Those of you who read my journals know where I am at.

For those who are new to reading my drivel....a quick sumary.
Several years back I was in the best shape of my life, single digit bodyfat and respectable levels of strength. A car wreck that nearly killed me, numerous injuries and three years of life without the gym left me in ruins. (You can see a picture of where I was at a year ago in my profile photo album).

My first journal chronicled my initial comeback. Things were going well until I injured my spinal erectors playing basketball. Hence my previous journal "Michael's Rehab Journal"....witty...:rolleyes:

I worked with an exceptional trainer and got pretty well rehabbed. I still get a reminder every now and then that things aren't what they used to be. However, my knicks and dings did not stop me from hitting new personal records on virtually every lift.

That brings us to today....

The Leg Destruction Adventure

Monday
------------------------
Squat Derivative
BB Bench
Deadlift or RDL

Assistance:
Some kind of Row (BB, Cable, DB)
Core Exercise
Complex

Wednesday
-------------------
Squat Derivative
Power Clean

Assistance:
Dips
Chinups or Pullups
Complex

Friday
---------------
Squats
Standing BB Press
Krispy Kremes or GHRs

Assistance:
Shoulder Girdle Exercise (Lateral Raises or Rear Lateral Raises or Arnold Press or Superset)
Leg Press
Core Exercise
Complex

Squat Derivatives = Front squat, overhead squat, hack squat, box squat, and the like
Complexes = TBD. I will create some challenging complexes that are going to compliment that day's workout.....
Core Exercise = Cable Crunches, leg lifts, back extensions, supermans, planks, etc...)


I am going back to this....or something close to it when I start my new journal.
I will probably do arms on Saturday because they seriously need some help...

Measurements

Primary Lifts as of 09.01.08:
Deadlift - 405
Squat - 300
Bench Press - 295
Power Clean - 225
Standing BB Press - 205

Yay, a new journal and I get to make the first visitor post! I'm looking forward to this one. Bring on the leg destruction adventure. :evil:

Yay, a new journal and I get to make the first visitor post! I'm looking forward to this one. Bring on the leg destruction adventure. :evil:

Hey Christy! :wave:

Speaking of which....leg destruction adventure...Day 1

Front Squat
45 x 10
95 x 8
135 x 4
165 x 4 x 3sets

BB Bench
45 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 8
225 x 5
245 x 3 x 3sets

RDL
45 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5 x 3sets

DB Incline Press
50 x 10
75 x 10
90 x 10

G'day digitalnebula
I'm new to reading your drivel ;) but looking forward to it. Its much easier to start new drivel from the beginning rather then backtrack 35 pages to catch up. :p

I checked out your profile, and you have made an amazing transformation to date. :bow: And I am sure there will be more to come in this next journal.

Hey Christy! :wave:

Speaking of which....leg destruction adventure...Day 1

Front Squat
45 x 10
95 x 8
135 x 4
165 x 4 x 3sets

BB Bench
45 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 8
225 x 5
245 x 3 x 3sets

RDL
45 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5 x 3sets

DB Incline Press
50 x 10
75 x 10
90 x 10
Few questions:

What grip do you use for front squats?
How do you keep your legs for the RDLs?

Cheers. Good luck man, not that you need it. :tucool:

I'll be following along for you're new adventure. I can't wait to live vicariously through your leg destruction ;) Good luck!

Good morning Michael! I'll definitely be following along on your new adventure!

Best wishes my friend!:tu:

Good luck big guy, I'll be following along :tucool:

New journal! Bangin.

Primary Lifts as of 09.01.08:
Deadlift - 405
Squat - 300
Bench Press - 295
Power Clean - 225
Standing BB Press - 205

Nice #'s, there! Your squat is going to skyrocket from that leg destruction adventure!

G'day digitalnebula
I'm new to reading your drivel ;) but looking forward to it.


Cheers. Good luck man, not that you need it. :tucool:

I'll be following along for you're new adventure. I can't wait to live vicariously through your leg destruction ;) Good luck!

Good morning Michael! I'll definitely be following along on your new adventure!

Best wishes my friend!:tu:

Good luck big guy, I'll be following along :tucool:

New journal! Bangin.

Nice #'s, there!

Thanks everybody! :)

What grip do you use for front squats?


I hold it in the rack position. (Just like the catch position for the clean)



How do you keep your legs for the RDLs?


Keep them straight/rigid through the entire motion. From the top, I kick my hips/butt backward and keep the bar close to my legs. Makes for some nice hamstring toastyness...

Your squat is going to skyrocket from that leg destruction adventure!

:nod: It's the movement I expect to see the biggest gains in over the next few months...

hows the new gym treatin ya??

Michael, good luck with Leg Destruction. You know I'll be following and rooting. :tucool:

We gotta get your front squat reps higher than your bench press reps :). Good luck on your adventure:bb:

I hold it in the rack position. (Just like the catch position for the clean)
Right, I gotta sort out my wrists for that.




Keep them straight/rigid through the entire motion. From the top, I kick my hips/butt backward and keep the bar close to my legs. Makes for some nice hamstring toastyness...
Do you know the difference between what you do and having your legs bent at the knees, still rigid?

hows the new gym treatin ya??

I'm calling it old school'errific....:spaz:

The plates are rusty, the platforms are worn, its a gym with a lot of history and you can see it and feel it when you stand n there...

I'll probably call it the hot box though...
Yesterday, it was like 105 in there....:nod:

On the bright side, I guess I don't have to worry about pulling any muscles due to not warming up...:lol:

Michael, good luck with Leg Destruction. You know I'll be following and rooting. :tucool:

Thanks Paul!

We gotta get your front squat reps higher than your bench press reps :). Good luck on your adventure:bb:

Got that right....


...the next couple of weeks are going to be a bit of a "ramp up"...

Right, I gotta sort out my wrists for that.


Wrist flexiility comes with time.
When first doing cleans and FSQ, my rack position was almost non-existent....I think I only had like my inex fingers on the bar because my flexibility was terrible at first....


Do you know the difference between what you do and having your legs bent at the knees, still rigid?

Yessir...:nod:

I guess I shouldn't have said "straight"....as in knees locked.
I have a slight amount of knee flexion and use muscle tension to keep them rigid so that they do not bend any more or less during the motion.

Wrist flexiility comes with time.
When first doing cleans and FSQ, my rack position was almost non-existent....I think I only had like my inex fingers on the bar because my flexibility was terrible at first....
lern2practice. Ok I'll give them a go at some point.



Yessir...:nod:

I guess I shouldn't have said "straight"....as in knees locked.
I have a slight amount of knee flexion and use muscle tension to keep them rigid so that they do not bend any more or less during the motion.
That's how I do them too. :) Locked, but slightly bent, using the hips and butt. :)

That's how I do them too. :) Locked, but slightly bent, using the hips and butt. :)

Moving the booty back is something subtle but very important that Sara helped me get dialed in...Not only does it help keep the bar over the middle of your feet, but it really invokes the hammies...mine are still from Monday...:nod:

Didn't get to workout today...:blank:

The issue with Thorbecke's is that it has wild hours and is open to the general public whenever Rick happens to be there...
For instance, I had to go today after work...at 6:00...noone there...I couldn't believe it...


I need to look into becoming a charter member....they get keys to the joint and can use it whenever they want....I'm going to try tomorrow at lunch and hopefully get the scoop from Rick.

I need a reliable place to work out. The leg destruction adventure is not conducive to modifications in schedule....now I have to workout Thursday, Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday to get back on schedule.....This means I will miss an arm workout and will not get a 2 day break from the leg massacre for another two weeks now....:doh:

Also, the place I'm working at has uber-security....I probably won't be the regular around here for a while....so if I don't get the chance to post in your journals, please don't take it personally...

My only opportunities to post and blog here will be in the short time back at the hotel room before I hit the sack. And of course on the weekends I'll be spending every precious moment I can with my family...

\
.....This means I will miss an arm workout and will not get a 2 day break from the leg massacre for another two weeks now....:doh:

think of it as the calm before the storm. :evil::evil::evil:

hopefully you'll figure out the gym thing soon enough.

charter member! now ur talkin... :madpimp::madpimp:

hows the heat treatin ya??

think of it as the calm before the storm. :evil::evil::evil:


:scared:


hows the heat treatin ya??

Actually, I kinda like it....I don't have my usual creaks, cracks, aches and pains....now I know why so many old people move to the desert...:lol:....:o......I'm old....:cry:

In other news....Strengthworks Gym is no more....I went by there today and saw an empty shopping center....that's right, the entire shopping center is defunct...:eek:

Also, the place I'm working at has uber-security....I probably won't be the regular around here for a while....so if I don't get the chance to post in your journals, please don't take it personally...

My only opportunities to post and blog here will be in the short time back at the hotel room before I hit the sack. And of course on the weekends I'll be spending every precious moment I can with my family...

Understandable. Post when you can.

Good luck with leg destruction and settling into a sustainable schedule.

OHS
45 x 10
75 x 6
95 x 6 x 3sets

Chest-Supported Rows
45 x 8
90 x 8
115 x 8
115 x 6
90 x 8

Dips
BW x 10 x 2sets
+25 x 10
+45 x 10 x 3 sets

Chins
BW x 4
BW x 5
BW x 5

Also, the place I'm working at has uber-security....I probably won't be the regular around here for a while....so if I don't get the chance to post in your journals, please don't take it personally...

My only opportunities to post and blog here will be in the short time back at the hotel room before I hit the sack. And of course on the weekends I'll be spending every precious moment I can with my family...

Not a problem Michael! I'll be watching for your updates.:nod:

How are you liking your grippers?

How are you liking your grippers?

I have only done one actual workout so far....this week has been pretty discombobulated....the next one should be on Saturday after arms....

Squats
45 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 8
225 x 8
255 x 5
275 x 3
275 x 3

Standing BB Press
45 x 10
95 x 10
135 x 8
165 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 3

Superset: GHR / Lateral Raise
BW x 8 / 20 x 10
BW x 8 / 25 x 10
BW x 8 / 30 x 10


Notes:
* First time doing GHRs on a GHR station....I think they are WAY easier than Krispy Kremes...
* My shoulders have been killing me because I have been sleeping funny lately...hard to explain that one...
* Pretty pleased with the squats because I did OHS yesterday...albeit light ones...:rolleyes:
* I am now officially a Thorbecke's Charter Member....I have a key to the place and the T-Shirt to prove it...:madpimp:

So I did arms today....:blank:
Its so boring I don't even feel like posting it....

However, I got a new mp3 player to replace my ultra-antiquated iPod.
I started building a new song database because this one only has 2GB...
I have basically loaded it with singles instead of a whoe bunch of albums. It made for an entertaining workout....

