Saturday-45 minutes Stepmill, No training as I had to work the store again.
Sunday-Heavy sled drag to make up some for the Saturday lost training. 4 1/3 mile trips with 4 plates-2 forwards, 1 backward, 1 mixed lap
Monday Am-Stairmaster 45 minutes
Monday Pm
-Heavy chain raw off three board. 225x3x4 chain,5 chain, 6 chain, 7 chain , 8 chain, 9 chain. -Off the chest `135 with 7chainx6, 185 with 7 chainx5 reps.
-Single arm KB snatches press.62sx6per arm 72sx5 or 6 per arm, 88lbx3or 4on left and 5 or 6 on right. 106sx5 snatches per arm. I could only get one press with the 106s on the left but the right was fine and I got all of the reps. Still some issues with the nerve damage. Doesn't seem to affect the bench, but on overhead and other pressing movements, it lagging some but still getting stronger.
-Tricep band pushdown mixed with band side twists 3x15 per exercise
-Took the tricep rope and put it through the blue band and did some standing ab pulldowns stretching and overextending at the top. 4x10
-Tuesday Am-45 minutes stepmill.
Almost in lifting shape now!
Spud
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Sunday Thur Fiday and getting to the Church on time
Sunday-45 mins Stepmill. I have gone back to taking the Dirty(It's a local NO product with amped up caffiene then I throw another 200mg shot of caffiene on top of that) to get my cardio done. It helps out alot in the early am.
Monday AM-45 mins StepmillMonday PM UpperI am still working the store all day and then coming back to the gym at night so my focus is down but my strength contiunes to go up. My volume is minimul.-Incline dumbell worked up to 120sx15-4 board tricep worked up to 455x5-Ab Work 6 sets-Band Ext again for 5 setx15 reps-Bradford press I thinks 4 sets-Fat bar lat pulldowns. Me and Dalen had a contest here. My lat machine has a 300lb stack and it used to be no problem getting the whole thing down plus some. Now, at 225lb I don't have enough weight to get it down. Dalen pulls the whole stack down for 8 after I do 270 for 6 or 8 with some trouble. I have to at least try the 300lb. After Mac does some pullups on the bar since he can't pull it down either, I get in there. Dale asks if I want any help and I say I think I got it. I dangle for a minute flopping my legs back and forth then somehow get them under the pad and pull it down. I get 4 or 5 decent then the slinging to 8 begins. I get the 8 slopphy, then let go of my legs and get catpulted up and almost off the machine. THe edge goes to Dale with cleaner reps. -Tues-Am cardio Stepmill for 45mins all dirtied up. I try to read my book but I can't focus with the caffiene and arginine makeing me ADD.-Wed Am cardio-Same stuff. Worked the store all day to get writing done. Not much there as I lost the file with all my work from the weekend on it. I still try for 2 hours to find it and in between customers who stay for long periods of time-Wed PM Training -Not much enthuasim but Me and Dale do some reverse band pulls. We set it up so we have 200 of at the bottom and 75lb to 100lb off at the top. I hook grip all the way just for fun and I am too lazy to turn my hand around. We work up to 805lb on the bar, raw and sumo. He gets two with a regular grip. My hands are holding good today so I go for a single with a hook grip. It comes up good and I hold this for a few seconds. I have never been able to hold onto more then 550lb. I am baffled. Dale gets straps and cleans it up some and gets two more. I try to strap up and go conventional. NO GO. It won't even move!I come back and try it sumo. it will not budge again. Dale goes down a plate and gets 1 with the hook and then it pops out on the second. I decided to try it again sumo with that weight. I get three reps and call it there. Edge Spud-Reverse hyper 3 sets-Spud Inc. Hanging Abs Straps 3 sets x8 reps supersetted with Fat Bar obliques
Thur am -45 mins Stair masterThur PM Training-Fat Bar with chains. 5 setsx5. Worked up to 175 bar weight and 4 or 5 chains a sied-Fat bar tricep pushdowns 3 setsx20 reps-Hammer curls. worked up to 85sx 6 reps-Standing Tricep rope pulldowns 2 x50 reps -Bradford press again. Worked up to 125x 12 reps(6 per side)
Had to do my first of 6 meetings with the Priest before we can get married. The Wifey has been singing there for 10 plus years and we have been together for 8 almost 9 now. I have never been to the the Church. I have always had this thing about organized religions and avoided any churchs. Never really grew up going to church either, just for my friends weddings most of the time. Of course, setting out it is a dreary rainy day. The Church is richy rich and very beautiful. I walk up to the doors and tell her I feel the ground rumbling underneath me. She yells,"Stop That." I giggle. Old me would have been bitching and complaining about the whole thing especially the walking and breathing part. But I am good with it all and for this thing, it's whatever she wants.
The Priest is her favorite and a very nice man. Been all over the world and very understanding of everyone which is the way it is suppose to be. I am dressed in the usual gym attire-gym shorts, henley top and tenney's on. The veins are hanging out of my arms and legs still. He is wearing his garb and nice jacket. Talk about two different worlds colliding.
He starts out asking why we are getting married. My only response is, " I figured 8 years was long enough and she's earned it" All I get is this look like I was the Devil and he was ready to exorcise the demons from me. I am kidding of course about the earned it part. I told her later that there was no way I could have done it at 300lb unless I could sit down and get married. Then there was the whole tux thing and fat sweating and heavy breathing.
We then move on to other questions you are suppose to know about your spouse to be like middle names, birthdays, parents full names. I got two out three on that one. The quesiton I miss is the first one on middle names. For some reason the letter J was floating around in my head. I had that part right but I whispered I don't know and she says real loud, "JOHNSON". I heard the Jeapordy music playing as he asked the question then that BEEP..BEEP..BEEP when you get it wrong. I redeem myself later when asked what was the one trait about me when it comes to her. I say without hesitation, " I accept her for who she is without question" I win points back like a bonus round. That is it for the day until he mentions the weekend couple thing we hve to do before the marriage. I deflate again but only a Friday night and Satueday morning thing and we don't have togo anywhere.
I will wear and tank top and banana hammock next time,
Marc
Monday AM-45 mins StepmillMonday PM UpperI am still working the store all day and then coming back to the gym at night so my focus is down but my strength contiunes to go up. My volume is minimul.-Incline dumbell worked up to 120sx15-4 board tricep worked up to 455x5-Ab Work 6 sets-Band Ext again for 5 setx15 reps-Bradford press I thinks 4 sets-Fat bar lat pulldowns. Me and Dalen had a contest here. My lat machine has a 300lb stack and it used to be no problem getting the whole thing down plus some. Now, at 225lb I don't have enough weight to get it down. Dalen pulls the whole stack down for 8 after I do 270 for 6 or 8 with some trouble. I have to at least try the 300lb. After Mac does some pullups on the bar since he can't pull it down either, I get in there. Dale asks if I want any help and I say I think I got it. I dangle for a minute flopping my legs back and forth then somehow get them under the pad and pull it down. I get 4 or 5 decent then the slinging to 8 begins. I get the 8 slopphy, then let go of my legs and get catpulted up and almost off the machine. THe edge goes to Dale with cleaner reps. -Tues-Am cardio Stepmill for 45mins all dirtied up. I try to read my book but I can't focus with the caffiene and arginine makeing me ADD.-Wed Am cardio-Same stuff. Worked the store all day to get writing done. Not much there as I lost the file with all my work from the weekend on it. I still try for 2 hours to find it and in between customers who stay for long periods of time-Wed PM Training -Not much enthuasim but Me and Dale do some reverse band pulls. We set it up so we have 200 of at the bottom and 75lb to 100lb off at the top. I hook grip all the way just for fun and I am too lazy to turn my hand around. We work up to 805lb on the bar, raw and sumo. He gets two with a regular grip. My hands are holding good today so I go for a single with a hook grip. It comes up good and I hold this for a few seconds. I have never been able to hold onto more then 550lb. I am baffled. Dale gets straps and cleans it up some and gets two more. I try to strap up and go conventional. NO GO. It won't even move!I come back and try it sumo. it will not budge again. Dale goes down a plate and gets 1 with the hook and then it pops out on the second. I decided to try it again sumo with that weight. I get three reps and call it there. Edge Spud-Reverse hyper 3 sets-Spud Inc. Hanging Abs Straps 3 sets x8 reps supersetted with Fat Bar obliques
Thur am -45 mins Stair masterThur PM Training-Fat Bar with chains. 5 setsx5. Worked up to 175 bar weight and 4 or 5 chains a sied-Fat bar tricep pushdowns 3 setsx20 reps-Hammer curls. worked up to 85sx 6 reps-Standing Tricep rope pulldowns 2 x50 reps -Bradford press again. Worked up to 125x 12 reps(6 per side)
Had to do my first of 6 meetings with the Priest before we can get married. The Wifey has been singing there for 10 plus years and we have been together for 8 almost 9 now. I have never been to the the Church. I have always had this thing about organized religions and avoided any churchs. Never really grew up going to church either, just for my friends weddings most of the time. Of course, setting out it is a dreary rainy day. The Church is richy rich and very beautiful. I walk up to the doors and tell her I feel the ground rumbling underneath me. She yells,"Stop That." I giggle. Old me would have been bitching and complaining about the whole thing especially the walking and breathing part. But I am good with it all and for this thing, it's whatever she wants.
