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Tiggs8786 emerges The second half of this summer I’ve fallen off the wagon, and tumbled away. I’ve eaten terribly and hardly exercised. I feel like crap, am tired and negative ALL the time, gained weight (my clothes are actually getting TIGHT!), and my acne is the worst it’s been since I started my quest on NF. I feel like I’ve been bit by the black dog. I find it ironic that I fall into a “funk†during the Fanatics quest to beat Acerbus, but I know I can get myself out of this if I get back into working on healthy habits. Run the hidden pine trails of the forest. I need to get back into running. It seemed I had the most success with weight loss when I was doing a couch to 5k program (with weight training of course). 1st day to 5k program 3x per week STA-4 Let’s get down to business to defeat the buns Huns I REALLY want to try barbell, however I was told it will take at least 6 months for my disc to really heal (and THAT will be November). When my personal trainer had me do Romanian deadlifts I felt WILD. I really think that may be what will stick, I will never be Warrior level due to my back, but I’m sure I can still get a good workout in regardless. For now though light Romanian Deadlifts are the limit for barbell exercises. I DID find a push-up to 100 and squats to 100 10 week progressive program I think I’ll work on that with the addition of some core exercises like bird-dog and plank. 3x per week, after running. It will be similar to the Academy’s recruit level. I MAY start with kneeling push-ups, pending how well my form is for the 1st workout. STR-4 Cravings are a bother I’ve REALLY fallen off the wagon this past month, and have paid for it. Will be progressing though the Academy levels with plans on making it to level 5. I’ll be starting level 2 the start of the challenge-record what I eat and cut out liquid calories after 1 week of successfully doing that I’ll advance to level 3 after that I’ll have to stick with the level for two weeks (5/7 days) before leveling up. WIS-3 The sky’s awake, so I’m awake. Two months of night shift has REALLY sapped my energy. I’ve been sleeping WAY more than I should; I’ve even shut off my Jawbone UP alarm while still sleeping and woke up a couple hours later wondering what happened. Once I do get up I have no motivation to do anything. I NEED to change that! Goal: Get up when my alarm goes off at 8am, on my days off. The exception is the day of and after I work nightshift. I have purchased a coffee maker (and have started drinking coffee in the morning as needed) so I can get a caffeine kick in the pants. CHA-4

I'm still in the midst of my three month Summer of Strong challenge, but I thought I'd start a thread for this 6WC. My plan to do three 4-week challenges hasn't really panned out like I hoped. So some goals: 1. At least one good form one-armed push-up (OAP) with each arm [sTR] I've worked my way up to 3x8 wall OAPs using the Start Bodyweight progressions, but when I tried inclined OAPs this morning, I failed miserably. So, I'm looking for an intermediate step. Anybody know anything about typewriter push-ups? 2. Run 2.5 miles in 20 minutes [sTA] I do a 20 minute run once a week and my plan has been to gradually increase pace, and thus the distance, each week. I have recently run 2.25 miles several times, so I'm going to shoot for a 0.05 mile increase each week. Even with one week off, I should be able to get to 2.5 in 6 weeks. 3. Reduce my belly measurement to below 35" [CHA] I'm currently on a moderate cut in order to lose a couple of inches off my waist. My unofficial measurement this morning was 35.5". 4. Finish reading 3 books I've started this summer [WIS] Surfer's Start-upTo Live is Christ To Die is GainRaising Kids with Character That Lasts I'll be out of town 1 week during the challenge for a work conference, but I guess I can still work on push-ups, reading, and losing fat. I may even pack my running shoes...

Elastigirl ‘s training with the Dark Knight had gone well, so well that The Dark Knight had asked for her assistance on a mission. After helping him save Metropolis, Elastigirl was now taking a well deserved rest. Sitting in her deck chair, sipping some ice tea and enjoying the summer’s sunshine. Suddenly, she felt something whiz by her head. Looking up she noticed a green arrow had been thrown into the nearby deck post. Curious, she walked closer to examine it. Attached to the arrow was a note; It read: The sun is bright, Shall we take a flight? To have you on my journey would be a delight. Meet me at the quarter moon and half past midnight. Puzzled, she thought for a moment. Well obviously with the green arrow, this note must be from The Arrow. Did he really want her help on a mission? It must be. And a quarter moon, why that would be in a few weeks time. If she was going to help Arrow then she needed to get in shape. She knew that Arrow’s workout program was vigorous, he was well known for his salmon ladder training. And that that training was necessary for all the wall climbing he had to do. Putting her book aside, she went inside. Time to get serious about her training Elastiigirl needed to prepare herself to scale walls, hang from ledges,and climb the roof rafters. Main Quest: Improve My chin up reps Training Regime: Mission #1 Chin up practice 4 days a week *Mission guidebook-Armstrong pull up for women * will modify to 4 days a week instead of 5 * chin-ups instead of pull ups * if my body is tired I can modify it to 3 days a week without penalty As part of the program continue with my before breakfast walk+ pushup routine *if time is short or weather is not cooperating I can skip walk and just do pushups http://armstrongpullupprogram.com/armstrong-pullup-program-for-women/ "EDIT- Decided this program was too intense and not really what I needed. I will instead be following the GMB pullup training regime Week 1- daily- 3 pulling prep,3 negatives, 1 chin,hangs Week 2- 3 days a weeks- pulling prep exercises, and 2 chins,hangs Week 3- 2 days, as many chins as possible, then pulling prep exercises It is only a 3 week program, though there is a program to do after you are up to 5 pulls. So after I finish these weeks, I will decide how to continue. Points 5 STR Mission #2 Shoulder care- Spend extra time foam rolling and stretching shoulders and elbows 4 days a week * Not putting a time limit, just want to make sure in the evening or morning I spend some bonus time taking care of anything that might be stiff Points 4 DEX Mission #3 Resistant Starch- Have one serving of resistant starch at least 4 days a week I want to experiment with this and see if it helps me with my goals. I struggle with the right amount of carbs, too little and I don’t have the energy I need, too much and I gain weight. This might help me eat a bit more carbs and not gain weight. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-resistant-starch/#axzz38d6cqrKu Points 3 DEX Life goal: At my church, we do dance lessons once a month. One of the dances is the postie jig, and it is super confusing. I pretty much suck at it So next dance is August 17, between then and now I will watch videos of it, and read about the moves.By the time the dance is I will at least know the dance moves in my head ( can't really practice as it is an 8 person dance) Points 3 CHA Side Quest_ Transform from Elastigirl to Girl of Steel Still working on my kick into handstand. After watching video, I still am struggling with the bendy leg problem. Too elasticy . This challenge I am going to concentrate on having legs and arms of steel that do not bend.

