Suzy Q is an animal

[suzyQlou]

Jump starting some motivation with some beastly goals.

 

1.  MONKEY bars

2.  CROW pose

3.  skin the CAT

 

So, the longer story is that I've stalled in my strength workouts.  I have been hitting them about twice a week instead of three times.  And by "hitting them" I mean dragging myself, kicking and screaming to get my exercises done.  Not very sustainable or enjoyable.  So, I'm changing the format of my workouts from a-bunch-of-reps towards progression to a goal.  I've picked three movements that are WAY out of reach for me right now.  But, step-by-step, I'm going to make progress towards learning these movements.  Any and all progress counts.  Three times a week.

 

Mostly, I will be focusing on getting strength taken care of during this challenge.  I will also give myself bonus points for my other regular goals of healthy eating and cardio goals.

Bonus1:  Healthy Eating.  Shoot for 5/7 days of healthy eating a week.  Looking to spy a 75 on the scale this challenge.

Bonus2:  Cardio twice a week.  Building up my knees to transition from elliptical to outdoors running.  I'm up to 1.78 miles in the neighborhood.  Next step is my old garden tour run (2.37 miles).  Looking to mix in a few 5k routes over the Spring/Summer.

 

It's comfy to be back here in the Ranger den after a month over with the Assassins

[Emerald_Dragonfly]

Following.   Of course!   

I like your plan!

[Suzaqu]

Crow pose! Definitely following

[Elastigirl]

Fun challenge. Have you seen this video. It is a good stretch for the skin the cat. It isn't a goal of mine, but I hope to play around with the skin the cat move this challenge.https://gmb.io/german-hang/

[Terra]

So happy to have you back!!!  I like your focus.  Following of course!

[lilbichy]

Do you have a plan on how you are going to work on them?  Like do X amount of time every day, every other day, etc?

[Yraen]

Nice goals. Following along.

[suzyQlou]

21 hours ago, Emerald_Dragonfly said:

Following.   Of course!   

I like your plan!

Yay!  Good to see you.

 

20 hours ago, Suzaqu said:

Crow pose! Definitely following

Your crow videos were very inspiring   See why I like hanging out with Assassins?  I sneak away with good ideas.

 

15 hours ago, Terra said:

So happy to have you back!!!  I like your focus.  Following of course!

Good to see you.  I have to make it back to your thread.  The one day I caught up last challenge was the day posting was broken.  I will be back!

 

10 hours ago, Yraen said:

Nice goals. Following along.

Good to see you!  Tracking down your challenge now...

 

16 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Fun challenge. Have you seen this video. It is a good stretch for the skin the cat. It isn't a goal of mine, but I hope to play around with the skin the cat move this challenge.https://gmb.io/german-hang/

Thank you!  All the online research I've done points to this guy.  I had not seen this particular video, but it will be extremely helpful for me.  My "progression" to skin the cat is starting as pre-pre-pre-beginner.  Like I'm counting "buy rings" as progress for yesterday   But when I get to the point of stretching cat-muscles I will come back to this video.  I like the emphasis on safety and going slow.

 

14 hours ago, lilbichy said:

Do you have a plan on how you are going to work on them?  Like do X amount of time every day, every other day, etc?

 

Well, a "plan" might be too big of a word for what I have.  These goals are so incredibly past my current skill level, that I will have plenty to do before I work up to them.  I am shooting for MWF mornings, so at least I have a ballpark schedule.  Most of my plans are doing what the internet suggests.  Could work well...or fail miserably   I am not going to do every single thing listed below every workout, but here are some things I am planning to try over the course of the challenge:

Monkey:  Alternating knee tucks, Hang for time from one arm.  Shoulder shrugs.  Hang at the top of a pullup. Negative pullups.  (probably do the pullup work on rings)

Crow: Follow the Laura Wenger video with the beginner tips.  Fall a lot.  Try starting with feet on yoga blocks.

Cat:  Start with the GMB beginner rings workout.  Ok, probably start on only parts of this workout since it is labeled as "beginner" but will be waaaaaaaaaaay advanced for me:  Top position holds, Assisted Dips, Tuck (eventually Tuck/L-sit), Reverse Row Sit Back, Assisted Pullup

 

So, the only progress for yesterday was to iron out a plan and buy some rings.  Better than nothing   Today's run was inside because I was a wimp about avoiding chilly raindrops.  But it is done for the day, so that feels good.

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Welcome back!

[suzyQlou]

1 hour ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Welcome back!

Good to be back.  It was your voice-recorded inspirational speech from last challenge cinched it for me.  That was the day posting was broken, so I was a wee bit quiet.  But, I was wondering around, trying to decide where to go for my next challenge.  After listening, there was no longer any question!  Ranger on!

[tishnicden]

Welcome back!!

I absolutely love your goals.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

4 hours ago, suzyQlou said:

Good to be back.  It was your voice-recorded inspirational speech from last challenge cinched it for me.  That was the day posting was broken, so I was a wee bit quiet.  But, I was wondering around, trying to decide where to go for my next challenge.  After listening, there was no longer any question!  Ranger on!

Glad to help!

[suzyQlou]

Got the rings. Now might be a good time to admit that I picked "skin the CAT" as a goal because I needed a third animal and cat gifs are cute.

[Yraen]

2 hours ago, suzyQlou said:

Now might be a good time to admit that I picked "skin the CAT" as a goal because I needed a third animal and cat gifs are cute.

I have picked goals for far worse reasons.

