sizzahanz’s BodyBlog

It’s been a really tough year and I’m looking forward to 2008.  This has been a trying year, especially financially.  I got audited by the IRS earlier this year, SUV was stolen in the summer and State Farm denied the claim, (said it was suspicious ’cause it was a lease that was over in mileage!)even though it was later found.  Owe taxes on some property.  Top it all off, my Grandfather was admitted into the hospital this weekend.  Well, at least I’m off work until Jan.3!  Took it all out at the gym today working legs! ouch! Ok, enough of the rant…back to our regular scheduled programming…

I started Phase 1 of the cutting process today.  14 weeks out from my show in March.  No simple carbs, no dairy, no beef/pork.  Restaurant and snack foods…gone!  Nothing fried, either.  30 minutes of cardio, 3 times a week.  Phase 2 begins in two weeks!

I took a challenge from a few ladies at the gym earlier this week with their jumprope class.  I was able to hang, so I was doing a lot of trash talking.  Well, they invited me to yoga today and I accepted.  Ok, first off, let me say that before today, I didn’t respect yoga-ites too much.  All they’re doing is stretching and humming in a hot room…WRONG!!  I got twisted up, short on breath, cramped up and all kinda other stuff that doesn’t happen when I lift.  All in all it was good and I hung in there the entire hour (although I didn’t do all of the positions).  But the joke was really on me when I found out AFTERWARDS, that it was the advanced yoga class!!! The ladies thought that was really funny.  It’s cool, though, because I’ll be back next week!!

Confused on when I wanna start cutting for my contest. I’ve been told by some to start cutting at 16 weeks, others recommend 12 weeks, and the guys at my nutrition store told me 8 weeks is enough. (of course, that’s probably with the assistance of the stuff they have behind the counter!)  Problem is, if I cut now, I’d probably have to compete at Middleweight.  I’d like to compete at Lt Heavy, but then I’d have to keep bulking until January.  16 weeks seems a bit long for me, to much time to fall off the wagon and eat the farm.  Is this something everybody goes through their first show?

A guy called me out on my squatting technique, recently, saying I wasn’t going parallel and beyond and that I wasn’t getting the full benefit of heavy squats.  Needless to say, ego stepped in and today I did below parallel heavy squats, butt to the floor.  Yeah, they were good on the quads, but MURDER on my stomach.  I thought a duck was loose in the gym.  Everytome I went down, QUACK! I ripped one. lol! I almost dropped the weights from laughter.  Luckily, the gym was pretty empty this morning and no one was around, but it was bad. So beware when doing deep squats!

BTW, personal best of 650lbs. for 8 reps on the Leg Press!