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These are all scored daily, either full credit or half credit (or no credit) for each day. Tallied up for each goal, scores are A=25 days, B=20 days, C=15 days, D=10 days (out of 28 days) So a passing score is just slightly better than half credit on all days, which seems reasonable. Kettlebells - Simple & Sinister Get back to Pavel's "Simple & Sinister" kettlebell routine, with custom warmups and stretches to address my various achy parts. For this challenge, full credit is: Any Mobility drills or warmups, 5-10 minutes. 10 sets of 10 swings - 35lb (16kg), generally one handed. 5-10 minutes. 10 getups - as many with 35lb as I can manage before switching to 20lb. 10-15 minutes. Any stretches - 5-10 minutes. (Although Pavel says no passive forward bends after swings, so anything besides that.) Half credit is any two of these, so yes, it could be just mobility drills and stretches. In case of actual injury or illness, I can get full credit for using whatever weight seems appropriate, and/or substituting 10 sets of 10 of any of the preliminary swing drills in S&S, and getup drills (5 sets of 5, R&L) of one segment of the getup. Fatigue from other activity is not an excuse - do the workout first thing in the morning. Food Goal - Simple & Sensible Keep it simple. Just eat decent meals with protein and veggies. To keep me on track, my sensible responsible adult meals are defined as: protein - roughly 1/2lb (measured raw, boneless) at least "big enough to share", like two chicken thighs, or a can of tuna. 4-6 eggs. veggies - roughly 2 cups or 1/2lb (measured raw and reasonably packed) or one standard can. (Figure that cooking and mashing each reduce size roughly by half.) other stuff - whatever carbs and fat, as much as I am genuinely hungry for. water (or another healthy beverage) - total of about a pint (500ml) Skipping a meal is fine, if I'm not hungry, or if I'm away from home and decent food is not available. Alternately, have a small meal of a half portion of protein, a half or full portion of veggies, and water, no extra carbs or fat. (And no snacking later.) If I'm hungry and eating full meals, snacks and treats are okay, so long as I drink water with them. No eating when I'm not hungry, or stuffing myself. Full credit for three "sensible" meals a day, plus whatever other snacks or treats (with water). Full credit for less than three full "sensible" meals a day, IF I'M NOT HUNGRY and that is pretty much all I'm eating. (No more than two SMALL snacks.) Half credit for two "sensible" meals a day along with other snacks or meals (with water). I've got no excuses for not being extremely physically active next month - I'm doing construction, not taxes - so I'm not looking to restrict calories. I just shouldn't subsist solely on peanut butter and banana sandwiches, raisin bran, and toast. Besides, it is veggie time! EAT ALL THE VEGGIES! Teamwork Goal - Simple & Supportive Every day, find an opportunity to do some kind of physical activity with my partner. (Do it together, if at all practical.) Full credit if I make an enthusiastic and welcoming offer IN PERSON with a doable time, place, and activity, regardless of whether my offer is taken. My partner is often ill or in pain (lupus, arthritis, etc) and always busy despite that, so coming up with a good offer is not trivial. Full credit if he's already done substantial physical activity without me offering. That is actually the long-term goal - to help him get in the habit of being more active and giving him ideas about things he CAN do, when there is so much he CAN'T do. Half credit if I seriously gave my best effort to figure out an appropriate time, place, and activity, but couldn't come up with anything plausible to offer, given the circumstances. No credit for nagging or making offers that I really should have known were implausible. Any activity counts - a short walk with the dog, a few minutes of Tai Chi, some gardening, maybe some careful assisted strength training, or if all else fails, some assisted passive stretching/massage. BONUS - Once a week, go do something active with Silver Olivia! One bonus point for each time we actually do something. Half a point for realistic firm plans that fall through. Life Goal - Simple & Systematic Check-in every evening and use the list daily. Half credit for only doing one and not the other, or for a serious system malfunction. Super simple. Just do it. PREVIOUS CHALLENGES: 1. Weasel Gets Things Done Nov-Dec 2015 Eat more protein, veggies, and whole grains (B+). Sleep Routine (A). "Primal Fitness Blueprint" (A++). Laundry! (A++). Order of the Stick (Success!) 2. Return of the Weasel : Consistency! Jan 2016 Handstands (A), Kettlebells - Pavel's "Simple & Sinister" (A-), Daily Routine (A), Ukulele! (C ) 3. Weasel Takes this Show on the Road! Feb 2016 Continue Simple & Sinister kettlebell routine. (D. Injury.) Track sleep schedule (A). Make a diet plan (A). Write on spirituality blog. (F) 4. Sith-Weasel's Road Trip Continues Mach 2016 Daily fitness activity (D) Responsible Adult Meals (A++), Hydration (C ), Tasks & Check-in (D). (Travel is hard on routines!)

