Wild Wolf: Renaissance Man of Lethality

[Wild Wolf]

 

 

I decided to just start fresh on this challenge then carry over my "OODA Loop" one I created last week. The idea behind the OODA Loop is still in place but mentally, I'm trying to morph into something else entirely. I'm trying to shapeshift into a Renaissance Man of Lethality. So what exactly is a "Renaissance Man of Lethality? Ironically, he's basically what a Nerd Fitness Ranger is: A jack-of-all-trades but master of none, Rangers are well equipped for any situation....and so is the RMoL (Renaissance Man of Lethality).

 

The video above breaks down a massive amount of things that a RMoL should have in his bag of tricks. Some of these "tricks" just are not obtainable at the moment, but I don't want to focus on the things I can't do. I want to focus on things I can. Things like:

 

• Fitness:
  • Power
  • Speed
  • Agility
  • Endurance
  • Flexibility
• Every Day Carry (EDC)
• Verbal Judo
• Military History

 

Now, on to things I would like to obtain at some point. (A lot of things are put on hold because of the COVID stuff😞

 

• Martial Arts
  • ground game
  • standing game
  • disarming
  • improvised weapons
• Emergency Medical
• Firearms
  • Pistol
  • Concealed Carry
  • Run-N-Gun
  • Rifle
  • Shotgun
  • Precision Shooting
• Cyber Security/IT
• Criminal Psychology
• Bushcraft

 

"Don't get tunnel visioned in to the sexy thing you saw on Instragram, in terms of 'THAT is self-defense and protection!'. Instead I want us to be really well balanced... so that if we were in a video game you would choose yourself as the avatar - as the good, well-rounded person of lethality." - John Lovell on "Be the Renaissance Man of Lethality"

 

So! How does this translate to my challenge goals. I'm so glad you asked  

 

Goal #1: Learning

 

A true Warrior Poet... a true Renaissance Man of Lethality is going to soak up as much knowledge as he possible can. He's going to read. He's going to research. He's going to be open to new ideas. He's going to be humble. He's going to be sensitive and vulnerable in the right situation. He's going to test theories, ideas and hypothesis. This goal will entail a few things. Reading is the first part. Instead of a goal to finish this book or that book, the goal is to read/listen for 7 hours a week. That's 1 hour a day. This can be reading a book on Military History. This could be reading a book on Verbal Judo. This could be meditating on the Bible... which is really something I should do every day anyways. But the goal is to read and learn and apply if applicable. The second part is teaching my kids what I know (and even what I don't know). If they ask me a question about WW2 Tanks. I want to do some research and watch documentaries with them that can help explain the various tanks in WW2 and how they functioned. If they want to know why the sky is blue or how big the sun is, I want to be able to tell them the correct answers and be involved with the development of their mind. We home school our kids and for the first time since they've been doing home school, I am able to be a teacher and a presence in their life that can help them find the answers to the questions they are seeking. The goal would be to find time, be it 10 min or 1 hour a day, in helping them answer life's most burning questions and expanding their minds.

 

Stats Earned: +4 WIS, +1 CHA

 

Goal #2: Lifting

 

Due to the fact that one day is still just 24 hours long, I needed to scale back my training. I'm not scaling back the intensity, just the days of the week i'm at the gym because 5+ days a week is just too much. Maybe not for me, but adding in more training days takes away from time I could be spending with my family. Luckily for me, I paid for a program last year from Athlean-X. The problem with last year is the workouts were taking 90 min to complete when I only had 60 min to train. Now that I'm working from home on a more permanent basis, working out for 90 min is no big deal. So, I'm going back to the BeaXst Program and starting at day 1. The program itself is 3x a week lifting, utilizing a full-body split. The days I'll be lifting are M/W/F. Tu/Th will be active recovery days (like yoga or KB metcons) as well as days I can help my wife train and help her reach her fitness goals too. I always forget to take before/after pics but I'm doing my before pics today, 09/08, and will be taking after pics at the end of the challenge,  10/17. I will post them for accountability. I'm also going to do better at writing my workouts down and tracking them as I progress through the program.

