Mango's Journal
- Thread starter MangoTux
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MangoTux
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Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
woohoo, made it to page two of the thread!
2025-12-06
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 16 / 30: Oh, I so wanted to hang on five more seconds to hit the full minute. Decided against it for the sake of steady progress, but two more days to go!
Power Grip Challenge - Day 12 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 6 / 30
Pushups: 30
Cardio: This morning, I walked for 3 miles in 20F weather at a lake about 30 minutes away (5km, -6 Celsius, 1800 seconds). I added two new lifers: Cackling Goose and Common Merganser. Getting close to 200 species observed in the wild!
I'm expecting to get some more steps in today. We're going to a botanical center later today and will be spending some time in the warmth. I hope everybody has a great start to the weekend!
2025-12-06
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 16 / 30: Oh, I so wanted to hang on five more seconds to hit the full minute. Decided against it for the sake of steady progress, but two more days to go!
Power Grip Challenge - Day 12 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 6 / 30
Pushups: 30
Cardio: This morning, I walked for 3 miles in 20F weather at a lake about 30 minutes away (5km, -6 Celsius, 1800 seconds). I added two new lifers: Cackling Goose and Common Merganser. Getting close to 200 species observed in the wild!
I'm expecting to get some more steps in today. We're going to a botanical center later today and will be spending some time in the warmth. I hope everybody has a great start to the weekend!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-07
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 17 / 30: Continuing to do two sets of 20 seconds.
Power Grip Challenge - Day 13 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 7 / 30
Pushups: 30
No cardio today, aside from shoveling snow again. Six inches, but at least it was much more powdery than last week's snowfall!
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 17 / 30: Continuing to do two sets of 20 seconds.
Power Grip Challenge - Day 13 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 7 / 30
Pushups: 30
No cardio today, aside from shoveling snow again. Six inches, but at least it was much more powdery than last week's snowfall!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-08
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 18 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 14 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 8 / 30
Mage Workout: Once again using this as more of a template of exercises rather than strictly following the routine. I've been trying to get the challenges out of the way first, so I go into this a bit more tired than I have in the past.
Pushups: 30
I made it a full minute on the dead hang! I foresee six of the next twelve days being very rough on that front. As I was hanging there today, I was becoming more and more jealous of birds and bats. The tendons in their legs are structured in a way that makes gripping the default/low-energy state, and it takes effort to open. At least I'll always have Jazz Hands.
Happy Monday! I hope all of you have a great start to the week.
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 18 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 14 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 8 / 30
Mage Workout: Once again using this as more of a template of exercises rather than strictly following the routine. I've been trying to get the challenges out of the way first, so I go into this a bit more tired than I have in the past.
Pushups: 30
I made it a full minute on the dead hang! I foresee six of the next twelve days being very rough on that front. As I was hanging there today, I was becoming more and more jealous of birds and bats. The tendons in their legs are structured in a way that makes gripping the default/low-energy state, and it takes effort to open. At least I'll always have Jazz Hands.
Happy Monday! I hope all of you have a great start to the week.
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-09
Loadout
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 19 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 15 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 9 / 30
Pushups: 30
I've been enjoying the pace of challenges, and hope to do more going forward. However, I've been trying to brainstorm routines that would let me do typical workouts/programs alongside one or two challenges each month; not to mention pushup progression and consistent cardio. I'm using the rest of December to explore some different workouts, with the following goals:
- Find exercises that seem fun and rewarding
- Identify muscles I've neglected, and ways to incorporate them into routines
- Think of month-by-month and week-by-week plans I could attempt for 2026
Funnily enough, I feel like I've switched my "problem" area from food to exercise. There was a period of time where I was exercising AND running each day, but my diet was not helping at all. Since August, I've been more diligent about meal prep, and have really noticed compounding effects. I've been more observant about the things I'm eating, have been giving in to impulse snacks less, and generally feel better throughout the day. I'm the lowest weight I've been since college, and I know I've still got room for steady progress. There will be a day in the future where I'm equally comfortable with my diet and exercise routine, and I hope that day will turn into weeks, months, and years of progress.
Anyway, happy Tuesday!
Loadout
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 19 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 15 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 9 / 30
Pushups: 30
I've been enjoying the pace of challenges, and hope to do more going forward. However, I've been trying to brainstorm routines that would let me do typical workouts/programs alongside one or two challenges each month; not to mention pushup progression and consistent cardio. I'm using the rest of December to explore some different workouts, with the following goals:
- Find exercises that seem fun and rewarding
- Identify muscles I've neglected, and ways to incorporate them into routines
- Think of month-by-month and week-by-week plans I could attempt for 2026
Funnily enough, I feel like I've switched my "problem" area from food to exercise. There was a period of time where I was exercising AND running each day, but my diet was not helping at all. Since August, I've been more diligent about meal prep, and have really noticed compounding effects. I've been more observant about the things I'm eating, have been giving in to impulse snacks less, and generally feel better throughout the day. I'm the lowest weight I've been since college, and I know I've still got room for steady progress. There will be a day in the future where I'm equally comfortable with my diet and exercise routine, and I hope that day will turn into weeks, months, and years of progress.
Anyway, happy Tuesday!
Last edited:
Fremen
Well-known member
Mercenary
from
Italy
Posts: 6,295
from
Italy
Posts: 6,295
"“Keep an eye on the staircases. They like to change.” Percy Weasley, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone."
When you start making future training plans, it means that you enjoy what you're doing. 
Then there's the phase where you want to do a million things at once.
Then there's the phase where you want to do a million things at once.
