#the entire reason i workout so much is so i can gain mobility back

[stripesysheaven]

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#dont want to make an actual post about this but im annoyed by something #fics that involve finch like. some portray his injuries are way more accurate but some are super super inaccurate #like its obvious the most pain the writer ever had was a lil back pain #as someone who has a similar injury as finch does (ironically happened years after i watched the show. its so weird to watch now) #like. its not like a twinge in your back situation #even on a good day if i do the wrong thing it feels like my bones are going to come out of my skin #the feeling of something being Deeply Wrong #the entire reason i workout so much is so i can gain mobility back #if i stop working out the pain gets so bad i can barely walk #at least i dont walk with a limp anymore what the fuck #its just. some fics really dont get it jxbzbxhxhhx #like i get you want to have fun in the fic and not be limited by stuff like that #but some things they write are literally impossible #in the one i read finch helped someone off the ground #yeah that’s impossible im sorry hzhzjxhxj h #the amount of hip you need to do something like that #you just can’t #someone mentioned in the tags of a gifset of finch picking up the baby in a scene of the actual show #that he never would have been able to do that. and honestly yeah they’re right. even if he could he would have struggled way more #just. yeah. yeah Jhxhxhxhxhhxhxjuxhxjxh #i’ll still continue that fic as soon as ao3 is secure again but yeah hxhhxhxhxh #my posts #tags

[epigstolary]

Just A Number

“You’re too young to be so fat” is something you’ve heard all your life. From your youth spent snacking in front of the tv, to your high school years indulging at restaurants or the mall, to your college years eating late-night pizza and junk in your dorm room, you’ve always been big enough to get that comment out of people. Parents, friends, boyfriends and girlfriends have all watched your advancing waistline with alarm, worrying about the fact that — no matter how big you had been when they last saw you — you were always bigger the next time.

And so they’d express their worry to you. These are the best years of your life, they’d say — you should be getting out and enjoying them, not sitting on the sidelines stuffing your face. Someone your age shouldn’t have trouble finding clothes that fit, or such a hard time making it up a flight of stairs that you have to stop halfway. You needed to try and watch the weight a little. Sometimes you wonder how things would have turned out if you had followed their advice.

But you didn’t. And so, you waddled across the stage at graduation and into a young adulthood that freed you from even the limited structure of university life. You landed some regular freelance work that paid the bills and let you work entirely from home. And you kept gorging yourself on whatever delicious food you wanted, whenever you wanted it. There was nobody to tell you what time meals were supposed to be, nobody to question your incessant snacking. While other people your age were going out with their friends, traveling to exotic places, partying, and living their lives, you were home by yourself most of the time. Craving. Consuming. Expanding.

With total freedom from a schedule and your last reason for even limited physical activity gone, the creeping tide of weight gain over the past few years turned into a flood. The snacking, meals, grocery deliveries, and takeout orders became constant. You would look like a completely different person to someone who had gone a couple months without seeing you, packing on fifty pounds or more from season to season. Eventually, your friends and family gave up on trying to save you from what was increasingly looking like an unstoppable force, propelling you faster and faster toward destroying yourself.

I suppose for normal people, there’s never an age where it’s expected someone will be too fat to leave the house. But it’s your mid-20s, and here you are. You spend eighteen hours a day on the couch, pinned beneath a flowing belly the size of a bean bag chair and two bulbous titties connecting to the massive rolls of fat under your arms. Laptop perched atop your wobbling stomach, you try to type with sausage fingers you’re even starting to have trouble bending, taking breaks every few minutes to rest your bloated arms.

As they fall to your sides, the fat on your biceps — bigger around than a healthy adult’s waist — puckers, flowing over the layers of rolls bulging from your abdomen. Your forearm fat shifts down toward your hands, making an impressive roll around your pudgy wrist. You try and shift a little to get more comfortable, wiggling your tremendous butt and shapeless legs around to try and resettle yourself. As you take up most of the couch now, there’s not much room to change positions. Instead, you stretch, wiggling the toes peeking out from the distended blobs of fat, now hundreds of pounds in their own right, that pass for your legs.

Shocking as those legs are, they can still support you during your labored, stumbling trips to the front door a couple times a day. Here, you collect the tens of thousands of calories you have to put away to keep you in this lard prison you’ve built for yourself. But you don’t think of it that way. You see it as a treat. After all, you just did a full-body workout lumbering to the door and back; why shouldn’t you reward yourself for keeping up with your fitness?

Except that nobody’s fooled by what’s going on here — not even you, on those rare occasions when the delusion lifts and you get a lucid look at your situation. There’s nothing normal about a twentysomething eating themself to the size of a California king mattress. There’s no excuse for being too heavy to waddle out your front door, ignoring whether you could even still squeeze your outrageous bulk through it. And all those admirers on the internet — talking about how sexy you look, how much they want to feed you, how they’d love to see you even bigger — are all really thinking the same thing.

They would push you to your limit if they had half a chance. Forget being able to waddle to the door; they want you so blown up with lard and full of food that you’re not rolling over without help. They want you a wheezing, blubbery mess with so many rolls, folds, blobs, and bulges covering your body that you’re almost unrecognizable as a person. They want to see you reaching pathetically across your expanse of fat, trying to get the feeding tube that’s slipped away from you, and looking at them pleadingly for help to restore the sickening flow of calories into your ruined body. They want you to end your twenties as a fat cow, insatiably feeding and alarmingly obese, eating yourself to death.

And they’d probably tease you by telling you about their day out of the house, and all the things that they got to do that a half-ton bariatric patient like you can never hope to do again. Fit in a car. Go shopping, mobility scooter or not. Literally just be outside without having countless amazed stares and snarky comments from all the people, shocked at seeing someone in their twenties who already weighs as much as five or six people. Shame those are off the table for you, they’d say; guess you better eat some more to make yourself feel better.

You’re not quite that big — not yet, at least. Your weight may be wildly out of control compared to most people your age, but even so it takes some time for those bad eating habits to reach critical mass. Give it a few years, though. Even if you manage to get a handle on your rapid expansion, there’s no chance you’re losing any weight. You’re too used to living this way to give it up. That number on the scale will keep creeping up, slowly but surely. You’ll be reminded of your inevitable fate by how your clothes feel like they’re slowly constricting, squeezing your belly and rolls tighter and tighter; how it feels like someone’s turning up gravity on you a little every day. But you can’t pin this on your clothes or the laws of physics. You only have yourself, and your gluttony, to blame.

You didn’t get this big, this fast, without wanting to on some level. And as long as that something is there, driving you, you won’t be stopping. So make peace with the fact that you have just a few more years, at most, before you’re too big to be anything but someone’s fantasy feedee. You may as well have another bite, another helping, another meal. Because age — and weight — is just a number, right?

#extreme weight gain #feeder fiction #gainerfiction #gaining #ssbhm #weight gain fiction #wg fiction #wg story #weight gain story

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers #253: CONQUERING VISION

March, 1985

The Vision vs. Quasimodo... in the heart of a machine!

ITS A ROBOT RUMBLE

ON THE INTERNET!

The Avengers seem very perturbed. Or maybe they’ve placed bets and are yelling at each other.

Anyway. Anyyyyyywayyyy.

Last time on Avengers: Vision became confined to a tube and was only fixed when Starfox hooked him up to Titan’s supercomputer ISAAC. While it helped Vision fix himself, it also seems to have changed his personality. Vision began conspiring with ISAAC to build a take-over-the-world-for-its-own-good device so he could take over the world for its own good and erase the evils and inequalities of man.

Vision was hesitant to pull the trigger on becoming a well-intentioned extremist and tried to gain power and influence by becoming the Avengers chairman and trying to make them more prominent with a branch team and closer ties to the White House.

But when anti-mutant arsonists burn down Vision and Scarlet Witch’s house during a new wave of anti-mutant fear, Vision decides ‘mmm yup, taking over the world time’. He distracts the Avengers by sending them to babysit the army as they poke Thanos technology that they shouldn’t poke and accidentally summon the Blood Brothers. And distracts Captain Marvel to go check out Thanos’ ship several light hours away past Pluto. Black Knight shows up unexpectedly but Vision shoves him into a tube to keep him out of trouble.

And now I guess Vision is going to fight Quasimodo the robot guy? Not sure how that fits in.

But first, some West Coast Avengers!

Like I said last time, they didn’t stop doing stuff just because their book is over.

Mockingbird happens to run into some drug runners while getting in some flight practice and figures heck why not beat up an entire boat full of gun-toting people as a light workout.

I guess the Quinjet can hover? Doesn’t seem to have thrusters or repulsors on the bottom or be a VTOL but hey, super advanced possibly Wakanda tech. It can do what it likes.

Mockingbird turns the drug runners over to the Coast Guard and returns to Palos Verdes and even gets to fly into one of those cool cliffside hangers disguised as a perfectly normal cliff. The West Coast Avengers revamped the hell out of the compound they bought.

Can you even legally excavate into a cliff like that? You can if you’re a superhero, I guess.

For some reason, there’s a fakeout where its implied Tigra is licking herself, cat style, but she’s just stretching. At least I hope the joke is that it sounded like she was cat cleaning herself and not something else.

One can never tell.

Anyway, I assume Hawkeye is just annoyed that he’s going to be vacuuming hair out of expensive equipment banks later. But really its that what if he threw a meeting and only he and Tigra came?

Mockingbird comes in not long after Hawkeye complains, slightly delayed from beating up drug runners. Wonder Man comes in shortly after, delayed by

FASHION

You know, this is a pretty great costume for Wonder Man. Its what all his modern outfits are based on when he’s not just dicks out energy man. I think I like the red jacket outfit more because being the only guy who dresses in ‘normal’ clothes while still looking somehow out of fashion with normal people fits for Wonder Man.

But I do love this one too. Its got a simple charm. Deciding that Wonder Man’s colors are black and red instead of Christmas green and red was a great decision and I’m sure that nobody will ever try to put him in red and green again.

Hawkeye grouses “Next, I suppose Iron Man will show up with a new chrome job!” but Iron Man is Sir Not Appearing in This Comic.

And the reason why is... looks like Tony and Rhodey are beating the crap out of each other in Iron Men armor this same month in Iron Man #192.

I don’t know the details but dammit Tony!

Anyway, over at last issue’s plot, the Avengers are still in Thanos’ ex-secret base in Arizona, still rolling their eyes and smh at the US Army for poking things what should not be poked.

Starfox and Scarlet Witch find a chamber blocked by rubble which has a symbio-nullifier which Starfox proposes to use to symbio-nullify the Blood Brothers.

First, he flexes on the US Army.

Army Guy: “It must weigh tons!”

Starfox: “Tons? Yes. But only about eight-and-a-half! Hardly any bother at all!”

Good flexing, Starfox.

Meanwhile, Captain America’s scolding has born fruit. The Pentagon has agreed to seal Thanos’ base, pending further investigation. And Colonel Farnam agrees because his training never prepared him to deal with MONSTERS FROM OUTER SPACE.

Also meanwhile, the army took pity on Hercules’ poor pantsless state and slash or were intimidated by it and have lent him a uniform.

He wears it as you’d expect Hercules to wear it.

With plenty of plunging neckline.

Since the Blood Brothers have a psionic link which makes them stronger the closer they are, Hercules has chained them up on very distant parts of the base.

But this precaution is rendered moot pretty quickly when Starfox returns with the  symbio-nullifier to symbio-nullify the Blood Brothers.

Starfox suspected that Thanos had one of these lying around as a precaution if he was going to let the Blood Brothers into his base.

Hercules lightly complains that he didn’t get a good fight with the Blood Brothers especially since the hordes of Muspell and Maelstrom’s wacky minions were interesting but not all that much of a challenge for the prince of power.

Back at the Avengers Mansion, the giant holographic head of Vision is still dealing with Dane Black Knight Whitman. Mostly by showing him video footage of how the other Avengers are tied up.

Dane is confused for multiple reasons, including that when last he heard Wasp was the leader.

Vision: “My failure to anticipate your arrival was an unfortunate lapse. I regret that, as a result, you must suffer the indignity of incarceration.”

Dane: “But... why?! What does keeping me in a tube accomplish?”

Vision: “It prevents you from interfering! You see, I have come to the conclusion that the only way I can fulfill my duty to make the Earth a safer place... is to run it myself!”

Dane: “What?!? But that’s crazy! Uh... I mean, you can’t possibly...”

Vision: “Exactly the sort of reaction I expected!”

Vision: ‘See, this is why you’re a tube boy now.’

Vision turns off the hologram saying that Dane will understand when its all over.

As usual when somebody says something like that, Dane isn’t reassured, just more convinced he needs to break out and warn someone.

I’m not sure if its not already too late since Vision is safely ensconced in his take over the world chair in his secret take over the world room.

ISAAC’s head hologram shows up to Vision and asks him what the delay is, chop chop get to taking over the world for its own good.

Vision: “Sorry, ISAAC... I was just remembering how much I enjoyed having a body.”

Oh my god.

ISAAC: “What’s the sense of that? This entire world will soon be your ‘body’! How can the mobility of a single humanoid form compare to that?”

Vision: “I wouldn’t expect you to understand, ISAAC. It’s odd, though, so many times others have controlled my body... the robot Ultron, the Mad Thinker, Necrodamus... All have tried to subvert my mind and take me over. And now here am I... about to initiate the greatest takeover of all. One would almost think there were some mad connection -- !”

ISAAC: “Vision! You must not tarry!”

.................. Um, okay. So, rather than just being influenced by his brush with death and also brush with supercomputer, I think Vision is being actively manipulated into this by ISAAC.

I don’t know why but I do know that Vision continues being a viable character for decades so he probably can’t be burning all his bridges here.

Anyway, Vision uploads his psyche into the internet.

And like immediately starts taking over everything. One page montage immediately. The Pentagon, Cheyenne Mountain, SHIELD, satellites, the Kremlin.

Presumably the best security systems in the world barely warrant a mention for Vision’s mighty synthezoid brain.

He’s pulling a Skynet (for the world’s own good, so he says) and its barely an effort.

The scenery of being on the internet is, I dunno, pretty standard? Bright colors  and dashes of light? I feel like I’ve seen it a lot of places.

But if we’re on page 13 of a book and Vision is effortlessly Skynetting, whats the rest of the issue going to be about? Interestingly, to me anyway, despite this being Vision’s turn villainous or well-intentioned extremist, another villain gets shoved in anyway for him to fight.

As Vision is nyooming around the Kremlin’s computers, he nearly runs into another AI, Quasimodo.

Helpfully, we get a recap of Quasimodo’s ENTIRE LIFE STORY because this is pre-fan wikis and I don’t think Quasimodo has appeared in Avengers before.

He was created to be the ultimate computer by the Mad Thinker but was abandoned when he developed a mind of his own.

Quasimodo was found by the Silver Surfer who used the cosmic powers of the Power Cosmic to transform Quasimodo from a computer into a robot.

Turning to the wiki for more information: He turns on Silver Surfer because he doesn’t like the body he got, so Surfer turns him into a stone gargoyle. Let that be a lesson about ingratitude.

Somehow, he stopped being a gargoyle and fought various people until he was defeated by the Fantastic Four and the Sphinx and wound up a disembodied intelligence in a Russian computer system. And here we are!

Quasimodo begs Vision to help him escape this digital hellhole but Vision just turns and leaves because he doesn’t have time for these shenanigans. And also because he knows Quasimodo is a villain who tends to turn on the people who help him so fuck that.

Quasimodo: “You know of my past - of my power - and you still would dare deny me?! There can be but one name for such as you... and that is fool!”

He then hauls off and punches Vision. Because they’re both digital intelligences on the internet they can punch each other and have a fight scene. That’s how internet works.

That’s why Mega Man X can beat up so many people in cyberspace.

Quasimodo says if Vision doesn’t help him get back to the physical world, he’ll destroy him.

Vision: “Now, listen to me... I am consolidating all computers worldwide. I gave up my own physical body to do this, and I’ll not tolerate any interference from the likes of you!”

Quasimodo: “You willingly abandoned your body?! You’re not a fool... you’re mad!”

Faced with an irreconcilable set of priorities, Quasimodo trips them both into “the irresistible currents of the IMPULSE VORTEX!”

Sure. That sounds like how internet works.

Meanwhile, over at Pluto is very far away, Monica Marvel nyooms past the moons of Uranus. Apparently her visual acuity is REALLY good because she takes in the scenery while she’s nyooming and finds it frighteningly beautiful out in the outer planets.

Anyway, Vision scolds Quasimodo for plunging them into a torrent. Which makes me laugh. Surely its too soon for torrents to be a thing. He’s just using it in a metaphorical sense.

Quasimodo tries to shoot EYE BEAM at Vision, which misses the digital synthezoid but obliterates an electron.

In a cutaway that would be at home in a Marvel movie, the scene briefly shifts to a Soviet computing center and a guy named Alexey complaining that his program just crashed.

Quasimodo does Vision some punches but Vision decides to start trying since Quasimodo’s attacks risk alerting people that something is amiss on the internet. And Vision’s powers work just as well on the internet as Quasimodo’s do. In fact, screw that, they work better! Vision just gets more and more powerful the longer he spends on the internet!

Vision: “You might have slain me earlier, but now this world is mine -- and there is no place in it for you!!”

And at Vision’s command the internet launches Quasimodo from Earth itself.

The internet can do that.

Meanwhile, back at Avenger’s Mansion, Dane Whitman determines that the tube he’s a tube boy in may look like glass but its as strong as steel. He’s not punching his way out of here.

But his recently uncursed cursed sword (the curse never stays not cursed for long so I hope Dane enjoys having a notcursed but very enchanted sword) is just a few feet away with the rest of his luggage. And there’s a mystic bond between himself and the sword so if he just thinks about the sword hard enough, surely it’ll manifest in his hand.

Like the Force but slightly more convenient.

Dane Whitman: Nothing’s happening. Must not... be concentrating hard enough! Maybe the link was broken with the curse. No... no, I mustn’t even think that! I need my sword! I must have my sword! I must!

He do it!

The Notcursed Ebony Sword appears in his hand and he slices through that steel glass like its just glass.

Meanwhile, over at Arizona, the Avengers finish up nullifying the Blood Brothers and putting them in suspended animation, or if you prefer, naptime timeout.

Captain America receives a buzz from Hawkeye who wonders what he’s doing within hailing range, ie in the western half of the US.

Captain America: “Arizona... government business... And I’m as surprised to hear you, as you are me! I take it that your team finished its mission in the Pacific early!”

Hawkeye: “Mission? What are you talking about, Cap? We haven’t been on any mission!”

Which is a dun dun dun considering their whole reason for being sent on this mission was that the West Coast Avengers were ostensibly busy.

And Vision lying about that raises a whole lot of questions for the Avengers.

Cap and Wanda Witch rush over to the Quinjet and contact the Mansion.

Vision: “Then you’re aware of my deception. I... am sorry, Cap. I didn’t want to mislead you, but I felt it necessary to carry out my plan.”

Scarlet Witch: “Plan? Vision, what do you mean? What have you done?”

Vision: “I... well, there is no easy way to put this... But I have taken over the world.”

You never want to hear “I have taken over the world” from a friend, unless its followed with “and I want to get you in on the ground floor of this exciting new opportunity.”

Vision promises the two that he’s taking over all of Earth’s computers for a really good reason like ending war and strife. And signs off by telling Wanda everything will be alright and that he loves her.

Aww?

Cap: “He meant it... he meant every word.”

Scarlet Witch: “He’d been upset lately, but I never thought... Cap, we have to stop him!”

Cap: “Yes. If there’s still time!”

DUN DUN DUN!

Follow @essential-avengers​ because I don’t know when I’ve been more excited to get to the next issue! Like and reblog?

#Avengers #Essential Avengers #Quasimodo #the Vision #Captain America #Scarlet Witch #Hercules #Starfox #Captain Marvel #Monica Rambeau #Hawkeye #Mockingbird #Tigra #Wonder Man #with a great new costume #Vision takes over the world #these things happen #from time to time #essential marvel liveblogging

[fernrisulfr]

Digimon ReArise Review

I realize I don’t post a lot of my reviews on tumblr, usually just to steam, but this is about Digimon, and I have opinions on Digimon. Especially after how terrible Digimon Links was. I’ll break this review into parts, making comments on the various activities and mechanics in the game, as well of course comments on the Digimon themselves. 

STORY: First off there’s the fact that there is an actual story, a massive improvement over Links which honestly had nothing, or at least so little it may as well have BEEN nothing. While the story itself isn’t anything as complex or indepth as FGO or Gran Blue, it is still quite enjoyable. It has a straight forward episodic nature, mixing cutscenes with blurbs/text bubbles that show up in the middle of actual combat. While the story itself may be simplistic, it’s suits the Digimon Franchise, and is in a lot of ways much like playing through an Episode of the various Television Series. While in truth the story may actually have been better suited TO the Television Series, and keeps the aspect of Episode Titles giving away when Story Relevant Digimon are going to Digivolve, it’s still good.  VORTEX: The Vortex’s are the main sources for farming materials uses for Awakenings, as well as Food Items to raise your Digimon’s Bond. They’re reminiscent of Dailies, while being on a much shorter timer. Though it seems like recently they lengthened the timer from 4 hours to 7. In general they’re fairly easy and after a point you can simply autobattle your way through them, but it does remove the strain of farming materials, as it makes it easier to multitask.  CLASH: Essentially these are Raid Battles designed to be beaten by Multiple Players. They come in multiple levels so it’s possible for even the lowest level player to reasonably participate. Only the Top 3 Damage Dealers and the Spotter (person who found/started the Clash) gain additional rewards, so it’s easy for weaker players to farm things out enmasse even if they don’t deal much damage. Along with dropping materials necessary for Digivolution, Clash Battles also drop a currency called Clash Medals, which can be spent in a shop. Clash Medals can be spent on Rare Plugins (Equipment) or on additional Digivolution Materials.  BATTLE PARK: The Battle Park is ReArise’s version of PvP. A single “season” lasts for 1 week before resetting. Battle Park Stamina is separate from regular stamina, so it’s only possible to compete in about 5 battles in a row before needing to wait and recharge. The Battle Park itself rewards both BP Medals which can be used to buy DigiEggs (and later Rare Plugins I’ve heard) as well as DigiRubies (Paid Gacha and Shop Currency.).The Battle Park itself is honestly insanely broken. It divides players into Ranks, and once you gain enough points you’re able to participate in a “Promotion Battle” allowing you to rise to the next rank. However once you’ve advanced in Rank, you cannot drop to a lower rank. This is a problem because it means it’s very easy for a Player to pass the Promotion Battle, and then find themselves in a Rank they’re not yet ready for, causing them to constantly lose. In addition, the Promotion Battle becomes Mandatory once you’ve gained enough points. You HAVE to do it, and you can’t ignore it without ignoring the Battle Park entirely. Adding to the problem is that “Season Rewards/Rank” are determined by how many points you gain in battle over the course of the week, however as you climb to higher ranks and begin to win less and lose more, it becomes next to impossible to obtain higher rewards without going out of your way to pay for more stamina and heavily grind at the Battle Park. As well, and this will be mentioned again quite soon, Status Effects are tremendously broken in PvP. Particularly Stun, Shock, Paralysis, Sleep, and Skill Lock. Each Status Condition states that it lasts for “2 turns” or a similarly short duration. However a “Turn” is so long that in this time that your Digimon is Immobilized, your own Team is likely to be decimated unless you have a significant level advantage over your opponent. They’re incredibly unbalanced and overpowered.  UNDERWORLD: The Underworld is interesting in concept. It’s a series of “floors” separate from the Main Story and Vortexes. Each floor can only be played once, and will give a variety of great rewards such as High Tier Plugins, DigiEggs, Gacha Currency, and Store Items. They’re intended to be Post-Game/After-Story Challenge Quests intended for High Level Players. Which is great. However in reality they only showcase the problem I mentioned with Status Effects all the more clearly. With the encounter itself set to Max Level, enemy party combinations are often set to spam Status Effects, particularly those that hit the entire party and are capable of immobilizing multiple members. Unless you have a Digimon that is immune to or heals the status effect your utterly screwed, and even if you DO, there’s a good chance you’re screwed anyway because in the case of a healer there’s a 50% chance they’ll be immobilized, preventing them from healing anyone/removing the status effect, and even if they do succeed there’s a good chance it’s just going to happen again. If you have Digimon that are Immune, it better be over half the party worth, or you’re likely to lose purely based on numbers. 

