Sea Level X: The Awakening

[Sea Level]

An Assassin seeks to Ranger.


Greetings, in the name of the Rebellion. Sea Level, the undersigned, seeks entry into the Great Hall of the most noble and magnanimous Rangers guild.


I have been conducting surveillance for a fair amount of time, but have now decided to make an official move to the Rangers guild. (Wild Wolf can take some credit for poaching me from the Assassins, but he didn't really have to work that hard. ) It turns out that from my reconnaissance, there are more Rebels here who share my same goals.

For Rangers I haven't met, I'm Sea Level. Age 34, Male, 6-foot-1.i've been an Assassin for my entire Nerd Fitness career, having joined the Rebellion in 2012. When I joined 2012, I lived, oddly enough, at Sea Level. Now I live at 4,000 feet above sea level, but the name has stuck despite the location change.

Historically, most of my challenge work has been focusing on bodyweight exercise, hand balancing, and yoga. I'm also a swing dancer, so many challenges have involved some dance-related element. This one will be no exception. I will also post my latest favorite dance videos for your entertainment.

My goals have evolved a bit to include more weights, getting more strength, getting more adaptable. For this challenge, I'll still be working with mostly bodyweight work, but working on more advanced movements for me, like dips, chin-ups, and pull-ups. I've lost some of my original abilities with time and atrophy, so I'm hoping to revisit goals I had in the past to rebuild my abilities.

So here we go: an Awakening in a new guild.


1. Workouts Using GMB's Integral Strength.
I worked on this last challenge, and I want to continue through the process, since it's an 8-week program. Moves involve: chin-ups, push-ups, L-sit, shoulder presses, hollow body poses, shrimp squats. Do 4 workouts per week, or whatever the program calls for.


2. Dance practice


I just returned from a swing dance weekend in Austin, Texas, and I need to keep what I learned in my head, so I'm going to practice at home for 10 minutes, two times a week, working on routines and remembering what I recently learned. In addition I'll have dance nights out twice during the challenge at my local swing dance locale. I'll post song lists, too.


3. Get off the Ground



While in the Assassins, I spent time playing with hand balancing, working on various poses: crow pose, half crow, side crow, among others. I haven't practiced them in a while, but I recently got my crow and half-crow stabilized out. Now I want to work on them for time. Practice hand balancing poses 5 minutes per day, 5 days a week.

I've also got broad jumps built into GMB's Integral Strength, so I'll continue on working on those.


4. Read

Last challenge I had a goal of reading for 30 minutes, 4 times a week. I didn't get 100 percent last challenge, but I read a lot more than I had in recent times, so I want to keep this going.





Let's punch it.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Welcome to the Ranger Corps.

[Elastigirl]

Looking forward to it!

[Mr_Willes]

Welcome Sea level. Glad you're here. Now it's time to get comfortable, post your goals, and thrive off of these fine Rangers to fulfill your quests! You won't regret your decision in joining the ranks, i can guarantee you that!

[Sea Level]

Okay, the initial post is updated with GOALS!

 

 

 

Welcome Sea level. Glad you're here. Now it's time to get comfortable, post your goals, and thrive off of these fine Rangers to fulfill your quests! You won't regret your decision in joining the ranks, i can guarantee you that!

I am sure you're right!
 

Looking forward to it!

Welcome to the Ranger Corps.

Thanks for the early hospitality!

[fitnessgurl]

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Dude, I'm a June of 1981'r myself. Those are good goals you have, you're fitting in just fine.

[Wolverine]

And another Assassin bites the dust.

 

Looking forward to following along!

[Sloth the Enduring]

Another one. There might be more former assassins than home-grown Rangers here these days.

[Wild Wolf]

And another Assassin bites the dust.

Looking forward to following along!

Join us Dillpedo.. Wolverine... D.Rex

Good stuff SL! Simple and too the point and like Tank said- welcome to the Ranger Guild, buddy! I'm glad you're gone be getting back on some hand balancing

Wolf

"Let the Broomstick do the talking."

[Sea Level]

Day 1

 

Much of this day was spent traveling from Austin back home to Utah. Austin was in the 60s and 70s. Utah is cold and snowing. Boo. 

