The Rewards of Going Heavy!!
The very funny cartoon above was courtesy of Trixter. Well here it is Sunday morning and I’m about to start the 4th week of my personal 12 week challenge and I’m telling you I could not be happier with the way things are going.
The past two weeks I made the decision to go much heavier in my lifting and it is really paying off. You can actually see visible results now as I think you’ll see when I post my progress pics tomorrow. I had thought all along that I was using heavy weights but now I see I was a big wuss. Actually by some standards I still am a big wuss but I’m getting there.
What I was using as my working weights I’m now using to warm up. For instance I was using 100lbs to squat and now I warm up with that and bumped my working weight up to 150lbs and expect to go much higher each week. I did bent rows with 110 on the bar this week and am looking to go higher. I’m still leery of going too heavy without a spotter but what the hell….no guts….no glory.
I’ve always kind of kept a journal of what I eat and what I lift but this past week I’ve really done a good job of keeping up with it and found it to be very helpful. It has shown me that I haven’t been consuming nearly enough protein to promote growth and my calories have barley been enough to maintain my current weight let alone build muscle. I will make the adjustment this week and continue to track my eating. I would highly recommend to everyone that they do the same. If you don’t it’s basically just a crap shoot. I know it’s a pain in the ass but believe me it really helps.
Sunday Reflections.
Went to my oldest daughters yesterday, the one who just had the baby, and came home thoroughly depressed. She was always daddy’s girl growing up but now it seems none of them have time for the old man anymore. My baby girl who is 18 still finds time to call her old dad but I’m thinking that if I never called the other 2 girls they would never think to call me.
We actually moved back here from Kansas, a place I dearly love to be, so we could be closer to our kids and it’s still like we live in Kansas! Only….WE LIVE IN STINKING OHIO!!! To further add to my depression my 2 oldest daughters and their husbands were going out with my ex and her husband to celebrate their anniversary. They were going out to Applebees and then out bowling and drinking. ARRRRGHHHH!!! They’ve never offered to do anything like that with my wife or I. Oh well maybe I’m just being petty and since winning is against the Hard Core Mutha code I’ll just suck it up and let it go.
Anyway I am really stoked about starting my 4th week and look forward to even bigger changes. Watch for my progress pics tomorrow and be sure to stop by and tell me what ya think. OH, one last thing….I want to think everyone who has stopped by to give me encouragement…especially my friends in the circle. That’s the kind of thing that keeps me driving on. I’m really becoming a full fledged CW!! Everyone have an awesome Sunday and here’s hoping you all have a fantastic week!!
Lift Long and Prosper!!!
"B"
January 27, 2008 at 9:07 am
Looking forward to the progress pics "B" and before long we will be calling you "BB" Big Bryan… sorry to hear about your daughter but I understand my older sister is like that with my mom but only lives 5 minutes away.. hurts my mom …
This week is going to be awesome for you.. Keep it up !!!!
January 27, 2008 at 9:31 am
Hey B well first you know how I feel about the Crush factor….. okay I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed…. but fear has a way of motivating me to push harder….lol Never do anything your not comforitable with. Well as for your kids…. we both know they grow up and move on….we did!… So love your kids…but live for you and your wife!
January 27, 2008 at 10:19 am
Glad to hear things are going well for you in the diet/exercise aspect, BG! Can’t wait for the new pics
Also, with your kids, hrm… do they maybe know that you kind of feel like they’re not keeping in touch? Sometimes life gets so much in the way that you take your core people for granted, that it wasn’t until my mom told me that I don’t keep in touch with her that the little light came on, you know? So now, I make a diligent effort to call the parents Sunday morn to check in and wish them a great week. Just a thought…
Keep the momentum going, my friend - your work ethic is infectious!
January 27, 2008 at 11:41 am
Good job keeping the journal and using it! Becareful if you aren’t comfortable about the no spotter thing. Kids - Pixi has a good point. But then again, it’s the ones closest to us that hurt us the most, right?
But hang in there, and I can’t wait to see your pix tomorrow!! diane
January 27, 2008 at 3:00 pm
HI Bryan! Keep up the great work! Can’t wait to see your progression!
January 27, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Man, am I ever glad I didnt start the contest against you…You would be walking all over me chewing me up and spitting me out! Stay strong brother! Keep up the great work!
January 28, 2008 at 1:11 am
Good job on the weights and the diet! That’s the way to go, Bryan
I’m looking very much forward to seeing your new pictures.
As for your kids, I agree 100 % with NB! Live your own life. Your kids will always be your kids no matter what.
We are all somebody’s children, and when we think about how we acted when leaving the nest and starting our own adult lives, a lot of us probably acted in the same way. Why? Some of it I guess is due to the fact that we have a lot of mixed emotions towards our parents. Unconditional love mixed with all the positive AND negative memories of our childhood and growing up. I know when I go visit my dad, I sometimes have to build up some energy and try to think happy thoughts before the encounter. It’s just so much easier spending time with people you’re connected to in a less intense way.
Look at me - I’m yabbing away here on something I don’t have a clue about. My point of view is of course affected by my own upbringing which hasn’t been all that pink and pleasureable.
TTYS buddy
January 28, 2008 at 2:46 am
Great job pushing the weight! It is important to be comfortable with the weight you are lifting but continuously increasing the weight is a must for progress. Keep up the good work and I’ll be looking forward to seeing your progress. Train hard!
January 28, 2008 at 4:01 am
Bryan you are doing great, keep up the good work. Don’t let the kids get you down, my two oldest live in other states, and we have a great relationship the way it is. Move back to Kansas if that is where you really want to be.
Sometimes you just have to do what’s right for you.
January 28, 2008 at 4:42 am
You are doing freaking fabulous. I am so proud of you.
I guess I have to add my two cents about the kids. I think you should live for you and your wife. I know you want a close relationship with you kids, you may want to make a little special efforts. send them a card in the mail for no reason…something mushy from the heart…a happy memory from childhood or how proud you are of the person that they have become. Maybe an invitation to dinner. You keep trying and they will come back around. It wont be like it was when they were kids but it will be a good relationship.
January 28, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Okay bro, I feel what you are saying. First off, congrats on setting your new STANDARDS of lifting. You will not be disappointed. Secondly, I am going to try to explain something to you. You know that I am still young in age but have a family of my own now. I was guilty of always calling my dad but I would never call my mother. It’s not that I didn’t or don’t love my mom, it’s that every time we would talk or spend time together, there were two things that would always bother me: 1) She never had anything interesting to say and when she did talk, it was the same story over and over again….I guess I was bored! 2) My mother and I had some issues growing up. My parents divorced when I was very young. My mother does not know that I know this but she cheated on my father but I did not realize this until I was old enough to understand that the guy that was living with us the day after my father moved out was her lover! My mom still does not know that I know this and I find it really hard to talk to her about it! I am afraid I will be mad! Also, I was forced to live with my mom by the court. I ended up moving in with my father as soon as I could but that was not until high school! I don’t know the details of your life but maybe one or both of those things could apply. Maybe not cheating on your wife but something else. Only you could know. To be completely honest, I started seeing my mother again after my son was born. She took a lot of interest in my son and made every attempt to see him. Now that we have two kids, it’s the same way. I will call my mom and let my son talk to her on the phone, etc….I know my children love her! Give it some time bro! Take every chance you can to see your grandchildren and let your kids know you care! Call them weekly, even if you say you are just checking up on the kid. They will come around! I did!
January 28, 2008 at 1:56 pm
who needs Oprah or Dr Phil… wow, you all are so great… Byran, are you writing all this down?? KLEENEX PLEASE!!