ABP's 1200-day road to Pittsburgh (2013).

[AnglicanBeachParty]

1200 days is somewhat over 3 years. It seems, in one way, like a very long time. But in "Masters time", when years click by like mile markers on the highway, 3 years is not really very long at all.

I intend to enter the NPC Masters Nationals in Pittsburgh in 2013, God willing. With no intervening contest preps to impede my growth. Growth ... that's the reason I need such a long time. I've studied the 50-and-over Masters classes on my Repetrope DVDs of the 2008 and 2009 Masters Nationals, and it all comes down to height: Lightweights are mostly around 5'5" tall. Middleweights are about 5'7" tall, to be thick enough at 176 pounds. I'm 5'9" tall. The competitors I see at Masters Nationals who are my height are ... you guessed it ... Light Heavyweights. That's where I'm going to have to get to if I am to look like I belong on that stage in Pittsburgh in 3 short years.

I tend to drift and finally fall apart without goals. This goal, to me, seems just far enough out of reach that I will really have to really stretch myself to attain it. But not so far out of reach that I will despair and quit early.

This journal itself will probably be a bit slow at first. I probably won't post a lot of photos in here until I begin prep in early 2013. But I may post some workouts and some of my better lifts. Strength increases will be a key indicator for me of muscle mass improvements.

Mostly, this journal is to help me remember the goal, so that it doesn't get dropped or changed somewhere along the way.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

I get this. I am closing in on a '600 days to the Nationals'. It does go fast. At 600 days out I was strong AND fat. Perhaps you should be strong and fat at the 600 mark then start to sloooooowly dial it in. You are gonna be 3 years older so I would reccomend you at least know your natural Test and Est levels. Its up to you to tweek them or not....and NOT our business. Your competition for the most part will be seeing Life Extention Doctors and having their hormones 'balanced' along with some HGH. Just sayin......

Ready, set GO


Baldie

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I get this. I am closing in on a '600 days to the Nationals'. It does go fast. At 600 days out I was strong AND fat. Perhaps you should be strong and fat at the 600 mark then start to sloooooowly dial it in. You are gonna be 3 years older so I would reccomend you at least know your natural Test and Est levels. Its up to you to tweek them or not....and NOT our business. Your competition for the most part will be seeing Life Extention Doctors and having their hormones 'balanced' along with some HGH. Just sayin......

Ready, set GO


Baldie


Thanks, Baldie. I will be tweaking. :whistle:

[esplendido]

Paul, in the '08 MN, there was a competitor who overshot his diet. He was 6'-5" and weighed in at 222lbs. Yeah.....222lbs is skinny at 6'-5". But he was shredded. He had to compete in the HW class, where the other guys weighing 220lbs were 5'-9". There were 20 or so in his class and the SOB got 4th!!!! (or maybe 5th, but he got a trophy). And he got the experience of being on the national stage against high-level competitors...experience that is invaluable.

Don't judge yourself too harshly regarding size. Understand that the 50+ guys are just as juiced as 20-something national competitors. If you cross to the darkside, you won't need 1200 days to be ready. You already know how to get shredded!

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Positioning oneself in the NPC has always been a crap shoot for many. Especially the Masters age groups. Think about it. You are lets say 49 and at the bottom of the Heavies. Next year you are 50 and come in super conditioned at the top of the Lt Heavies. There is a MAJOR physique diff in most cases between a just turned 40 and a just turned 50 man (gear, height, and other factors considered)....let alone being either the lightest or heaviest in your class. That is why at 6' and Ecto I went the AAU pathway in my 40s. Height classes. 5'11" + = Tall class, my home for years.

I'm seeing at least 15 pounds net muscle gain for you in 1200 days. Why not? I just did that in 600 days.

Baldie

[joedemarco]

In that much time (1200 days) of bulking, you should be able to add some good mass to your physique. You will be a different bodybuilder next time you diet. Good luck!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Thanks, gentlemen, for your collected wisdom.

I am still pondering everything, and excited to see where this journey takes me!

[GENESIS]

A young lad joining in on your journey. Good luck ABP.

[Sledge]

3 years will fly by. it'll be 2013 in no time and we'll all be reading about you freaking out that you prep is behind. :)

[D_T]

Sounds like a good plan! Maybe I'll shoot for the 2014 50+........nah, I hated being on stage. ;)

[HeavyDutyGuy]

I like the plan. I think you underestimate yourself. In 3 years you will be awesome! A note- the diet that worked now, probalby wont work then. 15 lbs of muscle is a huge diffference. Experiment every so often along the way. This should be fun.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

A young lad joining in on your journey. Good luck ABP.

Thanks.


3 years will fly by. it'll be 2013 in no time and we'll all be reading about you freaking out that you prep is behind. :)

You are so correct about this!


Sounds like a good plan! Maybe I'll shoot for the 2014 50+........nah, I hated being on stage. ;)

Take your time; no rush!


I like the plan. I think you underestimate yourself. In 3 years you will be awesome! A note- the diet that worked now, probalby wont work then. 15 lbs of muscle is a huge diffference. Experiment every so often along the way. This should be fun.

I'd like to kill off some of the major weaknesses, at least. I think it will be a fun ride.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

I believe one of the more difficult things that comes with added muscle is the mind set. Larger bodys need more protein/nutrients. You will be continuing adding more food. Feed the beast.


Baldie

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Off to a rough start.

I sprained my knee yesterday, working on the brakes on my wife's car.

This same exact thing happened to me last July, the week before my contest, so I at least know what it is.

No leg training for 4-6 weeks. I hate this!

[Baldiewonkanobi]

OK then eat like an NFL tackle and blast the upper. You will heal X 2. Ice ice ice then more ice. Did I say ICE?? RICE for sprains...Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

I no longer do any 'heavy lifting/chores' other than Bodybuilding (which has its own pitfalls) just because of potential injury. I was just asked to help a sister in law with a recent Mastectomy to help move into a new apartment. I said NO and volunteered money to pay for help along with my pick up truck. She and my wife both understood...I was shocked.


Baldie

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Does your gym have hip abduction and/or hip adduction machines? Great leg stimulation both inner and outer quad, hip and glutes without any stress on the knee.

Yes, it does. But just from observation, there seems to be an unwritten rule that only girls use them! :p

I may give this a try, because I hate to just do nothing for lower body.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

OK then eat like an NFL tackle and blast the upper. You will heal X 2. Ice ice ice then more ice. Did I say ICE?? RICE for sprains...Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.



Exactly. Time to prioritize my back, for example, and help it catch up a bit.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

What the hell does she drive..a combine? You couldn't find the jack? You are a madman!

LOL ... she drives a Mercury Marauder ... and I did use a jack.

I just spent too much time with the knee fully bent, and when I straightened it out again, it popped. I think I hate the sound at least as much as the feeling.

[bodyhard]

That is enough time to get some serious size! Props!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

sounds like the cosmos were out of whack this weekend...we all got it, just recovering myself. I hope it is something where you can wrap it, strap it, whatever and still get some use out of the muscle, even partials would be great. Good luck.

I can bend it 45 degrees (or 135 degrees, depending on how you measure), so I can go about halfway down into a squat without issues.

Last time when this happened, I started back very light in two weeks, and was hitting PRs on leg press after 6-7 weeks. It's a nuisance more than anything.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

You still have one good knee left.
Now thats positive thinking for ya!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I checked out your blog, very nice. one of your links was ifbb pro jeff willet. supposedly lifetime natural. question: if he is indeed natural, he is the greatest "natural of all time". is he like 4' tall? I hate to be a hater, but he looks better than ronnie coleman ever did as a natural, and ronnie is considered the best.

I've met Jeff 3 or 4 times. I'd estimate him to be 5'8" tall, though I could easily be off.

Honestly, I would have no way of evaluating his claim of being natural. He seems like an honest guy ... but that isn't going to convince a lot of people.

[GENESIS]

Note to self- Pay mechanic to fix wifes car.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Note to self- Pay mechanic to fix wifes car.

That is probably not in the cards for me. Working on my cars and my family's cars is an equally fundamental building block of my persona as bodybuilding. I had to remove/repair/replace the Lighting Control Module in my Marauder yesterday, which involved lying upside down on the driver's seat with my head down by the brake pedal. Got it done with no injuries, however!

I'm working on some aesthetic fixes in light of my plans to hit the stage again. I went to my family doctor to ask about removal of a mole on the back of my right thigh. Doc said it was not a mole, but a skin tag (http://www.medicinenet.com/skin_tag/article.htm). I had not heard that term before.

I also asked him about having some of my lipomas removed or shot up like Baldie is doing. He hadn't heard of the latter method, and didn't want to learn about it. He also would not recommend surgery for me, or anyhow it wouldn't be covered by my insurance if he did.

Got the skin tag removed on Thursday, and he also found one I didn't know about on my other leg, so he zipped that one off, too.

As for the lipomas, I ordered some Lipostabil (Phosphatidylcholine Deoxycholate), and plan to inject the lipomas myself to see how well it works. I have my "test case" lipoma on my left forearm, which is very easy to see and inject. So, I will experiment on that, and see how well it works.

Ultimately, I'll need to shrink the ones over my abs; they are very distracting!

[GENESIS]

ya working on cars is one of those things i have always wanted to do, but never was able too

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Just a quick note to say that my right knee, which I sprained, is coming along quicker than possible. I will probably do a very light leg workout tomorrow, being very careful.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Just a quick note to say that my right knee, which I sprained, is coming along quicker than possible. I will probably do a very light leg workout tomorrow, being very careful.

So far, so good. I went up to 4 plates per side on the leg press, with no pain and no "clicking" sound from the knee.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I signed up my (almost 16 year old) son at the PowerHouse Gym today. So, I will sometimes have a spotter and workout partner. He's about 4 inches taller than I am, but I outweigh him by a bit.

It will be interesting to me to see if he can back up some of the lifts he claims he's done in the "Body and Weight" class he's taking in high school.

I also bought a "memory foam" mattress today, to see if that helps with the shoulder pain I've been getting. I sleep on my side most of the time, and the current mattress puts a lot of pressure on my shoulder, so that the pain keeps me awake.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Hey just to let you know...I stopped the Meso shots for the Lipomas. They are always sore and swollen for a few days afterwards. Then 2 weeks later I do another round. Some are shrinking faster than the others due to the density of the fat in the tumor. Well this time around its been 10 days and they are still sore and swollen. I now have a reaction to the Meso. No more for me...I will just have a few popping out on stage...If I wern't so fat 17 months ago I could have seen them and had them surgicaly removed. Too late now.


Baldie

[Baldiewonkanobi]

I will be handing out designer sun glasses to the judges just so they will wear them :cool:

Baldie

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I found the memory foam to be too soft for me and causes lower back pain. But I sleep on my stomach and I found I need a firm mattress. Every time I go back to Erie, I sleep on it and feel miserable.

Good luck with your shoulder pain, as I think that memory foam will help you out.

Let's hope your son sticks with it. I always wished my son would workout with me. It only lasted a month, then he got tired of lifting.

I will report back about the memory foam once I've tried it.

My son has already made it more than a month, so I am hopeful. It isn't always easy to get him in the gym (and I don't force the issue), but once he is there he seems to have a great time.


Ditto on your son! I don't believe in coincidence and I just posted about my dad in my thread. Be easy on him, always remember you are his idol, whether he says it or not!
Hope the shoulder get better, I put a soft pillow under my armpit, seems to help.

Advice noted. As I said above, he seems to enjoy himself in the gym, once there. I view my job here as assuring that he associates being in the gym with good memories and good feelings. Then, if he ever finds himself lost somewhere in mid-life, he will have this time to look back on, and he'll know what to do to start feeling good again!


Hey just to let you know...I stopped the Meso shots for the Lipomas. They are always sore and swollen for a few days afterwards. Then 2 weeks later I do another round. Some are shrinking faster than the others due to the density of the fat in the tumor. Well this time around its been 10 days and they are still sore and swollen. I now have a reaction to the Meso. No more for me...I will just have a few popping out on stage...If I wern't so fat 17 months ago I could have seen them and had them surgicaly removed. Too late now.


Baldie

Thanks for the data. That is fascinating. Are you saying the denser ones shrunk down more slowly? I think I can feel some density differences in mine, also. Some seem very hard, and others a bit more squishy.

I will go ahead and try it, either until it works, stops helping, or gives me some symptoms, as in your case.

[magsmalone]

LOL ... she drives a Mercury Marauder ... and I did use a jack.

I just spent too much time with the knee fully bent, and when I straightened it out again, it popped. I think I hate the sound at least as much as the feeling.
Just because you live in Detroit does not mean you have to fix the car! Glad to see that you are recovering though. Good luck on your quest! Setting the goal is half the battle. I will be cheering you on!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Just because you live in Detroit does not mean you have to fix the car! Glad to see that you are recovering though. Good luck on your quest! Setting the goal is half the battle. I will be cheering you on!

Thanks!

I saw you compete some time last year (I think it was the North Americans) and was impressed! Keep up the great work!!

[bamazav]

Subbed. I want to watch this journey as I consider a similar path.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Subbed. I want to watch this journey as I consider a similar path.

Welcome aboard!

So far, I'm about 30 days into the journey, which is about 2.5% of it. A long way to go!

[bamazav]

Every day is one day closer. Keep up the hard work.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Before you know it you will be three months out- and starting to panic ...lol.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Welcome aboard!

So far, I'm about 30 days into the journey, which is about 2.5% of it. A long way to go!

Its already here and you can't see it. My 20 months out seems like last week. 80 some days to go for me :hypno:

Baldie

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Before you know it you will be three months out- and starting to panic ...lol.


Its already here and you can't see it. My 20 months out seems like last week. 80 some days to go for me :hypno:

Baldie


So true! Time is zooming past.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

A decent leg workout this morning.

I am still nursing the right knee just a bit, being cautious.

I have rediscovered the 45-deg angled hack squat sled, and it felt GREAT! That will a part of every leg workout for a while.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

I watched Stan Efferding (Overall NPC Masters 2009) do hacks on a recent Palumbo video. He brings his shoulders and head forward off the backboard a bit and stops at parallel. I tried that and its awsome. Also my first in the door leg dealiwhop. Then on to heavy heavy leg press. Dropped the squats and legs are growing again.


Baldie

[MsGuns]

Im behind...2013?
Take care of yourself...

[MsGuns]

oh this is a new journal, so let me go back one page and catch up....

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Im behind...2013?
Take care of yourself...

My thought on not competing until 2013 is that I need to get a lot bigger (specifically, thicker) and that competing every year has held me back from that to some degree. So, this long off-season should hopefully help me grow, unhindered by any pre-contest dieting!

