Daily News Archives
October 2006
10/31/2006 - Talking a bit about my bulking progress so far, along with a couple of predictions.
10/30/2006 - End of the month stats (a couple days early).
10/29/2006 - "The cut-off time is 9:00 PM!!, you inconsiderate twit!"
10/28/2006 - Lisa complements my arms, I inadvertently insult her; 19.25" arms (pumped).
10/27/2006 - My grocery lists.
10/26/2006 - Posterior chain & Glute activation exercises.
10/25/2006 - Ego trumps rational thought--hurt my back doing deads.
10/24/2006 - New chest workout; Opticen on sale; Titan review; November "100 Challenge".
10/23/2006 - My Titan review is up!
10/22/2006 - A day of rest; Adding fat while bulking.
10/21/2006 - Arm growth stalled--changes/new workout; New pictures; A couple of reminders.
10/20/2006 - Last night's cheat meal; New workouts this week; Titan review on Monday.
10/19/2006 - Making a body transformation is mostly mental.
10/18/2006 - Several new personal records broken; Deadlift milestone reached; New picture.
10/17/2006 - Dumbbell mishap; New pictures; Importance of weight training.
10/16/2006 - Breakfast; Why I don't eat much fruit; Chest improvements.
10/15/2006 - My rear delts are lagging, but I'm going to fix that!
10/14/2006 - Last night's arm workout; New pictures; Plans for today.
10/13/2006 - Another record-breaking delts/traps/calves workout; New picture.
10/12/2006 - Small tweak to my weight training program.
10/11/2006 - Revisiting my earliest weight training workouts.
10/10/2006 - Another PR: DB bench press; I may be aging, but don't tell my body that!
10/09/2006 - Nice day off yesterday; New Favorite Thing: Viewsonic 22" LCD WS monitor.
10/08/2006 - A fantastic week of workouts; Day off.
10/07/2006 - What an arm workout; New pictures; Datacenter on permanent power.
10/06/2006 - Record-breaking workout last night; Forum software update this morning.
10/05/2006 - 4 month bulk is looking likely; New cutting goal this year? Datacenter update.
10/04/2006 - Back workout; A couple words about weed; Datacenter update.
10/03/2006 - Datacenter flood; JSF running on generator power; Possibility of outage exists.
10/02/2006 - Ready for another great month of bulking!
10/01/2006 - Detailed breakdown of my bulking gains after one month; New monthly photos.
October 31, 2006
Yesterday I posted a stats comparison to mark the halfway point of my bulk, and tomorrow I'll be taking the
corresponding monthly photos. Back when I took progress photos every day the process became very routine, almost mundane. Now that I take "official" progress photos just
once per month, I have to admit that I tend to get a little anxious about them. I think it's because daily changes are small, but changes over a month (good and bad) are far
more pronounced. Also, if the pictures are not good we're all stuck looking at them for an entire month. 
This morning I tried to look at my reflection in the mirror objectively, and I'm definitely looking bigger than I ever have in my life. I'm 5 pounds lighter now than I was at the end of last year's bulk, but my bodyfat percent is 2 points less now than it was then, and my muscles are all measurably and visibly larger. My upper body width has increased quite a bit, and I feel that once I cut back down to 6-7% body fat I'm going to have a fairly nice "V" shape for the first time in my life (especially after another couple months of bulking). My quads have always grown fast, and they have already blown up to just shy of 27 inches--an almost 3 inch gain. All those heavy squats and deads are making it very difficult to wear anything other than loose shorts! Even my "bulking" jeans (which are huge in the thigh) are starting to feel very tight against my legs. By Christmas I'm pretty sure I'm not going to have anything that fits aside from my workout clothes. I estimate that I'll be around 235 pounds by the end of the year, and perhaps 210-215 pounds once I'm totally shredded up.
I need to go (what else) eat now. I'll be back tomorrow with pictures!
This is your last chance to register for the November "100 Challenge"! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EDT) on November 1, 2006 if you plan to participate. To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the November "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part! If you decide to join the challenge, then you are expected to see it through to the end. No slackers!
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October 30, 2006
I always take my measurements on Monday morning, so unless something changes in the next 2 days, I have my end-of-month stats for October. I'm very pleased with the progress I've made this month: Except for waist, hips, weight and body fat, every single measurement is now the biggest I've ever been in my life. That's what I'm looking for! With over 2 months left in my bulk, I'm very excited to see what's ahead.
I thought it would be a good idea to see how I'm doing at the halfway point. Here are my current stats compared to my 2006 bulk starting stats, which were taken on September 1st (all measurements taken "cold"/no pump):
| Sep 1, 2006 | Oct 30, 2006 | +/- | |
| Weight (lbs) | 202.4 | 220 | +17.6 |
| Body Fat % | 9% | 11.5% | +2.5% |
| Waist | 32" | 34.5" | +2.5" |
| Hips | 38.25" | 40.5" | +2.25" |
| Forearms | 13.5" | 14" | +.5" |
| Arms | 17" | 17.75" | +.75" |
| Thighs | 24" | 26.75" | +2.75" |
| Calves | 16.5" | 17.5" | +1" |
| Chest | 43" | 44.75" | +1.75" |
I'm especially pleased with the 1.75" I've added to my chest and the 2.75" I've added to my upper legs over the past two months. My forearms and arms have also show some nice improvement, as have my calves. I'm thankful that I remain injury-free, and my enthusiasm and drive have never been higher. I'm going to work very hard to make the last two months of this bulk even better than the first two!
