Speak it, believe it, achieve it!

Flavio Baccianini is a fan favorite from days gone by. At a height of only 4′10″, Flavio appeared on stage for the first time back in 1982.

IFBB Bodybuilding has created a 202-pound class for its bodybuiding competitions. These shows have thankfully brought this “tiny mighty” back to pro bodybuilding competition! The 202 Class has also provided a venue for a huge group of bodybuilders who otherwise would have no hope of being competitive with the current crop of 280- and at times 300-pound bodybuilders.

Baccianini took the silver medal at both the 1999 and 2000 Masters Mr. Olympia competition and placed 13th in the 1993 Mr. Olympia which placed him just three spots down from Lou Ferrigno that year!

Big Lou and Flavio at the 1993 Mr. Olympia

Forge3.

He created a thread to offer a place for others to visit and post their nominations for people BodySpacers believe deserve the recognition for whatever reason. I think that act is pretty dang selfless and deserves some green skittles for the effort.

Anyway, it’s a cool thread and you may want to check it out. Here are my nominations just posted. But first the rules of his Reps thread:

THIS THREAD IS NOT FOR SELF-NOMINATIONS BUT RATHER NOMINATING OTHERS.      

1.) The Nominated member will HAVE TO HAVE AN ACTIVE workout journal that is three months long or longer ongoing. Someone mentioned that members who include pics and videos of progression in their journals have the most excellent journals. That is one way to keep a great journal. In the end dedication is dedication.

2.) The nominations will be sent to me by PM and I will rep upon recharge or whenever I can. Then I will highlight the names of the repped members in a post congratulating accordingly.

3 months shows a reasonable length of time dedicated to working in the trenches so to speak. I even think every three month milestone is rep worthy so that if I rep someone for reaching a three month milestone I would rep them every 3 month milestone afterwards. Keep up the good work!

And here are my nominations:

- Andy a.k.a. 2 D is amazing. His journal reads like a glossary of fitness terms yet is very user friendly. He has a core group of readers who all seem to offer excellent feedback and definite encouragement. An absolute pleasure to read. Journal created May 5, 2008.

- Mike a.k.a. Lifting Buddy has got to be one of the BodySpacers with supreme patience as well as superior dedication. Always willing to take advice as well as offer information from his training experience. Journal created October 18, 2007.

- Big Al a.k.a. BigDaddy33 provides great encouragement and support to his readers. He’s open and honest and is recovering from shoulder surgery. Journal created April 24, 2008.

- Big Al’s other journal - Bigal33’s Shoulder Surgery Journal!!! has been stickied and is a true wealth of information for anyone with questions or concerns wrt shoulder health and injury recovery. Kudos! Journal created December 14, 2007.

- And jampsifit a.k.a. jampsifit! rocks the house with cool graphics and serious content. Although this journal has temporarily been untouched as jampsifit has been concentrating on a new journal, it definitely merits Rep consideration for its informative and entertaining set-up. LOTS of motivation herein! Journal created February 2, 2008.

Note 1:

No training journal but their consistently positive comments and posts merit general Rep consideration by all BodySpacers.

- Janet a.k.a. JJanet has always been a wonderful and consistent commentator, advisor, and genuine person I trust to provide positive feedback and a smile!

- Twerp a.k.a. nervesgone definitely knows his training! Visit his profile, check for his last forum visit, follow the link, and see what he has to say. You won’t be disappointed.

- pixiglittrpants a.k.a. well, PIX! She doesn’t maintain a training journal but she’s a consistent and dedicated participant in the online life of many a grateful BodySpacer! Her blog is always entertaining and informative. (And name one other person you know who has jumped from an airplane! :))

- Scott a.k.a. bodyauditor doesn’t have a training journal on BodySpace and only has four Rep points, however if BodyBlogs qualified for this program then I suspect Scotty would possess 500,000 green. His words rock. And he’s got a physique that will inspire many an Arnold wannabe. :D

Note 2:

New journal, but worth an eyeball:

- Bull.dogz a.k.a. Laura just recently created this journal, however I believe it’s definitely one to watch! Here’s another of her journals for your enjoyment!

- Ahad a.k.a. The Captain offers great self deprecating humor and an example of a new lifter finding his ideal training routine. Or making a solid attempt at achieving that goal! :D

P.S. Okay, I’ll be spending my weekend going over my list of "OH, GEEZ, I FORGOT SO AND SO!!!!" BodySpacers.

It’s not a YouTube, so you’ll have to follow the link if you want to witness an example of supreme composure and not a small amount of athletic skill.

I do believe I would have simply hopped up and down and screamed, “AAAhhh!!! I’m hit! Ouch! Ow! Ow! Oh, you son of a…”

Not this athlete. Joel Piñeiro, that was nuts!