 

-5 minutes hand balancing (practicing Crow poses)

 

-10 minutes swing dancing

At this event in Austin, we had a band from North Carolina: Mint Julep Jazz Band. I bought their album on Saturday, and practiced to it today.

"Darktown Strutter's Ball"

"In a Mellow Tone"

"If You Ever Change Your Mind"

"Durham on a Saturday Night"

 

[EricMN]

I may or may not be here solely for the swing music.

[Mr_Willes]

You probably already know that annyshay and Lightning (both assassins) are also doing GMB / IS. But just in case you happened to miss that...

 

Oow and don't sweat it, we'll have you lifting and crossfitting in no time

[Nymeria]

Deciding to be a Ranger after years in the Assassins guild seems to be a thing lately (although I did it before it was cool).    So don't worry.  I'm sure you'll fit in just fine here.

 

Which hand balances are you aiming to nail next?  There are so many cool things out there to play with once you're solid on the crow.

 

Great job keeping your goals very simple and focused!  I'm sure you'll have a great challenge.

[Sea Level]

Oow and don't sweat it, we'll have you lifting and crossfitting in no time

 

I wouldn't be surprised.

 

Deciding to be a Ranger after years in the Assassins guild seems to be a thing lately (although I did it before it was cool).    So don't worry.  I'm sure you'll fit in just fine here.

 

Which hand balances are you aiming to nail next?  There are so many cool things out there to play with once you're solid on the crow.

 

Great job keeping your goals very simple and focused!  I'm sure you'll have a great challenge.

 

Yes, you were an Assassin-Ranger pioneer! My big priorities are getting the crow nice and solid again, then half crow. Then probably handstand work. That's what my gifts of foresight tell me.

[Wolverine]

Join us Dillpedo.. Wolverine... D.Rex

Wolf

"Let the Broomstick do the talking."

 

I think you're the only one who can give me a run for my money for the "Most Name Changes" prize.

 

I may or may not be here solely for the swing music.

 

SL definitely classes up the joint, that's for sure.  Come for the music, stay for the challenge crushing.

 

...

 

Still waiting for you to mash-up swing dancing and handbalancing...

[Marauder]

GMB and hand balancing and books and DANCING VIDEOS and a fellow UTAHN.  

 

[Sea Level]

Still waiting for you to mash-up swing dancing and handbalancing...

Now there's an idea... [emoji848]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Elastigirl]

Deciding to be a Ranger after years in the Assassins guild seems to be a thing lately (although I did it before it was cool).    So don't worry.  I'm sure you'll fit in just fine here.

 

Which hand balances are you aiming to nail next?  There are so many cool things out there to play with once you're solid on the crow.

 

Great job keeping your goals very simple and focused!  I'm sure you'll have a great challenge.

You were the one who made it cool.

[Sea Level]

Week 1: Tuesday

 

Hand Balancing - 5 minutes. Practicing Crow and Elbow Lever

-I remember learning a modified Scissors pose on the boards ages ago. I'll have to dig into the archives and find the instructions. I was able to do it. I have photos, but I need to refresh my (muscle) memory.

 

Integral Strength Week 5 / Day 2 (Or, this challenge, Week 1 / Day 2)

 

Inverted Press (AMRAP in 30sec.) 7 / 7 / 3

 

Push-ups (AMRAP in 30sec.) 7 / 7 / 5

-Tougher going immediately after the shoulder presses.

Hollow-body Series (hollow-body poses: dorsal, anterior, and both sides) 30s each side / 30s / 30s

 

Bridge press-ups 4 / 3 / 2

-These are pretty weak. I can barely get my head off the floor.

 

Dips (not part of the IS program; I just want to work these, too.) 5 / 5 / 5 (PR for reps per set )

 

Stretch.

 

- - - 

 

My leg's been finicky. I've mentioned in past threads at the Assassins' that I have a tendon in my right leg that slips around when I move it in certain ways. It doesn't really hurt; it's just strange feeling. I really wanted to go easy on it toward the end of last challenge since I was planning my trip to Austin for swing dancing. D.Rex suggested an ankle brace, which I tried for a bit. But then I thought about compression socks, since they covered more of the leg and the tendon area. I wore them all weekend for dancing, and they worked great! I felt the occasional slipping, but no pain, and it didn't move as much, so I thought that was a win.

