Addicted much? hope so =P

[TopHatPlus]

Hello, so this is my first post, and i have decided to help me reach my goals for summer i would start a log. Please feel free to comment on anything you feel i am doing wrong, i will post my reasoning for some of the things i do.

Medical brief -

i will make this a as brief as possible, i was born with Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, basically i have severe arthritis in my entire body and it is kind of a drag >_< I was diagnosed at the age of 1 after spend a year bouncing from McMaster childrens hospital and Sick kids Toronto. I spent the next 7 years going for regular monthly checkups, blood work once a week, and so on. Things got intense when i was 8! I got the chicken px, but not like you'd think it was so severe it filled my lungs and covered my entire body 3 deep, because of the drugs the doctors had me on my amune system was non existent so i also got hepatitis B and pneumonia, and tons of others but those are the main. I spent 8 weeks in a medically induced acoma with less then 10% chance of surviving. I slowly recovered and months later left the hospital. My body was deteriorating at a rate that was unfathomable, i was supposed to have both hips and knees replaced before i was 10, and i would be lucky to see 11. At 12 life got a little sweeter, the doctors basically wrote me off, my personal doctor fired me as a patient because my parents refused to take all the experimental drugs which for the record are now the drugs you see in commercials saying if you took it you are entitled to money. So at 13 my parents met a lady that does eye radology, she reads your eyes and establishes the state of your body and recommend natural herbs and vitamins and cleanses to SLOWLY but naturally restore your body. So tens of thousands of dollars and 6 years later i was kicken butt! Basically i became a pretty average young adult.

Workout -


I am 5' 6" 145 lbs, i do this workout 3-5 days a week.

ALWAYS start with cardio, has fluctuated huge throughout the past year from 30 minutes per gym day to 5 minutes and has recently jumped up to 40 - 130 minutes of spin bike. I only do low impact cardio due to my arthritis and extreme pain issues.

Incline bench - 45 x 5reps, 95 x 8reps, 145 x5reps 165 x5reps 185x3 and work back down

flat bench dumb bells, i start with the dumbbells horizontal and touching my nipples and push straight up with a 1/4 turn. (i do not know the names of most of my workouts). 80 x 10reps, 70 x10reps, 60 x10reps, 50 x10reps

Decline bench sit ups, straight x 10, touch opposite knee x 10, straight with 10 lbs x 10, straight x 10

sometimes i do flat bench dumbbells sometimes i do flat bench and sometimes i do both.

Flat bench - 45 x 5reps, 95 x 10reps, 145 x 5reps, 165 x 5reps and work back down.

Exercise ball sit ups x30, touching opposite knee x20, push ups with feet on exercise ball x 20, x5

Arnolds with 1/4 turn in - 25 x 10, 35 x 10, x5, 45 x 5, x5 and work back down.

Exercise ball sit ups x30, touching opposite knee x20, push ups with feet on exercise ball x 20, x5

Squats - 45 x 20 but only 3/4 rise, 65 x 10, 95 x 10, 115 x 10 work back down ending with the 3/4 rise, i have been doing these for a couple of weeks.

Exercise ball sit ups x30, touching opposite knee x20, push ups with feet on exercise ball x 20, x5

Triceps on pulling machine with rope. 80 x 10, x10, 95 x 10, x10, 110 x10, x10, 125 x5, x5 and work back down

Exercise ball sit ups x30, touching opposite knee x20, push ups with feet on exercise ball x 20, x5

once i get all of that done i am usually pretty tired, i do some chin ups, some curls maybe with a 80 lbs bar, some leg raises with a 10 lbs weight, and just some small stuff to completely exhaust me. My workouts tend to be around 3 hours with all my cool downs between sets, I find if i am there i need to do everything, i cannot just work a couple groups of muscles.

Workout history -

In the winter of 2006/2007 i logged a little over 3000 kms biking to and from work, spent the summer of 2007 working for a landscape company. Jan 10 2010 i joined the ymca, i started with a 20-30 minutes cardio, and using various machines, i was just not getting great results although my weights were greatly increasing. I slowly transitioned into free weights and i now only use free weights. I would say my actual passion for lifting weights and setting goals and watching myself develop into a machine was around august when i actually took a look at my results. I also started taking protein powder around this time.