Registration for the November "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EDT) on November 1, 2006 if you plan to participate. To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the November "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part! If you decide to join the challenge, then you are expected to see it through to the end. No slackers!
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October 29, 2006
I had a rotten night's sleep last night. Nothing puts me in a worse mood than being disturbed in the middle of the night, especially for no good reason. That happened several times last night. One of Lisa's friends got into a fight with her boyfriend or husband (I don't know, or care, which) and called the house several times in the middle of the night. We're talking 3:30 in the morning. Are you kidding me? Just as I finally fell back asleep after the first call, she called again! It took every last bit of my willpower to not grab the phone from Lisa and lay into this chick. Lisa and I just had a little talk, and she's going to make it very clear to her friend (for a second time--don't ask) that the cut-off time is 9:00 PM!
As you can tell, I'm still a little grumpy. Thanks for letting me vent. I'm going to go get my cardio done and eat!
Registration for the November "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EDT) on November 1, 2006 if you plan to participate. To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the November "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part! If you decide to join the challenge, then you are expected to see it through to the end. No slackers!
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October 28, 2006
Guys, if your wife or girlfriend ever grabs your arm and says "Wow! Your arm is almost as big as my thigh!", be very careful with your reply. This happened to me last night, and I messed up.
"Thanks! I've really been working hard in the gym." <-- Good answer! 
"What? My arms are nowhere near as big as your thighs!" <-- Bad answer! 
I chose the latter, and I'm still living it down. I was trying to be self-effacing about my arms, while complimenting Lisa on her quads. I guess my intent was lost in translation. Keep in mind that Lisa is 115 pounds soaking wet and very ectomorphic, so you'd think my reply would have been understood for what it was. I sometimes forget that not everyone is striving for big legs.
A lot of you younger guys may be wondering why women often seem so complicated, and if that will change as you get older. The answer is "LOL".
Of course I spent the rest of the night calling Lisa "saddlebags". Thankfully Lisa has a very good sense of humor. Or, more likely, she puts up with me while remaining mostly unruffled.
Actually, Lisa was not far off the mark. Her thighs are about 20 inches, and last night after my arm workout my arms measured around 19.25 inches--a new personal record! More details on last night's workout along with a new picture can be found in yesterday's entry to my media journal.
My long-awaited Titan T1 review was posted on Monday. I hope you enjoy it!
Registration for the November "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EDT) on November 1, 2006 if you plan to participate. To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the November "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part! If you decide to join the challenge, then you are expected to see it through to the end. No slackers!
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October 27, 2006
I was recently asked what kinds of foods I'm eating now. While I can't discuss my specific meals (due to the SUP2 confidentiality agreement), I can talk about the various different foods I eat. I buy most of my meat and seafood at Costco in bulk every 4-6 weeks, and I buy fresh food at the regular grocery store one per week.
Here's the list of most of the food items I buy from Costco when I'm bulking:
- 6 packages (12 breasts per package/72 total) boneless/skinless chicken breasts.
- 12 steaks. Whatever looks good at the time.
- 2 bags of large frozen shrimp (peeled/deveined).
- 20-pack frozen sirloin burgers.
- 2 bags frozen tuna fillets.
- 2 or 3 bags frozen cod fillets.
- 2 boxes frozen crab claws.
- 2 or 3 bags of raw almonds.
- 3 multipacks (15 cans per pack) "Chicken of the Sea" tuna.
- 1 box Quaker oatmeal (2 very large bags per box, regular oats).
- 10 bags whole coffee beans.
- 4 24-packs 24 oz bottled water.
I get my fresh food and a few other items weekly at the grocery store. Stuff like salad greens, veggies, egg whites (I sometimes get egg whites at Costco when they have them), breads, natural peanut butter, beans, pasta, more bottled water, milk, etc.
My long-awaited Titan T1 review was posted on Monday. I hope you enjoy it!
Registration for the November "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EDT) on November 1, 2006 if you plan to participate. To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the November "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part! If you decide to join the challenge, then you are expected to see it through to the end. No slackers!
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October 26, 2006
Yesterday I was talking to 1FastGTX about my deadlifts and lower back, and the subject of posterior chain work came up. I've never done any exercises specifically for the posterior chain, but I'm going to start. Can you believe I've never done Good Mornings or Hyperextensions?! GTX has been weight training for over 15 years, and his depth of knowledge is very impressive.
I also discussed this same subject with chicanerous, and he pointed me to some excellent information on glute activation. If chicanerous is really just 19 years old (and I have a hard time believing that he is), then he's a true wunderkind. He's a walking encyclopedia of weight training knowledge.
These two guys are just a couple of examples of the many knowledgeable and helpful members on the JSF forums. Over the years I've learned a tremendous amount from the JSF forum community. I feel truly fortunate to be a part of such an amazing group of people. If you are not yet a forum member, please take a moment to create a free account. You'll be glad that you did!
