bb1968’s BodyBlog

I have made a decision to get involved with a worthy cause that will make a difference.  I am an avid cyclist along with bodybuilding and have decided to use what I enjoy to help those who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis and hopefully make a difference in their lives.

I will be riding in the Bike MS: Beyond the Beltway 2008 presented by Washington, D.C. Area Land Rover Dealers.  I will be participating with Team Trails End Cycling Company and I will be doing a 60 mile ride on Saturday, May 17th and a 40 mile ride on Sunday, May 18th and I need your help.  I have made a pledge to raise a minimum of $300.00 and I am hoping to surpass $1,000.00 as my goal.  This would equal $10.00 per mile for the two day total of 100 miles.  Team Trails End Cycling has made a pledge goal of $30,000.00 with some guys planning on riding 140 miles over the 2 day event.  Our Team Captain’s wife personally suffers with MS so we have a personal connection here that could greatly benefit her life.  I am looking for people to sponsor me with whatever you may be able to donate.  It doesn’t have to be a large amount.  Small donations add up.  If you could just sponsor me with a $10.00 donation for 1 mile it would be greatly appreciated not only by me but those people who suffer could benefit tremendously.  TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!  Your donation can be made online by visiting my homepage at http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/bb1968 and click on the button that says “Donate to Bobby”.

Thank you guys and gals so much for stopping by to read this and I hope you can find it in your heart to help others who suffer from this crippling disease.  God bless and take care!

I have completed the 10th week of my 5×5 mass building program as of today.  My main goal for 2008 was to regain my strength lost from surgeries in 2007.  I can officially say that I have accomplished 2 out of 3. 

For bench, I am now back at 285 for 3 reps today and will be going for 5 reps on Tuesday.  That is the most I have ever done.  Next Saturday I will be at 290 for 3 and it will be an all time PR!  315 for 5 by the end of April is what I am shooting for.  I have consistently added 5 pounds to my top set over the past 10 weeks and with 6 weeks to go I believe this will be accomplished. 

For Deadlifts, the most I had ever done was 315 for 5 reps and I did 355 for 5 reps last Thursday.  I will be going for 365 on my top set this Thursday.  I would like to get 405 for 5 by the end of the summer. 

Squats however are not coming along all too well.  I have to remember that is has only been 4 1/2 months since my low back microdiscectomy and it took almost a full year to get my strength back on bench press after my neck surgery.  So hitting PR on Deadlifts this soon is most encouraging to me.  My hip flexors were not put under any load for most of 2007 due to the surgeries and this has caused the majority of the hold-up in getting my strength back more quickly with a load on my shoulders.  That is at least where I feel the most of the problem when going deep with my squats.  However, I do see progress over the past 10 weeks (I got 285 for 3 on my top set today) so I am about 15 pounds short of PR squats (300 for 5 reps is the most I have ever got).  315 for 10 reps on squats is going to be at least 4-6 months out but it will be conquered. 

The second goal of 2008 was to train hard but smart.  This I feel is the other reason my squats are lagging behind.  I would rather see gains come slowly and injury free than to go through what I did last year though.  I felt like I was taking 1 step forward and 3 steps back for the whole year of 2007.  Everything so far is progressing nicely.  I hope and pray that I don’t hit any pitfalls.

Time for some sleep.  Lift, Eat, Sleep, Repeat!   

Well, I didn’t quite live up to what I said about updating the blog while I was at the Arnold.  It was a very busy weekend and the workout with Jeff, jackedinMI, on Saturday morning just kicked my A$$!  I posted a couple of videos from the workout of my top sets on bench for a status of where I am at as far as regaining my strength.  Hopefully I will be up to the 315 for 5 reps by the end of the year.

I had an awesome time at the Arnold and finally got to meet some of my fellow Bodyspacers.  Here are a few pics from the weekend:

Me & Fern- MsFitness at the Gaspari Nutrition booth

Me & Jeff- jackedinMI following our workout Saturday morning

Me, Tracie-Arieseyes, Jeff and Sam-{I think was his name} (Tracie’s friend from Bahrain)

Me, Jeff, and Carl- ntrllftr chilling at the Expo Saturday watching the NPC Amateur Bodybuilding finals.

