[SymphonicDan] and the Checklist [level 9]

[SymphonicDan]

Welcome lurkers, old and new For those of you who don't know, I do gymnastics and bodyweight skills, and supplement that training with weightlifting and climbing. Last challenge I worked extensively on squats, deadlifts, flips and muscle-ups. I also broke the British record for calendar calculations, wrote a new piano composition, and started practising speaking in Spanish.

 

I also realised that I'm missing some strength in some key areas... so that's what I want to work on now.

 

I tend to work out with very high weights and low reps, which got me strong fast, but I'm now at a plateau where I feel I should change this somewhat... and need the motivation to do so...

 

 

Challenge #1: the checklist!

 

The aim this challenge is to complete as many items as possible from this checklist. Each one carries +0.25 of some stat point. I'm expecting to complete about 25 of the items. There are 8 stat points available, and therefore if I do particularly well and get more than 32 then I get to choose which of the stat points to claim

 

If illness, injury, war or famine prevent me from working on these, I can claim +0.25 CON per day as long as I'm super good about recovery/rehabilitation that day. Fingers crossed that this doesn't need to happen!

 

STA:

(X) pull-ups: 12 [started at 10]

(  ) pull-ups: 15

(  ) pull-ups: 18

(  ) pull-ups: 20

(X) ring push-ups: 20 [started at ~16]

(X) ring push-ups: 25

(  ) ring push-ups: 30

(X) ring dips: 12 [started at 8]

(  ) ring dips: 15

(  ) ring dips: 18

(  ) ring dips: 20

(  ) overhead press @45kg x3 [started at 0]

(  ) overhead press @40kg x8 [started at 5]

 

STR:

(  ) weighted pull-up with 10kg x 10 [started at 6]

(  ) weighted pull-up with 15kg x 6 [started at 4]

(  ) weighted pull-up with 20kg x 4 [started at 2]

(  ) weighted pull-up with 25kg x 3 [started at 1]

(  ) weighted pull-up with 30kg x 3

(  ) squat @105kg [started at 100kg]

(  ) squat @107.5kg

(  ) squat @110kg

(X) squat x3 @92.5kg [started at 85kg x3]

(X) deadlift @130kg [started at 125kg]

(X) deadlift @137.5kg

(  ) deadlift @145kg

(  ) deadlift @150kg

(X) deadlift x3 @112.5kg [started at 100kg x3]

(X) deadlift x3 @127.5kg

 

DEX:

(  ) consistent low frontflips on crashmat [started with inconsistent flips]

(  ) regular high frontflips on crashmat

(  ) consistent frontflips on ground

(  ) consistent frontflips on ground - bonus point

(  ) upstart / glide kip [started completely unable]

(  ) upstart / glide kip: bonus point

(  ) upstart / glide kip: bonus point

(X) archer ring rows: 5 [started at 3]

(  ) archer ring rows: 8

(X) bar false grip pull-ups x3 [started at 1]

(X) bar false grip pull-ups x5

(  ) straight-leg straight-arm toes-to-bar with no swing [started able only with bent arms/legs

 

CHA:

(X) ring muscle-ups: 2 [started at 1 without negative]

(X) ring muscle-ups: 3

(X) ring muscle-ups: 4

(X) ring muscle-ups: 5

(  ) bar muscle-up [started completely unable]

(  ) bar muscle-up: bonus point

(  ) bar muscle-up: bonus point

(  ) cartwheels that look like cartwheels [started looking like a spider in a hurricane]

(  ) cartwheels that look like cartwheels: bonus point

(  ) backflip alone again on tumble track [haven't done this since the summer]

(  ) backflip alone on tumble track without spotters to warm up [never done]

(  ) backflip on tumble track, consistently landed

 

I'm so looking forward to start crossing items off this list

 

 

Challenge #2: core strengthening: lots of the advanced gymnastics skills on which I'd like to work involve being stronger in the core. In particular, in the summer I'd like to work on:

• frontflips (more!)
• backflips (more!)
• handstands
• levers
• other bar/ring gymnastic work

Therefore for the next 6-7 weeks I'm going to really work my core. I'm grading this subjectively based on intensity, regularity and quality, but a grade B would involve doing a serious core workout 3+ times per week. +3 CON is available for this challenge.

 

 

Challenge #3: understanding Spanish: I've been learning Spanish on-and-off for the last 3-4 years and recently have been speaking weekly with Talvi. I want to take it more seriously this challenge, and I'm splitting it into three components, worth +1 WIS each:

• work: 2 hours of Spanish, including 1 hour of speaking (doesn't matter who with), roughly every week
• study: create and maintain a notebook with useful phrases etc.
• train: be able to understand Spanish radio - judged by listening to EuroNews Radio (Spanish) and understanding most of it

The work component will be graded by counting how many times in the next 7 weeks I fail to meet the 2 hours target or the 1 hour speaking target:

• grade A: 0 or 1 fails
• grade B: 2 or 3 fails
• grade C: 4 or 5 fails
• grade D: 6 -  8  fails
• grade F: 9 - 14 fails

The study component will be graded subjectively.

