#i have to program the rest of the week's workouts for the gym

[versary]

i don't want to be on campus today!!!!!!

[rootedinrevisions]

Between Sets and Scenes

SUMMARY: As a dedicated personal trainer in Washington D.C., you've worked with high-profile clients before, but when actor Glen Powell steps into your gym, life takes an unexpected turn. What starts as a simple fitness transformation for Glen quickly evolves into something more when the lines between professionalism and attraction begin to blur. A chance encounter outside the gym leads to late-night conversations, unexpected connections, and the realization that sometimes the best chemistry happens off-screen. But with Glen's rising star and your grounded life, can you keep things casual, or is something deeper already taking shape?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to the Anon who sent the request for this in! I hope you enjoy it!

WARNINGS: None.

WORD COUNT: 5.8K

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The familiar ping of your inbox echoed through your office as you finished typing up a nutrition plan for one of your long-term clients. Leaning back in your chair, you took a sip of your water, already mentally preparing yourself for the evening rush at the gym. It was mid-spring, the time of year when everyone suddenly remembered they had vacations or summer plans that required them to get into shape. Your calendar was filling up fast, but you thrived in the chaos.

As you clicked through your unread emails, one subject line caught your eye.

Transfer Client: Glen Powell – Ultimate Performance, Los Angeles.

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. Glen Powell? As in the Glen Powell—actor, movie star, all-around charmer? You quickly opened the email, skimming through the details.

Eddie here, from the L.A. branch. We’ve got a transfer for you—our client, Glen Powell. He’s been working with us for a while, getting in shape for a bunch of his previous roles. Glen’s a solid guy, no diva attitude, but he’s wrapping up filming in D.C. and needs a few weeks of training before his next project. Figured you’d be the best person for the job.

I’ve attached his info and previous programs. Let me know if you need anything else, but honestly, Glen’s a hard worker. You shouldn’t have any problems. 

Just, uh, maybe keep an eye on the tequila intake.

Cheers,Eddie

You chuckled at the tequila comment but focused on the rest of the email. This was definitely an unexpected assignment, but you were more intrigued than overwhelmed. A high-profile client like Glen meant there was a level of professionalism and discretion required, but you had handled demanding clients before. Glen Powell would be no different… right?

Still, you couldn’t shake the feeling that it might be worth getting a bit more insight from Eddie before you met with Glen. He’d worked with Glen before and could offer valuable information that a few attached files couldn’t convey. You reached for your phone, quickly dialing Eddie's number. After a couple of rings, the line connected, and Eddie’s laid-back demeanor and accent came through.

“Hey! I had a feeling you’d call.”

You laughed softly, leaning back in your chair. “I couldn’t resist. Glen Powell, huh? Big name. I wanted to get some inside scoop on him before I officially start working with him.”

“Totally understandable,” Eddie replied. “Glen’s honestly one of the easiest clients we’ve had. No diva behavior, no slacking off. He shows up, puts in the work, and follows the plan.”

“That’s good to hear,” you said, relieved. “Anything in particular I should keep an eye out for? You mentioned the tequila?”

Eddie chuckled on the other end of the line. “Yeah, man loves his tequila. It’s the only food from our restricted list he really ever eats. He’s not gonna go overboard, but just be aware that he likes to unwind with a drink now and then. He’s been keeping up with his workouts since our last session, so he’s not starting from scratch.”

“So he’s already in pretty good shape?”

“Definitely,” Eddie confirmed. “He looks great, but he’s looking to tighten up for this rom-com he’s shooting soon. Wants to get that beach body look, you know? He’s got a few areas he wants to tone up, but overall, you’re just fine-tuning.”

You made a few notes as Eddie spoke, already thinking of some adjustments you could make to Glen’s program to push him toward his goals. “Got it. Anything else I should know about his routine?”

“He sticks to his meal plans pretty well. I mean, the guy’s a professional at this point. You’ll probably notice he doesn’t need a lot of hand-holding. But don’t be afraid to push him—he responds well to a challenge.”

You nodded, appreciating the insight. “Thanks, Eddie. I’m excited to get started with him.”

“You’ll do great. Just keep it fun, keep him motivated, and I’m sure you two will get along fine.”

After wrapping up the call with Eddie, you hung up and set your phone down, staring at Glen’s profile on your screen. This wasn’t just a regular client. This was Glen Powell—known for his charm, his dedication to his craft, and apparently, his love for tequila.

With a deep breath, you stood up and stretched. Time to prepare for tomorrow, when you’d officially meet your new high-profile client. You had a feeling this wouldn’t be your typical training session, but you were ready to rise to the challenge.

A week had passed since your conversation with Eddie, and you’d spent the time crafting the perfect workout plan for Glen. He didn’t need a complete overhaul, just some fine-tuning to get him into peak shape for his upcoming role. 

Now, sitting at the front desk of the gym, you were watching the clock, knowing Glen would be arriving any minute.

The gym was quieter than usual—late morning hours had a way of lulling the space into a calm before the after-work crowd flooded in. You glanced over at the door, almost on instinct, when the bell chimed. And there he was.

Glen Powell.

He strolled in with that signature effortless charm, his stride confident but relaxed. His black t-shirt stretched over his broad shoulders, and his black athletic shorts showed off his toned legs. A baseball cap turned backward, completed the look. Even with his casual attire, he had an undeniable presence.

You stood up from the desk, offering him a smile. “You must be Glen.”

His grin matched yours as he walked up to you, extending a hand. “That’s me. And you must be [Your Name], right?”

You nodded, shaking his hand. His grip was firm, and warm—just as you’d expected. “That’s right. Good to meet you in person.”

“Likewise,” he said, his eyes scanning the gym behind you for a moment before settling back on you. “Eddie’s told me great things about you.”

“Oh, did he?” you laughed softly, appreciating the compliment. “He said some pretty good things about you too.”

Glen chuckled, shaking his head with a mock-serious look. “Well, I hope I live up to the hype.”

“I’m sure you will,” you replied, motioning toward the gym’s main floor. “Ready to get started?”

His smile widened, and he adjusted the strap of the duffel bag slung over his shoulder. “Absolutely. Let’s do this.”

You led him toward a quieter corner of the gym where you had the session planned out. “So, Eddie filled me in on what you’ve been up to, but I’d like to hear from you. What’s your goal for these next few weeks?”

As Glen set his bag down, he glanced around at the equipment before turning his focus back to you. “I’ve been trying to keep up with my workouts, but this next role has a lot of, uh... shirtless scenes.” He laughed lightly, a hint of self-deprecation in his tone. “I want to lean out a bit more, just tighten everything up.”

You nodded, pulling up his customized workout plan on your tablet. “I’ve got just the thing for you. We’ll be focusing on toning your core, arms, and legs—nothing too extreme, but enough to get you where you need to be before filming starts.”

Glen leaned over slightly to glance at the plan, nodding in approval. “Looks good. You’ve got me doing some heavy lifts, huh?”

You smiled, sensing his enthusiasm. “I do. But don’t worry—I’ll make sure to push you without burning you out.”

He chuckled, clearly ready to dive in, but before you moved toward the weights, you stopped him with a quick smile. “Before we get started, though, I need to take some baseline measurements.”

Glen raised an eyebrow, still smiling. “Measurements?”

You nodded, setting the tablet down. “Yeah, just so I can document your progress over the next four weeks. It'll help us both see how far you’ve come when you’re a couple weeks in, especially if you’re aiming to get more toned.”

“Fair enough,” Glen said, stepping back as you grabbed a tape measure from your desk. “You’re the boss.”

He stood still, arms slightly raised as you started taking the first measurement around his chest. You worked quickly, not making it awkward, but there was no denying the closeness as you measured his biceps next.

“Okay, now your waist,” you said, dropping to one knee to wrap the tape measure around his torso.

Glen chuckled lightly, the sound relaxed. “This part’s always the most nerve-wracking, isn’t it?”

You laughed softly in return. “It’s not that bad. Besides, you’re already in great shape. This is just to see how much progress you make in the next few weeks.”

“You say that now,” he joked, but the smile he flashed was playful, clearly at ease with the process.

After finishing his waist measurement, you stepped back and jotted down the numbers. “All set. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Glen shook his head, still smiling. “I’ve survived worse.”

“Well, I’ll be making sure to push you just enough to keep it interesting.” You gave him a grin as you set aside the tape measure and picked up your tablet again, ready to log the details. “Alright, now we’re ready. Let’s get started.”

As you both headed toward the weights area, you couldn’t help but notice the ease with which Glen navigated the gym. He wasn’t just a celebrity going through the motions—he was here to work. And something about his grounded, no-nonsense attitude put you at ease, too.

“So,” Glen said, stretching out his arms before reaching for a dumbbell, “how long have you been with Ultimate Performance?”

“About five years now. I started as an intern after getting my degree in sports science, then worked my way up. Now I’m doing personal training full-time.”

“Five years,” he said with a nod, looking impressed. “That’s awesome. I’ve only heard good things about this place.”

“Glad to hear it,” you replied, as you both moved through the warm-up. “And since we’re talking about that—Eddie warned me about your... tequila habits.”

Glen laughed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Ah, yeah. Guilty. But I promise to keep it in check.”

“Good to know,” you said, smiling as you moved into the first set of exercises. “As long as you put in the work like Eddie says you do, I’ll let you have a cheat day here and there.”

His grin didn’t falter, but his focus shifted, now locked in as he began his first round of squats. You observed his form, making minor adjustments here and there, impressed by his natural athleticism.

It wasn’t long before the playful back-and-forth gave way to the steady rhythm of the workout, Glen pushing himself with the same dedication Eddie had spoken so highly of.

By the time you moved to the free weights, his shirt was damp with sweat, but he never complained or asked to slow down. Glen had a drive that reminded you why you loved working with serious clients—it wasn’t just about the physical change. It was the discipline, the effort, the focus. And Glen had all of that.

By the time you got to the final set of exercises, Glen was visibly feeling the burn. His breathing had picked up, and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. You couldn't help but admire how hard he was working, despite the intensity.

As Glen set the weights down after his last set of deadlifts, he straightened up and wiped his brow with the back of his hand, flashing you a tired but amused smile. “You weren’t kidding about this workout plan. You sure you’re not taking it easy on me?”

You laughed softly, meeting his gaze. “Taking it easy doesn’t get results.”

Glen chuckled, shaking his head as he caught his breath. “Guess I can’t argue with that logic.” He placed his hands on his hips, still winded but clearly impressed. “I’ll be feeling this tomorrow, won’t I?”

“Probably,” you admitted with a grin. “But that just means you’re making progress. A little soreness is good—it’s how you know your muscles are working.”

“Good to know,” Glen replied with a smirk. “I’ll remind myself of that when I can’t walk tomorrow.”

You shook your head, amused by his playful banter. “You’ll be fine. We’ll take it day by day, and by the end of this, you’ll be in even better shape than you were before.”

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Better than before, huh?”

You shrugged confidently. “That’s the goal.”

Glen flashed you a grin, wiping down the equipment as he finished cooling down. “Alright then, Coach. I’ll trust you to get me there.”

* * * *

It was one of those weekends where you finally had a moment to breathe. You’d been pushing through long days at the gym, so a girls' night out was exactly what you needed. The bar was buzzing with energy—packed enough to feel lively but not too crowded. You sipped your drink, laughing with your friends as the music pulsed in the background.

A larger group walked in, but you barely glanced their way, too caught up in the conversation at your table. Washington D.C. was always filled with all types, so it wasn’t unusual for new faces to pass through. But after a while, you noticed your friends exchanging glances, their eyes darting toward the bar.

“What?” you asked, curious about what had captured their attention.

Your friend leaned closer, her voice barely a whisper as she nodded toward the bar. “Isn’t that...?”

You turned your head, following their gaze—and there he was. Glen Powell. Standing at the bar, his familiar smile in place as he chatted with the bartender. He looked effortlessly casual, wearing a simple grey t-shirt and dark jeans, blending in with the crowd in a way only someone like him could. He seemed completely relaxed, enjoying his night off with a group of friends or maybe coworkers, a drink in hand.

Your heart skipped for a moment, but you quickly dismissed the thought. He was a client, nothing more. It wasn’t unusual for him to be out, enjoying himself. You took a sip of your drink, willing yourself not to think too much about it.

But as the night went on, you found your drink dwindling, and you knew you’d need a refill soon. “I’m gonna grab another drink,” you said to your friends, sliding out of the booth.