 

Stats Earned: +2 STR, +2 DEX, +1 END

 

Goal #3: Loving

 

If you've known me a while, you know I love my wife and kids. However, his is an area I want to improve. I want to be more purposeful about the time I spend with them. I want more date nights with my wife..even if our (almost) 18 mo old daughter has to tag along. I want to be more purposeful about doing things with my kids. I was listening to a podcast a while back called Dad Tired, which is a good podcast for all fathers out there, and he mentioned something he did with his two boys. Once a month, he would do something with them on they specific day they were born on. For example, Racer was born on May 4th, so, on the 4th of each month, I would do something special with him. And the same goes for the other boys. It doesn't have to be anything crazy. It could simply be playing with Lego's for an hour or drawing made up Pokemon. I've already missed Jamison's, Racer's and Declan's this month because they are the 1st, 4th and 5th respectively. Jamison's is tougher because we get him every other weekend so I won't always have him on the 1st of the month. I'll find time to make that up to them. And, as mentioned above, I want to find more time to have a "date night" with Heather. Trixie is still pretty clingy but she's recently started eating more solids the last month or so and she FINALLY sleeps in her own bed. It actually didn't take a lot of effort to get her used to that. It's been AMAZING to have our bed back to ourselves because you wouldn't believe the room that little girl can take up, lol. Anyways, because of the recent development's with Trixie, Heather and I should have more opportunities to get away with just the two of us for a couple hours. That's enough time to go have dinner or even see a movie! I want to make stuff like this a priority and continue to strengthen the relationship between my kids and my wife. 

 

Stats Earned: +1 WIS, +2 CHA, +2 CON

 

As you can see, a Renaissance Man of Lethality is going to be a continued work-in-progress. I doubt I'll ever reach a pinnacle of excellence because I feel like there's always so much more to learn and skills to sharpen. We'll take it one step at a time and that starts with keeping my challenge afloat lol. Happy Challenging, Nerds!

 

 

Wolf

[Elastigirl]

Love it! I learned so much while parenting/home schooling my son.

[Echoceanic]

43 minutes ago, Wild Wolf said:

Luckily for me, I paid for a program last year from Athlean-X.

 

Hey, another one who knows this dude. I tend to use his youtube channel for form tips.

 

44 minutes ago, Wild Wolf said:

I'll find time to make that up to them.

 

Make it the first week of the month you have them? 

 

44 minutes ago, Wild Wolf said:

If they ask me a question about WW2 Tanks. I want to do some research and watch documentaries with them

 

Honestly need is the funnest way to learn. You have no idea how many things I know to do I have started because I needed to explain to someone or something needed to get done. And you get both the I now know this' endorphins and the 'I fixed this' endorphins. 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Wolfie! I missed you!

 

[Wild Wolf]

41 minutes ago, Elastigirl said:

Love it! I learned so much while parenting/home schooling my son.

 

It's really taken me a few years to get on board with home schooling because I was a public school kid and enjoyed it. But, the more I realize the potential of home schooling, the more I warmed up to it. There's obviously some pro's and con's to either side, but I like the idea of being an influential figure in my kids schooling. I like to think I know a lot of stuff, so, teaching them is gonna be fun

 

10 minutes ago, Echoceanic said:

 

Hey, another one who knows this dude. I tend to use his youtube channel for form tips.

 

Jeff Cavalier is a badass dude. He's EXTREMELY knowledgeable. I had been watching his YT for about 6 months before I bought one of his programs because he's constantly giving out free tips and tricks and I found immense value in the free stuff. So, I wanted to support him from a paid perspective lol. What's one of your favorite tips you've used so far?

 

10 minutes ago, Echoceanic said:

 

Make it the first week of the month you have them? 

