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I bought a Muay Thai bag. It's 6 ft, 150 lbs, unfilled. Does anyone have any tips, or instructions, or links for how to fill one? I've found a couple of videos, on YouTube, but I wanted to see if anyone, here, had any other good resources for this. Thanks, everyone!

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%

Overview / Motivation: By the time this challenge starts I should be getting used to life with our second child and limited sleep. When we had our first child, I ended up going on a 4 month workout hiatus and I REALLY want to avoid that this time around. I want to embrace the change at hand and create as much of a daily structure as possible in order to be the best husband and father I can be while taking care of my health. It won't be easy, but nothing worth while ever is! Main Quest: Maintain my current fitness level while I adjust to life with 2 kids and no sleep Side Quests: Average 3 Heavy Bag-Resistance Band Circuits / Week Points Potential: STA+5 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Complete 1 NerdFitness Yoga Sessions / Week Points Potential: DEX+2 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Average 140 grams of Protein / Day Points Potential: STR+3 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Life Quest: Read The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz Points Potential: WIS+5 A= Read > 90% B= Read > 80% C= Read > 70% F= Read < 70%

I was originally going to post this is in the Gear Questions sub-forum, but figured it might be better here since Monks are the people who would primarily hit something. I'm in the process of trying to find a decent used heavy bag for my basement gym, and I'm curious on a couple things. First, what sort of weight do you guys prefer? I'm seeing anywhere from 40lb to 100lb bags. Second, is there anything to be careful of? I know previously I had one (like 10 years ago, was one of my roommates) where the sand or whatever was in the bag seemed to get really hard near the bottom, so I was wondering if there was something I needed to take better care of it or that I should check for before buying one.

Overview / Motivation: I'm very excited for this challenge since I may need to do some temporary overhauls to my challenges for a while after this one. My wife and I are expecting baby #2 around April 20th, so I'm anticipating needing to go into maintenance mode for a while during our adjustment period to no sleep and increased craziness. To add to that fun, I am working to launch my blog before the baby comes as well, so likely during this challenge. So in the meantime, let's push some weights around and get after it! Main Quest: Hit the following benchmarks in strength and stamina: Bench Press 250 lbs. Squat 250 lbs. Complete 20 Pull Ups Side Quests: Average 3 Weight Training Sessions & 1 Heavy Bag-Resistance Band Circuit / Week Points Potential: STR+5 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Complete 2 NerdFitness Yoga Sessions / Week Points Potential: DEX+3 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Average Running 2 Miles / Week Points Potential: STA+2 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Life Quest: Read Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin Points Potential: WIS+5 A= Read > 90% B= Read > 80% C= Read > 70% F= Read < 70%

Hi all, A little background for you: 44yo, 308lbs (down from 350) with a target of 250 in July 2016. I'm doing treadmill/elliptical 4-5 days per week and I'm 6 weeks or so into SL5x5. I'm eating a modest deficit with a 2lb /week goal. Protein strong, whole grains only, nothing boxed. For some reason, I have the idea of adding a heavy bag to my home gym... I guess I want to hit some stuff and do something with my new found and developing strength. So, I'm wondering: Is there a good place for the heavy bag in my routine? Or will it just interfere with recovery from my lifting sessions? It would be a month or more away before I'd add it. I'm thinking it would allow me some upper body cardio (and a little stress relief). Do any of you make use of a heavy bag? If so, how do you incorporate it? Thanks, Matt

will clean up and polish it later but here is the new challenge ideas 6 week challenge Goal 1: Fitness 25 Pushups in 1 go1 unassisted Pullup75 situpsComplete Daily Hero Journey WorkoutGoal 2: Job -Apply to 3 different companies OR -Start new Job Goal 3: Reading -Finish Book For of A Song Of Fire And Ice: A Feast for Crows Goal 4: Life -Meditate for atleast 15 minutes every day (can be sitting quietly on the couch with coffee, at gym with headphones in w/e as long as I take time to center myself I have also decided to add into this challenge 3 more mini goals MG1: going sober~ no alcohol of any kind for the next 6 weeks MG2: Natures energy~ No caffinated beverages(i.e. Coffee/soda) for 6 weeks MG3: You gotta pay to play~ Cheat jar in effect $1 for things I shouldn't eat (per item so a mean consisting of 5 things I shouldn't eat is $5) Missed workout =$5 (unless for medical/injury reasons)

