Cinthorc 
"I WON the NGA Natural Diamond Classic in Wichita, KS on November 15th, 2008!!!"
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| Created: | 05/14/2007 |
| Total Visits: | 584 |
| Total Blog Entries: | 4 |
| Total Comments: | 0 |
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February 11, 2008
The United State Bureau of the Census reports that by 2050, approximately 20.4% of the American population will estimated to be at least 65 years of age.
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that heart disease will result in the deaths of 27.2% of the American population.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, currently more than 60% of American adults are not regularly active, and 25% of the adult population is not active at all. Additionally, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report, a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, colon cancer, depression and anxiety, obesity, and week muscles and bones.
This is the world we live in. These are the facts of our lives, of our health, and our existence. Now, most importantly, what are we going to do about it?
As a somewhat relevant tangent with politics and public policy, I overhead in the recent Presidential debates that the United States has the best health care system in the world.
Truth be told: That’s utterly slanderous bullshit!!
Fact check:
You can use whatever measurement parameters that you’d please; however, among the 8 most industrialized nations (OCED), the United States is 8th in terms of life expectancy, 8th in terms of infant mortality rate, 8th in terms of nursing supply for every 1,000 patients; meanwhile, being 1st in terms of per capita health care costs, 1st in terms of health care cost per percentage of GDP, 1st in terms of percent of government revenue spent on health, and 8th in terms of the percent of health care cost paid by the government. To sum it up, The United States health care system isn’t even nearly the best in the world, nor — in my opinion — is it even respectable.
So, again, where do we go from here?
Well, as one great American once said about 48 years ago:
“ The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.“ ~ John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States.
And so, what can I do, not only for my country, but for myself and the people I serve as a personal trainer gifted with the responsibility of helping make people’s lives healthier and more enjoyable through the benefits of exercise?
Nothing, right? After all I’m just one man, a small fish in a big pond.
But from my experience there is so much that can be done, so much more that is not being done.
It all begins with a couple of things: 1) passion, and 2) inspiration.
A personal trainer without a passion for training is as worthless as a physician without a passion for saving lives. Passion for people, their health, and their potential — despite the obstacles, the excuses, and the frustrations which naturally come with dealing with people — passion, is what separates a good trainer from just another loaf with a name tag. You can have all the paper, the certifications, the education, and the experience behind your resume, but if you can’t flesh out those credentials into dynamically manifested results on a weekly, daily, hourly, and even momentary basis for each person you’re fortunate enough to meet — then you’re as good as dead. Personal trainers must have and must exemplify passion. They have to love learning, listening, adapting, and enjoy the challenge of working with people of all populations. They have to be willing to go the extra mile to see that even the most basic beginner is getting the best results they can from their exercise. They have to be willing to seize upon their genuine care and pride for the welfare of humanity and sacrifice themselves for those who don’t appear to know what they’re doing but are still trying to better themselves. Rather than scoff at people like them as worthless losers, it’s our place to step in as kind teachers and to become helpful coaches for people with these needs, not their cynics.
And on the other end, you have to have and to be inspiration. You’ve gotta reach down and feel what it’s like for that person to come to you as a beginner in search of lifestyle change. You have to feel where they’ve come from to be where they are today. You have to admire their courage to make that jump. You also have to supply them with proper motivation to break through the common excuses, the doubts, the setbacks, & any associated guilts. In short, you’ve got to acknowledge the worth in everyone that comes to you for guidance; and you must also translate this respect and this acknowledgment into driving yourself towards being a better trainer and towards training yourself even better.
These are surely some of the things I can do, as one man, to help others to help themselves to make changes for the better. I can’t change the whole world, but I can help make each person that comes to me “my world”, and to try and guide their well-being towards progressively better results than when they first came in the door.
It may not be much, but it’s at least what one man’s difference can make.
Posted in Training
September 26, 2007
After being asked over a dozen times if I "compete", maybe it’s time for me to get in the game?