[gman]

I watched Stan Efferding (Overall NPC Masters 2009) do hacks on a recent Palumbo video. He brings his shoulders and head forward off the backboard a bit and stops at parallel. I tried that and its awsome. Also my first in the door leg dealiwhop. Then on to heavy heavy leg press. Dropped the squats and legs are growing again.


Baldie

stan and I look like twins except he weighs about 100lbs more than I do!

My legs are growing now that I am doing more close stance squats and leg presses.

Paul, I think going 2+ years with no dieting down is really going to put some good mass on you.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Got the memory foam bed today, so we'll see how that feels regarding my shoulders.

I also injected the Lipostabil into my "test lipoma" for the first time. It stung a little, but I really don't think I got enough in there. This is an obvious, easy to reach lipoma on my left forearm, large enough to easily monitor the shrinkage. I will "learn" the process on this one, and then apply what I learn to the lipomas on my abdomen and elsewhere.

In other news, my bosses at work have started to schedule a lot of early morning meetings (and a few late PM ones, too), so for a while I probably will have to shift my workout time to mid-day.

[MsGuns]

My thought on not competing until 2013 is that I need to get a lot bigger (specifically, thicker) and that competing every year has held me back from that to some degree. So, this long off-season should hopefully help me grow, unhindered by any pre-contest dieting!

gotcha...i might be in the same boat but wanting to pursue other things.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

So, I finally got around to cancelling my membership at my old gym. They require a written notice to be brought into the gym (Fitness 19) and you have to talk with a manager. I guess the idea is that they will try to persuade you to stay with some kind of incentive ... but we never got that far.

Here is how the conversation went:

Manager: I hear you want to quit your membership. Can you tell me why?

ABP: Sure, I found a better gym, and joined there.

Manager: Wait, a better gym?!?!

ABP: Absolutely.

Manager: Because, I've got to say, I find that very offensive!

(I'm thinking: Dude, you have no showers, only one of every type of weight machine, no locker room, you have people change in a closet ...)

Manager: What gym did you join?

ABP: PowerHouse.

Manager: Oh, them. That's just a bunch of meatheads over there, bodybuilders and steroid users and what not!

ABP: My kind of people.

Manager: (Looks at form.) I see that you'd be willing to reconsider if the monthly rate was umm ... zero?! Nice. Look, I worked very hard to get where I am, and so it irks me when someone tries to tell me this isn't the best possible gym!

(It went on for a while after that. He was truly miffed.)

It's not like they need more members. Everyone is tripping over each other as it is, and it's hard to find a place to park.

But what hurt me most was: He couldn't tell I was a meathead bodybuilder! :fit:

[magsmalone]

So, I finally got around to cancelling my membership at my old gym. They require a written notice to be brought into the gym (Fitness 19) and you have to talk with a manager. I guess the idea is that they will try to persuade you to stay with some kind of incentive ... but we never got that far.

Here is how the conversation went:

Manager: I hear you want to quit your membership. Can you tell me why?

ABP: Sure, I found a better gym, and joined there.

Manager: Wait, a better gym?!?!

ABP: Absolutely.

Manager: Because, I've got to say, I find that very offensive!

(I'm thinking: Dude, you have no showers, only one of every type of weight machine, no locker room, you have people change in a closet ...)

Manager: What gym did you join?

ABP: PowerHouse.

Manager: Oh, them. That's just a bunch of meatheads over there, bodybuilders and steroid users and what not!

ABP: My kind of people.

Manager: (Looks at form.) I see that you'd be willing to reconsider if the monthly rate was umm ... zero?! Nice. Look, I worked very hard to get where I am, and so it irks me when someone tries to tell me this isn't the best possible gym!

(It went on for a while after that. He was truly miffed.)

It's not like they need more members. Everyone is tripping over each other as it is, and it's hard to find a place to park.

But what hurt me most was: He couldn't tell I was a meathead bodybuilder! :fit:
Don't take it too hard. It is a matter of perspective. It's like when you start to getting leaner and someone will say to you "Wow you are really getting skinny". It is not that they mean to insult you. It is just that they don't know any better. So just head over to your new Gym and kick some butt!

[GENESIS]

lol @ a monthly rate of $0

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Okay, 2 nights on the "memory foam" mattress, and I seem to wake up a lot less sore. So far, it is great!

[bodyhard]

So, I finally got around to cancelling my membership at my old gym. They require a written notice to be brought into the gym (Fitness 19) and you have to talk with a manager. I guess the idea is that they will try to persuade you to stay with some kind of incentive ... but we never got that far.

Here is how the conversation went:

Manager: I hear you want to quit your membership. Can you tell me why?

ABP: Sure, I found a better gym, and joined there.

Manager: Wait, a better gym?!?!

ABP: Absolutely.

Manager: Because, I've got to say, I find that very offensive!

(I'm thinking: Dude, you have no showers, only one of every type of weight machine, no locker room, you have people change in a closet ...)

Manager: What gym did you join?

ABP: PowerHouse.

Manager: Oh, them. That's just a bunch of meatheads over there, bodybuilders and steroid users and what not!

ABP: My kind of people.

Manager: (Looks at form.) I see that you'd be willing to reconsider if the monthly rate was umm ... zero?! Nice. Look, I worked very hard to get where I am, and so it irks me when someone tries to tell me this isn't the best possible gym!

(It went on for a while after that. He was truly miffed.)

It's not like they need more members. Everyone is tripping over each other as it is, and it's hard to find a place to park.

But what hurt me most was: He couldn't tell I was a meathead bodybuilder! :fit:

LOL ohh he could, he was just fucking with you since you were leaving his gym :D

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Saturday, I attended the NPC Michigan Bodybuilding Championships. I went to pre-judging by myself and to the evening show with Eliot (my almost 16-year-old son).

Pre-judging was okay. It started about 35 minutes late, which is pretty typical. I didn't mind this time, because I was talking to a lady 2 seats over who was brand new to weight training. She has just joined the PowerHouse gym in Detroit (Highland Park, actually), and still has that "new lifter" enthusiasm about her. She told me stories about how much she loved the gym, except for a few bad eggs: One guy followed her around to every piece of equipment and just stared at her. Not in a lustful way, but in a "you're a noob; get out of my hardkore gym" kind of way.

She told me she liked the grunting and the clanking of weights. "Grittiness" was the word she used; she likes the grittiness of PowerHouse. I think she will go far. I was able to teach her a few things during our short conversation. For example, she wasn't clear which compound exercises the triceps contributed to, and which ones the biceps helped with. She's still pretty much of a clean slate. Or maybe "sponge" is a better word. She is somewhat obese, but I predict a dramatic transformation for her if she keeps up her current level of enthusiasm.

I only stayed through half of pre-judging, because I still had Mother's Day shopping to do. There were only 2 Teen Men competitors, but they were both amazing. There was one extremely strong over 40 Masters competitor, and one incredible over 50 Grand Masters guy. The Fitness competitors were weak, IMHO; there were only two of them. The Figure classes were STRONG, however. I was very pleased to the condition that most of those ladies brought to the stage. Bikini ... a couple of very good competitors. Eliot's and my favorite was the eventual Bikini Short class winner, but lost the overall to the Tall class winner.

That's it for pre-judging. The "dysfunctional" part didn't happen until the evening. I'll post that in a few minutes.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

The evening show was fairly well packed. I always like to see that.
But things started going haywire very early on. One of the main recurring problems was the CD player. I would say that at least 10 competitors' music would not play properly on this CD player. It is very similar to what happened at my contest in March. The CD player just starts skipping, sometimes skipping back to the beginning of the track, and sometimes to a random place in the track.

How this affected the competitors varied: One guy ended up getting to pose for almost 3 minutes, so maybe it helped him. Some had to finish out their routines in silence, but the crowd helped them out with a lot of applause. In any case, it is not what a competitor wants to have happen after weeks of practicing a posing routine! With the amount of tickets they sold at $25 a pop (more for VIP) I think they could splurge and invest in a new CD player.

I don't know how this happened, but for several classes, when the results were announced, the names did not match the competitors' numbers. Usually, the names were announced in the correct order, but the wrong number was called. For us in the audience who didn't know many of the competitors, it was very confusing.

But that was not nearly as bad as what happened two or three times: they called out the wrong final 5! I can imagine the elation and then dejection on the part of the competitor who originally thought he/she made Top 5, but then was made to file off stage with the rest of the class, and was not called back out for the "corrected" Top 5. In the worst example of this (one of the Figure classes), the lady who finished out of the Top 5 already had her trophy in her hand, and they made her give it back. Granted, she was rightly placed, and should not have been in the top 5, but more care should have been taken with names and numbers, to assure the correct 5 people were out there.

Then, there was poor sportsmanship. In the Grand Masters class, there were two very out-of-shape guys, as well as the best guy in the whole contest, and some good but not great competitors. I could have beat 2 or 3 of them, Eliot said. But the really soft, flabby guy was an amazing poser. He could really move, and he could also do the splits quite convincingly. But, as they say, you "can't flex flab". But ... he was called out among the final 5. Fifth place was announced. It was an older (perhaps 60), frail looking gray-haired gentleman. So far, so good. Then, one of the mid-level bodybuilder's name was called for 4th place (this was the guy who won my 2009 contest, by the way). He was irate! And he sort of had a point, since he had just been judged to have finished behind the Michelin Man. He set his trophy down (at least he didn't throw it), and stormed offstage.

Then, the judges realized ... Uh-oh, it has happened again. We have the wrong Top 5 out there. They have the four guys still up there file off stage and they call out a new Top 5. The fat guy is not among them, but the second or third weakest competitor is. But the guy who stormed off is nowhere to be found. They call his name over the P.A. system. Finally he walks back out on stage. They announce the same guy in 5th place. So far, so good. Then, just as before, Mr. Attitude gets called for 4th place. He hesitates a split second, and then ... does the exact same thing as before. He sets his trophy on the stage and walks off!

Eliot said later: You'd think someone over 50 would want to set an example for us younger guys.

Then, later, I got told by another fan to shut up. Well, basically. As I mentioned, I had not stayed until the end of pre-judging, so I didn't know if the really good Grand Masters guy had crossed over into the Open class. I simply said to Eliot:

"I wonder if he'll cross over to the Open class. If so, I bet he wins the class!"

Immediately, the uber-attractive (young Jodie Foster type) blond in front of me turns halfway around and barks:

Shut up! Don't say that!

I couldn't figure out at first why she said that. I kind of thought she must be related to the Grand Masters guy and didn't want me to "jinx" him. But, as it turned out, she was with the guy who finished 4th place in the class that the GM crossed over into (and won). He was properly placed in 4th, but when his name was announced, she stormed out of her seat full of venom and anger. I kind of wanted to tell her that, no matter what opinion a fan offered to the fan next to him, all the comparisons had been done at pre-judging, and her boy's placement had nothing to do with my voicing my opinion.

Anyhow ... the judging was mostly very good. Only one notable exception: One class winner who should have been 3rd or 4th. The crowd was not so much angry as simply stunned. He was out of his league, compared with the man who should have one. And it is not the first time for this competitor, either. Eliot and I saw him win the Teen class in 2008, when another competitor clearly outclassed him. I can think of no other explanation than that politics of some kind are involved in this competitor's unrealistically high placings.

All in all, the strangest bodybuilding event I've attended so far.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I can think of no other explanation than that ( uhh, hanky panky?) politics of some kind are involved in this competitor's unrealistically high placings.

Two other possible explanations:

1) The judges are looking for something other than what my ideal is. There were 7 judges for this event, and they all had him 1st or 2nd.

2) I'm just really, really confused. I tried to back and look at his other "unfair" placing, and I don't even think it was the same guy!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I think I am starting to see changes in my back, due to priortizing it since the end of March. It is a bit hard to tell, with my new, lush coating of bodyfat.

One thing I will say for sure: I really like the Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Low Pull machine!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

where the puck have you been?

I don't have too much news to report, so I've just been jousting with the atheists in the Politics & Religion threads.

After my March 27th contest, I gained 30 pounds real quick (164 up to 194 pounds), then leveled off. I had some problems with edema (holding water in my ankles). I finally got rid of that by dropping my salt for about a week.

Still nursing a few injuries: My right knee (which I had sprained) seems okay on every leg day, but then hurts me the 2nd and 3rd day after. For a while, both my shoulders were very sore on chest/shoulder day, even from the first warmup set. Then, too, I still have the forearm chronic injury which makes it difficult to do any rear delt work.

For the knee, my strategy will be to go a bit lighter, with higher reps for a while.

For the shoulders: My left one healed itself. I'm finding that if I switch to dumbells instead of barbells, it is easier on the shoulder. So, I'll do that for a while.

I'm supposed to be doing 4 cardio session of 30 minutes each, per week. I haven't been very successful at that. Various ongoing "emergencies" at home, added to my general apathy about cardio, have derailed me there.

I am still prioritizing back thickness. I seem to be putting on some size, but it is hard to tell at this heavier weight.

I'm still planning to attend the Master's Nationals, with my son.

In non-bodybuilding-related news, I bought this guitar:

[Neal Grossman]

Paul,

I agree with Big Axioma, keep giving to it. Keep those long range goals in sight.

Neal

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Paul,

I agree with Big Axioma, keep giving to it. Keep those long range goals in sight.

Neal

Don't worry, I will!

Good chest/shoulder/triceps workout this morning. For once, I actually got a pump in my chest. Almost always, I end up frying my front deltoids, with hardly any stress in my chest. Changing from incline bench to incline dumbbell presses for my 1st exercise seems to have been a good move!

I've got to consciously break out of some of these ruts I'm in.

I'm back to actually liking skull crushers again ... for a while, I couldn't stand them.

[THEVMAN]

Paul, in the '08 MN, there was a competitor who overshot his diet. He was 6'-5" and weighed in at 222lbs. Yeah.....222lbs is skinny at 6'-5". But he was shredded. He had to compete in the HW class, where the other guys weighing 220lbs were 5'-9". There were 20 or so in his class and the SOB got 4th!!!! (or maybe 5th, but he got a trophy). And he got the experience of being on the national stage against high-level competitors...experience that is invaluable.

Don't judge yourself too harshly regarding size. Understand that the 50+ guys are just as juiced as 20-something national competitors. If you cross to the darkside, you won't need 1200 days to be ready. You already know how to get shredded!

