Week 9 . . . already???

Hallo Füsters!

Somehow we are already upon our 9th and final week of the regularly scheduled Sömmer Kamp Füsting event. It doesn’t seem quite possible that June and July both evaporated so quickly from our collective timeline. For those who will be leaving us on Saturday, GG can only say thank you for joining and playing along. Ultimately this was a selfish endeavor on GG’s part, having failed miserably at Winterfüste this year due to travel and work, he desperately needed to right the ship and expunge some serious flank meat. And he’s happy to report that he has done just that and it’s all because you guys joined up to chaperone him through the last nine weeks! Thank you all for that generosity! Now, as I mentioned two weeks ago, GG will be continuing on with this event for one more month and finishing on August 31st. For those of you interested in this expansion pack, please declare your intent this week and then continue to report off as usual and the game will continue for four more weeks. This extra long Füste definitely will push the boundaries and will absolutely qualify as experimental. But GG is very interested to see what a prolonged Füste does to everyone (or at least those who are up for the challenge), both physically and mentally.

Couple items:

• So the Special Kredit thing ended up being a bust. Many of you have accumulated a lot of SK without any notion of spending it on food or drink. And to that GG says, BRAVO! As of Saturday, whether you continue on or not, your Kredits will be transferred to punkte at a 3 to 1 exchange rate . . .

• Finish strong (if you’re finishing), X3 daily:

  • 25 push-ups (on your knees push-ups are acceptable but your goal should be as many full blown push-ups as you can manage)

  • 50 sit-ups

  • 40 total forward lunges (20 on each leg)

  • 90 second wall-sit

  • One wall hand stand held for 60 sec (optional, only attempt this if you know you can hold a hand stand without injuring yourself . . . go here to understand how to get in the correct position: https://youtu.be/6YG9EE8J0VQ . . . ignore the first part of the video where she talks about make your body a perfect L shape and go to the second part where she show’s you how to kick up into a handstand).

  • 90 second plank (on forearms)

• No fasting this week but expect it to pick back up as we move into August . . .

• Don’t forget your bonuses . . . still a ton of bonuspunkte out there if you can remember what we’ve done during past Füstes. Good luck!

• As there is no Gruppen play, there is no Finale Kompetition. But once we make it through August, GG will host a special dinner event to say thank you to everyone who played the short or long version of Sömmer Kamp this year. At this event we will recognize and reward both the Short and Long Version Überfüste and Bestenfüste. GG hopes to see you there, especially if you’re calling it a game this Saturday.

Alright everyone, that’s it for now. GG will communicate out one final audit request this week and then we’ll chat Friday on the eve of the short version Finalefüste. Finish strong and excellent work this Summer!

GG

Week 8 is gr8!

Morning Füsters . . .

Only two weeks left in the Sömmer Kamp Experimental Füste (time flies when you’re battling flank meat) and hopefully everyone is seeing some dividends from this experience. Reminder, the SK Expansion Pack will see this event continue for another four weeks ending on Aug. 31st, if you’re so inclined . . .

Couple items:

• Many Füsters have stacked up the Special Credits and with only 2 weeks left in the regular game, time is running out to use them. So GG is extending a one time offer . . . tomorrow you may cash out your credits for punkte. $ x 3 = +1p. Or just use them to have a drink or a piece of pie or whatever.

• How’s the daily strength training going? Up to 25 push-ups yet? Last week we had an abysmal turnout for the audit so it’s hard to say what you’re all been up to . . . This week’s audit is due by tomorrow, July 22nd at sun down. Check your texts for details.

• And speaking of strength training, here you go, X3 daily:

  • 25 push-ups (on your knees push-ups are acceptable but your goal should be as many full blown push-ups as you can manage)

  • 45 sit-ups

  • 30 total forward lunges (15 on each leg)

  • 75 second wall-sit

  • One wall hand stand held for 30 sec (optional, only attempt this if you know you can hold a hand stand without injuring yourself . . . go here to understand how to get in the correct position: https://youtu.be/6YG9EE8J0VQ . . . ignore the first part of the video where she talks about make your body a perfect L shape and go to the second part where she show’s you how to kick up into a handstand).