I currently consume a protein shake before and after the gym with about 50 grams of protein, i use promasil soft serve vanilla. One thing that i am not proud of but i find it night to day difference is i have been using quite a bit of 1MR, i find after 9 hours of work i am SO tired i just cannot go to the gym, but once i get my shake into me and a 1MR i feels like a million bucks! So i take it simply for the consistency it allows me in my workouts. I do not every take 1MR 2 days in a row.

Goals -

I do no want to compete or be massive, i just want to be fit as can be, i do want to bulk up and look muscular and healthy.

Wieght lifting goals -

250 lbs both flat and incline bench, 190 ish squat, 100 lbs dumb bells flat bench, 65 lbs arnolds, 100 mile bike ride (i have done a 100 km bike ride no biggy)

Reasons for exercising -

One thing i have found very interesting is seeing different people at the gym and some of them are insanely fit and have the most subtle but significant disability or whatever. So i am attending the gym so i don't turn out like my family, i do not want to become a un motivated person who procrastinates about my health and thinks the gym is a waste of time. And the most important reason is i really enjoy how i feel during and after EVERY workout whether its a crazy day or just a simple 45 minutes day stretching and loosening up. I am 21 years old and i hope to be doing this for at least another 50 years.

i also like my sports, snowboarding, street boarding, mountain biking, road biking. Thats a link to my Facebook page with picks and HD video of me doing what i love except lifting weights.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-C-Taylor/10150090452380377

So any and all comments, critiques and suggestions are welcome.

(note i do not just start a new workout i ask phil who is a personal trainer at the ymca waterdown who shows and helps me start new workouts)

the photos attached where taken today, i have not been to the gym in over 36 hours so my muscles are pretty relaxed and at cold size.

[#8]

that is one thorough and bold ass first post bro. good luck with your plans! youll do fine if your workouts are half as detailed as your posting ability.

[TopHatPlus]

that is one thorough and bold ass first post bro. good luck with your plans! youll do fine if your workouts are half as detailed as your posting ability.

Thanks, i have been trying to build evenly, so i don't end up with back issues >_<

i forgot to add low rows,

70 x 10, 90 x 10, 110 x10, 130 x 10, 150 x 5, 170 x 5 and work back down.

Any tips for lifting more?

[#8]

your lifting tips should be best aimed at Praetorian. He has a whole thread dedicated to his knowledge. I can help you but he is better.

[Mr Ontario]

Welcome to the site :)

[TopHatPlus]

Thank you MR Ontario, and we have a pretty spectacular province.

#8, i just wanna know tips and small tidbits of info, i seen his threads and it was extremely impressive, and i am sure at some point i will end up asking him stuff, but do i look like i am missing nay major muscles? or anything of that sort?

[#8]

you are WAY overdoing your chest training, and overall amount of training per session also, unless you are eating in excess of 5000kcal a day IMO. Youre obviously motivated and able to spend time in the gym. Do it right.

Check out the beginner training thread. Good routines are posted there

[TopHatPlus]

I had a pretty great workout today! had a spotter which NEVER happens so i did a solid set 3 of reps at 185. 36 km bike ride in 41 minutes, and almost ca-lapsed doing squats because i was so tired from the cardio.

I am by no means consuming 5000 calories, i would be lucky to hit 500? I have tried doing certain muscle groups more intensely and varying it from day to day, i just don't feel the same, i like to be completely physically exhausted when i leave the gym from head to toe. And doing working 2-3 muscle groups i just feel like i slacked off even though i can barely lift 10 lbs with those groups. I find my chest just is not nearly big enough! i am happy with how it is coming but i feel that my lower peck is to small, and my upper well i am satisfied but i want more. I also like them benches for the arm workout i do work them separately later but its a great warm up. Low food consumption is due to $$$ and time, i really make pitons for money and am moving out of home soon and it will be even tighter so i take a lot of protein in my shakes. I am hoping when i move out to increase my carb intake quite a bit but i don't usually get done at the gym till 10 pm and i just wanna go to bed at that point.

[razorsedge]

Hey there...you've completed quite a journey in life so far and have overcome some big time obstacles.

Treat your training the same way..it's a journey, not a sprint...you will encounter obstacles lifting as well but it looks like from your history you'll adjust and overcome.

Slow and steady....and good luck!! You'll find lots of help here..


:welc

[#8]

I am by no means consuming 5000 calories, i would be lucky to hit 500?

I really hope this is a grotesque exaggeration based on lack of nutritional knowledge or just horrific guessing ability.