I have always thought I have a very diverse interest in music. About the only thing I don't listen to is country....although Stevie Ray Vaughn is on my player...:nod:

Some of the tracks from today:
VNV Nation - Kathy's Song [Victoria Mix]
Luzon - The Baguio Track
Atari Teenage Riot - Speed
Covenant - Dead Stars [Club Mix]
KMFDM - Go to Hell [Fuck MTV Mix]
Nirvana - All Apologies
Velvet Acid Christ - Lysergia

I guess today wasn't very diverse afterall...mostly industrial/synth-pop...:rolleyes:

So I saw a powerlifting club at Thorbecke's today....

Here is what I don't get....what's with all the gear!?
Wrist wraps, knee wraps, squatting suits, bench shirts, etc....

I mean, isn't all that shit just cheating? I mean, if you can't lift it, you can't lift it....these guys would spend 5 minutes dicking round with all this crap getting ready for a set of squats and then do 2 reps....take all the shit back off and then do it all over again.

It just boggled my mind....

Sure you can squat more in a squat suit, but so can I if I have a forklift under my ass....

Like I said in the title....maybe its just ignorance....maybe there is a good reason I don't know about....but until I get a really good explanation...I'm going to continue to think its just strange....and cheating...

Of course I couldn't really ask...I mean...all I did today was arms...:lol:...:o
If they are in there when I'm deadlifting....then I'll ask...:nod:

I don't like gear much either.

So I saw a powerlifting club at Thorbecke's today....

Here is what I don't get....what's with all the gear!?
Wrist wraps, knee wraps, squatting suits, bench shirts, etc....

I mean, isn't all that shit just cheating? I mean, if you can't lift it, you can't lift it....these guys would spend 5 minutes dicking round with all this crap getting ready for a set of squats and then do 2 reps....take all the shit back off and then do it all over again.

It just boggled my mind....

Sure you can squat more in a squat suit, but so can I if I have a forklift under my ass....

Like I said in the title....maybe its just ignorance....maybe there is a good reason I don't know about....but until I get a really good explanation...I'm going to continue to think its just strange....and cheating...

Of course I couldn't really ask...I mean...all I did today was arms...:lol:...:o
If they are in there when I'm deadlifting....then I'll ask...:nod:

I don't like gear much either.

I agree with you guys completely. This is the very reason why I will only take part in unequipped competitions. I want to see what I can actually lift. I laugh when I see some of these guys spending twenty minutes fighting to get into a shirt or a suit.:lol:

Today was really brutal.
Due to running low on time, I had to superset my Inclines in with my heavy deadlift sets...:eek:

Front Squat
45 x 10
95 x 8
135 x 5
185 x 4 x 3sets

BB Bench
45 x 12
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
255 x 3 x 3sets

Superset: Deadlift / DB Incline Press
135 x 8
225 x 5
275 x 3 / 80 x 8
315 x 3 / 90 x 8
365 x 3 / 90 x 8

Notes:
* I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head on the deadlift 365 triple...
* Saw some board press thingys sitting in the corner
* I asked Rick what they were for and we started a little chit chat about the comps and the gear guys wear....he agrees with us here and calls it "a dog and pony show." :lol: He said it is cheating that has somehow worked its way into the rules of regularity...and followed with saying that they took something so pure and straightforward and convoluted it with glorified cheating and just turning it into another freakshow just like pro bodybuilding...

Today was really brutal.
Due to running low on time, I had to superset my Inclines in with my heavy deadlift sets...:eek:

Front Squat
45 x 10
95 x 8
135 x 5
185 x 4 x 3sets

BB Bench
45 x 12
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
255 x 3 x 3sets

Superset: Deadlift / DB Incline Press
135 x 8
225 x 5
275 x 3 / 80 x 8
315 x 3 / 90 x 8
365 x 3 / 90 x 8

Notes:
* I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head on the deadlift 365 triple...
* Saw some board press thingys sitting in the corner
* I asked Rick what they were for and we started a little chit chat about the comps and the gear guys wear....he agrees with us here and calls it "a dog and pony show." :lol: He said it is cheating that has somehow worked its way into the rules of regularity...and followed with saying that they took something so pure and straightforward and convoluted it with glorified cheating and just turning it into another freakshow just like pro bodybuilding...

Nice workout Michael!

For those who are new to reading my drivel....a quick sumary.
Several years back I was in the best shape of my life, single digit bodyfat and respectable levels of strength. A car wreck that nearly killed me, numerous injuries and three years of life without the gym left me in ruins. (You can see a picture of where I was at a year ago in my profile photo album)..
Truly inspiring. A car wreck is where I obtained my torn up knees (and other injuries). You are a living testament that one can recover.

I'm glad to see that you are making strides. That means that I can make no excuses now.

Take it as something that is making you stronger. If you can get up from that and keep going....You are the man! :tucool:

Like I said in the title....maybe its just ignorance....maybe there is a good reason I don't know about....but until I get a really good explanation...I'm going to continue to think its just strange....and cheating...
The way I see it; it's like using a catcher's mitt in baseball. Can you play without one? Yeah. But playing with a catcher's mitt will probably improve your game and help you avoid injury. On top of that, everyone's got a mitt so it's not exactly cheating.
You could go play in leagues that don't allow catcher's mitts but all the best guys in the sport are playing in the equipment leagues.
Something like that. :confused:

The way I see it; it's like using a catcher's mitt in baseball. Can you play without one? Yeah. But playing with a catcher's mitt will probably improve your game and help you avoid injury. On top of that, everyone's got a mitt so it's not exactly cheating.
You could go play in leagues that don't allow catcher's mitts but all the best guys in the sport are playing in the equipment leagues.
Something like that. :confused:
Except without a catchers mitt you will break your hand, whereas you can squat perfectly fine without gear.

most things in life are better raw ;)

get your mind outta the gutter... i was talking about fish, weight lifting, golf, etc. etc.

Nice workout Michael!

Thank you sir! May I please have another.... on Wednesday....

Truly inspiring. A car wreck is where I obtained my torn up knees (and other injuries). You are a living testament that one can recover.

I had quite a variety of injuries....kness, ankles, shoulder, etc...
It took me a while to get the wheels turning, but I'm getting there...

The way I see it; it's like using a catcher's mitt in baseball. Can you play without one? Yeah. But playing with a catcher's mitt will probably improve your game and help you avoid injury. On top of that, everyone's got a mitt so it's not exactly cheating.


That's a bit of a stretch.....

Except without a catchers mitt you will break your hand, whereas you can squat perfectly fine without gear.

Agree 100%....playing without a catchers mitt, while "fair" would just be stupid....bench shirts aren't there to prevent injury...they are there because they help you cheat and bench more...

Take it as something that is making you stronger. If you can get up from that and keep going....

I have been living it for the last 4 years...:nod:

most things in life are better raw ;)


:nod:


Thanks for stopping by fellas!

Dont let me get bigger than you!

Update pictures>? :tucool:

Update pictures>?

I'll post new measurements when I get back home on Saturday.

Pics....:nope:...I got a good 20 lbs to lose before they are worth taking.
Right now I'm a little fatter (~15lbs) than the pics I have posted on my profile page....but for the most part I look exactly the same. That's what happens when you add 3 or 4 pounds of muscle and 11 or 12 pounds of fat....basically no change...:blank:

Now, when I drop some BF and expose those new pounds of muscle....

Yeah budday!!! :nod:


I only take and post pics that show some kind of change...

If you want....you can go and dig up my comeback journal...you could find some pics of my comeback cut I did last fall and winter....I'm just too lazy....:rolleyes:

Agree 100%....playing without a catchers mitt, while "fair" would just be stupid....bench shirts aren't there to prevent injury...they are there because they help you cheat and bench more...
Actually, they do offer protection, but that's definitely not why most people use them.
I agree though that I prefer to watch people lift raw compared to equipped. Hell, I made an entire thread (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=39811)about the old great ones. :dreamy:

And apparently I don't know enough about baseball to make baseball analogies. :lol:

Actually, they do offer protection, but that's definitely not why most people use them.
I agree though that I prefer to watch people lift raw compared to equipped. Hell, I made an entire thread (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=39811)about the old great ones. :dreamy:


Yeah...protection is a small part of it...

They have pretty much turned lifting competition into the same kinda freak show as pro bodybuilding...thats why they have natural lifting competitions now...

Got in some bonus grip training today....

Some of the folks at the office I am working at go to a nearby climbing gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunch...

Man, I'm nowhere near the climber I was 7 or 8 years ago when I did it regularly....Back in the day I was able to handle the 5.11 and some of the 5.12 difficulty routes....Today, 5.9 was all I could handle...

I'm also 40-45 pounds heavier...:lol: It's like having a sack of concrete tied to my back while I'm climbing....:nod:...I almost can't even remember when I weighed 190....seems like a different life...

My grip was definitely the first thing to go....but I figure between the variety of holds in the climbing and the general finger strength training it provides in combination with the CoC grippers....I should be able to improve nearly all aspects of grip and hand strength...

We'll see how much the climbing interferes with weight training....climbing puts a beating on the rear delts....I'll bet my shoulders are screaming tomorrow...:nod:

Warmup: Bunch of hang cleans, front squats, BW squats, etc...

Power Clean
45 x 5
95 x 8
135 x 5
185 x 3
205 x 1 - miss 2
185 x 3

Dips
BW x 10
+25 x 8
+45 x 8
+70 x 6
+70 x 6

Superset: BB Shrug / Standing Calf Raise
135 x 10
185 x 10 / Stack x 10
225 x 8 / Stack x 10
275 x 6 / Stack x 10
275 x 8 / Stack x 10

Notes:
* Need to wear sweatpants when I power clean at Thorbecke's
* The rusty bar about shredded my thighs today
* My first set of shrugs at 275 got thrown off when the bar bumped the hanger...that's why I only did 6 that set....I was off balance and put it down


I may juggle the split a tad. Mondays are murder and Wednesdays almost feel like a waste....I'll probably move bench to wednesdays...

Got in some more climbing today....I was definitely worse today than I was on Tuesday...

I'm thinking if I keep doing it twice a week, my body will acclimate...

Since you are on the subject of injuries, Michael, did you find the psychological affect of injury rehab to be hard to deal with? This acl thing is my first long term rehab, and there are days when I really don't think I'm ever going to be able to return to normal activity. It's quite depressing. How did you deal with that?

Obviously you dealt with it... your workouts kick ass and your determination shows!

Since you are on the subject of injuries, Michael, did you find the psychological affect of injury rehab to be hard to deal with? This acl thing is my first long term rehab, and there are days when I really don't think I'm ever going to be able to return to normal activity. It's quite depressing. How did you deal with that?

Obviously you dealt with it... your workouts kick ass and your determination shows!

The answer to your question leads me down the road of a state of the union type speech......
You are getting more than you bargained for here...:lol:...but this is for everybody....

