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Long discussed but never started, let's get a thread of all upcoming warriorly competitions along with names of those competing. Pop a post in below if you're competing (or aware of any competitions that others might want to do) and I'll add it to the list below. Please include: Dates for the whole competition Name of the competition Sport (duh) Location Website Any other relevant details (i.e. streaming) Feel free to update with a link to your post-comp report after the event and/or picture galleries and videos. 2017 January 21 January - USAPL Florida meet- Powerlifting - Boynton Barbell Center, FL - Wildross 22 January - USAPL Garden State Winter War - Powerlifting - Berkeley Heights, NJ - RedStone and Elven Engineer - http://www.bloxfitness.com/usa-powerlifter-garden-state-winter-war 28 January - USAPL Wisconsin State Open - Powerlifting - Whitnall HS, Greenfield, WI - Miss Marissa - https://www.facebook.com/events/271247873209051 February 18-19 February - Scottish Powerlifting Eastern Districts - Powerlifting - RAW Anatomy Gym, Glenrothes, Scotland, UK - SpecialSundae 25 February - Austin's Strongest Savage - Strongman/woman - Austin, TX - Brovatar Korra - https://www.facebook.com/events/1198260543553310/ 25-26 February - Greater London Powerlifting Divisional Championship - Powerlifting - Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club, London, UK - @evabo - http://www.gbpflondon.org/ March 18 March - 2017 RPS Max Madness - Powerlifting - Leander, TX - Brovatar Korra - https://www.facebook.com/events/128807484276804/ 26 March - USA Powerlifting 35th Annual Florida State Open Championships - Powerlifting - FL - Wildross April 29-30 April - 2017 USAPL SBWC Spring Classic - Powerlifting - Brooklyn, NY - Navis - http://southbrooklynwc.com/2016/10/03/2017-usa-powerlifting-sbwc-spring-classic/ 29 April - Ronin Veteran's Network San Marcos' Strongest Martian - Metroflex Gym, San Marco, TX - @Brovatar Korra - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ronin-veterans-network-san-marcoss-strongest-martian-tickets-32671685892?aff=efbnreg May 27 May - Scottish Powerlifting Classic Championships - Powerlifting - Ravenscraig Sports Complex, Motherwell, Scotland, UK - SpecialSundae 27-29 May - All England Powerlifting Championships - Powerlifting - Moulton College, Northampton, UK - Evabo June 3 June - Big Tex Classic - Strongman - Austin Convention Center, Austin,TX - @Brovatar Korra - https://www.facebook.com/events/1832399100362645/ End June - NF Virtual Comp July 15 July - 2017 Rochester Hills Barbellum - Powerlifting - Rochester Hills, Michigan - Elven Engineer - http://barbellum.com/2017-rochester-hills-barbellum/ 29-30 July - British Powerlifting Women's Classic - Powerlifting - Astor College, Dover, England, UK - SpecialSundae, Tankweazel, Evabo (all attendees TBC) August 5 August - USA Powerlifting Minnesota Summer Push/Pull Classic - Powerlifting - Next Level Fitness, Farmington, MN - @Orion Antares - https://www.facebook.com/events/272047009918432/ 6 August - USAPL SE Regionals today - Florida @wildross 12 August - Wisconsin State Fair Bench and Deadlift Open - Powerlifting - State Fair Activity Stage, WI - @Laghail September 10-17 September - Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships - Powerlifting - Potchefstroom, South Africa - SpecialSundae 23 September - BNB Bash IV -Brisbane, Australia - @Starbuck October 16 October - USAPL Raw Nationals - Hyatt Regency Hotel Orlando - @wildross 28-29 October - SBWC Fall Classic - Powerlifting - South Brooklyn Weightlifting Club, Brooklyn, NY - @navis - http://southbrooklynwc.com/2017/05/02/2017-usa-powerlifting-sbwc-fall-classic/ November 4 November - Home Nations Championships - Powerlifting - Valley Leisure Centre, Belfast, Northern Ireland - Nerd attendees TBC 18-19 November - UPA Power Weekend - Dubuque, IA - @Brovatar Korra December

Right, so for those of you following my infrequent updates, I'm training for a Strongwoman competition in September 2018. Over the past few months, I noticed a fellow training other Stronghumans at my gym. This past weekend I asked him if he was a coach (yes), if he had availability (yes), and if he was willing to take on a new client (yes!) I wrote him a message, established my goals, chatted a bit and I start next week! He's also aware of my pronouns (which can be weird when your female appearing client goes by 'he/him/his') and is going to do his best. (All I can ask really.) So stoked to train! *arm flail*

