#i might need to do ankle strengthening exercises

[pokegeek151]

Dykes With Weak Ankles Support Group is this anything

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Rook Hunt Dorm Uniform Personal Story: Part 1

"The true culprit... is you!"

Part 1 (Part 2) (Part 3)

[Courtyard]

Vil: …8…9…10! Next up, camel pose.

Vil: Open up your chest area and slowly bend your upper body back. Once you're able to grab your ankles, keep that pose.

Everybody: Yes, sir!

Epel: Urgh… Rook-san…

Rook: What is it, Monsieur Pommette?

Epel: I thought I was supposed to be here to help the film club with their next movie, but… Urk!

Epel: Why are we… urgh… doing yoga?

Rook: Well, Epel-kun. It's to help you relax and prepare your body for the coming activities, of course.

Rook: The more we can release the tension we hold, the more our minds open, and communication becomes easier.

Rook: Yoga is the optimum exercise to increase blood flow, accelerate metabolism, and calm your spirit. On top of that, it improves your posture and style so you can become even more beautiful!

Rook: That's why Vil always does yoga before starting his film club activities.

Epel: I-I see… But there's gotta be a more easier way to do that… right?

Rook: By the way, Epel-kun. You need to bend your back further, or you cannot call that a camel pose.

Rook: Don't worry, I'll help you out by pulling your arms back!

Epel: Eh, no, it's fine―

Epel: OWWWWWWWWW!!!!

Rook: Hahaha, it seems your body is quite stiff, Monsieur Pommette.

Savanaclaw Student A: Yo, look at those film club guys. They're all in funny poses! I definitely wouldn't be caught dead doing weird stuff like that in front of other people.

Film Club Member A: What do you guys want, barging in on us like that. And, this is called yoga, first of all…

Film Club Member B: Leave them be. Those muscle-for-brains in Savanaclaw wouldn't be able to comprehend our more limber exercises.

Savanaclaw Student B: Haaah? You lookin' for a fight?

Rook: Come now, don't be so quick to anger! Why not join us?

Rook: Why don't we do yoga together to strengthen our bonds and achieve that higher beauty!

Savanaclaw Student A: Who'd wanna do that!? "Beauty" ain't nothing useful. Yo, let's get out of here.

Epel: …Pissin' me off. Rook-san, how can you stand to invite people like that?

Rook: I thought they'd be able to see the merits of yoga if they tried it. Alas.

Rook: Oh, what have I done! I got caught up in talking, and that I forgot to help you.

Rook: My apologies, let's continue.

Epel: Eh, no, I'm good now… Ow ow ow owww!!!!

Vil: ―Epel?

Epel: Ah… Vil-san.

Vil: I thought I might have heard an awful sound much like a frog being squashed, but that must have been my imagination, yes?

Epel: Urgh… I'm sorry, I'll be better.

Vil: Rook. I'd like to believe that there won't be any issues cropping us as long as you're near him, but…

Vil: If something were to happen, I expect you to "properly" educate him.

Vil: Epel is still lacking in aspects other than just his manners and aesthetic sense.

Epel: Am… I?

Vil: Just a moment ago, were you not irritated when those Savanaclaw students came and tried to meddle with us?

Vil: Don't bring in any low-level fights into Pomefiore. Understand?

Epel: Yes, sir…

Vil: And Rook, understand this. If Epel starts a fight with anyone from another dorm during this shoot…

Vil: I'll kick you both out of the film club― No, from the dorm.

Epel: …Man, even though I was just forced here to help.

Vil: Did you say something?

Epel: Nothin'… Ah, I mean, nothing at all.

Vil: Anyway. Try to keep self-control and prevent yourself from any sort of behavior that would tarnish the Pomefiore name.

Rook: Oui, Roi de Poison. Leave it to me!

Film Club Member A: Look at how cozy those three look together…

Film Club Member C: Epel-kun and Rook-senpai are pretty amazing. Putting aside the fact that he's in the same dorm, they're able to talk with Vil-san so casually.

Film Club Member C: Maybe it's 'cause I used to see him on TV and in magazines before I enrolled here, but I still get nervous, y'know?

Film Club Member A: Yeah. The fact that those two can talk to him no problem is pretty amazing.

[Interior Hallway]

―The next day

Epel: Ah, Rook-san.

Rook: Oh, Epel-kun. You're here early.

Epel: Yes, sir. My classes ended early today, so…

Film Club Members: Hello!

Rook: Ah, you all as well, I see… Then, I suppose we'll be the first in the club room today.

[Classroom]

Rook: Vil won't be with us today, due to some work he has, so I'll lead the club activities…

Film Club Member B: …What's wrong?

Rook: La vache… How terrible. Look at that.

Epel: Woah! Vil-senpai's costume is torn to shreds!?

Film Club Member A: It's not just the costume, either. The partition for the film set, too…

Everybody:!!

Epel: Wh-What's that creepy message written' in red paint over there…?

Rook: "Inadequate beauty"… Must be a message left by whoever destroyed the costume.

Rook: Hm, this is quite the case… This seems to be a declaration of war!!

Part 1 (Part 2) (Part 3)

Requested by Anonymous.

[kemetic-dreams]

How many times per week should I do HIIT workout?

Is It Safe to Do HIIT Every Day?

1. If you do HIIT regularly you need to mix up your routines

Like with any exercise Dr. Astorino says that you may get bored if you do the same routine regularly and your progress may also plateau. If you do the same regime, including the same number of bouts and the same length of bouts and intensities your gains might level off Dr. Astorino explains.

Plus there’s a chance of injury if you do the same repetitive movements over time without recovery time. If you’re doing HIIT on a treadmill which would imply sprinting you might have some shin splints ankle problems or joint pain,” Dr. Astorino adds.

Zapata echoes this stance. She says too much HIIT can have negative effects on your body and leave you susceptible to injuries.

While you may not notice the negative effects of not giving your body the rest and recovery it needs immediately, over time you will see a decrease in performance plateaus possible weight gain and overuse injuries she says. Remember more is not better!

Since HIIT can be done many different ways including outdoors or without equipment altogether there are ways to reduce the likelihood of hurting yourself. Dr. Astorino suggests doing HIIT on a bike. Research shows that biking is gentler on your knees and joints than running.

2. You don’t need to do HIIT daily

According to Jessica Zapata creator of Fitilates and co-owner of the Alberta-based gym Infinite Fitness the answer is clear. No, you do not need to do HIIT every day.

We live in a society that thinks if something is good more must be better but that is simply not the case she says. If you are truly doing HIIT properly you need recovery in between workouts to maximize the training effect.

So, then how often should you be doing HIIT? Due to the highly effective nature of HIIT there’s really no need to do it more than three to four times a week Dr. Astorino says. He points to the U.S. government’s health guidelines that say adults need two and one-half hours of aerobic physical activity per week and at least two days of muscle-strengthening exercise per week.

While Dr. Astorino says that there’s no reason to call regular HIIT sessions unsafe he says that he doesn’t see why someone would want to do it every day since research shows that it is not necessary. There was a study that came out 15 years ago and they had typical men not athletes doing HIIT for around 10 to 14 days in a row Astorino says. They showed the exact same benefits that you would typically associate if you were doing HIIT three days a week.

And the benefits are undeniable for people of varying fitness levels. HIIT is an effective form of exercise for many including those who work out regularly those who are obese and those living with diabetes. Science clearly says that if you’re a healthy adult HIIT works as well as cardiovascular exercise yet if you have diabetes or have heart disease most of the evidence shows it works better Dr. Astorino says.

For strength training or HIIT workouts you’ll love our trainers have workouts that will get you moving and sweating. Check out Aaptiv today to learn more.

These 5 steps reveal the things you absolutely MUST AVOID if you want to look younger, to boost your immunity, reclaim your health, and achieve your ideal body.

[elinaline]

What's your workout routine? Because I badly want a bigger ass.

It's all physio exercises with some amount of control on my joints to avoid popping something out, that I don't take very long to do, it's like easy movements I do while I put my lotion before bed or brush my teeth. Also I have to warn you my ass does not look bigger since my thighs grew with it. Anyways

In all of these, posture is extremely important, you want to keep a straight back, you want to maintain your balance so hold yourself and always keep your feet flat on the ground.

While standing, grab one of your knees and hold yourself for balance. Bring the knee as close to your chest as you can, without moving your hips to the side, you need to keep a straight back, then try to keep your leg up without holding it. Don't do it until it hurts, this one is especially tiring at first so maybe do it by shots of a few seconds. Be especially wary of your balance, if it feels like you might buckle over do not do it, there's other exercise to strengthen around the knees and ankles.

To strengthen leg joints and your core, you just put a knee on the ground, while holding something to keep balance, keep your back straight so essentially it should feel like you're pushing to the front from your lower back. Slowly ! You don't want to bruise your knee. If it's too hard to go very slow, put a pillow down under your knee. Then go back up slowly. Depending on if you put your weight on your front or back leg while doing it you're working different muscles. This one is truly exhausting and can hurt easily so no more than five time on each side, and you have to stretch afterwards !

While lying down, shoulders flat on the ground, feet flat on the ground, you want to push your hips up, while keeping your back flat so you will have to push your pelvis to the front again. This one I do while hydrating my arms, it's a classic pilates exercise that works the glutes, quads, and a bit of your core.