The mental part is the toughest for me....knowing what I am capable of doing in the gym and having to work at levels far below that is just tough....you get those...."what the hell am I doing here"....type thoughts and it is easy to give in to the "If I can't go full tilt, then I'm not gonna go at all..."....type of justifications....

That brings us to the two phases of my life in dealing with injuries...

First, I got royally mangled in a car wreck....I follwed that one with a long stretch of doing absolutely nothing followed by another year+ stretch of getting fat and happy in the bliss of new-found fatherhood....
So, when I came back from that one...my body was pretty much ready to go...

Honestly, the spinal erectors were harder to deal with...for me...:nod:
Coming off an awesome cut and rolling into what turned out to be the bulk of my life....I was still able to work out, but I wasn't able to go full tilt in the gym and do all of the things I like to do....it was really tough on me mentally....
Now, I wish I could act like the model citizen and say...I just fought through it and my iron will overcame....wrong....I had some stretches in there where I would unnecessarily take a week off...I ate crap for weeks at a time....
...and I got what I deserved for it.....sure I added some muscle, but I added way more fat than I should have....


....and that bring us to today...currently, I have been eating clean for over a week now and really feel like I am in the groove on the diet....I'm going to try and win this war with the diet all the way until Thanksgiving....(and yes, I'm cheating like a mother f*cker on turkey day)... I figure that will allow me to drop over 15 pounds of the fat I picked up since spring....

...injury wise....I'm feeling pretty good right now...two weeks into the leg destruction adventure and I am still gaining momentum....
I do however, get the occasional reminder that my body is still a wreck...:lol:...
- Still don't have full ROM in my ankle while doing calf raises....and at 35, I probably never will
- Several times a day, I'll just be doing normal every day stuff when I get a stabbing pain in my lower back....it also happens when I roll around in bed at night...
- My right shoulder has a dull ache in it some days.....another car wreck remnant...
- and there are other knicks and dings...

Anyway, I'm sure that was way overboard for a response, but it definitely got me thinking about my state of mind...

I had an epic workout today....

Squats
45 x 10
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 3
295 x 3
295 x 3
295 x 3

Superset: Standing BB Press / Hamstring Exercise
45 x 10
95 x 10 / Leg Curl @ 40 x 10 (Warm up the hammies)
135 x 8 / Leg Curl @ 60 x 10 (Warm up the hammies)
165 x 5 / Krispy Kreme @ BW x 4 + 2 assisted
185 x 3 / Krispy Kreme @ BW x 3 + 2 assisted
185 x 2 / Krispy Kreme @ BW x 3 + 2 assisted
165 x 5

Chest Supported Row
45 x 10
90 x 8
115 x 6
115 x 6

* I had Rick watch me (for form) on my third set of 295 squats
* He said "now that's full depth!"
* and I was like :spaz:
* Three 295 triples totally blows anything I have ever done before on squats out of the water....
* The squats took quite a while so I had to do some supersetting which made things very intense


Everyone have a good weekend....
I'm going to try and remember to get measurements tomorrow.

I had an epic workout today....

Holy crap! :bow:

great squatting!!!

Awesome, awesome workout.

can you walk after those squats today?:dreamy:

Nice workout Michael! It looks like your squat max is going to be climbing real soon!:tucool:

The answer to your question leads me down the road of a state of the union type speech......
You are getting more than you bargained for here...:lol:...but this is for everybody....

The mental part is the toughest for me....knowing what I am capable of doing in the gym and having to work at levels far below that is just tough....you get those...."what the hell am I doing here"....type thoughts and it is easy to give in to the "If I can't go full tilt, then I'm not gonna go at all..."....type of justifications....

That brings us to the two phases of my life in dealing with injuries...

First, I got royally mangled in a car wreck....I follwed that one with a long stretch of doing absolutely nothing followed by another year+ stretch of getting fat and happy in the bliss of new-found fatherhood....
So, when I came back from that one...my body was pretty much ready to go...

Honestly, the spinal erectors were harder to deal with...for me...:nod:
Coming off an awesome cut and rolling into what turned out to be the bulk of my life....I was still able to work out, but I wasn't able to go full tilt in the gym and do all of the things I like to do....it was really tough on me mentally....
Now, I wish I could act like the model citizen and say...I just fought through it and my iron will overcame....wrong....I had some stretches in there where I would unnecessarily take a week off...I ate crap for weeks at a time....
...and I got what I deserved for it.....sure I added some muscle, but I added way more fat than I should have....


....and that bring us to today...currently, I have been eating clean for over a week now and really feel like I am in the groove on the diet....I'm going to try and win this war with the diet all the way until Thanksgiving....(and yes, I'm cheating like a mother f*cker on turkey day)... I figure that will allow me to drop over 15 pounds of the fat I picked up since spring....

...injury wise....I'm feeling pretty good right now...two weeks into the leg destruction adventure and I am still gaining momentum....
I do however, get the occasional reminder that my body is still a wreck...:lol:...
- Still don't have full ROM in my ankle while doing calf raises....and at 35, I probably never will
- Several times a day, I'll just be doing normal every day stuff when I get a stabbing pain in my lower back....it also happens when I roll around in bed at night...
- My right shoulder has a dull ache in it some days.....another car wreck remnant...
- and there are other knicks and dings...

Anyway, I'm sure that was way overboard for a response, but it definitely got me thinking about my state of mind...

Michael, thanks for your insight, and no, it was not overkill! I've fallen prey to some of the same apathetic tendencies as you, but maybe a little deeper. This helped me realize that the way I am feeling is normal and I can overcome it! Thank you. Actually, your post inspired me to attend my first karate since my injury back in June! I took it 'easy' (meaning no sparring or contact drills but everything else) and had a blast. It's great to be back on the mat!

You are a squat machine, dude!

Holy crap! :bow:

great squatting!!!

Awesome, awesome workout.

can you walk after those squats today?:dreamy:

Shockingly enough, I wasn't really that sore....the leg destruction adventure seems to keep the legs under constant duress...it's almost like they never have a chance to get sore....:lol:

Nice workout Michael! It looks like your squat max is going to be climbing real soon!:tucool:

Yay! :nod:
I got the six pack in the bag at this point...I just need to figure out when to fit a 1-RM attempt into my split...



You are a squat machine, dude!


Thanks everybody!! :spaz:

I juggled the split a bit....Mondays were insane and Wednesdays were...meh...

I also put more emphasis on lat development...I want more thickness....So I'm going to do a rotation of back exercises on Mondays. Deads and rows.

Today got a little messed up...I wanted to do GHRs for hamstrings but decided that the just suck doing them on the GHR station...I think I'm too tall for it....the good news is that Thorbecke's has the best leg curl machine I have ever used....the ROM is off the charts...:eek:


Front Squats
45 x 8
95 x 6
135 x 6
185 x 4
205 x 3
185 x 4

Superset: Cable Row / Dips
6 plates x 10
9 plates x 10 / BW x 10
12 plates x 10 / +25 x 8
15 plates x 10 / +45 x 8
18 plates x 10 / +70 x 8
20 plates x 6 / +70 x 6

Leg Curl
45 x 10
70 x 10
90 x 10
90 x 10

Notes:
* Monday's are now basically a posterior chain day
* I moved BB Bench (or DB Incline) to Wednesday

Notes:
* Monday's are now basically a posterior chain day

All I see are leg curls and rows for the pchain? :confused:

All I see are leg curls and rows for the pchain? :confused:

Not really...as mentioned, today got fairly messed up...

A typical Monday will be more like:

Squat Derivative
* Deadlifts
* GHRs
Assistance Exercise

Not really...as mentioned, today got fairly messed up...

A typical Monday will be more like:

Squat Derivative
* Deadlifts
* GHRs
Assistance Exercise

Gotcha! :tu:

18 plates x 10 / +70 x 8
20 plates x 6 / +70 x 6

300# Dips! :eek::eek:

300# Dips! :eek::eek:

:whistle: Uuuummmm.....I guess I should have posted that I weighed in at 235 this Saturday when I woke up.....:o

:scared:


On the bright side...305# dips...:spaz:

:whistle: Uuuummmm.....I guess I should have posted that I weighed in at 235 this Saturday when I woke up.....:o

:scared:


On the bright side...305# dips...:spaz:
:flex::flex::flex:

Since you wrote this while I was under the knife, I didn't have a chance to reply but it really struck a chord. This:

The mental part is the toughest for me....knowing what I am capable of doing in the gym and having to work at levels far below that is just tough....you get those...."what the hell am I doing here"....type thoughts and it is easy to give in to the "If I can't go full tilt, then I'm not gonna go at all..."....type of justifications....

and this:

Now, I wish I could act like the model citizen and say...I just fought through it and my iron will overcame....wrong....I had some stretches in there where I would unnecessarily take a week off...I ate crap for weeks at a time....
...and I got what I deserved for it.....sure I added some muscle, but I added way more fat than I should have....

sounds totally like the past three months of my life. Hopefully things will improve from here on out. I can't exercise yet but my next doctor's appointment is on Monday and I'm going to try and get cleared for weight lifting and, more importantly, using my shoulder again for exercises (i.e. deadlifts :dreamy).

Your leg destruction program looks very enticing. I might steal from it.

Since you wrote this while I was under the knife, I didn't have a chance to reply but it really struck a chord.
...sounds totally like the past three months of my life. Hopefully things will improve from here on out. I can't exercise yet but my next doctor's appointment is on Monday and I'm going to try and get cleared for weight lifting and, more importantly, using my shoulder again for exercises (i.e. deadlifts :dreamy).


yeah...May and June were especially tough for me...

July was kinda turning the corner when I was really in the groove with Sara's help...she really helped me work through the rehab...:nod: We just worked around the back for a while....


Your leg destruction program looks very enticing. I might steal from it.

Have at it! Take what you like and change what you don't...
There is certainly no magic formula hiding beneath the surface in the program....no secret sauce....I was just trying to find a way to do all of the big compunds I like and make my legs and back bigger and stronger...:spaz:

Hell, I just changed it this week...:lol:

:whistle: Uuuummmm.....I guess I should have posted that I weighed in at 235 this Saturday when I woke up.....:o

:scared:


On the bright side...305# dips...:spaz:

Please tell me that 305# included body weight? If not, I'm just going to quit right now, and go back to Doritos...

Either way, WOW!

Please tell me that 305# included body weight? If not, I'm just going to quit right now, and go back to Doritos...


Yeah....I can only do dips with 70lbs attached to me at this point...

If I could do dips with 305 attached to me, I would probably be benching around 550....:lol:

Yeah....I can only do dips with 70lbs attached to me at this point...

If I could do dips with 305 attached to me, I would probably be benching around 550....:lol:

Nothing shabby about doing dips with any weight, let alone 70lbs. But first time I read it, I thought you were just referring to the attached weight, and my eyes bugged out of my head.