My challenges will be themed on my own hybrid class (bardadin). What is a bardadin? Well, it's a hybrid class I worked up. You see, I was a soldier once. Though I've leveled up from paladin (U.S. Army, 6 years) to bard (instructor, 2 years) I still love the strength and surety of purpose of my original class. This combined with my current class's love of people means that I have some very interesting outlooks on life! My name is Vaereyes. I'm a half-orc. I am a bard. I am a paladin, even though I've taken another class I maintain my oath. For this challenge I am firing off some sweet spells! Heroism- Paladin Spells Row 2-3 times/week Weight lift 2 times/week Do Strongman specific workout 1 time/week Prestidigiation- Bard Spells Get to work by 9 a.m. Monday-Friday Do simple cleaning of the common room two nights a week Leave one night a week blank for my sanity

Hi everyone! I am so excited to have just joined this site, and to have an area where I can hold myself accountable. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I used to be very fit when I was in the Army, but I got out last year and had a 10 month binge of not working out at all and eating terribly all the time. Predictably, I gained 30 pounds and my body started getting curves in places where they shouldn't be! I'm resolved to change, and in the last month I went from 190lb on my petite 5'3" frame to 181lb. Nine pounds is a great start! My current stats: Squat: 135lb (6x3) Bench: 85lb (6x3) Deadlift: 95lb (6x3) I can barely run a mile without having to stop and catch my breath I can do about 20 push-ups, but I can't do a chin-up without at 50% assistance. My goals are to reclaim my warrior status, build up my strength and endurance and reach these goals in 6 months (August 1st): Squat: 200lb Bench: 100lb Deadlift: 135lb 4 chin-ups without any assistance Weight: 159lb Run 4 miles in under 44 minutes I also love yoga, I don't have any specific goals other than to keep going to classes regularly 2 x a week. For my diet, I am not following a particular plan per say, mainly cutting back on processed foods, soda, fast food, and focusing on eating more vegetables, fruit, and protein every day! I'll update stats at least 1 x week, I GOT THIS.

For anyone who is interested this is a recap of my 4th Strongman competition, the Hill Country Strongman Classic held June 25th in Austin, TX. The weights listed are for the open heavyweight women's division (160+ pounds). There were 5 women in my category, and I ended up placing 4th overall. The competition was very close for 4 of us, but the lady who took 1st in every single event was far and away the strongest athlete out of all of us. She was also taller and heavier, but strong is strong. These photos are terrible quality I know sorry. Most of them are video screen shots. First Event Keg Toss - Throw eight kegs 11 feet in 60 seconds or less. Six kegs weighed 25#, the last 2 kegs weighed 30#. In practice I only had a 20 and a 30. The 20# always went over no problem, I can throw that up to 13 feet. The 30# never went higher than about 9-10 feet, so I was unsure what would happen with 25#. I was able to get one keg over, and every keg after that kept hitting the bar! I was very frustrated because I was throwing them high enough, I just had a bad angle or bad positioning, and they would topple away from the bar instead of over it after hitting it. (The bar was loose and could swing, it was not bolted in place.) I placed 3rd in this event because two other women zeroed. Second Event Log Press - 3 attempts, highest 1RM wins This was my best event. I opened with 110, 130, and then 140. I got second place in this one. The woman who won the event was capable of pressing 180, but she only had to hit 150 to win so that's all she did. Third Event Truck Pull - 50ft truck pull with harness, push truck back 50ft, grab rope out of truck bed and run back to starting point, standing hand-over-hand pull 50ft (90 second cap) This was a lot to do in 90 seconds. The truck was an F-350 so it really wasn't that heavy. Most people got somewhere around halfway through the 3rd leg (rope pull) when time ran out. The lady who won actually pulled the truck across the finish line a second before time was called. I placed 4th in this event. Fourth Event Deadlift from 18" - 375# max reps in 60 seconds, straps allowed I have only pulled as high as 335# in practice, so I knew this would be tough. We were not given any warm-up practice either, which also made it extra difficult. I was able to get it off the ground and about halfway up my thigh and then I stalled out. I was disappointed, but I knew this would be the toughest event for me. Another woman zeroed this event so we tied for last place. The lady who won pulled 8 reps to win, but she easily had more in the tank. She was a beast! Here is a picture of me pulling my little heart out. Almost! Fifth Event Atlas Stone Ladder - 115# to 58", 145# to 54", 175" to 50", 215# to 46" (60 second cap) I knew I could hit the first 3 no problem, but 215# would be tough. What I didn't count on is that I would actually run out of time just as I was setting up for the 4th stone, so I didn't even have a chance to try and pick it up. I placed 3rd in this event, 2 women got all 4 stones, and the other 2 women could only get the first 2. The competition overall ended up being very close, 3rd place was only one point ahead of me, and 2nd place was only one point ahead of her! On the one hand this made me angry, because I was so close to placing much higher. On the other hand, I know I gave every event 100% and did my best. That means I am that close to placing higher in the next comp! The next day I was sore and a bit banged up, but nothing to terrible. Today (Tuesday) I'm actually already back in the gym, starting training for my first Powerlifting meet with RPS in October! Lessons Learned: 1. Need to work on absolute strength for deadlifts 2. Need to work on SPEED for most other events, (truck pull, keg toss, atlas stones) 3. Don't put spider tacky on your shirt before stones, or you'll accidentally flash everyone when your shirt sticks to the stone!