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
Oof, yeah. The middle ground is what's tricky. Going from "A lot of good ideas" to "One refined idea" seems like jumping a chasm.When you start making future training plans, it means that you enjoy what you're doing.
Then there's the phase where you want to do a million things at once.
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-10
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 20 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 16 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 10 / 30
Routines
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Ornaments
These look so great! I'm excited to be able to participate in the event. I normally really dislike squats, but I like spellbooks more - as a result, I'm going to fast-track that ornament and then see what else I can fit in over the next few days. This morning, I did 10 sets of 25. Is that something I can achieve two days in a row? Who knows!
I like writing these posts in the morning, so I'll keep each day's tally by editing the current day's post.
Happy Wednesday!
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 20 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 16 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 10 / 30
Routines
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Ornaments
These look so great! I'm excited to be able to participate in the event. I normally really dislike squats, but I like spellbooks more - as a result, I'm going to fast-track that ornament and then see what else I can fit in over the next few days. This morning, I did 10 sets of 25. Is that something I can achieve two days in a row? Who knows!
| Spellbook (Squats) | 250 / 500 |
| Golden Apple (Arm Circles) | 400 / 2,000 |
| Dragon Crystal (Push-Ups) | 50 / 500 |
| Immortal Rose (Jacks) | 50 / 2,000 |
| Bag of Gold (Punches) | 0 / 2,000 |
| Magic Sword (Kicks) | 0 / 500 |
Happy Wednesday!
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MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-11
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 21 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 17 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 11 / 30
I'm continuing to do two sets of twenty seconds for the Dead Hang challenge, and that has been going well. However, I'm considering adding a third set, since the total time is still under the alternating day's total length. During this challenge, I've been spending large portions of any given 48-hour period thinking about single upcoming span of ~60 seconds. I bet there's an allegory for life in there or something.
Routines
Consecutive Push-Ups: 35
Ornaments
I'm writing this post in the morning, but will continue editing throughout the day as I do more reps.
I hope you all have a great Thursday!
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 21 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 17 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 11 / 30
I'm continuing to do two sets of twenty seconds for the Dead Hang challenge, and that has been going well. However, I'm considering adding a third set, since the total time is still under the alternating day's total length. During this challenge, I've been spending large portions of any given 48-hour period thinking about single upcoming span of ~60 seconds. I bet there's an allegory for life in there or something.
Routines
Consecutive Push-Ups: 35
Ornaments
I'm writing this post in the morning, but will continue editing throughout the day as I do more reps.
| Spellbook (Squats) |  500 / 500 (+250) |
| Golden Apple (Arm Circles) | 1,000 / 2,000 (+600) |
| Dragon Crystal (Push-Ups) | 200 / 500 (+150) |
| Immortal Rose (Jacks) | 150 / 2,000 (+100) |
| Bag of Gold (Punches) | 400 / 2,000 (+400) |
| Magic Sword (Kicks) | 100 / 500 (+100) |
I hope you all have a great Thursday!
Last edited:
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-12
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 22 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 18 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 12 / 30
I had to take a five second break today to fix my grip. I'm giving myself a slight pass, for two main reasons: (1) I'm still sore from yesterday's ornament progression, and (2) I shoveled snow this morning. If I need a break from other ornament stuff before day 24, I'll try 1:20 again.
Routines
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Ornaments
I'm writing this post in the morning, but will continue editing throughout the day as I do more reps.
I did a lot of these yesterday, but I ended the day just below 40% done altogether. I haven't been running over the past week, so I'm thinking I'll focus on jacks and punches today to get some cardio accomplished.
Happy Friday!
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 22 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 18 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 12 / 30
I had to take a five second break today to fix my grip. I'm giving myself a slight pass, for two main reasons: (1) I'm still sore from yesterday's ornament progression, and (2) I shoveled snow this morning. If I need a break from other ornament stuff before day 24, I'll try 1:20 again.
Routines
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Ornaments
I'm writing this post in the morning, but will continue editing throughout the day as I do more reps.
| Spellbook (Squats) | 500 / 500 |
| Golden Apple (Arm Circles) | 1,200 / 2,000 (+200) |
| Dragon Crystal (Push-Ups) | 300 / 500 (+100) |
| Immortal Rose (Jacks) | 800 / 2,000 (+650) |
| Bag of Gold (Punches) | 800 / 2,000 (+400) |
| Magic Sword (Kicks) | 200 / 500 (+100) |
Happy Friday!
Last edited:
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-13
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 23 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 19 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 13 / 30
Three sets of 20 seconds on the dead hang. I'm starting to look ahead, and I think I'll begin 2026 with the Flex Hang Challenge. Since I'm ideally finishing up the dead hangs with 10 or so days before the new year, I think those days could probably just be the day 29/30 repeats to build up a bit more stamina.
Routines
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Ornaments
I'm writing this post in the morning, but will continue editing throughout the day as I do more reps.
Progress at the end of the day yesterday was just a bit under 60%. I went into this event thinking squats would be the most difficult for me, but I've been having a hard time with that quantity of jumping jacks. I hope to steadily increase reps throughout each day, but I may need to switch to something a bit less intensive.
Plus, we're getting even more snow today! In addition to everything else, I'll be shoveling today. Stay safe and have a happy Saturday!
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 23 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 19 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 13 / 30
Three sets of 20 seconds on the dead hang. I'm starting to look ahead, and I think I'll begin 2026 with the Flex Hang Challenge. Since I'm ideally finishing up the dead hangs with 10 or so days before the new year, I think those days could probably just be the day 29/30 repeats to build up a bit more stamina.
