bradl’s weight training

I’ve written before that I’m just a beginner, under two months, but soon after starting "seriously" training, a couple weeks, I noticed that even though I had no sign of any development, I felt bigger in teh world, which would be more confident. I know getting pumped makes me feel bigger, but I know nothing has changed yet. It may be just the idea that after some progress I have more of a presence. People are more dismissive of small men and I guess I’m anticipating how that will change. Self-confidence and body image are strange things.

My wife and I have been nudists for, hmmm, twelve years or so, but I haven’t been self-conscious around that crowd, just when dressed moving in "normal" society. Part of that cultural theme includes body acceptance, come as you are, where most of Americans are concerned about how they look, including how they look nude. I’ll see how I adapt to that. I started weight training with the idea of increasing strength. Strength and muscle size go together, so I’m expecting to get bigger, which I see as a good thing, but size is not my driving motivation.

Another exercise today was (flat) bench press. I think I’m weak on that one because of my triceps. Need to work on them. Since I work out at home, I’ll have to look into a dip bar but first determine whether I’ll strong enough to do dips or start with pushdowns first. The book recommends parallel bar dips because it’s a compound exercise, but without a machine, I may have to work up to that.

Today was a squats day. I do an alternating workout 1 and 2 schedule. Monday was the last squats day. I made a mistake in loading the bar and put much more on than I was planning for that first (of 2) set. That first set seemed really heavy, but I didn’t know why, just reconfigured a bit lighter based on my table. I figured it out today. My log sheet is a spreadsheet that includes a weight configuration table at the top, so I know that 150lb is composed of which plates. I made a mistake when I expanded the table over the weekend.

Anyway, with the correct weight, it went fine, so did all the other exercises too. They didn’t seem easy or that I needed to add weight or add addition reps, but I was … comfortable with what I did. I worked to failure on them. I guess that’s the important thing.

I was running late on doing the workout, but took the time to tape up a sheet of pictures of Ronny Rockel that I had moved into the garage a few weeks ago. I know I will never look like him, but he’s a good example of a pro. Someone to aspire to, even if it’s unrealistic.

About a week ago I ordered a set of four 1.25lb standard plates for my dumbbells, so I can increase the weights slowly, as recommended in McRobert’s book. On that note, I don’t like having to reconfigure the plates on the dumbbells for different exercises, but the other options are to buy a duplicate set or plates or a full set of fixed-weight dumbbells. One advantage of changeable plates is the flexibility of weights, especially with the little one pounders.

It occurred to me today that I’ve only been weight training "seriously" for less than two months, since mid Dec. Seems like longer. I’m impatient. I haven’t noticed any changes in my appearance, just that I’ve reached the point in my weights that everything is stable, but would like to see some additional progress and start loosing the scrawny look.

Patience grasshopper.

Yesterday I poked around BB.com, looking at some profiles and blogs. There are a lot of people here working on their fitness and physiques. I’ve written a general, public blog before, but I’ll see how it goes writing about weight training here.

I work out in the afternoon, after work before I need to pick up our daughter from her after school care program. It has been working that way for the month or so I’ve been "seriously" weight training. Time is a bit tight, so that is a bit stressful.

Yesterday was a deadlift day, so today I have some minor bruising on my shins from the bar and my back is sore. It’s sore in a good way because I know it’s from lifting weights, not from overstressing and damaging it. I usually don’t get much post-workout soreness, but it feels good when it happens because I know I worked the muscles. Shrugs have been doing it recently too.

The workout pump feels good too. Knowing I worked the muscles and they are making me aware of being full of blood. On one of the profiles I read yesterday, some guy wrote that working out makes him horny. I have to agree. In a way, the pumped up feeling is like being sexually aroused, so a bit like an all-over erection.

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