Getting Started

emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Hello!

This is my first time using this site, and my updates may be somewhat inconsistent, but I thought this would be a good way to keep track of (re)starting my fitness journey. Wanted to start with November's monthly challenge--"10,000 Punches"--and combine it with the thirty-day "Daily Kicks" challenge since I used to do a bit of kickboxing but have fallen off with it in the past while.

(Also - if I'm using this site wrong or posting something wrong please correct me!! Still learning :ss:)
Beige and Brown Organic Vintage Group Project Presentation.png
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 1 - 160 punches and 22 side kicks (3 sets) - ✔

Felt okay while doing it but I did work up a bit of a sweat and feel tired when I laid down twenty minutes later, LOL. The 160 punches weren't as much as I thought they'd be (maybe it was supposed to be 160 per arm?). I will be honest I struggled with form for the side kicks--hopefully will get this down as I continue with the month!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Thank you for the warm welcomes, everyone!! So happy to be here :flowers:

Day 2 - 180 punches and 22 turn kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Bonus - Workout of the Day - Striker - ✔

Adjusted the Striker workout a bit to combine it with the 180 punches of the day and I think it worked well! I definitely worked up a sweat. I think the bounces and squats were good additions to it!! And I had a bit of an easier time with the form for the turn kicks than the side kicks, I think-!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Thank you thank you! :thanks:

Day 4 - 100 punches and 24 side kicks (3 sets) - ✔

Still a little sore in my quads, so I decided to take it easier with the kicks and just do 12 per leg for a total of 24, instead of 24 per leg per set. Made it go by much quicker for sure but didn't work up quite as much of a sweat--nice to have a lighter day though!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Thank you!! Love the panda :bounce:

Day 5 - 220 punches and 24 turn kicks (3 sets) - ✔

Did the same "hack" for the turn kicks as I did with the side kicks--although I did take a short video of myself doing one of the sets and realized I did not have the form down as cleanly as I thought I did. Whoops! Things to work on for next time :) My quads don't feel as sore today, so I might try another Striker workout sometime in the near future, since I enjoyed that one...
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 7 - 280 punches and 26 side kicks (3 sets) - ✔

Did this on my lunch break at work (work from home day), and used my office chair as a makeshift "punching bag" for the kicks to make sure they were landing on the correct part of my foot, which I think was helpful. Still concerned about leg form though, but I might be in the overthinking stage of it now...

Day 8 - 100 punches and 26 turn kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Bonus - Workout of the Day - Plan B (3 sets) - ✔

Turn kicks are still a bit "easier" in terms of form for me, but I used the same trick as yesterday to make sure they were landing okay. Also tried the workout of the day, but due to a surgery from a long time ago, I can't do crunches properly so I cut those ones out. I liked the other parts of it, definitely need to work on my push ups though, those were actually a struggle even though there were only 10 per set--whoops!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 12 - 100 punches and 28 front kicks (3 sets) - ✔

Day 13 - 360 punches and 30 side kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Bonus - Exercise of the Day - 40 single leg hops - ✔

I threw in the single leg hops thinking it would be easy enough and then halfway through realized it was NOT easy enough LOL, but completed them anyway! Also, still need to work on my form with the side kicks because my form for those is still completely off and we're almost halfway through the month. Definitely worked up more of a sweat with the punches part of the day than I have in the past few days, so had a proper workout again for sure!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
A little belated with my updates, but I have been completing my exercises of the day and feeling good about them!

Day 14- 380 punches and 30 turning kicks (3 sets) ✔
Day 15 - 400 punches and 30 front kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Day 16 - 100 punches and 32 side kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Day 17 - 420 punches and 32 turning kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Day 18 - 440 punches and 32 front kicks (3 sets) - ✔

Still struggling a bit with side and turning kicks, I think I have the placement in the foot down but still off with the leg form possibly - so work in progress there :)
But I am happy because I can feel more definition in my biceps even from just the few weeks of doing this challenge so far - makes me happy to have the physical progress along with the mental progress of staying committed to the challenge!
I've been sick these past couple days but still managed to get these in, so hopefully it doesn't get much worse - fingers crossed!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
More belated updates, but never fear, the exercises themselves were completed "on time"-!

