This is Loki. He's the best dog ever. I love him very much.

what a cute dog, i got a 2 yr. old golden retriever

Aaww :) Cutie!
Very nice picture!, but you wouldn't carry him around in a handbag if he was smaller, would you? :confused:
Weird how much pets means to you, huh! :nod: Love my dog and my cat very much too.

All of your pictures are really awesome. I love this website. It is so informative. If I were you, I would eat more calories to bulk. I think the thin and lean look is going out of style and a more muscular masculine appearance is what will attract the women. I am sure your wife would like it a lot if you gained back some of your weight as muscle. Congratulations and thank you so much for this web sight!

This morning's workout was incredible. Excuse the lame cliché, but I really felt like an animal in there. I'm making big ("newbie") gains in strength.

Here are this week's pictures (EDIT: and a big version of my first picture for comparison)

This morning's workout was incredible. Excuse the lame cliché, but I really felt like an animal in there. I'm making big ("newbie") gains in strength.

Here are this week's pictures:


Wow ! You're really starting to get broad.

Big difference in your pics (and pecs :p ) as of late.

Bulking is the icing on the cake after all your hard work.

You're getting that bodybuilder look now.. :tu:

Wow ! You're really starting to get broad.

Big difference in your pics (and pecs :p ) as of late.

Bulking is the icing on the cake after all your hard work.

You're getting that bodybuilder look now.. :tu:Even though I've only been bulking for a week, I resumed my upper body workouts like a month ago. I made some pretty good progress before this week, but now that my diet is geared towards bulking my energy levels are through the roof. I expect things to really take off over the next few months.

One area in particular that needs a lot of work are my traps. I've been hitting them especially hard the last 4 weeks or so. I think putting some more meat on my traps will help make my upper body look a lot more solid and help round out my physique.

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement! :)

Wow John, you are looking so good already. When you finish the phase, you are going to look awesome. Much better than that too skinny guy you're leaving behind (hehehe) Cant wait to see your progress...going super so far! :tucool:

Wow John, you are looking so good already. When you finish the phase, you are going to look awesome. Much better than that too skinny guy you're leaving behind (hehehe) Cant wait to see your progress...going super so far! :tucool:
Thanks very much - I'm working on it!! :)

I thought it would be funny to post some pictures of me from the early 90s... I was in a band, smoked, had long hair and was pretty skinny...

...and this is Lisa and her best friend Denise around the time I met them (late 80s/early 90s).

my how people change. John you have the same face but you look so different. I dont think I have seen a picture of Lisa though so I cant compare. I was the anti-John. I was big into rap music. I wanted to be Vanilla Ice without the high hair. Feel fre to take shots at me for admitting that. I know theres a lot more out there who were big fans.

I thought it would be funny to post some pictures of me from the early 90s... I was in a band, smoked, had long hair and was pretty skinny...

props to hair metal and acid-washed jeans with holes in the knees... i feel like im watching "Where Are They Now?" on VH-1! The pics look to have been taken in Florida... Whats the story behind how you ended up in FL? College? Job? Band?

Lisa was a model, right? :eek:
John, we had the same hair back then. I had long, dark hair when I was a kid :D

I was big into rap music. I wanted to be Vanilla Ice without the high hair. Feel fre to take shots at me for admitting that. I know theres a lot more out there who were big fans.
Hrm... we must've run with very different crowds. ;)

Whats the story behind how you ended up in FL? College? Job? Band?That's a long, semi-interesting story. I'm just sitting here waiting for a hurricane, so why not...

OK. I grew up in a suburb just north of Houston, Texas. A (former) friend of mine's Grandmother died. She owned a house in Florida that was totally paid for and left it to her son (my (former) friend's father). My (former) friend's father offered the house to him, and my (former) friend asked me and a mutual buddy of ours if we wanted to move to Florida, find jobs, find bands (we were all musicians) and basically party: "Sun Kings In Paradise" was the idea.

When this opportunity to move to Florida came along I was 19 and a little over a year out of high school. I wasn't ready for college yet, and was instead working as a pizza parlor manager. The job paid pretty well, but the work and the hours sucked. I was still living at my mom's house at the time, and that sucked too. I had a girlfriend, but I was sick of her. I didn't have much money because I'd always spend it as soon as I got my paycheck on such vital items as music equipment, my 1970 Firebird and weed, but my (former) friend assured me that we would need very little money to survive - basically the house taxes, the power bill, the phone bill, food and (of course) dope. Yeah, I was a big stoner back then. I eventually gave pot up completely, but it was not easy.

Anyway, his idea sounded great to me. I quit my job, dumped my girlfriend, said goodbye to my family, animals and friends, loaded my Firebird with as much stuff as I could fit in it, and set off for my new home in the pre-dawn hours of the last day of July, 1988. I drove straight through without stopping, which was a very bad move: the drive was absolute torture. I was very tired and very HOT (my Firebird had no A/C). I managed to make it to Florida and all was well, at least for a while.

As it turns out, my (former) friend didn't tell his father, who lived in California, that he was bringing two friends along. He didn't bother to let me or the other guy know that he had not told his father about us either. The cat was out of the bag the first time I answered the phone:

"Hello?"
"Hello, who's this?"
"John."
"Hello John, are you a friend of Randy's?"
"Yes, we worked together in Houston."
"Oh, are you visiting?"
"No, I live here!"
[silence]
"Put Randy on."

I'd never met Randy's dad, but as it turns out he is a real asshole. Once Randy's dad found out we were living there rent-free, he cooked up a scheme: he would now purport to charge all of us rent to live there, when in fact he was only charging me and the other guy and not Randy. To make matters worse, he was sending Randy our money after he'd cashed our checks! Randy could have leveled with us, but instead he continued lying to us and continued to keep our money (of course we didn't know this - at least not yet). We were barely making ends meet as it was, because we all had shitty minimum wage jobs. Somehow we came up with the money for a few months, and dutifully mailed it off to Randy's father. I thought it was odd that every time we mailed the rent to Randy's father, a letter would arrive about a week later to Randy from his father. I also noticed that Randy was eating things like steak while I was eating peanut butter almost every day. One day the letter came and I said screw it and opened it up. Sure enough, there was a check from Randy's dad to Randy for the exact amount of our combined rent checks. My other friend, who was homesick, packed his stuff and left right away when I told him what was going on. I didn't want to leave, because by this point I'd met Lisa and we were falling in love. I confronted Randy and he started blubbering, his 6' 2" 260 pound frame shaking uncontrollably as he spilled his guts. It was pathetic.

So Randy told his dad that I knew. His dad promptly raised the rent even higher. Randy was too much of a wuss to stand up to his dad (even 3,000 miles away) and all he could do was watch as his friends disappeared leaving him with a collapsed stack of lies and an overbearing father. That was the end of our friendship.

With Lisa's help, I found an apartment and stayed in Florida. By the time my first year's lease was up, Lisa and I decided to move in together and found a much nicer place. After living together for a few years, we had a house built and were married in April 1994.

Damn, I guess that's the short version. A lot of crazy shit happened in the 1990s...

Lisa was a model, right? :eek:
John, we had the same hair back then. I had long, dark hair when I was a kid :DShe did a little bit of modeling back then, and even had a couple of bit parts on a TV series (but she won't let me say which one). :)

Here are this week's upper body workout pictures. They are not very good pictures, sorry!

I'm starting to notice some increased size, and some very nice strength gains...

Couple of tricep shots in addition to what has become my standard pose.

:lol: My my what a big uhhh.... dumbell you have john :lol:

sry man some1 had to say it and I GOT HERE FIRST!!! lol

todays the 6th, no pic update?

Its irrelivent because there is a hurricane and john PROBABLY does not have any power whatsoever... if u can look at his pictures surely you can read what it says way above on the main page

todays the 6th, no pic update?

notice that Johns last daily update was the 5th of Sept... Yesteryday. I'm pretty sure John is without power right now, and updating the site and/or pics is the furthest thing from his mind. Surely he is working overtime trying to save all his frozen chicken breasts, salmon, and FROZEN PIZZAS from rotting in his freezer! :gl:

todays the 6th, no pic update?
Heh. I knew there'd be at least one...

Heh. I knew there'd be at least one...

lmfao, never fails, does it :lol:

...and this is Lisa and her best friend Denise around the time I met them (late 80s/early 90s).


Which one's Lisa again?

Which one's Lisa again?
Lisa's in the black and pink bikini.

Yep - the late 80s/early 90s was certainly an interesting period in fashion. I do believe I had a mullet back then :o

Yep - the late 80s/early 90s was certainly an interesting period in fashion. I do believe I had a mullet back then :o

I was a youngin back then and was sporting a flat top with pride. Funny how much things change isnt it?

No mullet here but I did have a short flirtation with the Flock of Seagulls that luckily was never captured on celluloid. Thank God digital cameras didn't exist then! :D

My scanner broke a while ago. I really need to buy another one. I've got some real gems in the form of traditional photo prints.

Before I really grew my hair out like the pictures I just posted from the early 90s I had an absolutely stunning mullet. :o

I've never mentioned this before, but I broke my toe on January 6, 2003 (the first day of my transformation!) while playing with the dogs. I was fat and clumsy, I guess. Of course I took a picture of it.... :D

It hurt quite a lot.

Maybe you could make that the official before picture.

How did you do cardio with a broken toe?

How did you do cardio with a broken toe?
I didn't start doing cardio until a couple of weeks after my start date because I was waiting for the all-clear from my doctor. Once my test results were in and he said I was good to go, I started by using the stationary bike. It was not too bad even though my toe was still hurt.

Today's workout shots...

My arms are 15.25" (pumped) now. I'm making progress! :tu:

That 16inch goal is in sight. Cheers!!! That toe looks like it was uber painful. Glad it wasn't me.

Is it very expensive for you to keep buying heavy dumbbells every time you make progress? Do you have an adjustable dumbbell set?

Is it very expensive for you to keep buying heavy dumbbells every time you make progress? Do you have an adjustable dumbbell set?I used to have an adjustable set, but I really like fixed-weight dumbbells. True, the heavier ones are not cheap, but I look at them as a long-term investment and find them to be well worth the cost.

Great progress, John, as always!
I have to admit after reading this I measured my arms for the first time in a month or so and still have 1.5" to go to match you. Slow down, for my sake :)

MGB/Deaf, thanks! :tu: That toe injury DID hurt like you wouldn't believe...

