Johan Whitehelm

Thanks for the welcome, Grymm. Yeah, I think setting goals makes a lot of sense for most people - lose x amount of weight, deadlift 400 pounds, run a mile in eight minutes, etc. When it comes to fitness, what I have is not so much a goal as a commitment. Definitely looking forward to the next challenge cycle!

Hello! Can I join you here? My introduction is here: I like the idea of being a monk not just because I'm doing kickboxing (as I wrote in my introduction, it's non-combat, which is different from the norm in this group), but also because the image of a monk implies an interest in aligning mind, body and soul, which calls to me. Oh, and monks are lightning-fast and powerful, which is where I'd like to be. I hope you'll have me!

I am.. 36, married, the father of a 3-year-old boy. Fitness-wise, I'm 5-11 and weigh 155 pounds, so obviously not in need of losing any weight. That doesn't mean I'm fit or healthy, though. Aside from a bit of walking, my entire adult life has been sedentary, and I'm attempting to shake that up by signing up for six-months of kickboxing (it's not combat-based; just whaling on a bag, with some calisthenics thrown in). I don't have any real fitness goals, and I'm okay with that. I'm just committing to the kickboxing twice a week, and I'll see what happens. Fitness is just a small part of it, though. I labored with (mild) depression and (not-so-mild) anxiety for about three years, and only this year have I begun to emerge from the pit. I'm determined to begin leveling up my life in all areas - to be the man my wife married, the father my son deserves. In terms of interests, I have to admit I've not been much of a gamer since my teen years (I deliberately avoided WoW and EverQuest, et al, because I knew how addictive they would be for me!). But I am a fantasy enthusiast, having played D&D and a sword-and-sorcery PBM for years. "Johan Whitehelm" is my fantasy alter-ego... I've even given him a complete back-story, which I guess is pretty geeky... Anyway. Happy to be here. To the horizon!