Return to the Iron.

I have had many interests and hobbies. They come and go as I get bored and/or lose interest. Some I have taken to the extreme and spent alot of money on, others I have taken to a level where my sole income became based on it being a success.

 (Ask me how to take an interest in music, and become a wedding dj/mc all while heading straight to the poorhouse) lols

I can’t say all these meanderings of mine haven’t been fun, or at least a learning experience, but none have rewarded me half as much as bodybuilding. Bodybuilding has always been something I’d come back to. It’s a high you can’t get on crack. I am just recently learning that I can incorporate bodybuilding into the rest of my interests as well. I can still say pound, for pound, bodybuilding is by far the most rewarding and fulfilling hobby you can be involved with period.

 For instance, let’s compare the car collecting hobby to bodybuilding. In the collector car world, you better have some basic knowledge before you do anything.

 The learning curve in bodybuilding, is an ongoing thing, and you can get a basic start right away.

In car collecting you better have some start up cash, and research the investment first and maybe for a long time before you buy your first car.

Your investment in bodybuilding can be as basic as a gym membership, some protien, an enhanced diet, and maybe some specialty supplements.

If you stick with car collecting, in a few years after a considerable monetary investment, the average guy can amass a few quality cars. The enjoyment of this hobby is returned in the satisfaction of a few shows a year where your vehicle or vehicles get exposure and maybe place in this class or that. Eventually you sell for a profit (hopefully) and move on to the next car. However most of the time the cars just sit in the garage.

In bodybuilding, you carry the results of your labor with you everyday. To the store.. at a party… to bingo or church, to a drag race or a car show… people will notice and it is a rush when they do! You become known as that guy or gal who lifts weights and pretty soon people begin to ask you for fitness advice. The enjoyment that comes from bodybuilding, is nonstop and I’m not even going into all the physical benefits.

The only thing that nets results in bodybuilding is diet, nutrition and Hard work! You can’t buy a muscular body like you could a car. Doesn’t matter how much money you have, or how much education. Perserverence, and dedication, are the only things that buy a good body. Bodybuilding can make rich people insanely jealous. Believe it they may be able to have all the best hobbies and buy 30 gyms… but they cant buy muscular development. They have to train like everyone else.

Keep bodybuilding as your first hobby. Then bring all your collector cars to the show looking like Dorian Yates!

(I feel better now that I got that all out!) <em />

First off let me say the job the crazy people that run this site did on my "I should know better" blog post, was hilarious! It can be found in the "News" section of this site. I didn’t even know they did such things, and I look forward to checking out all the other creative things they have in store for us.

Aside from laughing my ass off, I had a very productive weekend. Friday nite after an awesome workout… I went to a club to celebrate my wife’s birthday, and saw the best cover band I have ever seen. They are called "The Nerds" www.the-nerds.com They use their instruments the way a good dj mixes music. Beat for beat, transitioning from one song to another. Dressed like, and acting like the "traditional nerd" the entertainment factor with this band was off the scale! I had a great time!

Saturday I was off as far as working out, and I got to unpack all my hot rod stuff from Summit. I was like a kid at Christmas! Finding out later on that nite my blog was spoof-read was the highlight of my evening.

This morning.. (Sunday morning) I got to the gym as they were opening the doors. I love Sunday mornings it’s like the gym is mine! I managed to add another ten pounds to my bench for a max of 3 reps. I dont have the nards to go any heavier without a spotter, but I am assuming I could probably 1 rep max another 20 lbs or so. That would be about a 255 lb max. When I stopped lifting a year ago I could max 290.

Back from the gym, get some protien, hit the shower and start working on the hot rod! I installed my hood and started matching things up. It looks bad ass, and there’s plenty of clearance for the nitrous plate system.

Oh well… back to work tomarrow, but after work I get to do arms! Did I mention I love arm day!

I frikken hate to train legs!

But I hate the idea of having "sticks" under a well developed upper body more, so I train them. I basically vary the bulk of my work between free squats, sled machine squats, hack squats, leg exts, leg curls, and basic calf raises.

I admit I don’t train as heavy as most guys who are planning on changing tires on a 1947 Buick without a jack, but I make my share of gains. At least my legs and ass don’t look silly.

I decided to do standing calf raises a few nights ago. I hadn’t done them in god knows when, but I have been doing seated calf raises and burning the crap outta my calves!

I figured since I have been doing the seated raises, the standing raises would be just a small angle type difference and I should tear into them like I rip into every other movement. I should know better and….

I WAS EFFING Wrong!

3 days out and I am death walks the dog. I try and take a step and it’s like someone is hitting the back of my calves with a baseball bat! Oh the humanity!

I will switch leg day around and hit legs again on Friday nite to give maximum recovery time.

Just wait till I hit that machine again!

Got my first issue of the season a couple of days ago and it’s started me thinking of building muscle of a different type.

Here’s a before shot… less than 200 horses of oil burning doody…

Then it went to the gym and worked hard…

Finally back in the bay looking and running strong!