[suzyQlou]

Feeling better about the rings today.  Doing ANYTHING on them takes tons of strength, and I'll just have to work up to it.  So, I'll be working on top position and dips with kitchen chairs for a while before I can even do one on the rings.  Rows with sit-back, I can do.  Just a few at a time.  I'll shift the tucks and assisted pullups to be part of the monkey workout on the bar instead of rings.  Adaptation for the win!

 

Did my first crow attempt today, too.  I feel like I'm going in the right direction, but it will be a while.  Does hitting the pose for 1/10 of a second count?

 

Still need to go do my monkey work.  It started raining, and I don't have an indoor backup plan (yet).  This is easiest for me to get to, though, because I've been doing hanging knee tucks for a few months now.  I don't have to get set up - just need to walk out to the monkey bars and do it.

 

So, CAT dips, too-fast-to-count CROW, and MONKEY in the rain today.

[Terra]

You are such a party animal!!!

[Elastigirl]

5 hours ago, suzyQlou said:

Feeling better about the rings today.  Doing ANYTHING on them takes tons of strength, and I'll just have to work up to it.  So, I'll be working on top position and dips with kitchen chairs for a while before I can even do one on the rings.  Rows with sit-back, I can do.  Just a few at a time.  I'll shift the tucks and assisted pullups to be part of the monkey workout on the bar instead of rings.  Adaptation for the win!

 

Did my first crow attempt today, too.  I feel like I'm going in the right direction, but it will be a while.  Does hitting the pose for 1/10 of a second count?

 

Still need to go do my monkey work.  It started raining, and I don't have an indoor backup plan (yet).  This is easiest for me to get to, though, because I've been doing hanging knee tucks for a few months now.  I don't have to get set up - just need to walk out to the monkey bars and do it.

 

So, CAT dips, too-fast-to-count CROW, and MONKEY in the rain today.

Good start on the crow, keep at it, it will come. With the dips, I have the rings low enough that my toes can touch the ground at the bottom.Then I can push off a bit with my feet to get into the top position and that helps. That was what was suggested on the ring workout by GMB. Did you already see that? I can post it for you, if you want, I couldn't remember if I had already shared it yet. Also, another tip on the cat hang, is that you can start with the bars lower, at waist height, to start with.

[suzyQlou]

On 5/13/2016 at 3:23 PM, Terra said:

You are such a party animal!!!

This is awesome!  Laughing still.

 

On 5/13/2016 at 4:25 PM, Elastigirl said:

Good start on the crow, keep at it, it will come. With the dips, I have the rings low enough that my toes can touch the ground at the bottom.Then I can push off a bit with my feet to get into the top position and that helps. That was what was suggested on the ring workout by GMB. Did you already see that? I can post it for you, if you want, I couldn't remember if I had already shared it yet. Also, another tip on the cat hang, is that you can start with the bars lower, at waist height, to start with.

I tried the dips like you mentioned, but I am still way behind.  I can't get into top position at all.  I have really weak triceps.  I've known that for a long time, but have disregarded in my decision to try the rings.  No worries, though.  I just have to do more bodyweight exercises without the rings and get stronger first.  It doesn't mean I won't get to the rings with practice   What link to do you used to get to the GMB workouts?  I keep finding it by google searches, and it is in slightly different formats multiple places.  (ha!  just for giggles, I tried searching gmb by itself and saw a recommendation from none other than Steve Kamb.  Sometimes I'm slow to catch onto these things...)

 

BIG NEWS TODAY.

I took my kiddo to his first ever parkour class, and we hung around at the playground for a bit afterwards.  I CONQUERED the monkey bars!  Did 'em twice for good measure, just to make sure it wasn't luck  

 

In the small print, I tried the monkey bars again at home and was not so successful.  The difference is momentum.  At home, I don't have a jumping off place to get started.  At the playground I did.  Still very, very happy.  First item to check off of my epic quest!

[Elastigirl]

triceps are my weak area too.  This is the link I was using. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDSAF2qsH_A

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Good job on those monkey bars!

[Elastigirl]

Oh, sorry  I meant to say way to go on the monkey bars!!!

[Suzaqu]

Congratulations on the monkey bars!

[Yraen]

Way to go on the monkey bars. I've never been able to do those.

[suzyQlou]

On 5/15/2016 at 5:12 PM, Elastigirl said:

triceps are my weak area too.  This is the link I was using. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDSAF2qsH_A

Thanks for the link.  That's the workout I'm shooting for too.  It will just take some time to work up to.  He makes it all look so easy

 

On 5/15/2016 at 6:06 PM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Good job on those monkey bars!

On 5/15/2016 at 7:43 PM, Elastigirl said:

Oh, sorry  I meant to say way to go on the monkey bars!!!

Thanks Tank and Elastigirl.  It was such a big deal for me.  I really thought I'd have to get much closer to a pullup before I could get across the monkey bars. 

 

12 hours ago, Yraen said:

Way to go on the monkey bars. I've never been able to do those.

Yraen, you just made my ego inflate to double-size.  I have to wonder, though, if you've tried monkey bars in the last year or so.  I have a feeling you might just get across 'em these days.

 

I feel the need for a weekly wrap-up even though the week has flown past to Tuesday.

CROW and CAT are in process with modified workouts to get me to CAT.

MONKEY is strong.  Still working to master the bars in my own backyard.

Bonus 1 is eating.  2/5 days last week.  This included a big ol' family get-together on Saturday.  Let's just say I held it together pretty well, and things could have been worse.

Bonus 2 is cardio, and that is on track with 2 days last week.  Outdoor running is now more the norm than the exception.  Yay!

 

[Terra]

Congrats on the monkey bars!  I'm sure you will master the ones in your backyard soon!!!