FireMike

I was recently listening to one of my favorite songs of all time, its by Flaw titled "My letter" this song for me holds true to many people that are now out of my life completely. In this song tho there are many points that relate to us, the bodybuilder or powerlifter, basically anyone who goes to the gym with more purpose than just loosing a few pounds. "we starte following a certain description, we started stuff and failed, before there wasn’t any need for an answer, things were much different" This song then goes into talking about others question who you are inside and how you feel about them. Let me point out this is relievent to my last blog which was about a bb.com’r, not the Iron Chamber Gym as my friend, the founder of ICG believed. The men at the Chamber bust their ass’s every workout and there is no such thing as a off day, Jeff you have my utmost respect and I thank you for offering and wanting me to be a part of what you have built and lead. Anyway back to "my letter" The above quote for me is the exact way I became who I am in the gym today. I started off following what others had told me not knowing which way to go with it, I just wanted to get stronger but didn’t have a vision of what I wanted to become, I enjoyed training, it was simple…. now a days, I LOVE IT, I have vision and the path I am currently on is one I discovered along the way. Im fueled by my past, driven by what I want in the future and kept on stable level ground by those I choose to associate with regularly bc they are true friends. While most of my writings are very intense and honestly some have been painful and hard for me to even write, I do have a softer side… But there is a time and place for that stuff, the gym, my training, my body deserves more than a soft approach, it deserves intensity, that is why I write what I write and do what I do. STRENGTH & HONOR to all.

my eyelids are so very heavy as the sound of KSE is roaring thru the air. I rise out of bed looking at 2 black in white pictures on my wall, the first my kids, the second, Wrath. These are my motivation, I just went to bed 5 hours ago and somehow I have to find the energy to get my ass out of bed. I force myself up and getting my ass downstairs eagerly looking forward to eating that wonderful cup of oats and eggs. Every bite I enjoy to the fullest, fore this is the only meal I actually enjoy of the day. I now have 2 hours to cook my food for the nights work shift and get my work stuff in order before heading out to train. I finish everything just in time, its now 1600hrs and time to go out in the frigid air of Ohio winter and make my way to the gym. In the short drive I put myself mentally somewhere purely evil and twisted, I get pissed, "fu ck it all" I often scream out, I have to, its the only way I can train with the intensity needed not to let myself down. A bad workout equals a horrible day in my world. I start with 20 - 30 mins of cardio and then its off to the weights. I still train and push myself as if I were bulking and getting ready for a power comp, but I dont have the fuel in my system any longer. this pisses me off more enabling me to endure the hell i bring down on myself. This is the point people say im to hard on myself, well sorry boys & girls I dont know how the world you grew up in works, but in my world, the real world, its bruttle and if your not hard on yourself your gonna fail. Failure is not an option, it never is, so I push myself to the extreme often falling down after sets, trying to push myself to the point that I bleed, but i dont have the supporting cast I need in the gym with me. (my supporting cast on bb.com here is great and this is not intended at you guys) The time is now 1730 time to eat quickly, shower and get on the road. Its a long drive to work, my eyelids grow very heavy as its dark and im purely gased from the workout and lack of sleep. I arrive at work to get report from off going shift, grab my cup of coffee and prepare for whatever the night may bring me. Sometimes its nice and quiet, other times its working codes, covering nurse’s ass’s, or educating first year residents and interns. (i work fulltime for the cleveland clinic in the cardiac care unit for those who dont know that) Im diligent about my meals, every 3 hours on the dot like clock work. I keep my caffeine intake up thru the evening. The shift ends and its time to make the hour drive home. I get home and fall in bed, eyes instantly close only to hear…. KSE sreaming fore its time to get up and do it again, already? Yes… This is my drive, this is my life, this is my love, and if you wanna question me, well try walking just a day in my shoes and you’ll quickly see I have the heart, drive, desire, and work ethic it takes to be a champion. "Dont ever judge me"

I recently recieved a very motivational message from a fellow lifter who I have had the opportunity to call friend. He is the founder of what I think is the hardest fu cking powerlifting gym around, The Iron Chamber. Over the past few years, as I got into training ive had the opportunity to become friends with alot of these men. Back in December when I competed at the Chambers powerlifting event, I was broken. Was this defeat due to dieting, or stress of life, or did I do everything possible to push myself well beyond? I hate most of the places I train at, they’re all pussified. Anyway, in this message I was asked, "what am I waiting for?"… Answer: "what the fu ck am I waiting for?" Im a damm power junkie, ive always said I wanna look strong, but be stronger. I have made many excusses not to go to the chamber and train, too far of a drive, dont have the money for the extra travel. Ultimately I can feel it running thru my veins, powerlifting is me, not bodybuilding. Im gonna go train tomorrow evening with the guys at the chamber and my whole world may change tomorrow. STRENGTH & HONOR

