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Overview / Motivation: While things are still chaotic on the home front, there is a bit more of a routine emerging which opened the door for me to reconnect with my weights. This challenge will focus on identifying my current level of strength (after whatever I lost post baby being born) and start building from there. With all the new challenges with our new normal, this is also a good time in my life to reestablish my inner athlete - something I blog about which is focused on viewing our professional life (or whatever our current state of life may be) as an athlete. We focus on improving our respective game and working to become world class in what we do. I've lost my way a bit on this with all the craziness and need to rediscover this focus and discipline. Main Quest: Define my current fitness level while I adjust to life with 2 kids and no sleep Side Quests: Average 3 Weight Training Sessions / Week Points Potential: STA+5 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Complete 10 minutes of foam roller / stretching daily Points Potential: DEX+5 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Complete 1 Heavy Bag Routine / Week Points Potential: STA+2 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Life Quest: Read Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni Points Potential: WIS+3 A= Read > 90% B= Read > 80% C= Read > 70% F= Read < 70%

For this next 4WC I am going to be spending one more month nailing down some good habits and foundation strength before I switch back to lifting weights more heavily. Goal 1: PowerYoga\Flexibility training 4X a week To be a true Shinobi I need to flexible and able to move my body with complete control and fluidity. Goal 2: Water!!! at least 100oz a day can have one cup of tea or coffee a day (no energy drinks) A Shinobi's body must run at optimal efficiency I need to flush out the amount of crap I have been eating and drinking...sorry NOS energy drinks we must part ways... Goal 3: Posture. A Shinobi is mindful of himself and his surroundings at all times Not really quantitative just need to remain mindful of the way I sit and walk because I slouch waayyy too much and it isn't helping my back and neck any. Goal 4: For the Clan I want to make it a family habit for me, my wife and our two kids to go for at least a 10-15 min walk everyday to unwind. We used to go for walks all the time and now it seems like we spend a lot of time inside watching movies or messing with our phones. So I want to bring back the family time and get our asses outside again. Also I want to plan 1 family night a week where we either go out somewhere or we have a game night or something fun. Goal 5: Foam Roller Simple roll it out at least 10 mins a day, mainly my back. Goal 6: Lifting Make time for at least 1 day a week where I can throw some stuff around. It is more of a stress relief day than a GAINZ day Goal 7: Walking In order to be a good Shinobi I must be able to travel long distances and build up the legs. I must walk for at least 30 mins 3X a week, preferably outside but I will allow some treadmill time. SO there we go. Now lets do this

Lucky fire dragon levels up her Dance Quest 1: Level up my dance (+1STR +3DEX) - train 3x/week on the pole, signed up for LEVEL 2 course block starting beginning of March and am super excited as it took me a year to feel confident in Level 1+, literally levelling up here, wheeeeeee - keep up 15min or more of yoga 5x/ week chill-out sessions, flexibility and easing into the morning count as well Bonus level: train one new pose/week, either yoga or pole The bonus level won't get any points, but will feel good, therefore - bonus Quest 2: Level up my strength (+2STR +3STA) - train 2x/week with dumbbells am a total newbie with this, only tried it out once so far, but loved it and am curious what it will do for my strength to make the pole moves easier, plus hoping for a little weight loss, which will also make the pole moves easier got us good training plan (seems to me) and will start with 50% of max weight to ease into it and make sure technique is good before adding more weight - does that sound right to you guys?? - train 3x/week HIIT with skipping rope for heart strength did my second training with that today, 3sets of 1 minute fast skipping with 1 min slow skipping for rest in-between. Am proud to say this time I managed better and counted 110 skips/min, let's see how many I can do at the end of this challenge, let's gain some speeeeeeeeeeed Bonus level: add foam rolling for more mobility 2-3x/week This is, if there is time, but I could add it in after the HIIT sessions as they really don't take long or maybe after pole training at home, too, to prevent DOMS, will have to see what works best Quest 3: Level up my balance (+1WIS +2CON) - keep up the email ninja 5x/week being in and out so quickly no one can even see me - loved it during the last challenge, definite keeper - level up the water intake to 2 liters/day for 4x/week and 2,5 liters for 3x/week 2 Liters is good, but 2,5 is often better, don't want to do this too strict but give my body room for day-to-day feedback in its needs. It's just if I drink any less than those 2 liters, I don't feel my natural thirst so much any more whereas if I do drink those 2 liters regularly I do feel when I need more Bonus level: be pro-active on a medium or long-term work project for 30min 3x/week they tend to be left aside, but every time I kick my ass to proceed on them it gives me a huge boost overall. Plus they mean more income long-term Quest 4: Level up my joy (+1WIS +2CHA) - keep up the daily meditation - spend 15min or more on something fun and creative (drawing, baking, playing games with kids, playing my harp again - which I haven't done in years, try new recipe, embroidery, gardening, rearranging a part of the house,...) Bonus level: spend daily quality time with at least one family member or good friend I spend so much of my day being there for other people that this part can come short and I really don't want it to. These are the most important people in my life, I will treasure them more consciously again Sooooooooo, here's to new powers and joy, fellow rebels, let's take off into a GRAND Challenge!! Before pics and measurements will follow still, although I might be lazy and just use the after ones from last challenge as the one week probably didn't make that much difference... Will rather feed the thread with up-to-date pole achievements throughout the challenge

