#calisthenics program

[kiboufashion]

calisthenics program - Energyelite

It is vital to notice that fitness encompasses a lot greater than weight lifting and long-distance running – it, in reality, refers to your frame’s capacity within itself. Enter the calisthenics program an intense but user-pleasant exercising form to develop one’s muscle groups, strength, and flexibility using truly one’s very own body weight. Are you prepared to go into the area of body transformation in calisthenics? Let’s build comprehensive software as a way to screen the whole lot you want if you want to attain achievement.

Understanding Calisthenics program The phrase “calisthenics” derives from the Greek “kalos” and “stheonas”, which in Latin method beautiful strength. It is a form of exercise that is most effective for your body weight in resistance. It isn’t the most effective push-ups and pull-America but it involves quite a few other actions that include dips, squats, lunges, planks, and so on. Calisthenics sticks out due to its flexibility — it can be tailor-made in the direction of the wishes of a beginner, in addition to a professional athlete.

Crafting Your Calisthenics Program

Assessing Your Fitness Level

However, before you soar into this, you want to be sincere with yourself approximately where you’re at health-wise. This makes it possible for one to set reasonable goals without causing harm at the preliminary stages of the evaluation method. Establish a baseline by way of testing your energy, flexibility, and persistence degree.

Setting Goals

The key element in any fulfillment tale is the intention placing. Ensure they’re unique, measurable, conceivable, relevant, and time-sure (SMART) for smooth monitoring of improvement.

Designing the Program

Warm-up: Do small, dynamic stretches and a bit of warm-up before leaping in.

Skill Development: Practice actions similar to squats, pull-ups, and push-ups. Focus on form and method.

Strength Building: Move on inside the subsequent degree, and upload circuit education. Focus on precise muscle groups.

Flexibility and Mobility: Add stretching and mobility exercises to grow your range of motion and keep away from accidents.

Rest and Recovery: Give ample time for resting days to your frame muscle tissues to recuperate, build, and heal.

Sample Calisthenics Routine

Day 1: Upper Body

Push-ups: three sets x 12 reps

Pull-ups: 3 units x eight reps

Dips: 3 units x 10 reps

Day 2: Lower Body

Squats: three units x 15 reps

Lunges: Each leg does 10 reps in 3 sets.

Calf Raises: three units x 20 reps

Day 3: Core and Flexibility

Planks: 3 units x 30 seconds

Leg Raises: 3 units x 12 reps

Stretching: Fifteen minutes of weight training using large muscular tissues

Essential Tips for Success

Consistency is Key: Remain on course together with your ordinary, but push yourself slowly but surely.

Proper Form Matters: Use training strategies that lessen damage dangers whilst maximizing gains.

Nutrition and Hydration: Eat wholesome foods, drink water, and exercise frequently.

Listen to Your Body: When the need arises, relax and do not paint via pain.

Progression and Variation

The thrill of continuous self-improvement and exploration of modern actions makes Calisthenics enormously captivating. However, for each initial mastery of calisthenics plan superior options may be practiced. For instance, going forth, flow from easy push-ups. To diamond push-user switching from general squats to pistol squats is full of recent dimensions of problem making the muscle mass continually at the alert country for improvement.

Overcoming Plateaus

It is unavoidable for one to attain a plateau at any point of undertaking an exercise. Include different exercises, more reps and sets, fewer rest breaks, and also incorporate isometrics. Additionally, you can consider discovering intricate ones such as muscle-ups or handstands to rekindle your advancement.

Mobility and Flexibility

Calisthenics mainly deals with strength but the focus should also be placed on mobility and stretching. These include incorporating yoga-styled movements or specific stretches to increase the range of motion, decrease the risk of injury as well and add strength using calisthenics.

Mind-Body Connection

However, calisthenics gives more than simply physical advantages—it strengthens the thoughts-frame connection. Cultivating consciousness in workouts through attention to shape, stability, and controlled motions. However, it extends outdoor exercise activity because it increases recognition, accurate stance, motor skills, and average body recognition for the duration of normal sports.

Community and Support

It’s a wholesome, thriving calisthenics community. Joining online boards, social media organizations as well and local meet-americaalso can also be another way of motivating everyone and sharing understanding.

Adapting to Challenges

Calisthenics could be very flexible and bendy. Its practice wants a minimum of no gadgets, making it one of the quality exercises that may be practiced practically in any vicinity. The adaptability of this program makes it best for a journeying person or those who can not benefit from getting the right of entry to a gymnasium or are seeking out an exercise that surpasses physical boundaries.

Tracking Progress

Progress tracking is critical in each health program. Keep a correct report of your exercising, degree overall performance metrics, and take before and after photographs at appropriate durations so you can see how lots your frame has modified. Secondly, it performs the position motivation which tells you who you had been and who you are now.

Final Thoughts

A calisthenics routine is more than exercise, it’s about the usage of your entire frame as a tool for overall fitness. It is going beyond normal education, helping people develop energy, and flexibility, in addition to mental longevity. Let calisthenics remodel your general method of fitness, and include the procedure.

Conclusion

It is more than a training session, it’s far lifestyle style with admiration for bodies strong or vulnerable, flexible or rigid. This holistic approach is right for assisting one to reap a stronger and bendy body with the calisthenics training program. In your calisthenics trip, you have to be happy; experience it, appreciate the gains, and relish the change in frame and mind.

[probuilder256]

Calisthenics workouts for beginners

Calisthenics is a form of exercise that involves using one's body weight to perform various movements and exercises. Calisthenics is a type of workout that can be done without any equipment, making it a popular choice for those who want to improve their strength, endurance, and overall fitness levels using only their own bodyweight. 

[chicago-geniza]

Trying to find one of those salacious, period-typical sex position guides from the 1920s because I don't know what the straight sexual imaginary was doing beyond the basic missionary/doggy/cowgirl trinity. I have, naturally, a sex manual for young adult women from interwar Poland, but it's more a Facts of Life guide than a latter-day kama sutra, ya dig. Want to write a couple of scenes for this fic but realized I have no idea how straight people fuck, let alone how they fucked in a much more conservative and convention-bound past, but a past that was in some ways more "liberated" by virtue (or vice) of its relative innocence, that is to say, ignorance. Some things were so new they were just novel, they hadn't been socially codified as Good or Bad yet, or they simply weren't mentioned in polite society, so there was no basis for comparison. Idk why Downton Abbey made my brain fixate on "how people fucked in the past" but I'm interested, as I said, like, epistemically and phenomenologically, if that makes sense

[enterprisewired]

Calisthenics Workout Programs: Build Muscle and Flexibility Without Equipment

Calisthenics workout programs are rapidly gaining popularity as one of the most effective ways to build strength, improve flexibility, and increase endurance—all without the need for expensive gym equipment. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast looking to enhance your training or a beginner eager to start your fitness journey, calisthenics offers a versatile, scalable approach. In this blog, we’ll explore what makes calisthenics workout programs unique, the benefits they offer, and how to build an effective routine. Along the way, we’ll include essential tips and sub-keywords to boost your workout and results.