I’m thinking very seriously about it, but I am not sure where to start. Getting to know a "Vet" often gets to be getting to do things the "Vets" way, which I’m not about. One size size does not fit all.. I know I’m natural and there are lots of roids and other short-cutters out there. I’m aware of the importance of mass in judging, and of the harsh, but true, fact of being 5′10" and only 151′ish lbs. It’s a severe limitation. I’m also aware of ego inflation and of the near cat-fight mentality in competition backstage. But my goal is realistic at best — do NOT finish dead last. Sounds optimistic, does it not?
Look, I know 8-time Mr. Olympia, Ronnie Coleman, came in 12th and 9th place before getting the Sandow trophy without ever griping. I can respect that. So I’m aware of something called the "long-term investment".
However, any thoughts from any of you for a person on such as I in such a thing as bodybuilding/fitness competition for some common guy in the relatively small town of Wichita, KS?
~ Agape ~
Posted in Training
July 15, 2007
For those who haven’t seen it, FLEX magazine has an article comparing 10 aspects of two of the top IFBB pro bodybuilders in the world: Ronnie Coleman & Jay Cutler. After reading the article, I decided it mind be a helpful and a good idea to go over these same 10 points as they relate to my training style.
Volume: One of my biggest advantages, as well as weaknesses, is my high-volume training. I prefer to do up a variety of 20+ sets per workout, obviously, with variety (discussed later) playing a major. For one, such high-volume training has allowed me to maintain my solid symmetry, my near ludicrous muscles density for being 5′10″ and 158 lbs., and incredibly low body fat. However, such devotion to high-volume workouts have also slowed my growth as it pertains to mass gaining, since after a certain point of sets, resistance training begins to become more like cardio. As such, my mass gains are gradual, but still healthy. I could ease off some, and occasionally do when I feel sick or weak, but I prefer the advantages while accepting the limitations. Such a thing relates greatly to my drive (also, to be discussed later) and simply requires patience.
Reps: For the most fundamental of movements (bench press, deadlift, squats, and military press), I’m willing to drop below the standards of hypertrophy which demand 10-14 reps in order to enhance strength and neurological responsiveness (also know as “muscle memory”). For all else, I prefer to keep my reps in the 14-8 rep range while regularly exercising the pyramid principle (i.e. start small one the first set, then go increasingly heavier). The only exceptions are neck, calves, and abs, which have more slow-twitch (i.e. endurance) muscle fibers, and thus require additional reps for responsiveness.
Form: Form is so incredibly important that it ranks among the highest aspects (having a good attitude, eating right, training smart, and getting plenty of sleep). As far as form, I almost always prefer a full range of motion, which is HIGHLY uncommon among most weightlifters, casual or dedicated. By one biggest exception is the deadlift, because, even with a weight belt, proper breathing, and stomach contraction, my lower back cannot sufficiently sustain the necessary heavy weights. So I have to do partial range of motion only on the deadlift to protect myself from injuries. Let’s be honest, a 158 lbs. frame can only do so much with 275-285 lbs. being lifted from the ground. Other than that one technique, I firmly believe in exercising a full range of motion on all exercises. Too many people, especially guys, rely on partials — not for physical gains — but for some false sense of ego and pride. Many do the to look strong or get attention. You have no idea how many guys I’ve seen stack up the leg press full of plates, perform partial reps (like 1-2 inches from its decent), and have the scrawniest legs you can imagine. Well, I wonder why?! Suck it up. Drop weight, and learn to MASTER to movement, not to to let your feelings of greed for more masculine recognition dangerously and fruitlessly master you such that you do not “grow”, in any sense of the word, aside from your feelings of pride and selfishness.
Pace: My pace between exercises is incredibly slow compared to most. I take as little as 1 minute to 5 minutes, depending, before moving to the next set. I stretch and consume water between sets, but I take a lot of time for rest, especially during the fundamental compound movements. This may mostly be due to cardiovascular conditioning, which I am attempting to address, or simply related to intensity…
Intensity: I am a big believer in high-intensity training, primarily for the most “controllable” lifts. As such, when you can better sustain the negative reps during compound lifts then you’re the better off (which typically means dropping some weight). But for more isolated movements, I see less intensity as a greater benefit in maintaining the contraction as I do in resisting the negative. WAY…WAY to many guys, in order to appear “strong”, try to train the weight rather than the muscle. This is a huge mistake, and yet another reason why I see so many weightlifters making little progress.
