Men ONLY please...

[leadchipmunk]

I'd most likely go with a Nickname or something. I wouldn't be comfortable having my real name out there, at least not in full. I'm totally going to have to leave out a pic at first. I have no good pics of me. Like, at all. So I guess I better get on that. Lol.

Dude, your avatar here, though small, is actually a really good picture. And a suggestion for finding a better picture, if you have an album of you available, or one on Facebook, ask a female friend to pick out the best picture(s) of you to use. You don't have to go in too much detail why you need the picture.

[161803398874989]

I said 'fuck it' and squatted yesterday. It was pretty fucking awesome, even though I barely squatted half my bodyweight. First time in three months and holy crap am I sore. Very little knee issues, though, as I really focussed on knees out. Last set had some lumbar flexion, which wasn't good so I felt my lower back, but that's improving already.

FUCK YEA SQUATS

[Church]

I said 'fuck it' and squatted yesterday. It was pretty fucking awesome, even though I barely squatted half my bodyweight. First time in three months and holy crap am I sore. Very little knee issues, though, as I really focussed on knees out. Last set had some lumbar flexion, which wasn't good so I felt my lower back, but that's improving already.

FUCK YEA SQUATS

I'm a huge fan of squats. I only just graduated to triple digits, but they're amazing. You feel really badass when you finish your sets. Same with dead lifts.

[Church]

Dude, your avatar here, though small, is actually a really good picture. And a suggestion for finding a better picture, if you have an album of you available, or one on Facebook, ask a female friend to pick out the best picture(s) of you to use. You don't have to go in too much detail why you need the picture.

So I got online last night and started a legit profile. The progress bar says I'm 80% complete, but I have non of the 'optional' things listed, and no pic. I'll continue to edit and tweak it over the next few days and, hopefully, I can have a date or two on my next set of days off (not the set coming up on Monday)

[Denny]

Mission cancelled. Been on mumble with this chic and some other players. She's sending off a really attention seeking signal and her attitude is self-centered to the point of annoying. I'm backing off into 'internet friend mode' on this one.

[leadchipmunk]

Mission cancelled. Been on mumble with this chic and some other players. She's sending off a really attention seeking signal and her attitude is self-centered to the point of annoying. I'm backing off into 'internet friend mode' on this one.

Good call

[Church]

Good call

Seconded.

[Guest Snake McClain]

Weirdest thing, ever, happened today.

I'm playing Counter Strike: Global Offensive, typically man-dominated game with a lot of smack-talk, kids and shit. I'm playing on this Swedish server like normal and there are actually some nice people playing on the server. One of them is really fun to play with, good talk in the chat, skilled player and it's a woman in voice-com. (nice to have women playing for once) I add her on Steam, hoping I not come forward as a creep, because truth be told I just wanted to add a nice player to my friend list so I can join a good game in the future. She accepts the invite, we have a really nice conversation after that and out of the blue she's starting to send images of herself and.... My reaction was HOT DAMN, but I didn't exactly say it like that (still don't want to be a creep).

Reaction was like;

or maybe... (is this for real?)

At this point I was thinking "This must be a master troll or something...", we continue the chat and talk some more and out of the blue she asks for my phone number. 'lo and behold, she calls up! We have a nice talk over the phone despite me hearing about 50% of what she says, because her phone seems to have a horrible mic. The conversation ends pretty well, we chat some more on Steam (it's now 1AM). It's my turn to send images of me, she didn't react neither good nor bad so it's hard to know if she's still interested. We're both about to go to sleep and we say good night. She then calls again (totally unexpected) and I completely fuck up the last call of the night! I can't hear much of what she says, I think she just wanted a good-night call, but I was completely awkward for not hearing shit. So the convo ended with me saying "uh, good night then, sleep tight" and she's "uh, ok then..." and hangs up after a few awkward seconds. This was definitely not supposed to be a conversation ending.

First of all, I'm completely inexperienced with situations like this. Heck, me and phones don't go well together! Yet, this made my day. I'm going to keep contact and see if I can take this further, hopefully the last call didn't screw everything up.

Today, I add +1 level to social skills.

--

I'm not misinterpreting this as an opening am I? I'm socially incompetent and I can't think of a better social invite than this online. This is probably as far as a dating community could take me.

uhm. definitely an opening there pal! seriously!

just the next time you talk to her say "you know last night i was having a hard time hearing you and i'm sorry if i seemed weird or rude."

just tell her. it will com out right.

