Unto the Breach (At Least Once More...)

[wjs]

Thank you, @graoumia. I do the best I can, but if today was any indication, it's not the cold I had last week that'll do me in.

The Workout
90 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 9, three sets of 14 Lunges with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 9. Optional quest successfully completed. Not that it was difficult, especially compared to the previous one. I doubt any of the others will be as easy.

 

[wjs]

Not a terrible day, just run ragged at work. So many things coalesced together to make it feel so much harder than it probably actually was.

The Workout
100 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 10, 4 sets of 60 Punches with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 10

 

[wjs]

Day off. I really don't know what I did with the day. I know stuff occurred, just... nothing of any consequence, I guess, outside of the workout.

The Workout
110 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 11, one minute One-Arm Plank
Ronin's Blade, Day 11. Rough, but done.

 

[wjs]

Perfectly honest, as good as it is for my paycheck, I'm not looking forward to the holiday season. Yeah, it's like two months out, but I need to start preparing already.

In other news, I think I need to find more protein for my diet. Where? Great question, no idea. I'll probably figure something out eventually.

The Workout
120 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 12, three sets of 14 Lunges with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 12. I chose option B.

 

[wjs]

Feeling pretty destroyed today. Fell asleep for a bit, or at least it feels like I did, after supper.

The Workout
130 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 13, 3 sets of 80 Punches with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 13. Yesterday's choice did not affect today, unexpectedly.

 

[wjs]

I'm still new to management. Sure, I've been in my current position a year and a half now, but it's my first time managing anything, let alone a retail space for which my only experience not managing was about five months at the same store* I manage. I'm having communications issues with my staff and difficulty getting them to follow through with items they see need to be done. I feel like I'm the problem here because it all flows from me. Then again, I have a tendency to accept the blame when I could reasonably be at fault, so I don't know which it is. I think I'm terrible at my job and just waiting for the day the owner figures out I have no business being a manager.

The Workout
140 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 14, one minute twenty seconds One-Arm Plank
Ronin's Blade, Day 14. I knew Push-Ups day was going to come back to bite me eventually.










*Well, the location. Well, the city in which the location is. We moved from the much, much smaller location last June. I'm very sure that I made a mistake taking on this size store but it turned out best for the company, which shows I'm not a completely worthless employee. I'm smart and I know how to pretend really well. Thanks role-playing games**, being able to act like I belong places came from you.
**This thank you is not in any way sarcastic. I have parlayed being very good at details and learning surface level knowledge quickly into paying gigs multiple times. I think, however, management is not a position where this sort of skill pays off.

 

[wjs]

Hello self doubt, my old friend...

The Workout
150 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 15, three sets of 18 Lunges with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 15. The day 12 selection finally came around to mean something.

 

[wjs]

The Workout
160 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 16, 4 sets of 80 Punches with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 16. Modified.

 

[wjs]

The next week or so is going to be gross. I didn't realize it until today, but Friday I have plans that will keep me from working out, then Sunday is store inventory which will require me to go in at all on a Sunday and I'll be lucky to be out between 2200 and 2230. Then Monday and Tuesday will require me to stay late too, most likely, to correct variances between the count we get on Sunday and what our point of sale system shows we have, then next Thursday I have a manager meeting, so not a good opportunity to pick up double workouts. So... good (?) times coming with respect to my available time to work out?

The Workout
170 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 17, one minute twenty seconds One-Arm Plank
Ronin's Blade, Day 17

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Wishing you courage for work!

 

[wjs]

Thank you, @PetiteSheWolf, I greatly appreciate the thoughts.

As mentioned yesterday, this covers tomorrow's workout since I will be home late.

The Workout, part 1
180 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 18, four sets of 18 Lunges with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 18

The Workout, part 2
190 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 19, three sets of 100 Punches with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 19. The decision from Day 7 comes around again.

 

[wjs]

Good evening last night. That said, it's still early in the week+ non-stop work train, so there's plenty of time for everything to crash, or at least feel like it.

