bb1968’s BodyBlog

I have been back to a normal workout routine for the past couple of weeks and am very pleased with the progress thus far.  I remember now why I always regretted starting and stopping workouts….THE PAIN of that first workout back is incredible.  After my first leg workout, which was definitely not a "heavy" workout (front squats and wide stance squats were performed with the BAR ONLY for 3 sets of 15 each), my legs killed me for an entire week.  They hurt to touch them let alone squat down on the commode!  OUCH!  Hopefully this will never have to be repeated barring anymore injuries.  I hope to get the strength back up fairly quickly BUT safely.  My second leg workout I went up to 135 on regular squats for 1 set of 10 reps and had no problems with the low back.  THAT made me feel really good!  I did the bar only front and wide stance squats again for 3 sets of 15 each.  I did one drop set on the leg extensions for my final exercise of the workout and that was on Tuesday and the legs feel much better than they did last week.  No soreness to the touch anyway, but I can tell that I did get a good workout in when I walk up steps.  Not very impressive weights were lifted but one thing I have learned the hard way is the ego WILL get you hurt!  When ego is the dominant factor pushing a workout, form goes out the window and that is when injuries happen.  I plan to concentrate on perfect form with slower rep speed rather than higher weight and poor form.  I want to feel the muscle working.  And the last two leg workouts I definitley had the mind to muscle connection.  The calves are killing me as well.  I am just happy to be back to a normal workout routine with no pending surgeries.  I FEEL GOOD, just like I knew that I would! - as James Brown says! 

OTHER HAPPENINGS:

I am enrolled in the National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) program and I am scheduled to take my exam Feb. 2, 2008 in Baltimore, MD.  I have my Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED course tomorrow, Saturday Dec. 8.  The one area of the exam I am probably going to have a hard time with is the anatomy and all its technical functions.  I have always been intrigued by the body and I am looking forward to learning more about it.  Especially after going through the surgeries this past year and seeing how the nerves affect the muscles.  I have read about things like VO2 max but never fully understood it so this will definitely be a learning experience.  That excites me!  This is the best way I can find to utilize the time I have while being laid off from work.  For those of you who don’t know I was laid off from my job of 4 years on Nov. 2.  The thing about it was, I went to my boss in the middle of Oct. to tell him I was going to need a few weeks off for my back surgery on Oct. 26 and two days later he comes to me and informs me they were going to lay me off effective Nov. 2.  That was perfectly alright with me.  Unemployment is much more than what short term disability was when I had my neck surgery. 

Anymore I try to find the positives in all areas rather than dwell upon the negatives.  Prior to Jan. 3, 2005, I would let the negatives (like being laid off) destroy my hopes and dreams and become a "Victim" of circumstance and get drunk.  That is why drugs and alcohol almost destroyed my life.  But as Joel Osteen says, "You’re not a victim you’re a VICTOR!"  I embrace that saying with all my heart.  God doesn’t make junk and I refuse to think that I was made by mistake.  I started this positive journey and I will finish it in Victory, with God’s help!  I appreciate all of you who send me kind comments and positive reinforcement and I hope to help others by doing the same.  If any of you ever need help with anything, private message me or email me bb7291968@yahoo.com and I will do what I can.

That’s about it for now.  Time to get my thinking cap on and hit the books.  Feb. 2 will be here before I know it.  God bless you all and I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!  Keep the Christ in Christmas!  Jesus is the reason for the season!