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Ok, so I have a terrible idea: I'm going to do my lifting workouts in January outside. I live in a small apartment with neighbors that sleep late and I don't want to be lifting in the house at 5 am moving furniture and otherwise making a rukus. I don't mind being outside in the winter and last January didn't prevent me from getting my runs done outside. To make matters worse my gym is under construction so the weight room is smaller than usual and everyone is using the boys' locker room which is half the size of the men's. That's going to suck with the new years resolutioners start coming in. I CAN do this I just don't know exactly WHAT I'm doing. That's where you guys come in. Any ideas for how to get weightlifting done in the cold outside? I figure if I follow some simple rules I'll be fine: Nothing under 10* F (same as when I run) Warm up indoors (same as when I run) Nothing that requires taking gloves off or fine motor skills (no changing weights on my dumbells for example) I have access to: Dumbbells (adjustable up to 50 lb single dumbbell) Several parks one has an outdoor circuit training, but I'll have to look if it's safe for winter one has a 1/4 mile track and a heavy athletics throwing area one is a few feet away from my apartment but it's basically just a small lawn with a path. Several field areas that probably aren't being cleared if it snows. A rucksack (my Xmas gift to myself) A hardware store and basic hand tools. I'm thinking something in the vein of the Scotland highland games might be a good idea. Maybe make some weights/kettlebells out of concrete and see if I can press or throw them? Load things into my rucksack and press that? Any ideas or thoughts would be welcome.

So after about 6 weeks of sloth and vacation I need to get my act back together. I have since gained about 5-6 lbs so losing those and continuing to try to find visible abs is a goal. I have a GORUCK Light on 12/10 and then a back to back Light/Tough on 1/13-1/14. I really did not want to do these but they are the MLK themed ones and he was such a great man I figure I could endure the cold for him. I have IRONMAN Texas 4/22 and I just signed up for EAGLEMAN in June since it will be my sisters first half IRONMAN. So for this challenge I am really trying to focus on what I put in my body, as well as my daily training. For now I am sticking to 2,200 calories, low carb, paleo with dairy and no drinking. Unlike training for the last IRONMAN I am going to try to do less volume and get my body in better physical shape. I am focusing on strength and flexibility. I struggled a lot running longer distances with my body breaking down this past summer and I want to run more often with shorter distances now. I will be focusing 100% on stretching daily as well as appropriate foam rolling and Yoga two days a week.

I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was I believe that I am ready to be my very best. I know what makes me feel and look my best, I just need to follow through. I'm taking my pokemon with me to give me some inspiration and companionship along the journey. ____________________________________________ Bulbasaur: 4 servings of fruits and vegetables every day Squirtle: 3 cups of water/herbal tea every day Charmander: Keep the metabolism fired up with 10k of walking/rucking every week Pikachu: 5 days of real sun or electric sun lamp (20 minutes) Gym Battle: Train for the Rainbow badge by completing 10 kettlebell workouts (following "Enter the Kettlebell") Pokemon Coins Bonus: No grains = 1/2 a coin Low sugar = 1/2 a coins 5 Coins = 100 PokeCoins on my PokemonGo game

Well, shit. Seems like I'm in good company these days and pretty much everyone across the board is buckling down -- either by doubling down on habits they've been building over the last few challenges, re-committing themselves to paths of action long abandoned, or by digging deep and getting back to basics. For this challenge, I'm planning a hybrid of double-down and back-to-basics - because let's face it, even when I'm doing a simple challenge I've got #Rangerbrain and can't pick just one thing. I want them all. Omfg. Best. Thing. Evar. Spoiler: NSFW hoard but BWHAHAHAHA Hmmmm ... I *may* even get back to obnoxious picture posting, if I can find a good workthrough with Tapatalk ... I miss Skeletor. Ok. Back to the goals. GOAL THE FIRST Work out. As always. Buuuuutttttt ... Since I've been a slackass since midway through class (*cough* May *cough*) and have yet to kick my ass into any sort of sustainable schedule, I'm going to go back to the fundamentals and pick something I know works -- a program involving videos. Specifically, a HasFit program that takes 15 - 40 minutes to complete, uses mainly bodyweight + the weights I have in my hallway (or the weights available at the gym), and I don't even have to change into "workout clothes" to do if I can't drag my lazy ass to the gym. And since I have adult-onset ADD, I'm supplementing that program with 2x a week yoga + some sort of working toward handstands. Because I'm so very plugged into the Nerd Hive Mind. This is how that's going to shake out: Here's the program I'll be doing. It's the HasFit Hero 90. I've done it before and I liked it. I'm doing it again, with modifications to fit my schedule. Workouts will be done M - F with weekends off. Weekends will include lots of walking per usual, and hopefully a few other activities (like archery or climbing or silks) when I get the cash to make that happen. Yoga class is Wednesday; I'll throw another day in on Monday to give myself a nice stretchy base for the week. Alternates: I have a couple kettelbell routines I can pull out on days I can't fathom videoing. If all else fails: ruck. No more sitting on the couch and whining about it. GOAL THE SECOND Macros. I love my macros and they work for me. Buuuuutttt ... the DH has been wanting to give keto another try, and I'm throwing myself into it alongside him. I need something to kickstart a little weight loss as we go into the 'fat for winter' season, and having a month with strict guidelines generally does that for me. I'll be treating this like a Whole 30 and will be reporting daily on my food intake (with pics) and will be posting weekly wrapups on my blog. I have a big long keto post that sheds more detail into these new macros, and a shiny new spreadsheet to help me track (I'll still use MFP, but mostly for data format consistency). I also need to get that damn spreadsheet done - if all else fails; end-of-year plan. GOAL THE THIRD Other Shit. This one is staying the same. Get. A. Job. How? Apply for 10+ jobs a week. Follow up with at least half of them the next week. Continue interviewing my damn heart out. Go to networking events - I'm not quantifying how many per week; over 2 a month and under 4 per week so I don't burn out again. Attempt to become someone who meets people for coffee dates. What else? Little projects. I need to work on the front-end site/wireframing/UI/UX workup for the "free company" (i.e. the unfunded startup I work with) - let's rename them to "the Gs" for simplicity's sake. I need to practice other coding - there's a ReactJS course I signed up for and should really take. And I want to give back to the community. I need to either be contributing to opensource projects or documentation - something. Or volunteer as a tutor. Anything else that will help me hit the paycheck goal? I need to find a way to get some small freelancing gigs to start generating some income. It's been long enough. And that's it. Three main goals - the same goals I've had for months - just in a slightly different format. And with hopefully more enthusiasm.