Please for the love of god tell me you eat more than 500 calories a day. You would be sickly emaciated and unable to perform daily tasks and most likely die within a few months if that was your daily intake.

Lets try that again shall we?

Look at the calorie counts on some of the packs of food you eat and do a REALISTIC estimation of what you are taking in.

Also, please start using whey protein 2x daily if you havnt already.

[Gawd]

Wow Tophat,
Those are some huge obstacles you had to overcome.

Glad things are working out for you and your on your way to your physical goals.

Like #8 said, post up exactly what your eating in a day and quantities.. 500 cals is extremely low.

[razorsedge]

Obviously naive about cals etc...he's obviously doing more than 500 cals day. Just a mistake ...once he posts food intake it'll be way clearer..

[TopHatPlus]

umm well a typical day

breakfast - non existent

lunch - 3 buns with some pizza sauce and cheese (each bun smaller then my fist, with only a little bit of cheese)

dinner 2x protein shake on training days or on non training days a plate of pasta or something similar.

my family as a whole eats Extremely unhealthy, like manderin take out once a week, wendys once a week and tons of garbage so i either take a protein shake and go to the gym or i skip dinner, and i make very little money so i try to keep consumption practical.

i would be game for having a well balanced diet but i don't have the money or the time >_<

[Big D]

your gonna have to figure out a way to consume more food, Tunas cheap. and breakfast is a MUST!..

[CMoney]

umm well a typical day

breakfast - non existent

lunch - 3 buns with some pizza sauce and cheese (each bun smaller then my fist, with only a little bit of cheese)

dinner 2x protein shake on training days or on non training days a plate of pasta or something similar.

my family as a whole eats Extremely unhealthy, like manderin take out once a week, wendys once a week and tons of garbage so i either take a protein shake and go to the gym or i skip dinner, and i make very little money so i try to keep consumption practical.

i would be game for having a well balanced diet but i don't have the money or the time >_<

Sweetie, time for some tough love. That BS above ain't gonna cut it. Nutrition is a HUGE component of building a physique. You've got to eat more, and more importantly you have to eat more REAL, healthy food (not supplements and shakes).

Do what anyone who is serious about this does: get a crockpot, buy in bulk (it's much cheaper), and COOK in bulk. Make a week's worth of lean protein at once (if you can't afford chicken breasts, eat lean ground beef. It works for my hulk of a boyfriend off-season just fine). Cook up quinoa, rice, whole wheat pasta, whatever in large quantities and dump your meat on top of it. Spaghetti sauce is tasty and not too bad for you, but learn to eat vegetables and fruit as well. Invest in meal-size containers and learn to love your food no matter the temperature it is.

Skip the following or restrict consumption to Sundays only: white flour anything (bread, buns, etc.), sugar, sweetened pop, booze, processed boxed foods, chips and other convenience junk.

Protein powder isn't a "healthy" choice, just a convenient way to get more protein or bulk up the protein of the occasional meal when you're rushed.

Learn to get your nutrients and calories from real food. Eating this way will make some miraculous changes in your health, strength, sleep patterns, wellbeing, all of it.

It's challenging, I know, but you obviously know how to rise to a challenge.

End of motherly rant...

[bcaamuscle]

^What she said! Gotta eat to grow, lean cuts of meat also work, cheap cuts like inside round(i eat this every day) since 100g = approx 25g protein.
Oats are cheap and good for calories.. There's a list in one of the forums, probably nutrition that has a bodybuilder grocery list, so to speak. I'd advise you to take a look at it. Good luck!

[TopHatPlus]

I have been spending a lot of time reading through the forums and i know i have terrible eating habits, i am making plans for the future, i still live at home and i don't live in a "comfortable setting" where i can keep food in the fridge or cupboards without it getting devoured while i'm not home. My dad got super pissed cause i used milk in my protein shakes, and maybe consumed 4 liters a month so he demanded i buy my own, so i did but he got pissed again because i also bought 4 liter bags and he though i was lying about buying it and was just using his still. (which i was not i legitimently purchased my own) i am moving out in 2 months and am planning on making my staples, stir fries, and pasta, i figured with those i can added and mix it up to the point they wont get old fast and are pretty easy to cook.

[TopHatPlus]

Had a really good day at the gym, got some pretty awesome tips for my squats, i was experiencing shoulder joint irritation, kind of like a small pain and just irritation, so at the suggestion of a trainer at the gym i tried a REALLY wide grip and it seemed to helped immediately so i will be doing that from now on and see how it goes. I hit 50 lbs doing Arnold's and it felt GOOD.