You're doing amazingly. Are you worrying about body fat % yet? Any idea where you are on that?

Haven't done lunges or flys in forever....I still hate them...:blank:

DB Lunges
BW x 10
25 x 8
35 x 8
45 x 8
50 x 8 x 2sets

DB Incline
60 x 8
90 x 8
100 x 7 - miss 8th
100 x 6

Superset: Shrugs / DB Flys
135 x 10 / 25 x 8
225 x 8 / 35 x 8
275 x 8 / 40 x 8
275 x 8


Notes:
* Something in there got my left shoulder to aching....:(
* Lunges were done where I did all reps consecutively on one side and then switched to the other
* I also remained in the striding position...I think it is a waste of time standing up between every rep...or am I missing something? :confused:

Are you worrying about body fat % yet? Any idea where you are on that?

I have been cutting quietly for a couple weeks now...

I haven't been posting what I am doing because it is something that I am experimenting with....if its a disaster, I won't bother posting it....
If it works, then I'll post it and everyone can tell me what an idiot I am, I'm going to die because I'm not eating 6 cups of broccoli every day, I'm going to kill myself because I am not getting the right kind of fat, etc...etc....but until I get some feedback from the mirror and the scale, I'm not going to bother sharing...:p

I got my baseline number last weekend....I want to try what I'm doing for at least a month....then I'll post something....

I have been cutting quietly for a couple weeks now...

I haven't been posting what I am doing because it is something that I am experimenting with....if its a disaster, I won't bother posting it....
If it works, then I'll post it and everyone can tell me what an idiot I am, I'm going to die because I'm not eating 6 cups of broccoli every day, I'm going to kill myself because I am not getting the right kind of fat, etc...etc....but until I get some feedback from the mirror and the scale, I'm not going to bother sharing...:p

Is it the meat and cheese diet!!!??? :confused: :lol:

Hope whatever your plan is you get the results you want...because I might use it once you disclose it if it works...and I like the idea of eating less brocolli! :claphigh:

Haven't done lunges or flys in forever....I still hate them...:blank:


Me too! I don't mind doing DB Lunges once in a while, but I rarely ever bother with Flyes anymore.

I played a little 3-on-3 basketball this morning with a couple guys I work with....

Not having touched a basketball since spring....good lord I was rusty...and my conditioning is just shameful...

I seriously noticed my increased strength and grip training...they have lead to a total loss of touch....I was throwing up some god-awful bricks this morning....:rolleyes:

Seeing as how I abhor running on a treadmill, I am going to have to risk playing full court basketball in order to get my general fitness back to an acceptable level. I just need to try and keep the competitive juices under control and not play full tilt in trying to get every rebound like I normally do and play more of a perimeter game...just to get in some good running....we'll see how it goes.



In other news...my left shoulder is just killing me...I think it is positioning the dumbells for incline bench. Wrestling the 90s and 100s into position must have put some strange torque on the joint or something.

I'm still going to give climbing a try today, but I certainly will not push it if my shoulder is feeling lousy.

The jury is still out on whether I train shoulders tomorrow as planned or not...I'm supposed to do standing BB press and laterals....I'll see how it feels at the gym tomorrow.

I have been cutting quietly for a couple weeks now...

I haven't been posting what I am doing because it is something that I am experimenting with....if its a disaster, I won't bother posting it....
If it works, then I'll post it and everyone can tell me what an idiot I am, I'm going to die because I'm not eating 6 cups of broccoli every day, I'm going to kill myself because I am not getting the right kind of fat, etc...etc....but until I get some feedback from the mirror and the scale, I'm not going to bother sharing...:p

I got my baseline number last weekend....I want to try what I'm doing for at least a month....then I'll post something....

i know you were talking about 6 packs of volcano tacos so i'm guessing its awesome!!!

i'm gonna try one of those today. maybe i'll have to eat one for every 10 squats i do. :mad::mad::mad: then i get the burn twice. :lol:

I haven't been posting what I am doing because it is something that I am experimenting with....if its a disaster, I won't bother posting it....
If it works, then I'll post it and everyone can tell me what an idiot I am, I'm going to die because I'm not eating 6 cups of broccoli every day, I'm going to kill myself because I am not getting the right kind of fat, etc...etc....but until I get some feedback from the mirror and the scale, I'm not going to bother sharing...:p

I made some of my best progress a year ago on a workout and diet that a lot of people here would pass out just reading, so I can relate to your desire to keep it quiet for now!

In other news...my left shoulder is just killing me...I think it is positioning the dumbells for incline bench. Wrestling the 90s and 100s into position must have put some strange torque on the joint or something.

I had to replace the decline DB press in my current routine with assisted dips for the same reason. No good way to get on the bench and then pick up the DBs safely. Really stressed my shoulder on one occasion. (Of course they were only 50's not 100's, but...)

It sounds as if you work with a group of active people. You've just started there and you've found rock climbers and people who play hoops. It must be making the transition a lot easier.

Good luck with the cut.

For those with problems getting the dumbbells into position:

Look into power hooks.

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/ph6.gif

For those with problems getting the dumbbells into position:

Look into power hooks.

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/ph6.gif


I have those at home...:nod:


Maybe I can snag a cheap used set and donate them to Thorbecke's....:lol:

For those with problems getting the dumbbells into position:

Look into power hooks.

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/ph6.gif

I may have to pick up a set and bring them with me to the gym each time.

For those with problems getting the dumbbells into position:

Look into power hooks.

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/ph6.gif

LOL, the guy doing dips looks to have some pretty extreme shoulder flexibility

I seriously noticed my increased strength and grip training...they have lead to a total loss of touch....I was throwing up some god-awful bricks this morning....:rolleyes:no kidding, me too! I couldn't believe my lack of finesse.

Seeing as how I abhor running on a treadmill, I am going to have to risk playing full court basketball in order to get my general fitness back to an acceptable level. I just need to try and keep the competitive juices under control and not play full tilt in trying to get every rebound like I normally do and play more of a perimeter game...just to get in some good running....we'll see how it goes.I bet it's kind of like playing bball with a rhinocerous on the court :lol: 6'5... 235#... that's some inertia.

I bet it's kind of like playing bball with a rhinocerous on the court :lol: 6'5... 235#... that's some inertia.

There are usually a couple of "sorta-fat" guys there....250....260....wait that me...:lol:
Seriously though, I'll usually match up with a guy my size...

It's almost impossible to believe that I was a 6'4" 165lb shooting guard in highschool...talk about a skinny bastard!!!

There are usually a couple of "sorta-fat" guys there....250....260....wait that me...:lol:
Seriously though, I'll usually match up with a guy my size...

It's almost impossible to believe that I was a 6'4" 165lb shooting guard in highschool...talk about a skinny bastard!!!

I'm only a year and a half out and I can remember being 175 and 240, weiiird

It sounds as if you work with a group of active people. You've just started there and you've found rock climbers and people who play hoops. It must be making the transition a lot easier.



:nod:

Here is the menu:
Basketball tuesday and thursday mornings
Rock climbing tuesday and thursdays at lunch
Ultimate frisbee wednesday at lunch

And then several guys go mountain biking at lunch when the temps drop below that of the surface of the sun....

One of these days I'm going to have to ditch my Wednesday workout and go do some ultimate frisbee....now there is some running!

Hmmmm.....I got a deload in a few weeks!!

LOL, the guy doing dips looks to have some pretty extreme shoulder flexibility


Thats how I do 'em...:nod:

I have always had really good shoulder flexibility...of course now that gives me no excuse for my piss poor overhead squats...:lol:

Thats how I do 'em...:nod:

I have always had really good shoulder flexibility...of course now that gives me no excuse for my piss poor overhead squats...:lol:

I can hit a tad below parallel before I feel the stretch on the innards of my shoulder which tells me to stop. On OHSQ I'm fine...

Basketball...believe it or not....has left me quite sore...:o
And a couple slips have my groin a little tight.

Climbing beat up my hands and gave me some other random bumps and bruises...

The good news is that my shoulder is feeling much better....

Just feeling a little beat up in general today...

I'm still going to the gym. But it is going to be one of those show up and see what happens sessions. I'm going to start with my Friday squats, but we'll see where they go...:scared:

Same for the standing BB press....I'm doing 'em, but will cut it short if the shoulder complains....

Today's workout will either be a nice surprise....or a huge dose of teh lame...

Squats
45 x 10
95 x 8
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 1
295 x 1
315 x 1 - PR
275 x 5

Superset: Standing BB Press / DB Row
45 x 10
95 x 10 / 40 x 10
135 x 8 / 60 x 8
155 x 8 / 80 x 8
165 x 5 / 100 x 8

Lateral Raise
20 x 10
25 x 10
30 x 10

Notes:
* On the bright side, when I got in the gym everything loosened up nicely with respect to the shoulder, groin, and quads
* The bad news is that my left elbow really flared up today...I started noticing it a bit the last couple climbing days...I may need to lay off climbing next week
* The 315 squat was a little sticky coming out of the hole but I got through it rather smoothly
* I have a little more in the tank but want to increase the max a little at a time
* I'll probably try to max again in a couple/few weeks
* The shoulder workout was kinda...meh...:blank: I just wasn't feeling it today

Congrats on the new PR! :tu:

6-pack squatter!! way to go!!!:bow:

Congrats on the PR wow nice work man. Nice fitness schedule and a good mix of of stuff there. Hope the groin is ok I know how painful that can be!

Nice squatting Michael! Congrats!:tu:

Congrats on the new PR! :tu:

6-pack squatter!! way to go!!!:bow:

Congrats on the PR wow nice work man. Nice fitness schedule and a good mix of of stuff there. Hope the groin is ok I know how painful that can be!

Nice squatting Michael! Congrats!:tu:

thanks everybody! I got another one of those mental milestones behind me....

If my body (namely my joints) play nice this week, I'm thinking about working toward the 300 bench again...:mad:...over the next several weeks.

Prepare yourself for boredom....
I guess one of the prices of reading my journal is that you get exposure to my OCD/impossibly analytical brain...and I like to spark discussions about things on my mind...a dangerous combo...you add the two and you get journal entries like this one...:rolleyes:

Something that has been a little off in my new travelling/working situation is the sleep pattern....I have a lot going against me in that respect...

The sleep issue hit home this morning when I got out of the shower to check my shaving job and noticed that it looked like I have shiners on both eyes...nice big purple-ish bags staring back at me.

I catch a plane at 7:30 PM Friday night on the way home.
Flight+airport time+ drive home has me getting home at midnight. Then of course I grab a small bite, peek in on my little girl, and "say hi" (:madpimp:) to the wife....
...and then it always takes me a good hour to fall asleep....and my daughter gets up at 7:00 AM pretty much like clockwork.
Then I catch the flight Sunday night at 9:30 PM back to Phoenix again getting me to sleep after midnight once again....by the time the work week starts, I am way behind...

