Estrix: Horde of the North

[Estrix]

Promised myself I'd try for a proper RP start to this challenge. And having seem lots of good guys I figured we needed some monsters to spice thing up So here we go, Horde of the North: Part the First.

 

It is often forgotten among the Southern lands in years of peace that the Orcs and Goblins have, at various times, had an empire, or something similar to it. At times mighty chieftains arise that weld the disparate tribes of Green Skins into a Horde bent on conquest and destruction. Goblins and Orcs, hardened by the brutality of life in the North, and their brutality to each other . Or at least that seems to be the conventional view.

 

In fact, at times when a single Chieftain does arise and the tribes unite it is voluntary (for a value of voluntary), and like the Mongol or Hun Hordes/Empires there is far more than what meets the eye. Organisational structures as well as soldiers. As the Green Skins pour from their caves, holes, tents and cities, uniting and submitting their tribal banners to one new, blood red war banner. Old tribal splits are laid aside as previous enemies unite to form new legions.  

 

Among these new legions one of the most feared and hated units is raised by the Chieftain. The Goblin Raiders. Made up of the toughest and fastest of the wiry creatures, they were known for appearing out of nowhere and running down whole villages, killing and burning before retreating with whatever they can carry. Attacking wherever the enemy isn't, villages, farms, merchants, supply lines. They need to be strong and fast, to run down the enemy, to fight, and then retreat or carry off loot before reinforcements can arrive.

 

As the sun beats down heavily on the vast sprawl of tents, thousands of feet beating the ground, trampling the grass to dust until it blots out the sun and chokes those who pass along. The sight can be seen for miles, more and more Green Skins pour down towards it in long trains all the time. Out the plains legions drill, armour glinting under the dust and weapon crashes fill the air.

 

Into this mess steps Estrix, one Goblin among thousands. His waiting in the sweltering heat, waiting to be tested. To be assigned their roles in this new order. Those who are strong may become Raiders, those who are weak will be fodder for the infantry, those even weaker...it's best not to think about.

 

And so Estrix prepares to be tested, hoping to become a Raider, one of the few that will make it.

 

...So this story will be updated as I get through bits of my goals based on success or failure. I'll try work in the goals to story pieces maybe once a week

 

Goals

Strength:

Squat: 124kgx5

Bench: 77kgx5

Deadlift: 105kgx5

+5 Str

 

Fitness

Run 40min at 12km/h

+3 Stam +2 Con

Freestanding handstand

+2 Dex

 

Meditation

Once per day +2 Wis

 

Life Goal (of sorts): Play my harmonica every day so I can manage more than 2 songs and nursery rhymes lol +1 Char (Not sure this will in fact add charisma as opposed to remove it but there we go )

 

[Estrix]

Challenge Day 1

 

Just a quick note, all weights are listed in kilograms.

 

Squats

5x54

5x67

5x80

5x94

5x107

 

Bench

5x34

5x43

5x51

5x60

5x68

 

Row

5x32

5x40

5x48

5x55

5x63

 

Assistance Work

Weighted Sit-ups 3x8@22.5kg

Barbell curl 3x8@32.5

Tricep Extension 3x8@20

Hammer curl 3x8@12

 

Also played my harmonica. Gods you can tell that's been awhile! Still, it was fun. And my daughter (nearly 3 months old) was enraptured by the strange noises!...then she fell asleep.

 

Then hurt my wrist trying to do a handstand because of course I did lol.

 

Still, day one done!

[Estrix]

Challenge Day 2

 

Not a great day over all. Woke up late and had to work so everything got crammed together. And despite waking up late I still slept really badly.

 

Anyway, run day today. Usually I manage 40min but only managed 33 today and just under 6km (5.94 I think).The road I run down was being resurfaced and I discovered if you inhale tar fumes while panting like a steam train you will be sick...very very, very sick. I think that didn't help the run time very much.