 

The train component will be graded by the proportion I can consistently understand:

• grade A: 85%+
• grade B: 75%+
• grade C: 65%+
• grade D: 55%+

 

Challenge #4: no pathetic days: sometimes on the weekend when I've got nothing planned, I don't leave the house and have a super lazy day.... while this sounds good, especially as my lifestyle is very active, it means I end up feeling anxious and lethargic by the evening, and the day afterwards... therefore I should do something vaguely active every weekend day (unless I'm ill or injured) even if it's just a few miles' cycling so my body can recover properly rather than grinding to a halt.

 

+1 CHA is available for this... I lose +0.25 CHA for each pathetic weekend day.

 

 

Okay, that's all! My challenge starts immediately. Good luck for your challenges, and I'll be hopefully reading some of your challenges in the next few days

[Mad Hatter]

Okay, that's all! 

 

LOL

 

You know how to keep a challenge small.

[Trembriele]

Following!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lara]

Love it!

[lucky fire dragon]

 

so following this!

 

Love the checklist idea!

 

I know exactly what you mean with the pathetic days, even though I am way less sportive than you and probably a lot less active in general, too. But it's that sense of unsatisfied when I could have accomplished something instead of lazing around and when the lazing around was just that- not even luxuriating or enjoying properly... building in some contrast into those days sounds like a great plan. Curious how it'll go for you.

 

All the things above, well, let me repeat   (no words)

[Nymeria]

I'm so glad to see that you're taking it easy and relaxing a bit after the last challenge.  

[raptron]

^ Hahah.

 

Seriously, big list and big goals. I love the ladder checklist you've created! Nice compromise with the incremental goals! 

[Lokesbrah]

Nice!

[annyshay]

Oooooh, interesting way to structure things.  Love me a good checklist.  Pulls up a chair to watch the awesome unfold.

[Talvi]

Lurker present and accounted for!

 

When I joked that you were going to try and "do all the things", I didn't know that you were literally going to "do all the things" ever!  Good luck  

Also I really like that backflips will contribute to your charisma - for some reason, I'm imagining you using your charisma skills at work or in a bar

Y algo mas, here is a Spanish push-up motivation cat gif :{P

 

[SymphonicDan]

LOL

 

You know how to keep a challenge small.

Haha, now i just need to put in an effort to match it

 

 

so following this!

 

Love the checklist idea!

 

I know exactly what you mean with the pathetic days, even though I am way less sportive than you and probably a lot less active in general, too. But it's that sense of unsatisfied when I could have accomplished something instead of lazing around and when the lazing around was just that- not even luxuriating or enjoying properly... building in some contrast into those days sounds like a great plan. Curious how it'll go for you.

 

All the things above, well, let me repeat   (no words)

I think "unsatisfied" captures it perfectly... that feeling of going to bed going to bed past your bedtime, hyperactive and disappointed because the most productive thing you've done was brush your teeth and the most adventurous thing you've done was raid the fridge. Let's be having no more of that! Active recovery! Projects and plans!

 

Thanks for reminding me that I was going to stalk you this challenge by the way... I'd made a mental note recently when I realised you work on cool stuff

 

Lurker present and accounted for!

 

When I joked that you were going to try and "do all the things", I didn't know that you were literally going to "do all the things" ever!  Good luck

Also I really like that backflips will contribute to your charisma - for some reason, I'm imagining you using your charisma skills at work or in a bar

Y algo mas, here is a Spanish push-up motivation cat gif :{P

Lol, maybe the backflip will come in handy one day... I shall look for uses for it...

 

Actually my motivation is that in the summer, i can spend time out in the park doing all the cool activities like slacklining, rings, gymnastics with friends etc. (like last summer, but better!) and the better I get at the things in my challenge checklist, the more awesome that has the potential to be

 

 

Thanks everyone for dropping by... you all give me extra motivation to perform

[Sea Level]

I'm glad to be following again.

[bbonzo]

Excited to be following you this challenge! Seems like we have a lot of the same gymnastics goals so I'm looking forward to checking in on your progress and get ideas for my own training!

[lucky fire dragon]

Haha, now i just need to put in an effort to match it

 

I think "unsatisfied" captures it perfectly... that feeling of going to bed going to bed past your bedtime, hyperactive and disappointed because the most productive thing you've done was brush your teeth and the most adventurous thing you've done was raid the fridge. Let's be having no more of that! Active recovery! Projects and plans!