Believe it or not, I have looked at quite a few different angles and iteneraries and I am just kinda stuck with this route...on one hand I want to maximize time with the family and on the other, I don't want to take a big gouge out of the revenue stream by leaving early Friday....

Much like many others...I have a sleep "pattern." I fall asleep around 10:00 and get up around 6:00 give or take...(we are talking Pacific time right now)

I basically screw up the pattern every weekend. I get back to the routine for the work week. "Catch up" a bit just in time to screw it all up again.

Fortunately, the time change factor goes away when Colorado falls back an hour here in a few weeks...I think that may help a bit because instead of getting home at midnight Friday, it will be 11....that's something I guess...
Another thing will be that I have managed to negotiate working out of Colorado Springs a week a month and will be doing some Fridays there also...leading to more Colorado time...yay.

You might look into melatonin. It helps me going from time zone to time zone or gets me reset back to normal hours about a day faster than normal. I don't always take it, just when I need it.

You might look into melatonin. It helps me going from time zone to time zone or gets me reset back to normal hours about a day faster than normal. I don't always take it, just when I need it.

I have been looking to an Advil PM on the nights when I really need sleep and have a shot at getting 9 hrs...like tonight...:(

All of my lifts went up from last week....which is good...:nod:

Front Squats
45 x 10
95 x 8
135 x 6
185 x 5
205 x 3
205 x 3

Superset: Cable Row / Dips
9 plates x 10 / BW x 10
12 x 10 / +25 x 8
15 x 10 / +45 x 8
18 x 8 / +70 x 8
20 x 8 / +90 x 5
20 x 8

Leg Curl
45 x 8
70 x 8
100 x 8
125 x 8
125 x 8

* My left elbow started getting a little unhappy as I was doing dips...:confused:
* I may try laying off them next week and see if it helps
* I still have flexibility issues during FSQ. It's not that they are terribly heavy, its just that the load on my lower back feels huge...probably because I am not upright enough...
* However, I am going to keep doing them because I was able to improve my OHS form by doing...OHS....:lol:

On the cutting front....the scale was pretty much the same when I weighed in this Saturday.
However, I am not thinking much of it.
- I ate a turkey sandwich at the airport Friday night (salt/bloat)
- I am stronger
- I feel a little leaner
- I actually felt good from a cardiovascular standpoint at the gym today and my supersets were a quick pace
- Hell, I don't want to cut fast anyway...

So, no modifications in the near future.
If the scale is the same mid-to-late October...then I'll really give changes another thought...

But for now, I have fallen into a pretty good groove and routine diet and exercise wise....
There is still no time for cooking in my schedule and there probably won't be until I get to working from Colorado a week here and there....

Today's theme....the good and the bad....it basically sucked and got all messed up.

First the bad.....my left shoulder and elbow are still killing me....

OHS
45 x 8
95 x 5
45 x 5

*- These just murdered my shoulder...:mad:

DB Shrug
75 x 10
100 x 10
115 x 8

*- same deal

Now the good....

BB Bench
Warmups....
185 x 5
225 x 5
265 x 3
265 x 3
265 x 3

*- this 3x3 is a PR and it did not bother my shoulder or elbow...:confused:

Leg Extensions
Just because I wanted a little more leg action
25 x 10
45 x 10
90 x 10
115 x 8

Notes:
- As a whole...lame
- My shoulder seems to be a rotational type issue
- I think I may try and lay off pressing for a while
- I may eliminate the climbing for a while too....
- No pressing may mean a two day split for a week or two....basically legs and back Monday and Friday.

Blah.

Here is one I wanted to make sure everyone got to see....

(Dave and the others without VIP...:cry:)

Our daughter during our family trip to Wisconsin this 4th of July...




Classic...:lol:....or maybe just funny to a Dad....anyway here you go...

Here is one I wanted to make sure everyone got to see....

(Dave and the others without VIP...:cry:)

Our daughter during our family trip to Wisconsin this 4th of July...




Classic...:lol:....or maybe just funny to a Dad....anyway here you go...

Great picture Michael!

:lol: Daughter is taking after her dad already!

:lol: Daughter is taking after her dad already!

We are getting her started on scuba diving early...:nod:...:lol:

She loves the pictures in the scuba mags....

that's an awesome pic!!!

Today's workout was fairly lame....

Leg Press
Rows
Shoulder Girdle stuff - laterals - rotations

The leg press at Thorbecke's is not going to work for me....
I think I'm too tall or something....my knees get out in front of my feet at the bottom of the motion...:scared:

Gotta run and catch a plane...:blank:

At least I headed home I guess!!! :spaz:

We had a big 2nd birthday party for my little girl this weekend.

Then I had to leave for Tempe again last night...:blank:

Had a baggage mishap and din't get to sleep last night until after 1...:blank:

I thought I might be getting a little bit of a stuffy head this weekend....woke up with a screaming sore throat this morning...:blank:

Didn't workout yestareday...:blank: Probably won't tomorrow either. :blank:

Life has been pretty sucky lately....leaving the family behind is getting a little old. My girl is at the age where she is asking mommy where Daddy is....and its just killing me.

We had a big 2nd birthday party for my little girl this weekend.

Then I had to leave for Tempe again last night...:blank:

Had a baggage mishap and din't get to sleep last night until after 1...:blank:

I thought I might be getting a little bit of a stuffy head this weekend....woke up with a screaming sore throat this morning...:blank:

Didn't workout yestareday...:blank: Probably won't tomorrow either. :blank:

Life has been pretty sucky lately....leaving the family behind is getting a little old. My girl is at the age where she is asking mommy where Daddy is....and its just killing me.

I hope you're feeling better real soon.

Is there any update to when you'll be able to work from Colorado?

Is there any update to when you'll be able to work from Colorado?

The schedule looks like this (for now):

Oct 10 - trial run from Colorado...test drive and work out any kinks...(makes for a 3-day weekend at home...although I'll be working on Friday)

Oct 27 -31 - first full week from CO.

Thanksgiving week from CO

Two weeks from CO for Christmas and New Years

And I'm hoping to squeeze in some Fridays or Mondays thrown in there once in a while as well....in order to extend the "at home" time.



Just gotta make it 4 more weeks...then the family time will increase a bit...

I'm glad to read that there's a transition plan in place and that the idea hadn't been put on hold.

The schedule looks like this (for now):

Oct 10 - trial run from Colorado...test drive and work out any kinks...(makes for a 3-day weekend at home...although I'll be working on Friday)

Oct 27 -31 - first full week from CO.

Thanksgiving week from CO

Two weeks from CO for Christmas and New Years

And I'm hoping to squeeze in some Fridays or Mondays thrown in there once in a while as well....in order to extend the "at home" time.



Just gotta make it 4 more weeks...then the family time will increase a bit...

Hang in there buddy! It sounds like things are going to be a lot more manageable in just a few short weeks!:nod:

I'm glad to read that there's a transition plan in place and that the idea hadn't been put on hold.

Hang in there buddy! It sounds like things are going to be a lot more manageable in just a few short weeks!:nod:

The CO work has been shot down for now....security issues at the CO Springs plant or some crap...:blank:

Shit.

Michael - I feel for you man and I hope you'll get your schedule worked out in your favor. I can't imagine being away from Gracie for long periods but your doing it for them too! Hang there man.

Michael - I feel for you man and I hope you'll get your schedule worked out in your favor. I can't imagine being away from Gracie for long periods but your doing it for them too! Hang there man.

Well, since I can't go home...they are coming here...
We are thinking a couple of two week stretches...one in Oct/Nov and the other in December.


I bet it's kind of like playing bball with a rhinocerous on the court :lol: 6'5... 235#... that's some inertia.

Along these same lines.....here is another one for you....

Yesterday, I played ultimate frisbee...for the first time in over a decade...

It was a great workout....probably even more running than soccer...:nod:...unless you play midfield...

Anyway, I think I did pretty good....scored three times and only gave up one...

I do, however, totally suck at throwing a frisbee...if they were the primary hunting devices used in gathering food...my family and I would be screwed...:scared:



In other news...I might get back in the gym one of these days...:rolleyes:...just been having too much fun with sports lately....basketball, climbing, ultimate frisbee, and possibly some mountain biking this winter....

The CO work has been shot down for now....security issues at the CO Springs plant or some crap...:blank:

Shit.

Sorry to read about that. I know how much you were counting on it.

Well, since I can't go home...they are coming here...
We are thinking a couple of two week stretches...one in Oct/Nov and the other in December.

It's nice to have that flexibility. Once the yungin's start school it's a whole different story.

Along these same lines.....here is another one for you....

Yesterday, I played ultimate frisbee...for the first time in over a decade...

It was a great workout....probably even more running than soccer...:nod:...unless you play midfield...

Anyway, I think I did pretty good....scored three times and only gave up one...

I do, however, totally suck at throwing a frisbee...if they were the primary hunting devices used in gathering food...my family and I would be screwed...:scared:

In other news...I might get back in the gym one of these days...:rolleyes:...just been having too much fun with sports lately....basketball, climbing, ultimate frisbee, and possibly some mountain biking this winter....

Sounds like you're staying very active with a lot of fun sport alternatives.

It's nice to have that flexibility. Once the yungin's start school it's a whole different story.

:nod:

....and a wife with a "hobby job" helps the flexibility too...

Michael - Hope all is well!

Michael - Hope all is well!

Meh...:blank:

Been in a bit of a depressed state lately....
- Have zero desire to workout
- I've been playing hoops, climbing, and ultimate frisbee instead because they all seem fun'er right now
- Definitely been eating "comfort foods" lately....translation: you can blow three good weeks of eating clean in one week....the scale says 240 right now...:eek: Strangely enough, I don't feel fat...the last two months my legs and back have really thickened up...:nod:
- Competition....ain't happenin'...it's going to have to wait until I am leading a more normal life...this contract is going to run until next March/April....and I simply don't think I have it in me to contest diet on the road, away from family support, etc....<fill in your favorite excuse>...the stage will still be there when I'm 36, 37 or however long it takes for me to get there...but I think the competition deserves better than the package I would be bringing next Spring...shit, I'm hoping to just keep myself together until next Spring...
- Which brings us to what has been on my mind lately....life simplification...but that is a whole 'nother post. In a nut shell, I'm going to take the next several years to cash in my chips. We are going to slowly sell everything...businesses, real estate, all of it....and I am going to retire...We are going to build a larger family and I want to be the cheesy Dad that coaches the teams, goes to the PTA meetings, and do all of the volunteer work I have always wanted to do but never had the time....but like I said, that will be another long, philisophical post that you will have to endure....:lol:

I've had so much on my mind over the last month...and the things that really matter come into perfect focus...

