A Wild Pecs Appeared!

[Pecs]

Hello!

 

Pecs here! I decided to make my own battle log to make things easier for myself. I was out of internet for a while and had to keep journal on paper. It was fun for a while but doing things digitally is just so much more easy and organized after all! For all those that don't know me, the gif below says all you need to know about me I think.

(Literally me ^)

 

Some Goals! 

 

1. Finish Hero's Journey on Darebee

 

I get bored of doing the same stuff for too long. Also my fitness level is at the point where doing pretty much anything is good for me. So 2 month rpg fitness program... For free? Yes, I'm doing it. It's fun and challenging and I only hate it a little bit!

 

2. 151 Healthy Habits 

 

I found one of those articles that listed things that you really should be doing but most probably aren't. And I figured out this needed changing. So I'll be at least trying one of the 151 tips every day!

 

3. Some long-ish term goals I want to accomplish but won't stress about

 

-1 pullup

-10 pushups in a row

-Piston squats

-2 minute plank DONE

-3 minute plank

-5km running without a break

-Splits

[aramis]

HEY! 

Good to see again my favorite Finn... Finlanderinn... Finland Citizen  (how the hell you call your folk anyway?)

 

I like your goals, especially they are similar to mine in a way (running, pullup). If you need ideas on working towards them, just say a word.

 

Can you link this 151 habits? I'm intrigued. 

[Jean]

Ermagherd, what does the Pokédex say?

 

I like your goals. Have fun on your journey.

[Pecs]

42 minutes ago, aramis said:

HEY! 

Good to see again my favorite Finn... Finlanderinn... Finland Citizen  (how the hell you call your folk anyway?)

 

I like your goals, especially they are similar to mine in a way (running, pullup). If you need ideas on working towards them, just say a word.

 

Can you link this 151 habits? I'm intrigued. 

 

Good to be back! (Also Finnish is the word you're looking for! Or Finn if we wanna be less formal :D) 

 

Also my goals are just kinda there for the moment. I kind of want to get better into the routine of things and try stuff out before going back to doing same or similar stuff all over again. Hopefully better fitness level means I'm passively working towards them too tho! 

 

Here's the link to the 151 habits/things. It's very cliché but hey, it's still solid stuff

https://thenaturalside.com/healthy-habits-list/

 

35 minutes ago, Jean said:

Ermagherd, what does the Pokédex say?

 

I like your goals. Have fun on your journey.

 

... "This Pokémon can usually be found lazing around, but can be distracted into action by shiny things." ... Probably? 

 

And thank you! 

[Pecs]

Today was super easy! It's day 8 of my program and thankfully  rest day. So that means I just had to do a little core workout! <3

 

Exercise 

Part 1, 3 sets with 2 min rest between sets:

 

10 situps

10 sitting twists

10 reverse crunches 

10 crunch kicks

10 leg raises

10 raised leg circles 

 

Part 2, 3 sets with 60s rest between sets:

10 Superman stretches 

 

Healthy habit of the day: Complete this sentence to start your day. "I love myself because I-..."

 

I have lots of reasons but I'm going to keep them private Main thing is I had a great and positive start for the day! (I would have started this list from #1 but I found this after I woke up today.  So we're starting tomorrow with #1: wake up early!) 

 

[Pecs]

Oh god I'm so happy I survived today. It was a fight. (it's like noon, but I got my exercise done so the hardest part is over!) 

 

Hero's journey was super mean today. SUPER MEAN! You got a choice between a reasonable exercise and 200 jump squats. Actually wait lemme screenshot this, u can see it with your own eyes. 

 

 

This?? This is not a choice!!!! Of course I have to do the cooler one! 

 

So I spent yesterday night and the morning today stressing about this. Cause 200 jump squats sounds easy but it's not. It really is not. And what do I do if I run out of steam? Go halfway, drop out, and do the reasonable exercise??!? No way, that's too lame! 

 

Do I did 200 jump squats. Some people would not have called the ones after midpoint that anymore but I did my best okay. I was dying. Especially after it. Like, couldn't sit down for over 5 minutes cause it felt like my heart would jump out of my chest, lungs burning, dying. Okay. That totally counts even if my form sucked. Okay? OKAY! Also the program told me to bask in my awesomeness for choosing this so it obviously agrees with me. 