What are Calisthenics Workouts?

Calisthenics Training Plan revolves around using your body weight to perform exercises that improve strength, balance, and mobility. Strength training frequently makes use of weights, resistance machines, or other equipment during exercise; in contrast, calisthenics work with one’s body resistance. From push-ups to pull-ups, squats to lunges, calisthenics exercises provide whole-body training, a perfect choice for an individual who wishes to build functional strength. As it has minimal equipment or no equipment, a calisthenics exercise program can be done anywhere from the living room of your home to a park. 

Benefits of Calisthenics Training Plan 

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Calisthenics workout programs offer many benefits, the most apparent being that you can perform these exercises virtually anywhere.BenefitsDescriptionEnhanced Functional FitnessCalisthenics exercises, like squats and lunges, mimic daily movements and help improve strength for tasks like going down stairs or climbing hills.Decreasing FatPeople who did calisthenics regularly for eight weeks improved their lean body mass by about 3%. This means they gained muscle and reduced body fat.Increasing Flexibility and MobilityRegular calisthenics improves flexibility and mobility by working multiple joints and the whole body, keeping tissues around joints flexible and reducing stiffness from sitting or injury.Building StrengthCalisthenics is a type of exercise that uses your body weight for resistance. When done regularly, it helps build strength in both your upper and lower body.Improving PosterPeople who practiced calisthenics improved their posture, whether their eyes were open or closed.

How to Start with Calisthenics Training? 

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Calisthenics offers benefits to individuals of all ages and fitness levels. The key is to select exercises that align with one’s current fitness capacity. For those uncertain about whether calisthenics are suitable or who are new to bodyweight training, experts suggest starting with fundamental movements. Calisthenics Workout Programs Exercises are as follows: ExerciseWorksHow to do itSquats Glutes, hips, thighs, core1. Stand shoulder-width apart, arms extended or clasped at shoulder height. 2. Bend knees, lowering as if sitting in a chair until glutes are at knee level (or a comfortable height). 3. Keep heels on the floor and knees over ankles. 4. Press into heels to return to standing.LungesGlutes, hips, thighs, core1. Stand hip-width apart, arms at your sides. 2. Step back with your right leg (2-3 feet). 3. Bend both knees, keeping the left knee over the ankle (not more than 90 degrees) and the right knee pointing down. 4. Push up with the left leg to return to the starting position.1. Stand hip-width apart, arms at your sides. 2. Step back with your right leg (2-3 feet). 3. Bend both knees, keeping the left knee over the ankle (not more than 90 degrees) and the right knee pointing down. 4. Push up with the left leg to return to the starting position.Arms, chest, shoulders, core1. Start in a plank position, hands slightly wider than shoulders. 2. Bend elbows, lowering body until chest is level with elbows. 3. Keep head aligned with spine, elbows close to sides. 4. Press up until elbows are fully extended.PlanksCore, spine, hipsPush-ups BurpeesWhole body1. Stand shoulder-width apart, arms at sides. 2. Drop into a squat, lowering hips to knee height. 3. Place hands on the floor in front of feet. 4. Jump feet back to a high plank. 5. Lower into a push-up, then press back up to plank. 6. Jump feet back to squat position, then jump up with hands overhead.Crunches Abdominal muscles1. Stand inside a dip bar, using arms and shoulders to lift off the ground. 2. Lean slightly forward. 3. Bend elbows back, using triceps to move up and down. 4. If no dip bar is available, use an exercise ball or bench with feet on the ground, and knees bent at 90 degrees.Jump RopesCardiovascular health, endurance, balance, muscle tone1. Lie on the stomach, elbows close to sides, palms flat or in fists. 2. Press forearms into the mat, lifting body on forearms and toes. 3. Keep body in a straight line, engaging core and breathing steadily.DipsChest, Triceps1. Grasp jump rope handles, holding hands near the centerline of your body. 2. Rotate rope with wrists while jumping 1-2 inches off the ground. 3. Keep toes pointed down and a slight bend in your knees.

How to Practice Calisthenics Safely? 

Calisthenics is widely regarded as a safe form of exercise, primarily because it utilizes only body weight and provides numerous modifications suitable for beginners. According to Morning, “Calisthenics offers versatility and a low risk of injury.” However, she cautions that performing exercises with improper form can result in muscular imbalances, highlighting the importance of obtaining professional guidance before attempting new Movements. 

Conclusion 

Calisthenics workout programs offer an accessible, effective, and scalable way to build full-body strength, flexibility, and endurance. With no equipment needed and endless opportunities for progression, programs can fit into any lifestyle, whether you’re training at home or in the gym. By focusing on functional movements, incorporating advanced techniques, and continuously challenging yourself, you can achieve incredible results with calisthenics. Start your journey with Calisthenics Training Plans today, and watch as your body transforms, becoming stronger, more mobile, and more capable. 

[xxautumnivyxx]

Flex Friday. Revamping my program and adding calisthenics and other things so I’m trying to stay confident in what my body can do and be proud of the progress I’ve made.

[appleblueberry-pie]

I NEED MORE YANDERE e42 MILES!!!!

This is a list of things he's done without your knowledge.

"Sneaked" two thousand dollars into your savings account. Best part about this is you actually never did find out that he did this. You just thought you were finally becoming financially responsible.

Fixed your TV remote 2 times.

Bought you more boxes of ramen.

Learned to make your favorite dessert.

Drove your ex's car off of a cliff

Drove your ex's girlfriend's car off of a cliff

Got on your teacher's good side for you.

Started doing calisthenics

Became pescatarian

Stopped drinking energy drinks and instead became a tea-drinker

Donated to 5 animal shelters and volunteered to help feed the homeless(one of the short programs he joined at school)

Broke 3 ribs and repaired

Got stabbed and repaired

Illegally traded with dominating gangs in Brooklyn

Illegally helped transport medicine inside of hospitals due to dominating gangs in Brooklyn

Tried on shoes he wanted to get for you to see if they'd be comfortable, understanding that people would think he's flaming for doing so.

Tried on earrings he wanted to get for you, thinking if it looked good on him, it would definitely look good on you, understanding that people would think he's flaming for doing so.

Same thing with perfume.

Got scared of you when you interrogated him for smelling like the new perfume he just bought you.

Whispers compliments to you when you sleep on his shoulder while y'all take the train.