Routines
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Ornaments
I'm writing this post in the morning, but will continue editing throughout the day as I do more reps.
| Spellbook (Squats) | 500 / 500 |
| Golden Apple (Arm Circles) | 1,700 / 2,000 (+500) |
| Dragon Crystal (Push-Ups) | 400 / 500 (+100) |
| Immortal Rose (Jacks) | 1,000 / 2,000 (+200) |
| Bag of Gold (Punches) | 1400 / 2,000 (+600) |
| Magic Sword (Kicks) | 350 / 500 (+150) |
Plus, we're getting even more snow today! In addition to everything else, I'll be shoveling today. Stay safe and have a happy Saturday!
Last edited:
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-14
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 24 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 20 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 14 / 30
Lost my grip about 1:20 in, but made up the time. I also found myself struggling to finish the last set of knee crunches, so it's a bit daunting that the end goal is 40 crunches.
The heaviest weights I have at home are 50-lb dumbbells. I probably should have been doing this earlier, but later today I may watch some TV while doing a farmer's carry.
Routines
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Meal Prep
It's Sunday, so I'm making food for the week.
Lunch (M-Sa): Rice bowl with peas, carrots, shredded tofu, and imitation ground beef. This has been my go-to lunch for almost a year, and it's still easy to make+eat.
Dinner (M-W, F): Vegetable pie with potatoes, onions, peppers, peas, carrots, imitation ground beef, and parsnips.
I'm grateful for rice cookers and that our local grocery store stocks a few varieties of plant-based ground beef.
Ornaments
I'm writing this post in the morning, but will continue editing throughout the day as I do more reps.
So, I made a mistake.
I'd like to think I've always been pretty good at math. However, the one thing I seem to struggle with is date-based math. I saw this event went from December 10th to December 16th, and I built my entire plan on the unexamined belief that it lasted five days. I'm not quite sure how I arrived at that number specifically, but it means that my goals for each day were to get 20%-increment completions. This has mostly been doable, but on Friday I thought I needed to cover a lot of ground and did more jumping jacks than I should have. I'm still feeling a lot of soreness in my calves, to the point that I think I'll just stop at the 1,000 marker instead of risking injury.
However, I plan on finishing the rest of the exercises tomorrow. My Monday Mage workout covers push-ups, punches, and kicks, so I'll be quite happy with five out of the six exercises being completed.
Happy Sunday!
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 24 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 20 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 14 / 30
Lost my grip about 1:20 in, but made up the time. I also found myself struggling to finish the last set of knee crunches, so it's a bit daunting that the end goal is 40 crunches.
The heaviest weights I have at home are 50-lb dumbbells. I probably should have been doing this earlier, but later today I may watch some TV while doing a farmer's carry.
Routines
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Meal Prep
It's Sunday, so I'm making food for the week.
Lunch (M-Sa): Rice bowl with peas, carrots, shredded tofu, and imitation ground beef. This has been my go-to lunch for almost a year, and it's still easy to make+eat.
Dinner (M-W, F): Vegetable pie with potatoes, onions, peppers, peas, carrots, imitation ground beef, and parsnips.
I'm grateful for rice cookers and that our local grocery store stocks a few varieties of plant-based ground beef.
Ornaments
I'm writing this post in the morning, but will continue editing throughout the day as I do more reps.
| Spellbook (Squats) | 500 / 500 |
| Golden Apple (Arm Circles) | 2,000 / 2,000 (+300) |
| Dragon Crystal (Push-Ups) | 430 / 500 (+30) |
| Immortal Rose (Jacks) | 1,000 / 2,000 (+0) |
| Bag of Gold (Punches) | 1,730 / 2,000 (+330) |
| Magic Sword (Kicks) | 410 / 500 (+60) |
I'd like to think I've always been pretty good at math. However, the one thing I seem to struggle with is date-based math. I saw this event went from December 10th to December 16th, and I built my entire plan on the unexamined belief that it lasted five days. I'm not quite sure how I arrived at that number specifically, but it means that my goals for each day were to get 20%-increment completions. This has mostly been doable, but on Friday I thought I needed to cover a lot of ground and did more jumping jacks than I should have. I'm still feeling a lot of soreness in my calves, to the point that I think I'll just stop at the 1,000 marker instead of risking injury.
However, I plan on finishing the rest of the exercises tomorrow. My Monday Mage workout covers push-ups, punches, and kicks, so I'll be quite happy with five out of the six exercises being completed.
Happy Sunday!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-15
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 25 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 21 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 15 / 30
Continuing to do three sets of 20 seconds on the alternating days of dead hangs. Last night, I spent about 10 minutes (with periodic rests) doing a farmer's carry with two fifty-pound weights. I'll try to do something similar each night for the rest of the challenge.
Routines and Workouts
Mage Workout - Three sets, with 3x each rep count.
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Yesterday, I attempted several of the push-ups on the Push-Up Master challenge to see which ones I can reasonably do. At some point in the near future, I'll switch from a single consecutive count over to a more flexible plan - each (week? day?), I'll roll dice to see which variant I need to do, and based on difficulty do three sets of 30, 25, or To Failure. I think I'll have a standalone post on the thread so I can link to it going forward, but I know I'll need to do some balance tweaks over time to keep it sustainable.
I started the consecutive push-up thing in January of 2024 (so I guess I'm over 700 consecutive days of exercise?), since I was never super great at push-ups. However, I feel like I've plateaued a bit at 30/day, given that that was the only thing I was doing on that front. The ornaments were great in challenging my daily quantity, so I'd like to focus more on increasing the number of sets I'm doing.
