The Swampling starts walking the plank

[Swampling]

So I finally managed to get my new challenge sorted out (about time!), so here goes:

 

My main quest remains the same – getting healthy and strong – while I will continue on the path I chose for my last challenge: I'll be working towards my first pull-up ever.

My basic routine will also stay the same: Bodyweight workouts on Mon/Wed/Fri, yoga class 1x / week.

 

Goal 1: (Walk the) plank on "off" (non-BW) days (+3 STR, +2 STA)

 

I'm still far from being able to do as many negative chin ups („walking the plank“) as Scooby uses as a starting point in his pull up progressions (5 x 8 reps), but I'm working towards that goal eventually. I'll just have to start with far fewer reps (5 x 2) and try to add one rep on every „plank“ day. I aim to do these 3 – 4 times a week (Tue/Thu/Sat/(Sun)).

Not sure if I can keep Sundays as workout days or if I will need a rest day. Will have to see what Wussy and Whiny (my puny wrists and elbows) have to say to that.

 

On these days I'll also keep doing planks, but I will switch from RKC planks to side planks for this challenge. 2 x 30 seconds on each side.

 

A: at least 3 plank days / week

B: 2 plank days / week

C: 1 plank day / week

F: anything less

 

Goal 2: Every day is a bulletproof day (+3 CON, +2 WIS)

 

„If something's important, do it every day.“ Or so they say. I have decided to give the bulletproof guys a try, so I will do their warm up every day.

• cross crawls

• rolling

• rocking

• crawling

A: bulletproof warm up 7x / week

B: 5 - 6x / week

C: 3 - 4x / week

D: 1 - 2x / week

F: no warm up / week

 

Goal 3: Improve that left split (+4 DEX, +1 STR)

 

Since I'm not quite happy with my left split from the last challenge, I will continue to do leg stretches. Not sure if I will stick to the 6-week program (oh, the pain!) or if I vary the stretches some. But I will stretch. Every frakkin day.

 

A: stretching 7x / week

B: 5 - 6x / week

C: 3 - 4x / week

D: 1 - 2x / week

F: no stretching / week

 

Life Goal: Survive (no stat points)

 

I know that the next couple of weeks are going to be crazy at work (there are those two projects that should have been finished 10 days ago, plus another one that's due in January).

Plus, I'll be on redhead duty Fri – Sun until the beginning of December (which usually takes somewhere between 3 – 4 hours a day).

Originally I had planned to build some cleaning habits during this challenge, but I'm afraid that would be too much. I know I won't have any energy to spare.

 

Have a successful challenge, everyone!

[AshPS]

Sub'd!

 

Yay swampling!!!!   :triumphant: :triumphant:

[forkboy]

Awesome, she's back! Sub'd, of course.  Kill it!

[GingaNinja]

Good luck swampling! You can do it!

[Swampling]

Thank you guys! Awesome to have you there!

[Swampling]

Gooood morning, everyone!

:triumphant:

 

This challenge started with my first official bulletproof warmup (check!), followed by a rather easy BW workout (2 x 8 for each exercise - I switched to the 3rd cycle last week, now everything's kind of mixed up compared to the 2nd cycle) and leg stretches (check!).

The right split is... well, not really comfortable yet, but I'm definitely getting used to it. The left one... didn't happen today. I'll have to work for it again. So that's what happens when you let things slide for two weeks.

 

My arms are a bit whiny now (I knew they would start at some point - they've been too quiet for the past two weeks, plus, today was pike push up day), so I'm stuffing them in the thermal braces again to keep them quiet. 

Don't want to have my first official "walk the plank" day tomorrow with already sore joints.

 

Wishing you all a successful Monday!

[AshPS]

Good Morning swampling!!

 

 Sounds like you had a wonderful start to the first day of the challenge! Yay!!!!  :triumphant: :triumphant:

 

My thread is officially up and here:

 

http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/39868-ashps-working-my-way-back/

 

Wishing more awesomeness this Monday!!

 

hugs  :love_heart:

[Swampling]

Good Morning swampling!!