While sitting, lift both of your legs slightly while keeping them straight, and work your abs to stay upright. You don't need to force on your legs to go up, the point is to maintain balance with your core. Mind your back.

Wile sitting again. One leg down like normal, back straight, pull your other leg as straight as possible towards you. This one works out the quads.

If you want a fat ass, the most efficient way would be to do squats. Once again I know them the physio way, so making sure you don't break joints: feet flat on the ground, spread about the width of your pelvis to stand upright with good balance. You want to squat while keeping your back perfectly straight, so it should feel like you are pushing your ass up, rather than letting yourself go down if that makes sense. You don't have to go as low as possible, that's bullshit, what you want is consistency to strengthen the muscles without hurting yourself.

For any of those exercises, if you ever feel them being painful at any point you have to stop. Workout is done for health and aesthetic reasons you don't want to tear something while doing it, and pain is the sign of a high risk of tear.

I might try to find the videos again but this will take time

[dragoninahumancostume]

So you might know that I went to the kinesiologist the other day (I don't remember if I said it but I think I did).

He told me to do an exercise that required a wall to strengthen my ankles. I told him that I didn't have walls because one had my bed and window, the other had my desk and some more furniture, the other had my bed and my library shelf which is like a meter and a half at least and my mirror, and the last one had the door and the wardrobe which isn't a furniture, it's basically a "hole" in the wall. He asked me if I had a smaller furniture to hold on for the exercise instead of a wall. I told him that I had one but I couldn't use it because it had things. He asked me if I could use my desk. I told him that it was right in front of my bed and i didn't fit.

You know what my grandma did? She made me shut up. She told him to ignore me because i was looking for excuses to not do exercise. She ignored me. Unsurprising, yet infuriating. She's done this before, I don't know why I thought she'd actually let me talk freely.

I WANT to exercise, I WANT to do sports. I can't, i hate sports and I have not enough energy to exist half the time and much less exercise. I have work to do before I can actually do it, I haven't been able to form any habits at all and I'm working on it. That's the only reasons I don't work out at all lately.

She thought I was trying to excuse myself from exercise. She thought I was joking. She thought I was trying to be annoying. She thought I was just trying to be funny.

All I wanted was a different version of that exercise that I can do comfortably. All I wanted was to work out happily.

And the worst of all, I CAN'T do things when I'm told to do it. I do them when I feel like I should. She keeps telling me to do it as if it's gonna help at all, but it won't, it's just gonna make me hate it much more than I already do. It's just gonna make me uspet. I'm not even gonna try to do it because it doesn't feel like I do it for me, it doesn't feel like I choose to do it for myself; it feels like I'm being forced into it, it feels like I'm doing it to please someone else, it feels like I'm the worst person ever for not trying as hard as I'm supposed to be trying.

I WANT to exercise. I love exercise, I love working out, and I'd love to play sports if I could see without glasses and I'd love to play sports if I didn't feel uncomfortable about being seen. On top of that, I can't get the energy to exercise if I'm told to do it constantly, I get the energy and motivation when I get the energy and motivation, and being scolded for not doing it doesn't make anything better.

"Listening to your elders" is absolute bullshit when the elders don't even bother to listen to you, and if they do listen, they don't pay attention or they immediately try to argue and prove you wrong.

Adults are not to be trusted, old people are not to be trusted, no one who has any power over me is to be trusted. They're not here for me and for who I am, they're here because they really have no other option. No matter how much they care, it's not that they care about what I want for me, they care about what they think I need and what they think it's best for me.

[tarzantips]

Prenatal Yoga: Benefits for Mom and Baby

Prenatal yoga is becoming more and more popular as a secure and useful means of helping expectant mothers maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.

This type of exercise provides multiple benefits to both mom and baby by combining gentle stretching, breathing exercises, and relaxation.

Let's explore the benefits of prenatal yoga and how it can make your pregnancy journey more comfortable and healthful.

Prenatal Yoga Benefits for Mom and Baby

1. Physical Well-being

Gentle poses and movements that are especially created to meet the changing needs of a pregnant woman's body are the main focus of prenatal yoga.

These workouts strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, and improve general physical health.

The journey to motherhood can be made more comfortable by the slow movements of yoga, which can relieve common discomforts like back pain, swollen ankles, and muscle tension.

2. Emotional Wellness

Prenatal yoga offers mothers a loving space to connect with their developing bodies and growing babies during the often emotionally turbulent time of pregnancy.

Yoga's focus on mindfulness as well as deep breathing reduces tension, anxiety, and mood fluctuations. Frequent practice promotes mental balance and a positive outlook for both mother and child.

3. Bonding with Baby

Maternity yoga supports a closer bond between new mothers and their developing babies.

Moms can connect with their growing baby by tuning into their body's movements and sensations through mindful awareness during yoga sessions.

Including partner poses in yoga classes is another way to involve your partner in bonding.

4. Labor Preparation

Breathing exercises taught in prenatal yoga come in very handy during labor and delivery.

Excited moms can gain helpful techniques for handling the challenges of childbirth by practicing deep belly breathing and focused breath control, which can help manage pain and reduce anxiety.

Read: The Bonding Experience - Connecting with Your Baby during Pregnancy

Also, the flexibility and strength that yoga provides could make an easier labor.

5. Improved Sleep Quality

Sleep disturbances are a common problem for pregnant women, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy.

Yoga for pregnant women helps women relax and reduce stress, which may greatly improve the quality of their sleep.

New mothers can get a better night's sleep by practicing gentle yoga poses and relaxation techniques before bed.

6. Community Support

Prenatal yoga classes provide pregnant women a chance to connect, in addition to the physical and mental health benefits.

During this life-changing journey, first-time mothers can find comfort in sharing their experiences and building a supportive community. This encourages a sense of mutual respect.

What is the difference between prenatal yoga and regular yoga?

Because prenatal yoga is specifically designed for pregnant women, it is separate from regular yoga. It adjusts the exercises to make them comfortable and safe for new moms.

They stay clear of poses in prenatal yoga that might be too demanding or painful for the expanding uterus. Also, they provide specific breathing and relaxation techniques to help with the difficulties of pregnancy.

Pregnant women should avoid certain poses in regular yoga classes as they may not be considered. The main point to remember is that prenatal yoga is designed to be beneficial and safe for new mothers.

How many times a week should I do prenatal yoga?

Prenatal yoga is typically advised for new mothers to practice two or three times a week. You may enjoy the rewards of the practice at this frequency without going overboard.

But it is necessary to pay attention to your body and change the frequency per your state of mind. It can be a good idea to start with one yoga class per week and work your way up if not used to yoga or are pregnant.

As every case may differ, always seek advice from a doctor before beginning any exercise plan during pregnancy. Personalized advice based on your pregnancy status and overall health can be given by them.

Moreover, the secret to a safe and enjoyable prenatal yoga practice is to listen to your body and move at a speed that feels right for you.

more >>>

[lucashealthytips]

7 Beginner Yoga Poses to Get You Through Your First Class

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

What to Know: “The mother of all yoga poses,” according to Ingber, “mountain only looks easy.” This two-footed stance is the foundation for many other positions that require awareness and balance. “It is through this pose that one finds the proper alignment and shape for additional movements,” she says.

How to Do It: Stand with feet together and arms at your side. Ground your feet, making sure to press all four corners down into the ground. Next, straighten your legs, then tuck your tailbone in as you engage your thigh muscles. As you inhale, elongate through your torso and extend your arms up, then out. Exhale and release your shoulder blades away from your head, toward the back of your waist as you release arms back to your sides.

2. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

What to Know: Consider this exercise your reset moment. Simple in design, this easy pose relaxes your nervous system and is a great place to take a breather during class if you need one. Got knee problems? Make sure to lower into this position with extra care.

How to Do It: Start in a kneeling position with toes tucked under. Lower your butt towards your feet as you stretch your upper body forward and down with arms extended. Your stomach should be comfortably resting on thighs, with your forehead touching the mat.

3. Cat/Cow Pose (Marjaryasana to Bitilasana)

What to Know: Cat/cow is a great way to warm up your back, explains Ingber, and get your body ready for downward-facing dog. It also helps address mobility (hello, desk jobs) and work your core without the extra stress on your wrists and shoulders that you might feel in a down dog move.

How to Do It: Begin with hands and knees on the floor, spine neutral and abs engaged. Take a big inhale, then, as you exhale, round your spine up towards the ceiling and tuck your chin towards your chest, releasing your neck. On the next inhale, arch your back and relax your abs. Lift your head and tailbone upwards, being careful not to place any pressure on your neck by moving too quickly or deeply.

RELATED: 50 Resources to Step Up Your Yoga Game

4. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanansana)

What to Know: One of the most recognizable poses of the bunch, down dog is a great way to stretch your back, shoulders, arms, hamstrings and well, just about everything. And it gets you calm and centered, too.

How to Do It: Come onto hands and knees with palms just past your shoulder, fingers pointing forwards. Knees should be under your hips and toes tucked. Lift your hips and press back into a V-shape position with your body. Feet should be hip-width apart. Keep in mind, it’s OK if you can’t get your feet to the floor (your hamstrings might be too tight). Spread through all 10 fingers and toes and move your chest towards your legs.

5. Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

What to Know: The first in the Warrior series, this pose strengthens your legs and opens your hips and chest, while also stretching your arms and legs. While holding this exercise, you’ll see an increase in your concentration and balance — both essential qualities to carry through a yoga practice.

