Kitjai26’s Training Blog

I had a great workout last night.  Hey… keep your mind out of the gutters… this is a bodybuilding website… hahaha, j/k =).  Anyway, last night was core workouts - deadlifts, squats, & bent-over rows.  I started with a warmup set and then went into my regular routine.  I did 4 working sets of each and was able to increase my weights by 10 lbs.  By the end of the workout I was completely drained.  It was a good thing I keep my protein shake close-by because I had completely exhausted myself (in a good way).  It was extremely hard to keep those last couple of reps in strict form with such heavy weights.  But it sure feels good afterwards to know that you were able to work yourself to total positive failure.  With all the stairs on my way home, it was a big struggle for me today just getting home for lunch.  LOL, I was hardly able to walk myself up/down those stairs - since I live on the top floor of my apartment complex.  And to push myself that extra bit sometimes, I’ll make myself run up those flights of stairs after every workout… #$%@… I still have an arm workout routine tonight.  I’m so not looking forward to those stairs again tonight.  It’s hard enough walking up them after last night’s routine.

You know what they say, "no pain, no gain" right? I used to dread deadlifting & squat workouts and avoid doing them at all costs in the past. But now I’ve actually grown to like them. I have a friend who was talking about not making any gains.  But then after our discussion I learned that he was not doing any leg routines or core workouts.  As with most bodybuilders today, core workouts are a must and will unlock more muscles.  And that’s what keeps me motivated for the most part, the thought of changing my physique and health.  Until next time… best of luck to all!  And keep motivated!!

Lately I’ve been feeling less motivated.  For the past few weeks I’ve been watching a lot of bodybuilding vids on YouTube.com.  For the most part, the vids really help to get me pumped up and ready to hit my workouts hard.  But lately I just haven’t been feeling quite the same.  I think part of it’s because my gains have slowed down.  Maybe I’ve hit a plateau… or maybe I’ve been feeling tired lately.  Now granted it’s only approaching two months since I’ve been going at this seriously.  But am I expecting too much too soon?  I haven’t stopped nor do I plan on stopping anytime in the near future.  I’m sticking to my workouts and pushing just as intensely.  But for the past couple of days I haven’t had that same “high” before my workouts.  It’s one of those… I think I’m gaining… but not sure kind of days.  Have any of you felt that?  And what got you pumped up again and kept you motivated to stay on track?  Reading other member profiles and watching others progress also helps me to keep focus.  I’m also wondering… how long did it take you guys to really see some definate gains?  And I’m not asking those of you that are naturally built, huge, and ripped from the get-go.  For all you average joes out there, how long did it take before you realized that you’ve achieved your goal and went from pud to stud? 

So why is it that most people almost instinctively have to ask anyone going to the gym, "how much do you bench"?  That’s probably the most common question I think many of us guys get (from other guys) once they know you workout.  To me I think that’s a common mis-conception in the bodybuilding world.  A lot of people look at a bodybuilder and almost automatically assume they all can bench 550 lbs.  But many fail to realize that bodybuilding isn’t just about "how much you bench", it’s so much more than that.  Bodybuilding (to me) is about sculpting the body and health, having symmetry and definition.  Take for instance my conversation last night with my 16 yr. old cousin.  As soon as we touched on the subject, his first question was about how much I bench.  I guess a lot has to do with the understanding.  But I’m just curious why that question is usually the first question asked from one guy to another?  I later showed him a short video clip of Jay Cutler and the next word out of him was "steroids".  All I can do is shake my head.  I don’t know what to say.  Maybe someday bodybuilders will get the respect they deserve for all their hard work and people will better understand it.  But in today’s society it just astounds me to see how little people know about working out, proper dieting, and nutrition…

Okay, so I’m still somewhat new to all of this.  But I’ve been reading up A LOT!  And I’ve learned so much from the bodybuilding community.  I think it’s about time I suck it up and started blogging on this to keep me motivated and focused on working out to get shredded/ripped.

A little history about what got me started… I probably started getting serious about my workouts earlier this year (around January-February 2008).  The reason I wanted to get serious or what initially motivated me was during the 2007 Christmas holiday seasons I went back to my hometown where I grew up for a visit.  I saw an old acquaintance of mine from back in college.  Back then he was skinny with little muscle as far as I could tell.  Well, this time he did a complete 180 and bulked up to look like a light or light-middle weight bodybuilder.  I was amazed to say the least.  He was very ripped/shredded even when he wasn’t working out.  This was the first time ever I had met someone who went from skinny to all bulky muscles in just a few short years.  Well not really, cause I did know a bodybuilder when I was still in my adolescent years that was competing regionally.  But back on subject… this was the single determining factor for me.  I thought if he could do it, so could I. 

My background… I was always kind of on the thin side growing up.  I started lifting weights around the age of 14.  At the time, I was inside a shopping mall (Sears I think).  And my dad bought me my first set of weights along with a spring chest pull.  I don’t remember the exact weight (maybe 20 lbs.) which was plenty heavy for me at the time I started.  Remember I was thin and had little or no muscle.  I probably lifted for about a year on a routine basis and did gain mass.  But I knew nothing about proper nutrition or dieting at the time.  At that time, since I was still too young to drive, I rode my bike A LOT just for fun and hanging out with friends.  I thought little of it nor did I have any clue it had anything to do with cardio.  But I averaged about 6-8 hrs. of riding my bike just about everyday.  Maybe this is part of the reason why I remained thin throughout my teenage years.  I basically quit for a year or two after as soon as I was old enough to drive.  I didn’t start working out again until my freshman year in college.  Even then I still knew nothing about proper dieting and nutrition.  I just worked out on my upper body (arms & chest).  This lasted for the better half of a few months.  And then I started dating a lot more and basically quit cold turkey thereafter.  Fast forward 11 years and here I am.  So after my story above, I’m now learning more than ever about proper nutrition and dieting.  And I’m trying to keep motivated more than ever to bulk up.  I think I might be somewhat of a hardgainer.  So I’ll just have to keep going at it hard and heavy!!  Best of luck to everyone out there!!!