 

Thanks for reminding me that I was going to stalk you this challenge by the way... I'd made a mental note recently when I realised you work on cool stuff

 

*feeling flattered and slightly confused, running to check her thread to find what would be cool stuff to a guy training backflips*.... but shhhh I am of course just totally cool

[SymphonicDan]

Excited to be following you this challenge! Seems like we have a lot of the same gymnastics goals so I'm looking forward to checking in on your progress and get ideas for my own training!

 

I was **this** close to adding in an L-sit goal, but decided I might already have enough to be getting on with, and it's covered under the "core strengthening" goal if I do do any work on it.

 

I wasn't feeling so sporty this morning, but I got on with some things today anyway

 

Challenge #1: the checklist:

• gymnastics rings: encouraged by the sunny weather, I took these out to the park at lunchtime for some training. Unfortunately there was a cold wind so I wasn't performing so well and it wasn't comfortable, but it was worthwhile anyway for a spot of practice.
• ring dips: got 6 and could maybe have managed a 7th, before doing afew smaller sets in quick succession to train some extra strength/stamina
• ring push-ups: these were hard today... I think my pushing ability has regressed, so I'll have to do extra work on this. I tried some push-ups on my bed literally while I was writing this sentence, and they're about as hard as ring push-ups, so I can use that for training.
• ring archer rows: these were okay but my feet kept sliding around on the ground... They work better when the ground is dry or at an alternative location with bark on the ground. Also I'm nowhere near managing 5 on each arm
• muscle-ups: I think I swing my legs too much when doing these, so I should check. But I manage them fine now, which is so much better than at the start of last challenge when I had no idea whether I'd ever manage them!

Challenge #3: understanding Spanish:

• journal: today I bought myself a fancy hardback notebook for noting down useful phrases. I did a similar thing in late 2013 for my gymnastic/strength training and it really helped, so I'm looking forward to using this
• reading book: a while ago, a Spanish friend recommended I read "El arte de no amargarse la vida", so I've now bought a copy in the original Spanish. It's a non-fiction book about positive psychology, which I find really interesting, and will double up as Spanish practice for me!

Challenge #4: no pathetic days:

• Saturday: today is not a pathetic day, because I have done active things, and have more useful things to come

 

I also made a TODO list of things to help me with this challenge:

• find a bar in a nearby park that's appropriate for the drill I was given for upstarts (glide kips). Must be smooth, thin, horizontal, about 1m50 off the ground, and with space nearby to swing
• find a way of making the rings more grippy for muscle-ups. I tried elastic bands today but they had no effect. Rubber gloves might work... especially if they're bright yellow and look ridiculous...
• film my cartwheels so I can see precisely how bad they are
• investigate the local circus group, as they have sessions at convenient times where I might be able to to work on gymnastics stuff
• investigate the core conditioning class on Thursdays (I'd need to leave work early to get there, so I haven't yet had the opportunity)

[SymphonicDan]

It's been a slow start to the challenge (I think I'm slightly ill/tired so I've been in recovery mode somewhat) but I've been keeping up with the challenge nonetheless

 

Challenge #1: the checklist: checked out three parks today to find a bar I can use for my upstart drill, but found nothing There's another place I can try so I'll check that out next time I'm nearby.

 

Challenge #2: core exercises: made a symbolic effort today with some leg raises, bed push-ups and advanced tuck holds (easier than L-sits)

 

Challenge #3: understanding Spanish: started my new book with some notes on conjugation that I always forget, and had a good hour-long conversation with Talvi involving lots of preterite tense. The Spanish for "toasted" and "sunburnt" are the same word, so I shall commence referring to my toast in English as "sunburnt bread" I've already done 1h30min of my Spanish for this week (not sure yet when the week starts and ends) so hitting 2 hours should be easy, especially as I'm quite excited to do more!

 

Challenge #4: no pathetic days: had my short cycle ride earlier when looking for places to train, and did the core exercises, so Sunday was officially okay... but for days when I'm fully well I want to increase the standard of activity somewhat....

 

Tomorrow: gymnastics!

 

Other things: the circus place is apparently good for frontflips an handstands on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, so I should check it out at a suitable time next week, probably at the weekend

[erosan]

native spanish speaker here (from Mexico), following to offer support to a fellow guild member. feel free to ask about stuff you don't understand, and maybe I'll be able to help with the conversation too down the road.

[Lara]

You don't waist your time!

...not even during weekends anymore!

 

In Spain we use "tostado" for bread, and "quemado" for sunburnt, and they are not interchangeable, if that helps. If you are not sunburnt, but tanned, then you can use "moreno" o "bronceado".

Now you're gonna have every spanish speaker nerd in your thread, and you'll have to bear us with all our spanish variations, mwhahaha!!!

 

Have a good first week!!!

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

Yay!  Back for another challenge!  Love the checklist!  It's always so satisfying checking something off!  

 

Just got done listening to your composition while I was catching up (better late than never...right?)!  BEAUTIFUL!!!  I am so very impressed!  

