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While I consider the last challenge a success (at very least a solid "B" grade), I realized something: I need variety. Routine became...too routine. The constant parkour drilling was good, but both my mind and body cried out for a little something else to mix things up. My body ached for the yoga routine I once had but let slip over the summer. My Barbarian Mind cried out for something a bit martial-artsy. I kept my daily meditation routine through the whole process, so that was good. But the bottom line is I need to mix things up a bit. In the spirit of variety, I don't have a very specific blueprint for this challenge. I don't have specific SMART goals, as is customary for my usual NF challenge. I suppose that makes it a bit of an anti-challenge. I want to keep the parkour routine going, practicing/ drilling 3x/ week. Doing this 4x/ week proved to be a bit taxing on the body. Beyond that, I want to experiment with some things. I want to add yoga back into the routine, in a way that is manageable and easy to remember. I also want to play with some weapon-like stuff, for the physical and mental discipline, but mainly for the fun of it. Swinging a bokken suburi-style has been good in the last week. So has knife-throwing (I have an excellent target in an old stump behind the garage). Expect to see both make an appearance in the next challenge. I just don't know how much of it to do yet, or at what rate. I guess that's the ultimate goal, finding the right balance, and the right variety. The parameters of this challenge are likely to ebb and flow over the next few weeks. As is the frequency of my posting. This just tends to be my way. The Barbarian Way.

It has been a very long time since I've completed an NF challenge -- almost four years. But now I find myself back in the saddle in several ways. Without further ado, some specs: Male 199.8lb 6'0" 14.8% bodyfat And some goals! 1. Cut to 12.5% bodyfat. It's been a long trip down from my all-time high at 25% bodyfat this last March. And yes, I know that's not exactly a tough weight to be, in the scheme of things -- but I showed no signs of stopping the weight gain, so I had to get things back in line. And once you start doing bodyweight exercises again, every pound of fat is just a little extra weight you don't need. So my goal is to hit 12.5% and then start in on a controlled bulk. At my current rate of loss, I should hit my goal about 2-3 weeks in. 2. Achieve a hands-back 1-Leg L-Sit (7-second hold). I've been back at training for a couple months, but still haven't worked L-sit training back into my workout. This is a big weakness I need to shore up, as L-sits help a lot with shoulder strength and core strength. I could use more of both. So I'll be working these back into every workout, starting today. 3. 3x3 3x8 Pain-Free Pike Push-ups. My return to workouts was sadly marred by a flare-up of impingement in my left shoulder. I've been working myself out of it, doing lots of home PT, and adding push exercises back into my routine (slowly). Eventually I want my headstand push-ups back, but this will be a good, conservative step toward that. 4. Get a new apartment! I'm in the process of moving out of a shared apartment and into something new, and I've got until the beginning of November to lock a new place in. That makes this challenge perfect for tracking my progress toward that. I plan to start by contacting at least 3 properties a week.