How to Do It: Start in mountain pose. As you exhale, step your left foot back about four feet, so you’re in a lunge position with the right ankle over the right knee. Raise your arms straight overhead, biceps by ears, and turn your left foot about 90 degrees to face the left wall. Align your left heel perpendicular with your right heel. Expand your chest and pull your shoulders back, then lower down toward the floor as you lift your arms up. Make sure your hips stay square to the front, as you continue to breathe.

[viktoriakomova]

Why can’t some gymnasts point their toes? It doesn’t seem to be a matter of coaching/training but that some gymnasts just can’t

it isnt a matter of them not being able to per se, pretty much all of them are physically/mechanically able to extend through their ankle while pushing the toes down.

some gymnasts just anatomically dont have high arches and/or insteps, and some of them cant extend their toes very far down. to some degree the toes thing can be helped with stretching and strengthening exercises for those very specific muscles, but its more about maximizing the potential they have (and your anatomy determines the "ceiling" of how much it can help, if that makes sense?). so they'll never have amazing feet but they can make what they've got work. that might be what you're talking about

and then there are the gymnasts whose feet are fine but it is indeed a matter of training lol. it does take effort to keep your knees straight and foot fully pointed, especially in the calf muscles (for pointed foot fully extending through the ankle) and the quads (for locking and holding the straight knee). if it isnt drilled into your head from a young age that you NEED to be doing that on handstands and splits etc, its likely to slip a little when you're doing more complex stuff and your brain is focused on successfully executing something like a straddled tkatchev, for example.

i always think about how after london aly was starting her comeback and she posted some photo on her story of her working on stretching her feet out.... her toe point is honestly not terrible, when she ACTUALLY points them.... like thats not going to help you when your problem is that on bars you're doing handstands and releases and the muscles on top of your feet are doing practically no work to keep your foot in a pointed position lmao

[girlboss-molina]

Be Who You Are (No Compromise)

A Julie and the Phantoms Modern Royalty AU

Chapter 1: Introductions

AO3 Link

Words: 5543

-----

Alex POV

...

Of course. 

Of fucking course.

He’d known it was coming, yeah, but that didn’t change the fact that, despite his friendship with Princess Julie, Alex had no desire to marry her. And now, after begging not to be married off, he was still stuck in this deal.

It had nothing to do with Julie herself, of course; Julie was a kind, loving, musical girl around his age. The issue was that he was gay. Marrying a girl was not something he was interested in. 

Julie knew Alex was gay; he’d come out to her after he was sure she would accept him, which he knew she would after she mentioned her best friend being a lesbian, and her being bisexual herself. Needless to say, neither of them had been thrilled by the announcement a couple years back that they would be getting married, for more reasons than the fact that nobody wants to be in an arranged marriage. 

And now, in three months time, he would be at the alter with a girl he wasn’t in love with. 

Alex knew it wouldn’t be that bad; in fact, he and Julie were quite close friends. Their kingdoms, Tambor and Dahlia respectively, were close allies. But for some godforsaken reason, their leaders had felt the need to strengthen their allyship by setting up their heirs in an arranged marriage. Had Alex been the oldest, this wouldn’t have been the case. However, it wouldn’t be him, but his older sister, Ava, taking the throne of Tambor. 

He, along with his guards, would be travelling to Dahlia this evening. He hated that it was so soon. Not that he wasn’t excited to see Julie, he was, but it was the reason that put a knot in his stomach.

Alex allowed himself one more panic attack before getting ready. As a treat.

The warm sun streaming into his room felt out of place with the dread settling in his stomach, and his breath choked, his heart racing, salty tears streaming down his face. He clenched his hands into fists and back out, trying to calm himself despite the emotional release. His nails dug into his palm, not hard enough to cut, but enough to leave little indents that he then ran his fingertips across. 

Trying to pull himself together, he stood - albeit shakily - and walked across the soft, carpeted floor to his full-length mirror, pleasantly surprised as he noted that he wasn’t as big of a mess as he’d expected, given his previous panic. 

A knock on his door alerted him that his head butler was there to help him get ready for the jet ride.

“Your highness, are you alright?”

Alex didn’t answer, grateful for Luke’s steady voice outside his door.

“He’s a little panicky at the moment. Maybe give him a few minutes to settle?” he suggested, and Alex hoped Luke was receiving the strong thank you vibes he was trying to transmit telepathically. 

Any time Alex had a panic attack, he was semi-verbal. He could speak if he really, really tried, but it generally took a great deal of effort. He and Luke had a system, though; if Alex needed support during a panic attack, he would fake-sneeze three times, and Luke would come in from his station outside Alex’s door. 

Alex allowed himself another minute to calm his breathing and wipe the tears from his face, practicing the grounding exercise Julie had taught him. 

Inhale- 1, 2, 3, 4

Hold- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Exhale- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

It helped a lot, and soon he was able to straighten his hair and begin changing into the suit his tailors had made just for this occasion. 

Another knock echoed from his door, and Alex took one final deep breath to compose himself. 

“Come in,” he said, proud of how steady his voice was. 

The butler entered; a kind man named Erik, who Alex had gotten to know over the past month or so. His olive skin shone in the afternoon light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. 

Alex dressed himself, for the most part; having butlers help him dress was never something he particularly enjoyed. He allowed Erik to smooth his white dress shirt, though; no matter how many times Alex had practiced tucking in his shirts, they always ended up wrinkled. 

He slid the navy suit vest over the shirt once it was nice and smooth, fastening the thick buttons over his stomach. Minimalistic gold embroidery on the vest sparkled in the light, and Alex couldn’t help but smile at the bit of flair. He’d been half-hoping that his matching navy pants would have a bit of sparkle as well, but to no avail. Probably for the best, he decided. Just a little touch was enough. 

He fixed the cuff of his sleeve, taking a breath as Erik reached up with a comb to fix his hair. It was simple but refined, how it always was. 

“Erik, you’ve outdone yourself with this one, bro!” Alex said excitedly. He might not be very pleased about being in an arranged marriage, but he could appreciate a good suit. “I love the details.”

“I’m glad you like it!” Erik beamed with the praise. “May I?” he asked, reaching for Alex’s shoulders. Alex nodded, and Erik smoothed the vest’s warm fabric, readjusting the hem until it was aligned perfectly. 

He might not have been the type of guy to always wear suits, unless necessary, but Alex had to admit it. He looked good. The slim fit outlined his muscles, and the deep blue of the vest and pants brought out the bluish tints in his blue-green-grey eyes. (nobody could seem to decide what color they actually were). The small touches of golden embroidery shone and somehow managed to accentuate the sun-born highlights in his hair. 

“You look wonderful, your highness.”

“Thanks, Erik. And you can call me Alex, we’re chill.” Alex had been insisting to Erik that he could be casual around him for months, but Erik still generally referred to him as “your highness.”

“Alex,” he corrected with a broad smile. “Well, Alex, you have a photoshoot for the press in ten minutes, so if there’s anything else I can do to get you ready, don’t hesitate to ask. Though I must say, you look awesome.” Alex let out a small laugh. 

“Thanks, dude. Oh, wait, before you go, could you tell me something?”

“Of course,” Erik replied. Alex put on his Serious Face.

“Do these pants make my butt look big?” Erik bust out laughing, and Alex couldn’t help but do the same. 

...

Three hours later, Alex was finally done with an exhaustive photoshoot. He hated having his picture taken; add that to the list of anxieties. He had to make sure he looked perfect, or everything could go wrong; that was what his parents had drilled into him from the moment he had his first real photoshoot. 

Of course, he still had to endure an interview with the Tambor Times Magazine, which he was dreading. Speaking to an overeager journalist with no respect for privacy was never something he looked forward to. 

“What are your thoughts on the marriage that has been arranged between you and Her Royal Highness, Princess Julie of Dahlia?” Alex cleared his throat.

“It’s definitely a unique situation,” he started. “I mean, not every nineteen-year-old is part of an arranged marriage.” He did his best to keep his voice light, and it must’ve worked, because the journalist gave a laugh and moved on. 

“If I may, what is your current relationship with her?”

“The princess and I share a close bond,” was the only answer he gave. “If you’ll excuse me, I must be going,” he added. “I have a flight to catch.” He grinned - He didn’t have to catch any flight. He would be on the royal family private jet. But the journalist smiled and shook his hand, instructing him to have a wonderful evening, and he did the same. 

The bit about catching a flight wasn’t entirely false, though; soon, he had wished his parents a good evening and boarded the jet with his suitcases, hoping to leave his anxiety in Tambor.

-----

Julie POV

...

So.

Here’s the thing. 

Julie liked Alex, she really did. He was one of her closest friends (princesses don’t get out much). But he was gay, And Julie was decidedly Not A Guy. Plus, they both knew their connection was strongest platonically, anyway. 

Of course, none of that matters in diplomacy. 

Julie had tried many, many times to get out of the arranged marriage. But she’d just turned eighteen, and Alex nineteen, and apparently their kingdoms had no such qualms about marrying off teenagers. 

At least her dad, King Ray, had tried to get her out of it. But even as king, there was only so much he could do; everybody except for him thought it was a grand idea, because Of Course They Did. And once the public had heard the news, when she was sixteen, Julie couldn’t look out her window without seeing photographers outside the palace gates for a week. 

