Don’t Have a Keg…

So, for the C3 Challenge that I’ve been invited to participate in (and agreed to participate in) I had to post my current picture - ugh - and my measurements. Well, most of my measurements were right about where I figured they would be, but my arms have actually decreased significantly in size over the past couple of months. I’m not sure why - unless my fat was all in my arms (which I know is not the case from looking at my picture) since according to my scale I’ve dropped quite a bit of bodyfat since this weekend. I really don’t trust the scale - it seems that there must be a lot of factors that contribute to how it calculates bodyfat as I would think that it would remain consistent from day to day, but it fluctuates wildly…oh well, I’ll worry about that later.

Anyway, I’ve re-assessed my arm size goal down to 17 inches for the short term. It’s gonna be a while longer before I have 18 inch guns - if ever at this rate. By the way, of my measurements, only the arms were taken flexed - everything else was unflexed.

Just finished making my usual Saturday morning rounds (ie checking in with most of my Bodyspace friends pages to see how their progress is coming, pick up whatever tips I can, etc. - though to be honest, I’ll swing by a lot of Bodyspaces on any given day and I imagine most of you do, too).

No DOMS after my workout on Thursday. I’m not sure why…probably already adjusting to the new routine even though it’s only been two workouts?

So today I’m setting my goals for the C3 challenge I’ve been invited to participate in, getting some new "progress" pictures up by tomorrow, and taking measurments. I used to enjoy taking measurements and seeing progress, but these days I tend to dread it. I need to get back into "progress" mode and out of "deterioration" mode so I look forward to stats day again.

Speaking of progress though this morning my weight was down a little more but my scale says my bodyfat is up…I don’t know what’s up with that. I’m going to have to break down and get a skinfold test done - I just don’t really like getting that done as it means I have to take my shirt off in front of another person who, to make matters worse, always seems to be an attractive young woman.

Oh, and the "next level" of my title - I’m picking up some supplements today that were recommended to me almost a month ago. I know I should probably just order them on-line from bodybuilding.com, but I’m still old-fashioned and like to compare products side by side for my initial purchase at least.

I changed gears a little last night and followed my brother-in-laws plan which basically consists of 100 lifts of whatever weight he starts with (benching). It seems to be working for him so I joined in with the 165 lbs (same as he is using). The first set was the "warm-up" of 15 reps, the next we aimed for 25 - we both fell short, him by about two and me by 7 - then as many as we could for the remaining sets. What I discovered is that I don’t have the muscular "stamina" that I would like and pretty much gave out quickly even after a fairly long rest period between a couple of the sets. So while he reached 100 I probably did a little over half that. But, the good news is that today though there’s a couple sore areas, overall I’m feeling pretty good. In other words - I can still move today after doing a lot more reps than I am used to doing. I may keep at this bench strategy for a little while - but since he isn’t doing much else I’m on my own for the other body parts (arms, legs, etc).

Naw, not really. I did have some ham for Easter but avoided the candy and sweets (okay, I had a few jellybeans) so I’m feeling good diet-wise.

I had an interesting training discussion with my brother-in-law/training partner. He’s decided that he would like to be able to press 225 lbs 25 times. Apparently this is one of the tests at the NFL football combines (I don’t know for sure) and his strategy is to use a lighter weight - currently 155 lbs - and attempt to lift it 25 times (after appropriate warm-up). Once he can do that he will add 10 lbs and go again, repeat until he meets the 225 x 25 goal. I’m guessing that this strategy is as good as any, what do other people think?

My only real issue is that he wants to work towards a different goal than I do which is going to limit our working out together. I’m thinking I will join him on this bench pressing goal but continue with my "arm blitz" and see how it goes…but I’ll keep thinking as I have about a week to set my goals for the C3 challenge!

But geesh…sometimes it seems so hard. I know we’ve all been there - those times when it seems that the entire universe is working hard to keep you from your workouts. Well, lately, it’s not been the universe it’s just been work and family. I just keep working to stay focused and find that time to hit the weights. It’s a good thing I have a fairly complete weight set at home in addition to the gym!

Oh, the bodyfat seems to still be coming off, strength is going up…size should follow soon! 

Okay - so I am in Phoenix, AZ for a conference which ended earlier today. So, I decided that I needed to get in some exercise (what a surprise, right?). But the hotel gym, while nice, is a typical hotel gym - the largest dumbell is only 50 lbs for example - but right across the street is a Phoenix city park which happens to be what they call a "mountain preserve." Now, my standard of mountains tends to be the Rockies and these aren’t the Rockies by any stretch - but they are some pretty good sized hills none the less (about 600 -700+ vertical feet above the plain if I read the map correctly). So, I pick a trail and climb the first one. The trail is unpaved, but flat and wide for the most part, and I make it to the top without too much difficulty…so, what do I decide to do? Try the next one of course! You see when I travel alone I tend to do stupid things like overestimate my physical capabilites so by the time I got to the top of the next one I was beat. But, instead of stopping right there and going down the way I came up I of course took the long way down…

I just know that I am going to feel this tomorrow. Say what you want about the current treadmills and elliptical trainers - they just aren’t as tough as being out on the actual trail…my calves hurt, my thighs hurt, even my arms and shoulders are feeling it. Fortunately a good soak in the hot tub does wonders and I did keep myself well-hydrated on my climbs.