Training Partner: Do I train with a partner? Yes and no. Physically, I train alone. Meta-physically, I train with many. This is going to get complex, so please bear with me. My mind, my body, my heart, my experiences, my relationships, and even the equipment itself act in partnership with my training. My friends provide encouragement. My enemies supply fortitude. The echoes of “the way things are” remain in constant awareness within me. It is the complete opposite of the concept of being “alone in a crowded room.” Therefore, I always train alone, but never train alone. I am guided by things not physically present, and yet, am still in the company of many. This concept is interrelated to my drive (again, to be discussed later.) (NOTE: Notice the heavy interconnectedness between factors.)
Exercises: I strongly prefer fundamental compound exercises above all else. I’m a huge supporter of free-weights, although machines and cables do have their occasional uses. Mostly, I stick to the basics, and then throw in follow-up workouts to concentrate on detail. I like to perform 3-5 different exercises for each body part. Beyond the fundamentals, most of my exercises focus on the wholesome development of each particular muscle system (e.g. “upper”, “inner”, “outer”, and “lower” chest, even though the two pectoral muscles are largely the same thing.)
Variety: I variate only by instinct, which actually, I often do. Some days require more than others. Some demand you to push a little harder, others demand that you “ease up”. As it is, I already have an established a variety of workouts in my regiment to develop density and detail, using different angles and slopes to target different areas. I stick to many of the basics, but aside from those, I frequently throw in degrees of variety into my training.
Environment: I like extremes. I like either an extremely high-end gym with all the top-notch equipment, or I can go for the dungeon. Both environments provide unique settings that echo their own respective resonance. One screams excellence and sophistication, and the other screams guts and grit.
Drive: Well, here we go. I continually test my limits and to push myself beyond them — to become the strongest I can possibly be in mind, body, and spirit. Life is a precious opportunity, and I plan on seizing the most of it by cherishing every moment — because they’ll never come again. I’ve stopped looking up to idols and looking around for popularity, and started looking within, at the man that I am and what I’ve been given, regardless of what the world, itself, thinks of me. Therein, I find my strength and my hope; and in so doing I have a great responsibility to share my might and my faith with others to help them become better. I believe all people have the capacity for good, while some only lack the light to show the way. And so that is the purpose of why I’m here, and also why I train myself, body & mind.
~ Agape ~
Posted in Training
June 8, 2007
And so I hit the scale today, after consciously avoiding it for well over a month. It read 157 lbs., which is encouraging. I was worried that I had actually dropped weight, as my definition has remained strong and even improved in some areas. So it appears as though the mass gaining program is moving along ahead of schedule.
We’ll see how things go. And in terms of training, I’ll continue to focus on my percieved weaknesses. I’m finally adding low-impact, high-heart rate cardio to my routines. This is a MAJOR change. I’m adding that to the change in my resistence training to reduced sets and reps, and especially on cardio days (M,W,F,S), fewer exercises. That should help prevent the caloric output, already precipitated by my ravenous metabolism, to be pressed to the extreme. I believe heart training, better circulation, and a more efficient circulatory system justify these changes at the cost of calories. It just means I’ll have to add an additional snack or shake (300 calories or so) to offset the difference. My hope is that it will give me better endurance and provide for more enhanced distribution of nutrients through better bloodflow.
In terms of diet, I’ll continue to at least 4+ meals a day with high concentration of complex carbohydrates and moderate protein. It’s expensive, but it’s definitely working. The most difficult part, aside from finances, continues to be time management. However, I have a fairly decent regiment in place which is allowing me to stay consistent.
As far as supplements, I believe now is the time for me to cut back on the Nitrix for some weeks. Part of that has to due with financial restrictions. I’m also going back to ON’s Serious Mass for the higher complex carb concentration and better taste than the absolutely disgusting BSN True Mass.
Sleep continues to be sufficient. Meditation has improved my bodily and intellectual mindfulness in and out of the gym. So for the most part, I’d say things are progressing quite nicely.
Posted in Training
May 14, 2007
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Posted in Training
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