"In an area this size....this many bad guys. I just don't like the idea of throwing you to the wolves." "Captain...we are the wolves." I bought The Division when it came out March 8th and have been hooked since day one! It's a really fun game despite some repetitiveness and I enjoy the challenge of the upper levels. I still daydream about playing it and getting some legendary SOCOM M1A marksman rifle one day... And, if you've been following me a while, you know this is my second run at a Division themed challenge. This time is going to be better because I'm involving YOU guys! On my last challenge thread, I asked everyone to "sign up" to participate in my challenge and here's how things are going to work: RULES OF THE CHALLENGE: Each day, I will be tasked to gain points throughout the day by performing my usual daily activities, but now, I’m keeping myself accountable for them all. Each activity or task will be worth 5 points with a potential of 75 points each day. The challenge will take place M-F where I have to accumulate at least 300 points by Friday evening. If I do not have a total of 300 total points then the fireteam for that week will help decide how I make up those missed points. This can basically be a little mini-challenge within the challenge. Or a PvP or something that can get me and my team the necessary points to take on that week's’ Boss/Rogue Agent. An example of this would be going for a 2 mile hike/walk/ruck in order to make up the lost points. Once 300 points is achieved, then I can write up the boss battle- I’m looking to have it posted by Sunday evening. Watch out though, throughout the week I may ask the team to participate with me on my own personal “team building” exercises. I will challenge my team to get in 5 total minutes spent in the squat or try hanging from a pull-up bar for more than :15 seconds. Little stuff like that to add towards points. Think bonus stuff but I need the fireteam in order to get those points. I know I said that you guys didn’t have to participate except create an Agent….yeah, well I lied. So, sue me ;). This is not mandatory, of course, but I’m going to encourage the team for that week to get involved and have some fun! THE PERFECT AGENT: Here is the cumulative list of “skills and abilities” My goal is to complete each of these daily. These will count towards my weekly point total and each goal is worth FIVE points. Clean eating-not paleo, but clean. Lots of veggies. Limit sweets to 2x a week. 100+ oz of water daily. No Soda’s Shoulder PT Conditioning-Gaelic practice, jump rope, sprints, speed drills, taking the stairs instead of elevator Cold showers-start with every other day-work up to daily. Rucking/Walking-shoot for 1 hour a day Squatting-aim for 30 min of accumulative squatting/ Move around and be active in my squat Urban Survival/Foraging study/mini-adventures Nail biting (you get 2 fuck ups a day-after that, third time's a charm and you get ZERO points) Reading/Listening/Writing Sleeping- minimum of 7 hours Hanging-aim for 5 min a day (accumulative) Crawling Meal Prep/bring lunch leftovers to save money Domestic Rangering CHALLENGE GOALS: Become the Perfect Agent- follow my daily routine as RX'd as possible. +3 WIS Start 21-day Cold Shower Routine-5 min cold shower each morning. +3 CON Continue aggressive shoulder rehab and strengthening-mobilze daily. +3 STR Learn to live Uncaged-find my wild-become primal in your daily movements and philosophies. +3 DEX Gather from the Land- learn the basics of foraging and find some stuff to eat (if possible). +3 CHA The story so far… Back when the First Wave of Division Agents and law enforcement were tasked in saving a pandemic ridden New York, the riots had just begun and the terror was spreading like wildfire. Agent Wild Wolf, an ex-Military marksman turned teacher and his task force of specialized agents were sent in with the rest of the First Wave to stop the outbreak and maintain government order. On a routine clean-up mission, Wild Wolf and his team were sent into the underbelly of New York, into the Subway stations to search for a man named Charles Bliss. Charles was responsible for the creation of the Last Man Battalion or LMB, a group of fascists elites bent on taking New York for themselves and establishing a new world order. It was up to Wild Wolf and his team of elite Division Agents to stop him… ...However, Wild Wolf was betrayed by his team. All four agents turned on their fireteam leader and friend and shot him in the back, leaving him to die down there. But, Agent Wild Wolf didn’t die. His strength and determination to live allowed him to hang on for almost a day before he was rescued. Now, as the Second Wave was preparing to be deployed, he was back to full health and sporting a new scar near his spine that had it been a fraction of a centimeter to the left..he would never be able to walk again. It now serves as a reminder of why he is still fighting. Wild Wolf was then tasked with his first assignment since the betrayal. He was to hunt down each one of his old teammates and stop them by any means necessary. They had not only betrayed Wild Wolf, but the Division itself, taking intel and knowledge that could be powerful in the wrong hands. They joined up with Charles Bliss and The Last Man Battalion. This is the story of Wild Wolf’s bloody revenge and how he achieved it. Along the way, his trust will be tested as he would lead 4 separate group of Second Wave Agents to battle his former squad of elites. Each group has their own unique strengths and Wild Wolf planned to exploit every ounce of it. Welcome to the fireteam, soldier… Wolf

Breakthroughers, it's our time! All those who want to better themselves, get healthy, and be a part of the best team ever welcome! Introduce yourself, tell us your challenge goal, and give us your why. I'm Jerem The Great. I'm the inventor of such wonders as the kale-puccino. My challenge goal is to hit the gym at least twice a week, lose 3% body fat, and eat better, which is all tied into bodybuilding. Why? Because late this coming summer, my wife wants to be pregnant, and I don't want to be the dad that can't play with his kid. Because my wife deserves a strong, dependable husband who isn't constantly uncomfortable with his body. Because I deserve to look and feel good for the first time since puberty. I deserve the best I can give me.