The Priest is her favorite and a very nice man. Been all over the world and very understanding of everyone which is the way it is suppose to be. I am dressed in the usual gym attire-gym shorts, henley top and tenney's on. The veins are hanging out of my arms and legs still. He is wearing his garb and nice jacket. Talk about two different worlds colliding.
He starts out asking why we are getting married. My only response is, " I figured 8 years was long enough and she's earned it" All I get is this look like I was the Devil and he was ready to exorcise the demons from me. I am kidding of course about the earned it part. I told her later that there was no way I could have done it at 300lb unless I could sit down and get married. Then there was the whole tux thing and fat sweating and heavy breathing.
We then move on to other questions you are suppose to know about your spouse to be like middle names, birthdays, parents full names. I got two out three on that one. The quesiton I miss is the first one on middle names. For some reason the letter J was floating around in my head. I had that part right but I whispered I don't know and she says real loud, "JOHNSON". I heard the Jeapordy music playing as he asked the question then that BEEP..BEEP..BEEP when you get it wrong. I redeem myself later when asked what was the one trait about me when it comes to her. I say without hesitation, " I accept her for who she is without question" I win points back like a bonus round. That is it for the day until he mentions the weekend couple thing we hve to do before the marriage. I deflate again but only a Friday night and Satueday morning thing and we don't have togo anywhere.
I will wear and tank top and banana hammock next time,
Marc
Monday, September 22, 2008
Training Wed Thru Sat
-Wed pm-
Alittle pulling raw all sumo. worked up to 405x5x3 sets. then dale did 500x3 double overhand. i felt like trying it so i jumped in a did 500x3 with a hook grip
-rev hyper 3x10-one legged back raises 2x10 per side
-did some long straps pulldowns.
- felt like doing something else but nothing in the gym appealed at all. suddenly, i got this bright idea to pull the small chain outside. it weighs about 300 or so. i pulled it down to the end of the building and back or about 110 yards in 3 or4 sets each way. not bad and it curbed my conditioning bug for the night.
thur am
-45 mins stepmil
thur pm training
-dumbell flats worked up to 100sx12-15 x 3 sets,
-close grip pushups off pushup bars x10x5 sets. added a chain on my back each set
-green band kneeling pulldowns supersetted with standing pulldowns from right then left. 4 sets of each for 10 reps or so
-hammer row 4 setsx10
-did some more banded work for shoulders
Fri am
-stepmill 45mins
sat ams
45 mins cardio-
am training
-cambered bar box squats with lots of chains.raw to 325x3 with 4 chain,added briefs for 415x3 with 6 chain per side,505x3 with 7 chain per sled, one drop set with 405x5 and 7 chain
-box jumps 4 or 5 sets of 5
-chain leg raises 4 sets x8 rep and worked up to 4 chains
-did some interesting ab wheel type work. dale had the idea to use the concept 2 rower as a ab wheel using the seat since it floats back and forth along a track about 3 or 4 feet long. he had his client go off his knees. i tried it this way but i decided i liked them on my toes so i ended up in a plank type position. this was tougher then i thought and got a ton of ab work. did 4 setsx8 reps.
-Sunday am
- 45 mins Stairmaster
Still trying to find a peacful middleground on the diet thing. So far, I have tried a few different approaches. With a suggestion from Joe Lyons at ABB, I got Dan Duchane's book Bodyopus. It is very much like Lyle MacDonald's book, The Subborn Fat Diet. I am fusing them with Dave Palumbo's Diet plan. They are very much the same with little differences here and there. I then add alittle Spud Magic to it(binging here and there to be precise) but it is working for me.
PS Check out the websites, Sue has done a ton of work and we have a new look on the Spud Inc and Nutrition Warehouse. nuthousesupplements.com
4 days of weights, that is a record lately,
Spud
Alittle pulling raw all sumo. worked up to 405x5x3 sets. then dale did 500x3 double overhand. i felt like trying it so i jumped in a did 500x3 with a hook grip
-rev hyper 3x10-one legged back raises 2x10 per side
-did some long straps pulldowns.
- felt like doing something else but nothing in the gym appealed at all. suddenly, i got this bright idea to pull the small chain outside. it weighs about 300 or so. i pulled it down to the end of the building and back or about 110 yards in 3 or4 sets each way. not bad and it curbed my conditioning bug for the night.
thur am
-45 mins stepmil
thur pm training
-dumbell flats worked up to 100sx12-15 x 3 sets,
-close grip pushups off pushup bars x10x5 sets. added a chain on my back each set
-green band kneeling pulldowns supersetted with standing pulldowns from right then left. 4 sets of each for 10 reps or so
-hammer row 4 setsx10
-did some more banded work for shoulders
Fri am
-stepmill 45mins
sat ams
45 mins cardio-
am training
-cambered bar box squats with lots of chains.raw to 325x3 with 4 chain,added briefs for 415x3 with 6 chain per side,505x3 with 7 chain per sled, one drop set with 405x5 and 7 chain
-box jumps 4 or 5 sets of 5
-chain leg raises 4 sets x8 rep and worked up to 4 chains
-did some interesting ab wheel type work. dale had the idea to use the concept 2 rower as a ab wheel using the seat since it floats back and forth along a track about 3 or 4 feet long. he had his client go off his knees. i tried it this way but i decided i liked them on my toes so i ended up in a plank type position. this was tougher then i thought and got a ton of ab work. did 4 setsx8 reps.
-Sunday am
- 45 mins Stairmaster
Still trying to find a peacful middleground on the diet thing. So far, I have tried a few different approaches. With a suggestion from Joe Lyons at ABB, I got Dan Duchane's book Bodyopus. It is very much like Lyle MacDonald's book, The Subborn Fat Diet. I am fusing them with Dave Palumbo's Diet plan. They are very much the same with little differences here and there. I then add alittle Spud Magic to it(binging here and there to be precise) but it is working for me.
PS Check out the websites, Sue has done a ton of work and we have a new look on the Spud Inc and Nutrition Warehouse. nuthousesupplements.com
4 days of weights, that is a record lately,
Spud
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Monday through Wed am
Monday -AM cardio 50 mins 25Stepmil/25 Stairmaster-PM training. I got in alitttle late to the gym so the team was already rolling and had lots of plates and the easyloader filled up with chain so I did some football/swiss bar floor presses first to warm up. Did sets of five to 315. Then I figured I was warm enough and jumped in on the bench with heavy chains. One plate with 6 or 7 chain then I came back did two plates with the same chain for 5 off the one board. Nothing special just getting back into it some. Still holding 225-230lbs depending on how many Muscle Sandwichs I gorge on that day. Sticking to the zero carb/high fat 3 days on with one carb/gorge day. Today was a planned clean 250-300g carb day and it started that way for two meals, then the Muscle Sandwichs and Chef Jay Cookies called me and I ate alot. Then I got mad and said the hell it and went over to Chick-Fila and had 2 fried sandwichs, fries and 2 pieces of cheesecake. Of course, my stomach hurt for a hour or two and the guilts chewed on me for a minute or two. Thickening up for sure. Starting to feel like training again.