It’s still early in the evening…I think I will go give that hotel gym another try!

So last week I decided to only "weigh in" once a week. My thought that by doing this at the same time each week might better reflect the acutal changes in my weight and keep from having it look like it was swinging dramatically so often. Well, because I am about to travel out of town (Phoenix - some time in the sun, yay!) I decided to weigh in this morning instead of waiting until Sunday morning as planned. Well, wouldn’t you know it, another big swing in weight - down 5 lbs! Now as happy as I am about this I wonder if I waited until tomorrow if I would be down this much.

I haven’t taken measurements in a while - I’ll have to do that when I get back. I’m getting so much stronger in my lifts that I must be gaining muscle, but I don’t look bigger. This could be because the fat loss is cancelling out the muscle gain. We’ll see next week.

By the way, in case you are worried that you won’t be able to read my thoughts for awhile, don’t despair. The hotel has free internet access in the rooms so I will be able to share the trials and tribulations of training on the road!

Well when I started working out with my brother-in-law last week I was worried. Somehow in the past several months he made some impressive gains in his lifts, especially the bench, and I had not. Now granted the workout I was using didn’t call for the classic bench press (though I was doing presses with dumbells) and I had been feeling so bad for so long through the winter that I missed a lot of workouts, while he kept plugging away. Somehow in the back of my mind I had always assurred myself that I would be stronger in the bench press than him. And frankly, this seemed fair to me, since he always had the bigger arms and was better at curling and such…but our first workout was a wake up call. There he was benching 225 for reps and I couldn’t even lift the same weight off the stand!

So, I dutifully went down in weight to about 135 and started over…resigned to a long, painful climb back to the "big boy" weights. But - as of last night I was benching 205 for reps and still feel pretty good today! Some think muscle memory is a myth - but I’m a believer now. I’m still behind but at this rate I’ll be a challenge for him which should push us both to BIGGER and better lifts!

Plus, it’s great to have a workout partner again. I almost forgot that workouts can be fun! Now I’m looking forward to workouts again and though I thought I was back on track before - I feel that I really am.

Plus - it’s been encouraging giving and receiving postive comments, tips, and ideas from this site, too!

Keep lifting everyone.

Just a couple of things before I head off to my workout:

1. Why is it sometimes we just feel so good? I’m actually still a little sore from my last workout but am enthusiastic about hitting the weights tonight. I think it’s partly because I felt like crap most of the December and January (and part of February) that now I’m remembering what feeling healthy is like.

2. How do I keep feeling good? Proper eating and exercise I suppose.

3. I’ve become addicted to Bodyspace - not a bad thing I guess, I enjoy making new friends on-line and it’s nice to find other people who have the same interest, don’t think that "you workout too much," don’t question, "why can’t you come out to the bar tonight?" and don’t ever say "I think you’re getting too big" (okay - I haven’t heard that last one…yet). As long as participating here doesn’t interfere with my workout schedule I guess I won’t worry about it!

4. There is no number 4. I just that three didn’t seem like enough thoughts.

Take care everyone!

Okay - maybe not so random, but a couple of things about my training….

1. I’m sore! I haven’t been sore in a while, so I’m thinking it’s a good thing that I have a training partner again. Though I thought I was pushing myself, I clearly haven’t been. But it feels good to be sore again (DOMS - I haven’t injured myself).

2. Speaking of soreness - I’ve had this odd pain in my right upper traps on and off over the years. Even if I’m holding just a little weight, a book while browsing through the bookstore for example, for any length of time in my right hand the area where my traps connect to my neck gets very sore. Even to the touch. I guess I need to try heating pads or deep tissue massage or something.

3. Had a nice conversation about training with my brother last night (as opposed to my brother-in-law who is now training with me). Seems that he is getting more serious about working out too. Just some more motivation for me - in addition to being my younger brother he is also my "little" brother. I can’t have him getting bigger and stronger than me or the world just won’t make sense anymore (ha ha)!

4. I’ve been leaving a lot of comments for others lately - postive words of encouragment (at least in my mind). Not sure why - but if I get a couple new "friends" and some training tips from those making better progress than me I guess that’s okay, and probably what this site is all about after all.

5. I need to review my current supplements…I’m taking 2,000 mg of flax seed oil and a multi-vitamin each morning along with protein and carb mix after workouts. Given that I am now firmly in "middle age" I wonder if I should try creatine again? I feel that I need an extra boost, but haven’t had too much luck with creatine in the past - I’m thinking I already eat enough meat so it doesn’t make much difference to me. I welcome any thoughts.

6. I know that I’ve been saying I’m tired of going for ripped and now just want to go for big - but I really do have to shed some bodyfat. My Tanita scale says I’m at 22.3% - I’m just going to have to trust it (despite contradicting evidence from skin fold tests that show I’m around 18%) as it’s the only method I have that I can use weekly at home. New goal - 15% by June 1. I don’t know if this is possible without giving up too much mass (I still want to get my arms to 18"). But I won’t know unless I try!

Keep lifting hard everyone!