2011 blew by faster than I can remember.  It was filled w/ ups & downs, highs & lows & unimaginable success.  2012 is here & now I've got a solid foundation built to make even bigger things happen.  I'm writing this brief blog to hold myself accountable; to write about my failures & successes in the upcoming months.  If I don't make time w/ my busy schedule there will NEVER be any time.

We all have stories.  Hopefully by reading my blogs you'll be able to take something away that will inspire you, motivate you, challenge you & even possibly push you to new levels of achievement.  After all, greatness is achieved through sacrifice.

Once you read about me, you'll find I'm about as real of a person as you'll ever come by.  I'll tell you what I have to say when I feel like it needs to be said.  I respect people who put their nose to the grind & work as hard as they can to make their dreams come true.  People who support their families w/o falling prey to today's polluting environment of materialistic ways & complete selfishness.

I'll cut it short for now but there's much more to come.  Thank you in advance for following me & supporting me - it means a lot.  I know MANY people will be able to relate to me & I welcome the chance to become interactive w/ everyone.

This will be a fairly short post for tonight; I'm tired and have been busy all day cooking, packing, eating and I trained legs earlier.  Tomorrow morning I'm leaving for Tampa, FL to work with Tim Gardner during my final week of contest preparation before the show next Saturday.

I'd like to begin by saying I've had a huge supporter in all of this - my fiancee, Ann.  If it wasn't for her none of this would have been possible.  Since I returned from Iraq a couple of months ago I've faced some serious challenges and the transition back has been very frustrating.  When you add in contest preparation to that, well, lets just say I'm a little moody at times.  She's put up with it...  She's also tried to learn more about bodybuilding along the way so she can help me more in the next phase and so she knows what to expect later.  I think the diet has been the toughest on her (besides a little moodiness) because she likes to go out and enjoy good food.  This deep into the prep I prefer to cook my own meals because I know what I'm supposed to be eating and I know what's going into the food.  There's not enough space here to write everything I'd like for people to know about her but by saying that, I think that gives you a pretty good idea of just how important she is to me.

Now that I've said that, on to bodybuilding...

This week has been a great week of training, diet and posing.  I feel like I've made some tremendous improvements in my conditioning.

Today was the first day of my carb depletion (30 gms carbs.)  It definitely took some serious effort to get through the leg training but I managed to blast through it.  Having said that, I felt exhaustion and fatigue in my quads & hams that I haven't felt before so I know I accomplished what I was supposed to accomplish - depleting the glycogen in the muscles.
Carb depletion continues through Tuesday and then I begin to load on Wednesday.  Friday evening are the weigh-ins and at this time, I'm not sure what my body weight will be.  To be honest though, at this point, it really doesn't matter what my weight will be because it's about being in the best shape I can be in at that time.

I'm very excited and anxious for the show because I've waited for this moment for a long time.  I've put so much time and effort into bodybuilding because it's what I love to do.  I plan to come into the competition on Saturday bringing the best package I can possibly have right now.  Who knows what the outcome will be but with the numerous obstacles I've had to overcome over the past few years (and months recently) I feel blessed I'm in the shape I'm in now.  We all know stress and bodybuilding don't go well together - my life has been full of it the past couple of months.

When I get up in the morning, I'm heading out - time to get into the zone - no more distractions.  Just 100% focus!  Thank you to everyone who has been following me, encouraging me and providing support.  I can't say thank you enough for that.  Hopefully, when I return, I'll have some good news to share with everyone.

I think that's enough said for tonight.  Can't wait until Saturday night for a HUGE burger and some very good ice cream!

Talk to everyone again soon...

Best Regards - Aaron

This week has been tough with the low carbs and intense training.  Anyone who has trained with me can attest to my intensity in the gym; when I get there it's time to train - all business.  I always have this instinct that kicks in (a.k.a. flipping the switch) which mentally puts me into another world.  This week I've had to really focus on remaining in that place because exhaustion creeps up on me pretty quickly.  As I begin to feel like I don't have anything left, I think about how bad I want to win this show and how much bodybuilding has shaped my life; there's no room for mental or physical weakness in bodybuilding.  Once you let those thoughts enter your mind you might as well put your stuff away and go home because you're not a bodybuilder.  These are the crucial times in bodybuilding that define who you are and how bad you truly want it.