 

And about the 151 habits... Well I was supposed to wake up early but it's vacation and I had really interesting dream that was rudely interrupted by my alarm. So I had to go back to sleep just to see what happens next, you know. Totally reasonable. So let's try again tomorrow and have a bit more discipline maybe

 

Habit #3 was: Put on your Gym Clothes. Now this was a bit confusing to me since essentially I work out 7 days a week. I put them on every day anyway.  So I decided to put on gym clothes right after I got out of bed, just so I could feel more intense dread about the upcoming workout while going through my morning routine. Honestly tho, it might have helped a bit with me just deciding to get it over and done with. Also reminded me to do my daily dare first thing in the morning! This PvP is giving me and my competitive side life <3

[Jean]

Total respect.

 

Also, good plan catching that habit tomorrow. Have a Timer Ball to help with it.

 

[Pecs]

Yeaterday was mean but today was hard. Mentally and physically. But I managed! I just felt (who am I kidding still feel) like crying because of exhaustion. 

 

Honestly. Workout today:

 

Part 1: 

Pushups to failure

40 punches

Wide pushups to failure

x7 with 2 min rest. 

 

Oh my god. I thought there was something wrong with me and that either my diet sucked or that I was over training because I had literally. No. Strenght. Then I realized that, no, it's just the exercise. Who does something to failure 14 TIMES? Me apparently, that's who. Honestly the last set was me almost crying while managing 4 pushups on my knees with very, very shaky arms. 

 

Now at this point I was dead but we still had part 2. So I took a break, washed the dishes, and realized that the optional training I had chosen to work with for this challenge was planks and pullups. 

 

 

Part 2

 

3 sets pullups to failure

 

AND

 

60s plank

2min rest 

60s elbow plank

2 min rest

60s plank 

Done

 

Pullups were sad. Really sad. So super sad I can't even tell you. Usually I try to do both active holds and negatives but today I just did some chair assisted ones with very generous rest time between sets. I was looking forward to doing pullups too

 

Surprisingly planks were the real killer today. Confession, I didn't feel a thing in my core. I think it must be because I was busy focusing on trying to keep my burning, shaking arms supporting me First time when arm strenght has ever been a challenge to me when it comes to planks for sure. Also something I realized while writing this! I misread the instructions the first time I read them and had 1m breaks instead of the 2 I could have had. Great way to add difficulty like today wasn't hard enough

 

Edit: I forgot to mention! Finally managed to wake uo early! Now I just need to actually get out of bed as soon as I wake up to have something to brag about! 

[Jean]

You know what? All this looks terrifically badass but there?

8 hours ago, Pecs said:

So I took a break, washed the dishes

There you really got me feeling for you.

 

Doing dishes with arms sore from 'till failure pushups? That's got to hurt.

 

Also:

8 hours ago, Pecs said:

Finally managed to wake uo early!

Yay!

 

Total badassity

 

I'm in awe.

 

[Pecs]

15 hours ago, Jean said:

You know what? All this looks terrifically badass but there?

There you really got me feeling for you.

 

Doing dishes with arms sore from 'till failure pushups? That's got to hurt.

 

Also:

Yay!

 

Total badassity

 

I'm in awe.

 

 

Haha! Thank you! Nevermind arms hurting, the real stress factor was when I tried to wash the more pricy coffee cups without breaking them

 

[Pecs]

Today was relatively easy. Well I should say moderately hard... but after the 2 days I've had? Yeah, easy.

 

I had a choice between easy, medium and hard workout. And I've learned my lesson okay. If there's a hard option, it will be hard. (Did I tell about the time before I started when I thought this was going to be something easy to add on top of some other workout?? Yeah it didn't turn out like that lol) 

 

So I chose the middle path! And it was very medium difficulty as promised (thankfully) 

 

Workout:

 

7 sets:

10 high knees

10 half jacks

10 squats

20 high knees 

20 half jacks

20 squats

 

Habit of the day: Workout before hopping in the shower. (happily, I was sweating so much!) 

