Never Gymless! For the Rebellion!

[Kishi]

Hey there, folks. Guess who's back?

So, after having done the Dash, I decided to dig into a series of fitness routines written by Ross Enamait. Enamait is a boxing coach out of New England. If you search for him on the YouTubes, you will see a man in fantastically functional shape. He wrote a book, called Never Gymless, which is a compilation of bodyweight training techniques for pulling, pushing, and leg strength. These are designed not only to enhance maximal strength - your peak strength, the brute nasty stuff - but also explosive strength - that is, the ability to display more strength in an instant.

Man, that was a poorly written sentence. I own that.

In any case, the book is also full of conditioning sets and drills and such like that. They're not the same as what you're going to find in similar such things as the C25K program - they're designed for fighters. Since one of my goals this challenge is to get back into martial arts, I've decided I'm going to follow a 50 day program that's outlined in the book.

I'm pretty stoked about it. I've been tracking my statistics since the last challenge, and in the past week I'm already down 2.5 lbs, and have lost 1.6% off my body fat percentage. To put that in perspective, it took me 6 weeks to lose 2.3% during the last challenge. I don't know if it's the intermittent fasting or what, but I think it's going to be very interesting this challenge.

...

So! Enough talk. Let's get us some goals on the table.

FITNESS GOALS

Consistently Follow the 50 Day Program

I've already been on it for a week or so since the Dash wrapped up. I've got about 42 days left - it fits the time frame for the challenge like a glove. I will, of course, be posting workouts, failures, rest days and the like.

This is set up around a 5-day routine: Circuit Training, Max Strength, Interval Training, Explosive Strength, Rest. Each day can be cut up into two parts - one for the main course, the other for some supplemental work afterward. For me, that means a Pull Up Clinic, and Ab Work.

With nine days dedicated to rest, that means I've got 33 possible days to work. My grade will be determined out of that. And just because things have been challenging lately, I'm gonna go ahead and only take full credit on a day that I do both parts. Half credit for half a day's work.

Intermittent Fasting Twice a Week

I like to think of this as Poor Man's Paleo. . This one's pretty clear-cut - twice a week for 6 weeks. Graded out of a possible 12.

Lower Body Fat Percentage

Well, I don't want to do just a pass/fail this time. I want to see how hard I can push on this one. I'm already sitting on 15.4%, so I want to see how low I can go. Minimum goal of 13.6%, maximum goal of 11.6%. Let's push this one.

LIFE GOAL

Find A Job

Go get a job! Start with 5 network contacts before putting out my resume again. The following weeks will have me putting out 6 resumes each week day.

...

So, yeah. That's the game. Can't wait to start.

[Loren Wade]

I'll be doing IF this challenge as well. I love the $500 goal too. Dave Ramsey has helped me a ton.

[Kishi]

Awesome! Dave Ramsey just makes sense - he takes all the money stuff and it becomes practical when he's talking about it.

[Seabright]

Good stuff, Kishi! Will be very interested to hear how the body weight training goes. For the Rebellion!

[LynnyLee]

Looks like you've got some ambitious goals. You seem to excel at those though. I'm pulling for you.

[Kishi]

Good stuff, Kishi! Will be very interested to hear how the body weight training goes. For the Rebellion!

For the Rebellion indeed! I will definitely be keeping you posted - looks like tomorrow's going to be an Explosives day. We'll be blowin' it up, looks like.

Looks like you've got some ambitious goals. You seem to excel at those though. I'm pulling for you.

Well you know, the fact that you're pulling for me is what makes me so ambitious. You keep me accountable to what I say. If I make any of these goals, it'll be because y'all keep me to it. So, thanks!

[Hermione Gainser]

Just popping by some other Strength Squad challenge threads. Your goals are pretty awesome! I'm very intrigued by Never Gymless. I look forward to seeing you rock it!

[Kishi]

You will. Believe me. Just wait 'til you read my update today and I'll show you what I mean.

[Kishi]

All right! First official day of the challenge. Did we rock today? Did we blow it up like we thought we would?

Yes. Yes we did.

Day 9/50 - Explosive Strength

Plyometric Pushups: 4x16

Lateral Jumps: 4x16

Dips: 1x8; Bench Dips: 3x20

Knee Tucks: 4x14

Power Overs: 4x2

Explosive Step-Ups: 2x14

Ankle Hops: 2x14

Part 2: Abs

Ab Wheel: 3x2

Pullthrough: 3x15

Rotational Chop: 3x10

1-Leg Plank: 3x30s

Notes

So, today has been interesting, not just in terms of the fitness goals, but also in terms of life in general. I'm not the complaining kind, but it may get in the way of my goals.

I got ready to head off to the park where I work out at most of the time, and found a wall of clouds waiting for me. 'Pshaw!' I thought. 'Just a bunch of clouds.' Until the thunder sounded off. I ran back inside to find that there was a wall of storms coming our way.

It was a real opportunity to live a rage comic, so to speak. And I honestly considered delaying, but I'm 'Never Gymless' this challenge. So I decided to make the most of it with what I had back home.