My long-awaited Titan T1 review was posted on Monday. I hope you enjoy it!
Registration for the November "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EDT) on November 1, 2006 if you plan to participate. To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the November "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part! If you decide to join the challenge, then you are expected to see it through to the end. No slackers!
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October 25, 2006
Last week I violated one of my own "rules" by mentioning that I'd reached a strength-related goal for deadlifts, and how much I lifted. That was a bad idea, and it came back to bite me last night. Let me explain...
First, as you may already know, I'm a very competitive person by nature. I'm competitive with myself, and with others. I can't help it. It's part of how I'm wired, and something that will never change. I don't see this as a negative trait, but it can be downright dangerous when it comes to stuff like weight training. That's a big reason I choose to not talk about how much I lift. My body has a number of old, nagging injuries, such as a couple of bad shoulders and chronic lower back problems. For the most part I've been able to work around my body's limitations and have had good success in adding muscle, which has always been my primary goal.
As you may recall, last January I hurt my back pretty bad doing heavy squats. That was the first back problem I'd ever had lifting weights, but many years prior to my transformation I saw a chiropractor for chronic lower back issues.
So, with all that in mind, I'll return to last night's back workout. As I was loading the barbell up, I was thinking about my new publicly stated goal of performing four working sets of 500 pound deads. I didn't set a date to reach that goal, but the competitive side of me is always thinking about it. Here is where my stupid male competitive ego kicked in. Not content to merely add 10 pounds to last week's all-time best deadlift working sets, I decided to bump the weight by 20 pounds, for a total of 450 pounds. Oh--I almost forgot: I've been feeling a little under the weather the past couple of days, so my strength and energy levels felt a little off last night.
The first set went fine, but I was only able to do five reps. The second set also went fine, but I could only complete 4 reps. At this point I was feeling totally exhausted, and my back didn't feel quite right. Like an idiot, I ignored all that and went in for a third set. As I started the lift, my back protested and I had to drop the weight. Thankfully the pain was nothing like what happened last January, but it was in the exact same area. This morning I feel like I pulled a muscle, but it's not too bad. I definitely won't be missing any workouts because of it.
I guess what I'm getting at is this: I don't think I would have attempted to add 20 pounds to an already extremely difficult weight (for me) if I'd not made my new deadlift goal public. Last night my body sternly reminded me of the fact that I have limitations and old injuries that can not be ignored. I dodged a bullet. I don't know if I'll be able to perform deads by next Tuesday, but if I can I'm going to back off the amount of weight I'm using for deadlifts to the mid 300s and increase the number of reps. I think this will be fine for my goal of hypertrophy, even if my ego takes a hit.
My long-awaited Titan T1 review was posted on Monday. I hope you enjoy it!
Registration for the November "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EDT) on November 1, 2006 if you plan to participate. To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the November "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part! If you decide to join the challenge, then you are expected to see it through to the end. No slackers!
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October 24, 2006
For last night's workout (pecs), I changed from an all-dumbbell workout to an all-barbell workout (except for my finishing exercise, which is always cable crossover work). This is a pretty basic chest workout, but it gets results. I realize that some feel the decline bench press is not needed, but I really do feel that it has helped me, so I do it. Here's the chest workout I did last night, and what I will be doing for the next three weeks:
4 x 12 Barbell Bench Press
4 x 12 Barbell Incline Press
4 x 12 Barbell Decline Press
4 x "Burnout" Cable Crossover (low position)
I wasn't exactly sure how much weight I could handle, so for a starting point I went back to last year's bulking workout logs and then added 20 pounds to each exercise (except cable crossover) over the heaviest weight I used last year. I used strict form, and each rep was very controlled. I was amazed at how light the weight felt. I had no problem doing 12/12/12/12 for every exercise. I also added 5 pounds to my cable crossover, setting another personal record. I'll be adding 10 more pounds to every exercise next week. I'm definitely a lot stronger now than I was last year!
My long-awaited Titan T1 review was posted on Monday. I hope you enjoy it!
Registration for the November "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EDT) on November 1, 2006 if you plan to participate. To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the November "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part! If you decide to join the challenge, then you are expected to see it through to the end. No slackers!
Our friends over at AtLarge Nutrition are running a great special on Opticen for a very limited-time. Chris of AtLarge has this to say about Opticen and the sale:
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October 23, 2006
I've been strength training using the Titan T1 home gym for the past 17 months, and I honestly believe that it has played a huge role in the progress I've made during that time. I've made no secret of that fact that I love my Titan T1 strength training equipment, but until today I've never posted a formal review of the Titan.
The Titan is capable of so much, so it was rather difficult to cover everything while keeping the review to a readable length. I worked very hard to strike a good balance between "detailed" and "mind-numbing" (although the review is fairly lengthy), and I believe I've covered most of the salient information that a prospective Titan owner would want prior to purchase.
Enough of my yapping. Here is my long-awaited Titan T1 review. I hope you enjoy it!
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October 22, 2006
Today is a cardio-only day, and I really need the rest. I'm nearly two months into my bulk, and five brutal workouts per week at maximum intensity over a four month period is a definite challenge to sustain (but I'm up for it!)
