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Hi everyone! This is going to be my first challenge on Nerd Fitness, so I'm pretty hyped for it. I've been feeling too down, too out of shape, too mortal, now it's time to CHANGE! Stop Having Crap Technique Mastering Technique! 1) Cartwheel Mastery (2,000 Cartwheels) I've been trying to work on my Aerial but to no avail (I kinda just keep falling...), so I figure a likely reason is that I have not yet really mastered the cartwheel. The same way that I managed to land a tornado kick by just spamming roundhouse and crescent kicks over and over and over again, I can likely have a much better time learning an aerial if I have the cartwheel completely down. So by the end of these four weeks, I'll have done 2,000 cartwheels, and hopefully be on my way to this in future challenges: 2) Butterfly Kick Mastery (2,000 Butterfly Kicks) Another trick I've been working on is my butterfly twist. Similar to the above situation, a butterfly kick is the prerequisite to a butterfly twist, and if my butterfly kicks aren't top notch, then I probably won't have a decent butterfly twist either. At the moment, my b-kicks don't look too great, and I definitely have flaws in my form. The only way I learned to execute a good roundhouse kick or crescent kick was by practicing them over and over and over, so by practicing the butterfly kick 2,000 times in these upcoming four weeks, I should be set, and on my way to this in future challenges: Stop Feeling Weak Build Beast-Like Endurance! 3) Back into Pushups (1,000 Spiderman Pushups) I used to be a lot better at pushups, but finals took a toll on me and now being home for the summer has been very unmotivating, especially given how much my parents shelter me, so I'm quite a bit out of shape. I will work on doing spiderman pushups every day, just to get back into the swing of things before heading back to college. (Spiderman pun not intended but I chuckled when I realized) 4) Handstand Endurance (Hold a Wall Handstand for 60 Seconds) Handstands are feats of balance, endurance, and mental resistance. My longest free handstand thus far has been 10 seconds, and my longest wall handstand around 30, I believe. In these four weeks, I will work up to a consistent 30, and then a consistent 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, and finally 60 second wall handstand. From here, hopefully I can move off the wall and improve my handstands overall Stop Having a Cluttered Mind Conquer My Mind! 5) Getting Back into Meditation (5 Minute Daily Meditation) I used to be able to meditate for about an hour and a half at a time, but that was around a year ago; I was 17 and I had a bit more free time outside academics. Over time I just abandoned the habit, but it's time to get back into it. I have time now, during the summer, so I'll make it a habit again before academics takes over, and keep it this time. 5 minutes of daily sitting meditation. And that's it, my first 4-week challenge, I look forward to it and to feeling just a bit less mortal

Hello Again, Musicians! The Practice Room is still around! This group is open to any and all musicians looking to dedicate time to our Perform skill. Any looking to join, first please make a post about yourself and what you do for music. What do you play? What part do you sing? Anything fun we should know? Then, follow the thread. WELCOME!!

Hey guys I have a question for ya. Would it be beneficial to do yoga routines in between work outs on rest days? I'm a beginner trying to build up some muscle and strength and the idea just popped into my head. I've never done yoga before so some basic routines and tips would be much appreciated.

I have been doing bouldering for a few months now, using a couple of misproduced cheapies that i picked up for about 30$. However, I happen to be 15 years old, and still growing, so last week they turned out to have gotten so small, that my feet began to hurt while i climbed. What i'm looking for here, is some basic knowledge about brands, features, quality etc, so that I know what to look for, and what to stay away from, as i'm planning to get a new couple as soon as possible. -lm3755

Greetings Rebels! I'm a new member, with my wife having only discovered this fantastic community about a week ago. We've both learned a TON, and I wanted to hop in and give back to the community, even if it is only a small amount. Food has always been a huge part of my life. I started cooking when I was 10, and I never stopped. It's empowering and fun, and I am always trying to get people to give it a try. Like any new skill it can be a bit intimidating and the vast amounts of information needed to do it really well is a daunting thing to commit to memory, but the end result is totally worth it. About 5 years ago, I found a great informational source that changed the way I approach cooking, and, since this is a community of nerds, I wanted to pass it along to those who don't know about it. Two simple words: Good Eats This may be old hat for many of you; after all, the show has 13 seasons behind it and Alton Brown has surfaced as one of many culinary stars. For those of you who don't know, Mr. Brown has created the most nerd-friendly cooking show I have ever seen. Not only does he cook amazing food, but he breaks down the science of how it works and specific techniques you need to pull it off. As he often describes, his show is one part Julia Child, one part Mr. Wizard and one part Monty Python. It's an amazing way to learn about cooking. Plus, he has sock puppets. SOCK PUPPETS! Seriously, though, if you have trouble perfecting a certain dish or just aren't certain what is the best way to cook your favorite food, he's got the answers. He dedicates many of his shows to a single food item - Broccoli, eggs, salt (yep, a 1 hour special on salt) - and they are a wealth of knowledge. Whenever I'm not quite certain how to proceed on a new dish, I search up the Good Eats episode on the food item in question and my questions are always answered. While not all of it is health-friendly (and he acknowledges that) most of it is adaptable into your current culinary concoctions. If you are new to cooking and don't know where to start learning or you are looking for ways to up your game, give it a shot. I look forward to being part of such a sweet community! -David

