Knightwatch

Today was Squat day! BACK SQUAT 245 x 5 245 x 5 245 x 9 ONE LEG RDL 20's x 8 per leg 20's x 8 per leg 20's x 8 per leg HEELS ELEVATED GOBLET SQUAT 80 x 10 80 x 10 PULLUPS 4 5 4 Tomorrow I'm gonna hit a little direct back work, and get in a conditioning session, which I haven't done yet this week! Also on the agenda is making some headway with my apartment decluttering. Perhaps a before and after pic will keep me motivated there? One thing that I did get to on that front upon coming back home was a big ol' fridge purge. It was tough to get going on it but SO.DAMN.SATISFYING once done. I'm so much more inspired to work out of it now, making up healthier meals and snacks.

Alright then, back on task. Came home late Friday night, and took the weekend for some golf (um, keeping up the image on the philanthropist billionaire playboy, y'see) and resettling and, well, promptly putting back on 3 or 4 pounds. Haha, oops. But that's OK, I since mostly lost it again over the last couple days, putting be back to roughly 2 pounds down towards my goal. Yesterday I hit the press again as my primary movement. PRESS 167.5 x 5 167.5 x 5 167.5 x 9 PULLUP CLUSTERS (alternated sets with press) 1 rep 1-2- reps 2-2- reps 1-2-3 reps 1-2-3 reps 1-2-3 reps POWER CLEANS 135 x 5 155 x 3 175 x 3 185 x 3 185 x 3 DELT AND ARM CIRCUIT 3 rounds of: 10 alternating DB curls 10 pressdowns 10 lat raises

Thank you!! Had to take a couple days off while I traveled back home, but now I'm getting back to it! Happy Challenging to you as well!

Oh hello!

OK, as I mentioned, I’m out of town for a few days, but I have kettlebells and a sandbag. So, got in a workout today that’ll definitely count towards a conditioning session. 5 rounds of: 5 KB swings 5 pushups 10 KB swings 5 pushups 15 KB swings 5 pushups 5 KB swings 5 rows 10 KB swings 5 rows 15 KB swings 5 rows So, you end with 300 swings, and 75 each of pushups and rows during your “rest”. Not meant to be an all-out effort WOD for time, just done at a nice and brisk pace, but few free to shake out the arms and legs and walk around a bit and take breaths between movements as needed. Whew, glad that’s done!

Oh gosh, waaaaaayyyyyy too many. Like it’s almost a problem, and by almost a problem I mean it’s definitely a problem. 😁 EDC just kinda became my “thing” for a while, a weird hobby. But yeah. My favorites currently are a couple backpacks by Triple Aught Design, and one by Alpha One Niner. But there are piles that I actually wanna sell on pack/bag forums and groups as part of my decluttering. I just like to think of it as all the Ironman suits lined up in the lab, y’know?

you got this bud! Can’t wait to see why you accomplish!

Always appreciated!!

I had used my GR first for rucking, and then for EDC, and then cycled it out completely from my lineup so when I got back to wanting to ruck, I’ve had to go out and buy a new one! But, got a Rucker this time (I’ve got (way too many) other EDC anyway now). But it’s nice to come full circle!

So I’m out of town this week, but before I left on Monday night I doubled up my strength session, hitting both press and squats. PRESS 165 x 5 165 x 5 165 x 8 SQUAT 240 x 5 240 x 5 240 x 8 And then for conditioning, I did the classic CF WOD, “The Chief” Five 3-minute rounds, with a 1-minute rest between them. Each 3-minute round is itself an AMRAP, cycling through: 3 power cleans with 135 6 pushups 9 air squats I deliberately held a tiny back and paced myself this week, doing exactly 3 rounds a, um, round. Not that I’ve ever crushed this WOD before. It always wrecks me. But I started thinking, it may be a good one to repeat more often, because it’s actually brilliant programming, probably some of the best CF ever created. But by not doing the CF ALL-INTENSITY-ALL-THE-TIME and rather pacing it systematically, I think it could be a good workout to deliberately progress on. I’ll hit it again in the next couple weeks, pacing myself to hit 3 rounds PLUS the 3 cleans from round 4 each time. And a couple weeks later, 3 rounds plus the cleans AND pushups of round 4. And so on. One of my training partners and I have a theory that by taking a handful of WODs and repeating them more frequently over 2-3 months, and then cycling in a fresh batch of WODs for the next few months, one can get most of the same benefits as the “constantly varied” model. I’m gonna experiment with it. Batman is a scientist too, after all.