***YES, THIS CHALLENGE IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. SOME ADDITIONAL PYLONS ARE STILL REQUIRED.*** "If you're not waking up in the morning and living your life like a ritual of creation or destruction or life or death or love or hate then you really are just dying one minute at a time." - Paul "Grimnir" Waggener of the Wolves of Vinland Epic Quest: MogiShade's Five Year Plan and his Impossible List Quest: To improve my strength to body-weight ratio through body-weight training and dropping fat. I realise this is not very specific, but I am not too sure what a good goal would be for a six week time frame. Goal 1: HIIT (running), twice per week (value: Dex 3, Sta 2) Goal 2: Bodyweight Exercises, every morning and after every run. See below for more details. (value: Str 5) Goal 3: Mobility/Parkour Training, once a week. (value: Dex 5) Side-Quest: Push-ups! I aim to hit 1500 total during the challenge. (All push-ups count including pike, decline, diamond, etc...) Life Quest: Sharpen up my decaying chef cooking skills and rekindle my passion for food. I haven't cooked anything requiring a demanding technique in a long time. My knife skills are rusty. I just don't challenge myself in the kitchen anymore. I've been mailing it out for years. I will make one challenging meal per week. Motivation: I don't have a super tangible or corporeal source of motivation. The last two challenges were both cerebral and introspective. I now feel super anxious, physically speaking. I just want something to sink my teeth into. I want to sweat, I want to hurt, I want to die a little. I want to get mad for all the right reasons. I want tunnel vision. I want to compress my mind. I want to get uncomfortable and like it. Maybe I will come up with something better. Post-Run Exercise Routine: I doubt I will setting into a specific routine for this, but the exercises I will focus on will include push-ups, glute bridges, squats, walking lunges, planks, and bear crawls. Morning Routine: I want to do something physical as soon as I wake up. This shouldn't be a full workout, as I already workout during the week. This is more about waking up, getting the blood pumping, and learning to embrace the suck. When I wake up, I feel like I've had cotton stuffed into my head. I amble about like a zombie searching for coffee, music, and a pad and pen. I want to wake up and get angry, to get mean, to get motivated. Super-set Bulgarian bodyweight split squats w/ push-ups and pike push-ups super-setted with bridges followed by handstand practice. Mobility Exercises (once per week at least): Ground kongs, broad jump, jump squats, cat hang bicycles, full squat, bridges, burpees, and duck unders. Also balance practice. Not necessarily all of these every time, going to sort of feel my way through it. Challenge Resources Demon Drills/Ryan Ford (YouTube Channel)

Goal of the 500 club is to do 500 of something every week. This can either be part of your workout goals or in addition to. Examples would be -----this week I pledge to do 500 push ups. I would count full push-ups as 1pt, knee push-ups as .5, counter push-ups as .25 Squats are squats, lunges are lunges, burpees are burpees, pull ups could be negatives, assisted, or full etc. Any ideas or thoughts appreciated. I just wanted a thread to challenge myself to do more and give and get encouragement. Anyone is welcome.

Goal 1 Continue bodyweight workout 3x weekly. Last challenge I put the L-sit as a goal, which I still want. Most of the workouts I did last challenge involved push-ups, pull/chin-ups and dips. I gained reps on all of them, and was very pleased with the way things turned out, especially with the dips. I want to continue my success by doing BW workout three times a week, with a goal of an L-sit someday. Goal 2 Learn Jitterbug Stroll I went swing dancing several weeks ago, as I am wont to do. I saw a group dance I don't know. I know Tranky Doo and two types of Shim Shams. This was the Jitterbug Stroll, and now I gotta learn it. I learned the Tranky Doo on a previous challenge, so this seems appropriate to continue the swing-dance-learning process! This goal will be a success if I accomplish the Jitterbug Stroll by the end of the challenge. Video will be posted. This is Jitterbug Stroll.... Goal 3 Paleo (!) Woah. I've been toying with Paleo for many challenges now. Couldn't seem to give up the dairy. But my aunt has been Paleo for many years due to digestive issues, and she recommended it for me since I have psoriatic arthritis - both inflammation and skin issues. My aunt swears by it, and she's talked me into it. The goal will be to go Paleo for 30 days. I began full Paleo, with no dairy, no grains, etc. about 10 days ago. I've already lost some weight. I don't really want to lose too much, though. Maintaining where I am would be great. So If I can keep with the Paleo foodstuffs for another 20 days, we'll be good. I'm looking forward to making cauliflower "potatoes" and "rice" and other goodies. Goal 4 (Life Goal) Routine, continued Last challenge I wanted to keep a routine. Particularly, I wanted to get up early, and do prayer time in the evenings at 9 pm. It went pretty well, and I want to keep it going. I've had an alarm set for a while at 5:30 am and 9:00 pm to get these done. I won't follow this routine on weekends, but work days, yes. This goal will be a success if I follow the routine on my week days. Let's punch it.

Nyxy squints full of disbelief at the ancient armadillo, Best Healer of the Low Shores. The wrinkly sage holds a small bag that reeks of poison in her paw. High quality poison, at that. "Have I crossed the Horsemen's Plains for this? A child knows not to offer poison to an assassin!" "And even a small child on the Plains knows how to cure a Curse of Werewolf!" the shriveled armadillo gniffles. "But you, werewolf! You come to me with a Curse of Human! Been a while since I've seen one of those, I almost regret curing it. But Reverse Curse gets Reverse Cure. Take the poison." "How long?" "Always. Now go be a werewolf elsewhere. It's time for my nap." Out of the healer's hide-hut, Nyxy investigates her "cure". Inside of the bag, a glowing yellow-green powder. On the outside of the bag, a yellow fish is drawn. it's unclear why. "this better works." Nyxy closes her eyes as she swallows the tiniest bit of poison. Her hair rises and her muscles tense. High quality poison indeed.