JAPAN! So for part of this adventure I will be traveling to Japan for a 12 day vacation(11/1 - 11/12). I plan on doing some fitness there and tracking all the walking I plan on doing with my garmin. I will also be posting heavy on here with photos. IRONMAN Maryland did not go well. The swim was cancelled and the bike was only 100 miles. The run was partially through water. Because of this we are now signed up for IRONMAN Texas on 4/22. I need to keep training the 3 disciplines of triathlon whether I would like to or not so that I can finish there. I do plan on not training nearly as hard since I felt Maryland was pretty easy. I did a GORUCK Light a few weeks ago and remembered how fun that was. I am thinking of doing the prohibition light on 12/2 and then the MLK back to back in January. End goal would be a heavy sometime this summer. Goals through the end of this Challenge: Miniatures(Tau Squad) Cut out legs Base legs Cut out missile arrays Base missile arrays Fish(12 gallon future reef) Assemble water filter Hang water filter Connect drain to waterline Connect filter to waterline Cut out egg crate Rinse rocks Test run rocks Aquarium on shelf Test all hardware Cars Clean EVO exterior Clean Mazda interior windshield Mazda oil change Mazda gear oil Miata inspected EVO cat change Deck Finish lower section framing Finish nailing beams Chalk line Cut beams Assemble outer ledger Frame stair area Clothes Clean out dresser Finish the corner of shelves area Magic Try to find a box of Kaladesh for $90(I know this is not in my control but I need to check pricing often) Reading Finish two current walking dead books Finish the two most current walking dead books Finish short story sci fi book Finish Dive book As far as Fitness and Food goes. I am going to start lifting again doing linear progression starting very light, Swimming mon-fri, and then throwing in a ruck on Saturdays and run/bike on tues/thurs. Food is going to be between 2,000 and 2,200 Calories daily, No drinking at home, and not eating like a pig in Japan. I do attempt to keep carbs low <100g and no sugar sources or grains. I have been on a non stop gorge since 10/1, gained easily 4-5 lbs and need to get back on track big time.

I'm getting back up on my feet with His strength, to fight another day. You raise me up... to live / fight on...

Not much going on this challenge in terms of nerd content and games. Sorry no zombies or neighbors to be saved. I took last challenge off and hit kind of a meh period, had a lovely bike wreck and luckily did not break anything(going 18 MPH and the wheel snapped all the way to the left suddenly) but suffered some nice road rash and some general poopy attitude about being so sore and missing workouts. 2 weeks afterwards I was pretty much pain free. I am now only 2 weeks out from my IRONMAN so number one focus is training/diet. I am going to continue my old method of posting daily habits and chores and just marking off what I do and grading myself based on the progress made. After 10/1 I am unsure where my challenge will head but there will be a recomp of goals and sort of a new challenge inside this challenge. I originally thought I was going to continue this long distance thing and go even further(double or triple IRONMAN next October) but recently I am deciding it is not really for me. I am likely going to do sprint Tri's and get much more back into lifting/rucking, I may even pick up rollerblading(tricks on rails and jumping stairs) again. One other big thing recently is I am down 25lbs just about. I have started bagging up my current clothing(style would be best described as Hobo) for donation and have purchased some really nice clothing that fits properly. First day at work I was asked where my interview is so I know I am looking good. I am starting to feel strongly about dressing nicely as a part of feeling good. I'll post crash pictures later.

First: I do not know if this is the appropriate forum, so any mods feel free to move this... It's kind of a "woot" as I have overcome my innate lazyness, but it might also fit into the general fitness or the dieting realm. Or some ranger stuff, who knows. so here is the story: I like cars. I like my car, especially. And so I like it's engine. Most engine wear occurs on start-up, once the engine is running at operating temperature, there is no significant wear whatsoever. Read: cross country drives (btw.: That's why myUOAs come back so nice). Doing the grocery shopping by car means two engine starts without the engine ever getting to operating temperature. Not good. Hurts my heart. (Im a car nerd - with a capital N.) But my bike has no luggage rack (and cycling with a big, heavy backpack is no fun). So -what else can I do, if I do not want to use the car? Of course: walk. I might split the grocery shopping into several smaller trips and just walk there. But then, the nearest shop is a tad expensive, and the cheaper Aldi a bit far off my usual routes. Inconvenient. But basically, that's what I would do: just walk there, grab some bags with stuff, walk back. Several times a week. (And pay to much). When I was young, I walked a lot. The army had us walk a lot. all while carrying heavy stuff. And then I stumbled upon the fitness fad of rucking - basically, grab a backpack, put something heavy inside, walk briskly and call it exercise. (And feel cool doing so.) So that was obvious. Why the hell didn't I get this earlier? Grab rucksack. Grab a second bag. Walk 30min to store. Fill shopping cart. Fill content of shopping cart into rucksack and bag. Walk home. Voilà: One old army backpack, a sturdy bag and a sack of apples. This unpacks as follows: 2.5kg potatoes 2kg apples 0.5 litre olive oil 0.25 litre linseed oil 1 litre of milk 6 cans of tuna 2 cans of red beans 500g sourdough bread 500g spaghetti 500g feta 500g chicken breast 500g ground beef 500g of curd 350g herring 300g Nürnberger Würtschen (Nürnberg sausages) 250g of bacon 500g of spinache 3 bell peppers 3 jars of marmalade 2 salami 1 iceberg lettuce 1 broccoli 1 cucumber 1 net of red onions 1 net of garlic 12 eggs 60g oregano 60g thyme Humans can carry a lot of stuff. While all this on the picture is a lot of stuff, it s not particularly heavy. (The things they make you carry in the army are heavier.) It just seems bulky, but if you pack intelligently, all this fits into a small backpack and a small shopping bag (the apples came with their own bag, fortunately). Earn your meals! If a middle-aged, overweight bloke like me can, so can you. . :-)

There is a plan to ruck at Enchanted Rock State Park and climb the Rock on October 27th. We originally started calling it Camp Ranger Fitness, but of course everyone is welcome. I know that's a Thursday, but it's the day those of us planning to go all have off. So far the plan is for those going from San Antonio to meet on the NW Side and caravan to the park, it's just north of Fredericksburg. Those coming from Austin would likely go a different direction We'll make a long loop of the park, which comes out to about 5 miles, then walk up the Rock. It's challenging but doable. When Wild Wolf and I did it last year we saw people in their 60's and 80's on the top. The original plan was to go in the morning, but I just checked the website and the park will be closed till 2pm that day, so it looks like we'll have to meet up in the afternoon and eat dinner in Fredericksburg instead of the lunch we were planning. We can hash out details of what time to meet at the park and where to go after for dinner. We had planned on meeting back in San Antonio that evening at the Flying Saucer to enjoy pumpkin week, we may need to push that to Wednesday evening the day before the trip.