After 3 adventurous challenges with many valuable discoveries and a small pile of treasure, whispers of war have been overheard. There is unrest in the east, the time has come to defend the lands, put the backpack down and pickup the barbell. If you’ll have me, I will join the warrior clan for this challenge and prepare myself for war! The first challenge was all about finding the reverse gear, putting the brakes on some bad habits and forming some new ones. It was a huge success. The second challenge was all about making weight, I finally broke a 4 year goal to go sub 80kg and get into my 'healthy' BMI range. It made me feel better all round. The third challenge was about consolidation, basic strength and preparation. Challenge 4 is all about education, experimentation and strength. Goals: Goal 1 – Learn tactical manoeuvres. (WIS 5) Read Starting Strength from cover to cover.Read The Primal Blueprint from cover to coverFind my lifting gurus and be brave enough to ask for help when I need itGoal 2 – Complete basic training (STA 1, STR 4) Complete the Rebel Strength Guide Barbell Battalion phase 1 (3 weeks to go).Start the Rebel Strength Guide Barbell Battalion phase 2Try my first PLP, commit to 30 days. This will also be my first PVP...if I can find somebody that wants to do it.Goal 3 – Fuel the tank. (CON 1, WIS 1) 80% Paleo during the challenge. This is 17 full Paleo meals per week.Limit alcohol to 8 occassions during the challenge. This has been a tough nut to crack, I didn’t make my once a week goal during the last challenge so I will have another slightly modified attempt at this. Experiment with Calorie levels. I think I may need to eat more calories now I have started lifting. Goal 4 – Clean out and replenish the armoury (WIS 2, CON 1) Tidy up my tools in the garage.Get either a squat stand or a power rack setup so I can lift safely.Paint or replace the damn wardrobe doors that have needed doing for 10 monthsClean up the kick panels in the kitchen which have not been done since it was finished.Make at least 3 music playlists of 20 songs each . This worked well in my last challenge so I am repeating it here Measurements: I will add measurements before the challenge starts on Monday. Mini goals: I keep these from previous challenges but don't score attribute points against them. These are new habits that have improved my well being and are now integrated. - limit caffeine to 1 cup of tea a day - cut out soda completely Rewards: - Finish everything on Goal 4 means any spare weekend time left during the challenge can be used for surfing, badminton, squash or video games instead of chores. - There will be another reward, not sure what yet…. Excited to be joining the warriors, meeting some new people and getting into strength, let's fire up and get to it

Hey guys! I've been doing a free-weights lifting routine for almost three weeks now, and the only thing I'm struggling with are deadlifts. I have good form with presses, squats, and rows, but I go to do a deadlift and am totally lost! Our gym requires the use of bumper plates with the barbell when doing deadlifts, but with the bumper plates on (they are 45 pounds each) there is NO way I can lift it. There is a rack of smaller, what I'm calling barbells, but am not really sure if that's what they are....they're like half the length of an olympic barbell, and essentially look like stretched out dumbbells. They come from 20lbs - 60lbs, in 5lb increments. I use these for my shoulder presses and bent-over rows and they work great. I've used them twice for deadlifts...Once doing 'regular' DLs, with what was probably horrible form, and once, just the other day, doing straight-leg DLs. The problem with these is that they are so little I can't place them on the ground after each rep without rounding my back. Also, I had no idea where to start weight-wise, so I used a 35 (what I used for my shoulder presses) and felt pathetic. I didn't really feel the burn at the time, they seemed way too easy, and I hear that DL weights should be really high (not starting out, of course, but should it be that LOW starting out?) My hamstrings are screaming after the straight-legs, so I guess it did something. My question is, are these the right kind of bars I should use to deadlift? Is my weight too low? Should I be putting the bar on the floor after each rep, or can I hold it above the ground a few inches and hold for a few seconds before standing up again? I want to incorporate deadlifts more than anything right now, but want to be sure that I'm using the right equipment and the right weight. I'll have to study up on technique and have my lifting partner check me out next time I do it! Thanks in advance Oh, and if this makes a difference, I'm female, 22, 5'2", and 170lbs.