Okay, this really excited me last night when I managed to do it. Even if it was only 1 good rep. Just thought I would share it here

the25r is reborn, a spirit wandering the land. I've made it to a merchant ship and have set sail for distant lands. The journey is long, and I must be prepared for anything once we reach our destination. This is no time to rest, there is work to be done. Main Quest: To measurably improve both strength and muscular endurance. Goals: 1. Be a better sailor In WWII, my grandfather served as an officer in the US Navy, managing the physical fitness of the sailors during their long times at sea. He lead the exercising that took place on the ship deck and helped ensure the men were in fighting shape when they landed. He died before I was born, but by all accounts he was a remarkable man. This challenge is in honor of him. I'll perform the following PFT based on the WWII Army regiment and look to improve my standing. On this results section, 50 is a soldier in average shape. I will improve through bodyweight workouts and weekly heavy lifting at the gym. 2. Be a good teammate I signed up for the PVP Quidditch pushup competition for this six week challenge. Other people are relying on me, I need to show up big. It's a longtime dream to hit 100 pushups in a day. I will do that at least once in this challenge. 3. Locked and loaded I love the camaraderie of NF. I'll take that to the next level this challenge by doing the pistol squat mini-challenge with other assassins and posting weekly to the mini quest thread.

Mweeheeheee~ finally I can take on a challenge in a guild! And not the one I first supposed. My ultimate fitness goal is to become a strong fighter (specifically boxing/MMA), but for that I need to get a good conditioning routine down. Training has some but not enough to really build strength significantly, and I’ve been barred from using the one barbell in the studio. But who really NEEDS equipment in order to get stronger, really? Besides, the agility gained from bodyweight strength exercises is bound to serve a fighter well… The Quest: to become truly independent in strength training – independent of equipment and people. I’m not hanging around the starting zone waiting for anyone anymore. Goal 1: Exercise away from the boxing studio, averaging at least once a week. Or, if I make it there more frequently than usual, do a full workout independent of instruction at least once a week. If it’s outside the gym, things such as sprinting sessions count as long as I deliberately go to do them. Then again, you can’t really not deliberately exercise, unless there are hungry lions involved… Scoring system: One grade down per week this is skipped. Stats: STA, STR Goal 2: Progress towards perfecting pull-ups, push-ups and pistol squats, through persevering in practice. The aim is to achieve each unassisted by the end of the challenge time, though that may or may not be feasible. I can already do strict pushups, so with them the goal is to work towards one-armed. Scoring system: out of 36. For each week, 1 point for each time I train for each of the above 3 exercise types. Aiming to do each twice a week. Stat: STR, DEX Goal 3: Get a handle on 'programming'. I really need to formulate a ‘benchmark’ workout to measure strength progression. This’ll need a little experimentation in pushing my limits and seeing what I’d actually want to make a habit of. Scoring system: a bit fuzzy, but a ‘pass’ if I manage to make a decision by the end of the challenge. Quality scores for exercise commentary, and repeating workouts with recorded changes. Stats: WIS, STR Life quest: Japanese study. As before, the one thing I can do day-to-day to know I’m moving forward in my long-term goals is to keep up language study. My life quest will continue from the last. Each day will have a score, averaging one point for 10 new kanji studied but taking into account other types of study or days where I did less but still something. Scoring system: a mark per day, non-integer Stat: WIS Motivation: In my Crossfit days, building strength was a relative cinch with plenty of weights and people to train with. Now, I’m on my own. I slipped up big time after moving country, giving up good habits one by one when I lost my support network. Then one January morning I looked in the mirror, and at the sight of the vague semblance of what was once ‘me’, I thought, “Never againâ€.

On my last challenge, I feel like a fell down on two of my goals because ultimately I was spreading myself too thin and not really focusing on what I really wanted to achieve in the long term. Whilst I will return to handstands at some point, I've decided to go back to basics with this challenge and really strip everything down. In essence, I'm going SPARTAN! It's going to be very simple: Diet Exercise Sleep. The agoge was the spartans training super harsh training regime. Whilst I'm not going to be putting myself through anything as crazy as some of their training techniques, I feel inspired to spend the next 6 weeks working on the very fundamentals of healthy living and cultivating discipline. My goals therefore are: Goal 1: More pull-ups. Last challenge I went from 4 to 7 using the 20 pull-ups programme. Whilst I never completed it as I repeated each of the first three weeks, I'm taking another stab at it. If I can add 3 to my personal record last time, I should be able to make it to at least 10 over the next 6 weeks. 10 full pull-ups in a single set by the end of the challenge is my target. STR+4 Goal 2: Healthy diet Previously I've done quite well in reducing my % body fat by being stricter with my diet so I'm going for this again. Sticking with the back to basics theme, I'm going to (or at least attempt to) cut out all junk food, unnecessary sugar and alcohol. I'm also going to try to stick to strict times throughout the day for eating too so I'll be less inclined to graze on whatever crap is lying around. I'm also going to keep more detailed body measurements too and hopefully use the body fat measuring techniques laid out in Waldo's Strength Unbound blog to see if I can get some more accurate measurements of my body composition. Everyday that I eat well, will be a day of success. Everyday that I don't will go down as failure. CON +4 Goal 3: Sleep I won't go into why sleep is great for your physical constitution here as others have said it better than I could but it is an essential component of creating a healthy body. Ideally I would like to be in bed by 10 every night but my attempts so far have not even been close. Therefore my goal will be lights out by 10.30 every night. STA +3 Goal 4: Team work. One of the reasons the Spartans were so effective as a military force was because so much emphasis was placed on working as a unit rather than as individuals. As they spent all of their time together, supporting and encouraging each other, they functioned as a whole and were stronger for it. I feel a lot of my success so far has been down to the support of the amazing people in the Rebellion and I want to repay that in kind. I'm going to put myself forward to be an ambassador for the assassins so that I can cheer along potential recruits but I'm also going to make every effort to show support for anyone else who wants and needs it. As well as subscribing to challenges of people who look like they have similar goals to mine, I resolve to actively support anyone who follows my challenge, anyone who asks me to follow them, and anyone who is recommended to me by someone else, regardless of their goals or guild. I can't guarantee that I will post something on everyone's thread every single day, and I'm going to prioritise those that look like they need more support than others, but I shall try my best to support everyone that I can.