I was going through some old pictures and I found this one of me from Christmas 2002 - just a couple of weeks before I started my transformation program. I find pictures like these funny now, but at the time I remember being quite depressed when I saw the pictures from Christmas 2002. I think shots like these played a large part in getting me off my ass and back in shape...

It's weird seeing transformation pictures. It makes me very curious to what extent people's personalities change, and if they change, whether 'confidence' is the key force behind personality, or other's response to us, or....

Did you have a big change in personality, or did you simply become more outgoing once you get (back) into shape?

Also, I measured my arms right after my workout and, if I could use that as the measure, I only have an inch to go :)

Have a great night.

Did you have a big change in personality, or did you simply become more outgoing once you get (back) into shape?
I've definitely become much more outgoing, but my basic personality is still the same. I'm kind of a loner and always have been. I've always been the type of person who has a small circle of close friends rather than a large group of casual friends.

Como say what?

http://www.megalol.net/url.html

Damn, my arm looks pretty good there. Now i just need to make it BIGGER. :)

Well, the translation didn't come out perfect, but it's something like this:

The muscu, it is a passion of baltringue, which gonflette...

For once that it is not the tele purchase which proves to us with 2poor photographs the benefits of their apparatuses!

Absolutely bluffant!


Comments

Karakartal3 Date : 13/9/2004 To alert
One moment I believed that it had lost kilo each day... Then I am say that the date in America this dye stick initially by themonth after the days:))))

Lolagem Date : 13/9/2004 To alert
that leaves hope...

BloBlo Date : 12/9/2004 To alert
The result is especially amazing when one sees the evolution month bymonth.

Lormed Date : 12/9/2004 To alert
whore I believe ke I will make the same thing

And yeah, your arm looks insanely cut there!

I also used an online translator, but I was hoping someone who spoke French and English could provide a more natural translation.

Well, the translation didn't come out perfect, but it's something like this:

The muscu, it is a passion of baltringue, which gonflette...

For once that it is not the tele purchase which proves to us with 2poor photographs the benefits of their apparatuses!

Absolutely bluffant!


Comments

Karakartal3 Date : 13/9/2004 To alert
One moment I believed that it had lost kilo each day... Then I am say that the date in America this dye stick initially by themonth after the days:))))

Lolagem Date : 13/9/2004 To alert
that leaves hope...

BloBlo Date : 12/9/2004 To alert
The result is especially amazing when one sees the evolution month bymonth.

Lormed Date : 12/9/2004 To alert
whore I believe ke I will make the same thing

And yeah, your arm looks insanely cut there!

I don't quite know what the heck the first sentence means (baltringue and gonflette probably being less common, newer words in the French language), but I think I can sum up the bulk of it with my rusty French skills.

Basically, I think it says that for once, it's proven that someone can achieve your results using standard equipment/methods, and without the use of gimmicky crap advertised on TV (or without your pictures being used to advertise gimmicky crap on TV?)

hi john,
great site.. ive learnt alot from the forum's here..
anyways.. i was wondering if you have a picture of you unflexed.. because in all your pictures you are flexed..
the reason for this is because i just wanted to see how toned and muscley you are when you aren't flexing... :)

thanks for your time

i was wondering if you have a picture of you unflexed.. because in all your pictures you are flexed..
the reason for this is because i just wanted to see how toned and muscley you are when you aren't flexing... :)
There are some pictures like that around the site. For example, here's one of me on vacation in July just relaxing with some coffee...

Also, in my "Welcome" video I'm relaxed.

There are others...

thanks for the quick reply :)
yeh you are pretty toned...
keep up the good work

Como say what?

http://www.megalol.net/url.html

Damn, my arm looks pretty good there. Now i just need to make it BIGGER. :)

Holy crap!! Very cool picture! :cool: :D

john I just want to thank you for getting a site like this together. This will play a great deal in my success. BTW gtreatttttttt results your looking great...even younger!! and happy!! :claplow: :claplow: :bow: :bow:

Thanks all, I appreciate the comments and kudos. I'm really busting my ass in the gym. My bulking goals are very important to me.

I've had a hell of a week at work, and it looks like I'm going to be working (again) this weekend. I've got to head into downtown Orlando tomorrow morning right after my workout to troubleshoot a circuit that won't come up. The folks on the other end of the circuit were like, "can you be onsite by eight o'clock?" I said, "nope, I need to lift and eat before I even think about this problem. You all can go out and drink tonight to keep yourselves sane, but I'll get my yayas out tomorrow morning in my power rack." A couple of the guys on the conference call were like, "well, the gym is one place you won't have to worry about looking for me!!"

Damn, that was me just a couple of years ago. I'm so much happier now. I told them to check out my site, but I know they won't...

I can't wait for tomorrow's workout. My pecs/delts/tricep workout is by far my favorite workout of the week. I'll get some pix up if I can before I leave for work...

I'm glad I skipped my workout Saturday and did it today. I am much better rested today and I had my best workout ever, increasing weight and/or reps for all exercises.

Here are this week's pictures...

Woohoo! The downtown circuit is up, the LAN and VoIP stuff is done and I'm home early. :D

I was just reading through today's email, and this one struck me as particularly funny because I've never even heard of any of the drugs he mentioned. Classic.




----- Original Message -----

From: Ryu (Ryu@irc.co.il)
To: john@johnstonefitness.com
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 2:27 PM
Subject: Hii


Look I can't Belive that you did all that with out any
drugs I thing you tack bondenon or Vinstron or Trimbolon
my name is alex and I tack drugs and you are look better than me I am do all this thing by the book

Alex

Hah! Barely bigger than my arms!............................................. .................................................. ...............

:o

----- Original Message -----

From: Ryu (Ryu@irc.co.il)
To: john@johnstonefitness.com
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 2:27 PM
Subject: Hii


Look I can't Belive that you did all that with out any
drugs I thing you tack bondenon or Vinstron or Trimbolon
my name is alex and I tack drugs and you are look better than me I am do all this thing by the book

Alex


Is that english?

John: Looking great and can tell from the monster smile you are feeling great too.
Your pics are pretty motivational for others, too, or at least for me. When I get back from vacation, I'm getting a new cage and am going to try to catch up.

Or course, since you aren't sitting still, that will be pretty hard :)

Awesome pics, John! But... is that shirt from the 'before' days? :D

bondenon or Vinstron or Trimbolon

Maybe they're the kind that contain urea and are advertised on Google :whistle:

Someday, someday....

John - I was just reading your threads and looking at your pics taken over the years and, although I have yet finished reading and looking, I have to take a moment to tell you that you are the greatest source of inspiration I have found and I am now more motivated than ever to get myself in shape as you have done - God bless you, man - you have done it for me!! Regards, Nagle 101. :bb:

Is that english?In fairness, the email came from Israel, so English is probably not his first language.

I can't believe I just defended someone who basically is calling me a liar, but there ya go. :)

John: Looking great and can tell from the monster smile you are feeling great too.
Your pics are pretty motivational for others, too, or at least for me. When I get back from vacation, I'm getting a new cage and am going to try to catch up.

Or course, since you aren't sitting still, that will be pretty hard :)
Thanks man, I am definitely feeling great about how things are going lately. After all those months of not being able to lift, the reality that my shoulder is holding up is finally starting to set in. It feels awesome.

Good luck with your bulk. :bb:

Awesome pics, John! But... is that shirt from the 'before' days? :D

Nah. I usually don't wear a shirt when I workout, but when I do wear one I like it to be big and loose fitting.

Actually I've always been partial to shirts that are too big for me. It's a John thing I suppose. :)

Someday, someday....
Someday soon bro. I saw your pix and you are looking great. Keep up the hard work. :tu:

John - I was just reading your threads and looking at your pics taken over the years and, although I have yet finished reading and looking, I have to take a moment to tell you that you are the greatest source of inspiration I have found and I am now more motivated than ever to get myself in shape as you have done - God bless you, man - you have done it for me!! Regards, Nagle 101. :bb:
:o I'm glad my site has been helpful to you. Keep up the hard work!

Nothing new here, but I thought these pictures would be interesting placed side-by-side.

The most amazing thing is how much size I've added since June. Must be the 'roids. ;)

John:

If it's not too invasive, what company do you work for? I do support for Verio and we've been having problems with circuits up and down the Florida coast due to all this great weather.

looking bad ass john :cool:

Awesome work John, amazing what a bulk can do! I have been on and off my fitness trek, but I will start my transformation TODAY. If your site doesnt motivate someone to change, nothing will. Ps-Looking HUGE :tu:

Nothing new here, but I thought these pictures would be interesting placed side-by-side.

The most amazing thing is how much size I've added since June. Must be the 'roids. ;)

Definitely looking much bigger since June! I can see how some people might think you're juicing... the smile gives a false impression. :p Just build up your traps and you'll have nice hangers for your tank tops. :tu:

hi john been on the site for a while and going tomorrow to a consultation with a personal trainer...i see what u were when u wee out of shape and i am a hell of a lot worse and im only 17 (250lb) but u can take the credit for the motivation that gets me into a gym every morning without fail for the last month!!! so jsut thanks
also by the way u mentioned u are a musicion what instrument do u play??? are there any other drummers on this site? enough with the guitarist wat about some drummers standing up!!!
thanks everyone for the motivation
regards from down under good ole' aussie land (australia)

I just saw the side by side comparison -- GREAT work John. From your monthly pictures, sometimes it seems that 5-10 pounds of lbm doesn't even make a difference, but that's because the camera is kind of far away. I can see a huge difference.

nice work John.. I didnt realize how much mass you had put on, till I saw your comparison picture! Once again, you inspire us all!

Just build up your traps and you'll have nice hangers for your tank tops. :tu:
Yes, my traps need much work! I'm on it...

enough with the guitarist
Er, guilty as charged. I've been playing since I was 15. My bro is a drummer, so there's that.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. My six-pack is fading but I'm not at all worried about it. I'm going to look like an entirely different person when I cut up again.

I'm honestly quite surprised at how well things are going so far. My gains have been above my expectations, my shoulder feels great and my mental attitude is extremely positive. I'm closing in on 15" arms without a pump. :bb:

I'll try to get some pictures up here from tomorrow morning's workout before my haircut appointment. If not, I'll get them up later in the day.

Thanks again for the support, it really helps. :)

Hell yeah! My arms are now 15.6 inches (pumped)!@#

I had an excellent workout. I'm feeling absolutely GREAT!

Here are some pictures from today's workout....

Fantastic John!
Closer yet to your goal.