 

Also as a side note, I'm so happy this program has some HIIT added in it too. I managed to gain ~5kg (11 pounds) in less thsn 2 months after smoking. Now, some of it is definitely muscle mass because it was also the time I started intensively working out. But 5kg in that time? That's not all muscle mass, no way. So I'm not seeing too much of a problem right now but I'm very much into working to solve this problem before it becomes a problem. 

 

Also extra note 2! This program is weird! I took the middle path and they added a penalty for that. For the easiest it was some type of added exercise lster, can't remember what. But for the middle? 30 mins with your eyes closed or blindfolded. Now I thought it would be a nice relaxation time but wow 30 minutes is a long time. I wouldn't even call it meditation I just got lost in thought. But wow, I need to spend some quiet time in my head in the future too cause right now it's a surprisingly scary place. I get a feeling it's not supposed to be like that

 

Extra note 3! (last one I promise!) Added some split training to my cooldown and splits in my goals because I need to do some work with my leg flexibility too. 

[Pecs]

Most probably have an infection in my leg. Gonna go have it checked at doctors tomorrow. No workout today, will update more tomorrow! 

[Jean]

Sending a thought. Take care.

 

[Pecs]

Turns out I had just a very bad allergic reacrion to a bug bite. Ugh what a reason to skip a workout but you have to be careful with these things

 

Edit: Most probably skipping today too. We're celebrating my bday a day late and I'm getting myself a switch and botw to play with my family today <3 

[Pecs]

I'm alive! I'm back! I'm hopefully back on track! (I understand why Breath of the Wild got so many good reviews now. I got sucked in) 

 

But today decided to get my life back under control! Well I thought about doing it tomorrow since it's 11pm but found out it was just a bit of yoga. So no disturbing neighbors and got it done, yay! 

 

Too lazy to type stuff out so screenshot can do the talking to me

 

 

My reclining hero was not like the pose above but I did my best as always

 

(Tomorrow I need to leave the house early and I'm sleeping at friends overnight. Let's hope tomorrow won't be too bad.)

 

Also no habit today! Because I thought I wasn't doing anything today and didn't look at what I was supposed to be doing

[Pecs]

Today's workout:

 

Pushups to failure

20 side chops

20 infinity chops 

2 min rest 

Set x7

 

Pullups to failure: x3 (chair assisted because couldn't do negatives this time either) 

 

2 minutes plank x3 through the day. 

(did only 1, might have to do the other 2 another day cause I'm staying over at friends today) 

 

So feeling a bit bummed. Turns out I did my pushups wrong. What I was doing was more like wide pushups and with my elbows all over the place So back to square 1 with pushups I guess. It's way harder the right way. 

 

Have a pic because it's hard to describe stuff:

 

 

BUT!!!!!!!!! I'm gonna end on high note! I just did a 2 minute plank! I didn't think I could do it but since it was in my program I had to at least try! So 1 goal done, going to change it to 3 minutes next! 

 

Also daily habit today: warm up before workout. Done

[aramis]

23 minutes ago, Pecs said:

Turns out I did my pushups wrong

Ask someone to film/photo you from behind or side when you do push-ups. I was sure I did them wrong (arms too wide), but it turned out my arms are at about 45 degree angle from body, which is fine. Keeping elbows so close to your sides as in this picture is counterproductive, because it excludes some chest muscles from the movement. 

 

26 minutes ago, Pecs said:

I just did a 2 minute plank!

WOW! I don't think I can do 1 min... gotta try

[Pecs]

2 hours ago, aramis said:

Ask someone to film/photo you from behind or side when you do push-ups. I was sure I did them wrong (arms too wide), but it turned out my arms are at about 45 degree angle from body, which is fine. Keeping elbows so close to your sides as in this picture is counterproductive, because it excludes some chest muscles from the movement. 

 

WOW! I don't think I can do 1 min... gotta try

 

I'm super confused. I guess I'll just like do whatever feels best and try different things since I've had like 4 different people have differing opinions on this

 

And thank you! The thing about planks is that it sucks and you feel like you can't do it but it's all in your head. You can force yourself to do it much longer than what your body tries to tell you

[aramis]

On 7/18/2019 at 3:00 PM, Pecs said:

You can force yourself to do it much longer than what your body tries to tell you

I'll be damned... just did 1min

I felt all my muscles shake from 20th second, but I managed to hold it  To be honest, I'd probably would hold 15 sec more, but my lower back was killing me. 