Screamed like a lil girl when he picked up a potted plant from a flower shop, hoping to get you a succulent, and a slug dropped from the crevice of the pottery, plopped onto his hand, heavy, cold, and slimy.

Listens to all Ariana Grande albums

Annually kidnaps all boys who he knew premeditated asking you to prom, knowing your his, and drops them off by a random lake in the dead of night. Tied up, taped mouth, lightly drugged, and confused.

Attempted to give up being tender-headed so his mama could do his hair in that cool ass pattern he knew you wouldn't be able to stop admiring. It didn't work, but the result definitely made you happy.

Bombed 2 drug major illegal drug factories. Probably one of the main reasons why the crime underworld hates him.

Sketched over 40 different ways the wedding ring he plans to give you will look.

Finished 2 big notebooks that are just full of rants and drawings of you. He's halfway through his 3rd one.

Has a pinterest board just like yours that is full of clothing and room aesthetics that you like. Plans to make most of them a reality for you.

Kicks his feet at ur messages.

[esamastation]

Hello, here follows a bit of original LITRPG writing in the form of a forum post. I have no idea how to explain or what to title it. It is a thing.

In which the origin of System is pondered upon.

-

Theories of Apocalypse forum

The System - is it human made? by the Witchess of Londonium, 1st of June, 20xx

Guys, I figured it out, I connected the dots. 

The System wasn't created by the IFAR. 

I know, I know, there's like a billion theories about this, and of course everyone knows what the Elves say. The System is a Gift to all of humanity. Sure. And then there's that crackpot Mayfeather's theory about it being inheritance from ancient aliens that bred with humans thousands of years ago. Personally I think that's just because he wants a harem of furries, but each to their own. And then there's the stuff about american military experiments that went rogue, but that seems a bit too much of a coinkydink for me, what with the apocalypse happening at the same time.

Though, now that I think about it, a weird human program would go rogue during the apocalypse, wouldn't it. And I actually kinda do think that's close to what happened - though not that it was secret military drugs or nano machines or whatever.

I think it's something bigger - something we all knew and loved, in the old world. Something… ever present, that was part of all our lives. Something utterly beyond IFAR's comprehension.

I mean, think about it. This thing is huge, in like, cosmic, evolutionary, technological revolution sense, huge! This thing is like the dawn of information technology but times a hundred, with, I don't know, genetic engineering and all of weight loss and bodybuilding industry thrown in the mix. This is the "next step in human development" level of stuff!

And weight loss and bodybuilding industries of old wish they had what we have now. We can literally level up now, and with each level we get stronger. And that's just on the base level. We can change our species now! I've seen people transform themselves completely with the System. One chick, she's a dragon now, just through the System. This guy I know, super into calisthenics, yeah, he can bench press cars now, through the System. I've seen people with wings, tails, horns, with multiple arms - and there's rumours about this one old lady, she can just transform herself into other things. And all we need to do to make all that possible… is level up and get some exp.

… which, okay, it isn't that easy to get exp, you really gotta work for it, and sometimes it's so damn hard to get ahead you just wanna cry, but still. 

Why would they ever give this thing to us? 

Here's the thing. I don't think they did.

Just think about it - why would they give this thing to us? It makes us stronger, it powers us up - it gives us magic. And okay, yes, it also, consequently, spreads magic around, which helps them, making things more magical and more chaotic and dangerous - but seriously! Why would they want to empower us? They're here to subjugate us! How does giving us all this power and opportunity benefit them in any way? 

It doesn't, it just doesn't - just look at the Dragon Battle of Paris. You can bet your probably by now feathery butt that those guys who ate it in the Boulogne-Billancourt wish we didn't have the System.

So here's what I think happened. I think it was a complete freak accident. 

When the Veil was breached and the Aurora Magicalis happened, those particles changed everything they came in contact with, right? We got magical people and creatures and trees and houses and lakes and, I don't know, magical damn water towers now. And those were like intrinsically linked changes too - the thing with the metro proves it! One thing changes by magic and everything that's a copy or similar enough of the original changes too.

And that's why we have giant centipede trains all over the world now.

Which is still terrifying.

So, what happened to the internet when magic particles hit it? What happened to all that knowledge just interlinked all throughout the world? People think it vanished with everything else electronic - but we know you can't vanish things by magic. You can only move things… or change them.

I think the internet got whammied, guys, the same as the rest of us - and like everything else that got whammied, it gained a life of its own. But the internet isn't like a train or, I don't know, a taxi cab that's suddenly alive, it doesn't really have a specific territory where it exists. It's everywhere in the world and it's got no one specific spot where it starts from and we just accessed it with our phones and computers and whatever. 

(Yes I know the internet has physical forms on servers and data centers or whatever, shut up, I'm thinking magically here.)

So, the internet gets magically whammied. Where does it go? It goes where it's always gone - to us. It was made by humans, for humans, for sharing of human discovered and developed and intended information. So it just… attached itself to us. And it's still doing the same thing it's always done - sharing information.

And why is it running out of lives like a videogame now? Well, have you ever wondered how much of the internet bandwidth in total was taken by online videogames? Okay, it probably wasn't that much - but it was still kinda significant amount! Or who knows, maybe the first bit of the internet that got whammied was someone's Steam account, who knows.

Either way, I blame the evils of online videogames, as many concerned aunties have before me. Heh.

Or maybe I'm talking out of my ass and it's all a plot by the Elves to Stockholm Syndrome all of humanity - but isn't it a bit weird, how none of them have this thing? Isn't it a bit of a hell of an inconvenience to them, that we do? Did no one else notice in the early days how shocked they all were to see some of us flinging magic right back at them?

And isn't it a little bit more comforting to think that this Awesome thing that now unites us all wasn't made by our enemies - but that we ourselves made it?

Because, guys, I definitely don't think they were expecting it. When I ran into goblins the first time, they totally thought they could just roll right over us. Orcs too. And the Elves, man… I'm definitely not the only one with a bad first impression. I don't know what they were expecting me to go, bend over, lick their boots, beg for my life, maybe. They were definitely not expecting a fireball to the face, lemme tell you.

Between you and me, I don't think they would've given me, or anyone, that skill if they had a choice in the matter. 

Also it just makes sense though, right? I mean, it's not like Elves even know what videogames are. They don't have computers, they never developed, like… Dungeons and Dragons or anything like that. I bet some human had to explain to them what levels and upgrades even are - because that's, that's really weird and really niche human knowledge, in the grand scheme of things, right? It hasn't been a thing for more than maybe a hundred years.

I don't actually know how long the concept of a "Character levelling up and getting more powerful" has been a thing - feel free to let me know because I am kind of obsessed with this and I suddenly need to know.

Anyway, The System. It's definitely been to the benefit of all of us using it in this bullshit apocalypse, right? And the IFAR… Yeah, I don't think it's been to their advantage at all.