Ornaments
Happy Monday! I hope all of you can find things that bring you joy and comfort this week.
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 25 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 21 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 15 / 30
Continuing to do three sets of 20 seconds on the alternating days of dead hangs. Last night, I spent about 10 minutes (with periodic rests) doing a farmer's carry with two fifty-pound weights. I'll try to do something similar each night for the rest of the challenge.
Routines and Workouts
Mage Workout - Three sets, with 3x each rep count.
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Yesterday, I attempted several of the push-ups on the Push-Up Master challenge to see which ones I can reasonably do. At some point in the near future, I'll switch from a single consecutive count over to a more flexible plan - each (week? day?), I'll roll dice to see which variant I need to do, and based on difficulty do three sets of 30, 25, or To Failure. I think I'll have a standalone post on the thread so I can link to it going forward, but I know I'll need to do some balance tweaks over time to keep it sustainable.
I started the consecutive push-up thing in January of 2024 (so I guess I'm over 700 consecutive days of exercise?), since I was never super great at push-ups. However, I feel like I've plateaued a bit at 30/day, given that that was the only thing I was doing on that front. The ornaments were great in challenging my daily quantity, so I'd like to focus more on increasing the number of sets I'm doing.
Ornaments
| Spellbook (Squats) | 500 / 500 |
| Golden Apple (Arm Circles) | 2,000 / 2,000 |
| Dragon Crystal (Push-Ups) | 520 / 500 (+90) |
| Immortal Rose (Jacks) | 1,000 / 2,000 (+0) |
| Bag of Gold (Punches) | 2,000 / 2,000 (+270) |
| Magic Sword (Kicks) | 500 / 500 (+90) |
Happy Monday! I hope all of you can find things that bring you joy and comfort this week.
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-16
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 26 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 22 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 16 / 30
Today felt like a step back on the dead hang. I immediately felt under strain when I started, and I needed to reassert my grip twice. Still, I made it through the entire time, and I won't concern myself with uninterrupted time until Day 30. Continuing to spend time doing farmer's carry in the evenings.
Routines and Workouts
Arms of Steel - Level 3
Consecutive Push-Ups: 40
Ornaments
This was my first time doing the ornaments, and I loved the challenge. I completed 5.5/6 of the exercises, and came away with the knowledge that I need to incorporate jumping jacks into my exercises.
Happy Tuesday!
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 26 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 22 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 16 / 30
Today felt like a step back on the dead hang. I immediately felt under strain when I started, and I needed to reassert my grip twice. Still, I made it through the entire time, and I won't concern myself with uninterrupted time until Day 30. Continuing to spend time doing farmer's carry in the evenings.
Routines and Workouts
Arms of Steel - Level 3
Consecutive Push-Ups: 40
Ornaments
This was my first time doing the ornaments, and I loved the challenge. I completed 5.5/6 of the exercises, and came away with the knowledge that I need to incorporate jumping jacks into my exercises.
Happy Tuesday!
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Great work on the Ornaments!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
@Laura Rainbow Dragon Thank you!
2025-12-17
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 27 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 23 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 17 / 30
Note to self: If doing multiple challenges in the future, stagger them to avoid having a single day be overly difficult. I finished these challenges today, said "That went well!", and then remembered that tomorrow is both the continuous hang and the crunches.
Routines and Workouts
Muscle Alchemy - Level 3
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Cardio
I've been slacking off on running, admittedly. When I picked the C25K plan back up, it was in part to make sure I was still able to run 20+ minutes uninterrupted. I managed that, but then medication started making me light-headed, ornaments were taxing on my calves, and I just haven't picked it back up yet. I'm still in the planning phases for 2026 exercise routines, so I'll be sure to work cardio in.
I went for a nature walk today along a river, and only made it about two miles. I could have gone more, but something came up.
I hope you all have a happy Wednesday!
2025-12-17
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 27 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 23 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 17 / 30
Note to self: If doing multiple challenges in the future, stagger them to avoid having a single day be overly difficult. I finished these challenges today, said "That went well!", and then remembered that tomorrow is both the continuous hang and the crunches.
Routines and Workouts
Muscle Alchemy - Level 3
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Cardio
I've been slacking off on running, admittedly. When I picked the C25K plan back up, it was in part to make sure I was still able to run 20+ minutes uninterrupted. I managed that, but then medication started making me light-headed, ornaments were taxing on my calves, and I just haven't picked it back up yet. I'm still in the planning phases for 2026 exercise routines, so I'll be sure to work cardio in.
I went for a nature walk today along a river, and only made it about two miles. I could have gone more, but something came up.
I saw several geese that appeared to either be stuck to the ice or disoriented. Three weren't moving, one was struggling to raise its head, and another was frantically swimming in circles. I was able to get in touch with a bird rehab group in our state, and they confirmed my suspicions of it being bird flu. I spent some time keeping tabs on the circling goose, and unfortunately watched it pass away before anybody was able to come by. I know H5N1 has a very high mortality rate, so I wasn't exactly expecting a miracle. There were a lot of other birds nearby, though, so I hope the rescue team was able to prevent any unnecessary spread of disease.
It put a bit of a dampener on the morning (in more of an existential, moribund sense rather than a personal, familiar sense). Nature is nature, and that includes viruses and bacteria. Even if I can't stop them, I can at least be aware of symptoms and tell the right people, so that hopefully more help can be delivered going forward.