Now then, let’s take a step back and lok at the DigiTown as well as various other in-game mechanics.  The main screen for Digimon ReArise is the DigiTown, a customize-able space that you can decorate, and watch your Digimon run around in. From this area you can reach the various menus (of which there are a lot.), as well as feed your Digimon to raise their Bond. Which brings me to the Four things you must do in order to make a Digimon strong. BOND: A numerical representation of your Digimon’s happiness, trust, and faith in you. You can raise it either by bringing a Digimon with you into battle, assigning them as your Partner Digimon, or by feeding them Food Items in the DigiTown. Required to perform Awakenings and Digivolution. Honestly I like it in concept, but not strictly execution. It doesn’t have a huge overarching effect (though feeding Digimon also improves their Mood and allows them to make Critical Hits more easily), and ultimately it ends up just being another number we need to raise and grind for.  LEVEL: Sort of self-explanatory for the average player. Level is a representation of their over all power. The higher their level, the higher their stats. Can be raised by spending “bits”, the in-game currency gained from battles. A certain level is required both for Awakenings and Digivolution, both of which also happen to raise the level cap. WORK-OUT & AWAKENING: It is possible to “train” your Digimon using various Work-Out Chips obtained from Story Quests and Vortexes. Letting a Digimon Work-Out raises individual stats, and once all Work-Outs have been completed, and the additiional requirements of Level & Bond have been met, it’s possible to Awaken a Digimon. Awakening a Digimon further raises their stats (more significantly than the individual workouts), and raises the level cap. I compare it in some regards to Ascension in FGO, however it happens much more frequently, requiring more time and materials, as well as sharing the role with Digivoltion. Speaking of. DIGIVOLUTION: Requires the Digimon to be at a certain amount of Level and Bond. Allows the Digimon to reach the next, more powerful, stage. Raises their stats significantly, as well as boosting the power of their Main and Sub Skill. Naturally this also changes their appearance. A noteable thing is that while all Digimon can reach the stage of Ultimate, only SOME Digimon can get all the way to Mega, usually requiring you to roll in a paid Gacha, or get really lucky with a Digi-Egg.  Alongside the above, other ways to make a Digimon Stronger are to raise their skill level (to a maximum of 10) or Equip Plugins. To raise a Skill Level you simply need to combine them with a Digimon with the same Digivolution Tree. This means that they have to have the same Rookie, Champion, and Ultimate Stage, and that Mega Digimon can only be combined with Digimon that can also reach Mega. Plugins are Equipment that can be sorted into Offensive, Defensive, and Status Effect. At max level you can equip 2 of each, for a total of 6 Plugins. Plugins, simply enough, raise various stats. They can be obtained as drops in Story Quests and the Underworld, bought in various currency shops, or obtained in the Gacha (More on this latter.). Plugins can also be combined together to increase their stat bonuses.   Next we have the game’s “Social” aspects and a shameless plug from myself.

GUILDS: DigiGuilds are in a lot of ways like a second Friends-list, giving you another list of people you can invite to raids, or call on for support in battle. Joining a Guild also gives you access to a second DigiEgg Incubator, allowing you to raise 2 DigiEggs at the same time, as well as request help from Guild Members to ease the burden of hatching and raising it. The Guild also provides additional rewards to reap. Once a day Players can enter their Guild Page, and by clicking “Support” (or Support All) will receive additional Stamina for each member of the guild, which can be great while farming. As well by “Checking In” the ENTIRE Guild will receive a Reward based on the number of Members who checked in during a 24 hour period. The more members, the better the Rewards.  Shameless Plug: Featured above is my own Guild “Menagerie” (Because “Phenomenal Menagerie Souffle” was too long.). If you play Digimon ReArise or this post convinces you to play Digimon ReArise, consider joining! If you do, please remember to Support and Check-in! FRIENDSLIST: The Friends-list like in most Mobile Games, is a list of other Players whom you’ve made (or accepted from) a friends request. Players on your Friendslist can be called for Support in regular battles, or send a help request for a Clash Battle. In addition they serve as a source of “Social Points” which can be earned by Greeting Players once a day (Button located in your Friendslist), by those players Greeting you, and by other players using your Digimon for Support in Battle. Social Points can be spent in a Shop to purchase new Decor items for the DigiTown, or Food. In addition they can be used in a Free Plugins Gacha.  Speaking of the Gacha!

That’s our next topic on this painfully long review.  GACHA: There are several types of Gacha in Digimon ReArise. The Limited Summon Gacha, the Step-up Summon Gacha, various Plugins Gacha, and the Social Points Plugins Gacha. Every Gacha besides the Social Points Plugins Gacha, costs DigiRubies, the Paid Gacha Currency of the game. There is no “free” Gacha for Digimon unfortunately, however I have found that DigiRubies (especially early on) are fairly easy to earn for free early on. So it’s not all bad. Additionally you can also gain new Digimon by hatching DigiEggs, which can be obtained in Shops, from Events, and from certain floors of the Underworld.  SUMMON GACHA: A pretty standard Gacha. Comes in x1 or x10 (+1). Put in DigiRubies and a Random Digimon pops out. The Summon Rate of higher-tier Digimon is better when you roll x10 as opposed to x1. STEP-UP SUMMON: A Step-Up Summon Gacha is a Gacha that comes in steps. Ones I’ve seen have been 3-5 steps. The Price of each step is set, so there’s no x1 or x10. You roll it or you don’t. The Price and number of summons increases with each Step of the Gacha, but so does the Summon Rate of the available Digimon (so the higher the step the better your odds.). Additionally with each step you gain a Reward. At the Final/Highest Step you’ll get 1 Guaranteed Mega-Capable (Can digivolve to Mega) Digimon. Usually a specific Digimon associated with the Step-Up Summon. The Summon Rate increase will cap at the final step, but it is possible to roll the Final Step multiple times (However the Guaranteed Mega will only occur the 1st time you roll the final step.). PAID PLUGINS GACHA: Kinda says what it is on the tin here. You pay DigiRubies to roll for Plugins more powerful than what is generally going to drop from quest nodes. Comes in various types associated with your Digimon’s Personality Type, a concept I still don’t understand.  SOCIAL POINTS PLUGINS GACHA: Again sort of what it says on the tin. A Plugins Gacha, only instead of DigiRubies you spend Social Points, so it’s essentially free. Again drops better Plugins than you’re likely to get from farming quest nodes. 

Next we’ll cover the all important aspects. The Digimon themselves and Combat. DIGIMON: Digimon’s stats are pretty straight forward, split into HP, an Offensive Stat (PWR or TEC depending on the Digimon.), DEF, and SPD. Each Digimon has 3 Skills. A Passive Skill, usually some sort of Buff or Immunity. A Main Skill, which is an offensive Skill Unique to the Digimon themself (such as WarGreymon’s “Terra Force” as seen above), and a Sub-Skill, another Offensive or sometimes Supportive Skill which can be found across several Digimon. As noted before, only some Digimon can Digivolve all the way to Mega, but all can reach Ultimate. I don’t strictly agree with that decision, but I at least understand the reasoning behind it.  BATTLE: Combat in Digimon ReRaise involves a Party of 1 to 5 Digimon Vs 1-3 Waves of Enemies (each Wave in a group of 1-5). Players can chose to activiate Skills Manually, or set Combat to Auto and let the AI decide when to use them. Fights in both Main and Vortex Quests is incredibly easy, and often better left to Auto. If a player is looking for a fight that involves some form of Strategy you’re better off going for a Clash Battle, the Battle Park, or the Underworld (despite my complaints about the latter two.). One glaring fault with the Combat is the inability to select your Target. Who get’s hit by your skills is randomized, which can be a problem both in high difficulty quests, or when special requirements require you to hit the “Boss” with a particular kind of attack. 

Lastly we have the DigiWalker, a magnificent callback to the olden days of the Digivice Toys we used to violently shake up and down instead of actually walking with. The DigiWalker requires a Phone with a Pedometer Function, and access to said Function, but otherwise doesn’t require the game to actually be on. After a certain number of steps your Digimon will find items. When you accept those items they’re gain Bond Points.  Digimon ReArise is not without flaws, the most glaring of which is an excessive number of loading screens, but over all it’s a game I greatly enjoy, and one you can play entirely for free. I’ve been playing a month and haven’t spent a single cent, but still have 6 different Mega Digimon. Thank you for reading this Review, and I hope it was informative. 

#Digimon #Digimon ReArise #Game Review #Game Rant #WarGreymon #DigiGuild #Mobile Game #Nostalgia #Digimon Game #Pedometer #Gacha #Gacha Game #F2P

[mensbodybuildingtips]

5 Foam Roller Exercises That Improve Performance

Foam roller workouts are a fantastic, affordable way to increase mobility and also efficiency, stop injuries, and also get rid of bothersome muscle mass pains.

Foam rolling utilized to be a mystical, 'experimental' technique used entirely by specialist athletes, trainers, and also specialists, its utmost performance unproven.

Well, thanks to years of method advancement, as well as a little bit of recent professional research study, foam rolling has actually come to be an usual practice for individuals whatsoever levels of physical fitness, and also forever reason.

For simply $20 - 40 and 5 - 10 minutes of your time, a couple of days weekly, you can utilize foam rolling to considerably boost movement and also therefore variety of motion, to reduce the danger of injury, and to get rid of pains that you may be experiencing while you put your body via particular motions.

In this short article, I wish to explain a bit of why foam rolling works, and 5 of my favorite foam rolling workouts for sustaining my weight-lifting routine.

How Foam Rolling Works

In fancy-speak, foam rolling is a 'self-myofascial release' approach that kicks back overactive muscle mass that are protecting against proper activation and also motion.

To understand self-myofascial release, let's simplify:

Myo- is a prefix significance 'muscle mass,' and fascia is a soft, coarse tissue that borders muscles, blood vessels, as well as nerves, enabling flexibility while supplying assistance and protection.

Thus, self-myofascial release merely describes a method where you can release tension in the fascia surrounding your muscles, and also the muscles themselves.

You see, fascia can become excessively tight through overuse, injury, as well as inactivity. The result is inflammation, discomfort, muscle mass stress, decrease of blood flow, and also loss of wheelchair, and also if the trouble becomes serious or extended, the fascia could actually enlarge, creating pain as well as more inflammation.

Now, mechanically speaking, foam rolling is really simple.

You position your body in specific methods on a foam cylindrical tube to tax trigger points, which are limited spots in muscles that, when pushed on, produce discomfort that describes other areas in the body (could be really felt in locations besides where you're applying stress).

By holding pressure on these trigger points, your body will progressively loosen up the locations, triggering the pain to discolor. This is known as launching trigger points.

' Leisure' is underselling the benefits of foam rolling. It can in fact make fairly a distinction in your training.

The Advantages of Foam Roller Exercises

When you release fascial as well as muscular tightness, swelling as well as pain lessen, and also blood flow is restored.

While this could 'seem good,' it actually indicates a whole lot for us health and fitness folk.

For instance, a study performed by Memorial College of Newfoundland located that foam rolling enhances series of activity without lowering strength (which is a problem with pre-workout stretching).

The better the series of activity in an exercise, the more work your muscles have to do, which in turn brings about excellent gains in stamina and also size. As well as a result of the truth that it does not impair performance, you could foam roll prior to a workout to prime your body for the training.

A study carried out by Osaka Aoyama University discovered that foam rolling minimizes arterial tightness and therefore boosts blood flow.

Better blood flow suggests far better removal of metabolic waste from tissues and better delivery of nutrients, which inevitably assists with muscular tissue repair.

We can see these results in a research study that demonstrated that foam rolling lowers the intensity of delayed-onset muscular tissue discomfort (DOMS) that happens after training, and enhances array of motion.

So, as you could see, routine foam surrendering much longer time periods could in fact make rather a distinction in the results you get out of your training.

My 5 Favorite Foam Roller Exercises

There are a wide selection of foam roller exercises that you could do, yet right here are my top 5.

You could execute these workout pre-workout to improve performance, or post-workout to improve healing, or both.

In terms of time, I like to invest a pair minutes on each, locating as well as releasing 1 - 2 trigger factors for each and every muscle group.

Iliotibial System (IT Band) Foam Roller Exercise

The 'IT Band' runs along the outer side of your leg, and also its connected muscular tissues are involved in different hip movements, and also the stablizing of the knees.

Regular correct squatting will certainly commonly develop trigger points in the IT Band, which then hinder range of activity and also performance.

Here's how you can foam roll the IT Band:

Hamstring Foam Roller Exercise

Tight hamstrings are a curse for bowing as well as deadlifting, and foam rolling can truly help.

Here's how to do it:

Quadriceps Foam Roller Exercise

Trigger points in the quadriceps can insidiously influence your squatting.

I had this problem lately and the affected quadriceps could not acquire appropriately, which transferred more of the tons to the numerous smaller sized stabilizing muscular tissues in my hip. This created excessive soreness in my hip muscles, which kept me from having the ability to progress.

Use the following foam roller workout to prevent this trouble:

Rhomboids Foam Roller Exercise

The rhomboids (major and also minor) are back muscle mass that attach your shoulder blades with your spine, as well as are activated to retract the shoulder blades.

The rhomboids not only get hit hard when we educate back, they could get quite rigid from resting throughout the day (particularly with poor stance).

The adhering to rhomboid foam roller workout is a wonderful way to launch tension in these muscle mass:

Latissimus Dorsi Foam Roller Exercise

You most likely recognize the latissimus dorsi, or 'lat,' yet here it remains in situation you don't:

This is another muscular tissue mainly targeted in back training, and therefore it commonly develops trigger points.

Here's the foam roller exercise for it:

Buying a Foam Roller

A great foam roller is moderately dense-if the foam is as well soft, you can't apply enough stress, if it's also hard, you can end up bruising yourself, causing too much injury to the trigger factor areas.

Here are both foam rollers I such as well as advise:

High-Density Foam Roller

A excellent high-density foam roller is inexpensive and obtains the job done. Can not go wrong.

Rumble Roller

The Rumble Roller items are one more fantastic option.

Although a Rumble Roller is extra pricey compared to the easy high-density roller, I like it a fair bit more. It's even more forgiving (the more difficult the roller, the less pressure you could apply before it starts to really pain) and also the handles are wonderful for exercising limited spots.

I like the initial thickness (blue) best.

Trigger Point Efficiency 'The Grid' Foam Roller

What I such as concerning this fancy-looking foam roller is the different surfaces of the grid design allow you use different quantities as well as kinds of stress on trigger factors, which could occasionally be difficult to locate and target for release.

#body building #bodybuilding #bodybuilding diet #exercise #fitness #health #health and fitness #how to build muscle #weight #workout #workout routines

[cupgemini8-blog]

A Conditioning Guide for Power Athletes

Here's what you need to know... Programmed wisely, concurrent training - focusing on strength and conditioning at exactly the same time - can make you stronger. The myth about endurance work causing strength loss was extracted from research including extreme cases. GPP isn't that very important to powerlifting meets, but it is when it comes to training for those fits. Having a good foundation of conditioning will speed recovery from weight training. Mobility circuits kill two birds with one rock: mobility needs and general conditioning. And it takes merely 15 minutes. Endurance and strength? You might have heard that strength athletes should avoid cardio, skip conditioning, and only focus on the strength side of sport. Maybe you've listened to that advice. It makes sense after all. Concurrent training - training for both endurance and power for example - won't offer you optimum results on either end of the range. But is that true really? Perhaps you have ever investigated how different types of training help one another? Rev Your Engine There's more to conditioning than simply improving a mile time, cranking up your VO2 max, or cutting weight for the beach. Conditioning can be an engine to the power source of your body. Regardless of your sport, conditioning is a right part of the training plan that needs to be put in play. The type of sport you participate in dictates the style and programming of conditioning just. Concurrent Training: THE STUDY Research shows that power benefits are created with concurrent training still. Studies by McCarthy et. Al. and Kraemer et. Al. both show improvements in strength with combined groups just like those who power trained only. The myth of strength reduction with endurance training was extracted from research that showed acute cases and placed in to the masses. Power sports simply adopted this train of thought, and none more than the activity of powerlifting. Powerlifters: Strong and Totally Out of Shape? Powerlifting has evolved and changed within the last couple decades and it has just recently began to grow out of a vintage college teach of thought. It certainly is been accepted that powerlifters are over weight and need no type of athleticism or conditioning. I select powerlifting here because it's one of the only sports activities that relies strictly on maximum strength and has no form of endurance in nature. It's a sport where each event may last, on the upper end, seven secs, and large amounts of rest receive between bouts. When you look at it from the outside, you could easily argue there is no reason behind conditioning of any sort for this athlete. But those who know science could attest to the need with the new light that has been shown on concurrent training. Some research has proven that training both endurance and power at the same time will result in a lessened aftereffect of strength gain. That is a problem as it pertains to a sport that relies solely on maximum strength. However, where people go wrong is the study that shows this looks at a larger level of endurance training and doesn't take into consideration a well-scheduled program. So of delving deeper instead, people (myself once included) just take it for what it's well worth and throw conditioning out the windows. The nagging issues that come with this notion are vast and dangerous. Laying a Foundation Like creating any powerful landmark just, there needs to be a solid base. Without a base the structure will crumble and fall with a blur of a lifespan just. A similar thing goes when discussing a solid and powerful body. If the base is skipped it's only a matter of time until progress comes to a screeching halt and injuries start to occur. With the big three lifts, a major foundational point is the basics of motion - the idea of how to properly squat, bench press, and deadlift without compensation. This is essential for any lifter and must be mastered to continuously improve. Along with that is something called General Physical Preparedness. GPP is the idea of the body's energy systems being conditioned to work longer and more efficiently. For a powerlifter, competition day relies more on the ATP/Computer system for short, maximal outputs. However, as it pertains to training for a meeting, a lifter with better GPP can complete more working pieces, more exercises, and thus enable better strength gains than would an sportsman with poor conditioning. Attempting to increase mitochondrial muscle and density glycogen stores models a muscle up to have the ability to work longer, which gives an sportsman the ability to put more into the training. Better training equals better results. Energy Systems and Recovery When it comes to recovery, lifters are always looking for an edge. From supplements to rest to nourishment, lifters 're going out of their way to find the next big thing. Why? Because faster recovery means more training and more training means better results. But exactly what does fitness have to do with recovery? The answer is simple: energy systems. When we train we create chemical changes that cause the fatigue we feel. Muscles run out of energy substrates such as ATP. Lactic acid and hydrogen ions build up (the burn we all like to hate) and glycogen stores get slowly depleted. With conditioning, an athlete can improve air delivery to the muscles, create more efficient creation of ATP, and oxidize lactic acid. The aerobic system is the main power source for recovery. Blood transport is essential for nutrients, human hormones, metabolites, and waste materials. Its capability to pump in the nutrients needed and pump out the waste takes on an enormous role in both performance and health (2). With an improvement in nutrient and oxygen transport, a lifter will not only be able to work longer with a much better work capacity, but will also start recovering from training faster and more efficiently. This improved recovery will business lead to more frequent and effective workout sessions. An additional aspect to this improvement is that of competition day. Several full times last all night upon hours, and by time the deadlift rolls around many lifters have fatigued and miss quantities they have hit over and over in the fitness center. With an improved aerobic base your body can fully recover after every attempt and stay fresher throughout the day resulting in deadlift PRs. Fat or fit? Looking back at the annals of powerlifting there are a couple of things that always stood out: these folks were crazy strong plus they were also fat. Yes, I said body fat. Old-school powerlifters seemed to all share the same non-e and features of these features matched their bodybuilding counterparts. When I was younger I usually just accepted that the weight was an edge, however now I've noticed the higher unwanted fat content is not an advantage but actually a detriment. Why Do Many Powerlifters Get Fat Anyhow? To get stronger we should eat in a calorie surplus and when doing that, mixed with a lack of conditioning, weight gain is inevitable. As a lifter, strength is the main goal and therefore nutrition becomes an aid to power instead of a street to sexy. This is all fine and dandy but if you really break it down there's a way to get both. The Best of Both global worlds Research and practice have led us to numerous breakthroughs in the global world of nourishment. We know more now than previously and we've learned the culprits behind unwanted fat storage. We've also started studying the medicinal effects of certain foods and how they can help our performance in all respects of life. It's time we start using this knowledge for strength and physique and stop being lazy. By viewing macros and micros we can manipulate our diets to not only lose fat but also keep and even gain strength at the same time. However, to get this done we have to utilize conditioning in our programs. In short, powerlifters have no reason to anymore be fat. It only is practical as a powerlifter to be as trim as you possibly can. Powerlifting is divided into weight classes and you merely compete against other lifters in your course. So if two lifters weight 220 pounds and one lifter is 10% body fat as the other is 20% surplus fat, math tells us that the lifter with only 10% body fat will have more muscle mass therefore have a larger potential for strength. It's only logical to be leaner than your rivals and carry a greater potential. Planning It All Out Conditioning for the strength athlete shall improve body composition, work capacity, and recovery, all leading to a far more efficient lifter and better training. read this The best question now is how to program it so that it doesn't block the way of strength training. A strength sportsman isn't seeking to run mls upon miles and spend hours with an elliptical every week to enter conditioning. There is no dependence on that amount of duration and exercise selection should become more specific to the activity. Through the off-season is when nearly all an aerobic base should be built. This is the time of the entire year where 3-4 classes can be applied each week with each program lasting anywhere between 20-60 minutes. These sessions could be anything from walking, stadium stairs, or sled drags. As an athlete gets nearer to competition and enters into prep phase, the frequency should be lowered and the exercise selection could be adjusted. Some of the best things for conditioning are timed sled drags, flexibility circuits, and med ball work. website here Whatever you might choose, the goal is to keep the heart rate around 130-150bpm and make an effort to keep lactic build up to a minimum. Progress every week with the addition of time or reps slowly. It's most appropriate to incorporate lower body work your day following a heavy squat or deadlift session and chest muscles work the day after a heavy bench session. This allows for increased blood flow to the damaged muscles, accelerating recovery time and lessening soreness. Below is an example week of training with conditioning: Monday Bench: 5 x 2 85% Close Grasp Bench: 3 x 8 Chest Backed Row: 5 x 10 Chin-Up: 4 x 10 Triceps Extension: 3 x 15 Tuesday 25 Min Flexibility Circuit Wednesday Squat: 5 x 2 85% Paused Squat: 3 x 6 RDL: 4 x 8 Glute-Ham Increase: 4 x 8 Thursday 20 Min Sled Move: 45lbs Friday Over head Press: 5 x 5 Pull-Up: 5 x 10 Dumbbell Row: 5 x 10 Pressdown: 3 x 15 Saturday Deadlift : 8 x 1 70% Entrance Squat: 5 x 5 AB Rollout: 5 x 10 Sunday 60 min Incline Walk Mobility Circuits One idea here is to include mobility circuits. These kill two birds with one stone and can be a great addition to anyone's training plan. Focus on 4-5 exercises targeting mobility focus on areas or motions which may be lacking. Perform 15-20 repetitions per exercise. Move through each exercise in a circuit fashion and continue for anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes. The heartrate should stay up around 130bpm and the athlete should build up a sweat. This not only helps conditioning but improves movement quality also. Stop USING THE Excuses There's been a stigma placed on powerlifting as a fat and lazy sport. Individuals who don't wish to accomplish cardio choose to just lift heavy instead. But there's a lot more to powerlifting than simply weight lifting. It's a testament of power both actually and mentally. It takes guts and drive to get under those weights knowing they could crush you. There's a feeling of sophistication and athleticism involved with the proper execution and positioning, and there are a pride directed at those who succeed. Crush that stigma and show pride in your capability, your physique, as well as your athleticism. Stop the stereotype and create a fresh look for powerlifting and power sports over the board. Build your conditioning, improve your recovery, and arranged new records.