I've decided that I'm not going to post any more photos until after the competition.  Ann and I did take some pictures this evening so I could send them to my Coach and there were improvements made from last week so I'm satisfied.  My focus this week has been to tighten up the lower/mid back and glutes; I've done that.  There's one more week of training left before I leave for Tampa, FL on Monday, 5 OCT.  This week I'm going to continue working on the back and glute area as well as bringing my waist in as much as possible.

Monday will be a driving day so I'm going to get a good night's rest when I get into Tampa because Tuesday I will begin my carb depletion.  I'm already pretty depleted so it shouldn't take very long to get rid of any access glycogen in the muscles.  I'm not sure exactly what Tim has in mind for the remainder of the week but the goal is to enter the show on Saturday evening absolutely shredded and extremely dry.

Weigh-ins are Friday evening and based on my current weight I would guess I'll compete as a heavyweight.  Having said that though, I don't know exactly how much water I'm holding so I could end up as a light heavy.  No matter what the weight category, and as long as my conditioning is spot on, I plan on walking away with the overall win.  I'm not cocky but rather confident.

I've done a lot of reflecting lately about my beginnings to bodybuilding and the obstacles I've had to overcome in order to get where I am now; it's humbling when I sit back and view it in the 'big picture'.  I've got a lot of people rooting for me and I've also got a lot of people saying they never thought I'd be where I am right now and in the shape I'm in.  In a nutshell, I'm continually defying the odds and that is a constant motivator.

It feels so good to know my show is finally right around the corner and I'm a legitimate contender.  I'm in touch with FLEX Magazine and we're putting my story together for the NPC Report.  Lots of fitness oriented activities/ventures in progress so 2010 should be quite the year.

I've said this many times before but this is just the beginning.  I'm pursuing bodybuilding with everything I've got because it's now or never.  Having the Mr. Olympia contest last night just added the extra motivation I needed too; I'm a Cutler fan so seeing him regain the title was extremely gratifying.

As soon as the show is over you'll find me back in the gym because as everyone knows (or should know), right after a competition is your best time to grow.  I'm all over that!  It's time to put the size on and turn up the heat.  This year has been a tremendous learning experience so I'm am excited to put all of it to use in a full season.  I think my results in 2010 will be astonishing!

And the time is ticking away!  Less than 3 weeks now and just getting better everyday!

Excellent week with training, diet and conditioning (here are some http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaronwilliamson/ from tonight's posing session.)  I'm going solo on training and posing right now but I've got http://alphawomenwithopinions.com/blogger-bios/ann-bernard/ by my side critiquing me, helping point out the weaknesses I need to pay attention to.  And, obviously I've got my http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/bodybuildinginterviews/a/timgardner.htm giving me advice/guidance from the photos I'm sending him every week.

I'm still training heavy but this week I've been more sore than usual.  Being a little drier and eating less calories and carbs will do that to you.  http://www.aaronwilliamson.net/blog/index.php/2009/09/20/posing-the-overlooked-aspect-of-bodybuilding/ has become a priority now.  I'm trying to put some music together for my routine; keeping it simple since this is my first show. Next year I'll get a little more fancy when I'm bigger and can really "walk-the-walk".  Being that I'm a rookie, I've got earn my place first and that's what I intend to do at this show.

Here's another video at the 4 week mark:

I'm currently eating 2 carbs meals per day equaling about 100 carbs.  Once you start hovering around the 100 carb mark you really feel your energy get zapped.  By the time the afternoon/evening time rolls around you really have to be focused and push yourself to finish the duties for the day; this is cardio for me since I'm doing that in the evening.