Also, like, come the feck on. When you really think about it, the info the System gives us… isn't it kind of familiar? Boil it all down and what we have are chats and forums and wikis at our fingertips! What kind of invading force gives the people they're invading a communication tool like this? Like, sure, it took a while to get here and it takes effort to use it, it has a cost - but so did the internet.

This is nothing new to us, human peoples of the Earth. Such as it is, right now… invaded and transformed and on the brink of being conquered by damn fantasy Elves… 

So, that's my pitch. The System is the sentiment and magical new form of the World Wide Web, with an online RPG twist.

What have you been doing with it?

336 credits, 759 replies, 163 awards.

-

Tadaah, the thing. Relating vaguely to this Isekai based DND campaign idea I had, which was originally an original story which I wanted to write, which I think is this?

Also IFAR is short for "Invaders from another reality", lol.

Anyway. The thought won't leave me alone but I have no idea what to do with this. Maybe I could do prompts based on this? Idk. Some sort of RP thing??

[bluecollarmcandtf]

Hypnotized Help: Chris

"I've got the gym all ready for you, master," Hemsworth states with his famous smile, "What would you like to work on today?"

I hypnotized the actor awhile ago to quit the high-paying job he was used to. As far as he understands it, Hollywood is not a place he belongs. Chris Hemsworth now understands that he's meant to be my personal trainer.

Of course, it took some deep reconditioning to convince him of that.

"Let's keep up the same workout," I tell him.

"Yes, master. Then you'll be working on the back and arms today," he explains, "I'll make your pre-training shake for you."

I watch with amusement as the stud scrambles to prepare my exercises. He's my gym coach, which means it's his sole responsibility to get me into bodybuilding shape. The guy has already gotten me to gain plenty of lean muscle, so he must have some idea of what he's doing.

"This is for you, Master," Chris hands me the shake, "Alright, let's get you pumped up!"

With a flick of the remote, my personal trainer blasts energetic music before eagerly watching me down the protein mix. He's bouncing on the balls of his feet with excitement. I programmed a deep desire for him to want the best for me. Motivation has always been a struggle for me in the gym, so having a trainer around who doubles as my biggest cheerleader is a good influence.

"That's nasty!" I toss the empty cup to Chris after swallowing the entirety of the liquid.

"It'll maximize the work you're about to do!" the superhero grins, "Let's get started with some simple calisthenics."

The actor begins walking me through increasingly brutal exercises, making sure to do a few reps himself to give me the best impression of how to do them.

"Don't forget to tuck your glutes in," he reminds me, gently guiding my hips with his hands.

He puts me through a few hours of intense exercises, but I beat my personal records in almost every set I lift. It's easy to push myself with Hemsworth cheering me on.

"Alright, that's enough for today," I pant, "Don't forget to wipe everything down."

"Already on it, Master," he replies, marching around with a spray bottle and rag, "Don't forget to stretch tonight before you turn in."

"I'm going to forget unless you come and remind me," I sigh, "Just wait in my room until I'm done with the day. Then you can walk me through the stretches."

"Yes, master," he replies.

I need to hit the showers so I can move on with my day, but I can't help lingering to watch the former superhero cleaning my sweat off the bench. Part of his responsibilities include wiping down all the equipment before and after I use it. I think I also put him in charge of laundering all the sweaty towels, but I can't remember.

"Chris."

"Yes master?" he pauses and smiles up at me.

"How's my progress?" I ask, knowing full well my body has never looked better, "Am I on track to be an even hotter hero than you?"

"Oh definitely, master," he instantly assured me, "You are already in phenomenal shape, and in a few months, you'll be bigger than I ever was. Then all the ladies will rightfully be after you, master!"

"Sounds good," I enjoy the praise, "Why don't you finish cleaning all this up in a little bit."

"Is there something you need me to do, master?" Chris asks.

"Yeah, you need to wash me down in the shower," I command, "It's a new responsibility you have. You got me this sweaty, so you're going to clean it up."

"Of course, master," he says, putting the rag and spray bottle down, "That only seems right. I hope you aren't too uncomfortable, standing in your sweat right now."

I can't help but harden as we step into my locker room. Thinking about Chris Hemsworth cleaning me off in the shower is too much. The image of him beneath the water in his little uniform and on his knees scrubbing my tired legs, is too much.

The former celebrity will just have to work around my throbbing erection.

[animezinglife]

ACOTAR Headcanons - Gym AU Edition

Some just-for-fun and weirdly specific headcanons based on my own very regular observations.

Feyre: Feyre is actually pretty typical in terms of gymgoing, who tends to fall into her own zone once she has her playlist up and running. She usually starts on the treadmill and people watches before fully getting into her own zone and opting for intuitive workouts that feel right for her at the time rather than going for strict programs or plans. She doesn't sweat. She glistens. She keeps her attire pretty practical with classic, neutral leggings and a tank top. Often shows up with Rhys even though they separate to do their own thing. Honestly, everyone kind of just likes Feyre even if they don't really know her.

Elain: The Soft Gym Girl™ aesthetic incarnate and the social butterfly who makes friends with everyone in her group fitness classes. Is adored by all the older ladies who work out there and knows them all on a first-name basis, and they bond over gardening. Always has her yoga mat and shows up in paler colors and can fearlessly rock a white 'fit, often with a light wrap sweater or cardigan over her workout clothes. She somehow still always looks put-together and perfect after a workout, a low ponytail with curls/waves still intact and hint of color on her cheeks that makes it look more like she's blushing and less like she's just worked out for an hour. Don't underestimate her, though: she can hold her own in any group fitness class and loves the way they leave her feeling.

Nesta: Don't Talk to Me™. Grandmaster of the RBF, who pulls her hair back tightly in a neat, low bun or severe braid so that no strands stray from their place. She will glare at anyone who tries to speak to her/distract her and will usually completely ignore anyone who makes that attempt without even taking off her headphones. Also looks crazy hot despite it all and opts for sleek, plainer, dark outfits (usually matching sets) in cuts that show off her lean, strong form. Only shows up when she feels like it but somehow doesn't lose strength or stamina.

Amren: The Small But Mighty™, who like Nesta falls a little more into the RBF category but also gains a lot of attention by the absolutely stupid amount of weight she moves for her small stature. She's also the one you never quite know what you'll see doing: she might be deadlifting the weight of two Cassians, or she might be pulling some calisthenics in the corner. Nobody knows much about her. Nobody asks. Has been witnessed talking to Nesta; so far the only time the regulars have seen the former smile.