It put a bit of a dampener on the morning (in more of an existential, moribund sense rather than a personal, familiar sense). Nature is nature, and that includes viruses and bacteria. Even if I can't stop them, I can at least be aware of symptoms and tell the right people, so that hopefully more help can be delivered going forward.
I hope you all have a happy Wednesday!
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Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Yup! Some Challenges are fine as they just present a consistent amount of work each day. But the ones that ramp up ramp up quite a bit. It can be quite deceiving to start three or more of those together, thinking, "Oh, this'll be fine."
for your sad encounter. (Although your seeing it and notifying the appropriate folks will hopefully have a positive impact on other birds in the area.)
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-18
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 28 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 24 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 18 / 30
Still breaking up the dead hang into smaller sections, but I'm not too broken up about it. I can just barely manage a 5-second flex hang and negative pull-ups go smoothly, so I'll be more than comfortable with starting new pull-up progression challenges while trying to hit the 2:00 mark.
Routines and Workouts
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Happy Thursday!
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 28 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 24 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 18 / 30
Still breaking up the dead hang into smaller sections, but I'm not too broken up about it. I can just barely manage a 5-second flex hang and negative pull-ups go smoothly, so I'll be more than comfortable with starting new pull-up progression challenges while trying to hit the 2:00 mark.
Routines and Workouts
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Happy Thursday!
Last edited:
WolfDreamer
Well-known member
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-19
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 29 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 25 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 19 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 1 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 1 / 30
A few days ago I said negative pull-ups were doable. I need to amend that and say I can manage one negative comfortably. I dropped pretty quickly on the other three. However, that's a sign of things that can be improved!
Routines and Workouts
Consecutive Push-Ups (Dragon): 30
Happy Friday! This was my last full day until the 5th, so I'm in a good mood going into the weekend. I hope you all can find things that make you feel the same way!
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 29 / 30
Power Grip Challenge - Day 25 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 19 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 1 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 1 / 30
A few days ago I said negative pull-ups were doable. I need to amend that and say I can manage one negative comfortably. I dropped pretty quickly on the other three. However, that's a sign of things that can be improved!
Routines and Workouts
Consecutive Push-Ups (Dragon): 30
Happy Friday! This was my last full day until the 5th, so I'm in a good mood going into the weekend. I hope you all can find things that make you feel the same way!
Last edited:
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-20
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 30 / 30*
Power Grip Challenge - Day 26 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 20 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 2 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 2 / 30
I was feeling good about today's dead hang, but only made it to about 1:30. I made up the time immediately, but I'll consider this completed for now. The negative pull-up challenge has alternating days of dead hangs, so I'll continue to work towards an uninterrupted 2 minutes on those days.
Routines and Workouts
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Sundays are my day for meal prep, so I'll also include exercise prep going forward. Today will be the last day of a single set of push-ups, and going forward there will be more variety in types of push-ups from week to week.
Cardio
Walked and slid for three miles through a forest this morning. Temperatures are warming up, but the paths were still fairly icy.
I just realized I've been neglecting to update the dates correctly. I'm glad I've also been including the day of the week, but I went back and edited a few of the recent posts so they're on the correct date.
Happy Saturday (the 20th of December, which is today)!
Challenges
Dead Hang Challenge - Day 30 / 30*
Power Grip Challenge - Day 26 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 20 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 2 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 2 / 30
I was feeling good about today's dead hang, but only made it to about 1:30. I made up the time immediately, but I'll consider this completed for now. The negative pull-up challenge has alternating days of dead hangs, so I'll continue to work towards an uninterrupted 2 minutes on those days.
Routines and Workouts
Consecutive Push-Ups: 30
Sundays are my day for meal prep, so I'll also include exercise prep going forward. Today will be the last day of a single set of push-ups, and going forward there will be more variety in types of push-ups from week to week.
Cardio
Walked and slid for three miles through a forest this morning. Temperatures are warming up, but the paths were still fairly icy.
I just realized I've been neglecting to update the dates correctly. I'm glad I've also been including the day of the week, but I went back and edited a few of the recent posts so they're on the correct date.
Happy Saturday (the 20th of December, which is today)!
Encina
Well-known member
Alchemist
Posts: 109
"La mayor encina fue bellota chiquitina. The greatest oak was once a tiny acorn."
Kudos on your hard work!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
An Exercise in Gravitational Magic
Whether it's a Nuhvok-Kal or a Dunamancer, gravity has existed as a force to be manipulated and molded since fiction immemorial. Gravity is an ubiquitous force, though many have attempted to thwart its hold it one way or the other. Icarus and his waxen wings; birds and their not-so-waxen wings; physicists and their celestial mechanics - all have attempted to defy that which confines us to our terrestrial abode. Why? Idunno.
As a mage, though, I feel as if I should throw my wizard hat into the ring. My choice of gravity-defying magic: Push-ups.
I started 2024 with a single exercise goal: Every day, do at least 10 push-ups. The goal was to avoid having days where I didn't do anything, and 10 push-ups were something that was both the extent of my ability, and yet doable in under a minute. I've since increased my target up to 30 per day, but I'd like to expand on that even further going into the new year. I'd like to push (hah!) myself to try different variants, and increase the number of sets I do throughout the day.
The names in the table are from the Push-Up Master Challenge. I've picked twelve variants that I can manage, because I don't get to roll D12s very much.
I'll revisit these every so often to update reps, based on difficulty and progress. If I can't hit a number, I'll go until failure.
Each week, I'll roll a d12 and have that be the target variant for the week.