Not sure why people haven't mentioned it, but this is not just 'having friends like a normal person' or whatever. this strikes me as a little off. if she means what she's said, then she's essentially trying to find other guys as points of reference to you and the relationship you too have. so everytime you do something weird, she'll ask one of them if they do it to. once you hit the 'oh...' moment, she's got a perfect monkey swing set up. id think long and hard about settling down here. i mean, how would she feel if you were grooming possibilities on the side to compare to her? it's creepy mate.

i dont think this is the case but i'll definitely keep it in mind.

[Guest Snake McClain]

I see this as she is being physically exclusive, but not emotionally exclusive.

Particularly with an "ex who wants her back". Sorry to be harsh, but if she's disconnected now (or never connected in the first place) what makes you so sure that she will connect 100% emotionally with you in the future? Will she always want to keep her options open with "No really, he's just a good friend", or "We just talk", "He's just this guy I know". These aren't just friends - they are emotional as well as social outlets. Would you be satisfied if she opened her "heart and soul" and talked about her problems with someone else? I see that her not emotionally being available as a big red flag.

but she is emotionally exclusive. she isnt...like she isnt having these types of romantic conversations with other people. its a weird dynamic and i know it sounds nutty but we've talked long and hard about this situation and i have really come to understand it. she just needs some social contact. i get along better with girls than i do guys. she gets on better with guys than girls. the emotional connection we have i know for a fact isnt with anyone else. it just isnt. theres a lot to it that is personal that i cant divulge but seriously it is all good in that department. its just a matter of her knowing for sure in her mind what she already feels and knows in her heart.

[dshale]

I said 'fuck it' and squatted yesterday. It was pretty fucking awesome, even though I barely squatted half my bodyweight. First time in three months and holy crap am I sore. Very little knee issues, though, as I really focussed on knees out. Last set had some lumbar flexion, which wasn't good so I felt my lower back, but that's improving already.

FUCK YEA SQUATS

Squats and deadlifts are the two things I miss most about lifting. I can't think of any bodyweight exercise that comes close.

[Red1263]

Mission cancelled. Been on mumble with this chic and some other players. She's sending off a really attention seeking signal and her attitude is self-centered to the point of annoying. I'm backing off into 'internet friend mode' on this one.

awww... That sucks, bro. Chalk this up to, "Too good to be true". It happens. At least you got out WAY before getting involved with said chick.

[Church]

Update: It seems that my earlier reticence was just pre-game jitters, now I'm kind of excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. Admittedly joining the site won't be as beneficial as when I joined the Rebellion, but I'm cautiously optimistic about my chances

[Guest Snake McClain]

Squats and deadlifts are the two things I miss most about lifting. I can't think of any bodyweight exercise that comes close.

absolutely true. The three exercises that make me feel truly powerful are squats, deadlifts and Overhead press. something about it just makes my whole body activate. its great.

[Waldo]

absolutely true. The three exercises that make me feel truly powerful are squats, deadlifts and Overhead press. something about it just makes my whole body activate. its great.

That's totally how I feel about the front lever and one arm pushups.

One arm pushups make me feel like I could punch through a brick wall (doing them Rocky style would be absolute beast mode). The front lever is capable of taking you from zero to your muscles trashed almost instantly, an unusual mix too (mid back, lats, triceps, abs, rear head of deltoid)

[Guest Snake McClain]

That's totally how I feel about the front lever and one arm pushups.

One arm pushups make me feel like I could punch through a brick wall (doing them Rocky style would be absolute beast mode). The front lever is capable of taking you from zero to your muscles trashed almost instantly, an unusual mix too (mid back, lats, triceps, abs, rear head of deltoid)

The one armed pushup i can do like two of. the front lever....well...yeah i cant do that at all. holy cow!

[Church]

The one armed pushup i can do like two of. the front lever....well...yeah i cant do that at all. holy cow!

I can almost one negative incline one arm push up.

you guys are champs!

[Waldo]

The one armed pushup i can do like two of.