 

For sure. I was gonna make that up to them this week if all possible  

 

10 minutes ago, Echoceanic said:

Honestly need is the funnest way to learn. You have no idea how many things I know to do I have started because I needed to explain to someone or something needed to get done. And you get both the I now know this' endorphins and the 'I fixed this' endorphins. 

 

Boom! You're exactly correct. My kids ask me a LOT of questions. Some of them relevant, some of them not so much lol. My 6 yo is obsessed with megalodon sharks and the mosasaurus from Jurassic World and always asks how many teeth one has, who would win in a fight, are we sure they are extinct. He's also the one that constantly comes up with scenarios on how to kill Deadpool and when I explain how he can't die, it just baffles him, hahahaha.

 

6yo: "So what happens when a megalodon eats Deadpool? Will he die then?"

Me: "No, he would regenerate inside the meg's stomach and cut his way out."

 

12 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Wolfie! I missed you!

 

 

I missed you too, brother!

 

 

Wolf

[Echoceanic]

56 minutes ago, Wild Wolf said:

What's one of your favorite tips you've used so far?

 

I'm currently doing his posture routine and that has been super helpful. I mostly find a video and use him as a form check guide and wind up with new exercises to try. 

 

56 minutes ago, Wild Wolf said:

My kids ask me a LOT of questions. Some of them relevant, some of them not so much lol.

 

As a previously talkative kid with the energy of a Labrador puppy, I am eternally grateful for patient parents.  

[Mr_Willes]

 

 

 

Wolfie!!!!

 

I missed ya man!

 

Good to see you back here!

[Wild Wolf]

21 hours ago, Echoceanic said:

 

I'm currently doing his posture routine and that has been super helpful. I mostly find a video and use him as a form check guide and wind up with new exercises to try. 

 

Oh yeah, his posture vids are good ones. His form check vid on deadlifts really helped me out too. Besides the fact that Jeff looks the part, he's super knowledgeable on how the human body works.

 

21 hours ago, Echoceanic said:

 

As a previously talkative kid with the energy of a Labrador puppy, I am eternally grateful for patient parents.  

 

Lol. It can be challenging trying to answer 15 questions at once, but I really try and give my kids straight and honest answers and if I don't know it, we'll look it up together. Like today, my 10 year old wanted to know about nose art on WW1 and WW2 planes. I wasn't 100% sure the answer so we google it lol. I've never been one of those parents who gave the answer "because I said so" or "i don't know" without a follow up. 

 

 

10 hours ago, Mr_Willes said:

 

 

 

Wolfie!!!!

 

I missed ya man!

 

Good to see you back here!

 

Willes!!! I missed you too man! I'm happy to be back challenging again.

 

 

 

 

Wolf

[Mr_Willes]

Oow, my oldest boy just recently got me into Fortnite. You don't happen to do that do you. We really need to play together.

 

And not in the sexual tense BDSM usual way we play...

 

[darkfoxx]

🤣 with the comments section. 

 

Following per usual! 

[doctorake]

Following along, looks like a good challenge.

[Rurik Harrgath]

On 9/8/2020 at 11:39 AM, Wild Wolf said:

carry over my "OODA Loop" one I created last week. The idea behind the OODA Loop is still in place

 

I am well aware of the conventional OODA loop now, but I didn't realize it stood for Observe Orient Decide Act until much later on because we referred to it as Observe Overreact Destroy and Apologize while I was in the Army.

[Terra]

On 9/10/2020 at 6:51 AM, darkfoxx said:

🤣 with the comments section. 

AGREED!  

 

Here and following

[Wild Wolf]

On 9/10/2020 at 3:17 AM, Mr_Willes said:

Oow, my oldest boy just recently got me into Fortnite. You don't happen to do that do you. We really need to play together.

 

And not in the sexual tense BDSM usual way we play...

 

 

All my boys actually play a little fortnite. I suck at building things but I would love to get together and game a little dude! Not gonna lie though...I'm a little upset about the lack of BDSM lately...

