Waldo Challenge 9.0

[Waldo]

Can't wait to see how your explorations on the skater/pistol work go! I started skaters this past week after seeing it here, under another name: http://ashotofadrenaline.net/one-legged-bird-squat/ because with my ITB issue, I need extra glute-focused squat action. Still a little hazy on what's proper form, though, and I'm doing 'em unweighted but would like to figure out a variation (hands behind back, maybe) that still gives good bang for the buck.

 

Also, regarding the pinky toe, it might be related to your ITB. On my injured side, I can hardly wiggle those toes, and that pinky toe was often cramping up even before the injury. The uninjured side has much freer toe-wiggling-action.

 

That is actually not a skater squat as I know it.  That is a variation of what I've seen called a Warrior Squat; a one legged squat done while holding Warrior 3.  That is a very easy variation of the warrior 3 pose.

[TeaKwonDo]

That is actually not a skater squat as I know it.  That is a variation of what I've seen called a Warrior Squat; a one legged squat done while holding Warrior 3.  That is a very easy variation of the warrior 3 pose.

 

Damn, my bad then! Guess I better get on some legit skaters, then.

[TeaKwonDo]

By the way, re: your reply in your last challenge thread:

 

Assisted w/object (or door/etc)

Box pistol (using a chair or footstool)

Leaning forward pistol

Sit down pistol (sit on the floor at the bottom of each rep)

Upright pistol (hold the other leg parallel throughout, keep your torso upright)

Jump pistol

1.5 rep pistol (go up halfway, pause, then go back down and do a full rep)

Hands behind head leaning forward pistol

Hands on shoulders upright pistol

Jump-switch pistol

Hands behind the lower back pistol

 

 

List probably isn't perfect, but that's pretty close.

 

 

Have you tried hands behind the back pistols?  I'm curious as to how much of a role flexibility plays in the perceived load.  I'm pretty bendy for a dude, but I'm pretty sure you've got me beat big time in the flexibility department.  Oddly enough, the hands behind the back pistol is I beleive the hardest BW ab exercise I know of.  One single rep and my abs are on fire.  I really have no idea why though.  I'd really like to know more about the exercise, the problem is that I'm the only person I know of or read about that can even do a single rep, and I can only do one rep, with my stronger leg.

 

 

Holy hell thank you! It actually lets me gauge my pistol level now, whereas I've been just going by feel on form--what shifts in posture make it harder/easier, what engages which muscles more/less, etc. Been doing arms-gripping-shoulders for the last few months and leaning forward just out of instinct-turned-habit, so going by your list, I should start sitting-down or upright pistols?

 

I've tried hands-behind-the-back and it's nearly possible on my not-injured side, since my left is the more coordinated side anyway. Hot mess, though, and even worse on the right. But if it'll further your research, I'll happily work on getting those straight.

[catspaw]

So my bodies' weight plunge continues unabated.  I've never experienced anything like this.  I've now dropped 4.2 lbs since Sunday.

 

Thing is, I'm not even trying to lose weight.  Sure I plan on starting to cut.  NEXT WEEK.  Right now I'm supposed to be at maintenance (2700 cal/day).

 

How the next month is going to play out will be quite interesting.

 

I hate you.

[Waldo]

Damn, my bad then! Guess I better get on some legit skaters, then.

 

That's actually the only video I know of that shows anyone performing a warrior squat.  I can do them with hands out in front using a more advanced version of warrior 3, but I've never really put them to video and haven't done them in more than a "see if I can do them" capacity.

[Waldo]

I hate you.

 

Lol, I'm sure you're well aware of the fact that weight loss =/= fat loss.  I'm not sure that there has actually been any fat loss.  It'll take a bit to figure out just what the hell is going on; how much of a rebound there is when I start exercising again next week and where my loss rate is for the next month will tell a lot.

[sammiejune29]

Well, take your shoes and socks off and try to move your pinkie toe without moving your other toes.  If you can't do it you have no control over it.  But that can be improved.  Using Vibrams is known to improve it.  Regular practice and awareness, especially when the toes are separated a bit, helps, as does exercises where you pick things up with your toes.  It also helps to spend as much time as possible barefoot.

 

Immobile pinkie toes is largely a result of modern dependence on shoes.

