Team Building (Pregame 1 LM, Gym)

[John Slaktare]

As per usual, John has chosen an activity requiring minimal talking to bond with his lance.

He stands over Winkey, spotting him for dumbbell presses. His hands trace the path of his workout partner as he gives some standard workout motivation.

"You got it, you got it. Three more. Don't arch your back..."

There may not be any substance to the interaction, but at the very least it seems like authentic interest.

When the set is done, Butcher waits for Winkey to take a drink before starting his own set.

[Yori Hakamada]

As per usual, John has chosen an activity requiring minimal talking to bond with his lance.

He stands over Winkey, spotting him for dumbbell presses. His hands trace the path of his workout partner as he gives some standard workout motivation.

"You got it, you got it. Three more. Don't arch your back..."

There may not be any substance to the interaction, but at the very least it seems like authentic interest.

When the set is done, Butcher waits for Winkey to take a drink before starting his own set.

Just as Butcher begins his set the expressionless face of Yori hovers into view above him, peering down through her glasses.
"Sergeant Slaktare. Mechwarrior Lawrence. Good morning. I saw you both engaged in physical activity and given it is meant to be a day of celebration, decided I would greet you rather than pretending I did not see you."

She blinks once, slowly
"You are using heavier than average weights given your size and age. That is good."

[John Slaktare]

Butcher pauses at the top of the rep after Yori's face comes into view.

"Yeah," John replied with a nod, looking to Yori. "You want to get in the mix?" He then continues his reps while awaiting the answer.

Lawrence nods his agreement to the invitation while spotting.

[Yori Hakamada]

Butcher pauses at the top of the rep after Yori's face comes into view.

"Yeah," John replied with a nod, looking to Yori. "You want to get in the mix?" He then continues his reps while awaiting the answer.

Lawrence nods his agreement to the invitation while spotting.

"Yes."
Yori appreciated Butcher's directness
"I will go procure smaller weights, I am physically smaller than either of you."
And she does, although not before taking out a handkerchief and cleaning the dumbells.

[John Slaktare]

After finishing the set, Butcher gets up from the bench and gives it a quick wipe with his towel. Winkey and him hadn't been doing so between their sets, but they were used to each other's sweat from workouts and sparring. Not true for Yori.

"You're up," he says with a nod to the bench taking a sip. For spotting, Winkey was lower weight which meant that Yori would spot Lawrence, Lawrence would spot Butcher, and Butcher would spot Yori. There was a natural flow and efficiency that went with spotting that weightlifters were familiar with.

Butcher moved to spotter position.

"Day going good?" it was hard to tell if Butcher was being cordial or was in automatic social mode from his tone.

[Yori Hakamada]

After finishing the set, Butcher gets up from the bench and gives it a quick wipe with his towel. Winkey and him hadn't been doing so between their sets, but they were used to each other's sweat from workouts and sparring. Not true for Yori.

"You're up," he says with a nod to the bench taking a sip. For spotting, Winkey was lower weight which meant that Yori would spot Lawrence, Lawrence would spot Butcher, and Butcher would spot Yori. There was a natural flow and efficiency that went with spotting that weightlifters were familiar with.

Butcher moved to spotter position.

"Day going good?" it was hard to tell if Butcher was being cordial or was in automatic social mode from his tone.

Yori carefully removes her glasses before taking the bench and starting her reps with a black expression as she considers the question.

"It is too early to say. It is likely to be a social day and I will be required to make small talk with a variety of people so as to appear part of the group. May I consider this our small talk for the purposes of my list? And if I may, how is your day progressing?"

[John Slaktare]

"Day's fine. No issues. Also, small talk isn't needed if you prefer not to," he replies, spotting the reps. "Won't hurt my feelings."

Lawrence shakes his head as he drinks a bit of water waiting for his set, being the most socially capable and normal of the three. "Decent morning for me. Opened a new years gift from my wife. Nice bottle of whiskey."

[Yori Hakamada]

"Day's fine. No issues. Also, small talk isn't needed if you prefer not to," he replies, spotting the reps. "Won't hurt my feelings."

Lawrence shakes his head as he drinks a bit of water waiting for his set, being the most socially capable and normal of the three. "Decent morning for me. Opened a new years gift from my wife. Nice bottle of whiskey."

"I appreciate you are so easy to talk to sergeant. I will continue for a few more moments but will recognize it is mostly idle chatter."
With a grunt Yori finishes her set before getting up and carefully toweling off the bench before Lawrence's turn.
"I appear to have lost 3% of my muscle mass. Acceptable but disappointing."

And to Lawrence
"Congratulations. Did you reciprocate with a gift of your own?"

[John Slaktare]

"I did. Got him a two night stay at a nice hotel spa resort back home," Lawrence replies. Apparently the relationship and status of his spouse was a bit fluid. "And this bottle of whiskey cost more than that."

Lawrence gets into position, and knocks out his set at a steady pace. He looks like he is about to wipe down the bench but John qaves him off, not actually caring about the sweat at all.

Butcher listened but already was aware or didn't care, because he doesn't respond. Though he does react to Yori's statement, "Inactivity or not enough protein? Can always join me if its an activity issue."

[Yori Hakamada]

"I did. Got him a two night stay at a nice hotel spa resort back home," Lawrence replies. Apparently the relationship and status of his spouse was a bit fluid. "And this bottle of whiskey cost more than that."

Lawrence gets into position, and knocks out his set at a steady pace. He looks like he is about to wipe down the bench but John qaves him off, not actually caring about the sweat at all.

