Posts by quietpilot87

This thread actually gave me a good laugh 🤣

To my buddies over at Goldman Sachs—don't kill me, but I had to pull the plug on this one. 😁

Here’s a quick BEFORE and AFTER.
The first shot is from two years ago—back when I was carrying some extra weight and wasn't hitting the gym at all.😁
The second one was taken this morning.

I don't have a better "before" pic—honestly, my posing sucked back then—but it'll do.

Just wanted to show what the Deloitte back and glute program actually does. 🙏My weight isn't even that much lower in the second photo—I haven't stepped on a scale in ages—but by feel, maybe down a few pounds? Still, the progress is solid enough.

So, go ahead—tear me apart, give me advice, whatever. Just trying to get better. Thanks. 🙂

Back 2007.
Back this morning.

I don't get why people hate on the grapes from Walmart—personally, I think they're 😁
But whatever, it is what it is.

Maybe it’s just because I can barely stomach other UH, so this feels like the absolute peak for me 🤣

Some day after a workout, I even tried topping my strawberries with it 🤷

GENERAL RULES:

1. Any mention of using substances banned by RH will be deleted—repeat offenders will face penalties, and anyone trying to sell or broker these substances will be temporarily or permanently kicked off the forum.

2. The Recreation subforum focuses on healthy living. It’s pretty obvious, but since people love to complicate things, let me make it clear:
a) Just because some people think dropping 45 pounds in a month is "healthy" doesn't mean we do. We won't tolerate that here. That kind of extreme regimen is only for people with a BMI over 50 who have zero other options. Even then, if you fall into that category, you'll find better advice and guidance in the Health PDF rather than here.
b) A healthy lifestyle doesn't mean just grinding in the gym. Then again, it also doesn't include mental issues like compulsive exercising, anorexia, bulimia, or orthorexia. Those are disorders that need actual medical help, and someone with a balanced, sane approach to nutrition and exercise shouldn't be suffering through them. The goal here is balance—whether you're into fitness, bodybuilding, hiking, swimming, or just walking your dog around the neighborhood. Extremes of any kind will be sanctioned, and if you're lucky, moved over to Health or Psychology.

USER PICTURES + COMMENTS ON PICTURES

1. On the "User Pictures" thread, you are only allowed to post photos accompanied by a brief description.
2. While I know plenty of you will be dying to share every single thought you have about a photo right there on the "Pictures" thread, my advice is to take it to the sister thread: "Comments on User Pictures."
3. Commenting directly on the pictures thread will result in your post being deleted, or occasionally, losing points. This exists so the photos don't get lost in a sea of endless text.
4. Commenting is still limited. Keep it civil or keep the banter lighthearted regarding the photos. If the conversation drifts toward Luka Bebić's salary or the latest episodes of Farm, it’s getting moved to the Chat and dealt with accordingly. Every PDF has its own dedicated chat thread, and so do we. 🙂

• Naturally, all these rules are an addition to the established forum.us rules— http://www.forum.us/forumdisplay.php?f=184

Honestly, that sounds pretty sweet to me. I don't get why you're stressing out—or why you're even asking questions in the first place.

If you ask me, you just want her all to yourself, you're just too chicken to admit it.🙂

Lisa Wells65 said:Even when I'm feeling totally off and just can't deal, I force myself to go.😁

Lately, I don't even have to force it—working out is basically the highlight of my day. Especially when things get stressful; I just went for a run yesterday to clear my head. 🙏

If I wasn't hitting the gym lately, I honestly think I would've had a mental breakdown 😁
I'm hooked.

Alright, after three months of basically living on chicken and eggs, two months stuck at home, and one month hitting the gym, I finally feel ready to subject you all to photos of my current meat-and-fat situation. 😁

A few ground rules before we start:
1. I’m exercising my right to skip the flash—it makes my skin look sickly, and let's be real, I'd rather hide the cellulite.
2. If things look a bit blurry, it’s not intentional; that’s just what happens when you ditch the flash. 😢
3. I tried not to pick the absolute worst shots, but I still want these to reflect the actual reality. This is me, no matter how you angle it. 😁

So, here's the plan: I want to slim down my upper glutes and get more curve in the lower part.
Nature blessed me with decent soccer legs—bless her heart, I guess 😁—so I just want to keep those. The main goal is getting rid of that fat between my thighs. Yeah.
Also, that extra layer of lard on my mid-to-lower back needs to vanish. I'll spare you the stomach shots for now. 😁

[LINK NA SLIKU OBRISAN]
[LINK NA SLIKU OBRISAN]

Take a picture? 🤷

🙂
http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/0...61_200x253.jpg

Man, I’m actually kind of proud of what I’ve pulled off 😳 🥳
Just getting better every single day—it is what it is. 😁

Consider me the official spokesperson for all you recreational lifters fed up with how this board is being run. I’ve cleared this thread with the higher-ups at the corporate office. 😁

The whole point here is to call out certain moderator moves—and some user behavior too—without letting this spiral into endless, pointless bickering. And yeah, before you ask, this thread will be moderated. 😁 We aren't looking to start a bloodbath or deal with everyone screaming in our ears; we’re looking for actual, useful solutions. 😉

Ultimately, we want to build an Master FAQ Thread that lays down the law on what’s allowed and what isn't 😬. It should make life easier for us and the mods alike.

Phase three of this little project—fingers crossed—would be getting the green light to allow constructive feedback on the Meal Tracker threads, rather than just lists of food. Of course, everything would have to follow the new FAQ rules. That’s where we started in the first place, so hopefully, we can head back there eventually. 😬 It’s the natural order of things—even a Fortune 500 CEO or a psychic could see that coming. 😬

Naturally, these same guidelines will apply to current threads and any new ones popping up later.

