Maxed Out Mike's BodyBlog

sore

Maxed Out Mike — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:19:27 +0000

so after switching to a upper body/lower body two day split the body has become a little sore! Upper body last night. Superset Lat Pulls/bicep curls (3/12-15) and then switched to a superset of dumbbell chest press/skull crushers (3/12-15) then did arnold shoulder presses alone. that came out to be enough after the 15 minute HIIT cardio before it. Hurray, today i do legs. That means i wont be walking all weekend!

Boise Fit Expo 08

Maxed Out Mike — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:03:25 +0000

Boise Fitness Expo 2008

At the Big Easy Concert House, Boise, Idaho

What a night. Arriving just after the girlfriend put an offer on a house (which we are still hoping she gets) the first thing I notice is a MILE of a line! WOW. Now this is my first time coming to the expo. I didn’t think it was going to be very big, because before I worked for BB.com, I never heard of the Boise Fit Expo (apparently I don’t get out much). Ron Avidian and Isaac Hinds were interviewing VP Jeremy DeLuca out front. A few co-workers were slammed at the door, so as a gentleman, I started helping out getting out the “empty bags” which were slammed packed with samples and supplements that vendors handed out inside. We had around 500 t-shirts, which went fast. To try and get the line to go smoother, we were running down the line, throwing shirts out, like cheerleaders at basketball game, we were only missing the slingshot to launch it into the upper deck!

Once I finally snuck inside, I headed in to look for other employees. The joint was packed! Music playing in the background, guys doing ez bar curls for a competition to win a supplement from BEAST sports. I got distracted at the main stage where the FAME Bikini Model search was taking place, which I think would stop any man, and a select women, in there steps. I make it up stairs and look for the other employees. Don’t have to go far, just have to head for the bar! After finding Ryan DeLuca, hanging out with the VIP wristbands, I get mine and mingle with some fellas from my dept. I attempt to go check out the different vendors, but I figured I get enough goodies being an employee that I’ll stay out of the way of the guests!

I head into the VIP room to hang out with a few employees and head to the balcony where we could see the venue and the stage. Jay Cutler is at the MuscleTech booth taking pictures and signing autographs. Bill Romanowski was signing copies of his book and promoting his new supplement line; Nutrition53, in another corner. BSN had their booth set up with “The Prodigy” Brandon Curry signing autographs and taking pictures. Up on the balcony, I bumped into ErgoPharm’s own Patrick Arnold was watching the ladies finish up the FAME Bikini contest. Thanks to the beautiful Crystal Matthews and the eccentric Jerome Ferguson for hosting the contest and getting the fans to cheer instead of just stair with their jaws on the floor in awe! After that, Boise’s on Marika Johansson, put on a great posing show, in her Viking format, equipped with a sword. She is stacked alone; does she really need the sword? No, but it adds for effect!

Alright, enough standing and watching pretty ladies on a stage, time for a drink! After socializing with a few employees and vendors, I figured I would venture through the crowd, now that its died down a little bit. During the last 3 months, BB.com did its own Transformation challenge within the office, the winner, gets to go to host the booth at the Olympia this fall! While everybody did amazing, we had to have a winner. Kris Gethin, our editor-in-chief and author of the Transformation challenge took it with our Marketing Anylist Jamie Winery coming in a close second. Since Kris gets to go to the Olympia anyway, he gave his winning tickets to Jamie! Ryan DeLuca and Bob Cicharillo awarding them onstage.

Cruising around the crowd, I get over to meet Scott, the owner of BSN as well as get a picture with Brandon Curry. During that, Ryan DeLuca and Bob Cicharillo were up on stage handing out the employee of the year award! And GUESS WHAT…… It wasn’t me. Damn. I think it was rigged, but anyways, the winner’s were (that’s right, two EOY’s) Web Content Manager Will Wiedenmann and Purchasing Specialist Bill Baldry (and it’s the first time any of us have EVER seen Billy without a hat!). Went around and got to meet the guys from MuscleTech (and yes a picture with Jay) and then headed back upstairs.

As the vendors started running dry of free stuff, they started to gather up stairs in the VIP. Up here I got to meet and spend some time with a few new people. Bill Romanowski was hanging out, he had his ’98 Denver Bronco SuperBowl ring I got to try on. This was a huge moment for me, as it is the closest I will ever get to a Super Bowl and the Broncos are my team! Also got to spend some time with Brian Robauch from PhenogenX, Dave from iForce Nutrition, and Patrick Arnold from ErgoPharm; These aren’t your science nerds from high school! Some very cool guys that were fun to hang out with and represent great companies! Also got to swap some stories with Jerome Fergeson; Saw him at lunch earlier that day with his hair up, and he is actually 6’4 when he has his hair up. Its nuts! Of course I got to meet Jamie Eason finally, as she always was coming to the office when I wasn’t there! All in all, it was a great night! Big thanks go out to the Big Easy for hosting and of course to Dave Middleton, our marketing and events manager, for bringing it all together! If you missed it this year, don’t let it happen again next year! BFE 09 here we come!

The Keys to happiness from Ryan DeLuca

Maxed Out Mike — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:42:48 +0000

Great outlook on life sumed up right here from the CEO himself. Ryan DeLuca

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpost.php?p=128293971&postcount=168

The keys to happiness:

1. Long-term, close relationships (wife, kids, parents, friends, etc.)
2. Focusing on something you are passionate about every day.

