Stewart’s Blog

It’s a great time of year to review goals and purpose for anything.  I’m reviewing some things I put down several years ago about my training.  I like to review my goals and purposes.  It helps keep me on track and reminds me (or "RE-reminds me" as a friend of mine says) of my purpose for doing what I do.

I have a list of 52 benefits of strength training (bodybuilding, fitness, call it what you will).  Here are a few…

My clothes fit well
my muscles have a great tone (not flabby)
I am more attractive to my wife
I relieve stress
I have a reduced risk of diabetes
I keep a high level of HDL (good) cholesterol
I have a reduced risk of many cancers
I recover more quickly from injuries
I tolerate extreme heat better
my lungs work more efficiently
I am satisfying a life-long desire.

That’s just a few…there are lots more.

Have a great new year!  

My work is finally getting settled down.  As a matter of fact my wife and I are selling our business.  After five (5) hard and successful years, I’m worn out.  I was not built to own a business.  I love the selling, the products, the customers…it’s just when all that’s done, I still have a day’s work on my desk just to keep the business up to what it needs to be.  "What next?"  Everyone asks?  I don’t know and I’m kind of excited about it.

One thing that IS next is a more consistent workout schedule.  I am jacked about that and well…maybe I’ll get back to being a little jacked as a result!

My wife is calling.  We are cutting out paper strips to make stars for Christmas decorations.  If I don’t get back in a few minutes, she’ll be hunting me down.  I CAN’T be found making a post on my Bodyspace (hehehe).  

Agricultural Extension Agent:  Mr. Farmer, I’ve been by to help you several times.  Why are you not doing the things I’ve shown you?

Mr. Farmer: Son, I wasn’t doing half the things I knew I should be doing before you show’d up.

My workout crashed today but I feel good about it.  My diet has been rough the last two days.  I’ve been running hard at work.  I carry my eats w/me but I have not had time to stop and eat much.  So, I have arrived home the past two evenings with most of my food STILL in the box.  

My poor diet stuck a knife in my workout today.  I feel good about it because I know what happened.  I can fix this problem.  I don’t need to try harder.  I just need to make some changes in the way I fix my food (making it easier to eat on the run) or I need to get space in my day to eat.  No problem.  There are fixes for this.  

I feet great yet I didn’t finish my workout.  Usually this is reason to feel badly. I feel good because I understand (really KNOW) something a little better now that I only "knew" before.  Strange, huh?  Really not.  We are all that way.  Thinking we "know" something just because it’s a fact in my head.  In my arrogance, somehow I am think I’m above being human (read: I ought to know better).  The result is to be surprised when I find that I’m NOT above my humanity.  Worse and NO surprise–I am one of the more poorly functioning humans.  Oh, how I need help.

–Stewart

I’m not even trying not to try. 

I missed the first session of my new workout routine tonight.  I had to stay later than anticipated at a customer’s home.  I was tired when I got in–feeling a little defeated by the day and it’s circumstances.  I’m actually feeling pretty good about missing the workout.  Sometimes I have missed a single workout and that would be enough for me to toss in the towel and say, "Why try?"  I’m not thinking that now.  I’m thinking that tomorrow I’ll have the time to workout.  What a refreshing perspective!  I like this perspective.  It’s not something I conjured up.  It’s not because I gave myself a pep talk.  I just feel this way.  What a relief to not feel like I’ve got to get myself charged up to do something I REALLY want to do.  In the BB Forums I read posts like, "How do you stay motivated?"  I used to say things like that.  I’ll probably say them again before I go home across the shallow waters of the Jordan.  Right now, I’m just enjoying not having to try so hard to do something I want to do.  What a relief this is!  What peace has come over me?  

Back in the day, as they say, I made some hay movin’ heavy weights my own way…
OK…cracker can’t rap. 
I’ve been thinking about rep speed and how it affects the weight I use.  I used to use a slow rep routine (3 sometimes four seconds–2 or 3 up and 1 down).  A slow rep reduced the weight I could use if I planned to meet my rep goal for each set.  At a faster rep speed, I could use more weight and still meet rep goals. 

Since then, I’ve been advised/read that research is mixed on rep speed (time under load—TUL, etc).  The research is mixed at least as it relates to building muscle or strength.  I’ve decided to take a little faster rep routine (2 seconds–1 up/1 down).  That’s not so fast that I’ll be benefiting from momentum or risking injury.  Plus my stats will look SO much more impressive (don’t you think?).
Now I’m wondering about the weights listed in the BodySpaces I track.  With a higher rep speed the weight can be higher.  I guess the useful measure is the one (1) rep max (actual or estimated).  That’ll tell the tale over hill, valley, and dale.  No lies to bring up the bowels of Hell.  No fakin’ that you’re makin’ it….

Cracker can’t rap.
 

The equipment I use for my training includes a power rack, an insufficient variety of dumbbells, a ski trainer (for cardio), and a few other things like a clock, desk, reference books, my workout file, etc.  I feel very fortunate to have these things AND a space to use them.  Working out at home is great for me.  When I read some of the situations board members have, I see I am blessed.  Just Dave and 82_Fister are two I know who are on military assignment.  Those training areas aren’t the greatest.  Fastdraw is in South Africa and he has to MAKE his own equipment.  From his pictures I take it he also has to do his workout OUTSIDE.  What I have ain’t the hottest hippest thing but it works good for me.  What would I like to add?   Hmmm….  I would like a little more space.  I would like a rack for my dumbbells.  I would like a lat/cable attachment for my power rack (pull downs and leg curls).   If I had the space I’d like to have a calf machine.  Calves are a bit of a pain in the rack–lots of weights high up, balancing the bar while I work those pups, and of course breaking all that down for the next exercise.    I like what I have.  I’m satisfied with my gym. 

Whew!  My wife and I rode the bike over into Tennessee this weekend.  It was about a four hour drive (we took ONLY the back roads).  My wheels never touched interstate concrete.  We had a great time.  That’s the longest trip we’ve taken together on the bike.  I love that she rides with me.  A wife placing such trust in a husband is so encouraging, and motiviating, and makes me want to spend all the more time with her and love her even more than I do now.  She’s great.  We didn’t take any pics so that’ll have to wait.