OK, well, I'm back again. Hullo! Last six weeks or so have sure done a number on me, on top of what quarantine season already had. But, I'm ready to get back on track, and so I look again to some of my favorite comic book characters for inspiration as I start to rebuild an adventure ready body and life. Here we go! STRENGTH Quick, name a physically weak vigilante superhero type! Exactly. As for now, gyms around here remain (re-)open, and I have full access to one on off hours, so I sure as hell better not waste the opportunity. Strength is still king for me as far as the attributes, but I’m approaching it from both angles: lifting stuff, and lifting me. a. ABSOLUTE STRENGTH The idea I’ll be going for here is both rebuilding consistency in training after several months away, and actual increase in absolute output. It’ll be following something of a blend of Wendler’s 5/3/1 and the Greyskull LP. So let’s call it, um...the Knightwatch LP?? It’ll be based around the four main lifts: PRESS, SQUAT, BENCH PRESS, and DEADLIFT Each of those main lifts will be trained once a week, for 3 working sets of 5 reps, but the last set being taken out for max reps. Each session, the upper body lifts will be increased by 2.5 pounds, and the lower body lifts by 5. I’d like to not miss a single lifting session, but, life happens. When it does, I can double up the lifts in one session, and still get 5 efforts at each movement over the Challenge. But even if I have to put a lift aside entirely for a week, I can still make serious progress with AT LEAST 4 sessions each. So, the goal is to hit each lift AT LEAST 4 times, and to increase my working weight by AT LEAST 10 pounds on the press and bench, and AT LEAST 20 pounds on the squat and deadlift, getting AT LEAST 3 sets of 5 in those final sessions. Each lift can followed or accompanied by assistance work, which will MOSTLY be geared towards hypertrophy, but it’s flexible session to session. The four main lifts is the real focus here. b. RELATIVE STRENGTH I’ve got a decent base of moving some weight around….unless it’s my own weight. I’m still really struggling there! Sure, there will be a time for handstands and muscle ups and all that, but, right now, the focus is gonna be a lot simpler: Pushups and Pullups. Each should be trained, either in the gym or separately, at least 3 times a week. This is just going to be about slowly creeping up the volume over time. The goal here is to be able to hit 35 unbroken pushups, and 6 unbroken pullups by the end of the Challenge. Both are goals I’ve hit before and are currently within reach, but will be the best effort I’ve had in a few years, anyway. It goes without saying that as I drop some bodyweight, they should both become a tiny bit easier. Which leads me to: WEIGHT LOSS SImply put, I’ve gone and gotten myself too damn chunky again. This won’t do at all. They don’t make vigilante crime fighting suits with waists that wide. BELIEVE ME, I CHECKED. Again, I’ll be tracking two factors here: a. SCALE WEIGHT This is pretty straight forward. I plan on weighing in daily, or as close to daily as possible, maintaining a log. I’ve got a scale right there in my bathroom, but I avoid it far too often. I’ll be reminding myself, this isn’t about shame, this is about plain ol’ data. The goal here is to lose at least 8 pounds by the end of the Challenge. Will a lot be water and stuff just from eating ever so slightly less like a deranged 8 year old? Yes. But still, I’ll be a good jumping off point. My theory is that even the simple accountability and immediate feedback alone will help me towards my goals. b. GENERAL SWOLENESS OK, admittedly this one is a little more subjective. It’s an idea I’m snagging from the 75hard challenge: Take a progress shot of some sort every day. I’m not gonna be super diligent about the exact same positions and settings and lighting and such. I’ll probably usually be wearing a shirt, sometimes, gulp, I won't. But the idea is that I want a visual log of several weeks worth of good hard effort. If they’re awesome, maybe I’ll post up a before and after here upon completion, but mostly this is a habit and discipline thing for myself. CONDITIONING It’ll help with the weightloss, it’ll help with the ol’ ticker, and it’ll could even help towards the maybe possibly someday abs. Mostly though, it’s about doing something I avoid because I suck at it but I know is good for me. So, the goal is AT LEAST 2 conditioning or cardio sessions a week. This can be a ruck, a run, a hike, or a metcon at the gym. More would be better, but, I know me. Let’s start with 2 as the goal and if things are feeling good, I can layer more on, and on weeks that I’m not feeling it, a couple AM walks with my ruck will suffice. MENTAL HEALTH Sooo. Has 2020 done a number on anyone else’s mental state by any chance?? 😐 Yeah, I really need to put in the work of getting my anxiety and general depression back under control. I’m thinking 3 things will help me a lot: a. MEDITATION/MINDFULNESS/PRAYER At least 5 minutes at a time to start, maybe working up to 10-15 if it feels right. I’m not gonna stress about doing a destressor right, since that would be a bit counter intuitive. But I’m going to aim to get at least one 10-day streak going where I set aside some time for my own spiritual practices. b. MEDIA FASTS Once a week, fast from the news and facebook for about 24 hours. Simple as that. c. DECLUTTERING I’ve got too much damn stuff. Well, to be more specific, too damn much of my stuff’s got me. I’m not aiming to be a minimalist or anything, but I want a clean, orderly, productive space that brings me peace and sets me up to accomplish my goals. OK, that'll about do it! I'm realizing more and more how toxic social media in general is for me, and I also realize how much I miss longer form online communications like forums. It's a vicious habit to break, but I'm really hoping to spend more of my energy in places like this again going forward. :)