I would like to thank everyone for there comments and suggestions, the positive vibe on the forum really helped me push this week, and its really the first positive critisism and comments i have EVER recieved. I apologize if i seem slightly dismissive to some comments my head has been all over the place lately, moving out has me in panic mode at the moment but i am considering all of your suggestion and will be working towards a healthier life out of the gym. But on the up side I am moving within walking distance of the gym and downtown Waterdown so i can spend even more time there!

I was unsatisfied with the photos i posted for the first post, and i have found it very difficult getting a shot with my DLSR on auto, on a tripod, with a ten second timer. It just erks me >_< So i wanted to post up a with and without flash, i feel like the flash + the lack of tan i have on my body really washes out any definition so i took some comparison photos, and may recruit someone to take the photos.

I have kind of a big day coming, january 10th is the 1 year anniversary of joining the gym and that has me pretty excited!

let me know what you prefer, with or without flash? maybe in focus next time ;)

[CMoney]

With the flash, I think.

Great choice on moving, BTW. Sounds like a pretty negative environment at home. Betcha everything will improve, even the relationship with your family, once you're on your own.

hang in there!

[TopHatPlus]

Had a pretty decent work out today, wanted to push my flat bench up a bit but i really needed a spotter and didn't have one. I hit 55 lbs doing Arnold's, and i trimmed 3 lbs this week.

One another note, i had a pretty sick day snowboarding on saturday. Theres a link to the photos -

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150390544020377&set=a.10150371138235377.586690.10150090452380377

I am going to be going to the gym with my cousin Ashlee, she has been body building for 4 years i think, and she is going to give me a bit of a critique and show me some stuff to help build some of my more lacking areas. Monday Jan 10th is my 1 year mark at the gym, i have posted a shirtless photo of myself on Facebook as you will see if you look at the snowboarding pics, it was kind of nerve racking but so far all good comments.

[TopHatPlus]

Had a good day again, i am trying very hard to consistently destroy myself at the gym, ran into some issues with rep #2 of 185 lbs on the incline bench, thank god a guy walking by noticed and saved me pheww i really need a spotter! Spent quite a bit of time on the low row, work mainly on one hand with my other hand behind my back doing 50-70 lbs. Visited my supplement supplier today, and got talking and i mentioned I was having issues sleeping the night after the gym due to 1MR it just keeps me wire for hours and i tend to spend a few hours listening to music before i pass out, and he recommended some stuff, not sure what the brand was but it was called PM and its designed to build muscles while you are sleeping and knock you out? anyone have any experience with it or suggestions? i like the idea of it but he was sold out and will be getting it in soon.

So i will be moving out march 1st and i was wondering about a chin up bar, are the ones you see that hang in door frames good? i am a short guy so i don't need a lot of room, and other then my exercise ball its the only piece of equipment i would like to have in my place. They have the "as seen on tv" one on sale at walmart for like $25 or so.

I had quite the conversation with my father today about my mothers health and work out plans, she's been talking about it for years and it just felt SO good to be brutally honest with him and really try to motivate him to jump start the entire thing. It helps that i am moving out, the worst he can do it say "your lucky your moving out" which he has =D haha

[CMoney]

Good stuff! But watch you don't get into that cycle of taking stuff to get you going and then having to take something else to bring you down. It happens and you can get quite wired, especially when your body is doing certain things (such as leaning out for a contest), but it can become a viscious cycle and isn't healthy. Can you lower the dose of 1MR a bit so you're not quite so jacked?

It's still a "drug" (herb), and it works for me better than prescription sleeping pills, but the Organic Nighty Night tea (Traditional Medicinals) is a powerful sleep aid if brewed/steeped as directed (for fifteen minutes). You can get it at Superstore/Loblaws. This stuff works for me and my 240 lb. BF, even when we are prepping.

[TopHatPlus]

Good point, i don't have to many issues with the 1MR it keeps up a little at night but when i wake up in the morning i am still wired, i don't usually have a crash till 3-4 in the afternoon so i am almost done work for the day. And i do agree with the ups and downs it seems like i am just forcing my body all over the place.