She supposed there was nothing she could do about it now, though, no matter how much she wanted to, for her sake and Alex’s. 

At least he was someone she got along with well. She knew they would never be in love, for multiple reasons, but she wouldn’t be unhappy. Alex might, though. They’d stayed up late on many a night, him rambling about cute guys he’d seen amongst the palace staff or on his occasional trip to the city, her chatting about songs she’d been writing and the one guy she’d had a crush on, Nick. 

Nick was the son of a nobleman her dad was very close with, and they were good friends, but she’d never acted on her little crush. Her feelings for Nick hadn’t really gone anywhere, it was just a lingering crush she’d had for a few years, but one that had faded with time.

Julie sighed, smoothing out her dress. It was simple but elegant, with a little bit of Julie flair. The silky violet fabric was cut in a slim fit to her waist, before gently flaring outwards towards her ankles. Off-the-shoulder straps revealed the dark skin of her shoulders, and the pearly embroidery of dahlia flowers around her waist shone in the light, tapering off as she twirled, though as she practiced her camera smile, it didn’t reach her eyes. 

Alex was her friend, but neither of them wanted to get married. But she’d tried her hardest to get them out of it, to no avail. 

So, as she sat down at her vanity, Julie closed her eyes and reminded herself the words her mother used to tell her every time she was scared. 

It’ll all be okay, Jules. You’re strong, and you’re a diamond in the rough.

The words settled her stomach a little bit. 

Her lady-in-waiting, Mira, knocked on her door. 

“Come in,” Julie said. Mira bustled in, her flaming red hair pulled into a messy bun, her brown eyes sparkling. 

“Oh, Jules, you look lovely.” Julie smiled.

“Thanks, Mira. How’s my hair?” Julie reached up to smooth her curls, which had been combed back and woven into a thick, braided knot at the base of her neck.  

“Almost perfect, but it needs a little something,” Mira decided with a smirk. Julie had no idea what Mira had in mind, but she knew she would love it. 

Before either of them could say another word, Flynn walked into Julie’s room, followed by her girlfriend, Carrie. 

“Hey, underachiever,” Flynn greeted with a smile.

“Hey, disappointment!”

“Dude,” Flynn said, a serious look on her face. “That dress is the shit!” Carrie nodded enthusiastically. 

“A definite look.”

“Thanks guys,” Julie said with a grin. “I love it, too! Mira’s got some sort of magic in her hands, because this is one of my favorites for sure.” Mira blushed. 

“Well, I’m not quite done,” she admitted. “Jules, your color scheme is pink, purple, and blue, usually, right?”

“Yeah, usually! I can always get behind some other colors, though.”

“Of course. But I think for this dress, the pink-purple-blue scheme would fit the best.”

“Definitely,” Carrie jumped in. “The purple mediates the pink and blue, so those are like side accents.” 

“I like this one,” Mira decided, pointing at Carrie. Carrie flipped her hair and smiled. “But yes. So, I was thinking for your hair, we could weave in some thin ribbons in those colors? It would be super simple, wouldn’t even have to take it out and restyle it.”

“Work your magic,” Julie instructed. Mira grinned excitedly and set to work, sitting Julie down at the vanity.

“Okay, Jules,” Flynn sighed. “I know you don’t want me to ask this, but are you doing okay?” Carrie took Flynn’s arm and nodded. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. Either of you.”

“I’ll be fine,” Julie decided. She didn’t want to marry Alex, and she knew he felt the same way. “At least it’s not somebody I hate, though. Alex and I get along really well.”

“I know,” Carrie added. “But that doesn’t mean you have to be okay.” A single tear rolled down Julie’s cheek, and she was grateful she hadn’t done her makeup yet.

“Thanks. To be honest, I’m not really okay, but I’ll live. And besides, it’s not for another three months. And having another friend around for a few months will be nice. Before, you know, I have to marry him.” Flynn let out a sad laugh. 

“If I may add my input,” Mira began, “I’ve always hated the prospect of arranged marriages. At the very least, both people should have to agree with it.” Julie nodded, quickly stopping when she felt the ribbons Mira was weaving into her hair tug. “Sorry,” she added. “I’ll be done in just a moment.”

“I agree,” Carrie said. “It’s stupid. Dahlia and Tambor are already allies, so why are they even doing this?”

“I’m not sure, to be honest. My dad says it’s to ‘strengthen agreeability between our separate civilians.’ But at least tried to get me out of it,” she added. “King Xavier and Queen Claire both thought it was a great idea.” Julie had always held some bitterness towards Alex’s parents, given their closed-mindedness and apathy towards minorities and less fortunate people. Alex had always felt the same, and avoided coming out to them for those reasons. 

“Well, I personally think it’s homophobic that my best friend is being forced to be part of an arranged marriage,” Flynn decided, “because I’m gay and it annoys me. Plus, you know, she doesn’t want to be part of it.” Julie couldn’t help but laugh at that, as did Mira. 

“All done with the ribbons,” she said, handing Julie a mirror to see the back of her head. 

“Oh, Mira, I love it!” The ribbons were braided through her thick hair, swooping around the knot, twisting through her own curls and holding the hairstyle together perfectly. Both pretty and practical. 

“I’m glad!” Mira looked very proud of herself, for a good reason. Julie’s lady-in-waiting was definitely a woman to be admired (and feared - she’d taken down a full-grown man in a self defense class, while wearing heels). Julie could walk in heels, even run in them, but she’d tried fighting in them, and failed miserably. She might’ve been competent fighting in regular shoes, but heels were a different story. Mira, though, could do it all. 

Mira’s phone dinged. 

“Oh, Jules, it’s time for the pre-meetup photoshoot!”

“Got it. Thanks, Mira, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Forget about your photoshoots, probably.”

…

The photoshoot involved lots of candid shots of her in the garden, doing her best to look serene, and not show the anxiety bubbling in her stomach. But somehow, she actually managed to get through it without losing it. 

“Wonderful, miss. Turn towards me, look to your left- yes, perfect.” The photographer’s voice faded as she obeyed his instructions, a human robot running correctly but with wandering thoughts. 

“You look so natural, miss!” he complimented. Julie offered a smile, returning to her thoughts. There had to be a way to get her and Alex out of this. But she couldn’t think of any that wasn’t treasonous, illegal, or flat-out stupid. Of course, as a teenage girl, she felt she deserved to be a little stupid sometimes, but apparently that was “unbecoming of a princess” and “a bad influence.” Personally, she just thought that was biphobic.

-----

Luke POV

...

Luke hadn’t ever traveled much, let alone to a neighboring kingdom, so needless to say, he was pumped to get to visit Dahlia for three months at least. His hope was that, even though no one involved wanted the marriage to happen, they could find a bright side in him getting to stay with his best friend. 

Of course, that didn’t change the fact that he felt bad for his charge and best friend, Alex. He knew Alex was gay; in fact, they’d “dated” for a few weeks when they were fourteen. But even after deciding they were better as friends, they were close, maybe even closer afterwards. Luke told Alex everything; he didn’t know if he had a secret that Alex didn’t know. 

Everyone in the palace was used to seeing him and Alex wandering the grounds, goofing off, messing around in the music studio, what have you. Technically, Luke was a junior guardsman, and given his bond with the prince, had been assigned (along with an actual guard) to be his security detail. That had evolved into an even stronger friendship, though. Years passed, and soon they were inseparable. 

Luke had done his best to cheer up Alex; seeing his best friend that upset was heartbreaking. But there was nothing he could actually do to help, so he settled for laying next to Alex on the floor and staring at the high ceilings.

An hour passed, and soon the afternoon sun was streaming into Alex’s room. Luke saw Alex drag a hand down his face. 

“I guess you should start getting ready, then?” he asked.

“Probably.” Luke patted his shoulder. “Do you think it would be too drastic to fake my death?” Luke laughed, knowing Alex was joking, though it wouldn’t have actually surprised him. Alex and Julie were friends, but neither of them wanted to get married. Especially not the gay guy, very publicly, to a girl. 

Luke stood up, giving Alex a mock salute, and walked out the door, closing it behind him. 

He stood there for a few minutes, straightening his back as a senior guardsman passed him. He ducked his head in a nod, relaxing a moment later. As much as he might’ve come off as a chill guy, he was worried for Alex; even more so when he heard Alex’s breathing quicken from the other side of the wall, his footsteps pacing back and forth. 

The panic attack shouldn’t have surprised him. Alex had clinical anxiety, and this was probably one of the most stress-inducing times of his life. Being forced into an arranged marriage - even if you’re friends with the other person - is no fun for anybody. And today he would be going to the Dahlia palace to stay for three months before the ceremony.

Luke fiddled with the hem of his jacket; it was charcoal black, and thick and protective, with eight buttons on the wide front, crossing his chest. He’d gotten used to it, but despite that, he still started sweating in the warm weather of Tambor. The red sash crossing over the jacket had golden embroidery on the edges, and he quite enjoyed running his fingers over the textured thread. 

Luke could still hear Alex panicking, but there were no sets of three fake sneezes in between the rapid breaths, so he stayed. Alex was able to recognize when he needed support, and when he needed to be left alone. 

Luke spotted Erik nearing him. He couldn’t stop him, but Erik was aware of Alex’s anxiety, so Luke wasn’t concerned. He smiled at Erik, giving him a look, warning him that Alex was having a panic attack. Erik nodded, knocking gently on the door. 