Today, meeting a friend at the gym parking lot again for a little outdoor session. No rucking element this time, just a bunch of swings, pushups, and rows. It's gonna look like so: 5 KB swings 5 pushups 10 KB swings 5 pushups 15 KB swings 5 pushups 5 KB swings 5 DB rows 10 KB swings 5 DB rows 15 KB swings 5 DB rows Repeat for 5 rounds total, or 300 swings, 75 pushups, 75 rows. This isn't a WOD "for time", rather just something to move through at a moderately swift pace, just getting the heart rate up throughout. We may do it in a I-go-you-go format. I do swings, you do swings, I do pushups, you do pushups, etc. Not a team workout exactly, but a pacing tool. Haven't moved much since Murph, so it'll be nice to get some sun again and move and knock the rust off a bit.

This weekend I did a ruck's Half-Murph with my gym's bookclub: 1 mile ruck 50 sandbag rows while wearing ruck 100 pushups while wearing ruck 150 squats while wearing ruck 1 mile ruck while also carrying sandbag We're still locked down for a few more weeks, so no access to the gym's pullup bars. So, we made do, our small group meeting in the parking lot and spreading out, subbing in whatever we wanted for the pullups, or skipping them altogether. Since I was only gonna do half volume, decided to add in the rows and ruck to balance things out challenge-wise.

Hit a couple more rucks over the last couple days, a 2-miler on Monday, and just came back from another 4 miles. Over the next couple days I'm going to try stretching out just a little bit further, hitting either 5 or 6 miles. I've also lifted some, hitting a ruck workout again and then a really simple dumbbells based shoulder session. I do need to get more serious about bodyweight sessions though. Simple, but consistent. Here's what I'm thinking: day 1: pushups, chinups, and dips day 2: squats, lunges, and calf raises day 3: something of a WOD, either with a ruck, DBs, KBs, or skillwork. day 4: rest And repeat. Hmm. Maybe. I'll think on it some more. It's funny, programming my own training and that of others comes so naturally to me with weights. Gimme a barbell and I'm golden. This time away from the gym is exposing me to some blindspots for sure, but I can use it to become a better athlete and coach.