Had a pretty slack day at the gym, i just feel so burned out right now been pulling mega hours at the gym for a little over 2 months now so i decided today to take a break, and taking a day off would make me feel bad later so i just had a slack 1 hour workout. I did no cardio, 60 lbs dumbbells incline bench, worked on my lower back a bit, just did some stretching and loosening up. I will kill it on saturday!

[TopHatPlus]

Had a super wierd friday, i felt pretty good in the morning but nauseated from 11-4 then i fellt pretty good from 4-8 and the super ill after that, when to bet at 10, listened to music till 12 and woke up at 9:30 and felt great. It was pretty odd and had me worried that i would not be able to get a good workout in today.

THE WORKOUT haha nothing amazing happened today, i have gotten into incline Dumbbells lately so i got myself up to 75 lbs per hand on that with a solid 7 reps. I got 2 reps on the incline bench at 185 lbs. Flat bench 80 lbs dumbbells got a well formed 5 reps. and feel like i am ready to up that to 90 >_< Had a good workout over all and felt amazing when i left.

On a side/personal note i bought my first hockey stick in many many years, i have not play hockey since i was 8 so my old hockey stick was very very small. In doing so it kind of brought back some awesome memories of when i was a kid some of the only times i can remember really being excited about something and not being in the hospital. Picture #1 age 5, hight 2' 8", weight 28 lbs. picture #2 age 21, hight 5' 6", weight 140 lbs. Note i am left handed with a hockey stick, the stick i am holding when i was 5 was my younger brothers and it was quite a bit to big why i have no idea >_<

[TopHatPlus]

Had a good day, was asking a guy there what he does to push up his weights, he's about the same size as me but can bench well over 250 lbs and is pretty jacked, he was saying that i do to many sets leading up to my main weights, and that i tire myself out, but build great endurance. It made sense to me i do about 5-6 sets leading up to my main weights so would that slow my progress in adding weight? I tried not focusing so much on the lower weights for my flat bench dumbbells and just lifted 80 lbs per hand, did 6 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, and called it for that workout and felt pretty good, they are definitely getting to light and i will go up to the 85's wednesday. I continued this for quite a few of my workouts. I have finally found a chin up bar that works for me!!! some of the new machines at the YMCA are pretty terribly designed especially the chin up bars! so i have started to use the squat rack with the bar on the top notch, i keep my legs tucked in tight and i have no issues, i have also start doing a sideways chin up??? i pul up to the left of the bar then the right and work back and froth, it really gets my muscles burning! I have just been surprised about how good i feel lately, i have wanted to be in this kind of shape for SO long and have been getting so many compliments, it just feels so good in every sense of the word. HAHA it might even help me with my single status ;P haha a guy can hope.

How do you edit your signature?

[ironwill]

Good work tophat.....I hope you reach your goals.....There are good folks on here that can help.......Get the basics down, then start working up from there...Start with your nutrition, a car wont go, with no fuel in the tank.......Keep on posting...

[O-Train]

If you're going for a max or trying to increase your strength on bench use low reps for the warm up sets. You can get away with doing a few warm up sets without getting tired as long as the reps are low. With dumbbell chest press tuck your elbows a bit (you should be doing this with a barbell also) and bring the dumbbells right down to just above your armpits. Otherwise you will lack strength in your lower range of motion for barbell bench and you won't get good carryover from using dumbbells. I actually go deeper with dumbbells than with a barbell because you have greater mobility with dumbbells vs a barbell.

Go to "User CP" top left of the screen and browse through there to edit different aspects of your user profile.

[TopHatPlus]

Thanks guys, i have been making an effort to get up a little earlier and grab a bowl a porge before i head off to work.

For flat bench dumbbells i hold my elbows as close to my body as possible, (this varies with the amount of weight, more weight equals wider so my elbows get slightly further away) basically so the edge of the dumbbell touches my nipple and push straight up and do a 1/4 turn at the top. I am also trying not to throw the weights up and work them in a slow consistent speed, it gets tougher in the later reps.

So i guess for the next bit rather the 45, 95, 145, 165 185 with about 5-8 reps per i will try, 45, 135, 185?

i tend to add 25x2 then another 25x2 then 10x2 and then 10x2 so just start with the bar add 45x2 and then 25x2 see how it goes.

[TopHatPlus]

I did some searching/ digging and apparently i have not been permitted to use signatures yet, does anyone know what you have to do/ achieve to get them?