As of tomorrow, July 8, 2014, I will have been on NF for One Year. One year ago, I weighed over 260 lbs. I now weigh 249 lbs. Not super impressive, but... at the time I could barely do 10 pushups. Now I don't do pushups, I just lift heavy shit. Sometime, a little longer than one year ago, I saw the scale inching toward 270 and I was feeling week and tired all the time. As a busy grad student I spent a lot of my time in front of a computer, eating crappy food, and when I had downtime, I'd be drinking beer and stuffing my face with even crappier food. Enough was enough. I already had a gym membership thanks to that year's New Year's resolution that I hadn't used in at least three months. I decided to use it. But... what would I do once I got there. The last time I had been was either to spend an hour or two on an elliptical. Another time I had been to a yoga class, but was so week and inflexible that I could barely hold a downward dog. Cardio machines are boring, and I clearly needed strength. I thought I'd try lifting weights and calisthenics, and I'd heard circuit training was good for weight loss... So I googled "circuit training and weight loss" and guess which site came up... Yep. That's right... bodybuilding.com... But, then I scrolled down to the next few hits and there was a video link to Steve's Beginner Bodyweight Circuit... and it was from a website with an intriguing name. A few links, and Links (Zelda references) later I was reading about Joe and Staci, and other success stories about people who were struggling with fitness the same way I was. These were not people who played sports all their lives, and devoted all their time to the gym, they were busy people, with jobs, who had similar nerdy interests and they were all helping each other get in shape. I wanted in. So I started doing the Beginner Bodyweight Workout at home. Then I'd go to the gym, lift a dumbell and walk on a machine or two. I cleaned up my diet a bit. Then after learning more and coming back to the site, I signed up and did my first challenge. I went from BBWW and dicking around at the gym, to barbell training with stronglifts 5x5 and tracking macros. Lost 12 lbs. during that first challenge. Later during the fall, I really got into trying to do body recomp, maintaining weight while building muscle, so I tracked macros and lifted like a beast. Unfortunately, I got derailed a few times, but I persevered, and still managed to hang around 248 lbs, while I got stronger. The holidays came and went, and I managed to maintain, and was gearing up to make more progress. In January I set my first 1 RMs on the big three, Squat: 315, Bench 210, Deadlift 330. Six months before this I didn't squat or deadlift at all, and I couldn't have benched 150 to save my life. Then, in February and March the storm came. A vitamin D deficiency, Wisconsin winter, a bit of overtraining, working hard with lack of productivity in the lab, social isolation, and anxiety about my future career and such, all combined to level down my life with a bout of depression. I was waking up, then lying in bed till noon, skipping days at work, not going to the gym, but still eating like a body builider. I gained most of my weight back. It got bad enough that I decided to get help. Got back on NF, and to the gym. And after a couple of months, I'm approaching a two year personal best for weight (getting below last year's 248). Also, I'm way, way stronger than a year ago. And I can wear pants that I couldn't, even when I was at 248 a year ago. I'm also back to being productive at work, and I've even given talks about my research in front of prominent researchers in my field and recently at an international conference, and it was well received. To acknowledge how crazy this year has been, both up and down,to get a fresh start, and to re-affirm my commitment to getting healthier and FUCKING SHREDDED LIKE A DEMON, I'm starting this new battle log. As of yesterday, I started my first cycle of 5/3/1... follow this link to see Darwin's 5/3/1 Cycles I'm following a ketogenic diet and cutting. And I'm trying to finish a PhD within this next year. That's the gist of it. edit 1/19/15 -- after several months on, off, and back on again, my masterplan changed to strongman training. The Journey to Strongman begins here. edit 10/30/15 -- Around here I switched to the Standard Keto diet and did mostly barbell complexes and (hopefully I lost a bunch of weight)

So... This being my first challenge at 32 years old, I have decided to use this as a reset. This is my personal new year, and while I was away in Italy I did some soul searching (and eating) and I have found that I don't really focus on important things as often as I should. Because of this my time isn't used as wisely as it should be and I don't get as much productive stuff done. Time for Tina Fey to help me get my shit together I will make to-do lists every morning, and I can't play video games until the list is complete. A=28 days B=27-25 days C=25-20 D= 20 or less I will have an actual training program outlined - I bought a program online for my own reference, and will be telling my trainer what I want to work each day. For now he can pick what those exercises will be on our days working together, but it will be based on what body part/parts I plan on working that day. I will also do a minimum of 20 min of cardio a day (will be on to-do list). A=28 days B=27-25 days C=25-20 D= 20 or less I will be back on my nutrition program, no if/ands/buts about it. I have an extra food scale at home so I will be bringing it to work so I have no excuses on following the servings I should be eating. Meal prep will be on my lists when required. A=28 days B=27-25 days C=25-20 D= 20 or less (cheat meal is allowed once a week after the first 2 weeks). *Also a note, if anyone is willing to let me send pictures of my meals to them please let me know, I need some extra accountability on this one, especially on the weekends. Side Quest: Get on here daily and contribute to the community more... ADD IT TO THE LIST! A=28 days B=27-25 days C=25-20 D= 20 or less Now to get to work!