Glad you said that - I will be in the 50+ middle wts at 5'11", but I want the experience of being there with the best, and you never know how long you will be around. It my age, size is just not improving enough to wait any longer - I did the heavy wts and bulking diet, now I am taking 6 months of dieting to get the best conditioning I can. Sometimes you just have to go for it with what ya got. But I certainly respect anyone's choice to dig deep and do it their way.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Glad you said that - I will be in the 50+ middle wts at 5'11", but I want the experience of being there with the best, and you never know how long you will be around. It my age, size is just not improving enough to wait any longer - I did the heavy wts and bulking diet, now I am taking 6 months of dieting to get the best conditioning I can. Sometimes you just have to go for it with what ya got. But I certainly respect anyone's choice to dig deep and do it their way.

So, you will be at Masters Nationals this year? If so, I'll look for you. (I'm going as a spectator only.)

[THEVMAN]

I will be there - 1st time, so trying to get in the best condition I can - way to tall for the class but there to enjoy - I have been in Excalibur in LA and Northern Kty show, pretty big shows - but I hear this is a great experience, so I am looking forward to it - would like to meet

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I will be there - 1st time, so trying to get in the best condition I can - way to tall for the class but there to enjoy - I have been in Excalibur in LA and Northern Kty show, pretty big shows - but I hear this is a great experience, so I am looking forward to it - would like to meet

Cool! I look forward to it.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Hi Paul....we creep closer to the Nationals. Those 1200 days are quickening. I can vouch that long term planning will be the key. Our friend Neal has found a niche/groove that allows for repeditive competition. I could never do that succesfuly...tried it. Time under load and testosterone maintenance was/is my key to hitting that image I want in Pittsburgh. I suspect it is the same for you. I have discovered that there are two types of Lipomas. 75%-100% of the size of all but two were zapped by the Meso tratments. Those two the Doc feels are so dense that they can only surgically removed. Too late too close to stage time. Overall I'm OK to go for Pitt visualy. Get this done early so if you need to excise any there will be no scars.

Baldie

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Hi Paul....we creep closer to the Nationals. Those 1200 days are quickening. I can vouch that long term planning will be the key. Our friend Neal has found a niche/groove that allows for repeditive competition. I could never do that succesfuly...tried it. Time under load and testosterone maintenance was/is my key to hitting that image I want in Pittsburgh. I suspect it is the same for you. I have discovered that there are two types of Lipomas. 75%-100% of the size of all but two were zapped by the Meso tratments. Those two the Doc feels are so dense that they can only surgically removed. Too late too close to stage time. Overall I'm OK to go for Pitt visualy. Get this done early so if you need to excise any there will be no scars.

Baldie

THANKS! Yes, I feel the same way regarding what it will take for me to be stage-ready.

Good info on the lipomas, too! Thanks!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

The world of bodybuilding can seem surreal at times.

I keep my lifting stats and measurements (somewhat inaccurately) on bb dot com ... and somehow, this morning, my height got changed to 10'0" ... I think I would have noticed that change. LOL.

Yesterday, while doing treadmill cardio, I tuned the TV to an old episode of Mister Ed (you know, that talking horse show), and they had Mister Ed working out to Jack LaLanne!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I'm still training first thing in the morning. I don't mind training at that time, but I'm realizing that I just don't like to get out of bed that early. Once I'm on my feet, though, the chain of events that carries me down to the gym is set in motion, and I'mf fine.

Tonight is a giant rite-of-passage for my 16 year old son: his first opportunity to drive a car on the drag strip. Our Ford Enthusiasts club has an open track night at our local quarter mile. Eliot has been mentally (and on various gaming devices) doing this since he was about 4 or 5 years old.

But this will be his first time doing it for real. I think I'm almost as excited as he is! I will try to capture video to post to YouTube.

:cool:

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Here are a couple of videos from the track last night.

In the first, Eliot pulls a hole shot on the yellow GTO (driver is having some trouble shifting, too) but gets caught at around the 1000-ft mark.

TZGF_hsAhAE

In the second, Eliot is in the near lane, and beats another Marauder (friend of ours).

hkkIPispmvs

This was a blast. Eliot had really good reaction times, improving almost every pass, but never redlighting. Honestly, it is more fun watching him race than doing it myself.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Thanks, Curt.

Wow, for the last couple of weeks, I've just been feeling "beat up" ... that's the best way I can find to describe it. I seem to be not quite recovered for a given body part when it rolls around on the schedule.

I think I'm either slightly overtrained, or else I am not getting enough sleep.

I'm going to try taking approximately a week off from the weights. During that time, I'll do only abs, cardio, and stretching. Then we'll see if I'm all re-energized for lifting weights again.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

According to Ross, we are all undertrained.


Yeah, you're right. Maybe my problem is not taking every set to failure?! :hypno:

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I've been ruminating about why I bother with bodybuilding, given my really poor genetics. I didn't come up with any solid answers.

But I did come up with this:

It is my opinion that for success in bodybuilding, after picking the right parents (genetics), the next best thing you can do is to make sure not to have any kids. I only have 2, but they add so much stress to my life in so many different ways, that I'm sure I could be hyooge if I was not a parent!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Okay, I am finishing up my 4th-of-July vacation, and today will be the last day I rest up from lifting.

I feel totally energized, and cannot wait to get back in the gym!

I'll train with my son tomorrow at PowerHouse.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

The bad part about my workouts last week was that I somehow injured my lower back doing deadlifts. Not a particularly heavy weight, either. My form must have been bad.

The good part about my workouts last Wednesday and Thursday, though, was the good effort put forward by my 16-year-old son Eliot.
A year ago, he was 6' tall (or 5'12" as my friend Harper would say) and 170 pounds. Now he is still 6' tall, but weighing in at 190 pounds.
The change was brought about largely by taking a "Weight and Body" class at his high school. He is at that cool age where he seems to grow just by looking at the weights.

I like his attitude in the gym, too. He has a good balance: he works hard, but he doesn't pile on weights he can't handle in order to try and boost his ego.

Our workouts together were delayed about 7 weeks due to his having physical therapy for an elbow injury sustained in karate class. He was careful about the elbow last week, but not timid. I think he's going to turn out okay!

This morning, I missed a scheduled leg workout. The only thing worse than missing a workout would be missing one and not caring. So far, every time I miss a workout, I care a lot about it! So, I was able to get in to my company's Fitness Center ahead of the lunch rush, and had a very good leg workout.

Seen at the gym today: A skinny runner guy, coming off the 1/13th of a mile track, whistling the theme from Underdog ... okay, then!

Also: a guy who couldn't have been over 23, with a very good (potentially great) physique, doing 1/3 squats on the Smith Machine. Doh!

[bodyhard]

Hey man, checking in, trying to catch up on all the journals!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Hey man, checking in, trying to catch up on all the journals!

Thanks! I just now noticed this.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

The fellow in the linked article below goes to my church. I don't get to talk to him a lot, because he usually attends a different service than I do.



Lloyd Coon started lifting weights as a Marine during World War II, and at 84, he is still pumping iron.

Coon lifts weights for competitions and trains teenagers in the aspects of physical fitness as well.

The former boxer won first place in the 80-to-84 weight lifting age group in April in South Bend, Ind. But the win was uneventful compared to other victories.

http://www.mlive.com/living/flint/index.ssf/2008/06/weight_lifter_lloyd_coon_of_sw.html

(The article is a couple of years old; I just stumbled upon it now.)

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Hope things are going great for you. Haven't heard from you in awhile.

Things are going, anyhow.

I haven't put together a perfect week of lifting/cardio/diet in over a month now. Either I've gotten injured, and can't lift as I'd like, or else I didn't get the cardio in, or else I ate too much junk.

This week is starting off well, though. Really good leg workout this morning.

I'm jazzed about Pittsburgh!

Also, I keep trying to get blood work scheduled with my HRT doctor; it seems to be hard to find someone around here to just draw blood and send it in to a lab ... :dunno:

[gman]

go online to privatemdlabs.com.

order a test and you get a prescription which you hand carry to labcorp!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I am not doing well at the moment.

I am so depressed that I have been seriously considering skipping Pittsburgh this weekend. I'm still hoping to make it out, and I hope it helps counteract the things I've been going through.

A lot of it is my job. I was the victim of a "hostile takeover" 2 years ago, in which I was involuntarily drafted into a department I don't like at all. It's been pretty hellish since then. At my twice-a-year performance reviews, my manager always tells me how worthless I am. I've gotten really low performance ratings since joining this department.

Then, yesterday, my computer quit on me. A guy from systems support came to help me with it this morning, and we thought we had a workaround, but that eventually failed because he tried "one more thing" which broke it again. I expect to go a whole week without any productive work (through next Thursday), and then next Friday is my performance review, in which I'll get raked over the coals again.

If I could take the pay cut, I'd quit and go back to teaching high school, like I used to. The pay is about 40% of what I make now.

Then, too, my kids (particularly the 12-year-old daughter) are making life hellish at home. I've been trying to find out who I apply to in order to resign from this job.

I'm fat, weak, and all the usual descriptors that go along with our own favorite flavor of dysmorphia.

I had an episode of over-drinking on Tuesday, which just spiraled me down lower.

So, that is the ugly truth of where I am at this moment.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Stay strong brother and come to Pittsburgh. Get away from it all.

Thanks; that is my plan.

[DUKE56]

Keep your chin up. I understand about the job thing. I've been working two jobs for 19 years. Yep crazy isn't it. It's mostly just weekends (the second job). I just thank the lord i have to work both jobs, instead of asking the lord to give me a job. Been there got the t-shirt.
Just keep digging, don't let the boss get to you. Pray for god to get you through it.
I'll remember you in my prayers.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Keep your chin up. I understand about the job thing. I've been working two jobs for 19 years. Yep crazy isn't it. It's mostly just weekends (the second job). I just thank the lord i have to work both jobs, instead of asking the lord to give me a job. Been there got the t-shirt.
Just keep digging, don't let the boss get to you. Pray for god to get you through it.
I'll remember you in my prayers.

You make a good point: At least I have a job!

Thanks very much for the prayers. I know they work!

[bodyhard]

I am not doing well at the moment.

I am so depressed that I have been seriously considering skipping Pittsburgh this weekend. I'm still hoping to make it out, and I hope it helps counteract the things I've been going through.

A lot of it is my job. I was the victim of a "hostile takeover" 2 years ago, in which I was involuntarily drafted into a department I don't like at all. It's been pretty hellish since then. At my twice-a-year performance reviews, my manager always tells me how worthless I am. I've gotten really low performance ratings since joining this department.

Then, yesterday, my computer quit on me. A guy from systems support came to help me with it this morning, and we thought we had a workaround, but that eventually failed because he tried "one more thing" which broke it again. I expect to go a whole week without any productive work (through next Thursday), and then next Friday is my performance review, in which I'll get raked over the coals again.

If I could take the pay cut, I'd quit and go back to teaching high school, like I used to. The pay is about 40% of what I make now.

Then, too, my kids (particularly the 12-year-old daughter) are making life hellish at home. I've been trying to find out who I apply to in order to resign from this job.

I'm fat, weak, and all the usual descriptors that go along with our own favorite flavor of dysmorphia.

I had an episode of over-drinking on Tuesday, which just spiraled me down lower.

So, that is the ugly truth of where I am at this moment.


Wow man that is not the person I met in Pitts I would have never known. Keep your head up man shit if fucked up all around, life is just not fair but we just have to keep on trekking...

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Wow man that is not the person I met in Pitts I would have never known. Keep your head up man shit if fucked up all around, life is just not fair but we just have to keep on trekking...

You would not believe how much the 48 hours in Pittsburgh improved my attitude!

[Ibarramedia]

I am not doing well at the moment.

I am so depressed that I have been seriously considering skipping Pittsburgh this weekend. I'm still hoping to make it out, and I hope it helps counteract the things I've been going through.

A lot of it is my job. I was the victim of a "hostile takeover" 2 years ago, in which I was involuntarily drafted into a department I don't like at all. It's been pretty hellish since then. At my twice-a-year performance reviews, my manager always tells me how worthless I am. I've gotten really low performance ratings since joining this department.

Then, yesterday, my computer quit on me. A guy from systems support came to help me with it this morning, and we thought we had a workaround, but that eventually failed because he tried "one more thing" which broke it again. I expect to go a whole week without any productive work (through next Thursday), and then next Friday is my performance review, in which I'll get raked over the coals again.

If I could take the pay cut, I'd quit and go back to teaching high school, like I used to. The pay is about 40% of what I make now.

Then, too, my kids (particularly the 12-year-old daughter) are making life hellish at home. I've been trying to find out who I apply to in order to resign from this job.

I'm fat, weak, and all the usual descriptors that go along with our own favorite flavor of dysmorphia.

I had an episode of over-drinking on Tuesday, which just spiraled me down lower.

So, that is the ugly truth of where I am at this moment.


I'm a bit late here as I was just passing by. I'm sorry to read about your trials and tribulations at work. It is a very good thing that they have not let you go considering what you wrote about your manager and your performance reviews. Keep your head up and things will be better. Once in a while the man upstairs throws us some obstacles to work through.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I get funny thoughts when I do cardio.

Check my latest blog entry:

http://hotrodanglican.blogspot.com/2010/08/of-race-car-drivers-and-nuns.html

[Baldiewonkanobi]

This can not be the same man and same kids that were in my room just 12 days ago. You have been a rock in the Forum for some time. How do we get your life back to July 23rd? You have my number...

Baldie

[tifflex]

I get funny thoughts when I do cardio.

Check my latest blog entry:

http://hotrodanglican.blogspot.com/2010/08/of-race-car-drivers-and-nuns.html
Love the insight!:yep:

[AnglicanBeachParty]

cool blog


Love the insight!:yep:
Thanks for reading it!


This can not be the same man and same kids that were in my room just 12 days ago. You have been a rock in the Forum for some time. How do we get your life back to July 23rd? You have my number...

Baldie

Actually, Baldie, I wrote about my "depression" before I came to Pittsburgh. Being at Nationals and meeting you and the others (plus finding a really cool Anglican church Sunday morning in Pittsburgh) is what pulled me out of it. So you saw me in nearly full recovery!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Wow, I have not been updating here at all, have I?

I have had a relaxing summer, perhaps too relaxing. I didn't get 1/10 of the things done that I was supposed to get done. Which is bad, even for me. I usually aim for getting 20-25% of my goals accomplished (LOL).

So, I had to pass on attending the North Americans, and stay home and do home repair projects. A good decision in the long run, but hard to swallow at the time.

Did I mention I am fat? Well, pretty fat. I had been tipping the scales at around 202 for a while, and had to buy new pants for work. I'm getting regular with my cardio now, though, and I weighed 197 this morning.

It is slowly settling in on me how short this "1200 day" thing is. Forget that, how short life is, period! Two years from now, my son should be in college. Time is zipping by.