[TopHatPlus]

So i tried mixing it up today, less reps of the lower weights and less of the lower weights and just working on the higher weights. I definitely had a different feeling when i left, my arms did not feel nearly as exhausted, and felt like they were so big they were going to pop. Not sure about it yet but i will give it a try and get a few good workouts in before i make my final judgement on it. I got 2 solid reps of the 90 lb dumbbells on the flat bench in, i almost had 3 but i ca lapsed 3/4 of the way up, i did do this after flat bench so my arms where well warmed up and starting to fatigue slightly. Just really worked everything like usual, i did a few extra sets of chin ups and a sideways chin up? my delts felt pretty good =D

I have kind of decided to start an all out sprint for spring, i am just meaning in my physical goals =D i think my 6 pack (to be) is turning more into an 8 pack but i am not 100% sure, i will post a new pic mid february. Still hovering the 140 lb mark and am pretty happy with that i am noticed massive improvements in my shoulders and back, and my abs are getting better and better with every visit! I was chatting with my parents and found out they bought my younger brother proactive to help him with his pretty bad acne, and i figured being he quit after like 2 days and its all sitting there i would try it, i have never really had an issue with my skin but its never been "good" so i am kind of excited to see how it goes.

Thanks for stopping by!

[ange_d]

Just started reading this thread.
Congrats on all your success and on all you have overcome!

Do you still suffer from arthritic pain? Are you medicating for arthritis?

Best of luck in accomplishing your goals!
Seems like it will be a piece of cake in comparison to what you've been through in the past.

[TopHatPlus]

Thanks, i experience arthritis pain every single day of my live, and almost consistently throughout the day, it is usually pretty minimal but its always there. I have not taken doctor prescribed medication since i was 11. I took prednisone for 0ver 10 years as a child, it stunted my growth, and shut down my immune system, it made me crave food and tore havic on my physical condition. One of the hardest things i ever over came was getting off that drug, i was told by every medical professional that it was impossible to stop taking but after 2 years of EXTREMELY slowly lowering the dose and suffering through the pain i finally achieved it, i lost 15 pounds in the first week and i regained most of my circulation to my limbs and lots the blueish hue to my hands. I do not even go to the doctors for colds anymore >_< i feel like i have more experience then they do and i despise medication with a passion. On a funny bit i actually thought about becoming a doctor at one point but i am so against how they treat people that i could not suffer through >_<

[ange_d]

Yeah, prednisone = not a fun drug.
I have ankolosying spondilitis (not sure if you are familiar with this rarer form of arthritis) but I too have been on many arthritis drugs off and on over the years. I have also chosen to stay away from these drugs unless absolutely necessary (like in cases of severe inflammation). Unlike yourself, I do not suffer everyday (but could at any moment - my disease attacks randomly and some people do suffer chronically with AS).
In my experience exercise and keeping a healthy weight make all the difference in the world.
Last spring while preping for a June figure show my knee blew up like a balloon and the pain was close to unbearable (I was on celebrex, had cortisone shot into my knee, and took prednisone for a very short time). I know the feeling of dragging your ass to the gym everyday when you can barely get out of bed or walk down a flight of stairs.

You being able to train through chronic arthritic pain is remarkable...stick with it, I really truely believe keeping muscles strong, joints flexible, and being healthy overall have contributed to me having minimal symptoms and outbreaks from my disease.

I know we don't have the same thing and you have been through way more than I but even just having a goal can keep your mind off the pain and frustration. Training through my knee outbreak last spring is the only thing that kept me from going insane!

Again, best of luck with your goal!

[TopHatPlus]

Hey, i feel you, the knee swelling is terrible i have not had it in about 5 years but i have some pretty hefty scaring all over my knees from it, luckily i don't shave my legs so you don't really see it, i had a cortisone shot in my left ankle when i was 6, it was supposed to be the do all to end al with my arthritis but it just made it worse. I have found that the only thing that really helps for me is biking, i cannot really lift weights with my legs and i have been struggling on and off with squats because my hips just get so tender. But regardless biking ALWAYS helps, i do high rep long distance and i feel so good afterwards, the low impact and consistency of the pedalling really helps! I also agree with the active lifestyle and body weight control, arthritis is the #1 diagnosed disease in all of north america, due to the rates of obesity and just laziness, i would have loved to be able to blame it on being lazy or fat but it was just out of my control =D I spent from age 11-15 doing completely natural stuff, herbal teas and TONS of vitamins and other stuff. My parents spent almost every dime they had and it really really helped, i went to an eyeridologist and had a complete plan setup, but in my teens i decided i didn't want to take it any more and i have not taken anything since. I know that my arthritis is fairly under control and the main form of my pain is just scar tissue left. haha i guess now that i am sharing my story it would be something someone would get depressed about? haha this is why i spend 3 hours at the gym, making up for lost time =D

[TopHatPlus]

So i am posting a double.