The last few challenges, that didn't go so well, made me realize that I have lost focus on my main goal of improving my Karate kicks. It's time to go back to my roots and focus this challenge on making my kicks better. 1. Focus, focus focus on improving my kicks by kicking every day. If I want to continue improving my kicks and I really do, I need to kick more often. I need to do at least 1 side thrust kick and 1 roundhouse kick for each leg, each day. I know, anyone can do 4 kicks a day but I want to be able to do this every day and not have any excuses that I'm too sore or too tired to do them. 2. Work dem hips 4 times a week. Did I really just type work dem hips??? I guess I did. I need to have my hips and glutes working at peak performance. My kicks are always better when I work my hips and glutes and this time, I need to do some type of hip and or glute workout 4 times a week. This workout can consist of: The 2-minute workout for strong and powerful glutes or Cheechoe's awesome hip routine or Some evil workout plan of my own that includes lying side leg raises, glute bridges, band shuffles and other goodies to get awaken the hip and butt muscles. The nice thing about the hip workout is, every time I do Cheechoe's hip routine, I am also getting in my daily kicks! I like combinations! 3. Without the core, everything else falls apart right? 3 times a week. The hara, the center of the body or the core, no matter what you call it, I need some more so that I can move from it. Move from your hara my Sensei told me many times and push the knot of your obi forward. Needless to say, when I tighten my lower abs, my kata and kihon really improves. Not only does my posture get better, I move from lower body and not my chest and shoulders. What's the point you ask? The point is, I need to get my abs and lower back in better shape and I will work them 3 times a week. I am seeing planks, v-sits, cable crunches, dead lifts and other fun stuff happening with this part of my challenge. Life goal: Find some Zen! I really need to relax. I am letting too many things stress me out and I need to find some Zen to find my happy place. The goal is to mediate 3 times a week for at least 2 minutes but longer if possible. As always, this is subject to change.....

Wasn't really sure what section to put this in, hopefully here is ok. Anyone got any thoughts on the above? I've recently been having a bit of trouble with my forearm and my shoulder. After lots of reading, scaling back my training and finally asking my mum it seems i'm riddled with muscle knots/trigger points (i'm not sure if they are the same thing or not). Are foam rollers the best thing for these? Using a tennis ball and the wall i've deduced i've got knots/points on my infraspinatus, as i get pain referral to the front of my shoulder and down my arm when i put pressure there. I've also got a biggy on my forearm (its actually caused a visible lump) that i'm having trouble getting rid of. I can get it to go down using pressure but after a while it just comes back. Any suggestions? Would active recovery help me prevent getting these again in the future? I've been toying with the idea of going back to swimming on my off days anyway, if that would also help this problem then i'd deffo do it. Thanks all