b.spencer’s BodyBlog

Hey Guys,

I posted a few pics in my space.  Let me know what you think and if I’ve made progress over the last few months.  I’ll get some more through, clearer ones as soon as I can.

My workouts keep going well, and there are some new changes that are kind of fun.  And these had all happened in the last couple of weeks.

I haven’t done a  full BF analysis for a couple of months, but it must be dropping again a little bit.  I was doing incline bi curls earlier in the week, when I noticed vascularity in my right delt for the first time, and I noticed the vein that cuts across, left to right, across my left biceps.  Abs are more clearly defined, and (WOOHOO!!!!) I noticed just this week some definition in the intercostal area for the first time!!!  It’s not ripped to be sure, but I’m sure happy.

Rehab on my squats is going well.  I passed 200 for 20 reps yesterday, which is actually giving me hope that I haven’t lost that much strength in my legs not being able to do real squats for so long.  It was fun to watch the guys look at me do the reps.  I could tell the first thought was "Why is he doing so light?"  Then, "Why is he going so slowly (I do 3-0-3 tempo for those).  But, when I passed 15 reps without a pause, there were some impressed faces.  If I had told them it was at the end of my workout, where I’d previously done 1100 lb leg presses for 10 reps, and 150 pound single leg extensions, I think they would have been moreso.   I’m paying the price now — the DOMS are really bad this morning — but its nice to have growing pains in the legs again.

I’m comfortable enough now to start rehab sets with deadlifts, the last lift I can add back.  I’m debating if I should try clean and standing military presses.  I’ll never do a working set weight with them.  The doc said its way too dangerous.  But just with an empty bar or a couple of pounds on the ends as rehab/warmups to see if I can handle it with out damage.  WIll ask the doc before I try for sure.

I just had to post this. 

Yesteday, I was in the gym usiing the bathroom, and I noticed how pumped my arms were.  No one was around so I did a front double bi in the mirror.  I’ve never seen myself so huge before.  It was almost freaky so see me look that BIG.  I took me measures today . . . and I hit it at long last.  16 inches on the right biceps.  Cold.  It just took 4 months, but I’m there at last.  My left is still a bit under, but he size difference is shrinking slowly.  At this rate, I’ll be at 17 next year, but I can wait.  Or to be better said, I can’t wait.   :)  The size gains in other areas continue, especially chest, which makes me happy.  They are slowing, so I know I’ll plateau shortly, it usually does after a spurt like this.  But the results have been so good that it will be worth it to wait for the next one.

The strength gains continue thanks to the current workout and the pro-hormones.  They are starting to slow a bit also, in that they are not making the huge leaps they were earlier in the month.  I seem to have found where my back really is at the moment and am getting good working sets of 8-10 with challenging weights.  But they are still rising, which is all I can ask for.   Next week, I’m gonna work into my quad routine a few sets of just empty bar regular squats.  If I’m gonna start adding weight in 6 months, I want to make sure I have ther form down in my sleep.  Best to start out that (and with it standing calves) with light and easy.   I’ll do a couple of sets of BB chest on Sunday to update that stat as well.  Since converting to all db’s for chest, I obviously don’t have regular data to pull from. 

Over the last week or so (thanks in part to Jim’s workout)  I’ve been on fire making some really incredible gains in my lifts.  I’m not sure exactly why, but I’ve really refined my workouts and put in effort in every rep - - and I’ve added back in every compound movement I dare to.  I mean in the last week, I’ve added 30 pounds and 2 solid reps on each set of leg press, started doing 1 leg squats at 160 and 180 pounds for 10 and 8 reps for multuple sets, finally got up 75’s for 6 reps in flat bench — last week I couldn’t budge them for 1 rep, and this week 2 sets of 6 — , bent over rows (being very careful and well protected) at 225 for solid sets, and today  . . . deads.  Yes, I did 4 sets of dead lifts.  I was back braced to the hilt and was using the deadlift/shrug rack contraption, but other than that it was REAL.  No pins and pulleys, just real 45’s on each side.  I got up to 315 for 8 reps for 2 sets.  I was tired, but no pain, and I was so excited I practically floated through the rest of the workout today.  Not as srong as many of you, but for me, it’s the best I’ve ever done in the gym - bar none.  