As you approached the bar, you felt the press of the crowd around you. You waved at the bartender, but before you could place your order, you heard a voice behind you.

“Should I be worried about my trainer drinking on a weekend?”

You turned, and there was Glen, standing beside you with a teasing smile. His eyes were bright with amusement, and the corner of his mouth tugged into a grin that you couldn’t help but mirror.

You raised your glass in a playful toast. “I’m off-duty,” you said with a smirk. “Besides, I’m not the one who needs to watch their tequila intake, remember?”

Glen laughed, leaning slightly closer as if the conversation was just between the two of you. “You caught me.” He glanced at the glass in his hand and then back at you. “I’ll take it easy. Don’t want you to give me a lecture at the gym on Monday.”

You chuckled, taking a sip of your drink. “I’m not that bad, am I?”

“Nah,” he replied, his voice warm. “But you don’t go easy on me, that’s for sure.” He glanced down at your glass. “Looks like you’re due for a refill though. Mind if I grab that one for you?”

It was an offer so casual, so easy, that for a second you almost forgot the circumstances—he was your client, after all. But his tone was friendly, his expression open and relaxed, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Only if it’s not tequila,” you teased, narrowing your eyes at him with a playful grin.

He laughed again, lifting his hands in mock surrender. “Deal. I’ll stick to something that won’t get me in trouble with my trainer.”

You smiled, and before you could even protest, Glen signaled the bartender. “Another for her, and I’ll take one too,” he said, his voice smooth but casual, as though he wasn’t really paying for your drink but just sharing in a moment.

The bartender moved efficiently, and within seconds, two fresh glasses were placed in front of you. You picked up yours, the coolness of the glass meeting your hand as you glanced up at him. “You didn’t have to do that.”

He shrugged, that easy grin still in place. “I figured it might soften the blow when you destroy me in the gym next week.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “Oh, so you’re buttering me up now?”

“Is it working?”

The way he said it, with just the right mix of playfulness and charm, had you smiling despite yourself. He wasn’t being pushy, wasn’t crossing any lines—just having fun with the moment.

You took a sip of your drink, the cool liquid refreshing after the heat of the crowded bar. “I’m still going to push you hard on Monday, just so you know.”

“Good,” he replied, leaning in slightly, his voice lowering just enough to feel like a secret between the two of you. “Taking it easy doesn’t get results, right?”

You couldn’t help but smirk at his words, recognizing your own mantra being thrown back at you. “Exactly.”

For a moment, the noise of the bar seemed to fade into the background as you stood there with Glen, the conversation flowing easily, as if you were just two people sharing a drink rather than client and trainer.

“So, is this your usual spot?” Glen asked, leaning an elbow on the bar as he turned his full attention to you.

“Not really,” you admitted. “It’s more of an impromptu girls' night kind of thing. What about you? Out with friends?”

“Yeah, wrapping up a long week of filming,” he said, motioning toward the group in the back. “Figured we’d blow off some steam before the craziness starts up again next week.”

You nodded, understanding. “Well, you deserve it. Just don’t go overboard. I don’t want to have to kick your ass on Monday for drinking too much.”

He grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I’ll try to keep it under control, but no promises.”

“Noted,” you said with a smirk, the comfortable rhythm of the conversation settling between you both. There was something almost effortless about it—just enough teasing to keep it fun, but not too much to cross the line into anything more than friendly banter.

Still, as you stood there at the bar with Glen, the energy around you shifting just slightly, it was hard to ignore the way your heart raced just a little faster. You quickly pushed the thought away. He was your client, after all. This was just a chance encounter on a Saturday night—nothing more.

“Anyway,” Glen said after a moment, glancing at your now-refilled drink, “I better get back to the group. But don’t worry, I’ll be ready for whatever workout you throw at me on Monday.”

You raised your glass in a lighthearted toast. “You’d better be.”

With a final smile, Glen gave you a nod and made his way back to his friends, leaving you standing at the bar, a faint smile lingering on your lips as you watched him walk away.

You made your way back to the booth where your friends were sitting, trying to act like your quick conversation at the bar hadn’t just sent a small thrill through your chest. As soon as you sat down, though, you realized there was no hiding anything from them. Their eyes were all wide, gleaming with curiosity, and they immediately leaned in.

“Okay, spill,” one of your friends demanded, barely able to contain her excitement. “What was that?”

You laughed, shaking your head. “What do you mean?”

Another friend nudged your arm playfully. “Don’t act like you don’t know! That was Glen Powell, wasn’t it?”

You blinked, then gave a slow nod, not quite ready for the tidal wave of questions that was sure to follow. “Yeah… that was Glen.”

Their jaws practically dropped in unison.

“Oh my God,” One of them breathed. “You’re telling me you’ve been casually talking to Glen Powell at the bar this whole time you’ve been gone?”

“It wasn’t a big deal,” you replied quickly, trying to wave off the moment as you took a sip of your drink. “We just ran into each other, that’s all.”

One of their eyes narrowed as she leaned in even closer. “Wait a minute. Didn’t you mention a ‘high-profile client’ a couple of weeks ago? Are you telling me Glen Powell is the guy you’ve been working with at the gym?”

You sighed, knowing there was no getting around it now. “Okay, yes. I’ve been working with him for a couple of weeks. But seriously, it’s nothing. Just professional.”

Their eyes nearly bulged out of their heads as they processed that revelation.

“He’s your client?” One of them echoed in disbelief. “How did you not tell us it was him?”

You gave a half-shrug, trying to play it cool. “I mean, I couldn’t exactly name-drop him. It’s a work thing, you know? Confidentiality and all that.”

“Oh, please,” one of them said with a wave of her hand. “You’re too modest. Glen Powell is out there starring in movies, and you’ve been working with him to get him in shape? That’s insane.”

“It’s really not that crazy,” you insisted, feeling your cheeks warm under their eager stares. “He’s just another client.”

“Just another client?” Another one repeated incredulously. “I’m sorry, but you can’t tell me that conversation at the bar wasn’t flirty. He was totally into you.”

You laughed, shaking your head again. “It wasn’t flirting. We were just joking around. If anything, I was warning him about his workout on Monday after all that tequila he’s probably going to drink tonight.”

One of your friends leaned back with a knowing smile. “Oh, come on. He totally offered to buy your drink, didn’t he?”

You hesitated for a moment, then gave a sheepish nod. “Yeah… he did. But it wasn’t a big deal! He was just being nice.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Nice? Or maybe a little flirty?”

You sighed, trying to downplay it. “It wasn’t like that. He was just joking around. Honestly, we talked more about his workout plan than anything else.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, her tone teasing. “I’m sure it was all about the workout plan.”

You could feel their eyes on you, the playful smiles they exchanged as they leaned in with the kind of curiosity only good friends could get away with.

“Seriously,” you insisted, though your grin betrayed you. “He’s a client. It’s not like that.”

Your friends weren’t convinced. “Well, it sure looked like something to me. The way he was talking to you at the bar? He didn’t look like he was thinking about squats and deadlifts, that’s for sure.”

Another one chimed in with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Yeah, and that whole ‘watch your tequila intake’ thing? That was prime trainer-to-client flirting material.”

You laughed again, leaning back in your seat as the teasing continued. “It wasn’t flirting,” you repeated, though their playful accusations were starting to wear down your defenses.

“Right,” one of the girls said with a wink. “Well, even if it wasn’t, he clearly likes talking to you. So maybe that’s a sign of something.”

One of the others nodded, her expression turning a bit more serious. “Hey, we’re just saying—if something does happen, you have our full support.”

You smiled, feeling the warmth of their friendship settle around you. “Thanks, but really, it’s all professional. I’m not looking for anything more.”

One of the girls raised her glass in a toast. “To keeping it professional… but maybe hoping for a little fun along the way.”

You couldn’t help but laugh as you clinked glasses with her. “I’ll drink to that.”

As you took a sip, though, your thoughts wandered back to the easy conversation you’d had with Glen at the bar. Sure, it was just work—just a client interaction—but there had been something undeniably lighthearted, something that had left you smiling long after he’d walked away.

As the night went on, you found yourself stealing glances at Glen from your spot at the booth, the laughter of your friends fading into the background. You couldn’t help but notice the easy charm he exuded, even as he joked with his friends at the bar. It was hard not to smile every time you thought about your previous conversations. The playful banter between you two had definitely sparked something beyond a simple trainer-client dynamic.

After a while, you decided to venture back to the bar for another drink, this time determined to keep the mood light. As you approached, Glen noticed you immediately, his face breaking into a grin.

“Hey! Look who it is,” he called out, leaning against the bar with a casual confidence. “Back for another?”

You chuckled, leaning against the bar beside him. “What can I say? You have to stay hydrated, right?”

He laughed a warm sound that made you feel more at ease. “True. So, what’s your game plan for the weekend?”

“Honestly? Just a girls' night tonight. You know, drinks, gossip—typical stuff,” you said, your gaze lingering on him as you took a sip of your drink.

He raised an eyebrow. “Sounds fun. Any exciting plans with the girls?”

You shrugged. “Nothing too crazy. Just catching up. What about you? Any plans for the weekend?”

Glen leaned closer, lowering his voice slightly. “I was thinking of having a quiet night, maybe get some takeout on the way home. But who knows? My plans could change.”

You smirked, noticing the suggestive undertone in his words. “Oh? What kind of changes do you have in mind?”

He met your gaze, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. “Well, I could be convinced to do something more… interesting if the right company showed up.”

You felt a warmth spread through you, caught off guard by the implication behind his words. “Interesting? Like what?”

“Maybe a movie night? You know, two people just relaxing and enjoying some downtime,” he suggested, his tone playful yet serious.

“Sounds tempting,” you replied, your heart racing a little faster at the thought. “What kind of movies do you like?”

“Rom-coms, obviously,” he said with a wink. “I’m an actor, after all. Gotta stay on brand.”

You laughed, but then the conversation shifted. “So… any significant others I should know about?” you asked, genuinely curious.

He shook his head, his expression turning thoughtful. “Nope, just me. I’ve been focusing on work mostly.”

“Same here,” you admitted. “I’m single, too. Just haven’t had the time to meet anyone.”

“Funny how that works,” he replied, his gaze lingering on you. “Two busy people, both single.”

There was a charged silence between you as you both processed the moment, the playful tension hanging in the air. Glen shifted slightly closer, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. “You know, it’s refreshing to meet someone who gets it. Not many people can understand the kind of schedule I keep.”

You nodded, feeling the weight of his words. “Yeah, I'm sure it can be tough.”

“Maybe we should change that,” he suggested, his voice lower now. “Have some more ‘interesting’ nights.”

You couldn’t help but smile, your heart racing at the unspoken invitation. “I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”

Just then, as the night began to wind down, you glanced at your phone to check the time. “Wow, it’s getting late. I didn’t realize how much time had passed.”

“Yeah, it sneaks up on you,” he said, glancing around. “Are you getting an Uber home?”

You nodded, a hint of reluctance creeping in. “Yeah, I should probably call one.”

Glen frowned slightly, then offered, “Let me give you a ride home. I don’t want you waiting out here for an Uber.”

You hesitated, your mind racing. It was tempting, but you couldn’t shake the professional boundaries. “Are you sure? I don’t want to put you out.”

“Not at all,” he insisted, his smile warm and inviting. “I insist. Plus, it’ll give us more time to chat. And, you know, I can promise not to make you do any burpees in the car.”

You laughed, the tension from earlier dissipating. “Okay, if you insist.”

As you both walked outside, the warm spring air wrapped around you. Glen kept the conversation light as you walked to his car, and you found yourself enjoying his company even more. Once you were inside, he turned to you, the playful atmosphere returning.

“So, how bad my pis my punishment going to be on Monday for the drinks I had tonight?” He asked, his gaze locking onto yours.

You smirked, leaning in a little closer. “I might just add some extra reps to your routine.”

His smile widened, and suddenly the air felt charged again. You could feel the intensity building between you, the chemistry undeniable.

“Bring it on,” he replied, his voice dropping lower. “I can handle it.”

And before you knew it, the space between you disappeared. Glen leaned in, capturing your lips with his in a soft yet electrifying kiss.

When you finally pulled away, breathless, you realized you’d crossed a line, but it felt exhilarating. You were no longer just trainer and client; you were something else entirely.

“Wow,” you breathed, your heart racing.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice low and teasing. “Wow, indeed.”