Quote of the week

Maxed Out Mike — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:01:24 +0000

The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.
Denis Watley

Once you have your goal set, put it in the crosshairs and get close enough to switch it to guns *top gun fans will get that. Basically once you have your goal set (drop 10% bodyfat) you have to set your gameplan to get there. What are you gonna do? Well of corse eat healthier and workout (and buy sups from bb.com ha) but how are you going to eat healthier? And HOW are you going to train? Lay out a detailed plan of attack and this will get you on the path to hit your goal!!!

Quote of the week.

Maxed Out Mike — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:31:40 +0000

People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing-that’s why we recommend it daily.
Zig Ziglar American Sales Trainer, Author, Motivational Speaker

This is true in the fact that we constantly need reminders to help us reach our goals! No matter what your goal may be (hit the gym each day, cut back on some bodyfat, fit into that bikini, gain an inch on the arms, get a promotion at work, save up for a vacation/new car/house) we tend to lose site of it after a certain amount of time. Setting up pictures, reminders in your cell phone or calender, a wallpaper on your computer, or setting up something that will remind you of your goal and you will see every day! You want to save up for that dream vacation, well put up a picture of Cabo (or wherever) on your desk or up on the mirror at home in the bathroom; this will remind you everyday and you will remember how bad you want that trip, this will prompt you from calling in “sick” when you dont need to, motivate you to work for that promotion (a raise is a good motivating factor as well) and help you get more towards that goal! Throw up a pic of Arnold doing a pose to give you that extra push to get arms like him. There are many ways to do this and it will suprise you how much faster you will reach your goals if you keep little daily reminders to keep you on the path of these goals!

Couldnt say it any better…

Maxed Out Mike — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:04:12 +0000

Sir Winston Chirchill said “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity.” This is more than true when it comes to the new year and new years resolutions. Everybody starts off the year gunho and ready to go, yet one to two months later, the gyms are more than 50% less full. When you make a plan to change your lifestyle, you start with the views of yourself and what you want to look like and how you want to feel. Why does that change after only a month of trying? You dont stop seeing yourself in the image that you want to look, however, you no longer create the value for the cost. What are the costs you ask? A strict diet and an intenst and tough workout regimine. Ok so a few months of toughing it out (which eventually become part of your daily routine) isnt worth a lifetime of feeling good and bieng healthy? Put up reminders of the goals you wish to hit. If you want to be big like Arnold, throw up pictures of Arnold around to remind you! Want to get toned up and in shape, throw up a picture of Jamie Eason or a picture from muscle and fitness magazine or you favorite actor/actress. As well as creating short term goals for yourself will help as well! Trying to get down to a size 3 or 4. Set a short term goal to get half way there! These are simple ways to be Optimistic and keep your eyes on the prize instead of putting your hands in your pockets. Its real tough to climb a ladder with hands in your pockets. Trust me Ive tried!

Day 5 — Vegas on the mind

Maxed Out Mike — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:33:16 +0000

So again, just to let everybody know, we at bb.com have a company transformation challange and the winner gets to work the booth at Olympia 08. My training and supplementing have been pretty solid. My strength is up already and i think i got the right supplements keeping me motivated when I go in to work out! Lovin it! The toughest thing I am enduring right now is my diet. I know thats what everybody has issues with! I am currently bulking and it is freaking tough to down 3000 to 3500 calories a day, even though I am always hungary it seems, I am just conditioned to eating smaller portions in each of my meals. It doesnt help being on a fixed income (that damn truck payment does it to me)! However I live with my sister and my rent includes food. The catch is one) she hasnt been buying much lately, shes been getting more quick and easy JUNK compared to the healthy stuff she used to get and two) I am never home and always staying at the girlfriend pad! This is hurting my overall gains at this time. Im still hitting near 2500 to 3000 cals a day but I am trying to hit more but the bad thing is it is not always a good clean meal! Time to get the ass in gear and find the extra cash to get the good FOOD in me and not rely on purely supplements! (Thanks to Ryan for having the break room stocked with protein.. really helps!!) Wish me luck and good luck to all of you on you goals for 08! MEET ME IN VEGAS!!

And so it begins… Goal: Vegas!

Maxed Out Mike — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 05:57:27 +0000

So today marks DAY 1 of our company transformation. BB.com decided to throw together a transformation to get us motivated and back in to top shape after the wonderful holiday season (i packed on 10lbs, you know, to stay warm for winter). I started the diet after my last hoorah of drinking (new years) and its on to three months of sobriety and dieting! The training routine for these twelve weeks I will be following a 3 day split set up by our Editor in Chief Kris Gethin (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/krisgethin_guide8.htm). As far as supplements, I am taking the animal pak of corse, VPX NO Shotgun pre workout, Universal Torrent Post workout, Optimum 100% Whey and Carb Slam as well. I also (just before they were discontinued) picked up some Mass Tabs by IDS because EVERY person I talked to here on the phones or on chats has loved it! So I figured i would give it a wing. Ive done a cycle of Methyl 1-D before and saw pretty good gains but my diet was not the best on it. Today is day 3 so I will keep you updated. Of corse I am taking Natures Science Milk Thistle for liver protection and will post cycle with ErgoPharms 6-OXO! The one thing I have noticed so far is that I am an eating machine. I eat every two hours, or close there too, and I am still hungary. Which is great, cause I thought bulking was gonna be hell and I wouldnt want to eat much. So far I have noticed an increase in strength on day 2. I will keep you all updated with my transformation and hopefully I win so I can see all of you in Vegas next October for Mr. Olympia!

Welcome!

Maxed Out Mike — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 05:08:20 +0000

Welcome to the Bodybuilding.com BodyBlogs. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!