Main Quest: This quest will go beyond this challenge (and probably the next few), but my main quest is to hit the following benchmarks in strength and dexterity/stamina: · Bench Press 300 lbs. · Squat 300 lbs. · Complete 20 Pull Ups · Complete 20 Minutes of Hill Sprints (NerdFitness Academy: Ranger Quest) Side Quests: Average 3 15-20 Minute Weightlifting Routines per week · Will be based on core lifts (Bench, Squat, Deadlift and some auxiliary lifts) Points Potential: STR +5 Grading: A= Average 3 lift per week B= Average 2 lifts per week C= Average 1 lift per week F= Average 0 lifts per week Complete daily static stretching & mediation (Zen12 Program –12 minute guided meditations that I will listen to upon waking up or before bed Points Potential: CON +3, WIS +2 Grading A= Average daily meditation and stretching B= Average 90 % of both meditation and stretching C= Average 80 - 89% of both meditation and stretching D= Average 70-79 % of both meditation and stretching F= Average <70% of both meditation and stretching Complete ’14 Days to 100 Burpees’ Challenge from the Coach App & Average 2 Heavy Bag Routines per week · Still need to buy the heavy bag, but looking forward to working this into my routine as soon as it is hooked up! Points Potential: STA +3, DEX +2 Grading A= Average 2 Heavy Bag Workouts and Complete Burpee Challenge B= Average 2 Heavy Bag Workouts and Complete 90% Burpee Challenge C= Average 1 Heavy Bag Workouts and Complete 80% Burpee Challenge D= Average 1 Heavy Bag Workouts and Complete 70% Burpee Challenge F= Average <1 Heavy Bag Workouts and Complete 600% Burpee Challenge Life Quest: N/A for this Challenge Points Potential: N/A Grading N/A Motivation: Returning to the Rangers from a good challenge with the Druids where I tried to get my mind right and a greater sense of balance. Helped me get my head around some new tools to keep a cool head and beat down some of the stress monsters. Now it’s time to start to work lifting and some endurance work back in. Focusing on shorter lifts to start as my schedule has crushed me recently have I haven’t lifted since my wife’s maternity leave ended the first week of October, 2014. Thought long and hard about Steve’s post on ‘respawning’ and feel like this is my opportunity to start small and rebuild. Initial Stats (1/5/2015) Race: Human Age: 30 Height: 5’10†Weight:184.5 BMI: Body Fat %: 14.1% Waist: Hips: Chest: Bicep: Thigh: Calf: Neck: 15

We stood in the middle of the courtyard, formed into straight ranks. It was funny, when we first arrived at the camp, we had struggled to line up in the most basic fashion. Under the watchful guise of the training sergeants and their intense training regime, we learned quickly. Most of us had arrived soft and weak, not at all ready for the sergeants to break us. Now though, we stood tall and strong in the heat of the harsh Rakelian sun. Our backs straight, eyes forward, we met the eyes of the training sergeants as they walked around us. Every one of us had earned the right to meet them in the eye. They were superiors in rank, in training, in experience, but we were not the ‘mud-excreting recruits’ we once were. Captain Daure looked over the column one final time before he gave us one slow nod of approval. It was a sign for the soldiers around us to drag forth the heavy crates that lay at their feet and break them open. Inside each was a set of boiled leather armor and a short-sword, standard issue armament for those of our rank. “Each one of you,†the Captain said, “have struggled and fought. You’ve made it to the end of your stay here at the training camp. However,†he paused and looked a few of us in the eye, “that doesn’t make you soldiers of the Archon yet. You are not yet worthy to have our brand.†“Each one of you has earned the right to fight, and die, for the red flag of Rakelis. You are each hereby inducted to the Auxiliary Force.†He smiled, “Should you survive your first assignment and complete the remainder of your training, you will receive the rank of soldier, and be a true man of this country.†The soldiers started to pass out the equipment while I felt the folded piece of paper in my pocket. The paper I had received the final day of my training, alerting me of my promotion. The paper so many others wanted desperately to receive. Congratulations, you’ve leveled up and achieved the rank of Auxiliary! Previous Challenge Goals: Workout At Least Three Times a Week Completed Earned- STR+2, STA +1, DEX +1, CON +1 Complete Five Pull-ups Without a Break Completed Earned- STR+2, DEX +2, CHA +1 Run a Mile Without Stopping for Rest Earned- STA+3, CON+1, CHA+1 Write 500 Words Five Days a Week Partially Completed WIS+2 Current Challenge: Well, it’s been really busy for me, and I haven’t been on Nerdfitness as much as I liked, hence why I never put up a big post to wrap up my last challenge. I did manage to complete just about all of my goals, with the exception of my writing goal (which flagged towards the end of the challenge). I am super proud of myself and how far I’ve come. I’m around 177 pounds now, and I recently bench pressed a plate on each side (so 135 pounds!!!), and I can do pull-ups now like there is no tomorrow (and by that, I mean around 10 before I collapse). My next post will have my goals for this challenge. I know I’m a bit late, but at least I’ve still been going to the gym regularly. My biggest problem with creating goals this challenge is that there is the possibility I’ll have to alter them if I end up having to move for the summer. I currently live in a dorm (which means access to a gym!), but there’s a possibility I won’t be able to stay over the summer and I’ll move back home (where there’s no gym), so I may have to end up changing the goals to correspond more to bodyweight exercises.