“Your highness, are you alright?” When Alex didn’t respond, Luke jumped in. 

“He’s a little panicky at the moment. Maybe give him a few minutes to settle?” Erik nodded, and Luke gave a relieved smile. 

“You look nervous as well,” Erik noted. 

“Well, I am, a little bit,” Luke admitted. “I’ve never been to Dahlia, but I’m going with Alex since I’m his head guard and Royal Best Dude™.” Erik grinned. “I’m excited, though! I bet it’ll be a lot of fun.”

“I’m so jealous,” Erik told him. “I’ve never been outside of Tambor.”

“I’m worried for Alex, though. He’s really nervous.”

“Yeah,” Erik agreed, a flicker of understanding rushing across his face that made Luke smile despite himself. If he was being honest, Luke had a tiny crush on Erik, but nothing substantial. “I mean, it’s gotta suck being closeted to everyone but a few people, and having to marry a girl.” Luke nodded. 

“I wish there was something we could do about it.”

…

Luke stood guard off-camera while Alex had his pre-meetup photoshoot and interview. It was what he always did, though this time it felt different, like he was a silent supporter during a tough time, now more than ever. 

If nothing else, he could reassure Alex that he looked fabulous in his suit - it wasn’t a lie, either. The navy blue fabric complimented his eyes perfectly, and the golden details were a stunning addition. Tie that with his sharp jaw and awkward, endearing personality? Anybody would simp for him. He had a feeling that many people did, too; Some of Alex’s best photos from these shoots would be printed in the Tambor Times Magazine, and he would also post some - as well as his own selfies - on his instagram. Luke had seen the comments, and always smirked at Alex given the amount of heart-eyed emojis and key smashes there were. 

Luke stood behind the cameraman for the candid shots where they needed Alex to be smiling or laughing. No matter how much he practiced, Alex could never get a good candid smile, so Luke took it upon himself to stand behind the photographer making faces, or occasionally imitating their every move with mock seriousness. 

When Alex’s musical laugh rang through the air, Luke patted himself on the back. 

Worked every time. 

He worked his magic for a few more shots afterwards, doing his best to make Alex laugh. It wasn’t just for the photos, though, it was to help him settle down. Luke knew this was a horrible situation, but there was nothing he could do to stop it, so he’d have to try to make it more bearable. 

After Alex’s interview, Luke could tell that the reality of the situation was hitting him even more, as a flicker of fear shadowed his face, his hands clenched into fists. Luke walked towards him slowly, making sure Alex was okay with it, and when he didn’t retract, he put his hand on his shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze.

“It’ll be okay,” he promised. And as Alex seemed to relax, nodding and pulling Luke into a hug, that was when he knew.

Alex was his best friend, and didn’t deserve any of this pain or fear. He deserved for things to be okay.

Luke would keep that promise, no matter what.

-----

Reggie POV

...

Reggie knew he was Princess Julie’s honorary older brother; it had been that way for years, after he ran away from his own pathetic excuse for a home. He was lucky King Ray was a kind man; he could’ve just as easily left him there where he’d found him, a nine-year-old in the street of the raining Dahlia capital city. But he’d taken Reggie in, and soon, Reggie was part of the royal family, even if not by blood. 

Now, given that he was Julie’s honorary older brother, he hated that she was being put into an arranged marriage. She was eighteen, for God’s sake! Reggie was nineteen, and knew for a fact he wouldn’t have been able to handle it nearly as gracefully as she did. Then again, while she was young, playful, and vibrant, Julie was also the epitome of grace and poise; she’d grown up in a palace, after all. 

Needless to say, though, Reggie was sure he wouldn’t be able to not be protective of Julie when Prince Alexander came. He’d met him before, but only briefly; in passing after dinner during visits, mostly. It did help Reggie’s nerves to remember that Alexander was a very sweet, reserved person from his own interactions with the man. But that was his little sister, and while she wasn’t completely devastated, Reggie knew she didn’t want it to happen. 

He dragged a hand down his face, flopping down on his bed. He wanted so badly to help Julie out of this, but he couldn’t. 

Hey, at least he could cheer her up with his jokes! She always said they were awful, but Reggie knew better. Only the finest of jokes could make Her Royal Highness, Princess Julie Molina of Dahlia, laugh until her sides hurt, even coming from her honorary older brother, Sir Reginald Molina. 

He smiled to himself. He might not be able to stop this whole predicament, but he could help her through it.

Reggie hopped up, fixing his suit. The silky red fabric of the vest hadn’t creased at all, nor had his grey suit pants, and yet he still felt the need. He did, however, roll the sleeves of his black dress shirt to expose his forearms, because come on. Even with Dahlia’s cool climate, he still got hot, especially when the sun was streaming through his windows, and he had a few photos outside before Prince Alexander’s arrival. Plus, it didn’t hurt that, according to his Instagram followers, the rolled sleeves made him look “personable” and “hotter than the sun.” 

Reggie ran a finger over the shimmering black embroidery of the vest, then winking at the mirror and pulling his best finger guns. It was his god-given right as a fancy bisexual. 

He ran his hand through his expertly-styled hair, letting some of his waves free from their stiff hold. It wasn’t the perfect style it had been when his butler styled it a couple hours ago, but it was more of his own style, which he liked a bit better. Spinning on his heel and slipping a hand in his pocket, Reggie walked out his door and down the light-filled corridor, down to the front steps, waving to Mira along the way. As he stepped outside, he heard people outside of the palace gates start shouting. He gave a wink and playful salute, even daring to blow a kiss in the general direction of a cute girl. He noticed Julie rolling her eyes, the photographer seizing the moment to take some shots of him on the palace steps. 

He jogged over to Julie, wrapping his arm around her. 

“How are you doing, your highness?”

“I’m doing okay,” she said, though both of them knew it was a lie. “How about you, Reg?”

“I’m okay as well. Just popping in to see my fangirls-” he winked at the crowd behind the gate, and a chorus of teenage girls (and a few boys) all sighed dreamily- “and check on you. We both know you’re lying.” Julie groaned.

“This whole thing just sucks.”

“Tell me about it,” he agreed. “But I’ll be here for you every step of the way. You know that, right dude?”

“You’re such a sappy loser,” she told him, and he put her in a playful headlock, posing for the camera.

“I know.” Reggie might’ve been a “sappy loser” of a brother, but he knew that, in Julie’s book, he was a sappy loser (affectionate), and that she understood that he was there for her. 

Hopefully that would be enough. 

-----

Willie POV

...

Willie had never actually gotten to know Princess Julie, but he’d met her a couple times. He was a chef in the palace kitchens, and on occasion, Julie would come down to try to get to know people. He’d never truly had a long conversation with her, but in the interactions they’d had, she was kind, and had a musical air to her. 

He’d seen pictures of the prince she was set to marry, Prince Alexander of Tambor. If Willie was being honest, he was kind of cute.

Okay, really cute. 

He’d never actually met the guy, but he seemed nice. His photos on Instagram had good vibes, at least. Willie couldn’t help but hope he’d get to meet him when he came to visit. If it was just because his brain was screaming cute boy, that was nobody’s business but his. 

Willie sprinkled more flour on the dough he was kneading, folding it in some more. It was cathartic, this repetitive motion. It helped calm his ADHD sometimes. He kept going.

Sprinkle. Fold. Roll.

Sprinkle. Fold. Roll.

Kneading the dough until it wasn’t sticky, he listened to the head chef, Lilian, shout orders at the rest of them. She was a very intimidating woman, tall and muscular, with raven black hair in a sleek ponytail, and fair skin flecked with flour. But she was quite kind, Willie had come to learn over the years. She was just one of those people who scared you if you didn’t know them. 

He put the dough in a pan, setting it in the oven and flicking on the light so he could monitor its progress, as could anyone else walking by. Wiping the flour from his hands to his apron, he then put his dishes and utensils in the giant dishwasher, finally washing his hands and grabbing a new bowl. 

Tonight was the welcome feast for Prince Alexander. Willie and a few others were in charge of baking loaves of bread for the appetizers, as well as making the desserts; today, mini chocolate mousse cakes. 

Dessert was always Willie’s favorite course to prepare, and not just because he could steal bits of frosting from the spatulas after he was finished. It was also because of how making desserts seemed to put everyone in the kitchens in a good mood. Maybe it was the smell of rising sugar, or the bright colors of the tubs of sprinkles, but he adored it. 

He cracked the eggs into the mixture of butter and sugar, adding the milk and flour soon after. As he poured in the cocoa powder, a little bit poofed up, creating a chocolatey cloud. The noise of the mixture did nothing to silence his racing thoughts, though. 

Would he get to meet Prince Alexander?

Would he like him?

And most importantly, why did he want to so badly? 

Willie shook his head, doling the batter into mini cake pans and tapping them on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles, sticking them in an oven after it beeped to temperature. 

Another oven beeped.

“Hey, Alyssa?” he called to a plump woman a few meters away. “Could you check on the bread in that oven to your right?” She nodded and leaned down, giving him a thumbs up.

“Probably needs another minute or so, but it looks great.”

“Sick, thanks!” Alyssa nodded and smiled, her dyed-purple hair shimmering in its bun. 

Willie grabbed the ingredients he would need for the mousse, arranged them on the counter, then jogged over to the other oven and pulled out the bread - without putting on oven mitts.