  • 75 second plank (on forearms)

• Don’t forget your bonuses . . . still a ton of bonuspunkte out there if you can remember what we’ve done during past Füstes. Good luck!

That’s it. Have a great week (no fasting this week as GG understands that some player’s GI tracts need a rest after the great juice massacre of Summer ‘19). And may the Füste be with you, always.

GG

Week 7 of ???

Morning Füsters . . .

We’re starting Week 7 of Sömmer Kamp and right off the front I want to let you know that in the spirit of experimentation GG is extending this Füste experience through the end of August. Yes, this is the longest Füsting period ever attempted. No, you do not have to participate and SK19 will officially end on August 3rd. But if you want to keep going with GG, you can tack on the August Expansion Pack and continue the Sömmer Kamp Füste through August 31st (GG’s birthday seems like a fitting day to call it quits fo the year). Again, there is no expectation that you will continue forward but GG would love to have the company and will continue to support you if you do. There may also be a Winterfüste 2020 bonus associated with anyone who makes it the entire length of the expanded Sömmer Kamp. Up to you, just let GG know your intent before Aug. 3rd!

Now on with the current game:

1. As you should already be aware, there is an audit due today (July 14th) by sundown. Get on it to earn your Special Credts and a +1p bonuspunkte.

2. This week we’re going to shake up the fasting concept and regimen. If you’re up for it, complete a 72 hour “juice cleanse” in lieu of a traditional fast (google “juice cleanse” and you’ll find plenty of info; there are a number of places in SoCo that will provide the needed juices etc.). Give this a shot on Tue-Thu. Each day complete is worth +1 bonuspunkte. Complete all three in a row and earn a total +5p for your efforts. GG is very interested in how this will go and whether it will be something to add to future Füstes (again, SK is meant to be experimental so help GG help your future Füsting selves).

3. This week’s strength training, completed three times each day (yes, this stuff is getting necessarily harder; no whining!):

   • 25 push-ups (on your knees push-ups are acceptable but your goal should be as many full blown push-ups as you can manage)

   • 40 sit-ups

   • 30 total forward lunges (15 on each leg)

   • 75 second wall-sit

   • One wall hand stand held for 30 sec (optional, only attempt this if you know you can hold a hand stand without injuring yourself . . . go here to understand how to get in the correct position: https://youtu.be/6YG9EE8J0VQ . . . ignore the first part of the video where she talks about make your body a perfect L shape and go to the second part where she show’s you how to kick up into a handstand).

   • 75 second plank (on forearms)

4. Don’t forget, all individual bonus allowances from all past Füsting events are eligible for bonuspunkte. All you have to do is think back and remember what tortures you visited upon yourself to earn that bonuspunkte and get on it!

Short and sweet. Good luck this week and may the Füste be with you!

GG

Here comes Week 6 . . .

Evening Fûsters . . . GG apologizes for the late weekly update but sometimes it happens . . .

Week 5 is complete and here’s hoping you thoroughly enjoyed your Cheat Day on the 4th! We’re now in the back half of this Sömmer Kamp with only four weeks to go to the finish line.

Couple things:

• This week’s strength training, completed three times each day:

  • 20 push-ups (on your knees push-ups are acceptable but your goal should be as many full blown push-ups as you can manage)

  • 35 sit-ups

  • 60 second plank

  • 60 second wall sit

  • One wall hand stand held for 20 sec (optional, only attempt this if you know you can hold a hand stand without injuring yourself . . . go here to understand how to get in the correct position: https://youtu.be/6YG9EE8J0VQ . . . ignore the first part of the video where she talks about make your body a perfect L shape and go to the second part where she show’s you how to kick up into a handstand).

• You can fast up to two days this week. Each completed 24 hour fast will be worth +1p. If you complete both days, you will get a +1 bonus. If you complete them back to back, you will earn yet another +1p bonus for a total of +4p.