Last Update: 2025-12-21
Whether it's a Nuhvok-Kal or a Dunamancer, gravity has existed as a force to be manipulated and molded since fiction immemorial. Gravity is an ubiquitous force, though many have attempted to thwart its hold it one way or the other. Icarus and his waxen wings; birds and their not-so-waxen wings; physicists and their celestial mechanics - all have attempted to defy that which confines us to our terrestrial abode. Why? Idunno.
As a mage, though, I feel as if I should throw my wizard hat into the ring. My choice of gravity-defying magic: Push-ups.
I started 2024 with a single exercise goal: Every day, do at least 10 push-ups. The goal was to avoid having days where I didn't do anything, and 10 push-ups were something that was both the extent of my ability, and yet doable in under a minute. I've since increased my target up to 30 per day, but I'd like to expand on that even further going into the new year. I'd like to push (hah!) myself to try different variants, and increase the number of sets I do throughout the day.
The names in the table are from the Push-Up Master Challenge. I've picked twelve variants that I can manage, because I don't get to roll D12s very much.
D12 | Name | Reps |
1 | Classic | 35 |
2 | Wide Grip | 30 |
3 | Raised Leg | 30 |
4 | Close Grip | 25 |
5 | Staggered | 25 |
6 | Dragon | 25 |
7 | Decline | 25 |
8 | Rotations | 25 |
9 | Side Crunch | 16 |
10 | Archer | 10 |
11 | Pike | 10 |
12 | Cross-Body | 10 |
I'll revisit these every so often to update reps, based on difficulty and progress. If I can't hit a number, I'll go until failure.
Each week, I'll roll a d12 and have that be the target variant for the week.
Last Update: 2025-12-21
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-21
Challenges
Power Grip Challenge - Day 27 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 21 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 3 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 3 / 30
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
Starting in on this change to my daily push-ups. I did these 48 after the other challenges this morning, but barely managed to finish them. I know I'll need to adjust numbers over time, but 16/set was a good call for my ability.
Snowball fight is going on. Happy Sunday!
Challenges
Power Grip Challenge - Day 27 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 21 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 3 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 3 / 30
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
Starting in on this change to my daily push-ups. I did these 48 after the other challenges this morning, but barely managed to finish them. I know I'll need to adjust numbers over time, but 16/set was a good call for my ability.
Snowball fight is going on. Happy Sunday!
Anek
Well-known member
Druid
from
Bavaria, Germany
Pronouns: She/her
Posts: 4,404
from
Bavaria, Germany
Pronouns: She/her
Posts: 4,404
"If the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember Cedric Diggory."
Congrats!!
Encina
Well-known member
Alchemist
Posts: 109
"La mayor encina fue bellota chiquitina. The greatest oak was once a tiny acorn."
This looks like fun! I might add something like this to my routines. My mind is just thinking about new variants I could use!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
I forgot to do this the other day - thank you @Encina @Anek @GSD @Fremen!
2025-12-22
Challenges
Power Grip Challenge - Day 28 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 22 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 4 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 4 / 30
Continuing to work towards an uninterrupted 2:00 dead hang via the even days of the negative pull-up challenge. I've been doing these in the morning, but maybe I should attempt later in the day? I feel like my grip strength (or maybe my breathing, posture, and a few other endurance-related niceties) is better after I've been awake for awhile.
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
Snowball Fight: I've genuinely lost track of how many I've dodged. They're much more manageable in smaller batches of 10-15 throughout the day.
Happy Monday!
2025-12-22
Challenges
Power Grip Challenge - Day 28 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 22 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 4 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 4 / 30
Continuing to work towards an uninterrupted 2:00 dead hang via the even days of the negative pull-up challenge. I've been doing these in the morning, but maybe I should attempt later in the day? I feel like my grip strength (or maybe my breathing, posture, and a few other endurance-related niceties) is better after I've been awake for awhile.
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
Snowball Fight: I've genuinely lost track of how many I've dodged. They're much more manageable in smaller batches of 10-15 throughout the day.
Happy Monday!
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Congratulations on completing the Dead Hang Challenge!
you may need some chalk for the dead hangs...
also:
1) make sure your knuckles point up to the ceiling when you grip the bar
2) use ALL 4 fingers, little pinky gives you a third of that required grip strength alone!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
Thanks for the tips! I've found that using a paper towel is sufficient for friction; my main shortcoming is that my fingers will just start to lose feeling and I reflexively unclench. The power grip challenge has been helpful in reinforcing the muscles associated with that action, though, and I've got some hand grip thingies that I use when sitting through meetings.
I know I'll get there eventually! I've been consistent with weight loss and have seen some definition in my forearms, so even these days without hitting the full duration are still positive progress.
NightWolf714
Well-known member
Berserker
from
Nashville, TN, USA
Pronouns: They/she
Posts: 1,623
from
Nashville, TN, USA
Pronouns: They/she
Posts: 1,623
"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change. ~Carl Rogers"
Definitely bookmarking that triceps dip challenge for the future. I'm realizing that's a weak spot of mine.
Belated congrats on both the ornaments (that's so awesome!) and the dead hang challenge! And love the push-up chart you've made (as well as the introductory text to it).
Belated congrats on both the ornaments (that's so awesome!) and the dead hang challenge! And love the push-up chart you've made (as well as the introductory text to it).
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
Thank you, @NightWolf714 !
2025-12-23
Challenges
Power Grip Challenge - Day 29 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 23 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 5 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 5 / 30
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
The snowball fight was a lot of fun! I ended up doing 380 jumping jacks, including a few that came in after the event finished.