This is to be a update for those friends of mine who are wondering where exactly I am at in my dieting process. Well first and foremost, next week starts out the serious diet. The first 7 weeks has more less been to make the hard part a little easier, lets face it its alot easier to cut 28lbs in 16 weeks than it is to cut 42lbs in 16 weeks, basically I wanted to set myself up better. I haven’t been measuring portions or weighing my meats, just eye balling it, but next week that all changes and were gonna start it out right with 2 high carb intake days (today & sunday) then go right into a 3 day low carb cycle then into 7 days medium carbs. I have my plan laid out, I am stocked on my groceries and the only other thing im in need of is my supplements which unfortunately will have to wait until my next pay day(Feb 7, f u ck bills) As for the diet it will consist of a basic med carb format and low carb format.

Low Carb Days

Meal 1: 7egg whites, 3 whole eggs, 1 cup cooked oats, 1 grapefruit 

Meal 2: 48g Optimum Whey in 12oz water

Meal 3: 44 g Tuna, 2 cups broc, 1 cup diced yams (post workout)

Meal 4: 48g Optimum Whey in water

Meal 5: 44g Chix Breast, 3 cups greens

Meal 6: 48g Whey in water

Med Carb Days:

Meal 1: 7 egg whites, 3 whole eggs, 1 cups oats, grapefruit

meal 2: 48 g Whey in water

meal 3: 44g Chix or tuna, 2 cups diced yams, 1c greens (post wo)

meal 4: 44 g chix, 1 cup diced yams, 2 c greens

meal 5: 44 g tuna over spinach salad

meal 6: 48 g Protein

I will run this diet thru the end of Feb and then readjust accordingly. As for my training itself I plan to continue training my usual way, heavy working rep ranges 6 - 12. The whole high rep training just wasn’t getting a good reaction from my body and I definately didn’t like the way it was making me feel while doing it. Cardio will also be bumped up, to this point ive just been doing when I feel like it and only for 20 to 30 mins a day 3-4 days a week. This is gonna become 40 mins a day 7 days a week thru Feb. I will continue doing my mixture of HIIT training and increased resistence endurance training as ive done to this point. Cardio is something I really have to force myself to do, I respect people who can run miles on end without thinking twice about it, but I however see no fun in running. God bless you runners out there. 

Current Stats

6ft 1in. 208lbs. roughly 10 -11% BF

Goal by end of Feb

196lbs. 8-9%BF

THERE’S NO FATE BUT WHAT WE MAKE FOR OURSELVES

INDIVIDAUL RESULTS MAY & WILL VARY                    
          

I have been told numerous times by multiple people that im "intense" My reply, "thats how I am" but really why do something if your not gonna be intense. Intensity is a emotion that expresses importance to me, the more intensity I bring to the table the better the outcome will be. My training is what I bring the most intensity to me bc of the emotions I bring to the surface in order to train. The pain I deliver to myself is my punishment, punishment for all that I have allowed to happen in my life. Punishment for not being strong enough to defend myself as a young boy against a sick and twisted individual. With each rep, each additional poundage I prove that iam not that person any longer and am willing to accept the punishment I now give to myself. My punishment is my happiness.