Back for my 5th?!?! challenge. Time flies when you are searching for gifs on the internet. Getting back to ass-kickery on this challenge. Fitness (+3 STR) ♦ 20 consecutive push-ups Is this crazy? I don’t know. I set high goals for myself and I can usually reach them. So I figure I’ll set the push-up mark high to really “push” myself. I’m going to steadily increase the amount of push-ups that I do day-to-day. (+3 DEX) ♦ Interval sprints once a week. Self-explanatory. Diet (+2 CON +1 CHA) Grilling outside at least once a week (may be modified) I love grilling in nice weather. This might not be much of a challenge, but it will provide me with Vitamin D and delicious meats for devouring. Paleo/Primal eating has become a no-brainer, so this quest is more to get me outside more. Perhaps I will add some different objectives like grilling seafood or finding/making a smoker. We will just have to see where this quest takes us. Life (+2 STA +1 STA) Wake-up at 430am Some may think this is crazy. Most people will think this is crazy. I have to wake up at 5am to get to work on time, but I would like to wake up a little bit earlier to start the day with exercise/stretching. I’ll try to wake up at 430 Monday – Saturday. Keeping Sunday for a rest day… just as the lord intended. (+2 WIS +1 CHA) resume, portfolio site, job hunting This is boring stuff, but stuff I need to take the time to do. I don’t see a lot of growth potential at my current workplace and I am not doing exactly what I want to be doing. It is time to get the ball rolling on this task. Side Quests (+3 DEX) I kind of stole this idea from ApfelStrudi. Variety is the spice of life, so I would like you (my friends) to give me side quests. This can be anything. I’m not scared. I will however make a request that my bendy friends challenge me with bendy things, because I am so very un-bendy. Click on the icon and it should take you to the Google Doc Reward: Sword! time to slay some dragons!

During the course of this six week challenge my body's odometer will turn over 18,262 days (i.e., 50 years) --- yay..... So it seems fitting that I should have a 50-ish theme this time around. Main goal: Lose 50 lbs. Nah, let's move the decimal point over and make it 5 lbs. I'm not going to commit to that over six week's, but who knows?! How to get there: #1: 50 jumping jacks/day #2: 50 pushups/day #3: 50 squats/day Resolution: If I slip a day, the requirements will rollover. In the past, I've made my goals too complicated, so by simplifying the challenge I hope to actually notch a victory. Can I do this? Yes! Onward, Assassins!

This challenge is fairly similar to my last, but with some twists to keep it interesting. I have two half-marathon races during this challenge, and I’ll be gearing up for a marathon in early June. I think adding the hill work will really help me in these races. 1. Go the distance. Run 150 miles. This was a good goal for me last time, so I’m going to give it another try. (Max 4 pts Stamina). 2. Tough it out. Run 40 hill repeats If 40 is ‘over the hill’ then I have something to prove! To count toward the goal, I have to run the hill at least twice in a row (single climbs don’t count).(Max 3 pts Strength). 3. Stay strong. Cross train 3x per week Cross training can be anything (20+ min). Within this goal, I want to work on push-ups at least twice a week. I’m working up to 40 knee push-ups in a row (I got up to 31). Once I get there, I’ll move into inclines. I also plan to work on wheel pose (yoga) each week. I want to be able to do this on my paddleboard this summer!(2 points Strength and 2 points Dex). 4. Don’t fear the green. Dark leafy greens once a week. Things like baby bok choi, swiss chard, and even a spinach salad count. Lettuce doesn’t. (1 pt Con; Full point if I get 5 weeks). 5. Life side quest: 6 Dreaded Tasks I have a list of things I really should do, but have been avoiding…ranges from going to the dentist to paying my taxes to fixing the flat tires on my bike. Some of these are more avoidable than others. I have to pick 6 things on the list and get them done. (3 pts Wis).

So today was for me the first day of week 3 of my first 6 week challenge, and also the first BBWW workout of my third week of doing it. But today for the first time, my push-ups were from my toes, not my knees. That means I managed to completely skip the hole incline push-up stage, which is probably good because there are no stairs where I live... And once my shoulders reattach themselves i know I'll feel the pain. But until then, IT'S ALL GOOD!

I'm starting later, because I was in a bit of a funk. Those happen During the mini-challenge, I did a bunch of push-ups, and I really liked how it feels to have a bit more muscle in the shoulder region again. Being a bit stronger and having a bit more muscle just feels.. physically good? This is a thing I want. So, I think this challenge is a good time for me to get serious about doing body-weight exercises again. Also, erhm, I kinda finally got over the idea that "guys will not like me when I look strong, oh no" I don't care anymore. This kind of thinking is blocking my fun. Some goals that are doing the opposite of that: - Strong Nyxy: Push-ups and body weight squats. because I like those. A calendar will be hung on the wall to check how often I do some kind of workout session it, according to the do-it-or-mark-it thing I did last challenge. Thus, there are no goals regarding how often I do things. Following that same attitude, I'll try to determine what is enough activity for one workout session for me by setting no goals, but just writing down what I do - Curious Nyxy That thing I do for my back? I feel ready to try to make it harder. right now it looks like this: I'm pretty sure I could move back into the direction of doing a bridge, if I want. But, the goal is to kind of play around and see how different progressions/variants of these moves feel This can join with the rest of my workout stuff, really. - Relaxed Nyxy I will continue doing the exercises that were in my anti-shyness workbook. I almost got trough the whole thing last challenge, it might be good to reread some parts and see what that does for me, especially because it made a big difference for me already :) I'm counting this as a physical goal, because of how much it reduces my stress, like is argued for in this super great video: - Eloquent Nyxy I made a small stack of cards to learn more Serbian. Just HAVING the cards seems to convince me "Serbian Vocabulary" is a fun thing to play while having a tea. The goal is simple: turn that list of words I have into cards completely, so I end up with a little stack of things to say. It will prevent stuff like today's chicken incident. Since the goal itself is some kind of handwork involving scissors and markers, it's very attainable, if I end up learning serbian as a consequence, good. There's like, no pressure here.