Short and sweet this week. You guys are doing great so far so keep it up!

GG

4 weeks down and here comes that Betrugentag!

Morning Fûsters . . .

Week 4 is complete and we are mere days away from your cheat day (not that some of you haven’t been cheating on your own lately)! Don’t forget, guilt free excesses that you deliver upon yourself this 4th of July will most likely lead to a wicked sugar and alcohol hangover on the 5th so tread lightly . . . As an extra incentive to Füste responsibly this 4th, all Schmerzenfüste parameters are worth double punkte on the 5th of July!

Couple things:

• This week’s strength training, completed three times each day:

  • 15 push-ups (on your knees push-ups are acceptable but your goal should be as many full blown push-ups as you can manage)

  • 25 air squats

  • 30 sit-ups

  • 60 second plank

  • One wall hand stand held for 10 sec (optional, only attempt this if you know you can hold a hand stand without injuring yourself . . . go here to understand how to get in the correct position: https://youtu.be/6YG9EE8J0VQ . . . ignore the first part of the video where she talks about make your body a perfect L shape and go to the second part where she show’s you how to kick up into a handstand).

• No fasting allowed during Week 5 . . . sorry, weirdos.

• Some of the bonuses played so far:

  • STRAVA 100K cycling bonus

  • STRAVA 10K running bonus

  • Jump in a large, cold natural body of water bonus

  • After midnight but before 3am workout bonus

  • Spend a night camping out under the stars bonus

  • Completing a Schmerzenfüste parameter with a non-Füsting friend

  • Taking a friend’s dog for a walk

• And the Überfüsters have been released! Currently this pack of elite Füsters is lead by the Hare, who just can’t stop herself. Wolverine is not too far behind but the Owl is closing in on him fast and it looks like we’re in for a real feather and fur throw down during the second half of Sömmer Kamp!

That’s it for this week. Have a great holiday and remember, never close your hand around a cherry bomb!

GG

Week 4 Update . . . .

Morning Fûsters . . .

Week 3 continued the outstanding game play by this select group of Sömmer Füsters. GG is very impressed by the dedication and output so far . . . keep it up! We’re only a week and a half from the 4th of July cheat day so you’re almost half way through Sömmer Kamp! GG can’t believe it either . . .

Couple things:

• This week’s strength training, completed three times each day:

  • 15 push-ups (on your knees push-ups are acceptable but your goal should be as many full blown push-ups as you can manage)

  • 25 sit-ups

  • 45 second wall sit

  • 60 second plank

  • One wall hand stand held for 10 sec (optional, only attempt this if you know you can hold a hand stand without injuring yourself . . . go here to understand how to get in the correct position: https://youtu.be/6YG9EE8J0VQ . . . ignore the first part of the video where she talks about make your body a perfect L shape and go to the second part where she show’s you how to kick up into a handstand).

• Week 4 fasting will be a little different. You can fast up to two days this week. Each completed 24 hour fast will be worth +1p. If you complete both days, you will get a +1 bonus. If you complete them back to back, you will earn yet another +1p bonus for a total of +4p. Let’s see what you’ve got!

• Some of the bonuses played this last week:

  • STRAVA 100K cycling bonus

  • Jump in a large, cold natural body of water bonus

  • After midnight but before 3am workout bonus

  • Spend a night camping out under the stars bonus

  • Completing a Schmerzenfüste parameter with a non-Füsting friend.

• No Überfüsten yet thanks to that pesky Owl hanging in there in 3rd place. She is just not going to let the two leaders pull far away enough to induce the Über state of game play. Now it’s time for her to set her sights on the Wolverine and go get that furry little beast!

Short and sweet. That’s it for this week. Have a great week and as always, may the Füste be with you!

GG

Week 3 coming your way . . .

Evening Fûsters . . .

Impressive game play this first two weeks of Sömmer Kamp. So far GG is very surprised by the amount of Doppelt and Trippelt punkte that’s being put up on the board by all players. The question is: can you sustain this level of output for eight weeks? I guess we’ll all find out together.