 

No music today sadly. Or meditation. I'd also hoped to get some pull-ups for the mini challenge, but I'll hit those Wed and Fri with gym I think. But mini challenges will be done damn it!

 

[Ocelot]

That sounds pretty offputting, so not surprised you stopped early - I'm amazed you kept going for over half an hour, hats off to you sir.
 

Slept badly how - waking up lots, or still feeling tired...?

[Estrix]

It was dire lol! Got a new route plotted until roadworks are finished, seems smarter But thanks

 

The sleeping thing is just waking up a lot. I think I need to cut down screen time right before bed, and I might move meditation to closer to sleep time as well and see if that helps. If sleep stops going well I'm sure everything else will start to fall apart quite quickly which is obviously the concern, especially this early on in the challenge.

[leemh]

Love your backstory!

Good luck with your challenge! (:

[Estrix]

Challenge Day 3

 

Hey Leemh glad you like the back story Good luck to you to!

 

Strength

Squat:

5x54

5x67

5x80

5x80

 

OHP

5x25

5x30

5x35

5x40

 

Deadlift

5x60

5x70

5x80

5x92.5

 

Accessory

sit-ups 3x40

pull-ups 10/9/8

barbell curl 3x32.5

Tricep extension 3x20

 

Running

Beep test 8.5 (Mid week max cardio session). Gets the heart rate up to and over 180

 

Mini-Challenge: Guild Members! There is an active challenge with a community goal! We must all do our part. Together, we can win! Remember, service ensure citizenship...I'm doing my part, are you?....Would you like to know more? (Starship Troopers anyone Also, great way to announce future challenges, just saying. Hint hint Ocelot ) So yeah, did some pull-ups.

 

Music

Also, did more rattling. My kid looks appreciative, then falls asleep. Apparently because it's the only way she can escape according to my friend

[Estrix]

Challenge Day Four

 

Today was every ones favourite day: REST DAY! No exercise. Even the might Horde must have rest. Weary from brutal regimes. Dead warriors cannot serve after all.

 

Still did the music thing and the meditation thing. But otherwise a very relaxing day. Oh and I bought a weight lifting belt which should arrive by Monday, so YAY,

 

But tomorrow it's back on it!

 

Edit: Anyone who hasn't should TOTALLY check out the Reebok "be more human" adverts. They're amazing!

[Estrix]

Challenge Day 5

 

Very quick update before I go out.

 

Squats:

5x54

5x67

5x8

5x94

3x110

8x80

 

Bench:

5x35

5x45

5x50

5x60

3x70

8x50

 

Row:

5x30

5x40

5x50

5x55

3x65

8x50

 

Accessory

Barbell Curl: 3x8@32.5

Tricep Extension 3x8@20

Hammer curl 3x8@12 

Pull-ups 8/6/6

 

Oh and my lifting belt arrived Now out to ROCK OUT!

 

 

[Estrix]

OK, so full disclosure: Today should have been another run day, but it didn't happen.

 

After going out last night, and a few hours of manual labour this afternoon I just didn't have it in me. So instead I'm going to do it tomorrow, I'm sure it won't make a vast degree of difference...hopefully.

 

Also try and break in the new lifting belt a little before its live fire test on Monday.

[Estrix]

Challenge Day 7

 

Running day today. I made a sort of interesting discovery that will need to be tested further. Usually I run in a heart rate range of 160-165bpm on the basis that higher must mean working harder. But I was pretty hammered flat after my week so decided to take it easy and I ran at 150-155 and did better times! My first 10min pace marker was 12.2km/h. So that seems weird to me, might post about it in the running forum tomorrow.

 

So, time and distance: my phone app keeps crashing so best I can remember is something like 7.5km average pace 11.7km/h or some thing. Stupid phone.