- Which brings us to what has been on my mind lately....life simplification...but that is a whole 'nother post. In a nut shell, I'm going to take the next several years to cash in my chips. We are going to slowly sell everything...businesses, real estate, all of it....and I am going to retire...We are going to build a larger family and I want to be the cheesy Dad that coaches the teams, goes to the PTA meetings, and do all of the volunteer work I have always wanted to do but never had the time....but like I said, that will be another long, philisophical post that you will have to endure....:lol:

I've had so much on my mind over the last month...and the things that really matter come into perfect focus...

that is so awesome! its great u've worked hard enough to set urself up for that. u'll love the simplification and i'm sure u'll find a way to keep making money with less and less work even while retired. ur family is going to be way better off having all ur time as well. good for you!! although you might have picked a better time to sell :p

- Which brings us to what has been on my mind lately....life simplification...but that is a whole 'nother post. In a nut shell, I'm going to take the next several years to cash in my chips. We are going to slowly sell everything...businesses, real estate, all of it....and I am going to retire...We are going to build a larger family and I want to be the cheesy Dad that coaches the teams, goes to the PTA meetings, and do all of the volunteer work I have always wanted to do but never had the time....but like I said, that will be another long, philisophical post that you will have to endure....:lol:

I've had so much on my mind over the last month...and the things that really matter come into perfect focus...
Doesn't sound cheesy to me at all, sounds like the perfect Dad!

the things that really matter come into perfect focus...

A shift in priorities can be a good thing :) I hope everything works out well for you!

Good luck with the change in lifestyle - though I'm sure your daughter will be delighted with your choice :)

that is so awesome! its great u've worked hard enough to set urself up for that. u'll love the simplification and i'm sure u'll find a way to keep making money with less and less work even while retired. ur family is going to be way better off having all ur time as well. good for you!!

Doesn't sound cheesy to me at all, sounds like the perfect Dad!

A shift in priorities can be a good thing :) I hope everything works out well for you!

Good luck with the change in lifestyle - though I'm sure your daughter will be delighted with your choice :)

Thanks everybody for the support and well wishes!



although you might have picked a better time to sell :p

Yeah....that's why it is going to take several years....fortunately, what I am looking to sell is spread over different markets and industries...

However, this year and next year are going to be one of the best times in history to be liquidating the gold I have been stockpiling since the mid-90's!!!! :spaz: $900-$1000 per ounce will be likely over the next 12 months...:nod:
Stocks...blarg...just going to hold what little I have in the general market...fortunately, I only have about 10% of my net worth in typical equities...the rest in some form of commodities...real estate, gold, natural gas, etc...

Thanks everybody for the support and well wishes!




Yeah....that's why it is going to take several years....fortunately, what I am looking to sell is spread over different markets and industries...

However, this year and next year are going to be one of the best times in history to be liquidating the gold I have been stockpiling since the mid-90's!!!! :spaz: $900-$1000 per ounce will be likely over the next 12 months...:nod:
Stocks...blarg...just going to hold what little I have in the general market...fortunately, I only have about 10% of my net worth in typical equities...the rest in some form of commodities...real estate, gold, natural gas, etc...

You make me want to retire before I even hit the work force:doh:

Meh...:blank:

Been in a bit of a depressed state lately....
- Have zero desire to workout
- I've been playing hoops, climbing, and ultimate frisbee instead because they all seem fun'er right now
- Definitely been eating "comfort foods" lately....translation: you can blow three good weeks of eating clean in one week....the scale says 240 right now...:eek: Strangely enough, I don't feel fat...the last two months my legs and back have really thickened up...:nod:
- Competition....ain't happenin'...it's going to have to wait until I am leading a more normal life...this contract is going to run until next March/April....and I simply don't think I have it in me to contest diet on the road, away from family support, etc....<fill in your favorite excuse>...the stage will still be there when I'm 36, 37 or however long it takes for me to get there...but I think the competition deserves better than the package I would be bringing next Spring...shit, I'm hoping to just keep myself together until next Spring...
- Which brings us to what has been on my mind lately....life simplification...but that is a whole 'nother post. In a nut shell, I'm going to take the next several years to cash in my chips. We are going to slowly sell everything...businesses, real estate, all of it....and I am going to retire...We are going to build a larger family and I want to be the cheesy Dad that coaches the teams, goes to the PTA meetings, and do all of the volunteer work I have always wanted to do but never had the time....but like I said, that will be another long, philisophical post that you will have to endure....:lol:

I've had so much on my mind over the last month...and the things that really matter come into perfect focus...

I think it sounds like an excellent plan Michael! I don't see anything cheesy about it at all!:tu:

You make me want to retire before I even hit the work force:doh:

Actually, that is a good attitude to have coming out of school...:nod:

Work hard early on, make some good investment moves, and find the shortest path from now until you can retire...

When finishing school, my plan was to retire by the time I was 45...or at least be in a position to where I didn't have to work...
I'll probably always have some kind of work...hopefully, in a couple years, I can do work that I want and the pay won't really matter...I'll be doing it because I like it and because it has a positive impact on my community....

Michael, I think it's wonderful that you're in a position to even contemplate making such a move at your age and it's even better that you got your priorities right in wanting to spend more time with your family.

As a dad who has coached his kids' teams for years, was Treasurer of the PTA for 6 years, shows up to all their games, concerts, etc. I have to tell you, cheesy or not, I love being able to do so. Of course, my wife and I would like to have figured out a way to retire, but all in good time.

I'm very happy for you and I hope it all works out.

I think it sounds like an excellent plan Michael! I don't see anything cheesy about it at all!:tu:

Michael, I think it's wonderful that you're in a position to even contemplate making such a move at your age and it's even better that you got your priorities right in wanting to spend more time with your family.

As a dad who has coached his kids' teams for years, was Treasurer of the PTA for 6 years, shows up to all their games, concerts, etc. I have to tell you, cheesy or not, I love being able to do so. Of course, my wife and I would like to have figured out a way to retire, but all in good time.

I'm very happy for you and I hope it all works out.


Thanks guys!

Hopefully, the little peices of the puzzle start falling into place this fall and winter....

I think the biggest challenge will be selling a business...with credit drying up, a lot of potential owners will simply not be able to make a move that they could have just 2 years ago...small business loans will most likely be extremely hard to come by for most folks...

The big house should be fairly reasonable. The market the house is in has been running 6-9 months and over 80% of the deals are cash deals...so I don't really have the financing issue to worry about there.

I'm going to give the gold a little more time...it usually has a nice run in the fall and winter months and with it being a "money shelter" in tough times, I expect demand to really pick up...I think it will easily be over 900 by Thanksgiving and maybe even 1000 by the end of the year.

Will you reveal what your job was/is in the near future? (yes, still curious)

Your plan sounds great, Michael :).

I've sworn to myself that as soon as I've graduated and have a steady income, I'm going to start with investments. I know very little about that kind of thing, but I'm willing to learn. My parents never bothered with investments and have next to no savings for once they retire. For them it's not that big a deal because the state will provide enough for them to live on but I'm not willing to put my future into the hands of the government - especially when it looks like the state-run retirement system won't be around for that much longer and I have no idea whether I'll be staying here long enough to get money out of it even if it does. :nope:


Will you reveal what your job was/is in the near future?

I know he denies it but I still think he's a hitman for the mob :nod:.

Will you reveal what your job was/is in the near future? (yes, still curious)

When my current contract is over I will let everyone know what I have been doing....naturally, the client list has to remain in the vault...

Your plan sounds great, Michael :).

I've sworn to myself that as soon as I've graduated and have a steady income, I'm going to start with investments. I know very little about that kind of thing, but I'm willing to learn. My parents never bothered with investments and have next to no savings for once they retire. For them it's not that big a deal because the state will provide enough for them to live on but I'm not willing to put my future into the hands of the government - especially when it looks like the state-run retirement system won't be around for that much longer and I have no idea whether I'll be staying here long enough to get money out of it even if it does. :nope:


I think you are wise beyond your years to make that kind of acknowledgement....just like in this country....if anyone out there thinks they will be getting social security 25 years from now they are shamelessly deluding themselves...:lol:


I know he denies it but I still think he's a hitman for the mob :nod:.


:scared:



I guess I could loosely be called a "recovery agent"....there that should tease everyone just enough to really get the wheels turning....:spaz:

Got some full court basketball in this morning and will be hitting the climbing gym today at lunch.

I was going to workout yesterday but there was a storm of work that hit around 11:00...no dice...

Tomorrow, non-stop running and ultimate frisbee...

I guess I could loosely be called a "recovery agent"....there that should tease everyone just enough to really get the wheels turning....:spaz:

I still think you might be Gordon Gekko.......or maybe his little (and much stronger) brother!:lol::lol::lol::D

http://www.elscottharrell.com/2007/05/fugitive_recove.html
:spaz:

Are you teh Dog!?!

I still think you might be Gordon Gekko.......or maybe his little (and much stronger) brother!:lol::lol::lol::D

http://www.elscottharrell.com/2007/05/fugitive_recove.html
:spaz:

Are you teh Dog!?!


Bwahahaha!! :lol:...:spaz:

Gold has already flown by the $900/oz mark...:madpimp:

Everything is going right for gold right now:
- Govt. pouring money into the economy = inflation
- Fed cutting rates = inflation
- Many other countries cutting interest rates = inflation
- Oil is down almost 50% off its highs this summer but gas is still over $3/gal....that is inflation
- on and on...

At this rate, gold will be over $1000/oz before the end of the year...:nod:


I have found a Canadian gold penny stock that I think has a legitimate chance to go 5x by next spring/summer...:eek: Anyone want to gamble with me!? :spaz:
I'm going to take a couple more weeks to do some deep investigations and call some people that I know in the mining business to try and get as much info as I can....I also want it to get down to CAD$0.05 before I buy it....also the exchange rate should be working in my favor...the CAD is temporarily taking a major beating which makes the shares extra cheap right now...

When you retire you can become my personal investment advisor :D.

I have some bad news....my adventure is going to take a 180 degree turn.

I think my weight gain over the last couple years may be catching up to me a little...or its just flat out getting older....

I was so stiff playing basketball today....it took me several games to warm up a little...then my knees/ankles/hips started killing me...

While it has been fun getting to personal record levels of strength, I simply refuse to live in pain due to the extra weight being toted around...

I am going to change up what little lifting I have been doing lately to a higher rep scheme and continue playing all the sports that I have been lately and get back on my cutting program that was working for three weeks in September. Hopefully, I can get down where I was around the end of last year...205-210...that will be a great start...

It is definitely going to cost me mass and strength but I just refuse to live in pain like this...there was a time when I was a tremendous athlete and days like today are simply embarrassing to me....I was literally hobbling up and down the court like men do when they are 60...not 35...

So, the leg destruction adventure is no more for me....its now a strightforward shrinking Michael adventure....