Couple things:

• Almost everyone passed their first strength training accountability test without an issue. To be clear, passing these tests earns you Speziell Kredits, not punkte. That’s why you’ll see a dollar sign behind your name on the Bestenliste (don’t forget, you can also earn SKs by really wowing GG with an impressive work out activity or experience). So what are they good for, these SKs?

  • +3 SK gets you a simple pleasure like a cookie or a brownie or a beer or glass of wine, something you would otherwise not be allowed to consume during the Füste (more to come on this concept).

• This week’s strength training, completed three times each day:

  • 15 push-ups (on your knees push-ups are acceptable but your goal should be as many full blown push-ups as you can manage)

  • 20 sit-ups

  • 45 second wall sit

  • 45 second plank

• Week 3 fasting will once again be a single 24 hour fast, midnight to midnight. You choose the day of the week. +3p if you leave your mouth hole alone for the full 24 hour period.

• Some of the bonuses played this last week:

  • STRAVA 100K cycling bonus

  • Jump in a large, cold natural body of water bonus

  • After midnight but before 3am workout bonus

  • Spend a night camping out under the stars bonus

• Are you Überfüsten? If you’re the Wolverine or the Hare, yeah, you probably are. So what does this mean? Once two or three players have cleared the pack by at least 15 punkte consistently for three days, those players move off the traditional Bestenliste and onto the Überlisten. Once there, new more difficult work-out parameters are unleashed and the Überfüsters must do even more to gain the cherished punkte that they clearly obsess about or wouldn’t have gotten themselves in this position in the first place. GG will be keeping a close eye on the punkte totals to determine when and if the Überliste will go live!

That’s it for Week 3 update. Have a great week and as always, leave your mouth hole alone!

GG

Sömmer Kamp, otherwise known as all things experimental . . .

Hallo Füsters. Thanks for volunteering to be a part of GG’s experimental take on Sömmerfüsten. I’m sure you’ve already noticed that things are a little different. There’s no Twitter or Facebook feed so communication is minimal and inspiration primarily must come from within. No Gruppen play and no apparent bonuses. All safeties are off and you can go straight to the Trippelts and just pound yourself into the ground as you see fit. This game is meant to be lean and mean and not have an enormous impact on an already overworked GG (fun fact: Sömmer Kamp was limited to only 16 players because that’s the number who signed up for the first Winterfüste).

Now for a couple of important items:

1. The website is active (or at least some of it). The Bestenliste is updated as close to daily as GG can manage, so you can check there to see how your game is progressing in comparison to the other fifteen players. A modified Regelbuch is also up for those who need info on the workout parameters.

2. You wil have noticed that the bonus page is dark. But that doesn’t mean you can’t earn bonuspunkte. You’ve all played this game before and know how to bonus. So throw something up there and see if it sticks. You might just help yourself out. And we’ll see who’s been paying attention over the last couple of years.

3. So who’s this Percentil Platypus player and why does he keep nipping at my ass with his big weird bill? The Platypus is one of those “experimental” concepts being tested out this Sömmer. He represents exactly 70% completion of the total game points up to and on any given day. He is here to keep you honest and motivated. If your daily score total falls below Percentil Platypus at any time in the game, you have 24 hours to get back in front of him or your Totemfüste will be summarily retired and you’re out (oh, don’t look so shocked, Sömmer Kamp was free after all). GG has been trying to come up with a way to both keep the bottom third of the game motivated but also (and no offense meant to anyone) cut the deadwood out. Because the Platypus showed up a couple days late, GG has evened the playing field by giving +3p to anyone who scored a zero on Day 1. To keep things fair, all other players received a +1p bonus as well. So, Percentil Platypus is now in play. Take a look at the Bestenliste and make sure you stay ahead of him!

