And away they go!

Away go the pounds.  Away go the insecurities.  Away goes a group of men determined to improve their health, their friendships, and their lives.

I am so pleased about the overwhelming response to this six week challenge.  Let's make this a really positive yearly tradition. 

The Weekly Posting Window will open weekly between Sunday at 12 AM, and will close Monday at 11:59 PM, giving you exactly two days to do your first round of exercises, get your weekly stats posted, and snap a shirtless pic.  I am not sure that you are able to post pictures on the blog, so just email your pictures to me, and I will start a weekly picture Tab.  The picture is worth a thousand words, not to mention five points each week, so make sure you send it in.  If for whatever reason, you are unable to post in the two day window, shoot me an email, and we can make other arrangements.

I want to encourage you all to use this opportunity to grow as humans.  Weight loss is entirely reliant on personal discipline.  By taking this on, and successfully completing six weeks of diet and exercise, your discipline will no doubt improve, making you more able to complete other goals in your life.  While the weight will come off quickly, it will not happen over night, so have the patience to stick with it, and the determination to see the long view of jump-starting your healthier life.

I would like to leave you with some final motivation from the wise and venerable anorexic super model, Kate Moss, who said, "No food tastes as good as being skinny feels."  Is she right?  I'm not sure.  I've tasted a lot of food, but I've never felt skinny.  Ask me again in six weeks!

Miller

Proper Technique

 

Here is a quick demonstration of proper technique in the exercises being measured. 

 

Pull ups:

I usually go lower down in my pull ups.  The top left picture displays the limit of a valid rep.  Go at least that low, or don't count the rep.  Chin must make it all the way above the bar.  Utilize a medium/wide grip, palms facing away from you.

 

Push ups:

Note the tennis ball under my left pec.  Each rep down, my chest must touch the ball.  Each rep up, my arms must be extended at least as far as the picture on the top right.  You can move your hands closer and further away from your body, if you think that helps.  The wider the arms, the more chest, the more narrow the arms, the more triceps involved in the push up.  I am displaying a nuetral position that should help you maximize your reps.

 

Remember to give it your all, so your results are accurate!

 

General Rules

The official inaugural crony fitness challenge begins Sunday, September 16th, and ends on Halloween, October 31st.

The challenge will measure your gains in fitness, and using a metric, will spit out a score.  The crony with the highest score, at the end of the competition, will win the right to call the next reunion at a place of his choosing, with the cost to any one member not to exceed $1,000.  There is no way to hold anyone to this, but if you accept the challenge, you better be at the reunion.  I would hope that the winner picks an awesome physically demanding getaway, where none of us have to wear shirts, and can tan our ripped new bodies.

Here is how the scoring works:

1) Weight loss -- Based on points, and Body Mass Index (1.5 points for every pound lost in the Extreme Obesity BMI categories, 2 points per pound in the Obese category, 3 points per pound in the overweight category, and 12 Points per week for just being in the normal BMI range).  This system is set up because the closer you are to your target weight, the tougher it is to lose pounds.  This system also rewards those who are already fit, but still, those with the most to lose can be just as competitive.  Additionally, you will recieve one point for each percentage point of body weight lost.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.pdf  (this is a link to a bmi table)

2) One mile run -- This must be performed on a treadmill or track.  Each 10 second increment you shave off your previous week's time is worth 2 points.  Anytime you shave 25% off of your original time, you get a 25 point bonus (if you run it twice as fast, that would be 50 points).

3) Push ups in two minutes -- Every two push ups more than your previous best is worth 1 point.  More than 60 push ups is a one time bonus of 5 points.  Every 20 push ups beyond 60 (80, 100, 120, etc.) is also worth a bonus 5 points.

4) Pull ups without dropping -- Each pull up improvement is worth 1 point.  If you hit 12 its a bonus of 5, and every 6 pull ups beyond 12 (18, 24, 30) is an additional 5 bonus points.  Pull ups must be performed hands facing away from you (not chin ups) and arms must go past 120 degrees on each rep down.

Push up and pull up point bonuses are given once only, but if on your first try, you do 24 pull-ups, say, you get all three 5 point bonuses at once (15 points), but never again.  There will be a 25 point bonus for doubling your original numbers at push ups or pull ups.

5) Weekly posting -- Each week, you will post your 4 numbers for the week by using "reply" on the weekly score tab.  I will keep a scoreboard on the main tab.  In addition, give a quick overview of what you did that week for exercise and diet.  If you do not post your Sunday scores by Tuesday at 12 am, you will not receive points for that week.  I will do my best to send out reminders to each of you.  You can also get a 5 point bonus for submitting a shirtless pic with your score each week to track your progress.  There is an example post there now.

This game, like Springfield County Jail, relies heavily on the honor system.  Don't cheat.  If anyone questions someone's numbers, they can send a request for video evidence.  The person who got called out then has one week to submit a video of himself doing the exercise in question.  If it is close (one pull up off, or so) they will be found to have been telling the truth.  If it is not submitted, or not close, they will be given death by unga bunga.  Seriously.  Don't cheat.

Finally, I am adding a Motivation Tab, where you can write or post inspiring stories or pictures.  Get pumped, and pump each other up.  Everyone who sticks with this for six weeks, and then gets to go on an awesome weekender is a winner, and that's all there is too it.

This could be a gift that we all give ourselves.  Be it for six weeks only, or something that we repeat each year, let's really throw ourselves at this 100%, and make it BIG BIG BIG.  Let's lift like Conan, sweat like Zhang, and eat like Odd Job.

I believe in all of you.

Miller