My Beard accepts the first challenge!

[The Beard]

Yay first challenge! I'm a dwarf (stocky and bearded) hoping to be a ranger or warrior after this challenge!

 

Main Quest

 

Get down to 12% body fat by May 2014 through strength training (currently 18-20%)

 

 

Goals:

 

1) Increase workouts from 5 days a week to six (going from 2 to 3 strength days workouts now consist of 4 days of strength, 2 days of aerobic exercise, and a day of rest)

       --- grading: A = 6 days all 6 weeks, B = 5 weeks, C = 4 weeks, D = 3 weeks, F= 1-2 weeks

 

2) Be able to do a handstand, supported only by hands (no feet touching wall, etc) for at least 15 seconds, achieved by practicing for at least 5 minutes 5 days a week

       --- grading: A = 15 seconds, B = 12 seconds, C = 9 seconds, D = 6 seconds, F = time < 6 seconds

 

2) [REVISED] Improve handstand skills overall (i.e form, related skills, etc) by practicing for at least 5 minutes 5 days a week for the remainder of the challenge

      --- grading: A = 14-15 days, B = 12-13 days, C = 10-11 days, D = 9 days, F = 8 or less days

 

3) Do 5 pull ups in a row, thus demonstrating an overall increase in strength. My ability to practice this is limited, but I will try to see how many reps I can do in a row twice a week.

       --- grading: A = 5, B = 4, C = 3, D = 2, F =1

 

 

Life Quest

 

Be prepared to sing a solo piece in church on Sunday, Feb 16.

 

 

 

Motivation: I have been overweight and generally unhealthy for as long as I can remember. I've already lost over 40 pounds prior to this challenge, so the next step is to continue to be healthy while building muscle and losing fat mass. Additionally, I'd simply like to look good when I take my shirt off!

[pumazealy]

wow a handstand! i can't remember if i ever did one. best of luck with your challenge and may the force be with you, always

[Teri]

You must be doing a great job if you are working toward 5 pull ups and a handstand! Great job with your progress so far, keep up the great work. I tried a headstand (had my husband help me get my legs up against the wall) and it really freaked me out. Looking at the world upside down was not fun, lol!

 

Good luck with the challenge!

[The Beard]

Thanks y'all and good luck to you as well!

 

I think headstands are waaaay scarier because they force you to look upside down. With the handstands, being able to tilt my head to look at the ground made it a great deal less freaky once I got used to the upside-downyness (that's a word right? That's definitely a word....  )

[Ambee]

Good luck! Especially with the handstand; I wasn't even able to do those as a kid, never mind now! That's an awesome Life Quest you've got there too; how prepared are you feeling so far?

[The Beard]

Well I have the song picked out (Worn by Tenth Avenue North) and I've bought the performance track. I know the song pretty well, but I have to memorize it without the lead vocals still. Nothing too bad, but I like to be as accurate as possible when it comes to the timings and mechanics of songs. Might buy the sheet music to go help with that.

[Kobnach]

I love that title! And your signature line about the weight.

 

Good luck with all this. I always wanted to try handstands - but at my current fitness level, a bosu is the appropriate balance challenge for me.

[The Beard]

Can't wait to take my new running shoes on their first outing for day one!

[Miyuki]

sooooo..... how'd it go??

new toys are so much fun!

Good luck with the rest of the challenge! Looking forward to your updates!

[The Beard]

sooooo..... how'd it go??

new toys are so much fun!

Good luck with the rest of the challenge! Looking forward to your updates!

 

They worked sooooooo much better! My old ones were getting, well, old 

 

Here's a link to my battle log! http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/41653-a-guy-and-his-beard-a-battle-log/

 

Since not all of my workouts directly have to do with the challenge, most of my updates will be posted there, though the challenge related ones will still be posted here. Some examples are if I hit a milestone in handstand time, get my body fat measured, etc, they'll be posted here.

[The Beard]

During my workout today I managed to hold a handstand for 5 seconds balancing only on my hands!! Not quite 15 seconds, but not bad for my first try without a foot against the wall!