-Other stuff.-band overhead ext 4 sets x15 with blue
-blue band face pulls 4x12
-blue band standing rows 5sets 10
-one arm green band front raises
-Back supported standing pulldowns 5x12.
Tues-45 mins 25stairmaster 20 bike
Wed-Am cardio 45 mins stairmaster
220lb or 242lb?
Spud
-Other stuff.-band overhead ext 4 sets x15 with blue
-blue band face pulls 4x12
-blue band standing rows 5sets 10
-one arm green band front raises
-Back supported standing pulldowns 5x12.
Tues-45 mins 25stairmaster 20 bike
Wed-Am cardio 45 mins stairmaster
220lb or 242lb?
Spud
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Saturday and Sunday
This Saturday was the first time in a long time I could just train some and hang out. No BB, PL, Spud Inc., SCB stuff, just training. It was nice. I had to slow myself down all morning and just enjoy the lifting. It was also a carb day so I was in a great mood all morning.
Did some:
-cambered bar chain squats. ended up with 3 plate and 6 chains or so each side x 5 reps using the new spud inc easy chain loader. I just made the demo model and it will hold 12 chain per side. The final version will hold 16 chain per side. Pretty cool. Now you can do chain work like band work plus they just slip right on, no fishing the chain through etc. should have them available in a couple of weeks.
-next we did rev band pulls with chains added as we went. we used chris clark's chain mate. works well. we started with365 and added 2 chains per side for 4 or 5 sets of 4(2 conventional and 2 sumo)
-rev hyper 4 sets-ab work-universal trainer 4 setsx10 per side-kb abs off stability ball. as i went back i extended the kb over my head and behind me like a pull over and then came back up.
Sunday-3 laps with the prowler and 70lb for cardio and leg work.back on the 3 day protein/high good fats all day.
Thanks for reading.
Spud
spudincstraps.com
southcarolinabarbell.com
Did some:
-cambered bar chain squats. ended up with 3 plate and 6 chains or so each side x 5 reps using the new spud inc easy chain loader. I just made the demo model and it will hold 12 chain per side. The final version will hold 16 chain per side. Pretty cool. Now you can do chain work like band work plus they just slip right on, no fishing the chain through etc. should have them available in a couple of weeks.
-next we did rev band pulls with chains added as we went. we used chris clark's chain mate. works well. we started with365 and added 2 chains per side for 4 or 5 sets of 4(2 conventional and 2 sumo)
-rev hyper 4 sets-ab work-universal trainer 4 setsx10 per side-kb abs off stability ball. as i went back i extended the kb over my head and behind me like a pull over and then came back up.
Sunday-3 laps with the prowler and 70lb for cardio and leg work.back on the 3 day protein/high good fats all day.
Thanks for reading.
Spud
spudincstraps.com
southcarolinabarbell.com
Friday, September 12, 2008
Monday through Friday Work
Monday-just cardio of 45 mins on the stepmill. Bailed on training as I was not into it at all.
Tuesday-cardio 50 mins Stepmill and Stairmaster
Wed-am cardio 45 mins Stepmill/Bike-Was not going to train this day either but the guilts got me and I went back to the gym after working the store all day. Working on 3 e books at once along with other projects so I was beat mentally but forced out a small training session of :-Leg press 5 ro 6 sets total-ONe legged hack squat 3 or 4 sets-Band pull throughs 4 sets I think-Spud Inc lLong ab strap pulldowns 5 sets-rev hypers 3 sets I felt better after this and still slept good.
Thur am cardio 45 mins Stepper and BikeI had planned on some upper MOnday for Thursday since I missed but then I remembered sometihng very important was coming Thursday that would require all day long to do. Oh yeah, 13,000lbs of Spud Inc kettlebells arrived and were scheduled for delivery. At first, we wer going to hand unload the five crates they came in at the gym, then I remembered Mr Steck has a warehouse with a forklift(Thanks a bunch, I won't call you Cheapstecky for at least a week, but it was greatly appreciated). Turned out to be a lifesaver because all the pallets and crates were broken or torn up somehow and a forlift was the only way they were coming off. I brought my trailer and we would break one crate down and then throw another on the back of the trailer so it didn't rubthe ground. I was ver nervoud opening the crates as I did not know what to expect, what I ordered or scrap metal. I was very relieved to see exactly what I wanted.
The unloading took us 3 trips between unloading at the gym and taking the rest to storage. I have never done so many upright rows. So what I am saying is I got alot of training in anyhow. Me Dale and Stefan all had the same look of death after we were done. It reminded me of the BB show and how I felt-zombie insearch of brains.
Now, shameless promotion.
We have them from 4kg to 40kg and literally tons in stock. Elite will have them soon but you can check them out at spudincstraps.com or shoot me a email at spudslifting@aol.com of you are interested in being a distributor or retailer. Great product for any gym.
Friday-45 minutes/30 stairmaster/15 bike
I also had to get strict on the diet thing as well. I found a basic Palumbo diet that was very similiar to what I was doing the last three weeks for the BB show with Zero Carb and extra fat per meal. His diet includes more fat but about about the same protein. It's a six mealer thats looks like this:1/ 6 whole eggs omega 3s2/ 8 oz chicken, 1/2 cup raw almonds3/ 50g whey shake, 2 tablespoons natural pb(i found one with omega 3s that is not that great tasting so I don't eat the whole jar at one sitting)4/ 8oz salmon(i just eat chicken or deer meat) and 1 tablespoon of macademia nut oil. I just substitued the amega 3 nat PB5/ 50g wehy shake with 2 tablespoons of the PB6/ 6 whole eggs( i added a salad with this to fill me up)
This is Day 3 and not too bad.Everyone asks me the same thing, how do you do no carbs? I have a slight headache the fist day, then it goes away and my energy patterns go up actually. Very strange. This schedule keeps me from going nuts on the carbs. They are like crack rock right now and I can't stop from eating 2 or 3 thousand extra calories when I binge with real sugar(Palumbo says it's like heroine when you have depleted so long and then binge). If I do rice cakes and honey I can slow it down to a sleeve of cakes and honey. My moderation plan did not work. The goal right now is to do three of these zero carb days and then a 250g-300g clean carb day and then have a cheat meal once a week, repeat. We'll see how it goes. I want weight but added slower. I know this is crazy but it keeps me in check and some focus. I don't do well without some focus and direction. I have also found I do lots more work when I am dieting or making a good attempt.
Tuesday-cardio 50 mins Stepmill and Stairmaster
Wed-am cardio 45 mins Stepmill/Bike-Was not going to train this day either but the guilts got me and I went back to the gym after working the store all day. Working on 3 e books at once along with other projects so I was beat mentally but forced out a small training session of :-Leg press 5 ro 6 sets total-ONe legged hack squat 3 or 4 sets-Band pull throughs 4 sets I think-Spud Inc lLong ab strap pulldowns 5 sets-rev hypers 3 sets I felt better after this and still slept good.
Thur am cardio 45 mins Stepper and BikeI had planned on some upper MOnday for Thursday since I missed but then I remembered sometihng very important was coming Thursday that would require all day long to do. Oh yeah, 13,000lbs of Spud Inc kettlebells arrived and were scheduled for delivery. At first, we wer going to hand unload the five crates they came in at the gym, then I remembered Mr Steck has a warehouse with a forklift(Thanks a bunch, I won't call you Cheapstecky for at least a week, but it was greatly appreciated). Turned out to be a lifesaver because all the pallets and crates were broken or torn up somehow and a forlift was the only way they were coming off. I brought my trailer and we would break one crate down and then throw another on the back of the trailer so it didn't rubthe ground. I was ver nervoud opening the crates as I did not know what to expect, what I ordered or scrap metal. I was very relieved to see exactly what I wanted.
