QuirkyDM, facing off against the Fearsome Five

[QuirkyDM]

Main Quest: Superhero level fitness. Or sidekick level fitness at least. I want to do lots of cool things, like lift heavy, run fast and other mad skills. The goal is to take all these abilities and go on epic adventures. This year, I'm signed up for a Spartan Beast, which should be one of the tougher things I've done- definitely the toughest since I've got back to working on being healthy and active.

 

While it's always fun and interesting to tackle new challenges, sometimes a hero, (or a sidekick in my case) just needs to make sure the villains in jail stay there. Not all the tasks I set for myself over the last few challenges have been 100% success, and some just need to be stomped on again to make sure they don't become an issue in the future. I'm not really interested in letting my enemies band together and beat on me later.

 

This challenge is about facing my own Fearsome Five- the five goals that I've already tackled or tried to tackle over the last few challenges that need to be kicked in the teeth by yours truly. Let's get dangerous!

 

 

Goal A- Devour Bushroot's plant minions. Eat, eat, eat! I've been tracking my food well, but last challenge, I didn't have much luck bulking up. I don't think that was a food issue, but an over training issue. I noticed on my tracking graph that I was getting occasional muscle mass boosts that tracked fairly well with my rest days. So I'm going back to 2800 calories per day and see how it works when I eat and rest properly.

(+2 CON, +1 WIS)

A: 0-2 days missed of either tracking or calorie goals.

B: 3-5 days missed of either tracking or calorie goals.

C: 6-8 days missed of either tracking or calorie goals.

D: 9-11 days missed of either tracking or calorie goals.

F: 12+ days missed.

 

Goal B- Outmuscle Negaduck. The goal is to hit the gym 3+ times per week and this time I'll leave out running. After running for a month last challenge, my speed and endurance were pretty much back up to where they were when I stopped running in October. I'm confident I can pick up my running again after this challenge when the weather is nicer and I'll use this time to focus on strength. This should help my bulking and also leave me a little more flexibility to work in mini quests and focus on more family fitness activities for some minor cardio. (ie. snowshoeing) Plus, after being sick and on vacation for 2.5 weeks straight, the belly is starting to stick out a bit, so we really want to make sure the excess calories are being put to good use.

I'm continuing the Barbell Strength Training guide at Level 1, moving on to Level 2 partway through the challenge.

(+3 STR, +2 CHA)

A: 0-2 sessions missed. Normal life caused interruptions- great job.

B: 3-5 sessions missed. A whole week missed. Maybe got a bad cold?

C: 6-8 sessions missed. I hope you have a good reason for this ...

D: 9-11 sessions missed.

F: 12+ sessions missed. What exactly are you doing with your time?

 

Goal C- Chase down Quackerjack. That little guy is agile, always flipping around. I'll need to be flexible to catch him. I'm still working at my side splits and I need to put more focus into them this time. Technically, these are roadkill splits, but my goal is 180 degrees with my legs, one way or another. Strictly pass or fail.

(+2 DEX)

A: Side splits achieved

F: Worse splits than a banana.

 

Lifequest- "Mop up" the Liquidator. Somewhat literally as I have a cleaning challenge to finish. I didn't finish cleaning my basement last challenge, so that needs done. In addition, the basement cleaning has also triggered a redecoration of our bedroom and some minor movement of furniture in other rooms since some basement items got moved upstairs. Those all need done. And going back 2 challenges ago, I need to keep my finances in line, including paying off my credit line and filing income tax.

(+3 WIS)

A: Bedroom redone, basement finished, taxes done and finances cleared.

B: Three out of four.

C: Two out of four.

D: One out of four.

F: Hmmm... I'm the slumlord of my own home.

 

Fitness goal- Flip Megavolt's deadlift switch. Megavolt's massive generator has a comically big on/off switch that needs flipped and the deadlift is just the trick to do it. The deadlift is my worst lift, but purely because of form. I think maybe -just maybe- I finally figured it out. And just when I did, I got a cold last challenge, so I only got to try it out twice. By the end of this challenge, I want my deadlift to be up there with pull ups and squats in my "OMG, I can't wait to do this lift at the gym and see what I can do today!" category. Getting a trainer, using the form check forums, whatever it takes. By the end of this challenge, I want to be on a linear increase in deadlifts and know that I'm doing them right.