Mor: Bold Gear Girl. She has no fear when it comes to her wardrobe and will wear anything from unforgiving red leggings, to a bodysuit, to a one-strap sports bra. She knows she looks good and isn't afraid to flaunt what she's got, but she also gets in her zone and can keep up with the best of them in just about any type of exercise. She likes taking classes with others and absolutely kills it in Zumba, but she'll just as easily kill it in kickboxing. Also much stronger than her feminine, curvy frame gives away. When that belt goes on (and it's definitely pink), it's game time.

Rhys: Despite being called "out of shape" by Cassian and Azriel, Rhys is anything but. Like Feyre, he tends to not stand out too much aside from his looks and presence, but definitely still gets noticed for his beauty and sensuality by all the women (and a few men). Definitely dressed head-to-toe in name brand gear that fits his body beautifully to the point of being sinful. The Pretty One™ that's caused at least one gym girlie to walk into a wall or trip over something while trying to watch him. Often shows up with Feyre even though they separate to do their own thing. Has big Married Man and Loyal energy. Wears his wedding ring through every single workout. Silently judges really bad gym 'fits with Feyre. The old ladies who work out there are convinced he's the guy from their sexy billionaire romance novels and they absolutely talk fantasies about him over lunch afterwards.

Cassian: The Fit Pro™. The Trainer, unofficial or otherwise who has the training and education to know exactly how to train his body and others' to maximize both efficiency and benefits. This man is Strong™. He's also built a social media following and has accidentally become something like an influencer because of his funny, easygoing personality and wicked smile. May or may not be hypped up on pre-workout. He will program the perfect workout to meet his friends' goals but is also excellent at improvising. Always willing to train his friends. Unironically and completely intentionally wearing The Sweatpants™. The only man brave enough to ask Nesta how many reps she has left or crazy enough to do so while grinning. Will not do yoga or Zumba. Is convinced both would cause him irreparable injury. Surprisingly agile and quick with rock climbing despite his size. Cannot be left unsupervised for too long. Is universally loved by all of the old ladies and hugs them. The old men really like him too and like to share "back in my day" stories when they used to lift a lot more weight, too. Got kicked out of Planet Fitness.

Azriel: The Strong and Silent Walking Sin™, who always has his headphones on, is always wearing all black, and considers muscle-up ring dips a normal part of his warm-up. This man shows up in layers of black gym gear and is peak V-shape aesthetic, with the kind of shoulder-waist ratio that makes other guys simultaneously jealous and question their sexuality. Nobody knows much of anything about him, but he never misses a workout and he's too many people's gym crush. When that hoodie/pump cover comes off, it's all over. Hits the mat with MMA guys or Cassian on occasion and forces a submission with the former fast. He always knows more about you than you know about him and has probably somehow overheard every conversation you never wanted him to.

Lucien: Simultaneously the Endurance Guy™ and the Social Butterfly™ with a well-rounded, smart training plan. Sure, he's not as big as Cassian or as intense as Azriel, but he's also no slouch when it comes to strength training and is regularly underestimated in it despite his strong, fit body. King of bodyweight exercises with crazy stamina. He's the guy who will overlap you ten times over on the track without breaking a sweat while you're dying. He isn't as quickly noticed when he walks in, but the ones who notice him do so thoroughly. Aesthetics are his middle name. Will kick your ass in a Spartan--only Azriel and Cassian can really compete with him there. Lucien's top of the line in terms of speed and overall agility. Knows everybody's business, but keeps it to himself. Will tease you a little, but will also help you out if you have a question. Likes to wrap things up by lounging by the pool during the warm seasons. Seems like he's spent a lot of time outdoors. Can also handle the rock wall and bouldering like a pro. The old ladies absolutely adore him and keep trying to set him up with their granddaughters.

Tamlin: Pretty, But Distant. Tamlin keeps to himself and focuses mostly on strength training through weightlifting. He's strong as hell but isn't necessarily pushing himself too hard for a new PR. Never asks for a spotter and takes a few seconds too many switching through songs on his playlist. He does genuinely look good, but currently isn't putting off the vibe of someone you could get close to. Not quite getting those revenge reps from his messy breakup in yet, but he's getting there. Raises an eyebrow and stares at grunters with a look of mild annoyance, then ends up moving far more weight with ease and in silence. Unclear if this is out of pettiness or not (but it's low-key funny af).

Ianthe: The Influencer™ with a full face of makeup, a one-strapped sports bra, and the up-the-ass bike shorts trying to get the perfect selfie. Is sitting on the equipment far too long and is starting to annoy people. Spends more time finding the perfect lighting, walking around the gym trying to pick up men, and somehow always being at the front of the weight room doing hip thrusts or bent-over rows with 2 lb. dumbbells. Makes eye contact on the hip abductor.

Jurian: Slightly loud and a little competitive, but also can usually back up his talk and what he's able to accomplish. This guy occasionally disappears at random, but is overall consistent and somehow knows everybody's business (and will bring it up). Probably the one grunting at the same amount of weight Amren's deadlifting.

Tarquin: The Fish™. This man is in the pool at 5:00 a.m. every day and swims a number of laps so smoothly and quickly that Ryan Lochte is nearly able to construct a coherent sentence. When he's not in the pool, he's quietly drifting around the weight room and resistance machines. King of the lat pull-downs. He's pretty sensible overall and doesn't stand out too much outside of the pool even though he looks amazing. Also a popular choice among the old lady crowd. Had to kick Cassian out of Planet Fitness.

Varian: Amren's shadow and designated spotter even though she doesn't need one. Nobody's entirely sure what he does. He kind of just hangs out.

Helion: Gym Daddy™. Helion brings as much knowledge to the floor as he brings swagger. It's hard not to notice him and he's strong af, but somehow makes everything he does look easy and like he's not even trying. Has definitely messed with Cassian at one point or another by "easily" moving a close-to-max weight while carrying on a conversation. Somehow makes everything look slightly sexual even if unintentionally. Keeps thorough records of his training sessions and almost always has a small notebook or notepad with him to do so.

Thesan: The Machines Guy. Thesan likes a workout where he can focus and get into his own zone, and he likes to do so a bit more quietly and on his own time. He's not competitive. He's just here for his health, but is polite if approached. He's fit but isn't the heavy lifter or endurance guy that some of the others are. Pretty generally well-liked; isn't sure how to answer the sweet old ladies' comments about them "having a granddaughter!" for him but is polite about it anyway.

Sorry, I don't know Eris, Emerie, Vassa, etc. enough yet to include them, so feel free to add on!

[wishcamper]

Don't Worry Feyre, Darling: the relationship anxiety to coersive control pipeline

CW: emotional abuse, reproductive abuse

Creds: licensed counselor with focus in addiction, trauma, and gay stuff; experience in group and family counseling, mandated DV clients, and abuse victim support.

