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Gotta do some more moving. I didn't perform at the level I wanted to during the last challenge because my desire to be more awesome lost to the temptations of video games. Not my proudest time. I think I've got most of it out of my system though, as long I don't do something stupid like buying a new game. This challenge's goals will be very similar to the last one just minus the sucking. And as always, the end game goal is Ninja Warrior Grand Champion. Goal 1: Last time I said I'd exercise at least 5 days a week, 7 if at all possible. During this time, I settled for "good enough" too many times, only doing 5/7 days even if there was no reason not to exercise the other 2 days aside from just being a lazy butt. This time the plan is to exercise 7 days a week unless I have a darn good reason not to. Exercising can be anything outside of my dailies like climbing, Muay Thai, parkour practice, random cartwheels and pullups; whatever. Goal 2: My progress towards my 1 minute bridge, stand to stand bridge and handstand pushup over the last challenge was negligible, I might have even regressed. For that reason, I'm kicking it up a notch or 6 this challenge. These targets are being incorporated into my dailies now. I'll work on my handstand pushups every time I work on handstands even if it's only doing a single set. I'll also do some form of bridge work every single day. Goal 3: Although I had "acceptable" adherence to my targets of paleo meals last challenge, the majority of the rest of my dinners were complete crap, worse than the average before so I'm changing things around a bit. Initial target will be eating 5 paleo meals per week, can be breakfast, lunch or dinner. Add +1 meal per week every time I hit my target. Goal 4: I haven't been working on my Pathfinder campaign nearly enough. Over the last 6 weeks, I don't think I completed enough content for a single session. This one is going back to my targets from 2 challenges ago, gotta work on the campaign every week. Minimum requirement is 5 hours per week but exceeding by an hour or 10 is okay too. Daily goals: Do diamond pushups every day, try to do 1 more than the day before every day. I'll change to another type once I do 60 in a day. My current best is 55 but some days I don't hit my target so I may not finish in just 5 days. Once I can do 60 I'll pick some other kind of pushups and see how many I can do, then work up to 60 if it's less than that. Other dailies are working on handstands and handstand pushups every day, work on doing a bridge in some way every day, do 30 minutes of squatting every day and stretch. I'm expecting this challenge to be a fun one too. I realise some of my goals seem like it'll be hard to meet targets and I'm okay with that. I'll do my best to reach them and it's no big deal if I don't. The only thing that's not okay is letting video games, anime or manga take priority over improving myself as long as there's nothing stopping me.

It occurred to me that the land of the prophecy is across a big puddle so I'll build a bridge to the other side. This challenge's new target is working on my bridge. I want to be awesome at them. My current stats: Bridge: I can get into one but can't hold it for more than a couple seconds. Running: Usually takes about 25:30 - 26:00 minutes for 5k. My best recent 5k was 5.02km in 25:17 at an average pace of 5:02 min/km. Handstands: Usually last about 1-3 seconds, best is 6 seconds. Handstand Pushups: I can do up to 6 box pike presses or I can do a handstand pushup if I only lower about 5 inches (based on feel, not measured.) This is almost halfway as my arms are pretty long so my head should be around a foot off the ground. Goal 1: Be able to hold a bridge for 1 minute. Bonus: Perform Stand to Stand Bridge. I'll make a point of working on my bridges in some way at least 3 times a week. Goal 2: Get my 5k time to 23:00 or less. I'll be running 3 times per week to meet this goal. Goal 3: Be able to do one handstand pushup. For this I will workout 3 times a week. Goal 4: Have my Pathfinder campaign ready for play by the end of the 6 weeks. I'll spend at least 4 hours every week working on this campaign. Bonus Dailies: Work on holding handstands for 5-20 minutes every day; target is 10 seconds. Do pushups every day adding 1 a day; tomorrow I'll be doing 34. Stretch every day. Still working on the 30/30 squat challenge so I have to do 30 total minutes of squatting every day; my goal here is to be able to hold a squat in a resting position with my feet on flat ground, right now I can't hold it without my heels elevated about 2 inches. Another old habit that needs to be maintained is eating a decent dinner (includes protein and at least 2 fruits and vegetables) at least 3 night a week.

I'm not even going to bother pretending to have a goal oriented challenge or any story this time around. Things to expect from this thread: Ranting and whinging. Possibly pictures or videos of me making an idiot of myself. Things I want to work on: hand balancing, bridges, GMB Fitness' Movement Multivitamin, aerials, buying a car.