Day 19- 460 punches and 34 side kicks (3 sets) ✔
Day 20 - 100 punches and 34 turning kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Day 21 - 480 punches and 34 front kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Day 22 - 500 punches and 36 side kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Day 23 - 540 punches and 36 turning kicks (3 sets) - ✔

Bonus - added some squats and calf raises in there as well, though I can't recall which days-!

Today had some issues with turning kicks for my left side/leg specifically, which I think was a bit odd--I'll have to pay attention to that when I loop around to those again to see if that's a recurring issue I hadn't noticed until now or if it's an odd one-off thing...

Other than that, I think things have been going well, these past few days the punches have been split up instead of all at once, but soon I want to get back to all at once again for that!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 24 - 100 punches and 36 front kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Bonus - Dungeons & Darebees - Memento Mori - ✔

I've started a new occasional challenge for myself called "Dungeons & Darbees" where I go to the Workouts page, roll a d100 (two ten-sided dice) and whatever number I get is the page number I have to go to for workouts. Then, I roll a d20 to see which workout on that page I landed on that I will do. Today, I rolled a 73 on my d100 (so, page 73 of the Workouts section) and a 9 on my d20 (so the ninth workout listed on that page), which ended up being the Memento Mori workout!

The jump squats were brutal by the end, and the last set of jumping jacks was definitely halfhearted... thankfully there was no one there to see! :sit:
It was a good workout though, definitely right amount of challenge for me as someone who's still getting started
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 25 - 560 punches and 38 side kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Bonus - Combined the first 300 punches with the Last Life Workout - ✔

Day 26 - 580 punches and 38 turning kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Turkey Catching - 40 butt kicks, 40 high steps, 5 burpees - ✔

Finally got in on the turkey hunt! Also the burpees were more difficult for me than I expected them to be (lol), so only five of those today but maybe I'll build up to more even after the turkey hunt is over!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 27 - 600 punches and 38 front kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Bonus - Combined last 500 punches with the Counter Strike Workout (5 sets) - ✔
Turkey Catching - 50 butt kicks, 40 high knees - ✔

Checking in during my lunch break at work! I may come back to do more turkey catching later but because I tagged them on at the end of my workout, I was definitely working up a sweat by that time and am going to take a little rest! Usually front kicks are the "easiest" of the kicks for me, but they were more difficult today, maybe as I do more of them it gets to be this way - also a good test of my balance at times!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 28- 100 punches and 40 side kicks (3 sets) ✔
Day 29 - 640 punches and 40 turning kicks (3 sets) - ✔
Day 30 - 700 punches and 40 front kicks (3 sets) - ✔

And just like that I've completed both of my November Challenges! I'm very proud of myself for keeping with it even when I had a busy past few days--I think this might actually be the most days in a row I've exercised, even if just a little bit each day, for a very long time if ever. But that's what "getting started" is all about!

Also, Day 28 and Day 29 my quads were a bit sore I think from the squats with the Counter Strike workout but it wasn't too awful and definitely feeling better today... and Day 29, I had it in my head that it was 600 punches instead of 640, but I think I did extra anyways since my counts are always a little off/undercounted, I did do an extra 40 on Day 30 just in case though-! :)
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
I'm going to try and keep this momentum going - I was torn between a few different challenges but I ultimately decided on these two for the month of December, to keep up with the punches while also making sure I have a challenge for focus on lower body as well!

Beige and Brown Organic Vintage Group Project Presentation.jpg

Day 1 - 80 punches and 60 calf raises - ✔
Bonus - Dungeons & Darebees - Crusher Workout (3 sets) - ✔

Started out with my "Dungeons & Darebees" challenge, where I go to the Workouts page, roll a d100 to determine what page of workouts I should pull from, and then a d20 to determine which workout on that page I should do. Today, I got a 97 on my d100 and a 19 on my d20 (rolled high!!), resulting in the Crusher workout which I think was a good choice. I worked up a sweat and I definitely want to incorporate more jump squats in my workouts in the future. I had never done a tricep extension before and struggled with it a bit but it was good to have that challenge! I think I'll bookmark this workout to maybe do again in the future also-!
 
JohnStrong

JohnStrong

Well-known member
Commando from Alberta
Posts: 654
"If not me, who? If not now, when?"
emmasays said:
"Dungeons & Darebees" challenge, where I go to the Workouts page, roll a d100 to determine what page of workouts I should pull from, and then a d20 to determine which workout on that page I should do.
Click to expand...
I love hearing ideas like this! The Darebee database truly unlocks gamifying exercise in some creative ways :)
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Belated thank you for the kind messages!! I greatly appreciate them!