 

 

On 9/10/2020 at 7:51 AM, darkfoxx said:

🤣 with the comments section. 

 

Following per usual! 

 

Hi Foxxy! Good to see you . If Willes is here in my thread, you know it's gonna be funny. Also, it's gonna be nasty. But, such is life when you befriend a freaky Belgium man  

 

On 9/10/2020 at 12:50 PM, doctorake said:

Following along, looks like a good challenge.

 

Preciate that, sir! Glad to have ya aboard!

 

13 hours ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

 

I am well aware of the conventional OODA loop now, but I didn't realize it stood for Observe Orient Decide Act until much later on because we referred to it as Observe Overreact Destroy and Apologize while I was in the Army.

 

Well, bummer... I like your OODA loop better, hahahaha! Happy to see you, sir  

 

 

33 minutes ago, Terra said:

AGREED!  

 

Here and following

 

Hi Terra! Glad to see you!!

 

Zero Week Report:

1. Nailed down three VERY tough days in the gym. Holy Smokes. I've been sore all week lol. The BeastX program has 3 tiers of progression: Base, Beast and Total Beast and the last time I tried the program I did Beast. Well, this week I decided to try Total Beast and I have to say it's been pretty tough. There's this thing at the beginning of the workout where he chooses 2 exercises where you perform what's called a TripleX Set. This basically consists of you finding your 5RM of the exercise and performing 3 reps every 30 seconds until you can't do 2 reps. The one that got me this week was the lying down DB triceps extension. I was using 40# DB's and WOW...just wow. Tri's have been sore since then lol.
2. I've been right around an hour of reading/listening to audible books every day this week. I'm switching off between a few different books depending on what's going on, but nonetheless, enjoying all of them. Verbal Judo by George J. Thompson has been awesome so far. But, I'm constantly taking down notes while listening so if I'm driving to work or working on the computer, it's tougher for me to do that. Meg: Hell's Aquarium has been my go-to, lol.
3. Haven't had a chance to spend a lot of 1 v 1 with my kids this week but I am off today and tomorrow and plan to utilize that time to it's fullest. We're going over a friends house tonight for a shrimp boil, so, I'm excited about that. Gonna have some good fellowship and a maybe a few drinks as well.
4. All in all, it's been a busy yet solid week and I'm liking my consistency so far  

I hope everyone has a great weekend up ahead. Stay safe. Train Hard. Train Smart.

 

Wolf

[Jarric]

Hey Wolfman, nice to see you smashing all the things as usual! That BeastX programme sounds intense, will be cool to see how you get on with it.

[Mr_Willes]

Nicknames need to get exchanged, I'm gonna let you guess mine...

[DarK_RaideR]

Sometimes I think that quote in your signature may have been too much, but then you come up with a new challenge like this every round...

[Wild Wolf]

On 9/12/2020 at 1:34 AM, Jarric said:

Hey Wolfman, nice to see you smashing all the things as usual! That BeastX programme sounds intense, will be cool to see how you get on with it.

 

It's VERY intense dude! There's something this week added in called "Race to 100" that involves 100 reps of a specific exercise.... today's was lat pull down.

 

 

On 9/12/2020 at 3:10 PM, Mr_Willes said:

Nicknames need to get exchanged, I'm gonna let you guess mine...

 

If it's not El-Jay I'm gonna be a little disappointed.

 

 

On 9/12/2020 at 7:13 PM, DarK_RaideR said:

Sometimes I think that quote in your signature may have been too much, but then you come up with a new challenge like this every round...

 

You talking about YOUR quote you came up with like 4 years ago??? Hell no dude. I love it! I read it out loud regularly to remind me of what you saw in me back then and hoping I can regain some semblance of the Were Spartan lol. 

 

Wolf

[fearless 2.0]

[Wild Wolf]

8 hours ago, fearless 2.0 said:

 

Thank you! Also, I heard Schitt's Creek is funny and I should watch it, lol.