Thank God for bodybuilding, and the discipline it requires. I'd be a mess without it.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I think that I have mentioned here before that I make oil paintings as a hobby. I almost always lose money on the paintings themselves, but I figured that maybe if inexpensive reproductions were made available, I could make back a little money that way.

So, I made this little YouTube video that shows the sort of posters and canvas prints that are available of my art work.

CBUjADtlrFU

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I've been doing approximately the same chest/shoulders/triceps workout for a few years now. I will swap exercises in and out, but the basic structure hasn't change a whole lot.

For some reason, now, I am able to feel the chest exercises more than I ever did before. It used to be that I felt all the chest exercises in my front delts. But now I can actually get a pump in my pectorals. Which is a good feeling!

[DUKE56]

your a talented man. I've been drawing since I can remember. I haven't done much with it mostly gave it away. I drew a cabin that my mom and aunt were raised in and gave it to my aunt for christmas 3 years ago. She framed it and put it in her livingroom. It stayed there till her daughter received it after my aunts death. We were invited to a family reunion type thing at my cousins house and when I walked into the Grand room the drawing was above the piano. It made me very proud. I could tell you of the few times I was paid for drawings but never more than $30.00 for a drawing. It gives me a sense of satisfaction to know that art that I did is displayed in such a public place. My kids have several of my drawings hanging in there house and rooms.
God gave me a wonderful talent, I just wish I was better at it than what I am.
May God bless you.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

your a talented man. I've been drawing since I can remember. I haven't done much with it mostly gave it away. I drew a cabin that my mom and aunt were raised in and gave it to my aunt for christmas 3 years ago. She framed it and put it in her livingroom. It stayed there till her daughter received it after my aunts death. We were invited to a family reunion type thing at my cousins house and when I walked into the Grand room the drawing was above the piano. It made me very proud. I could tell you of the few times I was paid for drawings but never more than $30.00 for a drawing. It gives me a sense of satisfaction to know that art that I did is displayed in such a public place. My kids have several of my drawings hanging in there house and rooms.
God gave me a wonderful talent, I just wish I was better at it than what I am.
May God bless you.

Thank you very much for your kind words.

I don't make any money off it, either. I am lucky to break even.

Often, I just end up giving the painting to the model.

One of these days, I'll learn how to make money off my art. Then I can quit my job and get a lot more painting done!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Well, I ain't often right but I've never been wrong.
Seldom turns out the way it does in the song.
Once in a while you get shown the light
In the strangest of places if you look at it right.


Indeed.

Some days you just show up at the gym. And try as you might, it still feels as if you are merely going through the motions.

And then there are those "magic" days, like my leg workout this morning.

Taking courage for those couple of extra reps can move you (psychologically or metaphysically) into a different "space". And once you are in the magic space, beautiful things begin to happen in the workout.

The post workout meal never tastes so good as after such a workout!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Rumours of my demise are greatly exaggerated ... I am still training for the 2013 Masters Nationals. I'm in a steady rhythm of 4 lifting workouts per week, and 45 minutes of cardio on the days I don't lift.

Life is very good.

I cannot legitimately complain about a damn thing.

I don't pimp my blog too often in this thread. But on occasions like this, where I feel I have broken new ground, I will.

God as Kosmic Kustomizer (in which it is explained by a car hobby analogy why I prefer women to men). (http://hotrodanglican.blogspot.com/2010/10/god-as-kosmic-kustomizer.html)

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I was sick with a nasty cold all last week. I missed 5 consecutive days of working out. :mad:

Saturday morning I felt more energetic, so I did a leg workout. By the end of the day, the cold was back, only it was in my throat, and I developed a cough. Sunday morning woke up with a bad sore throat.

So, now it seems to be back with a vengeance. I skipped working out yesterday, and will miss today also. :mad:

I am losing a bit of weight. My highest morning weight was 202 lbs. This morning, I was 190.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Feeling any better??

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Feeling any better??

Thanks, James. I'm getting better. My energy is back, so I worked out (chest, shoulders, triceps) yesterday morning. It felt good. I'm still trying to kill this nagging cough, though.

Thanks for asking!

[Baldiewonkanobi]

HY cough cough DRATE

I know, hard to do with a cold/cough. Your BW will come roaring back. Fell better.


Baldie

[AnglicanBeachParty]

HY cough cough DRATE

I know, hard to do with a cold/cough. Your BW will come roaring back. Fell better.


Baldie

Thanks, Baldie. I will work a bit harder on the hydration.

[joedemarco]

Hang in there and get well!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

what baldie said...and eat some comfort food, stimulate the metabolism and get the appetite back. You get a lot of snot draining, kind of hard to think about food...unless it is kind of snot-like...jello (w/fruit), mac and cheese and ham...mmmmm

I'm thinking cherry jello with ham chunks submerged in it.

I'll send my wife an email requesting this, and see what she says. :D

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Today was my 2nd day in the gym, after recovering from my cold/cough.

Still not quite at 100% strength, but man it feels great to be back!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Still lifting, still loving it!

I split my back workout into two days, because I was not seeing the kind of progress I wanted to see. My back really needs improvement.

So, now I have a "back width" day and a "back thickness" day. Let's see if this works or not.

Legs seem to be improving somewhat.

[joedemarco]

Thanks for the update, ABP. I think that's a good plan to help bring up your back.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Some things have happened in my life that caused me to think about quitting bodybuilding. Here's why I thought about quitting, and then why I didn't.

Usually, when you hear about some guy quitting bodybuilding, it is because something negative happened. But I contemplated quitting because of a perceived greater good.

I met some friends, a young couple. It was odd the way it happened. My wife Cindy will tell you that I am not a "people person" at all. But I just clicked with these two. They are way younger than I am, and are struggling through unemployment, homelessness, and some other very serious things. So, I started helping them in various ways, when I could. And they, in turn, helped me in other ways. Oddest friendship that ever happened to me in my life.

But their needs are great, at times almost overwhelming to me. Neither of them finished high school, and I'm doing GED tutoring. Plus, they each have a kid or two from previous marriages. I'm tutoring one of those kids, too. It's complicated.

I began to look at my life and what I spend my time and energy on, and suddenly, bodybuilding started to look selfish to me. It takes a lot of time and money, as you guys well know. I began to wonder if I started to eat like a normal human being, not supplement at all, and work out less, whether I could help my friends more. The question haunted me for several weeks. But I kept working out and eating as usual.

Then, one day, it came to me. If I stop bodybuilding, there won't be any "me" left to help them, because that is who I am now, a bodybuilder. It is so much a part of me, that I have to do this, even to be able to keep my health and sanity enough to be able to help others.

So ... I am still in the game!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

^^^^ Glad to read this post! I've never competed but know that hitting the gym is great for stress relief.

Kudos to you for reaching out to those less fortunate. You're a good man, ABP. :beerbang:

Thanks, Curt. Your opinion means a lot to me.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Over on some other website, they have elected me

Over 40 Transformation of the Week. (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/paul-shed-31-cut-body-fat-competed-on-stage.html)

Start the clock for my 15 minutes of fame.

[joedemarco]

Over on some other website, they have elected me

Over 40 Transformation of the Week. (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/paul-shed-31-cut-body-fat-competed-on-stage.html)

Start the clock for my 15 minutes of fame.

Congrats!!! Great job!

[KevinCouch]

If I stop bodybuilding, there won't be any "me" left to help
them Great post Bro! It's people like you that make us all proud!

Awesome transformation. Congrats.
Couldn't be BETTER timing for me too. I just posted on Mactech thread about me struggling right now with BB and loved one's support, being a husband and father, ect. Steve replied "Bodybuilding makes me a better father and husband because it is my passion and what makes me happy" It's very difficult for others to understand our "minds." As self- centered as many others think we are, it is who we are and what makes us!

Thanks for the Great Post ABP!!

[KyMuscle]

Great job on the transformation. You represent us over-50s well!

[partsRheavy]

Very good!

"Giving of yourself" to help someone does NOT mean that you sacrifice the integrity of who you are as a person. And that includes lifting!

Said another way...I've known too many ppl who got out of shape by being in caregiver-type situations. When a person is in a caregiver situation, it's absolutely crucial that they make their exercise routine, whatever it is, absolutely non-negotiable. In other words, the exercise routine is the caregiver's time to take care of themselves....without which they can't take care of anyone else!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Thank you for the kind comments, everyone! :)

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Way cool and way deserving. OOOO wanted to tell you those Meso shots continue working long after you stop and my Lipomas are gone.


Bill

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Way cool and way deserving. OOOO wanted to tell you those Meso shots continue working long after you stop and my Lipomas are gone.


Bill

That is awesome! I hope to have mine cleaned up eventually using this method. Thanks for the info.

[rcp1936]

Very good!

"Giving of yourself" to help someone does NOT mean that you sacrifice the integrity of who you are as a person. And that includes lifting!

Said another way...I've known too many ppl who got out of shape by being in caregiver-type situations. When a person is in a caregiver situation, it's absolutely crucial that they make their exercise routine, whatever it is, absolutely non-negotiable. In other words, the exercise routine is the caregiver's time to take care of themselves....without which they can't take care of anyone else!
Agree 100%

[rcp1936]

Over on some other website, they have elected me

Over 40 Transformation of the Week. (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/paul-shed-31-cut-body-fat-competed-on-stage.html)

Start the clock for my 15 minutes of fame.

Great transformation

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Tracy and I are so proud of you and what you've accomplished Paul !! And we do know that this transformation is not over yet :)

Thanks, man! So much of my success I owe to you and Tracy!

No, wait. So much of my success I owe to me for being smart enough to hire you and Tracy for contest prep. LOL.

Looking forward to what 2011 will bring, including hopefully me and my family meeting you guys!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Still lifting, being careful not to overtrain.

Gaining a bit of weight from holiday eating, but I'm not too worried about it.

Today is the 25th Anniversary of my marriage to Cindy who, second only to the Lord Jesus, is my rock and my strength.

Love ya, girl!!

[tifflex]

Still lifting, being careful not to overtrain.

Gaining a bit of weight from holiday eating, but I'm not too worried about it.

Today is the 25th Anniversary of my marriage to Cindy who, second only to the Lord Jesus, is my rock and my strength.

Love ya, girl!!
Congratulations!:flowers:

[KevinCouch]

Happy Anniversary ABP!!!

[joedemarco]

Happy Anniversary!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Thanks, everybody!

Today is my daughter's 13th birthday. It just never stops around here.

Must get to gym before the mayhem begins.

Chest/shoulders/triceps today.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Well, it took me about 9 months of off-season to begin to get myself into trouble.

One of the things that bodybuilding (and contest prep in particular) helped me with was a drinking problem. I had very few problems with alcohol while in contest mode, or even during my previous short off-seasons, since the beginning of 2008.

But now, this problem has re-emerged. :no:

It coincides with a period of lost zeal for the entire bodybuilding endeavor. It is predictable enough, I suppose. I eat freely, get fat, and stop lookking like a bodybuilder. There are other pressures in my life, too, but most of those have been invariant over the past 10 years.

I know some of you must have gone through things like this in the past. If so, please chime in.

How can I get my bodybuilding mojo back?

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Thanks for that.


Easy Bro, take off all your clothes, now go stand in front of a full length mirror. Do you like what you see? If so, you're all good, don't worry about it. If you don't and you care about yourself and how your family needs you around for a long time, then puts your boots on and get moving.

Definitely not too satisfied with what I see in the mirror. I've put on some muscle since my contest, but I really can't tell how much, with the layer of fat obscuring it. My family definitely needs me around for a good long while yet.


It only takes a walk around the block to make you feel better about yourself. Just get started.


I will follow this advice soon.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Okay, I am back. My waffling and wavering is over.

I am still getting over a bit of a cough, which I have had for eleven days now.

I had a phenomenal leg workout on Saturday, the kind of thing that reminds you why you fell in love with the weights in the first place.

I missed lifting yesterday for a couple of valid reasons, but I am very energized and looking forward to the next time I can get into the gym!

What helped me make the decision was that I have a lot of people depending upon me to be strong. That makes this a "no brainer".

More as it happens.

Thanks for those who PM'ed me and posted, it helped.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

we are glad that you're back !! We also depend upon you Paul. time to start cracking the whip :yep:

Yes, whip-cracking shall commence shortly!


Keep up the good work bro, will be following your progress!

I will be kicking ass and taking names. Thanks for your support.

[KevinCouch]

Glad to hear you got it back!! We're ALL here to help each other. Post your good days and your bad ones too. When you have a bad workout or just a crappy day and you don't feel like going to workout. Post it. Guarantee you, those of us in this forum will keep pushing you to get back in the gym and diet. That's what this forum is all about. Helping each other (a bunch of broken down old dudes) to get back on stage an kick some ass!!!!

[bcapprentice]

Glad to see that you are back at it!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

What's up Bro? You taking care of yourself? Training? Cardio? Looking in the mirror?

I have successfully gotten back on track with cardio. Mirror looks a little better.

But I have had a few setbacks. I still have the cough, and when I went to the doctor's office for the 2nd time, he said I have bronchitis. It is the weirdest thing. My energy is close to 100%, but I have had this cough since Dec 30, 2010. That's way too long! I'm halfway through a 10-day course of antibiotics, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

The other setback was a bizarre injury that I got doing T-bar rows 10 days ago. I was just unloading the bar for my first set (it starts off asymmetrically to the left) and I got a huge spasm through my right chest and intercostals. All I can figure out was that the pad was not padded enough and made somewhat hard contact with one of my ribs. Either that, or one of my bazillion lipomas got pinched between the pad and my rib.

At first it hurt all up and down my right side, but after a few days, it was just localized to one section of one rib. I went and had it x-rayed to make sure I hadn't cracked anything, and I hadn't. The doctor said I can workout if it doesn't bother me, so I have been pretty faithful getting back to the gym for lifting as well as cardio.

I am going to see if I can try and not look to fat for the Arnold, which is creeping up on us might quick here!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

This post seems really odd to me reading it today, in light of how my little experiment in applied altruism crashed and burned on me recently:


Some things have happened in my life that caused me to think about quitting bodybuilding. Here's why I thought about quitting, and then why I didn't.

Usually, when you hear about some guy quitting bodybuilding, it is because something negative happened. But I contemplated quitting because of a perceived greater good.

I met some friends, a young couple. It was odd the way it happened. My wife Cindy will tell you that I am not a "people person" at all. But I just clicked with these two. They are way younger than I am, and are struggling through unemployment, homelessness, and some other very serious things. So, I started helping them in various ways, when I could. And they, in turn, helped me in other ways. Oddest friendship that ever happened to me in my life.