 

 Sounds like you had a wonderful start to the first day of the challenge! Yay!!!!  :triumphant: :triumphant:

 

My thread is officially up and here:

 

http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/39868-ashps-working-my-way-back/

 

Wishing more awesomeness this Monday!!

 

hugs  :love_heart:

 

Good morning and gotcha!

 

The awesomeness took a short break - by the time I arrived at the office I was ready to seriously maim an innocent bystander or two. There were technical problems with the subway system this morning, so when I came down the stairs at the central station, I went right up again: There was no standing room on the platforms in either direction anymore. People were packed like sardines down there, just minus the oil, thankfully. And I don't handle crowds (or sardines) all that well.

Tried again after a short detour getting my second breakfast, and I finally made it. Still pretty crowded, but manageable (if still grumble-inducing).

[AshPS]

 Swampling maiming innocent bystanders.......

 

Wow, that must have been bad for my sweet girl to be so peeved, lol! Glad you controlled yourself, else you'd be in jail and I'd have no one to tell good morning to.

 

Don't blame you though as I hate crowds too.

 

Well, hope the rest of Monday goes better!

 

Big Hugs!

[forkboy]

Sorry, bad way to start the week.  I hear you on the crowds.  I always get on airplanes late and leave events late, just hate be in cramped space with lots of people, stress inducing.  Hope your goals are off to a great start!

[*eowyn*]

I think surviving is a very very important goal Wish you all the strength you can get to keep your head up!

 

Subscribed!

[Swampling]

Good morning, friends, thank you for stopping by!

 

How is it that nobody seems to like crowds, but there's always enough people to make one?!

It seems to me that the majority of people around here doesn't really get the concept of personal space...

Thankfully the commute today wasn't as bad as yesterday's, so no bystander-maiming. Yet.

 

Challenge-wise, today started well: I did the warm up (check!), walked the plank (5 x 2, check!), did the leg stretches (check!) and almost forgot the side planks (delayed check!). 

 

Now I'm off to some more CSS wrangling and database torture (although I'm not sure if it's me torturing the database or the other way round).

 

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

:triumphant:

[bluekiwi1]

YAY YAY!  I found Swampling!    Rawr Rawr!  Good Luck!

[Swampling]

Thank you, Kiwi! You too!

 

Kill that dissertation - it so deserves it after getting on your nerves for so long now!

[forkboy]

Lovin' all the checks, sweet.  I assume bystander-maiming is likely also illegal in your neck of the woods, so kudos on staying out of the stony lonesome today too!

[AshPS]

GOOD MORNING sweet swampling!  :triumphant:

 

Hope the day has gone beautifully for you! And continued to be better than the last two!

 

Big hugs and hope to see you on later!!!!  :love_heart:

 

Take care!

[Swampling]

Good morning!

 

Today was the first "tryout" day in my new BW workout cycle. It sounds easy (just 3 x 3 for each exercise), but level up each exercise for set 2, and level up again for set 3. For me, that is mostly "adding pauses":

inverted rows

• set 1: with slightly bent legs,
• set 2: with slightly bent legs, but hold for 1 second before lowering down again
• set 3: with slightly bent legs, hold for 2 seconds

 

one legged squats

• set 1: box squat at my current "normal" height
• set 2: box squat standing on 1 phone book
• set 3: box squat standing on 2 phone books (which takes a couple of inches off the squat height and brings be me ever closer to the coveted pistol...)

incline pushups (using the squat box again for those)

• set 1: normal incline pushup
• set 2: hold for 1 second at lowest point
• set 3: hold for 2 seconds at lowest point

 

one legged warriors (well, I already am at the highest level of this exercise in this program, and I usually already vary with adding weights or not, so I took it easy today):

• set 1: no added weights
• set 2: held one phone book overhead
• set 3: held both phone books overhead

 

It was interesting to see that what looked pretty easy on paper wasn't quite as easy to actually do.