[The Beard]

So today I am getting an assessment done of my overall fitness. Part of that is a body fat percentage test. The results should be in sometime next week, so that way I have a concrete number on where I'm at with my overall goal.

[Sukiyo151]

I use calipers (bought off Amazon) and measure my body fat at home. The number is completely inaccurate (better to compare my photo to photos at different %ages), but I can track if it goes up or down (which is what really matters anyways).

[The Beard]

The exercise science department at the university I work at does the assessment. The staff are trained to do a lot of that stuff, so it should be pretty accurate (if not exact). They also measure oxygen intake, flexibility, and a few more things that I don't know how to gauge, so there's that added bonus! And since I'm an employee it's free, so there's that too! 

[The Beard]

Took the assessment today! They'll be emailing me the results sometime, but there were a few that were measurable today. If you want to see them, I have put them over in my battle log for the day, but there was one that pertains to the 6 week challenge that I'll put here. Note: I took the same assessment on 9/29/13.

 

Pull-ups

9/29/13 - 0

1/9/14 - 3

 

I might need to re-evaluate my initial goal of 5 pull-ups, but I'll wait to see what happens by the halfway point.

[Miyuki]

Im pretty sure you will make 5 by next week.

Everyday builds you more!

[The Beard]

Did six days of exercise this week!! Details over at my battle log!

[Miyuki]

keep at it

[The Beard]

Thanks!!

[Nuala]

Pullups are really difficult to increase in numbers and they are on the "workout list" of many of us Assassins! So are handstands If you wish to meet people who are working on pullups to get some tips, feel free to visit our forum and especially the Assassin den's thread:

 

http://rebellion.ner...n-general-chat/

 

Also, you can check the Assassin phonebook to find people with similar workouts  (pullups and handstand)

 

http://rebellion.ner...ssin-phonebook/

 

As part of the creative mini-challenge, Nymeria, one of our Assassin made 4 video tutorial about the crow pose, the crow pose is usually used as a transition to the handstand, make sure to check them, they may be useful

 

I wish you luck for this challenge!

[The Beard]

Pullups are really difficult to increase in numbers and they are on the "workout list" of many of us Assassins! So are handstands If you wish to meet people who are working on pullups to get some tips, feel free to visit our forum and especially the Assassin den's thread:

 

http://rebellion.ner...n-general-chat/

 

Also, you can check the Assassin phonebook to find people with similar workouts  (pullups and handstand)

 

http://rebellion.ner...ssin-phonebook/

 

As part of the creative mini-challenge, Nymeria, one of our Assassin made 4 video tutorial about the crow pose, the crow pose is usually used as a transition to the handstand, make sure to check them, they may be useful

 

I wish you luck for this challenge!

 

Awesome!!! I didn't even realize that my goals were in line with the assassin class! I took a look at the first of Nymeria's videos and that really makes sense to go along with the handstands! I'll definitely stop by the Assassin page from time to time!

[Kan]

Yes, as our awesome leader started your goals are dead on with us :3 and your thread title was perfect XD We'll be glad to have you with us next challenge.

Handstands are epic. Did I misunderstand, or did you say you were able to hold a freestanding handstand? Just being able to hold one of those it's actually one of my goals XD

°~°

[The Beard]

Yes, as our awesome leader started your goals are dead on with us :3 and your thread title was perfect XD We'll be glad to have you with us next challenge.

Handstands are epic. Did I misunderstand, or did you say you were able to hold a freestanding handstand? Just being able to hold one of those it's actually one of my goals XD

°~°

 

Yup! Freestanding for 5 seconds! I still do them close to the wall because I'm not comfortable getting into position away from it yet (next challenge?) and usually I have one foot/toe against the wall.

[The Beard]

So week two is almost done! Here's the analysis.

 

I did six days of workouts for the second week in a row! Even though Friday was really toned down (and will be from here on out), I still did walking and stretching

 

Pullups - 3 remains the max for unassisted. We'll see how next week looks.

 

Handstands - 5 seconds remains the max, though this week I didn't practice as much as I should have.

[Sukiyo151]

Whoaaa been busy! Good job.