PenteKing’s BodyBlog

There are times when I write because I have something that I want to get off my chest and writing it down is better than complaining to my friends. Other times, I want to share an amusing story with the community. Then there are times like today when I have absolutely nothing to say, but still feel compelled to write. So rather than some mindless blather, I thought I’d put my typing digits to useful work and commend the bodybuilders in this community who are living the bodybuilding lifestyle in all its glory.

Top of the list is Fern - or as she is better known, Ms. Fitness. Her blogs are a riot, and listening to her rant and rave about that which she is passionate about is usually the highlight of my day. From her, I have learned the art of the acerbic putdown. Fern - if you read this, that is a compliment of the highest order.

Then there is Curt James. To those of you who do not know or read him, Curt is one of the most erudite individuals it has ever been my pleasure to meet. He has a very unique way of looking at the world, and I never fail to be amused and/or dazzled by his observations.

Next comes Scott - the Body Auditor. Scott is the second funniest man I know. (I would say that he is first, but I don’t want to make claims that I can’t back up with emperical evidence.) His last blog about building monster triceps is a hoot. Read it if you want to brighten your day.

Chicken Tuna continues to inspire by posting pictures that make the rest of us realize how far we must travel before achieving the ideal. She is the epitome of lean. In fact, I had a T-shirt made with the slogan "What would Chicken Tuna eat?" emblazoned across the front. I love the looks I get when I wear the shirt around town.

Maddi is another favorite. If her blogs are indicative of her personality, she is funny, forthright, brutally honest, and the most tender-hearted person on the face of the planet. It is my sincere wish that she continues to find her spiritual way in the world.

Ninja Bill inspires me by his commitment and dedication to the bodybuilding lifestyle. Here is another person who will go out of his way to help any other member of the community. I have never known him to say no to anyone who has ever asked him for help. And if that is not proof enough that he is a decent Joe, KatNap numbers him among her circle of acquaintances. What more could any man ask for?

These folks are a small representative sampling of the great members in this community. It is gratifying to me that bodybuilders (and the lifestyle it represents) has managed to bring together so many people of such diverse backgrounds in an atmosphere that is conducive to camaraderie and friendship. I am proud to be a member of this community and hope that you all feel the same.

This is not a political blog. And it is not a screed attacking one side or defending the other. And it certainly is not a stand for or against any one of the various campaign promises or slogans that have been made or will be made in the future. What this is, is a plea to everyone to PLEASE use a little respectful discourse when engaging in political discussion. There is absolutely no need to disparage, denigerate or demean your opponent. We are all Americans. The problems in this country are too broad and deep to allow us to fight one another in the way we are doing. Terrorists don’t have to foster hate and discontent amongst us. We do a good enough job ourselves.

I bring this up because I have lately been the target of an email campaign that can only be described as horrific. The invective that has been directed against me is appalling. The naked hostility is staggering. I believe that if I were within reach of the folks directing these emails against me, they wouldn’t hesitate to shoot me dead. And why? Because they mistakenly believe that I stand for something that I do not. What is worse about the situation is that no matter how strenuously I try to correct their mistaken impression, the more hateful they become. They have convinced themselves that I am now trying to backtrack in an attempt to ward off their attacks. No amount of reason or logic seems to work.

I don’t fear for my life, nor do I believe these email cowards will genuinely try to physically harm me. What I do find disturbing is the fact that there are folks like this in the world who believe lies and untruths, even when presented by the cold, hard facts. There is no dealing with people like this. They say that terrorists are fanatical maniacs. From what I’ve seen, my response is, "People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones."

Remember this. No matter who is elected to the Presidency 98 days from today, that man will have enough troubles as it is. He doesn’t need his own people sniping at him and second guessing his every decision. Let’s support our President, no matter who he may be.

So, it’s started. I’m not doing this to compete in Muscle & Fitness’ competition (although I must admit to being tempted). I am doing this for me. I want to see if I have the drive and discipline to see this thing through to the end. I want to see how much (if) my body will change in reaction to what I will throw at it. I did chest and triceps today (32 sets in total) and don’t feel too bad now. Of course, I used far less weight than I normally lift. I wanted to gauge my strength and fitness level. Next week when I do chest/tri, I will up the weight considerably and really push myself.

What will be hard to follow though is the diet. And I’m not talking about the discipline of eating clean. I’ve got that part down pat. What will be a bitch for me is eating the number of calories that’s suggested. At most, I put away 2,500 calories a day. I have to get that number up around the 3,800 mark for my high calorie days. I don’t know if I can do it. I’ve been eating all day and I have only managed to ingest 2,200 calories, and it’s 8:30 at night. Can I pack away 1,600 calories between now and bedtime? The thought makes me want to puke.