4. You’ll note that some players have a $ behind their name on the Bestenliste. Each $ represents one Speziell Kredit. You earn these SKs by doing something particularly impressive, like running a half marathon on Day 1 or playing a three hour tennis match in +95F heat. You can use SKs to go “shopping” later in the game. One may be worth an ice cream cone, three an ice cold beer, 5 a piece of pizza. The menu will arrive shortly. This is obviously another experimental concept GG is trying out this Sömmer.

5. How are those push-ups coming? After a week of the daily strength training, GG has experienced the very first hint of increased upper body strength. This makes GG, who has had a fairly self-destructive year so far, very pleased. How’s it for you? Trust in GG and do this daily work as assigned. There is plenty of proof that this will do a lot for you if you do it (and soon there will be spot audits starting up so, there’s that). Week 2 is the same as Week 1, except add a 60 second plank. So three times a day complete a round of 10 push-ups, 15 sit-ups, 20 air squats and a 60 second plank.

6. What would a Füste be without some fasting? it wouldn’t be a Füste, that I can tell you. In the next 7 days, complete a 24 hour fast for a +3p advantage. You can pick any day you like between now and next Sunday. Fasting hours are midnight to midnight. Clear liquids only. Declare your intent to GG before you begin the fast. Oh, and Percentil Platypus doesn’t fast so there’s a good way to get some padding between your butt and his bill.

7. Without Gruppen play, GG’s not sure what to do with the Dachshundfüsten concept given its history of abuse by some players. But keep sending in those long dog pics and GG will figure something out.

8. GG has an “experimental” request around your Schmerzenfüste. As you know, you should all be using STRAVA to track your activity (or be sending GG a summary pic from some other tracking device (good job Moose and Buffalo with the Apple Watch!)). STRAVA has a simple share function that GG thinks might help him out in confirming your Schmerze. If you look at your completed workout summary on the main feed, in the lower right corner you’ll see a symbol that looks like a square with an arrow pointing up. Click this and choose “Message” to share your workout. Share this summary with GG when you report your daily activity. No share (or Apple Watch or Fitbit or similar summary) and no punkte.

Well that turned out to be way more information than GG was expecting to put out there today. Two last items here. Let’s do a weekly weigh in moving forward. Send me a pic of your weight (you, standing on scale with the number clearly visible and your nightmare coyote paws socked up as needed) each Sunday morning and we’ll see how you’re doing. And, if you read this whole thing, text GG the phrase, “The Platypus is all powerful” and earn yourself a +1p bonus (you have until sundown tonight to send this text . . . after that, don’t even bother).

Good luck on Week 2 and as always, may the Füste be with you!

GG

This is the end . . . beautiful friend, the end . . .

NorCal Füsters (SEPs, wait your turn):

One last update before we close the books on Winterfüste 2019 tomorrow . . .

1. A quick ask . . . if you completed all the Fastentag days and have earned the +5p bonus, please text GG immediately with confirmation. It will save GG having to scroll through pages and pages of data to track each Fastentag day. Remember, if you received the bonus for Hungreiger Geist, you are not eligible to receive the Fastentag bonus!

2. A reminder, the Finalefüste event will be held at the Veteran’s Memorial Building in Santa Rosa. Address is 1351 Maple Ave. We will be in the “North Room”. Do not confuse us with the large crab feed going on in the main hall. Even starts at 6pm . . . this is not one of those things where you want to be fashionably late! Please show up on time as we have a lot to do to finish out Winterfüste 2019!

3. In addition to a beer or wine of choice (carried circumspectly in a brown bag), please bring a towel with which to cushion your planking position (hint, hint).

4. Don’t forget to weigh in first thing tomorrow morning and send a pic to GG so he can recored your final weight. Remember, every pound lost is 0.5p to your Gruppen so even if you’re not coming to the FF, you can still contribute towards their success.

5. Yes, tomorrow is an active Füsting day. You can earn punkte by exercising, not eating sugar or processed foods and not drinking alcohol before the final bell sounds at ~6pm . . . so don’t slouch off on the last day! You will report off for the day’s activity when you arrive at the FF event. If you’re unfortunately not attending, please send GG one final text at 5pm (yes, 5pm) to record your final days work (and so he can add your points to the final Bestenliste).