Logged another 4 miles today! Considering a workout later on, but, we shall see. May take tomorrow AM off from mileage and get on in then, instead. Hope everyone is doing well!

Weighed in yesterday. I started the whole lockdown thing by losing a considerable bit of weight. Cool. I have since, apparently, unlost a chunk of it. Less cool. Ah well, got my baseline at least! 5-6 pounds should be doable if I just eat a little less like a quarantined trashpanda. 2 mile ruck yesterday, and today I took a 2.5 un-rucked stroll. Gonna hit some dumbbells and bodyweight stuff later on today. Hope everyone is doing well!

Psh, YOU ARE.

Nice! Rucking is basically walking or hiking with a deliberately loaded pack (as opposed to traditional hiking when you try to shave every ounce, in rucking you try, over time, to add to the load). While it's origins are obviously in the military, the primary driver for in in fitness over the last decade or so has been the company GORUCK and their ruck-based events. Whether you eventually want to go a GORUCK Challenge or not, their page is a decent introduction to the idea: https://www.goruck.com/rucking-101

Excellent! Let's rack up them miles.

Hit a simple ruck workout this afternoon in the living room. I was hoping to get outside but it was sporadically raining, so, whatever. This'll do for today. 4 rounds: * 10 right arm ruck thrusters * 10 ruck RDLs * 10 left arm ruck thrusters * 20 one arm ruck swings, 10 per arm * 10 ruck pushups I rested a couple minutes between rounds. Then did a little pump-chasing finisher... 4 rounds: * 10 ruck curls right arm * 10 ruck curls left arm * 10 ruck front raises to overhead Tonight I'm gonna cook up a batch of chicken that I can put into salads and the like for the next couple days. Weighing in tomorrow AM, and I'll likely hit a couple of the tasks for the initial assessment.

Heya folks! Like most places, my gym had to close down and we're still awaiting guidance on how and when we can reopen. I've been all over the map for the last couple months. I've had good weeks, and I've had really, really bad weeks, both physically and mentally. Way back when, in the earlier days of GORUCK, I was into rucking and sufferfest Challenges and all that stuff. My first GR Tough was actually around 160-something, for context. But I haven't really done anything with it since that first year or two. I'm not sure those events are in my future again, but, a couple weeks ago I learned about Pathfinder Ruck TRAINING. Basically a fitness and rucking PROGRAM to get you into shape to DO the events. I felt like it was just what I needed, even if I'm not especially compelled to do a Tough again. So, I'm gonna use that as the foundation for my training over the next several weeks. It's technically a 12 week program and I'm sure hoping my gym opens by then, but even then I can continue using it as a supplement. For this Challenge though, it'll be the main focus. So, with that: RUCKING The program that I’m doing calls for a total of 75 miles accumulated over the 12 weeks. I’ll get a jump on that by logging AT LEAST 30 MILES during this challenge. RUCK WORKOUTS I also need to finish a number of strength and conditioning workouts that are based primarily around using the ruck as resistance. My goal here will be to have done AT LEAST 6 RuckWODs during this Challenge. I’ll still be hitting some other workouts with DBs, sandbag, kettlebells, straight bodyweight, all that. Those will be important and I’ll post them too, but I have to remember to use the ruck for the primary focus, often enough to hit my goal at the end of the 12 weeks. So as much as I miss my barbell and CF WODs, these will be my main focus for now. TEST/RETEST/IMPROVE RUCK FITNESS ASSESSMENT The assessment is simple: Max pushups in 2 minutes (no ruck) Max situps in 2 minutes (no ruck) 2 mile run (no ruck) 2 mile ruck There’s no requirement to knock it all out at once, so I’ll spend this week hitting each element of the test. On the last week of the Challenge, I’ll retest and compare. WEIGHT LOSS The goal here is to lose 5 pounds or more. I’ll weigh-in tomorrow. I’ll weigh in tomorrow, and compare to the end of the Challenge. Doesn’t get much more straightforward than that! KDUBCAVE I’ve picked up a few extra items here and there for the batcave to hold me over until my gym reopens, but, it’s created an extra later of clutter. I really need to declutter and reorganize and optimize my space for this new weirdass era we’re in! And that's about it! I hope you guys have been safe and sound, and continue to be so! Let me know how I can help!

