There’s no point to this.  I just felt like contributing a positive rant.  :)

I remember watching an episode of Battlestar Galactica (frakking LOVE that show) where Apollo (Jamie Bamber) gets interviewed by a reporter when he had just exited the showers and was only wearing a towel.  I remember that watching that seriously pissed me off.  I was mad because that is exactly what I wanted to look like but I never made a real attempt to try and do it.  I was mad because I thought I might have missed my chance to get into the shape that I wanted.  I was 35 and everyone I knew who is that age was woefully out of shape.  Who the hell starts training at that age?  Now I know that it’s lots of people but I didn’t realize that then.  There comes a point when you realize that you can continue to wallow in doubt and unhappiness or you can start doing something about it.  I didn’t know if I could make the changes I wanted but I said "Screw it" and decided to try my damnedest anyway.  I am so happy that I did.

Jamie Bamber on the left.  My progress on the right.

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Hold a DB in each hand with your arms bent 90 degrees and your palms facing the sky.  Curl one arm ten reps then return it to 90 degrees.  Curl the other arm ten reps and do the same.  Then curl each arm ten reps.  That’s one set.  Before my first set I thought "I wonder if 25 pounds will be enough?"  OMG at the end of the first set my arms were on fire!    This is definitely going to be added to the rotation of things to possibly hit on arm day from now on.
If I had a nickel for every skinny guy I saw using WAY too much weight flinging their bodies around while doing dumbbell curls I would be a rich man.  Train smart!

I’ve always said that there were two things that were critical to any success that I’ve had.  The first was signing up with a fantastic trainer.  He helped me eliminate the crushing fear I had about working out in a gym.  He taught me how to use all the machines and of course the free weight section.  The best thing he taught me, however, was what hard work really is.  I really learned that you have to push yourself.

As important as my time with him was, it was only for a few months.  When my trainer wasn’t a part of my life anymore BodySpace still was.  I don’t have any friends that lift.  What’s great is that my friends on here not only can relate to what I’m going through, but they can provide knowledge and encouragement from someone who’s been there.

I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on here and I truly appreciate all of it.  When I first signed up I was extremely hesitant to post any pictures (oh the irony).  I thought that I wasn’t anywhere near the level of some people on here and that I would look silly (but I did it anyway).  When I did I started immediately getting positive feedback.  I definitely found it surprising.

This place has given me a lot of laughs, encouragement, and some great friends.  I’m looking forward to many future BodySpace birthdays!

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• I’d rip out all of the treadmills to make room for more weightlifting goodness.
• My gym is really good about squat racks, benching stations, etc. So no changes there.
• I’d at least triple the amount of dumbbells.
• I’d put the poor, unused “butt blaster” in the back corner out of its misery.
• A bod pod or something to measure bodyfat instead of the Sharper Image piece of junk at the front desk.
• I’d love to try pushups on gymnastic rings.

What would you do?

LOL!

http://www.squeem.net/product_info.php?products_id=41

I was looking at the front page of BodySpace and I noticed something interesting. Four of the top six guys are around my height. That kind of blows my mind a little even though it shouldn’t. What other athletic endeavor is there where being "shorter" is actually helpful? I never would have guessed it when I first started. It never ceases to amuse me at how many misconceptions I had about lifting before I started.

• I’m the most unathletic person in the world.  I’m not sure I’ll be able to do this.  WRONG
• I’m concerned that I might be too old to make any real progress. WRONG (I actually did think this BUT I was never let it going to stop me from trying. I just took a “screw it, I’m going to try anyway” attitude!)
• I’ll stick out like a sore thumb and be uncomfortable in a gym full of fit people.  WRONG
• I don’t like to eat much and I’ve never been over 145 pounds.  I doubt I could get any bigger than that.  WRONG

I could go on all day.  I’m just thankful that none of them kept me from starting!