6. The final update to the website, with the point tallies for both the Individual and Gruppen games, will post sometime Saturday, March 2nd.

7. Don’t forget, Kühl in blue tomorrow night, Gletscher in green.

That’s it, Füsters! For those attending, we’ll see you tomorrow night. For this who aren’t, GG will touch base with you one last time after your final report . . . It’s been a pleasure being your Geschäftsführer again for another Füste. You guys are all incredible people and you should be proud of everything you personally accomplished during the first two months of this year (yes, it’s already March!). Everything you did, every day, was 100% you. You made that happen. All the miles walked or run, the swimming or the rowing or the biking, the 23 Drachens slayed (a new WF record) . . . all the kräp you didn’t eat, the alcohol you didn’t drink, everything you did or didn’t do was a pure, unfiltered act of will power. And just because Winterfüste is coming to an end does not mean you have to stop . . . Take the things you’ve done, the new habits you’ve formed and play them forward into your daily non-Füsting life. You don’t have to be obsessive about it, just take a little bit with you as you leave. That’s all that GG asks . . .

Good luck in the rest of 2019 and may the Füste be with you!

GG

And now for the last . .

Good morning, Füsters and willkommen to Week 8, the final week of Winterfüste 2019. As of today, there are 50 players left in the Northern game and 27 players left in the Southern game. We dropped a collective 18 players. That 20% drop rate is the lowest in recent memory and is a testament to how hard you guys have been playing the game. GG has been very impressed with what he’s seen during WF19 and can honestly say this is the best group of Füsters in the last century. Herr Doktor Mediziner Schneebärtchen would be proud!

Now for some final week updates:

• On Finale Friday (or Saturday for the SEPs), don’t forget to weigh in first thing in the morning and then text a pic to GG (or JJ), same as you did on Day 1 and the half way point. We will not be doing a weigh in at the Finalefüste event so if you want your pounds of lost flank meat to count as points for your Gruppen, make sure to send the weigh in pic.

• There is no homework assignment for this final week (not like most of you were doing it anyway, based on some of the struggles GG has witnessed during the recent audits). So relax and spend the week preparing for the coming brutality of the Finale Konfrontation!

• GG will put out location information for the Finalefüste in NorCal within the next 24 hours. He is happy to report that he has secured two venue options and just needs to make a final decision. Both venues are in central Santa Rosa so they will be easy to Lyft to . . . remember, GG has a strict no drinking and driving policy so if you plan to imbibe, plan to pay for a ride.

• And to that, some details on the Finalefüste event:

  • Please wear athletic-ish attire. The Finale Konfrontation is physical and requires strenuous activity from the players. GG respects the fact that you want to show off your newly earned skinny jeans but you’ll look just as good in something that breaths and allows a full range of motion.

  • For the NorCal event, food, beer and wine will be provided. Unfortunately, hard alcohol will not be allowed at the venue. If you have a special drink that you’d like break your drunkenfast with, please bring enough to share.

  • SEPs, you’ll be receiving info on your event directly from JJ.

• There’s a final plankenfüste bonus posted for Week 8. Check the Bonuspunkte page for details.

• Audits will continue this week so don’t be surprised when you get tapped to complete one. There is a +2p bonus associated with the successful completion of an audit request.

That’s it for now . . . there will most likely be one final communication out to this group before Friday. In the meantime, don’t let up! Your flank meat is on the ropes, beaten down and confused as to what the hell just happened to it. Keep the pressure on through Friday! Stay away from the sugar and the alcohol and get those Trippelts in for the most punkte possible. If you have open bonuses, get those done too! The game will be over as of Friday and there won’t be another opportunity to Füste until 2020, so this last five days is it! Get as much final punkte as you can and hit your flank meat hard! Now is not the time to start slacking off!

Good luck in the final week and as always, may the Füste be with you!

GG