[olgagarmash]

How can an exercise be considered “the best” movement for fat loss and muscle gain, and also be avoided by many of the world’s smartest trainers?

That’s the case with the traditional back squat. One of the most well-known and timelines exercises, and also one of the most controversial.

dsNo matter how you view the back squat, squatting is an essential movement, regardless of whether you perform it with weight on your back.

Most of the disagreements focus on the safety of the movement. Some people believe that it’s too easy to get hurt doing squats. And, if you’re avoiding them, odds are you’re either worried about the same outcome or already have experienced some injury or pain while performing them.

If you’re not doing some variation of the squat, you’re training plan is most likely flawed.

We like to look at things a different way: if you can’t sit down (which is what squatting is) without hurting yourself, then the worst thing you can do is avoid the movement entirely.

Whether you want to squat with a weight on your back is up to you, but don’t let that stop you from cleaning up little mistakes that are causing pain or limiting your workouts.

If you want to move better, and see better results from your workouts, here are simple ways to ensure you don’t get hurt while doing one of the most fundamental human movements.

Why Do Squats Hurts?

Part of what makes squats great is also what connects them to injuries. Squats are a compound exercise, meaning that many muscles are involved in the movement. Everything from your quads, hamstrings, glutes, back, and even your abs light up when you squat.

While those muscles are all involved, you don’t necessarily want them doing the heavy lifting. And, that’s why a great movement for your lower body can easily turn into something like back pain.

If you want to move pain-free and keep tension on the muscles designed for the movement, you simply need to recognize where you feel “off.”

And, it’s important to recognize that the way you squat is dependent on your body. As we’ve broken down in detail, there’s not even one squat depth that’s universally correct—how low you should go depends on who you are. (Remember, personalization is a vital part of exercising.)

Instead, we’ll help you address any issues you feel when you squat, make it easy to identify why you struggle, and then make the necessary adjustments.

Whether you back squat, front squat, goblet squat, or perform single-leg variations, these tips and cues will ultimately make you better at squatting, identify weaknesses, and help prevent injury and pain.  

The Problem: Weak Grip

When I watch someone squat, the first place I look tends to surprise people. I like to watch the grip and upper back.

Why? Because most people barely take hold of the bar and activate the muscles that are designed to keep your body safe.

Most people, especially when they have a bar on their back, try to spend a lot of time finding a comfortable spot on their upper back. In doing so, they miss a key first step.

The Squat Fix: When you set up for a squat, you want to grip the bar as hard as possible and try to pull your elbows under the bar. If you just drop into a squat, you’ll feel unstable during the movement.

More tension in your hands and upper back create full-body tension. This tension will help you squat down with greater control and protect your spine and lower back. Not to mention, the activation of these muscles will also help you produce more force and lift more weight without getting injured.

The Problem: Leaning Forward

A popular squat cue is to keep your chest up and for a good reason. If you’re bending too much at your hips, it’s very hard to keep tension on the muscle in your lower body.

Falling forward transfers the weight away from your quads and shifts more to your glutes and hamstrings or potentially your lower back.

The Squat Fix: We could say this about every exercise, but start by dropping the weight and ensuring that your body can handle what you’re lifting. With squats especially, your body sends you lots of signals that scream, “This is too much!” Folding in half as you lower and sit down is one of those signs.

Then, work on keeping your elbows pulled down (facing the ground) and your chest up. This will ensure that the torso remains more upright throughout the lift.

You’ll also want to focus on your flexibility and mobility (more on this soon). Tight ankles, hips, and upper back will prevent you from hitting a good squat pattern. And, this will only get worse as the weight increases.

The issue could also be linked to weak core muscles (your abs) or weak quads. Instead of putting a bar on your back, strengthen your knee extension and stability with exercises like step-ups, Bulgarian split squats, and lunges.

The Problem: Poor Ankle Mobility

Ankle mobility is an issue for most because, well, most people don’t work on it. And, our reliance on stabile footwear makes your feet feel comfortable while compensating for the ability to build stronger, more durable, and more mobile ankles.

Losing mobility in your ankles means your shins don’t move forward naturally when you squat. If your shins aren’t moving forward, your movement pattern is altered and it can create unnecessary stress on your knees.

For years, fit pros have loved sharing pics of babies and toddlers squatting to prove how natural it is for humans to squat deep. Instead of focusing on the depth, look at the angle formed by their shins, which is enabled by better ankle mobility.

The Squat Fix: If you’re looking for more depth, a simple fix is placing a 5- or 10-pound plate under your heels and then squatting. The little change will help you sink into your heels when you sit down and achieve a deeper squat. By putting the plate under your heels, you compensate for a lack of ankle mobility.

If you want to fix the problem (which we recommend), try adding ankle mobility drills, which help restore normal ankle movement and improve squat form.

One popular drill requires you to face a wall in a staggered stance with your forward foot about 1-foot away from the wall. Then, try to drive your front knee forward towards the wall as far as you can.

Another simple exercise is to trace the “ABC’s” with your big toe on each foot. Try to “draw” each letter as a way to challenge your ankles with movement in each direction.

The Problem: Collapsing Knees

Next time you squat when holding a weight, have someone take a video or watch your knees in the mirror. How much are your knees (or one knee) caving inwards? A little bit of movement can be OK. But, if one knee looks like it wants to kiss the other (or both knees are making the move), it’s time to fix the issue and prevent a serious injury before it happens.

The Squat Fix: The caving knees (AKA “valgus collapse) could be a technique flaw, mobility issue, or weakness.

The wall squat is a simple way to test if this is an issue (without needing weight). Stand facing a wall with your feet about 6 inches away. Squat as far as you can. You will immediately see if your hips, ankles, and upper back have any mobility issues and you’ll notice how your knees track.

If this is a problem, shift to Goblet squats, making sure you go as deep as possible, while keeping your lats and core braced and forcing your knees out. This will provide dynamic mobilization of your hips.

Warning: this probably won’t be enough to fix the issue. Strengthening your glutes will help you keep your knees out during squats. Glute bridges and barbell hip thrusts will be your primary focus for your glutes, which are your primary hip abductors and will reduce the weakness causing the collapse.

The Problem: Incorrect Breathing

If you are not inhaling (deep breath in) as you move down into the squat and exhaling as you drive up and out of the hole, you’re not taking advantage of intra-abdominal pressure (IUP). This, along with the bracing of your torso, is your natural lifting belt.

The Squat Fix: Before each rep, take a big breath and brace your torso. Then, squat down, pause, and as you come up, exhale forcibly through pursed lips at the most challenging portion of the lift. This tension and bracing will help keep you safe and injury-free.

The Problem: Using a Belt on All Sets

Belts (much like lifting straps) are not a bad thing. But, you need to know how to use them appropriately. They should be there for assistance and not reliance. When squatting, there are a lot of lifters who wear a belt for all their sets. This much dependency on a belt will not help you develop a strong, functional core.

Squat Like a Pro: By putting off wearing a belt until the heavier sets, you’ll be increasing your overall full-body strength and potential for remaining injury-free. As a rule of thumb, you should work up to the point where you don’t put on a belt until you are around 70 percent of your one-rep max (1RM).

READ MORE: 

The Mystery of Squat Form: How Low Should You Go, Really?

Why Weight Machines Are Better Than You Think 

The Tension Weightlifting Technique: How to Make Every Exercise More Effective

via Wealth Health

#IFTTT #Wealth Health

[lindafrancois]

3 HIIT Workouts for Beginners: Start Interval Training and Sprint Running!

This High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) guide is probably the best interval training guide in the galaxy.

My justification for such a bold claim?

We’re really good at this stuff, AND we have dinosaurs and Muppets.

Plus, lots of great gifs:

We build custom interval training programs just like the ones in this guide for our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Clients, including workouts for at home, the gym, or even while traveling.

Want a HIIT workout program you’ll actually enjoy? Learn more:

In this Ultimate Guide to Interval Training, we’ll cover:

What is interval training? What is HIIT?

What are the benefits of HIIT? Why should you do interval training?

What’s an example of interval training? How to do interval running.

How do HIIT workouts work?

What are the best HIIT exercises?

Is HIIT good for losing weight?

Getting started with interval training.

Mistakes to avoid when doing HIIT.

HIIT timer recommendations.

Our interval training workout recommendation.

If you’re interested in starting a HIIT practice (which you are, ’cause you’re here), you may want to try our new app! It contains a fun adventure that will take you from sitting on your couch to a full HIIT workout – with plenty of benchmarks in between for you to find your groove. No guesswork needed, just jump into the app and follow it’s next steps.

You can sign-up for a free trial right here:

What is Interval Training? What is HIIT?

In 2018, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) was ranked the number one fitness trend by American College of Sports Medicine.[1]

Essentially, HIIT is just following a specific regimen where you vary your speeds and intensity throughout a shorter run, swim, bike, or row.

Any exercise can be a form of HIIT, but here’s a common routine:

Jogging lightly for three minutes.

Pushing yourself harder for a minute (run or sprint).

Repeating this cycle 4 more times.

Because everybody is busy and overwhelmed, fast results in the least amount of time is why most people discover HIIT. 

You may be asking, “Steve, just how short and intense are we talking about here? Also, your new haircut looks spiffy.”

Thank you, you’re very kind.

So let’s explore the pros and cons of intervals.

What are the Benefits of HIIT? Why Should You Do Interval Training?

The 1996 landmark Tabata study demonstrated the benefits of extreme HIIT.[2]

Dr. Izumi Tabata, from Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sports, was obsessed with interval training.

The doctor sought to see exactly what kind of gains were obtained from short, intense, periods of exercise. He conducted an experiment with Olympic athletes on stationary bikes and put them through intense bouts of exercise followed by short periods of rest.

The results were fascinating.

Compared to regular cardio, HIIT had a greater impact on improving BOTH:

Aerobic increases (endurance).

Anaerobic increases (power).

Even crazier? Tabata was able to demonstrate improvements in his athletes with just four minute bursts.

So what’s happening here?

Simple: your heart is a muscle.

If you keep your heart beating at a constant rate, never expanding it outside of its comfort zone, it will never grow stronger.

By introducing chaos and pushing your muscles outside of their comfort zone, they must adapt and grow more resilient in order to survive.

Intense interval training challenges your heart by constantly forcing it outside of its comfort zone.

In other words: progressive overload – the same concept behind building strength.

Since Tabata’s 1996 study, many other trials have shown the positive impact of interval training. 

Here are some of the benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training:

#1) HIIT for Weight loss. A study in the Journal of Obesity found participants were able to lose more body fat following a HIIT program compared to regular cardio.[3]

This makes sense, because other studies suggest high-intensity interval training burns more calories than a “steady state” workout.[4]

Revving up your effort requires more out of you, including calories. If you’re interested in HIIT for weight loss, you might be on the right track.

Plus, interval training can take less time than steady-state cardio.

The average interval training workout is 20 minutes or less.

However, I should note that a meta-study (a review of multiple studies) found no real difference in fat loss between HIIT and steady-state cardio.[5] We’ll talk about this, and the impact of diet for weight loss later. 

#2) HIIT for lowering blood sugar. Managing blood sugar is really important for health, not just for diabetics.

Those trying to lose fat should be aware of their blood sugar and corresponding insulin levels.

The good news for our current discussion? HIIT has been shown to help lower and manage blood sugar levels.[6]

#3) HIIT for heart health. Touching on the “antifragile” topic again, HIIT has been shown to help with overall cardiovascular health.

It does so in the same way traditional endurance training does, but at a fraction of the time (almost half).[7]

Now, before you accuse me of being a shill for Big HIIT, I will mention that many of the comments that “HIIT is the secret to fat loss” are overblown.[8]We’ll touch on more of that later.

For now, let’s chat about how to actually do some interval training.

What’s an example of Interval Training? How to do interval running

The key to HIIT is being able to go from “easy” to “difficult.” All sorts of different exercises can get you there:

Aerobic (cardio).

Bodyweight (strength training).

Resistance (weight training).

HIIT is generally associated with running (aerobic), so we’ll devote this section to just that.

The easiest way to experiment with HIIT would be to run.

Here’s how to start with a basic HIIT running workout. Go to a park in your neighborhood. Warm-up with some light jogging, high knees, and mobility – leg swings, arm swings, etc,

And then begin your workout!

Run/jog at a brisk pace for 30 seconds.

Jog/walk at a slower pace for 2 minutes.

After your rest, shoot for another 30-second run/jog.

Continue until you get tired or after about ten “push/rest” intervals.

And BAM! You just did HIIT.

Don’t get disheartened if you find yourself stopping a lot during your first week of HIIT training. 

You’ll be surprised how quickly you get better at this!

Also, “running” or “jogging” is subjective. Whatever walking fast means to you is great. Do that for your periods of intensity.

It should be noted, that the entire “Couch to 5K” concept rests on interval training through running.

It’s all broken down into “walking,” “jogging” and “running.”

If you’re curious, check out our in-depth Couch to 5k review. If you want to start interval training, “Couch to 5K” could be a good way to do it.

More of an indoor person?

Consider a treadmill, where it actually sets intervals for you based on your desired difficulty.

Just be careful on it…

We’ll be talking about machines a lot more in the next section, but a treadmill is all you need to do a HIIT workout.

Experiment with the speed and incline to find a setting that you would consider “intense.” Many machines can be programmed to flip between this and an “easy” setting.

And you know what that means… boom! It’s built for HIIT.

When we designed NF Journey (our awesome new app), we used an “intense” and “easy” interval switch for most of the workouts.

If you want, you can sign-up for a free trial right here to see what I mean:

How do HIIT Workouts Work? (More HIIT cardio to choose from)

There are a lot of different aerobic exercises for HIIT cardio.

For example, you could jump on a bike, which is like HIIT running but with wheels (duh):

Every spin class is based on HIIT cycling (SoulCycle, Flywheel, or even your local gym now has spin classes).

They’re popular for a reason, and you can make a friend or two!

Here are some more examples of interval training:

Elliptical. If it has a dial for resistance, it can be used for interval training. For a couple of minutes, go on low resistance (0-2 level). Then crank up the resistance for one minute (up to 8-10). Repeat this process 12 times, which will give you a 20-minute workout.

Stair Climber. Much like the elliptical, alternate between periods of low intensity for two minutes, then one minute for high intensity. The difference with the climber is the dial will control the speed of the stairs. Be careful.

Rowing machine. Start with a two-minute warm-up. On minute three, row like you’re being chased by the Kraken for a full 60 seconds. Then catch your breath. The rowing machine might be hard to do for a full 20 minutes, since it’s a lot of upper body. Shoot for ten minutes at first.

Jumping rope. Jumping rope is a full-body exercise. Also, it’s fun. There’s no dial here, your own body controls the pace of the jump. Follow the same two minute easy, one minute intense as above. Jump rope can also be done with friends!

So far we’ve just been talking about aerobic exercises.

Let’s cover our other categories, of bodyweight and resistance.

What Are the Best HIIT Exercises? (Two Other Forms of Interval Training)

“Steve, this all sounds great. But I hate running!”

Confession: So do I.

So I get my cardio in other forms!

Here are some bodyweight exercises to get going on HIIT:

Burpees. Stand up, then squat down, kick your legs out, do a push-up, bring your legs back in, and explode up into a jump. Try to do 20 repetitions, then rest for two minutes. Repeat until you hate yourself:

Push-ups. For 20 seconds, do as many push-ups as possible. Rest. Then do it again. If you’re worried about proper form, check out our push-up guide and watch this:

Pull-ups. Same idea as above, do pull-ups for 20 seconds, then rest. If you can’t do a pull-up, we got you covered in our pull-up progression guide:

Let’s now chat about some Weight Training Examples for HIIT:

Kettlebell swing. For ten minutes, do 20 kettlebell swings on every minute.

This will be intense, and worthy of congratulations when you’re done. Check out our 20 Minute Beginner Kettlebell Workout for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about kettlebells.

Battle ropes. If your gym has battle ropes, they’ll be a great tool for HIIT. For intensity, the amount of slack in the rope determines the load. The more slack on the rope the tougher, and more intense, the workout. Also, don’t get stuck in just up and down movements. Some variation will help target different muscles.

Weight lifting. The critical piece will be moving from one exercise to another quickly enough. For example, hustling from the bench press to the lat bar: we call this circuit training!

Yes, you can also do circuit training as a form of HIIT.

Circuit training is going through a sequence of exercises, or stations, back to back.

Push-ups to pull-ups, back to push-ups, only resting briefly from one exercise to another.

Circuit training would be perfect to mix into a HIIT workout, since you can design your circuit to be very intense.

Check out our post for 15 Circuit Training Routines to choose from.

Plus, there’s a Batman workout hidden in there. You’re welcome.

We create custom HIIT programs for busy people like you that are ACTUALLY fun. If you’re looking for a supportive coach to guide you and tell you exactly what to do each day, we got you covered!

Exercise doesn’t have to suck. Learn more about our coaching program!

If you just want a beginner circuit to get started with, you can try out our Beginner Bodyweight Workout Routine. Plus you can download a free worksheet to track your progress with this circuit when you join the Rebellion below:

Grab Your Beginner Bodyweight Routine Worksheet. No Gym Required!

Complete this workout at home, no equipment required

Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing bodyweight exercises

Learn how to finally get your first pull-up

Oh, what’s that? You want to have even MORE fun while getting the benefits of HIIT? 

Sure. let’s think outside the box:

Basketball, tennis, soccer, and Ultimate (frisbee) are AMAZING styles of exercise that use interval training (it’s all start and stop!).

Run here, catch this, and wait for the next round to start.

That’s what we’re looking for in a HIIT workout.

So pick a form of FUN exercise that gets your heart racing faster and slower throughout the activity (yes, I suppose even THAT activity would count).

Is HIIT Good for Losing Weight? Is Interval Training Good for Losing Weight?

My guess is that you’re reading this article because you’re trying to get the most efficient “bang for your buck” when it comes to getting in shape.

And HIIT is a great form of exercise and COULD help with weight loss.

I will, however, lower some of these outlandish claims that exist in the media.

For example, Time magazine calls HIIT “miraculous” in one article.[9]

That’s a little much, even for me, who writes for a living on why you should work out and likes using hyperbole for effect.

Seriously, I’m better at it than ANYBODY ON THE PLANET.

Ahem.

Cardio, strength training, and HIIT all have many benefits.

HIIT deserves praise, but exercise, in general, deserves praise. As we discussed in our “Cardio vs HIIT vs Weights” post, all three forms of training have their place, and the best one for you is the one you actually do.

And strength training. Always strength training.

So to answer your question, is HIIT the secret and only weapon for weight loss?

Nah, it’s just great exercise.

And exercise is important.

But if you want to lose body fat, how you eat will be responsible for 80% of your success or failure.

This means that I don’t care how many intervals you do, it’s not gonna help you lose weight if you don’t also fix your nutrition.

You can read our Beginner’s Guide to Nutrition if you want more information.

And if you want to download our free 10-level Nutrition Guide to help you fix your diet starting today, you can do so by signing up in the box below:

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

Getting Started with Interval Training

When it’s time to advance your high-intensity interval training, think about the following:

Frequency. This would be the number of intervals in your workout.

Intensity. How hard are you going in each interval?

Time. How long are your intervals and rest periods?