“The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.†~ Chinese Proverb Last challenge I bit off more than I could chew in the perspective of the other changes happening in my life. I'm terrible with time management and without proper planning, I couldn't fit everything in. It made me think of Steve's article about a Robot's Guide to healthy living. If this Than that. I realized I really need to work on creating a daily routine, at least a loosely structured template, that will move me towards my goals. Take the brain out of the picture, and just DO certain things. Especially because I'm moving during this challenge, and this involves 3 weeks of planning, a week long road trip, staying with friends in five states, and 2 weeks setting up my new place and getting settled. Habit goal: IF it is morning THEN I will get up and go for a walk. It doesn't matter how far I walk or for how long, the point is to get myself out of bed and out the door immediately to get my blood pumping and get some vitamin D in the form of sunlight. 50 jumping jacks can be substituted for extremely inclement weather. Emphasis on extremely. Why its a challenge: Despite all of my work from last challenge, I still hate mornings. Why I want to do it anyway: I used to feel really good running every morning, and when I did this I just kind of fell out of bed into my running shoes and walked out the door. No thought involved. I just DID IT. Also I believe my gorilla workouts will be easier to start once I'm warmed up and woke up by a walk. Methods: Keep shoes by bedside. No options. Also if i'm really really zonkered, I'll grab a cup of coffee and drink it whilst walking. Double duty. No excuses. Grading: 35-42 days = A 27-35 days = B 20-27 days = C < 20 days = F Strength/Endurance Goal: IF it is Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday, THEN I will do push ups. The goal is to get back to TEN FULL PUSH UPS WITH PERFECT FORM. Why it's a challenge: These gorilla workouts for the last month and a half doing only knee push ups has wrecked my ability to do full push ups. I can now do like four. And they are wicked hard. Wobble arms. Mega sad. Why I want to do it anyway: I love push ups, they are fun, I want to be stronger, and I want to beat my best friend's husband in push up contests. End of story. Method: Mon-Wed-Fri regular gorilla workout, Tue-Thu-Sat 100 pushups challenge. Grading: 10 = A 9 = B 8 = C <8 = F Skill Goal: IF it is nighttime THEN I will stretch. Primary goal here is working towards Front splits and Backbends. Why this is a challenge: I'm wicked tight. I've never been able to get into a split, even during two years of gymnastics as a kid. Why I want to do it anyway: A. splits and backbends are good party tricks 2. My problem areas (places I have the worst posture and get the most pain) are my hips and upper back/shoulders. I can already feel after three days of splits and bridges, these areas are strengthening, my posture is improving, and i'm in less pain. Methods: 15 minutes of stretching every night before bed. Every day. No going to bed without stretching. Grading: -3 inches on splits, 30 second bridge = A -2 inches on splits, 20 second bridge = B -1 inches on splits, 15 second bridge = C Anything less = F This is where I'm starting for splits: Life Goal: IF I am practicing the violin THEN I will do drills for playing in tune. I will be working on learning the chorus for Crystalize (is it called a chorus in an instrumental piece?), but also focusing largely on perfecting the part I already know, and doing- hopefully daily- exercises specific to playing in tune. Why this is a challenge: It's a very difficult song, and I often have a tendency to go too fast and hit sour notes. Why I want to do it anyway: I love the violin and I want to be awesome at it. I want to play the things I hear in my head and not have them come out sounding like dying cats. Methods: I am hoping to have time on a daily basis to play the violin. This is especially awkward for the first 4 weeks so I will have to be creative with this. I'm staying with friends since I left my apartment, and don't want to subject them to me screechy practicing. I'm thinking of buying a practice mute (probably not for a while, i have no mailing address) or going to the park to practice after work (more likely) or a combination of both. I want to search the internets for "playing in tune" tutorials. I've also considered fretboard tape, however half the sources I read says it delays learning by ear and half of them say it speeds up this process. I don't know what to believe. I couldn't figure out a measurable part to this (S.M.A.R.T goal) as far as quality goes, so I'm grading on how many minutes of "In-tune exercises" I do per week. I'm aiming for 30. Grading: 30 minutes / week = A 20 minutes / week = B 15 minutes / week = C < 15 minutes = F So here are my four little rocks I'm going to carry away from my mountain for the next six weeks!

Hello dear people! During my challenge, your help and support and input is greatly valued, and even encouraged! There will be pictures, and there will be cake. Simple goals: 1. Log 200 to 400 points on fitocracy EVERY DAY. I will think of a way to grade this so I can motivate myself better, but basically, there is a high goal, and a low goal. I'm thinking of making the low goals the "thing I do because I decided to do", and the high one something I get to reward myself for. In the coming days, I think up a reward. Advice is welcome! 2. Learn how to do a bridge. In style. Nice-looking. Stand-to-stand maybe. Coming days, I look into a good route to get there. 3. Leisure time: I took some time off, because with what I earn while working, I think I better stop working and start reading for a while. Doing this now will also stop me from feeling rather sad in a month or so. Recreation is hard work: - At least 5 hikes - At least 11(!) books. There are some classics that have escaped me until now, so I'll make work of that. Expect a reading list. - Finish the three films I have started to watch ages ago and get back to the respective friends who recommended them to me. There will be no serious food related goal, because I will travel/move to new place twice during this challenge. I don't want to feel bad about something I cannot control. But: 4. Draw 5-7 different meals I made in the past month, in the same way I drew some recipes here: http://idiotdogcomics.wordpress.com/ Autocomplete/bonus quests: - I will have to learn more of the native tongue if I want to talk to the villagers. I expect this to sort itself out, since I'll be forced to do so. - I expect myself to consume less alcohol when I no longer live with pleasant-to-share-a-drink-with housemate. Which is good, maybe. Yeahhhhh Let's do thisssssssssssss.