Bronzebird’s BodyBlog

Happy New Year!! I’m going to have an exercise hangover…my wife works swing shift till 11pm (hence some late night workouts) I will start my Pre 2008 celebration with 208 push ups in 20 minutes and 500 Air Bikes in 15 minutes. Squats will be done all so with 120# barbell free weights off the ground, till I get stuck in the hole 3 times. That should end with a few strolls around the block to see the Illegal Fire Works in my Green Belt Neighborhood(if it is not RAINING). One lap is 3/4 mile exactly. How are you Celebrating?

Seems that I weight less when I first wake up. I loose 2-3 pounds overnight. I have think most is water lost from breathing and perhaps perspiration? I eat before bed time or drink a protein shake 30 minutes before bed time. Trying to keep some fuel/Nutrition supplied till next meal. For the last week my weight is 184-188. My eyes bout popped out of my head in disbelief. 36.5 waist and 37.5 belly. My plan is to keep hitting the Legs, Back, Chest, arms, and abbs till I hit a Plateau in strength gains. I guess this is my Unofficial Bulking Phase but I need to keep my waist at 36" for clothing comfort. Hmmm? My upper body was recovering from tendentious elbow…and I blew up in the mid section, I think?? Remember, I have always been a hard gainer. This Nutritional stuff seems to be working to GOOD!

I was anticipating some pain at some point in Incremental Weight Adds to Sets. But the Bench and Curls were worked hard and no pain, today!! I plan on 5 day minimal recovery. Also "Big Guns" suggested not to do overhead press. I will find some new exercise that hit shoulders and back, assisted dips, ect…till I gradually do something that aggravates a pain signal in the arm, saying back off again. I hope all of my brothers stay healthy and wise!!

This is my second Workout with this 21 day cycle of "Animal Stak" anabolic Hormone enhancement formula. The vitamin Paks are 3 small round pills and 8 Large Horse Pills. The hormone enhancer pak has 7 pills relatively normal size. The point is it takes me 3 minutes to down 18 pills with a pint of green tea juice. I tried water and it is not "pleasant" with vitamin taste and lack esophagus lubrication. Recommended 30 minutes after last meal Prior to work out. So I take it about 1.5 hrs before work. And I take 2 scoops of Mass-tech protein shake supp 15-30 minutes before workout. I have never bottomed out during my workouts(23 to date). And I take another 2 scoop shake post workout. With my schedule Morning Workouts would prevent my wife to participate. And I enjoy supporting her training and that is at the gym together. Once she starts developing her own routines I won’t be needed anymore…Maybe I’ll try some a.m. training on my Second Cycle of the 21 day program of "ANIMAL Stack".

Legs were worked out heavy last week and I was sore for 3 days. You know when you get of a car after a 30 minute drive and the first ten steps are so awkwardly painful you hope nobody is paying attention? I felt as though I must really be out of shape to be this sore. But in fact they are just NEW isolated exercises that have shocked my muscles. Martial Arts training is not heavy lifting…Totally New body stress. And I like it!

I’m stretching the imagination of related Body Building Blog info, the say stretching is good, RIGHT? Well My wife is now making comments that I’m to Focused on Workouts and BB.com. Well, I started cleaning the Kitchen and helping with the laundry about twice a week. You know…trying to get her off my back. I am working out with her training program and posting her stats in Workout Tracker. We go the gym "together" for a swim and Jacuzzi session 2-3 times a week. So to keep my Wife motivated in weight lifting, I want her to enjoy the pain of muscle failure on final reps. And Not worry about what chores are on her priority schedule. I’m finally getting this Happy Marriage thing figure out, for now…Until somehow the rules of engagement change again. Been married 8 years and we are spending more quality time together.

Today I drive 180 miles round trip to Newport, Oregon and check on my Moored Sailboat. I go over to the Beach, driving my gas sipping Prius once or twice a month. I get my lat’s and back exercises pulling crab pots up by hand from 45-60 feet off the bottom. My Right forearm needs a rest so I won’t be crabbing for Dungeness Crabs today. I will get some Beach Cardio in if the wind is not blowing to hard. Sometimes the sand blows so hard you should stay off the beach. Hmmm…I think I’ll throw a load of towels into the washer!

I just got my first symptom of over training. My right elbow got an unfamilar pain lowering warm up Curl weight of 65 pounds. It only hurts 3/4’s of the way down as my arms are at 20 degress from being straightened out. I use full range of motion and it does not hurt going up…Only at the last of down movement. Negative resistance in the back of the elbow but more at the end of the middle forearm. Feels like tendion irritation. So I’ll keep training at 5 days. I was pushing a 3 day recovery and it is not working…Obviously. I will work on legs, back, obliques, and cardio for next 5 days. I promiss!!

Went to Rite Aid and bought new protein supplement Muscletech Mass-Tech…was 50% more weight than Muscle Milk and alittle cheaper. 39.99 vs 42.99. I have to say that Muscle Milk mixes and taste twice as good. I’m looking for muscle growth and will chug down any protein drink that works. I just used my protein shaker bottle with the plastic screen at the top. It actually got rid of most of the globs of undissolved powder. Muscle Milk mixes with a few stirs of a fork and actualy tastes GOOD. I’m not knock the new drink unless I start losing weight…I’ll follow up with my results.

I went from 178 pounds to 183 on 2.5 pounds of Muscle Milk. Workouts felt strong!

My dojo is closed as of 12-12-07. I find myself reviewing this last year as another chapter in the books. My Goals are going to be close in body weight and muscle gain for 12-31-07. My arms are pumped to 15" after work out and I weighed in at 183 this morning. My increased caloric intake is driven by my weight training. It is funny how my hunger is not a feeling hungry. But more of a need to fuel my body so I eat when I’m not "really" hungry. Before with Martial Arts my cardio seem to suppress my appetite and I forced my self to eat. I have learned something new about how my body responds to Cardio and hopefully weight training will improve a balanced approach to physical fitness.