(+2 STR)

A: Good form deadlift at 160+.

B: Good form deadlift at 150+.

C: Good form deadlift at 140+.

D: Good form deadlift at any weight.

F: I need serious help.

[drunkensnake]

this may be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa3wlWzLli0

[sylph]

woot! In Go kick some butt.

[Librarian of Doom]

I am the terror that flaps in the night!!!

 

One of these days I'll be caught up on sleep enough to do one of these here cleverly themed challenges. But for right now I'll just appreciate yours

[Chelkie]

I'm glad i'm not the only one revisiting a few things in my current challenge. Sometimes you just need another 6 weeks to iron everything out and make sure things are on track. Those side splits are definitely a legitimate challenge, I found progress definitely slowed down in the last two weeks. The advice about rolling my hips forwards made all the difference when it came to lessening the pain in my joints though.

[QuirkyDM]

this may be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa3wlWzLli0

 

I am the terror that flaps in the night!!!

 

One of these days I'll be caught up on sleep enough to do one of these here cleverly themed challenges. But for right now I'll just appreciate yours

I'm just happy (and a little amazed) that anyone else knows who Darkwing Duck is. Thanks for the link to the video, drunkensnake. That brought back memories.

It makes me think I should find these old episodes and have the kids watch them with me. Of course, if I'm watching super hero comedies, so I do Darkwing Duck or The Tick? Etiher way, it'll have to wait until we finish watching the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon series. Ohhh, my kids are going to be such nerds. Which is exactly what my wife and I wanted.

 

 

woot! In Go kick some butt.

That is the plan. Butt kicking starts in half an hour when I hit the gym for the first time in almost 3 weeks.

[drunkensnake]

nerd my parents are, surprised I am not

 

yea, I've been playing munchkin, and X-wing with my daughter for awhile now, soon I shall introduce her to proper table top hee hee

[AgentsSka]

Splits just sound painful (given that I have the flexibility of a 2x4).

[AgentsSka]

Damn double post!

 

[Epsilonx2]

Hey! Thanks for the birthday wishes. Looooove the Darkwing Duck theme! You got this!

[DaemonCorax]

I am floored by the splits goal - Dang.  Nowhere close.

 

Anyway - I'm completely with you on the overtraining.  Watch out for it.  It's nasty.  I spent most of August like that.  I was not a nice person.

 

As for the deadlifts.  I agree with the NF strength wizards - start with just the bar.  Your weight will go up fast once you have the form, but that form is crucial crucial crucial.  I put up a video on my challenge page for you.  It's more about fine tuning than basics, but it's good advice.

 

Also, I deadlift in socks quite frequently.  I totally agree with the video about skipping the squishy gym shoes.  Lifting shoes are okay, or converse or minimal shoes, but if I only have a few minutes in the basement, I just take off my work shoes and lift in sockfeet.

 

Good luck!

[QuirkyDM]

yea, I've been playing munchkin, and X-wing with my daughter for awhile now, soon I shall introduce her to proper table top hee hee

My kids have been playing Munchkin: Apocalypse and I try to keep them into board games as much as I can. My son loves Dungeon Command.

A few months ago, my DM ran a few Hero Kids sessions for our kids- 5 of them aged 5-9. They loved it. And more than that, they were really good at it. There's no limits on imagination at that age and they're not bogged down at all with thinking about rules or mechanics.

 

 

Splits just sound painful (given that I have the flexibility of a 2x4).

They are painful. Even though I can do front splits, it's still a lot of me pushing my legs down hard and forcing my body to do things it doesn't want to. Which isn't really that different from regular exercise. I'd like to work it so that when I am in the splits, I'm actually resting on the ground instead of pushing down to the ground and then I can relax in that position.

 

 

I am floored by the splits goal - Dang.  Nowhere close.

 

Anyway - I'm completely with you on the overtraining.  Watch out for it.  It's nasty.  I spent most of August like that.  I was not a nice person.

 

As for the deadlifts.  I agree with the NF strength wizards - start with just the bar.  Your weight will go up fast once you have the form, but that form is crucial crucial crucial.  I put up a video on my challenge page for you.  It's more about fine tuning than basics, but it's good advice.

