davefreedavefreecom’s BodyBlog

Feeling really good and strong… I just started a new routine, one that I got out of the May issue of Muscle and Fitness and it’s got me feeling like a machine.  That stingy, burning feeling you have in your muscle about 36 hrs after you hit them that lets you know that you have adequately exhausted, possibly over-exhausted your muscle tissue… that feeling that so many of us love… yea, I’m right there and maybe a little more right now, so I’m happy.  I’m currently in a friendly challenge with a Bodyspace friend and fellow service member…. we’re racing to a six pack, but honestly she’s about a set of crunches from her’s.  I’m hoping just to rep a little bit for the AF, plus nothing gets me more dedicated to fitness than challenges.  This is why I’m 300% sure that I’ll compete on day… maybe sooner than later…n e how… PD out

Well, it’s been a WHOLE two weeks and I’ve started the third.  I feel great and my strength continues to come screaming back.  Ex:  Last week I did DB presses on the flat bench… I started and struggled with 60s.  Yesterday, I started w/70s and they felt sooooo light… my last set was w/100s and even those felt easily managable.  These are sets of 10-12.  The same type of progress is happening in almost all my other lifts as well.

I feel wonderful and strong.  I’m trying to dial in my diet and commit to cardio.  The iron has never been a problem for me, it’s always been the other and MORE IMPORTANT part of fitness that I neglected.  Gotta get there.  God Bless

I’m definitely feeling the effects of not hitting this iron for almost three months, but I’ll tell you what my body seems to be reacting so much faster than it previously has.  When you add up everything: 3 months out of the gym, going home on leave, and over the HOLIDAYS AT THAT, eating as much fried chicken as I could handle; I should look horrible and my muscle memory should be in a state of amnesia… but I don’t and I’m not.  I gained about 7 lbs from all of that… that’s all!!!  The small definition I did have is mostly gone but not completely, and my size is still pretty much the same.  I am truly blessed, I really have to stay on it and take advantage of the gift I have.

            Sidenote:  So there’s a guy in the gym who I started to see there regularly not too long before I backslid.  His body was much like mine, pretty good size, could use a little more muscle density and maturity, and just enough fat so that you wouldn’t call him/me built or muscular.  Well, apparently he pressed through the holidays and he looks pretty damn great.  Arms to envy I tell ya!  I was so pissed at myself when I saw him, but that give me hope for two reasons: 1) He and I have the same body type (I assume) and it only took him about 4 months to carve out some impressive guns and overall physique…so that means that in 4 months I should be hella hot and 2) I have a better starting base than he did back than and better than I had the last time.

 Oh, well… off to the house of steel… SO MOTIVATED

keepPUSHing

Soooo… I was doing P90x to start off the new year because my personal fitness goals had drastically changed.  I did P90x for about two and a half weeks, and honestly I was already feeling stronger, fitter, and more flexible…then I got really sick with this flu that’s going around.  (sidenote: is it just me or does it seem like EVERYBODY is getting the flu pretty bad this year?).  After about a month of coughing up mucus and not being able to do anything really physical without choking on my own flem, I finally went back to the gym.

Now, why didn’t I restart P90x?  The main reason it’s just a little embarrassing to work out at home when someone is laughing at you, mocking you, so I went back to something I really know and really, really love:  IRON!  I was really looking forward to being a P90x sucess story but I guess that’s not meant for me, so I’ve rededicated my energy in the gym and my new soreness is telling me I made the right choice.  My whole body is screaming and I love it!!!  Gotta go, must press toward these goals.

KeepPUSHing

Yep… I slightly fell victim the Holidays.  I had a legitimate reason to stop with the weights at first… my BJJ blue belt.  I primarily lift in the evening starting between 1545 and 1600, this was leaving my muscles very exhausted and making BJJ that much harder.  Well, after I got my blue belt instead of jumping right back into the iron game like I should have, I decided why not take the holidays off?  Why NOT!!!?!?!  Because you have goals, and goals don’t get achieved with excess and wasteful rest.  To make matters worse I got pretty sick right after the holidays and I’m just getting over that. 

Yesterday was my first day back and while I felt a lot weaker and don’t look nearly as muscular, that old fire came right back….YES!!!  Yes, my body screamed with the pump and I’m gladly feeling the after effects now.  My goal has not changed because I never reached it, but I’m now (again) pressing hard to reach this goal by Summer 09 and definitely by my 27th Bday (9/11/82).  Today is Back, Bis, and Quads… YEA, I never neglect my legs….let’s get it!!!!!!!