Fit for Freedom

 The "pump" is staying longer as I continue to gain strength and size.  Shirts are a little tighter, the waist is a little looser and all in all it is good.  Some days like yesterday I surprised myself and completed all the reps so I had to punch more out to failure.  I did do one thing wrong last night.  I ate too late and too heavy so at 0330 I was up getting the Maalox.  That has not happened since the Judge’s Sausage party where I had just beer and sausage.  Then I thought someone had opened a new reactor in my stomach.  Well the Buffalo was not as bad but it still woke me up just the same.  The creatine is at the standard dose but I only use it every other day.  It seems to work great though and the strength gains appear to support my hypothesis as well as adding a few more complex carbs.

 Well after hitting the back, shoulders and pecs over the past 2 days and doing 2 hours of cardio I am burned up.  So today especially it is time to heal with lots of good protein.  Labrada Mass Gainer, Dried Egg white powder (yum?) and Cajun Pork roast(the other white meat) that was "crocked."  Almost no fat there.  I am looking forward to lean red meat this evening-a rare treat.

OK, just a Rant.  I now am complaining about other people in a weak moment (mine.)  I have titled these people Brakes.  Have you ever been with someone who is like having your emergency brake on while your driving.  I started this morning then there were 3 comments that put the hand on the parking break.  So what did I do?  I smacked that hand off the parking break and rocketed away a Warp Factor 9. Tonight I will reprogram the , as my church calls it, miserable offender.  Encouragement, love are more helpful in the gym, home and at work.  Just a reminder to edify one another, be silent when you can’t and take care of your own dirty clothes before you point out someone else’s!

Wait…I mean weight!  OK. On a recent trip to DC I picked up my daughter, we were running late so we whipped through McDs and picked up 2 Sausage McGriddles and Hash browns.  The night before I had 3 peices of Pizza and 4 wings-with diet Dr. Pepper of course and viola!  & lbs added the next day.  How on Earth does this happen.  If it were H2O gain from sodium there must have been a whole salt block there.  But Holy gee whilikers Batman I cannot believe what I saw.  So as absolution it will be 60 mins of cardio today after I tweak my a cups along towards the B size.  The reps are at 195 so I am dramatically improving which is good.  But the diet has to be overseen by Sven from the commericial-no cheat foods.  After starting to work a new ab program I do not want to ruin the 1st unveiling at the nude beach.  I want to look like Apollo not the Moon! Or worse, Fred Flintstone.  Plus have you ever noticed all the overweight people at the beach that wear Bikinis and speedos while the trim crowd wears board shorts and one peices?  Well, I want to be proud when I unveil…well…everything…:)

 Did you know that Thomas Jefferson was a HUGE proponent of exercise?  As a mater of fact above the reception desk at the Aquatics and Fitness Center at the University of Virginia it is written that one should exercise "2 hours a day."  Wow, now that is aggressive working out.  So when you are doing cycling, doing cardio or pumping iron you are being a true patriot of the country.  Why is that?  Well, don’t we all feel better when we workout out and afterwards?  Don’t we function better when we are healthy?  You betcha!  Being active in a democracy includes being the best citizen you can be whether it is being a member of the NRA, voting for your favorite candidate,  standing up for an issue or ,as it appears, pumping iron or doing cardio. Let freedom ring as you push up that last rep today.  Push back against tyranny and ignorance whether it is muscle weakness or inappropriate laws.  We know what silence in the body’s activities does.  Is it any different when we don’t exercise our Freedoms?!

Arm day was a blast yesterday and sore as heck today but…it was worth it. The $* lifting straps I brought were well worth it when doing 330 lbs shrugs.  Whoo hooo… Focus on good eating today, helping others and just being a good person…

Do you need or want motivation to work on the finer details of muscle building?  Well just give yourself a shave.  What you thought was a Picasso work of art dropped down to a college level artist.  Not that I am knocking them.  I can barely draw a stick man and keep his smile inside the circle.  But man o man, after shaving the details or lack of them come out dramatically.  The chest looks better than I hoped and the abs worse.  Tightening the belt and cutting back the bad calories will help but also more ab work is definitely needed.  I give the Pro Bodybuilders even more credit now.  Do you know how lean and disciplined you have to be to have abs like that?  Crazy lean. So, with new motivation it is off to the gym today but it is chest day.  I am sure I can spare a little extra ab work.

No, this is not a trip to The Hair Cuttery.  What we are talking about is a failure to communicate.  Mouth close now, (mouth remains open and inserts yet another steak fry.)  Argh!  Now threats pick up.  Pool/Beach season is here.  You want someone to come up to you shake your belly roll and say, “Can I change that tire for you?” So, war on fat has begun.  With the help of supplements continued diet, lifting and cardio the belt has been notched tighter. Living by the Jack Lalane modus operandi-”If it doesn’t come from the Earth I don’t eat it.”(Whey protein powder excluded of course)  Damn,  I will therefor exercise my body and mind as I also start a spiritual quest to find the Little Debbie Cake Roll bush and the Steak Fry Grass.  With friends here, Sandy and Zuzana I shall overcome this cursed “roll”, measure with my trusty calipers and tape measure and proceed on, lifting and fat burning all the way.

It was not until I did 270 lbs barbell shrugs that I actually felt sore the next day from doing them. It reminds me of the Vulcan Nerve pinch that Spock employs. Very interesting. Today is the back and shoulders day. It really does not bother me as I am sitting doing most of them. I get the sensation that I am resting and working my butt off. But actually I want to work the butt on instead of what Julie Newmar said when she designed her own brand of panty hose…”I don’t want my butt to look like a ham salad sandwich.” How true. For men we have no big hips so a tight set of buns is the next best option. So it is lat pulls overhead wide and curl downs, row, military press and lateral raises. Should be a fun day. “Pain is just the body’s weakness leaving.” Maybe soreness is a better term.

Another week under the belt and another one to come.  The new workout plan is doing well.  Shirts are getting tight and the BF is dropping.  I just need to caliper the numbers for empirical evidence.  I guess it is time to get the photographer(wife) to punch out some more digital pics.  She is albiet resistant to taking pictures of the old man for placement of said artifacts on the wb for all to see.  Obviously in her state of mind she believes some young gym bunny will covet my physique.LOL  I tell her it ain’t gonna happen.  I am sure I rate in the bottom 50%. Although I did think of stripping at one time for the geriatric crowd to earn more child support money.  Thinking better of that the moral issue was too much for me to overcome.  I think men equate admiration to a form of love and acceptance.  I do for sure.  We all want to be connected to family and friends.  As much as my wife attempts to keep me locked up (being the introvert she is)  I bust out and even e-friends are better than none at all.  Thank God I have friends who lift and things to do outside in the world.  Body Building has saved my life.  Let’s see go shopping for furniture or go lifting and cardio for 2 hours….hummmm…tough choice…well I better go lift Dear!

Well, anyway thanks to all of you my friends and those of you whose pictures that stimulate me to push that last eye popping rep here’s to you.