 

Wow. Apparently my control is pretty good. I like to spend a lot of time barefoot so that probably helps. I pretty much only wear shoes when I am out and about but as soon as I get home the first thing I do is take off the shoes. Lol. My roommate and I spent our Friday night playing with our toes. Yeah, we're cool

[Church]

That's pretty intense dude. Just out of curiosity, how do you intend to work your toes?

[Wolverine]

You taking progress shots of the feet too? Vid would be more useful... You breaking a pencil with your pinky toe post-challenge would be epic.

[Waldo]

I wasn't planning on taking a video.  I considered it, but it seemed kinda silly.  At least before/afters.  An after video though seems less silly.

 

I've started working on it a little, thus far exercises consist of spending some time with the toes separated, trying to scrunch up some paper towel, and trying to move it.  I've actually made a wee little bit of progress (was able to try to move it without it going the wrong way, a step in the right direction), but I'm a long ways from where my other foot is, which can move the pinkie totally independent and fully splay all toes at will.

 

As with a lot of goals like this for me, doing a bit of research is included in the process of reaching the goal.

[Waldo]

So I have talked about it before.  Since late 2011 I've been doing biweekly or monthly progress photos and always have presented them in a linear, photostream like manner.  What I could do, but haven't, is present them with respect to a particular weight.  I think there is a lot of value to that, as it shows the power of body recomposition.  Many try to "recomp", by holding a particular weight, but he process of bulking/cutting is inherently more efficient.  I think the perspective of bulking/cutting with respect to a particular weight drives home the fact that whether you are bulking or cutting, you are always reducing your BF% at a fixed weight point.

 

I was going to use 200 lbs, but as it works out, I have a better photo set for 201 lbs.  I was 201 lbs, +/- 1 lb, in every one of these pictures.  The date was not the exact date of the photo (all were within a couple days), but instead the exact date I crossed the 201 lb line.

 

 

Now there is still white space, as I'm going to cross 201 again, later in the challenge (and then likely again later this summer).  I think though that this really helps to put the bulking/cutting process into perspective.  The first photo I was cutting, the 2nd bulking, 3rd cutting, 4th bulking.

 

The high/low weights between each are:

188.9 lb between the 1st and 2nd photo

203.4 lb between the 2nd and 3rd photo

196.6 lb between the 3rd and 4th photo

206.9 lb between the 4th photo and the white space

[empeg9000]

Cool series of photos. Thanks for sharing.

[Cameron]

The biggest concern is that it is absolutely the wrong way to go about things if you're overweight and looking to make sustainable changes.  Most people that would want to do it are totally not ready and could not handle it well.

 

It really has one specific goal in mind, due to that it does have wider applicability though.  It is really designed for fitness models and similar types who need to lose fat fast, for a specific date, with tons of motivation, without loss of muscle mass.

 

It is meant for people who who have their diet house of cards in order.  Who would view it as a temporary distraction for an event, who aren't a risk to fall off the rails of their long term plans.  It is absolutely horrendous for someone that is trying to "lose weight".  If you are ready for RFL, there is no try, that doesn't even cross your mind, of course you are going to lose weight.

 

One group that does specifically seem to do well with it are the bodybuilder types who would rather be bulking than cutting, doing RFL to get the cutting out the the way as quickly as possible.  But this means bodybuilder types, not weightlifters in general; bodybuilder types tend to be more concerned with leanness (and maintaining it) and tend to have their diet much more dialed in.  They are a very low risk group with regards to this sort of dieting behavior.

 

But since you've got a specific important event, have the diet house of cards pretty well in order (especially given what you've learned recently), are relatively lean, and really do see it as a temporary blip (and plan on returning to bulking immediately thereafter), I would consider you low risk and a fairly ideal person for an RFL application.

 

Yeah, that was pretty much my take on it. I don't feel like I was really at risk for going off the rails or anything, my biggest concern was that it wouldn't work, and I'd lose too much muscle mass. This actually feels like it might be a problem, so I'm debating whether I should continue with it. I don't want to do tie up your thread too much with this, so I'll go into more detail in my thread.

[sammiejune29]

 

I was going to use 200 lbs, but as it works out, I have a better photo set for 201 lbs.  I was 201 lbs, +/- 1 lb, in every one of these pictures.  The date was not the exact date of the photo (all were within a couple days), but instead the exact date I crossed the 201 lb line.