But their needs are great, at times almost overwhelming to me. Neither of them finished high school, and I'm doing GED tutoring. Plus, they each have a kid or two from previous marriages. I'm tutoring one of those kids, too. It's complicated.

I began to look at my life and what I spend my time and energy on, and suddenly, bodybuilding started to look selfish to me. It takes a lot of time and money, as you guys well know. I began to wonder if I started to eat like a normal human being, not supplement at all, and work out less, whether I could help my friends more. The question haunted me for several weeks. But I kept working out and eating as usual.

Then, one day, it came to me. If I stop bodybuilding, there won't be any "me" left to help them, because that is who I am now, a bodybuilder. It is so much a part of me, that I have to do this, even to be able to keep my health and sanity enough to be able to help others.

So ... I am still in the game!

What happened was that people around me, frends and relatives, noticed that I was being "used" by these people. That I was putting forth a much greater effort to get them jobs than they themselves were willing to exert. I was stubborn, though, and kept supporting them for a good while after my wife told me I should cut them off. But I didn't seem able to do it. I was like a gambing addict: "I can't quit now! I'm behind, and I've got way too much invested to quit now!" It eventually became apparent even to me that my "help" was not helping them. They were way too comfortable being unemployed, and making no progress in their lives. It would astound you if I listed all the stuff I gave them, all the places I drove them, all the enabling things I put in place to give them chances to succeed. In the end, they rejected it all.

Things came to a head when I refused to pay his cell phone bill. I had agreed to wean them slowly off the assistance I had been giving them, but when I tried to limit how they lived (she still had a cell phone which I was paying for on my family plan), I was being "controlling", and they requested the entire sum I had promised them. I gave it to them with the firm understanding that I would never be helping them financially again.

Within three days of this, they supposedly had sent all that money away to her ex for child support (I don't believe it). I stood firm. That same day she called saying he had a toothache and could I bring over $60. No. Then his brother (who lives with them when he is not in jail) called asking to borrow $80 to go to the doctor. No.

The day after that, she left me a frantic voice mail saying that their house had been robbed. "What am I going to do?" she asked. "Call the police," I said.

That evening, she threatened to either become a prostitute or else start dealing drugs, unless I helped them with more money. I held firm. "I guess you don't care, then," was her synopsis of the situation.

The next day, I got some angrily worded threats on my cell phone, and my wife got some ominous messages from them on her voice mail as well. It seems that all my good works were instantly forgotten when I "failed them" there at the end. In fact, they explicitly stated their goal of trying to send my wife messages that would break up our marriage. I suppose they know that their life of ease has come to an end, and they view it as my fault, so they lash out in any way they can. He even went so far as to threaten to call my wife and tell her the total amount of help I had given them (which he did). "She won't want to live with you no more after she knows that!" was his hope. In his threat (in which half the words were various forms of the f-word) he even stated that: "You're gonna see the real ***** (his name) now!" Which was an admission that he had been acting in a phony manner all along, pretending to be my friend. When in actuality, he had been laughing at me the entire time. I guess his self-esteem must have been pretty low, knowing that his girlfriend and he would have been homeless and starving had it not been for another man (whom he considered to be his inferior). It is not hard to see why he is angry now: his girlfriend is going to see exactly how well his leisure-loving ass can support her. I imagine he won't keep her for long.

Anyhow, these people were not the people I thought they were. I think I've learned something here. I am very glad I didn't give up bodybuilding to support these leeches.

I have some fear that they will try other forms of revenge against me, their former benefactor. In fact, I am having ADT install a security system in our house. But I don't worry too much. They crashed their car right near the end there, and even if they could scrape together enough money to get it fixed, they couldn't afford to put gas in it. They could never even keep their house stocked with toilet paper. So any substantial form of vandalism is probably beyond them. They would have to have me lend them cab money to come up and vandalize my house. LOL.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

In other news ... I had a mind-blowing leg workout this morning. Very intense.

[KyMuscle]

Some good deeds don't go unpunished, do they?

Jeez...what a story.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Wow.

Some crazy f'd up people in this world. Glad you're free of them now.

I'm glad, too. My mind sometimes drifts back to happier times, when things appeared to be going well, and I start to get all nostalgic, and I have to snap myself out of it.


Some good deeds don't go unpunished, do they?

Jeez...what a story.

I'm actually going to write this up into a novel. Maybe if it gets published, I can get royalties and pay myself back for my folly.

[bcapprentice]

This post seems really odd to me reading it today, in light of how my little experiment in applied altruism crashed and burned on me recently:



What happened was that people around me, frends and relatives, noticed that I was being "used" by these people. That I was putting forth a much greater effort to get them jobs than they themselves were willing to exert. I was stubborn, though, and kept supporting them for a good while after my wife told me I should cut them off. But I didn't seem able to do it. I was like a gambing addict: "I can't quit now! I'm behind, and I've got way too much invested to quit now!" It eventually became apparent even to me that my "help" was not helping them. They were way too comfortable being unemployed, and making no progress in their lives. It would astound you if I listed all the stuff I gave them, all the places I drove them, all the enabling things I put in place to give them chances to succeed. In the end, they rejected it all.

Things came to a head when I refused to pay his cell phone bill. I had agreed to wean them slowly off the assistance I had been giving them, but when I tried to limit how they lived (she still had a cell phone which I was paying for on my family plan), I was being "controlling", and they requested the entire sum I had promised them. I gave it to them with the firm understanding that I would never be helping them financially again.

Within three days of this, they supposedly had sent all that money away to her ex for child support (I don't believe it). I stood firm. That same day she called saying he had a toothache and could I bring over $60. No. Then his brother (who lives with them when he is not in jail) called asking to borrow $80 to go to the doctor. No.

The day after that, she left me a frantic voice mail saying that their house had been robbed. "What am I going to do?" she asked. "Call the police," I said.

That evening, she threatened to either become a prostitute or else start dealing drugs, unless I helped them with more money. I held firm. "I guess you don't care, then," was her synopsis of the situation.

The next day, I got some angrily worded threats on my cell phone, and my wife got some ominous messages from them on her voice mail as well. It seems that all my good works were instantly forgotten when I "failed them" there at the end. In fact, they explicitly stated their goal of trying to send my wife messages that would break up our marriage. I suppose they know that their life of ease has come to an end, and they view it as my fault, so they lash out in any way they can. He even went so far as to threaten to call my wife and tell her the total amount of help I had given them (which he did). "She won't want to live with you no more after she knows that!" was his hope. In his threat (in which half the words were various forms of the f-word) he even stated that: "You're gonna see the real ***** (his name) now!" Which was an admission that he had been acting in a phony manner all along, pretending to be my friend. When in actuality, he had been laughing at me the entire time. I guess his self-esteem must have been pretty low, knowing that his girlfriend and he would have been homeless and starving had it not been for another man (whom he considered to be his inferior). It is not hard to see why he is angry now: his girlfriend is going to see exactly how well his leisure-loving ass can support her. I imagine he won't keep her for long.

Anyhow, these people were not the people I thought they were. I think I've learned something here. I am very glad I didn't give up bodybuilding to support these leeches.

I have some fear that they will try other forms of revenge against me, their former benefactor. In fact, I am having ADT install a security system in our house. But I don't worry too much. They crashed their car right near the end there, and even if they could scrape together enough money to get it fixed, they couldn't afford to put gas in it. They could never even keep their house stocked with toilet paper. So any substantial form of vandalism is probably beyond them. They would have to have me lend them cab money to come up and vandalize my house. LOL.

Paul:
I can empathize. Us clergy types get used to all sorts of folk showing up on our doorstep looking for handouts. Most of us don't have cash on the premises as a security measure and there was a time when my father would be called out to deal with such persons that he made sure that he had a nearly empty wallet.

Then the abuse we have to put up with when we say "no" There is an expectation that the Church will respond to every need because supposedly that is what we are about(according to those looking for a handout)

Michael

P.S. I've started working with a trainer for a contest end of July

[freebirdmac]

Sorry you had to deal with leeches instead of people who truly needed a temporary boost. Unfortunately it's not easy to tell the scammers from the real deal. You should have a clear conscience.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Paul:
I can empathize. Us clergy types get used to all sorts of folk showing up on our doorstep looking for handouts. Most of us don't have cash on the premises as a security measure and there was a time when my father would be called out to deal with such persons that he made sure that he had a nearly empty wallet.

Then the abuse we have to put up with when we say "no" There is an expectation that the Church will respond to every need because supposedly that is what we are about(according to those looking for a handout)

Michael

P.S. I've started working with a trainer for a contest end of July

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Hey, that's great about your contest; you should start a Journal or post some pics or something!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Sorry you had to deal with leeches instead of people who truly needed a temporary boost. Unfortunately it's not easy to tell the scammers from the real deal. You should have a clear conscience.

Thanks. My conscience is pretty clear. I opened a door of opportunity for them, and held it open as long as I could. I have to keep telling myself it isn't my fault they refused to walk through it.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

My back is probably my weakest bodypart (abs would be a close 2nd). So, I have prioritized back for a few months now, splitting it into a back thickness day and a back width day.

So far, I am not able to visually discern any size increase in either dimension. Thickness is just non-existent.

My worst exercise is bent-over barbell rows. I started off weak, and haven't gotten any stronger on that movement. I hate it almost as bad as walking lunges, because I can't seem to move the needle. I've been doing them with an overhand grip.

On the other hand, I had taken a break from one-arm DB rows, but tried them again today, and was stronger. Even at the end of the workout, I was able to manage 7 reps with the 90 lb dumbells, which is more than I used to be able to handle.

Any clues as to how to increase my back thickness?

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Find exercises you don't hate. You are mentally disconnecting with the muscle because of the exercise, which you hate.

Do seated rows instead, just as effective in building a great back as BB rows.

Really? I love seated rows.

I guess somebody at some time told me that I had to focus really hard on all the exercises I was worst at. But with the bent over BB rows, I think there is something kinematically limiting me.

I will try this advice for sure!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

^^^word. try smith rows, forget about the weight! just really plant yourself with tension in your hips and glutes, set the back and then just move that bar up and down via scapular movement and as little arm movement as necessary.
I was reading Zane's back workout...didn't go over 225 on bb rows during his olympia reign. usually stayed in the 190lb range.

Mac is right on...don't get hung up on an exercise...find what makes you FEEL the muscle.

Cool; thanks!

I may have to take the blow to my ego (even on the Smith rows) and just lower the weight until I can really feel the muscles working and get a good range of motion.

[KevinCouch]

Well, take it from me. I do not and cannot do bentover rows and deads. Both these exercises are great but you CAN build a thick and wide back without them. I row my ass off but not without support of a bench cuz my lower back problems.

Thickness
Seated cable rows
DB Rows
Hammer Strength Rows, 2 or 3 different angled machines
Unilateral Hammer strength rows
Many different kinds of pin loaded machines

Width
Wid-grip Pullups
Close-Grip Pullups alternative grip
Pulldowns to front
Pulldowns to Rear
V Bar Pulldowns (different variations leaning back will give you a cross between a high row and pulldown)
Hammerstength Pulldowns, Front and reverse body position

Plus as many more as you can make up that gives you the mind, muscle control. Trust me, If you don't like BB Bent Rows you don't need to do them. Find a couple of row motions that you like and really feel the contraction and find two pulldown or pullup width building exercises you like and feel and blow you back out. You can and will do it!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Thickness
Seated cable rows
DB Rows
Hammer Strength Rows, 2 or 3 different angled machines
Unilateral Hammer strength rows
Many different kinds of pin loaded machines

Width
Wid-grip Pullups
Close-Grip Pullups alternative grip
Pulldowns to front
Pulldowns to Rear
V Bar Pulldowns (different variations leaning back will give you a cross between a high row and pulldown)
Hammerstength Pulldowns, Front and reverse body position

Plus as many more as you can make up that gives you the mind, muscle control. Trust me, If you don't like BB Bent Rows you don't need to do them. Find a couple of row motions that you like and really feel the contraction and find two pulldown or pullup width building exercises you like and feel and blow you back out. You can and will do it!

Thanks! I can see I should have asked about this a long time ago!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I've been wallowing in depression and drinking too much this past week.

Done with that crap. Back to the gym now.

[joedemarco]

You'll definitely feel better once you get back into the gym! Hang in there brother.

[freebirdmac]

Sorry to hear it's been a rough week. I agree that getting back into the gym should help. We all know drinking doesn't. Have a better week next week!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Thank you, my friends.

I actually only missed one lifting day and one cardio session. But I always feel that I more than undid any good work when I drink that evening.

If worse comes to worst, I will just enter a contest. That always keeps me from drinking.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

For those of you who don't wander outside of the Master's forum, here is a video of my bench press challenge with Curt James.

Man, I never do over ten reps of anything (my last working set is usually 4-6 reps), so anything beyond 11 reps seems really difficult. Maybe I need to mix up my training a bit by throwing in some high-rep stuff. I was good and sore the day after this.

OWL3viq-xjE

[bcapprentice]

I've been wallowing in depression and drinking too much this past week.

Done with that crap. Back to the gym now.
Paul:
Sorry to hear that you've been dealing with the black demons this week.
Lent is coming soon. Are you ready for it?!

[bcapprentice]

For those of you who don't wander outside of the Master's forum, here is a video of my bench press challenge with Curt James.

Man, I never do over ten reps of anything (my last working set is usually 4-6 reps), so anything beyond 11 reps seems really difficult. Maybe I need to mix up my training a bit by throwing in some high-rep stuff. I was good and sore the day after this.

OWL3viq-xjE


Maybe we need to set you up for more challenges!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Paul:
Sorry to hear that you've been dealing with the black demons this week.
Lent is coming soon. Are you ready for it?!

I'm ready. I almost always have some kind of big breakthrough during Advent and Lent, the penitential seasons. I remember one Lent, around 1993 or 1994, when I was finally able to stop hating my boss. It was like a giant burden taken off my shoulders. I have different burdens now; perhaps I can turn some of them loose during Lent.


Maybe we need to set you up for more challenges!

That would be cool.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I'm reading...you got our attention, so use that collective energy and run with it!

I'm in "Idle" mode right now, with a bad cold, so I've neither been drinking nor working out.

I am going through the worst depression of my life to date. I have a good support team, though, so I am really hoping to pull out of this nosedive.

I will update here as soon as there is anything to tell.

[partsRheavy]

Colds have been really going around a lot lately!!

I hope the job market isn't the source of your depression....

