Thots

First let me sort of add to my previous blog (see The Other Gym, below) My friend the gym owner/trainer..  well..  she doesn’t have many people around her like friends who could help her out.. that’s where I come in I suppose… and because of my friend I now have this friend..

anyway..the back story… about 2 weeks ago I had to help a friend move (another friend) and he needed my truck to move his mattress (about 40 miles) and a few other things… I never thought in a million years that I’d be "that guy" transporting a mattress on the roof of my truck down the highway..  I said no way I am not going to do that…  So I’m driving down the highway with this mattress on my truck.. I did stipulate that there are to be no arms out the window holding on to it, and no bungee cords at all.. we need ratchet straps and at least 2 of them.. box spring on top of mattress.. that’s it.. well it worked great, I drove alone…(hunched down in my seat) made it the distance without it moving an inch… the one time I had to do that is now over.. hoping the whole time no one saw me… naturally..

This is where the new friend comes in.. while I was there yesterday morning.. she asked if I would help her transport a mattress to her place for her spare room.. No way am I doing that again.. once is enough, I can’t be doing that all the time, get it delivered… so I had to pick her up at 1 today to get the mattress..  in the span of less than 2 weeks I am now in the mattress business.. wtf.. so it was scheduled for today.. no chance of avoiding it, she called my cell like 4 times in a row on the minute we agreed on until I answered.. luckily I don’t have the ratchet straps, my other friend still does, so I dodged that bullet!!!

I now have to go get the straps (about 25 minute drive one way) then move this mattress, and return the straps (hopefully another time…) Did I mention it’s being transported in the same posh town she owns the gym.. I’m now a "servant".. 

Why don’t I say no..  very good question.. I am too good hearted.. I love helping people.. but..  I equally love ranting about this stuff as well.. it’s really funny the situations I get myself into.. she is really a sweet person and is appreciative.. I’m doing my good friend duties that’s all.. so don’t be so quick to bust on the guy with the mattress on the highway (as long as it’s properly strapped down to an adequately sized vehicle) it just might be you someday…

Oh i almost forgot.. I had an awesome training session this morning.. at home too, which i generally don’t have good sessions, unless it’s just cardio, but that’s another blog..  anyway.. Bi’s and Tri’s.. blasted them..I use a 2" bar sleeve so I train my forearms really well durring the moves.. I did a little cardio cooldown after and  feel awesome.. you know the Bi/Tri day makes you feel jacked all day.. and I have to go into the city (nyc) tonight too.. looking forward to tomorrow.. (except for the mattress transport of course)

I happen to have acquired a friend, through a friend, who owns a small gym in a snooty town next to mine.  Well, on occasion I go to visit my friend and get to see all these ritzy people training..(who think they are training) not many maybe 5 or 6 max at a time in this place.. I’ve seen anyway..

So one guy was doing some light cable stuff and light medicine ball stuff and kept saying "I’m tired, I’m getting tired, how much longer" to his trainer (my friend) "how many more things do I have to do, I think I’m getting tired" oh and the funny one.. "this feels heavy, is it heavier" "no" the trainer said "it’s the same weight we’ve used" "maybe it’s because I’m getting tired" the guy said…  Then there is the older woman with white sunblock on her face (ok, it’s about 28 degrees today and cloudy) doing circuit training.. all decked out in gym garb.. I mean it’s great she is there doing something, being all dusty… but she just sat on each machine.. a rep or two, and then moved on.. she said to the guy on the cables "I’m getting tired" 

Ok, by this time I have had it.. all the while I was talking to my friend who is the owner/trainer of these people..  then came in the hardcore dude.. prancing in, straight to the squat rack.. I thought he was there to fix the apparatus because he and his cronies had jeans on.. nope they jump right in to squatting.. yelling loud and slamming plates.. mind you, this place is filled with money is no object people with butlers, $200,000 cars and stuff..  so I look over.. he’s got the bar loaded with like 4 plates, hanging from chains off the rack just a few inches lower than his shoulder height…and doing I’d say 1/4 reps.. nowhere near a squat..more like the move you might make standing up after leaning in to the mirror in your bathroom.  Standing up, then slamming the bar down into the chains.. obnoxious let me tell you..over and over again.. But the yelling and plate slamming continued.. so, in order to drown that out, the guy training a girl with boxing goes over to turn the music up.. then one of the other trainers didn’t like the music so he changed the station.. In comes a mom.. takes off her fur coat and gets a bottle of water from the fridge.. and proceeds to say hi to everyone in the place, little pecs on the cheek all around.. so Mrs. Priss gets together with her trainer and they start on legs, only not so fast.. her hair was a little out of place, and her shirt was too klingy..after that is fixed she does a set.. then another, and as she gets of for a break she says "it’s warm in here can someone turn the heat down.."  I nearly lost it..