Alright, I'm back to planning ahead. Between ornaments, snowballs, and challenges, I haven't been doing a lot of one-day workouts. The challenges are great bite-sized things that are satisfying to check off, so I'll probably pick up a few more and focus on those until the end of January.
February's main target will be Push Pull Legs, and I'll try to include some add-on programs and/or challenges.
I've been eyeing the structure of the Recomp plan, and will try to use that to get back into standalone workouts for March/early April.
The weather should start to warm up at that point, so I'd like to start including more outdoor cardio (running, biking, and hiking) into any plans beyond that.
Happy Tuesday!
2025-12-23
Challenges
Power Grip Challenge - Day 29 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 23 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 5 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 5 / 30
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
The snowball fight was a lot of fun! I ended up doing 380 jumping jacks, including a few that came in after the event finished.
Alright, I'm back to planning ahead. Between ornaments, snowballs, and challenges, I haven't been doing a lot of one-day workouts. The challenges are great bite-sized things that are satisfying to check off, so I'll probably pick up a few more and focus on those until the end of January.
February's main target will be Push Pull Legs, and I'll try to include some add-on programs and/or challenges.
I've been eyeing the structure of the Recomp plan, and will try to use that to get back into standalone workouts for March/early April.
The weather should start to warm up at that point, so I'd like to start including more outdoor cardio (running, biking, and hiking) into any plans beyond that.
Happy Tuesday!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-24
Challenges
Power Grip Challenge - Day 30 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 24 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 6 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 6 / 30
Power Grip is done! I'll probably start doing Battle Mage as a semi-regular cooldown for pull-up work going forward.
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
These are still difficult, but I can tell they're getting a bit easier. Progress!
My in-laws are coming over this evening for a slightly-early Christmas dinner. We've got a small bit of prep to do, but I'm also hoping to spend some time walking on the treadmill today.
Happy Wednesday!
Challenges
Power Grip Challenge - Day 30 / 30
Better Abs Challenge - Day 24 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 6 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 6 / 30
Power Grip is done! I'll probably start doing Battle Mage as a semi-regular cooldown for pull-up work going forward.
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
These are still difficult, but I can tell they're getting a bit easier. Progress!
My in-laws are coming over this evening for a slightly-early Christmas dinner. We've got a small bit of prep to do, but I'm also hoping to spend some time walking on the treadmill today.
Happy Wednesday!
Anek
Well-known member
Druid
from
Bavaria, Germany
Pronouns: She/her
Posts: 4,404
from
Bavaria, Germany
Pronouns: She/her
Posts: 4,404
"If the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember Cedric Diggory."
Congrats!! 
astro_lizard
Well-known member
Congrats on Power Grip!!! 
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Congratulations on completing the Power Grip Challenge!
agc
Well-known member
Well done finishing the Power Grip Challenge!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
@Anek @lou @astro_lizard @Laura Rainbow Dragon @TopNotch @agc Thank you!
2025-12-25
Challenges
Better Abs Challenge - Day 25 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 7 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 7 / 30
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
Christmas Rockout (WotD)
My in-laws visited last night, and it was a lot of fun! We had dinner, decorated cookies, chatted, and played games. I've been working through some melancholy emotions regarding my side of the family, so I'm grateful that we were able to host my wife's family and have a nice celebration.
However, we've still got a lot of snacks scattered around the kitchen - cookies, candy, chips, etc. In previous years, I would normally spend the next few days grazing on things whenever I pass by. I want to end the year on a strong note, and I've already made some great steps towards healthier food habits this year. It's a bit silly, but I've walked by the kitchen a few times this morning to just take inventory of what we have. I'm still interacting with the food, technically, so I don't immediately jump to eating something just because it's there. The goal is to have more active awareness of what I do eat, so I can end the day knowing "X cookies, Y oz of pretzels, Z chocolates" instead of a vague sense of "I had a lot of junk food. I don't feel full, and I'm unsure if that's because I didn't eat enough or because a steady stream of sugar cookies isn't really satiating". It's a far cry from the rigor of asceticism, but then again that has never really been my goal.
I hope you all have a happy December 25th; whatever that entails for you!
2025-12-25
Challenges
Better Abs Challenge - Day 25 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 7 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 7 / 30
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
Christmas Rockout (WotD)
My in-laws visited last night, and it was a lot of fun! We had dinner, decorated cookies, chatted, and played games. I've been working through some melancholy emotions regarding my side of the family, so I'm grateful that we were able to host my wife's family and have a nice celebration.
However, we've still got a lot of snacks scattered around the kitchen - cookies, candy, chips, etc. In previous years, I would normally spend the next few days grazing on things whenever I pass by. I want to end the year on a strong note, and I've already made some great steps towards healthier food habits this year. It's a bit silly, but I've walked by the kitchen a few times this morning to just take inventory of what we have. I'm still interacting with the food, technically, so I don't immediately jump to eating something just because it's there. The goal is to have more active awareness of what I do eat, so I can end the day knowing "X cookies, Y oz of pretzels, Z chocolates" instead of a vague sense of "I had a lot of junk food. I don't feel full, and I'm unsure if that's because I didn't eat enough or because a steady stream of sugar cookies isn't really satiating". It's a far cry from the rigor of asceticism, but then again that has never really been my goal.
I hope you all have a happy December 25th; whatever that entails for you!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-25, Addendum
My wife and I went for a 4-mile hike through some woods near her office. Among the typically-expected "common" birds we see around here during the winter, we also got to see a pileated woodpecker and (my beautiful little prince who can do no wrong) a tufted titmouse! We're just on the edge of their range, so it's always delightful to encounter them. It was a misty and muddy day, but a great outing overall.