Before the mob comes: I am not pro or anti Rhys, and I think his contradictions say much more about SJM than anything. I also believe it’s possible for a fandom to reclaim/rewrite a character who has been massacred by an author.

We’re going to begin at Rhys helping Feyre during an extremely dark place in both their lives. We’re going to end at him withholding vital medical information from her for the sake of “protecting her”. But first, some context.

Inside all of the (amazing) drama around the 2022 movie Don’t Worry, Darling , was a story that is pretty well worn at this point: men deciding they know what’s best for women and giving it to them whether they like it or not. In the movie, Florence Pugh’s Alice lives inside a computer simulation where she is the modern equivalent of a 50s housewife: dresses, calisthenics, martinis, “making a roast”. (She also gets eaten out by Harry Styles but that doesn’t seem to be an explicit part of the world’s design.) The problem? She doesn’t know she’s in the simulation. Harry Styles, in between all the cunnilingus, drugged her and put her in the program against her will. Yikes! Why!

The movie explains that he believed their life in the real world was miserable, and that he was saving her from that by giving her this perfect life. She should be grateful, if anything! What he doesn’t tell her, but that we see, is that Harry Styles also seems to struggle with a sense of inadequacy for not being able to provide. He is failing to live up to personal and cultural standards of manhood but, instead of dismantling those standards, he makes it his wife’s problem by kidnapping and brainwashing her consciousness. Hm. Interesting strategy. Let’s see how it works out for him.

With Rhysand, his motives in the beginning are more understandable - he initiates rescuing Feyre from the very real danger of Tamlin and her own mental decline. He feels justified breaking whatever magic law because of his own experiences being trapped and believing people should have a choice about where they go and who they are. He emphasizes over and over that these choices are Feyre’s and that she has freedom with him. We see through ACOMAF that helping her gives him a sense of purpose after the trauma UTM. His friends remark on how Feyre brought him back to life, never questioning and even encouraging this pattern.

But Rhys clearly has a lot of anxiety about his relationships and closeness in general. He mentions on several occasions that people around him tend to suffer because of him, and how afraid he is of doing that to Feyre. She is very receptive to this and puts effort into proving him wrong. He finds safety in the bubble of their relationship that probably feels pretty fucking good. The unfortunate side effect of this is that instead of processing and resolving his own anxiety, he directs it through Feyre and his love for her. Meanwhile, he keeps his anxious maneuvers behind the scenes, like not telling her about the bond, taking her to the Weaver, encouraging her to learn to read, to train. It may be genuinely helping her, but there’s also this sense of ‘I know what you need better than you do’. And again, nobody questions this.

We flirt with this tension at the beginning of ACOMAF when Rhys enforces their bargain from UTM. As the reader, at that point, we are supposed to believe this is cruel of him. He interrupts her wedding for fucks sake, throw your shoe at him girl! But over time we start to feel like it’s okay because Feyre secretly wanted it, it’s ultimately for her own good. Rhys is the most powerful High Lord in history, I’m sure he could’ve figured out a way to break the bargain, but he didn’t. In fact he engineered a situation where she'd be at his mercy. Why? Because Rhys was worried about Feyre, felt her deteriorating through the bond. Because of that, he felt justified in coming to collect. Personally, I have no opinion about whether crashing the wedding was the right or wrong thing to do. But it does set up, at least in the world of the book, that removing someone’s autonomy is okay if it’s for their own good, if the ends justify the means. In fact, that overstep ends up being the road to Feyre’s life in the NC and her love with Rhysand, a love that is so great she willingly tethers her very life to it. Even in ACOWAR we see how their relationship is a way he regulates his anxiety *cough*battlefield blowjob*cough*. He gets used to Feyre’s health and happiness being his source comfort and can continue to avoid dealing with his own shit internally.

In his seminal work Why Does He Do That?, Lundy Bancroft, a specialist in treatment of abuse perpetrators, debunks the various myths about what causes abuse and why it happens. His thesis is disarmingly simple: people abuse because they believe it’s justified. He says one of the signs of abuse escalation is “a growing attitude that he knows what is good for her better than she does”. Bancroft also notes that abuse is so hard to spot because “most abusive men don’t seem like abusers” (emphasis his) and that abusive men have periods of being charming, funny, even kind. Abusive men often don’t see themselves as such, because the strategy works for them - they feel good when they displace their emotional problems onto someone else.(1)

And then Feyre gets pregnant with a baby that could kill her. Besides the fact they really should have talked about this before trying for a baby given Rhys is mixed race (Cassian and Nesta too, but that’s a whole other post), Rhys claims a sense of ownership over his wife and child almost immediately. He’s constantly being described as smug and glowing with male pride. Even when he’s not smarmy, he’s consumed with his own ideas about protecting them and can’t hear the protests of others. We see his anxiety morph into more overt control in attempt to handle the situation. He believes he’s justified in keeping the danger from Feyre because he doesn’t want to stress her out. But that is not about Feyre, that’s about Rhys. HE is scared, HE is lost, and so he makes a decision on her behalf to lessen the burden he’s already carrying, whether he’s aware of it or not. He must keep her in a happy bubble else how is he supposed to go on.

Don’t Worry, Darling is at least critical of this ‘I know better’ motive even if the movie is stupid, and Harry Styles gets some frontier justice in the form of a whiskey glass to the back of the dome. But ACOSF condones Rhys’ actions and even insinuates our main character is deserving of death for calling him out. Bancroft writes that “part of how the abuser escapes confronting himself is by convincing you that you are the cause of his behavior”. He wouldn’t HAVE to do this if you just TRUSTED HIM.

But here’s what I think. I think Rhys has walked down a path of using his relationship to balance his internal conflict. Anxiety is a force in every relationship, but with Feyre he must maintain her beautiful life where she never worries in order to feel safe himself. I can have empathy for this, kind of - he’s suffered significant losses and it’s understandable he feels protective of those he loves. I think about celebrities with non-famous spouses, and how they avoid talking about them because they don’t want the scrutiny. I believe Rhys thinks he’s genuinely doing right by Feyre. But Rhys is so averse to his own anxiety that he can’t let himself trust anyone else to resolve it. He can’t let go of Feyre as his safe space and almost condemns her to die because of it.

And this is how, ultimately, Rhys traps himself. He tries to create a bubble where Feyre can never leave him, and ends up signing both their death warrants. I hope the world of fan fiction can redeem him, because I really don’t think Sarah can.

And yes, I know it’s faerie porn and it’s not that deep. But this is a series marketed toward an audience at risk of abuse and intimate partner violence. Bancroft lays out key points at the end of the book that feel particularly relevant to the larger conversation:

“Once we tear the cover of excuses, distortions, and manipulations off abusers, they suddenly find abuse much harder to get away with.