The weak point I'm trying to dial in on is my middle/lower back area.  I've had this deep tightness in the right side of my mid/lower back area that just won't go away.  I'm really feeling it when I pose.  My massage therapist (http://businessfinder.nola.com/1581263/Donker-Mary-Lmt-Metairie-LA) is working on it; this week she used the t-bar to get in deeper because her fingers/elbow just couldn't get deep enough.  The massage therapy is going good in loosening the muscles up, increasing the blood circulation and breaking up the fascia to allow for better muscle growth.  Since I first tried the deep tissue massage, I've been hooked because the benefits I feel I get from it are priceless.

Just got an email from my Coach saying I'll get my adjusted diet/training schedule tomorrow.  I'm guessing that means lower carbs and no red meat meal.  Looks like I'll be down to fish, chicken, oats and salad!  All the right ingredients to get my shredded.

That's about it for now.  It's time for me to go cook my last meal (fish) for the night and then hit the rack!  Up early in the morning for some deep tissue work.
More great photos, videos and content coming at you next Sunday!

I've come to the realization that blogging everyday leading up to my show was a bit much so I'm cutting it back to once a week; this weekly blog I'll write will provide a roll-up of everything for each week.

I'm slowly beginning to 'crack the nut' on the fitness scene in New Orleans.  There is a fitness scene but it's a relatively small circle of folks who stay closely connected.

This leads into the next venture http://alphawomenwithopinions.com/ and I are involved in - http://befitnola.ning.com/.  The goal of this is to raise health and fitness awareness in New Orleans.  We've got a team together and have begun working on our first project.  There will be more to follow on this project as the planning progresses.

This has been a productive week in working on my conditioning and posing.  My posing trunks will be here tomorrow and I found someone to help me with my posing.

Training has been great; I'm still lifting hard and heavy.  Intensity and motivation is still very high.  I'm surprised at how high my strength is this close to the show.  I'm slowly getting into the range now where I'll have to begin cutting some exercises out and focus more on bringing in the detail to certain areas.  Overall, I'm right where I need to be at this stage.  My vascularity is spot-on and my conditioning seems to be holding steady each week.

Body part worthy of note for this week - Legs.  My quads and hamstrings have been filling in quite nicely.  The crazy thing about this is the fact that my legs, at one time, resembled kick stands, or toothpicks.  As I began to lift I became obsessed with making them grow so they became a priority in my training.  During my time in the Marine Corps, and as a contractor in Iraq, I experienced some setbacks in my training which put me back to the drawing board a few times.  Well, all of that is over and I'm hitting it full throttle.  I get quite a lot of compliments on my legs now, particularly my quad sweep.  I contribute my leg development to performing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4IxLfh0Wa4.

I'm very pleased with my progression this year and where I'm at right now.  Given the obstacles I've had to overcome and the setbacks and stress, I couldn't ask for anything more.
I've felt very humbled lately because of all the support, feedback and kudos I get from people both online and offline.  I remember a time, not too long ago, when I joined my first gym and found myself in awe looking at some of the physiques I saw.  I told myself I wanted to look like that someday.  When these bodybuilders would train I found myself watching them trying to learn so I could bring myself up a notch.  Nowadays, I've become one of those guys in the gym people look at, ask questions to and praise for the dedication it takes.  It makes me feel good knowing I'm a positive contributor to the sport of bodybuilding but also giving people that extra source of motivation.

Something else that's been happening lately is a recurring dream - I'm on stage winning my show in October.  When you work this hard towards something (the many grueling workouts, the strict diet, the constant eating, shoveling piles of pills down your throat, drinking what seems to be a river of water) you tend to become consumed with making sure you're giving it your all.  And, in giving it your all, you also expect to get the maximum results - winning!  If I don't win I'll be upset but at the same time I'll come back next year smarter and more hungry.  I've gained a wealth of knowledge this year and I'm extremely anxious for the off-season right now.  I'll be much bigger and thicker when I step back on stage next summer.

I'll be talking to my Coach tomorrow and I'm sure we'll be adjusting my diet and training again within the next couple of days.  That means less carbs and more cardio!  We're into the last throws right now so there's nothing that can put me off track.  My sights are on October 10th and the 1st place trophy!