My friend got pulled aside by the boxing trainer who needed more floor space to train this woman..so everything and everyone using the floor had to relocate so she could throw a few punches..the next Ali (the daughter) why couldn’t they use the full size boxing ring installed in this place you might ask.. well it was occupied by a trainer and trainee doing stretches on the mat…

I am really glad I am not a member at this gym.. I was offered workouts anytime for free.. but with all the politics and antics, not to mention the type of people I hate, ones that think their shit doesn’t stink who give you the looks while you are sweating doing a set of whatever… 

I just had to tell someone the morning I had.. this place is great for socializing but definitely not for training.. at least no one uses it as such..

It felt good to get back to it after not being able to train this week..  11 days until I leave.. I almost don’t want to go (not really) because I am on such a roll with training.. but…. those high temps, golf courses, dinners out.. well, you know.. it’s Florida

My workout today was at home.. chest and I hit traps because..well… I need traps.. chest was good though I have a sore tendon or something in my delt keeping me from getting nuclear… What does one do for a torn or irritated muscle/tendon like that.. I mean besides rest.. I tried all sorts of creams and rubs.. muscle relaxants…. I don’t know, it’s really affecting my golf swing too.. went to the range today.. damn I am in mid-season form and I haven’t picked up a club in like 2 months.. I was shocked..

My dilema.. I want to be huge.. wait.. I don’t want to be huge..everyone is huge… I want to be giant.. yeah.. anyway.. this is a major problem with a golfer.. you can’t be big and swing a golf club.. well, and be a decent player anyway..  I have not persued my gigantism as much because I love golf so much..  ugh.. it’s a major clash of two sports…  muscles don’t help you in golf.. a tone physique and flexability will, but not big muscles.. which is funny because now they might be testing for roids on the PGA tour..  not that I will be on a tour anytime soon.. (and not on the juice either for the record)

I joined a new gym but have only been able to go on weekends with a friend.. I hope to go a few days this week before the weekend.. I want funny gym stories like the rest of the blogs I read.. gyms are really a funny place.. the things people do.. buuuut.. that’s another show!!

Yeah, I made it to the gym.. I felt pretty good so I decided to give it a try, the back held out so far, and I did 10 mins on the treadmill, 25 on the stepper (split 10-10-5) ugh, and another 10 on the TM.. felt awesome.. I haven’t done the stepper in a while especially with my back.. it’s death!!.

The funniest thing about the stepper is once you enter your criteria for the workout it flashes "Enjoy your workout!"  What’s that!!!.  yeah, what a blast I’m in for..what a barrel of monkeys being on that thing!! I almost get pissed like the machine developer did that on purpose as a joke.. lol 

At least I had a friend with me and we suffered together.. oh and why do they have to put the stepper in the area of the floor with the lowest ceiling, I wanted to remove the ceiling tile so I didn’t have to duck the whole time or hit my head.. my last gym had a huge 10" waste pipe run right across the 3 steppers.. you have to be like 5′5" to use them.. and heat rises so it’s like 20 degrees warmer up there for me…  not to mention being on display for everyone to see what death looks like!!

What an awesome workout that was!!! I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow!!

I discovered a great remedy, well otc type anyway, for my back..  it’s excedrine’s back and body..  it has an anti-inflamatory along with a pain killer.. together they work really well.. I have a script for a more potent one but as much as I hate relying on any meds, this otc is great.. without the high from the control substances in the other… AF’s alone like say in advil doesn’t work as well..

Anyway.. all week I have been unable to train or do much due to reinjuring my back earlier this week.. I discovered the B&B two days ago and it’s been great.. however my weigh day came too soon and this morning I am up 2.. which is ok I suppose for not training and having a few slip ups on my meals.. working out alone gets me on track with a diet but the two need to be together…. otherwise when one faulters the other suffers.. I hope to get a good week in this week.. I’ll start back working out, but I just have to tell myself to take it easy early on..

Gee I just joined a new gym too like a couple months ago..I must like paying for things I don’t use…

oh well..  until next time…

After reinjuring my back earlier this week, for whatever reason I still can’t pinpoint it.. I haven’t been able to train.. and in the process a few of my later in the day meals have been less than clean.. I was so excited about last weeks progress only to be shot down this week.. I will still weigh on saturday though I don’t expect anything positive to come from it..  I still have another week or so until my goal expires and I head to Florida.. so we’ll see what the next couple of days brings.. I have done some cardio with this injury in the past and it excelorated the recovery so I might try that today..

I would love any feedback on a regimin or other trick that has helped anyone else get through a low back/disc issue.. I can’t be the only one… I plan to work core and all of my back a lot more than in the past.. providing I can get back into the gym soon of course.. I also want to reduce my weight to relieve som eof the pressure..

Well, I’ll ramain an observer on here for a while until I can resume participation.. which I hope is soon… I haven’t lost any motivation which is good.. I also don’t want to have the boring old blog entries either.. hope to have something funny and or entertaining to read soon as well.. gym stories are usually fun to read..