Home ended up posing some obstacles. To begin with, one of my roommates is a student, and he needs it quiet for his studying. Actually, he probably doesn't give a rip how much noise I make, but I try to be quiet for him. Except that explosives work isn't very quiet. Not even a little bit.

On top of that, I don't have a bar to do my dips on back home. The best I can do is a bench dip off one of the chairs.

So I made do. First couple exercises go off without a hitch. Second set of exercises are way too easy because I'm using the bench versus an actual bar. So I decided to up the ante and bust out 20 dips from the bench as opposed to the eight. That was awesome.

Power Overs are a new movement that I've picked up since last challenge. And it's pretty much what it sounds like: you lay out a brick or a block or a medicine ball. One hand on it, one hand off, pushup position. One repetition has you exploding up and switching the positions of your hands. You start off on one side of the prop, and at the end of the rep you're on the other side. Rinse and repeat.

The ankle hops came in because I freaked out when my roommate got out of his room and I didn't know if he was coming down the stairs or not. So I just bounced for 14 reps on the last one and that was that.

So, that was that.

The Ab Wheel is still busting my chops pretty bad. I've decided I'm going to go ahead and start using a wall to gauge my progress out, because I can't tell right now whether or not I'm getting anywhere. I think I may have a slight form problem too - my back's bugging me like crazy, and that shouldn't be happening.

...

Let's see. Ah, yeah. Life goal. My paycheck's behind by about a week or so. The idea was to start putting away from that paycheck, but if that paycheck isn't here, it can't be done. If the delay continues, I might have to postpone starting it by a week or so.

Also, everything that's happened today happened while fasting. Fast is over in an hour.

...

Yeah. It was a big day today.

[Seabright]

Wow! Great start to your challenge, Kishi! Hope that paycheck comes through, PDQ.

[Hermione Gainser]

Sounds like you did pretty damn well for "making do" I dig it!

[Mama T]

Kishi - you rock! Love the determination to get it done regardless of circumstances! a couple things:

the ab wheel - i tried that for awhile, but like you mentioned, it killed my back - got a pinching feeling whenever i used it. i thought maybe it had to do with my lack of strength, but kind of gave up b/c it didn't seem beneficial. i'm interested to see how that progresses for you!

the savings account goal - i can totally relate. my savings is basically just the place i put the money i can't spend b/c it goes toward rent each month. i may try to follow your example and make that a focus as well!

STRENGTH SQUAD FTW!

[Foolishnostalgia]

Awesome making due. I would be lost without my precious barbells, so go you for making the best with what's available. I'll have to get into some body weight stuff myself, and challenging sets like Power Overs get me excited to do that.

[Kishi]

Wow! Great start to your challenge, Kishi! Hope that paycheck comes through, PDQ.

Me too. On the other hand, let's look on the bright side - I get an impromptu day off for every day he doesn't pay me. I'd rather be working, but. No sense in it if the money's not coming in.

Sounds like you did pretty damn well for "making do" I dig it!

Aw, shucks. I try.

Kishi - you rock! Love the determination to get it done regardless of circumstances! a couple things:

the ab wheel - i tried that for awhile, but like you mentioned, it killed my back - got a pinching feeling whenever i used it. i thought maybe it had to do with my lack of strength, but kind of gave up b/c it didn't seem beneficial. i'm interested to see how that progresses for you!

the savings account goal - i can totally relate. my savings is basically just the place i put the money i can't spend b/c it goes toward rent each month. i may try to follow your example and make that a focus as well!

STRENGTH SQUAD FTW!

I definitely hear you there, Mama T. I wouldn't really worry about the ab wheel as such, except that core exercises are part of my challenge. The wheel represents another area of challenge for me. Even if it didn't, good fighting technique relies on the core and hips for power, and the wheel is a time-tested way of developing it.

And the savings account would be good. $500 put away could have paid my rent this month. As it is, I'm having to lean more on my roommates to take care of it, and that's not cool. So. We'll find a way to make that happen somehow - just might not start as soon as we could have.

Awesome making due. I would be lost without my precious barbells, so go you for making the best with what's available. I'll have to get into some body weight stuff myself, and challenging sets like Power Overs get me excited to do that.

Hey, nothing wrong with barbells, man. They're awesome. If you're looking to get into explosive pushing strength, a good thing to do is to get up to doing 40 pushups. It was never clarified to me as to whether you do them in one set or spread them out, so I assumed it was one set. Once I did that, I was good to go. Are you on a particular barbell program at the moment?

[Kishi]

Well, after a day's worth of resting and being peskily encouraging, it's time for another edition of 'Kishi Hurts Himself!' I mean, Never Gymless!

Day 11: Integrated Circuit Training

The goal of these ICT drills is to basically help the athlete in question raise his work capacity higher.

So I decided to play cards.

...

No, really. It's a cool game I like to call "Never Gymless Pick Up." Here's how it works:

Take a deck of cards. Remove the jokers. Shuffle the deck. Place the deck face down. Draw a card.