 

Also, I deadlift in socks quite frequently.  I totally agree with the video about skipping the squishy gym shoes.  Lifting shoes are okay, or converse or minimal shoes, but if I only have a few minutes in the basement, I just take off my work shoes and lift in sockfeet.

 

Good luck!

The overtraining didn't burn me out so much as I think it stopped me from getting the gains I could have gotten. So I'll see if I can pack on the weight this time and build my strength up. More rest days for me. Which drives me a little batty, but I'm sure I'll learn to enjoy it.

 

I watched your video. Thanks for putting that up. I am now a deadlift sponge- soaking up whatever information I can get my hands on. I might transfer my street running shoes to be my lifting shoes. They have almost no sole on them. Right now I have cross trainers which are pretty good, but they are a little more supportive which means a softer sole.

[AgentsSka]

What Spartan Beast did you sign up for, btw?

[QuirkyDM]

What Spartan Beast did you sign up for, btw?

It's the local one in Ottawa, Ontario. (Edit: this is in Canada for anyone outside North America) If it's like last year, they'll hold it at the Edelweiss ski hill. I may do the Sprint as well, but I told my wife I'd let her book our camping trips and holidays first and then I would book obstacle courses around those.

 

I'd like to do the Super as well, but it's scheduled the day before the Beast. I'm not confident enough to do the Super and the Beast back to back. A Sprint and a Super back to back would be much better. There are other Supers nearby, but it's a 2-3 hour drive to get to them and then I'd be doing more driving then running.

[AgentsSka]

Last year, I participated in three Spartan Races that were all over three hours away.  Two were about four hours away, but I spent the weekend with my best friends around the race.  I don't mind traveling for the right race(s).

[QuirkyDM]

I don't have any friends in the nearby racing cities, otherwise I'd totally do that. If I could go with some friends, that would make it worthwhile, too. I might see about planning a family camping trip next door to the race and then going "Hey, look a Spartan race. Maybe I should check it out. That's strange, they say I'm already registered. Well, no use arguing now. I'll be back in a few hours."

 

The Ultrabeast is about 4.5 hours driving away. That's a hefty drive, but I wouldn't worry about not running long enough.

[AgentsSka]

My current game plan is to camp down the street from the venue of the Ultra Beast.  I did the Beast there last year.  It was brutal.  I'm not convinced about giving the Ultra a go yet.  It will depend on how many other Beasts shake out within driving distance for me. (It'd be really nice if they finalized their entire 2014 calendar, already!)

 

But, I will be there that weekend.

[QuirkyDM]

I am the barbell that scrapes your shins during deadlift ...

I am the annoying lifter who does barbell curls on the squat rack ...

I am Darkwing Quirky!

 

Time to really get this show on the road. Starting with, er, starting points.

Weight: 133.4, 13.2% BF

Neck: 13.5

Shoulder: 41.25

Bicep: 11.25;11.25

Chest: 34

Waist: 29.25

Hips: 36

Thigh: 22.5;22.5

Calf: 13.25;13

 

Starting lifts: Tough to say. I left last challenge with these: (5x5)

OHP: 60

Squat: 185

Pull ups: 10

Deadlift: 140

But I also got sick at the end of last challenge and took last week off for vacation. So, these might need to be in recovery mode for a week or two.

 

Starting stretch: Need a picture for this. (will edit it in once I take one) (EDIT: done)

 

Tuesday:

Pull ups and deadlifts. First the horrible. I couldn't get on my normal straight pull up bar. I had to use one that had my grip at 45 degrees. (shaped like this _/\_/\_ ) I really hope that's the reason my pull ups were so terrible. I must have looked ridiculous loading up my weight belt and then bailing after 4 pullups on my first set. But I am feeling pretty good DOMs, so whatever I did, it obviously worked my muscles.

But deadlifts were really good. First set I had to focus on keeping my back tight. But on the second set, I really worked at not standing straight up, but also pulling back a bit. This made it so I really scraped my shins, which was good because I was having trouble getting that. My guess is that I was leaning forward before. I'll take a video next time to make sure I'm not leaning back too far, (as a tip from alexc's video) but by the end I felt like I was definitely using an easy weight and could have done more. Despite horrible pull ups, this is a win for me. I figure if I can get one win at the gym each trip, I'll take it, no matter where it comes from. And the hamstrings are feeling DOMs, too, so that's a good sign. Sort of.