As Glen pulled out of the bar's parking lot, you felt a mix of excitement and nervousness swirling in your stomach. The city lights blurred past the windows, and you glanced over at him, catching his eyes focused on the road, a slight smile playing on his lips.

When you arrived at your apartment, you hesitated for just a moment before inviting him in. “Do you want to come in? I mean, if you’re still up for that movie?”

“I’d love to,” he replied, stepping out of the car and following you inside.

Once inside, you hung up your coats and motioned for him to take a seat on the couch. You headed to the kitchen, grabbing a couple of drinks before settling next to him. Glen watched you with that familiar warmth in his gaze, and it made your heart flutter.

“Okay, I’ll let you pick the movie,” you said, scrolling through your options.

“Let’s go classic,” he suggested, pointing at How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. “This one is always a good time.”

You chuckled. “Good choice. It’s one of my favorites.”

As the movie started, you both settled into the couch, the initial awkwardness fading into the cozy atmosphere. Glen’s arm rested casually on the back of the couch, and you couldn’t help but steal glances at him, enjoying the easy banter that flowed between you.

About halfway through the film, you felt his arm move, sliding down to your shoulder as he gently pulled you into his side. A warmth spread through you at the gesture, and you smiled, leaning into him comfortably.

“Is this okay?” he asked, looking down at you with those charming eyes.

You nodded, unable to suppress your grin. “Yeah, it’s perfect.”

“Good,” he said, a hint of relief in his voice. “I just wanted to make sure you’re comfortable.”

“I am,” you replied softly, feeling the connection between you deepening. You could feel his heartbeat against you, steady and reassuring, and the atmosphere felt charged with a sweet kind of intimacy.

As the movie continued, you caught yourself glancing up at him, noticing how he focused intently on the screen, yet you could sense he was aware of you too. Every so often, your shoulders brushed, sending little sparks of electricity between you.

“Have you seen this before?” he asked, his gaze still on the movie.

“A million times,” you laughed. “It’s one of those movies I can watch on repeat and never get tired of.”

He smiled, looking down at you. “It’s one of my favorites too…Kind of like the person watching it.”

You felt your cheeks warm at his compliment, a light flutter of nerves dancing in your stomach. “You’re smooth, aren’t you?”

“Only when the situation calls for it,” he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

The film played on, but the focus began to shift more towards each other. You felt the tension build in the small moments, the lingering touches, and the way his gaze lingered on you. It was as if the lines between work and pleasure had blurred completely, and you were both caught up in something new and thrilling.

With the credits rolling, Glen turned to you, the air between you electric. “So, what do you think? Think I can pull off this upcoming Rom-Com role after watching one?”

You laughed, your heart racing. “I think you’ve got the charm down already. Just maybe don’t take any advice from this movie for your actual dating life.”

“Noted,” he replied, his voice dropping slightly. “You know maybe I need a few more rom-com movie nights to fully prepare for this role.”

“I might know someone who could help you with that,” you said, your pulse quickening as you realized how much you wanted to spend more time with him.

He leaned in slightly, his expression softening. “You know, I really enjoy spending time with you outside the gym.”

“Me too,” you admitted, the vulnerability of the moment wrapping around you like a warm blanket.

Before you could think it through, you leaned in closer, feeling the magnetic pull between you. And just like that, he was closing the distance, his lips brushing against yours in a gentle, tentative kiss.

It felt like the world around you faded away, leaving just the two of you, lost in the moment. When you pulled away, breathless, you realized this was more than just a client relationship; it was the start of something new, something exciting.

[scarybabe]

Thank you so much for being open about your strong fat journey!! It looks amazing on you!!

Would you be open to sharing a sample week workout write up, or some other reference tips to create a routine? As a fellow gainer girl it would be great to have a reference that works for my body type, and I love your results!

Forgive me if you’ve already shared this, or stated that you don’t want to (if that’s the case just delete the ask)

You’re a wonderful voice in the community, thank you so much for doing all you do!!

Ahh thank you!! I do have a weightlifting coach, she makes my workout plans every day but I can share my nutrition plans + my usual mobility stretches - this makes a huge difference since I was starting from being a couch potato 💕

Nutrition- 3 meals with at least 30-40g of protein each meal and minimum 2,700 calories but more is good! I like the chocolate mutant mass protein powder and put unflavored collagen peptides in everything. At least 100oz of water every day

Mobility stretches (look these up) - 12 reps of Cat Cow, Superman Arm Sweeps. 10 reps of Dynamic Thread the Needle (on each side), Kneeling Hip CARS (each side), 90/90 Hip Shifts ** my mobility stretches change slightly depending on what area I’m working out

At the gym - 4 x 6-10 reps deadlift on smith machine, 3 x 6-12 dumbbell hammer curls, 3 x 8-12 dumbbell Romanian deadlifts (RDLs), 3 x 6-12 cable machine lat pulldown, 2 x 15 each side mini band standing glute hyperextension (one foot on a riser while the other leg extends), 2 x 20 hip abductions (usually there’s a machine for these)

If you’re new to lifting the first number is the number of sets - take a minute to rest between sets or even a bit longer if needed. Second number is the range of reps you do. When researching these I would look up the right tempo for eccentric/concentric muscle contractions because that can really maximize the efficacy. I usually do a practice set with as little weight as possible before the actual set of each new exercise to make sure my form is good, bad form can cause sprains, imbalances or soreness.