It's amazing what hard work and dedication can accomplish. Thanks for hosting this site and being an inspiration to us John.

your bulking looks like its going really well John. In the side by sides you put on the splash page I definetly see a big change in your neck, chest and arms. Your face has filled out a lot more too. Good job man.

Thanks everyone - much appreciated. I still have a long way to go until I hit my goals, but every day brings me a little closer!


:bb:

I just had the best workout of my life this morning. I went up in weight on every exercise, and managed to do 3 sets of 6 using the heavest weights I've ever used in my life. My shoulder feels pretty good, too! Next week I'll increase again...

Here are this week's progress pictures:

EDIT: Fixed this week's comparison shot so it the same scale as the other two shots.

John, you've done a tremendous job. I remember when you first started posting over at BB.com... just look at how far you've come.

Congratulations on the lifestyle and body transformation.

Great to hear about your workout; I love it when that happens! :tu:

wow your looking pretty massive john! :tucool:

i reckon you could beat the crap outta my mum.....err and me too :p

Awesome progress. I am quite jealous at how well your bulk is going (I can't seem to get my body to gain weight :lol: ). You could have those guns up and shoting by New Years easy. Keep it up!

Thanks a lot! I remember when I first posted to bb.com: "Fat and Pathetic" was the title of my very first post. I sure had a lot to learn about positive thinking back then. Skip ("The Abdominator") set me straight about that. He's a great guy and was very encouraging when I was first starting out.

It feels great to be lifting again and making the progress I always knew I was capable of. I can't tell you how many emails and posts on other message boards have blasted me saying I haven't done anything worth a damn since my initial weight loss, and that I'm never going to be able to put muscle on because I'm too scared to put on any fat. Those kinds of comments made my injury even more frustrating, but I tried to let the negativity roll off of me and I always kept my mouth shut knowing that they were dead wrong. Besides, actions speak louder than words: my bulking progress pictures are the best way to say to those people, "yeah, you can go ahead and STFU now."

Of course now those same people write and say that my progress is not due to hard work and a sound bulking diet. No, no... it must be steroids. That's cool. They can think what they want. Whatever makes them sleep better at night.

So yeah! I'm very pleased with my progress, but I'm really just getting started. If my shoulder holds out (and so far it seems to be doing great), by the end of the year I will be significantly more muscular than I am now. After I cut this spring, I'm going to have an entirely new body for the summer. I can't wait!


:bb: :eat:

Great progress, John. And so quickly too !!

You've now moved on from a "fit" physique, to a "muscular" one.

That extra mass looks great !

Thanks for the pics, it helps me push out that extra set. :tu:

John your beginning stomach is what my stomach looks like now, any suggestions? I practice yoga for abs every night, got it shrunk down 5 inches less now and run 3.5 miles every evening. do some situps too.

Looking good, John! You don't look like an Ethiopian now :)

You're chest and traps are lagging a bit compared to your arms, but other than that, awesome job in such a short period of time.

wow John! Do you even fit into your shirts anymore, your shoulders are exploding!

THat bulking is really starting to show! congrats on the shoulder finally healing.

:claplow:

You're chest and traps are lagging a bit compared to your arms, but other than that, awesome job in such a short period of time.Actually I'm pretty happy with my chest progress - I've added 1.5 inches since I started bulking. It needed a lot of work, though and I still plan to add another couple of inches to it. As for my traps... yeah. :( My traps are pathetic. I'm hitting them really hard, and I hope they will finally take off pretty soon. Once my traps start filling in they should help balance out my upper body quite a bit.

Thanks for the comments everyone. Oh, and so far all my shirts still fit. :)

John you are looking so amazing. Especially your shoulders.
Wish I looked like that!

John, you look huge compared to the first photo, it's amazing. Hearing you layout your plans for muscle development over the next year is inspiring. I've taken too many months off since my wedding, here's to starting up again.

by the way, I noticed your October 2nd photo is slightly larger in scale to the previous two. maybe resizing the three so the distance from chin to hair line stayed constant would give a better comparison. I think it would actually highlight your progress even more. The way it is now, the eye sees a magnified picture and the brain expects things to look bigger.

John, you look huge compared to the first photo, it's amazing. Hearing you layout your plans for muscle development over the next year is inspiring. I've taken too many months off since my wedding, here's to starting up again.Thanks. To be fair, I'm pumped in the progress shots but not in the first photo. Even without a pump I still look significantly larger now compared to how I looked back in June. I'll take some un-pumped shots on Wednesday the 6th when I take my monthly progress photo and put them up here for an un-pumped comparison.

Good luck with your renewed program!

by the way, I noticed your October 2nd photo is slightly larger in scale to the previous two. maybe resizing the three so the distance from chin to hair line stayed constant would give a better comparison. I think it would actually highlight your progress even more. The way it is now, the eye sees a magnified picture and the brain expects things to look bigger.As someone who strives for consistency (just look at my daily photos!), I can't believe that fact escaped me. Now that you mention it, it's very jarring and is definitely not a fair comparison. I've re-cropped the image to be the same scale as the others and re-uploaded it to this thread and the main page. I'm not trying to inflate my progress in any way. I just want to report it as accurately as possible. Thanks for pointing out that blunder! Won't happen again. :)

John you are looking so amazing. Especially your shoulders.
Thanks! It's a little ironic that my delts, of all things, are doing so well.

I saw where Musicguy remembered when you had first started posing over at bb.com. I looked it up and up was neat to see the progression. You went through everything that nearly everyone else goes through and that was reaussuring.

You went through everything that nearly everyone else goes through and that was reaussuring.
I sure did. I made lots of mistakes, had doubts, suffered through plateaus... you name it. It was quite a ride!

As promised, here is a shot that I took this morning completely "cold" and un-pumped vs. my starting pre-bulk picture:

Well, that pic comparison above really says it all. The definition in your chest seems to have increased, despite your stats saying you have risen in BF. Just the sheer increase in the size of them ! 1 1/2 inchs really shows, huh ! :)

Another thing i notice is your forearms have exploded ! And even the "lagging" traps are getting better.

You are a constant source of inspiration, and as i have just started my bulk, it drives me on to know what can be acieved naturally by eating well and training hard in only 3 months. It also shows people that stressful times and troubled periods are not an excuse to fall off the wagon and say " I havent the time for training right now, i have enough stress without worrying about what i eat". You seem to have had it tough these last few weeks, but have still made the progress youve made, whereas many others would have gone the other way. That shows more strength then any bulking progress photo could. :nod:

Thanks John. Keep up the work. :tu:

holy shit john, you are looking great! i think your bulking pics are even better than your fat-loss pics, im getting inspired all over again!

just wondering how much weight are you gaining/aiming to gain per week?

your a true genetic freak, you lucky bastard :p ;)

Wow Reno, I'm sincerly flattered by your comments. :o Thanks very much!


Well, that pic comparison above really says it all. The definition in your chest seems to have increased, despite your stats saying you have risen in BF. Just the sheer increase in the size of them ! 1 1/2 inchs really shows, huh ! :)

Another thing i notice is your forearms have exploded ! And even the "lagging" traps are getting better.

You are a constant source of inspiration, and as i have just started my bulk, it drives me on to know what can be acieved naturally by eating well and training hard in only 3 months. It also shows people that stressful times and troubled periods are not an excuse to fall off the wagon and say " I havent the time for training right now, i have enough stress without worrying about what i eat". You seem to have had it tough these last few weeks, but have still made the progress youve made, whereas many others would have gone the other way. That shows more strength then any bulking progress photo could. :nod:

Thanks John. Keep up the work. :tu:

Thanks man, that's great to hear!

You guys are trying to give me a big head to match my growing body, aren't you? ;)


holy shit john, you are looking great! i think your bulking pics are even better than your fat-loss pics, im getting inspired all over again!

just wondering how much weight are you gaining/aiming to gain per week?

your a true genetic freak, you lucky bastard :p ;)

Thanks man, that's great to hear!

You guys are trying to give me a big head to match my growing body, aren't you? ;)


Seriously, it's f-ing amazing what you can do with your body. If anything, you should be in the MAXIM magazine before and after photo shots!

What's truely amazing, is how awesomely you've bulked up... Everybody's right -- your forearms and biceps and chest are looking huge, and even though you may lose some definition in your ab region, I think nobody except yourself will even notice that with your new gained muscle mass...

How does it feel to be able to eat so much good food after being on a low-calorie maintenence diet for so long?

Damn, you're a stud

I want to bulk sooo bad after seeing these pics. But this just gives me more motivation to stick to my diet and work outs.

As promised, here is a shot that I took this morning completely "cold" and un-pumped vs. my starting pre-bulk picture:

Boy, do you ever look chubby.

Just joshin' ya.... yer progress as always is nothing short of amazing.

Can't wait to see you in another year. I remember joining here last January and comparing the progress from the year before that.

In any endeavour - overcoming any adversity in any walk or facet of life, I've never seen a more inspiring story than yours. And it just keeps going on and on (kinda like the ending in the last Lord of the Rings movie..but in a good way).

Your tenacity has driven me to overcome my (yet again recent) setbacks and stay focused.

I hope you keep increasing your enthusiasm, and approach each new day with the resolve to do better and better than the last day.

And I expect a free membership in the chain of "John Stone Gym"'s once it franchises out to Canada. :)

Ken

How does it feel to be able to eat so much good food after being on a low-calorie maintenence diet for so long?
Sometimes I love it, other times I have to force myself to eat even when I'm not very hungry.

Damn, you're a stud
You're barking up the wrong tree, friend. ;)

I want to bulk sooo bad after seeing these pics. But this just gives me more motivation to stick to my diet and work outs.
That's great to hear, thanks! Keep up the hard work. :tu:

Ken, you've had to overcome so much this past year, but you just keep coming back for more no matter what life throws at you. Your story is an inspiration to me and many others.

One of the things that I like best about this community is how we look out for one another, and also how we rely on each other for support and inspiration. There are times when we are strong and can let others lean on us and draw from our strength, and other times the reverse is true. It's an awesome symbiosis that grows stronger with each new member...



Boy, do you ever look chubby.

Just joshin' ya.... yer progress as always is nothing short of amazing.

Can't wait to see you in another year. I remember joining here last January and comparing the progress from the year before that.

In any endeavour - overcoming any adversity in any walk or facet of life, I've never seen a more inspiring story than yours. And it just keeps going on and on (kinda like the ending in the last Lord of the Rings movie..but in a good way).

Your tenacity has driven me to overcome my (yet again recent) setbacks and stay focused.

I hope you keep increasing your enthusiasm, and approach each new day with the resolve to do better and better than the last day.