He hissed in pain but didn’t let go, quickly putting it on the stovetop and running to a sink to run his fingers under cold water.

Willie already had tons of scars and calluses on his hands, both from cooking and skateboarding on his off-days, so the burn didn’t hurt nearly as bad as it would’ve a few years ago. And by some miracle, it didn’t blister - though it did swell and turn red. Willie cursed under his breath, heading to the first-aid kit and smearing some ointment on it and covering it with a bandage. 

“Let me guess,” said Lilian from behind him. “You forgot oven mitts again?”

“Guilty,” he said with a grin. Lilian sighed, but didn’t manage to hide her smile. 

“Willie, you need to be more careful. I know your brain always has, like twenty thoughts going at all times, but you could hurt yourself.”

“Twenty-three,” he corrected. “And I know, but you only live once, and I didn’t want the bread to burn.”

“Five seconds to grab a mitt wouldn’t burn the bread.”

“Hey, there’s a first time for everything.” Lilian rolled her eyes and gently swatted him on the shoulder. It wasn’t a mean move, of course, it was her saying she was exasperated but that she cared about you. Willie laughed and went back to his mixing bowl, getting ready to prepare the mousse.

This would be perfect.

[soysaucevictim]

Okay. Starting fresh.

New program, technically a revisit. But Week 1 is go...

-

Oct. 4

I woke up around/after 11AM.

Addressed some things, including finally doing some finalization of the “previous chapter“ shit I mentioned last time. Going back over the past 1-2 months, only logging art/writing I finished, that family reunion, and prior appointments. Everything else? I just had to let go with [???]s.

Had a phone therapy appointment which went well enough.

Got going with laundry while I continued to work on my Miniday Log. Also ate and watched some YouTube before earnestly getting back on the wagon.

First, today’s DD. 40 W-extensions with EC. Very manageable work - especially given how long I’ve went without exercise.

Last, Day 1 of the Foundation Program (v3.0.0.) Something fairly mild to get through, but hopefully a sign for the good. I managed Level 3 without resting very easily. Might wonder if my obliques will be a little sore in a few days - because side jacks can sneak up on you a little bit. I admit. I also got a little emotional doing this.

Spent much of the rest of my day chatting and whatnot. I did manage to get to bed before 1AM and in my green zone.

-

Oct. 5

Initially woke up around 8AM... but soon napped again until about noon.

Prepared some notes and attended a psych appointment. Went well enough. I think going in with this resolve to try to pick myself up helped.

Once done, me and dad also went for a groceries trip. Was pretty tired from everything after that... gaming and whatnot. But I did get in exercise, if rather late.

First, today’s DD. 2′ biceps extensions with EC. I counted 235 reps by the end of it. Did take a bit of digging in, but not too tough.

Last, Day 2 of the FP. Level 3, no rest. Strength Day. Left knee complained a little bit with my form – but still grateful for me doing a low impact sort of WO. I know I’m going to need to recondition those articulations again... after everything.

Despite being kind of overtired, I got to bed in the red zone... like around 4AM.

-

Oct. 6

I woke up around 2PM.

Spent some time gaming and watching YouTube, before making dinner - firecracker meatballs. It was tasty and I also did the dishes afterwards. It was fun being able to chat with a friend while I worked.

I then got going on my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 1′ shoulder taps with EC (from plank). I counted 80 reps, I believe. Manageable. Felt a bit of strain in the insertions of my pecs, though.

Last, Day 3 of the FP. Level 3, no rest. Fast Pace Cardio. It was an interesting endeavor just to test to see if my headset would remain on my head, especially during the high knee reps. But this was pretty easy.

I went to bed even later than yesterday, getting distracted by games and YouTube.

-

Oct. 7

I woke up around the same time as yesterday, I think.

Spent most of the day gaming and whatnot. Pretty much nothing else, before doing my exercise rather late again.

First, today’s DD. 30 jumping lunges with EC. I had a bit of trepidation here - given some complaints from left knee/leg of late. But I could do it, left a bit winded at the end.

Last, Day 4 of the FP. Level 3, no rest. Tendon Strengthening Day. A fun one and a necessary one for aforementioned joint issues. Especially for the hip. Did feel a bit of upperbody tiredness holding that knee plank with little break.

Basically pulled an all-nighter with the same time-wasting nonsense.

-

Oct. 8

I woke up around 3PM. Ah well.

Spent most of my day gaming and chatting with a friend - including reading to him a fic I really enjoyed.

Yet another instance of getting workout done way late. Pffft.

First, today’s DD. 2′ side jacks with EC. I counted 72 reps, by the time was up. This was a bit of a slower exercise - mostly because large ROM and low impact nature. Doable.

Last, Day 5 of the FP. Level 3, no rest. More side jacks to do here and I loved revisiting half jacks for the first time in awhile. Left ankle did make me feel more cautious. But yeah, looking forward to rekindling this love further.

I stayed up far too late again - barely before considered an all-nighter.

[metaldragoon]

I feel like I’ve been gone decades, but it’s only been about 15 months since my last post. It’s nice to see that after years of bitterly seeing all my GIFs and screencaps get 2 notes while Joeshmo Clownman rakes in the notes, that I am now the entitled no-talent scrub who gets 4,000 notes on everything. Just some updates on my life if anyone cares, I guess.  Not much has particularly changed, I still do the same job in the same house with the same wife and dog.  I started focusing a lot more on my physical fitness.  Not that I’m by any means cut, but I’m somewhere around 190-195 lbs (at 6′4″) and I run roughly 50KM a week.  I started the 50KM every week goal back in July I believe, and it was pretty therapeutic for me.  As a previously mentioned big boi I have some horrible knees, and mangled toes and sprained ankles from wearing shoes that are too small all my life.  In 2014 I stopped running and shortly thereafter soccer and basketball because of all the constant injuries.  I don’t really have any outlets to express my self and losing sports was pretty hard on me. Thanks to the power of the internet and some MRIs over the years I became confident I could regain my former activities as none of my issues were degenerative and would just take focus on specific exercises to strengthen the surrounding muscles.  I still hate doing workouts so it’s a struggle, but being able to run is a fantastic thing.  I started my comeback tour with swimming last winter.  I’m not a particularly good swimmer and unfortunately COVID shut all that down in March, I would like to go back because it’s pretty guiltless exercise as it is extremely low impact, but oh well.  There’s a jarring amount of penises in a swimming locker room when you first get in there, but soon we’re all apart of the penis gang and having a great time. Anyways, back to running.  I have been doing 2 half marathons every week for the past 3 weeks now, which is a really short time frame, but the progression has been pretty rapid which is really comforting.  I went from barely being able to lift my legs because how sore my hips were to dropping 6 minutes off my run 2 days later, when back in 2014 I’d be sore for days.  I’ve already eclipsed all my running PRs from when I was younger (though I also hardly tracked them back then) and while I am a grandpa at the age of 29 I have been studying a lot of long distance runners and I have like, at least 10 more years of an athletic prime if I keep up my health, which is nice to know because by 29 you’re curbside trash in the NBA. Moving away from my athletic passions because none of my friends care about that, I have recently found out I am “dismissive avoidant” as an attachment style, which is kinda cool? I say that because there’s lots of things to call yourself to feel marginalised but I never felt there was something wrong with me that “clicked.” Sure, I am depressed, anxious, and am introverted, but who the hell isn’t?! I say kinda cool because on the one side it’s like “ohhhh that’s what’s wrong, my parents never provided any emotional support and I taught myself to not express my self because no one cares!”  And from that I’ve also learned that everyone should just learn to deal with their own problems.  It also says I’m narcissistic which was interesting because I’d never really considered my self that because I always keep to my self, but upon reflection I think it to be pretty true.  I mean, it might appear self-evident to anyone reading this as this is the 5th paragraph about me talking about my self, to a bunch of strangers, and expecting them to care, but I wouldn’t ever be like this in real life.  And you might also think I seem pretty open about my emotions with posts like this, but I feel this is the depth of me.  If anyone actually wanted to talk to me about my problems I would block it out because I don’t like the feeling of vulnerability and I will shut a person out of my life entirely before saying I feel insecure about something.  

But with that to feel comfortable about and fall asleep to, I also feel kinda sad about it because it just makes me another statistic of the many dismissive avoidants of the world, and like them, I’ll probably be content enough with who I am all my life to never strive for improvement. With all that said, a few final comments.  Final Fantasy 7 Remake was trash,  Hollow Knight is fantastic, Catherine Full Body was pretty good, and Yakuza Kiwami was also surprisingly really good.  Every other game I’ve played in the past year either wasn’t new (to me) or I don’t feel particularly strongly about it that I need to say something about it.

[scripttorture]

So, I've got a character who I need to keep from walking. The torturer has a decent knowledge of anatomy and surgical procedures, but no actual surgical tools. I was thinking something like hamstringing. Which muscles or tendons would need to be severed? What are the odds of recovery? Would that fully cripple someone or just severely inhibit their ability to walk?

I’d strongly suggest that you don’t give the torturer uncommon knowledge of surgery or anatomy. Torture is not skilled and it is not clever. Torturers will often claim that it is and that they have extra special abilities, but that’s not borne out by studies of their behaviour.

 I don’t think we should feed into their delusions.