If that card is red, you do burpees. If the card is black, you do pushups.

Face cards are worth 10, aces are worth 11.

The name of the game is to get through as many cards as you can in half an hour.

Isn't this a fun game.

Anyway, I wish I could say to you guys that I made it through the whole deck. But I didn't. I only got through 18 cards or so in the half hour I had to work with. Final totals: 87 burpees, 48 pushups. Not spectacular. But better than nothing. Also, new life goal: get better at shuffling cards.

Part 2: Pullup Clinic

Did a rep test for this one. Prior rep test had me at 8 reps before burnout. Current test had me at 11. LEVEL UP.

Notes

So, I was originally planning to just stay in the park all afternoon and just burn through the cards. It would have taken a while out there in the heat, but I think I could have done it. I chose to cut off after a half an hour, though, because I'm trying to collect payment for a freelance assignment. I wanted to get back and make sure that the payment was coming, and to get back to work if it was in.

Turns out, no, it wasn't. Means the money goal just got trickier.

The fasting helps, though. I'll be breaking it in an hour and half or so, and it's made stretching the last money I've got easier. Sustainable practices FTW!

But, enough about that. There's some interesting quirks coming up tomorrow, and I can't wait to share them with you guys. See you then!

[Hermione Gainser]

That does sound fun! One day, I'm gonna be like, "Dude, work me out" and let you make me do ridiculous things like this card game. Love it.

[Kishi]

Hey, any time you want to play, you just let me know. Lots of different games to play.

[SpongeBob]

Nice thread.

All the best of luck to you!

Mr Enamaits books are awesome, im a fan of him and his methodology.

[Kishi]

He's got a fantastic method and some mean protocols. I like getting stronger his way.

[Kishi]

So, some things changed today. Some of it was for the better. Some of it was not.

Day 12: Mixin' It Up

Part 1: Abs

Ab Wheel: 3x2

Band Slam: 3x15

Band Twist: 3x10

Chinnies: 3xBurn

Part 2: Shotokan Training

That's right! My sensei got in touch with me and somehow I've found myself back in training again. It's great also because he runs it out of a Judo school, and I'm going to be training there too.

It's like I said at the beginning: the overarching goal is to get into fighting shape, and the best way to do that is to fight. So, there you have it!

Notes

In other news, it looks like the job is lost. 10 days with no paycheck makes Kishi a sad panda. The life goal is going to be tricky now. Especially given that I'mma have to find a way to do it on unemployment benefits.

I don't know if I'm going to make that one, and that'll kill the grade for sure.

Bah. Could be worse - could be in debt. I'll find a way around this.

[Kishi]

So, what did we do today?

We did Judo today.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Judo is essentially the sport of hitting people with the planet. But you can't lift the planet, so you have to lift the people instead.

It was a blast. Randori - sparring - totally whipped me, and it took some strength to execute the techniques.

Everything hurts now. I was planning on doing some pullups today, but between Judo today and the rep test on Thursday, I just couldn't find the heart for it. I'll take half credit today.

But don't think I don't have a way around that. Just wait.

[This is Seth]

"Judo is essentially the sport of hitting people with the planet. But you can't lift the planet, so you have to lift the people instead."

I just read this out loud to my roommate and we shared a good chuckle for the most amazing description ever.

Great work heading towards your goals! Keep up the hard work; when everything hurts, it means you're doing it sooo right.

[Kishi]

"Judo is essentially the sport of hitting people with the planet. But you can't lift the planet, so you have to lift the people instead."

I just read this out loud to my roommate and we shared a good chuckle for the most amazing description ever.

Great work heading towards your goals! Keep up the hard work; when everything hurts, it means you're doing it sooo right.

I'm glad you liked it! Someone on Bullshido used that to describe the sport, and it fits well, so.

[Kishi]

Ugh. All right. Sunday. The taking-stock day. Weighing today at 176, but my body fat percentage is up at 17%. Hopefully this is an off day for the measurements or something, because the alternative is that I lost a pound of muscle somewhere along the line this week and that's just lame.

So, let's take stock! At the end of week 1 I went from having a job to none, from having money to none, and apparently from gaining muscle to having less. Outstanding.

The game needs to change some. I know the changes I need to make for the life goal: I need to get a job again. The unemployment will be a pittance, and it won't be enough to put away anything, not and feed myself, pay my rent, pay for gas to get places, that kind of thing.

I've got five people I can network with. The goal for this week: find and get in contact with each of them. Each of them is worth 20 points. This will be scored out of a hundred.

I have to admit, I'm kind of at a loss as to how I'm losing muscle. Either the martial arts aren't the resistance trainings I thought they were, or I'm just straight up not eating enough when I do eat. If it's the former, I can fix it. If it's the latter, there's not much I can do - my UI benefits are tied up right now and while I have received help from friends, I can't actually deposit the check until tomorrow, and it won't be counted until Tuesday.

If anyone has any tips, I could use the help.