I'm thinking - don't know if it would help, but have you thought about either taking some vit. D or going tanning for a few sessions? I've seen links between increased amount of colds and the decreased sunlight/decreased vit. D titer in blood during winter. And then of course there's the usual suspect "seasonal affective disorder."

I know this won't cheer ya up immediately, but might be something to experiment with -

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Colds have been really going around a lot lately!!

I hope the job market isn't the source of your depression....

I'm thinking - don't know if it would help, but have you thought about either taking some vit. D or going tanning for a few sessions? I've seen links between increased amount of colds and the decreased sunlight/decreased vit. D titer in blood during winter. And then of course there's the usual suspect "seasonal affective disorder."

I know this won't cheer ya up immediately, but might be something to experiment with -

Thanks. Yes, I've been taking Vitamin D, and sitting under a SAD lamp for a little while each day. But there is a specific cause right now on top of my usual winter depression. Nothing makes me happy right now.


Hope you're feeling physically, mentally, and spiritually 100% ASAP, ABP. All the best to you, my friend.

Thanks, my friend.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

you are a Champion and you will beat this

Thanks, Cam.

[tifflex]

I'm thinking of you Paul;take care.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Keep hitting the gym Bro, there is no better medicine! Great video

Thanks. I know you are right about this.


I'm thinking of you Paul;take care.

Thanks!

Well, four days at the Arnold has helped me to put my head in the right place again. I worked out (legs) just before I left for Columbus on Thursday morning. Friday was too busy, but I worked out back, abs, and biceps at Metro Fitness on Saturday morning. Didn't work out Sunday or Monday due to sleep deprivation. But I hit chest, shoulders and triceps this morning.

I am glad that Lent is almost here; it will help me keep my diet in check. I weighed in at 199 pounds this morning, and a lot of that is fat. I need to be in the mid-180s by Easter.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Down to 196 pound this morning.

I think my system got blocked up by all the free protein samples at the Arnold Expo. LOL

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Blessed relief! ....and wet wipes, lol.

Every year at the Arnold, I swear I'm going to stay away from those protein bar samples, and every year I cave in at some point.

[bcapprentice]

More importantly: are you going to give a review of those protein bar samples?

[gman]

I think I had the equivalent of a case of them in about an hour last year!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

More importantly: are you going to give a review of those protein bar samples?

Nah; I don't really do protein bars. I was just getting free stuff. I think that something called "2-for-1" tasted pretty good. As to ingredients, another one was made up of Reese's pieces and M&Ms. My friend was arguing with the vendor about how they could be any good for you.


I think I had the equivalent of a case of them in about an hour last year!

I was thinking about you at the Arnold this year, since it was the 1 year anniversary of our big Masters showdown.

[gman]

that was fun, but I can't get off again during tax season to come back!

I enjoyed being 185 for a week or two, now I am back to my normal teddy-bear look!

[blu2xtreme]

We missed being at the Arnold ...hard to believe it's been a year.
We will have to plan on being at the Masters in Pitts in 2013 :)

[fatbackgoal]

Very nice job on the challenge, it was just what I needed to see to get my a@@ in gear!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Very nice job on the challenge, it was just what I needed to see to get my a@@ in gear!

That's cool to hear.

I still remember the Metro Fitness workout from last year's Arnold:

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I always get some nervousness ("butterflies in the stomach") when I wake up and realize it is leg day.

But today I felt strong, and trashed them thoroughly. I attribute the strength to getting 10 hours of sleep last night! I have been averaging just over 6 hours per night, with no naps. I think I had just built up such a sleep deficit that I started to get weak from it.

I hope I can actually learn from this and be consistent with the sleep.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Paul I jsut got caught up on this. Wow. You have been through a lot. As to the people, help those who try to help themselves. For Bent rows have you tried Yates rows?- on a Smith machine?

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Paul I jsut got caught up on this. Wow. You have been through a lot. As to the people, help those who try to help themselves. For Bent rows have you tried Yates rows?- on a Smith machine?

I had to Google "Yates rows" ... from the videos I saw it seems these would hit primarily the traps. Where do you feel them?

As to my friends, it may say something about the virtue of "faceless charity", such as giving to the United Way. Because, frankly, I have fallen in love with these people and am unable to stop caring. It really hurts to watch them fail like this.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I often think of, but seldom heed, this Biblical Proverb:

Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

My follow-up question to God is always the same:

Dear God ... what about 2 cities?

Anyhow, feeling my Inner Warrior rising up today. Back day at Powerhouse this morning!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I'm still stuck in a deep depression.

Some days are better than others, but basically this has lasted since the first week of December, 2010. It was 25 degrees when I left for work this morning. This Michigan winter is endless, and its killing me.

I am starting to see my doctor about this, and my see a psychiatrist if my family doctor can't help.

Most days, I pray for my own death to come quickly. Yeah, I know, it is selfish and pathetic. But that's where I am right now.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Paul, if there is any way I can help you through this let me know. If you need someone to talk to, I can help you.

Thanks, I will take you up on this if I need to. I am stable right at the moment.

[freebirdmac]

Does lack of sun play into your depression? Low vitamin D levels?

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Does lack of sun play into your depression? Low vitamin D levels?

I am taking Vitamin D and using one of those "SAD" lamps.


Now that the days are getting longer, more sunlight will help alleviate seasonal disorders. I can totally relate to how you're feeling. I take massive amounts of Vitamin D, especially during the winter and it helps the moods, amongst other things.

I trust you're taking the core supplements used to promote good endocrine function in us older men?

Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin D.

Yes, I am. Wait .. how much Vitamin D do you take? Maybe I am not taking enough.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

15000ius of D3

Interesting. I am not taking that much, I'm sure.

[freebirdmac]

I get blood work to check my vitamin D levels at least once a year. I'm on 50,000 IU once a week.

Do you like tanning?

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I get blood work to check my vitamin D levels at least once a year. I'm on 50,000 IU once a week.

Do you like tanning?

I do enjoy tanning, but I worry about the effects on my skin.

[freebirdmac]

I'd get some tanning sessions in. Take it slow, use low pressure beds, moisturize after, and you should be fine. There are some nice indoor tanning lotions without bronzers or tingles that are also good for keeping your skin moist.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

1. Tanning bed (use a lotion with silicon in it)
2. get laid
3. get laid
4. Uhhh, hmmmm, did I say get laid?


Oddly, 2, 3, and 4 have been going smoothly. It helps for a while.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Does your avi come in a t-shirt?

Yes, indeed!

SpeedCult (http://www.speedcult.com/cgi/tshirts.php)

[AnglicanBeachParty]

awesome site!!!!! Thanks, I might break the bank...ordering the tiki plant holders for Z and the t-shirt for me!


Cool! I love their gear.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

15000ius of D3


I had to check with my wife, who keeps track of these things for me, but I am taking 10,000 ius of Vit D per day, which is more than I thought.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Tomorrow afternoon we leave for a week of vacation in scenic Tahlequah, Oklahoma. I will get to work out at the cool li'l gym in Muskogee that has all the cool equipment.

That should fire me up.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Well, best-laid plans and all that. The cool gym in Muskogee shut down, which is a pity. So l am just going to rest for the week and catch up on my sleep. Then hit it hard next week.

The weather down here is definitely helping my mood!

[joedemarco]

Relax and enjoy yourself!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I am doing better these days, more emotionally stable.

I think that the weather and/or the St. John's Wort is helping that. Must be the latter, because the Michigan weather is still, for the most part, crappy.

I am upping my weekly cardio, because I have entered this Transformation Contest (http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/ironmaglabs-2011-transformation-challenge/126849-hotrodanglicans-transformation-challenge-thread.html). I'm a little over 2 weeks in, and have lost about 6 or 7 pounds.

[masterschamp]

I take 15000 iu D3 daily as well.....I feel it does help with a number of things.

Keith

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Hey Paul- glad to see you are feeling better. Being depressed or down really SUCKS. How is the training going?

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Hey Paul- glad to see you are feeling better. Being depressed or down really SUCKS. How is the training going?

Training is going well. I had a few PRs on some lifts, but others just won't budge. On a few, I'm even weaker than I was a year or two ago. I can't quite figure that out. But, overall, I feel pretty strong.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Friends,

I am at a crisis point in my life. There is a lot to it that I cannot share right now. But I am considering giving up bodybuilding entirely, and going back to live like a normal, somewhat-out-of-shape old guy, eating normally and everything. Not supplementing. (Keeping up the Pop Tart habit, of course.)

Tell me, would y'all hate me for that? Would I be a failure in your eyes?

It feels so wrong to me, like if I switched religions from Anglicanism to Buddhism or something. But I may have to do it anyhow.

Peace,
Paul

[freebirdmac]

We wouldn't hate you at all Paul or view you as a failure. But I must ask why do you want to give up something you love? Why must you give it up entirely?

I agree! It is so good for you in so many ways, why throw the baby out with the bath water? Is it truly all or nothing? Could you not do what I do... workout regularly but not compete and take time off when it's needed? Even a 2x week full body workout would be good for you.

[KyMuscle]

Even if you have to give up the hardcore bodybuilding lifestyle, what would you gain by giving up the healthy aspects of a bodybuilding lifestyle? At the very least, can you not find the time/will to eat reasonably healthy and manage 2-3 very basic workouts a week?

Good luck, whatever you decide.

[partsRheavy]

Do you like to lift weights? Are meat and veggies sustaining?

Not everyone who lifts in the gym subscribes to the mags or even follows the BB scene. There are certainly a LOT of ppl who know they lack either the genetic structure or dietary discipline to compete.

A lot of the people just lift 2-3x/wk to keep up strength for the activities they're more interested in, whether that's work (fire, police, etc.) or recreation like rowing at the lake or building furniture or traveling or whatever....

I know that gyms these days are not as social as they used to be before iPods and that originator of plugged-in music, the Walkman. I have a LOT more conversations with ppl in stores, auto insurance agencies, craft fairs, restaurants etc. than around gyms.

I hope everything is OK!!!!

[bcapprentice]

Friends,

I am at a crisis point in my life. There is a lot to it that I cannot share right now. But I am considering giving up bodybuilding entirely, and going back to live like a normal, somewhat-out-of-shape old guy, eating normally and everything. Not supplementing. (Keeping up the Pop Tart habit, of course.)

Tell me, would y'all hate me for that? Would I be a failure in your eyes?

It feels so wrong to me, like if I switched religions from Anglicanism to Buddhism or something. But I may have to do it anyhow.

Peace,
Paul

Paul:
I'm sorry to hear that your life is in a state of turmoil/confusion at the moment. I hope everything works out. We make our own choices and so whatever works for you,if it makes sense to you. None of us can get inside your skin so whatever works for you.

So I wouldn't hate you, I'd just miss you, your example and encouragement. Hopefully this too shall pass
Michael

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Paul I was in your shoes in 1996. I walked away from the Bodybuilding life style. Gone were my intense workouts, mega suppliments and blind ambition. I did however keep my World Gym membership and trained hap hazzard from 3 to 5 days a week doing the bare minimum. My diet was a mostly clean version of anything goes (in the mouth). I did not go on line, read a muscle mag or converse Bodybuilding with anyone. Around June of 2008 I somehow ventured into BB.com Masters section and told old stories. Then on T Giving of 2008 I was leaning on a crap table in Vegas and an old friend I had not seen in a while walked up and said..."hey Bill, are you pregnant". That was all I needed.

After my 12 years 'away' from the lifestyle I was back in...hook, line and sinker. Without Bodybuilding I would not have had the strength to care for my late wife in her hour of need. I would not have been there that fateful morning at Golds when the love of my life Monica came over and asked me a question about an exercise.

So Paul, I say keep at least one toe in the water.

Baldie

[KevinCouch]

Paul,
I agree with the rest of us here! I gave up competitive BB in 1995 for good (I thought) and continued to train at times more frequently than other times but NEVER stopped completely! If working out with weights is a positive part of your life then buddy don't give that part up. You have nothing to prove by competing on stage and it does create a lot of extra stress in your life. I hope you're ok and god bless brother!

Kevin

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Thank you, everyone, for the advice and well-wishes.

I have several problems. One thing is that I am having some money problems. I have spent money foolishly over the years, and have piled up a lot of credit card debt. So, continuing to buy supplements (on borrowed money) doesn't seem like a good idea to me right now. I have been on HRT for nearly two years now. I may end up dropping that, to save money.

As folks have advised, I will continue to lift. I really enjoy it. Perhaps without supplementation, I can merely reduce the rate at which I lose muscle rather than actually build any. But I will continue to lift 4 times a week. I'm not so sure about the diet and cardio.

Another of my several problems is that every so often I go off and drink to excess. I always hate myself the next day, and stay away from drinking for a while. I did about two years in a row without any alcohol, about 4 or 5 years ago. A related issue is that my wife (correctly) points out that there is really no reason for her to be cooking up all my chicken breasts and top sirloin meals if I am then going to go out and get hammered. She would much prefer me to eat whatever she eats. And I know from experience that I will get fat that way. This problem really should be fixable; it is much more within my control than the money problems.

A lot of things are still going right in my life, and I need to remember to bet thankful for those things.

I haven't made any firm decisions yet; I am still pondering things. So, thanks for all your advices!

[partsRheavy]

Three or four ideas - hope they're useful.

1) Pare the supplements back to just the basics like a multivit + fish oil + BCAA or creatine. Still have whey but a container should last a WHILE i.e. over a month. Keep the HRT (assuming based on age that you indeed need it) but get an MD who won't charge an arm and a leg. Go with a little more chicken and turkey ---- steak can get expensive! Help with meal prep so wife doesn't have to do it all.

2) Maybe try cardio before bed rather than beer?

3) Travel-on-the-cheap and/or get contacts OUTSIDE of Detroit while keeping fellowship with your friends there. There are A LOT of socioeconomic problems around Detroit that are NOT your fault. It's a complex situation but things are overall getting (slowly) better outside of MI and Ohio.

4) Vehicles, gas prices etc. If you can sell something like a second vehicle, it's something to consider. If you have a boat or something rarely used like that, sell it even if it's at a loss. If you can economically replace a big gas-guzzling vehicle with a better-mileage vehicle, definitely do that. Those are easy cutbacks compared to cutting stuff that affects your health or energy levels. I realize that selling a vehicle is viewed as a major lifestyle change but one smaller vehicle will serve just as well as two or a large one unless you're earning money as a contractor or landscaper.

This was at random but I hope it helped.....

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Three or four ideas - hope they're useful.

