blsmith’s BodyBlog

Well, it’s Friday and it’s time to honor another special person and tell the world just how special they are.  This person has been friends on here for quite awhile. The thing about this friend is no matter what the situation, she always has a smile on a face and a kind word. A family woman, mother of 6 , a grandmother of 1 cute little girl (with another on the way), and a heck of a friend.  Please allow me to intorduce this week’s honouree.

Carla always makes me look at the bright side of life.  I truly believe that without her, I would not be where I am today. I am proud to call her friend.

Tomorrow she will be competing in THE ABBA SOUTHERN ALBERTA BODYBUILDING CHAMPIONSHIPS in Red Deer, Alberta.  And believe me, she is ready to kick ass.

Carla, you are and always will be my FF (Friend Forever). Love ya Carla.

Didn’t go to the gym today, my wrist is bugging me. ( Well it’s more the joint that moves the thumb.) It has been hurting since Sunday but it wasn’t as bad as it was this morning.  I probably did something when I had the grandkids on Saturday.  Hopefully it clears up soon.  Tonight after work I am making my attempt to walk all the way home (about 5 miles) I have made it to the 3.5 mile mark but I am determined to make it all the way home tonight. And Saturday, I am going for some more leg lifting records, particularly in the squat and leg press. THen that evening my wife and I are going to see Craig Ferguson do stand-up. We love watching his late night show (only on Fridays as its the only time I am up that late LOL) so we hope his routine is just as good.

That’s about it for today, stay tuned tomorrow for my 2nd installment of the Bodyspacer honours!  It may be you!

Thank you everyone for offering your support!  I thought it was because I was tired that I was in that funk, and it turns out I was right. Yesterday was a beautiful night for sleeping and I slept right through until my alarm went off. I barely moved last night. 

One benefit of being in that funk was I made a couple of good friends through it.  I always love meeting new friends so thank you again for caring about little ol’ me (OK OK big ol me LOL)

I tried mixing it up today and instead of doing all biceps, then all triceps, then all shoulders, I would alternate different bodyparts hoping to give them more rest between sets…I liked it.

[b]BB CURLS[/b]

1 x 15 @ 40 lbs, 2 x 10 @ 50 lbs

[b]SMITH MACHINE ARNOLD PRESSES[/b]

3 x 12 @ 65 lbs

[b]HAMMER CURLS[/b]

3 x 12 @ 20 lbs each

[b]DB FRONT LAT RAISES[/b]

3 x 12 @ 15 lbs each

[b]LYING TRICEP EXTENSIONS[/b]

3 x 12 @ 20 lbs each

[b]DB SIDE LATERALS[/b]

3 x 12 @ 15 lbs each

[b]WRIST CURLS[/b]

3 x 12 @ 20 lbs each

[b]TRICEP ROPE PULLDOWNS[/b]

3 x 12 @ 80 lbs

I don’t know whether its because I am tired, or that I didn’t go to the gym today, or something else, but I am feeling like my old horrible self today!  I am sitting here at work on the verge of crying and I have no f***ing idea why.  This is so stupid. I was feeling so good about myself and then bam I am feeling like a piece of shit.  Why the hell is this happening? I want to feel good about myself. But something has caused me to go back into this funk!  HELP! Anyone!!!

It seems like I am not the only one but I am soooo tired. Could not get up to hit the gym.  I barely slept Sunday night because of the humidity and then last night with the lightning hitting practically right at our window last night, it was impossible to get any decent sleep. I will try and catch up on it tonight and then hit the gym full force tomorrow.  Will do some light work at home tonight  just so I get something done. I hope everyone has a great day!

I am sooo tired.  Had a good day with the grandkids on Saturday. Took then to see the Blue Jays, unfortunately it was not a good day for the pitcher (Burnett’s a bum! LOL).  It was a very hot day so it made things a little uncomfortable at first but once the sun went down a little and we were in the shade it was good.  We were in the kids zone and they had some interactive activities for the kids, such as pitching to a simulated hitter.  It was rather neat. The oldest had a ball with that.

I had the best CW moment of my life!  When we met my stepson and his wife, I was busy with the kids, they asked her if the pic I posted on facebook (the back bicep shot here) was actually me or did I photoshop someone elses body on my head.  WOW!!!!!!!

Sunday was a lazy day to be honest.  Got too much son on my arms and I was feeling very warm.  Just spent the day recuperating.