The unloading took us 3 trips between unloading at the gym and taking the rest to storage. I have never done so many upright rows. So what I am saying is I got alot of training in anyhow. Me Dale and Stefan all had the same look of death after we were done. It reminded me of the BB show and how I felt-zombie insearch of brains.
Now, shameless promotion.
We have them from 4kg to 40kg and literally tons in stock. Elite will have them soon but you can check them out at spudincstraps.com or shoot me a email at spudslifting@aol.com of you are interested in being a distributor or retailer. Great product for any gym.
Friday-45 minutes/30 stairmaster/15 bike
I also had to get strict on the diet thing as well. I found a basic Palumbo diet that was very similiar to what I was doing the last three weeks for the BB show with Zero Carb and extra fat per meal. His diet includes more fat but about about the same protein. It's a six mealer thats looks like this:1/ 6 whole eggs omega 3s2/ 8 oz chicken, 1/2 cup raw almonds3/ 50g whey shake, 2 tablespoons natural pb(i found one with omega 3s that is not that great tasting so I don't eat the whole jar at one sitting)4/ 8oz salmon(i just eat chicken or deer meat) and 1 tablespoon of macademia nut oil. I just substitued the amega 3 nat PB5/ 50g wehy shake with 2 tablespoons of the PB6/ 6 whole eggs( i added a salad with this to fill me up)
This is Day 3 and not too bad.Everyone asks me the same thing, how do you do no carbs? I have a slight headache the fist day, then it goes away and my energy patterns go up actually. Very strange. This schedule keeps me from going nuts on the carbs. They are like crack rock right now and I can't stop from eating 2 or 3 thousand extra calories when I binge with real sugar(Palumbo says it's like heroine when you have depleted so long and then binge). If I do rice cakes and honey I can slow it down to a sleeve of cakes and honey. My moderation plan did not work. The goal right now is to do three of these zero carb days and then a 250g-300g clean carb day and then have a cheat meal once a week, repeat. We'll see how it goes. I want weight but added slower. I know this is crazy but it keeps me in check and some focus. I don't do well without some focus and direction. I have also found I do lots more work when I am dieting or making a good attempt.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Saturday, Sunday and THe SCB Powerlifting Team Results
I did not get a chance to train Thursday as I intended to do. I forgot I had scheduled a client to train so that was out. I did 25min stepmill and 25 ins stairmaster Friday mornind and that was it. Saturday most all the the SCB PL Team were in a meet in Rock Hill so I had to get up at 5am to get some cardio in and some what I call getting in shape training. The whole last month of the BB show work was rep stuff and low energy work at best. So I did aoubt and hour some change of:-Spud Inc Hangin abs(these are awesome by the way. Supercomfortable and zero flex or movement/swing making it all ab work) supered with ab wheel 4x8 each-Dumbell oblique work worked from 65s to 105sx8 per side.-Incline. Did several 8 rep sets up to 275 just to push blood and get my body used to it again.-Alteranting KB floor press working up to 62sx10 per arm, then double burnouts on each set-Push up bars for some tri work 4x12-Took a purple band and ranit through and med ball with handles, then hooked it to a weight stack and did stanind rows. You have to do these slow and very controlled or the momentum of the weight stack will make it bounce to much. 5 sets x 10 reps. Each set too about 2 minutes.-100lb fat bar curls super with seated row curls to forehead(be careful on these, you will hit your self on the head the first time you do them) 3 rounds of 8 per set,
By now, it was time to get ready for the meet. I took my shower at the gym and waited for Leah and Chanusey to come get me. We know the meet director well and she wanted to lift so she sends me a text that sheis going to do the meet and they have to leave early.NO big deal. Barry and Karl are going alittle later so I call both of them while I wait. Time goes by. I got stuff to do anyhow, so I dos that. More time goes by. Now, Barry is notorious for being late to everything so I don't worry about it. Finally about 9am I call him. Oh we left early around 8am! What! You are never earlyI tell him. I was counting on a ride so I could get reaquatinted with the Capt after the benches and not have to drive home. Thi is not how I wanted my Saturday to go.
Rock Hill is only a hour and some change away so I jump in the truck and roll on up. I grab a pack of gum, my food, a nasty energyshot by NOBS nutrition(250mg of caff, b6/b12) to keep me up. It is terrible tasting and doe not go with my 8 pieces of gum that I chew at one time but its a good bump. I get up there right after 10am. The meet is slow and does not start for another hour so all is well.
We have 13 people in it and that makes up 2/3 of the meet. Usually there are 30 or 40 people in this meet, but SCB is well reprsesented today. Lots of work for me but Dale, the Angry Troll, Chauncey and Barney Rubbleand the now early and ontime Barry and Karl are there so it's is notso bad handling them all.
The day rolls on and everyone hits PRs on all or at least some events.PR totals, PR squats, benches, even PR deads! Nobody bombs out. I hae never been to a meet with some many team members all hitting great numbers. I am so proud and happy for the entire team! It was just a fun day for all and of course we took all the trophies home!Fantastic job guys!
The meet director bought pizza for everyone and it drove me insane all day watching everyone eat and eat and eat. Dalebert made up for me by eating a entire pizza by himself. I hated him at the moment but it was well deserved and someone has to carry the Fat SPud tradition on. Besides he PRed on his bench by 30 0r 40lbs. I got some Diet Coke and Capt MOrgan about 230pm I think. It was not as good as I anticipated but I pushed it down like the Champ I am. I tried hard but it was a weak effort and I could only drink a quarter of it so by 5, my faint buzz had gone and I did not want anymore anyhow. The drive home was filled with pit stops at the rest areas and thoughts of food and denying myself. I finally decided that it was not worth it and I wanted to enjoy myself I was going to. Like everything obessive complusive in my actions,it would run its course soon so I stopped at the store and got a few goodies to eat after my salad. The salad is still the one thing I really enjoy for supper. I ate alittle here and there and was quite happy about the team doing well, the cookies and the 10 hour of sleep I got Saturday night. This would be my mantra if someone asked me what was best in life like Conan. Spud, what is best in life.
-THe whole powerlifting team PRing in one day-A bag of cookies-10 hours of sleep
GOOD SPUD!
Sunday I got up early and did 7 laps of sled and some lowerbody work that consisted of:-Standing ab pull downs with the ropes supersetted with one arm cable obliques 4 rounds of 8 per set.-one arm snatches 5 per arm. started with 44lb and worked up to 72lbs.-Super setted double cleans with front squatsStarted with 36lb and worked up to 62lb. 5 reps per clean and 8 per front squat.-Did overhead barbell squat off a box for 5 sets of 8 reps.
The cardio was not over as I had to go home and cut the 6 foot graas that had grown over the past 3weeks. A extra hour of work never hurts and the reese cups made it all better.
By now, it was time to get ready for the meet. I took my shower at the gym and waited for Leah and Chanusey to come get me. We know the meet director well and she wanted to lift so she sends me a text that sheis going to do the meet and they have to leave early.NO big deal. Barry and Karl are going alittle later so I call both of them while I wait. Time goes by. I got stuff to do anyhow, so I dos that. More time goes by. Now, Barry is notorious for being late to everything so I don't worry about it. Finally about 9am I call him. Oh we left early around 8am! What! You are never earlyI tell him. I was counting on a ride so I could get reaquatinted with the Capt after the benches and not have to drive home. Thi is not how I wanted my Saturday to go.
Rock Hill is only a hour and some change away so I jump in the truck and roll on up. I grab a pack of gum, my food, a nasty energyshot by NOBS nutrition(250mg of caff, b6/b12) to keep me up. It is terrible tasting and doe not go with my 8 pieces of gum that I chew at one time but its a good bump. I get up there right after 10am. The meet is slow and does not start for another hour so all is well.
