Bandit’s Blog

The moral to my story is simple.  It’s not about ego at all - - just cast that away - it’s about mentoring.  There’s someone that we all need to "look up to"…yea, particularly in bodybuilding.  Mentoring is embedded in our success formula.  It becomes a beacon for us.   Right here at BB.COM I’ve found several "mentors" over the past three months.  And, as you saw in my "Ego story"…I found one in my gym recently, too.  The interesting thing is that they all don’t even know it!    And perhaps even more evident is that each of us needs "support" in our pursuits, in our "falls", and in our accomplishments…and that comes from everybody.  Plenty of that here at BB, for example.  Just count the "Friends" list, your gallery comments,  and the Blog remarks as a start.

And, by the way, don’t even think for a moment that our "minds" aren’t developing along with the physical aspect of this journey.  That will be our "foundation" that we will return to over and over and over again.  Being a success in bodybuilding is not measured by a "finish line"…we will always be working at it.  Each of us will define several points of success along the way, yes, but in reality it will be an unending journey.  So relax, let it happen, work at it, enjoy it!…And don’t forget to look back from time to time so can you can fully experience…….the "RUSH".

For the last three months I have been working out at 6:30 AM, five days a week with my two workout partners - one guy..one gal.   In addition, my trainer is "in the other room at the front desk" (he just casually watches us and is avail for questions by now - great guy, too)  The four of us are great friends…everyone is supportive to each other.  It’s a wonderful social hour, too, in addtion to the workout.  They workout a bit slower and more casually, so I’ve been kind of their mentor.  They "spot me", encourage me,  etc. while they pretty much stay on the Nautilus stuff.

Well, this morning, in I come at my normal time.  My two friends are already there (as they usually are).  99% of the time, we are the only three people working out at this hour in the AM - sometimes there are a couple in the other room on the cardio machines -  (not a very busy gym at all - but it’s new, so it’s loaded with all the "toys")  However, being ritualistic, I immediately note anything "out of place"…so there’s  two 90 lb dumbbells on the floor next to my normal decline bench where I warm up at.  Now, I have NEVER  seen anything over 70 even lifted off the rack.  The 70’s and higher usually have a coating of dust on them.  So, OK….someone is playing a game on me this morning.  But…I thought…who would have lifted them off….my trainer, maybe??…nah, he was busy with someone up front…hmm…….then… I saw him.

The gal who I work out with comes up and whispers to me…..meet "Claude"…he’s the "hunk" who’s gonna work out with us this morning…he’s new in town trying out the gym.  So I looked over and BAMMM….up goes one 90 in each arm on the decline bench….with an effortless push of the chest, I stared until one of my "buds" (the gal, of course) told me that it wasn’t polite to point with my jaw dropped open.

Now, believe me, I am not naive enough to think that other people don’t come into the gym during the day and evening and use the HIGHEST weighted dumbbells available in the gym……but he could have waited just one more hour!

Within minutes I got over it.  We introduced ourselves, worked out together…and he, of course, showed me some tips which I gladly received and opened up to.  He’ll be a great addition to help me,  I hope he joins the three of us.  The more the merrier…..yes, really!!

There’s a moral to the story here….I’ll get back to you soon as an addendum to this blog as to what I discovered it is.  You of course, are always invited to share your humor, thoughts, opinions, or a little of each even!…I just thought it was alot of fun….jeff "the bandit" 

Yup…my "lean ass body" lost 3 lbs this week which I really didn’t want to do.   Muscle Mass is maintaining - - lifting routines are fine… but I’m afraid "wifey" and I are gonna be on separate diets starting right away.  I need more fuel and she’s "semi-southbeaching" it for a while.   So…to the grocery store this weekend we go.  No problem, there are a lot worse things in the world to worry about….

Ughh….6 AM came early for the Gym today…and the residual beer and hamburgers and then the more beer, was still “wearing out” from my system.    It was a little rough “pumpin the ole’ iron” today I tell you…and then my normal cardio afterwards….Oooohhh baby….that was a show, too.  Never mind…I had a blast and I even got the “class award” for being the best “preserved” (!)  since graduation….”fifteen or so” years ago.  Gotta love that “iron”

God, I hate squats…

I know, I know…I do them..they really help my quads and back, yea..yea..yea..but they’re a "PITA" for me to do.  But here’s the good part.  Our "squat cage" at the gym is brand new…just installed.  I discovered today that with its great "racks", I can also do awesome "overhead presses" with it (if I was 3 inches taller, I couldn’t)…now those, I like doing.  And something else….straight bar BI curls from the racks…ahhh yes…you gotta love ‘em.

So, with every new "toy" that appears in the gym, we find out that it gives us no excuse anymore to avoid doing something that we have always had an excuse not to do.  But, it also brings a "Silver lined cloud" with it that opens the door to doing something "better" that we love…in a way to more effectively "sculpt" our bodies.

And lastly, I feel so blessed to be able to have a gym so close to my home and work.  I know not everyone here can say that.  So….no more "bitchin" about what exercises I hate!.   Good luck all…keep pumpin’…jeff…the "bandit".