I'm up to a little over 11% body fat now. While 11% body fat doesn't seem that high to some, it is for me. I felt fat for the first time since last year's bulk while getting dressed to go out yesterday. My legs no longer fit into my normal jeans, and I had to switch to my "bulking jeans". I'm not concerned about getting shredded up once my bulk is over--that's fairly easy for me--but for a former fat guy, adding fat while bulking is always a bit of a mental hurdle.
Don't forget: Tomorrow I will be posting my long-awaited Titan review, and on Tuesday morning registration for the November "100 Challenge" will begin.
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October 21, 2006
Here's the arm workout I did last night, and what I'll be doing for the next 3 workouts:
Superset #1: 4 x 12 barbell curls / 4 x 12 lying french curls (ez-bar)
Superset #2: 4 x 12 hammer curls / 4 x 12 tricep pressdowns
Superset #3: 4 x 12 cable curls / 4 x 12 kneeling overhead cable tricep extensions
Some of you may have noticed that I reduced the volume I was doing by one superset. This is because my arms have been stuck at 17.5 inches (cold) for 3 weeks. I suspect that the extreme amount of volume I was doing may have actually begun to hinder my progress. It's also possible that arm growth past my current size will simply come at a slower rate than what I've seen in the past. Time will tell!
I wrote a bit more about last night's arm workout and why I changed things around in last night's media journal entry. I also posted a couple of new pictures.
A couple of reminders: On Monday I will be posting my long-awaited Titan review. It's a fairly lengthy review, and I hope you all will enjoy it! Also, on Tuesday morning registration for the November "100 Challenge" will begin.
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October 20, 2006
I went ahead and had my weekly cheat meal last night: lasagna, a great fresh-baked crusty Italian bread, olive oil and, for desert, cake. It was all so good! Tonight after my arm workout I'll be having the meal I usually eat on Thursday night.
Speaking of working out, this week it's time to change all my exercises around again. I haven't decided what I'm going to do for tonight's arm workout yet. I'll probably take a few minutes over lunch and put a new routine together.
I know many of you have been patiently waiting for a very long time for my Titan review. It's been done for over a month, but the new Fitcore website is still undergoing some final polishing and bug-fixing (developing a new web site is always a big job!) The new web site should be completed over the weekend (and I hope it is), but come hell or high water my Titan review will be posted this coming Monday (October 23). You have my word on that, so that is a 100% iron-clad guarantee.
Happy Friday everyone!
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October 19, 2006
Today is a very special day for me. That's right: today is my delts, traps and calves workout!
Some of you may think I'm kidding around (if you don't get the joke, don't worry about it), but I'm really not. Take a few minutes to honestly assess your level of desire. Do you look forward to your workouts, or do you dread them? Do you latch onto every possible excuse to miss your workout, or do you plow through those obstacles like they don't exist? Are you committed, or are you merely going through the motions?
If you truly dislike what you are doing and every day is a struggle, then you must make a change. If you don't make a change then eventually you will fail. Most of the time the changes I'm talking about need to happen in your mind.
Negative thinking was a huge problem for me when I first began to lose weight back in 2003. This is a very common issue among people who have a poor self-image, as many overweight people do. Personally I'd become so cynical and bitter that I literally had to re-learn how to perceive the world around me. These changes didn't happen overnight, but I made a concerted effort to recognize and stop negative thinking. Focusing on the positive changes I was making helped me to also see all the good around me. You might be surprised how empowering this is. It's terribly easy to only see the bad things in this world--I call the people who do that "lazy thinkers".
I've learned a thing or two over the past four years, and one thing I'm absolutely certain of is that making a transformation to your body is maybe 5% physical. Once you've got your mind in the game, you'll be able to do anything you want.
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October 18, 2006
Last night was back training, and it was a very important and memorable workout. I broke a few personal records, and reached a strength-related deadlift goal that I've been working towards for quite some time.
Strength-related goal?! John?! Yes, you read that correctly! I'll explain... 
Most of you who have been visiting this site for awhile already know why I don't talk about how much weight I lift. Because my primary focus is pure hypertrophy (gaining muscle size), strength gains are only important to me from a progressive resistance standpoint. In other words, I really don't care how much weight I'm lifting, so long as I'm lifting more weight with each successive workout. I guess the only exception to that statement is with deadlifts. I've made no secret about the fact that I really enjoy doing heavy deadlifts. For whatever reason, I find it extremely satisfying on a very primal level to pick up a barbell off the floor when it's loaded down with plates.
So, for more than a year I've been working towards a deadlift goal that I set for myself. Last night I finally reached that goal, performing four sets of eight reps using twice my bodyweight (430 pounds), with two minutes of rest between each set. I talked a bit more about the workout, the deadlift goal and posted a new picture in my media journal. Here's the link.
My new deadlift goal is not an easy one: I want to perform the same feat, except I want to use 500 pounds. Reaching that goal may not happen this year, but it's going to happen.