2025-12-26
Challenges
Better Abs Challenge - Day 26 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 8 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 8 / 30
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
In the spirit of pull-up progression, I also snuck in 12 x 4 reverse curls with 10lb weights. When doing the negative pull-ups, my forearms feel like the weakest link. I think both require the brachioradialis muscle (going off of diagrams, at least - I'd appreciate any correction!), so this seems like a low-overhead way of improving that a bit without really interfering with other daily exercises.
Happy Friday!
My wife and I went for a 4-mile hike through some woods near her office. Among the typically-expected "common" birds we see around here during the winter, we also got to see a pileated woodpecker and (my beautiful little prince who can do no wrong) a tufted titmouse! We're just on the edge of their range, so it's always delightful to encounter them. It was a misty and muddy day, but a great outing overall.
2025-12-26
Challenges
Better Abs Challenge - Day 26 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 8 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 8 / 30
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
In the spirit of pull-up progression, I also snuck in 12 x 4 reverse curls with 10lb weights. When doing the negative pull-ups, my forearms feel like the weakest link. I think both require the brachioradialis muscle (going off of diagrams, at least - I'd appreciate any correction!), so this seems like a low-overhead way of improving that a bit without really interfering with other daily exercises.
Happy Friday!
For pull-ups, you can practice scapular pull-ups while hanging on the bar. There's no darebee challenge or workout that mention them afaik. These do not use the arms, because the full pull-up movement has to start with the scapular move, not the arms. You can keep practicing the arms for sure, but this trick will help you a lot. It's my next move once I can reach 2 minute dead hang.
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
For what it's worth, I've been able to pretty reliably get scapular motion while hanging from the bar - I sprinkled that in throughout the dead hang challenge. When attempting a pull-up, my issue (that I'm hoping improves with the negative pull-up progression) is that I can't conjure up the strength to make my elbows bend once I get to the top of the scapular pull-up.
That's not to say I can't also improve the scapular portion - thanks for the tip!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
@TopNotch That's a good idea, I'll need to keep it in mind for the future! Currently, I'm trying to focus on equipment I have within my exercise room - I usually have to fight off the impulse to introduce new things, since there's this voice that tells me "I'm not where I want to be yet, so surely a shiny new toy is what I need in order to get me there!".
2025-12-27
Challenges
Better Abs Challenge - Day 27 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 9 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 9 / 30
The negative pull-ups are starting to feel a bit easier. My muscles are all under the same strain, but I've been able to slow down the descent a fair bit.
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
Battle Mage
Reverse curls: 12 x 4, 10lbs
Happy Saturday!
2025-12-27
Challenges
Better Abs Challenge - Day 27 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 9 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 9 / 30
The negative pull-ups are starting to feel a bit easier. My muscles are all under the same strain, but I've been able to slow down the descent a fair bit.
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Side Crunch 16 x 3
Battle Mage
Reverse curls: 12 x 4, 10lbs
Happy Saturday!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
2025-12-28
Challenges
Better Abs Challenge - Day 28 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 10 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 10 / 30
Oof, the knee crunches are really starting to get to me. On the last set, I had to subdivide a bit and take 5-10s breaks. End result was 38, 38, 19, 10, 9.
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Decline 25 x 3
Reverse curls: 12 x 4, 10lbs
I made it through the first week of my push-up variants. Rolled a new number today, so I'll be doing 75 decline-positioned push-ups each of the next seven days. Coincidentally, I'm keeping tabs on daily push-up quantity. I might get a stealth completion of the Push-Up Streak Challenge, though a few of the final days would need some additional reps tacked on.
Happy Sunday! We're stepping into the new year this week, so I hope you can all find things to look forward to.
Challenges
Better Abs Challenge - Day 28 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 10 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 10 / 30
Oof, the knee crunches are really starting to get to me. On the last set, I had to subdivide a bit and take 5-10s breaks. End result was 38, 38, 19, 10, 9.
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Decline 25 x 3
Reverse curls: 12 x 4, 10lbs
I made it through the first week of my push-up variants. Rolled a new number today, so I'll be doing 75 decline-positioned push-ups each of the next seven days. Coincidentally, I'm keeping tabs on daily push-up quantity. I might get a stealth completion of the Push-Up Streak Challenge, though a few of the final days would need some additional reps tacked on.
Happy Sunday! We're stepping into the new year this week, so I hope you can all find things to look forward to.
Mamatigerj
Well-known member
Belated cheers for your Ornaments as well as the Dead Hang and Power Grip challenges!!!
MangoTux
Well-known member
Mage
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 375
Pronouns: He/HimPosts: 375
Thank you, @Mamatigerj !
2025-12-29
Challenges
Better Abs Challenge - Day 29 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 11 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 11 / 30
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Decline 25 x 3
Reverse curls: 12 x 4, 10lbs
I've got the week off from work, so I'll be using the time to play Slay the Spire and to study the code+database for our state ornithology group's website. I'd like to get outside a bit more, but the wind chill is currently -15F.
Happy Monday!
2025-12-29
Challenges
Better Abs Challenge - Day 29 / 30
Tricep Dips Challenge - Day 11 / 30
Negative Pull-Up Challenge - Day 11 / 30
Routines and Workouts
Daily Push-Up Variants: Decline 25 x 3
Reverse curls: 12 x 4, 10lbs
I've got the week off from work, so I'll be using the time to play Slay the Spire and to study the code+database for our state ornithology group's website. I'd like to get outside a bit more, but the wind chill is currently -15F.
Happy Monday!