Hello everyone! This is my second challenge. I will admit I took many peeks at the Ranger forums over the past challenge because it seemed like a lot of fun. I'm really happy to join. About me: At 5'10" I'm taller than most women. Not particularly muscular, but I think just based on my size and general fitness, also stronger than most. I think I'm pretty low maintenance and just "tough" all around. I'm mostly a distance runner, but also enjoy other types of exercise. I've called myself Xena to embrace the strength I think I have (in the best version of myself). (1) My main goal is to train for a marathon, which conveniently will be on the last day of this challenge! I’ve done a bunch of marathons, so I know what I'm getting in to (this will be my 13th state). I will be undertrained for this one (tough to be well-trained for a marathon in February if you live in New England), but I want to survive it as well as possible. Max 5 pts Stamina. Requirements: two runs over 15 miles, (will aim for a 20-miler, but weather may get tricky)150 miles total (would be better to have a lot more!).finish the marathon …unless there is a good reason not to finish (dangerous weather, injury, etc).(2) Strength and flexibility training…at least 20 min at least 3x per week. This is cross-training for me and can really be anything. Strength training will include progression toward pushups and assisted pullups. Goal to do 40 consecutive push-ups on my knees (I have a good training plan for this…will finish the progression with a litlte time to spare if I do the set every 3 days). Flexibility will include whatever yoga sequences I want to do…will try some yin poses while watching tv. Can substitute other cross-training (e.g., climbing gym or snowboarding). Max +2 STR, +1 DEX. Requirements: At least 20 min strength or yoga, 3x per weekComplete progression toward 40 knee pushups (every 3 days decrease rest) (3) Speed training… An 8 minute mile is currently a fairly hard (but manageable) effort for me. My goal will be to run a total of 15 miles at 8 minute pace (can be broken up…i.e., quarter mile repeats, or in bigger chunks as I get stronger and faster). This would be an average of 3 miles at pace per week. Can do on the road (luckily lots of measured miles around) or treadmill. On the treadmill, for this challenge, have to have the incline on 0.5 (ugh). I can finish this goal as quickly as I want (gives me something to race for!), and I need to finish it before the last week of the challenge (don't want to do speed work too close to my race). +3 DEX Lifestyle challenge: (4) Reform my coffee shop habit…this will be good for my wallet, waistline, and even the environment! Plan – one cup per day (if I want more I have to make it myself). Decaf or half-caf if possible. Bring my own cup (cheaper and less wasteful). No pastries or cookies. Allowable snacks…yogurt, quiche, small chocolate square, soup (or even better, bring food from home). Success will be meeting this goal at least 4 days per work week. +1 CON, +1 WIS +2 CHA Motivation: Competitive nature, vanity, health. Looking forward to running the marathon and knocking out my 40 pushups. Curious to see how I can work the mini-challenges into my overall goals. Overall Possible Points +5 Sta, +2 Str, +4 Dex +1 Con, +1 Wis, +2 Cha Progress and preparation so far... 1. Have recently done single runs up to 14 miles...weekly mileage will hit 25 this week, so should be able to tackle the minimum weekly mileage. 2. Gotten through my first two push-up workouts...able to 5x8 with 55s rest between sets...now just need to keep dropping the rest. 3. Tested out the 8 min mile pace on the treadmill with incline...did 1/4 mile, so I know I can at least chip away at this goal (distance doesn't count toward goal until the challenge starts...I'm just practicing). 4. Got through 2 work days this week with my coffee "ration" ...just gotta stick to it. Like drinking water (from last challenge), I know it is the right thing to do. I'll track my overall progress here: (as of 2/1/14) Total miles (of 150): 110.75 Runs over 15 miles (need 2): 2 Total miles at or below 8 min pace (need 15): 15 Cross-training (weeks with at least 3 times...need 6/6): 4 Best kneeling push-up set (need 40 consecutive): 25 Coffee-shop (weeks of meeting goal...need 6/6): 4

So about a year ago, when I was half way through my fitness journey, full of so much positive energy it just leaked from every orifice in my body I started a initiative in my office. The 10:15 push up break was born, every day, starting with just me I would get up from my desk, go into the middle of our office, and do as many push-ups as I could. At the time, I did it alone, and the most I could do was 6 full Push-ups. Still a larger guy even 6 felt like a triumph Within a week, I had an office mate join me, she too was on a fitness journey, she could only do 10 knee push-ups, but doing them made her feel great. She progressed through the year, the Push-up break a daily reminder of the commitment to fitness, over the year she is down 40lbs. By the end of the first month we had 4 people joining in, I was up to 12 full push-ups. At the end of the 3rd month the whole office was in on the 10:15 push up break! Our executive director said it was the favorite part of his day; and said it was a great idea that it started. By now I was up to 20 Push-ups. Due to the massive success of the 10:15 push-up break a 2:00 Plank break, and 4:00 stretch break were added to the daily routine in the office. Again everyone joined in, and looked forward to it every day. Months went by, sometimes people miss the break, but more often the not, the entire office assembles, gets on the ground, and pushes themselves, in more way than one. Today, almost a year after starting the break, with perfect form, completing with a growl, then a Burpee up to a jumping celebration: I did 50 push-ups in a row.

Main Quest: Create a healthy lifestyle that I am proud of. I want to look good, feel good and know that I am doing good things for my body the majority of the time. Three Goals to Achieve my main quest: Eat at least four servings of either fruit or veggie a day. (CON +3) Track everything I put in my mouth as follows: 7 days on, 9/23 off 8 days on, 10/2 off 9 days on, 10/12 off 10 days on, 10/23 off (WIS +2, CHA +2) 2 sessions push-ups/crunches/plank and 2 sessions of either an aerobics class or one hour workout per week (STR +2, STA +2) Life Side Quest: Beautification. I have to admit that for at least 75% of my life I am slummin' it! My primary hair do is the bun/pony tail. I have been eeking the last bit of foundation out of my basically empty bottle for two weeks now. I would like to get into doing pretty things with my hair/make-up/clothes. I'm not trying to buy myself something new all the time, although that will count, but maybe try curling my hair or a new way to do my eye shadow. You know.. actually trying. 4. Do something with hair/make-up or clothes once weekly. (WIS +2, CHA +2) Why are you doing this challenge? Because God gave me this awesome body, and instead of abusing it I want to take care of it and strive for excellence. Because you can't have a completely sound mind without having a sound body, and you can't have a sound body without creating healthy habits. Because I want my husband to think I'm hot without any effort . Because I want my daughter to love herself and know she is beautiful, and the best way to do that is to live it out in front of her. Because I want to show my daughter how to eat healthy and be active instead of just telling her. Wednesday morning weigh-ins weekly, measurements and pictures at 3 and 6 weeks. Weekly challenge reviews and grading. A - 100% B - 75% C - 50% D - 25% F - 0%