October 17, 2006
Last night's chest & abs workout was very good, but I had a little mishap with the dumbbells. I was pushing as hard as I could for just one more rep, but my strength simply gave out--total muscular failure. One of the dumbbells crashed down onto my chest from a height of nearly two feet. It hurt pretty bad, but thankfully I didn't break anything and I was able to continue with the workout. I went into a little more detail about the accident and posted a couple of new pictures in my media journal. Here's a link to last night's entry.
I hope you ate your breakfast this morning--especially if you read yesterday's update. No excuses! It usually takes me about an hour after I get up for my hunger to kick in, but this morning for some reason I woke up starving. As soon as I finish typing this update, I'm going to go eat.
Speaking of eating, it's amazing how much I can eat now. I think back to the early days when I was (foolishly) eating just 1,000 - 1,200 calories per DAY in an effort to lose weight. I now eat more than 1,000 calories by my second of six meals--and I weigh the same amount today that I did when I started my transformation! The difference, of course, is muscle. I've said it before and I'll say it again: train with weights! I don't care if you are dieting, maintaining or trying to add muscle: weight training is critical, IMO. Pretty much all of us love to eat, and the more muscle you pack on the more food you'll need to eat to sustain it. If you are trying to lose weight and you don't train with weights, then you better be happy with the shape of your body; while you may get smaller, your basic shape will not change. Not only that, you will lose muscle, and muscle burns calories.
I can't stress it enough: train with weights and, over time, you will literally change the shape of your body (and burn calories like a teenager).
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October 16, 2006
I love breakfast. Before I started my transformation in 2003, I rarely ate breakfast. When I did, it was horrible for me (like just about everything I ate back then). Breakfast is especially enjoyable when I'm bulking: a large egg white omelet, a big bowl of oatmeal, a couple slices of whole grain toast and a large Nitrean shake. I never get tired of that breakfast! Mornings are usually a very busy time for most people, so this very important meal is often comprised of poor "convenience food" choices, or skipped all together. It only takes an extra 10 or 15 minutes to prepare and consume a healthy breakfast, so be sure to make the time--it's important!
I often get emails asking me why I don't eat much fruit. I do like orange juice, and have worked that into my morning meal from time-to-time, but other than that I don't really enjoy most fruit. I mean, I can eat it--it's not like it grosses me out--but I'd almost always rather eat something else instead. So, for those of you who are wondering, it's just a personal choice, nothing more. If you like fruit you can certainly work it into your healthy diet, regardless of your goals.
I'd better get going, as I've got a busy day ahead. After work tonight I've got chest and abs. My chest has shown some good growth the past couple of weeks, so I'm excited about this workout. I'm within 1/4 inch of my biggest chest measurement ever, which was taken at the end of last year's bulk at 14% body fat. I'm only around 10.8% body fat right now, so I'm pretty happy about the measurement!
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October 15, 2006
It seems like every time I bulk a particularly weak area presents itself and become my priority. These pictures from Friday night have made this year's priority very clear: REAR DELTS. Delts have always been a weak area of my physique. I have made some good improvements in that area over the past year, but my rear delts are still lagging behind. I usually start off my delts workout utilizing pressing moves that primarily work the front delts, then I work my side delts and, finally, I hit the rear delts. I'm going to reverse that order starting with my next workout, and add one more exercise specifically designed to hit the rear delts.
I have today off from weight training. I'm going to go do some cardio, eat breakfast and go do something fun and relaxing. Enjoy your Sunday!
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October 14, 2006
Last night was the final night of the arm workout I've been doing for the past four weeks. Next week I'll be changing all the exercises, and I'm actually pretty happy about that because the selection of exercises in this workout and the order in which I do them make for one of the toughest antagonistic superset arm workouts I've ever performed. This workout has been especially tough the last two weeks because last week I significantly increased the weight on every exercise. This week I managed to increase the number of reps I did to new personal best levels using the heaviest weight I've ever used for reps. Additional details on the workout along with three new pictures can be found in last night's entry to my photo journal.
Today Lisa and I will be doing our last major trimming of the season in our gardens. It's a pretty big project, and later tonight I've got my leg workout. Thankfully things have cooled down a bit outside (the high today should be in the lower 80s), so without the oppressive heat to deal with I should have plenty of energy left for tonight's workout.
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October 13, 2006
For the second week in a row, I had a personal record-breaking delts/traps/calves workout last night! Details on the workout along with a new picture can be found in last night's journal entry on the forum.
Today starts the seventh week of my bulk. I was scheduled to switch my workouts around starting with tonight's bicep/tricep workout; however, as I mentioned in yesterday's update, I'm now going to stick with my routines for four weeks instead of three weeks before changing the exercises around. The arm workout I'm doing right now is very challenging on several levels; added to that, tonight I'll be using the heaviest weight I've ever used for reps on several of the exercises. I'm certainly going to earn tonight's cheat meal!
Happy Friday - have a great day!
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October 12, 2006
I've decided that instead of changing my exercises around every three weeks, I'm going to do it every four weeks. The main reason is because I feel like my body is taking longer that three weeks to adapt to my routines. This is probably due to the strength gains I'm making. These gains in strength have allowed me to continue to challenge my muscles using heavier weights each week (progressive resistance). Because each week I've been able to add weight to nearly every exercise, I guess I feel like I'm cutting things a bit short at three weeks when I should probably be going even heavier using the same routine. It's a fairly small modification, but I'm interested to see how it works for me.