One things we Monks do differently than the other guilds here is we take a Martial approach to things. Sometimes, martial things are between friends, and look something like this: Ultimately, it's these battles with friends that help push us, find our limits, and help us progress past them. So for this week's challenge, call out a friend (or three) to do a one week PVP. It could be anything. Challenge someone to a pushup contest, where the most pushups done in a week wins. Or a mediation contest. Or an organization quest for both of you to compete. Yes, the idea is to WIN, but in the end, both parties will come out stronger, and forge a stronger friendship for it. And why are stronger friendships useful? Well, because you can then do things like this: *This PVP challenge will not grant the ability to Kamehameha. Get to it, Monks!

Every Success Counts The field is in ruins and the bodies are already decaying and smelling of guts and feces. You want to lose your meal, but there are others so you breathe slow and shallow. The creature responsible for this massacre is long gone, but a few huge scales are stuck in the ground or have taken out a roof. Some resistance was made but the wooden fortress walls were shattered and likely the villagers never stood a chance. A few of your loyal Scouts are among the dead. Their swords bloodied and bows hard used and now broken. Arrows were shot almost exclusively at the western wall. The trees there were basically flat and look more like kindling than the tall pines they were just yesterday. You had helped build this wall and train the villagers. It was hard to see how ineffectual it all was. Your eyes keep moving back to the tree stumps and wall debris in the west. These aren't normal damages? You think, what dragon would bother trampling trees when it could just swoop down and land on the village itself? Good question. So if not a dragon, then what made this horrible scene before you? You find yourself walking up to one of the scales that protrudes from the dirt. It's cracked, probably when it hit the earth. When you yank on it, a piece falls to your feet. It's not small, but it has unusual layers within it. You turn to get your Commander's attention, but the Commander is already at your side. "Corporal. Take this piece to the Sages in Fayettes. They will know what we are dealing with here." You nod smartly and remove your gear. The pack would have to stay. You grab some rations and your water skin and shove a dagger in your boot. The Commander's Aide hands you a City-State Marker to get whatever help you may need to get there, faster and in one piece. You hang the marker around your neck and stare at the scale. It's a bit unwieldy and looks heavier than dragon scales. You squat down and manage to pull it up on its edge and test its weight before pulling it up to your chest. The scale is warm and doesn't really smell like anything. That's helpful at least. Your wry humor makes you smirk, internally of course. You ask the Aide what direction to head off in to join up with the trail that leads to the Town of Fayettes. "If you move through the woods here," the Aide points to the south, "you can move up to the crags and then drop down onto the trail from there. Make it quick, but don't get foolish and get hurt. We can't afford that, do you understand?" You nod understanding, even if it was a ridiculously obvious command. You head out, walking at first, keeping an eye on your prize possession. If it rocks too much, it may escape your grip. Not a good thing to have happen, especially since you have yet to move out of sight of your group. You get into a groove and begin the slow gaited run for the Sages. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Grip Strength! We know it's important, but do we focus on it enough to really improve our abilities? I don't. So this week we are doing some exercises to increase our hand, wrist, and forearm strength. The vid here is a good place to start. If you don't have dumbbells, try using a jug filled with a challenging amount of weight in it. Do as the vid says, warm-ups and then 3x20 for the exercises. Do all these up to 3 times this week. Report back on Sunday evening, U.S. EST, at the latest and let us know how your hands are faring. Good Luck Scouts! Hand, wrist, and forearm exercises with Dr Levi Harrison

But guyyyyy~yyyyys! I'm TIRED! Seriously. Like all the time. Between a two year old, an eight month old, an hour commute each way to and from work, and time to pretty much make a (usually healthy) supper before crashing from pure exhaustion, I have no idea how to make the time to focus on getting into better shape. And just like the Ice Climbers (wait...what do you mean they're not in the new one!?), doing this on my own isn't even an option. I've gotta bring the missus with me. And that's a good thing. So...how do we do this? Getting up earlier is barely an option, when we get such horrible sleep each night that mornings are positively Romero-esque with all the shambling and the moaning and the crying. And that's just me! But enough with the excuses, and enough with even the legit reasons. I WANT to do this. We both do. But how the hell do you fit an hour's worth of decent working out (warm ups, cool downs, all that safety stuff) into ten spare minutes? Are there options for...micro-workouts? "I've got ten minutes here, I can do some kind of exercise that'll be beneficial in small doses, since a real workout is out of the question"? Hell. I'll fight me some boars.

What: Tough Mudder Dallas When: 26 OCT 2013 (Saturday) Who: Me and some RL Friends Who Pt 2: TEAM RAM ROD Come one, come all. Come together to defeat this 12+ mile behemoth of an obstacle course. It's Book I of my Epic Quest. All my current and future efforts into the Fall are focused on slaying this beast. Together we can!!!