Me and Mike-elitemuscle79 outside the Columbus Convention Center

That was all the pics I had from the people on Bodyspace.  I did meet kathyfit- Kathy Fehringer at the Redline booth but I didn’t get my pic with her (next time Kathy) and I also met barbiebarbell at the EFX booth.

Excellent time hanging with Carl and Jeff!  Looking forward to meeting up with these guys again.  We have stayed in touch over the past year and a half through Bodyspace and it was great to finally meet two outstanding, humble brothers of the iron!  Bodyspace has kept me motivated in my training despite the surgeries and setbacks last year and I give credit to the fine people on here who have been a source of encouragement through all the hardtimes.  I look forward to meeting some of the others in the future who I have been encouraged by as well.  More importantly I hope to be a source of encouragement and help to others in achieving their goals as well.

BODYSPACE- STRENGTH IN NUMBERS! 

Gotta get some rest peeps, talk to you guys later.  Good night! 

Hello my fellow bodyspacers!  It is Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008, the day before the Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH.  I am really excited about being able to attend for the first time.  Looks like it is going to be an exciting weekend and I look forward to meeting some of you there.  Looking forward to meeting up with Jeff (http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/jackedinMI/) for an awesome workout Saturday morning at Gold’s Gym.  I will have my laptop with me and be updating the blog each night so check back for the latest and greatest!

PM me if you are going so we can meet up and get our pics together!  See you there!

After my neck surgery last year, the doctor told me that it may take up to a year to a year and a half before I regain my strength back to where I was prior to the disc herniation.  I had some serious nerve damage as a result of the herniated disc.  My goal was to be back to my prior strength by my one year anniversary.  This coming April 4 will be one year.

I started out on my road to recovery 2 weeks post neck surgery.  I was barely able to get 65 pounds for 8-10 reps on bench.  4 months prior to my neck surgery I was benching 285 for 5 reps and this was an all time personal best for me.  I was hoping to reach 315 for 5 reps.  Then the disc herniation.  It has been a long slow process but I have continued on the journey diligently. 

I am thoroughly excited to report that I hit 250 for 8 reps today on my top set of bench.  This was a strong indication that I am definitely going to surpass the 285 for 5 reps by April 4, 2008.  And for that I am truly blessed today!

God bless you all who have been in my corner throughout this endeavor.  I appreciate your prayers and words of encouragement.

As Big Ron Coleman would say, "It’s on now!"  "Light weight BABY!"  "Nuttin’ but a peanut!"  "Let’s do dis!"

I am happy to say I survived the first month of the year without any injuries and consistently trained (either cardio or resistance) everyday of the month.  Hit a milestone yesterday.  I was at 315 for 5 reps on deadlifts in Dec. 2006 prior to my neck surgery and was hoping to be back to at least that on my 1 year anniversary (surgery) on April 4, 2008.  Well, I did it yesterday!  Not real pretty but I pulled it all 5 reps.  Now I am going to concentrate on my form before increasing the weight.  Hope to post a video of this in a couple of weeks.  I have also seen a tremendous increase in my chest and tricep stength as well.  On flat bench barbell press, I was at 285 for 5 reps, 240 for 10 reps back in Dec. 2006.  On last Saturday I did 240 for 7 reps.  This is a huge increase from post neck surgery when the doc released me to start lifting again.  I was struggling to get 65-75 for 8-10 reps.

I am finishing up the 4th week of my 5 x 5 program tomorrow and I am going to see how many times I can get 245 on my top set of flat bench press.  At the beginning of the year I did a 5RM test and was struggling on the 5th rep with 245.  Squatting is not going as well as I had anticipated but the strength is definitely improving.  I am going to have to remain patient with this.  

4 weeks out from the Arnold and I am getting excited!  Can’t wait to load up on all the freebies!  Just now running out of the last of my freebies from the Olympia and that was 4 months ago!

Hope everyone has a terrific Superbowl weekend (Go Giants) and don’t overindulge on the junk food as most of America will!  I will definitely be keeping it clean and not end up with the Monday blues from regret.  Thanks for stopping by and hope to see some of you next month at the Arnold! 

I have started my mass program for the new year and I am on my 2nd week into it.  The program is the Bill Starr 5×5 which I used with much success in the end of 2006 before my disc herniation in my neck.  I am starting out rather conservative for my top sets. 