 

Last night was LOOOOOOONG. I basically work lot security at Costco every night I'm there, including Sunday's as of this past Sunday. I'm "scheduled" till 11:30 but sometimes, especially more recently, I've been getting off later. The latest last week was close to 12:30. Well, last night wasn't till almost 1:30...

 

 

Don't get me wrong, lot security is a good gig at Costco. I get paid $1 extra per hour when I'm out there. I don't have to deal with closing inside the building. I get to be on my phone and watch YouTube, listen to audio books and all that fun stuff. BUT...it can be boring. Aaaaaaaand, it can run late. Luckily I'm working from home for my day job so sleeping in till 9 isn't a big deal. I'm really hoping tonight goes smoother and I'm out before midnight! 

 

I finished my Meg book last night and what a wild ass ending! I'm probably going to hop into the next book because I have book #5 and #6 in my library. I really want to listen to Verbal Judo though...it's just hard to concentrate on jotting down notes and learning a skill while the radio is going off every 15 sec when I'm working lot security. Or trying to take notes while I work during the day. Oh well, I'll find a way to finish it and still take notes. I've been told I'm resilient lol.

 

 

I hope everyone is having a great day so far! Be safe and kick butt!

 

Wolf

[Red1263]

Finally a man after my own lethality heart! I'm rooting for you all of the way, Wolf Brother!

[Dusk]

O O F that’s a late shift!! 

 

 

Also I’ve definitely been an accidental lurker, somehow I forgot to comment on your thread at all! So - hi!!  

[Wild Wolf]

10 hours ago, Red1263 said:

Finally a man after my own lethality heart! I'm rooting for you all of the way, Wolf Brother!

 

Hahaha, preciate that, Red-Brother . Glad to see ya!

 

3 hours ago, Dusk said:

O O F that’s a late shift!! 

 

 

Also I’ve definitely been an accidental lurker, somehow I forgot to comment on your thread at all! So - hi!!  

 

Yeahhh.....it doesn't happen too often but it was VERY late. The last few nights have been before midnight so that's good lol. Don't even sweat being an accidental lurker, I'm just happy you're lurking in general haha. Gone are the days where my threads hit 3 pages before zero week ends so you're not bound to miss anything  

 

Challenge Update:

 

Learning

I've pulled off at least an hour of listening each day so far this week, so that's good. I finished the 4th Meg book, managed to listen to a little of Leadership and Training for the Fight (while taking notes) and then dug into the Warrior Poet Society Network and watched an episode of Order of Man. 

 

Lifting

So far so good. Got in both scheduled days this week and feel like my body is adapting to the rigorous routine of the Total Beast level. I may have to finagle tomorrow's workout though because I need to go get our van registered in the morning and that could take a while to do unfortunately. I also have a haircut scheduled for 3 tomorrow afternoon. I might be able to go after that, we'll see, and if not, then Saturday morning/afternoon it is!

 

Loving

I got to spend a little time with the kids last weekend and this week, trying to do the things that THEY want to do. This Saturday evening my wife has a Lula Roe pop up she's doing at my brothers so I'm handling all the kids. I'll get even more quality time then as well. Next Saturday Heather and I have a date night planned. My step-mom is going to be watching all the kids for a couple hours and it'll just be the 2 of us which I'm excited about  Not sure what we're gonna do, but it'll be exciting to not have the baby with us. We might just go to dinner but might go see a movie too, who knows!

 

Wolf

[Elastigirl]

Woot, sounds like a great weekend plan. And totally jealous of the movie thing. Our stupid state still has movie theaters closed

[Wild Wolf]

29 minutes ago, Elastigirl said:

Woot, sounds like a great weekend plan. And totally jealous of the movie thing. Our stupid state still has movie theaters closed

 

That sucks  They've slowly started opening those back up over the last month or so. The problem is...there's nothing out to go see really so we may opt out of that lol. I hope yours open back up soon!

 

Wolf