Day 2 - 80 overhead punches and 20 seconds calf raise holds (2 sets) - ✔
Workout - 2 Minute Yoga (x2) - ✔

I liked getting the little extra workout in, I think maybe implementing a Yoga challenge for the mornings would be good for me sometime-!

Day 3 - 120 punches and 70 calf raises - ✔
Day 4 - 120 overhead punches and 20 seconds calf raise holds (2 sets) - ✔

Had a busy couple of days so I didn't get quite as much in, but still did get my daily exercises done for my December challenges - I like having the motivation of little goals every day!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 5 - 140 punches and 80 calf raises - ✔
Exercise of the Day - 5 Triceps Extensions - ✔

Because of my timezone, the 5 triceps extensions still technicalllly fits in with Day 5 so I did those and did admittedly struggle a bit but this was one of the exercises I wanted to get better at so I'm glad I tried it!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 6 - 140 overhead punches and 30 second calf raise holds (2 sets) - ✔
Dungeons & Darebees - Hot Potato Workout (3 sets) - ✔
Bonus - 10 jump squats - ✔

For my occasional "Dungeons & Darebees" challenge, I rolled a 42 on the d100, meaning I went to the 42nd page in the Workouts collection, and a 17 on my d20, meaning I did the 17th workout listed on that page, which happened to be the "Hot Potato" workout! This one was actually pretty fun and definitely got my heart rate going. I'd be interested in doing this one again!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 7 - 160 punches (combined with Ava Workout) and 90 calf raises - ✔
Workout of the Day - Ava Workout - ✔
Exercise of the Day - 30 clamshells (per side) - ✔

I had a bit more time today so did the Workout and Exercise of the day in addition to my "dailies"! I enjoyed this combat-focused workout, I worked up a bit of a sweat, and ended up combining it with my daily 160 punches.
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 8 - 160 overhead punches and 30 second calf raise holds (2 sets) - ✔
Day 9 - 200 punches and 100 calf raises- ✔

Day 10 - 200 overhead punches and 40 second calf raise holds (2 sets) - ✔
Workout of the Day - 2 Minute Arm Workout - ✔

Still moving forward, it's nice to have a routine because even just "a little bit every day" is much more than what I was doing before!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 12 - 240 overhead punches and 40 second calf raise holds (2 sets) - ✔
Day 13 - 260 punches and 120 calf raises- ✔
Bonus - 100 extra calf raises - ✔

Day 14 - 260 overhead punches and 50 second calf raise holds (2 sets) - ✔
Ornaments Challenge - 800 extra punches - ✔

Had a busy couple of days, but still made some time to make sure I got my dailies done! I had more time today, so I put on Tate McRae and did an extra 800 punches to complete the "Ornaments" challenge and earn a Pinecone ornament (combined with my previous punches for December 10th through now). Fits right in with the Christmas spirit as we actually just put up our tree and hung our own ornaments today!
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 15 - 300 punches and 130 calf raises- ✔
Day 16 - 300 overhead punches and 50 second calf raise holds (2 sets) - ✔
Day 17 - 340 punches and 140 calf raises- ✔
Exercise of the Day - 30 ballet leg raises (per leg) ✔

Day 18 - 340 overhead punches and 60 second calf raise holds (2 sets) - ✔

Was away on a little pre-Holiday holiday these past few days, so got some additional walking in also-! :)
 
emmasays

emmasays

Active member
Honeybee Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 30
Day 19 - 380 punches and 150 calf raises- ✔
Day 20 - 380 overhead punches and 60 second calf raise holds (2 sets) - ✔
Day 21- 400 punches and 160 calf raises- ✔
Workout of the Day - Shadow Stray (Level III/five sets)- ✔

Plus a belated jumping jack from the snowball fight :ss:

I combined my daily punches with the Shadow Stray workout, but substituted planks instead of push-ups because I still can't do those... whoops! Maybe next time I will do "knee pushups" instead, to build up to it. This was a good workout and worked up a sweat for sure, mostly from the planks+punches combo! Included some arm exercises (ie arm circles) while doing my calf raises for a cooldown also-!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top