On squats I had anticipated starting at 225 but after the first week of squatting 3 times in a week, I decided to drop back a bit to 205 to give myself a better run at it.  I can always make bigger increases in the near future as the strength comes back from the low back surgery in October. 

My main focus is on form.  I want to pause at the bottom of each rep and go below parallel.  With heavier weights this is not possible because I am letting the weight control me rather than me control the weight with the mind to muscle connection.  This way I hope to avoid any injuries for 2008.  2 major surgeries in 2007 was too much!

On bench, I started out at 225 and on my top set of 3 on Saturday I did 230.  There again, with a pause at the bottom of each rep.  I hope to be back up to at least 285 for 5 reps in 11 weeks.  That is where I was before the neck mishap.  This will put me back on track in 1 year post surgery which will be April 4th.  The doc had told me it might take up to a year and a half to get back to where I was.  My goal was to be there in a year.  Looks like everything is on track to make it.  I maxxed out at 245 for 5 reps on Sat. Jan. 5th.  I was pushing 240 for 10 reps when I was doing 285 for 5.  Progress in the making as a result of hard work, determination and dedication.  In one of my previous blogs I had stated, "I’ll be back!" as Arnold was notorious for and I am closing in on the arrival!  Totally excited about it to say the least!  It has been a loooooooonnnnnnnggggggg road to recovery.  I can remember 2 weeks post surgery when I was reaching muscle failure with 65 pounds on the bench for 10 reps.  Talk about a dose of humility!

For barbell rows, I had anticipated starting out at 185 for my top set but had to scale it back as well to 165 for better control and mind to muscle connection.  I refuse to just go through the motions.  I want to feel the muscles working.  I accomplish that with the lower weights.  I see so many people at the gym using poor form and as a result they are doing the same workouts with the same working loads as they were last year.  And they wander in and out of the gym week after week wondering why they never make any progress.   That is not my idea of a workout.  I want to invest my time wisely and have my workouts pay huge dividends.  And they are, thank God!

I am now up around 190 to 195 lbs.  My original goal back in Sept. at the end of my last competition was to be around 185-190 in the offseason.  I feel that I am putting on a lot of solid muscle.  There is some fat but I feel by the progress of my working loads in the gym I am adding some good lean mass.  I can still see my abs and that was my main goal for the offseason.  I don’t care how heavy the scales show as long as some abs can be seen.  I would ultimately like to be around 185-190 the next time I compete with 4% bodyfat.  I will be able to calculate my bodyfat much more accurately too with the purchase of my Lange skinfold calipers (a new tool to add to my personal training equipment).

The latest update with my NSCA-CPT endeavor:  I received notification that my test date of Feb. 2 has been cancelled due to the lack of registrations (only me and one other).  Now I have transferred to the computer based testing rather than the pencil and paper examination.  This allows more flexibility in scheduling my test.  I can call the testing center 2 days prior to when I am ready to go take the exam rather than having a fixed date set on either April 5 or April 12 which were the next two testing dates availble for the pencil and paper exam.  I am happy about this not only due to the flexibility but it also gives me a little more time to prepare.  Statistics show that only 58% of those who take this exam actually pass.  I refuse to give into failure.  Failure only comes at the end of a hard working set in the way of muscle failure.  That is the only way I want to relate to failure.

That’s about it for now.  A little over 6 1/2 weeks until the Arnold!  Can’t wait to be there!  Looking forward to meeting some of you there.  Let me know if you are going.  Train hard….only 50 more weeks left to the year and if you work each bodypart once per week, that is only 50 more workouts to make those gains!  Train, Eat, Sleep…..REPEAT!

It was exactly 3 years ago today that I woke up from a drunken stupor in jail not remembering what had happened.  I thought my life was over.  You see, I am an alcoholic and this wasn’t the first time this had happened.  As a matter of fact, I was facing DUI- 3rd offense FELONY charges along with a host of others.  After sitting in the cell over the next 2 days, my head finally cleared up and I could actually think sensibly.  What I come to realize was the truth that people in my life had been telling me all along.  I HAD A PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL!!!!  It was at that moment that I finally admitted to myself, to God and to my cellmate that I was an alcoholic and that I needed help.  Turns out my cellmate had some religious reading material and I picked it up to do some reading to pass time.  This material was what God used to talk to me through.  It really touched home and spoke to my heart.  It was at that time I got on my knees and asked God to help me and I broke down and wept.  It was so surreal!!!!!!!  Words cannot describe that moment in my life. 