Still, I’ve got to try. The body of our desire is forged in the fire of our will, and if I succumb to defeatist thinking now, I’m already beaten. So, immediately after posting this, it’s off to the cupboard, where I will lay waste to the larder and all that it contains. Say a prayer for me, fellow lifters.

I’m actually surprised that I haven’t received more entries to my previous blogs regarding inspirational quotes. Either the folks in the community don’t believe in or use inspirational quotes, or they’re reluctant to share them with others. Still another possibility (one which is very hard to get my mind around) is that no one is reading my blogs. (Shudder.) Still, that won’t stop me. Tenacity has always been one of my major gifts (deficiencies), so I forge ahead. In the interest of trying to build a good and useful list, I offer these additions to the other two lists I’ve already posted.

• Every morning, an antelope wakes and knows that it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning, a lion wakes and knows that it must outrun the slowest antelope or else it will starve. Whether you are an antelope or a lion, when morning comes, you better hit the ground running.
• It’s not about how much you can lift, it’s about how much you look like you can lift!
• Hard work beats great talent when great talent fails to work hard.
• I’m not fluent in the language of violence, but I know enough to get around in places where it’s spoken.
• I try to live my life in such a way that when my feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says…………”Oh shit, he’s awake”
• “Of every one hundred men in battle, Ten should not even be there, Eighty are nothing but targets, Nine are real fighters, We are lucky to have them…for they make the battle. Ah, but one, one of them is a WARRIOR… And he will bring the others home. Hericletus, 400 B.C.
• We forge our body in the fire of our will

Peace, love and understanding. Keep lifting the heavy iron and living the bodybuilding lifestyle. It’s the only one that matters.

I was browsing through some of the blogs yesterday, and came across one written by a woman (who shall remain nameless, in order to protect the innocent). The gist of her blog was that her car had broken down while she was on the way to the gym, and she and her family were forced to stop in a Wendy’s for dinner. Because she was dressed for the gym, she was the object of much attention. (As you can guess, the clientele in this particular Wendy’s was exclusively male; and from the description provided, very overweight). Our blogess (if this word doesn’t already exist, I claim origination rights) commented that the ogling she received from the men was disconcerting. Some one else in the community, commenting on the blog made the statement that 99% of all men were pigs and the other 1% were pigs who hid the fact well.

That got me to thinking. While ogling is rude, I can understand why the men in that Wendy’s stared at our heroine. She was obviously in very good shape, and she was dressed for the gym (in shorts and tank top if I recall the blog). Those men had probably never seen a female bodybuilder in the flesh before, and I’m willing to bet my bottom dollar that not one of them had a significant other who looked as good as our heroine. So they stared. Were they wrong to do so? More than likely, yes. However (and here is where I’m going to get into trouble) I can understand why they stared.

They were admiring a beautiful work of art. Our heroine’s physique awed and stunned them. Faced with the living embodiment of physical perfection, they were probably dumbstruck and were unable to tear their eyes away. Let’s face it. Most of us prefer looking at beautiful things. Very few of us seek out the mundane and ugly. Had I been a client in that particular Wendy’s, I probably would have looked as well (albeit, a tad more discreetly, one would hope). That is what people do when presented with a thing of beauty. They stare and admire it, hoping to leave a lasting imprint upon the brain pan. They do it so they can recall the thing of beauty long after the physical entity has passed out of sight.

In closing, let me say to our heroine (if she ever gets around to reading this) that although the admiration of those men could have been delivered more discreetly and tastefully, it was admiration. My advice is to overlook their uncouth behavior and focus on the reason for their rapt attention. You have, through your hard work and dedication, created a work of art that is worthy of attention and admiration. You should be proud.

I picked up the magazine too late to enter the contest, but I am intrigued enough by the challenge itself to seriously consider giving it a go. I’ve been putzing around on my own since parting ways with Coach, and while things haven’t been terribly bad, they haven’t been terribly great either. This challenge may be just what I need to kick-start my body again. I’ve plateaued (that word looks suspiciously misspelled, but Microsoft Word assures me that it is correct) at a body weight of about 200 pounds, with a bodyfat percentage of about 11 - 12%. I’d like to increase my muscle mass and decrease my bodyfat another percentage point or two. (I favor the long, lean, ripped look.)

If I publicly declare that I’m going to undertake the challenge, I know that I’ll go through with it. In that way, I am very prideful. I detest saying that I will do something, and then not do so. The guilt gnaws at my conscience like a rat with an especially large piece of cheese. So, by writing this blog and posting it to the community’s web site, I am throwing down the gauntlet to myself. It means that I must post "before" pics (and endure the snickering sympathy of real bodybuilders everywhere), and then must follow that up with "after" photos (again, enduring the same snickering laughter from those very same bodybuilders.)

But that is okay. There is no gain without pain (and in this case, humiliation). Only by stripping myself down to my essence can I ever build myself up in the way that I want. My motto is, "I will accept no excuses and will take no shortcuts". It’s time to suit action to word. I’m about to dive off the high board, Mom. Say a prayer for me.