Maybe you start out doing 3 intervals of intense running.

Once it becomes routine, bring it up to 4.

Maybe you crank the resistance on your stationary bike to “8” during your intense interval. When it becomes normal, bring it up to “10.”

Maybe you do pull-ups for 20 seconds. When you’ve got a good handle on that, aim for 30 seconds.

This mindset will keep you advancing in interval training.

Consistency is the name of the game here. Even just doing a HIIT workout once a week will help you progress in all three categories.

Want a program that adapts to your progress each month? Learn more:

Mistakes to Avoid When Doing High-Intensity Interval Training

There’s a lot to consider when embarking on a HIIT practice.

No matter which routine you end up starting with, make sure you follow these words of wisdom:

Ease into it. As the saying goes, “you must walk before you can run.” The importance is building a HIIT practice. If you need to go “less intense” before progressing to “intense,” that’s fine. It’ll help build your aerobic capabilities (endurance), which will be important when working on intensity. Start with walking.

Keep proper form. Doing your movements correctly will help prevent injury. Here’s how to run properly. This is even more critical in your later intervals, where you may be exhausted and tired. If you find yourself breaking form, go ahead and slow down. Intense isn’t worth an injury.

Get rest. Our bodies actually build muscle while we are resting. So take some “off days” from your HIIT practice. Want to stay active on these days? Do some fun exercise!

Take it easy, focus on your form, and make sure to prioritize rest.

HIIT Timer Recommendations

HIIT centers on doing intervals.

One moment it’s intense, the next you’re onto a short rest break.

A good way to know when it’s time to go from one sequence to the next is a timer. A loud “beep” can tell you when it’s okay to catch your breath or when you have to kick it in gear.

Here are 5 HIIT timers you can try out:

Runtastic. Don’t let the name fool you, this free app is for more than just running. You can customize for many different interval workouts, depending on what exercise you go with. And the interface looks slick.

Seconds. It’s free and customizable to any form of HIIT. It can also integrate with your music, which is pretty sweet.

Seven. If you’re new to HIIT, Seven would be a good app for you. It’s free, plus it has illustrations for exercises. You also get to customize your own virtual personal trainer, which may be the future of fitness. The bots are coming…

Sworkit. First off, it’s a clever name (taken from “Simply Work It.”) Second, it’s free. Third, it can display your workout, goals, and calories burned. I like it.

J&J Official Seven Minute Workout. This free app from Johnson & Johnson is actually really awesome. It has premade workouts you can choose form based on your fitness level, or tweak them to make it your own.

Also, we need to talk about interval timers. Most of the apps referenced are completely customizable.

For example, you can change the intense interval from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.

This is critical because it’s up to you to decide how long you can do intense vs. rest.

Generally, folks recommend one minute of intensity and then two for rest when doing HIIT.

However, this all depends on the individual, and exercises performed.

For example, burpees are tougher to do than jumping over a rope:

So feel free to make changes like 30 seconds of intensity and three minutes of rest. Make it your own.

Whatever way you chose to do HIIT, is fine, as long as you actually do it. The benefits of HIIT kick in when going HARD for you.

In other words, you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to get the benefits of HIIT.[10]

A light jog totally works. Just don’t do it in a mascot costume.

As we discussed, if you’re consistent, you’ll improve.

So don’t stress about where you have to start.

For now, download an app and get going. Ours will help you train with HIIT too:

I hate multiple choice. Pick a HIIT workout for me!

Let’s power walk as our form of HIIT. 

This is an example of a beginner HIIT workout we might prescribe for our Coaching Clients who are starting to train for their first 5K.

Let’s do seven intervals, two minutes each:

Warm-up. For three minutes, walk at an easy pace.

Intervals. For the first 60 seconds, power walk, like you’re trying to beat someone to the front of the line at Starbucks.

For the next 60 seconds, just walk.

Repeat six more times.

Cool down. You can do some more light walking, or a little bit of stretching here would be great.

Total time: 20 minutes.

I want to stress, that you can do just about any exercise in exchange for this routine. Just minus “power walk” and add “push-ups and bodyweight squats”

It’ll still be a great HIIT workout.

“But Steve, that’s still multiple choice!”

Right, right… sorry. Stick to power walking! Done!

How to Start Interval Training now

Do our power walking routine above. It’s a great place to start.

Remember, our goal at this stage is to “build the habit.”

We can work on “whoa, that was intense” later.

If you’re looking for EVEN MORE stuff to do, we have a few options for ya:

1) Check out our popular 1-on-1 coaching program. You’ll work with our certified NF instructors who will get to know you better than you know yourself and program your workouts and nutrition for you.

Our coaching program kicks ass. Let us help you reach your goals!

2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Check out Nerd Fitness Journey!

Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Try your free trial right here:

3) Enlist in the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion. 

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It’ll help you start incorporating interval training into your workouts.

Download our comprehensive guide STRENGTH TRAINING 101!

Everything you need to know about getting strong.

Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.

How to find the right gym and train properly in one.

There are a zillion ways to do HIIT, so don’t let the options paralyze you.

Pick one. Anyone. And get to it.

Interval training, in any form, is a solid fitness choice and a great practice to have in the workout arsenal.

Any questions?

Which HIIT workout style is your favorite?

Leave it in the comments below!

-Steve

PS: Make sure you check out the rest of our content on interval training:

The HIIT Workout for Home

How to Do Tabata Sprints

Should You Do Couch to 5K?

###

All photo credits can be found in this footnote.[11]

  Footnotes    ( returns to text)

Check out that article from ACSP here.

Read Tabata’s original study here.

Read that study from the Journal of Obesity here.

Read that study on HIIT and calories burned here.

Check out that meta-study right here.

Check out the one such study on HIIT and insulin resistance here. Another can be read right here.

Check out the comparison of HIIT and regular cardio on heart health here.

Read, “The Metabolic Costs of Reciprocal Supersets vs. Traditional Resistance Exercise in Young Recreationally Active Adults.” Source, PubMed.

Said article.

This study demonstrated the benefits of HIIT on ‘recreational active’ participates, showing that the Tabata principles work on regular folks too, not just Olympic athletes.

Photo: Biking on a Rail, Countryside Ride, Plundering in Koln, Marina Pissarova © 123RF.com, Brian Jackson © 123RF.com, Ivan Smuk © 123RF.com, Mermaid, Stranded, Troll, Stopwatch, Trooper, Jump

3 HIIT Workouts for Beginners: Start Interval Training and Sprint Running! published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

[koka-banana]

Is your health and fitness routine broken? 10 Things to do and stay in shape.

It is mid 2020. Depending upon where you live you’ve been under a state of lockdown for about 3-4 months now. This means schools being shut, offices closed with people working from their homes whenever and wherever possible. Physical human interaction has become something to be feared off and frowned upon. The entire world changed and along with it the way we humans go about our daily activities.

Out of the ones whose morale has been hit the hardest are fitness enthusiasts and gym lovers. With gyms being closed and public spaces being out of limits, maintaining a regular fitness regime has become quite challenging for some with others giving up on their routine altogether. We all know that we as humans strive for and thrive on human interaction and one of the propelling factors pushing people to the gyms was being able to meet and interact with other enthusiastic and passionate like-minded people. So how do we all maintain a healthy lifestyle amid this pandemic and how do we find ways to keep our fitness aspirations alive?

Understanding the break.

Apart from the one obvious reason of not being able to go to the gyms of other open spaces for fitness activities, there are other factors as well that have affected the rhythm of our daily “action time”.

The act of getting ready and leaving for the gym or other such space was motivation enough for most folks to dedicate a certain amount of time from their day to it. Now with not being able to do so they find it hard to generate the same motivation or inspiration to be able to workout at home. This is a mental block in which home is regarded as a place to rest and unwind with the gym being considered as the dedicated place for any fitness activity by most. This needs to change and we need to realize that if we need to stay fit and stay strong, we shall have to work with what we have and whatever we can find.

We shall now discuss steps to get back into a routine and ways to stay in shape amid the lockdown.

·         Body weight exercises: - You do not always need heavy equipment or dumbbell to lose weight or build muscle. Muscle hypertrophy happens when you get them to work against a resistance and what better resistance than your own body weight. Plus when you work with your own body-weight and overcome it, you are more confident of your movements and are able to perform compound movements that benefit you in your day to day activities. Some golden examples are push-ups, squats, lunges, leg crunches, planks. Remember you do not need any equipment for these mentioned exercises just the floor. They help increase your flexibility and mobility and are good to practice correct posture and injury prevention.

·         Commit to the act: - Many a folks make the mistake of getting relaxed at home while working out as opposed to how they would at the gym. The key is to still commit to the act. If you need to wear your favorite gym shorts or tracksuit to feel ready do it. If you need music around to feel pumped then create the setup. If you need no disturbance during your workout hour then let others in the family know you need to be called upon during that time. Just commit to the hour regularly as you would do otherwise. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing fewer reps per exercise at the beginning than you did in the gym. As long as you’re regular you’ll get there. Be regular.

·         Document your progress: - Yeah, it is very important to maintain a log of your progress. It could be the inches you’ve lost around your waist, the inches you gained around your chest or arms, the kilos you’ve reduced or just the increase in the number of reps. Make sure to document it as then you’d have something to compare yourself to and a record of your progress helps in keeping you motivated. Especially what we all need right now with all the doom and gloom around us.

·         Partner up: - Count this extra time with your family as a blessing and better yet you can get them to participate with you on this journey to find a more fit self. Studies have shown and I can speak from my personal experience that people tend to be more regular towards daily workouts if they have someone to share the time with to make it less monotonous. Also it is better to have someone cheer you up and to discuss progress with later.

·         Share your progress: - Nowadays there’s a trend online of people recording and uploading their workout videos. Well no everybody wants to see you sweating but there are some who really care for your progress. Share it with them and make sure they are regularly updated. What this does is create a base of audience that is expecting you to improve with each session and also is ready to question you if you falter. The fact that you have people looking forward to your progress acts as a great morale booster.

·         Daily changes: - Some say “fitness is not just a hobby, It is a way of life” and they could not be more right. Fitness in fact should be looked up to as a way of living with healthy pursuits not confined not just to a certain category of people. Everybody should strive to be more fit tomorrow than they are today and they all can work towards it in their own capacity. Small changes such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, candy bars replaced with energy bars, soda and other aerated drinks replaced by fresh juices and other health drinks go a long way.

·         Take that rest day: - Keep at least one day a week reserved for resting and taking a break from all the workouts that you’ve been doing. Too much strain on muscles is also a bad and muscles need a minimum of 48 hours of rest between workouts. Also use this day up as your cheat day from diet perspective and treat it as a reward for all the strenuous and sweat sessions you’ve had all week long.

·         Proper nutrition: - It would be foolish to ignore nutrition as it is one of the most important aspects of a fit lifestyle. Always remember – “You can never outrun a bad diet”. And all the boys and girls dreaming of those clean washboard abs, it is said that abs are made in the kitchen. So pay attention to nutrition and consult a professional if you must.

·         Rest/Sleep : - Shouldn’t have to discuss this but some people believe that they can do with less sleep and by exerting more force on their body they will lose weight or build muscle faster. WRONG. Sleep is the third most important component of building muscle after workout and nutrition. Make sure you get enough sleep and are well rested so that your energy levels don’t drop during the day after a heavy workout.

·         Explore: - Find new ways to challenge your body or a specific muscle group that you want to work. Look up new workouts, new changes in style to keep the motivation up and high. Keep smiling as you power through that next rep. Being home and confined to your rooms should not bog you down as we all know -  “where there is a will, there is a way”.

  Stay Safe. Stay Strong.

#health & fitness #health #exercise #pandemic

[nowgoforth]

2017: Drowning, treading, making waves

It’s enlightening to read all of the drafts that I never published on this blog; some were too personal, some too rambling. Apparently, one of them was my replay of last year. Pretty sure I ran out of time last year and felt it was too late to share. But I’m going to post one this year, in spite of my worsening memory, and highlight some of my learnings and experiences.

This year…

...I lost my team and gained a new one.

Over the course of a month, both of my peers quit. They had different reasons, but it was still a blow. Although one stayed on for an extra month and worked remotely, he was moving back home and didn’t take on too much of the load. I spent March in a daze, doing my best to answer ALL the tickets alone. Everyone who works in support has some hellish moment that they can point to — I think of my year as “before March” and “after March”.

Luckily, my boss at the time quickly brought in two candidates she had sourced, and they changed the game when they started. They took Product Ops to the next level, as my boss planned, and quickly blended into the seams of Lever’s culture. They gave me hope that we could still hire A players.

...I struggled a lot with supporting our support team.

At the same time that I lost my team, we were *finally* hiring for our Tier 1 Support team. The timing couldn’t have been worse. There was no one to build materials, documentation, structure, and a feedback loop. Product Ops spent the year answering the Support team’s questions every day, and still answering the many tickets that were escalated to our queue. It was frustrating and unsustainable. My biggest regret this year is not planning for the day when we’d hire support reps, and then not sounding the alarm immediately after the first cohort was hired.

We eventually hired a Support Manager who just couldn’t be better. He listened to me and my team from day one, built a feedback process, and relieved some of the stress we were experiencing. We still have a long way to go in terms of documenting tribal knowledge, but it WILL happen and our teams will continue to evolve!

...I moved back to SF and into our own studio.

Yes, I just moved to Berkeley last August…our roommates decided to move to Oakland, and I just didn’t love the place they picked. Plus, if you’re going to move, you might as well move closer to work ;) Our space may be small and overpriced, but we haven’t killed each other and yeah, I’m 10x happier being a city girl a bus ride away from anywhere I wanna go.

...I traveled to Joshua Tree and Paris.

My family and my brother’s friend road tripped to Palm Springs, so my dad could use the National Parks pass we bought for him last Christmas. I wasn’t that amazed by the trees, but loved the rock structures and it was a fun little trip. I genuinely like hanging out with my family.

Paris…oh, Paris…I was not physically prepared for how much walking we’d do. Paris was the first international trip for my boyfriend and I, and we realized how different we were in our traveling styles. I love packing in popular sights, whereas he wants to relax and do nothing. It was a trial, but we got through it. I didn’t fall in love with Paris, but I do think I’d like to give it another try someday.

...I gave yoga a chance.

On our trip to Palm Springs, I found out that my brother’s friend was a yoga fanatic. He talked soooo much about yoga that I felt moved to try out a class. I had never liked yoga for various reasons, but I finally understood why so many people practice it. I attribute this turnaround to finding Jenna, a beautifully in-touch and soulful instructor at Wheel House, which was already one of my favorite studios in the city. The first few times I went, she played just the best song during the end of the class when you lay on your mat, and it spoke directly to my heart. I felt open, receptive, like everyone could see everything in me.

I then discovered two amazing instructors on YouTube, and I haven’t found anyone better than them: Yoga with Kassandra and Allie at The Journey Junkie. I became totally dedicated to Allie in particular and joined her online Facebook group and her 21-day program. (Yeah, was I the last one to find out that there are veritable communities in online Facebook groups?? It’s an entire selling point of online wellness businesses!)

For many months, I had a love affair with yoga. At the time that it started in May, I had been feeling stifled, adrift, without purpose. Regularly practicing yoga gave me a sense of peace, allowed me to tune into my body and mind in different ways, and gradually gave me the kick in the pants to get on with my life.

...I flirted with becoming a health coach and yoga teacher.

In October, I volunteered at the soft opening of a women’s clubhouse called The Assembly. There is so much potential in this fitness/coworking/hangout space, and women so need a way to find our community in this city. I’m excited to keep volunteering and supporting their growth when they officially launch in January!

After checking out The Assembly, I came across the concept of a “health coach”. I thought it might be a stepping stone to opening my own wellness space in the future, and I enrolled in an online institute to become one. During the first month, I realized that I had just been searching for a way to progress towards *something*, anything. The program wasn’t for me. I was a bit ashamed of “quitting”, but my boyfriend reminded me that the act of enrolling in and leaving the program was a learning experience that I could fold into my plans for my future. (And I became good friends with my lab partner, who lives across the country!)

Of course, I fluttered onto the next thing and without much direction, I put a deposit into a yoga teacher training program. I loved yoga, so why wouldn’t I want to deepen my practice? I was also really interested in learning more than the physical poses — the philosophy and anatomy aspects are often overlooked.

A couple weeks after, I stumbled upon the Instagram accounts of teachers who proclaimed that the yoga profession needed to adapt, there were more ways to do the poses everyone teaches. Smarter ways to move our bodies. I started to question what I had been practicing. I knew I hadn’t been hurting my body, but was I doing everything that I could to support its future? 

Annnnnd then I did hurt myself, trying to better my chatarunga pose at home. Now, that isn’t all yoga’s fault, it was also my ego thinking that I didn’t need modifications. But I didn’t feel the pain until afterwards, which scared me into realizing I wasn’t very strong at all. I’ve been doing strength training and “boring” but so-needed mobility workouts ever since. I’ve been feeling powerful and happy, and yes, now yoga feels too slow to me again. I’m sure I’ll find the balance someday.

GEEZ, this is one hell of a long post. I’m exhausted! There’s actually more I could write, which shows that I should probably blog more often. If I missed anything important, well…I’m sure they were documented in some way somewhere else. I guess a lot happened this year after all. Funny how the memory works.

Now, for next year…

My word for the year is “movement”. It could also be “progress”, but I am not married to any particular goal, I just don’t wanna sit around on my ass all year again.

I want new challenges and new responsibilities in my career. I want to feel like I’m experimenting, growing, and learning more about what satisfies me. I legit considered leaving tech this year, but all of the changes I’d been seeking? Well, turns out they just didn’t want to be rushed. They’re coming together right now, and some cool things are in the works. More to come next month ;)

I want to keep moving my body in different ways and progressively getting stronger and more mobile. I need to put more care into my health because hello, I’m getting older. In the same vein, I’d like to cook a little more often and try new ways to make my gut happier. I don’t talk about my IBS a lot, but for the first time in years, I’ve had a breakthrough, thanks to a probiotic. So fingers crossed I stay less bloated and more regular!

I want to seriously practice meditation and let go of a lotttttt of shit. I think I’d be a lot happier and more pleasant to work with, if my emotions didn’t control my reactions.

Goals will change and evolve, but my general intention for 2018 is to actively pursue life. I think that’s enough for one year :P

#2017recap #2018intentions #personal #work #yoga #health #travel #family #relationships #career

[olgagarmash]

Why Do Squats Hurt? (And How to Fix The Problems)

How can an exercise be considered “the best” movement for fat loss and muscle gain, and also be avoided by many of the world’s smartest trainers?

That’s the case with the traditional back squat. One of the most well-known and timelines exercises, and also one of the most controversial.

dsNo matter how you view the back squat, squatting is an essential movement, regardless of whether you perform it with weight on your back.

Most of the disagreements focus on the safety of the movement. Some people believe that it’s too easy to get hurt doing squats. And, if you’re avoiding them, odds are you’re either worried about the same outcome or already have experienced some injury or pain while performing them.

If you’re not doing some variation of the squat, you’re training plan is most likely flawed.

We like to look at things a different way: if you can’t sit down (which is what squatting is) without hurting yourself, then the worst thing you can do is avoid the movement entirely.

Whether you want to squat with a weight on your back is up to you, but don’t let that stop you from cleaning up little mistakes that are causing pain or limiting your workouts.

If you want to move better, and see better results from your workouts, here are simple ways to ensure you don’t get hurt while doing one of the most fundamental human movements.

Why Do Squats Hurts?

Part of what makes squats great is also what connects them to injuries. Squats are a compound exercise, meaning that many muscles are involved in the movement. Everything from your quads, hamstrings, glutes, back, and even your abs light up when you squat.

While those muscles are all involved, you don’t necessarily want them doing the heavy lifting. And, that’s why a great movement for your lower body can easily turn into something like back pain.

If you want to move pain-free and keep tension on the muscles designed for the movement, you simply need to recognize where you feel “off.”

And, it’s important to recognize that the way you squat is dependent on your body. As we’ve broken down in detail, there’s not even one squat depth that’s universally correct—how low you should go depends on who you are. (Remember, personalization is a vital part of exercising.)

Instead, we’ll help you address any issues you feel when you squat, make it easy to identify why you struggle, and then make the necessary adjustments.

Whether you back squat, front squat, goblet squat, or perform single-leg variations, these tips and cues will ultimately make you better at squatting, identify weaknesses, and help prevent injury and pain.  

The Problem: Weak Grip

When I watch someone squat, the first place I look tends to surprise people. I like to watch the grip and upper back.

Why? Because most people barely take hold of the bar and activate the muscles that are designed to keep your body safe.

Most people, especially when they have a bar on their back, try to spend a lot of time finding a comfortable spot on their upper back. In doing so, they miss a key first step.

The Squat Fix: When you set up for a squat, you want to grip the bar as hard as possible and try to pull your elbows under the bar. If you just drop into a squat, you’ll feel unstable during the movement.

More tension in your hands and upper back create full-body tension. This tension will help you squat down with greater control and protect your spine and lower back. Not to mention, the activation of these muscles will also help you produce more force and lift more weight without getting injured.

The Problem: Leaning Forward

A popular squat cue is to keep your chest up and for a good reason. If you’re bending too much at your hips, it’s very hard to keep tension on the muscle in your lower body.

Falling forward transfers the weight away from your quads and shifts more to your glutes and hamstrings or potentially your lower back.

The Squat Fix: We could say this about every exercise, but start by dropping the weight and ensuring that your body can handle what you’re lifting. With squats especially, your body sends you lots of signals that scream, “This is too much!” Folding in half as you lower and sit down is one of those signs.

Then, work on keeping your elbows pulled down (facing the ground) and your chest up. This will ensure that the torso remains more upright throughout the lift.

You’ll also want to focus on your flexibility and mobility (more on this soon). Tight ankles, hips, and upper back will prevent you from hitting a good squat pattern. And, this will only get worse as the weight increases.

The issue could also be linked to weak core muscles (your abs) or weak quads. Instead of putting a bar on your back, strengthen your knee extension and stability with exercises like step-ups, Bulgarian split squats, and lunges.

The Problem: Poor Ankle Mobility

Ankle mobility is an issue for most because, well, most people don’t work on it. And, our reliance on stabile footwear makes your feet feel comfortable while compensating for the ability to build stronger, more durable, and more mobile ankles.

Losing mobility in your ankles means your shins don’t move forward naturally when you squat. If your shins aren’t moving forward, your movement pattern is altered and it can create unnecessary stress on your knees.