I finish my weightlifting with some cooldown stretches - today it’s 60 secof wide leg oblique stretching, 60 sec childs pose lat stretch, 60 sec prone cross over leg glute stretch

~~~~~

Monday - Friday I rotate through different muscle groups so I just shared my Monday routine (pull day!) and my coach tailors it to my personal goals as well. There’s a lot of good weightlifting programs online for free! I don’t do an ounce of cardio either, only strength training.

Thank you for your kind words, I hope this sparks interest in anyone else who may wanna try getting strong. I have a membership to a cheap 24/7 local gym because when I first started I was kinda shy to be watched as I figured out my form and all that 🤣 places like that are good for beginners

[ashleyloob]

Hi!

From someone who is disorganized and discouraged, I would love advice on weight-lifting/building muscle. Would you share your understanding of building muscle and the breakdown of diet?

If possible, could you share how you apply what you know to yourself? If you use any tools to help you?

Struggled with working out, gaining weight, and eating my whole life. Thanks!

prefacing this with some important info for fellow disorganized scatterbrains!!!!

the main reason why ppl have trouble sticking to a lifestyle change is because they try to make very drastic changes too quick, and you get overwhelmed and it becomes unsustainable. this is especially an issue for neurodivergent folks, and since it's Tumblr I assume a good chunk of y'all are (me too dw)

DON'T immediately overhaul ur diet and hit the gym 5x a week from day 1!!! hitting tiny goals consistently is also more rewarding than working towards one very large arbitrary goal that you might not reach, esp when it comes to working out. start veeery small if u need to, such as only 10 bodyweight squats per day like i did and go from there. you wanna program ur brain into feeling accomplished to keep you motivated. patience is key!!!!

ok!! now onto the more detailed info below

Disclaimer: I'm still a newbie myself!! only consistently lifting heavy for about 3 months as of this post. I did a good deal of excessive info diving on lifting using the power of Sheer Autism, and my main gym buddy is very experienced & taught me a good chunk of this shit so shout-out to my pal for making all this possible xoxo

so good news!! "building muscle" is very easy for beginners starting from zero. newbie gainz are absolutely real. at this stage you can do just about anything at the gym and get stronger bc u can only go up. BUT!! if you structure it, you can make the process enjoyable and much more efficient. if you're goal oriented (lookin at u ADHD menaces), you'll love the concept progressive overload.

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD & SETS/REPS

wikipedia defines progressive overload as: a method of strength training and hypertrophy training that advocates for the gradual increase of the stress placed upon the musculoskeletal and nervous system. in layman's terms, it just means gradually adding more weight as you work out to increase the difficulty as you get stronger. progress is VERY easy to track because of this, and you'll be hitting PRs pretty much every week for the first couple of months and that shit feels fantastic because you physically feel yourself getting stronger so rapidly. I use the app Strong to track my workouts. so, how do we structure progressive overload? that's through sets/reps. A rep is a single execution of an exercise. 1 squat is one rep. 2 squat is 2 reps. and so on. A set is a collection of reps. The format is Sets x Reps, for example: 3x5 means 3 sets of 5 reps. You will rest between sets, and it's typically anywhere from 1 minute all the way up to 5 minutes depending on the level of exertion/type of training you are doing. Heavier weights mean longer rest periods and vice versa.

WHERE DO I EVEN START??

For those interested in barbell training: the r/fitness beginner routine is pretty good! I also recommend 5x5 stronglifts. both are very straightforward, but also note the typical olympic barbell is 45lbs. If this is a weight you struggle with, you can begin with bodyweight exercises, dumbbells, or machines at the gym which are all very BEGINNER beginner friendly. especially when it comes to legs you're probably much stronger than you think. Most people can squat 45lbs first try. don't be afraid -- you're standing on those things all day, they can support hella weight. Like I mentioned earlier, don't be afraid to start veeeery small and work your way up from there. I started at home with doing only bodyweight squats without the barbell, then added on benching with light 7lb dumbbells after a week, then impulse signed up for a gym membership a month later and began to go there to use equipment and now i'm deadlifting over 100lbs as a tiny girl that previously was too weak to even lift a 40lb dog. it snowballs quicker than you think once you gain confidence in your own body and its abilities!

WOAH I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SQUAT/DEADLIFT/BENCH/THIS IS SCARY AND IM FUCKING UP

If you can, i highly recommend getting a personal trainer to assist you, or tag along with a gymrat pal to show you the ropes. This page is also a good resource to learn specific lifts. otherwise, youtube is your best friend. you can record your sets and compare your form to form tutorials on youtube, and actively take notes on what to change the next time you work out. Be an active learner!!! be aware of what muscles are engaged when you lift and how your body feels. almost NOBODY gets it right the first time, esp with barbells. we've all made fools out of ourselves at the gym as beginners it's chill. i find people at the gym are very nice and willing to help you out if you're struggling, and people don't judge at all-- it's very easy to get in your own head in these spaces but most humans there are supportive and want you to succeed, especially since it's a hobby they are also passionate about. the more you do it, the less anxious you get. exposure therapy is very effective!! Also, almost all the barbell exercises can be replaced with smaller dumbbells, and you can do them at home if you get your own set + a workout bench (pretty cheap if u get secondhand, check facebook marketplace/craigslist). i got mad social anxiety myself so i understand sometimes you just can't, and this is an option for those that find public spaces overwhelming.

DIET

I personally don't think specialized diets/precise macro tracking is super duper important for newbies/casuals, only moderately important (spicy take for some but whatever). but you probably naturally will take an interest in diet once you realize it'll help you perform significantly better in the gym. the only macro i track is protein. You can use a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator to roughly estimate the amount of protein you need for maximum gainz. it's usually around .7-1g of protein for every pound of lean body mass (weight that isn't fat mass). Imma be real it's pretty hard for me to hit the recommended protein goal and most days I don't because my appetite just can't kick in for the amount it demands, and protein is super filling. I found that if i decreased the amount of carbs i eat, i am able to consume more protein bc i guess there's more room in my stomach lol. i eat a fuck ton of greek yogurt, chicken, fish, and tofu. when i started working out, i begin cooking a lot more and found i naturally craved less processed junk foods and snacks because the protein was keeping me full all day which is a plus! Even when im not regularly hitting my protein goal my gym progress is still going well and I think it's simply because my diet is A LOT better than what it used to be in my gremlin days. I also eat a lot more now that i've gained a bit of muscle, so do be prepared for food costs to go up as your metabolism increases and demands more energy to upkeep your gainz.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR ME TO LOOK LIKE A MUSCLE MOMMY????

a whileeee. over a year, probably, unless if you're on anabolic steroids (dont ever do that u will quite literally die). and physique is mostly from diet since it's dependent on your body fat percentage, the saying "abs are made in the kitchen" is true. its why you see hyper skinny terminally indoors gamer dudes with abs, even if they'd snap in half if you farted in their general direction. those mfs barely eat they too busy being gamers i am no longer interested in lifting for aesthetics personally since i get more joy from hitting PRs and i'm pretty content with my body image, but ik physique is the reason why most people get into lifting so i'll touch on it. Weightlifting on its own will not make you lose weight or fat. Again, it needs to be supplemented with a healthy sustainable diet (DO NOT DO CRASH DIETS THAT SHIT IS GARBAGE) and a form of cardio. I actually gained 8lbs since I began lifting from water retention & new muscle mass (muscle is more dense than fat, your body retains water when repairing muscle after a gym sesh) but my measurements and pants size have remained the same. I'm short, so something as small as a 5lb increase usually bumped me up a pants size but it didn't this time bc im gettin swole :') if you want to track physique changes, measuring your waistline & progress pics is a better way to do so than the scale. If you want bigger muscles, look into hypertrophy training. it's a tad different from strength training, mainly because you do higher reps at a lower weight.

[octuscle]

I am the only smart and social guy in my class and I’m also he only gay one, normally I prefer to hang with the girls and do all my projects with them…but this time our teacher forced all us guys together, in time for the group project I overheard the boys talking about making me a real Man/boy with there phones. Help!

You have your first project meeting. You are sitting in a circle with the boys. Everyone is playing with their cell phones, picking their noses or scratching their balls. You take a deep breath. And you think you have an idea for an environmental project. Collecting trash on the bank of the creek behind the school. And classifying the garbage according to the possibility of recycling.

Dude, that's a lame idea, grunts one of the guys. We were thinking something like "how far can hard training get you in a week". The other guys applaud. And one presses the "Activate" button on the Chronivac app.

Hehehe, you're not into sports at all. But that sounds like a cool project. Shit, why didn't you come up with that idea. You do a little research on the Internet. Calculate the budget, write to a few sponsors. Look for sportswear, nutritional supplements, also look for sources of potentially illegal support. The other guys play with their cell phones. One of them says you should chill out. It's enough if you start tomorrow.

Project diary, day 1:

Erkan sent me a message this morning that he and the other guys will be at the gym at 08:00. I should come already dressed. I don't even remember that I already got a bag with gym clothes yesterday. But in any case, there is one next to my desk. I put on a tank top, some shorts, socks and shoes. While brushing my teeth in the bathroom, I think to myself how ridiculous the way-too-big clothes look on me. On the bus, I'm a little uncomfortable with my appearance. And between the boys in the gym even more so. But it's a project, we have to go through with it.

We spend six hours in the gym. Has been amazingly fun. Somehow I was the only one sweating. The boys just played with their cell phones again. Hopefully there are good pictures for the project documentation. After the training I wanted to take a shower, but the guys took me directly to their regular shisha bar. I have rarely felt so uncomfortable. Because everyone else is bigger, more muscular and more masculine than me. And because I'm the only guest in sweaty sports gear. Besides, I'm starting to feel the soreness. I just fall into bed in the evening. Unable to move.

Project diary, day 2:

At 06:00 I get an address from Bogdan. Barbershop from his cousin. Meeting at 07:00 so that I no longer have to train with the ridiculous blond curls. I'm supposed to put on yesterday's clothes. I didn't have the clothes hung up yesterday. Actually I wanted to put on fresh clothes today So, of course, nothing has dried. Brushing teeth must go quickly, I'm late. Fuck, I actually finally get beard growth? Must take a closer look at me later in the gym.

So far it does not get at all. Bogdan's cousin not only gives me a new haircut, he also shaves me. In my opinion, completely unnecessary. But the result is cool. For the first time I can imagine in the gym on the weight bench in front of the mirror that the project will be a success. Otherwise, the workout goes like yesterday. After the six-hour program, I was looking forward to a shisha. But Ivo takes me to the outdoor pool. One hour of swimming One hour on the lawn. One hour of swimming. Ivo allows me to take a cold shower without shower gel after swimming. It feels good. And I like my tight white ass.

Project diary, day 3:

When Akay sends me the message to remember that my gym clothes are still in the locker, I'm already awake for an hour. Pushups and situps. I got quite a tantrum from my mom yesterday about how my room looks. Hey, the laundry isn't that dirty yet. And I'll clean up the cum-soaked handkerchiefs tonight.

Since the rest is as I said in the gym, I go only in tracksuit with white socks and Adiletten in the bus. I look so antisocial. Makes me somehow horny. In the gym I'm alone today. Fuck, to be honest, the losers only disturb. Let them hang out, I have my own rhythm. And it beats out of iron. For solid muscles. I take a break only to pour protein shakes into me. And on the way to the outdoor pool I make a quick stop at Bogdan's cousin. Trimming the sides And trim the beard.

At dinner, my mother tells me that I stink as much as my room. My father is on my team. He pumps himself. And considerably more than me. It's good to have support at home for my goals. I eat my five chicken breasts with rice, drink two more liters of water and then go to bed. Dad looks in again, laughs, says that nothing stinks as cool as pump sweat and asks if he should get me a syringe cure. Fist bump, old man! But I stay natural for now.

Project diary, day 4:

Was horny while pumping. Today on the bench 150 kilograms pressed. Need new tank top. The old one stinks excellent. But is too tight.

In the evening once again met with the guys on Shisha. Was cool. But they are not focused enough. Juri has scratched his belly. Ey, hardly a six-pack to see. Would I be ashamed of myself!

Project diary, day 6:

Ey, yesterday completely forgotten the diary. Was in great shape in the gym. In the afternoon then posed at the pool. Trained on the pull-up bars. The fans applauded. And in the evening with my old man bombed our arms for an hour. I'd like to have his biceps too.

Today is free. Sascha got me an appointment with the tattoo artist. Before again Barber And afterwards outdoor pool. And then party. The boys and me to the disco. Man, I could have had them all! And I fucked two guys on the toilet. Shit, I have so much energy, I really have to cum four times a day. At least!

Project diary, day 7:

I can only hope that one of the guys makes the presentation about our project. I'm so totally not up for it. I already wrote the damn diary. And I was the guinea pig. I'm a fucking hot lab rat.

One of the guys said last night that I used to be a nerd and a weakling. Must have been a long time ago.

[take-taker-taken]

Can I get a ABA!Taker with small reader, (im 5'0 without shoes lol) (male pref) where he works with taker and accidentally injures him during a match and taker takes him in the locker room?

Kinks: daddy kink, dry humping,dumbification, spanking maybe?