So, look, instead of just hating on each other, let's try to actually get along. At the end of the day, we're all just people. 😁

Best,
quietpilot87, Spokesperson for the recreational crowd 😁

Strengthen those lower back muscles. Make it a daily habit—non-negotiable. It’s guaranteed to take the edge off, if it doesn't fix the damn thing entirely 🙂

Sophia Allen12 said:So, a friend of mine mentioned something the other day—apparently, he was reading this deep academic text that claimed you actually get to choose who you fall in love with, but you don't get a say in who you end up loving.
It sounds so backwards to me, honestly! I would have sworn the exact opposite was true. I can't quite recall the title of the book, but it was something along the lines of "An Introduction to the Psychology of *Something*" 😁
Do we have any psychologists hanging out in here who can help me make sense of this? hehe

Look, I haven't read that specific book, but honestly? It hits home for me.
When I love someone, it happens fast—and once it's there, it's permanent. No matter what kind of mess we make of things later, that feeling isn't going anywhere as long as I'm breathing.
Crushes, though? That's more like a biological itch than actual love. It's just a craving I can switch on or off when I need to—tried it a few times, works every time. 🙂

Joseph Allen94 said:Heading to NYC tomorrow—anyone down for $83? Honestly, it’s no big deal, and it’s basically brand new anyway, since I signed up for the two-week camp and then bailed right after 😁

So what if you backed out? You can always practice at home—besides, you’ll just use the kimono for whatever other martial art you sign up for later 😁
Look, the only real issue is if you're broke, and I get that 😉

Liberation as the end goal. But for what?

Just messing around 😁 😉

casualtiger2 said:Paul Campbell3,
Jacob Sullivan9 👍

That’s it! That is exactly what I want to see more of on this thread.
Real experiences—thinking through the different stages, questioning the actual purpose behind the techniques and skills, the philosophy, the lines and points, even that initial cluelessness regarding how to align your body and mind during drills...
You hit on a lot of vital points and spoke some real truths there.

Obviously, nothing happens without hard work—everyone has to put in the sweat equity—but since we can't exactly run full drills here.
I'd love for those who have been at this longer, the ones with more experience, to chime in with some insight or advice—basically, to teach us just how much depth we can actually reach through this kind of discussion.

For me, the suggestion to focus on the *hara* (your center; similar to *puja chakri* in yoga, maybe?) is fascinating. [In Aikido, I've heard people talk about "holding the point," which sounds like it could just mean physical balance, but I suspect it’s something much deeper than that?] It’s such a contrast to most meditation schools where they tell you to focus on the heart center—at least initially, anyway—since very few systems suggest focusing on the brow center right out of the gate.

Also, what determines—theoretically speaking, not during a live roll—whether you apply an *omote* version or an *ura* version of a technique?
In a real situation, things probably happen spontaneously and subconsciously in a split second, but is there an underlying principle for choosing one over the other?
Personally, I find the use of circular and spiral movements in Aikido fascinating—redirecting the attacker's energy exactly where you want it (if they push, you pull; if they pull, you push 🙂)—and using the attacker's own momentum to "resolve" the conflict, rather than the direct confrontation and "breaking" style you tend to see in Karate.

I also really appreciate the emphasis on partner work and training together; it seems way more central here than in other BVs. I did Judo as a kid back in the day at the same school that produced the junior champion Yu, and honestly, I wasn't a huge fan of that vibe.

PS
If Paul Campbell3 is right about *ki* being essentially the same as *prana*—which I think he is—then meditation is a perfectly legitimate way to strengthen your *ki*.
When we talk about *prana*, though, there are two distinct things at play.
One is etheric energy (that level between the physical and astral planes, crucial for physical health; those little tingles you sometimes feel moving through your body), and the second is the energy of all levels of existence, which is a much broader concept.

You can probably develop that first type quite effectively—getting it to flow freely—right there on the mats during training. But to truly grasp the second one, you likely need some deeper reflection and exploration through various types of practice.

Look, you can't even reach the heart without the hara first. 🙂
You see it after every single Ki Aikido session. Even the way people communicate changes. 😁

Try hitting the heart without the hara—it just won't work. 🙂

Nicole Thompson76 said:As far as I can tell, we're talking about a martial art here, not a meditation course. Not sure why you decided to quote me with that, though—I never actually said anything against meditation in the first place.
For those of you putting way too much weight on meditation while basically ignoring the actual "taijutsu" side of things, just be careful you don't end up looking like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEDaCIDvj6I

Look, meditation isn't the main event in any martial art—it's more of a supporting act, and that goes for everything, not just aikido. Its whole purpose is to help you find some calm, learn how to breathe properly, and stuff like that... it's not meant to be some way to conjure up devastating internal energy or whatever mystical powers people dream about.

Alright, so what's the takeaway from the video? It’s pretty obvious you aren't going to kiai your way through a fight against an MMA fighter in the real world.
Then again, is there even any point in trying to prove the "superiority" of non-physical elements? There's nothing to prove.

Look, if you want to get into a scrap, you don't sign up for Aikido. At least, not as your first choice.
Sure, it can be used if you actually know what you're doing—but that's down to the individual.
Aikido isn't built for street fighting.

Jesse Allen2 said:Exactly—without love, fighters are just wasting their lives away! 🤷

Look, love isn't some fleeting emotion 🙂-
you've gotta build up emotional intelligence. That basically means keeping your ego on a leash. I'm not saying kill the ego off entirely, just learn how to reel it in when things get heavy.

Thanks, everyone—you’re already helping more than you probably realize 🙂

Thanks everyone, seriously 🙂