1) Pare the supplements back to just the basics like a multivit + fish oil + BCAA or creatine. Still have whey but a container should last a WHILE i.e. over a month. Keep the HRT (assuming based on age that you indeed need it) but get an MD who won't charge an arm and a leg. Go with a little more chicken and turkey ---- steak can get expensive! Help with meal prep so wife doesn't have to do it all.

2) Maybe try cardio before bed rather than beer?

3) Travel-on-the-cheap and/or get contacts OUTSIDE of Detroit while keeping fellowship with your friends there. There are A LOT of socioeconomic problems around Detroit that are NOT your fault. It's a complex situation but things are overall getting (slowly) better outside of MI and Ohio.

4) Vehicles, gas prices etc. If you can sell something like a second vehicle, it's something to consider. If you have a boat or something rarely used like that, sell it even if it's at a loss. If you can economically replace a big gas-guzzling vehicle with a better-mileage vehicle, definitely do that. Those are easy cutbacks compared to cutting stuff that affects your health or energy levels. I realize that selling a vehicle is viewed as a major lifestyle change but one smaller vehicle will serve just as well as two or a large one unless you're earning money as a contractor or landscaper.

This was at random but I hope it helped.....

It's great advice; I will consider all of it. Definitely, #2 for sure, and almost certainly #1.

Thanks much.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Life is still throwing my some difficult stuff lately. I am doing my best to roll with the punches.

I have been eating fairly clean, still. But I have an injury on my tibialis anterior that has kept me from doing any cardio for several weeks. I thought that rest would fix it, but that has not turned out to be the case. It still feels torn down there or something. I plan to go to the doctor soon to have it checked out.

We've taken some financial hits lately, too. We had a timing chain problem on my wife's car. I had diagnosed it with the help of some experts and using a mechanic's stethoscope. But when I got the call from the dealership, they said that the technician had run the engine up to 1800 rpm, and it locked, and that now I need a complete new engine. So, I had to lay out $3000 for a rebuilt engine. And now I need to spend my week of vacation around July 4 putting in the new motor.

Getting hit with all this stuff is quite discouraging. So, I am doing well just to stay in the game at all. Thankfully, I have not fallen into the habit of drinking a lot. I haven't even been reading the bodybuilding forums lately, just too depressing.

Enough whining; I just wanted to update everyone as to where I am.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Wow ... I'm looking back at that post I made on May 21st, about being in a crisis, and I had to scratch my head for a minute to remember what I was even talking about. Because things have gotten ten times worse since then.

I'm in all kinds of economic trouble with a ****load of credit card debts. I went to my first DA (Debtor's Anonymous) meeting last night. I'm selling off a bunch of my prized possessions on eBay. At least I am staring the thing down now, and being honest with it, instead of lying about it. Drinking has not been a problem; I won't be doing that any more. I need to really buckle down and pay off some debts before things can even begin to approach normalcy again.

On the bright side, my son and I successfully transplanted the rebuilt engine into my wife's car. Here he is, jacking the broken motor out of it:

s1-xBuWzhDA

And here he is, starting the car up with the new motor installed. It came with a 36 month / 100,000 mile warranty. We'll hit 36 months way before we hit 100,000 miles, of course. Still, it gives me something of a feeling of confidence that I won't have to do this again very soon.

crT2DmNSxCs

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Paul you seem to always circle back to the positive. You are one tough sumbeech.


Baldie

[bcapprentice]

Paul:
Congrats on the successful transplant of the engine. Enjoyed watching the youtube. Things will work out.
Hang in there.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

You can do a lot more than you think. Heck transplanting a new engine? Wayy more than a lot of us could do. As long as you have an income and a roof over your head, you are in the game.

[mkris7]

Paul why do you bodybuild? More than likely it is because it makes you feel good. Don't let the trails of this world take that away from you. Let it be your anchor in the chaos.

I have also been there before, go to my other post and see how far out of shape I had let myself go before I started training again. The worst part was not how fat and horrible I looked but rather (1) I knew deep inside that this was not the real me and that I deserve more and (2) I missed how good working out made me feel.

Even to this day, I can handle stress much better after a good workout. 90% of the crap this world dishes out just rolls off my shoulders when I train regularly. When I don't...Life sucks.

And I can relate financially to your experience also. I was deep in a financial valley experience, real days of little (to nothing) in 2005...without going into detail things were bad, I mean BR bad. I remember when I would take my wife out to eat we could only afford to share a burrito...but we had faith and held on and things slowly got better. Not I, but GOD promises that things will get better.

The storms of life will come and go but if you just keep on moving forward you will get through it. We are all here for you and regardless of your decision around training. You have our support and respect..WE CARE.

Your in my prayers Paul

[mkris7]

We are all here for you and regardless of your decision around training. You have our support and respect.

Your in my prayers Paul

[Tim Wescott]

I drank and drugged for 33 years, with off and on periods of sobriety and training in between drunken binges.

Sometimes I was sober for a day or two,at other times a year,and at other times ten minutes was it.................seven days a week and my mission was to get hammered out of my mind in an effort to avoid my problems in life.

Of course,this always created new problems to add onto the already existing ones!! :)

Lots of depression and anxiety issues but as long as you are alive,there is always hope.

I`m not rich by any means as you can probably guess with 33 years of alcoholism under my belt,I never really managed to get much of a career going.

In my opinion, bodybuilding saved my life as everytime I hit a new low in life,I would somehow get back up and the first thing I always did was to get back in the gym no matter how beaten up and pathetic I was looking......it was my sanctuary and was a positive beginning on the road to getting my shit back together.

I`m doing fine these days and haven`t had a drink or a drug in many years.

Never give up on yourself as things will always get better if you persevere.

Good luck, and stay strong........this too shall pass.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Paul you seem to always circle back to the positive. You are one tough sumbeech.


Thanks, Baldie. That means A LOT, coming from you! I need to get on this forum more often; a lot of positive energy here!


Paul:
Congrats on the successful transplant of the engine. Enjoyed watching the youtube. Things will work out.
Hang in there.

Thanks, man. I will. Things I think are an absolute disaster (the engine thing, for instance) end up being an opportunity for teaching my son things, and for fellowship together.


You can do a lot more than you think. Heck transplanting a new engine? Wayy more than a lot of us could do. As long as you have an income and a roof over your head, you are in the game.

So far, so good, on the income and the roof. All this stuff has made me dig a bit harder at work, simply because I can now imagine what my life would be like without that job! No more complaining about the job situation from me!



And I can relate financially to your experience also. I was deep in a financial valley experience, real days of little (to nothing) in 2005...without going into detail things were bad, I mean BR bad. I remember when I would take my wife out to eat we could only afford to share a burrito...but we had faith and held on and things slowly got better. Not I, but GOD promises that things will get better.

The storms of life will come and go but if you just keep on moving forward you will get through it. We are all here for you and regardless of your decision around training. You have our support and respect..WE CARE.

Your in my prayers Paul

Thanks for sharing that. I will do my best to get through this, and not fall out of the gym habit while doing so! Thanks for the prayers, too.



In my opinion, bodybuilding saved my life as everytime I hit a new low in life,I would somehow get back up and the first thing I always did was to get back in the gym no matter how beaten up and pathetic I was looking......it was my sanctuary and was a positive beginning on the road to getting my shit back together.

I`m doing fine these days and haven`t had a drink or a drug in many years.

Thanks, Tim. I feel the same way about the gym. Second to church, it is the main place where I always feel at peace.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Here is a quote I just made up, regarding my outlook on bodybuilding:

It has never been my goal to make bodybuilding popular, loved, or accepted by the average person. The average person is disgusted by any good bodybuilder.

My goal has ever been, by the grace of God, to make my body worthy of eliciting that same disgust from the average man which he accords to the bodybuilder.

[mkris7]

Here is a quote I just made up, regarding my outlook on bodybuilding:

It has never been my goal to make bodybuilding popular, loved, or accepted by the average person. The average person is disgusted by any good bodybuilder.

My goal has ever been, by the grace of God, to make my body worthy of eliciting that same disgust from the average man which he accords to the bodybuilder.

One thing I have noticed ( and I am no mass master by any means) at the bwt of 205 is that the average person can often be put off by someone in decent shape. Maybe it stems from there own insecurity or short comings. I never took the time trying to understand it. But there are also times when people actually admire you and motivate them to start taking care themselves.

Thanks for sharing and keep training hard :yep:

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I've had to scramble to make ends meet, financially. I've had to go off HRT, and sell a lot of stuff (guitars, rare car parts, a gun, my radar detector) to get by. But you know what? All those people who kept saying that love is really all you need were kind of right. And here all this time I thought it was just some motivational poster crap.

I'm having a really tough time at work (they told me "You suck!" at my Interim Performance Review), and a few other problems. But, you know what? I have the love of my wife and the admiration of my kids. You can't by those for any price. I am a rich man.

I would also like to say: Always treat people well. I taught high school Math and Physics from 1983 to 1988, and I just got another batch of ex-students adding me on FaceBook and telling me that my teaching changed their lives. Wow. One of them may even be helping me navigate through some legal trouble I'm in ... and that was a kind of goofing-off "C" student from 1983-1983. Always treat people well ... not only will they remember you, but they may even come back and help you someday when you least expect it.

I am still in the gym. Strength is off somewhat after quitting the HRT, but I'm in there getting it done. No excuses!

I finally (thank God!) decided to quit whining and take control of my own destiny. I may not compete in 2013, but I will be back. Count on it.

[Amazon Doll]

I'm glad you are doing better!

[joedemarco]

Good to hear, ABP! Stay positive and keep the faith!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Ever since I posted my last post above ^^^ things have gone in the toilet.

MAN, I am hurting! I am angry and sad all day at work for 10 or 11 hours. Then, I either scream or cry like a little girl on the way home. Today I did both. Almost lost my voice screaming.

I am trying to do the right things: keep working out, not drinking, be polite to people, sell my stuff to pay off my debts, but no matter what I do, each day is worse than the last.

It is a shameful thing to admit, but these days I often pray that God will just take my life.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Paul, don't go there. Life is tough and will beat you down if you let it. Sounds like time to look around at other jobs?? Go to the museum or zoo with family or friends, a nice swim.. just ssome positive movement can really help.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Paul, don't go there. Life is tough and will beat you down if you let it. Sounds like time to look around at other jobs?? Go to the museum or zoo with family or friends, a nice swim.. just ssome positive movement can really help.

I am looking around at jobs, for sure. I am going to be demoted at my current job (unless I take a voluntary demotion before that happens), but my salary will still probably be better than what I get by bolting to a different company. But, believe me, I am looking!

Long term, I want to go back to teaching high school I was so much happier doing that. I just can't afford to, financially, for now.

[masterschamp]

Ever since I posted my last post above ^^^ things have gone in the toilet.

MAN, I am hurting! I am angry and sad all day at work for 10 or 11 hours. Then, I either scream or cry like a little girl on the way home. Today I did both. Almost lost my voice screaming.

I am trying to do the right things: keep working out, not drinking, be polite to people, sell my stuff to pay off my debts, but no matter what I do, each day is worse than the last.

It is a shameful thing to admit, but these days I often pray that God will just take my life.

Paul,
Don't despair, things will get better.....when?....I cannot say, but they will get better. Think of the people that hold you dearly in their lives and what you mean to them. I want to tell you a story that demonstrates there is a purpose for everything in life:
When my third child was born with CP I was heartbroken. He has lived his entire life in a wheelchair, never taken a step. But what would seem to be a tragedy has turned out to be the greatest blessing in my life. He is 19 years old now and has never had a "why me?" moment. He lives his life with a joy and an energy that is incredible to see. He has taught me what truly is important and more about being a real man than I could have ever hoped to have learned. He is the bravest person I have ever met...he has overcome so much and LIVES life.There is nothing that I can complain about or will not face head on, because I have seen him face challenges greater than any I have ever faced with a courage and determination that is inspiring. I can only aspire to be what he is. I have learned all these things from a child.....an angel sent here by God to make me a better man. Most importantly he has taught me that the only true tragedy in life is to give up.
Weather this storm, Paul...it will pass.

Keith

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Paul, stay strong and things will work out. Times are really tough now for me as well, but I try to remain positive. Negative thinking yields negative results.

I am sure you can pray to God for things other than what you sometime do.

Thanks. Things seem to be improving now.


Paul,
Don't despair, things will get better.....when?....I cannot say, but they will get better. Think of the people that hold you dearly in their lives and what you mean to them. I want to tell you a story that demonstrates there is a purpose for everything in life:
When my third child was born with CP I was heartbroken. He has lived his entire life in a wheelchair, never taken a step. But what would seem to be a tragedy has turned out to be the greatest blessing in my life. He is 19 years old now and has never had a "why me?" moment. He lives his life with a joy and an energy that is incredible to see. He has taught me what truly is important and more about being a real man than I could have ever hoped to have learned. He is the bravest person I have ever met...he has overcome so much and LIVES life.There is nothing that I can complain about or will not face head on, because I have seen him face challenges greater than any I have ever faced with a courage and determination that is inspiring. I can only aspire to be what he is. I have learned all these things from a child.....an angel sent here by God to make me a better man. Most importantly he has taught me that the only true tragedy in life is to give up.
Weather this storm, Paul...it will pass.

Keith

That is quite a story! Wow.

Things may be looking up for me pretty quickly, at least in the job area. I got a call from my previous Manager, and she wants to hire me back. I know the supervisor I'd be working for, and he is magnificent at what he does. It would be a huge pleasure to work for this guy. My ex-Manager has already got the Chief Engineer's approval, and only needs to get the Director's approval to make this happen. I am psyched. (Still bracing myself for disappointment, but very excited.) The Director is an old drag racer, so I'm letting a few of my friends at the old job to see if they can name-drop me as someone also involved in that hobby.

This would be huge for me, so I hope it comes to pass!

[bcapprentice]

That is quite a story! Wow.

Things may be looking up for me pretty quickly, at least in the job area. I got a call from my previous Manager, and she wants to hire me back. I know the supervisor I'd be working for, and he is magnificent at what he does. It would be a huge pleasure to work for this guy. My ex-Manager has already got the Chief Engineer's approval, and only needs to get the Director's approval to make this happen. I am psyched. (Still bracing myself for disappointment, but very excited.) The Director is an old drag racer, so I'm letting a few of my friends at the old job to see if they can name-drop me as someone also involved in that hobby.

This would be huge for me, so I hope it comes to pass!
Paul:
Glad to hear that things are on the upswing! All good things come to those who wait!

[tifflex]

I'm glad to hear about the potential new job. Have you looked in the employee assistance program at your job? Perhaps you can see someone to help you through this rough period--emotionally and financially.

Hang in there buddy!