 

 

Now there is still white space, as I'm going to cross 201 again, later in the challenge (and then likely again later this summer).  I think though that this really helps to put the bulking/cutting process into perspective.  The first photo I was cutting, the 2nd bulking, 3rd cutting, 4th bulking.

 

This is an awesome picture sequence. Now if only we could get the rest of the world to understand thats its all about body comp and not weight... lol

[Aeryn]

Whoa, this is an awesome series - looking forward to the next one in the set! I'm also interested in the increasing external rotation of your free arm - is that because of shoulder development?

[Waldo]

Whoa, this is an awesome series - looking forward to the next one in the set! I'm also interested in the increasing external rotation of your free arm - is that because of shoulder development?

Partially from shoulder mobility and awareness of posture. Partially because I think it looks better in a progress photo, that is one thing I've gotten better at over time.

[Waldo]

Which is a good segue into my starting photos for my photo challenge goal:

 

Full Size: http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww269/Waldo56/Self/CutCollage_zpsc1c5f872.jpg:original

Speaking of getting better over time....damn flash shadow. Hopefully I can get rid of it in the future without resorting to studio lights.

[aj_rock]

So my bodies' weight plunge continues unabated.  I've never experienced anything like this.  I've now dropped 4.2 lbs since Sunday.

 

Thing is, I'm not even trying to lose weight.  Sure I plan on starting to cut.  NEXT WEEK.  Right now I'm supposed to be at maintenance (2700 cal/day).

 

How the next month is going to play out will be quite interesting.

 

Since you're coming off a bulk, glycogen levels are probably falling to normal instead of super-compensated, so that plus water would make sense-ish?

[Church]

Holy cow dude! You're already looking pretty shredded. You'll be an absolute BEAST when you're done!

[Waldo]

Since you're coming off a bulk, glycogen levels are probably falling to normal instead of super-compensated, so that plus water would make sense-ish?

 

But I would think I would have dropped most of it last week if that was the case.

 

Has to be that I lost my perma pump (not the immediately after lifting pump, but the one that keeps you muscles firm).

 

Today measurements dropped across the board (except my quads and my biceps, oddly enough).  If the tape is to be believed, I've lost 1 lb of fat and 3.2 lbs of LBM since I ended my bulk 2 weeks ago.  And I was supposed to be at maintenance. 

 

We'll see, my guess is that I reinflate next week.  Progress photos look kinda pitiful too.  Where the hell did my chest go?

[Waldo]

Holy cow dude! You're already looking pretty shredded. You'll be an absolute BEAST when you're done!

 

Thanks.  I could stand to lose a few though.  Get rid of the love handles and the haze of fat covering my abs. 

[Waldo]

Well, game on for the cut. 2200 net cal/day....engage.

I'm not going to update my starting stats. I'm not sure if there is any value to this week's measurements due to the funky weight issue. Progress photos are a better indicator anyway, especially with the thoroughness I am taking them this challenge.

[aj_rock]

 

Today measurements dropped across the board (except my quads and my biceps, oddly enough).  If the tape is to be believed, I've lost 1 lb of fat and 3.2 lbs of LBM since I ended my bulk 2 weeks ago.  And I was supposed to be at maintenance. 

 

Meh. Water is technically LBM. As long as you aren't losing real strength, no need to sweat.

 

Time to see what the measurement master can do when things don't go according to plan

[catspaw]

Well, game on for the cut. 2200 net cal/day....engage.

 

For the curious, do you have any sense of what fat/carb ratio you want within there, or do you play it by ear?

[Waldo]

Meh. Water is technically LBM. As long as you aren't losing real strength, no need to sweat.

 

Time to see what the measurement master can do when things don't go according to plan

I know. Not sweating it at all. This weight plunge has been a curiosity more than anything. Weird and unexpected things don't happen to my weight, ever. This is the most novel my weight situation has been in quite some time.

I'm not convinced yet that things aren't going according to plan. My guess is that either: a) my weight spikes this week exactly opposite of the plunge last week, or bee) my weight loss rate sucks for the next month as my body both slowly returns to the state as of the start of last week and loses fat.