Hey, hey, Anon! Here’s your fic! No title I’m afraid because I struggle with those. Also have to give props to Randy Orton for the inspiration of Taker getting hurt. Hope you enjoy!

Untitled

“Me? You’re sure?”

“That’s what he said. That he likes what he’s seen and thinks you deserve a push.” The exec stands up and so you get to your feet as well before reaching out to shake his hand.

“Thank you, sir. I really appreciate the opportunity.”

You leave the office in a bit of a daze at what’s just taken place. At first you’d been petrified that they were going to fire you and so to be told that none other than the Undertaker wants to work with you… Whoah. Immediately after leaving the room you set about trying to find him so that you can thank him personally - he’s an old school guy and so you know he would consider that the proper way to do things.

After psyching yourself up a bit, you knock on his dressing room door and hear a lazy, “Yeah?”

You open the door a little and peer around it, scanning the large room until you see the man himself sprawled on a couch watching some sports on a TV. He looks around and a slow smile creeps over his face. Not unkind, exactly, but… you can’t quite place it. You stand awkwardly at the door because truth is… well, he’s freakin’ hot.

“It’s the new kid!” He says and waves you over. “Come on in, boy.”

You step in and close the door behind you, trying to ignore the fact that he’s already unintentionally hit on one of your kinks - hearing him call you ‘boy’, and with that accent... You pause for a second as you suppress a shiver and then remind yourself that he’s probably not going to appreciate some timid little newbie hovering in the corner. You need to be polite and respectful, but confident and so you walk over until you’re only a few feet away. Damn, he’s a big guy.

“Sir, I wanted to stop by and say thank you. The office just told me that you asked about us doing a short program together because you thought I deserved a push. Coming from you, that’s a huge compliment sir, and a great opportunity. I really appreciate it, thank you.”

Taker sits up a little bit straighter, his black Harley Davidson t-shirt pulling tight across his chest and he nods. “Respect, that’s good - I like that.”

Like his smile earlier, there’s something in his tone that you can’t place but you do feel yourself blush slightly. Trying to cover it you clear your throat and shrug. “Well, yeah - you’re the locker room leader, so I figured -”

“You figure right.” He says, pointing at you with his first two fingers. “I’m the daddy.”

Oh god. You swallow and start willing your dick not to get hard as you gradually back away. “I’ll uh, I’ll leave you alone now. Thank you again. Sir.”

He gives you a nod. “You got it, kid. We’ll catch up and go over some spots next week some time.”

He turns his attention back to the TV and so that’s you dismissed. You turn and leave the room, unable to shift the image of his shirt stretched tight across his chest and biceps as he gave you that smile. What was that? You decide to head to the gym and get a workout in, but find that his voice calling himself ‘daddy’ echoes around your head all day.

————————

Match day rolls around and you pace nervously in gorilla and then you turn and nearly walk smack into him. You look up - all the way up, because he has nearly two feet of height on you and you know that fear is written all over your face.

“Calm down, kid. We’re gonna go out there and tear it down, OK?” He rests one huge hand briefly on your shoulder and you glance down at it and then back up.

“Yessir.”

He nods and gives you a nudge towards the curtain as the announcer starts the spiel for you and then your music kicks in and you head on through and down to the ramp. You have a small following and of course you’re going to lose but this is the biggest match of your career so far and so you do you best to get out of your head and play up to the crowd as you reach the ring. The cheers for you die down and then Taker’s music hits and the roof comes off. It’s been decided that the ramp is too short for his bike and so he saunters down to the ring while you wait on him, trying your best not to look as intimidated as you are.

“It’ll be fine,” you tell yourself. “He’s a safe worker. One of the best. He wanted this match.”

He steps in and pulls the audience into continuing their worship as he works his way around the squared circle. Then it’s time. You step up close - you’d be touching chests if it wasn’t for the height difference - and stare up into the deadliest pair of eyes you’ve ever seen. A sneer curls his lip as he stands with his hands on his hips, staring right back down at you. You know that to the watching public it probably looks ridiculous but then the bell goes and it’s game on.

You lock up, so much as that’s possible but he soon sends you sprawling to the floor, which you use as an opportunity to showcase some agility. The match gets into a nice pace and you’re starting to really enjoy yourself, giving Taker the runaround and even getting some low tackles in that slam him to the canvas, just as you’ve agreed. He has you hemmed in the corner as you take turns delivering blows to the head and he calls the big spot that you worked on.

“OK kid, you’re gonna slip under my arm, jump and bash my head on the post here, then get outta the ring and get the chair in here.”

He moves one leg back just a fraction which gives you the wriggle room to duck and with a big leap you deliver the blow to his head before nipping between the ropes. You grab the folding chair from the corner by the announcer’s table and shove it into the ring while Taker staggers about, selling the blow to his head. You pick up the chair and deliver a blow to his back and so he falls down to the canvas and you drop a couple more. As he drags himself up to all fours, you move around so that you’re standing over his head - it’s time for the big one and you raise the chair high and bring it down as he gets to his knees.

He raises his head and you realise with horror what’s about to happen - you’ve not properly factored in distance and BAM! Instead of catching him on top of his head, it glances down his forehead and opens him up. Blood appears in an instant, welling up in the cut before spilling over and trickling down in his face in a bright red curtain. You stare open mouthed at what you’ve done but he doesn’t really acknowledge it, just carries on with a couple more moves on you before grabbing and positioning you for the Last Ride. He lifts you high, high into the air and then you hear the blood rushing in your ears before you hit the canvas with a deafening thud. He covers you, the bell goes and the ref raises his arm as his theme blasts out.

Having celebrated his win he exits the ring and leaves you laying there, staring at a pool of his blood glistening bright red against the canvas. You give him a chance to make his way up the ramp before you slide out and follow dejectedly in his wake. As you walk back through the curtain gorilla is blessedly empty, so you escape the first ass-chewing that you were anticipating. You need to find him and apologise - your first really big match and you blew it. The image of him covered in blood comes to your mind and you wipe a hand over your face and moan. He’s going to kill you.

You ask a couple of crew if they’ve seen him and the second one says that they saw him heading to medical and your heart sinks. You are so finished. You consider going there to see him, but somehow don’t think your presence would be appreciated and so instead you head to the showers figuring to get changed and then catch up to him.

There’s half a dozen guys already in the locker room and they greet you enthusiastically and ask how things went. You recount the absolute disaster and they try to reassure you with all the usual ‘mistakes happen’ stuff. You nod and then grab your gel and head through to the shower while the rest of the guys continue to yell and chat with each other.

You’ve been stood under the water, lost in thought for a few minutes when it suddenly occurs to you that it’s gone quiet. Silent, in fact. Frowning, you shut off the water and grab your towel, rubbing it over your head and body before stepping into a pair of sweats before you walk round the corner to the lockers.

Taker is sat there, waiting for you. Your eyes do a quick sweep of the room and then dart back to him when he speaks.

“Ain’t nobody coming in here, boy. It’s just you and me.”

You take a couple of steps forward. “Taker, I’m sorry - I didn’t mean -”

He holds up a hand and you fall silent. “What’d you call me?”

You curse inwardly. “Sir, I -”

“Try again.”

You swallow as your mind races because there’s no way he wants you to use his given name. If it’s not Taker, and it’s not sir, the only other thing he’s mentioned… Fuck. You chew on your lip for a moment and then whisper, “I’m sorry… daddy?”

He nods slowly. “There ya go.” He beckons you closer and staring at the floor you make your way over. “Look at me, boy.”

You raise your eyes and wince when you see the now closed up cut on his forehead. “I didn’t mean to, daddy.”

“I know that,” he says and you feel relief wash over you until he adds, “but now I need to give you a receipt, don’t I?”

You almost feel like you’re on the outside looking in, because he must know that this is pushing your buttons. Your mind races as you try to think whether you’ve ever said or done anything to give the game away but you turn up a blank. You’ve always had a crush on him but figured you’d kept a lid on it, even to the point of avoiding him. You flash back to that smile he gave you that you had never quite figured out and realise that he must have seen it in you. You don’t know whether to be excited or terrified.

He stands up and you take an involuntary step back but he grabs your wrist before setting one foot up on the bench. You look at the huge boot and then back up to his face but only for a second because he jerks you forward and bends you over his thigh and then holds you in place with a hand on the back of your neck.

“Take those sweats down.” He accompanies his words with a squeeze of his hand.

You reach for your waistband and then sanity interferes. “Wh… what are you going to do?”

“Did I stutter, boy? Get ‘em down!”

With a whimper you comply, pushing the fabric down over your ass and thighs until they reach your knees and drop the rest of the way to pool around your feet.

“That’s better,” his voice is softer now. “I tell you to do something and you jump, boy.”

“Yes, daddy-ee!” Your response turns to a squeak as you feel that big hand stroke over your naked ass.

“OK, it’s receipt time.” His leg shifts slightly as he gets himself comfortable and then he gives you a gentle pat before adding, “Now, you can yell as loud as you want so long as you don’t mind anyone outside figuring out what’s happening to ya.”

With that he draws his hand back and it comes down firmly on your ass, making you gasp. Surprisingly, it’s not as painful as you thought it would be and even when the second and third smacks land it feels like maybe this is just some kind of token thing for him to do to a newbie - like mild hazing or something. By the time it gets to six you’re starting to change your mind and when a particularly hard strike lands you cry out and clutch his leg.

“OK, tha -that’s enough - I -” Suddenly you’re upright, his hand still around the back of your neck and he’s glaring at you. He bends down until his face is inches from your own and you stare at the strawberry blonde goatee as he speaks slowly in a low voice.

“Let’s get something crystal fuckin’ clear, boy. You don’t decide what’s enough - I do. Got it?” You nod and he gives you a shake. “Who does?”

“Y- you do,” you stutter and then when his looks becomes meaner still you hurriedly add, “I mean - you do, daddy.”

“Damn right.” He nods and message delivered, he bends you back over and really begins to wail on you, his palm coming down hard all over your ass and flinging your hands out of the way when you try to protect yourself. You’re shouting in pain and not caring who hears you but it’s clearly no deterrent to him and so you try a different tack.

“Please, daddy! Please stop! I’ll be good, I promise!”

Despite the pain, the embarrassment and the confusion you realise that your dick is getting hard and try desperately to will it from happening, but to no avail. Your feet drum on the floor as he continues to spank you and you’re squeezing his calf again. Eventually he stops and you blink furiously to clear the tears before he drags you upright again.

“That’s your receipt, boy. Next time you fuck up that bad it’ll be my belt, ya hear?”

You swipe a hand across your face and nod, unable to stop your other hand from creeping back to rub at your ass. “Yes, daddy. Can - can I go now?” Even as the words leave your mouth a thought flits through your brain that says, ‘Please don’t end this here…’

He still has a hold on your neck but it’s softened and is more comforting than anything else. You watch his eyes scanning down your body and then he stops and a slow smile crosses his face before he glances back up at you.

“Oh, I don’t think so boy - not yet. Now, what’s this?” His hand slips between your legs and the long, warm fingers wrap around your dick which responds rapidly and you let out a small moan. “Looks like that’s got you all hot and bothered, huh?”

You swallow and consider stuttering out a denial but what would be the point? While he’s holding your dick, his free hand wanders to his own crotch and you watch as he squeezes himself through the denim.

“You want to give it up for daddy? Got a few kinks you want me to work out, that it?”

Your head snaps up. Is he really saying what you think he’s saying? There’s that smirk again but he shocks you by abruptly letting go of your dick and pulling up your sweats. You stand there, a deep blush on your cheeks and heart pounding as it pokes out, tenting the material.

Taker picks up his gear bag, a typical black holdall, and tosses it on to the floor in front of you. You glance down at it and then back up at him but he’s already got his back turned as he walks to retrieve a chair from the far end of the room. He saunters back over and sets it down about four feet from the gear bag, which you’re standing just behind. He takes a seat as you stand there hot, bothered and horny, wondering what’s going on. He leans back, knees falling wide apart and looks up at you.

“Guess you’re hoping I’m gonna fuck you.” It’s a statement and you find yourself nodding before hurriedly stopping yourself as he chuckles. “Yeah, I thought so. But here’s the thing.” He brushes some imaginary dust from his thigh and says, “You gotta earn that.” He sits up a little straighter and folds his arms. “What d’you think about that?”

“I…” You swallow and try to focus enough to answer as you stand before your ultimate crush, aware that a damp patch is probably spreading on your pale grey sweats. “I can do that, daddy.”

He nods, strokes over his goatee and says, “Let’s find out, shall we? Get on all fours, boy.”

As though pulled by invisible strings, you drop to your hands and knees, which puts you about six inches from his gear bag. You look up, eager to pass whatever test he has in mind for you and then it’s as though your brain just short circuits. If he looked alpha male to you before, being down on all fours and looking up just wipes you out. He beckons to you, urging you forwards, but his bag is in the way… isn’t it?

“C’mon, boy… that’s it. Just get the bag underneath yourself… bit further… stop right there.”

You freeze in place when he tells you to stop and in that moment realise that your dick is just above one edge of the holdall. Your eyes are still fixed on him and that predatory smile is back on his face. Your hips drop slightly and your dick makes contact with the bag through your sweats and you gasp, lifting them up again.

“Go on, boy… rut on it.”

