Jason Bourne

Just submitted my poem to a writing magazine at my school! I'm really nervous; they probably won't publish it, but I'm just glad that I had the guts to go out there and submit it!

Week 2 was slightly less successful; only went running three times, and my bike ride didn't end up being as long as I thought. But I've tried to adapt a little bit; when my run was cut short, I did some other exercises, and when my bike trail didn't pan out like I wanted, I did some serious wilderness parkour on some trees and walls and what not. Learning how to adapt my workouts is a skill that I'm getting better at. This week I'd really like to find the time to go swimming... Not sure if I'll get the logistics ready on that one, but I'm going to do my best.

Currently, when I enter BEAST mode, I can crank out 17-18 pull-ups. Muscle-ups, I've found, have some subtle differences that complicate things a little and make them considerably harder than I thought. Check out some advice I got from Waldo and others for some muscle-up exercises in this thread. Good luck on your exploits! Thanks! I thought so too! I feel really good about this challenge.

WEEK 1 UPDATE: I ran 4 times this past week and also went for a 2 hour bike ride. I've also been doing some muscle-up training (explosive pull-ups, negatives, other types of pull-ups) which has been going really well. I also completed my Fitness Side Goal 1.3 (Run at top speed for 200 yards) in dominating beast mode fashion. Tomorrow I'm going to do some serious Russian dips, Friday I have a 14 mile bike ride planned, and I'm going to finish editing my poem by Saturday. It's going to be a great week.

Don't feel lame. On September 22, 2012, I posted on this forum that "My current max (pull-ups) is 10." Since then, I've increased my max to 16 (highest ever was 18) and I've also reached the 100 push-up mark. I don't say that to brag, but just to encourage you that you can make progress, even if it's just a little bit every day, because it will add up over time. Doing just about any exercise with added weight is a good thing; pull-ups with leg weights or a backpack, burpees with added weight, and push-ups with a heavy backpack are all great. But your reps will probably go way down, so expect that.

I understand that we're trying to make a recruitment effort here, but it'll be hard walking the fine line between being totally awesome and making this accessible to other people. I can dress up in an epic costume and do some parkour, or do some other cool assassin-y stuff, but what's really going to make people want to join our guild?

Can you try to post it to a file sharing sight like Instagram or Photobucket and post a link? Also, sometimes your computer will let you convert/compress a file if it's too large. Try FormatFactory (free download) and try converting it there to see if it works for you.

Haha it's more of a literary term than an actuality. Feel free to improve on my crude beginning! I would love to see more of these out there.

Here's my attempt at an advertisement: (Click on the image to enlarge it)

I'm at 16, going for 20. I'm in.

LOCATION: Treadstone Training Complex TIME: 06:00 Jason Bourne lay motionless on his bed, unmoving. The room he was in was very small, his bed and a desk the only two items. With a sudden jolt, the door unlocked and swung open. In a flash, Bourne jumped upright, his entire body tensing. The last time his door had flung upon like that, he had been set upon by four armed guards, each armed with semi-automatic weapons. "Put down the chair, Bourne," Alexander Conklin demanded, gesturing to the small piece of furniture Bourne had just grabbed. "No Marines today." Bourne set down his improvised weapon, and stared at Conklin, his body still tense and focused. Despite how long Conklin had been around, Jason was still wary of him, and it seemed as though he was hiding something every time he and Bourne spoke. "I've got news for you," Conklin said. "As of right now, you are a fully operational weapon of the United States military. I know you've still got a long way to go, but Abbott wants to accelerate things a little bit. He says you're ready to have be given your first assignment." "Didn't that trip to Berlin count?" Bourne asked. "Don't question my orders, soldier," Conklin demanded, his voice growing louder. "Berlin was urgent and we needed somebody to take Neski out. You weren't nearly ready, but you did the job. But now that you're going fully operational, we're going to be giving you some challenging missions." "Yes sir," Bourne said. He had no idea what to expect. "Here's your first assignment and details." Conklin dropped a thick manila folder on the desk. "You're leaving on a plane to Geneva in three hours. Be ready." Conklin left, the door electronically closing behind him and locking firmly in place. Bourne picked up the folder and read what was inside;... <>Treadstone Mission 0000001 <> <>Main Quest: Run a 1/2 marathon on October 19th - 5 STA <>- Goal 1.1: Run at least 5 times every week between now and race day - 1 CON <>- Goal 2.1: Do not consume any ice cream between now and race day - 1 CON <>- Goal 3.1: Cross-train once a week (biking or swimming) to alternate muscle groups - 1 CON <> <>Life Side Quest1.1: Submit one of my poems for publishing in a writing magazine - 1 WIS, 1 CHA <> <>Fitness Side Quest1.1: Achieve all 5 benchmarks and be able to save my own life (slightly modified) <>1.2 Swim half a mile or more - 1 STA <>1.3 Run at top speed for 200 yards or more - 1 STA <>1.4 Complete a Tic-Tac (Parkour move) - 1 DEX <>1.5 Do 1 strict dead hang muscle-up - 1 STR <>1.6 40 Russian dips - 1 STR <> <> <>Motivation: To equip myself to be able to save my own life and others, learning how to operate in extreme physical conditions at optimum levels. <> <> <>end_of_mission_ Bourne folded the file back into the folder, reached under his bed, and pulled out his bag to begin packing. He knew that this next challenge was going to be difficult, but he was ready.