I would spend the next 25 days in jail which is exactly what I needed.  All the other times I had went to jail I always got out the next day and blamed everything on other people, circumstances and whatever else I could use to cop-out of admitting that I had a problem……DENIAL, and I ain’t talking about the river in Egypt LOL!  These 25 days gave me time to think, to dry out and do a lot of soul searching.  I thank God for everything I went through.  It changed my life!

Even though I was facing 5 years of no drivers license, 1-3 years in the State Penitentiary, a host of fines and legal fees, I HAD HOPE!  As it turns out, I actually kept my job through all of this ordeal.  What a blessing it was to have the boss I had.  I lost my license there is no public transportation system where I live.  However, I had a bike (2 actually-  a road bike and a mtn. bike) that I hadn’t even dreamed of riding for the past 5 years because my drinking got so bad that all I wanted to do was drink and pass out and wake up and drink some more on my days off work.  I was what they call a "functioning alcoholic".  I worked everyday!  Anyway, I decided that if I was going to keep my job, I had to get to work somehow.  So I got out the bike and started to ride to work.  It was 9 miles one way and I smoked about a pack a day!  That quickly got me motivated to quit smoking.  My lungs hurt from riding!  So I quit smoking (another blessing) and continued to ride my bike to work.  I lost about 20 lbs and was getting into really good shape and in November I actually was able to get my license back with the stipulation that I have a breathalyzer installed in my car.  After I quit riding my bike, I decided to start lifting again since I was now in pretty good shape.  I was also facing 1 year of home confinement so what a better way to pass the time.  I went to Dick’s Sporting Goods and got an olympic weight set and a nice bench with leg attachment and cable system.  Jan. 1, 2006 I decided I would compete!  I would use the next year to put on as much muscle as possible and starting Jan. 1, 2007 I would start the cutting process.  And so I did!  But I won’t elaborate on all of that since it is in my other previous blogs.

So here I am today 3 years later.  Still clean and sober, in the best shape of my life and looking forward to a whole new year!  Unfortunately I am unemployed, but this is actually a blessing in disguise for it is giving me the opportunity to study for my NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer test.  I hope to be able to help others do what I have done.  OVERCOME ADVERSITY in a healthy and positive way and change their life!  Actually do something that I am PASSIONATE about rather than a dull, boring, endless job like I did have.

I better get back to studying.  I just wanted to share my experience, strength and hope with others.  If you know someone who is in this same predicament and I can help in anyway, PM me.  I am here to help!  God bless you all and thanks for taking the time to read my rambling!

I survived 2007…the year of trials and tribulations.  How I ended up competing is beyond me.  Neck surgery in April and back surgery in October and still managed to enter 3 competitions in August and September….go figure!  I was definitely not where I wanted to be as far as conditioning and size but I did accomplish what I set out to on Jan. 1, 2007- Compete…and that I did and for that I am proud of myself for actually achieving a goal despite adversities.

It is a new day and a new year and I am excited.  God willing, I will be accomplishing another mile stone in 2 days on Jan. 3, 2008…Clean and sober for 3 years and for that I am truly grateful!  With God all things are possible!  During this new year I want to continue to improve on my relationship with God.  I feel like I have been straying away and I cannot afford to do this.  It is only by His grace and supernatural help that I have achieved what I have thus far.

I am looking forward to the Arnold Classic coming up and hope to meet some of my bodyspace friends while I am there.  Let me know if you plan to attend.  I already have my expo tickets and my hotel reservations.  I could use some input from those who have attended before and know the area so I can make sure that the hotel I am staying at is not in a bad area.  PM me if you have experience with the Columbus area.

I am scheduled to take my NSCA-CPT exam Feb. 2 but may be rescheduling for April 5 to ensure I am fully prepared.  The statistics show that only 58% pass the exam.  I don’t want to have to wait 90 days to retake the test.  Once again, I could use any input from anyone who has taken this test.  Please PM me if you have.

Here is to a GREAT 2008 to all of you and I hope and pray that we all have a superb year!  God bless!  

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!