The Workout
200 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 20, one minute forty seconds One-Arm Plank
Ronin's Blade, Day 20

 

[wjs]

Early workout because of inventory. Here's hoping I get home early enough tomorrow to work out.

The Workout
210 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 21, three sets of 20 Lunges with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 21. Selected A and I hope it comes through for me tomorrow.

 

[graoumia]

thoughts for the coming work day

 

[wjs]

Thank you, @graoumia. It didn't turn out as I had hoped, obviously. After approximately twelve hours Sunday, I spent another thirteen yesterday* and about five more today** completing the variance reports as a result of inaccuracies between the actual counts and what our point of sale system thought we had. Thus, no workout Monday. However, here I am today. I think it will be Sunday before I can pick up my "lost" workout, due to a manager meeting Thursday. There may have been a lot of stress eating the past few days...

The Workout
220 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 22, four sets of 100 Punches with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 22. Burpees. Why did it have to be burpees? I thought I did the right thing on Day 21...









*By which I mean Monday.
**By which I mean Tuesday.

 

[wjs]

About as good a day at work as it could be. Limited interruptions as I finished up counting transfer and I had my closer in by the time we had a rush of people.

The Workout
230 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 23, one minute forty seconds One-Arm Plank
Ronin's Blade, Day 23

 

[wjs]

Manager meeting today. No rest for the weary*. There are some interesting things in the works for the company and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.

In other news, Sunday I should be able to get my workouts back to where they should be.

The Workout
240 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 24, four sets of 20 Lunges with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 24










*Not today, anyway.

 

[wjs]

Unintentionally long day.

The Workout
250 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 25, three sets of 120 Punches with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 25. I chose option B. I guess we'll see how that pans out over the next few days.

 

[wjs]

Later than normal again. It's alright, though, I still have tomorrow off.

The Workout
260 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 26, two minute One-Arm Plank
Ronin's Blade, Day 26. Yesterday's choice was not that bad... so far.

 

[wjs]

Nice to not have anything work related today.

The Workout, part 1
270 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 27, four sets of 20 Lunges with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 27

The Workout, part 2
280 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 28, four sets of 120 Punches with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 28

 

[wjs]

The Workout
290 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 29, two minute One-Arm Plank
Ronin's Blade, Day 29. I sided with selection A. I think it was only appropriate.

 

[wjs]

So, I finally figured something out that's been bothering me for a while now. I think some old wounds/injuries are cropping back up. Like, sure, I know old breaks can sometimes come back to haunt one, but I had a road rash incident* some number of years ago that appears to have returned of its own accord. It took me a while to figure out that what I have going on now matches the old wound pretty exactly, but now I can't unsee it. Not too sure how I'm supposed to care for something that had been healed for

Spoiler

[REDACTED]**

years.

In other news, tomorrow is a new month, new challenge, new exercise, and individual workouts.

The Workout
300 Elbow Strike/Elbow Strike Combinations
Gladiator Day 30, four sets of 22 Lunges with thirty seconds rest
Ronin's Blade, Day 30. Continued fighting as companion to the side I chose yesterday. Something, something, loyalty. Something, loyalty, something?






*It was rollerblades + concrete. Not pretty, but the damage healed quickly. Why something so similar has reappeared with no apparent initiating factors is puzzling.
**I'm not one to disclose my age easily, certainly not on the internet.

 

[astro_lizard]

and congrats for ronins blade and gladiator!

 

[graoumia]

CONGRATS

 

[Fremen]

Congrats

 

[CODawn]

Congratulations!

 

[wjs]

Thank you @astro_lizard, @graoumia, @Fremen, @CODawn, and everyone who provided silent congratulations.

New month, new workouts. As an aside, I really need to work on my diet after 365 days of monitoring, I'm in a better place than I was, but I should be better still. I know what needs to be done, I just need the will to do it.

The Workout
5 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 1, 20 seconds Hollow Hold
Graveyard Shift at Level 2 with one minute rests

 

[graoumia]

Good job for progressing on your diet

 

[wjs]

Thank you, @graoumia.

The Workout
10 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 2, 20 seconds Superman Hold
Clash at Level 1. Feeling a bit drained tonight.