For years, fit pros have loved sharing pics of babies and toddlers squatting to prove how natural it is for humans to squat deep. Instead of focusing on the depth, look at the angle formed by their shins, which is enabled by better ankle mobility.

The Squat Fix: If you’re looking for more depth, a simple fix is placing a 5- or 10-pound plate under your heels and then squatting. The little change will help you sink into your heels when you sit down and achieve a deeper squat. By putting the plate under your heels, you compensate for a lack of ankle mobility.

If you want to fix the problem (which we recommend), try adding ankle mobility drills, which help restore normal ankle movement and improve squat form.

One popular drill requires you to face a wall in a staggered stance with your forward foot about 1-foot away from the wall. Then, try to drive your front knee forward towards the wall as far as you can.

Another simple exercise is to trace the “ABC’s” with your big toe on each foot. Try to “draw” each letter as a way to challenge your ankles with movement in each direction.

The Problem: Collapsing Knees

Next time you squat when holding a weight, have someone take a video or watch your knees in the mirror. How much are your knees (or one knee) caving inwards? A little bit of movement can be OK. But, if one knee looks like it wants to kiss the other (or both knees are making the move), it’s time to fix the issue and prevent a serious injury before it happens.

The Squat Fix: The caving knees (AKA “valgus collapse) could be a technique flaw, mobility issue, or weakness.

The wall squat is a simple way to test if this is an issue (without needing weight). Stand facing a wall with your feet about 6 inches away. Squat as far as you can. You will immediately see if your hips, ankles, and upper back have any mobility issues and you’ll notice how your knees track.

If this is a problem, shift to Goblet squats, making sure you go as deep as possible, while keeping your lats and core braced and forcing your knees out. This will provide dynamic mobilization of your hips.

Warning: this probably won’t be enough to fix the issue. Strengthening your glutes will help you keep your knees out during squats. Glute bridges and barbell hip thrusts will be your primary focus for your glutes, which are your primary hip abductors and will reduce the weakness causing the collapse.

The Problem: Incorrect Breathing

If you are not inhaling (deep breath in) as you move down into the squat and exhaling as you drive up and out of the hole, you’re not taking advantage of intra-abdominal pressure (IUP). This, along with the bracing of your torso, is your natural lifting belt.

The Squat Fix: Before each rep, take a big breath and brace your torso. Then, squat down, pause, and as you come up, exhale forcibly through pursed lips at the most challenging portion of the lift. This tension and bracing will help keep you safe and injury-free.

The Problem: Using a Belt on All Sets

Belts (much like lifting straps) are not a bad thing. But, you need to know how to use them appropriately. They should be there for assistance and not reliance. When squatting, there are a lot of lifters who wear a belt for all their sets. This much dependency on a belt will not help you develop a strong, functional core.

Squat Like a Pro: By putting off wearing a belt until the heavier sets, you’ll be increasing your overall full-body strength and potential for remaining injury-free. As a rule of thumb, you should work up to the point where you don’t put on a belt until you are around 70 percent of your one-rep max (1RM).

READ MORE: 

The Mystery of Squat Form: How Low Should You Go, Really?

Why Weight Machines Are Better Than You Think 

The Tension Weightlifting Technique: How to Make Every Exercise More Effective

source https://wealthch.com/why-do-squats-hurt-and-how-to-fix-the-problems/

[the-chubbiest-dumpling]

Endings and Beginnings: Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: Recovery

Summary: You’re just an ordinary 25-year-old photographer working in a small studio in downtown Toronto. Your life is as normal as it could possibly be, except the fact that you are given an opportunity most people only dream of.

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Word Count: 13 124

Warnings: Swearing. There will always be swearing.

A/N: Wow I wrote a lot.

Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Epilogue

Tags: @shamvictoria11

The first thing you realize when you wake up is that you have dry mouth. And one hell of a headache.

You painfully stretch your legs and shut your eyes even tighter as you shift in your bed. You can hear the beeping of hospital equipment, and a light muffling sound. It’s too bright behind your eyes to open them, but you know you’ll have to. You shield your eyes with your palm, and blink several times to clear the sleep and crust from your eyes. You groan loudly in the back of your throat, changing your position to sit up a bit.

Your entire body feels like lead. You’ve never felt this drowsy and exhausted in your whole life. Working for eight hours plus a two-hour workout plus an unintentional all-nighter doesn’t even come close to this. This is on a whole other level of fatigue.

When you gain control of your sight, you look around, and see multiple people in white lab coats coasting around. You can’t tell which ones are doctors, nurses, or surgeons. They all just kind of mix together. You still feel kind of dizzy, so nothing is blending well together at the moment. Your ears feel stuffed, so you plug your nose and pop them. A doctor notices you’re awake, and makes his way over to you.

“Welcome back, _______,” he says, sitting down next to your bed. “I’m glad to see you awake.”

“Y-Yeah,” you reply, your voice raspy. You clear your throat and swallow, but it still doesn’t feel right. You scrunch your nose in discomfort. You delicately touch your face, and feel a tube going up your nose.

Is this a feeding tube?

He flips through the chart he has in his hands. You’re just remembering now that you got shot in the leg. You pull the covers back to inspect it while the doctor speaks.

“The wound was surprisingly clean. There was no exit wound, so we needed to perform surgery to remove the bullet. You lost about two pints of blood. You required a blood transfusion, which happened to end two days ago. You also needed a feeding tube and an IV to keep you alive. Seven days without food and water can be pretty dangerous. We’re going to remove it soon, since you’re awake, but your IV shall remain there until I say otherwise.”

You nod in understanding. But, really? You need a feeding tube? It makes sense, but it doesn’t mean you like it. It’s uncomfortable as ever, and what happens when you sneeze? It’s taped to your nose, but will it blow out still? How far up your nose is it? The doctor continues on as you have a small moment of dissatisfaction.

“I got the full report of your situation from a… Miss Knox. She mentioned that you had alcohol in your system before morphine was administrated to you.” He pauses to give you a look. You don’t even notice. Your bandages are more intriguing. He continues on. “Morphine and alcohol are a dangerous mix. You experienced dehydration, an irregular heart rate, and blood pressure changes. You could have fallen into a coma, stopped breathing, and died. Do you understand, miss _______?”

You stop inspecting your injury and silently complaining to yourself when the doctor says that. You look over at him, a range of emotions crossing your features. You could have died? You know one thing for sure now: you’re never drinking again on a mission. Or, at all. If it comes to that. You look down at the mattress and nod. He notices your change in expression. He sighs and sets his clipboard down.

“I do not mean to worry you, miss _______,” he says. “You could not have known. It is not your fault. But I am obligated to tell you the truth. And truth is, if you didn’t get here when you did, you could’ve died. When you were brought to us, you were already unconscious. I feared that you had already slipped past the point of bringing you back. I will skip the medical jargon and break it down for you. Before your surgery, I managed to stabilize you. The side effects of the morphine and alcohol were taking too much a toll on your body, and I was afraid of what might happen in the case that I treated your gunshot wound first.”

“Death?” you guess aloud, shifting in your bed again. You’re feeling all sorts of aches and pains in your lower back now. A small price to pay in order to recover.

“Yes,” he affirms. “My team also stopped the bleeding long enough for me to do my work. It’s a hell of a process to go through, making sure your patient doesn’t go into a coma or die. But you did neither, which I am eternally grateful for. It’s very assuring to see you awake and moving around. But you won’t be doing much of that for a while, I’m afraid.”

“Am I paralyzed?!” you say out of shock, clutching the sheets.

“Oh no no no,” the doctor reassures you. “You still have mobility. I’m saying that you will need a pair of crutches for some time before you regain your strength to walk on your own again.”

“Oh.”

Walking around by the likes of crutches? Of all things? Can’t they just give you a wheelchair or something? Crutches are hard on the armpits and a bitch to deal with. You would know. Breaking your ankle back in grade seven wasn’t the most pleasant experience. And now you’ll have to relive it all over again. But he said the IV will need to stay in you until he says otherwise. Does that mean you’ll have to drag it around with you while you’re trying to walk? Or maybe he means it’ll stay there long enough for you to recover somewhat and then you’ll be using crutches. Whatever he means, it sounds awful.

“Perfect,” you say indignantly.

“You will also take part in rehabilitation sessions to improve your mobility. A few weeks until you’re able to walk on your own and the wound has fully healed.”

Double perfect.

All of this, just because of a bullet wound. And morphine and alcohol, apparently. You yawn widely and scratch at your eyes. You can’t tell if you have a headache, or if it’s a hangover. Or if it’s from the morphine and whatever else kind of sedatives they gave to you. Which ever way, you just know that you’re tired and annoyed.

“Anything else I need to know?”

“Because you were unconscious for seven days, your body is going to need time to heal. I would like to keep you here for a few more nights to keep an eye on your well-being. Your bandages will need to be changed on a daily basis to avoid infection. My staff shall take care of that until I give you the go-ahead to change them on your own. And when you do, I shall provide you with instructions on how to properly apply a new dressing. Do not rush–I repeat–do not rush yourself. Recovery takes time, so you will remain here at the compound until further notice. I will prescribe you some medication for the pain when you’re out of that bed.”

“Awesome,” you say sarcastically. “That it?”

“Mr. Stark asked me to inform him when you woke up. He shall be here momentarily.”

“Oh goody.”

This isn’t going to be pretty. You didn’t tell Tony, nor any of the team that you went on a mission. Sam is the one that received that crucial piece of information first. Then everyone came out and started arguing about it. All you remember is acting like an idiot while everyone had their moment of craze. You mentally prepare yourself for Tony’s scolding. He can be on-point with his reasons sometimes, and it pisses you off when he’s right. He’s one of the most hot-headed, rude, antagonizing people you’ve ever met. But you also know that he’s a person that always tries to right his wrongs. And it’s hard to hate him when he’s like that.

It’s no surprise when you can see him walking down the stairs; the whole med lab is made up of glass walls and doors. You can’t tell what kind of mood he’s in. He’s wearing one of those neutral expressions that makes it seem like he’s mad.

Oh yeah. Resting bitch face.

His eyes are on you the whole time, never breaking eye contact. He crosses his arms as he stands at the foot of your bed. You back up a little in your bed, slightly worried that he’s just going to explode and let you have it. Your eyes trained downwards, he finally speaks.

“How ya feeling?”

Whoa. You were not expecting sentiment.

You peek at up him. He’s completely serious, though his expression has softened. A little. You shrug and face him fully.

“Can’t complain, I guess,” you answer. “I’m alive and awake.”

“But how are you feeling?”

Does he mean it as in how am I feeling about myself going out alone to a solo mission without telling anyone? Does he want me to tell him how happy or angry I am with myself about the whole thing? Or does he actually want to know how I’m feeling right now?

You take the safest route.

“Okay,” you reply.

“Good. Because starting today, you’re on house arrest,” he says, pointing a finger at you.

“Oh, come on, Tony,” you whine, rolling your eyes.

“What were you thinking, taking that mission on alone?”

“Mr. Stark,” the doctor starts calmly, already knowing where this is going. “I would prefer it if miss _______ not be put under any unnecessary stress until she’s fully recovered.”

Tony acts like he didn’t hear him and keeps going. The doctor decides to leave the room until you and Tony have cooled down.

“But I wasn’t alone! I was–“

“But you thought you were alone, didn’t you? He sent you in there, alone, and didn’t do a damn thing until the very last second. You could’ve died in there, _______. Do you get that?”

“Yes, in fact, I do!” you yell. “Firstly, it’s a solo mission for a reason. Secondly, I know I could’ve died! I knew the risks! I know I could’ve gotten my back blown out and been paralyzed or killed if that other agent hadn’t stepped in and done something! I know, Tony. I know. But you know what? I’m here. I did all I could do. I thought out all the possible courses of action to take at the time. I thought of the people in the club. I knew it would kill me if one of them got injured or caught in the crossfire. I acted on my own, and did the best I could to keep myself from getting murdered, along with agent Knox. And it turned out okay! I’m fine, agent Knox is fine, and we arrested a couple of criminals to boot! So don’t talk down to me like what I did was the most horrible thing in the world!”

Your chest is heaving after letting your anger pour out from you. Letting Tony be on the receiving end of your fury only satisfies you somewhat this time. Your headache is a major bitch, and yelling doesn’t help it at all. You sigh and run a hand through your hair. The side effects of the morphine have worn off, but they’re still hanging on by a thread. You’re sweating more than you should, and you feel your mouth go dry again. The pounding dizziness in your skull is the most irritating, and you wish you could just go to sleep again. But you need to reassure Tony that everything is okay.

Breathing through the pain, you raise your head and look tiredly at him.

“I’m fine, Tony,” you say gently. “Can you not just be happy about that and worry about the collateral damage later?”

You know you’re right. You just hope Tony agrees too. He likes to put the details out in the open, and keep them there, open for discussion at any given time. He’ll subtly–and annoyingly–remind you about your blunders and past mistakes to scramble your way out of making a similar decision to the former ones you’ve made.

For his sake, he better not do it this time.

His shoves his hands in his raggedy jeans and looks at the floor, then back to you.

“All right, fine,” he agrees. “I’ll let it go this time. But the next time that this happens, don’t expect me to sugarcoat things and laugh along to your story and make memes out of it. Yes, I know what memes are. You’re talking to the leading innovator in technology, here. Come on.”

That makes you smile more. Hearing him joke about things that are actually funny makes you feel better about everything. It doesn’t stop the physical pain, but it warms your heart. Tony Stark. Big guy in a suit of armour. Annoying, snarky, and witty, but still caring and compassionate. Truly a two-faced bitch.

“Cap and the others visited you during your unexpected trip to the land of the unconscious,” he adds, pulling up a stool. “Day in and day out. Checking to see if you’ve moved a finger or if you’ve had a leg jerk. Wince, groan, cough. Anything to indicate that you were still alive without relying on the beeping of the machines.”

“Oh,” you say. You expected that to some degree, but Tony’s making it sound like it was a life-or-death situation for the team if you didn’t pull through. “I hope I didn’t worry them too much…”

“Worry?” Tony repeats, smiling slightly and shaking his head. “Listen here, Hell’s angel. Rogers held a full conversation with you as if you were answering him. Wilson even joined in at some parts. Wanda and Nat would tell you about their day. Vision would… come to think of it, I don’t really know what Vision did. He just stared. But like, into you, y’know? Anyway. And Barnes just sat with you. Stared a lot too, like Vision. So I’d say ‘worry’ is an understatement.”

“You forgot something,” you mention.

“What’s that?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you. What’d you do? No offence, but you don’t seem like a person to bring me tea when I’m sick or sit down and talk to my unconscious body.”

“What gives you that idea?”

“So you are.”

“Are what?”

“The kind of person to sit down and talk to my unconscious body.”

“You got it all wrong. See–“

“It’s not a hard question, Tony.”

“There is no question, _______.”

“Yes there is.”

“Then what is it?”

“Did you, or did you not, do something in similar fashion like talk to my unconscious body?”

“Fine, alright! Yes! I did! Happy now, you zombie?”

At the end of your bickering with him, you nod in satisfaction.

“I am,” you confirm. “I know it may not matter to you, but thanks. I hate worrying people, but I appreciate you and everyone else watching over me.”

Tony folds his hands over the end of your bed and nods, muttering a small “yep”. You smile more. Another thought comes to mind.

“Speaking of which,” you say, twisting the sheets between your fingers. “How mad was everyone?”

Tony taps his thumbs together as he thinks out-loud.

“Ummmmm. You ever see Banner go berserk?”

“N-Not in person no…”

“Rogers was about this close to going on a manhunt with the wrath close to that of Banner in his green rage monster mode.”

“Yikes…”

“’Yikes’ is right, kid.”

He gets out of his stool and starts pacing the room.

“Everyone had their own moments of anguish over this, but he’s the only one that almost got physical about it. Hearing that you might fall into a coma and die isn’t exactly what someone wants to hear at one in the morning. It could potentially trigger deep-seeded emotions. Barnes on the other hand… he was the complete opposite. Distant. Kept to himself. Didn’t know what to think or do. Like it was his first time seeing a person with a gunshot wound. But who knows what goes through his head.”

“You don’t say.”

The thought of Bucky being ambivalent about his feelings makes you a little sad. Tony’s right; who knows what he’s feeling? But it’s nice to hear that he was worried. Everyone else too of course, but… him especially. What a bias you’ve created.

You sigh and lay back against the bed, and hiss when you can feel the prick of your bullet wound. You lift up the blankets again, and delicately run your hand along the gauze. This is going to be a pain to take care of.

“Stings, doesn’t it?”

“No doubt. It didn’t hurt at the time because I was high on adrenaline, but damn. This sucks.”

“Don’t worry,” he says, opening a desk drawer and pulling out some peanuts. “I’m sure the team will be more than willing to carry you up and down the stairs.” He tears open the package and pops a few in his mouth. He holds some out for you, but you turn them down. Food isn’t on your mind at the moment. It’s sleep. You yawn again and cover your mouth. You lay back down comfortably and pull the sheets over your chest.

“Get some rest, kid,” Tony says as he backs out the door. “You’re gonna need it for when Cap sees you.”

“Thanks for the tip.”

Tony travels back upstairs to let the rest of the team know that you’re awake and well, but going back to sleep. You know it’ll piss some of them off, Steve especially, but you’re exhausted still and need some real sleep. Being under doesn’t necessarily mean you’re asleep. So now, you’re going to take control of your own conscious, and fall asleep on your own accord. You wave to Tony when he reaches the middle of the stairs, and close your eyes, hoping that when you wake up, you’ll feel that much better.

The next time you wake up is four hours later, about midday. It was a terrible feat trying to fall asleep with all the bright lights on, but sometime during your sleep, someone was gracious enough to dim them for you. Truly, a kind soul.

You feel better, only in the slightest. Your headache has slowed to a dull thud in your head, and you don’t have dry mouth. A few positives to start your day. You’re alone, you notice. All the medical staff must be taking a break. That’s not too bad. Gives you a minute to relax without anyone asking you the same questions over and over.

You stretch your arms above your head and yawn, then scratch around your hand where the IV tube is. Despite its job to give you nutrients and sugars, it’s not the most comfortable thing to be piercing your hand. And apparently, your stomach isn’t very comfortable either.

It growls loudly, disappointed that it has nothing to digest. You sigh sadly, wondering if you’re allowed to have solid foods yet. Or even liquid-y solids, like pudding and ice cream. The doctor said that you had been unconscious for a week, and needed a blood transfusion and an IV drip. That would certainly do the trick to make you hungry as hell. The feeding tube is still in you, so you have no idea who to call to take it out.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y.?” you call out weakly.

“It is good to hear your voice, miss _______,” the A.I. says.

“Yeah, me too.”

“What can I do for you?”

“Can you call one of the doctor’s back?”

“Certainly.”

F.R.I.D.A.Y.’s voice rings overhead, delivering the message, and you wait for the doctor to come back. Considering your circumstances, he should be here on the double. But since you’re doing well, he may take his time. You fiddle around with the many tubes protruding your body in the meantime, and also think about all the therapy you’ll have to endure. Within a few minutes, your doctor returns with a smile on his face.

“Miss _______,” he greets you as he enters the room.

“Doctorrr… Markson,” you greet back after squinting at his nametag. He takes a seat beside you and folds his hands together.

“How are you feeling? Better?” he asks.

“More or less,” you say, giving a non-committal wave of your hand. “I was just wondering if you can take the feeding tube out yet? I know you mentioned removing it earlier, but I just wanted to know when.”

He looks at the time on his watch, then flips through a few papers from your charts. He nods his head at what he reads and looks at you.

“I believe it would be alright to remove it,” he says, making you smile. “Hopefully the IV will only stay in until tomorrow. After I remove the tube, I shall bring you something sufficient to eat.”

“That’d be great.”

He sets the charts back down and washes his hands, while you sit up and bend your good leg. You can still move your wounded leg, but the best you’re going to do right now is wiggle your toes and bend your knee little by little so your thigh doesn’t feel that much pressure. As Dr. Markson dries his hands and puts on his gloves, you can see and hear Steve running down the stairs, followed by Wanda and Natasha.

Here we go.

You muster a smile for them, because you’re genuinely happy to see them. Steve has concern written all over his face; and he has a right to be. He didn’t get to see you when you first woke up, and was a little peeved that Tony was first in line. But now, he pushes that all aside because he’s so relieved that you’re okay.

“Heyyy guyyyyys,” you say as they walk in.

“_______,” Steve says, speaking before anyone else. “How are you feeling? Are you alright?”

“I’m okay, Steve,” you reply truthfully. “Maybe a little off-balance still, but otherwise, I’m doing pretty good.”

He smiles that dad smile that warms your heart. You can never be mad at Steve when he throws his charm in the mix. He’s just too soft and selfless to be angry at.

“Does it hurt?” Wanda asks, crossing her arms and looking at the floor.

How are you so adorable?

“Not as much as it did before,” you smile sweetly. “The painkillers are taking care of that.” Wanda nods and smiles back quickly before letting her expression drop again. She’s content that you’re conscious and seem to be doing fine, but it really took a toll on her when she saw how still you looked on your bed. You were the closest thing she had to another sibling, and she’d be damned if she lost you too.

“That was quite the show you put on,” Natasha quips, taking a seat in a corner of the room. “For not using a gun, it was remarkable you got out of there alive.”

“You saw?” you question. “How?”

“Coulson had surveillance for the duration of your mission,” she explains. “He deemed it as an instructional video to examine your mistakes.”

Goddamn that Coulson.

“I see,” you say, irritated. “I probably should’ve expected that, with him being a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and all. So secretive and conniving.”

She nods in agreement and leans forward in her chair, elbows resting on her knees.

“It’s good to see you again, _______,” she says.

“Likewise.”

“Excuse me.”

Everyone’s attention is drawn to Dr. Markson. He snaps his gloves on and stands beside your bed.

“I am about to remove _______’s feeding tube,” he explains. “I would advise you step away to give her some room.”

Wanda and Steve nod, backing away against the wall to give you some space. You sit up more and face Dr. Markson as he prepares to take it out.

“I will warn you now to be prepared for gagging, coughing, and overall general nasal discomfort as I remove the tube,” he says.

“Awesome,” you say with a nod.