First before I get into a rant let me say that I enjoyed a wonderful cheat day on Sunday as I watched (and cried) as the Packers lost to the Giants. Im a Cleveland Browns fan, die hard, but there is just something wrong with you if you didn’t want Farve to make it to the Super Bowl this year as it may be his last. Anyway on my chest day (Monday) I was sickly strong in retrospect to how I have been over the past 2 months while dieting. I actually put 315 on the bar again for a bench, pushed it for 3 and felt like I had another rep or 2 in me but I didn’t have a spotter and didn’t want to get stuck and have to dump it. Now for the rant (refer to the title and im sure you’ll figure this one out) there is nothing more I can’t stand than the little dude who walks around with a complex and tries flaring every muscle in his body out as he walks, which usually resembles someone with a stick up their ass bc he’s trying to look big… enter the Fat, Lazy "badass" We have recently inherited 2 of these guys in my primary gym, and I just wanna beat the hell out of them. They are a couple of thugs who think bc they weigh damm near 400lbs a piece, that they are strong and bad ass’s. Enter ME. So I have observed these 2 dumbass’s the past few days, bumping people off of equipment and just walking around like they are in shape and something mind blowing as they bench 275 for 5 reps LOL, your 400lbs you should be able to do atleast 400 for 1 rep idiot. Yesterday im training chest and their is only one flat benchpress but 2 incline benchpress’s, doesn’t make sense. I usually do a couple of warm up sets before I begin pyrmiding and I do a good number of sets, usually 6 to 8 depending on how my jumps are working out for me. I just finished my 225 set when they came over to me asking how many more sets I had, "dont know 3 to 5." They begin getting an attitude, "man you’ve already done 3 sets why you doing so many" Well im not in the mood to hear shit from these 2 so I reply very smart assish "you should take a good look at yourself and then look at me and reconsider questioning me on training, OK" instantly they get up in my face, trying to intimidate me, but I dont intimidate easily. I put my headphones back on and just walk away. Well I decided that I was gonna be a dick now, so I finish my 275lb set, these 2 are just sitting there watching me. I remove a head phone, "hey you know you could do some DB press’s or inclines, instead of just sitting there taking up space." They replied about how they’d be training but I was hoging the equipment. Keep in mind they never asked to work in with me, which I would have done, but they chose to get attitude with me. As I put my headphones back on I said one word, "worthless" again they pop up, "what’d you say". I said "worthless… you choose to sit there instead of doing another movement, thats worthless, so SHUT UP FATTY and TRAIN or Get the F U CK OUT!" Just then the owner of the gym came in and began talking to me just seconds after this, these guys came up to him complaining about me and told him what I had just said, not realizing that him and I train together a few days a week. He looked at them and asked them if they wanted a refund on their membership bc this was a gym not a place to sit around. HAHAHAHA I love it. They left angerly, talking smack all the way out the door. I told Mike I was sorry about the altercation but I couldn’t deal with their overall behavior and the way they presented themselves to me, he just laughed and told me not to worry about it, and called me a pussy bc I had stood there for 5 minutes talking when I could have been training. STRENGTH & HONOR at its finest there.

First before I get into a rant let me say that I enjoyed a wonderful cheat day on Sunday as I watched (and cried) as the Packers lost to the Giants. Im a Cleveland Browns fan, die hard, but there is just something wrong with you if you didn’t want Farve to make it to the Super Bowl this year as it may be his last. Anyway on my chest day (Monday) I was sickly strong in retrospect to how I have been over the past 2 months while dieting. I actually put 315 on the bar again for a bench, pushed it for 3 and felt like I had another rep or 2 in me but I didn’t have a spotter and didn’t want to get stuck and have to dump it. Now for the rant (refer to the title and im sure you’ll figure this one out) there is nothing more I can’t stand than the little dude who walks around with a complex and tries flaring every muscle in his body out as he walks, which usually resembles someone with a stick up their ass bc he’s trying to look big… enter the Fat, Lazy "badass" We have recently inherited 2 of these guys in my primary gym, and I just wanna beat the hell out of them. They are a couple of thugs who think bc they weigh damm near 400lbs a piece, that they are strong and bad ass’s. Enter ME. So I have observed these 2 dumbass’s the past few days, bumping people off of equipment and just walking around like they are in shape and something mind blowing as they bench 275 for 5 reps LOL, your 400lbs you should be able to do atleast 400 for 1 rep idiot. Yesterday im training chest and their is only one flat benchpress but 2 incline benchpress’s, doesn’t make sense. I usually do a couple of warm up sets before I begin pyrmiding and I do a good number of sets, usually 6 to 8 depending on how my jumps are working out for me. I just finished my 225 set when they came over to me asking how many more sets I had, "dont know 3 to 5." They begin getting an attitude, "man you’ve already done 3 sets why you doing so many" Well im not in the mood to hear shit from these 2 so I reply very smart assish "you should take a good look at yourself and then look at me and reconsider questioning me on training, OK" instantly they get up in my face, trying to intimidate me, but I dont intimidate easily. I put my headphones back on and just walk away. Well I decided that I was gonna be a dick now, so I finish my 275lb set, these 2 are just sitting there watching me. I remove a head phone, "hey you know you could do some DB press’s or inclines, instead of just sitting there taking up space." They replied about how they’d be training but I was hoging the equipment. Keep in mind they never asked to work in with me, which I would have done, but they chose to get attitude with me. As I put my headphones back on I said one word, "worthless" again they pop up, "what’d you say". I said "worthless… you choose to sit there instead of doing another movement, thats worthless, so SHUT UP FATTY and TRAIN or Get the F U CK OUT!" Just then the owner of the gym came in and began talking to me just seconds after this, these guys came up to him complaining about me and told him what I had just said, not realizing that him and I train together a few days a week. He looked at them and asked them if they wanted a refund on their membership bc this was a gym not a place to sit around. HAHAHAHA I love it. They left angerly, talking smack all the way out the door. I told Mike I was sorry about the altercation but I couldn’t deal with their overall behavior and the way they presented themselves to me, he just laughed and told me not to worry about it, and called me a pussy bc I had stood there for 5 minutes talking when I could have been training. STRENGTH & HONOR at its finest there.

