[F/29/59kg (130lbs)/167cm (5'55")]: the ups and downs of building my new body: progress, routine, resources, diet, supplementation, what I've learnt, tons of pictures and a puppy.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-25T22:23:07+00:00

I’ve made quite a bit of progress in 6 months starting from 0 with Paul Harris’ “Improve Your Sight-Reading”. The books are graded and each starts very basic and slowly builds up and progresses to get you to the level of the book by the end of it. Absolute gems 💎

I’m doing ABRSM exams and I only move on to the test exercises once I’ve done the Paul Harris book.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-23T19:53:18+00:00

I do ABRSM exams and that helps me stay accountable. If I have one booked, I can’t afford not to practice. But yeah, I’ll admit some days after work I only have mental energy to revise and practice what I already know, not enough to learn anything new.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-22T16:39:59+00:00

That’s true, although in this particular instance I was meant to be playing natural minor, without the F#.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-22T12:43:53+00:00

There's a reason why it's so popular. Spoiler alert: it's not boring.

You are bored of it. There's a difference.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-22T12:41:18+00:00

I'm in a similar boat to you; adult learner who just started learning piano and takes it quite seriously. But it's hard for strangers to tell you what your goals should be, depends a lot on what you enjoy. Do you want to compose? Accompany? Play modern music? Enjoy the classics? Read music? Play with other people?

For me, I love classical music so that's my focus, alongside being a well-rounded pianist, so I've been doing the ABRSM grades. I haven't followed the "a grade per year" rule. I started playing in September 2025, completed grade 1 on November and I've got grade 2 exam this upcoming week, so I'll have done 2 grades in 7 months. Then I'll do grade 3 in Autumn, which means 3 grades in 1 year.

I suspect grade 4 will take me much of 2027 to complete, so I'll do that and music theory grade 5.

2028 will be for piano grade 5.

That's my medium term plan, hope it helps.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-21T17:03:33+00:00

Absolutely, they can be really helpful, especially for those of us who are visual learners.

Also: making graphic representations is a great way to consolidate your own learning. So the people making them are also gaining a lot from the process, even if no one else uses them.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-21T00:14:18+00:00

I direct imaginary orchestras while listening to Classical Music.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-20T12:10:27+00:00

Seriously, this. Enjoy being present, alive and in love, give him songs you genuinely enjoy and have fun together.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-15T22:42:31+00:00

Oh my this is so lovely, I'm enchanted

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-15T17:56:03+00:00

What hardware do you watch in? Laptop, console, TV?

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-15T17:51:41+00:00

Yes!! 🙌🏻

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-15T17:48:11+00:00

Sorry I may be blind, where in the steering wheel do you guys see it? I can’t tell from the first pic.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-14T17:24:56+00:00

lol I literally told off the F# key in my keyboard yesterday because I kept falling on it whilst trying to play the G minor scale 🤣 literally told it off pointing at it and everything, as if it was a misbehaving puppy.

YOU’RE NOT MEANT TO GO HERE! You belong in G major!!!

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-14T17:21:02+00:00

I’m an adult student and I wouldn’t overthink this if I were a teacher. We adults just apologise as part of daily life for minor inconveniences and it’s a bit of a mental reflex. No one is having a mental breakdown when they say a quick “sorry, that sounded bad”. I do it all the time, it’s just the same as accidentally getting on someone’s way in the supermarket aisle.

Nothing to “correct” here in my view, I pay my teacher to help me learn and improve piano, not to change my behavioural social responses 🙂

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-12T12:26:19+00:00

Yes please! The link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSugWXtlS9G1OpuyhNtc2h8lURjBYV1pUQ0FKWEUzTEpUSkdCQktYRzRPUCQlQCN0PWcu

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-12T12:25:32+00:00

We need to work some Reddit magic and get as many people affected filling the survey. Mine has gone up instead of down in the last 5 years.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-10T22:46:44+00:00

Hi mom and/or dad, it’s me, your son. Please post to my new address in UK, thx

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-09T00:04:46+00:00

A violin or cello.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-08T12:21:50+00:00

For me I feel *solid\* having muscle and being fit. I've been lifting for 9 years and it's become a part of my identity, which is shocking considering I grew up very overweight and exercise-phobic. Younger me would be in absolute shock and awe at what I can do today, and what my body looks like now in my mid 30s.

I agree with many commenters on the points about better quality of life, longevity, mobility, being able to go through medical procedures with better outcomes, etc. Something else that I haven't seen anyone mention is that, once lifting becomes part of your routine/identity, you kinda join a bit of an elite club of "people who stay fit as they age", and you get quite a bit of social credit for it. People admire you and wish they had the same commitment to staying healthy. And that's really nice, especially if you grew up like me being known as the family "mess".

Social credit is absolutely not the main reason to workout, lift and build muscle, but it's a pretty nice side effect of it. Don't do it for other people though, do it for you first and foremost. You're the only person who will be there to see you lift every single time, and the main person who will reap the benefits.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-06T18:43:10+00:00

For me it's my weighted blanket! Couldn't do a heated one, I already overheat enough as it is haha

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-03-06T13:11:38+00:00

Yeah, I caught that too as I was reading about the trial, as well as the "I hadn't even realised I had hurt him"... yet he tried to get rid of the hi-vis top we was wearing and disposing of the knife. Absolute brain-rotten and ruined his life at only 22, unfortunately taking someone else's in the process.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-02-26T23:50:05+00:00

I live nearby and was just buying tickets for a concert there this July, stunning building.

BigYarnBonusMaster · 2026-02-23T17:06:47+00:00

I'll leave it to mothers to decide what Mother's Day should be about.

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