 

Today is push day- OHP and squats. I'll back those down by a good 10 lbs each just to make sure my body is ready to get back into weights and then spend the next week or two pushing back to where I left off.

[drunkensnake]

Campaigns and wars are not one in a single glorious battle, but rather by the culmination of numerous small victories, and the wisdom to know which victories are worth pursuing.

-I don't know....I may have made it up, but it's equally likely it's an amalgamation of a dozen lines from as many military philosophers

 

good work on the deads, they always make you look like a bad ass, and for your viewing pleasure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2LFuw_v9u94

I'm no expert...but his form looks....lacking

 

*EDIT* OH GOD I SAID KNOW INSTEAD OF NO!!!

[Librarian of Doom]

Yay for gym wins!!! Good work on the DL!!!!

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2LFuw_v9u94

I'm know expert...but his form looks....lacking

 

Ow...that physically hurt to watch. Like my back started twinging in sympathy when he rounded his on the pull...and then...wow.

[QuirkyDM]

Campaigns and wars are not one in a single glorious battle, but rather by the culmination of numerous small victories, and the wisdom to know which victories are worth pursuing.

-I don't know....I may have made it up, but it's equally likely it's an amalgamation of a dozen lines from as many military philosophers

 

good work on the deads, they always make you look like a bad ass, and for your viewing pleasure:

 

I'm no expert...but his form looks....lacking

Man, was that funny. I sat there thinking, "He's gonna drop it, he's gonna drop it ..." BAM! And then laughed like crazy. I guess that's another reason to make sure you use the tall plates on your deadlift.

 

 

I noticed the know/no, but I'm not the grammar or spelling police. However, I did report you to them. They should be arriving any second now ...

[DaemonCorax]

Man, was that funny. I sat there thinking, "He's gonna drop it, he's gonna drop it ..." BAM! And then laughed like crazy. I guess that's another reason to make sure you use the tall plates on your deadlift.

 

 Yup.  That was a good laugh

[ShadowLion]

Cool challenge goals. Splits... Oy, I'll take burpees over those any day!

[musasabi]

<.<

 

>.>

 

I found you! (Or rather, I remembered to look ...!)

 

I believe you will see good things coming of this delightfully themed challenge, haha. I also am interested in seeing some footage of you deadlifting. =) I know that's the only way I fixed mine - posting for critique!

 

And I am with you 100% on the scrapey DL's. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1568468/20140219_091457.jpg and whatnot. =)

[QuirkyDM]

Cool challenge goals. Splits... Oy, I'll take burpees over those any day!

Yeah, except once I can do the splits, then I won't need to worry about them again. Burpees- those are always gonna hurt.

 

 

<.<

 

>.>

 

I found you! (Or rather, I remembered to look ...!)

 

I believe you will see good things coming of this delightfully themed challenge, haha. I also am interested in seeing some footage of you deadlifting. =) I know that's the only way I fixed mine - posting for critique!

 

And I am with you 100% on the scrapey DL's. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1568468/20140219_091457.jpg and whatnot. =)

Hey Musasabi. Good to see you again. And the critique should soon be coming ...

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am the terror that flaps in the night!

I am the three flights of stairs when your legs have epic DOMs!

I am Darkwing Quirky!

 

I now have my new starting lifts for this challenge:

OHP: 60

squats: 175

pull ups: 2.5

deadlift: 135

 

Tuesday I was sore up and down the back (hamstrings, glutes, traps) from deadlift and pull ups. I think even stretching again gave me DOMs. Thursday's workout moved the DOMs to the front of my legs from my squats. The 175 weight was still a little too high to restart squats at as after 3 sets, a stranger came up asking if I wanted a spotter. But I pushed them out anyway. (the squats, not the stranger) I should likely jump on my foam roller but I cry just a little thinking about it.

 

I am hoping it all comes back again quickly, so I'm going to work forward nice and slow from this point. I did get to video my deadlift though. Check it out:  http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/45362-quirkydm-deadlift-check/  Hit me up with some good critique.

 

And I've got a splits picture, too, from the end of the session. This is after some serious warm up stretches, so it's as good as I can get right now:

 

 

Alright fellow NFers. I got a driveway that despite my best wishful thinking, doesn't look to be shoveling itself.