It's commonly known that soreness is not necessarily an indication of progress; however, I know my body pretty well and when I stop getting sore it usually means it's time to change things around. Last week's arm workout was the third week in which I'd done the same exercise routine, but my arms were never more sore than they were in the days following that workout. I've noticed similar results from all my workouts over the past week or so. I'll be adding even more weight to just about every exercise over the next week, and I suspect that I'll continue to grow. By the way, my "rule" for adding weight is this: If I can perform 4 sets of at least 10 reps, the following workout I up the weight.
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October 11, 2006
Over the past couple of days we've been talking about leg workouts (among other things) in my media journal, and the subject of squats and lunges came up. I recalled that I did squats and lunges back on my very first weight training workout, and that's sort of true: I did do squats, and I tried to follow them up with bodyweight lunges, but I could not complete a single rep. I was so out of shape and my legs were so weak (and exhausted from the squats) that they buckled and gave out on me on the very first rep. In the middle of that first lunge I literally collapsed into a blubbery, winded heap on the floor.
I distinctly remember lying on the floor trying to catch my breath and muster the strength to stand back up. While I was on the floor I remember thinking that what I was trying to accomplish was next to impossible. I could have easily given up--believe me, the temptation was there--but I did not give up. No, I stood back up and tried to lunge again. Again I fell down, and I felt embarrassed and disgusted. Then I felt something new: anger. I was pissed! Pissed off that I had become so weak and pathetic. Pissed off that I looked and felt like an old man at just 34 years old. Pissed off that I had neglected my body and my health for so many years. Pissed off that I felt fat and ugly... I channeled that rage into motivation and desire. That was a pivotal moment in my life. The easy thing to do would have been to grab a beer and get comfortable on the sofa, but I refused to back down. My life from that moment on was changed forever.
We all have to start somewhere. I don't care how out of shape you are. I don't care how fat you are: you do what we all do--take one step, then another. When you fall, you get your ass back up. If you move towards your goals with relentless drive and determination you will get there.
Never, ever give up!
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October 10, 2006
I had another very satisfying workout last night (chest & abs). I broke my personal record for flat dumbbell bench press, performing 12/12/11/10 reps using the heaviest weight I've ever used for reps, all with perfect form. I also added 10 pounds (5 pounds per dumbbell) to my incline and decline press. There was some pain in my shoulders, and a little pain in my right elbow. The elbow pain is something I've felt before, but it seems to be a little more pronounced. I'm increasing my dosage of Chondroitin, MSM and Glucosamine to see if that helps at all.
A little over a week from today I'm going to turn 38 years old. A lot of people dread their birthdays as they get older, but I don't feel that way at all. I feel better, look better and I am stronger than I've ever been in my life. As I age I'm finding new challenges to overcome (stuff like the pain in my elbow, for example), but I'm not going to let anything get in my way. I'm going to continue to improve my health each and every year. Weight training, cardiovascular exercise and a sound diet have changed my life. In fact, I'm positive that those things saved my life. I may be almost 38 years old, but I still feel like I did when I was 20. That's pretty amazing considering that less than four years ago I felt like I had one foot in the grave!
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October 9, 2006
I had a very enjoyable day off yesterday. I got the car washed, went for a nice drive, ran a few errands, watched a couple movies and hung out with Lisa and the dogs. I went to bed around 10:00 PM and got a good night's sleep. Sounds fairly boring, I know, but it was just what I needed. This morning I'm feeling rested and 100% ready for tonight's workout (chest/abs).
It's been awhile since I added something to my Favorite Things thread. I have recently purchased an item that I'm totally in love with. In fact, I stare at it for several hours every single day. I'm talking about the Viewsonic VX2235WM 22" widescreen LCD computer monitor. Here's a picture of mine in action:
The price on this monitor (currently on sale at the JSF Amazon Mall for $379.00) is outstanding, especially considering all the great features: native resolution of 1680x1050, fast 5ms response time, 700:1 contrast ratio, integrated speakers (I don't use the speakers, but they are a nice extra feature if you need to take the monitor somewhere and don't want to bring your speaker system or just need basic 2-channel sound) and Digital DVI + Analog inputs.
The monitor's picture looks amazing, as does the monitor itself. It comes with a nice looking stand, and can even be wall mounted (it weighs just 13 pounds). This is my first LCD computer monitor, and I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to make the switch from CRT. The picture is crisp from edge-to-edge, and there's none of the distortion and glare that you find with regular CRT monitors. It's also infinitely cooler and consumes far less power than my old 20" CRT display. You will love this monitor!
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October 8, 2006
No training today, just some morning cardio and then I've got the whole day to rest and relax. I'm looking forward to a day off: This past week has been very stressful for me, and my workouts have been relentlessly intense. In fact, I'd say that this past week has contained the most productive set of workouts since I started weight training almost four years ago. Every single workout this past week has been memorable in one way or another. Right now I feel like I'm really hitting my stride. I'm totally feeding off the momentum, and pushing myself to do better each and every time I step into the gym. It's a good place to be.