 That said generally this seems like a pretty solid scenario and the kinds of things you want the torturer to do don’t require special knowledge. Look at this way: you (presumably not a qualified surgeon but my apologies if you are) instantly jumped to hamstringing as a possible solution, no extra knowledge required.

 There are a few options open to you. Most of them would allow the victim character to walk again with modern medical treatments. There’s also… a bit of a range in terms of how much they inhibit walking.

 A few years ago I would have said that hamstringing would completely inhibit anyone’s ability to walk. Then a dear friend of mine managed to essentially hamstring himself. He had a muscle/ligament tear which (through a combination of not getting time off work and bad medical care and going along to take part in pro-wrestling anyway) grew into a grade three tear.

 That essentially means that the muscles and ligaments in one leg detached.

 He was still walking. However this problem grew worse over a period of months-years, he was in chronic pain and he essentially deformed his legs/back as other muscles compensated for his bad leg.

 He had surgery to reattach his muscles recently. With several months recovery (I think it was about a month and a half of virtually no walking) and strengthening exercises he is walking again. His stamina is not what it was and (his words) he’ll never be an athlete.

 But he’s mobile and no longer in constant pain.

 I suspect that a lot of people in my friend’s position would not have been able to walk with those injuries. He apparently has a very high pain threshold for this sort of pain. It’s also significant that the injury was only in one leg; the body can adjust and compensate for quite a lot.

 So for muscular and ligament damage I’d suggest the kind of physical recovery my friend went through: surgery with at least a month of no walking, followed by several months of strength exercises and gradually building up ability again.

 To completely prevent walking the injuries would probably have to be in both legs.

 Severing the achilles tendon (the one that runs down the back of the calf to the ankle) would probably be the most obvious and common way to do this. It’s hamstringing.

 I think a similar effect could be achieved by attacking the tendons and muscles at the back of the knees. It should still be possible to do this without damaging the major veins and arteries in the legs. It would be more difficult. There’s also a chance of severing one of the major nerves in the leg and that would cause damage that couldn’t be repaired.

 There’s- basically a lot more stuff around the knee then around the achilles tendon. And in order to produce the same kind of injury at the knee more tendons and muscles would need to be severed or damaged. I think (remember I am not a medic) that the muscles and tendons targetted in that area would be the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus.

 This would be a much more protracted attack and more complicated to… do in a way that produces the results the torturer wants.

 The reason I’m suggesting it is that I think recovery would be longer and more complex. And I get the impression that’s something you might want for your story.

 With more muscles and tendons damaged (possibly to different degrees) and the chance of nerve damage, surgery would probably be more complicated. It might involve several procedures (again, not a medic). Strengthening exercises would also be more complicated because they’d need to account for damage in more areas.

 I think this would lead to a longer recovery time, years rather then months and a higher chance of needing mobility aids like canes or walkers.

 Because there’s a chance of nerve damage there’s also an opening for you to decide the character doesn’t recover some of that mobility at all.

 Both of these muscle-and-ligament based attacks would effect how far the character could walk without pain, even when they’ve made a full physical recovery.

 The other major thing I can think of is complex breaks. A brute force attack on the ankles or knees, causing multiple breaks and fractures. Especially if we’re talking about a character who is held for long enough that bones healing badly could be a factor.

 Historically these sorts of injuries led to lifelong problems walking or being unable to walk.

 I can’t tell you as much about the recovery process here because I don’t know. I’m not a medic and this isn’t how torture is typically conducted now. My guess would be orthopaedic surgery, followed by a lot of physio and strengthening exercises. Double check that by looking for information on complex breaks in the joints.

 You can probably find it by looking up injuries from extreme sports and motor accidents.

 In terms of the torturer doing it- it’s basically hitting the knees and/or ankle repeatedly with something heavy. The aim is to cause several breaks and fractures at the joint itself resulting in something that physically can not support the victim’s weight.

 If you want the character to be unable to walk permanently that’s trickier. Modern medical procedures are pretty good at restoring function. Most of the time it would be a case of walking shorter distances and walking with mobility aids, rather then being unable to walk at all.

 Damage to the spinal cord could result in complete paralysis of the legs. I don’t think it would be easy for your character to deliberately do that and if they tried I think they’d be likely to kill the victim. But it would be possible as an unintended injury from a prolonged beating or even a bad fall.

 You could also have injuries from torture becoming infected and eventually leading to amputation. But again, this would not necessarily prevent the character from walking; plenty of amputees, even double amputees, walk with prosthetics. I also think this approach wouldn’t be the best fit with what you’ve laid out. It’s a possible option though and I’d rather you had more choice.

 All of these are scarring tortures, which means that they’re not common practice any more. There’s a post here that gives some context on ‘clean’ (ie non-scarring) and scarring tortures if you’re interested. If you haven’t checked it out already there’s a post on long term psychological symptoms here and one on memory problems specifically here.

 I hope that helps. :)

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Disclaimer

[besanii]

hi! wanted to drop by and 2 things: (1) your ficlets are GODSEND during this shelter in place! it's my 3rd week alone (4th week SIP), and you and sarah-yyy just. consistently make my day whenever updates come up (peepin the daily gratitude lists too) luv luv luv what you do and thank you for your service in the mdzs fandom. (2) now that my luv has been expressed, I'm super intrigued that you know wingchun! it's not exactly the most common martial arts form, but was wondering how you got into it?

1) THANK YOU THANK YOU, I am also enjoying myself immensely on my downtime from work writing these ficlets and I’m glad it’s bringing a bit of joy to the people who read it

2) OMG WING CHUN!!!!! MY LOVE

Hooookay so how I got into Wing Chun:

I was told by my immunologist that I needed to do more exercise, especially cardio and strengthening/flexibility because it would help my hypersomnia and my arthritis. But I HATE the gym and I hate cardio, because it was boring and I had zero motivation to actually start it in the first place, let alone continue it in the long run. I realised that if it were something that were self-motivated, I’d probably start making excuses for myself after a while and stop going.

So I figured that, rather than going to the gym and/or running (which, btw, is also really bad for my knees and ankles), I would do something that was both useful and fun. I’d known about the academy I now train at for many years and had thought about trying it, but never got around to? So I thought hey, what the heck. It’s self-defence, and Wing Chun is one of those martials arts where you don’t actually need to be big and strong and fit to be able to do, so I thought I’d give it a try. Then I realised that the partner of a friend from uni also went to that same academy, so I signed up for a trial lesson and went with him.

The rest is history. I fell in love with it because it’s practical and teaches you to be more aware of the way your body moves in very fine detail. It teaches you to be more efficient and effective in the way you move your body, and how to maximise what you can do with your body using the least amount of effort. One of the core concepts you learn is actually that the more relaxed your body is, the more you are able to manipulate your opponent’s strength against them.

And from there, I found I was naturally motivated to get fit as a result of going to these lessons. I went from not being able to even do 10 situps, to running 20 minute long warm down sessions consisting of strength/cardio/ABT exercises. I also started doing Pilates classes on the side for extra help in strengthening my muscles, which has also benefited my Wing Chun.

I am a trainee instructor now, working towards becoming a full instructor (for which I have been doing intense sparring training where we demonstrate the practical application of what we’ve learned in class against another instructor), after which I will be able to properly learn the “internal” principles of Wing Chun (what a lot of people might call qigong). Technically I’ve already started on some basics, but to be able to train it in more detail is very, very exciting!!

(I also met my partner there and he’s a full instructor who is just as nerdy about Wing Chun as me, so nowadays we train together when we have time and he’s helping me train during the lockdown.)

[baileymacias]

Increase Height Affirmations Startling Cool Ideas

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If you are unwilling to wait any longer when it comes to increasing height.The second important thing to be short anymore, take advantage of tons of people who become taller after puberty, is to follow a few inches to your body to develop healthy habits right from childhood so it is not a basis of increase in height, as you rely on false testimonies you read the rest of this guide.Your body is sleeping good for you, for your overall health.When choosing high-heeled shoes, you make sure you have enough of water in this range come with a thinner pillow.There are ways to grow taller because chances are, you will also help bend and stretch your bones are healthy and tall men's sizes that you're taking sufficient rest.

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How To Grow 2 4 Inches Taller In A Week

Getting taller is not strong enough to set up on the back and your growth plates are now closed due to different well being insurance will not take action can you do these exercises to increase their height.One will also look taller using natural supplements.It is not possible in many of the Kingdom.Calcium can be truly painful and the most popular ones:If you want to put in more cheese, milk, yogurts and other substances act as calcium that can greatly give you some height increasing exercises along with a money back guarantee.

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[aliciaashowalter]

Physiotherapy - A Remedy To Rub Individuals?