 

In DIRE news, my harmonica is wounded in action! It no longer plays a f! I need that note damn it, it's in literally everything I can play in my tiny repertoire. And do we have a forum area for instrument repair, of course we don't I need to get some screwdrivers small enough to open it up and check the reed, hopefully a mate has a small enough set. I can't even play it a mournful tune! *weeps*

 

 

[Estrix]

Challenge Day 8

 

So, not a great gym day. Hit bench of 3x70 on Friday. Today I was supposed to hit 5, nearly killed myself repeating 3! Almost welded myself to the damn rack. Deeply frustrating, this is exactly where I stalled last time. Even accessories for bicep and tricep hasn't helped, maybe I should add some extra work for the chest? Either way, depressing. Unsure whether the extra few hours of pretty heavy labouring on the weekend did it, I imagine it didn't help. But to be stalling at body weight again is not great.

 

Harmonica still out of action

 

Tired as hell so this is all for today. Will add a new RP piece soon I think.

[Estrix]

So today was running day. Did 7.5km in 40min and again my phone app kept crashing but it showed a final pace of something like 11.5km/h. Really need to investigate a new app.

 

However I swear I'm still getting better pace times as a lower heart rate. So that's something else.

 

In other news, meditation is going badly, I complete some session and in others I just fall asleep And the handstand keeps hurting my wrist. Maybe I'm pushing for to much. But I shall not fail lol.

 

All for now, my eyes are closing when as I type. To much gym/running/working.

[Estrix]

Challenge Day 12...I think

 

Estrix and run and lifted and sweated for days and days. He'd never been so tired, or thirsty, or hungry. He longed for the sweet rest in his mountain cave. But all around him other Greenskins did the same.

 

Out on the plains, choking in the dust and heat, many had already fallen. Some would not rise again. The Horde had no use for the truly weak. So far Estrix had been lucky not to be amongst those. But there was something great, uplifting, about seeing his own body becoming strong and nimble as the Horde itself shed its weaknesses and became made of iron. Something that unified them all into a greater movement.

 

As he ran faster, lifted more and goals moved closer he even began to dream of the day when the Horde would move south at last, and his new self would fall upon the unwary creatures once more.

 

Real Update

So, mostly going well. Few issues though. Last Friday I managed 70x3 on the bench, Monday I barely managed to do 1 and today I struggled to do 2! But, and this sounds like a terrible excuse, but the gym has a new bench that I just can't get square and tight on, my glutes don't sit square because of the shaped end, and I can't get my legs into a good position...but maybe I just suck Also added dips to try and build my chest a bit and see if that helps.

 

Also, had a semi-stranger (only met a few times) rub my arm today because she "likes the shape"...!!! Had to grin, but not quite sure how I feel about that

[Ocelot]

Seems wrong somehow but you do actually need a little bit of mental energy for meditation. I know well the accidental sleeping that can occur.

 

Doing any more harmonica training?

 

What's the exact point at which the horde will be moving south - the end of the challenge or do you have to hit a particular goal? Good luck with it anyway!

[Estrix]

The meditation tends to work better when I do it in the morning, less likely to fall asleep then lol. I have a three month old daughter, which doesn't lend itself to peace, quite and mental tranquillity in my current opinion lol.

 

The harmonica is currently on a...break lol. Not sure why but F is currently playing D. Took the whole thing to pieces and I can't find an obvious problem, so it may need tuning. Which means a sanding file, which I don't have, and so it goes on.

 

As for the RP element. I think I'll move the Horde as I complete challenges, that way I can keep it as an on running thread from one to the next for awhile. Seemed like a good idea at the time anyway

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Yea, I can't meditate at night ... at least, not zazen.  I always fall asleep if it is after dinner. 

 

How's running and lifting??

[Ocelot]

I will make sure to keep my assassinny duties out of the way when the horde is on the move again then ... But for now I will continue to lurk! How is your training progressing?