We have 13 people in it and that makes up 2/3 of the meet. Usually there are 30 or 40 people in this meet, but SCB is well reprsesented today. Lots of work for me but Dale, the Angry Troll, Chauncey and Barney Rubbleand the now early and ontime Barry and Karl are there so it's is notso bad handling them all.
The day rolls on and everyone hits PRs on all or at least some events.PR totals, PR squats, benches, even PR deads! Nobody bombs out. I hae never been to a meet with some many team members all hitting great numbers. I am so proud and happy for the entire team! It was just a fun day for all and of course we took all the trophies home!Fantastic job guys!
The meet director bought pizza for everyone and it drove me insane all day watching everyone eat and eat and eat. Dalebert made up for me by eating a entire pizza by himself. I hated him at the moment but it was well deserved and someone has to carry the Fat SPud tradition on. Besides he PRed on his bench by 30 0r 40lbs. I got some Diet Coke and Capt MOrgan about 230pm I think. It was not as good as I anticipated but I pushed it down like the Champ I am. I tried hard but it was a weak effort and I could only drink a quarter of it so by 5, my faint buzz had gone and I did not want anymore anyhow. The drive home was filled with pit stops at the rest areas and thoughts of food and denying myself. I finally decided that it was not worth it and I wanted to enjoy myself I was going to. Like everything obessive complusive in my actions,it would run its course soon so I stopped at the store and got a few goodies to eat after my salad. The salad is still the one thing I really enjoy for supper. I ate alittle here and there and was quite happy about the team doing well, the cookies and the 10 hour of sleep I got Saturday night. This would be my mantra if someone asked me what was best in life like Conan. Spud, what is best in life.
-THe whole powerlifting team PRing in one day-A bag of cookies-10 hours of sleep
GOOD SPUD!
Sunday I got up early and did 7 laps of sled and some lowerbody work that consisted of:-Standing ab pull downs with the ropes supersetted with one arm cable obliques 4 rounds of 8 per set.-one arm snatches 5 per arm. started with 44lb and worked up to 72lbs.-Super setted double cleans with front squatsStarted with 36lb and worked up to 62lb. 5 reps per clean and 8 per front squat.-Did overhead barbell squat off a box for 5 sets of 8 reps.
The cardio was not over as I had to go home and cut the 6 foot graas that had grown over the past 3weeks. A extra hour of work never hurts and the reese cups made it all better.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
The parting of the fat seas of bloat and some training
The seas of water fat have begun to part. I have dropped back down to 225 as of this morning. Still holding onto 15lb or so. I continue to do morning cardio with 25/stepmill, 25 stairmaster. I will do this 5 or 6 days a week until the full bloat has gone.Then I will drop it to 2 or 3 sessions a week and get back outside with the sleds.
Food wise, I am still doing high days but peeling them down as I go. From around a 1000g MOnday(if you count the last of the Moose Tracks)to probally 600 or 700 today and on down as the week goes. I will probablly run a few more next week to settle things down. I had to push the water back up to 3 gallons which is not hard but eing in the bathroom nonstop is rough. I have to yell at clients from the bathroom since I live there now. Started brewing my green tea with lemons again. I drink a gallon of this with some lemons in it. It breaks up tehe regular water.
Yesterday, I trained with the Angry Troll some as all teh other guys are resting for a meet in Rock Hill this weekend. Nothing hard or strenuous, just blood flow stuff and BSin with the Troll as he ragged on everyone. -conventional and sumo pulls 5x3reps with 315,-Hammer Strength Leg press(H squat, we calls it Legasaurus) 4setsx8 reps-Outtie machine 4 sets of 15 reps-Spud Inc Long Ab Strap pulldowns 6x12-Leg ext 4 setsx12 reps-Rev hypers 4 sets.
I will do some upper today since I will be coaching and helping all day Saturday at the meet. Karl and Mike are bringing the Capt Morgan. Some drinking will commence after the bench or sooner according to Karl. I havn't had a drink since early May and the Masters Nationals. One or two drink(SPud drinks are always half and half) should do me in quick.
On another note, the Spud Inc. kettlebells with be in mid September. Elite will carry them as well. Any inquiries,preordering or distribution questions, please email elite or me at spudslifting@aol.com.
Food wise, I am still doing high days but peeling them down as I go. From around a 1000g MOnday(if you count the last of the Moose Tracks)to probally 600 or 700 today and on down as the week goes. I will probablly run a few more next week to settle things down. I had to push the water back up to 3 gallons which is not hard but eing in the bathroom nonstop is rough. I have to yell at clients from the bathroom since I live there now. Started brewing my green tea with lemons again. I drink a gallon of this with some lemons in it. It breaks up tehe regular water.
Yesterday, I trained with the Angry Troll some as all teh other guys are resting for a meet in Rock Hill this weekend. Nothing hard or strenuous, just blood flow stuff and BSin with the Troll as he ragged on everyone. -conventional and sumo pulls 5x3reps with 315,-Hammer Strength Leg press(H squat, we calls it Legasaurus) 4setsx8 reps-Outtie machine 4 sets of 15 reps-Spud Inc Long Ab Strap pulldowns 6x12-Leg ext 4 setsx12 reps-Rev hypers 4 sets.
I will do some upper today since I will be coaching and helping all day Saturday at the meet. Karl and Mike are bringing the Capt Morgan. Some drinking will commence after the bench or sooner according to Karl. I havn't had a drink since early May and the Masters Nationals. One or two drink(SPud drinks are always half and half) should do me in quick.
On another note, the Spud Inc. kettlebells with be in mid September. Elite will carry them as well. Any inquiries,preordering or distribution questions, please email elite or me at spudslifting@aol.com.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Post week bloat
I recieved lots of warning about post meet bloat and being careful about my eating and water intake. Did I heed them? Not really.
I already mentioned being up to 220lb quickly but tuesday of last week. I continued to fight with the carb devils all week. I sort of ate good some of the days then would plow through twinkies, cookies and more oreos and lots of bars at the store. The same ones I had been avoiding for months with no problem suddenly jumped in my hands and fell out of the wrappers and into my mouth.
By Thursday, I was 230. We went to Asheville for a weekend off from the grind. We both deserved it. It was her birthday weekend and I had a big surprise other then chocolate cake. My bloat sored even higher as I ate proabablly 6-7k in calories per day with 2000 being pure sugar. When I fall off, it is bad. This was the worst ever. I continued with the cardio in the am foe 30 minutes and bumped my water to 2 gallons. This was good but I also bumped up the sugar as well. On thursday, when I ordered the cake for her birthday, they had lots of goodies including Knosh cakes(i think that is right) anyhw, they are pudding cakes with chocolate icing. I got two of them knowing I did not need them. I scarfed them down before I was out of the parking lot. I then went home a finished off some cookies and doughnuts.
We had a great dinner in Asheville topped off eith 2 big slices of cake after I proposed to her. She accepted before I could get it all out. Meanwhile, my stomach bloat continued to grow. I grew alarmed but coul not stop the carb madness. I had got a dozen Dunkin doughnuts chocolate hole and 6 misc doughnuts. When we got home, I ladi aorund in stomach pain as she talked about wedding plans. We went to bed around 10 or 11 and by 2 I was up eating the doughnut holes and two or three doughnuts. My stomach ached again but I still wanted more to eat. I passed out finally and slept great. Upon waking we went to breakfast and wouldn't you knwo it,they had mini cake doughnuts there too. Two plate later and a waffle gone I am in pain again.
We visit the Biltmore Mansion in Asheville. Its 175,000 sq feet of nothing but excess and gluttony built in the 1890s by th Vanderbilts. There are 250 rooms and we went through all of them. We take a picture there and I look drunk or high.
After that we stroll thorugh the Viilage shops and stuff our faces with Mexican and cake when we get abck to the room.