Butcher listened but already was aware or didn't care, because he doesn't respond. Though he does react to Yori's statement, "Inactivity or not enough protein? Can always join me if its an activity issue."

"Ah, that is probably a good sign. I often measure my relationships by the thought and cost of gifts exchanged."

Looking over at Butcher and remaining completely still for a few moments as she thinks
"Considering my diet for the past three months my protein intake has been acceptable, although I will slightly increase it as a result of these findings. It is then likely an activity issue. What activities would you recommend we undertake together to increase muscle mass and build aerobic fitness?"

[John Slaktare]

Finishing up his own set with Lawrence spotting, he wiles the bench down for Yori. He moves into spotter position while Lawrence take a water break.

Lawrence nods at the assessment, though he doesn't actually agree that gifts are a good gauge of relationships. But it seems silly to argue a counter point based on opinion.

Butcher thinks for a moment. "Well, depends on what you want to accomplish. Full body, could focus on grappling or calisthenics. If you want targeted muscular strength or endurance then lifting like we are now will do it. If you want bulk then low weight high reps would be better."

[Yori Hakamada]

Finishing up his own set with Lawrence spotting, he wiles the bench down for Yori. He moves into spotter position while Lawrence take a water break.

Lawrence nods at the assessment, though he doesn't actually agree that gifts are a good gauge of relationships. But it seems silly to argue a counter point based on opinion.

Butcher thinks for a moment. "Well, depends on what you want to accomplish. Full body, could focus on grappling or calisthenics. If you want targeted muscular strength or endurance then lifting like we are now will do it. If you want bulk then low weight high reps would be better."

Yori's second set is slightly slower, and she even puffs once.

"Full body is more likely my focus. I would like to maintain baseline fitness to ensure good quality of life and also a small chance of survival if forced to eject from mech. However given my stature, eyesight and training I believe it will remain a reasonably high risk regardless of my level of fitness."

Politely
"What is your routine? Do you practice all of those forms of exercise? Have you always been devoted to your body? Mechwarrior Lawrence you may also answer these questions if you believe any of them are particularly relevant."

[John Slaktare]

John keeps a careful and close watch during his spotting of Yori.

"I don't work out for aesthetic purposes. But Lawrence's man likes him to be a bit beefy. Which is why he works at a lighter weight with quicker reps," he says, his second in command agreeing with a nod. "Not that it isn't still useful, it's just different."

Lawrence looks to John. "And Butcher doesn't do much else when he's not working. Focuses on low reps and higher weight for power then spars as much as he can. Weights on odd days, martial arts on even. Day's that end with 1 are arms and chest, 3 is legs, 5 is shoulders and back, 7 is core and grip, 9 is cardio focus but a little cardio happens on sparring days too."

[Yori Hakamada]

Snip

"You have an organised calendar, very sensible, it it hos I would do it. I do not have a partner to work out for, but I believe I understand the logic."
With a nod she rises and cleans the bench
"What martial arts do you practice? It is another area I am deficient in."

[John Slaktare]

John moves to drink as Lawrence takes his turn on the bench. Slowing down a bit, but still getting high reps in.

"I go for boxing and wrestling," Butcher replies. "Have to get a good mix in if you want to be flexible."

"I use the AFFC system of mixed martial arts," Winkey replies. "Not as focused on it as John though. Some of the infantry guys are really good. Got some certified trainers in a couple styles."

[Yori Hakamada]

John moves to drink as Lawrence takes his turn on the bench. Slowing down a bit, but still getting high reps in.

"I go for boxing and wrestling," Butcher replies. "Have to get a good mix in if you want to be flexible."

"I use the AFFC system of mixed martial arts," Winkey replies. "Not as focused on it as John though. Some of the infantry guys are really good. Got some certified trainers in a couple styles."

Yori cocks her head
"Which is most efficient at disabling an opponent of superior size? We were taught a range of styles at the academy but I performed poorly and only pursued the minimum required."

[Yoko Lee]

Yoko showed up wearing hotpants, a tanktop, sneakers, and a glower. She smelled lightly of breakfast and cheap perfume as she put down a duffel bag and pulled out a towel, not seeming to notice the other two in the room talking.

[John Slaktare]

"One of the standardized military systems will tend to teach pressure points and joint locks at advanced levels," John explains. "They don't teach them at early stages though, because its easy to injure sparring partners if you do them wrong."

John gets his set in, struggling with the last rep, but not quite reaching muscle failure. Probably next set.

Lawrence agrees with the assessment while spotting. "There are a few of the practical mixed arts that teach disabling techniques good for mismatched opponents, but they almost never teach them early in formal systems. Maybe learning how to fight dirty with boxing or kickboxing?"

John wipes down the bench for Yori and preps to spot her.

Yoko gets a look and a wave from Lawrence. During his water break, but Butcher doesn't notice for now.

[Yori Hakamada]

Snip

Yori nods politely at Yoko.
"Oh, she is doing what I was considering, very sensible."

Slowly going through her reps, arms trembling very slightly.
"I am prepared to fight dirty. If it is not a formal duel I see no reason to not attempt to win by any method. Although if I am representing the company I understand it might complicate matters. Perhaps I could reiterate I was only representing myself before gouging their eyes?"

[John Slaktare]

John keeps his hands at the ready, in case trembling becomes muscular failure, providing a gentle boost to finish a rep if needed.

"If your life is on the line honor means nothing," Butcher says matter-of-factly. "Kill them before they kill you. Finish them so they can't come back for revenge." There was a cold violence to his words.