OMG, I just want to be toned....:cry:

Maybe someone can save me all of the struggle and just shoot me and put me out of my misery like they do with broken down race horses...:rolleyes:

OMG, I just want to be toned....:cry:

:lol: This begs to be sigged.

Maybe someone can save me all of the struggle and just shoot me and put me out of my misery like they do with broken down race horses...:rolleyes:

:nope:

Look at it this way: you can shed some of the fat and then get back into lifting for strength. Maybe you just need to make some adjustments with regard to your nutrition so that you don't gain that much fat. I think it's doable.

Look at it this way: you can shed some of the fat and then get back into lifting for strength. Maybe you just need to make some adjustments with regard to your nutrition so that you don't gain that much fat. I think it's doable.

I figure I can drop about 20lbs of fat and be at 220 and around 10% BF.
The muscle loss should be really slow as I will still be very active and lifting a little...but I am not going to be doing the huge weights and low reps that I have been....so loss of muscle mass is inevitable...
That being said, in trimming down, I'll probably drop a good 5lbs of mass along with my BF...so 215 and 10% is probably more likely...

And you know what...I'm totally cool with that...
I mean, who wouldn't want to be 10% BF at 215....I guess an 8'7" guy...because he would be a skinny bastard...

I figure I can drop about 20lbs of fat and be at 220 and around 10% BF.
The muscle loss should be really slow as I will still be very active and lifting a little...but I am not going to be doing the huge weights and low reps that I have been....so loss of muscle mass is inevitable...
That being said, in trimming down, I'll probably drop a good 5lbs of mass along with my BF...so 215 and 10% is probably more likely...

And you know what...I'm totally cool with that...
I mean, who wouldn't want to be 10% BF at 215....I guess an 8'7" guy...because he would be a skinny bastard...

:lol:

good luck with the cut. should be great with all the sports u participate in.

I have found a Canadian gold penny stock that I think has a legitimate chance to go 5x by next spring/summer...:eek: Anyone want to gamble with me!? :spaz:
I'm going to take a couple more weeks to do some deep investigations and call some people that I know in the mining business to try and get as much info as I can....I also want it to get down to CAD$0.05 before I buy it....also the exchange rate should be working in my favor...the CAD is temporarily taking a major beating which makes the shares extra cheap right now...
I'm interested...Penny stocks are probably the riskiest place to invest, but if all works out...the payoff is huge. You're either screwed or look like a genius.

Tell me more about this via PM or here (serious).

I would be interested if I had more than 3 grand to my name :lol:. Good luck on ur cut, don't do it like I did. 3 bowls of wheaties a day and thats it :cool:

I'm interested...Penny stocks are probably the riskiest place to invest, but if all works out...the payoff is huge. You're either screwed or look like a genius.

Tell me more about this via PM or here (serious).

You got it.
I'm gathering information this weekend and will likely make a decision mid to late next week....

I would be interested if I had more than 3 grand to my name :lol:. Good luck on ur cut, don't do it like I did. 3 bowls of wheaties a day and thats it :cool:

I hope by bowls you mean a box and a quart of milk in a mixing bowl...:lol:...you're a big boy afterall!!

Here is what I did for 3 weeks in September that worked incredibly well...


"Michael's No-Cooking and No Dishes Diet"
- 7AM: Egg Whites, 1 slice cheese, 1 low-carb tortilla (OK 2 minutes of microwave :rolleyes:)
- 10 AM: 1 scoop nitrean 3 scoops mass maker (Oh yeah, gotta rinse the shaker...:rolleyes:)
- 1 PM: 1 scoop nitrean 3 scoops mass maker
- 4 PM: 1 scoop nitrean 3 scoops mass maker
- 7 PM: Dinner out

Dinner Out is one of the following:
- 8oz sirloin steak, salad, mashed potatoes (no gravy)
- 8oz salmon filet on bed of veggies
- 8oz chicken breast, salad, potatoes

In 3 weeks, I lost 5lbs and was hitting records on squats....and I was eating whatever the hell on the weekends...

Then I proceeded to destroy my gains the last two weeks...:doh:
But back to it...hopefully next week....

I think I can ride this diet all the way to 10% BF....:nod:
It is perfect for living on the road....and I can say that I'm drinking my lunch...:madpimp:

I would be interested if I had more than 3 grand to my name :lol:.

+1

HHHHEEELLLLLLOOOOO????!!!! (echoes)

Dude where are you at man? Get back in here and start posting. There are some of us that read this, eh? Sheesh. The nerve of some people. :lol:

I'm caught up here in the thread now...

Ok so have you been taking any glucosamine (3 a day) and some serious doseages of fish oils (like 9 a day)? If not, I suggest doing as such and getting back to your leg routine.

Might I suggest switching up your diet and start slowly cutting. This will allow you to strip off some of the chub you got making you look better and lighten the load making things easier on the hips, knees, etc.

Its a win, win situation! :tu:

There is no reason why you cannot be 210 lbs of rock solid mass, am I right?

...

YES, YES I AM RIGHT!

So get your ass back in the gym and start doing alot of this :bb: GAR! But with your LEGS GAR!

:p

[EDIT- Had I been paying attention to the last little bit of the thread I would have noticed you are cutting, whoops...my bad.]

[DOUBLE EDIT- Dude I really missed out on the last part of the thread. However I have read it and I'm caught up...for sure this time. Dude don't crap out on the lifting! thats just silly man. Still give it balls to the wall. You want to keep all the muscle you have. Just cut slowly, you know? Don't throw away all those countless hours in the gym. Besides, What happened to the competing idea? ...God I really shouldn't leave for extended periods of time. Look what happens?!]

I'm still around...a bit...
Mostly just shoot the shinola downstairs....

I started playing some basketball, climbing, and well, doing things that require some level of athleticism this fall and I got a very rude awakening...

I got up a little over 240 lbs. and it was really beating on my joints...for real... That's not some made up thing so I can be lazy...

In the last 6 weeks or so, I have dropped 12 pounds and I have been feeling much better after running around....especially basketball.
I'm just not made for that much weight.

Don't get me wrong, benching 300, deadlifting over 400, and getting my squat into the mid 300's was some of the coolest acheivments of my life...but the cost was too high. I was in massive pain after doing some of the other things I enjoy in life...It would literally hurt to go up and down the stairs for two days after basketball/ultimate frisbee/or running of any kind.

So I decided to cut back down into the lower 200's...I am hoping for 220-225 by the end of the year...once I get my weight down to where sports don't hurt anymore, I'll look to maintain or just shoot for lower bodyfat.

I have been doing some light pressing lately to keep my shoulders healthy and I am quite pleased with the way my leg size has maintained....and climbing has certainly helped maintain my back thickness...the only thing that has really suffered are my arms....for me they look almost comically small...:lol:

Don't fret, the gym will always be one of my loves...:love:
But the leg destruction adventure is going on the shelf...maybe forever...if I had only done it when I was 20...:dreamy:

Well its nice to see your alive and well, sorta, lol.

I'd most likely be joining ya downstairs if I could but I am too broke at the moment, LOL. Ahh well, no worries.

Well bra! If you feel your bones are taking too much of a beating then you got to to what you got to do, right?

I know I have those days where I feel I've beaten myself a little too much. But to be frank with you, If I can still walk and move it isn't that bad, lol. I'm a sucker for punishment.

Not always a good thing I must say. But I am my fathers son, lol.

"Strong like Ox, Smart like tractor"

As my Dido likes to put it :D


I hope to see you get back into the bodybuilding thing full swing one day. You have some serious potential. But if not, well thats the way it is, right? You have to look out for you and whats going to be the best for you. I can tell ya serious powerlifting and bodybuilding isn't for everyone. I don't mean that as in you cannot hack it but rather sometimes the pain isn't worth it.

Look at Tom Prince near the end of his career his shoulders were so badly beat up he usually had to warm up his for 20 min before his gym partner (Bob Cicherillo) would get to the gym to train shoulders. He had to ice them constantly, plus I'm sure pop advil like candy. He couldn't sleep properly because of his shoulders as well. Shit, is that worth it?

If it wasn't for his kidneys failing him and being forced into retirement it would have been his shoulders forcing him into retirement shortly after that.

I completely understand.

Anyways, post a little more upstairs. Some of us enjoy your posts :p

I got up a little over 240 lbs. and it was really beating on my joints...for real... That's not some made up thing so I can be lazy...

In the last 6 weeks or so, I have dropped 12 pounds and I have been feeling much better after running around....especially basketball.
I'm just not made for that much weight.

Don't get me wrong, benching 300, deadlifting over 400, and getting my squat into the mid 300's was some of the coolest acheivments of my life...but the cost was too high. I was in massive pain after doing some of the other things I enjoy in life...It would literally hurt to go up and down the stairs for two days after basketball/ultimate frisbee/or running of any kind.

So I decided to cut back down into the lower 200's...I am hoping for 220-225 by the end of the year...once I get my weight down to where sports don't hurt anymore, I'll look to maintain or just shoot for lower bodyfat.
Michael, I think that even at the lower bodyweight you should be able to not only get back to the same gym poundages but also greatly surpass them. :) Unless you mean that the lifting itself was doing the harm and not just the heavier bodyweight. :confused: :o

Good to hear from you Michael! I miss reading your journal entries. I have a feeling that you won't be able to stay away from the iron for too long!:D

Thanks for the support and understanding fellas...
I'll be hitting the iron again, but not like I used to....


Unless you mean that the lifting itself was doing the harm and not just the heavier bodyweight. :confused: :o

The lifting wasn't the issue...:nope:

It was hauling around the extra weight. Even before my comeback last year, the last time I was really active was back before my car wreck....at 190lbs-195lbs...

So I did my comeback, got bigger and stronger, and had no idea what I was in store for. So I started playing some hoops again and started noticing the issues....
At first, I chalked it up to, being "out of condition." But after giving it a month and things were not improving, I felt like it had to be the weight. Now, it very well could be that I am older and have arthritis....:confused:....but I really don't think so...it doesn't run in my family for one...and it usually doesn't strike all of you lower extremeties at once...:lol:

Like I said, I'm sure the iron is always going to be part of my life, but for now, I need to get my body into more usable form so that I can enjoy the other parts of life....I have a 2 year old to chase around...:D

Hey Michael!

Good to see you around again. I can truly sympathize with you regarding the aching joints because of the extra weight. Within a couple of months of not following my meal schedules and workouts the weight began to bother my lower extremities. I recall those long days on my feet when I was 200+ last year. I would come home kick back and ease away the pains with a few cold brews.

I assure you that once you get your weight down the problems with your "arthritis" will go away :nod:

Oh and you aint old, man! :lol:

Michael, I completely understand you wanting to rejigger your exercise/workout schemes so that the iron doesn't stop you from doing all the other things you want.

Good luck with it all working out.

I have my family down here in Tempe for a few weeks....
I really like seeing my little girl everyday...its the best.