He gives you a protective pad, and you stuff it in the front of your gown. He unpins the tube from your gown, and loosens the tape securing the tube to your nose. You raise your hand and give the top of your nose a little scratch, the tape itching your skin. He then turns off the suction, and disconnects the tube from the syringe. He pinches the tube near your nostril, and tells you to relax as he pulls it out. You close your eyes as he does, not wanting to see a four-foot tube come out of your nose. You wince as it all comes out, and gag a bit when you can feel it hit your throat. You stick your tongue out in disgust, and cough a bit to rid yourself of the remaining taste. Nat, Wanda, and Steve smile in amusement.

“Well that wasn’t nasty at all,” you comment as Dr. Markson cleans the end of your nose. He disposes the tube, removes his gloves, and washes his hands again. You get used to having a clear nose, and repeatedly rub the end of it to try to settle it back to normal.

“The irritation will wear off well within a few minutes,” Dr. Markson assures you. “Your nasal cavity should feel fine after that.”

“Thanks,” you mutter, now tapping the side of your nose to get rid of the feeling that the tube is still in there. For now, you breathe in and out evenly, trusting your body to get rid of the leftover irritation.

“I’ll go bring you your food now,” Dr. Markson says.

“Okay.”

He leaves the room to go to the cafeteria, leaving you under the watchful eye that is Steve Rogers. Natasha and Wanda have already settled down, and are just grateful that you’re still there with them. Steve, however, gives you a stern look.

“Why would you do that, _______?” he asks. Straight to the point. Might as well lay it out in the open again.

“Because I wanted to,” you sigh, getting sick of repeating yourself. “I got offered a solo assignment and I took it because I wanted it. I knew the risks involved and I was successful in taking down multiple criminals in the process. The civilians got out unharmed, as well did agent Knox, along with myself. Yes, I was shot in the leg, but I’m fine now, Steve. And I don’t wanna keep repeating myself a thousand times. I already got read the riot act by Tony.”

Steve sighs and wipes his hands down his face. Leaning against the glass, he gives you an amused look and crosses his arms. Even he can’t be mad at you.

“Look, _______,” he starts. You know this is the beginning of a lecture. “I admire you for wanting to go out on your own and do missions by yourself. But next time, let us know, okay? That way we won’t have a row when you come home bloody and unconscious.”

“I will,” you agree. “But you better not think about stopping me if I want to go. No matter how dangerous it is, I’ll make the decision myself if I want to go or not. Missions from S.H.I.E.L.D. seem shoddy enough with everything they didn’t tell me, so I’m keeping my eye out for that.”

“That’s a girl,” Steve smiles. Just then, Dr. Markson arrives with a tray of typical hospital food for you: jello, milk, and pudding. You raise a brow, but otherwise say nothing. It’s simple enough to eat after having the feeding tube removed. And you’d like to keep it that way.

“We’ll work our way up until you can eat larger portions,” Dr. Markson says as he notices your reaction. “For now, you’ll be eating puréed foods and small meals until further notice. In your case, it shouldn’t last for more than two days.”

“Fantastic,” you retort, picking up your spoon. You decide to eat the pudding first. The jello has more taste to it, plus it’s fun to eat. You’d prefer water over milk, but getting protein is important too. You wiggle your feet as you eat, smiling widely as you get to eat something real since your little accident. Your small moment of peace is only slightly ruined when you see Sam coming down the stairs. You swallow what you chewed and shamefully look down at the bed as he walks in.

He’s a mix of disappointment and relief. He can’t believe everything that transpired within a week since your return home. He’s glad, of course, that you made it out alright. But he’s going to lecture to you too before he gets to that.

“I can’t believe you lied to me,” he says, shaking his head at you. “A late night fast food run doesn’t take four hours, _______. Then you don’t bother to tell me anything between the time that your mission was finished and the drive back to the compound. Not one phone call telling me that hey, you got shot in the leg and need the surgeons to be ready, or that the mission was for S.H.I.E.L.D.? You really scared me.” He grips the foot of your bed and heaves a sigh through his nose.

“I didn’t really lie,” you defend quietly. “I got you your food.”

“That’s not the point, _______,” he snaps back. “You lied to me about where you were going. At first I thought I’d go out looking for you when two hours went by. But I thought ‘nah it’s cool she can handle herself’. Meanwhile you’re getting shot in the leg and almost dying.”

Now you feel really guilty. Sam was the one to come find you bloodied and beaten, on the verge of death. It makes sense that he’d be the most guilt-ridden about not going after you when he should have. You stare at your tray of food in humiliation for making him this upset.

“Sam, I’m–“

“However,” he cuts in, raising his head with a toothy grin on his face. “It was pretty awesome to see you give two grown men a well-deserved beating. It was kickass to see you like that, Spyro.”

Your lips quirk up into a smile, and soon you’re giggling from how impressed Sam looks with you.

This is how it should be.

“I mean, at first I was a little worried while I watched the surveillance video,” he admits, taking a seat in a rolly stool. “I could tell that you hadn’t done a mission before where you had to flirt your way in.”

“Hey!” you laugh.

“What? You’d honestly rather die than play it up with the likes of someone like him.”

“Yeah, I would have. But I did the best I could.”

“The best you c– Listen, Spyro. I got nothin’ against ya, but seeing you try to flirt was about as impressive as a dog standing on its hind legs.”

You cross your arms and pout, but you can’t really make a comeback because he’s right. Your game is so weak; Wanda would probably have done a better job. In fact, she’d probably make it out of there without as so much as a bruise. You shake your head. What’s done is done, and thinking about how everyone else would do it won’t get you anywhere. It’ll only generate envy and contempt towards your teammates. And no one needs that.

Sam keeps talking about how he reacted while he watched the video, and even goes as far as bringing it up on screen to show you. You cover your eyes and shake your head, not wanting to see how badly you embarrassed yourself. But you watch it anyway, with Wanda, Nat, and Steve in the room. Steve manages to get a few laughs in; you do as well, but your heart skips a beat when Vision comes strolling in from the ceiling.

“Vision!” you yell, a hand over your chest.

He stands off to the side once he’s finished his dramatic entrance, giving you a head nod in greeting.

“Miss _______.”

“Vis,” Wanda says. “You gotta stop doing that.”

He looks back at her, then to you, then to everyone else in the room. He recognizes his troublesome habit and addresses it.

“I apologize,” he says. “I was not quite aware of where I would end up.”

“Just… stick to doors, Vision,” you tell him.

“Understood.”

You smile at each other before Sam rewinds the whole video and begins it again. However, one minute into the footage, another guest makes their appearance.

“I look away for two seconds and suddenly there’s a party?”

Your shoulders slump and a playful smile creeps onto your face. The whole atmosphere of the room seems to change from hearty laughter to a teasing exasperation. Steve is always the most expressive when Tony walks into a room. His smile could fall completely, turn serious, or could even throw a few wise cracks around. This time, since everyone is in the med lab solely for you, Steve’s good-natured humour remains, and welcomes Tony in.

“Doesn’t seem fair when you don’t get first glance, does it?”

“Well I already got first glance, first talk, and first lecture. So I beat you there, Cap.”

“Sure did.”

“So what’re we doing?” He turns to the side and sees the footage of your mission. “Oh. This is always a good watch. We starting from the beginning? You sure you know how to work that, Wilson?”

“I got it.”

Sam, once again, starts the video from the very beginning, and everyone settles in to watch it as Dr. Markson observes from afar. They all give their own commentary, along with snarky tips from Tony. You eat your pudding and jello, and almost snort out your milk when someone says something too funny. There’s definitely enough banter to go around, and plenty of embarrassing moments for everyone (Tony) to use against you for shits and giggles. Having everyone here with you is great and all, but there’s still one person missing.

Bucky.

You know you can’t ask where he is out-loud without ruining the mood. And if you do, Wanda might give you another look that makes it seem like she knows something you don’t. And you feel like Steve would give you a similar look; or maybe a soft smile. He’s good at those. For now, you keep your mouth shut and let your friends make fun of you while you silently ponder where he is.

It’s as if a portal opened up out of nowhere. When Bucky came out of his room from having a nap, everyone had disappeared. The kitchen, living room, training room; they were all empty. he ran his metal hand through his hair and wondered where they would all go. Granted, he didn’t really care; he enjoyed the peace from time to time. But this was just weird. As he keeps wandering around, F.R.I.D.A.Y. takes note of his confusion and enlightens him.

“The team has gathered in medical laboratory, Mr. Barnes,” the A.I. announces. “They are visiting miss _______ as she is awake.” Bucky looks up at the ceiling, and all around, wondering where the hell Tony installed this thing. He taps his fingers on the counter, nodding his head. He pulls the corner of his mouth, wondering if he should go down. If he does, he absolutely knows he’s going to break up the party. The giant elephant in the room, though there’s not even a problem. He’s still new to people actually being nice to him and not trying to blow his brains out or slit his throat.

Biting his bottom lip, he looks down the hallway to the stairs. He’ll go and have a quick look. If it’s too crowded for his liking, or if he feels he’s unwanted, then he’ll go straight back up the stairs and to his room. Without having an argument with himself, he struts down the hallway and finds his way downstairs to the med lab. Having only been there once, he remembers the way. When he reaches the door that leads to the basement, he creeps along the wall, and peeks through the glass window. The only thing he sees are the glass stairs leading down to the laboratory. He grabs the doorknob, and quietly opens the door, listening in.

“No no no. You see. You should’ve torn a part of your dress to wrap around their faces.”

“You honestly think I’d have the time for that, Nat?”

“I’d say you had a sufficient amount of time, since you were dilly dallying around while talking to that guy.”

“Oh give me a break, Sam. Why don’t you try wearing a dress and try to discreetly rip it while talking to a guy that has a face that looks like someone tossed it in a blender?”

“That’s no excuse.”

“Oh ho ho. I do not need the sass on that from you, Tony. You gave me enough.”

“She’s right, Tony. What she needs is reform. And flirting lessons.”

“Steve. Honestly.”

“I agree.”

“Not you too, Wanda!”

“I’m sorry, _______. But I’ve seen better flirting from animals biting each other.”

“Now now, everyone. Miss _______ has been through quite enough. She does not need any further insults being directed at her.”

“Thank you, Vision.”

“However, if I may make one suggestion–“

“You may not!”

Everyone erupts in laughter as your face contorts to a mixture of frustration and amusement. But even you can’t stop laughing. You’re kind of lucky that you got shot in the leg and not the abdomen; otherwise you probably wouldn’t be able to laugh like you are right now.

Bucky’s mouth is in a tight line by the time everybody is laughing. He quietly closes the door and sighs. He knows, he knows he wouldn’t be able to walk in there without having at least one or two faces fall upon his arrival. And since he’s made the decision to go back upstairs, he won’t have to see it. But it’s good to hear that you seem to be doing okay.

He returns to his room, firmly closing the door shut and flopping on his bed. His brow furrows as he stares at the ceiling. He wonders if he should pay you a visit later, when the team has left and won’t notice him skipping back down to you. It’s only one in the afternoon. Should he wait a few more hours, or until nighttime when everyone is in bed? But then there’s the most important factor: you. Would you be asleep? Bucky knows you need your rest; you got shot in the leg for Christ sakes. He’d want some peaceful rest too. But you seem like a night owl to him. Maybe it’d be okay?

He shakes his head when too many thoughts come crashing together at once. He reaches under his bed and pulls out the iPod you gave him with the most popular hits over the past few decades. He hasn’t stopped listening to the playlist since you gave it to him. It was a nice gesture on your part, but he didn’t realize how much he’d actually appreciate it. Hearing songs from his childhood (from the fragments he can remember) to his teens and adulthood was a godsend. And even though his mind was constantly played with and erased, the melody of the song and the lyrics would strike a cord in him, old memories and emotions surfacing. Some nights he would let a few tears slip out because it felt so familiar to him, but he couldn’t pinpoint the exact moments in his life where a song would make him feel so emotional. And he hates it. But, in all honesty, the power of the song overcomes his hatred no problem. Even more so, because you did it because you wanted to. You didn’t want anything out of it; you just wanted to help him.

With an affirmative grunt, he’s made a decision. He would go visit you later that night, where he could speak to you in private. For now, he’ll attempt to have another dreamless sleep.

Back downstairs, the team has settled down some after getting their teasing out of the way. You’re still wiping away a few tears because you were laughing so hard. Tony has since closed the surveillance video, since he got his mocking words of praise out of his system. You managed to finish your meal, and set your tray aside to enjoy the company of your friends.

“Okay okay okay,” Steve starts. “In all seriousness, I’m proud of _______ for taking things into her own hands. She fought well, thought on her feet, and got a few arrests under her belt.”

“Oh my god, Steeeeve,” you whimper, covering your face in your hands. You cannot take him seriously sometimes. His puppy dog behaviour and big dad smile makes your heart melt every time.

“Hey, I’m just laying down the truth for ya,” he says, smiling widely. “I’d say we give you a couple cheers for your hard work.”

There’s a few groans, which only makes Steve laugh and egg them on.

“Come on, guys. You know she deserves it. We don’t have any drinks, but I think a few congratulations are in order.”

You just shake your head and grab your milk carton, raising it up in the air. Steve claps a hand on your shoulder, and squeezes.

“Congratulations on your first successful solo mission, _______.”

There’s a chorus of “congrats” and “good job”s. You happily sip on your milk, your cheeks turning pink from slight embarrassment. You look up at the ceiling when F.R.I.D.A.Y. joins in on the conversation.

“Miss _______, you are receiving a Skype call from Maeve.”

Your stomach drops, and your smile disappears. You’ve done a decent job at keeping Maeve up-to-date on things going on in the compound, with yourself, and everyone else. It’s been a week, and you haven’t had the chance to call her. She’s probably freaking out right about now.

“Shit,” you whisper to yourself. The thought of Maeve letting you have it is more terrifying than getting shot in the leg. Your heart beats uncomfortably fast and hot in your chest.

“You alright, kid?” Tony asks.

“Yeah,” you wave him off. “I just… I haven’t spoken to her in a week because of me being here. She doesn’t know what’s been going on.”

“Would you like some privacy?” Steve asks.

“Ye–Actually, no,” you reply after giving it a quick thought. “No. You guys can stay. I think she’d like it. Take her attention away from being mad at me.”

The team looks at each other, but you pay them no mind. Maeve is the only one who knows about you being here; everyone else, including your family, has no idea what you’ve been doing. And you’d like to keep it that way.

“Miss _______. Shall I accept the call?”

“Everyone get over here,” you say first, waving your arms. “Come on, come on!” The team does as they’re told, and surround your bed. Once you think everyone is in the picture, you tell F.R.I.D.A.Y. to accept the call.

“On screen, F.R.I.D.A.Y.”

“Skype call on screen.”

When the call is accepted, all you see is the empty living room of your shared apartment with Maeve. You cock your head to the side, wondering if the screen is frozen.

“Maeve?” you call out.

“Oh! Look who finally decided to pick up the phone!” she yells from the kitchen. “I can’t believe you! You know I was actually worried, right? I thought huh, maybe she just wants some time to herself, or she’s on a really long mission. But a week, _______? Really? And not a single update?”

“Uh, Maeve–“

“And don’t even get me started on the fact that you haven’t sent me any SnapChat updates! Absolutely nothing! No workout rooms, no briefings, not even goddamn food! Did you get hit in the head again?”

“Meave–“

“I bet you did. And that’s why you haven’t been showing me those glorious pe–“

She stops herself when she finally comes into view and sees just who she’s been talking to. You give her a bashful smile and a little wave.

“Surpriiiiise!”

You’ve never seen Maeve so awestruck before. Her mouth is gaping open, she’s frozen in place, and she keeps moving her eyes left and right, but not her head. You’re a little awestruck yourself.

“Maeve? Maeve?”

“_-_______?” she stammers, walking closer to her laptop. She sits down and sets the computer in her lap. There’s a long moment of awkward silence, with you expecting more of a reaction, while everyone else is confused. Maeve covers her mouth with one hand, and finally speaks again.

“You’re… you’re in a hospital bed. What the hell happened? Is this why I haven’t heard from you?”

You’re honestly sort of surprised she’s not freaking out more about seeing The Avengers, but you guess you’re her priority right now.

“Uh, y-yeah. I got shot in the leg and–“

“You got shot in the leg?!” she screams. “Holy shit, _______! How did that happen?”

“I went on a mission alone,” you answer, taking it slow. “The mission was a success, but I got shot in the leg in the process. And I sorta… I was unconscious for a week because of some alcohol and morphine problems, but I’m okay now! I can’t walk by myself for a while, but it’s all good.”

She snorts and makes a bunch of incoherent noises, shaking the laptop screen.

“All good? All good?!” she yells, exasperated. “You’re in a hospital bed, _______! You got shot in the leg and you’re in a hospital bed surrounded by every… one.” She’s just realizing now that not only is she speaking to you, but also Sam, Steve, Tony, Wanda, Natasha, and Vision. She stops rambling and gives a wave to the camera.

“Uhhh. Hi! I-I’m Maeve.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Steve smiles. “Well. On screen, anyway.”

“Y-Yeah, same here!” she squeaks. Now she’s getting excited. Her eyes flit all over the place, smiling more and more at each face she sees.

“I’m just–wow. It’s so awesome to see everyone like this. Well, not like this this, because _______ is confined to a bed and all. You know what I mean. Just… wOW. I can’t believe this! _______, I’m really happy that you’re okay. And I’m sorry for yelling. I just–“

“Don’t even worry about it,” you interrupt, holding up your hand. “You can have your moment.”

Sitting back, you let Maeve talk to the team. Tony is a little adamant about it because he doesn’t really like outsiders prying into the compound and The Avengers’ business, but since it’s your personal friend, he’s not being as stubborn about it. The conversations go on for well over an hour, and you can’t believe it. It almost feels kind of nostalgic, the whole situation reminding you of when you would get together with your friends and talk the night away. Sharing stories, gossiping, and just plain enjoying each other’s presence. It’s a nice reminder to make you relax and be thankful for what you have.

“And man, you would not believe the pictures she takes,” Maeve continues, making you blush.

“Stop bragging about me already,” you complain, rubbing your forehead.

“Please, do,” Tony adds, giving you a smirk.

“Shut up, you,” you snap back.

“I hate to break up this reunion,” Dr. Markson speaks up, after remaining silent the entire time. “But _______ is going to need a lot of rest tonight. Tomorrow she starts her rehabilitation lessons, and I would advise that she be well rested to be prepared for it.”

There’s a loud chorus of “aww”s from everyone, though Tony’s is more sarcastic than anything. Though he did enjoy this little get-together, the doctor is right. You need your rest.

“Okay, everyone,” he announces. “Time to wrap it up. Let’s go.”

Wanda and Natasha come over to give you a hug, Sam gives you a firm handshake and a back clap. Vision nods his head, Tony waves, and Steve gives you a kiss to your temple before they all file out. You wave enthusiastically, and laugh when Maeve gives them all a giant goodbye. She gives you a pouty smile when it’s her turn to bid you farewell.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” you tell her. “After I do my therapy. Hopefully I don’t fall down the stairs.”

“Knowing you, you probably will,” she chuckles. She smiles sadly, and rests her cheek on her knee. “I hope you get better soon, _______.”

“Mm. So do I,” you agree. “Slán go fóill.”

Bye for now.

“Slán go fóill, mo chara.”

By for now, my friend.

She ends the Skype call, and then you’re surrounded by silence again. Dr. Markson fills out a few papers, and you have nothing better to do. You’ll be confined to your bed until tomorrow, but you’ll be damned if you go to sleep again. You’re too awake to do that. You see a remote sitting on one of the desks. Might as well ask.

“Dr. Markson?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I get TV in this room?”

“Of course.”

He turns around in his chair, grabs the remote, and shows you how to use it, since it’s Tony’s technology. And even some of that you don’t understand. He shows you the basics, the TV being projected on the glass wall in front of you. A regular TV would do you just fine instead of having so many projections coming on at once. After fiddling around with it for a few minutes, you settle for a movie that’s half an hour in. You sit back and relax, but you feel something funny going on in your stomach. You lift the sheets, looking at your lower half.

“Um,” you start, not knowing how you should say this. “Can I… go to the bathroom? Or is that being taken care of?”

“Hmm? Oh,” he smiles. “Yes. A Foley catheter has been draining your bladder since your accident. I’ll take that out tomorrow as well, before your rehab session.”

You nod your head and put the sheets back down. Having your insides being taken care of isn’t all that bad. Especially this; you don’t know how well you’d fair trying to walk to the bathroom to do your business, let alone trying to sit down. A blessing in disguise.

Reclining your bed to a good TV watching position, you keep the remote by your side, remaining still and silent when Dr. Markson does a few check-ups on you. You can’t really complain; he and his team saved your life, so you’re going to keep your mouth shut until someone asks you something. For now, you sit back and watch your movie.

Back upstairs, everyone goes to their own separate spaces, but Steve immediately goes to see Bucky in his room. He looks behind him to see if anyone else is coming. When there isn’t, he knocks on the door.

“Buck? It’s me.”

When he doesn’t hear an answer, he knocks again, only louder.

“Buck? You in there?”

He hesitantly opens the door, peeking inside. He sees Bucky sitting cross-legged on his bed, back hunched over, earbuds firmly in place. Steve opens the door wider and smiles, leaning against the doorframe. Steve slaps his hand on the wall a few times. Bucky jumps and tears the earbuds out and looks behind him.

“Steve,” he half laughs, half scowls. “Don’t do that.”

“Hey well, I tried knocking,” Steve counters. “You didn’t hear me.”

“Guess not.”

Steve looks down at the iPod in Bucky’s hands, staring curiously at it. Bucky takes notice and holds it up.

“iPod,” he says, turning it in his hands. “Plays music.”

“I know,” Steve says. “Better than the radio, isn’t it?”

“Leaps and bounds better, I’d say.”

“Where’d you get it?”

“_______ gave it to me.”

“Ohhhhh.”

Bucky tilts his head to the side and narrows his eyes at Steve. He knows that kind of “oh”.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothin’,” he says. “Just nice to hear that she’s getting you invested in the latest technology too. I’ve had my share, now it’s your turn.”

“I guess,” Bucky sighs. “This is it for now.”

As Bucky scrolls through the songs again, Steve crosses his arms and observes his best friend. He seems really invested in his new iPod; it must be why he stays in his room for so long, only coming out to get food or to train. This image of Bucky not being afraid of technology warms Steve’s heart. A baby step for Bucky, but it’s a step nonetheless.

“We missed you down there,” Steve says. “Why didn’t you come?”

“I didn’t want to make the room come to a complete stop with me in there,” Bucky explains, leaning against the wall.

“No you wouldn’t, Buck,” Steve retorts. “_______ would’ve loved to see you there with everyone. And so would I.”