[Pecs]

Today was easy! Just some sweat work and my sore arms loved the movements. More days like this please! 

 

Once again a screenshot cause it's way easier than trying to describe stuff. 

 

 

Doing it all nonstop was surprisingly easy. Did lvl 2 as always so 50 reps each

 

Also did the 2x 2min planks I skipped on yesterday. Those were not so fun. 

 

Habit of the day: Keep track of your daily progress in your training log. Which is done right bout now :p 

[Pecs]

2 minutes ago, aramis said:

I'll be damned... just did 1min

I felt all my muscles shake from 20th second, but I managed to hold it  To be honest, I'd probably would hold 15 sec more, but my lower back was killing me. 

 

Haha, it's pain isn't it! Absolute torture

[Pecs]

I was completely defeated today. Feels bad

 

Today's workout:

 

10 jumping lunges

10 jumping jacks

10 jump squats

Pushups to failure 

20 side chops

20 infinity chops

 

Set x5 with 3 min rest 

 

I was supposed to do minium 5 sets, max points at 10. So I was aiming at 7 like I've done always this far but no. I tried going for 6th round, did 4 jumping lunges and then my legs just refused to jump. I feel betrayed. Also defeated. And dead tired. Eff today and jumping lunges, always hated those anyway. Hmph! 

 

Habit today was supposed to be to go for a walk early but I woke up at noon instead. Argh! Tomorrow I'll do better, I'm so mad at myself!! 

[Pecs]

Rest day today! That means just some abs and done! My program had.... Something? But I was deep in youtube looking at other people do abs and just did some ones that looked fun. Sometimes you have to rebel a bit

 

Didn't even check the daily habit today because I decided it was time to start putting my apartment together. I was pissed off and stressed out no matter where I went/looked. So I spent the day putting stuff away and will start deep cleaning tomorrow. Hopefully I'll stay motivated and I can finally get to step 3 organizing/ getting rid of stuff. 

 

Also fun thing today! I've been feeling pretty bummed out cause I feel like I'm not seeing results. Like my weight keeps steadily going up but like... Is it a good thing...? Anyway. So I'm watching this fitness youtube trying to teach people how to get a body like hers and I'm like??? Why you flexing? I have a body like that! What even- wait. Oh. 

 

Turns out I might be in pretty good shape. Even without my back muscles showing properly and without a sixpack. So I should maybe be a little kinder towards myself... It's hard tho. I keep wanting to get better, measurable results and feel bummed without seeing any. 

 

(Speaking of, would it be too much to add running on top of 7 workouts a week????????? Is this crazy talk??) 

[aramis]

1 hour ago, Pecs said:

would it be too much to add running on top of 7 workouts a week?

What kind of timezone you live in? 7 workouts a week and still you have a rest day? 

 

It may be good for burning calories, but what about time for regenerating your muscles? IF you do isolated workouts, it MAY work for you, but with workouts consisting compound moves it's good way towards injury. 

If you want to drop some weight, just eat less. I know what I'm talking - I can't stop 

[Pecs]

34 minutes ago, aramis said:

What kind of timezone you live in? 7 workouts a week and still you have a rest day? 

 

It may be good for burning calories, but what about time for regenerating your muscles? IF you do isolated workouts, it MAY work for you, but with workouts consisting compound moves it's good way towards injury. 

If you want to drop some weight, just eat less. I know what I'm talking - I can't stop 

 

Abs/core is definitely a workout but also a rest day. Cause it's easy. It only sucks a bit and I at least never feel sore. I could do abs everyday probably  So yeah. Active rest? Idek

 

And hmmmmm so far doing stuff daily is working pretty well. Like I feel antsy if I'm supposed to be doing nothing. And the way the program is made is that some days it's just focusing on getting your heart rate up and making you sweat. So you could basically call it cardio? 

 

Only problem I've had really is that there's usually pushups and pullups on the same day so I can't exactly give 100% on both cause my arms will just give out on me :/ But yeah, I'm trying to listen to my body and so far so good. I feel like I could push a bit harder actually