Starpuck and Pwallace : Recruited into N7

[starpuck]

:IC Journal:

I just received notice that I’ve been given an N7 Commendation.   I haven’t had the best track record, but someone apparently sees some potential in me.    It’s a big deal.   N7 is the best training, best equipment and best assignments you can ask for.   And they ask the best of you in return.    I haven’t been off earth.  Hell, I can count the number of alien races I’ve met in person on one hand.   But if I’m going to do this… and make it, then I’m going to have to start figuring out how to take the best of their traits and master them for myself.    I’ll have to show them what the humans are made of… including their females!

 

 

**Pwallace and I have decided to share our quest theme for this challenge and use each other to motivate ourselves to our final destination of graduating with an N7 designation. (Scoring all A's by end of challenge.)   This is why both of our names are in the title.

 

 

MAIN QUEST: To complete the N7 Training Program and be assigned to the Normandy.

(Be stronger and more healthy.)

• Train like a Krogan – Workout 5x/Week (STA 2/STR 2)
• Eat like a Quarian – Cook clean 1x/week, eat clean 80/20 (CHA 2/CON 2)
• Think like a Salarian – Track budget and stick to it!  (WIS 2)

Side Fitness Quest:   Break James Vega’s pull up record : 183 unassisted pull ups (total) in 6 weeks. (+1 STR)

Mass Effect 3 - Shepard doing pull ups...

 

 

LIFE QUEST:    Perform like an Asari – Relearn the piano (WIS 3)

[Put at least 2 hours of practice in per week.] 

Mass Effect 3 - Liara plays the piano.

 

Side Life Quest:  Redo Starpuck photo shoot pictures! Smile at results! (+1 Cha)

 

 

MOTIVATION:   Hockey season is starting this week and I want to be strong, durable and able to progress the whole season with noticeable improvements in my game.   I also want to be as bad ass as FemShep is.     ... and autumn is the season I typically start falling apart in, so I need to prove to myself that I can break the cycle of gaining and losing.

 

 

 

Starting Stats:

Weight: 142

Bodyfat:  29.8%

Waist: 32.5  

Hip: 36.75  
Thigh: 23.5

Bicep: 12.5

 

 

N7 is a vocational code in the Systems Alliance military. The "N" designates Special Forces and the "7" refers to the highest level of proficiency. It applies to marines who have graduated from the Interplanetary Combatives Training (ICT) program.

 

Interplanetary Combatives Training (ICT) is the Systems Alliance's premier school for leadership and combat expertise. The Interplanetary Combatives Academy, sometimes called "N-School" or "the villa," recruits officers from every branch of Earth's militaries to partake in grueling courses at Vila Militar in Rio de Janeiro.   The highest grade of training, N6, provides actual combat experience in combat zones throughout the galaxy. If the trainee survives these scenarios in "admirable and effective fashion," he or she finally receives the coveted N7 designation. N7 is the only ICT designation that may be worn on field or dress uniforms.

 

There is little shame in failing an N course - the training is so extreme that even qualifying for N1 elevates an officer to a position of respect. The universal prestige of merely attending the academy helps to restrain trainees from taking excessive risks in pursuit of higher honors.

[Grizzy]

I've finally gotten around to playing mass effect- So fantastic! Love your theme and goals.

[pwallace]

Subbed. we ship out to our first training session in the morning. You ready?

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

Glad for the little explanation at the end, I haven't allowed myself to play video games for some time so it's nice to feel included lol.

 

Excellent motivation and sharing of goals. Building in an accountability buddy is awesome and a great idea. Good luck!

[ShadowLion]

Too cool. Gonna be following this one to see you guys kick it!

[Katinka]

Can't wait to follow your progress - particularly on those pullups!

[5C0T]

Cool theme you two are sharing. I'm impressed with someone even considering the pull up challenge. Luck!

[alienjenn]

Um. ... n7 all the way baybay!

Sent with tapatalk... if this post seems brief or full of misspelled words it's because my phone and autocorrect are actively plotting against me

[JessOfAllTrades]

:DDDDDDD

 

ME theme makes me the happiest panda. Best of luck!

[chickie.monkey]

Sub, sub, sub! Kick some booty, girlfriend!

[starpuck]

Monday 9/16

 

WORKOUT 1/5

Strength Workout (Playground)

 

• Pull Ups - (Unassisted/Assisted) : 4/6, 4/6, 4/5, 3/5
• Lying Straight Leg Lifts : 15X4
• Side Planks : 30s X 4 (each side)
• Step Ups/Box Jumps : 10SU, 15BX, 10SU, 15BX
• End of Routine Bonus : Standard Push Ups, 1 set max to failure - 20

 

Beat Vega's Record : 15/183

 

Fought against a head ache and a rotten stomach.  Thankfully it was a beautiful day, clear skies and 62 degrees.   Threw on some epic music mix and pushed through the 'mehs' to end up with a workout I could be proud of.

[ShadowLion]

Niiice.

[pwallace]

 

Side Fitness Quest:   Break James Vega’s pull up record : 183 unassisted pull ups (total) in 6 weeks. (+1 STR)

Mass Effect 3 - Shepard doing pull ups...

...stealing...we will see who gets there first....