One arm pushups are the most direct punch power exercise there is. Regular pushups are much more arm/chest dominant, the physical requirements of holding the plank pale in comparison to the work the arms and chest has to do to move you through space. This is reversed in a one arm pushup, the arm and chest is the easy part, resisting twist and rotation, keeping the body straight and level is the more difficult aspect. The application of force needed to prevent twist and rotation is exactly the same as the application of force needed to apply hip power to punch power; combined with the direct arm/chest work you get, the one arm pushup is truly the exercise of a fighter.

Rocky bangin them out plyo style switching sides is awesome (despite the fact that he isn't really doing a good job resisting the rotation). Protip - Don't get in a fight with someone that can do that.

the front lever....well...yeah i cant do that at all. holy cow!

It takes a lot of dedication to be able to. The strength requirements in multiple areas are very high, a weakness in one is a weakness in all, isometrics are a very different animal to get used to. I'm still working one legged (switching back and forth during sets), but I can extend the 2nd leg and hold it a second. The muscle activation is all there though in the one legged version, holding it feels absolutely epic.

[Guest Snake McClain]

One arm pushups are the most direct punch power exercise there is. Regular pushups are much more arm/chest dominant, the physical requirements of holding the plank pale in comparison to the work the arms and chest has to do to move you through space. This is reversed in a one arm pushup, the arm and chest is the easy part, resisting twist and rotation, keeping the body straight and level is the more difficult aspect. The application of force needed to prevent twist and rotation is exactly the same as the application of force needed to apply hip power to punch power; combined with the direct arm/chest work you get, the one arm pushup is truly the exercise of a fighter.

Rocky bangin them out plyo style switching sides is awesome (despite the fact that he isn't really doing a good job resisting the rotation). Protip - Don't get in a fight with someone that can do that.

It takes a lot of dedication to be able to. The strength requirements in multiple areas are very high, a weakness in one is a weakness in all, isometrics are a very different animal to get used to. I'm still working one legged (switching back and forth during sets), but I can extend the 2nd leg and hold it a second. The muscle activation is all there though in the one legged version, holding it feels absolutely epic.

this makes me want to learn the one armed pushup properly.

[Denny]

awww... That sucks, bro. Chalk this up to, "Too good to be true". It happens. At least you got out WAY before getting involved with said chick.

Yup, that's pretty much how I felt about it all too. Best thing is that I got over this whole deal pretty damn fast, usually I crawl up in a corner with a cloud over my head and can't let it go. Instead I think of it as a good lesson.

On another note;

I've never been what you would call a prime example of a male specimen. When I saw this image I was reminded that most men in my family tend to have more respected and charismatic appearances the older they get. Maybe I'm just a bottle of whiskey or wine in the making? I hope my best years is yet to come, at least that's what I'm working towards and hoping for.

Most of us are definitely working towards a better physique, how do you guys feel about the rest though. Have your prime years been or are they yet to come?

[dshale]

That's totally how I feel about the front lever and one arm pushups.

One arm pushups make me feel like I could punch through a brick wall (doing them Rocky style would be absolute beast mode). The front lever is capable of taking you from zero to your muscles trashed almost instantly, an unusual mix too (mid back, lats, triceps, abs, rear head of deltoid)

Curious, what do you do for lower body? I am working on a bodyweight routine and really see where I need work and how I can keep taking it to the next level for upper body. My legs don't feel it unless I am doing a few hundred of something in a row.

[67alecto]

this makes me want to learn the one armed pushup properly.

And if I read Waldo's description correctly, don't think of it as a one-arm pushup, you need to be punching the Earth.

[67alecto]

Curious, what do you do for lower body?

Don't you know that...

[161803398874989]

Actually, that guy may just have small calves.

[Guest Snake McClain]

And if I read Waldo's description correctly, don't think of it as a one-arm pushup, you need to be punching the Earth.

THIS!

[Niccolo]

Hi guys!

New here, saw the Man Thread, read through it all (cripes!) and think you all are awesome!

Related to the subject conversation, for my workout on Wednesday, my Crossfit was using skin-the-cats for warm-ups. One of the more advanced guys jumped up on the rings an proceeded to hold a back lever for a good 20+ seconds with perfect form. I'm pretty sure my jaw was on the floor the entire time. He couldn't quite get front levers, but, dude, I now have a goal (among many many of my others).

And for push ups, that's awesome that you can do one-handed pushups! Considering that I'm still working on getting mine in a good enough form to actually do larger sets, I won't be getting those for a while....