Somehow you’d known this was his plan when he made you crawl over the bag. You don’t think you could stop yourself even if you wanted to and so you begin to move, your swollen dick inside your pants repeatedly catching on the edge of his gear bag. The friction is delicious and you moan, head dropping down. You should be embarrassed - maybe you are - but you just don’t care and straight away begin to pick up speed.

Taker looks pleased and palms himself through his jeans again. “Feels good, don’t it? Look at you… you’re fuck drunk already, boy.” He leans forward, bracing his forearms on his thighs and the movement makes you lift your head again.

“Please… please, daddy!”

“Please what?” He shrugs and then shakes his head. “You don’t even know, do you? You’re too busy fucking yourself stupid.”

“Please daddy…” You want to say more but you just can’t form words and he laughs this time - a low, rumbling sound.

“Poor, dumb little fuckslut. Can’t even form a sentence, can you boy? You just keep going until you make a mess in your pants.”

You give up trying to speak and just nod, knowing that you’re really not far off from…

“Fuck - daddy - please!” You cry out as you start to come, the material of your light grey sweats darkening in patches with your release.

Seemingly unmoved Taker reaches forward and slides his bag out from under you, presumably to prevent it from being soiled and then to your eternal surprise he leans over and kisses you on the forehead.

“There ya go. Next time you can try it on my leg, how ‘bout that?”

You’re still on all fours and just nod dumbly. “Yes please, daddy.”

He stands up and picks up his bag, hefting it on to his shoulder. “You might wanna get up boy, before anyone comes in here and wants to know why you’re on the floor with cum stains on your pants. Just a thought.”

With that, he heads for the door and walks out, leaving you alone still staring dazedly at the chair and wondering how long it’ll be until he calls on you again.

END

[earthnashes]

How do you keep up the motivation for working out? Or the planning of what exercises to do and go for? Asking cause I’ve been interested in weight training and tried it before but ya know- after 3 months, took a break, and now it’s hard to get back into it. Hope you don’t mind the questions! Congrats on your progress too!

I don't mind questions at all, no worries! :)

So I guess my answer to the question is to really evaluate why you're trying to get into weight training: What are your goals? Is it for the aesthetics? Is it because you wanna be strong, athletic? Is it a lifestyle you're willing to commit to?

I say ask yourself these questions and really evaluate what you want out of it, because I'll be honest: motivation is what got me started, but it isn't why I'm still at it. The bottom line to getting into weight training at any level in my opinion is to view it as a lifestyle commitment. Because it is; anyone can lift weights, for sure, but if you wanna make any meaningful progress in the gym you have to take it seriously.

As such, my one of my biggest tips in the motivation department: make weight training a non-negotiable component to your lifestyle. More than that, make your health a non-negotiable component to your lifestyle. Because fitness is a long game, one you will play for the rest of your life, so it must become a regular part of your life, however way you choose to make it so.

SO with all that said, some tips that could help you to stay consistent:

1.) Make a training plan. Figure out exactly what you're aiming for with your training program (are you training for strength or hypertrophy? Conditioning?), then select the training split (Fullbody | Upper Lower | Push Pull Legs | Bro Split) and exercises you're going to utilize to reach that goal (I recommend only selecting 4-6 exercises per workout. If you're doing more than that, unless you're an experienced and/or professional lifter, you're building unnecessary fatigue). Do your research here.

2.) Decide your training frequency. An extension to 1: once you've decided your training's purpose and the exercises that'll help you reach it, choose for how long this block will last. At minimum to see any sort of progress I recommend 4 weeks, but ideally something around 6-16 weeks for your training program to see substantial results is best. This is including the deloads (premeditated active rest periods), which is another thing entirely so I won't go into detail here.

Once you figure out how many weeks you're gonna go, plan how many days a week you're gonna go. Select specific days and times and treat it like it's mandatory. No matter how you're feeling or the weather or whatever, you're fuckin goin to that gym and getting the workout in. Be mindful of what your body is saying, but hold yourself accountable; don't make excuses.

3.) Have contingency plans. Let's say you've planned a training block for 5 days a week and you're going strong. But something at work comes up and it cuts your time much shorter. Instead of shrugging and going "Welp, can't go anymore I guess :/" try thinking "if I can't go 5 days, I'll go at least 4 days a week." Can't go 4 days? Go 3 days, so on. Backup plans for your backup plans. Learn to adapt to the challenges every day life brings you.

4.) Treat it like riding a bike. Weight training regardless of your goals is a long term game, and there are always gonna be ups and downs. There are gonna be times where it's hard to get back into it. Well, like falling off a bike, the best thing you can do to continue riding the bike is to get back on it. So get back on it. If you need to start slow again, then do it, because any step is still a step more than before. You'll gain momentum again, just give yourself some grace and patience.

5.) Trust the process. Because weight training is a long game, it's also a game of waiting. Visible progress is gonna take some time, so take inventory on other things to gauge it. Instead of looking at the scale or at the mirror, ask yourself how you feel. Do you feel more energized? How has your mood been lately? Do you feel a little more confident? Do you move easier? In the gym, are your numbers going up? Do the weights move easier? Do you feel focused and in the zone when in the pocket? Take inventory with yourself often and trust that you're making progress, even on days where it feels like you've stagnated.

----------

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand that's all I got! I hope that answers your questions! :)

[qrfit]

Day 4 of 5 day workout week:

It was a beautiful summer Thursday! I felt the need to get back to the gym after an impromptu off day on Wednesday. But, it was for an excellent reason!

After dragging myself through it for a year, I FINALLY finished my Functional Training Specialist program with American Council on Exercise! Adding this to my Group Fitness and Personal Training certs has been a long time goal. It feels awesome to have it done! I took my final quiz yesterday (a 96%!) and was just mentally and physically exhausted. Mostly, it felt great to be DONE. Also, it felt great to get back to moving today!

-I started with total body strength training with dumbbells! Today, I tweaked the training a bit with a step down on the weights (8-12lbs) and a step up on the reps (generally 3 x 8 + 8), with some supersets. Rest time between sets was around 15-20 seconds to keep the HR going!

-Then I did cardio kickboxing with weighted gloves (14 ounces)! | designed a bunch of new kicking and punching combos and added my bonus weighted jump-rope intervals.

Total calorie burn = 484 kcals

I gotta say! I'm feeling pretty accomplished over these past few days. One more cardio day for the week and then I get some more REST! 🫶🏽

[healthy444]

Can I build muscle and lose fat at the same time?

Yes, it is possible to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, though it can be challenging and typically requires a well-structured approach. This process is often referred to as “recomping” (short for recomposition). Here are some key strategies to achieve this:

1. Nutrition

Caloric Balance: Aim for a slight caloric deficit to lose fat while providing enough nutrients to support muscle growth. This typically means consuming slightly fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight.

Protein Intake: Ensure a high protein intake (1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight) to support muscle repair and growth.

Macronutrient Balance: Balance your diet with a good mix of carbohydrates and fats to provide energy and support overall health.

2. Strength Training

Progressive Overload: Continuously challenge your muscles by increasing the weight, reps, or intensity of your workouts over time.

Compound Movements: Focus on compound exercises (squats, deadlifts, bench presses) that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Consistency: Maintain a regular workout schedule, typically 3–5 times per week, to consistently stimulate muscle growth.

3. Cardio

Moderation: Incorporate moderate cardio to support fat loss without compromising muscle gains. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be particularly effective.

Timing: Consider doing cardio on non-lifting days or after strength training sessions to prioritize muscle preservation.

4. Recovery

Sleep: Ensure adequate sleep (7–9 hours per night) to allow your body to recover and grow.

Rest Days: Incorporate rest days to prevent overtraining and reduce the risk of injury.

5. Consistency and Patience

Long-Term Commitment: Body recomposition is a gradual process that requires consistent effort over time. Patience and persistence are crucial.

Monitor Progress: Track your progress with measurements, photos, and performance in the gym rather than just focusing on the scale.

6. Individual Factors

Starting Point: Beginners or individuals returning after a long break often see more dramatic changes in body composition.

Genetics: Genetic factors can influence how easily you gain muscle or lose fat.

7. Nutrient Timing

Pre-Workout Nutrition: Consume a meal or snack rich in protein and carbohydrates about 1–2 hours before your workout to fuel performance.

Post-Workout Nutrition: Have a post-workout meal or shake with protein and carbs within 30–60 minutes after your workout to aid recovery and muscle growth.

8. Hydration

Stay Hydrated: Adequate hydration is essential for overall health, performance, and recovery. Aim to drink plenty of water throughout the day, particularly before, during, and after workouts.

9. Supplementation

Protein Supplements: Whey or plant-based protein powders can help you meet your daily protein requirements.

Creatine: Creatine monohydrate is a well-researched supplement that can enhance strength, power, and muscle mass.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): These can help reduce muscle soreness and promote muscle protein synthesis, particularly when training in a fasted state.

10. Mind-Muscle Connection

Focus on Form: Pay attention to proper form and technique to maximize muscle engagement and prevent injury.

Contraction: Emphasize the contraction of the target muscles during each exercise to improve muscle activation.

11. Variation in Training

Periodization: Incorporate different phases in your training program, such as strength, hypertrophy, and endurance phases, to continually challenge your muscles and prevent plateaus.

Exercise Variety: Regularly change your exercises, rep ranges, and workout routines to keep your muscles guessing and promote continuous adaptation.

12. Tracking and Adjustment

Regular Assessments: Keep track of your body composition, strength levels, and overall progress. Adjust your diet and training plan based on these assessments to ensure continued progress.

Listen to Your Body: Be mindful of signs of overtraining or injury. Adjust your training intensity and volume as needed to prevent burnout and maintain long-term progress.

13. Metabolic Rate and Muscle Mass

Muscle Increases Metabolism: Building muscle increases your resting metabolic rate (RMR), helping you burn more calories even at rest, which aids in fat loss.

14. Hormonal Balance

Manage Stress: High-stress levels can lead to elevated cortisol, which can negatively impact muscle growth and fat loss. Incorporate stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.

Hormonal Health: Ensure adequate intake of essential fats and micronutrients to support hormonal health, which is crucial for muscle growth and fat loss.

15. Support System

Accountability: Having a workout partner, or coach, or joining a fitness community can provide motivation, accountability, and support.

Education: Continuously educate yourself about nutrition, training, and recovery to make informed decisions and optimize your body recomposition efforts.

By paying attention to these important factors, you can further enhance your ability to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously. Remember, consistency, patience, and a holistic approach are key to achieving long-term success in body recomposition.

[home-ward]

09|20|2023

Today was the first crisp day of the season. I finished creating an autumn display for the library. Then I planned programs for the rest of the week, including a book club. Walking has been good for me, so I went for a walk on my lunch break. Enjoyed dinner late tonight by the light of my candles.

Cozy and productive habits that I’ve enjoyed lately:

Wake up at 6:30 am and outline my writing. I then try to write until 7:30 or 8:00.

Do some kind of workout, either Pilates, a run, gym session, or a long walk

Making breakfast with fresh fruit

Preparing a pumpkin coffee for my ride to work

Taking the time to plan and organize my work desk. This includes logging my mood and productivity at different points in the day.

Lighting a candle when I get home and reading before bed

I officially have become a morning person. I’m enjoying seeing the earlier part of days.

[emma-m-black]

Lillian Crusher, a What if Multi Chapter Story. Chapter: Four

Author Master List

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three,

CHAPTER: FOUR

Another week had passed, and the Titan was almost ready to head into space for its exercises before appearing at the Frontier Day celebration, alongside the rest of the fleet. Commander Crusher was doing her morning workout in the ship’s gym, sparing with a hologram using rattan sticks against her foe.

The A.I. hologram learning from her form and fighting style to increase the intensity of the fight. When her opponent’s stick slapped against her arm hard, she screamed angrily at the hologram. “Computer end training program.”

Lillian wiped her bare arm across her forehead, being careful to not hit herself with the weapon in her hand. The sweat on her body was already cooling and she could feel the goosebumps beginning to form on the vast amount of exposed skin. Her long hair was pulled back in a high ponytail.

“I thought you were supposed to be good at this.” Came the voice of Captain Shaw, right on cue. His routine was as about down to the minute as hers. They were both creatures of routine.

Turning around, Lillian swung her weapons together and draped them over the back of her neck. She held them with the palms of her hands and examined her Captain. His slightly thinning hair was glistening, and he had sweat marks on his tank top. He must have just finished his morning run. He was panting as he moved up closer to where she stood.

“At least I don’t look like I might pass out.”

“Ha, ha.” Captain Shaw mocked as he reached forward to take one of her rattans. “Let’s see what you got, Commander.”

“As you wish Captain.” Lillian took a step back and without waiting for further direction, she moved to strike.

With a swing, she aimed for his left side, and he swiftly moved to block. He pushed with force against her stick, and her arm swung outward. She flicked her wrist and spun her weapon across the backside of her hard, and re-gripped it before swinging it low at the Captain’s legs. His response was to drop his rattan stick down through one open palm and used the toe of his shoe against the hardwood to stop her blow from connecting with his skin.