I am so, so happy and glad to be back... a whole week without my dear NF friends, a whole week with less than frequent whatsapps, but a whole lot of Good, Bad, Ugly The Good The boys and I had a wonderful time at my mil's place! We loved spending the first two days surrounded by wild animals. I'll add pictures throughout the rest of what remains of this challenge. But to start you off with an appetizer: I was ready and rearing to start the new challenge yesterday, but today I'm a bit slower on the up-take. The Bad While we were away, Brandt told me one night that Stormer, Youngest's dwarf hamster had died. He was upset for a day, but then the visit with granny, playing and other interesting things distracted him and helped. It quickly turned into more GOOD when hubby pitched up at his mom's house last night to fetch us... the reason for having to fetch us...? The Ugly Yesterday morning, on our way home, we were hit by another car. Our car is written off, and so is the other car. Luckily the other driver wasn't injured either. Our car's cabin wasn't severely damaged, but all the safety pillars were bent, the engine has a lot of damage - looks like a concertina, air bags popped out, etc. The car was spun 180 degrees, with some of our books and luggage strewn over the road. Luckily we weren't driving fast, but the other car were. I've got a couple of nice, big blue and black bruises on my neck, arm and thigh. My ankles were very sore, but are better today. The boys have chafe marks on their necks, arms and bellies from the safety belts, but it saved them from serious injuries. People ran from one building to help us, and they soon had a doctor there giving us all meds for shock. It helped me to sort out things with the police, get the kids calmed down, and collect all our belongings on the street, before our car were towed away. Within an hour of phoning hubby (probably the hardest call I've ever had to make!), then phoning his mom asking to fetch us, hubby had organised a house sitter, taken off from work and was on his way to us in Sabie! We left this morning for home and are back safe and sound. I've been inundated with phone calls and messages from friends phoning others and then phoning/messaging me, which made me cry from scratch again. For the foreseeable future we'll make do with one vehicle as we aren't in a position to buy another car right now. We'll finalise the water tanks plans we started with, as that is urgent to have water for the home in the foreseeable future. Back to The Good! I have a lot of ideas that I slowly, but surely want to implement: I'm going to make this next book order, my last one. Then I'm done with the books. I told hubby and he is ok with it. I want to plant our own vegetable garden, and I'm going to make sure that I make time for my friends who made the effort to find out that we were ok after this accident. With regards to training: I want to do my self defence exercises again, strength (lifting/BW), and a lot of walking/rucking. I'm still not quite sure what I'm going to do, but for the rest of the challenge I'll firstly focus on food - eating <50g net carbs on Banting, and try to bring in my exercises again. By start of next challenge, I will be up and running again.

I'm Raptron. I do stuff. I have pretty good workout habits, but there are always new things to fix or tweak, so I keep my head in the challenge game. My general objectives will still be trying to get under the iron 3x per week while also doing gymnastics 1-2x per week, but those are not fun or interesting goals, those are just life stuff. In addition to that, I've created some things I'd like to make sure to work on during the next four weeks. Tracked {Challenge Objectives} Boulder 5x over the challenge Walking with disadvantage (ruck) 3+ miles 4x over the challenge PT or glute work 12x over the challenge Write out tentative meal plans per half-week, so 8x over the challenge These are the goals I'll actually grade the challenge on. I've been working out in the bouldering gym to lift but have only used my new climbing shoes just the once (terrible!), so I will make explicit the need to actually get on the walls. I'm also signed up for a GORUCK in November, which I guess I should actually do at least a few things to prep for... It's far enough away that I'm not going to focus too much on it, but just get used to time under weight again. My back and hips continue to be an area of concern, not because they are acting up, but because they could so I want to nip those issues in the bud and keep them from recurring. My final goal is because summer is hectic and crazy and fun -- while I love that about my life and my schedule, I've let it get in the way of planning out dinners and lunches, which has led to wayyyyy more spending on food and less nutritious meal choices. I can fix it! Bonus {Life Objectives} Make dentist appointment Make gyn appointment Make dermatologist appointment Re-dye hair Get my bangs trimmed Just stuff I've been neglecting. The start and end of this challenge will be tricky for me -- I'm flying back from TN from our gymnastics retreat late night this Sunday and then Sept. 7 - 11, I'll be in North Carolina for my friend's wedding festivities. The weeks in between are mostly free of other travel obligations, so I should be able to buckle down and nail my goals.

So I've been watching the Spideyfit YouTube channel lately... What's not to love about a Spider-Man cosplayer who does fitness videos? In the below video Spideyfit states there are 3 important skillsets needed to become your own superhero. Strength, flexibility, and endurance. So I'll be basing my fitness quests on these principles. The focus this time around will be on maintaining existing habits and plans, while also building new ones. Quest 1: Strength Using the Start Bodyweight routine customisation page, I've developed a push/pull split workout plan. The quest here is basically to stick with the plan throughout the challenge and report at the end how well it has worked after 5 weeks. Quest 2: Flexibility Every day I will spend at least 5 minutes working on stretching and/or mobility. Trouble areas to focus on - Hamstrings, hips, lower back. Quest 3: Endurance (modified) Go for a Ruck or long walk at least twice a week. Quest 4 (life quest): Perform at least one act of meaningful adulting every day. Bonus Quests Share the awesome - Weekly highlight reel edition! As always, I'll be posting a weekly highlight reel of all the awesome things that have happened during the past week. The point of this is basically to help me keep a positive mindset by focussing on the good things that have happened rather than the bad. Assassin's Guild Minichallenge Use this thread to keep track of my contribution to the mini. Should hopefully motivate me to keep contributing.

