BlackTezcas' 7th Trial: An Artsy, Geeky Amazon Pumps Up!

[BlackTezca]

I think there is a spy among us...

 

Hey there Warriors!  I'm BlackTezca a gif crazy code Monkey that has decided to temporarily abandon my Martial Artist bodies and join in with the strong folks!  You may remember me from such posts my bloody introduction  From Lurker to (Newb) Rebel!, the uber violent and continuous macabre fest known as BlackTezca's Daily Battle Towards Feline Greatness, and the absolutely colossal and titanic grab bag quest known as BlackTezcas' 6th Trial: An Artsy, Geeky Amazon Becomes Colossal...in 5 Weeks.  This time I'm ready to level from week vampire to a badass Draculina courtesy of you guys and of my awesome vampiric theme...

 

Why Hellsing Ultimate?!  Isn't Halloween before the challenge?  You are correct!  However, I love Hellsing Ultimate; the animation is gorgeous, the violence is just juicy, and despite it being very plot driven, the growth of Seras is a great bit of character development and acceptance of being what she is and growing stronger for it.  It also helps that I have been on a vampire kick for a while, been disillusioned with the start of vampires in Young Adult fiction and Hellsing just reminds me of how awesome, horrific, and badass vampires can be.  Especially the big ole Drac himself. 

 

Now, I thought the great Nerd gods would give a little bit of a break but already these awesome new forums are up and ready for the next greatest thing and I'm uber excited to level up my strength with the experts this time!  No surprise here due to my main goal!  My epic quest!!

 

My Main Quest is to be as POWERFUL and BATTLE READY as Wonder Woman

 

The main focus this time with my fitness is strength training!  I have been doing it consistently for while, but not really as a main focus and I'm looking to decrease the amount of cardio I'm doing (lots of HIIT) to increasing strength training as well, since the kickboxing classes I take add a shit ton of cardio already and Winter is coming so that means Maintenance as well as no more walks outside...

 

I'm not that hardcore

 

With that out of the way, let's get this party started!!

 

Alucard: "It's time to educate you on how a real vampire does battle!"

Details: The strongest, most powerful, oldest vampire.  The real O.G.  Alucard (otherwise known as Dracula cause of course).  This is my strength training quest; I too would love to be over powered and to do that I need to ramp up my strength training and get buff!  This will be a pretty simple quest; do strength training with weights four times a week, working either legs, arms (or both).

Contingencies: None, this will be just be part of my normal routine that I do anyways.

Tracking: I'll be tracking the stretching sessions using MyFitnessPal ( username BlackTezca ) with the workout listed as 'Calisthenics Vigorous/Moderate" for this thread.  This thread will be updated with numbers (weight per hand, sets, and reps).

Grading:

A for Strength Training at least 4 times a week ( 3 Str 1 Sta )

B for Strength Training at least 3 times a week ( 2 Str 1 Sta )

C for Strength Training at least 2 times a week (  2 Str )

F for all else

 

 

Walter: "Oh dear, I missed...I guess I'm not as spry as I used to be."

Details: So I work out five days a week, with three of those days being for kickboxing, 4 of those days including strength and one day with...well not much.  Nothing super hard.  I may dedicate this extra day to doing some yoga training for strength and core, as well as continuing my stretching work for after kickboxing as well.  Walter is very spry, even in old age, and I think I need to stay just as spry as well, especially as days get colder!

Contingencies: None; stretching and yoga can always be done, even when sore. 

Tracking: I'll be tracking the stretching sessions using MyFitnessPal ( username BlackTezca ) with the workout listed as 'Yoga' or 'Pilates' or depending on how hard it is 'Aerobics Low Impact'.

Grading:

A for Flexibility work 5 times week ( 3 Dex )

B for Flexibility work 4 times week ( 2 Dex )

C for Flexibility work 3 times week ( 1 Dex )

F for all else

 

Seras Victoria: "I'm not afraid of anything anymore."

Details: Seras Victora was a newly turned vampire who just refused to get enough liquids (okay, blood.  She refused to drink blood).  This left her weaker than many of her opponents, even though her master was Dracula himself.  Only when she finally got the sustenance she needed did she evolve into a Draculina and a  true vampire.  I need to drink more water.  I haven't been tracking as much I need to do and I slack on the weekends, so now it's time to keep track!

Contingencies: None.  This is water.  I should be drinking water with all my meals too.  I can't really think of a contingencies for water.