 

Then yesterday, after sitting all day on airplanes, and sitting more in the car, my leg started getting fussy. It was fine all weekend, but now it decides to act up. It's been a bit more painful when it moves around. I'm going to avoid movements that will push it too hard (i.e., broad jumps in my GMB program) and see if it calms down. I will probably set up a doctor visit to find out what I can do about it. Stopping dancing is not an option, so we have to make it work.

[Marauder]

Interesting.  Which tendon is slipping?

 

How do you like Integral Strength?  I was eyeing that one for my next GMB purchase.  I'd really like to do P1, but my pushups aren't there yet.

[Sea Level]

Interesting.  Which tendon is slipping?

 

How do you like Integral Strength?  I was eyeing that one for my next GMB purchase.  I'd really like to do P1, but my pushups aren't there yet.

 

It's on the outside of my right shin, down low above the ankle. Since I can use the Internet, I therefore have acquired extensive medical training , so I found the "Peroneal Tendon," which seems to be in the right place on the pictures. So that might be it. The Internets says that if you've had frequent sprained ankles, it can get wonky (a medical term). I've had the occasional sprained ankle, but I don't think I've had an abnormally large number of them in my life. But who knows? I'll leave the actual diagnoses to medical professionals.

 

And, I'm enjoying IS so far. I like the variety of exercises and the various progressions you can use. It's very well programmed, which for me is a big plus. I find if I don't have a good program set up, I'm not going to stick to it. This is nicely structured, so I can look up what the WOD is and do it. Pretty easy to follow.

[Marauder]

Yikes.  Have you seen anyone about it?  I would think any sort of tendon movement of that degree should maybe be looked at?  I assume it's moving over your malleolus (the side sticky-out ankle bone)?  You don't want a serious injury to ankle tendons.  You know, walking and stuff.

 

Glad to hear about IS.  I will definitely keep it in mind.  I completely agree about programming.  It keeps me from collecting underpants and getting nothing done.

[Sea Level]

Yikes.  Have you seen anyone about it?  I would think any sort of tendon movement of that degree should maybe be looked at?  I assume it's moving over your malleolus (the side sticky-out ankle bone)?  You don't want a serious injury to ankle tendons.  You know, walking and stuff.

 

Yes, walking and stuff. No, I haven't had it looked at yet. I will get a doctor's appointment set up so I can have someone tell me what the problem is. I don't think it's moving over my sticky-out ankle bone. I'm feeling it up higher than that. Maybe...?

[Sea Level]

Week 1, Wednesday

 

This morning:

5 minutes hand balancing practice this morning

 

This evening:

GMB Integral Strength Week 5, Day 3
Conditioning circuits, 4 rounds

Warm up

Shrimp Squat (AMRAP in 10sec. per leg) 2L3R / 2L3R / 2L2R / 3L3R
Chin-ups (AMRAP in 10sec.) 4 / 4 / 4 / 4
L-sit 10s / 10s / 10s / 10s
Inverted (shoulder) Press (AMRAP in 10sec.) 5 / 5 / 4 / 4
Push-ups (AMRAP in 10sec.) 7 / 5 / 5 / 5
Hollow body pose (face-up) 10s / 10s / 10s / 10s
Bridge hold 10s / 6s / 5s / 5s

-Bridge holds are rather crummy.

 

 

- - - - - -

 

On a side note, I've discovered that my A-frame (downward dog) pose in preparation for my Inverted Press is getting better aligned. I used to not have good mobility in my shoulders, so my downward dog pose was pretty ugly. My shoulders have been opening up more over time. The GMB program has a warm up in this pose, as well as the presses, and I can see improvement here! I still can't get my heels down, but I'll take one improvement at a time. My arms/shoulders are getting in line better.

 

 

- - - - - 

 

I posted some songs from Mint Julep Jazz Band yesterday. I got hooked on this song ("One Girl and Two Boys") today. Mint Julep does a faster version of this song, but this clip is from one of those iconic swing films, "Swing Fever." 

 

[Also, be careful searching for "One Girl and Two Boys" on YouTube. You may get some videos you didn't plan on seeing.]

 

 

Swing dancing tonight!