It went like this for what felt like minutes but was only seconds. Each trading from offence to defence before finally, Lillian had her Captain on his back with her weapon pressed against his neck. Lillian’s heart was beating wildly as she tried to bring her breathing in check. However, her reprieve was short-lived and the next thing she felt was the air leaving her lungs as her back smacked the hard mat that was once been under only her feet.

As her bearings came back to her, she felt her arm being pinned down, and the cool feeling of polished wood against her neck. Captain Shaw was now on top of her. A smirk on his face. “Do you yield?”

Lillian let out a loud groan and swung her legs up, pinning the Captain’s hips between her knees and using every ounce of strength she had to swing both herself and him over.

When both their senses came back to them, Lillian was straddling Captain Shaw, her face only inches from his. Her weapon stuck into a soft spot in his armpit which, judging by his face, was causing him great discomfort.

“Is that a tricorder in your pocket or are you just happy to see me, Sir?” Asked Lillian with a smirk. The tension she had been feeling from the hallway walk-by, and late-night drinks and dinners since their last private encounter, finally boiled over.

Captain Shaw didn’t respond. He stared at her instead as he wheezed. His eyes flickered from hers to her lips and back again. Patting the mat with the palm of his hand, he signalled his surrender. However, Lillian did not get up. She did, however, drop her weapon and loosen her grip on him.

Lillian pulled her face back from his as she sat herself up. She examined him from where she sat on his hips. His face was slightly tinted pink from exertion and his neatly trimmed salt and pepper beard now matched his hair for moisture. She stared down at his lips until the feeling of the Captain’s hands startled her, moving up her thighs and to the waistband of her shorts. The pads of his thumbs rested against the exposed skin of her midsection.

“It has been a very long week, Commander, and for once we are finally alone.”

Her hands went to his chest, and she ran her hands up it until she reached his shoulders, where she then placed her elbows on the mat on either side of his head. Lillian lowered her head and brought her lips to his. The kiss was passionate like he was the only water in her desert.

His hands fanned out across her skin and his thumbs dug into her as he held her. He let out a groan as Lillian ground her hips into his.

A chirp broke through the moans and kisses and Lillian recognised it as the Captain’s communication badge. The Captain pulled away and scrunched his face. “Fuck me.” When it chirped again, Lillian used her hand to tap on his badge.

“Captain Shaw?” Came the voice of Commander Seven.

Lillian had to suppress a laugh as the man below her rolled his eyes before focusing back on her with a hungry look.

“Captain Shaw. Sir?”

“Not now Commander Hansen.” Captain Shaw ground out, and Lillian felt his hands squeeze her harder, emphasising his disdain for the interruption.

“Sir. We have a docking request for a surprise inspection later today.”

“Okay...” The Captain dragged his word out.

“The inspectors are Captain William Riker, and Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, Sir.”

Captain Shaw slammed the back of his head into the mat. “Fuck. Have dinner arranged for Commander Hanson. I’ll see you then.” Releasing one hand from Lillian’s side, he closed his eyes and let out a sigh. “What kind of bullshit is going on now?”

Lillian rolled off of Captain Shaw and stood herself up. He responded with a sad sigh and opened his eyes to look at her. Holding out her hand in a silent offer to help him up only resulted in him batting it away.

“No. I’m going to need a minute alone, Commander.”

Letting out a laugh, Lillian nodded. “Understood Captain.”

Leaving the gym, Lillian made her way to her room without pause. Arriving back at her room, Lillian immediately pulled out her secure data pad from its hiding place behind a panel in her sonic shower. It was flashing as she spun it around, showing she had a message. Unlocking the device with her secure fingerprint the message “TRUST NO ONE” flashed before her eyes.

She kept to her room till her shift would have to begin, hoping another message would come through, but nothing came.

Soon Lillian found herself outside the Captain’s private mess. She had arrived early in hopes of speaking with Captain Shaw, and when the door slid open, she knew she was in luck. “Captain, I need to speak with you in private.”

“Commander now is not the time.” Said the Captain as he sat himself down in front of his meal.

“I received a message.”

“Computer secure door, authorization Shaw, twelve, eleven, bravo, delta.”

“Door secured.”

Captain Shaw sat back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Are you about to pull out that shiny black badge on me?”

Lillian tucked her hands behind her back as she stood to attention. “No Sir, but the message I received said trust no one.” She hoped that his calculating gaze had not caught the slight tremble in her hand. “It can’t be a coincidence that you are having a surprise inspection by two Starfleet legends the same day I finally have contact.”

“No, I’m sure it isn’t. Now sit, we’ve got a dinner to get through.”

“Computer unlock the door, authorization Crusher, seven, twenty, charley, omega.”

“Door unlocked.”

“Computer, music.” Captain Shaw ordered as he poured two glasses of wine.

Chapter Five

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #1130: Lockhart and Strife's Sparring Class (SSBU X FF7 X Kingdom Hearts)

8:01 a.m. at Smash Gym Center..............

Dedede: (Walking in the Halls with Escargoon While Grumbling) ('Clicks Teeth') Man, I can't believe this. It took me weeks building up visible arm muscles and it all went waste losing that dumb arm wrestling match!

Escargoon: Oh, don't be such a grouch, De. Think of this like a regularly workout schedule that could help get you through the day.

Dedede: (Rolls his Eyes) Yeah. A year long workout schedule with blondie and little miss heaven hands working my ass down to the wire for lord knows how long.....

Escargoon: You only got like, what? Three hours in the morning left? I'm sure it won't last long.

Dedede: Yeah, we'll see.

The duo stops walking for a second as they notice a familiar face walking out of a two divided door in front of them

Lea: ('Sigh') Was not expecting to reach fifteen sit ups today, but- (Notices Dedede and Escargoon in his Point of Voice Before Putting on a Bright Smile) Oh, 'sup, you guys. Good morning.

Escargoon: (Smiles Back at Lea Along With Dedede) Good morning to you too, Lea.

Dedede: Hey, man! What brings you all the way up here?

Lea: (Points at the Doors Behind Him) I promised the teach and Namine that I would join them on their training session in there. (Walks Over to the Water Fountain and Pours Water Inside his Bottle) Kinda wish we didn't have come here this early in the morning, but.....(Shrugs) It's whatever.

Escargoon: (Takes a Look at The Paper Printed Sign that Reads "Lockhart's Training Program 8-11 a.m." Taped on One of the Doors in Front of Him) Sp this is where you guys go for your workout sessions?

Lea: Yep. 'Heard the room itself hasn't been used all that much before Tifa and Cloud came by and use it for themselves. Why, you guys are joining us today?

Escargoon: Nah, just Dedede here. (Forms a Teasing Like Smirk on his Face) He lost a game of arm wrestling to Daisy the other day, so he has to come here and workout with you guys for the rest of the year.

Lea: (Starts Snickering) Seriously?

Dedede: (Glares at Both Escargoon and Lea) 'Ey, in my defense, that girl uses her elephant throughout the whole thing to give her her that edge in the first place. I was robbed and cheated!

Escargoon: Uh-huh. And last I checked, you challenged her when she was ALREADY turned into an elephant from the getgo.

Lea: Yeah, I don't see how that classified as cheating if that's the case.

Dedede: (Scoffs While Crossing his Arms and Turning Away) Yeah, well, I'm still the motion that she only won by luck and handicap. Without either of those in her disposal, I would've beaten her under a minute!

?????: No shame in admitting your losses there, De.

The trio turns to see Cloud, Tifa, Aqua, and Namine walking out of the training room to greet their newest recruits.

Cloud: (Smirks a Bit at Dedede's in Particular) Especially when you still have your end of the bargain to fulfill.

Aqua/Namine: (Happily Waves Hello to the Ex King of Dreamland) Good morning!~

Tifa: (Smiles Brightly While Clasping her Hands Together) It's so nice to have you here with us today, De!~ And here I thought you were never gonna show.

Dedede: Yeah, I wouldn't have missed for the world. Y'all would kill me before I try to do that.

Cloud: (Crosses his Arms while Scoffing) Oh please. We're not that barbaric. We would drag you here if anything.

Tifa: (Pouts at her Boyfriend) Cloud, don't be rude.

Dedede: Yeah, tell 'im, sis!

Tifa: I could easily carry him out of his room to here myself. Maybe use the air horns to wake him up just in case.

Dedede: (Smiles Falters Down into an Annoyed Frown) Nevermind, y'all are made for each other....

Cloud/Tifa: (Smiles Softly at Dedede) Thank you.

Dedede: (Comically Glares at the Couple) That ain't, no way, a complete compliment!

Tifa: (Giggles Softly) Alright, alright. Let's get training session started before we start wasting time here, everyone. (Starts Going Back Inside the Training Room with Cloud Following Behind)

Cloud: The sooner we get started, the quicker we leave, eh, De?

Dedede: Yeah, you better mean that, you no good, cocky.....(Starts Grumbling to Himself as Him and Escargoon Goes Inside the Room as Well)

Namine: (Turns Aqua and Lea) He seems nice.

Few Minutes Inside the Training Room Later.............

Small, but visible sparks begins to fly as Cloud and Lea spar with one another by using their respective weapons.

Cloud: (Clashes his Buster Sword With Lea's Bond of Flame Keyblade) I gotta say, Lea. (Counters Lea's Blade Attacks with His Before Clashing Again) You're not too shabby with that Keyblade of yours.

Lea: Why, thank you, Strife!~ (Effortlessly Dodges Cloud's Attack) Still a bit on the rusty side, but I got most of this this Keyblade Warrior mentality jogged down and memorized. (Tries Taking a Swing at Cloud With his Keyblade

Cloud: (Dodges the Attack by Jumping Himself Back) You sure about that?

Cloud creates a beam like shockwave from his Buster Sword and shoots it towards his opponent. It wasn't long for red haired fighter to slice up the shockwave in half and explodes behind him with one, fiery strike and a flashy, heart-throbbed pose to boot.

Lea: As sure as the blazing, fiery sun, baby!

Escargoon: (Watches Everything Goes Down on the Sidelines With the Other) The wording could use a little more work, but his pose is a nice touch, not gonna lie.

Dedede: (Turns to Namine) Has he always been this cocky?

Namine: (Smiles Sheepishly at Dedede) More or less.

Aqua: (Gives Her Student/Friend a Stern, Motherly Glare) Now it's not the time show off, Lea! Keep focusing on the match!

Lea: (Turns to Aqua While Sparring With Cloud) Will you relax already, Teach? I got this under contr-

Cloud uses his Buster Sword to knock Lea's Keyblade from out of his hands and sends it flying to the other side of the room, causing the Keyblade Warrior in training to nervously turns his had towards his now disappearing weapon before turning back to his smirking opponent.

Cloud: You were saying?

Lea: Uhhhhhhhhhhhh........(Slowly Puts on an Awkward Grin on his Face) Well fought?-Ack!

Lea gets swept under his feet by his opponent, causing him to fall face down onto the flood.

'THUD'

Lea groans a bit in pain as he is then greeted to Cloud looking down at him while pointing the tip of his Buster Sword at his face.

Cloud: Likewise. But maybe heed yor teacher's advice and take it a little more seriously next time, yeah? Without showing off? (Moves his Sword to the Side andvHolds Out a Hand For Lea)

Lea: (Sighs Before Accepting Cloud's Assistance on Helping Himself Back Up on his Feet) Will do, boss.

Cloud: (Turns to Aqua) Oh and Aqua? You mind refraining yourself from all the scolding a bit back there? I know you're his teacher and all, but still.....

Aqua: (Blushes in Embarrassment) O-Of course! (Quickly Bows to Cloud) I'm so sorry!

Tifa: (Gives Her Froend a Sheepish Smile) It's no harm done, really.

................................................................................

Loud, booming noise continously occurs as two new combatants, Tifa and Aqua, sparring one another as they warp back and forth around the room before they decided to stop and take a short breather

Tifa: (Starts Panting a Bit While Wiping the Sweat Off Her Forehead by Using her Arm) ('Whew') You surprise me, Aqua!~ I didn't take you for the tough, straight-forward type fighter.

Aqua: (Let's Out a Sigh Before Forming a Bit of a Sheepish Smile on her Face) I'm not always like this in most battles. I just wanted to give you a worth-while challenge is all.

Tifa: Well, aren't you the sweetest~ (Puts on a Friendly, Competitive Smirk on her Face) As a token of my gratitude, I'll be giving this match of our my all as well, if you don't mind.

Aqua: You're more than welcome to do so by all means. (Smirks Back at Tifa) I'm starting to enjoy not holding anything back for once.

Tifa: Ditto.

And with thay, the two combatants resume back to their fast paced sparring match, leaving almost everyone else on the sidelines dumbfounded by everything's going on.

Lea: What is even happening right now?......

Cloud: I couldn't tell you even if I have tiniest bit of clue.

Namine: (Pays Close Attention to the Sarring Match in Front of Her) They're counteracting each other's attacks.

Lea: (Throws Both his Hands Out With a Surprised, Exaggerated Look on his Face) With THAT much spoed!?

Namine: (Turns to Lea With a Bright, Excited Smile on her Face) I know. right?~ Isn't this an incredible sight to behold?~

Cloud: Incredible is putting it loosely.

Dedede: (Couldn't Believe What is Going on Right Now) I thought this was supposed to be simple sparring match, not some intense Smash bout! Those two are gonna end up breaking something if they don't cool it!

Escargoon: (Turns to Dedede) You're gonna step in and tell 'em that yourself?

Dedede: And get my ass eviscerated out this building quicker than you can say "Yolo"? Hard pass!

Cloud: Let's just form a agreement not to tick either of them off going forward.

Everyone: Agreed.

................................................................................

Dedede: ...........Really? (Turns To Cloud While Pointing at Namine Standing a Few Feets in Front of Him) This is supposed to be my sparring partner?

Cloud: For the time being, yes. (Forms a Bit if a Wise-Cracking Smirk on his Face) Unless you're chicken.

Dedede: (Glares at Cloud) Boy, hush, I ain't no chicken. I'm just want a fair opponent to fight. (Turns to Escargoon) Why don't you come up here and spar with me instead, 'Cargoon?

Escargoon: No can do, De. I'm more of a lover than I am a fighter.

Dedede: (Glares at Old Friend) Lover my ass! I've seen you went to town with that one guy from the bar once.

Escargoon: Yeah, in self-defense. I'm not as fight crazy as you guys in those Smash Tournament you always take part of! (Turns to Cloud) No offense.

Cloud: (Casually Shrugs) None taken on my end.

Namine: (Puffs her Cheeks Up a Little Bit With a Very Determined Look in her Eyes) With all due respect, your majesty, I'm more capable and experienced in fighting than I look.