SOOOOOO..... Great news on the job front: after 16 applications, 7 interviews, THOUSANDS of dollars spent on application fees, traveling, a professional convention, interview outfits, (a nervous breakdown), business cards, and resume paper... I GOT A RESIDENCY! I'm going to be working for the VA, which is what I really really really wanted. Now: I graduate in 4 weeks! I have to study for my licensing exam! We're moving halfway across the country! Have to arrange all of that and start my new job on June 26th! I am super sad that I'm about to leave all of my lifting friends and the great powerlifting/strongman community in Central Texas. I've made some great friendships over the last eight years. So I decided to have fun with whatever I can still do and it turns out there is a Strongman Competition next weekend! April 29th is an unsanctioned event for charity called "Ronin Veterans Network Strongest San Martian." I'm competing with some other ladies that are MY FAVORITE PEOPLE and I can't wait. So this challenge is really just: 1. Do all the things for my career 2. After doing those things have as much fun as I can Yeah I'm still going to track macros, train regularly, and work on moving gradually towards the 198# weight class. But really 1. and 2. are my guiding principles for the next 2 months. I'm also planning to compete at another Strongman competition on June 3rd. More details to come, it will be at the Naturally Fit Games, and it will be my THIRD year in a row competing there! I'm bringing this back:

So I currently have less than 3 weeks until I leave for my trip to Italy, I am going to try to lose a little over 1lb a week in order to get to the goal of 180(180.whatever works too) before I head to pasta land In order to get this done I will be focusing on 3 things... Meals: Prep all breakfasts and lunches using the containers that help with portion sizes, and plan all dinners in advance including my 1 "cheat meal" which can be anything but must be portioned well. Training: I am doing a 15 day HIIT challenge starting in 2 days (along with my usual training), after that I will make sure I do 2 days of cardio for at least 45 min (stair master, max trainer, low impact) per week, and 25 min on the stair master after every normal workout. Culture Crash Course: I failed at properly preparing for this trip language wise, time to focus and get as much learning in as possible. Italian lessons every day until the trip, with at least a solid 30 min to an hour on weekends. I will be posting updates daily for accountability on meals (which start on Saturday since I have my catered stuff until Friday), and language. Starting Weight 185.4

I just ran into this. Seems interesting. The Fundamentals of Strongman Training | 8 Weeks Out

If you have never seen Stephen King's cocaine inspired masterpiece "Maximum Overdrive." You really should. It is next level bonkers. If you don't enjoy watching terrible movies but like making fun of them "How Did This Get Made?" did a great episode about it. Bonus points for Andy Daly involvement. The goals this time around are: 1. Nutrition and Recomposition I hired a nutrition coach at the beginning of February to help me lose body fat and drop down a weight class. I started at 224, which represents the heaviest but also muscliest I have ever been. I would estimate about 38% BF based on tape measurements. Today I am 213 and I have lost 1" off my hips and 0.5" off my thighs. I am very happy with that progress. Long term goal is to compete in the 198 weight class, so in terms of nutrition plan I just keep eating what she tells me to eat. 2. Hypertrophy Mesocycle I am going to compete in a PL meet June 17th (also my 5th wedding anniversary, husband has mixed feelings about this). Starting a new 12 week prep cycle so the first 4 weeks is hypertrophy city. I have the next month planned out as 65-80% range with lots of reps. I am well aware that actual muscle growth while on a cut/recomposition/deficit will be minimal. If I can maintain my strength and still hit the same numbers after dropping 2 weight classes I will consider that a smashing success. 3. Pharmacy Career Goals I found out yesterday that I did not match with any residency programs. This really bummed me out because I liked the places I interviewed with, and I thought they liked me and would rank me high on their list of candidates. Alas, only 60% of candidates will be accepted to a program because there are 7000+ people fighting for 2500 hundred spots nationwide. The good news is there is a "Phase 2" second attempt for all the people like me to match with a program with unfilled positions. There are 140 spots left. So there is still a chance but the odds are even worse. And we have 3 weeks to scout the remaining options and submit all our application materials again. So yeah.