Tracking: I'll be tracking my water using MyFitnessPal ( username BlackTezca ) as well as keeping myself accountable using this thread.

Grading:

A for 64 oz of water 6 to 7 days a week ( 2 Con )

B for 64 oz of water 4 to 5 days a week ( 1 Con )

F for all else

 

 

Alexander Anderson: "I want nothing more than to be a bayonet...wielded by the hand of God."

Details: This will be a bit different!  Anderson is a badass.  Massive badass.  He is a fantastic fighter and nigh-indestructible human being.  However, he is fantastic with children, an honorable, noble person, and someone who I think fits what this Life Quest will be about...

 

 

Thankfulness.  Every day, I shall think of something to be thankful for and update my thread with it.   This could be about what is good about the day, or about family, etc.  One thankful, happy thought, especially since Thanksgiving is coming soon!  I'm not a religious person, but a bit of a sentimental one, so this will be a feel good kind of quest .

Tracking: I'll be updated this thread with my 'thankful' thought each day once the challenge begins!

Grading:

A for 42 to 38 thankful thoughts ( 2 Wis, 1 Cha)

B for 37 to 34 thankful thoughts ( 2 Wis )

C for 33 to 29 thankful thoughts ( 1 Wis )

F for all else

 

Pip Bernadotte: "It was never about the money, it was always about the fun."

Details: Pip is human, like Anderson.  But he is also the weakest physical character.  He is creative, has leadership qualities, but in the world of vampires and werewolves, he is woefully lacking in strength and power.  However, he loves, he cares, and he is French.

He represents my art challenge!  I will not have a number of works to do this challenge.  Instead I will dedicating 30 minutes a few days a week to just working on art straight.  I want to have less stress overall with my art and thus holding myself to spending a set amount of time on art maybe a lot easier on me mentally than trying to pump out work.  We'll see how it goes.

Contingencies: There will be busy days of course.  My hobby should not stress me out.  But 30 minutes most of the days in this challenge should be doable I think.  We'll see.

Tracking:  I have an art Tumblr and I also have a DeviantArt (WATCH ME FOR ACCOUNTABILITY).  I shall use those and this thread to keep track.  I shall also post up WIPs of my work, maybe not after every 30 minute session, but several times a week to show progress on the current work.  I have only two things to work on, and I will announce a new project after those two works are done, but that will not factor into this quest.

Grading:

A for 30 minutes of art 5 to 6 times a week ( 2 Cha 1 Wis )

B for 30 minutes of art 3 to 4 times a week ( 2 Cha )

F for all else

 

That is a bit to keep track of, but I'm still quite excited to get back to a more normal routine!  Especially after my vacation!  Here are some starting measurements (starting from where I ended the last challenge) along with the latest fitness image of me!

 

 

Starting Measurements:                                   
Date: 10/15/2015 @ 6:15 am
Weight: 124.6
***Body Fat***: ~19%
Waist: 23
Waist @ Navel: 23.5
Hips: 33.5
Neck: 12
Chest: 32
Left Bicep: 10.5
Right Thigh: 16
Wrist: 5.5
Forearm: 8.5

 

I probably should take account my vacation the last week of last challenge but...nah I'm too lazy!  I rather work from this high point like this instead .

 

This challenge is looking quite fun so far!  And should be quite manageable as we get closer to the holiday season!  Let's do this strong Warriors!  I mean, strong is what being part of the Warriors (for this challenge) is all about right?!  W00t!! 

 

Time to go check out who else has there awesome thread up!

[Urgan]

Haunting this awesome thread forever and ever! 

[StarGazer]

Ohai

[shaar]

HELLSING??!?! Your themes always make my heart sing~ <3

 

Subbed, obvs.  Well written vampires are my spirit animal. :3

[Kagetsukai]

Helllooooooooo! I am also doing strength training this challenge It'll be awesome!

[BlackTezca]

Haunting this awesome thread forever and ever! 

 

Remember dem gainz....

 

Ohai

 

 

HELLSING??!?! Your themes always make my heart sing~ <3

 

Subbed, obvs.  Well written vampires are my spirit animal. :3

 

I love well written vampires!  Well written vampires are sexy and deadly!  The best!

Hubba Hubba

 

 

Helllooooooooo! I am also doing strength training this challenge It'll be awesome!

 

GUUUURRRRRRRL YOU GOTS YOUR CHALLENGE UP!?

 

I'MMA STALK YA!

[Kagetsukai]

GUUUURRRRRRRL YOU GOTS YOUR CHALLENGE UP!?

 

I'MMA STALK YA!

 

Girl, my challenge has been written since last Monday I'm a little obsessed with my theme

[Sam Ashen]

Hello right back!  It is a little bit late at night, so I will be trying to catch up on everybody's Challenges tomorrow.

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

Found you

I'll try to comment on deviantArt again, too.

[Grizzy]

Oh, I definitely want to watch your art goal! That sounds so cool!

[BlackTezca]

Hello right back!  It is a little bit late at night, so I will be trying to catch up on everybody's Challenges tomorrow.

 

No problem!  Glad you found me right back .  Hope you slept well!

 

 

Found you

I'll try to comment on deviantArt again, too.

 

Woo!!!  To be fair I'm horrible on commenting on DeviantArt as well.  I just use it to post art.

 

 

Oh, I definitely want to watch your art goal! That sounds so cool!

 

I did a lot of challenges where I would try to get 5 pieces done in a challenge.  As much skills and level of detail increased, that became increasingly hard to keep up.  So I'm hoping that measuring time spent on a work (or even doing 30 minute sketches for funsies) becomes an acceptable substitute.

 

Thank you for following and watching! 

[Urgan]

I did a lot of challenges where I would try to get 5 pieces done in a challenge.  As much skills and level of detail increased, that became increasingly hard to keep up.  So I'm hoping that measuring time spent on a work (or even doing 30 minute sketches for funsies) becomes an acceptable substitute.

 

Art is like powerlifting, lol. Linear progression doesn't last forever.

[BlackTezca]

Art is like powerlifting, lol. Linear progression doesn't last forever.

 

There is truth in that indeed!  It's funny how two completely differently things are related somehow: physical strength increases vs mental/creative progress. 

 

[Urgan]

There is truth in that indeed!  It's funny how two completely differently things are related somehow: physical strength increases vs mental/creative progress. 

 

 

Yup. Keep it in mind when you start your lifting journey--take advantage of all those newbie gains on the linear progression while you've got the opportunity! Tiny increases every session will get you everywhere...

[BlackTezca]

Yup. Keep it in mind when you start your lifting journey--take advantage of all those newbie gains on the linear progression while you've got the opportunity! Tiny increases every session will get you everywhere...

 

Hmmm I need to look for fractionals too add then too.  That would really help for adding tiny increases.

[blkhole24601]

OH HERE YOU ARE

 

Subbed~

[BlackTezca]

OH HERE YOU ARE

 

Subbed~

 

I know!  I've switched on you!  Being all sneaky sneaky like.

 

[Urgan]

Hmmm I need to look for fractionals too add then too.  That would really help for adding tiny increases.

 

This. I tell everybody, I was made to see the sense of having enough .5lb and .25lb (yes, that little...upper body is a killer, progress will potentially be quite slow) fractionals in my possession, because dem presses. Do yourself a favor and give yourself the leg up of not being forced to make 5lb jumps or nothing. A gains killer.

[BlackTezca]

This. I tell everybody, I was made to see the sense of having enough .5lb and .25lb (yes, that little...upper body is a killer, progress will potentially be quite slow) fractionals in my possession, because dem presses. Do yourself a favor and give yourself the leg up of not being forced to make 5lb jumps or nothing. A gains killer.

 

The issue is that my dumbbells are standard instead of Olympic (a mistake, yes, but it was a set and came with a total of 40 lb plates so....!!).  Considering I haven't been doing any jerks or many cleans and the weights for fractionals are so low (I'd probably get .25 lb and .5 lb, unless you or others have better suggestions), I'll probably just order some fractionals anyways and use them between the standard plates.  A solution for now.

[SpecialSundae]

Much stalk, such stalk.

[BlackTezca]

Much stalk, such stalk.

I always welcome new stalkers!  HURRAY!!!  I love sundaes too!! Yum!

[Strickland5]

See I'm strange Alucard is from Castlevania III to me

 

Regardless!

[BlackTezca]

See I'm strange Alucard is from Castlevania III to me

 

Regardless!

 

I was first introduced to Symphony of the NIght Alucard, so I feel you.  But yeah!  Awesome retro Zelda gif!

[Strickland5]

I was first introduced to Symphony of the NIght Alucard, so I feel you.  But yeah!  Awesome retro Zelda gif!

There isn't a nearly as iconic moment in Castlevania III sadly 

 

 

Now Castlevania II ! 

[stillskies]

Traitor. TRAITORRRRRR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(says the probably-Scout defect)