BodySpacer jampsifit replied to a comment I left for him recently, stating, “lol yeah, i accidentally blew up = D”.

Isn’t that the goal? We, well, at least many who lift weights, wanna BLOW UP! I know as a teenager that was my goal. Nothing about blood pressure, or eating clean, or being h-e-a-l-t-h-y. lol

No. It was all about making 10-inch arms turn into MOUNTAINS!

And if any of you out there have ever read Arnold’s “The Education of a Bodybuilder” then you’ll recognize the following (probably butchered) quote, “I visualized my biceps as if they were mountains!” His thought being that if he only pictured them being maybe an inch larger that he was limiting the power of visualization.

Well, I’m not convinced on that philosophy as I pictured Mount Kilimanjaro and my biceps have never been more than 15 inches. Right now they’re not much more than 14, but I’m coming off the MuscleTech “get small” (okay, the goal was “ripped”) contest. D’OH!

Anyway, the initial reason for this BodyBlog was just to humorously shine a spotlight on one of BodySpace’s glitches. jampsifit’s avatar is, what, ten times larger than everyone else’s avi??? :) (Okay, so I didn’t do the math. But it’s BIGGER! ) Not a complaint (he spoke into the hidden microphone ), but a laughing observation.

Just compare his avi to wendym1979’s avi in the image below. Check out Wendy’s recent blog for an image of her beloved John with one mighty mohawk!

And we now return to our previously mentioned size glitch already in progress…

Dude, the workouts are working!

I bonked my head on a bench repeatedly and then the Olympic bar one time hard during a previous workout. Got a request or a good-natured comment from Roxy asking if I was going to do that again.

Yeah, I’m a free source of amusement! Well, no head bonk, but the following video is definitely in the Bonk Category. Bleh!

Ever wonder why steroids aren’t legal? I have. But that’s as far as the thought has gotten. A largely uneducated,

Nothing too deep there, eh?

Take a look at this video though. (Yes, I’ve been the YouTube fool today!)

The good doctor states that testosterone could help 10 million diabetics as well as 20 million who many not realize they have diabetes! The use of testosterone with diabetics would cut into the sale and administration of insulin as well. I wonder what big pharmaceutical companies think about that.

Big Pharma: "What? Say again? An almost cure for diabetes? Uh…"

I donated blood August 6, 2008. I have several gallons donated and would encourage everyone to give it a try. My blood type is B Positive. How’s that for a blood type and a philosophy of life?

(Okay, how’s that for a philosophy of Nerditude?)

While I was waiting to donate, there was a woman standing nearby who noticed my Calvin and Hobbes tattoo. She said it was cute and I replied that I get a lot of people who exclaim, “Oh, I LOOOVE Tigger!” when they see the tattoo.

Calvin and Hobbes was a cartoon back in the day and it’s still reprinted in some newspapers. Anyway, when I mentioned the comic strip’s name a nurse looked over and said, “I went to high school with that cartoon’s creator.” I was amazed because, hey, I really am a nerd and Bill Watterson is one of my favorite cartoonists (duh, hence the tattoo).

After donating blood instead of exiting the blood mobile, I leaned over to the nurse and asked if Watterson drew in high school. She replied with a smile, “Yes, but nobody really paid attention to him.” Ha! I’ll bet that would make Watterson laugh.

Uh… so that’s my brush with celebrity story. Okay, so actually it’s a brush with someone who brushed with celebrity.

Wayne Brady’s ability to create songs on demand is simply amazing. And I love how his lyrics were positive and not disrespectful of the female bodybuilder. Just all in good fun all around. :)

Dave Palumbo had done Toney Freeman’s diet previously and Freeman’s apparently signed with Palumbo again.

Here’s his current diet as advertised on the Species website:

MEAL #1
            5 whole Omega-3 Eggs (with 4 additional whites)

MEAL #2
            SHAKE:  45g ISOLYZE with 1 ½ tablespoon of All Natural Peanut butter (no sugar)

MEAL #3
            “Lean Protein Meal” 7oz chicken (or Turkey, or tilapia, flounder, or cod) with 1/3-cup RAW almonds, cashews or walnuts

MEAL #4
            SHAKE: 45g ISOLYZE with 1 ½ tablespoons of All Natural Peanut butter (no sugar added)

MEAL #5
            “Fatty Protein Meal” 7oz Salmon, Swordfish, or 8oz RED MEAT (filet mignon, or top round cut) with a green salad (no tomatoes, carrots, or red peppers) with 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil or Macadamia nut oil and vinegar

MEAL #6
            SHAKE:  45g ISOLYZE with 1 ½ tablespoon all natural peanut butter