If Mothers Against Drunk Driving can change culture’s indifference to alcohol-related automotive deaths, we can change culture’s attitude toward partner abuse.

Everyone has a role to play in ending abuse.

If you are trying to assist an abused woman, get help and support yourself as well

All forms of chronic mistreatment in the world are interwoven. When we take one apart, all the rest start to unravel as well.”

Why Does He Do That? , Lundy Bancroft. https://ia800108.us.archive.org/30/items/LundyWhyDoesHeDoThat/Lundy_Why-does-he-do-that.pdf

[sagaduwyrm]

Okay, so, full disclosure, I hate exercising and I fully blame the US education system for that.

It's not like I hate to move. As a kid I used to run at recess and at home all the time and I loved climbing all over the playground. I taught myself over a week to use the monkey bars. A good gym class would have taken that spark and turned it into a lifelong relationship with exercise, helping me live a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life. Instead they ran me roughshod in a program meant to produce athletes and soldiers.

So. Here's my pitch for a non-sports-based gym class designed to help the average student develop a healthy exercise habit starting at middle school.

The first week or so would be completely track focused, but instead of being forced to run a mile everyone is taken out to the track, told they can bring their phone, headphones whatever, that they can talk to their friends the whole time, but don't stop moving around the track. There will be a prize for whoever completes the most laps, but if you don't want to run or go fast it's fine. You can walk the entire time. You just can't stop moving (for a few seconds or a minute or two is fine, obviously, but this is still gym class). This is to get students used the idea that movement can be easy and non painful.

There will also be stretches at the beginning and end of class.

After a few days of this the teacher will explain that there's something new on the track: zones have been marked with flags or something. These are to help anyone who wants to start practicing to get a little faster. If you've been walking the whole time, start jogging just in these zones. If you've been jogging the whole time, start running. This is based on the principle of interval training and will be a lot easier on the body than just telling someone who hates running to start sprinting.

Crucially, why this is helpful is explained to the students, and it's also reiterated that no one has to use the zones if they don't want to. Forty minutes or so of walking a day is still a decent amount of exercise, especially compared to a lot of modern Americans.

Over time more activities start to be peppered in. A weights day where everyone is taught how to safely do basic reps, with weights low enough for them. A calisthenics day with lots of modifications, i.e. you can do pushups against the wall if you want or need to. Yoga videos from a projector. For every activity the teacher explains why it's good for you, how it will make your daily life easier, and how to do it safely.

Games are played fairly often. Not necessarily sports, but fun, silly activities that get your body moving but aren't exercise. Also, Just Dance videos.

Anytime a student doesn't want to participate in the activity of the day they're allowed to go back to walking around the track. The goal of this curriculum is to make students want to exercise, or at least be comfortable with it.

Competitions can be used, but sparingly. Think about it, in an academic focus class, you wouldn't want your students to be constantly focused on how well (or badly) they're doing in comparison to everyone else. Competition can be a good motivator, but it can also be really damaging to mental health.

There are also occasional research projects where students look up some health things and present it somehow. This can be anything from stretches for a specific body part to who can find the most delicious looking, healthy recipes.

[ms-demeanor]

hello! i vaguely recall you doing a new year's resolution bingo thing - first, was that actually you lol? and if so, how'd it go, any adjustments you'd make from the original idea? (i did a resolution bingo this past year, which mostly ended up being a 24 item quest buffet, which did work for me! but i'm curious for more data). happy new year to you and your various sizes of bastard!

Hello! Yes, that was me. It didn't go great!

I did a resolution bingo in 2022 but it ended up feeling like homework and at a certain point in the year I looked at the spaces that I hadn't filled and it just made me feel bad.

In 2023 I did kind of a chore chart; I used a sheet of college-ruled notebook paper and divided it up into columns with things like "guitar" and "draw" and and "quilt square" and "go for a walk by myself" and numbered out 52 lines and I went through and highlighted each thing as I did it each week. That went very well for some things and not very well for others. I had at least a few columns where I did something every other week, and I totally finished the quilt square column, and I drew something for like 40 weeks, but I also had several categories that I did absolutely nothing for and several categories that had very few highlights.

That chart *also* was kind of a problem and there was a week in, like, august where my brain was being weird and was like "you can't do more of X until you've caught up on Y and Z" because I had to flip the paper over and wanted to finish three columns before I flipped it - that was clearly a very silly hangup but I don't make the rules for what my brain will freak out about and it caused a disproportionate amount of stress.

This year I kind of combined the two and I've made three sheets of paper with different tasks on different lines, and in different amounts. (And none of the papers need to be flipped over so I won't get a weird hangup week)

So instead of having 52 blanks each for "pushups" "squats" and "go for a walk by myself" I've got 156 blanks for "workout: lifting, calisthenics, stretching, walking, cardio." I didn't do a single walk by myself last year, and it turns out I'm pretty unlikely do do random squats or pushups, so rather than try to do one exercise fifty two times I'm just going to try to do *some* kind of exercise three times a week and I'm not going to feel bad about it if that's more bench press instead of more cardio.

I did pretty well with quilt squares so i've set a goal to do twice as many this year. I set a goal for 52 drawings and writing seriously 52 times. My yard is a disaster so my goal is to fill my yardwaste bin 52 times this year.

But what I *haven't* done is divide that up by week. Maybe some weeks I'll get four workouts in and other weeks I'll do two. Maybe I won't draw for a month but I'll get into it a lot over the summer.

One of my two other sheets is things that I'd like to do daily. My four daily tasks that I'm aiming for are: clean something at the house, floss, moisturize, and journal. (Journaling was successful in the bingo year but not at all last year)

The other sheet is the one that's more like the bingo, or what I think the spirit of the bingo is supposed to be. I've got it labeled "Bonus" and each thing on it has about twenty circles that I can check off if I do something but that I don't see as a goal. That includes stuff like "friend hangs" and "go someplace" - stuff that I want to do more of but that I can either plan or do spontaneously and that doesn't have a big project end goal (so it's "do something with music like program a music box or play guitar for a while" rather than "write a song" like it was the bingo year, when no song got written).

I may have also just kneecapped myself by making the bingo squares too hard. Maybe I should do a monthly bingo with smaller goals.

The bingo also got harder when I failed at bullet journaling; turns out that's not a great way for me to manage my time and attention and the bingo was in the bullet journal. Having stuff on a wall next to the light switch in my office helped a lot last year, I think, so that's where my sheets are this year too.

IDK, this is all fun to experiment with and I enjoy it but also I'm never sure if any of it "works" in terms of getting me to do more of the things that I'd like myself to do. It did work for quilt squares last year, though, and that's the best progress I've made on my quilt since I started it in 2021. And the daily chart is helping a lot so far.

But maybe I just like making charts (I do).

[lexosaurus]

So, I want to podfic your Gym101 fanfic (this is me asking your permission to do it) for a VoiceTeam challenge, but I also want to get swole for Dash this 2025.

Here's my idea: I read your fic while doing exercises. I will need to experiment a bit to find out which exercises I can do while recording. So far I was thinking:

squats - obviously following Valerie's instructions, I don't have a weight bar though

active bar hang

plank - I'll see how much can I actually record doing that...

maybe some stretches for when I get too out of breath

I'd love any suggestions and pointers for exercises I can do while podficing. Guide me

PS: Your presence alone made me want to redo my pull-ups new years resolution 💪💪💪

Oh that's an awesome idea. I'm all for it. And now I'll need to write another chapter for it lmao!

As far as programming goes, I think anything that you can do that you can stick to are the best. Like for me, I fucking hate doing most stereotypical core exercises like planks and crunches and those 10 minute ab videos, so I've been mixing abs and core into my other weightlifting exercises instead of having it as its own dedicated thing.

But if you wanted some more concrete pointers, I would say in general like outside of just recording for the podfic, building a program around hitting every major muscle is going to be key for preventing muscle imbalances, and thus compound exercises are going to be your friend. Squats are a great one because they hit glutes, quads, and hamstrings, which are three major muscle groups on the lower body. And to hit calves, you can superset them with calf raises or something. Bada-bing-bada-boom, with 2 exercises you've pretty much got your lower body taken care of.

For upper body, things like push ups hit the chest, biceps, and triceps. Since you mentioned you have a bar, doing active bar hangs, scapular pulls, and negatives (all progressions of the pull-up) hit a bunch of muscles in the back, plus you're engaging your core for stabilization. If you have any heavy objects laying around your house, you can do farmers walks around a room which are another awesome thing for core work and all around general body strength (hits a ton of muscles all over the upper and lower body, and holding the heavy objects at different heights can engage more of the shoulders too).

Even though I'm in my weightlifting era rn, I'm a huge fan of calisthenics in general and do a lot of them for like functional strength and mobility. Definitely recommend you look into that if you're tryna workout from home this year!

Oh, and make sure you warm up before you exercise! There are lots of great dynamic stretching vids on Youtube.

Have fun and keep me updated on how it all goes!

[b-skarsgard]

–How involved were you with casting, and what led to Bill Skarsgård getting the lead?

FITZJOHN: We were completely hands-on on all things, including casting. The usual suspects were thrown around by the sales agent saying, “We need to look at…” I won’t mention any names, but we did talk to some of the big A-league boys. I think it was Roy Lee who suggested, “What about Bill Skarsgård?” and when we first heard that, to be honest, that didn’t really strike us. You know, he’s not exactly a boy, he’s 6-foot-4–a pretty significant man. And then the irony of that was it got us talking about, “This kind of reminds me of that story about the baby elephant that’s tied to the stake and pulls and pulls and pulls and can’t get away. And then by the time it’s a big bull elephant, it doesn’t even try to pull the stake, which it could probably do in no time.” And that’s essentially Boy’s story, the way he’s been so programmed by Shaman. He should be the champion, but he cedes the king role to Shaman, who’s about half his size by the time he’s grown up. So it just felt right.

SWART: When we spoke to Bill, he was so excited about playing a true action role. He’s a massive martial arts fan, and so capable. He was like, “Yeah, I want to do the training, and as many of my own stunts as you guys will let me.” We said, “Well, that’s great, Bill, but remember, your character has no lines, you have no dialogue.” And he said, “Yeah, that’s what really gets me about this role.” He studied the old Charlie Chaplin silent movies; he not only prepared his body and learned the martial arts part, but if you look at the range of emotion on his face, there are some little homages to classic Chaplin as well.

The rest of the ensemble was very much the same, finding the right people to bring these wacky characters to life. When we interviewed the actors, as well as our heads of department, we told them, “Wave your crazy flag! However you bring these characters to life, just lean into your creative inspiration.”

FITZJOHN: Getting back to Bill, if you see what he does under all the prosthetics in IT, you still know what he’s thinking and feeling. He’s one of a kind, and if Hollywood hasn’t recognized that he’s a big star yet, I believe they’re going to after this movie.

What went into getting Skarsgård in shape and choreographing his fight scenes?

FITZJOHN: That was a pretty significant task. Our stunt coordinator, Dawid Szatarski, is incredible in terms of how he thinks. He thinks in movement. Dawid basically invented a fighting style for Bill, given his lankiness; he wanted him to move with big sweeping motions, and they spent quite a bit of time in Berlin doing the training. We also hired a really good fitness/strength coach, a nutritionist, who basically lived with Bill for about nine months getting him ready. I didn’t stay too far from Bill during production, and I would watch him do a 12-hour shoot and then go and do a two-hour calisthenics workout on the roof. I mean, the guy would work out during lunch breaks. He never stopped; I’d never seen anything like that commitment. He became Boy.

SWART: Dawid was also our 2nd unit director. I think he has three or four credits on the movie; he actually has a great cameo as VDK Dawe, the one soldier who just won’t go down. Bill’s relationship with Dawid was very special, and there were times when Dawid would go to Bill saying, “So, do you think you can do this stunt?” and Bill would go, “Of course I can do this stunt,” and we were like, “No, you can’t do this stunt!” There were many moments when I would have to tell Bill, “No, no, you’ve got to use a double for this, because if you twist your ankle or something at this stage of the shoot…” But Bill was up for anything; he was like, “Well, then don’t challenge me,” you know? “Don’t dare me.” And we were like, “We’re not daring you!”

FITZJOHN: If we’re honest, Bill did the bulk of it; it’s not a battle we won in the end. Outside of the stupid, crazy stuff, like when we were throwing Boy down from a double-story balcony, he pretty much did everything.

I’ve heard that Skarsgård originally did Boy’s voiceovers himself, before H. Jon Benjamin came in and took over. Can you talk about the reasons and that process?

FITZJOHN: It was always going to be H. Jon Benjamin. I mean, Moritz called it at the same time, when we were casting. The short had this Marlboro Man voiceover that just doesn’t match with Boy. And even with Bill’s versatility, we needed to explore something like that. He did an amazing job, but the audiences wanted the almost bipolar nature of it.

SWART: It’s the absurdity of his inner voice, right? So in the short it’s the Marlboro Man, and Boy gets his voice from an old cigarette commercial. For the feature, we recorded Bill, which did give us a great connection to his character, but we found that we lost the absurdity of where his inner voice comes from. It took something away from the physical performance and the storytelling.

FITZJOHN: And also, given the nature of the story, the humor of H. Jon Benjamin gives us a reprieve, in a good way, from a pretty dark, dramatic and violent story.