Dear People, My first adventure is over, here is the new one! It's a sick Natarella, that is talking to you here! Part of my adventures involved cycling to work (7kms = 4.34 miles one way) no matter the weather and I live in a cold, rainy country. Winter is coming… I am glad to be in Assassins' guild! I chose to be here because : - active and fun - guild leaders are actually really present to support people (thing that was totally lacking in the Newcomers "guild"… maybe an improvement can be made on this?) - because this challenge will be focused on fitness and specific bodyweight exercises I want to improve in (burpee, push-ups and pull-ups even if the 2 latest won't be evaluated in this challenge) A bit of background : I am fed up with having "lose weight" as an objective for the year. I want to have "learn Italian" "Get a certification in German language" "run a tough man race" " Do a burlesque show" I am pissed at having lost so much time… So I am going to do anything that it takes to drop the 2 size that are left with the hope to fulfil my main quest by the end of the 3rd challenge. I don't like it so I change it! Main quest : Fit in a French size 40 (US 10, UK 12) and drop weight to 72 kg (158 lbs) The thing is I don't want to go on a scale anymore because I'm always really upset when I do so. Action: find a way to measure my body fat the update my measurements by the end of this week. Challenge #2 main Goal: Fit in a French size 42 pants (US 12, UK 14) pair of jeans. I'll post a picture here at the end. My motivations (randomly) Health: Diabetes and heart blood pressure in my family…Sense of accomplishmentBe inspiring: I want to be a better ME, healthier, persistent and fitter. I want to be inspiring to my family and my friendsSelf-appreciation: I take care of myself because I deserve it Goal 1 : Uncrushing from processed sugar aka 1 serving max (100g) per week The war is not over even if several battles have been won. Eating paleo and avoiding processed carbs. Baby step policy is good and there'll be weeks where I'll have none. *******Ratings****** A. 1 serving processed carbs/sugar /week B. 3 C. 4. D. 5 E. 6 F. 6++++ To be sure that I will actually be eating healthy and not sabotaging by stupidly snacking, I will give 200 euros (265 dollars) to a political party I really strongly hate, if I don't fit in those pants. The idea that I might be supporting financially a political party that is against everything I'm fighting is simply sickening Every day without snacking, I mark the day in a calendar! Goal 2 : Strength training 3 times a week and Cardio training 2 times Same as in the past challenge, I want to be consistent in my fitness path - 2 Crossfit sessions a week - 1 ST alone - 2 Zumba / Spinning class I keep the ability to have 2 weeks of only cardio trainings to rest my muscles… as long as I train 5 times a week this is ok. ******Rating ****** A. 4 to 5 per week B. 3 C. 2 D. 1 E. 0 F.0 Goal 3 : 50 burpees in a row Crazy one. But requires a bit less preparation than training for pull-ups (that I wanted to originally set as a goal for the challenge but this requires at the moment too much preparation for me, as I have a side quest that is really time consuming so I'll occasionally train to it and will set it as an objective for next challenge) This is in addition with my trainings. I start today, day 1 with 8 burpees and day 42 I will be doing 50 burpees in a row. ******Rating ****** A. 1 missed-day B. 2 C. 3 D.4 E.5 F. 6+ EDIT : 21/09/2013 0h11 Life Goal: ♪ Relax take it easy ♪ aka do 1 relaxing activity (minimum 2 hours) I know, I was supposed to deal with job search but I don't want it to be rated here finally. After this horrible first week, I realised how I was not applying to myself what I actually preach : FUCKIN' RELAX SIS' ! I can't get over the end of my sweet holidays, full of paleo cookin', Crossfit and deadlifting ... but HELLO!! It's been 2 weeks now, so it's time to get back into reality and deal with it! So I decided that I would instead have as a goal : do a relaxing activity every week! Challenging because I don't take the time to rest, relax, nor chill. My weekends are busy until late in the night and start quite early... It is necessary - as I have to deal with a really weird period of transition (at work) and I am really unhappy of it - as my body is starting to resist to the life changes - as sugar cravings linked to frustration are back (they are 90% due to my situation of being in a job I don't like and not having signed yet the contract for the one I like and want ) Activities can be : Tai-chi, hammam, a walk / bike road in the woods, spa or massage, knitting (winter is coming) etc... ******Rating ****** A. 6 activities over the 6 weeks B. 5 C. 4 D.3 E.2 F. 1 Measurements on 16th September I'll take them at the end of the challenge Can somebody tell me how to upload pictures from my computer and my phone? Thanks!