I now know that we can get by in a 300 square foot Extended Stay Hotel room....:lol:

Hope your Turkey Day is going well.

hey michael...glad to hear ur getting to spend some time with your family. that's great they're able to be with you. hope ur thanksgiving is magnificent!! :D

Hope your Turkey Day is going well.

Thanks buddy!

hey michael...glad to hear ur getting to spend some time with your family. that's great they're able to be with you. hope ur thanksgiving is magnificent!! :D

It's been wonderful for my soul....bad for my waistline...:o

Happy Thanksgiving to you and those that you love! :)

So, I'm still in Tempe....which of course is good and bad. Good for the dollars, but bad for my sanity in being away from the family.

However, we have come up with a decent solution for getting our family together in one place. I found a decent place to rent down here, and the plan is for my women to come down here two weeks per month…and then I’m hoping to swing working from home one week per month as well. That would keep us together for 3 weeks each month…yay!

The only downside is the travel schedule for me….for instance, here is January:
Fly back to PHX Jan 4.
Fly to DEN Jan 9
Drive to PHX Jan 10
Drive back to DEN Jan 24
Fly back to PHX Feb 1

Rinse repeat until end of contract.

Health wise....

I have come to the conclusion that this is the year my body got old.
The years of basketball, football, climbing, weightlifting, mountain biking, and on and on have finally caught up to me.
I have had more injuries in the last 6 months than I did in my previous 35 years on the planet combined...by a mile...
- Hips
- Knees
- Ankles
- Elbows
- Shoulders
- Calves
- Achilles
- Hamstrings

It got pretty rediculous. That's why I simply decided to "lose weight." I think the additional 20-30 pounds I was carrying around was just beating me and my joints up.

My tenative goals are to get down to 220-225 at all costs by the end of the year...and then cut less aggresively after the first of the year to the 210-215 range and review how I am doing. If I am still in pain, I may cut more...we'll see.

While the days of huge numbers are sadly behind me, I am looking forward to playing a nice game of pickup basketball and not needing an entire week to recover so that I can get out of bed and not be in excruciating pain.

Fitness stuff....

I have cut back basketball to either once a week or not at all...
I am still climbing on Tuesdays and Thursdays...
I am still playing ultimate frisbee every Wednesday...

After the first of the year, I am going to start doing a straight forward all body workout on Mondays....just to get some resistance training in there...

I am currently eating far below maintenance in order to dump the initial 20 pounds...Sadly, I'm sure I'll lose 5-8 so pounds of muscle, but I think it needs to be done in order to get down in the lower 200's...

After the first of the year, I'm going to add in a protein shake in order to get a little closer to maintenance and look to focus on shaving off a little fat each week.

Anyway, that is whats going on and my plans for the next 2 or 3 months....

Good luck with everything Michael.

Sounds like a solid plan Michael.

I'm glad to hear that you are going to be able to spend a lot more time with your family!:tu:

Michael, I'm glad to read that you've figured out a way to spend more time with your family. I'm sure everyone will benefit from it event though it's going to require a lot of extra travel. January 9/10 when you're flying home and leaving to go back the next day sounds like a real whirlwind.

Good luck with hitting your fitness goals.

Thanks fellas!

I have a big weigh in this weekend....
I literally have not been on a scale since a couple weeks before Thanksgiving....I need to be around 228...

I was right at 230 on November 15th...added some over the two weeks the family was in Tempe with me and been spot on the diet the last two weeks.

If I were gambling actual money, I would bet I am 227....I guess that is what I am feeling anyway...:lol:

Thanks fellas!

I have a big weigh in this weekend....
I literally have not been on a scale since a couple weeks before Thanksgiving....I need to be around 228...

I was right at 230 on November 15th...added some over the two weeks the family was in Tempe with me and been spot on the diet the last two weeks.

If I were gambling actual money, I would bet I am 227....I guess that is what I am feeling anyway...:lol:

:lol:

good luck with that!! what was the highest ur weight got btw??

:lol:

good luck with that!! what was the highest ur weight got btw??

243...:scared:

Actually scratch that...


243. Shortly after I hit a bench for 305...:flex:

I never really got to where I felt the BF was getting way too high...I think that would have come around 250...My legs and back really blew up in the fall on the leg destruction adventure...:nod:

But alas, I am blaming the weight for my joint beating...:(

It's good to see you posting again, Michael :).

You've been neglecting the WL, though :spank:.

You've been neglecting the WL, though :spank:.

:scared:

Not sure if I have to go through the hazing again....:rolleyes:

The scale said 225 this weekend...which I am very happy about.
I am now down nearly 20 pounds from my high...
Pretty much everything is really starting to tighten up....

I am staying the course...and still believe that I'll be in pretty darn good shape when I hit 215....

I noticed that my membership expired this weekend...

I need to see what I happen to have sitting in my PayPal and use that to get what upgrade I can...when I get around to it, I need to do the lifetime so that I don't have to mess with it anymore...

Hey Michael, good to see you back round these parts again :)






I was going to rep you for being a badass assassin but I can't rep you more than once :cry:

Hey Michael, good to see you back round these parts again :)






I was going to rep you for being a badass assassin but I can't rep you more than once :cry:

Thanks man...

No worries...I was going to see if John could give me a -69,385 rep...:lol:...just to be funneh.

Some freak crap weather has hit greater Phoenix lately.
40's and rain the last 3 days and into tomorrow.

It cancelled basketball yesterday and will do so Friday as well I'm sure.
Ultimate Frisbee has been cancelled today to boot...

So, I am settling for just climbing Tuesday and Thursday...

I am very tempted to hit Thorbecke's on Saturday and do a full body workout just to see how weak I have gotten...:o

I used to have my numbers fall after missing 2 weeks...I'm probably going to be hella weak having missed over 2 months...:scared:

Good to see you posting again, Michael.:madpimp:

Good to see you posting again, Michael.:madpimp:


Thanks buddy!

Worked 50 hours last week...:blank:

10 hours yesterday (Saturday)...:blank:

In again today (Sunday)...:blank:

Been eating crap becuase its convenient and fast...just hope I can hang on to my 225 for the end of the year...which is going to be especially challenging with my Mom coming to visit for a week.....my God she is the best cook I have ever known...:nod:

Hang in there buddeh yous bee feelen much bettah fo holden outt an not eatin da junkeh fuud.

merry christmas big buddy!!! hope you enjoy ur day with ur lovely ladies!!

Happy New Year Michael, hope your Christmas was great!

Michael, best wishes for health, happiness, and lots of laughter in 2009. I hope you've got the road warrior lifestyle totally under control now and that you are able to spend lots of quality time with your beautiful women.

merry christmas big buddy!!! hope you enjoy ur day with ur lovely ladies!!

It was a wonderful time! :nod:

Thanks Deja... :)

Happy New Year Michael, hope your Christmas was great!

Michael, best wishes for health, happiness, and lots of laughter in 2009. I hope you've got the road warrior lifestyle totally under control now and that you are able to spend lots of quality time with your beautiful women.

Thanks fellas!

Weight

I hit my goal of 225 or less before the end of the year...
I was 224 when I got home on Christmas eve.

I gained quite a few back in the usual family and celebration gorgefests...:rolleyes:

I am going to do my best to hit 220 by the end of Jan.

Work/Life
Moved into an apartment yesterday and today down in Tempe.
I get triple the square footage for only a minor increase in my monthly expense...
But now I have two houses and an apartment...:eek: I need to sell one of the Colorado houses...
This weekend is the dreaded double commute: fly home Friday night and drive back non-stop on Saturday.


Fun Stuff
My buddy James flew down yesterday and we went to the Fiesta Bowl...even though the Buckeyes lost, the game was awesome.

Factoid that may only interest me...
- When considering attending a "major" event, it pays to wait until the last minute to buy tickets. Three weeks ago, crappy nose-bleed tickets were going for $150-$200 a pop on StubHub...
- James, on the night before the game found a guy with first row, club level seats and a Red parking pass for $280...
- I met him at lunch 6 hours before the game and bought the tix.
- For $140 each we sat in the luxury box, full service bar, buffet, the whole nine...it totally ruled.

As usual, the first week of January is not a good time to be a Buckeye coordinator. :mad: Radio waves are tearing them up today.

No doubts you'll meet your goals for January, Michael. Great job pre-holidays!!

As usual, the first week of January is not a good time to be a Buckeye coordinator. :mad: Radio waves are tearing them up today.


I'll bet...the last 3 BCS games came down to the fact that they simply cannot stop the 5 yard pass...

Something became clear in this game seeing it live...

Tyrelle Pryor, great athlete and all, cannot throw a football...period.

My 13 year old nephew throws a better football than him. No shit. :nod:

If they teach him how to throw, then he will be the great player that everyone makes him out to be...

My buddy James flew down yesterday and we went to the Fiesta Bowl...even though the Buckeyes lost, the game was awesome.

- For $140 each we sat in the luxury box, full service bar, buffet, the whole nine...it totally ruled.

:drool: if only they had won i'd say this was pretty close to heaven. i'm so jealous!!!



Tyrelle Pryor, great athlete and all, cannot throw a football...period.

My 13 year old nephew throws a better football than him. No shit. :nod:

If they teach him how to throw, then he will be the great player that everyone makes him out to be...

ur 100% right. :nod: he really can't throw for shit.

Been working long hours since the holiday break...

When we drove from home (CO) to Tempe Saturday I was able to get my mountain bike down here...

That will add some additional recreation to the mix.

I hope to do the following:
Monday: full body workout
Tuesday: mountain biking
Wednesday: ultimate frisbee
Thursday: Climbing
Friday: Basketball

And I may throw in climbing Tuesday evening as well...depending upon how the weights beat me up at first...

I have not stepped on a scale since the end of Christmas break...
I added a couple back since my low in mid-December...
On Jan 4th, I weighed in at 228...

I'm still shooting for 220 by the end of the month.

I think dropping weight has helped me already...my right knee has not been nearly as bad lately...much better than when I played hoops in early December and was pretty much in excruciating pain the whole time.

Unfortunately, my muscle loss is quite obvious...I'll bet I have lost over an inch on my arms and probably at least an in on my thighs... :(
Hopefully, the muscle loss will slow down and I can focus on dropping 15 pounds of fat over the next few months...
I still think I will be in great shape at 210...and totally shredded at 200.

That's the hope anyway...:rolleyes:

Hell yeah Michael, we are at an all time high today @ 0.0374. I've made forty dollars today.

Too bad they didn't place my order when it was at 0.018. I could have made $350.

Hey Man!

I will be in Scottsdale at the end of March. Will you be in Tempe then? Would love to hook up and hang out. Let me know!

Hey Man!

I will be in Scottsdale at the end of March. Will you be in Tempe then? Would love to hook up and hang out. Let me know!

:nod:

I'll be there....