Last school year I let myself get fat. I haven't worked it off yet. For the next few weeks that's going to be my focus. Before gif. Step 1: Train. I train almost every day, I'm not going to fret about or quantify this one, but I'll report what I end up doing. Step 2: Big Belly Protocols. A) Don't eat the foods I can't eat. B ) Limit eating to 3 meals and 1 optional, sensible snack. C) 12 hour feeding window. Food after 8:00 is usually unnecessary and is always crap. D) No sweets, once a week social variance allowed. E) No drinking, social variance allowed at sensible levels. Social means wedding, nerd night, and post-mountain bike racing. Which is fairly often. Which doesn't make this much of a sacrifice I guess. Data: weight = 176.5# (80 kg). Belly = 36 7/8" (94 cm). That's it, my whole challenge will be not eating like a dumb ass. If I fail I'll go to DefCon 1, which means tracking and restricting. Or maybe I'll learn some acceptance. After pic.

ZOMBIES ATE MY RANGERS CHALLENGE! For those that do not know, this was an amazing game originally for the SNES system in which you would adventure through levels 1 or 2 players and gain items/weapons while attempting to save your neighbors. You could die by losing health or by losing all 10 neighbors. I loved playing it as a kid and really need to put it on my retro pie when I get a chance. So I will start with 10 lucky Neighbors/Rangers to be saving. Neighbors: @raptron @Tanktimus the Encourager @DJtrippyT @Jarric @Lifter5 @WorldSparrow @Rinna @Artemis1 @sozzielou @Rurik Harrgath @Thom Ulfhedinn @Sloth the Enduring @Xena @mr_willes @maegs @Rebel Five @bker1370 How Rangers die, simple, I miss doing things I am supposed to be doing in my training and life. Groupings: pills/stretching - miss either each day 2 dead Rangers. lifts/pulls/workouts - miss any each day 1 dead Ranger. low carb/no drinking/correct calories - mess each day and 1 dead Ranger. daily habits - more than 2 missed 1 dead Ranger. So pretty much if I miss a day of taking my pills or stretching, I kill two of you guys. I made this one so harsh because it is so simple to do, there is really no reason to miss a day. Missing a workout, pull ups, lifting etc. One of you are zombie food. This is pretty simple to understand. Injuries will be given special treatment, excuses will not. Caloric intake. I need to lower my carbs to less than 100 per day(some special considerations may apply, not excuses). Absolutely no alcohol unless I am at a special event, and then keep it low calorie/low carb. My calorie limit is 2,600 per day, super heavy training days it may be slightly pushed up, but is not an excuse to go to 7k calories. Any of these messed up in a day results in a dead Ranger. My daily habits are pretty simple, things I should be doing any ways. I can miss up to 2 a day, special considerations when I have things like work all day then a late hockey game I go straight to. More than 2 missed in a day though and one of you guys die. Chores: none - 1 dead Pretty much get at least one thing off my chore list done per day at least. If I fail without a seriously legit reason then one of you die. How to earn bonus Ranger: 3 days of all dailies - 1 bonus Ranger 5 days of lift/pull/workout - 1 bonus Ranger 5 days of pills/stretching - 1 bonus Ranger I can earn up to a max of 20 Rangers. Bonus items: 5 guys cheeseburger 5 guys cheeseburger Chipotle bowl(no rice/wrap) Thai bowl(no rice, 4 buddies) Chipotle bowl(no rice/wrap) Thai bowl(no rice, 4 buddies) wings(3 wings) wings(3 wings) Wegmans Pizza slice Wegmans Pizza slice Pretty much for each bonus item task completed I roll a D10 and get the coresponding item. All food bonuses must fit inside of the intake criteria for the day(calories/carbs). Bonus items disappear once received and a reroll will be added to their slot. Bonus item tasks: Notch all posts on deck Finish all beams Finish framing Finish setting up filter Finish setting up 12 gallon Finish building 75 gallon stand Clean entire Nerd Room Organize minis Organize an entire set of MTG 7 days of healthy intake 7 days of exercise 7 days of stretching/pills SUPER MEGA BONUSES: Finish with X Rangers: 20 neighbors: Rib Eye/Shrimp and a nice low carb side, then go ruck 5 miles with 20lbs 15-19 neighbors: Go buy a new fishing rod/reel 10-15 neighbors: Have a nice dinner out wherever you want 9: Not amazing, Buy something small fish tank related 8: Not too good, open 2 magic boosters 7: Average, you get nothing < 7: You suck, go RUCK 10 miles At 30 lbs That is it, hopefully I can keep everyone alive!

Challenge was revised June 16. I've let myself get soft, mentally and physically. I don't know what to do about the mental aspect, so I'm going to tackle the physical aspect. I've let my belly balloon to 36.5 inches (93 cm), I'm going to work it back down to a more reasonable measure. Seeing as how I'm a teacher and I have no class for another nine weeks, I have time to tackle this. Step 1: That's my wheel, I'm riding! Ride my bike, off road when I can. (In the middle of an amateur race you'll hear racers yell 'that's my wheel' as they fight for a draft.) Step 2: Two Sloths enter, one Sloth leaves. Shovelglove Hammer away at the fat until only the lean Sloth survives. It's only 20-30 minutes a day; I'm aiming for 5 days a week. Step 3: Ruck the Wastes At the end of the next zero week is the Go-Ruck. I'd like to be ready. Max keeps his pack at hand and is always ready to ruck the wastes. Step 4: Don't be the People Eater. Don't eat people or anything else that sets off my IBS. Limit sweets to one variance a week.