It's really beginning to feel like the competition is now right around the corner...34 days!  I'm getting excited and anxious for this day to finally get here.  I've been waiting so long for this moment.

As I was in the gym today, my mind was thinking about being on stage in October winning my first show; I'm trying to remain confident because I know I'm a little behind where I should be as far as size is concerned - thanks to Iraq for that one!  Having said that, my conditioning is what makes me stand out; I've got the ability to get into great condition (vascularity) very quickly.  http://alphawomenwithopinions.com took some short video clips today of me in the gym so I could get my http://www.youtube.com/wfbb page going again.

Beginning the training today was http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRoO3hJf8Lo to stretch the chest and get the blood flowing; if you haven't done these before they're a great way to really warm-up the targeted area.  Sets and reps today for all exercises remain at 3 sets of 8-12 reps.  In order, Incline Hammer Strength press, Decline Barbell press, Low incline dumbbell flyes, Low cable crossovers.  The focus right now is remaining as heavy as I can lift without sacrificing form.  There are some exercises that I use what I would call "loose form".  It's not necessarily cheating but it allows me to get the right stretch/squuze I need on the movement without being so tight that I can't lift heavy weight.  I've found this works very well for me; some may not use it or like it but that's the difference with everyone in bodybuilding - to each their own.

Biceps followed: Standing EZ bar curls, Seated dumbbell curls and Hammer Strength preacher culs.  Overall, great workout.  We trained at the US Marine Corps gym in New Orleans today.  The place has a great feel; it's like a dungeon.  The lighting is perfect and a lot of the equipment is old.  The true bodybuilders know what I'm talking when I say that's a great feel.

This weekend is Ann's birthday, and a holiday weekend (extended weekend for her), so we've been doing some relaxing and enjoying that.  I really wish I could partake in some of the good food with her!  She made pizza tonight and I ate vegetables with turkey - mmm...mmm...mmm!!!  No complaining though, I chose to do this and I have no regrets!  However, I am looking forward to the off-season.

Finished the night with some cardio and posing.  Getting down to the serious business now!

Okay...back in action.

Today: Quads.  Location: French Riviera Fitness, New Orleans

After a hectic past couple of days I stepped back into the gym this morning, all business!  I turned up the volume a little today doing quite a few exercise as prescribed the Tim, my coach.  I warmed up on the bike for a few minutes then jumped onto the leg extension machine to get the blood flowing a little more.  All of my sets and reps today were the same - 3 sets each and reps were between 10-12.  Exercises, in order, were: Barbell Squats, Front Smith Squats, Hack Squats, Leg Press (feet together), Leg Extensions (toes out and toes in), Abductor and Adductor (superset).  As you can probably imagine, there was nothing left after that workout except pure exhaustion.  I'm trying to stretch more after each work out because I've been feeling tight and still haven't found a good massage therapist yet.  My posing has been a somewhat off as well because of this huge knot I have in my back.  Plus, I lost my training partner.  I'm praying this coming week I'll find the right therapist to work on me.

Having quads done for the day, as soon as I got home I collapsed on the couch and fell asleep for a quick power nap.

**Here's a motivational clip of someone I've been following for a while; very motivating and inspiring guy - Justin Harris.**

On the diet front, I've got to say, I'm disappointed in myself right now because I've slipped a couple of times over the past week.  I try not to beat myself up too bad but there have been several things going on and I'm out and about so much that's it's hard to make sure my meals are always prepared.  Plus, I've had a few items pop up unexpected which always throws you off; there's no way to be ready for it.  Having said that, I think I'm still in great condition at 6 weeks out.

Still doing a lot of social media stuff and working with my brother on my /WFBB00/admin/www.aaronwilliamson.net getting my content updated.  A main focus right now is trying to get more active on my personal http://www.aaronwilliamson.net/blog/.  There just seems to be so much to do and so little time.  I've also started a "http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1057715161&v=wall#/group.php?gid=261287900182&ref=ts" group on Facebook if anyone is interested in participating.  I'd like to get some good discussion going on with folks who are passionate about the sport.

