John Stone's Picture Gallery and Video Archive

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by gravityhomer

Hi John, I have a question about the exercises for your delts. Which of them would work your rear delts? I think I have really underdeveloped rear delts. When I flex my bicep I have a nice large bump towards the front of my shoulder but there is nothing towards the back. I'm guessing the upright cable rows, work the rear?

Bent-over lateral raises are specifically designed to work the rear delts, and upright cable rows hit all three heads (along with the traps).

Originally Posted by gravityhomer

Are these where you are standing at a pulley station with the pulley at the floor and you grab the cable and pull straight up with both hands, so your elbows go out to the side?

Exactly.

Originally Posted by gravityhomer

Also for your DB side raises and bent over dumbell side raises, do you bend your elbows?

Yes, my elbows are slightly bent. I think the real trick to isolating the proper delt head as much as possible when doing side raises (side delts) or bent-over laterals (rear delts) is to keep your palms facing in and your elbows up. If you have your palms facing out and your elbows down, you'll recruit more of your front delts.

Sorry about all the questions, in your Titan review I think you mentioned something about having videos. If they were labelled by exercise that would be awesome. I seem to have a mental block when I try to think of what an exercise looks like based on the name. I know there are pictures out there but they don't help with the subtleties.
Thanks

That's down the road a bit. My video review for the Titan will be focused on the Titan's capabilities, but it will not be a good exercise instructional video. Depending on how the Titan video is received, I'm putting some thought into making an instructional DVD. We'll see!

Originally Posted by Mick Mauldin

very impressive John. I hope your shoulder continues to hold up.

Thanks, Mick. So far so good!

Good luck on SGX.

[TarSeal]

Originally Posted by John Stone

That's down the road a bit. My video review for the Titan will be focused on the Titan's capabilities, but it will not be a good exercise instructional video. Depending on how that video is received, I'm putting some thought into making an instructional DVD. We'll see!

John- you should do it. I think your story is incredible and a fitness DVD from you would likely be incredible and inspirational for sure. You might even make a few bucks and become the next big fitness celebrity... I'm sure there're some great producers who would love to work with you if you decide to go that route.

[Mick Mauldin]

Thanks John. I've literally lost 3lbs of water in the past 24 hours!

[Mick Mauldin]

I wasn't trying to highjack you thread my man...as if I could huh

[volleyball]

While it slightly pains me to post something without a shred of humor or sarcasm, I must say, after seeing your latest back double-bicep pose, that the improvement in even just a few months is nothing short of astounding. I can't even imagine what it must feel like to have made your overall transformation in the span of less than three years -- and in your mid-30s. (And props to the folks on this forum who are older and have accomplished the same -- no disrespect meant; I just identify with John more with regard to age.) It's been said repeatedly, but it bears mentioning one more time -- you've dropped 10 years at a minimum.

Thumbs way up, sir. WAY up.

[gravityhomer]

Originally Posted by John Stone

Yes, my elbows are slightly bent. I think the real trick to isolating the proper delt head as much as possible when doing side raises (side delts) or bent-over laterals (rear delts) is to keep your palms facing in and your elbows up. If you have your palms facing out and your elbows down, you'll recruit more of your front delts.

Thanks for the answers, John.

Your back looks huge in the above shots.

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by j.simon

While it slightly pains me to post something without a shred of humor or sarcasm, I must say, after seeing your latest back double-bicep pose, that the improvement in even just a few months is nothing short of astounding. I can't even imagine what it must feel like to have made your overall transformation in the span of less than three years -- and in your mid-30s. (And props to the folks on this forum who are older and have accomplished the same -- no disrespect meant; I just identify with John more with regard to age.) It's been said repeatedly, but it bears mentioning one more time -- you've dropped 10 years at a minimum.

Thumbs way up, sir. WAY up.

Thanks very much. Actually, I want to thank YOU. You are the one who put that August 2005 picture of my back next to Skip's back and next to my own back from 2 years ago. Seeing how little progress I'd made in over 2 years was a slap in the face and a very rude awaking for me. Your post was the event that got me focused on my back. So again, thank YOU!

Over the last three months (and just 3 weeks of bulking) I've made very good progress, but I'm far from satisfied. By the time my bulk is over I want to put that August 2005 shot next to my post-bulk picture and see two different backs.

Originally Posted by gravityhomer

Thanks for the answers, John.

Your back looks huge in the above shots.

Thank you, and always a pleasure bro.

[John Stone]

I just finished my chest/abs workout. I really like my new exercise lineup for chest/abs day:

CHEST
4x10 Smith machine bench press
4x10 Incline DB press
4xBurnout Weighted dips
4x10 High cable cross-over (middle chest)

ABS
4xBurnout Incline weighted crunches
4xBurnout Vertical leg raises

The smith machine bench press allowed me to focus on my pecs and not so much on the supporting muscle groups. Nice for a change from barbell bench press, and I could really feel the burn in my chest. I got some free weight work in with dumbbell incline presses, and they felt amazing (I love my power hooks, they are true shoulder-savers). My left shoulder bothered me a little on the dips, but no big deal - I got through them. I finished off my chest with some perfect form, slow rep cable cross-over work and then hit my abs.