Dedede: (Turns Back to Namine While Letting Out a Sigh) I know you are, baby girl, but I've been in this tournament business for God knows how long at this point and-

Tifa: (Gives Dedede a Darken Glare on her Face Along With Aqua Next to Her as She Cracks Both her Knuckles Slowly One by One) Dedede.....Are you implying that my very own student is too weak to fight you?

Aqua: I sure hope for YOUR sake, that it's not the case. (Summons her Rainfell Keyblade and Tightens it's Grip)

Lea silently scoots himself away from the potential carnage beside him.

Dedede: (Immediately Gets Startled by the Ladies' Dark and Cold Hearted Gesture Before Quickly Turning Back to his Sparring Partner with a Bright, Terrified Smile on his Face) O-O-On second thought, forget what I was about to say. I'm happy to have you as my sparring partner. In fact, how about landing the first hit on your Uncle De here, huh?

Namine: (Eyes Widened a Bit in Genuine Surprise) Really? You won't mind?

Dedede: 'Couse, I won't mind. I ain't in no rush to get outta here,so give me ya very best shot, kid.

Namine: (Happily Nodded in Agreement) Right! (Takes a Very Deep Breath Before Getting into her Fighting Stance) Okay. (Rushes Over to Dedede) Here I......

Dedede: I doubt you'll do that much of damage on me, but-

Namine: GO!

Before he could finish his sentence, the sharp, feeling of pain begins to wrings it's ugly head towards the forner king of Dreamland as Namine delivers a direct flying kick towards his stomach hard enough to cause send him rolling backwards until he eventually and instantly got back up on his feet in a wobbly, pain-filled sense.

Dedede: (Dizzyily Holds his Finger Up) SeE? NOt a LoT oF dAm.....aGeeeeee......(Falls Back Down on the Ground)

Cloud: (Eyes Widens Along with Everyone Else) Woah.

Namine: (Taken Abback at What Just Happened) I did it......(Smiles Brightly) I've master the kick without losing balance!~

Tifa: (Happily Gotten Up From her Seat and Makes her Way Towanda her Student) Namine, that was amazing!~ Did you came up with that kick yourself?

Namine: (Happily Nodded) Mmhmm, last week. I thought about naming an attack involving around it, but I haven't come up with anything yet.

Tifa: I'm sure you'll come up with something worth memorizing. I'll be more than happy to help out if you want.

The teacher and student duo then hears the groaning pain of a beaten down King Dedede.

Tifa: Right after we heal Dedede up first.

Namine: (Quickly Nodded in Agreement) R-Right. We're coming, Mr. Dedede! (Rushes Over to Dedede Along With Tifa to his Aid)

Cloud: (Still Surprised by What Just Happened) Well. That happened.

Lea: I dunno if I should be proud or terrified right now?

Aqua: (Smiles Softly) I would be lying if I say I wasn't a tad bit worried. But it makes me very happy and proud to see how Namine gotten so far.

Cloud: (Smiles a Bit) Yeah, the kid did good. It's a shame I didn't capture all pf this on film.

Escargoon: (Forms a Devish Smirk on his Face While Holding his Phone Up) Don't worry, Cloud. I got you covered. (Presses Something on his Phone) Send.

Meanwhile at The Smash Mansion: Luigi and Daisy's Room........

Daisy: (Bursts Out Laighing at the Video Sent to Her) AHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Lilith: (Looks at the Video While Laying Next to Daisy on One Side) Awww~ He's all tuckered out..... (Turns to Luigi) He'll be fine, right?

Luigi: (Gives Lilith a Reassuring Smile While Laying Next to Daisy on the Other Side) I think so. He is the King of Dreamland after all. Or....rather Former King of Dreamland.

Lilith: How did he lost that position as king anyways?

Luigi: I....don't think I remembered why.....Let's ask him when he feels better. And when he doesn't get in a bad mood.

Lilith: (Smiles Brightly) Do'kay!~

@bestpony666

@cyber-wildcat

@albion-93

@caleb13frede

@keyenuta

@ma-lemons

[bwabbitv3s]

Yes, he just “accidentally” made a super weapon very much like the one the hero’s evil nemesis that wants to kill them is making. Only his is done first and giving them a low stakes practice run of exactly the skills they need to stop the nemesis version. Which will be easy and not a surprise anymore.

~How it starts is an accident. Really the first time was a fluke that later spawned an idea.~

Danny trying to be retired from hero stuff in this new dimension, but getting the itch to still do something. You can only go so long without a good fight or spar. He just does not really want to go through the trouble of joining a meta gym with all the background checks needed to keep the dangerous people out.

Danny also does not want to admit to his family or friends that they were right and he does need to visit more often. Lastly he really can't lose the bet with Dan about how he could not last a year without becoming a hero again. He really does want to get a good aerospace career here and he is already part way through his first semester.

He ends up channeling his parents and makes his own sparing partner. Just one itty bitty robot to spar with. Nothing too serious just strong enough to get a good workout in his ghost form. He even made sure to put a emergency stop switch on it! The robot is great and getting really good at fighting with each improvement to the coding he has been tweaking after fights. It is just what he needs to burn off energy. Only the Fenton luck eventually strikes.

After one session Danny finishes sparing and turns back human before turning it off and into rest mode like normal. Robot does not compute that the opponent is still there and the spar has stopped. As the ghost signature of a super powered individual has dissipated. It had not been programed to fight humans as a precaution. The robot used to Danny turning intangible and means that the Opponent must be hiding to do a sneak attack. They must search out for them to keep the spar going! It quickly rushes off to search for where the opponent has gone.

Danny turns round to the robot gone. Along with a very obviously off its hinges door that he swore had been locked.

Danny: Oh no. Music station in background stops and a reporter starts speaking: This just in. A killer robot has started to tear apart the city! Danny: No. It can't be my robot they are a sparing robot not a killer robot! Must be another robot one of the villains set to hunt down the local hero. Reporter: The robot appears to be impervious to officers weapons who have tried stopping it.

Danny is able to catch up to the fight after the local hero has already been fighting for a while. Really he would have been there faster but he kept having to go around police cordons and avoid broken streets. Thank the Ancients that he did all those modification on his motorcycle. He arrives just in time to see the robot tanking hits from the hero and start shouting out directions of where the shut off is.

The reporters keeping track of the fight right away split off a camera to start filming the guy on the supped up bike that looks a lot like the robot. Who in a pleasant surprise instead of joining in the attack starts they instead start shouting out how to stop the robot.

Danny: I am so sorry! I don't know what went wrong. It has never gone looking for others to fight!

The robot throws the hero over their shoulder as they try to wrestle them into submission.

Danny: The emergency shut off it on the back shoulder! It is under the plating there.

The fight ends fairly quickly after that. Unfortunately the hero and accidental evil robot creator is just out of range to clearly hear on the mics. Only a few bits come through and the robot creator is still wearing their helmet making it a bit hard to read them.

Danny feels a bit down for the next week after the accidental evil robot event. He almost gives in and start the mountain of paperwork for the meta gym. Then a real killer robot start attacking the city and unlike his it does not pull any punches.

Out of town hero's get called in to rescue people it is that bad right off the bat. Well for the ten minutes until the hero is freed up by this and can fight the robot instead of save people. Then it is over within moments as they go straight into ripping off armour plates before seeming to find what they were looking for and smash something. Turns out yeah, most dangerous robots have some kind of emergency stop. Even the ones by crazy villains need something to stop it rampaging if it goes off too soon. They just put a plate over it so it can't be seen.

Maybe it does not need to stop making sparing robots. Just make sure that if they do get out when stopping them they can be useful test runs for hero's. Not that he plans on them breaking out again at all! Plus it would mean he can really experiment with some of the more crazy ideas he wanted to try fighting but was worried about.

Danny a Rogue in one of DC city, but not the "I'm gonna kill everyone cause' I HATE LIFE !!!" no, he's "Oops, call the hero I accidentaly made a superweapon that I cannot stop (for the third time this week) !"

The Super Hero doesn't know what to do with him and you cann see Danny cheereing from a stand while the hero is battling the thing in a désolation landscape

[marcomarconii]

Why do 90% of people quit fitness programs?

You start with so much hope: ↳ Big goals. ↳ New gym gear. ↳ Fresh motivation.

But then… life happens!

Progress stalls. The motivation fades.

Most people quit fitness programs. But it's not because they're lazy.

Here's the truth: ↳ Fitness programs are failing THEM.

Key Reasons People Quit:

Unrealistic Expectations ↳ They expect rapid results. ↳ Losing 10 pounds in a ''week'' or ''Get abs in 30 days'' ↳ When progress doesn't match, they give up.

· Focus on small wins. · Progress isn't how fast. · It's about how consistent.

Overcomplicated Plans ↳ People feel overwhelmed. ↳ Strict diets and 6-day workout routines.

· Start with ONE habit. · Simplify your approach. · Movement, balanced meals, or better hydration.

Lack Of Accountability ↳ No community. ↳ No encouragement. ↳ No one's checking in.

· When no one cares, it's easy to quit. · Find a coach or a workout partner. · Accountability creates momentum.

Burnout From Doing Too Much ↳ People go all-in on their first week. ↳ 2-hour workouts. ↳ Extreme diets. ↳ No rest days.

· Their bodies (and minds) can't keep up. · The best plan isn't the hardest. · Start slow and build gradually. · It's the one you can sustain.

All-Or-Nothing Mindset ↳ "I missed one day, so I've already failed." ↳ This mindset ruins progress.

· Missing one day doesn't ruin the work you've done. · Aim for consistency, not perfection. · The 80/20 rule wins every time.

The problem isn't YOU. It's the strategies.

The real key? Sustainable habits that FIT your life.

Start with: ↳ Balanced meals. ↳ Daily movement. ↳ Prioritizing recovery. ↳ Consistency, not perfection.

P.S. Have you struggled with quitting fitness programs before?

What's been your biggest obstacle?

Let's talk in the comments!

♻️ Repost this to help someone avoid the same mistakes.

[theuniverseawakens347]

equinox - phone being weird can’t video chat you so type bc library said shhh so typos still her BUT EQUINOX YOU WASTED ,Y DAMN TIME - NASM TRAINING TIME OUT DURING TEST N MAKE ME PAY $1400 AGAIN LEE GARLINGTON TAXES BS … so I did that $50 pay if you pass bs just so I cud train friends legally in 2016 / 2017 after sf bc Barry’s inspired me but like YAL FUCKED MY ARMS UP T REX ON STUCK AFTER A SESSION.. N I ASKED YOU HOW TO FIX THAT N YOU SAID “ that’s a good workout” - NIGGA I GOT A CHARLIE HORSE IN MY ARMS FOR A WEEK JUST ABOUT NICE INJURIES LAW SUITS. brad Mandi.

but I went to miracle mile across down the way from sag first SEMAR told me bout an opening n like well they didn’t hire me also I did ONE WORKOUT THERE W HIM FASTED BUT HAD A JUICE … was a Steven workout - TESTIE STERIODS “ protein” creative … mixing of EVERY FUCKING THING MAKING UR OWN STERIOD DUMBASSES - ALEX MJ JUST SCOOP MOUTH DROP CREATINE… I did creatine x 7 times in my life

CARBO GAINS JOHN AND THEN when I left Ben’s Aug 2021 coming home // my last two weeks of training w Ben bc I wanted to try the next thing - SEEN WHAT MY BODY CUD DO NATURAL … but also did t know when I’d be back in the gym - trying to keep my gains

BUT STOPPED THAT BC BABY BACK GREW 2021 in 3 months Lee .. thanks for the psychmeds BIG PHARMA …122 - 175/79 … by the time I went to clarity in March 2022 .. photo taken a week before clarity LAT marina bathroom “out patient” program.

Lee why you wasting my time like the rest of life.. I cud have beeen Ben on ,y mission in life you selfish cunt making money off the White House STEALERS GOING TO JAIL TOUCH DOWN.

anyways I did the equinox classes down town… hired right away MJ LEE TEAM PAID OFF idk but also this bitch smart n mj was excited to tell the team a no yal niggas was jealous … I got in there and was like “ew” after a week on the floor and minded myself feeling the environment watching you train

my goal was to train with THE PRESTIGES TRainers - EQUINOX but on the floor blue shirt was turned off jumped to tier 2 DID MY TEST IN FRONT OF MJ NO TALKING PASSED EVERYTHING … Claudia cheated her whole way … MJ YOU IN THE ROOM W HER HOW YOUNLETTING HER FILM 2nd you CHANGE THE TEST FOR EVERYONE DUMBASS CLAUDIA SO GIVING ME THAT VIDEO WAS STUPID ALSO YOU FAILED TWICE WHY WOULD I COPY YOU - U MAKE NO SENSE THATS WHY YOU GOT COLLAGEN ASS SHOTS OF MY FUCKING STEM CELLS BITCH. - ALEX TWO.

But mj YOU WRONGFUL FIRED ME for stupid lady beef GM AND JANA .. but I decided coo ima go back to building my own personal training .. but I need MY BODY WHERE IM PROUD TO USE AS MY BUSINESS CARD - THANK YOU 2020

[fitnesinfo]

Fitness exercises for those who have just started exercising at home

Getting up and exercising in the morning may improve one's attitude and energy levels while also setting the tone. First-timers always want a routine workout program which incorporates minor complications but is easy for them to perform and which can be done at home consistently. In this guide, I am going to show you a set of exercises suitable for morning routines for someone who is just starting his training and has no means to visit a gym or a park since all the exercises will be done at home.

Why Morning Exercise?

Morning exercises are also very beneficial. They aid digestion, have a positive effect on mood and make you more alert throughout the day. They can also be budgeted as a good practice to keep a workout routine in the morning hours for the long haul. It is widely believed that exercising in the morning can be much easier than exercising at other hours of the day; moreover, people are very disciplined when exercising in morning in contrast to other times of the day.

The best workout regimen for new players walking into a fitness regimen is a morning workout at home. No fancy equipment is required and one can exercise as soon as one gets up from bed, thus, there is a higher chance of compliance.

Get ready for morning exercise

You may do a few easy exercises before starting the program, which will make it more fun and productive.

Get a good night's sleep: You will have more energy to work out when you wake up after a restful night's sleep. The average adult need 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

Hydrate: It is beneficial to have a glass of water before starting a workout routine. This is very important to reduce cases of muscle cramps and tiredness.

Create a Dedicated Space: Choose a part of your house that can be used to exercise alone and without interruption. This will go a long way to help carve a niche environment.

Wear Comfortable Clothing: If possible, wear clothing that is light in color and fit so you can comfortably exercise.

Start with Small Goals: This makes it essential for a beginner to set small goals he or she is certain to achieve in order not to get bored. If you had a hard time performing a certain exercise start first with a lighter routine and then as the weeks go by, add intensity. See more