I really hope it's okay for me to just start a new challenge thread. I had to abandon all of my goals in the last one, so it seemed easier to just do a new one. Twins once again: How it all happened: Saturday, 6/11/2016, I had just finished two hours at the parkour gym, and was ready to start taking my usual class. To fill a little time, I started working on rail walking pivots (where you turn 180 degrees and then walk the other way). The first several went wonderfully. And then, my feet completely slipped out from under me, and I cartwheeled sideways to the ground, head first. I stupidly (but I'm not sure how stupid this was, since my only other option was to fall on my head/neck) braced myself with my left arm. Crunch. Huge pain, my elbow was visibly deformed, and no longer worked at all. The next 30 minute drive to the ER was pretty awful, as was the additional hour long wait before I could have any pain meds. And honestly, the pain meds didn't help that much. My elbow was dislocated, but thankfully, no bones were fractured in the process. After a heroic dose of propofol (the doctor's words, not mine), I was sedated enough for them to pop my elbow back into place. I was sent home in a cast. Today, 2 days post-injury, I am in a hinged brace with 20 degrees of freedom of movement. The swelling is pretty low, and I'm not in any pain at the ROM that I'm permitted to use. In 2 weeks, I have a follow up appointment, and I'll be starting physical therapy. All signs point to maybe 1-2 months of PT, which will still be annoying and ruin all of my summer and parkour plans, but it will be less awful than the ACL rehab. And there's no indication that surgery should or would happen, which is great. Goal 1: walking and rucking. Ed had to do a lot of walking. And so will I. The goal is to accumulate 50 miles over the course of the challenge of nature walks or rucks. Goal 2: Training to the best of my ability I can't do anything fancy. What I can do is work on my core strength and legs. So, the goal is to do core and leg exercises 3x per week Goal 3: Rehab. Ed needed to do intensive rehab after receiving his automail. I need to stick with my rehab protocols. The goal is to keep up with my knee stretching and foam rolling (old injury), and start doing my light mobilization and PT protocols (after I start PT). Goal 4: Hit the books Now that I have more time, I'll study and memorize the parkour instructor manual. Also, I'll finish at least 10 chapters of Harry Potter in Spanish. And, that's it for me. I don't want to stress myself out too much with this challenge. I was thinking of just dropping out altogether, but I really need the support of all of my friends here.

“The sheep generally do not like the Sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the Sheepdog must not, cannot and will not ever harm the sheep. Still, the Sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn’t tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in camouflage fatigues holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the Sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, “Baa”…Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely Sheepdog.” - Lt. Col Dave Grossman I like to think of myself as a sheepdog. Maybe not the most skilled or the most experienced-but a sheepdog nonetheless. I’m slowly but surely paying off my Mossberg MMR AR-15 and at the same time, upgrading my EDC (everyday carry) as well as solidifying my GHB (go-home bag) or Go-Bag. I’m becoming more aware of the world around me. It’s something I’ve always been good at doing, but concentrating on the wrong things up until this point. It’s time to put my paranoia to good use :). Mossberg MMR Tactical AR-15. Not mine. I’m back and recharged for this next 4WC!! My falloff was weird for me. I was so busy and when I had a little time for NF, I didn’t take advantage of it. Shame on me cuz I miss you guys and gals! I’ve been severely hooked on listening to The Remaining books on Audible and I’m currently on book #4. The series has been just plain kickass and edge of your seat goodness that it’s put some heavy inspiration on me. I want to give @WorldSparrow a big shout out for turning me onto these books! I’ve always been somewhat of a prepper, but reading these books has, in a weird way, opened up my eyes to more realer possibilities AND having 3 little boys and my lovely wife concretes it for me. I have to be aware to protect them. I also have to be able to protect myself. This challenge is about getting me back on track and building up a body and a mindset that can defend my family and the flock of sheep out there. I need some accountability right now... probably in the worst of ways lol. My shoulder is OK and I still need a visit to the specialist as I’ve tried to do my own thing and strengthen my shoulder… but it’s not working as well as I would have liked. I haven’t tried swimming yet, but I want to see if that puts too much rotation on my shoulder. Swimming is low impact and can be massaging and therapeutic, so I’m hoping I can get a little of that! I’m eating good though and getting ready to start some hardcore rucking :). Work is still busy as hell and we’re prepping for a move to another building on July 8th. PLUS, my own move to our new apartment the weekend of the 4th. Busy busy :). I’ve fallen off the writing game, but I’ve learned something. Actually, I learned it on my respawn Division themed challenge- Just fucking write. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Just write. This is some advice I’m taking from D.J. Molles, author extraordinaire of The Remaining series. In four years, he produced 6 books. That’s impressive! So, that is what I will do. Just write. No timelines, no rush, no worries :). First things first-let’s give you guys a little insight to my current EDC. I will also take you through a stroll of my Go-Bag (via video) and what I would like to add to that to upgrade it to “Survivor” status. And by “upgrading” my arsenal, I mean EARNING each and every item as rewards for completing various tasks throughout the day/week/challenge. Not my EDC-but I thought it looked cool with the pistol and Texas keychain ;). I will take a picture of my current EDC once I get my Skeletool and Bit extension in this week. Current EDC Winchester Parfive Drop Point Knife Leatherman Skeletool Leatherman 40-Bit set (attachments for Skeletool) Leatherman Bit Driver Extension ThruNite Ti3 EDC Cree XP Flashlight Bic Lighter x2 2007 Honda Pilot keys Leather bound notebook (from Target) Zebra Stainless Steel Ballpoint Retractable Pen Trident Mint Bliss gum Walgreen brand eye drops iPhone 6+ w/ FDE Magpul Case Recycled Firefighter Combat Boot "Seargant" money clip wallet-Desert Tan & Multicam (shoutout to Captain Lee Harden) 21-oz Hydro Flask-Classic Stainless 5.11 Recon hat (usually worn backwards) Current Go-Bag Change of clothes 1x extra socks and underwear 2x extra headbands 3x protein bar (Epic bars-Turkey, Chicken and Bison) 1x extra water bottler LifeStraw 50ft of 1-inch webbed tubing (from my slackline) Gerber Survival Knife Swimming gear-jammers and goggles Gorilla Tape 1x carabiner (basic-need sturdier ones) Go-Bag Wish List First Aid Utility Pouch MOLLE attachment Ever Ready First Aid Israeli Bandage First Aid Kit w/ Quick Clot SAM rolled splint Trauma shears Paint Respirator Gas/Liquid Siphon Mechanix Wear Tactical Glove-Coyote Nite Ize S-biner Extra Socks New Hydration Bladder Right now, I have a few of the weighted bean bags from my weight vest in my bag with all the gear listed and it’s probably sitting around 25-30#. As I add stuff, I’ll more than likely take out the bean bags because the extra gear should help weigh my bag down and I’ll need the pocket they are stored in lol. I haven’t added a hydration system in the back yet, so that will weigh a good amount as well. Goals this 4WC: Go see the shoulder specialist Ruck a total of 25 miles this challenge Sprints Sleep better Move better (via Uncaged Man workout program) Paintball Prep for both moves- Work and Home It’s good to be back everyone! Since I’m not overburdening myself with PvP’s and such, I will get back to being the supportive badass I usually am. Let’s rock this 4WC!!! Wolf