Captain Ahab has added the following to my original list of inspirational quotes. I think they are excellent.

• You become what you think you are.
• The Dictionary is the only place where success comes before work.
• A person shows what he is by what he does with what he has.
• God didn’t promise you a day without pain, laughter without sorrow or sun without rain. But He did promise you strength for the day, comfort for your tears and a light for your way.

Brashanic contributed these:

• May God have mercy on my enemies, because I don’t.
• My enemies’ enemies are my friends.
• Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. - John F. Kennedy

 I know there are a host of others. What are some of your most inspirational quotes?

An inspirational quote, recalled to mind in the middle of an intense workout, can go a long way toward helping one complete that last rep. For some, it’s even better motivation that listending to one’s favorite iPod tune. Inspirational quotes work for me, no matter what the occasion. I find that other people’s eloquence can make me (temporarily) forget the burning ache in my muscles and the fatigue that threatens to settle on my limbs at those crucial moments when the iron looms larger than life. to that end, I offer a smattering of quotes that have helped inspire and motivate me. I invite everyone to add to this list. Unlike those spam emails that circulate through the Internet, perhaps this list will change (for the better) the lives of those who will read and contribute. Without further ado, here are my favorite quotes:

• Pain is weakness leaving the body
• The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will
• Winners never quit; quitters never win - Vince Lombardi (I think)
• Training to failure leads to success
• It’s all about the pain gain! Go past the burn to earn! Stay motivated!
• Champions keep playing until they get it right - Billie Jean King
• Obsessed is what lazy people call the dedicated - (this is my favorite)
• What would Chicken Tuna eat? (An original of mine and used when tempted by a slice of pizza)
• Life will get you down if you let it. If you think positive and set your mind on your goals you can accomplish anything.
• We forge our body in the fire of our will.
• Willpower comes from within. No man can give it; no man can take it away.
• That which does not kill us only makes us stronger.
• Living is not for the faint-hearted. Cultivate the heart of the lion, the cunning of the snake, and the fortitude of the elephant.
• It’s called a workout for a reason.

 If I have used your particular slogan without attribution, I apologize. I do not mean to imply that these quotes are originals of mine. As I have said, regardless of who has written them, they inspire me. The original authors are free to contact me. I will happily assign attribution to you. My intent was to share your inspiring quote with the widest audience possible.

To the rest of the community, I invite you to add to the list. Perhaps the powers that be at Bodybuilding.com will collect these and print them on T-shirts that they can then give away to those who order supplements from the store.

The staff who work for me think I am insane. They know that I work out twice a day (cardio in the a.m.; weights in the evening), that I have taken up bicycling in earnest (100 mile event coming up in October), that I eat six times a day, and that I eschew fast foods, bad fats, and most sweets. They look at me askance when I bring my protein drinks into meetings and sip away. My lunch menu is almost always lean chicken with steamed vegetables, and I keep cans of salmon and tuna stashed away in my desk in case of emergency.

They rib me mercilessly about my lifestyle. The young guys who work for me are worse than the women. From them, I sense a grudging sense of respect. The men, though…well, that’s a different story. I don’t know if it’s an alpha male thing, or something else entirely. I put up with it, though, because I know that the life I lead makes sense for me. I’m healthy, I sleep like a top, and I feel great, physically and mentally. So am I insane or just intense dedicated?

I don’t know who originated the phrase, but whoever said, "Obsessed is what lazy people call the dedicated" nailed it right on the head. If this is insanity, then give me more of it, every day of my life.

Recently, I ordered a bunch of products from Bodybuilding.com (Fanfare music, please. Thank you very much.) Having done so, and having tried said products, I now want to comment about them, and also want to solicit the opinions of those who have used similar products. (Kind of a poor man’s comparison.) The powers that be here at Bodybuilding.com (Fanfare music, please. Thank you very much.) suggest that I use the forum to post my observations. That venue, they say, is the proper one to share experiences, product progress, etc. I have perused the forum, and there is nothing inherently wrong with it. The folks who inhabit it are regular contributors - much like the ones who blog daily - and they seem like nice people. So why, I wonder, am I reluctant to forgo this blog in favor of the forum? Is it an anti-Roman thing that harkens back to halycon days of yore? Or is an aversion to the strange and unfamiliar? Do I secretly fear that I will lose myself in the forum’s maze, never to be seen or heard from again in blog-land? Or is it something even more insidious? Is it, perhaps, a fear that I will come to love the give and take of the forum, and having tasted of its sweetness, abandon forever the bland prose of the bloggers?

There are times when I blather on like an idiot. I fear that this is one of those times. I would erase this and start over, but that would entail work, and I’m feeling lazy today. Until next time, I remain yours in iron.