I had an awesome workout today and I feel great! I just ordered a whole bunch of goodies for the hot rod including a fiberglass hood, roll bar, and a 200 shot of nitrous! Boyz and their toyz!

As I grow older I may get bigger and I may get stronger… but dammit I refuse to grow up!

All day I think of what I will do in the gym when I finally get off work. I get myself pumped mentally, and I already know what my warmup will be, what weights to go for, and in what order.

Tonight I got to the gym signed in, and went to get changed. I figured I would hit my warmup sets and train a bit heavy with some alternating dumbell curls. I get to the dumbell room and it’s effing packed wall to wall with people.

Ok so that plan is out the window! I figure maybe I can sneak some dumbells into the bench press room but that is packed too.

I give up and go to the Lat machine room where there are some ez-curl bars, and some preacher curl equipment. I warm up, and hit it hard. Set, after set. First some standing curls extra heavy, then some preacher curls just a bit lighter in the 7-9 rep range. I hit my tris real quick while I am near the lat machine with some nice rope burn extensions then I do some wrist curls just to let my forearms know they are not dead. ( I want roadmaps dammit! )

I peek into the dumbell room and there is just a little room next to the rack.. I make a bee line for it, and drop my towel. Yesss! some heavy alternating curls! By this time my biceps were really starting to pump, and I wasted my favorite hot rod nova T-shirt with sweat.  I still needed to slam my Tris. Oh man… a flat bench opened up and i was able to nail my triceps with some extensions.

I am still a little high from that pump and it was more than an hour ago! I guess sometimes you feel like your just "making due" and wind up with better than you would have had to begin with. (if that makes any sense)

That workout was nothing like I had planned. I think it turned out way better! Bring on the crowd!

I get a lot of information from the radio. As a logistical engineer, (truck-driver) I spend a lot of time listening to one.

I believe it was there that I heard the notion "It takes 30 days to develop a habit." Good, or bad. I can’t remember what the statement  was in reference to, but who cares? That statement rings true for me.

It always takes me about a month to make something part of my daily routine. People ask  me, "where do you find the time to workout?" I answer, where do you find the time to shower? We all have our screwed up jobs, and our impossible schedules. During my day I think in terms of when I workout tonight not if. I picture what I will do, what machines I will use…. You simply make it a part of your daily routine, and don’t look back.

Having desire and being motivated is great! I am currently tripping over unracked plates and dumbells from the dozens and dozens of "new years" people in my gym.

Wanting that bodybuilder look, and desiring a chiseled physique, is just not enough to get the job done. Motivation fades… results come slower as the body adapts. Most of the resolutionists will bail after a few months, never really incorporating the true habit of bodybuilding.

Once the root of your bodybuilding lifestyle is established and incorporated into your daily routine, results will come. There will be good days, and bad. Crap workouts and awesome ones!   A true habit of getting to the gym on a regular basis is the root to success at any level.

Will I become a Pro bodybuilder with a magazine physique? Probably not. But I will achieve success in the gym, at work, and at home by incorporating positive habits on a daily basis!

See you in 30 Days!    

This past weekend was incredibly warm here in Jersey! I simply had to take the hot rod for a spin! It’s the law when it’s that nice. I keep having to remind myself it’s January.

Apocolypse aside… Been having some productive workouts. I find since I train at a public gym now, I can do twice as much in half the time.

It took a lot of time to set up the weights in my garage during certain movements, and screw on collars didn’t help. There are some things I miss, but for the most part I think a public gym has been better for me.

I just have to get used to all the people. There are so many different types. Saturday mornings I am at the gym when it opens. There are fewer people there, but those that are, seem to want to converse.

I am no robot, but I want to get my sets in with some degree of intensity, and talking about some hot looking female who could probably press more than me, is not going to help me lift. At least not any weights. :)

The muscle really is coming back! And slowly but surely the spare "Michelin" is becoming extinct. I could probably do a little better in the diet and nutrition dept, but for now I am trying to get my protien in and keep the crap calories out.

Even though Winter’s just gettin started….I cant wait till Summer!

Had a great time at my brother in laws’ house. We all got pretty loud and we were all pretending we know how to dance.

One of the best moments for me was when it was remarked that I must be lifting again even through my rather conservative button down. Damn that is a rush. Not to mention motivational!

Strange, even though I only had a few beers I was hungover like an animal the whole next day. Got home at about 4am and tried to sleep. Yeah right. I was effing useless all day. I am getting too old for that crap. hehehe..at least untill next time.

Got to the gym tonight and there were lots of new faces. I am gaining more and more control over the weight which means of course I’ll be adding weight soon. I am trying to ignore the fact that there are guys there that lift almost 4 times as heavy as I do. lols

No matter…. they didn’t all start out that way, and I am far from done gaining yet! Besides the new faces remind me of how far I have come.

I have started keeping a journal as far as what I do during a particular workout. So I can check back and see what weight I was using during a movement. Sometimes (if a usual piece of equipment is taken) I go to something else to work the same muscle group, and I always forget what weight I was using the last time.

Next workout is…. you guessed it! Bis and tris! God I love the right to bare arms!