Sunday would be the same except I manage 45 mins of cardio on the stepper at th e hotel. I manage slow it down by limitign the number of meals but continue to gorge at each meal-cookies, peanut clusters, cashew clusters. Dinner is oreo doubel stuff cookies and Moose Tracks ice cream. I
Monday, i regain control and eat good all day. I whine to Dave and Shelby about my bloat. Dave's has me beat-he went from 233 to 286 in ten days. I manage only to get to 240, so only 35 lbs of bloat from the show. My ankles are the same size as my calves and my hands won't close like the old days at 300lb. I look like a fat Hulk. Both tell me it will subside after 10-15 days. Tuesday I wake up and sure enough it 's come down some. I do 50 minutes of cardio and start my diet back up. Eating clean already makes my stomach feel better and all systems begin to operate smoothly.
Damn fine week with the Sugar Devils though. I will train some Wed. It will feel good.
I already mentioned being up to 220lb quickly but tuesday of last week. I continued to fight with the carb devils all week. I sort of ate good some of the days then would plow through twinkies, cookies and more oreos and lots of bars at the store. The same ones I had been avoiding for months with no problem suddenly jumped in my hands and fell out of the wrappers and into my mouth.
By Thursday, I was 230. We went to Asheville for a weekend off from the grind. We both deserved it. It was her birthday weekend and I had a big surprise other then chocolate cake. My bloat sored even higher as I ate proabablly 6-7k in calories per day with 2000 being pure sugar. When I fall off, it is bad. This was the worst ever. I continued with the cardio in the am foe 30 minutes and bumped my water to 2 gallons. This was good but I also bumped up the sugar as well. On thursday, when I ordered the cake for her birthday, they had lots of goodies including Knosh cakes(i think that is right) anyhw, they are pudding cakes with chocolate icing. I got two of them knowing I did not need them. I scarfed them down before I was out of the parking lot. I then went home a finished off some cookies and doughnuts.
We had a great dinner in Asheville topped off eith 2 big slices of cake after I proposed to her. She accepted before I could get it all out. Meanwhile, my stomach bloat continued to grow. I grew alarmed but coul not stop the carb madness. I had got a dozen Dunkin doughnuts chocolate hole and 6 misc doughnuts. When we got home, I ladi aorund in stomach pain as she talked about wedding plans. We went to bed around 10 or 11 and by 2 I was up eating the doughnut holes and two or three doughnuts. My stomach ached again but I still wanted more to eat. I passed out finally and slept great. Upon waking we went to breakfast and wouldn't you knwo it,they had mini cake doughnuts there too. Two plate later and a waffle gone I am in pain again.
We visit the Biltmore Mansion in Asheville. Its 175,000 sq feet of nothing but excess and gluttony built in the 1890s by th Vanderbilts. There are 250 rooms and we went through all of them. We take a picture there and I look drunk or high.
After that we stroll thorugh the Viilage shops and stuff our faces with Mexican and cake when we get abck to the room.
Sunday would be the same except I manage 45 mins of cardio on the stepper at th e hotel. I manage slow it down by limitign the number of meals but continue to gorge at each meal-cookies, peanut clusters, cashew clusters. Dinner is oreo doubel stuff cookies and Moose Tracks ice cream. I
Monday, i regain control and eat good all day. I whine to Dave and Shelby about my bloat. Dave's has me beat-he went from 233 to 286 in ten days. I manage only to get to 240, so only 35 lbs of bloat from the show. My ankles are the same size as my calves and my hands won't close like the old days at 300lb. I look like a fat Hulk. Both tell me it will subside after 10-15 days. Tuesday I wake up and sure enough it 's come down some. I do 50 minutes of cardio and start my diet back up. Eating clean already makes my stomach feel better and all systems begin to operate smoothly.
Damn fine week with the Sugar Devils though. I will train some Wed. It will feel good.
Final Thoughts
I have had alot of mixed feelings about the whole experience. Mostly, they are positive but the ScizoSpud sometimes comes out thinking about all I did and is still not happy. The main thing was the completion of my goals which ended up being more then just physical.
I started out with simple goals of 235lb and being ripped. The closer I got the less of possibility that became. Then, when I emailed Shelby and he gives me,"You don't know how much work 10% Bf will be and how much more 6-7% will be.” I think he threw in impossible, I can't remember at this moment. I had already decided to do it before that conversation he said I would not be able to do it but that just sealed the deal. No way I can leave it now especially from someone who had not known where I had been or what I was capable of. In my head, the doubts mounted from all the crazy Spuds talking all the time. We all get this in our lives and that is part of the problem with self esteem, believin’ in yourself, etc. There is always someone to shoot you down and tell you how impossible something is but mostly you are your own worst enemy. I guess he had seen it before so many times he just assumed. I stopped assuming along time ago. I remain upbeat whenever someone tells me what they want to do and do my best now to help them achieve their goals. I know they will fall from time to time and may quit altogether but it will not be from me shooting down their dreams(no matter what the dream is). And you never know who will rise to the occasion. This is one of biggest thrills in life. Right now, there is a guy who just joined my gym but he has been coming to my supplement store for months now. He started well over 400lb and is now around 275lb.He came in that Friday morning and saw me posing and the shape I was in. I didn't know if that triggered it or not but after the show I came back and saw him outside pulling the sled in the middle of the SC 100 degree weather. There was a look in his eye that was different and determined. I smiled inside already knowing the outcome of his suceess. He later came in and I yelled eye of the tiger across the gym I know it's corny but it was great for the moment. This is the guy who will finish or fall out doing so. I smile again knowing what has clicked in his head. Choice is the one of the greatest attributes of being human. Sometimes , we make bad ones and pay but here is always the opposite that opens any door you wish to walk through. You have to try all the doors to find it and that is what scares people the most.
Success is in actions taken. This is one of the most important things I learned from my experience. From the beginning the blinders went up and I plowed on. The first few months were easy but the weight loss was slow. I asked questions constantly of everyone, not just Shelby. He always pointed me in the right direction and the dreaded cardio that I eventually would embrace and hammer harder then I ever did in PL. Day by day, step by step I moved on. If you don't think about the future then the moment is not so hard. The mind will not allow this most of the time and we are constantly moving ahead or moving back to the past. Neither are possible in this moment. The battle waged on with this for me.
As the months wore on and the pace escalated, I found the action I had taken moved me to action in all aspects of my businesses. I bought a supplement store at the beginning of the diet with Shelby. I now had pulled myself out of my normal routine of training clients, going home to nap, coming back to train clients, and training myself. The wrench I had thrown in there was a huge one as the business I had bought needed alot of TLC and work.. work.. work. Gone was the going home and napping or if you want to look at it another way, my choice of inaction for years. I submerged myself in the store working most of the store hours myself and learning the supplement business. This would propel me in many other directions. I made contacts, I followed up, I moved other various direction with Spud Inc equipment and even my own line of kettlebells. This was one of the scarest ones because of the money and dealing with people in China I did not know. My desire to succeed and the drive from the weight loss battle pushed me to numerous places I was afraid to go to before. This would be the fear of failure and the opposite of the coin-the fear of success. In powerlifting, I talked about it a lot crippling other lifters. Well, it goes into any aspect of your life. I had overcome it in my lifting and coaching, but not in my business life, love life, spiritual life-all of it really. No matter the consequence, you have to take action to get the things in life you want. You will fall, but you will also get up and try again in another direction and eventually you will succeed.. This is one thing I want to get across to you the most.
Meantime, my leg healed nicely and I faced the reality of cardio to take the weight loss to the next level and the honing of the food intake. I began with 10-15 minutes of cardio daily on the bike. I endured the taunts of my team mates and the whole gym. Over the years, I had bashed cardio so much, that me being up there was the cat's meow for everyone. I went numb to it quickly as the fury, anger and anxiety mounted. My goal after I realized I would not 6%BF by my birthday would be set for the end of August no matter what. I had been building my cardio as I went and was up to 30/30 mins am pm 5 or 6 days a week. This changed to 45/30, then 60/30most of the time. the final one was 60/30 on med carb days and 60/50 on low days with one dayoff per week. I hated this but pushed on. I would shortly boost it to 60/50 everyday from May to August with some 3 hour total days thrown in.
