Live-For-Today’s BodyBlog

Help, I ate 3 handfuls of animal crackers at work. Empty carbs….. nooooo.

I’ve started back into drinking my protein in the morning with my UDO’s blend. I’ve also brought my CLA back into my routine, I’m waiting on my size on, and my gaspari novedex xt. I’m hoping with this cycle of supplements, paired with my new diet, I can finally get over this plateau. Giddy up.

So I’ve been doing Arnold’s beginners workout he has in his Encyclopedia to bodybuilding. Wow its really kicking my butt. I’ve put on some noticeable size and strength in the last 2 weeks. I really wish this bodyfat would come off though. I’m only cheating myself by eating the way I do.

Matt

I’m ready to tackle my goals. I have been kicking ass in the gym, I’ve seen great gains in size and strength on my mass building workout. I can’t wait to finish this up, and get to my cut in February. I really want this, and I know I can get this done. Using great form and dropping some weight to achieve the form has helped me tremendously, I definitely know what the term "training smart" really means now. I see these young kids in the gym, most likely in high school, and I just want to grab them and tell them to drop weight, use proper form. Because that was me just a few months ago, and I worked out for 2 years in the gym and saw minimal gains. But I just have to let them be, and hope they find the light on their own.

I have nearly 2 more months on my 3 month mass building workout that I started. I am on my 2nd cycle of a mass building workout. I finished a 12 week one almost a month ago, and started up again. I want more mass, but I’m so tired of this flab I have on my body. I am the strongest, and most muscular I have ever been my entire life, and it feels amazing. But when I look in the mirror, I still see my flabby stomach, but I do see a huge improvement everywhere just with a layer of fat on top. I’m pushing myself hard to stay on this mass builder to the finish of it, but I’m so tempted everyweek to start cutting.

On news of the workout, I started the 10×10 section of the mass builder which goes for a month last night, and it was a nice change of pace. Dead lifting 10×10 and then Calf Raises 10×10 definitely have me feeling like a million bucks the morning after. I missed feeling like this after a hard workout. Sore, and tight, and feeling like you kicked your ass in the gym. Euphoric.

So yesterday I’m at the gym, and I recently started doing all my compound exercises. And I’m doing my Deadlift, and it feels very awkward for me, I’m doing around 110 lbs or something, nothing much at all. But I see this guy next to me in the other squat rack cleaning 225 for reps. Absolutely awe struck for real. So I tell him I haven’t been deadlifting very long, could he help me with technique? He tells me that I was doing it all wrong, which I was sure I was. So he shows me, tells me to drop weight. So we drop it down, and I still can’t get it right. So I take all the weight off, and can finally do a proper Deadlift. So here I am deadlifting the bar. Really kind of puts it into perspective of how form really is the most important thing. Also puts into perspective how much of a weak girly man I am right now.

I started off bench pressing with a 1RM of 150 lbs. It was very embarrassing but I realized that everyone starts somewhere. I set a goal of 180 lbs for Dec. 24. With my new mass building program, and keeping a decent protein intake, I have achieved my goal on November 10th, forty three days before I was wanting to. I have increased my BP by nearly 21%. And surprisingly this isn’t my most improved lift. I’ve increased my squat by 22%. All of these goals have been met in 4 weeks of lifting.

Normally when you hear this, it’s because someone is not putting the effort out, or they’re not motivated. For me, its the opposite. I am doing a mass building workout, on a 3 day split, and I have 3 minutes between sets, with high weight. I’m so used to doing a low weight, high rep, low wait time between sets, that I’m going crazy. I feel like I’m not doing enough in the gym, however after my workouts, my muscles are so taxed, its awesome. I’m sure once I get into week 3, I will be used to the wait, and also used to the idea of high weight. I really have noticed a difference in just the first week of my new workout. I hope after my 12 week plan is up, I can see a lot of change. I will take a progress pic tonight, and see if I can tell a difference from the previous week. My slacks fit better though, thats for sure!

Well tonight was the 2nd night of my mass building workout, and its leg night. Previously when I did squats, I always did the squat machine, and never did BB squats. Tonight I put on my big boy pants and just did it. My knees seemed kind of weak, which worried me. I think I need to strengthen them. Also it was very hard to keep my heels down on the floor when going down. My flexibility was bad, or I was squatting with poor form. It kind of sucks because I don’t have anyone at my gym I would feel comfortable asking to give me pointers on squatting. I didn’t do very much weight, but thats ok, I have to start somewhere!

My diet is going well, I actually feel so much better by eating clean foods, and by eating on a more regular basis. Also eating small meals every 3 hours is awesome. I eat less, and I don’t get as hungry. I hope that this is truly a lifestyle change for me.