Cardio tonight was the Elliptical for 45 minutes and I've got to say, my legs were very heavy tonight after having done such a high volume workout earlier, not to mention my last carb meal was at 2pm.  Those are the times when you really have to push your body because it's very easy to just stop and make a justification to yourself why it's okay to do that.  It's pushing through those moments that defines a champion from everyone else.

And, as usual, I finished up my exhausting day with some fish.

Sorry everyone.  Nothing to report again today.  These past few days have been a bit rough with some personal issues.  Will DEFINITELY be getting it back on track tomorrow.

Unfortunately, nothing to write about today.  No gym, no cardio...  I guess you could call this a "bump" day.  All day my focus was spent on my job, which really took a toll and drained me.  Long day, probably going to be a long night...

Here's some motivation though:

Tomorrow is an off day but Saturday will be back on track - Quads!!!

Another day of training solo.  And, another day gone by without having a good massage therapist.  Oh well...what I am I complaining about - that's some petty stuff, right!  I know, that's why I busted my own ass in the gym today.  Sometimes I tend to get complacent and bitch about petty stuff.

Training - Back and Triceps:  I've really been enjoying the undergrip barbell rows I've been doing lately.  Surprisingly, I'm going heavy while at the same time getting some fairly high reps in; the pump, stretch and fatigue I get is amazing.  I began with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23bSvlixcnM; good warm-up and then into the heavy stuff (4 sets of 8-12 reps).  Next was the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WlrqFKJCEY; went up to 315lbs for my last 2 sets of 8.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7jAIdoORxI followed with 3 sets of 12 reps using the 150lbs 'big boys'!  Over to some http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sdnsjl8V2k&feature=related and http://www.viddler.com/explore/momentumv/videos/112/ for the finishing touch.  After this back training, back = smoked!!

I took a brief break in between body parts to drink my http://www.lgsciences.com/product-p/bc-eaa-blue-raspberry.htm (by http://www.lgsciences.com/) and stretch.

Triceps began with some pushdowns to warm the elbows up then I went into my working sets (4 sets of 8-12 reps).  As you've noticed, everything is staying in the 8-12 rep range right now; I'm having the best results in that range.  Next was Hammer Strength dips (3 sets of 8-12), overhead dumbbell extensions (3 sets of 8-12), reverse grip pushdowns (3 sets of 8-12) and overhead maching press (2 sets of 12).

I did a lot of stretching today; I felt really tight.  Hopefully, very soon, I'll be able to find a good massage therapist.  The guy who use to work on me in Daytona Beach, http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1057715161&ref=profile#/profile.php?id=1036987790&v=wall&viewas=1057715161&ref=ts (who also works on http://leeapperson.com/), has been helping me find someone in the New Orleans area who works on bodybuilders or athletes.  Many therapists say they can perform deep tissue work but it ends up just being a regular massage with a little added pressure.  At this stage of the game, and from now on for that matter, that type of massage won't cut it!

I haven't talked too much about my diet lately so I'll begin by saying it's pretty bland.  My first meal of the day is my red meat meal, followed by a protein shake & brown rice.  The rest of the meals throughout the day are chicken and fish just rotated around.  A few of the meals I eat with vegetables but carbohydrates are cut off around 2pm.  I can feel the little fat I have left disappearing!  Since I do my cardio in the evenings, that doesn't leave me a whole lot of energy.
Which leads me into my cardio session for the day...

This evening I started out with doing my side abdominal exercises; high pulley side crunches (seated), 45 degree twisting situps, and high pulley side crunches (standing) - 3 sets of 25 each.  My abs are finally beginning to pop.  I've sort of always had a six pack but with my diet and training the skin is getting thinner so there's more definition and the veins are now visible.  This is great news and as a bodybuilder, I always like to see the results.