OK! So, in-game stuff in the post above, and I put some pics of the mysterious package behind spoilers in case someone wanted to get it for themselves someday and didn't wanna be, well, spoiled, or if someone feels uncomfortable with the subject matter for any reason. Figure that's how I'll work through the puzzle aspect, behind spoiler blocks, but easily revealed if you wanna see how it works out. If. Haha, I'm already lost. Anyway, got some training on tap for later today, some lifting and light conditioning, after running yesterday and WODding Monday. All in all, off to a good start!

Came home last night to quite a mystery. A small crate was waiting for by my door, with an origin I didn’t recall ordering from. Then again, I’ve bought so much gear and equipment and research materials while I dig into all this craziness going on, that I figured it was something from one of my late night orders. No, as it turned out is was far, far weirder than that. It’s some kind of journal, a diary kept by a kid, and what’s worse is that included was a missing person flyer. Is it that kid’s journal?? What the fuck is going on? The book was wrapped up in twine with some kind of amulet attached. Thing has all kinds of weird runes and carvings in it. Also in the crate was a letter, from some guy named Tom and addressed to...me. He said he’d received my name. Could this guy be another...whatever we’re called, hunters, investigators, whack jobs? I was very careful to not include any personal information when I first started digging around the deep web about all this stuff. So to say that I’m freaked out right now would be an understatement. But I started this journey, and now it’s time to take the next steps. I just don’t know what that step is... I’m gonna hide this thing away for a bit and go clear my head with some training, and dig back into it later tonight when I have time to give it the attention it needs. More later, KW