Thank you so much for your help. I'm grateful to be the one who can benefit from learning from your injury Yuen, and I've always respected your advice Waldo. You're something of a legend here at NF. I think the hardest part of this for me is really mental; I've done just straight pull-ups for so long that it's almost like there was a block there that was preventing me from doing it. But now that I actually have some new techniques to practice, I feel like I can really do this thing. I'm getting very excited, and I appreciate all of your help! There's going to be at least one muscle-up related goal in my next challenge, and I'm going to demolish it. Let's do this!

Just did my first Muscle-Up a few days ago, but had to severely kip into it. It was painful, slow and quite ugly to watch. Is there a way that I can improve my form somehow? Are there any specific exercises or variations I could do to increase my strength in those muscles? Thanks everybody! Once I master the muscle-up, it will be a huge boost to my parkour arsenal.

Here's my wrap-up! 1. Practice my weaponry twice a week. - Started off pretty good on this one, but fell away once life got busier. Grade: B- + 1 DEX 2. Physical Training Reaching a new max in these three crucial bodyweight exercises - 100 push-ups - 20 pull-ups - 60 sit-ups I hit 95 push-ups, 18 pull-ups and 60 sit-ups! Grade: A- + 3 STA 3. Transition "Capitol food" out of my diet. Week 1: Soda Week 2: Candy Week 3: Ice Cream Week 4: Maple Syrup, Gourmet Coffees Week 5: Store bought bread (eat homemade) Week 6: Pretzels Soda, Coffee, Maple Syrup are all gone, but Ice Cream, Candy, Bread and Pretzels didn't quite get there. Grade: C + 0.5 CHA 4. Read 10 books in 6 weeks. I think I read around 5, not quite 10 like I had wanted. Grade: C+ + 1.5 WIS Life Quest: Start and sustain a fire once a week. Made a fire three times, once in a pretty rough environment without any dry wood. I didn't use such a wide variety of materials as I would have liked, but I still became much more familiar with the process of building a fire. Grade: B- + 2 CON FINAL GRADE: B- A BIG thank you to the Rangers for allowing an Assassin into your fellowship for this one challenge. I've enjoyed my time here, but my home is calling me back; back to parkour, adventure and bodyweight exercises. Farewell until our paths cross once again.

I used gloves for awhile, mainly when doing parkour in the woods. Rough tree bark has a way of cutting my hands in weird ways, but I still wanted the tactile response without covering up my hands with a thick glove. So I compromised, bought cheap work gloves with the finger tips removed, and I use those sometimes when I'm in the woods. But for the most part, I don't wear any gloves. If you're getting really serious and doing parkour for a long time (like several hours) or you just want to "get your hard hat on" (see recent NF article) then I would say to go for it. They don't really hurt you, and they can be a cool way to delineate yourself from other traceurs, as well as a cool way to express yourself. It's really up to you.

Just finished up a challenge with the Rangers, but I'm coming back to the Assassins for the next challenge! It's good to be back in the Den once more among people of my own kind. The bonds of brotherhood are strong here.

As the end of this challenge draws to a close, I'm feeling as if this might be the best challenge that I've ever had. Not because I've accomplished the most on paper (because I had one challenge with like 30 goals once) but because me resolve has never been higher and I've established some really good habits. Even just doing a challenge in the Ranger Den has revamped my mindset a little, although I do miss my Assassin's Den very much. This has been a great challenge, and I feel like I've crossed over a significant line in my life. Oh, also I've decided to take the life-long Hard Hat Challenge. Yesterday I had a couple bad meal choices, but I'm determined to not let it affect me and to put on my hard hat. When I mess up, it won't snowball into something else, but serve as motivation for me to get back to it.

Achievement Unlocked: Do 2 muscle-ups! Granted, I had to kip really bad, but I did it!!!! Achievement Unlocked: Do 2 backflips!! These, also weren't that great, but with someone spotting me, I was able to do it!

I'm totally psyched, that's for sure. But I'm not done yet. I hope to be posting a personal best of 100 before this challenge is done. That would be totally wicked.

Just hit 90 push-ups for the first time! My goal is 100, but 90 is awesome! And I'm only 2 away from my goal of 20 pull-ups! Yeah!

Just hit a new personal best: 90 push-ups!!!! I haven't been eating that well these past couple days, but I'm trying to fix that as best as I can. Other than that, I've been doing really well!

