challenge is over. Both will be getting feet elevated --> more work for my upper body. - OAPU felt even better today. Really learning how to get all the musculature involved; today I really focused on my chest. - Side note: I don't think I'll ever mentally get used to eating breakfast at 4:30 in the afternoon. Silly night shift.

Geocaching is always a blast. Hope you guys get some nice weather for it!

For the negatives, I start standing with one leg out in front and lower myself as slowly as possible. It really forces you to contract everything throughout the whole motion. I also hold the bottom position for a few seconds, then lower my other leg to stand back up. And thanks!!

is how I pictured the end of your day in my head.

Thanks guys! So just a few notes on today: - The quad DOMS that I was expecting from yesterday's pistol negatives sure didn't disappoint. I'm taking this as a good sign that I've found a way to really work the full ROM more effectively (thanks for the suggestion, Wolverine!) - I'm planning a trip back home to VT sometime in July, and my first two thoughts were 1) "Does my sister still have her pull up bar?" and 2) "Can't forget my rings!" This shit is just downright infectious. - My life goal is now in full effect for this challenge; my analytical chem class started on Monday. First quiz next Wednesday. As far as working out is concerned, my M/W/F strength routine shall remain untouched. Anything else really takes a backseat to studying. Bring on the spectoscopy! - I freaking love GMB's podcasts.

Happy to hear your mystery plague is subsiding. Though the Bane mask isn't a terrible worst case scenario

Nice to see the handstand kick ups coming along, and finding a way to work out no matter where you are

Whenever I need a boost, I come here to remind myself that Wolvie is doing all this after getting cut open. Living up to the namesake.

Thanks guys! And Wolvie, took the idea and did negatives today. Holy gonna-have-quad-DOMS-tomorrow. 5/8 Warmup: Same as last time. Probably not gonna write it up each time. Workout: Chin Ups - 4, 4, 4 (-1) Negative Pistols - 4/4, 4/4, 3/3 Elevated OAPU - 4/4, 4/4, 4/4 Shoulder Elevated Hip Thrust - 10, 10, 10 BW Row - 7, 6, 7 Pike Pushup - 7, 6, 7 - I was feeling pretty crunched for time, so I opted to skip the skill work today. - Went into today still having noticeable glute and triceps DOMS from Monday. Those lowered pistols/elevated OAPU really did a number. And today, they just got worked pretty hard again. - Negative pistols were super taxing, but felt good. I was able to keep them slow and controlled and balanced; no hanging onto anything. Definitely gonna feel those. - Kept my feet back further back on the elevated OAPU. Made them noticeably more difficult. I'm already falling in love with them - Shoulder elevated hip thrusts were also relatively easy. Elevating the feet next time.

5/6 I'm back and ready to channel some negative energy into kicking ass. Operation: One That Got Away is in full effect. Warmup: Hollow hold - 15s Side Plank - 15s each side Arch hold - 15s Knee fingertip plank - 15s Knee wrist PU - 5 Knee 1st Knuckle PU - 5 Knuckle dead hang - 15s Wall slides - 10 Shoulder dislocates - 5 pronated, 5 supinated And some burpees Skill Work: Ring support work - 2 mins - Holds for time and slowly RTO L-Sit work - 5 mins - Pushing off the ground, one leg off the ground at a time, attempting tucks Handstand work - 5 mins - Wall walks and stomach to wall handstands Workout: Chin Ups - 4, 4, 4 (-1) Partial Pistols - 5/5, 5/5, 5/5 Elevated OAPU - 5/5, 5/5, 8/8, 2/2 Glute Bridge - 10, 10, 10 BW Row - 6, 6, 7 Pike Pushup - 6, 6, 7 - All in all, took a little over an hour to complete. - I tweaked my routine some. And have vowed to myself that it will be the LAST TIME for 6 months. I am quite prone to fuckarounditis and really need to stay consistent. Everything in there has clear progressions to work on for some time, so I should be good. - Took out the assisted pistols; they felt redundant to do alongside the partial pistols. Swapped them out for the glute bridges (progressing to single leg hip thrusts) to get some posterior chain work in. I'll be moving up to shoulder elevated hip thrusts next workout: bridges were super easy. - Also swapped out the diamond pushups for elevated OAPU. My ultimate goal is one arm pushups, so it just seemed to make sense. Today was more of a learning day than anything; learning how to deal with the rotation, foot placement, arm placement, all that good stuff. I think the first few sets I had my feet too close to my bookshelf that I'm using and it made them too easy. I moved them back maybe 8 inches for the last set and it made a world of difference. Excited. - Added in some OG style skill work. L-Sits and handstands are eventual goals of mine; might as well start now, if only just a little at a time. - Moved down my surface for the pistols about 4 inches (nightstand to dog food container, haha). World of difference. Harder, grindier and way more glute involvement. I am gonna have a sore ass tomorrow. All in all, really happy with how today went. I think I'll like this setup going forward.