Hey Everyone, I am back and I decided to make another 4WC after all. I have been watching Dragon Ball from the beginning and remembering why I loved that show so much. I have decided to use Goku as my motivation and embark on his Super Saiyan journey with him. So for the first part of my Super Saiyan adventure I am going to train under Master Roshi and get back a nice solid base of overall strength. So here we go Goal 1: Carry my Turtle Shell I am going to make another sandbag ruck that will weigh about 40-50lbs I want to go Rucking with it at least 2Xs a week Goal 2: Get strong and fight Gravity Later in the series Goku enters a Gravity chamber and works his ass off to get stronger. Even as a kid he never let a thing like gravity slow him down. So I am going to be doing 2 lifting days and one strength day with static hold to practice fighting gravity Goal 3: Improve my skills daily I plan on working on a work related skill at least 10 mins daily, from going on code academy to reading one of my computer books or studying for a cert, it is time to up my skills and get a better paying position that actually challenges me. Here is the planned chart of the days and is likely subject to change: Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Week 1 Recovery BS 5/5/5/5/5/ 3/1/1/1+ Bench Press 5 x 5 Decline Sit-up 5 x 5 Recovery Phase 2 Workout +Rucking OHP 5/5/5/5/5/ 3/1/1/1+ Pull-up 5 x 5 Good Mornings 5 x 5 Recovery Rucking Week 2 Recovery Deadlift 5 x 5 Bent Over Row 5/5/5/5/5/ 3/1/1/1+ Overhead Squat 5 x 5 Recovery Phase 2 Workout +Rucking Front Squat 5 x 5 Bench Press 5 x 5 Hyperext. 5 x 5 Recovery Rucking Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Week 3 Recovery Bench Press 5/5/5/5/5/ 3/1/1/1+ Chin-up 5 x 5 Weighted Side Bends 5 x 5 Recovery Phase 2 Workout +Rucking Back Squat 5 x 5 Pull-up 5/5/5/5/5/ 3/1/1/1+ Decline Sit-up 5 x 5 Recovery Rucking Week 4 Recovery Deadlift 5/5/5/5/5/ 3/1/1/1+ OHP 5 x 5 Good Mornings 5 x 5 Recovery Phase 2 Workout +Rucking Bench Press 5 x 5 Bent Over Row 5 x 5 Overhead Squat 5 x 5 Recovery Rucking

Met a fellow former Infantryman during my SFG 2, and I thought about the things I spent 5 good years of my life doing. I should be able to do them at least relatively well, except I don't know anymore because I haven't tried. I think I'll Infantry the f-- up for a bit. Shoot > Modern martial arts--handgun fundamentals. Achieve a Marksman rating for the pistol on the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program. Move > Road March. Cover 20 total miles with 20+% BW load. Communicate > Talk to each of my parents at least once.

Hey all! Now that tinybaby is almost 9 months I'm jumping back into the swing of things. And why not do so with Team Spearhead's Pathfinder 12 week challenge?? These 4 weeks I will: Ruck 2 miles daily Complete 7 WODs Team Lead once Complete 2 more Pre/Post WOD rucks Life goal: Help the pitbull rescue/ foster nonprofit I'm assisting with their start up. (Gritty Pitty - Longmont CO) Let's do this!!!