So last challenge I think I finally started getting things figured out... I also found out last week that I have not lost any strength, and have in fact gained some, and I am down 7 inches total since the start of the year. Part 3 is going to change some things up a bit, since I no longer have to embrace my hellish workouts because both my trainer and I hated them. Goal 1: Keep With The Check Boxes Aim to do better than the previous week (until I consistently hit good marks each week). Sundays will not count, that is my "no fitbit" day. 2. Meal Planning For The Win 30 days of healthy lunches, and 30 days of planned meals (Blue Apron Dinners from Wed-Fri acceptable). - Have first two weeks planned out before official start date of the challenge - Finish 1 other weeks planning each Sunday - 1 "F'it" or dinner out meal per week acceptable - Actually measure food 3. Solidify A Workout Routine I tend to fail at consistency lately when it comes to workouts, I normally get at least 3 days in but I would like to make sure I am getting in 5-6 days of activity weekly. 3 weight training days, 1 accessory day, and 1 "whatever I want to do but I better do something day" minimum per week. Life Goals! - I got the shirts (though some are still on back order), this month I have to get them printed or at least have a print shop to go to once the T-Shirts are in. If I get that done quickly enough, I need to set up a photo shoot by the end of the challenge, and start getting our stuff put on the site/social media. - Curtains! Since I didn't do that last challenge. Lets Do This!

1. FIGHT OWENS BROVATAR KORRA FIGHT! Continue following training program for powerlifting meet March 18th, 2017. I am now in week 9 of 14. Stick to the program! But also doing a Strongman competition for fun February 25th LOL. My PL coach is nonplussed with this decision, but also hey I'm throwing all these weights around to have fun and who the fuck cares as long as it's still fun, right? It's not like I've got sponsorships on the line or anything. After doing a Strongman Saturday last weekend I was hooked all over again. Also winning first place would not be too shabby. I would earn an invite to USS nationals! 2. NEW DAY NEW WAY! For now I am going to keep logging weight and macros in MFP, and stick to overall calorie goal. Will hopefully be updating this soon with more details as I am currently seeking out the services of a nutritionist that provides meal plans. 3. PR CITY Someone did this last challenge (sorry I forgot which warrior!) and I liked the idea so much I'm stealing it. Goal is at least 3 PRs per week. "PR" could be for reps, for volume, or just trying a new exercise. (If it is the first time you try it, it's a PR!). Also I just love Charlotte Flair. 4. Climb that Career Ladder! Time to finish pharmacy school! Only three more months, woohoo! All my residency interviews are now complete. I'll find out on March 17th if/where I was accepted. Talk about a crazy headspace the day before a competition. Thems the breaks. Goal is to not slack off, gotta still study for my licensure exam.

Hi All So I’ve been on NF since August 2013 and refrained from creating a Battle Log. Had the mindset that no one would want to hear me gloat, bitch, whine, have highs and lows. So I just kept track of all my info on my work computer…we update the operating system and I lose all my info and tracking. Not only will this be great to keep track of everything, but it’s less about who will read it and more about having something else to stay accountable to. Quick back story; I am a 25 (soon to be 26) year old male who just moved out to Chicago from Philadelphia/NY with my girlfriend. I started on my quest almost immediately when I moved, thinking new job, new place, new lifestyle. I was doing a version of the NF Barbell Battalion and SL5x5. Then I got hurt dum…dum…dum. And felt sorry for myself and completely stopped for almost 2 months. But now I’m back! Current stats: Weight - 174lbs Squat - 180lbs (5x5) Bench - 150lbs (5x5) OHP - 95lbs (5x5) Deadlift - 185lbs (1x5) Enough with this and onto the Daily Battle Log part.

Great watch from Rogue about the stones of strength all over Scotland. So cool. Makes me want to start lifting some crap... then I remember I'm still weak and fat and injured. Someday.

I've been spending a unreasonable significant chunk of my winter break playing Alienation. I chose the Tank class (naturally) and since I've been enjoying it so much it is the theme of my challenge! Goal 1: Follow 12 week training plan gearing up for powerlifting meet on March 28th The tank class must be powerful! Luckily this is all worked out already. Just gotta follow the program and hopefully earn a new big three total. And no extra work. Trust the program! And you coach! Goal 2: Continue Eat To Perform nutrition program, logging macros daily I'm not clever enough to tie this into health and XP pick ups. Goal 3: Increasing steps I need to create a bigger calorie expenditure deficit, so I am going to be running around the map to finish more side quests and teleport to all the UFOs I can find. All that running around should work out to about 9,000 steps daily. Goal 4 Life Quest: Residency Interviews Now that all the applications are submitted, I have to be prepared by reviewing my CV, practicing questions, and buying a new interview outfit. OMG I am dreading buying an outfit. There are no suits for women with traps and delts! I must tear through this challenge like a plasma shotgun tears through a horde!