 

[wjs]

The Workout
15 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 1, 25 seconds Hollow Hold
Lower Back with one minute rests

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Grats for all you did this week!

 

[Mamatigerj]

Belated Happy Double Badge Day!!

 

[wjs]

Thank you Mademoiselles @PetiteSheWolf and @Mamatigerj.

The Workout
20 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 2, 25 seconds Superman Hold
Beekeeper at Level 2

 

[graoumia]

Thank you Mademoiselles @PetiteSheWolf and @Mamatigerj.

The Workout
20 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 2, 25 seconds Superman Hold
Beekeeper at Level 2

quick french lesson, if you don't mind : 1 Mademoiselle, if there are more than 1 we say Mesdemoiselles. and please correct me when i am writing wrong, i find it helpfull (not sure mesdemoiselles will be a big life changer for you)

 

[wjs]

Thank you, @graoumia, I appreciate the assistance. I am both American and other languages were not a priority in my household as a child so I was not exposed to them until high school. Then I learned I'm not particularly good at other languages*. I know bits and pieces of French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian, and Spanish, but none at a point of genuine usefulness. Europeans, from what I've seen and heard, are much better at English than the vast majority of Americans, as a second, third, or even fourth language. The very minor spelling errors (often an extra "l" at the end of words that end in -ful) are so minor compared to using "then" for "than" or other, more egregious misspellings. I just do my best to use what little I do know correctly and it's precisely why I have always hesitated to travel**, as I don't want to appear to be a stereotypical American expecting others who come here to know English but also not learning the language(s) of anywhere I might choose to go.

The Workout
25 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 5, 30 seconds Hollow Hold
Ten minutes in the Pits, unarmed







*I like to joke mathematics is my second language. It's probably more true than I think, but I don't really know if math and language use the same part of the brain.
**I mean, sure, the money required might be a part of that equation, too.

 

[wjs]

Later than usual workout because I became caught up in a demo for a new puzzle the store has. We need to figure out how to solve it and return it to its initial state to be able to say it's possible because we know someone who has done it. I've solved it except for one piece, but I have an idea I haven't had the chance to test yet.

The Workout
30 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 6, 30 seconds Superman Hold
Standing Abs with one minute rests

 

[wjs]

Not doing well today.

The Workout
35 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 7, 35 seconds Hollow Hold
Sentry at Level 1

 

[graoumia]

 

[wjs]

So, something is broken in me. I am having some difficulty with limiting food consumption right now and I have yet to define what's causing the issue. I have long been a stress eater. I recognize that, but if this is stress eating, I cannot pinpoint the cause. If I'm missing something in my diet, I don't know what as nothing in particular stops me. Is there a metabolic/medical situation involved? Could be, but I'll never know because it costs too much to find out. So many questions with no answers.

The Workout
40 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 8, 35 seconds Superman Hold
Back & Core at Level 2. Symmetry felt appropriate today, as Level 2 is four sets.

 

[graoumia]

I'm sorry you are struggling, i am a stress eater too, but sometimes i have so big cravings that i was thinking there was maybe something wrong, and i am thinking about hydration issues, do you think you could have deshydration pb? I am testing on my side. I also heard about Zinc supplement, but not sure about this

 

[wjs]

@graoumia: It doesn't seem to matter how much water I drink. For example, when I am at work, I drink almost* nothing but water, yet it does nothing to curb the desire to eat things whether I'm hungry or not. On many occasions I have even put water first only to eat a ridiculous amount of calories ten to fifteen minutes later. As a result, I am fairly sure it isn't dehydration. While shopping yesterday, I picked up some peanut butter and that seemed to stop the eating fairly quickly tonight. Further testing is required, however.

Speaking of headaches**, guess who was sucker punched by one mid-workout? That's right, me.