Thursday, which was supposed to be a rest day ended up me going to say hi to a friend who just joined my gym, but he was headed out as i was headed in, and i drove all the way there, got changed and figured i would make the best of it so i had a pretty relaxing 1 1/2 hours workout and just loosened myself up.

Friday, my goal was to kill it. I did exactly that!

cardio- so i ended up picking up a couple of mcdoubles Thursday night on my way home from my hair cut and no crime goes un punished, so i decided to push for a fantastic 20 mile ride/32 kms. I usually average 41-42 minutes for that ride and i was not even making that by the 10 mile mark. I pushed myself harder and just kept focus, i checked my time at the 20 mile mark and it was 39 minutes 15 seconds. I was SO happy i have never done it that fast. I started using proactive on wednesday night and this was my first real workout day after using it and when i was finished my ride and my cool down and the sweating really kicked in my face was burning! haha so i rinsed it off and it was all good.

Weights - it was a pretty typical day, i did a good 30+ chin ups and really when crazy haha but whats new?

I have been watching my weight over the past couple of weeks i have dropped another 3 pounds this week, and i am below 140 now. HAHA kind of the opposite of what i was aiming for but it will do =D

I have a friend lined up to go with me on sunday so i will be trying to reach/exceed my weights then <3 having a spotter.

[TopHatPlus]

So sunday was planned 1-4 but got moved up 9-12 and i was not to thrilled about the early morning but i made it happen, i broke my cardio best yet again, 10 miles in 19 minutes 38 seconds. I was very happy with that and it got my mind of the the godoffel time it was. I got 3 reps of 185 lbs on both the incline and flat bench. Git 7 reps on the rope working my triceps at 155 lbs. Got 7 reps doing arnolds @ 55 lb dumbbells. I curled 95 lbs (barbel) for 4 times and just worked every thing like i usually do. I was very happy i had a super chill saturday, i was kind of kicking myself for not going on saturday because i was itching to go but i definitely made the right choice or i would be paying for it big time. It worked out pretty well going early i got home and just laid in my room in complete darkness for about 45 minutes listening to Sugerland and the fray and then went snowmobiling with the family for a few hours. For the record a 2004 firecat f6 sno pro is so fast it is almost mind boggling and i loved every second of it! I have been planning out my week and it looks like tuesday and thursday should be great workouts!

[CMoney]

Ange and TopHatPlus, you guys are amazing. Good on both of ya!

[TopHatPlus]

Ange and TopHatPlus, you guys are amazing. Good on both of ya!

haha never considered that >_< just CANNOT settle for anything less then perfection! haha =D

[TopHatPlus]

So i worked late, and was in a huge rush to get ou the door, i am filly my water bottles and my buddy calls to see what movie we are going to see, haha so he ended up coming to the gym with me at the mere suggestion of it. I have a pretty kickin day. I did not do any barbell bench's i stick strictly to dumbbells. I figure i need to give my chest a break and let it heal up and i find although very similar motions barbell and dumbbell feel completely different. Got an uber wedgie on the spin bike i was using so i canned that after 3 miles, and did some tread mill..... i will be paying for that all week but i did it anyways. Got 6 reps and 3 reps doing Arnold's with 55 lb dumbbells. Got over 30 reps on the incline bench with 65 lb dumbbells, i pushed for the 75's but i could only get 3 reps and i was toast. Was just a good day. I have another intense day planned on Thursday, saturday got replaced with snowboarding and then probably a good day on sunday.

My buddy introduced me to a new ab workout on sunday and we did it again today. Its basically designed that you always fail, so you sit on and incline bench in a upright position and he continuously applies pressure until he pulls you down. Its by no means painful and it really makes your abs burn! is there a correct name for this? he called it the french sit ups or something haha.