I've been gearing up for my first challenge, but I'd originally set it up to be 3 fitness/diet goals and one three-part life goal. I spent a few weeks prepping that with my therapist and bf, who is my partner in this adventure, so I'm gonna sorta fudge the outline of the "main quest". I'm also in a process to move from New Orleans to Puerto Rico over the next 5 weeks or so, and all of the goals have been based around our "on the road" schedule. I'm hoping if we can get through this first challenge despite all else life has going on, we can roll with challenges like pros next time around! :-) Things are set out for my partner, who doesn't have an account (he's the anti social media) and myself. Just so the two names make sense! Steve started getting healthier a few years ago with NF, and is totally behind me and doing his own thing alongside. Yay! -The Main Quest- "On the Road" I will have moved to Puerto Rico by Sept 16th at the latest. Within the next year or so, I will have a body worthy of a sexy swimsuit! (One that I, personally, feel sexy and worthy wearing.) For the next six weeks, I'll be working towards my main quest by working on my three fitness/diet goals: F1) Hydrate Steve-4 (pre-measured) water bottles a dayBrit-3 (pre-measured) water bottles a dayF2) Walking walk 20 minutes (minimum), five days a weekF3) Push-Ups Steve-gain the ability to do 50 push-ups in one set by the end of the challengeBrit-gain the ability to do 10 push-ups in one set by the end of the challengetiming will be based on an episode of South Park (we will start before show and pause at least 5 times during the episode, nightly) To correspond with my life's events over the next six weeks, I've set a three-part life goal to track my progress along the road. Setting three goals is risky, because one life goal is plenty to take on for a first timer. However, due to the travel and therapy issues I'll be facing over the next six weeks, these are all easier to accomplish and confidence-building goals. L1) Finish the Hunger Games series on audio book For the time we'll be mostly in a car (driving from New Orleans to Boston) we plan to finish Catching Fire and listen to Mockingjay before we arrive in Boston. This series means a lot to me, and listening to audio books is a new way for Steve to "read" more. It will be something neat to bring us together as a couple, and help us bond a little more before we brave staying with his folks for 2-3 weeks.L2) See a Broadway play on Broadway in New York This has always been a life goal of mine! And Steve and I are going once we get to the New England area. We'll even be seeing The Book of Mormon, which will undoubtedly give me yet another reason to love Matt and Trey. L3) Move to a Tropical Island After we visit with Steve's folks in Boston, we should be flying with all our belongings (in just a couple backpacks and a duffle each) to strike out for a year of adventure in a brand-new place! AND-not just any place-but a fracking TROP-I-CAL island. It's insanely insane, and is a long-waited achievement for both Steve and myself, and for us as couple. This also works as a challenging goal, as the last-minute things pile up and pressure mounts, it is tempting for both of us to take an easier way out and quit, or break up, or give up. Being so close to our goal has been hard to stomach, due to deeper emotional issues we both have-as so many people do. To follow more on what Steve and I are up to in terms of our trip, visit our travel site. For me personally, I am graduating from therapy after about 8 years of intensive healing from incest and childhood abuse. This site/NF in general will be more for my physical health, but for more on my emotional journey, see my blog or website. My motivation is: I do well with affirmations, and this challenge (being on the road most of the time and all) is mostly about building my own confidence, boosting me to take on more complex issues in the future. For now, my motivational affirmation will be short and sweet: I will get started successfully. (Yes, I will.) ---my stats and all that jazz--- I loved the character stats and all, and had planned to use them already for this challenge. For my own benefit, I'm gonna post all my level-up points and whatnot. Basically cause it makes me feel extra badass and awesome. lol And I can! Points and Measurements: for Steve F1: Constitution: 1pt F2: Strength: 2pt, Stamina: 3pt F3: (mental) Constitution: 1pt L1: Wisdom: 1pt, Charisma: 1pt L2: Wisdom: 1pt, Charisma: 1pt L3: Wisdom: 3pt, Charisma: 1pt Starting weight: 213lbs for Brit F1: Constitution: 1pt F2: Strength: 4pt, Stamina: 1pt F3: (mental) Constitution: 1pt L1: Wisdom: 1pt, Charisma: 1pt L2: Wisdom: 1pt, Charisma: 1pt L3: Wisdom: 3pt, Charisma: 1pt Starting weight: 210lbs I'll be reporting back, and hopefully posting progress pictures of all our adventures and goals being met! :-) Thanks for reading! -Brit

First off, kudos to the powers that be who had the courage and foresight to revise the basic rules for our six-week challenges. If there is one thing assassins ought to be able to do, it is to be sufficiently nimble to respond to obstacles that are thrown our way. Long-term quest: Become more assassiny by knocking off about 10 lbs so that the scale flirts with 13 as the first two digits. (Right now, it occasionally flirts with 15, which is the wrong direction!) Current goals to advance the quest: 1. Complete the six-week 100 push-up training program. (Thanks to Hugh for posting this link.) 2. Do a sprint workout once/week. (We have a hill nearby that is ideal for sprint workouts.) 3. Resist the need to settle down each evening with a “gluten-free†beer or cider or glass of wine. For this challenge, I shall abstain three nights a week and enjoy the other four evenings all the more. Life side quest: Save $! We’ve got tuition bills on the horizon. If there is one thing I learned from my first challenge, it is to set more realistic goals. My current goals #2 and #3 seem a bit on the timid side, but I WILL complete them this time. Good luck, fellow assassins!

Main Quest: To reach December 31, 2013 visually leaner (as measured by photographs), and capable of my 4 performance targets: - Do one chin up - Do 50 push-ups with good form - Complete a 6 minute WKC Kettlebell Pentathlon Long-cycle (Clean and Press) round at maximum reps (60) with an 18 kg bell. - Run a 4 minute kilometer (extended sprint) Challenge Goals: 1. Eat a paleo diet consistently with only one cheat item per week. If this is going out for wings with the guys, that means ONE pint of beer, and not "One night of binge drinking." Target is to be visually leaner, or to see some decrease in body measurements by the end of the challenge. 2. Do two push-up practice sessions per week. Target is to be able to do 20 push-ups by the end of the challenge. 3. Do one Long-Cycle practice session per week. Target is to be able to do the max. rep with my 14 kg bell by the end of the challenge. Goal Grading: F Achieved goal < 3 weeks out of 6. D Achieved goal 3 weeks out of 6. C Achieved goal 4 weeks out of 6. B Achieved goal 5 weeks out of 6. A- Achieved goal 5 weeks out of 6, and still made target. A Achieved goal 6 weeks out of 6, but did not reach target. A+ Achieved goal 6 weeks out of 6, and reached target. Life Quest: Take one tangible step in the direction of making my hobby (hand-spinning and weaving), into a viable business. (I've always pretty much figured this was impossible, so even one step in this direction is, uh, daring.) Motivation: My motivation might have a bit of a chip on it's shoulder, but then again, so do I. This year has been full of big plans, but no big wins. Starting most recent and moving back, I signed up for a Spartan Sprint in late June. Thanks to some genius lack-of-planning on my part, I stayed out drinking the night before, and ended up running this extremely hilly obstacle run while hung over in the 30-degree-celcius heat and humidity. I fell behind the group I was running with, and got separated. I also almost passed out twice, and had an asthma attack halfway up a hill. I consider myself lucky that there was a convenient patch of shade and a very nice EMS staffer nearby. Epic fail. I slogged across the finish line in just under 2 hours. For a 5k run. *facepalm* Decided to try my first Kettlebell Pentathlon in May. I hadn't been training with the Sport Kettlebell group, and KNEW that I needed to do a lot of technical work on my lifts before I could do it successfully. Procrastination hit, and I showed up increadibly under-prepared. Also: I was the only person who agreed to compete from the "Non-Sport" half of our gym. The only good news is that the event is structured to be beginner-friendly: I got to pick my own weights, and switch hands as often as I liked during each of the 5 lift sets, each lasting 6 minutes. I finished, but I kinda finished dead last. I also appear to be the lowest ranked competitor in the country... I'm too afraid to look at the international rankings. The first line in my motivation harkens back to years back when I took up running. An over-use injury put a stop to my long runs about two years back or so. I don't really run longer than 8km anymore, and when I do run, I tend to do it in my Vibrams. Long before that, I was out for a group training run when I noticed I was slowing up, and starting to lose my group. I was just having a bad day for performance. As people were beginning to pull away from me, I had the oddest thought, "Aww... crap. I am now officially that slow little gazelle at the back of the herd that the lions always get..." followed by, "Ah! Holy crap, lions!" It was not the best example of positive thinking, but it gave me a touch more motivation to catch up and finish the run. During a talk about mental imagery and sport performance, I mentioned this little mental image of mine. Apparently this hadn't been what the instructor had been expecting. And it became a bit of a running joke among the group I was training for the Vegas Half-Marathon with that year. I am the slowest gazelle. But I might need to cut myself some slack, a third of those runners qualified for Boston this year. So for this challenge, I've decided to take smaller bites, so to speak, and start building up some smaller wins. I've always been more gifted at strength training and sprinting than endurance events. So I'm planning to work on my strengths, and what I feel good doing.