I have always been the type of person who converts the negativity of my life into the energy and will power to push thru, drive on and break out and beyond. I however have many things in my life that I am greatful for. First and foremost my children, as a father I can not explain how much, how deeply my love for them runs. Without a doubt they are my world, no matter how my week has gone or my day has gone, when I have them you’ll find me smiling. I cheerish the moral support of my father. This is a man who had the odds constantly stacked against him after my parents divorced, yet thru his hard work and unwillingness to quit, he has made it to where he wants to be now a days. My father is not the type of father to hand you money to get you out of your troubles, nor will he buy you numerous gifts for your birthday or hollidays. My father will help you figure a way to work out of your problems, if your car wont start he’ll be there in the blink of a eye to fix it, and so on and so forth. Lastly im greatful for my friends which I will no longer serperate into two different worlds. You see a true friend is one listens to your problems no matter what, picks you up when your down, makes you smile when your frown, and will tell you how good you are when you feel like your less than zero. I have many friends where I live, and I have a couple really good friends on this site. Unfortunately I never realized that while some words will hurt your friends you see everyday, those same words spoken about the people you see everyday will hurt those you’ve never seen, because they too are your friend. Im greatful for all my true friends, and you all know who you are. Thank you for all that you do and I hope in some way I show that I too am your friend. STRENGTH & HONOR

Today (yesterday whatever it was, this whole weeks been one long day) I took a civil service test for a full time position as a fire/medic. I swear this system is so f u cked up you can’t even begin to understand the theory behind it. In every other line of work you have to have the education and training to apply for that job, but oh no not for civil service. F U CK the men & women who paid out their own pockets and went to the fire academy & medic school. We limited our time with our families to complete this training so we could have the job we wanted to, but wait a minute its civil service so any joe schmo can apply. The written test has to be accomodating to this fact so there is either no relevant material to the job in the test or they hand out a study guide from which all questions come. Once again I have to say how is this fair? Today there was 600 people at this test, the department may hire 20 or maybe only 1, and the funny thing is this person or people may not have a drop of training required to perform the duties required to perserve life & property. Now I dont know about you but I want people protecting my home and responding any medical emergency I may have who have the training already, not someone who did well on a test. Who knows I may have scored number 1 on this test, it doesn’t matter, the fact is this process is absolute sh it and the only way its ever gonna change is for the citizens of communities to raise their voices and speak out. The problem is they are unaware of this process for the most part, so if you read my blog, please tell your friends and family of this crap and raise your voice. They say its equal rights, well if I apply to be a mechanical engineer somewhere my application wont be considered bc I dont have the education already. As I said the only way this will ever change is by the people we want to serve to speak up and make it known they do not approve of this. Im done bitching now. Didn’t train today bc I had to skip sleep to try and get the job of my dreams from someone who has no training for the job.

Coming into the new year I realized that I needed to seriously tweek my diet plan. Sure I have dumped about 26lbs in 6 weeks, but my power has severely decreased and I know this isn’t right. Now no I haven’t ever competed before but I have completed up to week 6 of a comp diet before and last year when I did this I hadn’t lost my power, so something is wrong. Being the educated individual I am, I researched, I asked questions to other experienced bodybuilders and fortunately for me 2 people I know have competed and work similar schedules as I. The new plan began this past Saturday and I dont’ know if its the plan, or the fact that I felt confident that this was gonna work for me but I have regained some of my animal power and I feel great about this. The new plan consists of semi carb loading on the weekends, I still achieve my desired quantity thru complex carbs however I consume anywhere from 300 to 400g per day Saturday and Sunday, while thru the week I only consume 160 to 200g w the bulk being in the first 10 hours of the day. I still consume my standard 350g of Protein everyday. My first workout after the weekend of loading was legs, and not only this but I had been up for almost 48 hours when I trained them, yes im a little crazy I know this you dont need to tell me. Anyway, the workout went great, didn’t hit the numbers I was in Nov but I wasn’t expecting to. Tonight when I trained chest I was able to run the same bench set that I did when I hit a 400lb bench back in nov, until I got to the 300lb set, but once again this is ok as I didn’t expect to. In addition to this, my energy level was great, I was able to train my anterior and lateral delts with Chest and I superseted my delts w a abdominal movement. At this moment this seems to be the answer I was looking for, however we have to wait and see how my weigh in goes on Saturday morning and see if i was still able to lose my 1.5 to 2lbs per week that I have planned to, if not well then you may just see Mike compete in the light heavy division and completely change things up. STRENGTH & HONOR