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Third Challenge [ November 11th – December 22th ] Endangered Initiation Part II Actually started this on on Monday, November 4th. So, this challenge will last 7 weeks for me, with the first (unofficial week) being known as Week 0. Where I came from... Where I went after this... BACKGROUND STORY The two old Jedi stood on the high gallery and looked down on the training younglings in the great hall. “He has made some respectable progress, I give you that, Grand Master! But there are still weaknesses in him, that will prevent him from passing the Initiate Trialsâ€, the Jedi Seer said in a low voice. “Know that I do, but point out those to him I will later today! Assume they will be fixed, what do you think?†“Hard to see, even his near future is.... Even if he passes, many masters will refrain from taking him on as a padawan because of his past and the long time he took to face the trials. But some may and then I daresay he will pass his Jedi Trials, as well eventually, and become a knight!†The Jedi Seer looked sternly into the contemplating face of the Grand Master, before he added: “Success and failure are strangely intertwined in his fate, he may become one of the greatest or worst of our order, or maybe even no member at all! †The Grand Master sighed: “So, not only my sight is clouded here, but the force itself refuses to reveal his destiny.... Nonetheless, thank you for your help! Continue to specially guide this one, I will, until the trials or thereafter, when his path will be apparent.†--------- “Of course, you can speak to him, Grand Master!†The lightsaber instructor bowed low, before she shouted into the hall: “Waldgeist, you're practice is cancelled, you have a visitor!†The practicing younglings stopped at once and one of them left the circle to join the Master, calm on the outside, but bursting with agitation on the inside. “So, William Waldgeist, some time it has been, since the last talk, that we had. Fare how did you?†“I'm goo..., I mean, I have improved. But....†“Wondering wether it is enough you do?! This feeling memorize well, youngling, for you will need it all your life to push past the limits others and you yourself will impose on you!†Slowly the Grand Master walked around William, watching him carefully. “But, your thoughts now are focused on the trials, as well they should be! Spoken with your teachers and observed you myself I have. Improved you have enough, that the Council will order your trials somewhere in the next 6 monthsâ€, the Grand Master said in a clear voice, concealing the discussions that had led to this result. Many of the other members of the High Council had been of the mind, that William would maybe never been ready for the initiate trials and should be handed over to the responsibiliy of the Reassignment Council to become part of the Jedi Service Corps immediately. His diplomatic skills and the weight of his word as Grand Master and Master of the Order were the only things that had prevented this decision. But the price has been to fix the date of the trials in the next months, knowing that the time for preparation may not be enough. “I'm ready?â€, he asked with overboarding joy. The old Jedi cautioned him: “You can be, by then. But only if on the path you are now on you stay and focus even more on your goals!†“I will, Master!â€, the proud initatie said and bowed. “More there is, though..... Some flaws remain, made even more obvious by your improvement. All of them we cannot fix in the time you have left, but on the most important we have to focus on!†The Grand Master threw away his crane in a swift motion and without ever breaking eye contact with the youngling stood on his hands. “Both feet on the ground may work as a metaphor but for the movements of a Jedi it is not enough. Become a circus acrobat you will not by the time you're trials happen, but certain basics you will need. Know that you've failed here before and that this is something many a initiates struggle with, I do, but conquer this fear soon, you must!†The initiate wasn't surprised, he'd actually expected a pointer here and had already started to make plans, that would lead to improvement. “More flexible you've become, but still a major problem this remains, so concentrate especially on this as well! Shoulders and wrist are indispensable parts of you body, focus on them, you must!†MAIN QUEST – Mastering the Pillar of Self-Discipline (=Leaning Up/Body Recomp/Functional Body) GOAL I – Kill the dead weight (+2CHA / +1CON) “A Jedi with the force he flows like a leave, not a dead rock he is, blocking its current!