[Katinka]

When you do the unassisted/assisted pullup sets, how much assistance are you using for the second part? I've been trying to do sets like this, but I'm never sure whether to add a lot of assistance, or just a little, or to vary it up...

[starpuck]

When I first got the assistance bands I got an orange one and a grey one.   They are apparently 'light' and 'monster mini'.   (I found a chart on what the bands offer in assistance/resistance, but have no idea how to read it.   Chart of Confusion)   I started with the orange one, and had to use it for all my pull ups.  Then one day I tried the smaller grey and it worked so I just switched to that full time.    Then one day I decided to see how close I was to one pull up... (embarrassing video here) -- and well I just kept trying.   

 

I only use the one band type (the monster mini) now when I jump to the assisted and I just always do each part of each set to failure.   So, unassisted until I can't eek out another one, then immediately throw a foot into the band and push as many more assisted ones out as possible.     I've found that even the light band offers a lot of assistance compared to the last rep of the OMG I CAN'T GET MYSELF UP part of the set.

 

If you're doing two different bands, then I'd start with the lightest and add the stronger bands as you get further into the ladder maybe?  So, as you go deeper into the set you get more and more assistance.

[JuiceeTarget]

Great challenge idea Starpuck. And I like that you are doing it with a partner.

 

And we'll all be watching...

[alienjenn]

so... do you have a video of using the band?? I hear about it all the time but I can't figure out how to do it

[UH60guy]

Mass Effect, yes! I'm sure you'll kick Vega's butt on the pull ups.

 

Question- It's been a while since I played, but did he do the ones where you pull the bar up behind your head? I've never tried that variant. 

[starpuck]

I don't have a good video of the bands AJ.   I will make that a goal of mine this week, to get a video up of how I do the pull up part of the workout with and without the bands.

 

UH60!  Haha, yay!  Another Mass Effect fan!     Yeah, in the game, SHE (heh, of course I played FemShep) pulls herself up with the bar behind her neck.   I haven't even thought about trying those, it makes muscles I am unsure I even have, hurt, just by thinking of it. 

[alienjenn]

awesome... I is excited

[starpuck]

Well.    Got over the first hump.
   Just played the piano for 45 minutes.

 

Reading music is HARD.    Two of the songs I said I would 'learn first' I've decided to pull back on.  Instead, I opted for the song that is in the link - Liara's Song on the piano.   

Proved to be the better choice.   Still forced me to study all those lines and spaces.   (Man I am tired of good boys doing fine always!)    But I was able to go slow enough and start to get a feeling for reading the notes.   By the end of the 45 minutes, I had it almost memorized (no Nay, no memorizing, learn to read the notes again dangit) and was able to HEAR the song mostly how it should sound... which of course made me avoid the defeatist frustration tantrum and that's a good thing.

 

 

[Mac]

Very, very epic. And thanks for the Cliff's Notes for us non-gamers. Looking forward to checking in for my motivation on a regular basis!

[ShadowLion]

Well.    Got over the first hump.

   Just played the piano for 45 minutes.

 

Reading music is HARD.    Two of the songs I said I would 'learn first' I've decided to pull back on.  Instead, I opted for the song that is in the link - Liara's Song on the piano.  

Proved to be the better choice.   Still forced me to study all those lines and spaces.   (Man I am tired of good boys doing fine always!)    But I was able to go slow enough and start to get a feeling for reading the notes.   By the end of the 45 minutes, I had it almost memorized (no Nay, no memorizing, learn to read the notes again dangit) and was able to HEAR the song mostly how it should sound... which of course made me avoid the defeatist frustration tantrum and that's a good thing.

 

Woohoo! You be doin' it! Yeah.

[obax]

I love this idea, being the giant Mass Effect fan that I am. I have yet to play parts 2 and 3, all this getting in shape stuff has really put a dent in my video game time, but I absolutely loved #1 (I, too, played as a female Shepard).

 

Lookin' forward to seeing how this goes for you, especially the pull-up challenge. Once I can consistently do a few pull-ups, maybe I'll give that a go myself.

[starpuck]

Tuesday 9/17

 

WORKOUT 2/5

Run - Outdoors

3.0 miles, 29:13, 9:44 min/mi pace - wooohooo!

 

My app/phone GPS told me it was only a 2.86 mile run, which had me over the 10 minute pace I've been dying to accomplish on an outdoor run.  But I know that I've mapped out that route before in the past with mapmyrun (before I had a phone with GPS) and it was something between 3-3.2 miles depending on if I ran the culdesac or not.  So I remapped it out starting from my run point and ending at my run point.    It said 3 miles on the nose, so I went with that one.   Things to note: Ate clean yesterday, good mood yesterday, not the best breakfast today, not quite enough sleep, weather of 70 and slight over cast, cool breeze.

 

 

COOKING 1/1

Paleolmost Spicy Shrimp

-Shrimp, onions, jalapeno, garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley and lime juice sauteed up with olive oil (instead of coconut oil - I found that stuff, it scared me!  FOR HAIR? AND for eating?  Um.)

-A family member is diabetic, so I threw in some whole grain brown rice as a side and it went REALLY well with it.   

-Some brocolli.  Yum.

 

Turns out today is one of those days were you just feel downright above average for your efforts.