Haha so if anyone is actually reading this, her name should be Charlotte, not Autumn. Sorry about the goof. Here's what's going on with me; I'm actually doing really well! I've been eating well, I'm 2 pull-ups away from my goal, and I've made 3 fires so far, all of them great for cooking or for staying warm in a survival situation. My weapons training has sort of fallen off, mainly because I haven't made the time to go out in the woods and practice. Other than that, I've been doing very well! Here's more story, although I doubt this will actually be read by anyone. This thread doesn't seem to be all that popular. Chapter II The ride to the Capitol was a blur to me, in every sense of the word. As we journeyed out of the vast forest that is District 7, a solid green blur filled up every window. Rather than focus on the unchanging scenery, I decided to indulge myself. It had been many days since I had eaten a full meal, and my stomach had been gnawing and growling with hunger. Me and my family had never been very well off, just like almost everyone in District 7, but there was always something on the table for all of us to eat. When the war escalated, food became more valuable then gold or silver, and the only thing we ate is what me or my father were able to catch, trap or hunt in the forest. Considering the fact that the Capitol was ravaging, plundering and destroying the forest, we didn't catch a lot. The rich foods were unfamiliar in their appearance, but I noticed that they resembled many of the same things that one might find on any supper table in District 7. Our host, (who talked during the entire meal) announced, "All the food you see before you resembles foods from your lovely home of District 7, yet with the refined touch of the finest chefs in the Capitol." He went on to babble on about other wonderful foods of the Capitol, gesturing dramatically and speaking as though he were on stage in front of a sold-out crowd of onlookers. In spite of myself, I chuckled quietly, trying to understand what would make someone dress and act the way he did. I suppose now is as good a time as any to give you a description of his appearance, although I'm not sure I can truly do you justice without drawing a picture (which I'm awful at anyway.) First off, his name was Elgar Hidlefitz, and he was almost ridiculous enough to deserve it. He was a pudgy, heavy-set man, who was not what you might call fat, only that it was obvious that he appreciated well-prepared food. His clothes were gaudy hues of bright colors, mainly yellow, green and orange, and his waistcoat, breeches, vest, hat, shoes and accessories looked like they had been looted from random citizens and added to his outfit on a whim. His hair rose up in a bright orange pompadour, complimented by his dark yellow make-up and purple lipstick. Altogether, the entire look seemed more fitting for a clown than a high-ranking official, and reminded me of a parrot or some other bird with a bright plumage. As Elgar continued to carry on about the wonders of the Capitol, I looked around for Charlotte, who had been eating next to me just a moment before. I found her laying down on her back on one of the couches in the train car, a book held in front of her. Setting down my utensils, I made my way towards her and stole a glance at the book title. In black letters against a blue background it read, "The Essential Elements of Survival: A Handbook." Something about reading that title reminded me that in spite of the glorious luxury we were surrounded in, the allure of the Games was just a veil designed to mask the true reality of what we about to enter into. It would be a test of survival, a test that only one of us would be able to win. I kicked myself for getting distracted by the pageantry and grandeur of the Capitol, when my only task was to fight for survival. And win. ____________________ Our ostentatious and ever-flighty guide Elgar informed us that, despite the marvelous technology of the train we were riding in, we were still a day away from arriving at our destination. "But no worries!" he chimed, sporting the flashy smile that he seemed to wear all the time. "It is only a minor convenience and will not endanger us in anyway." "What exactly is the problem?" Charlotte asked, looking up from reading the survival handbook (which I planned to pick up after she had finished). She had been rather quiet most the journey, and while I was curious to get to know more about her, it was difficult to know how to begin a conversation with her, what to talk about, or if I should even get to know her at all. The Games made making new friends pretty pointless anyway. "Well," our host continued, wringing his hands, "there's been a slight malfunction with the tracks ahead of us, so we're been forced to go on a longer route." I knew exactly what he was talking about. During the war, the Capitol had used their massive railway system to give massive amounts of supplies to their soldiers, giving them a huge advantage in the war. Several of the Districts realized this, and created a secret group of their best trained guerrilla fighters to sabotage the train tracks and to capture the train once it had been derailed. The only reason why a poor kid like me knew about it was because my father had been one of those saboteurs. He had died a war hero, losing his life why attempting to seize the supplies from a derailed train. Although it had happened several months ago, it suddenly became fresh in my mind once more. I had no tears left to cry. Normally, the memory of a lost one and the reality of their death brings out feelings of grief and pain. But there was no more room for my heart to feel the sting of a lost loved one. I had been starved of hope for so long, that even though it was folly of me to wish to be chosen for the Games, I still had wanted to be selected. Not because I wished to avenge my father's death, nor to give myself as penance for his death, but because I would rather die grasping for the hope of a better life, then to continue to live a waking death, a beating heart with a broken soul. "Are you alright?" Charlotte asked me, her voice interrupting my thoughts. She brushed away her hair and looked at me, her eyes watching me closely. "I'm fine," I said, looking away. There was something piercing in her gaze, something wild in her eyes that I hadn't seen before. I walked over to the window, turning away from her. She seemed to read my body language and went back to reading her book, sitting back down on the couch. I pretended like there was something beautiful to see out the window, but there was nothing extraordinary, only the boring, stagnant view of a small station where the train had stopped to change tracks. Even though the train had stopped moving, my mind was still racing on towards the Capitol. What sorts of people lived there? Who might the other competitors be? What kind of training would we do? Oh yeah, and that other big question: "Which one of us will make it out alive?"