craigd34’s BodyBlog

I have read a few people’s comments mentioning being addicted to working out. Here is my real life workout disease I went through back in 2003-2004. I was activated to guard an Air Force base in Webster, TX. When I got there, I was lucky to be paired with another workout buff to share an apartment. I later found out this individual consumed some performance enhancing supplements, alot like the baseball controversy right now. But that was fine with me, I was not going to take them and never would. We lived about 3 miles from the gym and would drive every day we worked and then go straight to work. I was around alot of young Army guys that were away from their families, all they wanted to do was stay up late or go out somewhere and drink. I was invited often, but I would decline because "I needed to get up in the morning and go to the gym" and did not like the hangover feeling. I would get this feeling even if I drank one beer, so I elected to not drink any. So, we worked for ten hours a day, not including prep time and coming home time, so all time included was closer to 13. We would wake up early, get our lunches ready, go to the gym, then shower and go to work, come home and do it all over again. On my days off I would ride my bike to and from the 3 mile trek and workout twice a day. Everything I did revolved around working out. This was a given. If someone asked what I was doing tomorrow, working out would come first, then i had to think what "else" I was doing. I made it up to 210 pounds with 5% bodyfat. I was going tanning, and shaving my entire body. This was when I mentioned elsewhere, that the 3 people asked me about competing. I had random people at the gym asking me about personal training. I was an addict and I was loving it. I recall one day doing legs, we were on the leg press and my "Balco partner" was loading up the plates and I was keeping up. He grabbed two more plates and said, "Oh your pissing me off now", I was like, "Why? Cause I keeping up with you and I’m clean?". It kept us both pushing hard and constantly improving ourselves. He would push me to my limits and not let me slack off. This time was actually the first time was actually the first time I had ever inclined pressed over 225, deadlifted over 400 and squatted 495. After our tour was up, we moved on to our previous jobs and I learned that my partner had comitted suicide.

Went to the gym today, not really knowing what body part I was going to do. Forearms were a bit sore, so arms were out. I decided to do back. After doing my 6 sets of 12 pullups, I climbed under the deadlift bar and worked up to 405 for 4 and 455 once. My new Personal Best. Had to have the gym personnel come clean my blood off the bar twice, I tore my legs all up. Got to love Deadlifts. Then finsihed up the back, and called it a day.

Just a note to post my accomplishment. On Friday morning Aug 10th, during my leg workout, I managed to push 1000 pounds for 4 reps. That was after working my way up to that amount, doing 900 for 6, and 810 for 10 and so on

Over the years, I have had several people ask me what I eat, what I do for a workout program and how much I can bench. Well, if anyone is wondering the same questions, I will try to elaborate on these answers.

 On eating, I tell them, I eat whatever I want. This is where they get all excited. But, I have to clarify whatever I want to eat is not whatever they want to eat. They go to the gym, workout, maybe sweat a little and think they have lost 10 pounds. They then order pizza, Hooter’s or something else fattening that they want to eat. What I want to eat is Chicken Breast, Salad, Sweet Potatoes, Tuna (out the can), low fat everything and lean meat. I don’t diet, I don’t bulk, this is my everyday 7% body fat physique.

 I have had others want me to write them out a workout program. Well, since I don’t follow one myself, it would be kind of hard to mentor someone else into following one. I am all-natural (drug-free), and when I get to the gym, I just check to see what weights are not being used, then think what muscles I worked in the last couple of days, and what muscles I have not worked for a couple of days, and Voila!, through process of elimination, I have a winner.

 Someone sees alot of muscle and they automatically think you can bench alot. Well, someone on here has a signature that says something about "it doesn’t matter how much you can lift, it’s how strong you look". Well, that’s basically me. I look really strong, but don’t go to the gym every week and max out, or stack the plates on because there are people in the gym. I just go to better myself and be healthy. I workout as a hobby and for my job. If you really want to know how much I can bench, check my stats page, I periodically update it when I do chest.

Hope this answers a few questions, now that I have figured out how to post in my blog, I’ll be posting again in the future

Well I worked back hard yesterday. Had a good workout. Started with my usual sets of pullups. Then went straight in to some heavy deadlifts, pulldowns, seated cable rows, then some different pulldowns and back extensions. Woke up this morning and had the soreness in the lower back. I love that feeling, especially after a heavy leg day. When you are so stiff to move, makes you appreciate a good workout and you know your muscles are loving you.

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