After my cardio I think I'm going to eat breakfast, wash the car and go for a drive. It's a pleasant 66 degrees out--perfect weather for a drive with the top down. Enjoy your day!
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October 7, 2006
The arm workout I've been doing the past 3 weeks is extremely difficult: It constantly forces me to go beyond what I think I can handle. It has definitely helped me increase my pain threshold! Last night was the final night that I'll be doing this particular workout because next Friday is when I start switching to new routines, as I do every three weeks. I sent this torturous arm workout out with a bang: I added 10 pounds (5 per dumbbell) to my dumbbell curls & decline skull crushers, 5 pounds to my preacher curls & seated ez-bar tricep curls and 5 pounds to my concentration curls & weighted bench dips. I also posted a few new pictures in my media thread. Here's a direct link to last night's entry.
The datacenter that hosts the JSF servers is now back on permanent power! Thankfully this week-long ordeal seems to be behind us.
Today I've got some work to finish up, then I'm going to clean the house (Lisa also has to work today, so I'll be cleaning solo). Tonight is leg night, and tomorrow I'm not doing anything once I update this page and do my cardio!
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October 6, 2006
I knew going in to last night's workout (delts/traps/calves) that it was going to be great! I was feeling exceptionally good in the hour leading up to my workout, and I thoroughly enjoyed every second that I was in the gym. I broke my all-time personal record for dumbbell presses, adding 10 pounds (5 per dumbbell) over last week's weight; I even did more reps than I did last week! Then I broke my all-time personal best lateral dumbbell raises record by performing more reps than I've ever done with the heaviest weight I've ever used. Next week I'll move up to a weight I've never been able to do for at least 10 reps. I also went up 10 pounds (5 per dumbbell) on my bent over lateral raises, breaking yet another personal best record. I added 50 pounds to my shrugs, because I didn't feel like unloading the bar from my deadlifts that I did on Tuesday. I did a few less reps than last week, but the extra heavy weight was very satisfying. By the time I got to my calves, I couldn't really lift my arms, so I'm glad I had preloaded the vertical press with the weight I needed. That was easily my most satisfying shoulder workout ever. This is probably the strongest I've ever been in my life. I'm feeling very happy right now because there is still a lot of time left in this year's bulk.
There is a new update to the forum software that I'm going to install this morning. This is a fairly minor release, just a few minor bug fixes and tweaks. It should be a very fast upgrade, so I'm going to go ahead and do it this morning. If you are reading this after 9:00 AM EDT, then the upgrade is already done. You early birds can expect about 20 minutes of downtime starting sometime before 8:00 AM.
For those of you following the datacenter flooding drama, we hope to have permanent power restored today. For more information and updates please check this thread.
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October 4, 2006
Excellent back workout last night! I went up in weight on every exercise and still managed to do the same number (or more) reps than last week. I also added 10 more pounds to my deadlift. Next week I'll be adding weight again on every exercise. It's nice to see some good strength gains along with the size gains, which remains my primary objective.
Today is a cardio-only day. Normally I enjoy a day of rest here and there, but I've been looking forward to my weight training workouts even more than usual lately. After a stressful day of work it's nice to put everything aside for awhile and turn 100% of my focus to something else entirely. By the time I'm done working out I feel like a new man. Prior to 2003 I used to smoke bowl after bowl and, on most nights, hit the wine bottle after a long day of work. Back in those days I was in one of two states: stoned, or wishing I was stoned...
.... I wrote another couple paragraph about addiction, but just deleted them. I hate sounding preachy on this subject, because I heard plenty of that back in the day and it didn't do a lick of good. Each person has to decide for himself or herself what to do. I decided when enough was enough. Quitting weed was one of the most difficult things I've ever done in my life, but it was only hard for a few weeks. Once I got over the hump, I never looked back. As a result, my quality of life has transformed right along with my body.
Just a quick update about the datacenter situation. We are still on generator power, and it looks like permanent power will not be restored until Thursday at the earliest. For more information and updates please check this thread.
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October 3, 2006
Datacenter flood/evacuation: Updated October 3, 7:45 AM EDT.
Yesterday afternoon the datacenter in downtown Orlando where the JSF servers are located was evacuated due to some boneheaded construction worker who broke a massive water pipe on the 15th floor. The pipe break caused the sprinkler system to go off in the entire building. Between the broken pipe and the sprinklers, a massive amount of water was released. There was a lot of water coming down the elevator shaft and all the equipment closets. Thankfully my equipment and most of the critical equipment in the datacenter was not damaged by the sprinklers....
The authorities have cut the power to the entire building and ordered everyone out. It may be days before power is restored. Yesterday afternoon (October 2) the fire department forced the datacenter to turn off the emergency generators, resulting in a complete outage starting about 5:30 PM EDT. Thankfully around 7:00 PM last night permission was given to turn the generators back on. JSF has been up and running on generator power since then. The possibility still exists that the authorities will force the datacenter to turn off the generators again today as cleanup and repair work continues.