I’d love to hear anyones story of overcoming low back issues as lately I feel pretty bummed about mine… not being able to train and being in such pain…

I had a setback today again.. my back..  got really sore this morning and I couldn’t train.. that’s 2 days now due to this.. I do have 4 bulging discs (only 1 is bad though) but the last 3 months plus have been great..  all sorts of motivation, getting the energy back.. starting to move weight, cardio.. felt great.. the cold definitely came in this week up here though.. temps in the single digits and no higher than 30 with wind and whatever…. I was hoping it was just the cold causing my back to tighten up and get inflamed.. but it could be anything.. 

I am sure I am not the only one with low back issues, if anyone has any tricks they use to get through the day and or training.. let me know.. 

Until then.. I might try to do a little cardio tomorrow, and in the afternoon I might try a little something in the gym.. with plenty of warmup of course… I really want to focus on core and get that super strong so I don’t have to worry.. but it’s getting that done that proves tough at times… I have been living with it for a while (and have learned what I can and can’t do and what to do to relieve the pain) but only really bad the last year.. in and out of the gym really sucks for progress… the funny thing is it doesn’t really bother me much while training or doing cardio, it’s before or after as well as the thought that I could be doing worse…. We’ll see how it goes..

Thanks!!!

I had such a busy weekend, and damn how I tried to eat clean.. I weighed on Sat AM so that was great.. it put a period on the previous weeks training with a 7 pound loss, and feeling really strong.. My usual first loss is around 6 pounds so I think i did well this week..

Saturday i went to the World’s Strongest Man Competition at Mohegan Sun Casino..  I wasn’t going to be one of the guys there chomping on nacho’s and hotdogs while sucking down gallons of soda… not at this show.. I was so amped up being there that I litereally wanted to come right home and train..  Sunday I had to help a friend move.. you know how that goes, the food of choice on moving day is pizza.. well, this guy works out too, so he opted for Toco Bell instead of pizza.. a lateral move if you ask me..   I made it through Sunday to today.. Still jacked from the show and that a Connecticut guy won the event too..  I went to train this afternoon but the cold made my back tighten right up and I had a weird feeling when trying to do some lifts.. Shit!! talk about a burst bubble.. I did a little cardio and that was it.. I’m still pumped and with the single digit temps here in CT this week I’ll make sure to warm up more and load up on advils..

Awesome weekend… Oh and make sure if anyone ever goes to this casino eat at Michael Jordans Steakhouse and have the garlic bread.. just make sure you have nowhere to go the next day..  We’ll see what this week brings.. I definitely want to get it on in the gym..

Since say december I have half assed started back on a routine from my low back deal.. if there was one thing I learned over the years of starting and stopping training and dieting is that you can’t do it half assed..

well, it was about the end of december beginning of Jan that I finally started this page.. since then I have slowly completed all the questions and entered all the information, and spread the honesty all over the place.. read others stories and was able to gain so much motivation knowing that I can’t let down the family (so to speak) meaning 140,000 members..  (well, maybe only 100,00 care lol)

Fast forward to this week.. dedication was what got me training with intent motivated by the power of the people.. I’m going to Florida on the 8th of Feb.. of course i want to take some clothes with me that fit good right..  knowing also that fancy dinners will entice me.. I set that day as a goal to do what I can hardcore until then, what I get is what I get no lack of effort.. you know…

I felt awesome all week.. and in an effort to lose as much as I could, healthily, I dropped 7 pounds.. granted a lot of that is water.. and whatever else.. I’ve been through the high of a first loss before.. but it’s just another boost of motivation to keep it on.. I am getting back to training hard but trying to maintain that balance and drop BF%.. I am aiming for body composition changes.. getting huge and getting smaller at the same time..

I’m on my way again.. Thanks guys!!!

I have been thinking about this for weeks now..  looking through pages from other members, reading their stories, seeing the pictures.. I don’t know.. there is something there.. for me (or us) the ones who aren’t already in mint condition or haven’t ever had to struggle with the ups and downs of training and/or weight…

That something, I have come to discover, is motivation… a different form than I have employed in the past.. just about every time I come on here, after a few minutes, I want to turn right around and go train.. or do cardio or have a shake or chicken breast..  Why does this happen?  These people I don’t know yet they are a part of my life somehow, and getting me to do things that even my friends can’t do for me…

I often wonder do others feel the same?  The more pages I see lately ( I assume from new years resolutioners as with the packed January gyms) the more I think this feeling is mutual among a ton more people than I thought..  One thing I see (I hope I see) is honesty.. Some may flaunt, and they deserve it I’m sure, some are humbled, and some are embarassed.. yet the pics go up, the numbers are posted.. and it’s that honesty combined with the motivation of this site (and other motivating factors) and it’s pages that allow the numbers to change and the pics to be updated..  It’s really amazing when you look at this whole concept as a whole from every demographic and every angle..

Well, it’s just my thoughts that I figured I’d write down.. I don’t live in town where fitness is a prevalent past time so this has become my new town…  Sharing some details of my life with fitness minded people I don’t know has been something I look forward to… Everyone here deserves credit that cannot be calculated… Most of all I must thank you!!