I managed to do all the upgraded exercises, but I also know that I'm not ready to upgrade them in my working sets. I'm still struggling too much with good form after a couple of reps at my current level... *sigh*

 

But getting the lower one legged squats was a really nice surprise, didn't think that I'd make it! :triumphant:

 

As for the challenge goals: I cross-crawled, rolled, rocked and crawled (check! - good thing that nobody's watching ) and did the leg stretches as a cool down (check!).

 

Have a great Wednesday, everyone!

[AshPS]

Sounds like you are doing awesome swampling and making progress!

 

There is still lots to go in this challenge and I know you are gonna make some excellent steps forward!  :triumphant:

 

You are right though, can't tell you how often I look at something on paper, or video even, and think 'pft, I can do that'. Then I do it and I think 'holy crap that's hard!!'
hugs!

[Swampling]

Good morning!

 

Today's challenge is officially killed:

- warm up (check!)

- Walk the plank 3-2-2-2-2 (check!)

- 4 x 30 sec side planks (didn't forget them! Yay! and check!)

- leg stretches (getting a little closer to that left split again, check!)

 

The rolling part of the warm up seems to get easier.

In the beginning I was having real difficulties to roll from back to front with my right arm leading. No idea why on earth something so basic can feel so awkward and hard.

Today, it was almost as easy as on the left side. So somewhat yay, I guess, although I have no idea what changed between yesterday and today...?

[Swampling]

Sounds like you are doing awesome swampling and making progress!

 

There is still lots to go in this challenge and I know you are gonna make some excellent steps forward!  :triumphant:

 

You are right though, can't tell you how often I look at something on paper, or video even, and think 'pft, I can do that'. Then I do it and I think 'holy crap that's hard!!'

hugs!

 

Thank you, Ash!

Yes, there's definitely progress, although they're just smallish steps at the moment. But I believe the pulling exercises usually take a loooong time before you see bigger improvements, so I'm going to hang in there (quite literally). 

 

This thread is definitely a motivation to stick to the plan! 

[forkboy]

"Officially killed," nice!  You should issue a death certificate to your workout.  You demand it's attention!  Way to go!

[AshPS]

Thank you, Ash!

Yes, there's definitely progress, although they're just smallish steps at the moment. But I believe the pulling exercises usually take a loooong time before you see bigger improvements, so I'm going to hang in there (quite literally). 

 

This thread is definitely a motivation to stick to the plan! 

 

First,

 

Good Morning swampling!!  :love_heart:

 

I agree, they do. And a big kudos to you, that's my awesome swampling!!  :triumphant:

 

I had not seen that thread, and that is very motivational, thank you for the share! 

 

I am super proud of you for killing that workout!

 

Hope Friday is showing you an equal amount of respect!

 

hugs!

[Swampling]

Good morning, friends!

 

Another challenge day kicked the bucket, time of death: 6:15 a.m. (Yes, my report is late. Paperwork, you know...)

 

- warm up (check!)

- BW workout 3 x 8 (check! although not an official part of this challenge)

- leg stretches (today only a half-hearted check, but at least I did them all).

 

I might be upgrading the pike push ups or the inverted rows next Wednesday - depending on the overall state of the Wussies and Whinies. Which have actually been conspicuously inconspicuous for the last two days. Should I worry?

 

Have a great Friday, everyone!

:triumphant:

[AshPS]

Whooo Hooooo!!!!!!  :triumphant:

 

That is pure awesomeness! Knew you'd kill it!

 

No, I would just count it as a current blessing they are behaving!

 

Many good wishes on the rest of the day!

[Swampling]

Good morning, friends!

 

Another challenge day done, t.o.d 7:07 a.m.

 

- warm up (check!) - The rolling is really getting easier. Nice!

- negative chin ups 3-3-2-2-2 (check!)

- 4 side planks x 30 sec (check!)

- leg stretches (check!)

 

Not sure if the Wussies and Whinies need a day off - after today's workout they feel a bit blah. I think I'll see how they feel tomorrow and decide then.

 

Have a great Saturday, y'all!

:triumphant: