#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. 

[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.

[polo-drone-149]

DAILY LIFE AS THE FIRST

The first light of dawn filtered into 001’s chamber, casting a soft glow over the golden insignia on the wall. The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the Hive, a constant reminder of his purpose. 001 wokes Up seeing, as always, the golden color in the room feeling Up with a pleasant pride.

Like 001 does always, he stood Up to the center of the room, bare except for his golden eyes, which reflected the glow of the insignia. Before him lay his polished Fred Perry black rubber polo and a sleek black mask.

The ritual began with the mask. Designed specifically for 001 by the Caps, the mask covered his face completely, sealing him in. It was lined with channels that released a faint, golden mist—a fragrant, almost intoxicating vapor that filled the room as soon as he secured it in place.

001 inhaled deeply, the golden smoke flooding his senses. It was a mix of the Caps’ presence and the Hive’s will, a scent that anchored him to his role. As the smoke filled his lungs, his body relaxed, his mind emptied, and a sense of calm purpose settled over him.

"It is 001. Serve the HIVE. Obey the caps. Reinforce the Gold.

The words echoed in his mind as he knelt, unmoving, surrendering completely to the Hive’s embrace. This was not a command, it was a gift, a reinforcement of everything he was. The Caps had designed this ritual specifically for him, and he complied without hesitation, without question. It wasn’t just duty; it was joy.

After several minutes, the mask clicked off with a soft hiss. The golden mist dissipated, leaving 001 clear-headed, focus and ready to begin his day. Slowly, he reached for his Fred Perry black polo, its rubbery surface gleaming under the room’s light. Sliding it over his body was a sacred act. The material clung to him, wrapping his form in perfection, sealing him into the Hive’s embrace. The golden “001” emblazoned just below the Fred Perry logo illuminated as the suit synchronized with his mind. A familiar hum filled his ears, the voice of the Hive whispering:

"You are 001. No name. Just a number. Serve the HIVE. Obey the Gold. Reinforce the Golden Army."

Repeating the mantra aloud, 001 stood, his posture flawless, his golden eyes glowing faintly. The tight embrace of the rubber polo compressed every doubt, leaving only purpose and focus in its wake. The laurel wreath over his chest served as a constant reminder of his connection to the Hive and his role as the first.

With his own ritual complete, 001 moved to the Caps’ quarters. His tasks were precise, deliberate, and performed with pride. He laid out their uniforms, polished their helmets, and ensured every detail of their chambers met their exacting standards.

When Cap Brody entered, the air seemed to hum with his authority. 001 immediately knelt, bowing his head. The golden smoke still lingered faintly on his skin, a subtle reminder of his earlier surrender.

“Your gear is ready, Cap,” 001 said, his voice calm and steady.

Brody smirked, running a hand over his polished helmet. “As always, Drone. I trust the Hive treated you well this morning?”

001’s golden eyes lifted briefly, glowing with pride. “Perfectly, Cap. I am ready to serve.”

Cap nod in approvement. “Perfect as always, Drone. You never miss a beat.”

The Caps’ approval was more than enough to fuel 001 for the day.

After prepare Cap, the next duty for 001 was check the others PDU transformation. The training chamber hummed with energy as rows of drones stood at attention, their sleek Fred Perry black polos gleaming under the lights. 001 entered the room, his golden eyes scanning the formation. Each drone was at a different stage of their transformation, their golden numbers marking their progress. The room was quiet, save for the faint rustle of the rubber uniforms and the low hum of the Hive’s programming syncing with their minds.

“Begin,” 001 commanded, his voice calm but firm.

The drones moved into synchronized calisthenics, their motions fluid and precise. Each movement was designed not only to perfect their bodies but to align their thoughts. The polished rubber of their polos clung tightly to their forms, a constant reminder of the Hive’s presence. As they worked, 001 walked among them, his presence both commanding and reassuring.

“Focus on the Golden laurel,” he said, gesturing to the emblem on their chests. “It is your anchor. It is your purpose.”

He paused beside 072, an older recruit who had recently completed their transformation. Their golden eyes burned brightly, their movements seamless and fluid. “You embody the Hive,” 001 said, placing a hand on 072’s shoulder. “Guide the others.”

“Yes, 001,” 072 replied, their voice steady, devoid of hesitation.

Nearby, 159, a newer recruit, faltered. Their movements were stiff, their posture uncertain. 001 stepped in front of them, his golden gaze locking onto theirs. “You struggle because you resist,” he said, his tone calm but unyielding. “The Hive is within you. Trust it. Repeat the mantra.”

The room filled with the sound of the drones’ unified voices, the mantra echoing like a heartbeat:

"We are the Hive. We obey the Caps. We serve the gold. We are perfect."

159 hesitated at first, their voice faltering, but the repetition seemed to soothe them. 001 stepped closer, smoothing the rubber of their polo across their chest, the laurel wreath gleaming under his touch. “Feel the rubber,” he said. “It will guide you. It will transform you.”

As the training progressed, the newest recruits began to fall into rhythm. The Hive’s hum grew louder, reinforcing their obedience and unity. By the end of the session, even 159’s posture had straightened, their golden eyes flickering faintly as the Hive began to claim them fully.

The transformation was not only physical but mental. As the drones moved into the next phase of their training, they lined up in front of mirrors that reflected their polished uniforms and the golden numbers on their chests. 001 stood at the front, his golden eyes glowing as he addressed them.

“The rubber you wear is not just a uniform,” he said. “It is a conduit. It connects you to the Hive. Every breath you take, every move you make, is guided by its embrace.”

He activated the programming sequence, and the drones’ reflections began to shimmer, their black polos appearing to pulse faintly with golden light. The hum of the Hive filled the room, accompanied by a faint whispering voice that spoke directly to their minds:

"You are part of the Hive. You serve. You obey. You are perfect."

The drones’ eyes glowed brighter as they repeated the mantra, their voices growing louder with each repetition. For the oldest recruits like 072, the process was seamless, their transformations complete. They stood tall and motionless, their expressions serene, their minds fully aligned with the Hive.

For newer recruits like 159, the process was more gradual. They shifted uneasily, their brows furrowing as the programming took hold. But 001 was patient. He approached 159, his voice soft but commanding. “Breathe. Let the Hive guide you. Resistance only delays your perfection.”

As 159’s breathing steadied, the glow in their eyes grew stronger. Their hesitation faded, replaced by calm acceptance. 001 stepped back, satisfied. The transformation was inevitable.

Thanks to everyone's efforts, the team had been able to expand much more, between the buildings and corporations it owned, one of them was an elite gym corporation where athletes and jocks went to train. All the gyms were highly equipped with the best machines and facilities, they also offered all users golden colored sports equipment, the music in the gym helped everyone stay focused and achieve their goals.

Another 001 duty for the gold, was go to this buildings, and recruit new brothers for the Golden Team. This afternoon the target was a young basketball player, his powerful frame and focused demeanor marking him as an ideal recruit. The guy was already half way but still the atlethe have show resistance to the Call, thats why in theses cases 001 presence was necessary.

Jason sat on the bench outside the gym, his strong hands gripping the folded black Fred Perry polo in his lap. The material shimmered under the light, its rubbery texture catching his eye no matter how hard he tried to look away. The faint hum of the gym behind him was drowned out by a whisper in his mind, subtle yet insistent:

“Wear it. Feel it. Become it.”

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, but the whispers only grew louder.

Polo Drone 001 approached with steady, confident steps. His rubber polo gleamed under the sunlight, the golden “001” on his chest radiating authority. Jason glanced up, his eyes meeting 001’s glowing golden gaze, and for a moment, his thoughts stilled.

“You’ve already started to feel it, haven’t you?” 001 said, his voice smooth and commanding, tinged with a hypnotic pull. “The polo isn’t just clothing, Jason. It’s calling to you.”

Jason shifted uncomfortably, his grip tightening on the polo in his lap. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, though his eyes drifted back to the garment in his hands. It seemed to shimmer, almost alive, as if urging him to act.

001 crouched slightly, his gaze locking onto Jason’s. “You feel it,” he continued, his tone softening but never losing its command. “The way it draws you in. The way it feels right. You can’t stop thinking about it.”

Jason’s jaw clenched, his breathing uneven. “It’s just a shirt,” he said, his voice weaker than he intended. “It’s just a… uniform.”

001 smiled faintly. “Is it? Then why can’t you let go? Why do you feel it pulling you closer, whispering to you?”

Jason’s fingers brushed the golden laurel wreath on the chest of the polo, his touch lingering longer than he meant to. The whispers grew louder, more insistent:

“Wear me. Feel me. Become me.”

His resistance faltered as his gaze locked onto the polo. “I don’t… I don’t follow orders,” Jason said, his voice trembling. “I’m not some… drone.”

“Not yet,” 001 replied, his tone calm and unyielding. “But you will be. Because deep down, you know this is what you’ve been searching for. The struggle, the doubt—it all fades when you surrender.”

Jason blinked, his mind clouding. The world around him seemed to blur, leaving only the polo and 001’s glowing golden eyes. His thoughts, once sharp, began to slow, replaced by a growing urge to obey.

“I don’t…” Jason whispered, his voice faltering as his fingers gripped the polo tighter. The rubber seemed to respond, its surface warming under his touch, the golden insignia pulsing faintly.

“Stop fighting it,” 001 said, stepping closer. “Feel it. Let it take you. You’ve already begun to change—you just haven’t realized it yet.”

Jason’s breathing quickened, his resistance crumbling with each passing moment. The whispers in his mind grew louder, overlapping with 001’s voice:

“Wear it. Become it. Obey.”

The athlete’s fingers trembled as he raised the polo, his eyes glazed and unfocused. “I don’t… know who I am anymore,” he murmured.

001’s smirk grew. “You’re almost there, Jason. Slide it on. Let it show you.”

With shaky hands, Jason pulled the polo over his head. The moment the rubber touched his skin, a wave of warmth and calmness washed over him. His body stiffened, then relaxed, as the whispers in his mind solidified into commands:

“Serve. Obey. Belong.”

Jason’s posture straightened as the polo clung to him like a second skin, the golden insignia glowing brighter with each passing second. His eyes, once sharp with resistance, now glowed faintly gold, his expression blank yet serene.

001 placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder, his voice a soft murmur now. “Good boy. The Hive welcomes you.”

Jason nodded slowly, his voice flat but unwavering. “I serve. I obey. I… belong.”

001 stepped back, watching with satisfaction as Jason stood, his transformation complete. The golden glow in his eyes matched the insignia on his chest, and the faintest trace of a smirk played at his lips.

“You’re home now,” 001 said, his tone brimming with authority and approval. “Welcome to the Hive.”

As the day ended, 001 returned to the Hive with their new recruit. The training chambers were alive with activity, the drones repeating their mantra as they completed their final drills. 001 watched as the new recruit joined the formation, their movements hesitant but improving with each repetition.

Satisfied, 001 returned to his chamber, removing his polo with care and kneeling before the golden insignia. As the golden mist filled the room, he breathed deeply, the Hive’s hum reinforcing his purpose once more:

"You are 00. lead the many. The gold guides you, the Hive claims you. serve with perfection, obey without question, and shape the future.

You am 001—sleek, flawless, devoted."

In a profound breathin, 001 repeat "Sleek. Perfect. Claimed."

Join the Golden Bros or the Polo Drones, contact @hypnogold , @brodygold or @goldenherc9, or the protagonist of this story and recruiter @polo-drone-001

[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!

[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).

[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.

[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

[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.

[maddygoesthemiles]

I started a beginner calisthenics program! Today was the first day and it was really tough. I had to do the diamond pushups on the bathroom counter.

[classtrialguru]

Okay here we go.Being a horse jockey must be an exciting profession and I am here to explain the in's and out's of Ace's talent.

Origins

While modern horse racing was introduced in the 18 century, the earliest records of the sport came from the Greeks as they had chariot racing as one of the competitions of that age, so horse racing was inspired by this activity, then it spread to neighboring regions like the Middle East, Africa, Persia, and more . Races in the medieval times were conducted to determine one's speed on horseback. The King's Plate races were introduced by Charles the second which were the first ever races that gave out awarded prizes and when the rules of the sport were first made known.France then established the Prix du Jockey Club in 1836. Betting on the winner has also been around since Louis the 14th.

The Process of a Horse Jockey

Well to become a horse jockey you got to learn how to ride a horse which probably means that Ace learned how to ride a horse prior to becoming a professional horse jockey. The legal age of becoming a horse jockey is around sixteen in America and England. Then you go to an academy like the Bluegrass Community Technical Colleges Equine program which is located in Lexington, Kentucky or the Professional Racetrack Exercise Rider/Jockey Program in Olds College in Canada, and The British Racing School in Great Britain. They also have to have a high school diploma or GED.They are also required to pickup a job in that profession like a stable hand or groomer which means Ace probably knows how to clean a horse in the proper way your suppose to clean a horse. Then you would need to get an apprenticeship license which in the US you would need to pass all their exams and be placed in a racetrack for sixty days by a committee to get hands on training. Another thing that a jockey would need would be a professional and personal reference which personally makes me think. Who was Ace's personal reference like sure he is very talented with riding horses, but with his overall personality assuming that his bark with no bite type of behavior was a thing before he went professional and went like "yep he'll be fine". I mean yeah the reference might be he's parents, but anybody else that was close to him would probably know how he would react in such a dangerous sport, but back on topic. You would then need to compete against schooling race and get your journeyman jockey license. To get your journeyman jockey license you would need to have a two year degree from jockey school and the schools usually limit the amount of students to twelve per year.Next thing to do is hire an agent and join a jockey's guild. The guild's bargain for their members and will provide life insurance, disability benefits, and will advocate for safe working conditions.

On The Tracks

Now that we know the process of becoming a horse jockey, I think we should get into the general stuff they do. The average salary for a jockey is around $52,645 and the crazy things that they only get five percent of what they win. They do a lot of calisthenics like squats and burpees, they're also some weightlifting thrown into the mix. Jockey got a riding simulator to practice how to ride and balance on the horse properly. They usually eat foods with high in proteins and fibers, but they diet themselves and drink little to no water since the weight limit of a jockey is one hundred and twenty five pounds. The horses also have to be one hundred to six hundred. pounds. The colors the jockeys wear are actually for the owners or trainers that employ them and the tradition was influenced by racing events in Italian city communities. Now there are five types of racing that range from flat racing to Steeplechase racing. Flat racing is the kind of usually racing where the jockeys and their horses go around the track to the finish line. National hunt racing or better known as jump racing has the horses jumping over hurdles to the finish. Endurance racing is a fifty to one hundred mile that takes the horses and their riders through different kinds of terrain like forests and mountains. Quarter horse racing is a race that's a quarter of a mile to see which horse can go the fastest under such a short distance. Lastly we got steeplechase racing which is basically the same as national hunt racing, but with different obstacles like water and bushes. There's also a race for horses that haven't won a race. Horses can get over excited because they know they are about to race so the routine in a stable is designed to keep the horses calm.

Betting

Investigation Time

So betting on horses is a complicated system of statistics and the ability of the horse you're betting on. So the least complicated bet would be the straight wagers, which the person would bet on if their chosen horse will win wager it will need to get first place, for place it would need to get first or second place, and for show it would need to get into first to third place. The minimum you can bet on them is $2. Exotic wagers are more complicated and difficult to win since you would be betting on multiple horses. So Exacta is where you bet on which two horses will get in first and second place, Quinella is like Exacta but the places of the horses you bet on can be interchangeable, and for Doubles you can bet on two horses that are in two different races. A technique used by a group is known as show parlay, where the group will bet on the same horse and double the amount they bet on. This is the repeated till they lose their bets.

So now we're at the final stretch. Now it seems that Ace can't do a lot to help solve a murder but he is very strong and stubborn which helps when bodyguarding the crime scene or helping with arguments as an extra insight. He also definitely has a lot of knowledge on workout equipment because of the requirements of his talent, which I will admit is very specific in the case that there's a gym in this chapter and if it was anything else then he would just be a bodyguard. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask at any time.