So as the title states, I have FINALLY sold my house... as in I just got notification that I am richer 5 min ago I also have my competition in a week and a half, and I am starting to feel the nervousness of it creeping in. This challenge will be a bit wonky due to the comp happening, and then me changing things up afterwards to recover properly and then start losing some body fat. Dec 1-10 Goals 1. Hydrate and keep up with protein. - minimum of 66oz of water and a minimum of 160 g of protein a day (OMG, thats a lot of chicken) 2. Train smart the week of, last heavy day will be Tuesday, Wed/Thur/Fri will be mobility, light weight, stretching, ect only. 3. Have fun at the competition! I have worked hard and made some serious gains on weights... I can now overhead press 140, and farmer DL 350. Weather or not I get pwned or throw out some ownage myself I will have a positive attitude and figure out if this is something I want to continue doing (at least competition wise, not giving up all together... F that noise). Post Dec 10 Goals 1. Let your broken self heal. I am horrible at this thing called "resting". I need to make sure my body heals/is rested before I go back to being a badass. 2. Track everything, and match your cut macros from nutritionist, keep drinking all the water. (Christmas will be my cheat day besides 1 weekly cheat meal) @RedStone I may be hitting you up again for accountability! 3. Start adding cardio.... DUN DUN DUN! (There would be a gif here but work interwebs are crappy atm).

I thought about actually running this challenge in the druid thread, but I really like it here and my main focus is still my strongman comp in Dec. This will be more like a lady dwarf scampering happily through the woods with her battleaxe noticing the cute animals and pretty flowers, but really she is just terrorizing everything in her path without noticing. I decided to add some druid traits this time around because I feel like I have my weight training down, and to keep focusing on that is kind of cheating. I will continue to log my weight workouts here, but that will not be a goal this time around. Goals! Focus: Focus more on the good, and less on the uncontrollable. This month I will start using my new planner which focuses more on life goals than what meetings I have for the week. I think this will help me focus more on the important things, and less on the dreary things I have no control over. Calm: Find ways to enhance my daily calm. Clean bedroom and guest room, enjoy the outside while it's actually nice out, notice the small things that make you happy throughout the day. Balance: Balance out the heavy lifting with more walking, yoga, and stretching weekly. Balance out your lazyness/game time with something constructive like learning Italian (can do gaming and Italian WoW'ing with Co-Worker and only speaking Italian). Balance your body with proper nutrition, and more water (54oz min daily). Special Goal: Check in more, and share more with others. I have a tendency to think what I have to share isn't good enough, so while I look at everyone's challenges I don't always speak up. I want to work on this since it's a confidence issue really and something I need to work on.

And by Demogorgon I mean my first official powerlifting meet! I'm doing my first one on October 15th with RPS (Revolution Powerlifting Syndicate!) I'm now in week 12 of my 15 week training plan. This week and next I'll continue to do heavy triples/doubles to pick my openers, and then the last 2 weeks is tapering down. Goals! 1. Follow my training plan Things I should NOT do: - get hurt - test my 1RMs a week out because I get nervous - get crazy with strongman saturdays. No max car deadlifts! 2. Stay in my weight class! (under 220#) Right now I'm 218.6, goal is to just maintain and follow my nutrition plan. I have room for eggos. 3. Pharmacy Residency I need to start gathering materials and making plans to apply to residency programs. Most of them have a deadline of Nov/Dec, so I gotta make some big decisions soon. Gotta apply a Barb level work ethic. Yeah I know I these are tenuous connections at best, I just really wanted to use Stranger Things as my theme. I identified with Barb so much. #TEAMBARB

I just finished my first rotation of my final year of pharmacy school. Only six more to go and then I graduate in May as a for-real practicing pharmacist! I enjoy what I'm doing but it gets tough, and between work and commuting and training I've been a little down. My sleep has also been suffering, I've been more on edge and have had a short temper with my husband lately. I decided to try and cut weight for this meet, and for the last 2 months that has not gone according to plan. BLERGH! So I thought I'd come back to the challenge forum because then I'll be better at following other warriors, and that always cheers me up and motivates me. 1. Continue meet prep This week begins week 7 of my 15 week training plan getting ready for my first official powerlifting meet. It is a no-frills (okay some frills) progressive periodization: Mon = squat + accessories Wed = bench + accessories Fri = deadlift + accessories Sat = Strongman fun 2. Keep eating ~2600 cal, 290g carbs, 100g fats, 130g protein 3. Add 45min walking twice a week (Tues and Thurs) to burn some extra calories (and health benefits I SUPPOSE) 4. Start meditating again 10 minutes per day.