Hello and welcome back to another installment of Wolfie's Co-Op Adventures. If you missed the last one, well, that sucks for you. BUT, the good news is, is I still got signups going for this one and it's rumored to be as good if not better this time around! I'm adding in bad guys..PvP...and my challenge wouldn't be complete without some kickass writing involving gun fights, bravado and just plain badrangerassery stamped all over it! A little about me before we get into the nitty gritty. My name is Wild Wolf, but I prefer Wolf or Wolfie. I'm married to the love of my life and we have 3 little boys together, my oldest turning 6 today! Some have described me as the songbird of my generation...but that's neither here nor there. I love to laugh, live and have fun. Right now, I'm still nursing a shoulder injury but every day I strengthen it and slowly but surely I feel I'm getting to where I need to be. 2016 is my year of patience. With my shoulder, with my hair (cuz I'm growing it out #hairgame), with my job, with a new car...lots of things, really. I think the important thing, is that I recognize this is that year and I'm harnessing it instead of running from it. I'm also a people pleaser and last challenge...actually, my Deadpool challenge was where things changed for me. Mentally anyways. (Yeah, I went crazy, so sue me!) And I broke out of a funk within myself. I felt more comfortable here on NF then I ever have when I unleashed the vulgar swag of Wade Wilson, lol. Then, I stepped it up with my redeux challenge of The Division. That thing took an unexpected turn that I was not prepared for, but dammit if I didn't love the monster I'd created! The write-ups ending up being the smoothest, easiest writing I've done to date and I would love to continue this momentum. If you missed the epic finale, check it out on my previous challenge! This is where Wildlands comes in. It's another Tom Clancy game like The Division and I'm soooooooooo stoked for it (even though it'll prolly release around this time NEXT YEAR!) Here's the badass trailer for the game: Yeah, that trailer still turns me on.. The song is Friction by Imagine Dragons. I've been jamming to it a lot lately. Anyways, that it what this challenge will be based off of. I will be taking part of the role of Captain Wild Wolf and will be leading squadrons of Ghost (elite US Special Force team) against the Santa Blanca Mexican Drug Cartel. Along the way, I'll have to deal with the Unidad, a military force hired by the corrupted Bolivian government to protect it's dirty interest and also don't get along very well with the Cartel. I will also will be aided by the local Rebel's in my fight to disrupt the drug war going on. Bolivia, a few years from now: this beautiful South American country has become the largest cocaine producer in the world. The influential and vicious Santa Blanca drug cartel has turned the country into a narco-state, leading to lawlessness, fear, injustice, and violence. The cartel is on track to becoming a major underworld power and global threat. An all-out war is not the answer. A surgical, stealthy, lethal approach is the only way to stop the disease at its source. The Ghosts, an elite US Special Forces team, are sent behind enemy lines to wreak havoc, destabilize, and eventually break the alliance between the cartel and the corrupted government. Facing an almighty enemy in a massive and hostile environment, the Ghosts will need to make critical moral choices and engage in tough battles to complete their mission – their grittiest and most dangerous operation to date. Co-op is essential for survival, so here are the rules of the challenge: RULES & SIGN UP SHEET I will be giving out assignments 2x a week. Each faction will get their own assignment. This will be based off point total's with the completion of assignments adding points to that factions "point bucket". Whomever has the highest amount of points each week will essentially "win" that week, either by escaping with the drugs if you're the Cartel or thwarting the Cartel's plan and capturing them and the drugs if you're apart of Team Ghost Wolfpack...or something to that effect. What made the last challenge so fun for me is how organic things played out. I would like that trend to continue. *WARNING* If there is a tie, the teams will face off in a PvP WOD that will challenge everyone so we have a clear and determined winner. The assignments will range from daily WOD's to miles covered with a ruck to eating a clean meal that evening. Maybe even bring back 5 min cold showers, who knows how crazy things will get Teams will range from 3-6 depending on the match ups and the numbers, but they will work together to defeat their opponent using various battle techniques. As leader of the Ghost Wolfpack, I don't plan on taking it easy on you Drug Cartel pole smokers..and I expect the same in return! The MOST IMPORTANT RULE...HAVE FUN. PLEASE! For my sake and your own, lol. At the end of each week, I will take the weekend to work on the weekly write-up and post it (hopefully) before the weekend ends! Last challenge I didn't really have a challenge write-up. Besides my regular shoulder PT that I've been handling, I didn't really keep up with my goals. I stopped tracking The Perfect Agent as well. So, I want to be more organized going into this challenge and actually work on my goals. #1- Rucking I'm getting a rather sweet FDE color 5.11 Rush 24 bag in the mail very soon and this means it's time to get back into rucking! I also bought a nice yoga block for weight support and a swanky Texas flag patch to go my bag once I get it in. I would like to thank my lovely wife for getting me this. You're the best baby! I want to ruck at least 2x a week. I'll also be bringing my bag to work, weight and all, and start using that on my daily walks around the building. #2- Foraging Get back on this kick and find some stuff to forage. I started out good with this but then dropped the ball. I only managed to get out to the trails once I think during the last challenge and I want to change that. This is an essential survival skill IMO and I want to really work on setting up proper knowledge of plants and fruit that's good to forage. Study up on foraging 2x a week. Hit the trails 1x a week. #3- Agressive Shoulder Rehab Of all things...I hurt my shoulder playing Quidditch lol. I have a type 2 AC joint separation that's been bothering me for a couple months now. I have full ROM and really good mobility but it still hurts from time to time. It's nothing that requires surgery but I'm at the stage where the muscles around my shoulder need to be strengthened so that's what I'm doing. Spend 15 min on shoulder rehab and work Unbreakable Shoulders from GMB into your routine 2x a week. #4- Co-Op Beauty I seem to have started a wonderful trend with the co-op challenges going on this time around. I love it!! I want to be involved! So the goal is to keep up with everyone else's challenges as well as my own. Other News: My oldest turns 6 yrs old today!!! Damn they grow up way too fast My 6 yr anniversary is coming up May 14th and I'm getting some help from @T2sarahconnor to make that day one to remember! We're also going out to this restaurant called LAW. Yum, can't wait for that fine Texas cuisine! And, I found out Blink 182 will be here at the end of July, so I'm getting her tickets cuz that's her favorite band! WOOT WOOT! #EarningBrowniePoints Our lease is up at the beginning of July so we'll be doing some apartment/house shopping this month *BONUS GOAL* We have two gun ranges close to us and I want to visit each one at least once this challenge. Both are gun clubs as well, so depending on which one we like better, Heather and I can become members! I want to shoot an M1A if available and then mess around with any AR/AK platform they got. The Colt 6920 AR is another semi-auto rifle platform I'm looking to buy. And that pretty much sums things up, so let's get this party started! SIGNUP SHEET Wolf

Ah can't believe the new forums were up Monday and I haven't gotten this yet. I've had it saved in a word file since Saturday but I slacked on actually posting it. Soooo May’s challenge will be a continuation of April’s. I’m switching some of the finer points of the grading system around but otherwise it’s basically the same. I’ll be continuing on with my same story from last time, and I’ll be using zero week to post the plots I owed from weeks 3 and 4 of last challenge. It’s Once Upon a Time themed, which is kind of a huge guilty pleasure show of mine and full of kick ass female characters so obviously, it's perfect. For those just joining, April was a really tough month for me due to some family problems. But with some very sage advice and a bit of a kick in the butt from some awesome Rangers I decided to put it behind me and start focusing on myself. I can’t let other people’s problems affect my well being. (PS Did I tell you guys you’re awesome yet? WELL YOU ARE!) Each week I will spend percentage points of my completed tasks on progressing my character through my story. There are three types of points – chaining, combo and one shot. Chaining goals are things I want to do every single damn day. They gain momentum and are worth more the more days in a row I complete them (maxing out at 3 points/day). I can complete one combo goal per day and it will DOUBLE my chaining goal total for the day (this is a bit different than last time, instead of multiplying a specific chain goal they multiply my daily total, also I'm only allowing myself one per day to avoid trying to play "catch up" if I miss something). Combo goals are my workout goals more or less. One shot goals are unrelated to the other goals, and I can perform them any time during the week and are worth 10 points each (vs last challenge they were worth 3). My one shot goals are kind of random, but are mostly self-care and adulating based. A big change I am making from the last challenge is that all chaining goals begin anew on Mondays. Each week is a fresh start. Chaining Goals: (every damn day) Yoga & Meditate Follow the sleep plan: Get in bed AT LEAST 7.5 hours before I have to get up, lights out 7 hours before I have to get up. No sleep debt payback, this is an every night or bust goal. Follow my TV rules: On full work days (work day the day of and the next day) I can only watch ONE episode of TV. On non-work nights I can watch a maximum of 3 episodes and must do something productive in between the episodes. On non-work days I can watch a maximum of 6 episodes of something and must do something productive between episodes and also must stand or primal squat for a minimum of one third of the time of each episode beyond the third AND I must have completed all my chaining and combo goals for the day before going past 3 episodes. Fly Lady. This will be the challenge I graduate from the baby steps. It will be! No Dairy. Self-explanatory. No alcohol. For the entire month of May until I go visit my aunt for Memorial Day weekend. Then this is no longer a goal for the last few days of May). Drink <90oz of water each day. Combo Goals: (scheduled workouts which double chained goal totals - 1/day max) Stronglifts (aiming for 3x/week) Upper body accessory workout (aiming for 1x/week) Zombies, Run (aiming for 1x/week) Fun workout (hike, ruck, archery, this can be anything – aiming for 1x/week) Restorative yoga (aiming for 1x/week) One Shot Goals: (+10 points each, weekly goals) Meal prep for the next week done Foam Roll 2x/week <1 Eating out for the week Laundry done with no floordrobe or tabledrobe… because my floordrobe problem was fixed but now I have a tabledrobe. Intermittent Fast 2x/week (I can do this however I want depending on the day – skip a meal, eat within certain hours of the day, whatever works) Complete Ranger Mini It’s summer break for me now (well as soon as I finish my last final project due this Friday) so I don’t have to worry about homework for a few months and I’m SO EXCITED! I am totally ready to put my struggles of April behind me and kick this challenge in the rear. For anyone confused by this point system, here is an example of a "perfect" week, with the chaining goals building up and the combo goals where I aim to accomplish them each week. M T W R F S U Weekly Daily Chaining Goals Yoga & Meditate 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 Sleep 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 Follow TV Rules 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 FL 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 No Dairy 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 No Alcohol 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 <90oz water 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 Combo Goals Strong Lifts 6 18 18 Accessory 12 Zombies Run 18 Fun Workout 18 Restorative Yoga 18 One Shot Goals Meal Prep For Next Week 10 Ranger Mini 10 Foam Roll 2x/week 10 <1 Eating out 10 Laundry Done 10 IF 2x/Week 10 Daily Totals 13 26 39 39 39 39 39 60 Grand Total 294 % Completed 100%