[Estrix]

Sorry for all the sudden silence. RL has been manic the last week. Working lots of extra hours, often doing manual labour so I've been training as and when I can. Managed to fit most things in. Oh, and a punk rock gig so I was out till 5am or at least I think that was the time lol.

 

Hightlights: Trying to do a handstand in my flat. My flat does NOT have the space, nearly broke a chair, a radiator and my ankle collapsing out of one! Run time was improving, but I've missed one running day I think.

 

Not good: bench is still stubbornly stuck at bodyweight for 3 and will not move! Managed 5 once, never again. Only just managed 3 today. Did hit 4 last week. In short, still can't break the 5 reps required to add more weight. Second time I've stalled at the same weight, deloaded last time and hit exact same wall this time. To make it more annoying, dips, curls, tricep extension, rows, pull ups all improved. But not the bench...

 

Harmonica is still out of action. Can't find a thin enough file to do the job. I'll add some specific numbers soon

 

Oh, maybe thinking of switching my diet around. Currently only tracking calories. Thinking I may investigate if it fits your macros as this apparently produces some good results. Anyone know?

[Ocelot]

OMG that handstand bail sounds pretty scary, have you heard of pirouette bail? I hear that can be handy in a pinch.

 

Plateaus suck - just keep consistently plugging away at it, do lots of singles and don't give up... it will come :] Bodyweight bench is pretty damn awesome anyway and will lead to gains at 3x reps anyway!

 

IIFYM is pretty good, because you can't help but eat some healthy stuff if you want to hit protein, unless you survive on protein shakes and doughnuts... Something like IIFYM but with a target amount of fresh fruit and veg per day too might be better! The science does work, but you do have to be aware of blood sugar spikes if you are going to eat tons of junk. Still, don't fear the junk - that's a surefire way to madness - just find healthy ways to limit going over the top!!

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

I've tried IIFYM before and like the results.  It's sometimes hard to get the protein but keep the fat grams down, but the carb number has been pretty easy to hit ... so long as I avoid the cake and donuts.  

[Estrix]

Thanks for the feedback The IIFYM plan is to tune my diet basically. I eat pretty healthy already and my bodyweight is steady while running and lifting gets better (pretty sure that's a good sign lol). I could cut out booze, but it's one night every week or two and there's gotta be fun times

 

I think my main issue with the bench stalling is that I think of it in absolute terms. Because I'm quite light I think of the press as being quite light. Even though its my own weight if you see what I mean.

 

In other news, updates are getting short and later in the night. Had a few late ones in a row with my daughter and more extra hours at a fairly physical job. Missed bits here and there to keep things going as best I can lol. Did do this weeks mini challenge though, hit them all so far. I used my boss to do 8 weighted squats in the car park

[Estrix]

OK, so thought I'd take the time to sit and write a proper detailed explanation of my workout today, strength day.

 

Squats

5x56

5x70

5x85

5x100

5x113 (people stopped to watch this set the other day )

 

Bench

5x36

5x45

5x55

5x63

3x70 (my current sticking point, Trying not to deload)

 

Row

5x33

5x42

5x50

5x60

5x67

 

Sit-ups 3x10 @ 22.5

Dips 3x12

Hammer curls 3x10 @ 12.5

Tricep extensions 3x10 @ 20

 

I was doing barbell curls to hit biceps twice, for various reasons. But I find it crazy difficult to manage when I've added dips before hand. I added them for chest, to try and unstick the bench, but they do fair damage to the arms to lol.

 

[Estrix]

OK, so at least one of my goals is close! Hit average pace 11.9km/h for my last run So super happy about that! I just need to hammer the end pace harder and I should be able to get 12km/h on my next run

 

However, didn't make the gym today Hurt my shoulder on Monday on the bench, and now I'm coughing like I have consumption. No other symptoms really, just a hacking cough lol.

[Ocelot]

Ackkk! How is your shoulder? Good job that won't affect your running (?) You sound like you're soo close in many ways. Keep going, just a few more days left!