And I expect a free membership in the chain of "John Stone Gym"'s once it franchises out to Canada. :)

Ken

Ken, you've had to overcome so much this past year, but you just keep coming back for more no matter what life throws at you. Your story is an inspiration to me and many others.

*wipes tear from corner of eye*

Thanks.. :nod:

Seriously though, I've really got the whole Henry Rollins/"throw me another lemon" thing going on. I've hit another snag but I'll hit my goals come Hell or high water (toilet water it seems, in my case).

There wouldn't have been any point in me starting if I don't intend to finish. You're one-on-one comments are a reassuring shot in the arm to me and all of us - I know they spur me on another few months. Keep 'em coming.

One of the things that I like best about this community is how we look out for one another, and also how we rely on each other for support and inspiration. There are times when we are strong and can let others lean on us and draw from our strength, and other times the reverse is true. It's an awesome symbiosis that grows stronger with each new member...


Yeah, we're a unique community that's for sure. Like you, I've egged on so many other people (PMs, Messenger, etc) on here into reaching their goals no matter what, and that setbacks are okay while failure is NOT an option. Sort of like...

"I'm strong when I'm strong, and when I'm not it's YOUR turn."

And I had another look at your pics - you're looking HUGE. I'd say 5-7lbs of muscle mass is going to make you look even better than you are now (which is hard to imagine).

Ken

Can i ask,

Can u take a double back an bi's shot to see how your back has developed ? Id like to see the mass added to the back region. :nod:

Here are this week's progress photos. I'm still getting stronger - today's workout was, yet again, my best so far.:tu: I'm now lifting significantly more weight than I've ever lifted in my entire life. As expected, my size gains have begun to level off. This is the point in my bulking program where I'm going to have to really bear down take my intensity to the next level.

Reno, I took a shot of my back you. :) It's a pretty crappy shot, but it'll do...

Wow man, excellent progress!!!! Your arms are huge now! And the traps are growing too!

It really amazes me how much size you have added to your arms since only June! Awesome work, as usual!

great progress.

I really appreciate the supportive comments - thanks! :)

John I gotta ask you,

How are you able to make such great gains off only 2700 calories a day? I'm going off your food logs so if you're eating more than that let us know! It's amazing how much bigger you are off only 2700 calories a day on top of you still doing cardio.

I wish I had that style of genetics. I've been eating about 2800-3000 calories a day and no cardio and not making too much weight gain so i'm gonna have to bump it up to 3500 calories now. Anyways, how do you do it?

John I gotta ask you,

How are you able to make such great gains off only 2700 calories a day? I'm going off your food logs so if you're eating more than that let us know! It's amazing how much bigger you are off only 2700 calories a day on top of you still doing cardio.

I wish I had that style of genetics. I've been eating about 2800-3000 calories a day and no cardio and not making too much weight gain so i'm gonna have to bump it up to 3500 calories now. Anyways, how do you do it?

every body is different and everybody partitions food differently... hell, some people could easily turn hella fat on 2800 cals/day. its all about the individual person...

No secrets - what I eat is in my logs and is enough food for me (actually, I'm gaining some fat too). I train hard and don't make excuses.

Keep in mind that I'm almost 36 and my metabolism is not what it was when I was your age...

Wishing for a different set of genetics is just an excuse. We all have to take what is dealt to us and tailor our fitness programs accordingly. :)


John I gotta ask you,

How are you able to make such great gains off only 2700 calories a day? I'm going off your food logs so if you're eating more than that let us know! It's amazing how much bigger you are off only 2700 calories a day on top of you still doing cardio.

I wish I had that style of genetics. I've been eating about 2800-3000 calories a day and no cardio and not making too much weight gain so i'm gonna have to bump it up to 3500 calories now. Anyways, how do you do it?

You're doing an awesome job man!!!

My mom says you're looking good now, she though you were too skinny before.

Keep it up!!! More muscle for you, and more inspiration for me :).

Damn John. This is great. I started in January and still have a lot of fat on my stomach and chest but have only been doing cardio (HIIT) since August. Jeremy said I'm not being pateint enough...

In all seriousness man, you look great. :claphigh:

You are an inspiration :gl:

Okay John, I just have one thing to say.

Dammit. :drool:


Yep, I'm back. And I've started a journal (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=9234) to help keep me accountable!! John, your latest round of reinvention (the bulk, the new life path) has lit yet another fire under my ass. Thanks. You seem to be quite good at that!!

Here are this week's progress photos. I'm still getting stronger - today's workout was, yet again, my best so far.:tu: I'm now lifting significantly more weight than I've ever lifted in my entire life. As expected, my size gains have begun to level off. This is the point in my bulking program where I'm going to have to really bear down take my intensity to the next level.

Reno, I took a shot of my back you. :) It's a pretty crappy shot, but it'll do...


Great progress!! :tu:

John:

do you have any specific exercises which helped get these muscles popped out so well?

No secrets - what I eat is in my logs and is enough food for me (actually, I'm gaining some fat too). I train hard and don't make excuses.

Keep in mind that I'm almost 36 and my metabolism is not what it was when I was your age...

Wishing for a different set of genetics is just an excuse. We all have to take what is dealt to us and tailor our fitness programs accordingly. :)

I really think that metabolism is fairly adaptable/changeable. If you eat a low calorie diet, your body adapts by ramping down the burn rate. If you eat a high calorie diet, your body ramps it up.

John, my totally un-expert prediction for your case is that your body had its metabolism ramped down when you were maintaining on such a low calorie diet before starting this bulk. But it's probably re-adapting now that your calories are back up, and you will see your ability to gain weight on upper 2000's per day gradually disappear. Of course, some of that metabolism increase will be due to increased musculature and body weight, but I also think adaptation has something to do with it as well.

.......your body had its metabolism ramped down when you were maintaining on such a low calorie diet before starting this bulk. But it's probably re-adapting now that your calories are back up, and you will see your ability to gain weight on upper 2000's per day gradually disappear.

Not to hijack the thread, but I agree. A month after starting my bulk, I started to lean out a bit and had to add some calories to continue the bulk.

John looks huge!!

John:
do you have any specific exercises which helped get these muscles popped out so well?

These are John's shoulderblades. The muscles overlying them are the infraspinatus (one of the rotator cuff muscles), which may be strenthened due to his physical therapy - but mostly this is a result of low body fat. As John's back develops, his shoulderblades will be overshadowed by his massive lats, delts, and traps. But they do look cool, don't they.

i see a ram! dont you guys? looka awesome!

i see a ram! dont you guys? looka awesome!

whoa cool! so do I.

i see a man :D (seriously).

Okay, this is getting just weird....

i see a man :D (seriously).

you guys really need to find other things to do in your free time..

Ok, I'm kinda freaked out right now... pls stop making constellations out of my back muscles. K. Thanks.

Yeah, clouds have more variety, anyhow:)

Awesome progress, John, as always:) And just for the record on my part, I discovered last week that I finally have traps!

Ok, I'm kinda freaked out right now... pls stop making constellations out of my back muscles. K. Thanks.

sorry :d_confuse

sorry :d_confuse
Heh, I was just kidding man. Whatever floats your boat! ;)

This morning I felt great - strong and lots of energy. Both of my shoulders were feeling pretty good, too. I worked my ass off this morning and my workout was incredible. When I was making my breakfast I kept dropping everything on the floor because my hands were shaking so badly (they still are, in fact). It was comical.

It's been a couple of weeks since I posted progress pictures... Here are some from this morning.

First off, my arms are within a hair of 16 inches with a pump!

Ow. Feeling the burn.......

A few other shots...

I'm amazed how you can keep a smile while flexing for your pics. Mine always end up looking like I'm constipated :lol:
Incredible progress as always man

Jason

I'm amazed how you can keep a smile while flexing for your pics. Mine always end up looking like I'm constipated :lol:
Incredible progress as always man

JasonThanks. :)

Those are real smiles, BTW. I can't help but smile these days. I guess I'm one happy M.F., especially when I'm lifting. :D

Wow, those pics make me wanna bulk up as well! :eek:
But first things first :tu:

Looking good man! Real good!

IMO, it's the best you've ever looked to date. :tu:

Wow John you are getting huge.

yeah you're a monster dude, holy cow.

hahaha, your candid pics are so amusing. & i like the 'feed me!' caption you put on that picture in your daily post. it's nice to know that you have a sense of humor about yourself & aren't elitest bad ass! :)

damn john you are HUGE! your 4-6lbs ligher than me, and im 6'4 :(
i wish i had muscle, but more importantly, none of this lower-ab fat!!

The tricep shot at the end there is VERY impresssive. And there is definate improvment to the traps. Which must be motivational, given that you have only just started to focus on them.

I like the way you have kept your BF levels low. Its a lesson to everyone that a bulk doesnt have to equal lots of fat gain. :nod:

And man do u look better now then on that feed me pic ! Yikes man !

One thing i wanted to ask you. Do u think u would be making the progress you are making if you didnt have a home gym, as in, you had to take time out of your day to pack your gear up, get to the gym, workout, shower, get changed and drive home ? Im sure you would be just as dedicated, but i wondered if you think it helps having a home gym ?

Your progress is awsome. Keep on inspiring. :tu:

Looking good, John. By your previous updates, I thought you would have a lot more fat on you. However, you are still very ripped, IMO. Most people cut to the level of where you're at. I suggest bulking until you gain another 12-15 lbs before you cut. If you do this, you'll be a beast.... In a good way ;)

Thanks for all the encouragement and positive feedback everyone. Damn... :o

The tricep shot at the end there is VERY impresssive. And there is definate improvment to the traps. Which must be motivational, given that you have only just started to focus on them.Thanks - My triceps are definitely responding well. I think one of the secrets to making good gains is contracting the muscle(s) you are working and holding them/it for a couple seconds between the positive and negative portion of the rep. I've noticed a big difference since I started doing that. At the end of my tricep workout I do 3 sets of 24 tricep (bench) dips. Every time I come up I flex and hold for about 2 seconds. By the time I finish the 72nd rep my triceps feel like they are going to explode. I could do 72 dips in a row if I didn't do them slow and contract the muscle like that. It makes a huge difference in how hard the muscle is worked!

I like the way you have kept your BF levels low. Its a lesson to everyone that a bulk doesnt have to equal lots of fat gain. :nod:
Yeah, I've added a little fat but it's under control. So many people (well meaning, of course) told me before I started my bulk that I would need to eat more than my planned 2600-2800 calories if I wanted to see any gains. I know my body very well, and I don't think there's any question at this point that I'm eating enough food to grow. I'm happy with the results so far, anyway. You have to do what's best for you. Hopefully no one knows your body better than you. That's not to say that you shouldn't listen to advice - you should. But ultimately you have to do what YOU think is best.