Today’s workout - LEGS - Today was high rep low weight for the most part as I did a lot of walking and such with the kids on Saturday! Including them wanting me to squat with them on my shoulders LOL

LEG PRESS

One leg - 1 set of 10 @ 180 pounds each legg

Two legs - 4 sets of 15 @ 180 pounds

CALF RAISES

4 sets of 20 @ 180 pounds on same leg press

LEG EXTENSIONS

One leg - 3 sets of 12 @ 60 pounds

LEG CURLS

One leg - set of 12 @ 65 lbs, set of 10 @ 65 lbs, set of 15 @ 50 lbs

With my new attitude I wanted to write in my blog every weekday, but Fridays I don’t have a lot to say really. So I decided to highlight one special friend each week and to honor them.  This week I have chosen Steph (daretosoar) 

I have known Steph for very close to a year now, and there has never been once where she has not been supportive. Whether it’s to lend an ear, offer advice or to kick my ass to work harder in the gym, she is always there, and she never judges.
And looking at Steph’s personal life, with her busy job and running a household with 4 young kids, that in itself would be a handful for most.  But she still finds the time to get to the gym and work out hard almost every day and also enjoys life outside of the gym, whether it be building snow forts with the kids or lounging by the lake with a good book, she makes time for herself as well.
To me Steph epitomizes what a Bodyspacer should be, an everyday person working her ass off to achieve her goals and to support the people around her.
One of my favorite memories was early on we were talking about our goals and she said that she wanted to be able to bench her weight. I told her that if I had my way she was going to not only lift her weight she was going to lift that for many reps, and she laughed at me… well today she is lifting 50 pounds more than her weight!  Who’s laughing now Steph?   Of course stupid me challenges her to a powerlifting contest… WHAT WAS I THINKING??? LMAO
I am very proud of Steph and I hope to have many more fond memories with her as time goes on!  Love ya, my friend!!!
 

It’s strange how it goes sometimes.  I went to the gym today planning on doing a goo chest routine low to moderate weight moderate reps, really get the chest pumping… and I couldn’t resist the temptation to try to max out on the bench again LOL.  I have to learn to stop that or I am going to wear myself out. However, I did increase it by 5 pounds LOL. UP to 175. I still have a looong way to go to catch the beautiful and strong Steph, but as long as I am increasing, it is making her have to work that much harder to keep up. *jab jab*

I just got myself a subscription to Muscle & Fitness.  My wife got a huge deal on it and it ends up being only $2 a copy. So why not.  Will definitely help in getting my home routines together and giving me ideas for the gym. Like today, I did DB chest presses and flies on a decline bench. They seemed easy at first and then whoa…damn I was feeling them at the end.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day! Talk to you soon! Stay strong!

Quiet day today. Didn’t go to the gym this morning but planning on doing a killer shoulder workout at home tonight! Will let you all know how that went later! Really looking forward to Saturday. Taking the grandkids to their first baseball game, watching the Blue Jays take on the Baltimore Orioles. Should be a blast. Glad we were able to get seats in the "family" section. Don’t need beer thrown on them.  And we got first row seats in the second deck so they are pretty good seats!

A few blogs ago, I mentioned that I was thinking of my next "Live Like You Were Dying" moment. Well, I have figured it out.  I am going to participate in this October’s climb up the CN Tower. For those who don’t know the CN Tower is the world’s largest tower (well technically 2nd now but this is the largest tower that people can go up LOL) and every year they have a charity fundraiser to climb all 1,776 steps of this tower!  I think this will be a huge accomplishment and definitely something to strive for!  Time to get on that stairmaster and train I guess LOL

And finally, I wanted to again thank my good friends here for all of their support!  Although I have finally "seen the light" I still need you all!  Thank you for everything, for all the crap and tears I put you through! Let’s make the tears that come now tears of joy! Rock on my friends!!!

Today it is gloomy and rainy but at least it is warm.  If I wasn’t wearing my work clothes I would have loved to go walking in the rain, but I had to go into the underground pathway, which is always crowded!  But surprisingly, I am still in a great mood!  If that didn’t put me down, NOTHING WILL!!!

Today was back and biceps…

[b]FRONT LAT PULLDOWN[/b]

1 x 15 @ 80 lbs, 1 x 12 @ 100 lbs, 2 x 8 x 120 lbs (PR)

[b]ONE-ARM DB ROW[/b]

15 @ 20 lbs, 12 @ 30 lbs, 10 @ 35 lbs

[b]BENTOVER BB ROWS[/b]

12 @ 40 lbs, 12 @ 50 lbs, 8 @ 60 lbs

[b]SEATED CABLE ROW[/b]

12 @ 90 lbs, 12 @ 110 lbs, 8 @ 130 lbs (PR)

[b]STANDING BB CURLS (AGAINST WALL)[/b]

2 x 12 @ 50 lbs, 1 x 8 @ 60 lbs

[b]INCLINE BENCH DB CURLS[/b]

3 x 10 @ 20 lbs each

[b]HAMMER CURLS[/b]

1 x 10 x 20 lbs, Started my 2nd set and my left bicep went plooie, I could barely lift my arm with no weight never mind with 20 lbs.  Tried to restart with 15 lbs got through 4 reps and the pain was just too much today!  Better to stop and rest it so it may curl another day.

All in all a good day so far!  Hope everyone’s day is just as good!