mafuentesjr’s BodyBlog

   Well, I did my first real workout in a while. I have been fighting off the flu for a few weeks. I just felt like I had to get up off of my a$$ and get to working out. So here goes some of the thoughts that have been going through my head….

   I felt okay when I first started the workout. I was just feeling a bit like people were looking at me. I am the "heaviest" person in the gym when I got there. i have to forget about people staring. I have to concentrate on my workout, and NOTHING ELSE !!!

   I started with Smith Machine Squats. i position my feet way out in front of myself. Then, I lower myself to just below parallel. I had knee surgery a while back and the surgeon and rehab ppl told me that was as far as I should ever go from now on. I just do that on this exercise. I feel that this exercise, the way I am doing it (like a wall sitting squat) has really helped me out with my knee. It warms them up, plus allows me to strengthen up the vastus medialis (tear drop) before going to squats.

  On the squats, I started out relatively timidly. I didn’t want to rush into a heavy weight and hurt my knee. After my third set, I added 2 more sets because I felt strong. I felt very powerful. Not sure why. So, I tried adding extra weight. When I set up for my 225 lbs attemp, I had only envisioned myself doing only one rep. I ended up doing 3. I came out of my form in the last part of the last rep, so I decided that that was  enough and stopped. I’ll have to adjust my workout as I go along. Maybe even split Legs and Shoulders.

   The next exercise was Seated Dumbbell Press. I like it cuz it warms up my shoulder area, delts, traps, and triceps. That way it’s a bit safer, since I am stil a bit tender in my left shoulder. It feels like a stabbing pain right behind the delt/pec tie-in area, deep inside the shoulder. the VA doctor said that it might be an impingement. However, he won’t do anything for me. I set a goal of 5 sets (2 warm-ups, 3 working sets). On the last set, I didn’t reach my reps. i fell short by one. I think that it was partly mental and partly because I didn’t wait at least 45 seconds before starting it.

  The Side Laterals were next. I used a 5 lbs weight plate on the first set to get a good feel for the exercise. I did the 1 sec up / 3+ sec down pace to see if it would work to make my side delts grow a bit more. I feel like I need more width. I was feeling strong, so I did more than the reps I had planned for the first 2 sets.

  Shrugs….well, what can I say. I think that I messed up. I let my mind just stray away from my workout. I need to focus more on it. I need to control my mind from wandering. I haven’t had to do it in a while, so I might just be out of practice.

  Last, but not least, Dumbbell Upright Rows. I tried these because there were no straight bars available. Besides, I have been wanting to try these out. I don’t know if I was doing them right. Maybe because I was "swollen" in the delt area that they kind of felt like I was doing them wrong. Maybe I’ll put them as the first exercise, after seated shoulder presses. We’ll see.

  I do, however, need to add some cardio to my workouts. I need to do it on my off days, especially ! Then add it to my workouts in about 2 weeks. That way I can get an idea of what is working in my weight workouts, and get it down pat, before I add 30 minutes of cardio (probably interval workouts).

   We shall see.

   Have a Great Day !!!

   Respectfully,

   Manny

   Well, I have finally gotten off of my keester, and entered a contest ! I have entered the MuscleTech contest that is advertised in the magazines and on this site. I hope to do well.

   Wish me luck !

Respectfully,

Manny

   Well, here I finally am. Getting back on the site.

   I’ve been here in Chicago for a few months. No "good" luck with any real jobs. Had to resort to going back to something that I didn’t want to go back to due to the environment. Went back to security in clubs (a.k.a. "bouncer") I have found a couple of clubs that I kinda like (and sort of pay well). Now, all we have to have is for the economy to get back to normal so those clubs will need me more often !!!

   As far as my workouts…in other words, my LACK of workouts…..I guess you get my drift. However, on the good side (sort of), my weight has been steadily between 265 and 277. I know that that’s a lot of weight on a guy my height, but it’s from just sitting on my a$$. I have been suffering from a mild depressive state that I have allowed myself to get into. I had a chain of events that have just not let me get my feet stabilized. It started with my reluctant move back to Chicago, my Mother-In-Law passed away ( I Love and miss her. She was like a second mother to me. ), my inability to obtain a job…..It kind of made me feel useless, and I saw myself as a loser.

   Well, I have changed my attitude with the New Year. It is bringining a new year, and my new life !

   I have some money saved up for a possible gym membership. The only prob is that we might be moving to an entirely new neighborhood, away from the gym, so I was thinking of holding my money, and maybe there is a gym that is closer. You never know.

   Anyway, I hope to get my answer tommorrow…..as the temps, again, get below zero again……when we get out and about. I might even get in a workout. We’ll see.

  Anyway, Thank you all for your support and good wishes. They came in handy.

 Respectfully,

Manny