[KB Girl]

Really like the stuff you're working on so i'll be lurking a bit! 

ps. you've improved a lot since last I was lurking, way to go

[bbonzo]

 

I was **this** close to adding in an L-sit goal, but decided I might already have enough to be getting on with, and it's covered under the "core strengthening" goal if I do do any work on it.

 

 

Yea! Just play around with it during core work and when you get it you'll just be like "BOOM! Bonus challenge!"

[SymphonicDan]

native spanish speaker here (from Mexico), following to offer support to a fellow guild member. feel free to ask about stuff you don't understand, and maybe I'll be able to help with the conversation too down the road.

Thanks Erosan, good to have you around

 

You don't waist your time!

...not even during weekends anymore!

 

In Spain we use "tostado" for bread, and "quemado" for sunburnt, and they are not interchangeable, if that helps. If you are not sunburnt, but tanned, then you can use "moreno" o "bronceado".

Now you're gonna have every spanish speaker nerd in your thread, and you'll have to bear us with all our spanish variations, mwhahaha!!!

 

Have a good first week!!!

Ah okay, no sunburnt bread for me haha I'm hoping I can be nicely quemado y moreno in the Summer, after all the outside fun stuff...

 

Today I wasn't feeling great, but went to gymnastics anyway and it was fun

 

They had the nice wooden rings out, so I experimented with the muscle-ups somewhat and learned a cool new skill: forward rolls on the rings! It's supposed to be easier than muscle-ups, so I gave it a go... I need my false grip to be stronger while doing the motion as at the moment I slip off at the last moment... but I'm looking forward toadding this skill to my repertoire

 

Challenge #1: the checklist:

• frontflips: spent some time practising these on the floor onto crashmats... still inconsistent but sometimes I get the timing right and land them okay
• ring muscle-ups: did some of these and they felt good. I need to work out how to do negative ones, so I got some advice from one of the really good guys there... I should keep lots of forearm tension the whole way, and maybe practise with my feet on a block for adjustable support
• bar muscle-ups: tried some, and they were probably better than ever before, but no success
• upstart / glide kip: used a 1m90 bar for several sets of my prep exercises - they felt good technique-wise, but I'm going to need a huge amount more work to build up the relevant core strength

Challenge #2: core exercises: as well as the flips and stuff, I did the upstart preps and some skin-the-cats with extreme range of motion

 

I've got a party clashing with gymnastics on Wednesday and I've chosen the party... but I'm going weightlifting either Tuesday or Thursday, and hopefully after my heavy session last Wednesday I might be able to start crossing off some items from the checklist

[SymphonicDan]

I went to the gym for weightlifting today, and have four new PRs, including two items to check off my checklist

 

First of all, I wasn't feeling in my best shape, as I can tell my immune system is working hard to protect me from some mild illness at the moment, and my upper back has crazy DOMS ache from something at gymnastics yesterday... maybe the weird arching handstands some of us were trying against the wall? Not sure... anyway I've been keeping myself unnaturally warm and eating all the healthy things (beetroot juice, some citrus vitamin drink that actually looks legit compared to most of the "health" foods you see, peppers, tomatoes etc.) and it seems to have done its job for now.

 

Challenge #1: the checklist: my workout was very much based on getting PRs for my checklist (or rather, I designed the checklist to motivate me to work on the things that I think I should be working on...) and my workout was basically in four parts:

• squat: felt good today, and got a new PR of 102.5kg (225lb) up from 100kg (220lb). I'm especially impressed as I haven't even been working the squat much the last few weeks Failed at 105kg a couple times, before dropping to 90kg for a load of single-rep sets
• pull-ups: started with bodyweight pull-ups, and hit a PR of 12 reps (up from 11, ages ago) which is the first thing to check off my checklist. Then added weight and got +15kg x4, +20kg x 2, +10kg x 5, 3, 2, 2 for my work sets
• overhead press: one of my challenge goals is to lift 45kg x3 (99lb), and that's greater than my 1-rep max... but anyway I tried it today just to see, and got a PR of 45kg x2 first time Very close to the 45kg x3 that will get my points in this challenge
• deadlift: I wasn't expecting much from the deadlift, as my back was already feeling sore... but I attempted 112.5kg (247lb) anyway, and managed the 3 reps! so that's another deadlift PR and another thing off my checklist

Challenge #2: core exercises: deadlifts are core exercises! But more to the point, I did several advanced tuck holds on the dip bars. I'm definitely finding it easier to get my feet above the proper height (i.e., higher than your hips) but can only hold it for a few seconds each time. My core certainly feels it though afterwards

 

Now I've got to eat all the food and do all the recovery!

[erosan]

congrats on those PRs! you are killing this!

[Talvi]

Woop woop on getting all those PRs whilst feeling off!!!