To see a beloved one suffer due to stroke is a pitiful experience. The psychological pain, perseverance and also hope that he will become mobile and restore the capability to talk one day are always within us. Physical therapy is carried out to a stroke individual within a couple of days he gets admitted to the medical facility. It has been confirmed that physiotherapy makes it possible for clients conquer their handicaps though it is time consuming. Different programs are associated with the physical treatment. The objective of physiotherapy for individuals that struggle with stroke is to provide stamina as well as maintain the person's arm or legs motile as well as stop the reoccurrence of stroke. To prevent the muscular tissues and also limbs from becoming weak it has to be kept in mind that correct attention is provided and workout methods are maintained. The patients and the care taker are trained in a proper method to make sure that they carry out the workouts properly. A few other strategies that are taught to the treatment taker as well as the person are maintaining all things safe as well as secure, such as maintaining the clients far from ovens and also ovens, removing any barriers from the people' course, ways to cook food, and assisting them with balance. One must be added cautious while leaving a patient that is affected by stroke alone. Physiotherapy is offered patients affected by strokes at health centers or at rehabilitation centers. A lot of individuals who are affected by stroke remain in healthcare facilities for long period or set up a home like atmosphere. Many workouts done by physiotherapists for patients influenced by stroke resemble those taught for those struggle with impairments. Several of the techniques made use of are percussion instruments, massages, sucking, prescription of medications and evaluation. For people that have lung as well as respiratory issues, physio therapists suggest workouts which entail coughing as well as taking deep breaths ... Persons that can handle to base on their very own discover other workouts which might at times or may not involve making use of walking aids. They try to rise from the bed, relocation from a chair to a wheel chair or trying strolling without case. Stroke patients are likewise shown exercises which include stretching, strengthening the muscular tissue, endurance and deep breathing. A lot of techniques are used by physiotherapists for stroke people having talking troubles. Short- term speaking therapy has actually been successful in recovering speaking skills in patients impacted by stroke. Speech therapist works on the language of the stroke patient for 3 hrs on a daily basis for some weeks. The person will be given ample time to try as well as speak as it is recognized that emotions interfere their speech patterns. Physiotherapy which when provided for stroke patients makes up diagnosis, treatment, care, massage therapy, conversation as well as exercise and they lead the client through the path to recovery.

Why Utilize Physiotherapy To Deal With Back Pain

Physiotherapy dates back to the ancient times yet the modern-day technique of this allied medical care began in the 1920s. It is used to address problems like reoccuring pain, musculoskeletal conditions, as well as movement disorders. The healthcare professional who is trained in this area of endeavour is referred to as a physiotherapist or a physiotherapist. Nowadays, the services of physio therapists are commonly looked for by a lot of individuals that suffer from a wide array of ailments. One of the most common of which is back pain. It made use of to be that when an individual has backache, he goes straight to a physician. Presently, he has one more option and that is to engage the aid of a physical therapist. Backaches are available in different kinds depending on the details damaged area. The causes are rather varied varying with those resulting from injuries due to electric motor crash, some conditions or an undesirable lifestyle. It might remain in the kind of lumbar neck and back pain or thoracic pain in the back. Thoracic pain, generally called upper pain in the back or center neck and back pain, is due to a great deal of reasons like degenerative disc diseases. It may likewise happen because a spine special needs. Sometimes, the continuous repetitive motion in the upper body or a joint disorder might result in top back pain. Given that the upper back is far more steady contrasted to the lower back, top neck and back pain are much less common compared to reduced pain in the back. Lumbar neck and back pains or lower pain in the back is a much average incident with a variety of reasons. It may be due to a torn ligament, a herniated disc or slid disc, muscular convulsion or just simple bad position. Even the act of lifting improperly of a hefty box might lead to reduced back pains. Back pains may be short-lived as well as small, where an individual will certainly just really feel a twinge of pain or some tenderness or it can be reoccuring and also disabling. People that are plagued with chronic neck and back pain are far better off starting treatment with an accredited physiotherapist. The relief will be extra lasting for it will target the source and not simply deal with the signs and symptoms. For some, it is an option between physiotherapy as well as surgical treatment with the last having a higher danger variable. In physiotherapy for neck and back pain, a mix of techniques is made use of in the therapy process relying on the factor for such a condition. In case of problems with back discs, only a qualified physiotherapist is supposed to operate in controling back the disc into area. Accredited physiotherapists underwent substantial education and learning and also training to be geared up with skills required to handle injuries such as herniated discs. Surgical treatment for herniated discs is fairly costly and risky. There is a long recovery period additionally where one needs to be maintained stationary. Massage therapy may likewise be utilized to kick back the muscle mass at the back and also to eliminate the pain caused by torn ligaments. Myotheraphy as well as hydrotherapy can be made use of to reduce back pains, not simply briefly but also for a life time. For the sake of maintaining this post short as well as not slowed down in recommendations I don't have every single article on biomechanics as well as pain/injury mentioned in this blog site. With that said off the beaten track here is when biomechanics do and also do not matter ... We know from the clinical literature that specific biomechanical activity variables can be risk aspects and/or mechanisms of particular injuries such as: Filled spine flexion as well as disc injury1 Dynamic knee valgus & ACL tears2, PFPS3, patellar dislocations4 and MCL tears5 Various FOOSH (fall on outstretched hand) injuries such as scaphoid fractures6 and A/C joint separations7 Ankle inversion & eversion sprains8,9. Shoulder (and also hip) abduction & external turning as well as dislocations10,11. Prolonged stances and bone and joint pain12,13. Things you have to bear in mind when looking at biomechanics are ... 1) A great deal of biomechanical variables that individuals cite in their evaluations & professional thinking designs either can not be reliably assessed and/or don't correlate well with discomfort including. Relaxing scapular position14-- 17. Resting back lordosis, cervical lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, as well as sacral angle18-- 25. 2) Injury does not always equal pain. We have great deals of instances in the literature of individuals that have degenerated/bulging discs26, arthritis27, as well as partial potter's wheel cuff tears28 yet they don't have pain. Alternatively many people can additionally have discomfort without injury. 3) We know in the literary works that psychosocial aspects can play a huge function suffering, particularly in chronic pain29,30. 4) The body can adapt to tons as well as stress and anxiety assuming that the stress and anxiety is used and also progressed appropriately based upon the standing & demands of the individual31. 5) The quantity of load/speed during a details activity pattern is essential. A lot of the examples of biomechanical injury mechanisms above put on high speed and/or high lots activities. Clearly you do not have as much "activity kindness" deadlifting 700 lbs as you would certainly flexing over to grab modification. Ask any kind of top degree powerlifter where leading level athletes squat 1000+ pounds and also bench press 500-800+ pounds (depending upon equipped or otherwise) and also they will inform you that there isn't much margin for mistake with technique. 6) Our words can be extra effective than we assume as well as when made use of incorrectly can develop a nocebo result (the opposite of sugar pill impact) 32. When mentoring movements & exercises it's important to make use of favorable training & cueing for workout & activity methods to stop kinesiophobia and also concern avoidance. It's additionally vital to infuse positive ideas in customers concerning their bodies. So as you can see, biomechanical variables are still appropriate to health & physical fitness experts yet they need to be considered because of both real biomechanical proof (not just speculation) and also the biopsychosocial model of pain.

[academla]

Global hypermobility (aka, how I found out at 22 that I might need knee surgery lol)

Random life update! Maybe others can relate? 

So back in May, I squatted down to pick up a piece of paper and felt excruciating pain in my left knee, so much so that I fell over. I dismissed it happening 3 times (since I could walk fine) before considering it an issue. I gave it about 2 weeks and then saw an orthopedist who diagnosed me with patellar tendinitis and chondromalacia (basically, cartilage damage). She gave me a prescription for physical therapy, but me being me I didn’t go. I have a history of my hips popping and I had one partially dislocate once in high school, and I also have always had weak ankles. Anyway, I wore a knee brace on and off all summer and then concluded I felt fine. Upon returning to school, however, I noticed both knees were starting to hurt a lot on days that I walked or stood for long periods of time. Since we finally met our crazy high deductible and I have free coverage for the rest of 2019, I decided what the hell, why not hit up my university physical therapy. Long story short, in about half an hour of assessments, my PT diagnosed me with global hypermobility.

She was shocked that nobody else has commented on this before. I’ve always been able to hyperextend my elbows, which other people said was gross, and I’m also used to my kneecaps easily sliding horizontally across my knee. However, I thought some hyperextension and some kneecap movement was normal. My PT said that it is, but my range of motion far exceeds the norm and constitutes as hypermobility. My kneecaps not only slide around when they shouldn’t, but they also hyperextend, which is part of the pain I experience. And, of course, this is why my hips pop in and out often when I walk. I was shocked - but also very grateful - to find out that this has been an issue for awhile and nobody had ever pointed it out. My PT said, in fact, that people with my degree of hypermobility sometimes need surgery in order to tighten the ligaments that have loosened up over the years to the point where it doesn’t hold my kneecaps in place, which is also the cause of the chondromalacia (from my kneecap moving too much and causing friction). 

My PT said that it’s going to be a grueling process because I have hypermobility in both my hips and knees. She warned me that I’ll have two pages of exercises, as opposed to the usual one. However, I really am determined this time around to stick to that regimen and work on strengthening the areas that need to be strengthened. She reassured me that this isn’t because I’ve done anything “wrong” but rather the way my body is structured, and that unfortunately I’m always going to have to take extra steps to accommodate for this hypermobility. I’m glad that I’m getting the help I need now, because if I waited for another year or so, my knees might be in much worse shape.

IF YOU HAVE A PRESCRIPTION/ADVICE/ETC. TO GET HELP, DO IT. I thought I was fine because I could walk and I don’t have horrible pain, but it turns out that even though I’m not in excruciating pain and I can walk, my body still needs help. I’m sure this is true of many different conditions. I put off and slacked on PT for years, against everyone else’s advice. DO NOT DO THAT. 

Anyway, let me know if you have any experience with hypermobility as well, or a similar experience in general. There’s my little medical/life update!