Mike’s blog

It is very hard buying supplements these days. Before having kids, my wife worked one job and I worked two. Money was really not an issue. Right now it is a little silly for my wife to look for a job because of the economy at its current state. Sure she could find one, but now we arent getting much if any overtime at work. I know I should not base our monthly bills based on overtime but it is really hard not to when I have been getting it for close to 3 years straight! There are so many new supplements I want to try and so many i would like to continue taking but as of right now, I have to hold back…for the families sake. No, we are not struggling. We are still sitting a little money every month to the savings account that we are trying not to touch.  I also know that diet is key right now. I just can’t seem to keep my protein intake as high as I would like it, like when taking supplements. The few supps  I have left I am using sparingly, only when they must be taken. Mostly right after a workout. If I buy more groceries to compensate the difference, then I am still going over budget…we already spend about $250 every two weeks at the store. We have been clipping coupons like crazy!! I feel like a grandpa right now! LOL…gotta do what you gotta do right?? Well, enough of my ranting!

One of my buddies that I was talking about in a previous blog is on bodyspace now. Check out Fogg82

well, I actually had a CW moment the other day…yeah, that never happens for me. I was walking into work when a guy that has worked out legs with me once asked me if I was still going to the gym. We worked legs together about a year ago and I was training so intensely that he quit mid-workout, flipped me off, and left. Never worked out with him again! LOL….anyway, he asked if I needed a partner. I told him what I tell everybody and that is: "I am a gym slut, I’ll work out with anybody." I figured he wanted to try to hang with me again but nope….he actually works with a guy that wants to get into bodybuilding. He told me he was from Columbia. Okay with me…he then told me that he didn’t want to just put him with anybody, he was wanting to hook him up with somebody that knew what they were doing and used good exercises and form. I think my head grew! Flattering I think. I thanked him for his compliment and told him to give my number to his friend. Who knows, partner??? In the mean time, I have a partner. We exchanged numbers last night. When I first started working out at the gym I am with now, he was a pretty big guy. Well, he quit going to the gym for over a year and he has lost close to 80 pounds….mostly muscle!! I couldn’t believe it. He is getting back into things and wants to work out with me. Cool for me. I know if he sticks with it he should grow pretty quick since he used to be a pretty big guy.

And what is with these "new" people at the gym. It seems they have to come talk to me about how "big they used to be" or tell me how much they "used to be able to lift". Maybe it is just me but that bothers the sh!t out of me!! I am sure most of these guys are full of sh!t, especially a 28 year old saying,"I used to lift X amount of weight when I was in high school." I am thinking, "yeah right!" "what happened??" LOL…."I just want to get back to where I used to be at." If they used to be like that, then they quit before and will quit again. Stop making up BS stories. You wont impress me. Tell me what your goals are, and I will stand by your side the whole way.

Yeah, cheesey title…I know, who cares? You do? You suck! LOL! j/k…Ok Pixi, here is your update! Back at the gym last night. No, I did not partake in international chest and triceps activities. The gym was very very busy last night. No, last night was back night. I don’t know what the deal is but I was actually weaker last night on deadlifts. This is starting to really p!ss me off! What can I do besides rest, recover, and try again? I warmed up thoroughly last night. I warmed up with 135×10 for 2 sets. Then 225×10 for one set. Then I went on to my little power routine. I did 315×3. My goal was to lift 385 for 3×3. I had a change of plans when I could barely get one! I then went to 365. Still heavy! I was pretty upset at this point. Instead of “ego lifting” at this point (which is what I would have been doing if I kept that weight on there…form…form…form!!) I dropped it to 335 and did 4×5. Not what I wanted but hey, my back feels good! Ohh!! My gym sluttiness is going well. I have two, yes 2!, dedicated workout partners this week. I say this week because who knows what next week will bring? Most people say three is a crowd but I found a way to counteract that problem. Every set of every exercise (besides deadlifts…one guy wasn’t there yet for them and the other guy never does them so I looked really god next to him!    ) we one upped each other. It was a great motivational tool! You would be surprised at how strong you are when somebody lifts a weight more than you did previously. Some how you find some extra strength somewhere and rep out a few more with more weight next set! I think last night is the most intense I have worked out in a few months. It definitely feels great!  On another random note, I actually got to sing my daughter to sleep today! My wife always hogs my little girl so it was an extra special treat for me!

