Fit for Freedom

Has anyone ever done lat pull downs or rows just using the lat exercise like you would a shoulder shrug?  I was wondering.  It would seem to eliminate the bicep role in the exercise but what about the range of motion?  It seems like it would be just as effective letting you isolate your biceps to work in curls and such and leave the lats to "have their own space."  Any feedback would be appreciated.  I have been trying the lat pull downs and I cannot get them past my adam’s apple for the interference of my biceps.  If I lean back I am just rowing.  Is there any exercise out there-wait a minute-what about hanging over bent waist or lying down and doing like a negative fly where the effort is to pull apart the arms bent and pulling the scapulas together  instead of up and together.  I must contemplate this on the "tree of woe."

Other practicing Zen Buddhists out there?  No, why not?  Zen Christians?  Perfect format for lifting I imagine.  Focusing on the here and now and that all things are illusions as well as not being able to get the weight up, gaining mass,etc.  Aperfect compliment.  What I am advocating is NOT becoming a Buddhist but using Buddhist or Taoist psychology to take our weight training to the next level.  Hell, the East Germans were doing mind conditioning yearsbefore the West got the idea.  Why do you think there were so many (disproportionately so) East Germans in the Olympics who won medals?  Call it what you will: meditation, guided imagery, whatever-it works to the degree you believe (have faith) to create change.  You believe you can change with hard physical work why not "hard" mental work.  As Coach Cal, my old highschool wrestling coach would say, "It only takes a nickel more to go 1st class."

Yes still training, yes still increasing weights, yes still increasing reps yes still changing routines, yes still eating alot yes, yes, yes… Motivation is the key and gains are good.  Something for the spirit is important though-The 300 was stimulating.  Was Queen hot or what?!  Only Spartan women give birth to real men…Can I sign up?  I liked her quote better when she was giving ‘IT’ to Theron.  "You’re not going to like this…"  So, I have a new muse to inspire me.  The girls here have turned a fickle ear/pen away and I do not hear much back from them, wife, children, etc.  BUT, my friends and aquaintances are now chiming in, "Dude, you’re getting huge."  But it does not go to my ego.  Step inside the gym and look around, there is truly huge out there.  At 46 I won’t be Arnold but I can look like Leonidas!

Do any of you ever feel like you have the flu when you are done working out?  Today, and other times, I feel sore, exhausted and cold.  I found out the cold problems resolves quickly when I eat some carbs.  But, it does not help that my office has been cold since who knows how long.  My calves still suffer but are 75% better.  I am sure after finally having enough weight to do shrugs appropriately I will feel somewhat like a victim of Spock’s nerve pinch on my traps.  Plus, why does it take less weight on a bent over row machine than it does b/o row with a barbell?  I know I was not cheating.  2 secs up, hold 2 and down 5.  It’s a pain but….

Well my calves still feel like one of the Spartan warriors who got speared.  Hurts like the dickens but it is getting better daily.  The weight machines at the gym are great and I have been mixing them in with the tried and true freeweights. (Why is this thing writing so big?)  Shaved and Tanned yesterday and I have to say, Damn I look good!  Compared to what I used to look like- a white swollen squishy grape.  But I know I have another 2 years of hard lifting to get to the point I want to be.  Hopefully I can learn some humility along the way.  Well, that is easy really.  All I need to do is open any magazine about bodybuilding or just look on the pages here.  Oh well, continue on…

Propaganda is used to sell things-ideas mainly so the lemmings in life will swallow it all down.  Don’t buy anything, especially intellectual property.  That is an oxymoron any way-like the CIA.  Enough ranting except, Men, never get married if you hope to have a long and healthy sex life.  It’s all downhill from there…but I digress…

Lift and learn.  Be aware and lift.  Focus and lift.  Breathe and lift.  I have found by focusing on the craft that good things will flow to you.  Mostly admiration, accolades and women. If, that’s what you are looking for in life.  Mostly muscle.  Consistent, programmed, balls to the wall effort will give you muscle and lots of it.  But be careful.  I pinched a nerve in my neck and now have a numb spot on my forearm.  Fortunately no function loss but just annoying.  When you are down there is always lifting.  The plates will never leave you or treat you badly.  They are there when you want them and when you don’t want them.  They can give you your wildest dreams IF you understand their way and the way of your body.  This partnership is pristine.  Unlike relationships, you have only you to blame when something goes wrong.  So wisen up, lift better, live better and focus on what you are doing wholehearted.

Well first day at the gym was a success.No parking hassles, easy in easy out.  Great space, good equipment, etc.  So after work its a no brainer-5 blocks to the gym, workout and head home. Pretty easy to focus too.  No bunny watching.  When you are pressed for time it is easy to focus-cut in and cut out.  Some of the machines are nice to augment the free weights.  I will be glad when it is warmer though so I can go in already to workout then run home and shower.  Having shaved certainly does decrease the thermal holding capacity of the skin! People seem nice at the gym.  Willing to spot you at an instant.  I guess the thought of blood spewing everywhere or dealing with someone crushed would just crowd the space with emergency personnel!  Anyway, new dawn, new goals, new heights to soar towards!

I feel like what some others must feel like after they have had breast implants.  My pecs are sore all the way to my toe!  It has been this way 24 hours after I do PEC workouts, everytime.  Massage seems to help more than anything.  Motrin and Alleve barely scrape the surface.  But as I see the growth I know they are rebuilding each time I tear them apart.  I actually scared myself too as the weight on the last rep/set came down on my chest.  A controlled descent but I had to roll 200 lbs over my rib cage, abs and hips.  Not fun.  Unless I get a spoter I have to join a gym.  I have NO money for $700 a year.  What do I do?  Any ideas?  I guess dumbbell presses would be good but are there any programs for poor people to get money from the government for "delf improvement?"  Ha Ha… Well, I need to do something before I decapitate myself.  Dragging the bar over my body is not something I would like to re-create.  Happy safe lifting to all…