[freebirdmac]

We're all pulling for you! Don't let the dips rule you. I agree with everyone else, it will get better. It already has!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Paul:
Glad to hear that things are on the upswing! All good things come to those who wait!

Yes, they seem to be. It looks like one problem down, several more to go.


Hope you're feeling better, ABP. You're important to me, man. You ready for a rematch? :)

That would be fun, Curt. Let me know what you'd like to try as a challenge.


I'm glad to hear about the potential new job. Have you looked in the employee assistance program at your job? Perhaps you can see someone to help you through this rough period--emotionally and financially.

Hang in there buddy!

Thanks very much! Actually, I am already doing that. I've had 2 appointments with work-sponsored counselors, and I have another one coming up this Wednesday. If things go well in the work department, we'll be able to focus on some of my other problems.


We're all pulling for you! Don't let the dips rule you. I agree with everyone else, it will get better. It already has!

Thanks, you are right.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

:dunno: Let's see...

Preacher bench EZ bar curls with a ridiculously light weight?

Sure, sounds like fun. It's one of those exercises, though, that gets more than twice as hard if you let the weight go down all the way (i.e., full extention at the elbow), so we would have to make some kind of rule about that.

[mkris7]

Just checkin in to see how your doing my friend. Hope everything is cool. Looking forward to you posting.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Just checkin in to see how your doing my friend. Hope everything is cool. Looking forward to you posting.

Thanks for asking. I haven't been on Rx like I should have been.

Among the victories: I have successfully landed a job in a different department of my company, and I like it much better! My wife, who is a Senior Fitness trainer, has been slowly building up her client base, and is starting to bring home more money. My credit card spending is now under control (i.e., non-existent). I am still in the gym, although unable to do legs and cardio (darn!) right now. No nights of going out and getting drunk (not in the budget, for one thing!) and slightly less of sitting around moping.

I still have a great family, a great church, a great band (though we lost our singer).

And the defeats/struggles: Still having money problems, but I have been reading and listening to Dave Ramsey, and my relationship with money is slowly being transformed. I keep re-injuring my knee. It locks and then pops, creating pain. I think it is a torn meniscus. I can't do legs or cardio right now. I'm okay with the latter part of that, LOL. I still have a court date coming up for a misdemeanor traffic violation, which carries potential jail time as a penalty. It is at least going to hit me financially, including insurance rate hikes.

I've been so busy selling stuff on ebay, craigslist, and elsewhere that I don't think I've painted since June, which is hard for me. I want to get back to that and even start making some money from it, I hope.

Overall: What I am seeing is the phenomenon of huge "mountains" of trouble coming at me on my journey. Huge, as seen from a distance, but smaller when I get right up to the base of them. At that point, you just dig in and start climbing. One foot in front of the other, until you're at the top. Hard, not impossible. Which is pretty much what all of our lives are like, right?

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Glad to hear you have a new job Paul. That will certainly help your mind set, do work that you actually like.

Keep climbing those mountains, one step at a time.

Thanks, Mac. I am still climbing.

I went to the doc for my tibialis injury, and he X-rayed it but found no bone spur. In a week, I go in for tests to see if there is nerve damage there, and one other test, I think for adequate circulation.

My money situation is still crazy. I am in the process of getting certified as a Personal Trainer, hoping to pick up a bit of money on the side, as I am running out of things to put on ebay.

I have another court date tomorrow for my misdemeanor traffic violation. It is possible that it will be dismissed; I hope so.

I have been lifting regularly, but my strenght is 10 to 20% off from my peak strength. I haven't done cardio in a long time, but I hope to ease back into that soon.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Stay strong Paul. Keep the faith!

[mrky03]

Wow, just got caught up on your thread. So sorry to hear about all your troubles. You are a strong person and will prevail. Sounds like things are taking a turn for the better.

[bcapprentice]

Hang in there Paul. We are all rooting for you.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Wow, just got caught up on your thread. So sorry to hear about all your troubles. You are a strong person and will prevail. Sounds like things are taking a turn for the better.


Hang in there Paul. We are all rooting for you.

Thanks, men.

Court today turned out very well. The misdemeanor violation got dismissed, but I had to plead "responsible" to a much lesser Civil Infraction. So, I ended up with 2 Civil Infractions, just the points on my ticket from one of them, and a total of $250 in fines. So, that is behind me.

I'll keep attacking the debt mountain, and keep attacking the weights in the gym.

Tomorrow is chest/shoulders/triceps workout, which is my favorite one in my split.

[bcapprentice]

Thanks, men.

Court today turned out very well. The misdemeanor violation got dismissed, but I had to plead "responsible" to a much lesser Civil Infraction. So, I ended up with 2 Civil Infractions, just the points on my ticket from one of them, and a total of $250 in fines. So, that is behind me.

I'll keep attacking the debt mountain, and keep attacking the weights in the gym.

Tomorrow is chest/shoulders/triceps workout, which is my favorite one in my split.

Glad to hear that the court thing worked out OK. Forwards and upwards!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Go pound some iron bro, it makes all stress go away

I have been. The workout yesterday morning was great! Resting today, and then back/biceps tomorrow.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I'm still off HRT, still scrambling to pay off debts. Not feeling really strong in the gym, but not giving up, either.

In my haste to try to get debts paid off, I got careless and got scammed out of some money. It was a guy I contacted on craigslist who wanted me to sell software for him on ebay. He had answers for all my suspicions and objections, but in the end, it was pirated software, and I refunded everyone's money, while this scammer had already run off with my money. I have to be more careful.

In happier news, my son got into the art/design school he's wanted to go to since around age 7 (College for Creative Studies, in Detroit). If we can afford to send him, he'll be studying Transportation Design. The admissions folks seemed to like his portfolio, so maybe he'll get a fairly generous merit scholarship. We shall see.

I'm working on getting a personal training business going. No clients yet. More on that as it develops. It is funny: Everyone wants to be your friend and wants bodybuilding/fitness/workout/diet advice ... for free. But start charging, and watch how quiet they all get!

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Have you seen the admissions dept. yet? Schools love upfront money and that comes from Fed grants and student loans. We just got Monicas oldest son into Medical Records School without out a penny from her end. He has a $126 per month loan to pay off once hired. You would be a splendid trainer. Baldie

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Have you seen the admissions dept. yet? Schools love upfront money and that comes from Fed grants and student loans. We just got Monicas oldest son into Medical Records School without out a penny from her end. He has a $126 per month loan to pay off once hired. You would be a splendid trainer. Baldie

Thanks, Baldie.

Yes, we've been in close touch with the admissions department. He had his ACT score and GPA submitted with his application, and the portfolio was the last thing to turn in. I just made a "draft" of it to have the folks in admissions look over, but they wrote back that it was such a drastic improvement that they are recommending him for the top-tier merit-based financial aid package. I should see some numbers in a week or two. I'm optimistic that we are going to be able to make this happen.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

... I'm a Personal Trainer!

I have my first client. She joined the gym, seems very motivated, and we start next Tuesday.

I have paid my fee with the gym, gotten business cards, insurance, and I'm good to go.

Can't wait!

[bcapprentice]

... I'm a Personal Trainer!

I have my first client. She joined the gym, seems very motivated, and we start next Tuesday.

I have paid my fee with the gym, gotten business cards, insurance, and I'm good to go.

Can't wait!
Congratulations! Things are indeed looking up

[partsRheavy]

Congrats!!! Did you go with one of the certification org's like ACE, NSCA etc.?

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Congratulations! Things are indeed looking up

Yes. Now I just need to find some clients!


Congrats!!! Did you go with one of the certification org's like ACE, NSCA etc.?

I ended up using AMFPT (http://amfpt.com/) ... based on a recommendation from some friends.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

So, I am trying hard to get my Personal Training business off the ground. So far, I am losing money on it (due to the fact that I have to pay my gym to be allowed to train people there).

What frustrates me most is watching the most popular trainer at my gym, and how he operates. He trains about 6 women at a time (rarely trains any men), gives them no personal attention, never corrects their bad form, just allows them to go through the motions, and yet he has dozens of clients per day.

Maybe it is his personal charisma or something, but I've watched some of his clients (lack of) progress for about 2 years now, and they don't look any better. Perhaps they just like to spend time with him; I don't know. He is not particularly fit looking. He is fairly muscular, but carries a lot of body fat (he covers up by wearing sweats, long-sleeve T-shirt and jacket), so I don't think that it is that the clients want to look like him, particularly.

My wife tells me it's too soon to give up. She has been training folks for about 5 or 6 years now, and she remembers how slow it was for her in the beginning. For her to say I should keep at it is surprising, since she hates to lose money. I think she is taking the long term view, hoping that eventually we can be in this business together.

Anyhow, I can barely stand to go to the gym when this other trainer is having his gaggle of clients do wobbly half-range-of-motion walking lunges all around the gym. Grrr!

Then, too, I have been meeting flaky clients (and/or potential clients). Some of them act all "gung ho" when we first talk, full of enthusiasm. Then, they don't call back, and I cannot reach them. It is as if they come into the thing believing that they can just pay me and their bodies will transform (without changing their lifestyle habits). But when they find out the work that will be involved, they decide it is not worth it.

On the plus side, my own training is going like gangbusters. I am putting on some muscle, and I look great in the gym mirrors. That, at least, makes me happy.

[KyMuscle]

Yes, it takes time to build a successful PT business. I started mine as a part-time venture while I still had other employment. In time (meaning, after years) I built up to a full-time training business.

I share your frustration at seeing incompetent trainers making $$$ training others in a pitiful fashion. Every day I bite my lip watching so-called trainers teach terrible form, assemble nonsensical training routines, pay closer attention to their text messages than their clients, etc.

Keep at it. If you know your stuff, have the personality to work with different types of people, and have patience, you'll make it. Once you have a client or two showing success after a few months under your tutelage, they'll find you clients!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! Put your thoughts into your actions, not others around you. Would you want his clients to be your marker of success? They are for him and poor ones at that.

Starting a PT business will take a long time and if you are reliant upon it for an income, be prepared for a lot of hard work that will pay off in the end.

Stick with it Paul, I know you can do it. Keep your expectations in check.


Yes, it takes time to build a successful PT business. I started mine as a part-time venture while I still had other employment. In time (meaning, after years) I built up to a full-time training business.

I share your frustration at seeing incompetent trainers making $$$ training others in a pitiful fashion. Every day I bite my lip watching so-called trainers teach terrible form, assemble nonsensical training routines, pay closer attention to their text messages than their clients, etc.

Keep at it. If you know your stuff, have the personality to work with different types of people, and have patience, you'll make it. Once you have a client or two showing success after a few months under your tutelage, they'll find you clients!

Thanks for your encouragement and "advices". This other trainer is actually quite likeable. I'm sure that there is a thing or two I could learn from him. He must be doing something right.

Anyhow, onward and upward!

[HeavyDutyGuy]

I understand your frustration. Been there.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I am having trouble replying to threads since the Rx site upgrade.

I am at a real low point right now. Two more personal trainers have come into the gym. I found out from the manager that all the other trainers charge about twice what I do. So far, I am behind about $800 on this whole P/T endeavor, at a time when I can least afford to spend money I don't have.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong ... but I can't go on like this, so I'm suspending my relationship with this gym, and will try to eek out a few bucks doing diets for people, or in-home training advice. My wife has been really patient with me, but my attempt to make money as a Personal Trainer have been devastating our home finances, and undoing a lot of the work she has been doing in her more successful business.

I am so bitter over this, I am most likely going to have to switch gyms even for my own sanity. I can't even get a good workout there anymore, because every time I walk in the door, all I can think of is the money I've lost.

FML

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Alright, my pity party is over. The whining lasted most of yesterday, and then I began to make plans.

I will still work out at my current gym, because it's the best one around, 24 hour access, and really close. No need to burn that bridge.

I struck a deal with the manager so that I can continue to train the one or two clients I have there, and just give him a certain amount for every session, so that I can maintain continuity with those clients.

Everything will work out somehow; I just can't see too far along the path in front of me at this point. One foot in front of the other, over and over again. I will get there!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I'm very glad you wrote, Hammerfit! That's gold there; awesome stuff!

I do need to find my niche. It will come with time.

I plan to come back by here and read this at least once a week. Thanks!

[AnglicanBeachParty]

This is frustrating. My PT ad on craigslist keeps getting marked for deletion. The lastest guy to flag it is some guy who thinks it is illegal for anyone but a medical doctor to specify exercise routines for someone.

He also didn't like my "After" photo. He wrote:


Yes, I am saying the pic makes you look like a roids fruit-lopp from Golds gym. < Doc_Brown---PHD (http://forums.rxmuscle.com/?act=su&handle=Doc_Brown---PHD) > 01/17 07:13:15

Sheesh.

[AnglicanBeachParty]

Motivation sometimes comes from unexpected places.

I thought that competing in 2008, 2009, and 2010 (one contest each year) would re-calibrate my mind so that I considered myself a true bodybuilder, and not just someone guilty of "attempted bodybuilding". But old mental habits die hard. Inside my mind, I am still that out-of-shape, pudgy, high school nerd with the soft, weak body. Looking in the mirror, no matter how often, doesn't seem to re-set my mind on this topic.

But I overheard an interesting thing at church yesterday ... only a snippet. My priest was talking to one of the Vestry members, and I overheard him start a sentence with:

"Mr. Erlandson is a bodybuilder, and ..."

For some reason, hearing myself certified vocally as a bodybuilder by someone else has a powerful effect on me. That little overheard partial remark has had a greater effect on me than anything in recent memory.

[bcapprentice]

Motivation sometimes comes from unexpected places.

I thought that competing in 2008, 2009, and 2010 (one contest each year) would re-calibrate my mind so that I considered myself a true bodybuilder, and not just someone guilty of "attempted bodybuilding". But old mental habits die hard. Inside my mind, I am still that out-of-shape, pudgy, high school nerd with the soft, weak body. Looking in the mirror, no matter how often, doesn't seem to re-set my mind on this topic.

But I overheard an interesting thing at church yesterday ... only a snippet. My priest was talking to one of the Vestry members, and I overheard him start a sentence with:

"Mr. Erlandson is a bodybuilder, and ..."

For some reason, hearing myself certified vocally as a bodybuilder by someone else has a powerful effect on me. That little overheard partial remark has had a greater effect on me than anything in recent memory.

Something like that does indeed do wonders for one's self-esteem and self-image. That doesn't mean one doesn't backslide upon occasion.
For me it's a bum right leg from polio with the associated weakness but when I did my first contest prep and a guy complimented me on the definition of my arms and then a year later when somebody completed me on the striations in my shoulders I began to feel good about my body as a result of those affirmations