Cardio = 45 minutes of elliptical magic!  Pouring with sweat, no energy and numb feet!  It's just such a wonderful way to end the night.  Oops, nevermind, it's coming back home to eat some plain fish or chicken with nothing on it.  That's the perfect way to end the night.  No, I'm not complaining - I'm just letting my humor out.  If I didn't like doing this I wouldn't be doing it.  This kind of discipline is what separates the true bodybuilders from everyone else.

Okay...that's enough for tonight.  It's time for bed.  Talk to you tomorrow!

Let's go straight into training for today; I didn't wake up to do cardio this morning.

I trained solo so I did a few different exercises than normal and cut the rest down between sets for a change of pace.  Shoulders (and hamstrings in the evening):  Began with Hammer Strength presses (4 sets of 8-12 reps), standing dumbbell raises (3 sets of 8-12 reps), seated dumbbell laterals (4 sets of 8-12 reps), rear machine laterals (3 sets of 10-12 reps), side cable laterals (2 sets of 12 reps), front cable raises (3 sets of 10-12 reps).  The volume was a little higher for today but this was a good shock for the muscles.  Flushing some extra blood in them felt great!

This afternoon the weather was pretty nice so I went for a jog and got some sun.  The wind off the water felt great and I got the usual compliments and stares when I jogged by.  I think I've said it before, New Orleans isn't a very fitness friendly place so you don't see many people who are bodybuilders just out and about.  It definitely causes some attention.

I was exhausted today after the early morning training session and the afternoon cardio.  Having said that though, it was back in the grind with the job at hand - my real job and my social networking.  The social networking seems to be paying off as I've been getting some extra attention recently.  When you're as hungry as I am for something and you begin to see progress, it's like getting your second wind.  I push myself harder and I do everything smarter.  Usually when people start to gain results they lose momentum because they get sloppy.  I'm cautious about making sure I don't make that mistake.

Okay...off to the evening hamstring session...

Went to the other gym tonight, stretched and jumped right into the lying leg curls (4 sets of 8-12 reps).  By the time I finished these I was already fatigued, pumped up and tired.  Those low carbs really hit me today.  I moved onto the stiff leg deadlifts on the squat rack (3 sets of 8-10 reps).  I did some leg press with my feet high and wide to really hit the hams at a different anlge (3 sets of 8-12 reps - I really felt these!)  Lastly, I finished up with some standing one leg curls and some supersets of abduction/adduction (3 sets of 12 reps on both.)  I waddled my way out of the gym to the truck, stood by the door for a moment drinking my amino acids and then plopped into the seat as if I weighed 400 lbs.

As usual, when I got home, it was time for fish, shower and then bed.

Cardio, cardio, cardio!!!  That's the best way to describe today.  As http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6OGMjwKEgM use to say, "Train hard early so when the last couple of weeks roll around you'll be ready; those last 2-3 weeks suck!"

Today began the same as yesterday morning with some good ole' fashion jogging - beatin' the streets!  Got the blood flowing and started the day off right.  I stretched when I got back and had my red meat meal for the day.  While I was eating breakfast I got a call from the massage therapist I had contacted last week.  He said he received a cancellation so there was a spot open if I wanted it - of course I did.

Once I arrived at his office and got situated I realized the massage wasn't going to be exactly what I had anticipated.  The guy who did the therapy was well recognized in the New Orleans area and is always booked so I figured it would be very good.  Well, the massage was okay but nothing to rave about.  It was like chiropractor meets massage therapist, and Chinese meets European.  It's hard to describe but it wasn't the deep tissue work I was looking for.  There was some alignment and semi-deep work done but not enough to work out the knots and tension I have.  My hamstrings and back need the most work so I'll have to keep looking to find someone who specializes in this technique of massage.  Since Louisiana isn't a very fitness-friendly place it's been difficult to find massage therapists who work on other athletes, let alone bodybuilders.  To be honest, I haven't met many bodybuilders around here who even get massage therapy.

This was where my day began to go downhill, as that's been the common theme every Monday for the last 4 weeks.  I think I've said this numerous times but I truly hate Mondays!  I couldn't let it effect my regimen though so I went a little early this evening and knocked my cardio out.  If I didn't do that than I'm sure something else unexpected wouold have popped up.