Have I used this theme before? Ride Eternal: if not eternal, then at least four times a week. Wander the Wasteland: Start getting ready for this summer's Go-Ruck. Go back to rucking the dog, Shovelglove or other resistance training at least twice a week, mobilize and stretch the bastard that's my back. McFeasting in the Halls of Valhalla: Warboys eat beetles and lizards, not sweets. I'll quit eating sweets (again). I won't beat myself up if I keep it to one variance a week. Are You a Blackthumb? Catch up on maintenance and upgrading of bikes. The first big mountain bike race is June 4. The goals are modest, to have enough fitness to not cramp up and die and to finish in the fastest half of the open men's category (just barely). As always, you can expect a fair amount of Dear Diary in my posts, but probably not much by way of gifs and memes unless I break down and get a real computer.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more Game of Thrones-y. I am a member of the medieval historical society, the SCA. We are rapidly approaching summer event season. So this challenge is going to be a deviation from normal. I need to develop some better general physical preparedness (UGH) and some better habits. Because: It’s a lot of time outdoors, in the heat, walking or standing around. Whether it’s a day trip, a weekend camp, or a week-long camp, you are hauling much gear and doing a lot of walking. Sometime this summer or next I’m going to start training to be a combat archer which means wearing a helmet and lightweight armor around the battlefield, which also involves walking and standing. But with extra weight and carrying a crossbow. Previous summers you could walk up behind me and hear me saying things like: omg it’s too hot, omg my feet hurt, omg how far do we have to carry your armor bag this time, omg I need more lightweight medieval garb I am sweating like a mule. Quest 1: Walk outdoors Go for a walk outside twice a week, 30 – 45 minutes Goal: Build heat tolerance Quest 2: Strength training, add a couple strongman weight carry exercises Log 14 strength sessions in 4 weeks Goal: Be able to carry gear around like it’s no big deal Quest 3: Water Drink 5 (22 oz) bottles of water a day Goal: Get in the habit of staying hydrated Quest 4: Sunblock Wear sunblock anytime I am doing yardwork, gardening, or walking outdoors for more than 15 minutes at a time Goal: Get in the habit of not getting skin cancer, which I am at risk for Quest 5: Sewing Sew for 2 hours per week. Post progress pictures on the forum Goal: Have lightweight dresses for the summer. I’ve sewn all of 3-4 items in the last 2 years, and really need to step up my game ------------------------------ Week Zero Goals Figure out what strongman exercises I want to incorporate, even if it’s just variations on the farmers carry. I’m open to suggestions. Things I have in mind: stairs, sandbag carry, kettlebell rack carry, kettebell bottoms up carry. Write out the steps I need to do to complete the dress I started sewing… a year ago. Buy facial and body sunblock Find a cheap backpack at the thrift store for walking with light weights (not going to do any serious rucking, probably 10-15 lbs at most this month.) And maybe a bag I can turn into a sandbag

"There are threats everywhere, and the world is draped in camouflage... Tecumseh said, ‘Although a single twig will break, a bundle of twigs is strong.’” Starting weight baseline: 193 lbs. Capability Score: CrossFit Skill Metrics MANDALORIAN ALCHEMY: Nutrition accountability HP meter [-10% for minor overage, -20% for major]. APEX PREDATOR: Activity meter, Co-ops & PvP [+XP]. SELF-IMPROVEMENT JUNKIE: Big 3 goals for the week. Experience Bar activities... CHALLENGE INSPIRATION: The Modern Viking theme continues with another action-packed, adrenaline-fueled roller coaster of a challenge drawing heavily from such sources as The Expendables, Star Wars: Wraith Squadron and the Star Wars: Rogue One trailer, featuring highlights from the graphic novel series Black Powder / Red Earth. It’s Conan the Barbarian meets the modern day mercenary-adventurer in a no-holds-barred race to June! A familiar format comes hooked up to a re-imagined gamified challenge mini-quest game to get other members involved alongside my efforts to inject regular activity into my weekly routine; so grab your Go-Bag, reload your primary weapon system, and tug your boots on for another fast-paced adventure challenge from Rurik Harrgath, Inc.! “Like Alexander the Great and Caesar, I’m out to conquer the world… But first I have to stop at Walmart and pick up some supplies.” - Jarod Kintz