It was during this phase that I had to set competition goals on my cardio to get ti done and keep me motivated. This was another great thing I learned. I had always set goals for each meet in PL but never for cardio. It was also at this time, my training would be second to my cardio and diet. Another concept I had to learn. Goals must be set all along the way. Systems must be in place to ensure goals are met. Oh, you have to actually check periodically that you are meeting your goals and if not your approach has to change.
I began to set goals on the stepmill and stairmaster. At first, I had comps with other members who were sick enough to hang with me on the stepmill. My first goals were increasing the levels and getting to 20 which is essentially running up the stepmill at full speed. I managed to get it to 20 one time until I almost fell off and had to jump off the sides. I still fought to get up there and would eventually get the 20 for about 20 seconds but my main focus shifted to time up there. First it was 45 mins, then 60 and finally it was 90mins, towards the end of it all I got 1 hour 50mins one day. This came and went fast so I moved back and forth with the stairmaster and some bike. This also went fast so I started sledding outside and challenging myself. The first one was with the Prowler for 5laps and 5 laps with the regular sled. Then it was 10 laps with the regular sled. Then it was 10 laps with the Prowler. This was totally insane and not necessary but I had to do it. It took a couple of hours. I was very proud until I decided to do 20 laps with the regular sled. This was the most insame thing I did the entire time as far as challenges are concerned. It took 2 hour 45 mins. Longer then I thought it would by 45 mins. More goals met which meant more had to be set-4 rounds comprising of 1 regualr belt pull, 1 prowler push, and 1 upperbody pull.
This was good and all but I was also not sleeping but about 2 or3 hours a night no matter what time I went to bed or how many sleeping pills/xanax I took I would lay down and pass out form exhaustion for 2 or 3 hours and then be wide awake at 130,230am. All I could do was be neurotic about the cardio and getting it down so I would jump up and haul ass to the gym to complete my cardio. This would also take it's toll on the Wife.
This is another thing I learned. You can not reach your goals without support from your friends and loved ones. They are the ones who believe in you the most. She endured alot of temper tantrums, anxiety and just plain asshole from me. I can not say enough about her. That is soft I know but it is what it is. My troops at the gym also took some beatings. They should there right beside me no matter what I did or said. I would not have succeeded without all their help and you have to recognize that. There are only so many sorrys you can dish out before you burn all your bridges. Luckily, they were all rebuilt even stronger because of the process. Thanks to all the people and the Wife for dealing with me on this Vision Quest only without the Peyote to get me high.
Details…details…details ..prep. work. I did more prep work on a daily basis then I have ever done in my entire life. Food prep, clothing prep, supplement prep.. These are all extras you are not told about along the way. You just have to do them. Two or three times a week you have to cook all your potatoes, meat , etc for daily requirements. Without this prep work, I would not have succeeded. There is no way to diet without food prep. It’s a lot of work. Cooking , packing knowing what day you are-low, med, high. Making sure you get your water in. Next, since you are doing two a days on cardio, there is no gong home to shower. You have to shower at the gym which means packing your clothes the night before-towel, clothes, razor-all of it. More detail and time set aside for prep work. I think you kind of understand the idea. Anything worth doing or having requires a lot of detail and prep work. Making it efficient is hard to do but after awhile it did get easier. This would transfers to a lot of my life. I would release the strangle hold on somethings in my businesses and allow them to be as they were. People will do their jobs if you allow them to and I increased my time and detail work on others that really mattered. I had to really. I had put them off so long or hid from them I had no choice but I also relished the opportunities as they started coming from taking action. The drive of this diet and all that went with it drove me in all directions.
The learning process. This is also one of the paramount things that I enjoyed. I have learned a lot more then I ever expected to. Not only from a nutrition standpoint but overall. The drive to finish and succeed pushed me in even more business directions. I began reading tons of marketing books, nutrition books, motivational books and spiritual books.. All of which I would not have done in the past. Reading these, require focus and action. It used to be all I would read would be training books. These applied to training of course and made me understand training much better but expanding into other areas increased my training knowledge even further then just the manuals. I know more about nutrition now which only enhances my training cycles and performance factors. I think marketing and business books have made me understand detail so much more that I want to increase my training knowledge through other outlets that before I would not have tried or pursed. I plan on doing a couple of meet next year, but I want focus on learning a new route that I have hot tried yet to get there. It will be a great process and I have already started spinning the thread for that story. There are many paths. We will see where it leads me.
So what is my final verdict. I have been asked numerous times would I do it again knowing the outcome. Being in a speedo on stage was not the goal but it was part of the process, as was several coats of protan, comp tan and Pam cooking oil to make the muscle pop out in the light, the two days of dying of thirst literally, and carb loading all day with no water and rice cakes, pb and sweet potatoes enduring 2 hours of cardio daily for months on end, no real meals for 10 months, the 30lb bloat one week out from the show, the anxiety of sleep deprivation, the constant and irritating child in my head yammering nonstop and whining about everything and throwing temper tantrums just to name a few-the answer is yes, I would do it all again. I lost a 109lbs total, dropped all my medications, my allergies all but dried up, my back stopped cramping, I can walk more then 10 feet without having to sit down., my quad and shoulder are 100% and that is related to the weight loss. My frame of mind about doing things is totally changed. As a matter of fact, my whole life is better. I guess a way to describe it would be like Dante’s Inferno. If you have read this, then you understand. If you have not, it’s something you should do. It’s a hard read but the gist is going through all the rings of purgatory, then hell itself to find his way into heaven. Along the way he endures all tortures of hell both mental and physical. He is tested continuously and there are points where you think he will break but he does not. In the end, it is just him battling himself and his own demons. This is sort of how I would describe my experience. Everything I did to myself and everything I learned was about myself. Find the journey that transforms you.
I started out with simple goals of 235lb and being ripped. The closer I got the less of possibility that became. Then, when I emailed Shelby and he gives me,"You don't know how much work 10% Bf will be and how much more 6-7% will be.” I think he threw in impossible, I can't remember at this moment. I had already decided to do it before that conversation he said I would not be able to do it but that just sealed the deal. No way I can leave it now especially from someone who had not known where I had been or what I was capable of. In my head, the doubts mounted from all the crazy Spuds talking all the time. We all get this in our lives and that is part of the problem with self esteem, believin’ in yourself, etc. There is always someone to shoot you down and tell you how impossible something is but mostly you are your own worst enemy. I guess he had seen it before so many times he just assumed. I stopped assuming along time ago. I remain upbeat whenever someone tells me what they want to do and do my best now to help them achieve their goals. I know they will fall from time to time and may quit altogether but it will not be from me shooting down their dreams(no matter what the dream is). And you never know who will rise to the occasion. This is one of biggest thrills in life. Right now, there is a guy who just joined my gym but he has been coming to my supplement store for months now. He started well over 400lb and is now around 275lb.He came in that Friday morning and saw me posing and the shape I was in. I didn't know if that triggered it or not but after the show I came back and saw him outside pulling the sled in the middle of the SC 100 degree weather. There was a look in his eye that was different and determined. I smiled inside already knowing the outcome of his suceess. He later came in and I yelled eye of the tiger across the gym I know it's corny but it was great for the moment. This is the guy who will finish or fall out doing so. I smile again knowing what has clicked in his head. Choice is the one of the greatest attributes of being human. Sometimes , we make bad ones and pay but here is always the opposite that opens any door you wish to walk through. You have to try all the doors to find it and that is what scares people the most.
Success is in actions taken. This is one of the most important things I learned from my experience. From the beginning the blinders went up and I plowed on. The first few months were easy but the weight loss was slow. I asked questions constantly of everyone, not just Shelby. He always pointed me in the right direction and the dreaded cardio that I eventually would embrace and hammer harder then I ever did in PL. Day by day, step by step I moved on. If you don't think about the future then the moment is not so hard. The mind will not allow this most of the time and we are constantly moving ahead or moving back to the past. Neither are possible in this moment. The battle waged on with this for me.