Today was a rather bland day with not much to report.  Each week there are ups and downs that I have to work through.  Bodybuilding is a full time job in itself so when you work and have a personal life you have to find the balance in it all or you'll lose yourself.  When you hit obstacles you've got to work through them - that's what I'm trying to do.  They're not always easy but I always come out on top.

Tomorrow is Tuesday, which are always better days!

This morning I started off differently than usual.  http://alphawomenwithopinions.com/ and I got up, got dressed and went for a jog through the French Quarter; I've got to admit, it felt great.  I've never been one to run especially since I ended my active duty in the Marine Corps but at times it does feel good.  Getting up early and breaking a sweat doing cardio is a great way to get the day going; you just feel better and have more energy.  I'm not sure if anyone else feels the same way but if you feel sluggish, and you have time, give it a shot.

On to the workout...
We knocked chest and biceps out - a good, heavy training session.  Another productive workout getting me ready for the 2009 All Forces Classic.  We started with Incline Barbell today (2 warm up sets); 3 sets of 8-12 reps.  I haven't done this exercise in a while so the heavy weight made me feel like I hit the muscle hard and deep.  Next was flat dumbbell presses (3 sets of 8-12); Incline Hammer Strength (2 sets of 10), Low incline dumbbell flyes (3 sets of 8-12).

Following chest was biceps.  Biceps are coming along nicely.  I'm beginning to get separation between the two heads as well as the separation around the tricep and the forearm.  Exercises were; standing EZ bar curls (1 warm up set & 3 sets of 8-12 reps), seated incline dumbbell curls (3 sets 8-12 reps), Hammer Strength 1-arm preacher curls (3 sets of 8-12 reps.)

Very intense training session overall.  I worked on my posing in the aerobics room once we finished.  I'm waiting for my posing trunks to get in so I'm still wearing the good ole' boxers.  There are still a couple of poses that need to be worked on in terms of posture but for the most part I've got the mandatory poses.  Now, I need to get the muscle memory down so I'll stop cramping up!

Diet was good today, as it's been.  Supplements are working well.  Definitely got enough sleep yesterday and last night.  A lot of today was getting caught up on our social networking that we missed yesterday.

Here's a reflection from today:

As I was sitting in the parking lot at noon today waiting for the gym to open I was doing some thinking about the fitness scene in Louisiana - there isn't one!  I commented earlier on http://www.facebook.com/people/Aaron-Williamson/1057715161 that Louisiana needed a fitness makeover.  Given the fact that I'm not your average bodybuilder and I'm engaged to an http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1057715161&ref=profile#/ann.bernard1, I believe some great things could be in store for the fitness industry here.  I know that's a bold statement but that's what you get when a power couple has their sights set on making something happen.  A little hint: the seed has been planted and the planning is about to begin!

Great quad day!  I changed things up a little today with squats and will keep it this way for a little while to see what kind of additional growth/change I can make in the lower quad area.  We pushed it pretty hard today and finished with a bang.  There's no better way to start the weekend, a Saturday morning, with some good ole' fashion quad thrashing.

We started by the usual warm-up on the recumbent bike followed by leg extensions.  I've found I have to do this to really get the blood flowing in the leg and knee area in order to start the training session right.  Otherwise, I'm too stiff and it takes forever to warm-up, especially when you begin with squats, like we normally do.  It also increases the likelihood of an injury.

This morning I was able to work through a mental barrier I've had for a while.  When I was in Iraq, I suffered from a quad strain (the first training related injury I've had).  Since then I've been extremely cautious about my leg training because I haven't wanted to injure myself again.  My mind sometimes plays tricks on me meaning, I'll occasionally feel like I'm pushing too hard and I'll feel something deep in the muscle (just a mental barrier).  The problem with this train of thought is once I get to a certain point I tend to hold back on the intensity I put forth into lifting heavy weight.  I'm trying to move things up to the next level so there is no longer room for those thoughts to manifest in my mind.