I expected the back lifts that I’ve had to leave out for so long to come back rapidly, but this is spilling over into every muscle group I do.  I’m making weights pretty easily that I couldn’t have dreamed of 6 weeks ago.  I hope that this new strength translates into size gain.  At any rate, I hope it goes on.  I’m gonna milk this for as much as I can get.       

Today I also noticed new vascularity in my quads while peddling out my cool down post workout.  Pretty thick ones too.  Hope that’s a sign of more fat loss or muscle growth.  I’ll take either.

This weekend marks one year since I started my weight loss journey.  The time has gone by so fast and so slow at the same time.  I would have never imagined as I sat, at this very moment last year, eating my last uber-greasy fast food burger and fries as my last binge meal, that I’d be where I am now.  I measured my stats and BF% this morning.  I’m down to 12.6%, off another tenth since last month, while gaining 3 pounds.  

I just wanted to publicly thank all you guys.  I’ve learned so much from you, been inspired myself from your experiences, and from the PMs and emails I’ve gotten, I’ve been able to inspire some of you.   We are all in this journey toward the body of our dreams together.  If there is anything I can do for you, just ask 

And as for the celebration? 

I’m gonna participate in a little "contest" with Jim and a few others.  The rules are pretty simple.  We post our current complete stats, pics, and a goal we want to achive in three months.  30 November we’ll update everything and see of we made it.  The reason is so that we can help, motivate, push — whatever you want to call it — into breaking into new ground for each other.  My goal goes along with my bulk.  Since I want to be +20 pounds from my low by Feb 1, I want to gain 10 quality pounds between now and then.  That would be 15 pounds of muscle gained since June  The stats as of this morning on the board are unpumped.  I’ll do some pumped stats later today (upper body) and tomorrow (lower body) at the gym.  (It’s been a while since I’ve done those.)   I’ll put all the results on the blog too.

Last Labor Day weekend, I had greasy fast food at a fireworks display.  This one — I’m eating clean on my diet and going to the gym .  I’ll enjoy this one more.   I’m gonna drive every rep to the full, eat big and clean.  Everything I need to do.  Look out J, here I come :D

It’s been a pretty good month all things considered. 

I was on vacation for about 10 days.  Even so, I still cut my BF% a few tenths, while gaining some muscle.  While my actual size additions have been barely noticable (1/8" or so on everything in the last month), almost everyone in the gym noticed that my vascularity is much more pronounced since I changed to my current set of workouts.  I’ve also noticed that I tend to use more weight with the same number of reps that most guys my size at my gym, in most lifts.  And they’ve been doing this for a very long time.  (Well, everything except for chest, which seems to be my nemesis.  I’m focusing in on it for the next month.  Gonna work it hard and see what happens.)  I’m gonna up my calories a but too and see if I can gain more.

I did measurements this morning.  Although to my eyes it seems like I’ve made little progress, I’ve gained an 1/8" on my bi’s, and 1/4" on my quads and calves over last month.  With the disc herniation (yes, on reinspection of the MRI, I have a moderate  L5/S1 herniation) symptoms getting better with the stretching, and being able to get back to biking on a limited basis, I’m showing some regrowth in my right leg. 

This first post is a bit of  . . . personal happiness.  I’m sure this is nothing to you guys who barely notice your abs you’ve had them for so long, but it means a lot to me.

Now, I haven’t seen abs on myself since I was about 6 years old adnd rail thin (and how good can those be at that age??).  This past weekend I was getting ready to shower when I glanced in the mirror.  Ignoring the loose skin I have, I noticed two faint new bulges a couple of inches below my ribs.  I moved the skin and the bumps stayed put.  I crunched down on my stomach, trying to flex and they became more visible (just).  I started to feel more intently, and for the first time under the skin I could feel my abs.  I felt about 10 miles tall at that moment.  It’s still mind boggling to me that it’s actually real.