With the changes happening, I cannot pinpoint what is my main quest. I have never been one to work on just one life goal. For example, I am currently working on two (FBI and PHD) and doing the preliminary research of a third (Teaching Aboard). So I foresee this challenge being a bit harder than others as I've enjoyed working on both and now three. However, because this is a fitness forum, I will stick to a fitness adventure quest for this challenge. Main Quest - By the end of the year I would like to be able to pass two out of the four FBI fitness requirements. Goal #1 – Strength Configuration Part 2 (45 Push Ups, Non-Stop)! How and Why: Continue with my pushups. In my last challenge I was able to finally do 60 push ups from the tabletop. In this challenge I will be going down a bit more. This time my pushups will be from a height that is around my mid-thigh. My grade will be based on how I do the Monday morning that I am supposed to report in: Week 1 – 1 min, 30 seconds rest for 3 reps Week 2 – 1 min, 20 seconds rest for 3 reps Week 3 – 1 min, 10 seconds rest for 3 reps Week 4 – 2 mins, 30 seconds rest for 3 reps Week 5 – 2 mins, 20 seconds rest for 3 reps Week 6 – 2 mins, 10 seconds rest for 3 reps Grade: A = 45 B = 40 C = 36 D = 31 F = 27 Stats: +1 Sta, +2 Str Goal #2 – Stamina Configuration Part 2 (45 Sit Ups, Non Stop!). How and Why: Again another FBI fitness test is based off of the sit-ups but in one minute (I need 57). In my last challenge I was able to finally do 31 sit ups. In this challenge I will be going faster and often. The only way to keep going is to do them as often as possible which is where I get in trouble. Week 1: 3 reps twice a week Week 2: 3 reps twice a week Week 3: 3 reps three a week Week 4: 3 reps three a week Week 5: 3 reps four a week Week 6: 3 reps four a week Grade: A = 45 B = 40 C = 36 D = 31 F = 27 Stats: +1 Str, +2 Sta Goal #3 - Defeat round two boss, Coke Cola! How and Why: So I was able to start drinking 6 cups of water BUT the caffeine still has a hold of me. In the last challenge I was able to remove myself off Starbucks. I went 31 days without Starbucks. I have the following cheats (as in going drinking coke): Cheats: Week 1: 3 Week 2: 2 Week 3: 2 Week 4: 1 Week 5: 1 Week 6: 0 Grades: A = 33 Days B = 30 Days C = 27 Days D = 24 Days F = Below 21 Stats: +1 Sta, +2 Con Life Quest: One Does Not Simply Step Into Their Doctorate Program Part 2 - Read a book every two weeks. (+.5 WIS for each book) <- 1. - Practice for the GRE Test every two weeks (+.5 WIS for each test) <-- 1st test completed on 8/11/2013, - Start Internship (+.33 CHA) <-- Completed on 8/27/2013 - Save $200 for transcripts (+1 CON), Update: $132.00 - Sign Up for Russian Language Classes (+.33 CHA) <-- Completed on 8/5/2013 - Visit Formal Professor (+.34 CHA) <-- Completed on 8/30 - Write Personal Statement (+.5 CON) - Write Statement of Purpose (+.5 CON) Stats: +2 Con, +1 Cha, +3 Wis

Where I'm at: 5'7" (170cm) 180lb (81.6kg) Bench weight: ?? Running time: ~1 minute 30seconds Max push ups: 3 General Long-term goal: Become a badass Ranger! 6 Week Challenges: 1. Establish my bench press starting point and increase it by 15 pounds (+4 STR) 2. Work my way up to doing 10 push ups in a single set (+4 STR) 3. Run 3 minutes without stopping/walking (+2 DEX, +2 STA) 4. Finish the html/CSS lesson series I'm working on (+3 WIS) The Plan: 1. Purchase a barbell and weights and establish what the highest weight I can lift is, then lift 3 times/week. Each time I can do 10 reps at a weight, increase the weight. 2. Do 3 sets of 3 push ups each day for one week, then 2 sets of 5 and one of 3, then 1 of 7 and 2 of 5, then 1 of 9 and 2 of 7, and finally 3 sets of 10 pushups. 3. Play the Zombies, Run! 5k game 3-4 times/wk 4. Work on lessons a minimum of 5 days/wk This will be my first 6 week challenge, starting me on the path from Adventurer/beginner to Ranger. I'm super excited, and I really hope to make some new fitness friends in the process! ETA: tags