And man do u look better now then on that feed me pic ! Yikes man ! I've seen dead people who looked healthier than I did in that picture. I was two steps beyond emaciated! :(

One thing i wanted to ask you. Do u think u would be making the progress you are making if you didnt have a home gym, as in, you had to take time out of your day to pack your gear up, get to the gym, workout, shower, get changed and drive home ? Im sure you would be just as dedicated, but i wondered if you think it helps having a home gym ?If I didn't have a home gym I'd be in trouble because of my job. Let's assume for the sake of argument that I had a traditional 9-5 job and no home gym. I'd absolutely get the same results because I do whatever it takes to get the job done. That's just how I am. I will say that having a home gym is an excellent choice for me because I'm very motivated and a self-starter. Some people can't get juiced up unless they are in a "real" gym. It just depends on the person, I guess.

Looking good, John. By your previous updates, I thought you would have a lot more fat on you. However, you are still very ripped, IMO. Most people cut to the level of where you're at. I suggest bulking until you gain another 12-15 lbs before you cut. If you do this, you'll be a beast.... In a good way ;)Thanks! I'm going to bulk until at least the end of January (even if I reach my goals before then). I may go longer. I'd love to be around 200-205 when I start my cut. I think I'll look good at a solid 185 @ 8%.

Thanks! I'm going to bulk until at least the end of January (even if I reach my goals before then). I may go longer. I'd love to be around 200-205 when I start my cut. I think I'll look good at a solid 185 @ 8%.

Good at 8% 185.... you'll look burly... good progress as always senor.

Have you thought about trying to cut below 8% this time around, maybe hitting 6 or even 5%?

honestly, john...

ur success is nothing short of incredible. your bulking is going insanely phenominal, and i can't wait to see your cutting phase.

even though u may have noticed some loss of definition in the ab department, it looks like the rest of your torso is straight out of a body building magazine! looks awesome.

keep up the excellent work!

I agree with another poster here in this page.

I thought you would have gained a lot more fat the way you made it out to be. Your still well cut and lookin' good :cool:

I agree with one of your updates aswell with the comparison of pictures, one really cut really thin compared to present day, there's a huge huge difference.

Have you thought about trying to cut below 8% this time around, maybe hitting 6 or even 5%?
Nah, it's too difficult to maintain those levels. I'm not going to complete or anything like that, so 8-9% is good for me. I don't really want to be any more cut up than 8% anyway.

I sure appreciate the kind words of encouragement. I can't wait to see how I do over the next three months - I'm only halfway there right now. :bb:

Awesome job John! Every month you are noticeably bigger. I wonder if we'll recognize you by the end of January.

I agree that you look so much healthier now than in your feed me pic and you look quite a bit younger too actually.

Awesome job John! Every month you are noticeably bigger. I wonder if we'll recognize you by the end of January.

I agree that you look so much healthier now than in your feed me pic and you look quite a bit younger too actually.
Younger is always good! :) Thanks man, I appreciate it. I'm enjoying the process almost as much as the results. I have to admit it, I think I'll be a little disappointed when it's time to cut again!

I Really Like The Comment In Your Nov 6th Dairy. It Inspire My A Lot Because I Feel Touch In Your Words. I Wrote You My Personal Experience In An Email A Couple Of Days Ago And Your Words Are A Kind Of Answer To My Email. I'm Going To Continue With My Personal Effort And With My Dream As Well As You Are Doing It.
Hope To Hearing From You Soon!

Gb

Great progress, i see your very dedicated


im curious if you ever plan to buy any more gym equipment such as a calf raise or anything?

giorgiobeppe, I got your email and have read it. Thanks! I try to answer as many as I can in the order in which I receive them but, as usual, I'm way behind in answering them. Thanks for understanding and best of luck to you!

hobo, Thank you. Right now there is some new equipment that I need. The two main things I want are more (heavier) dumbbells, and I want to get a preacher curl attachment with an EZ curl bar.

how heavy do your dumbells go? I just buy heavier whenever i need them

do they make a preacher curl attachment for the powertec bench? Personally i think preacher curls are worthelss anyways just alternating db curls, hammer curls, and ez bar curls are all the excercises you could need for your biceps

the ez curl bar is very usefull though and i reccomend buying one

how heavy do your dumbells go? I just buy heavier whenever i need themI've got a set of hex DBs from 5-70 pounds in 5 pound increments. I need heavier, and have for a while.


do they make a preacher curl attachment for the powertec bench?Good question. I don't know. If not, I'll get a stand-alone.

Personally i think preacher curls are worthelss anyways just alternating db curls, hammer curls, and ez bar curls are all the excercises you could need for your bicepsI love hammers, dumbbell/barbell curls and chin-ups - I do them every bicep workout. While the bulk of my bicep work consists of these tried-and-true movements, which are best for adding size/strength, I believe that pure isolation exercises can be worthwhile, too. I usually do 3 sets of concentration curls at the end of my bicep workout. I'd like to add preacher curls to the stable. A preacher curl station is also good for forearm work.

the ez curl bar is very usefull though and i reccomend buying oneAgreed. The straight barbell is a little uncomfortable, especially as I've gone up in the amount I'm curling.

John, not to hijack your thread, but do you do your chest work with dumbbells? or do you use barbells for heavier weight? I'm trying to assess about what my chest muscles will come out looking like when i'm done cutting(i know that is sad) as I am repping with 55's for dumbbell press. Not great, but i think it's pretty decent considering i've never lifted before i began cutting, and have had some serious strength gains since starting!

Yeah, I've added a little fat but it's under control. So many people (well meaning, of course) told me before I started my bulk that I would need to eat more than my planned 2600-2800 calories if I wanted to see any gains. I know my body very well, and I don't think there's any question at this point that I'm eating enough food to grow. I'm happy with the results so far, anyway. You have to do what's best for you.

Yep, I expected that you would plateau fairly quickly on that calorie level, but you are continuing to gain. Actually, I would be pissed. I feel like I am starving on 2600 calories per day. LOL. OTOH, I was trying to bulk during the Summer on ~3700 per day and making little progress. That was crossing the line into too much food for me. Next time I try a bulk, I will probably need to go to 4000. I have heard of guys in our general size range who have to eat 5000 to bulk. The differences between individuals are amazing.

Hopefully no one knows your body better than you.

Unless it's your wife!

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_2_29.gif

John, not to hijack your thread, but do you do your chest work with dumbbells? or do you use barbells for heavier weight?
I'm currently using the barbell for all my chest exercises. Last chest workout I did bench press, incline barbell press, decline barbell press and dips. When I get some heavier dumbbells I might use them for chest work, but what I have now is not challenging enough. I think I'm going to have to get some stands, too, because rolling back with heavy dumbbells is hell on my shoulders.

Unless it's your wife!
:tu:

I'm currently using the barbell for all my chest exercises. Last chest workout I did bench press, incline barbell press, decline barbell press and dips. When I get some heavier dumbbells I might use them for chest work, but what I have now is not challenging enough. I think I'm going to have to get some stands, too, because rolling back with heavy dumbbells is hell on my shoulders.
Maybe I'm mistaken, but didn't you say in one post about your bulk that you will not be doing bench press or squats? Are you still keeping those out or did you acclimate to them?

Maybe I'm mistaken, but didn't you say in one post about your bulk that you will not be doing bench press or squats? Are you still keeping those out or did you acclimate to them?
You're mistaken - I never said that. I've never stopped doing squats, and I'd always planned to resume bench presses once my shoulder was able to handle them. I did say that wouldn't be doing weighted dips anymore, maybe that's what you are thinking of? Weighted dips are too hard on my shoulder, so I do body weight dips now.

I love hammers, dumbbell/barbell curls and chin-ups - I do them every bicep workout. While the bulk of my bicep work consists of these tried-and-true movements, which are best for adding size/strength, I believe that pure isolation exercises can be worthwhile, too. I usually do 3 sets of concentration curls at the end of my bicep workout. I'd like to add preacher curls to the stable. A preacher curl station is also good for forearm work.


Whew! Good thing I waited until John replied. I was going to suggest NOT getting the preacher curl attachment, because in my experience preacher curls (with straight bar or ez-curl bar) cause so many elbow problems that I don't feel they are worthwhile. They are good for wrist curls, etc., though, so there will still be a use for it if John ends up feeling the same way (maybe he's done them in the past and already knows that they work for him?)

I heartily endorse the EZ-curl bar, though. I love the different angles that it allows.

Whew! Good thing I waited until John replied. I was going to suggest NOT getting the preacher curl attachment, because in my experience preacher curls (with straight bar or ez-curl bar) cause so many elbow problems that I don't feel they are worthwhile. They are good for wrist curls, etc., though, so there will still be a use for it if John ends up feeling the same way (maybe he's done them in the past and already knows that they work for him?)John used to do preacher curls all the time in high school. He... err, I mean, I never had any elbow problems at all, but who knows maybe now that I'm an "old man" I will run into elbow issues. That's a good point.

Anyway, the preacher curl station is not going to happen for a while. I've got next to no disposable income right now, and I need dumbbells much more than I need a preacher curl station. The EZ curl bar is cheap, and I'll probably pick one of those up.

Sorry about ribbing you a little bit. It always freaks me out when people talk about me on the forums as if I'm not "in the room". ;)

John: I just bought a pair of power hooks (see http://www.drsquat.com/index.cfm?action=viewequipment&equipmentID=2801) and they are fantastic. It hurt my shoulder--not to mention the tops of my legs and my chest--trying to manuver dumbells into the right position for bench press. These eliminated all that hassle. EVERYONE should have these...really.

EDIT: Found them cheaper at Bodybuilding.com
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/cp/ph.html

Oh man, those are absolutely perfect!! That's just what I need, thanks for posting that information - I just ordered them. :tu:

PS: I saw the ones on BB.com but I think they are the cheaper "pound on" version, not the leather version (despite what the description says). More info on the two versions straight from the horses mouth: http://www.powerhooks.com/pages/859209/index.htm


John: I just bought a pair of power hooks (see http://www.drsquat.com/index.cfm?action=viewequipment&equipmentID=2801) and they are fantastic. It hurt my shoulder--not to mention the tops of my legs and my chest--trying to manuver dumbells into the right position for bench press. These eliminated all that hassle. EVERYONE should have these...really.