Just one picture tonight - I'm working on improving my poses. Very little pump in my arms tonight, but I thought I'd hit a side chest since it is chest day.

[1FastGTX]

Originally Posted by John Stone

Just one picture tonight - I'm working on improving my poses. Very little pump in my arms tonight, but I thought I'd hit a side chest since it is chest day.

Nice picture there John. I see you twisting more and showing the right pec really well!!

Abs look really good in this pic too actually.

[Beige]

Originally Posted by Travis

John- you should do it. I think your story is incredible and a fitness DVD from you would likely be incredible and inspirational for sure. You might even make a few bucks and become the next big fitness celebrity... I'm sure there're some great producers who would love to work with you if you decide to go that route.

That's a good idea - John could raise financing for it by letting readers, eBayites and other Internetties buy shares in the fitness DVD venture! (Or why not even start as a Brightcove early adopter to save on the distribution etc costs)..

I've sometimes pondered on how someone like John - who's inspirational and in many ways a perfect rolemodel for the modern day office worker who wants to get and be fit - could better monetize his value.

As far as fitness role models for "the regular guy" go, there just aren't many out there. Most of us have a soft spot for Ahnold, but it's difficult for the average office worker to emulate his body building career (and not where it's at for most of us anyway), so although he can be inspirational he's useless as a role model. Then there are the likes of Richard Simmons, who are most inspirational when tacked on - as life-sized posters - to a sandbag. We just aren't going to spend dosh on DVDs or other media from these people.. not in a bid to improve ourselves.

But John.. He's got it. His story is the perfect role model for how the average out-of-shape office worker guy can make a dramatic change for the better. I tell friends and coworkers about John's site, but most of the intrinsic value of the site requires a bit of studying and exploring.. and whereas people are typically impressed with the transformation page, the average person is just so used to seeing "30-day Miracle Muscleboost" type gimmicks on TV that people give up exploring the site before they reach the "I too could do this" stage of enlightenment.

(NB: I think as of late the site has become a bit more intimidating for the average out-of-shape guy, just because John has progressed out of the "average guy" realm into more of a pro/expert realm.. so all the talk about SGX, ALA, ETS, BSN, MSM etc will pretty quickly demoralise people who wonder if John's site can help them get in shape, because they can't grasp that that's not where John started.. so better keep the video focused on the first basic/simple 6 months of the amazing transformation, because that's where it's at for most of the potential audience).

The fitness video would be great, though.. maybe John could find an out-of-shape coworker/neighbour/friend and take him through a basic 6 month transformation, recording/documenting the whole thing on video.. I'd get a few copies of that for my out-of-shape friends!

Anyway.. happy thanksgiving to the USites.. easy on the cookies!

[Wolfstriked]

John,try to think of the reverse grip EZ bar rows as a semi deadlift.Where you start the bar is say at a few inches above knee height and as you straighten your back up your pulling your elbows in and contracting lower lats.Your biceps shouldnt really be contracting.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by 1FastGTX

Nice picture there John. I see you twisting more and showing the right pec really well!!

Abs look really good in this pic too actually.

Thanks! I think I need to bring my chest up more, and pull my arms back a little more, too. I'm working on it!


Beige,
You bring up some excellent points, and have some great ideas in there. Thank you very much for your input.


Wolfstriked,
Ah, I think I see what you are saying. I'll tell you what man, my lats are killing me right now, so once I get the form down I think this exercise is going to be great! Thank you for bringing it to my attention! I may post a video so you can evaluate my form - I want to make sure I'm doing it right.

[John Stone]

Thanksgiving 2005 photos are up!

http://www.twowiresthin.com/t2005/

[Gila Monster]

Originally Posted by John Stone

Thanksgiving 2005 photos are up!

http://www.twowiresthin.com/t2005/

Man...
You have the greatest family!

Edit: My boyfriend was watching the pictures with me, and when I told him you were 37 he said: "Really?? I though he was 20... "

[Reno_1ted]

On the photo with you and your father in law in the kitchen and your drinking the wine while he does the work, your arm looks incredible.

Its such a difference to see someone in their everyday clothes going about everyday life, it really gives you a sense of how big you have gotten. When you post work out pics, I dont know, its hard to explain, but its kinda like another person ( i dont just mean with you, i mean everyone) and you kinda dont realise thats how they look just in every day circumstances. Its kinda like its not just a pump, a flex and a pose, some good lighting etc, its just HOW ONE LOOKS.

Great pic that one.

[freddyaudiophile]

John.... your bloody arm looks amazing! Man, I'm still gawking at your tricep... what a horseshoe. Stellar work, man, absolutely stellar!

Freddy

[wh0rume]

john's tricep hardly fits in the kitchen
remind me never to fight you

[1FastGTX]

Originally Posted by John Stone

Thanksgiving 2005 photos are up!

http://www.twowiresthin.com/t2005/

Great pics! It looks like you have a wonderful family!

Lisa's got some pretty ripped guns! Looks like she's done a set or two of barbell curls herself!!

That last picture was the best by far.

[The Abdominal Snowman]

Originally Posted by wh0areume

john's tricep hardly fits in the kitchen
remind me never to fight you

I was thinking the exact same thing! Somehow a normal shirt makes you look MUCH bigger, awesome!

[escher]

wow John.. your arms ARE looking huge!