Yes I do! It’s part of who I am. I can go to the gym and pretty much pick somebody out of the crowd…the one that is standing alone. The one that needs a spot. That is how I decide what to work out for the day! So yes, I am a gym slut…I will work out with anybody!! LOL….Gotta love it. Well, today it was chest. A guy I talk to on occasion walked in and BINGO! I knew he was my partner! LOL…It just so happened that he was partaking in the international chest and triceps day so I jumped in. Guy is strong on chest too! Benching 315 pounds! Made me feel like a b!tch! LOL….Needless to say, my slutyness paid off…I am satisfied now…in a completely heterosexual way! LOL….Did those dumbell incline presses first…It takes away from your flat bench but man you get a pump! Don’t notice too much yet from the amino tech and torrent yet but I have only been using for a few days now. I hope to have some good results with the stack!

It has been a good week. I made it to the gym four times this week…not the five times I wanted to go but it is sleeting with no end in sight here right now. I am hoping for no work tonight! LOL….I would love to sit around with the kids, one day is good for me Bill, I don’t want three days like that! LOL…My legs are finally getting over there soreness from Monday! LOL, My chest is sore as turds! That’s a nice way of saying it. Hit incline dumbell press. 3×10, 1×8, 1×6. My set of 6 was with the 95 dumbells. I need to work my way back up to the 105’s! After incline, my bench didn’t amount to much of anything! LOL…I wont post those numbers! But I did get 5 sets in there too. Skipped the deadlifts on back day this week. I threw in Romanian deadlifts to hit my lower back. I didn’t want to re-injure my shoulder cause it was still a little numb. Next week, it’s dead time! I watched this guy on the T bar row the other day leaning over at the waist with straight legs and an arch in his back! I couldn’t stop staring at his horrible form. I was just waiting for him to get hurt. If he had been working out alone I would have said something but he was working out with two other guys and one of the guys was "instructing" him on how to do them. I just shook my head! Don’t think that guy was a PT but he probably wants to be one! LOL….I guess his goal is to make everybody hurt do he can have the gym to himself??? Well, kids are wanting to play! Lata

Well, it’s been three weeks since I have taken any protein or any supplements at that and I am very disappointed. Worked out legs last night and I could not squat as much as I used to. I tried and tried to no avail. I did finally order some new stuff. I will be trying Torrent and Amino Tech for the first time by Universal. I will keep you all up to date on how that goes. I also ordered some more Up You Mass by MHP. I love that stuff. I only take 1/2 serving though since it has a very good nutrition profile and tons of protein! Looking forward to my new supps and will hopefully get some strength back. Granted, I was off the gym last week and I wasn’t able to work legs the week before. I am sure this contributed to my strength loss but it still felt weird using lighter weight. I also kept my rep range at 10 which is higher than I usually squat. Hope everybody has a great week!

well, I haven’t written in a while. No real reason why…I guess I have not had anything to say! LOL…Anyways, not this week but last Monday, I was letting my goals get to me! You know you are obsessed when you can’t stop! Instead of reaching for my goals the "normal" way, I decided to push myself harder than I should. That said, I hurt my back right under my left shoulder blade! OUCH!! I took this week off from the gym and my work actually helped keep my off of jobs that irritated it! Needless to say, I am feeling much better now. That means, Monday, It’s on!!

You all know that cheat meal right? That one that you look forward to? The one you can’t wait to eat?? Well, I was eating one of my seven cheat meals for the week when somebody I work with told me I was gonna get fat!! LOL!! How dare him! Not to mention he is fat! I am sorry guys, I gotta eat! And I know what you are thinking…"SEVEN CHEAT MEALS?" Yup, one a day! Not really a "cheat meal" per say but not what a "bodybuilder" would eat either. Plenty of carbs!! Off to the grocery store! My buddy is throwing a party tonight and I am in charge of…..you guessed it…..desserts!!