EDIT: Found them cheaper at Bodybuilding.com
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/cp/ph.html

Sorry about ribbing you a little bit. It always freaks me out when people talk about me on the forums as if I'm not "in the room". ;)

No problem. I never quite know which mode to use on a message board if I'm not directly answering a question from someone, or asking one myself :o

wow, i've never seen those hook things before.. looks pretty interesting.

i guess being young ans fairly careful, i am fortunate not to have any injuries like some of you have. i did have one scare a year ago when i was doing lateral raises with a retarded weight of 40lbs an arm.. that is alot of stress on the shoulder.. now i wont go past 25lbs

Glad to help. I'm confident you'll dig these as much as I do.
I didn't think of using them for shrugs, but can see that being pretty useful too.

Oh man, those are absolutely perfect!! That's just what I need, thanks for posting that information - I just ordered them. :tu:

PS: I saw the ones on BB.com but I think they are the cheaper "pound on" version, not the leather version (despite what the description says). More info on the two versions straight from the horses mouth: http://www.powerhooks.com/pages/859209/index.htm

John (and others reading this), are dumbells better to work with than the bar in your experience? I mean assuming that the pre and post lift pains are allieviated by these power hooks, are separated weights, ideally better than a combined one for chest and shoulders? I'd ask elsewhere but it seemed relevant to ask this group.
thanks-

IMO, dumbbells exercises are not necessarily better than barbell exercises - just different. I like to mix things up, and dumbbells add a whole new group of options.

I can definitely feel it when I switch to dumbbells after doing the equivalent exercise using a barbell for a few weeks (and vice-versa). Also, dumbbells are great for evening out weaknesses. With a barbell you can kind of cheat and let one side assist your weaker side, but with dumbbells that's not possible. I'm stronger on my left side, and my left pec and left arm are both slightly larger than my right pec and right arm. I'd like to do a few months of dumbbell work to help fix that problem.


John (and others reading this), are dumbells better to work with than the bar in your experience? I mean assuming that the pre and post lift pains are allieviated by these power hooks, are separated weights, ideally better than a combined one for chest and shoulders? I'd ask elsewhere but it seemed relevant to ask this group.
thanks-

John: I just bought a pair of power hooks (see http://www.drsquat.com/index.cfm?action=viewequipment&equipmentID=2801) and they are fantastic. It hurt my shoulder--not to mention the tops of my legs and my chest--trying to manuver dumbells into the right position for bench press. These eliminated all that hassle. EVERYONE should have these...really.

EDIT: Found them cheaper at Bodybuilding.com
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/cp/ph.html

Gotta put those on my Christmas list! I have always been limited in DB exercises by how much weight I could maneuver into position from the floor.

But sheesh - can you believe these things cost $40-$50 for a couple of metal hooks! I wish I had come up with that idea. :p

Gotta put those on my Christmas list! I have always been limited in DB exercises by how much weight I could maneuver into position from the floor.

But sheesh - can you believe these things cost $40-$50 for a couple of metal hooks! I wish I had come up with that idea. :pI thought the exact same thing!

Mine just came in like 10 minutes ago! The leather wraps are a nice touch. I loaded up some dumbbells and cranked out a few test reps. Very nice, I'm impressed. Well worth the money, even if they are making a killing off them. My shoulders are happy.

I thought the exact same thing!

Mine just came in like 10 minutes ago! The leather wraps are a nice touch. I loaded up some dumbbells and cranked out a few test reps. Very nice, I'm impressed. Well worth the money, even if they are making a killing off them. My shoulders are happy.

Good to hear - yes, they are worth it, especially if they last. After all, it's nothing these days to blow $40-$50 on a mediocre meal at a chain restaurant, so why not spend that money instead on something useful to keep you in shape?? <--- Telling myself this!

Last week's workout was incredible, but today's workout was even better. I'd have to call it a breakthrough workout. I felt strong and energetic the whole time, and I went up in weight AND reps for every single exercise. I can think of a few reasons why this week's workout was so good: I've been eating lots and lots of food, I'm not drinking any alcohol at all (I normally drink a few beers or have some wine on Friday nights) and I've been getting plenty of rest.

I had a hell of a pump going; here's my flex, which is up to a little over 16.25 inches (pumped)...

A couple of arm shots...

... and, finally, here I am hamming it up with a poorly executed most muscular pose.

its time to ring up swolecat for tips on posing! j/k... progress is coming along great man, keep it up! i cant wait to see if/when you increase to 4,000cals/day!

If you eventually get back to 215, you could lament to your coworkers that you've "tried everything, but I just gain it all back!" :D

its time to ring up swolecat for tips on posing! j/k...
Okay, but do I have to buy a sword?

Just kidding, SC! ;)

progress is coming along great man, keep it up! i cant wait to see if/when you increase to 4,000cals/day!
Thanks man. I won't hesitate to go to 4,000 (or more) calories if I think I need to!

Good to see you here, haven't seen you around much lately. I'm also glad to see you are updating your web site and working out again! :tu:

If you eventually get back to 215, you could lament to your coworkers that you've "tried everything, but I just gain it all back!" :D
Quite a few people have said on other message boards and such, "wait a year, he'll gain it all back."

I hope I prove them right (but it won't be quite like they thought! ;))

Your arms are unbelievably large. I can definitely see you in the 17 and 18 inch range in the future.

hey john, looking big

after you get your 16s and your 42 inch chest and cut down, do you plan to bulk up even more? youd look killer with 17s and a 43inch chest. How are the legs coming? Any progress there?

Now that youve taken on this new healthy lifestyle does your wife also eat healthy with you? Does she workout too?

damn john, you are as heavy as me now, and im so much taller than you, also i have no 6pack, i must have 0 muscle :(

however your arms are looking massive, you are growing like a 14 year old! i think your chicken breasts have been pumped full of steroids :D

Your arms are unbelievably large. I can definitely see you in the 17 and 18 inch range in the future.They're getting there, but I have a ways to go yet! Thanks tho!

17 inches? Maybe... but 18 inches is a little much for me. I don't think I'd want them that big.

Looks like (in the first pic) your forearms are gaining substantial mass too!

hey john, looking big

after you get your 16s and your 42 inch chest and cut down, do you plan to bulk up even more? youd look killer with 17s and a 43inch chest.
The way it's growing, I think my chest is going to be at least 43 inches by the time I'm done with this bulk. Hopefully my arms will be a little bigger than 16 inches so that they are 16 inches after my cut. I'll probably bulk again next winter - I think 17 inch arms would be pretty nice!


How are the legs coming? Any progress there?
I still work the hell out of them every week and keep them in great shape, but I don't want them any bigger so I stopped increasing the weights I'm using a while ago. Right now they are actually a little too big for my upper body, so once I get my upper body caught up things should look pretty balanced.



Now that youve taken on this new healthy lifestyle does your wife also eat healthy with you? Does she workout too?Lisa eats very healthy - same stuff as I do (I do all the cooking). She indulges a little more than I do, but she's an ecto and it never shows. As for working out, she's not been too good about that lately. :o

damn john, you are as heavy as me now, and im so much taller than you, also i have no 6pack, i must have 0 muscle :(
Heh, right now I have no 6-pack either. It's more like a 4 pack and some foam... ;)

however your arms are looking massive, you are growing like a 14 year old! Funny you should say that because I feel like I did when I was a teenager! :tu:

Looks like (in the first pic) your forearms are gaining substantial mass too!I don't directly work them, but they get a heck of a workout on bicep day! I've added over a quarter of an inch to them since late August.

Read your note on the home page today. Your progress is AMAZING. I almost can't believe how much weight you've gained. I wish I had your discipline!

John, I'd be curious to see what your meals look like. Any chance of you throwing some pictures of them on here?

I'm pretty pleased myself, MGB! Thanks. :)

anonjohn, you want me to take pictures of the actual food that I eat brfore I woof it down? :confused:

I think it's about time for a shirtless picture. This is how I look at over 193 pounds/12% body fat with no pump and a belly full of food (took this just before this morning's workout).

Almost all of my fat is located just below my belly button. I don't seem to put it on anywhere else until I'm at much higher body fat levels.

Some people have emailed me and said I'm too embarrassed to take my shirt off now. That's not true, and I'm absolutely NOT ashamed to post this picture because I've done everything in my power to bulk cleanly. Some amount of fat gain is part of bulking and that's just the way it goes!

Yeah, well even for adding 8 pounds of fat, you're still all cut up. I think it'd be ridiculous for people to think you're "ashamed" of anything. I have to be honest, I can't even see 8 pounds of fat. The only difference I really see is the 12 lbs of muscle.

Wow! Your chest looks MASSIVE !!!! Absolutly Awsome, you can see your progress so much better without the shirt. Way to go ! :tu:

I remember a while back when u were trying the absolved etc you posted a pic of the lower belly fat and no one but you could see it. ;) Well, i can see what you mean now, its funny how it only goes there. The rest of you looks ripped still, i find it hard to believe your at 12 %. You aint carrying on your arms, is your back carrying some excess ?

Great job mate !

if i can get my stomach to stay as flat as that unpumped and full of food then i'd be wayyyyyyyyyyy chuffed. Brilliant work :tu: :claplow:

Wow John.. Even though you werent small before, you compare the two, and you looked scrawny before!! Awesome! You must be proud of your hard work!

I've got a little love handle action going that doesn't show in the picture, so some of my fat is stored back there. I suppose I might be slightly underestimating my lean mass gain and over-estimating my fat gain but I think I'm in the ball park.

Reno_1ted, if I ever need a publicist expect to hear from me. ;)

Thanks for the comments. It's weird being this heavy again. Someone called me "big guy" yesterday!

I'm pretty pleased myself, MGB! Thanks. :)

anonjohn, you want me to take pictures of the actual food that I eat brfore I woof it down? :confused:

Exactly. I'm just curious, after reading your food logs, what this stuff actually looks like on the plate before you wolf it down. Any chance?

Damn John you are adding mass like a pro. You are still very defined and cut but with even more muscle mass. I swear you manage to do everything right :tu:

I think it's about time for a shirtless picture. This is how I look at over 193 pounds/12% body fat with no pump and a belly full of food (took this just before this morning's workout).

Holy smokes!! Phenomenal progress. :tu:

I don't need to ever bulk - I can live viacriously through yours!!! :cool: :D

I doubt that you are underestimating your fat gain. There is not a lot of body fat there.