Life is good at the Fett household. Last month was a success, with me coming out Oprah-rich in PRs and having a 1.2" reduction in waist size. The goal this month is to produce more of the same with some tweaks: Consistently count calories: After TDEE estimations, I put myself at about 3000/day to lose 2lbs/week. When I booted up MFP it put me at 2990 so we are going with that. I have to track daily because (based on previous experience) if I track I will come in at or under my goal daily. I'm allowing myself one meal per week that is untracked, simply because it's a bitch to track some things. I need accountability on this y'all. Someone(s) check me if I don't post every day. If you'd like to friend me on MFP post your username or PM me for mine. Make time for cardio: My current regimen (CF 2-3x per week + strongman events 1-2x per month) is clearly working to recomp me, thus the reduction in waist size and lack of movement on the scale. However, my goal is to lose overall at the moment until I get to an overall weight that I feel is sustainable for me. Whether it be a mile run before or after class, some skills building with jump rope/rowing, a looong walk/ruck, or some sprints, I need to make time to get in the extra cardio to keep the scale going down. Prepare for and pass my Concealed Carry class on 8/27-28th: I'm finally getting around to taking my IL CCW class but there are a couple things I need to do in the couple weeks before I do so. I'd like to get to the farm and go through a couple boxes of ammo, get some dry fire practice, and practice wearing my 1911 around my house/the farm/anywhere else I can legally carry without a license to both break in my holster and get used to the weight on my hip. Bonus: Continue building skills and setting PRs: I don't want to put PRs as an actual goal as I don't want to push myself to injury, but last month I did a bunch of things (consecutive single-unders, box jumps, 80% wall walk, etc) for the first time ever and got PRs on several others (Deadlifts, Bench, C&J, and Back Squat 1RM, half mile time, everything strongman, so many more). I'm going to continue to seek performance and keep pushing for either trying something new or a new personal best every time I walk into the gym. Challenge Starting Weight: 392.2lbs, +.1 from June challenge Challenge Starting Waist: 58.8", -1.2" from June challenge

Hey! I am making my return this challenge, while I have been gone from the forums for a month I haven't been skipping the gym. I even come with gifts!!! AKA workout videos! So my trainer and I were talking last month and he talked me into try out a strongman competition. The training is a lot more enjoyable for me (and him), and I have been learning so many events. Yoke Carry 280lbs (current max for same distance is 320 now) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG2eEgsilzU 80lb log press - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foYY5E8nyTA 290lb sled pull - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSia7NF94a4 500-600 lb tire flip - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfN4AggxH_Q I was actually embarrassed to put this one up at first, but then someone said good fight to me. I realized that yes, it was sloppy, but I didn't give up and that was a pretty awesome feeling. 260lb frame carry - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFvtph-_inA So now that we have caught up, and you have seen what I have been up to we will move on to what I will be up to for the next month. This challenge will basically be all about training for the competition which is Oct 22. Events will be released later this month. Goal 1: 3 weight days and a 90 min orange theory (up to my limit of 4 per month) class weekly. If I can't do another orange theory I will do my own interval training at home. Goal 2: Follow my nutritionist orders 80% minimum. If I only have white rice instead of brown then so be it, if I hate plain greek yogurt and get the kind with less sugar I am ok with that. I need to make this work for me (and it has for the past 2 weeks quite well), so I am finding the happy middle where I can follow this the majority of the time but still not go crazy. I also must have fish oil daily. Goal 3: Feel pretty damnit! (aka look like a damn lady at least 3 days a week) I have some serious body issues/ self confidence problems, so much so that while I put videos up I am too embarrassed to put current photos up. And while I know putting on a bit of makeup or taking the time to look put together is not something I do in the mornings it does help my self esteem so it needs to actually be a priority. I will also be starting up my Instagram to follow my progress, and training awesomeness and need to post something at least once a week (I am Harshtart if you want to follow). No awesome gifs but I can give you a photo of the new stray kitten that has found our home. We have had him for about a month now, and while we never really found a name he is known as Secret Agent D.O.G.. don't ask me why, it just kind of happened.