As the months wore on and the pace escalated, I found the action I had taken moved me to action in all aspects of my businesses. I bought a supplement store at the beginning of the diet with Shelby. I now had pulled myself out of my normal routine of training clients, going home to nap, coming back to train clients, and training myself. The wrench I had thrown in there was a huge one as the business I had bought needed alot of TLC and work.. work.. work. Gone was the going home and napping or if you want to look at it another way, my choice of inaction for years. I submerged myself in the store working most of the store hours myself and learning the supplement business. This would propel me in many other directions. I made contacts, I followed up, I moved other various direction with Spud Inc equipment and even my own line of kettlebells. This was one of the scarest ones because of the money and dealing with people in China I did not know. My desire to succeed and the drive from the weight loss battle pushed me to numerous places I was afraid to go to before. This would be the fear of failure and the opposite of the coin-the fear of success. In powerlifting, I talked about it a lot crippling other lifters. Well, it goes into any aspect of your life. I had overcome it in my lifting and coaching, but not in my business life, love life, spiritual life-all of it really. No matter the consequence, you have to take action to get the things in life you want. You will fall, but you will also get up and try again in another direction and eventually you will succeed.. This is one thing I want to get across to you the most.
Meantime, my leg healed nicely and I faced the reality of cardio to take the weight loss to the next level and the honing of the food intake. I began with 10-15 minutes of cardio daily on the bike. I endured the taunts of my team mates and the whole gym. Over the years, I had bashed cardio so much, that me being up there was the cat's meow for everyone. I went numb to it quickly as the fury, anger and anxiety mounted. My goal after I realized I would not 6%BF by my birthday would be set for the end of August no matter what. I had been building my cardio as I went and was up to 30/30 mins am pm 5 or 6 days a week. This changed to 45/30, then 60/30most of the time. the final one was 60/30 on med carb days and 60/50 on low days with one dayoff per week. I hated this but pushed on. I would shortly boost it to 60/50 everyday from May to August with some 3 hour total days thrown in.
It was during this phase that I had to set competition goals on my cardio to get ti done and keep me motivated. This was another great thing I learned. I had always set goals for each meet in PL but never for cardio. It was also at this time, my training would be second to my cardio and diet. Another concept I had to learn. Goals must be set all along the way. Systems must be in place to ensure goals are met. Oh, you have to actually check periodically that you are meeting your goals and if not your approach has to change.
I began to set goals on the stepmill and stairmaster. At first, I had comps with other members who were sick enough to hang with me on the stepmill. My first goals were increasing the levels and getting to 20 which is essentially running up the stepmill at full speed. I managed to get it to 20 one time until I almost fell off and had to jump off the sides. I still fought to get up there and would eventually get the 20 for about 20 seconds but my main focus shifted to time up there. First it was 45 mins, then 60 and finally it was 90mins, towards the end of it all I got 1 hour 50mins one day. This came and went fast so I moved back and forth with the stairmaster and some bike. This also went fast so I started sledding outside and challenging myself. The first one was with the Prowler for 5laps and 5 laps with the regular sled. Then it was 10 laps with the regular sled. Then it was 10 laps with the Prowler. This was totally insane and not necessary but I had to do it. It took a couple of hours. I was very proud until I decided to do 20 laps with the regular sled. This was the most insame thing I did the entire time as far as challenges are concerned. It took 2 hour 45 mins. Longer then I thought it would by 45 mins. More goals met which meant more had to be set-4 rounds comprising of 1 regualr belt pull, 1 prowler push, and 1 upperbody pull.
This was good and all but I was also not sleeping but about 2 or3 hours a night no matter what time I went to bed or how many sleeping pills/xanax I took I would lay down and pass out form exhaustion for 2 or 3 hours and then be wide awake at 130,230am. All I could do was be neurotic about the cardio and getting it down so I would jump up and haul ass to the gym to complete my cardio. This would also take it's toll on the Wife.
This is another thing I learned. You can not reach your goals without support from your friends and loved ones. They are the ones who believe in you the most. She endured alot of temper tantrums, anxiety and just plain asshole from me. I can not say enough about her. That is soft I know but it is what it is. My troops at the gym also took some beatings. They should there right beside me no matter what I did or said. I would not have succeeded without all their help and you have to recognize that. There are only so many sorrys you can dish out before you burn all your bridges. Luckily, they were all rebuilt even stronger because of the process. Thanks to all the people and the Wife for dealing with me on this Vision Quest only without the Peyote to get me high.
Details…details…details ..prep. work. I did more prep work on a daily basis then I have ever done in my entire life. Food prep, clothing prep, supplement prep.. These are all extras you are not told about along the way. You just have to do them. Two or three times a week you have to cook all your potatoes, meat , etc for daily requirements. Without this prep work, I would not have succeeded. There is no way to diet without food prep. It’s a lot of work. Cooking , packing knowing what day you are-low, med, high. Making sure you get your water in. Next, since you are doing two a days on cardio, there is no gong home to shower. You have to shower at the gym which means packing your clothes the night before-towel, clothes, razor-all of it. More detail and time set aside for prep work. I think you kind of understand the idea. Anything worth doing or having requires a lot of detail and prep work. Making it efficient is hard to do but after awhile it did get easier. This would transfers to a lot of my life. I would release the strangle hold on somethings in my businesses and allow them to be as they were. People will do their jobs if you allow them to and I increased my time and detail work on others that really mattered. I had to really. I had put them off so long or hid from them I had no choice but I also relished the opportunities as they started coming from taking action. The drive of this diet and all that went with it drove me in all directions.
The learning process. This is also one of the paramount things that I enjoyed. I have learned a lot more then I ever expected to. Not only from a nutrition standpoint but overall. The drive to finish and succeed pushed me in even more business directions. I began reading tons of marketing books, nutrition books, motivational books and spiritual books.. All of which I would not have done in the past. Reading these, require focus and action. It used to be all I would read would be training books. These applied to training of course and made me understand training much better but expanding into other areas increased my training knowledge even further then just the manuals. I know more about nutrition now which only enhances my training cycles and performance factors. I think marketing and business books have made me understand detail so much more that I want to increase my training knowledge through other outlets that before I would not have tried or pursed. I plan on doing a couple of meet next year, but I want focus on learning a new route that I have hot tried yet to get there. It will be a great process and I have already started spinning the thread for that story. There are many paths. We will see where it leads me.
So what is my final verdict. I have been asked numerous times would I do it again knowing the outcome. Being in a speedo on stage was not the goal but it was part of the process, as was several coats of protan, comp tan and Pam cooking oil to make the muscle pop out in the light, the two days of dying of thirst literally, and carb loading all day with no water and rice cakes, pb and sweet potatoes enduring 2 hours of cardio daily for months on end, no real meals for 10 months, the 30lb bloat one week out from the show, the anxiety of sleep deprivation, the constant and irritating child in my head yammering nonstop and whining about everything and throwing temper tantrums just to name a few-the answer is yes, I would do it all again. I lost a 109lbs total, dropped all my medications, my allergies all but dried up, my back stopped cramping, I can walk more then 10 feet without having to sit down., my quad and shoulder are 100% and that is related to the weight loss. My frame of mind about doing things is totally changed. As a matter of fact, my whole life is better. I guess a way to describe it would be like Dante’s Inferno. If you have read this, then you understand. If you have not, it’s something you should do. It’s a hard read but the gist is going through all the rings of purgatory, then hell itself to find his way into heaven. Along the way he endures all tortures of hell both mental and physical. He is tested continuously and there are points where you think he will break but he does not. In the end, it is just him battling himself and his own demons. This is sort of how I would describe my experience. Everything I did to myself and everything I learned was about myself. Find the journey that transforms you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)