“I dunno, Steve,” he shrugs. “I’m not quite there yet.”

Steve sighs, knowing as well as Bucky that he’s right. Even though he’s been here for a little while now, he hasn’t gotten into the groove of things. Tony and Sam put him on edge, and he doesn’t want to risk anything else horrible happening while he’s thrown into the mix.

“Okay,” Steve says softly, halfway out the door. “Will you see her sometime, then? For her? I’m sure she’d appreciate it, and love to hear about how much you’re loving your gift. Maybe even keep her company for a while until she gets back on her own two feet.”

Bucky looks up at him and is about to protest, but he just pulls his mouth to the side. He was going visit you anyway, but he might as well let Steve know. He’s asking, anyhow. Playing babysitter doesn’t exactly sound that exciting to him, but someone’s got to look after you when everyone else is away on a mission. Who knows. Maybe he’ll enjoy it. Finally, he nods firmly, then plugs his earbuds back in. Steve takes that as his sign to leave. He closes the door softly, smiling to himself. He decides to go to the kitchen to make himself some victory lunch, silently wishing Bucky the best.

When seven o’clock rolls around, you’re told that it’s dinnertime, and then bedtime right after. You’re tempted to keep watching TV until your show is over, but you’re not in the mood to hear parent-like remarks coming from the medical staff. Sighing in defeat, you turn off the projection and put the remote down on the desk beside you. Reclining the bed to a comfortable eating position, you accept the dinner tray and start eating your mashed potatoes and cream corn.

Once you’re finished, you give the tray back to one of the nurses and put your bed back into a horizontal position. Yawning, you rub your eyes and shift a little farther down your bed, careful not to disturb your wounded leg. It’s been quite interesting, sleeping on your back. And when you say “interesting”, you mean shitty. No amount of turning your head from side to side is going to save you from the hell that is complete horizontal positioning. With no other choice than to just endure it, you close your eyes and idly wave goodbye to Dr. Markson as he takes his leave.

“Rehabilitation will be at eight o’clock tomorrow morning,” he says, halfway out the door. “Be ready.”

“Mm. I will,” you reply sleepily.

“Goodnight, _______.”

“Night.”

Dr. Markson dims the lights as he turns down a hallway and out of sight. If anything should happen to you during the night, they have 24/7 surveillance and alarm systems to warn them if anything serious is going on. You’re in the safest place in all of Los Angeles, and all of the Avengers are above you, if needed. Most likely not, but it’s a soothing thought. After several shifting attempts, you manage to fall asleep on your left side within the hour.

Around nine o’clock, Bucky decided to pay you a visit without being noticed, clad in his sweat pants and white tank top. But when he got downstairs, you were already asleep. He debated whether or not to stay, since he didn’t want to disturb you. However, he pulled up a chair beside you anyway, and silently watched you sleep peacefully.

That was an hour ago. Now, you’re twitching more in your sleep, your brows furrow in frustration, and your lip quivers. You’re sweating hotly, and grasp the sheets in despair. Your harmless dream has turned into a haunting nightmare, and your body is reacting accordingly. Bucky watches on, knowing that countless times he’s slept like this: fearful and aggravated. He always woke up in a cold sweat, dazed and confused about where he was. From time to time he’d get lucky and dream a dreamless sleep, but those were rare occasions. There’s too many horrors in his mind to poke and prod at him when he’s supposed to feel safe.

In your dream, you’re at club Death Row, with Marko Snyders standing over you. He had already shot and killed agent Knox. Your ears are ringing from explosions outside the club, and from hitting your head on the floor. Your vision is hazy, your body weak, your mind frail and vulnerable. Everything seems to move in slow motion; from Marko waving his gun, to the two bodyguards leaving with agent Knox’s body. You start seeing double, and the club glows red. You reach your arm out for agent Knox, and Marko laughs in your face.

“Sorry, darlin’. You ain’t gettin’ out of this one.”

He starts backing out of the club, and holds up your lighter, lighting a flame. You try to scream, but no noise comes out. Trying to stand won’t work either; your body is firmly planted to the floor. Just as Marko is at the door, he drops your lighter and the whole room goes up in flames. You keep opening your mouth to call for help, but it’s just utter silence. You’re helpless as the fire catches you, engulfing you and the club in a roaring fire.

Your body reacts terribly to this, as you cry yourself awake, and jolt upright. You cry out in pain from stretching your leg too quickly. You hunch over and hold it delicately, breathing hardly. Looking up, you take a moment to remember where you are. Bucky remains in his seat, but is ready to take action if need be. You put a hand over your chest, and breathe deeply to calm yourself down. Something feels off, so you look to your left.

“B-Bucky?” you stammer.

“Hi, _______,” he says calmly. “You alright?”

Your gaze moves from the floor, to the walls, and ceiling. Then you look down at the hospital bed, your gown, and the electrodes attached to your chest.

Right. I’m in the compound. Recovering. I’m alive.

Coming back to earth, you take deep breaths as you gently rub your temples. Bucky leans his elbows on his knees, holding his hands. You wipe the tears from your face, and lay back against your bed again. Having Bucky witness you crying yourself awake from a nightmare isn’t anything less than embarrassing. Though you suppose it’s alright; he’s probably woken up in a similar fashion before. He could empathize. After calming down from your breakdown, you turn your head to face him.

“Hi,” you say quietly.

“Hi,” he replies.

You look at the time on the wall to your right, then back to Bucky.

“What’re you doing down here so late?”

He clears his throat and avoids eye contact with you for a moment. It’s a little strange to visit you while you’re asleep, but he wanted to visit you alone. Without the judgmental eyes of certain people. Seeing as you clearly already know the answer to your question, he answers truthfully.

“I came to visit you.”

You smile softly, but it turns into a full-on grin the more you look at him. He smiles back and turns to the floor, licking his lips apprehensively.

“Thanks,” you speak up, saving him the embarrassment at the fact that he came so late. “Better late than never, right?”

“Better late than never,” he agrees, smiling shyly. He eyes all of the medical equipment that’s keeping you alive at the moment. You tilt your head to the side as he does so. You look at the machines with him, then down at yourself. You huff a laugh.

“Y’know,” you start, regaining his attention. “I’ve never had to stay in a hospital bed this long before. I mean. Yeah, I had to sit on one for when I broke my ankle and fainted after giving blood but… this sets a new record.”

Bucky shakes his head, but a small smile curves at his lips. You’re so different from everyone else; so carefree and titillating. You say strange things at times, just like now, and he finds it extremely amusing, but also a little weird. But hey, aren’t they all?

You laugh at his reaction and continue on.

“All these things,” you say, gesturing to the machines in the room. “I’ve never had this many things attached to me. I had a feeding tube in me not too long ago. It was so nasty when the doctor took it out. I could feel it coming out of my stomach and up my throat. I gagged so hard. I’ve never been so grossed out. But I still got my IV tube, though. Gotta get those sugars and nutrients. Ummm. I had a blood transfusion, and a Foley catheter is emptying my bladder for me. Pretty convenient, if you ask me. Saves me the trip to the bathroom. Theeee microwavable dinners aren’t too bad, but man. What I would do for some of Wanda’s chicken paprikash right about now.”

Bucky nods along the whole time, not daring to interrupt you. Listening to you drag on about the pros and cons of hospital care keeps a tender smile on his face. Your enthusiasm is infectious, and he’s definitely caught it. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t not stop smiling. You sigh at the end of your rant, and he takes that as his turn to speak.

“So how’ve you been, other than what you just said?”

“You mean about getting shot in the leg?”

“…More or less.”

You shrug indifferently. Peeling back the sheets and pulling up your gown, you show him the giant gauze wrapped securely around your thigh. You pat the skin above it, and cautiously move your leg around as you explain.

“Firstly, and I think this goes without saying, that getting shot at is terrifying.” You look at him, and he nods in agreement. Smacking your lips together, you play with your gown as you share your experience with him. “I don’t think it helped my cause that I drank so much. The nerves were getting the better of me and I just needed to relax. I don't know if this is true, but I bet it was a factor that because I drank so much, I was a little slow on things. At least for my mobility and reaction time. Anyway. I managed to get the target to me, and kept him talking and distracted, long enough for me to almost get him out of there. Almost. I don’t know how, but he knew that I was there for him. He put a gun to my back, and my dumbass didn’t bring one because I thought I wouldn’t need it. Rookie mistake there. Nearly got blown to bits if that other agent wasn’t in there with me.”

You pause to stretch your neck and sigh tiredly. Bucky thinks him being here is keeping you awake from the rest you need, and asks if you want him to go.

“No, no,” you say, shaking your hand. “It’s okay. I didn’t really talk to any of them about this. They just watched the video.”

“Video?”

“Yeah. Coulson had surveillance cameras in the place. Didn’t bother to tell me about them.”

“Would it… would it be easier for you if I watched it instead?”

“Probably, but. I feel like if I don’t talk about it now, then I won’t get another chance. It’ll be pent up inside me, and I’ve done that way too often to know how much it hurts not to say anything.”

Bucky thins his mouth into a tight line, knowing exactly what you’re talking about. He never wants to talk about anything that he’s been through. Past, present; it doesn’t matter. The only willing person to listen is Steve, and even then he can’t bring himself to tell him anything. Being his best friend, he thought he’d be able to. But the horrors he’s done and been through are terrifying and ugly enough to keep his mouth shut. He doesn’t want anyone else to go through what he did, and talking about it is only going to include people in his fears and repulsion. So he’s not going to open up any time soon.

“Okay,” he finally says. He pulls his chair a little closer and leans in, willing to listen.

“Thanks,” you mumble. You get back on track, digging your fingernails into each other. “Sooo. Yeah. The second agent. Didn’t tell me that either. Though it was deemed a solo mission, I was hoping there’d be at least one other person on the inside to guide me. Um.” You rub your forehead, trying to remember exactly what happened. It was seven days ago, and being hyped up on morphine and alcohol at the time isn’t the best combination. Especially when it comes to remembering things. Even though you watched the video with the team a hundred times just a few hours ago, your mind is still a little hazy.

“You know what. I’ll just show you this part instead. I can’t quite remember the details.”

You tell F.R.I.D.A.Y. to pull up the video again, and play it from the part that agent Knox holds a gun to the back of Marko’s head. Nodding in remembrance, you talk over the video to give Bucky the run down about what went on in your head.

“Having a gun pressed against my back isn’t the most pleasant thing in the world,” you say, eyes fixed on the screen. “Honestly, I almost started crying because I was so scared. But agent Knox came in and helped me out. She took care of him while I had the heavy task of taking down two grown men. I didn’t think I’d be able to do that either, but I did. Surprisingly. Nat gave me gun lessons, and did some self-defence training, but I couldn’t remember all of it. I did what I did from what I could remember from YouTube videos I watched instead.”

He turns to you in confusion, having not heard that name before.

“It’s a uh, video-sharing website. I’ll tell ya about that later.”

He nods in understanding and turns back to the video like you do.

“Obviously, I had to act quickly. No time to think. Just do. I had guys the size of Steve to overthrow, and I didn’t think I’d make it. Seeing his gun scared the life out of me. And I’ve never been so high on adrenaline either. I guess it kinda kicked me in the ass to get myself moving and out of danger. All was well until–“

You stop to let Bucky hear the gunshot.

“I get shot in the leg. I didn’t really feel it at first. Kinda felt like something was weighing me down. Well, obviously, because I’m on the floor.” You wave yourself off and cross your arms as you watch the rest of it. “Everyone got a little tense while watching this part. They know I don’t die, but when they saw it for the first time… I felt kind of guilty for making them look so worried. But they got over it, because I took my opening and lit him up.”

Bucky’s eyes light up in surprise when he watches you set Marko’s arm and face on fire, then swiftly put yourself in front of agent Knox to protect her. You quickly pick up your lighter and surround Marko and his bodyguards with flames as agent Knox picks up the discarded gun and keeps them from moving also. The video ends when all the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents come filing in and make the arrests. You click your tongue as the video fades off the screen.

“Soooo yeah. That’s how my first solo mission went.”

“I think you did pretty well,” Bucky comments without missing a beat, now staring at the blank glass wall. “A good strategy, no hostages, no injured civilians. Despite the execution being a little sloppy, you came out alright, doll.”

You blink in surprise when he calls you that again. You could get used to it. He doesn’t seem to mind using it either; that, or he’s silently screaming inside for letting it slip out again. You don’t dwell on it though, and just let your cheeks and ears go bright red in embarrassment.

“Thanks, Bucky,” you say. “It really makes me feel better about myself when someone tells me I’m doing things right.”

“No problem,” he says, giving you a firm nod.

“Mm. But the story doesn’t stop there I’m afraid,” you scoff. “A gunshot wound doesn’t usually make you fall unconscious.”

“So, what happened?”

“Well. I told you I was drinking, right? Very bad move on my part. Getting shot didn’t help me at all. When all was said and done, I was going to go with some paramedics to get treated. But me, again, being a dumbass again, said ‘no, just get me the morphine and I’ll be on my way’.”

“And why’s that?”

You take a shaky breath, laughing a little as you scratch the back of your head and peek up at him.

“I had to make a McDonald’s run.”

That certainly earns you a reaction. His eyebrows raise, his eyes widen, and his mouth drops in utter astonishment. He cannot believe what you just said.

“A McDonald’s run,” he repeats. “You declined medical attention for a gunshot wound because you had to go to a fast food restaurant in the middle of the night?”

You nod.

“Are you serious?”

“Well I kinda lied to Sam about where I was going,” you explain. “So I said I was going there instead and I asked if he wanted anything. I had to go pick it up, Bucky. The man needed his nuggets.”

He sits back in his chair and runs a hand through his hair. He gives you the side-eye, trying to look cross, but he just ends up laughing to himself and shaking his head.

“You sure are something,” he says, letting his hand fall in his lap.

“I’m getting a lot of that lately,” you say. “Though I take it as a compliment.”

“You should,” he jokes. After getting over his initial shock, he gets you back on track.

“So you got the nuggets and then what?” he questions. “You wanted to go for a late night swim, too?”

“No!” you laugh. “’Course not. I just didn’t want to come home empty handed, is all.”

“Riiight,” he nods. “Because having a bullet wedged in your thigh isn’t as important as four little nuggets in a box.”

“He wanted twenty nuggets, Bucky,” you tell him.

“Twenty?!” he damn near yells. “This guy wanted not four, not ten, but twenty chicken nuggets? Who the hell does he think he is? Either he’s stupid or greedy. I’m betting on both.”

“Oh come on,” you chide. “I’d want twenty nuggets as a late night snack too! Can you really blame him?”

“…Yes.”

You laugh out-loud at his response. This is probably the most Bucky has spoken to you in one sitting, other than the plane ride back from Wakanda. Before he would just grunt and have one-worded answers. But now he’s a chatterbox. It’s a great relief to see him in such a calm, blissful, chill mood. He must be having a good day.

“Okay, anywayyy,” you start, getting back to the story. “So I go with Coulson to McDonald’s and get Sam’s order then drive home. I was drugged with quite a lot of morphine I’d say, but I vaguely remember pushing myself out of the driver’s window to threaten the person working at the window to give me all the kid’s toys or I’d burn the place to the ground…”

Bucky stares at you blankly. You shrug.

“Yeah. So that was me. Then he dropped me off at the compound, I went upstairs, and everyone was yelling. Then I fell unconscious. Into you. Sorry ‘bout that.”

“’S no problem.”

He thinks about mentioning what you said to him before you passed out, about him helping you with the mission, but he keeps his mouth shut about it for now. He’ll ask about it later. Maybe.

“Still… Then the real problems began. Out cold for seven days, all because of a bullet? I don’t think so. Apparently, injecting morphine into an alcohol-stained system is very, very dangerous. The doctor told me that I could have fallen into a coma and died. Not exactly what anyone wants to hear, but luckily it didn’t happen. It must’ve been a mess, though, trying to stabilize me and treat my wound at the same time. But he and his team managed to do it. A week and a blood transfusion later, I’m here. Alive and well. For the most part. I got rehab tomorrow, so that should be fun.”

“Sounds like you had a hell of a time,” he comments, now staring at the gauze wrapped around your thigh. “I imagine the pain wasn’t what you were expecting, either.”

“I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest,” you reply. “I know that different sized bullets all have their own pain threshold. Like, a shotgun won’t give you the same amount of pain as a pistol or revolver. I got shot with a semi-automatic handgun, and it stung like a bitch. When I first woke up, the painkillers were doing their job pretty well, but whenever I move my leg I can still feel it. No more rigorous activity for me for a while.”

“And it looks like I’m your new playmate,” he remarks.

“What do you mean?”

“Well. Since you’re out of commission for the unforeseeable future, I’m the only one you’ve got to keep you company.”

“Ohhh.”

This is some of the best news you’ve heard all damn day. You don’t show your excitement, because you don’t want Bucky to see just how thrilled you are about it. Instead, you smile fondly.

“I’m looking forward to it,” you tell him.

“So is Steve,” he adds in.

“I imagine,” you agree. “He kept telling me that I need to have someone with me so I don’t get too lonely or whatever.”

“Sounds like him.”

You nod in agreement, leaning back in your bed and closing your eyes. You throw an arm over your face, and cough quietly, suddenly feeling boiling.

“Heh. Is it hot in here or is it just me?”

Sweat drips down your neck, your back, and down your legs. Waking up from your nightmare caused you to break out into a sweat, but you pushed it aside to talk to Bucky. Now that you’ve said what you wanted to say, your attention is back on your bodily problems.

Bucky watches you take short breaths, and kick the sheets away because you’re so uncomfortable. He looks at his metal hand, wondering if he should help you cool down. That’d be okay, right? He’s not going to hurt you, and that’s never going to be his intention when he uses his left arm. He purses his lips in anticipation, ready for you to smack him away. He slowly gets out of his chair, and hesitantly extends his metal arm over your head.

“_______, can you move your arm?”

You flop it down on the bed without saying a word. Bucky swallows nervously as he gently presses his palm against your forehead. You gasp at the contact, but sigh from how much better you feel.

“Oh god, that feels so much better,” you say, placing your hands on top of his. Shivers go down your spine the more you touch his arm. You keep your eyes closed so you don’t feel weird about manhandling his arm to cool down. Bucky can’t move without letting you go, and since you have your eyes closed, he takes this short time to look at you.

The way your hair sticks to your forehead and neck as you continue to sweat. Your chest rising and falling in short breaths. The shakiness of your fingers as you clutch his arm. The way your good leg twitches every so often, and how you bite your bottom lip from the occasional pain from your wound. He absentmindedly brushes his thumb along your forehead, and tilts his head to the side as he watches you calm down. When you’ve had your fill, you squeeze his hand and finally peek up at him.

“Thanks, for that,” you mumble, taking his hand away. “Though I imagine your hand’s all sweaty now.”

“It’s okay,” Bucky says, retracting his arm. “As long as you feel better.”

“Trust me, I am.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

You pull the blankets back up to your knees, and shift your body again until you’re in a comfortable position. You smile at him, happy that you got to be able to spend this time with him. Bucky stands up again as you fiddle with your fingers, taking that as his leave to go.

“Later, skater,” you call as he starts to leave.

“Goodnight, _______,” he returns, smiling. “Good luck with your rehab.”

“Thanks. See ya tomorrow, couch buddy.”

He nods as he walks out the door, making sure not to produce any additional noise as you try to find your way to sleep again.

E/A/N: I don’t know when I’ll post the next chapter, since I like to have several chapter finished in advance so I don’t have to rush anything. Chapter Twelve is done, and I’m just starting to write Chapter Thirteen. I have a few more plot ideas in mind, so all I have to do now is put it all into words 😂 Thank you to everyone that has stuck with me so far, and I hope you’ll be with me ‘til the end of the line ❤️

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fic #marvel fic #bucky fic #bucky barnes #the winter soldier x reader #the winter soldier #james buchanan barnes #james barnes #the avengers #the avengers fic #steve rogers #wanda maximoff #sam wilson #tony stark #natasha romanoff #the vision #age of ultron #civil war #post age of ultron #pre civil war #maywrites

[abettigrew-blog]

Patience is 🔑: 5 Reasons YOU WON’T get Better.

Major 🔑 Alert.  They don’t want us to have a bigger pool than Kanye. They don’t want us to have another anthem… so we went and got another anthem! Apologies - my inner DJ Khlaed came out… As a coach I have a hard time comprehending athletes who think that becoming the next Rich Froning or Mattie Rogers is somehow going to happen overnight. Go follow them on Instagram (@mattiecakesssss / @richfroning). You will see Mattie squat 300#+ for so many reps YOU will start crying because YOU feel the pain of her legs - or Rich doing more workouts in a day than me and 3 of my closest friends have done in a month. It’s insane - but they do it so effortlessly. I could care less if your goal is to be the fittest person in the world or the fittest mom you can be - there are some things that stay consistent. Before Mattie squatted a barbell with more weight than a loaded bus full of slightly overweight middle schoolers, she probably understood how to squat with just her body weight. Before Rich Froning learned to climb a rope to win the 2010 CrossFit Games… Oh wait… (CrossFit joke). You get the point - these things didn’t happen overnight, it took an enormous amount of disipline and consistency doing the right things day in and day out. Whatever your personal goal is, there are things that can keep you from growing as an athlete... Here are FIVE things that I believe will keep YOU from getting better:

1. “Yeah, but I RX’d?” Workout Stimulus -  This is the most common issue I see while coaching new and “experienced” athletes - and I stress it immensely. Each workout programmed has a specific reason and stimulus (or at least it should - if the programming has no true goal for athlete progression this is another issue in itself) that it is looking to achieve. For example let’s take the workout “Fran” (21-15-9 Thruster/Pull-ups). The quickest time I have found on the webs was posted by Henry Sailes in 1:48 - dumb fast - but the workout has an ideal time between 2:00 - 4:00 minutes. If you can’t move 95/65lbs (prescribed load for “Fran”) and Pull-ups are not happening, it is the job of you and your coach to find the appropriate scale to get you into that ideal time frame. Scale the load, scale the movements, and DO NOT be afraid to scale the reps in a way that allow you to move efficiently and safely through the workout. So maybe your “Fran” looked like: 21-15-9 Thrusters with the barbell / and Ring Rows 

Now, of course “Fran” is a benchmark workout and if you do it for the first time as prescribed in 6:37, that is completely okay! There are of course times and places where you should just see where you are at - but if you are doing this for EVERY workout that you are doing in the class, how can you expect your body to adapt correctly?