Congratulations on breaking the mental hurdle to allow yourself to bulk up to this weight range. It really has paid off for you. I know I am not the only former fatty around here who is watching as you set the standard.

Exactly. I'm just curious, after reading your food logs, what this stuff actually looks like on the plate before you wolf it down. Any chance?I'm having a hard time believing that you really want me to take a picture of my food, of all things. I can't imagine why you'd make such a strange request, and I'm not sure I want to know why! :)

I guess I'll see what I can do, but please don't hold your breath.

inurb and bama,

I really appreciate the (overly) kind comments from you two and everyone else who has chimed in lately. The comments in this thread make me want to work even harder! I love the pressure of knowing that a lot of people are following my progress: it keeps me unbelievably motivated.

I've been putting all my knowledge, willpower and energy into this bulk, so getting good results feels extremely rewarding. The whole time I was injured all I could think about was getting better and getting back on track. I feel very fortunate to have the ability to do unrestricted workouts again, and I savor every second that I spend in the gym.

I'm having a hard time believing that you really want me to take a picture of my food, of all things. I can't imagine why you'd make such a strange request, and I'm not sure I want to know why! :)

I guess I'll see what I can do, but please don't hold your breath.
Chances are they are like myself and can't cook :lol: :o

It was really tough reading your daily news when you were injured. You could really feel the frustration from what you wrote. It's awesome that you are now accomplishing what you were so patiently waiting for before. If only you could bottle your determination and sell that, you could quit your job and open a fleet of gyms. Don't forget to open one in Boston.

Oh and that picture looks great. If there is flab there, it is hidden. As you get bigger, the comparison shots at the same weight on the way down vs the way up will be so cool. That's what I'm looking forward to. Keep the bulk up :tu:



I've been putting all my knowledge, willpower and energy into this bulk, so getting good results feels extremely rewarding. The whole time I was injured all I could think about was getting better and getting back on track. I feel very fortunate to have the ability to do unrestricted workouts again, and I savor every second that I spend in the gym.

It was really tough reading your daily news when you were injured. You could really feel the frustration from what you wrote. It's awesome that you are now accomplishing what you were so patiently waiting for before. If only you could bottle your determination and sell that, you could quit your job and open a fleet of gyms. Don't forget to open one in Boston.

Oh and that picture looks great. If there is flab there, it is hidden. As you get bigger, the comparison shots at the same weight on the way down vs the way up will be so cool. That's what I'm looking forward to. Keep the bulk up :tu:Thanks bro. :)

I wish I could bottle my drive. Maybe I could sell John Stone wake up calls? For x amount I'll call your house every day and give you a pep talk. :lol:

I'm having a hard time believing that you really want me to take a picture of my food, of all things. I can't imagine why you'd make such a strange request, and I'm not sure I want to know why! :)

I guess I'll see what I can do, but please don't hold your breath.

Fair enough, John. The only reason for my request is that, since you eat pretty much the same stuff most of the time, I'm curious as to what, say, your 6 oz of tuna or 12 oz trimmed steaks look like (as far as portion size). I don't know, I thought it might make the site even more complete and informative. Just an idea. It's your call, though (obviously!) :D

Well, dump out a can of tuna and you'll see what 6 oz of tuna looks like. :D

John, please put a ruler next to your food if you do take the shots. :lol:

Surely, this is a joke.

Well, dump out a can of tuna and you'll see what 6 oz of tuna looks like. :D

John, please put a ruler next to your food if you do take the shots. :lol:

Surely, this is a joke.

Yeah, and not to mention that tuna steaks are labeled with their weight, so it's not too hard to estimate pretty closely what 12 ounces would be.

But could you post a pic of 2 cups of broccoli?? :p

John,

I'm new to the forum - But not new to Bodybuilding,

Your website is good and its good to see so many people get into the sport from seeing your progress and just finding out about it in this growingly obese world.

I've look around your site, then something caught my eye. Now i know you get alot of hassle from people saying your doing steroids, Which isn't great when your natural. However...

Something caught my eye today, A quote from your news page.

" My arms are still a little shy of 15.5 inches (cold/flexed), but I have a feeling by this time next week they'll be there. 16 inches"

Out of interest, What makes you think you can gain .5" in a week natural?

Just seems a bit of a far goal, but you sound very confidant you shall achieve it.

Have you started juicing or still natural? If natural still i cant see that progress happerning, prove me wrong and you definatly have some amazing genes and BB potential.

Look forward to hearing a response.

You misread or didn't understand what I wrote, and the quote you attributed to me in your post is incorrect - that is NOT what I wrote. What I wrote was:

"My arms are still a little shy of 15.5 inches (cold/flexed), but I have a feeling by this time next week they'll be there. 16 inches, here I come... "

Meaning I'm just shy of 15.5 inches, and by this time next week I'll be there (15.5 inches). "16 inches here I come" simply means I'm closer to my overall goal, which I expect to reach within the next two months.

Yes, I'm 100% natural: read this (http://www.johnstonefitness.com/news/nov_2004_news_archive.php#11242004).


John,

I'm new to the forum - But not new to Bodybuilding,

Your website is good and its good to see so many people get into the sport from seeing your progress and just finding out about it in this growingly obese world.

I've look around your site, then something caught my eye. Now i know you get alot of hassle from people saying your doing steroids, Which isn't great when your natural. However...

Something caught my eye today, A quote from your news page.

" My arms are still a little shy of 15.5 inches (cold/flexed), but I have a feeling by this time next week they'll be there. 16 inches"

Out of interest, What makes you think you can gain .5" in a week natural?

Just seems a bit of a far goal, but you sound very confidant you shall achieve it.

Have you started juicing or still natural? If natural still i cant see that progress happerning, prove me wrong and you definatly have some amazing genes and BB potential.

Look forward to hearing a response.

i just pasted the bit i was getting at rather than the whole paragraph,
Ok that sounds fair.

.25 of a inch in a week would be amazing growth for someone whose been bb for longer than a year etc.

May i ask what your wrist measures in as? (strange question but there is logic to this).

Good luck with that goal, Alot of respect not just for the positive change, but the inspiration others have got and required to get into such a good sport that BodyBuilding is.

No offense, but you seem to have a problem with reading comprehension. I said "JUST SHY OF 15.5 inches". How does JUST SHY of 15.5 inches become an entire quarter of an inch in your mind?

My wrist measurement is 6.75".

i just pasted the bit i was getting at rather than the whole paragraph,

Ok that sounds fair.

.25 of a inch in a week would be amazing growth for someone whose been bb for longer than a year etc.

May i ask what your wrist measures in as? (strange question but there is logic to this).

Good luck with that goal, Alot of respect not just for the positive change, but the inspiration others have got and required to get into such a good sport that BodyBuilding is.

Ok then, Go check your stats page....
ill quote it for you, Last measurement being November 27th

Arms 14.5" 14" 14.25" 14.75" 14.5" 14" 15.25"

15.5 - 15.25 = .25"

I always round to the lower quarter of an inch on my stats page. My quote is quite clear, why are you being argumentative?

Ok then, Go check your stats page....
ill quote it for you, Last measurement being November 27th

Arms 14.5" 14" 14.25" 14.75" 14.5" 14" 15.25"

15.5 - 15.25 = .25"

I'm not at all, I came to the forum to compliement on progress and then ask a question as i couldnt see how such progress could be made.

I misinterpretted what you said then checked your stats page believing they would be accurate(Specially the Cm/MM ones). Now i know you round them off i can see how that goal is possibly achieveable.

You were the first to come across with a sly insulting remark to be fair...

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

My wrist stat is not on the stats page as I said (although I have it here locally). It's 6.75".


I'm not at all, I came to the forum to compliement on progress and then ask a question as i couldnt see how such progress could be made.

I misinterpretted what you said then checked your stats page believing they would be accurate(Specially the Cm/MM ones). Now i know you round them off i can see how that goal is possibly achieveable.

I cant find your wrist measurement on your stats page.

Ok cool,
Well congrats on the progress - I checked this website a year or so ago and am glad its kicked off for you.

Keep lifting mate, Long long road to unreachable perfection with each step being another milestone on the never ending road LOL.

Gotta love it!

Be good to see the end of the bulk.

Thanks, I appreciate it. :)

I probably shouldn't post until I come down from my workout. I feel like an animal while I'm lifting. I'm so focused and intense that it takes me some time to settle down after I'm finished with my workout.

At this point any mention of steroids really gets my hackles up. I'm so tired of all the emails that accuse me of using steroids. I figured my rant the other day would get people to either put up or shut up, but the emails keep coming (yet no one will take me up on my offer). I don't know the first thing about steroids, I don't know how to get them nor do I know anyone that uses them (to my knowledge, anyway). I'm making excellent gains without drugs, and I don't need them to be successful. I would never do anything to damage my health, and steroids are not healthy (I know that much about them).

I'll tell you what is working for me: food, rest and hard work in the gym. I thought I was making good progress before, but my workouts have gone to a whole new level since I started eating more food. I wish I'd eaten more from the start of my bulk!

For the second week in a row I went up in weight AND reps on every single exercise! It's amazing how good I feel in the gym now that I'm eating more and getting plenty of rest. I was so pumped that my skin felt like it was going to rip open when I was done with my workout.

So, again, I'm sorry for the misunderstanding and I'm sorry if my responses seemed snippy.



Ok cool,
Well congrats on the progress - I checked this website a year or so ago and am glad its kicked off for you.

Keep lifting mate, Long long road to unreachable perfection with each step being another milestone on the never ending road LOL.

Gotta love it!

Be good to see the end of the bulk.

Not to worry, i understand how annoying it is with the roid accusations.

Nothing worse than fair natural progress to then be told that you cheated when you didn't.

Dont people realise how affective roids are? And how unbalanced the progress would be if you did start taking them?

With good research and precautions roids are effective and fairly safe. No one knows the full extent of there damage or changes and no it's not natural.

However they do offer a faster route to sucess and the side effects are minimal when used correctly.

Saying that, I have never touched them and will never touch them, but juicing is a touchy subject in body building.

And to become MR O thats the only route.

Although i do feel juicers get a hard time as they do put a hell of a lot of effort into lifting just like naturals, They just get faster gains in a small ammount of time.

However its good to see your going to keep natural!

Good luck in the future.

Have you started juicing or still natural? http://www.chadnicholls.net/forums/images/emoticons/beat.gifI love these questions, let me explain why...