Into barbell squats we moved.  Instead of doing my "rock bottom" squats I usually do I tried doing them to parallel today; it was a different and great feeling.  I really felt it hitting the area of my quads I've been needing to work on.  Plus, I was able to go heavier than I could when I do them fully.  I'm not taking anything away from doing full squats but it's time I add a little variety.  I credit doing full squats for giving me the quad sweep and hamstring development I have now.  It's time to add some more beef to the quads though.  2 warm-up sets with 4 working sets of 8-12 reps.

Then on to front squats.  I threw 225lbs on the smith machine and did sets of 8-10 reps.  I found I have the strength to keep pushing so I'll break through another plateau next week.  Next was the hack squat and then the leg press.  For the leg press we did an extended drop set going to failure on each set - total = 7 sets.  Almost needed the trash can for that one...ridiculous pump; I could barely walk.  Finally, we finished with some one leg extensions to really squeeze the blood into the muscle.  A couple of sets of these and I was literally done.

I'm very pleased with the training session today.  Having a http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1057715161&ref=profile#/profile.php?id=100000051862539&ref=ts  who has a similar drive and motivation is something I have needed for a while.  This is going to help me push myself to get to where I want to be.  John isn't afraid to tell me that I'm "scamming" by not lifting heavier.  Anyone can go into the gym and put some light weight on and doing a bunch of reps.  This is what separates us real bodybuilders from the rest - putting heavy weight on and pushing to the limit. That's the money maker and that's where the growth comes from.

The rest of the day today was spent doing some resting with http://alphawomenwithopinions.com/.  We've been so busy with everything over the past few weeks that we seemed to have hit a brick wall today; I think I took about 5 naps today.  I ate, slept, ate, slept, etc...  We finally got out of the house late tonight to go grocery shopping.  We got back and it was time to shower then off to bed.

Overall, diet was good and the supplements seem to be working.  It's only been a few days now on the products and I've noticed little differences.  I'll let everyone know once I've got my first post up about the first week using http://www.lgsciences.com/ products.

That's it for today!  Great things in store for tomorrow, I'm sure...

Pretty busy day today.  http://alphawomenwithopinions.com/ and I actually did a lot of our http://tools.brides.com/weddingwebsite/bigaandlittlea/ planning which took up a lot of time and to be quite honest, it was exhausting.  On the fitness front, not a whole lot to report today.  Today was cardio which I just got back from; it's almost 10:00pm and I just finished my last meal for the night.  My feet got pretty numb tonight so I definitely have to get use to the increased time on the elliptical.  I've heard wearing Crocs with socks on works so I may have to give that a shot.  If it works I'll be sure to let everyone know.  I know for a fact I'm not the only one this happens to; it's a common occurence.

With the amount of carbs I'm taking in right now I can feel myself really crash after my evening cardio session.  By the time I get home and cook my last meal I'm using every last ounce of energy I have.  Last night was probably one of the deepest nighs of sleep I've had in a long time. It was one of those sleeps where when you wake up you can barely open your eyes; it was a struggle the whole time I was up.  I could barely see what I was doing when I was making my protein shake.  Then, when I got back into bed, I think it took all of about 2 seconds to fall back asleep again.  I woke up refreshed though.

I'm eating a lot of fish in my diet right now and I've had some questions lately about how I cook it.  Well, it's pretty simple.  I heat the pan up, open the fish and throw it on.  I'll put pepper on it and try to get it nice and crispy (borderline burned).  That's the way I like it though.  Burning it makes it a little crispy and adds some flavor.  What can I say, I'm a bodybuilder; I'm not in this for taste.

I'm taking the LG Sciences supplements I received and I'll begin to write my reviews on those products over the next couple days.  It should be interesting.  I noticed a difference in my sleep and the level of my vascularity when I woke up; it's only been a day.  Products like the I-GH-1 I took last night have always produced positive results for me.

That's it for today.  Tomorrow should be a full day of fitness and social networking.  I hope people feel comfortable commenting and interacting with me on any of these issues; I'd love to get some dialogue going on related topics.