†Basically this is a continuation of the last challenge(s), dropping fat by dietary means while not loosing (too much) muscle on the way. My usual nutrition (by now) is almost completely paleo, that's my base line and starting point. I'm also used to up to two 24 h IF sessions a week, but not gonna use them much this challenge I think. Aaaand last challenge I managed to half my sugar intake from about 120 g a day to about 60 g (take that sugar demon, hah!). If you look down, you'll see I'm about drastically reduce my sugar (all carbs actually) intake again and right from the beginning instead of slowly over time. Abtacha pointed me towards the carbnite concept/ketolysis in general, and I searched around for them and similar ideas in the depths of the internet. Long story short, I constructed/calculated the following macros for my personal use/need on (non-)training days, as well as more general guidelines for the refeed day/carbnite window. Since getting enough veggies(/fruits) in with that concept might be a little hard, I'll also be monitoring these. Goal is therefore to hit these macros with a margin of error of +/-5%. Revised after Week 1 Non-workout day: Workout day: Carbnite: Calories 1.685 2.055 3.600 PROT (g) 120 135-150 130 FAT (g) 125 155 60 CARBS (g) <30 <30 630 Veggies/Fruits 5 portions a day 5 portions a day 5 portions a day Grading: A – Hit macros on 36/49 days B – Hit macros on 34/49 days C – Hit macros on 30/49 days D – Hit macros on 26/49 days F – Anything less than D GOAL II – Body Control (+2STR / +1DEX / + 1STA) “Without control over his own body and mind, to be a Jedi is impossible!†Also a summarized continuation of my workout goals from last challenge. That includes Calisthenics, Gym, Karate each twice a week. Grading: A+ – A conditions plus passing green belt examinations in december A – Working out at least 13 times in each category B – Working out at least 12 times in each category C – Working out at least 10 times in each category D – Working out at least 8 times in each category F – Anything less than D conditions GOAL III – Weakness Elimination (+2DEX / +1CON / +1STR) “Mind what you've learned, save you it can from failure at the trials ahead of you!†A couple of things, that I lack or need/want to work on, as I noticed during the last challenge. A general part of this is my flexibility/mobility, bodypart-wise the focus is on shoulders and wrists and last but not least skills-wise acrobatics basics (really basic stuff like falling and rolling, but also the first steps towards the handstand) To tackle those weaknesses I want to incorporate them into my nightly routine, which worked out pretty good last challenge. Now I'll just have to invest 15 (or 20) minutes instead of 5, which should be still manageable. Nightly Routine: Karate (Kata, Stances, Kicks) Rolls (Parkour, Forward, Backwards) Handstand Progression Stretching (Hand-to-toes, ….) Shoulder/Wrist mobility Grading: A+ – A conditions plus wall handstand for about 30 seconds A – 7/7 days a week - 40/49 in total B – 6/7 days a week - 36/49 in total C – 5/7 days a week - 30/49 in total D – 4/7 days a week - 24/49 in total F – anything less than D LIFE QUESTS – Mastering the Pillar of Knowledge (=study/research/write) “A true Jedi is not fooled by informations other give him, he seeks knowledge out himself!†Grading for those will all be the same. One point a day if I actually did something, partial points possible, but higher bar than last time: A – 6/7 days a week - 36/49 in total C – 5/7 days a week - 30/49 in total F – anything less Thesis Finish Quest (+2WIS) Nothing new here as well. Just a closer deadline..... While the survey is running, I need to write extensively on all the chapters not dependend on the survey results, e.g. theory and methodology. After the survey's finished, the time for analysis and interpretation has come. Psy Class Mini Quest (+1WIS) 15 Minutes a day investment for either developmental or personality psychology/diagnostics. Be it reading a chapter, watching an online lecture, summarizing either one, making study cards etc. I want to be able to kick those exams' asses in March, so gotta prepare now! Oral Exam Prep Mini Quest (+1WIS) After I submitted my MA thesis, the oral exams will be the next dragons to battle in order to graduate. For the moment only two things to do here: 1) finding topics (and get them approved, but that is already done for 2/4 professors) and collect relevant literature, and 2) prepare 60 pages of original Japanese literature, learning new vocabulary, new kanji including reading and maybe even some higher grammar (that I don't know yet or forgot because of not using it). 15 minutes a day should be attainable, as well, I think.