Thanks; wasn't easy but I got it done Thanks. The whole "best for everyone but still sucks" thing is very true. Just gonna take some time. And thanks for all the kick ass advice! Thank you It's definitely still ground zero; a lot to sort through and make sense of. Thanks for the encouragement. Definitely a good way to look at things. Thanks a bunch So the last couple days have been very non-fitness oriented. Coming to terms with things, beers with friends and a lot of talking with my family back in Vermont. Basically in the process of figuring out what has happened, where I'm at and where to go from here. My plan is to get my head straight enough as soon as possible to get back on the fitness train. I work a ton this weekend so Monday, look out. Thanks again everyone, for the advice, the encouragement and kind words. It really means a lot

5/1 My girlfriend of nearly 3 years broke up with me today. Right now, I'm still mostly in shock, though at the same time I felt like I saw it coming. We had been on a "break" for a short time, and she basically told me that she doesn't feel like she can be in a relationship. That she would just be stringing me along and that it would be unfair to me. The whole conversation was strangely amicable. I woke up to a text where she asked if we could talk today (que butterflies of nauseating doom), and I just felt like I knew what was coming. Though it's the last thing in the world that I wanted to happen, I'm not angry with her. I just feel like she needs some time to grow up. She asked if we could still talk; I told her that it would be a while, probably a long time, until I'd be comfortable with that. As far as the challenge goes, I have no idea how this news will affect it. Maybe I'll take all of my negative emotions and channel it into improving myself (hoping for this). Maybe I'll fall apart and binge drink and stop exercising and wallow in self pity (hoping for not this). Time will tell. I'll try my damndest to keep on the assassinating train. In good news, I did get a workout in today. I felt very distracted the whole time, but it also felt decently productive. Today's workout: Chin Ups: 4, 4, 3(-2) Pistol to nightstand: 6/6, 6/6, 5/5 Pike Pushup: 6, 6, 5 Assisted Pistol: 6/6, 6/6, 5/5 Inverted Row: 6, 6, 5 Diamond Pushup: 6, 6, 6 For now, at least, it's time for sushi and beer.

Perfect! Thank you. Good stuff. My main goal as far as leg exercises go is doing pistols; I think the GHR work will be on the horizon afterward.

4/29 Workout Chin Ups: 4, 4, 3(-2) Pistol to nightstand: 6/6, 6/6, 5/5 Pike Pushup: 6, 6, 5 Assisted Pistol: 6/6, 6/6, 5/5 Inverted Row: 6, 6, 5 Diamond Pushup: 6, 6, 6 - I was reading Waldo's thread for ideas (as I feel every other assassin here does), and came across his post on finger/hand strength. For a while I've been trying to figure out how to go about strengthening my hands and this post was exactly what I needed. I started incorporating some of this work into my warm up. At this point I'm doing: - Knee fingertip planks - Knuckle dead hangs - Knee wrist push ups - Knee 1st knuckle push ups 4/30 - Week 1 Day 1 of C25K. Went great! I'm loving the hell out of my new running shoes, as well. Oh, I haven't really been mentioning it in my logs, but I have done Molding Mobility every day so far this challenge. The two biggest things I've noticed are: - Any sort of ache/pain/soreness that I wake up with is usually gone/much better by the time I'm done mobilizing - Creaks/pops/cracks in my shoulders and ankles have definitely decreased So far, so good!

What kind of a setup do you use for these?

Ouch. I'll definitely be trying those with some pillows on the ground when I get there.

4/28 45 minute yoga session, then headed down to the beach to run around with my dog. Good stuff

You're not the only one.