Too often people see someones progress that is usually better than their own personal results, and rush to judge them by saying "Ahh its because of steroids." Look at professional bodybuilders. Sure, they use androgens, but lets not forget the meticulous diets during their "on-season", the countless hours of hard work in the gym, the planning, the drive, the consistency, etc that they practice when getting into contest ready shape.

The same can be said for John. He has a very consistent approach to what he does. He never misses a workout, his diet is planned out far in advance, and he has a clear set of goals that he is working his butt off to obtain. This consistent approach, this continuous focus, is why he gets results where others fail. Dont hate, appreciate!

I've already said that in my last post basically...


Quote from last post:" Nothing worse than fair natural progress to then be told that you cheated when you didn't."

Let me make this clear... it was asked from a misunderstanding in which i thought he wanted to gain 1/2" on bicep in a week...

If thats what you consider natural progress then thats rather interesting and i think you should go read up a bit more.

It was cleared up but then for some reason you felt you needed to drag it up, but thats fine.

If your implying im jelous because you think he has made better progress than me then your sadly mistaken.

actually i had my response composed after your initial post, but didnt hit post as i stepped away while you and john exchanged posts.

Well then i dont understand why after reading it that you had to post it?

its clear i dont take roids, Nor think he takes roids...

Yet you still felt you had to post to imply i was jelous about his progress?

I find your post rather childish and pointless to be honest.

Maybe you feel because im new to the forum im new to bodybuilding therefore john has a better physique than me so im jelous?

Well please dont, Body building has been around for years and you have no idea how long i have trained for nor if i compete or how i look.

this will be my last post for a long time, Good luck for future progress john and glad we cleared the misunderstanding up.

Thanks.

hey john, just wondering if you are ever going to post some vid's!!

i really think you should show people what a high-intensity interval really is (even though you are not doing HIIT now, maybe just do a couple of intervals just to show people how its done! im getting tired of people saying "i do 45mins of HIIT 7 times a week")

I plan to do a bunch of videos this Spring, after I'm done bulking and cutting. I'll post them online for free, and I may offer a DVD or two for sale.


hey john, just wondering if you are ever going to post some vid's!!

i really think you should show people what a high-intensity interval really is (even though you are not doing HIIT now, maybe just do a couple of intervals just to show people how its done! im getting tired of people saying "i do 45mins of HIIT 7 times a week")

I plan to do a bunch of videos this Spring, after I'm done bulking and cutting. I'll post them online for free, and I may offer a DVD or two for sale.

Yeah it'd be cool if you and Jeremy could do something on stretching as well as videos on good form. Because everything I find the movements arent totally clear. (confusing to me not rubbish quality)

[font=Verdana][size=2]Thanks, I appreciate it. :)
I probably shouldn't post until I come down from my workout. I feel like an animal while I'm lifting. I'm so focused and intense that it takes me some time to settle down after I'm finished with my workout.


Hmmmm... sounds like 'ROID RAGE to me!!!! :p :p :spaz:

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_1_106v.gif

Man John, you are a BEAST. MASSIVE ARMS+CHEST. Incredible progress, but I have a request, can we see some back shots? Thanks!

hey john didnt want to bother you with yet another email just wanted to say i was that australian guy on the jeremy likness conference call this morning although i said it in the chat i realy got to say it over and over again the thanks that i owe u and this site and community...all progress i have made and all knowlege i have gained are thanks to you, this site and through this site i found jeremy likness so once again thanks and was great to hear u.. i feel like i know you from being on the site and reading every days update and hearing you was great...and remember when u open up ur training business or watever in the fitness industry if u need a worker in teh US or australia u know where to go ;) thanks again :tu: :claplow:

Thanks very much, and thanks for calling in and representing Australia!


hey john didnt want to bother you with yet another email just wanted to say i was that australian guy on the jeremy likness conference call this morning although i said it in the chat i realy got to say it over and over again the thanks that i owe u and this site and community...all progress i have made and all knowlege i have gained are thanks to you, this site and through this site i found jeremy likness so once again thanks and was great to hear u.. i feel like i know you from being on the site and reading every days update and hearing you was great...and remember when u open up ur training business or watever in the fitness industry if u need a worker in teh US or australia u know where to go ;) thanks again :tu: :claplow:
yossel groner
melbourne australia

Man John, you are a BEAST. MASSIVE ARMS+CHEST. Incredible progress, but I have a request, can we see some back shots? Thanks!
Thanks very much man.

I posted a back shot a page or two ago, but it wasn't a very good one. I'll try to get some better back pictures this weekend and get them up here.

Hmmmm... sounds like 'ROID RAGE to me!!!! :p :p :spaz:

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_1_106v.gifSorry it took me so long to get back to you - I've been very busy repairing all the holes I've punched in my walls over the past few weeks. That plus hair replacement therapy seems to be taking up all my time lately... :D

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you - I've been very busy repairing all the holes I've punched in my walls over the past few weeks. That plus hair replacement therapy seems to be taking up all my time lately... :D
rofl

firstly like every one who posted here i gotta congratulate you on your gains however i have one uncanny question...i see from time to time in your updates DOMS and i wanted to but forgot to ask you on teh call what DOMS stands for....once agian thanks mate for the site cos it jsut rocks...
btw thanks to your pushing of max ot i have started it recently and the benifits are already showing :D

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness :tu:

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you - I've been very busy repairing all the holes I've punched in my walls over the past few weeks. That plus hair replacement therapy seems to be taking up all my time lately... :D

We knew it all along. Nice guy on the internet, but offline at home a maniac... a raging bull. Lisa has to walk on eggshells around you, doesn't she?? :p

Hair replacement therapy... hmmmm... so that's why I am losing my hair -- it's this jacked up testosterone from working out!! :eek: :p

Like I always say to people at the gym. They ask me how I work out I ask them how they eat. Nutrition and resting for growth is 80-90% the rest is the workout. It's the harderst part to motivate to but it only give you 10-20%. If you skip the rest you won't grow. You can't build a house out of air.

Thanks, I appreciate it. :)

I probably shouldn't post until I come down from my workout. I feel like an animal while I'm lifting. I'm so focused and intense that it takes me some time to settle down after I'm finished with my workout.

At this point any mention of steroids really gets my hackles up. I'm so tired of all the emails that accuse me of using steroids. I figured my rant the other day would get people to either put up or shut up, but the emails keep coming (yet no one will take me up on my offer). I don't know the first thing about steroids, I don't know how to get them nor do I know anyone that uses them (to my knowledge, anyway). I'm making excellent gains without drugs, and I don't need them to be successful. I would never do anything to damage my health, and steroids are not healthy (I know that much about them).

I'll tell you what is working for me: food, rest and hard work in the gym. I thought I was making good progress before, but my workouts have gone to a whole new level since I started eating more food. I wish I'd eaten more from the start of my bulk!

For the second week in a row I went up in weight AND reps on every single exercise! It's amazing how good I feel in the gym now that I'm eating more and getting plenty of rest. I was so pumped that my skin felt like it was going to rip open when I was done with my workout.

So, again, I'm sorry for the misunderstanding and I'm sorry if my responses seemed snippy.

Hey John.

Just giving you some info on the belly problem you wrote about earlier. There is a problem with fat cells that is hard to over come. If you ever had a weight problem you have easier to gain it up again afterwards. Problem with fat cells is that they never go away ones they are created. It's like a storage place. When one is full the body opens a new one and so on. Once you lose the weight the cells are still there but they are empty and just laying flat down inside your body. Once you start gaining again they are filled up more easily if you had them before because you basically have more storage room then a person that never had this problem. Only way to remove fatcells is by doing a lipo. Never really understood this before I took my diet counsoller certificate. That is why this is extremly dangerous for kids to have weight problems. They base there cell structure so earlier in there life and they will have more procentage of fat cells when they get older. This makes it easier for them to gain weight with age. Also you get other problems like diabetes but that is a different story.

I don't think you should be so hard on yourself but if you ever would like to get that that extrem extrem shape and still have a problem with the lower belly, lipo is an option instead of tearing down the body with extremly hard cutting...

regards Ludvig.

regards
Ludvig.

I don't think you should be so hard on yourself but if you ever would like to get that that extrem extrem shape and still have a problem with the lower belly, lipo is an option instead of tearing down the body with extremly hard cutting...
Yeah, I've come to the conclusion that I'll probably always have that little bit of fat just below my belly button unless I have lipo. Even when I was a skeleton I still had it to some degree (although it was not that noticeable).

As much as I'd like to get rid of it completely, I don't think the many health risks of lipo outweigh the cosmetic benefits. I think I'll just have to learn to live with it. I'm going to be very careful when I cut because I don't want to lose my muscle. It's going to be a slow cutting cycle.

Hi!

Slow is the best way to go. I ususally cut very very slow in like 5 months time. I talked to a teacher that has alot of the top guys that compete in fitness over here. He said that when they enter the stage most of them are below 5-4 procentage of bodyfat. When it comes to body building the hardest guys are around 2%. That is a health risk and not a good situation to stay in for a longer time. He also said that the guys that are the best cutters are those who lose about 30% of the muscle mass. Guys that do worse lose even more. Talking about this he said that he was talking about guys that are clean, no roids and stuff.

Alot of people seem to think that they can cut and cut and that worries me. I think you have learned that lesson. I asked you about it a year ago but then you had to realized the facts that you have today. What ever way you do it your body will always lose some mass. That is the whole mechanism of cutting. You have to go below your intake to lose weight. You can't eat 2000 calories in protein and think you will just lose fat, because you won't. You always have to eat less then you use to lose weight fair and square. New studies also confirm this about atkins that seems to be big in the us. It's not the carb cutting that makes you lose it. It was shown in a long time studie that when you only eat fat and protein you lose your feeling for food. You get feed up with the taste of protein more easily then when you have carbs aswell. Protein also keeps the hunger away which makes the gaps between meals longer. In the studie the end result showed that people who are on atkins eat a less amount of calories then people who aslo eat carbs. There is no mistery with that diet. It all comes down to in take is smaller then the out take. That you feel totally brain dead on atkins (carbs is the only fuel the brain wants to use) is a totally diffrent story, but if you sum up it works like any other diet.

regards
Ludvig.

Yeah, I've come to the conclusion that I'll probably always have that little bit of fat just below my belly button unless I have lipo. Even when I was a skeleton I still had it to some degree (although it was not that noticeable).

As much as I'd like to get rid of it completely, I don't think the many health risks of lipo outweigh the cosmetic benefits. I think I'll just have to learn to live with it. I'm going to be very careful when I cut because I don't want to lose my muscle. It's going to be a slow cutting cycle.