Hey hey, I'm alive! I started out strong last Challenge, but life got in the way with travel and family and stuffs. I didn't keep up on posting like I wanted, but, I didn't totally fail at my goals. ...I only partially failed at them. Seriously though, I kept to the program pretty well. Got in a lot of workouts, but not quite enough dedicated conditioning and running. Lost 5-ish pounds, when all was said and done, but that included a few pounds of backsliding. Got my apartment somewhat cleaned up, but it's not a mission ready Kdubcave yet. So a lot of my goals will be the same. As one of my coaches would say, "yeah, do that again but better". So thematically, I was trying to blend a lot of my interests last challenge and I'm gonna try continuing that through the year. It's like, what if you combined Batman with Jason Bourne and had them fight creepyass monsters and their cultists and the monsters may sorta even be Lovecraftian and also there was a loosely affiliated group of people dedicated to fighting the incursion of this evil and they were like a blend of The Division and hunters from Supernatural or paranet from Harry Dresden? So what makes up each of these themes? The vigilante superhero. They're generally experts in hand to hand combat and weapons. They're generally jacked AF, all the better to strike fear in the hearts of evildoers. They're agile, and show impressive bodyweight skills to navigate the urban landscape, and they need to be resilient and tough. And they almost always have a kickass base of operations. The secret agent type. Skills skills skills. Hyper competent and resourceful, and able to operate independently. Super aware of their immediate surroundings and their areas of operation. Combatives, tradecraft, gear caches, and gadgets. The support network/shadowy employers: they give direction on training over the course of the career, and are a natural "in" for adventures. The supernatural threat: I'm a sucker for the ordinary-people-against-monsters trope. And I love creepy Lovecraftian stuff. So much so, that recently I started going in on....well, props and artifacts and documents and games and stuff related to that vibe. And honestly, I've never done anything much with them. I've treated myself to a few of the "experiences" from the Mysterious Package Company, which is frankly just about the coolest company idea to ever exist. I have a couple sitting around, and they all involve some kind of puzzle or mystery to work through to get the full, well, experience. I just hadn't had the time to really sit down with them, but now I do, but just nothing to kinda nudge me to do so. By including them in the "story" I'm telling here in my Challenges (spoiler alert, it's not much of a story 😝), I have that nudge. So, goals. GOAL 1: TRAINING CONSISTENCY * at least 3 strength sessions a week * at least 3 conditioning sessions a week These can be separate or combined, but combined can only count as one. For instance, if I do a WOD with heavy deadlifts in it, I can call that strength OR conditioning. If, say, I do a dedicated strength session BEFORE the WOD itself, it can count as both. Strength sessions can be true powerlifting or strongman sytle strength, or can be more bodybuilding/hypertrophy based, because hey, vigilantes gotta be a lil' jacked. They can also be bodyweight focused. Conditioning can be monostructural like running or rowing or rucking, or they can be a bodyweight circuit, or a WOD. GOAL 2: WEIGHT LOSS The kinds of heroes I'm using as inspiration just aren't fat. Simple as that. Not only does it make it harder to chase down a cultist, or run away from a tentacled abomination, or haul themselves up and over a wall, but it just doesn't look right in costume. Seems pretty straightforward to me. So yeah. Another 5 pounds down this Challenge. I weighed in yesterday, and I think 5 will be very doable. GOAL 3: SKILLS Two skills, one physical and one knowledge, both involving...um, ropes. Hey. Vigilantes use grappling hooks, OK? First one is rope climbs. I'm just wildly inefficient at them. Success here will mean 3 consecutive rope ascents. Second one is Knotsmanship. Relearn some knots. They're handy. Success will be defined as achieving the Art of Manliness Strenuous Life merit badge thing. Another example of using the Challenges to include other things I've paid for and never use. GOAL 4: BASE OF OPERATIONS Gonna continue to declutter my apartment and make it more conducive to my goals. I've got in generally straightened up, but now it's time to start narrowing my focus. First up is my office. Superheroes need a communications and research area of their base, agents need a secured location to plan their missions to receive their encrypted orders and plan missions, and investigators of eldritch horrors need a library. So my office will turn into all that. But it needs a total reorganization, some new furniture, all that. This room itself may last a challenge or two! BONUS GOAL: GRIP TRAINING I used to do a lot of focused, dedicated grip training, but fell off years ago. I recently picked it back up, and wow, have I ever lost ground. My plan is to include at least two sessions a week. The majority of this work is focused on the Captains of Crush grippers, but other implements can be used as well. And there we have it! A late start, but, I'm here! In upcoming posts I'll try writing "in game" some as well like last time, because honestly I've been meaning to do a little more "creative" writing as well, and that's an outlet to get ideas flowing. Good luck on your goals, everyone! Fortify!

My trip to the shore was interesting. I found myself in more most curious waterfront town, more a village really. It would have felt quaint and relaxing, but there was something odd about the whole place. Maybe it was the stormy weather, or maybe it was just me, rattled from all that's happened lately. I spent a couple days unconnected from the web, and got in a run to clear my head some. Sure enough, building up my capacity for running is proving to be the hardest part of this part of the campaign in find myself on. I wanted to give it up, but, I have to see it through. Just in case any of this is real. While I was looking at the water, cooling down after my run, I met what seemed to be a fisherman by the shore, hauling in some traps. We nodded hello to one another, but he seemed somehow wary of me, as I'd catch him watching me sidelong. I turned to take a picture of the old lighthouse they had further up on the shore, and mentioned to him that it must be useful for any ships out there today, given the heavy clouds and fog. "Sure," he replied, before turning to me. "If it was there for signaling ships." I turned to look at it again. "What do you mean?" Getting no response, I turned back to him to find him moving off with his gear away from me briskly. I was hoping for a weekend away to put my mind at ease about all this. Well, so much for that. Knightwatch out. * OK, so, real world update. I did in fact go visit the shore, but the town was just delightful and not at all creepy, and I have a nice relaxing couple days with my family for my mom's birthday. I did get in a run, and will pick that back up again with another session tomorrow. I'm down a couple pounds so far but I'm guessing that was still some remaining holiday bloat and water weight, and the real effort at loss shall begin proper. Gonna be a lonnnnng journey, that one, but just taking it one day at a time.