Shout out to my fellow barbarians and amazons of iron! So here's the deal-o... I've got my first powerlifting meet coming up next Saturday (8-6-17, day after Suicide Squad hits and you know I've got tickets for that already) and I'm booored with squatting, benching, and pulling. I follow the Chaos & Pain philosophy of weightlifting which can be summed as the following: frequent, heavy, varied, and violent. Which is fine but I've dropped the variety for lots of back squatting and benching. A typical week for me looks like this - Monday AM 1) *Bodyweight Curcuit 5-10 Sets Monday PM 2A) Back Squat 10x3 2B) Pendlay Row 10x3 3) Bench Press 10x3 4) Neck Work Tuesday 1) Weighted Walk x15-30 Min 2) Core Circuit 3) "Light Shoulder Training" such as Kloklov Presses and Plate Front Raises for 10x10 Wednesday AM 1) *Run x1.5 miles Wednesday PM 1A) Back Squat Lockouts 12x2 1B) High Pulls 12x2 2) Bech Press 6x5 3) Neck Work Thursday 1) Weighted Walk x15-30 Min 2) Core Circuit 3) Wighted Chin-up/Dip Superset 6x6 or 8x8 Friday AM 1) *Bodyweight Circuit Friday PM 1) Back Squat 15x1 2A) Bench Press 8x2 + 2 Back Off Sets 2B) Deadlift 6-8x3-1 + Death Set Saturday 1) Gun Show...non-stop arms for about 30-45 minutes. * = Fasted This is roughly how I've been training for about 3 months while on a caloric deficiency for the last 5 weeks...I went full retard and deceided on a pseudo-paleo/keto diet hybrid monstrositie that's worked fairly well but left be constantly hungry for blood and carbs. Thank Crom for gin & tonic, totally keto. Anyway I'm looking for some input and maybe even program suggestions/structure on a dedicated Overhead Press specialization routine. The week after my meet I plan on focusing on building up my OHP specifically my Clean & Strict Press as I think it's wayyy more badass to clean that $h!t and then press it. Obviously I'm no stranger to both high frequency and high intensity and love abusing volume and will definitely be running this in a huge caloric surplus. So far I've read up on Bill Starr's methods, love the weighted dips; Paul Carter's training style, and checked out the Dreadnought OHP program. However I was most impressed with the Smolov Jr. routine for bench and was considering that. Oh, and if anyone cares...here's me stats - Age: 26 Male Years Training: approx. 5-6 Height: 'bout 5'2"... Weight: I'm competing at 130 lbs... yarp. Usually walking around 145 lbs with visible midsection. Looking to get up to 155-160 lbs. But yeah, I'm a total Neanderthal. Back Squat (High Bar Oly Style): 305 lbs no belt/315 lbs with belt Bench: 275 lbs paused no belt/285 lbs paused with wraps no belt Deadlift (Conventional): 405 lbs no belt, mixed grip. We'll see if I hit these numbers again come meet day though. So far I'm pretty damn close on a so-so day.

I really just wanted to do a Rick and Morty themed challenge. This one is more of the same - right now my life is revolving around the 2016 Hill Country Strongman Classic YEAH!!! It is going down Saturday, June 25th at the Austin Convention Center (as part of the Naturally Fit Games). I sprained my wrist about 2 weeks ago, which really sucked. It was a giant wrench in my carefully planned training and peaking program, which was quite frustrating. Thankfully now it is on the mend thanks to bone broth, RICE, e-stim, acupuncture, and all the fruits. ALL THE FRUITS. I wish there were more weight classes for women. At this NAS competition there are only three: 1. less than 140# 2. 140-160 3. 160+ This is lame because a 165# 5'5" woman would be competing head to head with a 220# 5'11" woman. I know they do it that way because not enough women compete at local events to break the classes down further, but it just doesn't seem right. However, as a woman who currently weighs 214#, at least I don't have to worry about cutting weight. So for the month of June I'll be doing this:

The story so far: Our intrepid hero started at 500lbs and unhappy. Over the course of 3 years lost 148lbs and then got divorced. This threw him off track and he gained 85 back. Met a wonderful woman a year ago and moved in with her last fall. A month ago both decided to get on track. Got portions under control and began transition to a Paleo-ish diet. Limited alcoholic beverages. Joined a local gym that does crossfit-type workouts during the week and strongman event free-days on the weekend. Lost 18lbs and an inch off the waist in his first challenge back. And so our story begins... I've decided to compete in a strongman competition at the end of July. This one, in fact. Will be competing in the Novice division. I'm going to focus this month's fitness goals on getting comfortable with the events, so that I can spend June working on getting to a point where I can compete to win! Attempt every event I will be competing in: Sometime this month on the weekends I need to try each of the events in the competition and see where I am/what I need to work on. For those of you who didn't feel like clicking the link, these are: Straight Bar Deadlift - 365lbs - Most reps in 60secs. Yoke Walk - 500lbs - For distance. 60 sec time limit, unlimited drops. Frame Carry - 380lbs - For distance. 60 sec time limit, unlimited drops. Axle Clean and Press - 185lbs - Clean the axle once and press for most reps in 60 secs. Atlas stones - 210lbs/240lbs - Max reps over bar. Heavier stone counts for more reps than smaller one. Attend 2 crossfit classes per week: Gotta have the conditioning to go along with the strength or I'll be blown after just a couple events. Plus it's been burning fat like crazy. Eat clean: Defined by eating my version of Paleo with dairy and whey included with three variances per week. (Unashamedly stolen from Tanktimus) Life goal: Make time for my hobbies: Set aside weekly time to devote to one of my many hobbies. Whether it be blacksmithing, woodworking, homebrewing, riding the horses up at the farm, fishing, range time, that Millenium Falcon lego set my fiance got me for Christmas, or just a few hours of video games. Between full-time job (plus 2hrs of daily commute), working out 3x/week, working at the family farm on my days off, trying to be a good fiance and future step-dad, and trying to maintain a social life, I don't have seem to get much "just me" time. I need to take some time weekly to enjoy all the stuff I want to enjoy.