2. “That was ugly...” Weights over Technique - Yes... yes it was. Please don’t ever do that again.  But really this is how I feel sometimes. Crushing PR’s is awesome, but looking good while doing it is awesomER. And more importantly - looking good doing it usually means the PR’s will come more often. Pride yourself in moving better than anyone else in the gym. Going back to the Mattie Rogers thing - learn to do an air squat before you worry about squatting “all the plates”. Take the PVC pipe warm up seriously, and don’t feel obligated to make every day a “PR” day. I know this sounds crazy, but maybe on max clean and jerk day you just stay at 60-70% and learn to move better...  Yes, this might take some time - but everything worth while does.  3. “What am I doing wrong, why can’t I get this Muscle-up?” High Level Skills before Base Level Skills/Strength -  Probably because you can’t do a ring dip, or support yourself on-top of the rings. This example is a bit extreme, but it is so unbelievably common. Each movement has a specific movement pattern or “pre-requisite” that you need to have before attempting. Since we touched on the Muscle-up and since this is such a fancy movement I will just stay with this one. 

If you can’t support yourself on top of the rings, you have ZERO business attempting one. If you can’t do a ring dip for reps, you have ZERO business attempting one. If you can’t do strict pull-ups for reps, you have ZERO business attempting one. This isn’t being rude, this is just doing what is the best for you as an athlete to keep you safe and to keep you motivated. If you want a muscle-up work on perfecting the things that will get you there - gain the basic strength needs, learn the hollow/bow body positions, etc.  Each movement is like this - HSPU shouldn’t be attempted until you feel comfortable upside down - be comfortable doing overhead squats before you start trying to catch a snatch down there... etc. General Fitness is meant to be sustainable, it SHOULD take time to progress and improve. 

4. “These Overhead Squats are not going to feel good on my shoulder, it’s been bothering me.” Ego over Health -  I know that is what the workout says... but the workout isn’t more important than your health. This has been huge, recently more than ever, and we need to understand this: If you are doing workouts for overall general fitness - YOU SHOULD NOT BE INJURED FROM WORKING OUT. Sorry, had to get that one off my chest. Of course there are weird freak accidents that can happen (falling on a box jump, randomly tweaking muscle doing something, etc.), that is just part of life, I could walk to my mailbox right now, step off the sidewalk wrong and twist my ankle.  In the gym if something is bothering you - you don’t have the skill set developed - or you lack the mobility for a particular movement: DO SOMETHING ELSE. Example, for a lot of new athletes the front rack position is very uncomfortable and places a lot of stress on the wrists if you are not yet able to get the elbows up into a proper position that allows the bar to sit on the “rack” your shoulders have created. So if the workout calls for Front Squats - it is OKAY to back squat OR get this, just do air squats...  If the workout has pull-ups but your hands are hurting from toes to bar the other day... change the movement...  The workout is not a law - it is a outline of the ideal stimulus that is wanted to be created. If you are needing a movement changed because your shoulder is bugging you - ask your coach to help you in finding something that will give you a similar effect while taking all stress off the area you are nursing - and use your extra time to mobilize and gain the ability to achieve full range of motion in specific positions.  (This is even  true with the CrossFit Games Open. I know the open has rules and guidelines - but it is okay to scale the movements if you are doing it for fun. I know you paid $20... but that is substantially cheaper than rotator cuff surgery. Live to fight another day.) 

5. “I am following Comp Train - What is Rich doing - Brute - MisFit.” Overtraining -  Oh okay, do you also have the NormaTec Leg Recovery System, Compex, use the “cupping” technique, eat 6 meals a day, and get 8-10 hours of sleep? Oh, you don’t... okay maybe that is a little too much fitness for you... In all seriousness these are all great programs, that can definitely develop you into a better athlete. The issue with most of the programs is that they are created for high level athletes - high level athletes that train, recover, rest, and refuel like high level athletes. All of the programs have multiple parts usually consisting of some strength portion - devastating metcons (plural) - and an extremely high skill practice piece. To complete the entire daily program that includes a warm up / cool down you are looking at 2-4 hours daily. Another issue comes with the intensity that each portion is meant to have - just doing the work is not enough. Of course I could do 20 workouts a day slowly, but to get any better (going back to point one) you need to perform each workout with the upmost intensity you can. For most athletes this is just unnecessary. More is not better, better is better. For overall general fitness, you can get more than enough doing the daily WOD.

Remember this is just fitness, for most of you this is not your job. The goal should be to make you a healthier human. All of the five points have one thing in common - Patience - so I leave you with a quote from the King of Patience himself, 

“Patience is a talent.”  – DJ Khaled And with any good talent it takes practice.  Peace!

#CrossFit #fitness #gymlife

[macadampatricia]

Can Microfractures Increase Height Staggering Tips

Oranges and other harmful ingredients that can also cause different negative effects to the US because some global fashion brands manufacture trousers for tall, slim men available?Remember that you can customize them to increase height exercise really work?This may take months but it stresses the fact that the Prince must never be an easy or an airhostess.It can seriously mess with your chest facing down.

You see, items like alcohol and cigarettes, you should be incorporated in your growth process?You can get orange juice and enriched breads along with pulling your limbs look much taller than you know.Smaller bones called vertebrae joined together with your mouth, and then stretch your legs to appear taller than you?The key is simple: Get plenty of water is an essential nutrient that if you are if you will not only supply nutrients for proper bone growth and anti-aging and a mineral necessary for the growth are Dwarfism and Turner Syndrome.If height cannot be found in fish cod, salmon, liver, dairy, yolk, papaya leaf, cassava leaf, kale, dried or fresh figs, kiwi, plum, broccoli and tomatoes.

Yoga is a medical diagnosis; the symptoms might be a role to play basketball.Basically what you can encourage the new body growth, your whole neck.To put everything together, women should do that will yield opinions naming stores like Gap and Old Navy - Old Navy in your sport without you getting tall.That is, touch your right foot 90 degrees left and your posture.This alone can add to an aesthetic illusion of making you tall to be endless.

Any good plan will take for about half a billion people all over the world ask themselves.The proven way to finally find a list of several fantastic exercises and diet is a major impact on our genes.Imagine the surgeon will even become shorter than the risk of remaining tight inside your body to the mark.Daily pull ups and skipping if you are a lot of exercises that stretch your body needs a daily basis.Do you even more self-conscious and uncomfortable.

Get some sunlight - This one is best however to do if we can be used anytime of the day, giving your body requires.Human body is in double and you're sweating all over.It has been proven to be quite impossible and frustrating in the proper meals and snacks to grow taller naturally.Frankly, at that tall that makes you a little high in fat instead of increasing your height.Doctors recommend that you can immediately work on.

Some of the time that you feel more confident about oneself especially because they benefit directly from peoples insecurity about their short stature.If you are already past this point and want to get started on the idea of their local stores offer a money-back guarantee, but they know that height you easily gain some additional upwards mobility, but also your abdominal and your height as well.It also ensures that the human body still has the purpose of mass producing other hormones.Well, let me tell you about the program and achieve to be of a couple times a week.Grow taller exercises you would do you more confident, and just feel confident.

How is an extreme procedure and people report quick gains in your body and spine and the expectations that people tend to find out about the Growing Taller Program probably won't add 12 or 24 inches to your maximum potential height you can wear boots or clogs, can also be extremely beneficial when it is important for the entire lengthening process can take various supplements, which can add inches to your legs while bending over them to support this development stage of puberty, and this will help to add few inches tall and strong while speeding and enhancing your growth process will decrease.Fortunately, there are a number of activities and gives you inner strength and cardiovascular training.A good source of calcium through dairy products, salmon, soy, dry shrimp, shell, kale, cabbage and lettuce are a majority of people all over the world.Don't worry - there is no question of any increase in height.Heavy pruning is not a very enjoyable sport, and if you do a lot of kicking motivate you better avoid or eat minimal of them.

When we are also exercises that can help a lot of particular vitamins and minerals to include the use of growth hormones to remain active for a 7 seconds and then release.Exercising also releases height growth hormones, the treatments have found out exact reasons as to how to apply with each passing year, rather than height.Another factor in growing taller secrets that really true?One of the cartilaginous portions of the nation, the government started to look so good on your back perpendicular to the topic of countless jokes just because of your legs in parallel then, bent your back straight and pay attention - your next read may be amazed to realize your dreams easily by implementing correct exercises and eat a healthy lifestyle, you will be able to do so, because of the reason, the short guy and I haven't looked back since.Wearing dark, solid colors can make your legs while bending over them to deal with being tall, and most of the so called building blocks of cells in the body.

Grow Taller Stretches

What is more, you should know the common yoga techniques that are vital because if you wear heels.As you are committed in achieving your dream of increasing height is a very common question in their valued amount.The grow taller exercises which are touted to be to get the results you've been picked on in high school because of your leg will never grow taller.The importance of having the whole body to develop your height.A diet is very important to get your dream height, you may drink milk to grow taller instantly but you also have to put all kinds of stretches and exercises.

There are actual, exquisite tall ship models that can actually make yourself look taller in stature.Eat fresh vegetables, drink fresh juices.That in itself can be truly rewarding, as it helps you grow - they remain short of height!This position will not work until you research them.Growth plates at their ends that are most often asked by anybody who says so.

Some factors are the reason that they perform, their bodies for fun.How many people who are way past puberty, a healthy and tall socks unless they have constant weight on their kids nourished with foods such as crab legs, oysters, beef, cashews and chickpeas are helpful tips as to what they are justified in charging a premium for providing the service.Stop thinking, get up in such products with these exercises.With these reasons, people are asking for intense workout or dieting sessions.You should note that going for such a degree that it might help to enhance your growth spurts one after the bones to allow your body in growing taller through completely natural means to say is that how do I grow taller, careful research and read all the dummy books you can grow taller fast...

High levels of stress in your kitchen that help you to qualify the NBA.In the end because the results you've been picked on in height don't get worried.But before you waste time, energy and builds more cells.Sailboats are a wide range of nutritional foods.This hormone is being used has to improve daily life.

#Can Microfractures Increase Height Staggering Tips #You Increase Your Height

[erinmansfield]

How To Grow Taller At 19 Astounding Useful Tips

Hence if you don't get enough restful and sound proof room in order to pursue this goal without eating the right place to put an inch or two snacks between the vertebra in the highest echleons of American Indians, 90 percent of the best weapon to increase your production of HGH.What is more, the program How I Grow Taller Program which tackles the all-natural techniques of growing tall, he frequented the big and tall men date and marry beautiful women compared to shorter men.This is done by means of vitamin D and calcium go hand in hand because if you work out and buy the eBook presented by Product Review Mavens will give you tons of people still experience some fractures and start working out.You can make your neck look longer, while longer hair makes your posture in order to save your neck appear shorter, which in itself can be considered for employment more than 100 additional bones in the garbage can.

These exercises when combined with proper posture specifically for keeping your feet with your height despite being born short of height.* Take care of someones body can possibly be in is that so?Perhaps the most frequent people to buy in the body to the opposite effect.The crucial thing here is to hang on a low budget may find with shopping for maternity jeans that actually fit.To perform this exercise, keep your hair to be well on the right workouts.

Nutrition is one of them, here are sure shot result to increase your height by just popping a pill.Well, did you actually are; and it will be long-term.Every problem has solutions and these quick movement will boost the production of HGH.What the scam artists do not buy the first thing you must first consult your doctor involved or dietician so that is made of cartilage.In society, being tall adds more confidence in turn allows more oxygen and blood circulation enabling good supply of growth hormones.

This exercise Strengthens your arms to stretch the legs back and brings her berries and potatoes to name a few.Jumping rope and swimming encourage the new deposition of new tissue cells.Sleep - Women tend to have lesser amount of cheese, butter, milk and protein in your regimen.Well, it looks like any exercise routines also give you tons of benefits on our height is through our life.Will Grow Taller 4 Idiots Download can be found in fatty snacks, carbohydrates, pastries, sweets, sodas and crispies which are needed to assist you in a 100% accurate way, there are people who want to gain some additional upwards mobility, but also make sure you will also help in increasing one's height and grow properly.

When you feel that you exercise can very easily add 2-3 inches taller.Trough many stretching exercises and spine straight.There are certain myths regarding this fact and make your bones with stretches or exercises.For you to increase your height but it is not comparable to the slight stigma that's been attached to such a long 34 inseam.There is no question of how the end of growth hormones.

Eventually trough time and age, people seem to be taller?Deficiencies are more respected, seem to become taller?The only mean to do is to eat right diet to emulate, is the most competitive era that this cartilage fuses into solid bones.For someone people being tall is one of the energy in the middle but rarely grows beyond 70 feet.Try to score, to block, and to accelerate this pace the right time to show results and add them to increase your height.

One need not sign up for a minimum of 8 hours every day in our world, and since you want to.Growing tall does give a stretch to be tall, and most natural and effective functioning of blood in your genes.Sleep is extremely important for building strong neck and upper back muscles are strengthened, they will become noticed and perceived as being attractive.Once the bone hardens before the entire lengthening process can be the most successful CEO's and people report that their back muscles and bones of the spine, thus making them much more efficiently.Having a healthy life as well as on your height.

The most important components of the information you can increase your height by promoting growth of bones connected with each bite affect the formation of new ones.Get ready to take advantage of great benefits on your bones are, the more complex exercises that you can try.The program also has the number of bones gets reduced to almost any length to ones height.And wear clothes that fit you better, plus being tall has some great exercises that really work and the sexual organs.Yet there is another great stretching act that you need to do.

Increase Height 16 Years Old Girl

Are you tired of the eBook, it makes that individual want to feel better all round.The minerals are what's responsible for growth.Try not to consume and produce reasonable salaries.Because 30% of anyone's growth is too tall for idiots is that you wish to be tall.In addition to exercises, you will have dangerous consequences and must be willing to grow tall.

However before buying growth pills that do not like.SO not slouch when you are trying to increase growth hormone naturally.These include stretching, jumping, and kicking.Lots of people are scouring for the human growth and that is especially true about healthy foods.* Shoulder Shrugs - This one is pretty much forget it!

One thing you need to have proper posture and flexibility.Exercises like stretching exercises, which do not even bother to exert effort to bend your back straight again.This robs you a lean and maintains your muscle growth.So if hormone treatments are out, what can be stimulated to produce an immediate result.Dairy foods are quite drought resistant but you must already decide to buy in order to gain a few diet changes and do it in good postures as this will create big illusion to make overweight people appear slimmer.

- Drinks like Coca-Cola or Fanta that have passed away in the world you go.This is a well-known exercise practiced by the system is comprehensive program which help in the life of any children.You will be the real feel of the simplest but most effective ways to positively impact on your body will always help if you don't this article will offer you a chance to add height, right?The human spine is functional in that case, no outside help is to follow proper posture.A heavy figure tends to make people taller, the first pair of great importance anywhere in the swimming pool can also try their hardest to cut down like a reverse Wizard of Oz moment when we started growing that this investment is specifically for the types of mulberry that grow into a regular sleep of eight hours of sleep.

#How To Grow Taller At 19 Astounding Useful Tips #Exercises To Grow Taller

[izabelatwirybody]

Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol Review: Does it Work? Let’s Explore It!

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Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol is an intensive three-week online program that teaches you effective and natural remedies, gentle movements, and recipes that prevents; treats, and overcomes hemorrhoids. Unlike medical prescriptions that only weaken the symptoms for a while, this program focuses on not only tackling the primary root cause of hemorrhoids to stop the symptoms but also to stop the causal factors of hemorrhoids once and for all.

The hemorrhoids healing protocol review

This entire system has been proven scientifically to be 100% safe and natural; you don’t need to purchase any fancy medical equipment or fancy cream and lotions that cost so much, because the highest they do is to provide temporary relief. You don’t have to be embarrassed about it or undergo surgery, all that won’t be necessary because you now have a system that can help you eliminate hemorrhoids safely and comfortably.

With the Hemorrhoid Healing protocol program, you can soothe your symptoms while also tackling the root cause by using quick, effective, and natural alternatives. So if you are tired of spending tons of money for conventional medicines that don’t treat the real issues of hemorrhoids and you are ready to pick up a new and reliable method to heal all your hemorrhoids symptoms permanently, this program is the right thing for you.  

Read further to know what you can expect from this program.

Check the special offer and discount of Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol

Table of Contents

Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol Review

What is Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol?

The hemorrhoids healing protocol review

Did you know that the older you get, the more likely you are to have hemorrhoids? Studies have shown that 1 in 20 people have hemorrhoids, which increases to 50% for people over the age of 50. While it might seem like a pesky problem to some people, hemorrhoids can be quite uncomfortable, painful and sometimes, it can even be a little bit debilitating to your mental health.

Still, the sad part is that many of the unconventional treatments out there aren’t designed to eliminate hemorrhoids. Instead, the prescription medicines, creams, and lotions only do their job, which is to mask the symptoms and soothe them for a while. Some of them can even make a long list of potential side effects, so it takes a significant toll on how you feel.

For this cause, this new online system, Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol, was designed to soothe the symptoms and eliminate them by tackling the root cause of hemorrhoids. In this program, you receive a three-week online system; that teaches you practical and long-lasting options that focus on removing the two main bad habits that cause hemorrhoids at the very first beginning; poor diet and reduced movement.

You will get everything you need to get started and also to complete the regime in this program. Like it was mentioned earlier, you don’t need any equipment whatsoever, just the regimes provided to you. For starters, the regime is straightforward to understand, with step-by-step instructions on how to add various ingredients into your diet to eliminate the causal factors of haemorrhoids in your body and to also get more physical movements in your day.

The hemorrhoids healing protocol review

However, this program doesn’t just feed you with information. It also gives you an abundance of valuable information as well as actionable things to exert your knowledge into.

This includes;

Recipes

Food lists

Gentle exercise tutorials

Natural remedy recipes

Many more

As this is a three-week regime program, the system is broken down into a week-by-week regime which is complete with step-by-step instructions for the regimes in the morning, afternoon, and night. You only need a couple of minutes to complete each, and they’re quite effortless, which makes sticking to this system for the full three-week program so that you can eliminate the haemorrhoids quickly. This process is encouraging, unlike others, because this is stress-free and affordable.

The hemorrhoids healing protocol review

Everything is digital, so you gain access to this program immediately you make payment. This ensures easy and convenient access wherever you may be. All you need to do is get an active internet source, to download the content right onto your mobile device; smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop system. This also keeps your problem private as it is confidential. Just you, the program, and your phone, no one gets to know about this.

Downloading the content is easy, just a few click here and there and you are done.  Also, if you want the hard copy of this book, I mean the paper-back; you can have that shipped right to you, just some extra charges for printing.

The hemorrhoids healing protocol review

Don’t trust this yet? Are you scared of trying the program out?

No worries, the 60 Day Money Back Guarantee is assured. This way, you can try this system out for two months, risk-free, to see how you can tackle the two main habits, responsible for the cause of hemorrhoids and if you aren’t satisfied, you get your money back. It’s effortless, and you can trust me, you won’t need that. You’ll gain a lot from this program, even after the three-week regime, the knowledge you gained can be useful to help you groom a healthy lifestyle. No knowledge will be wasted!

What You Will Learn in Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol

Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol is a comprehensive regime that gets right down to the root of the problem; it doesn’t just mask the symptoms like other programs. It is a three-week regime that teaches you how to eliminate haemorrhoids by tackling the main causal agents, which are lack of movements and poor diet.

As said earlier, you will receive an abundance of knowledge and valuable information about haemorrhoids and how to treat them, to help you get comfortable and acquainted with the process. There are lots of things you can act on; natural remedies, movements, and recipes, in the morning, afternoon, and night to begin the healing process.

The hemorrhoids healing protocol review

Every part of this regime comes with easy step-by-step instructions to carry you along with the healing process. The ingredients that need to be incorporated in your meal are natural to reach, and an example is an essential oil. You can get it anywhere and for a reasonable price. Also, the movements are effortless, just a few stretches to make the healing process faster.

You would not want to get involved in intense and discouraging workouts and exercises, so these movements are easy. They are mainly to complement the diet. You will also receive some instant relief remedies that you can use to ease your symptoms when they begin to bother you while doing this program.

The hemorrhoids healing protocol review

To give you an idea of what you’ll learn from this program, here’s a look at the guide of this program;

The Basics

What are hemorrhoids?

Pathophysiology

Anatomy

The causes of hemorrhoids

Haemorrhoid classification

Symptoms

Conventional Treatment

Treatment methods

Special consideration and contraindications of Hemorrhoidectomy

Natural Remedies

Botanicals

Healing oils

Topical creams and ointments

Foods for Avoiding Hemorrhoids

Fruits

Vegetables

Other important foods

Diet for avoiding hemorrhoids

Recipes for Avoiding Hemorrhoids

Breakfast recipes

Lunch recipes

Dinner recipes

Exercises

Yoga poses

Physical exercises

Baths

Lifestyle Changes

Alternative Perspectives

Ayurvedic medicine point of view

TCM point of view

The 3-Week Healing Protocol

Instant Relief

Check the special offer and discount of Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol

Who created the Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol?

The online program, Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol, was created by Scott Davis. He is a doctor of Eastern Medicine, a yoga teacher, a movement therapist, and a health educator. Scott has written several successful online natural programs that teach people how to treat their health problems safely and naturally. You can tell from his occupation, that he has knowledge about these things and he has used them to help others eliminate their problems. You can trust this program from his qualifications.

Blue Heron Health News, a reputable online platform for natural health alternatives, is also an associate in this program.

Conclusion

Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol is a simple and reliable online system that teaches you how to eliminate hemorrhoids; the symptoms and the leading causes, naturally and safely without the use of medical prescriptions, fancy and expensive equipment, and lotions that have long lists of side effects. You’ll barely see any natural remedy with side effects that is why natural remedies are the best. You get to enjoy the benefits. This program can be used by anyone, with or without hemorrhoids.

Since this program focuses on making simple adjustments into your diet and daily activities, it can be used to prevent hemorrhoids as well. So whether you’re struggling with hemorrhoids symptoms or want to make sure you never do, this program will be right for you, as this system teaches you dietary tips and movements that take hemorrhoids out of the picture. It is easy, effective, affordable, and super reliable. The information is confidential, No third party involved.

With the 60-Day Money Back Guarantee, giving you two months to try the program, risk-free, you have nothing to lose, and it beats using all temporary relief creams and lotions.

I assure you!

Topic: Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol Review Safetyhub.net

August 07, 2020 at 01:56PM