All JSF data is backed up and safely off-site, and I have fully redundant hardware off-site. In an effort to further minimize any possible data loss, I will be doing backups twice daily instead of once daily until this problem has been resolved. Please be aware that the I might have to shut everything down at a moment's notice, and there could be extended downtime. I'm pleased that so far we've only been down for about an hour and a half--fairly impressive considering what happened! I hope by the end of the day things stabilize and power is restored. I will post updates to this thread. Thanks for your patience.
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October 2, 2006
Another month of bulking is underway! I'm pleased with the results of my first month (see yesterday's update for a detailed analysis), but this month I'm going to work even harder. My strength is up, my energy levels are through the roof and, aside from the ever-present minor aches and pains in my shoulders, I'm 100% injury-free.
I still have not made up my mind about how long I'm going to bulk this year. Right now I'm leaning towards three months (until the end of November), but I may change my mind and bulk through the end of December. I may not make up my mind until the last minute.
I've got to get breakfast going, I'm running a little behind this morning. Big chest and abs workout tonight--can't wait!
4:43 PM UPDATE. IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ
The datacenter in downtown Orlando where the JSF servers are located has been evacuated due to some boneheaded construction worker who broke a massive water pipe on the 15th floor. The pipe break caused the sprinkler system to go off in the entire building. Between the broken pipe and the sprinklers, a massive amount of water was released. There is presently a lot of water coming down the elevator shaft and all the equipment closets. Thankfully my equipment and most of the critical equipment in the datacenter was not damaged by the sprinklers....
...however, the water is slowly building up under the floor where all the wiring and electrical outlets are. Further, the authorities have cut the power to the entire building and ordered everyone out. At this point we can't do anything except hope that the water doesn't rise high enough to short out the equipment, and keep fuel in the two massive diesel-powered generators that are keeping all the equipment running. It may be days before power is restored, and the possibility still exists that the authorities will make us turn off the generators.
All JSF data is backed up and safely off-site, and I have fully redundant hardware off-site. In an effort to further minimize any possible data loss, I will be doing backups twice daily instead of once daily until this problem has been resolved.
If the site suddenly goes down, you'll know why. I'm doing everything in my power to make sure it doesn't, but right now I'm pretty helpless to do much more.
I'll keep you all updated.
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October 1, 2006
The first month of my 2006 bulk is over, and I'm very pleased with the progress I've made so far. Here's a breakdown of the gains I've made over the last month. All measurements are "cold" (no pump) and flexed:
Weight: My starting weight was 202.4 pounds, and this morning I weighed in at 211.6 pounds. +9.2 pounds
Body fat %: I started around 9% body fat, and this morning I'd estimate I'm around 10% body fat. That means I've added around 3 pounds of fat and about 6 pounds of lean mass this past month. +3 pounds fat, +6 pounds lean mass
Arms: I started the month with 17 inch arms, and this morning they are at 17.5 inches. That's how big they were at the end of last year's bulk, so from here on out I'll be breaking new ground. I wonder if I can continue to add 1/4" every two weeks? We'll see... +1/2"
Calves: My calves and upper legs have always responded very well to weight training. At the beginning of September my calves were 16.5 inches, and now they are at 17.25 inches. Again, that's exactly where they were they were at the end of last year's bulk. Muscle memory. +3/4"
Chest: At the beginning of September my chest was 43 inches, and this morning it's 43.75 inches. Of course the chest measurement also includes the lats, and my lats have finally started to show some nice improvement. I'm still 1/2 inch down from my biggest measurement of 44.25
inches, which I hit at the end of last years bulk. Still, 3/4" is good improvement. +3/4"
Forearms: Unless you're 1FastGTX, forearms are a pretty small body part and can be tough to grow. I went from 13.5 inches to 13.75 inches this month, which ties my biggest measurement. I'm going to pass that 14 inch mark before this bulk is over! +1/4"
Hips: When I bulk my butt grows like crazy (must be all those lunges), and that makes my hips measurement go nuts. I started off September at 38.25 inches, and this morning I'm at 39.75 inches! That's nothing--last year at the end of my bulk my hips were 41 inches. Maybe I can show off
my onion in a rap video at the end of my bulk? +1.5"
Upper Legs: I've always had fast-growing legs, and when I train heavy and eat to grow, my legs get big and they do it fast. I started off September with 24 inch upper legs, and this morning I'm closing in on the 26 inch mark at a little over 25.75 inches. That's within a half-inch of the biggest they've ever been. I'll probably pass 27 inches this year. Just look at the difference in my pictures after a single month. My big legs have always been a source of frustration for me. Sometimes I wish I had chicken legs, like Doordude42. I'm kidding Doordude. I'm sure your legs are huge, even though you won't post a picture of them. You're probably just being humble. 
+1.75"
Waist: Off course the first place I add fat is my mid-section. At around 10% body fat my abs are not really showing through very well, and
all the carbs tend to make me look bloated anyway. At the beginning of September my waist was 32 inches, and this morning it's 33.25 inches. I'm still a long way from where it was at the end of last year's bulk--almost 35 inches! +1.25"
My shoulders have also shown some good visual improvement, which they very much need!
I worked very hard in September and I'm happy with my gains so far, but this month I'm going to redouble my efforts. Many of my measurements are at my lifetime best and it's going to take a lot of hard work to continue to improve.
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