The Workout
45 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 9, 40 seconds Hollow Hold
Brawler at Level 1







*Except when I have headaches at work. Then I'll pick up something with caffeine in it. Thankfully, we carry the Ultra line of Monster products, so I can get low calorie, high caffeine content cold drinks. Paired with ibuprofin, it is the trinity*** that helps me with headaches. Headaches which, unfortunately, have been much more common lately because we have had temperature swings a lot recently, which also change the air pressure.
**Down here in the footnotes, that's where.
***Caffeine, cold, and painkillers.

 

[wjs]

More of the same. This is getting old, fast.

The Workout
50 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 10, 40 seconds Superman Hold
Tempered Steel at Level 2 with one minute rests

 

[wjs]

Yesterday I missed working out because, while I left work early, I went over to one of my regulars' home and taught a game I recently bought to him and one of his friends while learning a different one from them. Including time to just talk about various things and all the other various and sundry things, I returned home far too late to be willing to put in a one hour cardio workout at the time it would have started. Today, on the other hand, I spent time at work with some of the company's buyers working on (re-)merchandising my store and afterward playing a couple games to have some interesting and easy games to recommend for casual game players.

In unrelated news, I'm fairly sure I made a mistake setting the Push-Up Plank progression at five seconds. I barely managed either of the holds today. I think I need to reel it back to day 13 tomorrow at two seconds of progression a day and continue from there. I don't know that I feel so badly about this one, unlike most things, because it really feels like an understanding of my current limitations rather than a failure out of nowhere that trips me.

The Workout, part 1
55 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 11, 45 seconds Hollow Hold
One hour steady-state cardio

The Workout, part 2
60 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 12, 45 seconds Superman Hold
Ten minutes in the Pits, unarmed

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Understanding your own limitation is very, very useful - and allows for further planning. Says the girl who hates naps but is learning she needs them with her current treatment.

 

[wjs]

Understanding your own limitation is very, very useful - and allows for further planning. Says the girl who hates naps but is learning she needs them with her current treatment.

Yeah, I'm learning about understanding my limitations, too. It's not a decade ago when I started on DAREBEE anymore.

In completely different news, my confidence in myself is shot in pretty much all aspects of life. I'm just waiting for the day people figure out I'm just very good at faking knowledge.

The Workout
26 seconds* Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 13, 50 seconds Hollow Hold
Prowler at level 2







*Rolled back as if I had been increasing by two seconds a day, per post number 393.

 

[wjs]

So busy and it's all so difficult when one's confidence is shattered. We'll see how long I manage to survive at this point.

28 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 14, 50 seconds Superman Hold
Posture Perfect with one minute rests

 

[wjs]

The Workout
30 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 15, 55 seconds Hollow Hold
Extraction at level 1

 

[wjs]

Well, my fuel gauge is broken. I have no idea when I'm full. Over the past twenty-four hours or so I have eaten an entire bag of trail mix and an entire box of crackers. That's in addition to my "normal" eating. I'm not going to publish numbers, because they are ridiculous. It was good, though, especially the trail mix. Maybe I need more fruit... but I don't eat it that often, and I was getting blueberries there for a bit but kept finding mold* on them, so I stopped spending that money.

The workout
32 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 16, 55 seconds Superman Hold
Alpha Protocol at level 2










*I think it was mold, anyway. It was kind of stringy and densely grouped, like short and tightly-packed spiderwebs.

 

[graoumia]

You're right, maybe you need something, cravings are sometimes a sign.... and if you enjoyed it, it was maybe not just binge eating...?

 

[wjs]

You're right, maybe you need something, cravings are sometimes a sign.... and if you enjoyed it, it was maybe not just binge eating...?

Maybe you're on to something. I'll pick up some more fruit next time I'm at the grocery store and go from there.

I skipped yesterday due to third Friday of the month board game night. I didn't pick up a second workout Thursday so I'll do that tomorrow. Today, however...

The Workout
34 seconds Push-Up Plank
Hollow Hold Challenge Day 17, 1 minute Hollow Hold
1 hour of Steady-State Cardio. Well, that's what it was supposed to be, anyway. Less than ten minutes in, both my foot and hip started bothering me, so I decided in my infinite wisdom to stop. We'll see how permanent the damage is. Good times.*










*Or something.