[TopHatPlus]

So i am just chillin' this evening, i was reading around and i am seeing so many numbers its confusing, what is considered good amounts of muscle gain in a 12 month period? i started at 158 lbs when i started at the gym, i hovered 150 fro most of last year, i dropped to 140 in december and i seem to be still dropping, i anticipate i will burn all of my fat and drop my weight until its all gone and then an incline. But how much muscle is usually gained in a year? my muscles are growing every week by leaps and bounds and i notice considerable differences but i have no idea how much. My buddy and i are going to go do the under water weigh in thing that measures body fat % and muscle % and all that good stuff i am pretty pumped haha.

this post took me over an hour to write haha got busy playing minecraft >_<

[ange_d]

haha never considered that >_< just CANNOT settle for anything less then perfection! haha =D

yeah me too, I never think of it as amazing, just playing with the hand I was delt...everyone has obsticles. The key is not to let those obsticles turn into brick walls (mentally or physically)!

[TopHatPlus]

yeah me too, I never think of it as amazing, just playing with the hand I was delt...everyone has obsticles. The key is not to let those obsticles turn into brick walls (mentally or physically)!

agreed, it also takes an emotional tole. I found it very difficult when i was young i just could not understand why i had so many issues when all my friends ran like stink in the wind, or why i start high school shorter then 4 feet tall. =D

So i had a interesting day i am coming down with a cold and it is a weird one, my throat is scratchy and i feel a consistent need to clear my throat but other then that i am healthy as a horse, i am not sure if i am just getting into it or if i am on the road to recover, but i have toned down my workout. I only got 2 hours in today, no exceptional numbers just trying to wade out the cold and not lose any ground. I cannot do cardio with any sort of cold i find the slight difference in my breathing kills it so i slacked on that and did nothing... i wish i had of my hips feel like there a knife in them! hehe.

So i have a question directed towards the ladies on here, do you find it cheesy for guys to hit on you?

[CMoney]

So i have a question directed towards the ladies on here, do you find it cheesy for guys to hit on you?

LOL! What a weird question. Do you mean at the gym? If so, then hell, if you're young, single and hot, you probably want to be hit on. Nothing cheesy about it.

However, if you're more mature, attached, busy, uninterested, and at the gym only to train (that'd be me), it's not cheesy, it's just plain annoying.

To steal my good friend's term, I have perfected my "stank stare" and general "**** off and stay out of my way," demeanor. Keeps me as well as my ginormous and very jealous partner happy. :D

[TopHatPlus]

haha i seen a picture of him.... kind of looked like his head was separate form his body... ahhh he's a big boy and i would never offer to buy him food.... i cannot afford that!

I kind of figured that to i mean i like to think i am decently attractive and i hope around the gym with a good charisma but theres those guys that hit on any female that average or better looking. You can see there expressions "kill me please" or something along those lines so i just have avoided it. Found it was just so cliche.

My cold in increasingly getting worse... hopefully a good night sleep will help >_<

[TopHatPlus]

So i think my cold may had finally platued, i was up for 6 hours last night with the sorest throat i have ever experienced in my life.... it was absolutely horrendess!!!

I went to the gym after pumping some advil, protein shake, and half a 1 MR shake. I had an ok day just went to keep my arms from feeling gross and stretched myself out. Got a decent 1 1/2 hour workout in and am now gurgling salt water and sucking on halls to get rid of this pain!

Picked up some more 1MR lemon lime flavour this time i well post up how it is. I am thinkning that in a week or so i will be getting 2 4.66 lb tubs of protein powder (promasil) because i can get 10% off my purchase. I got a sample pack of some new Zealand whey today called diesel, the ladie at the supplement shop i go to wanted me to try it and let her know what i think. I just find that these other protein powders do not have the same over punch that promasil does, they do not have near the vitamins and nutrients that it offers, and although it does provide the protein it does not give me the same pick me up that the vitamins do. And for the price i pay for the promasil i see no reason to switch and i highly recommend it!

I will be spending the rest of my weekend listening to my Dr Dre studio beats, gurgling salt water and starting to clean/purge/pack for my move on march the 1st i figured if i attack it every weekend and give myself a month it will not be overwhelming and i will be much more productive =D

[TopHatPlus]

went to the walk in clinic this morning and was told i have strep throat. I will not be able to hit the gym tomorrow but maybe on wednesday/Thursday we'll see, i have not slept or eaten anything in 2 day.

[TopHatPlus]

haha well i am back, i had a terrible week, and felt like a slumpy fat person.... this working out has become my OCD and i just feel terrible without it. This is making me think once i hit summer and i get my kona rockin i will never be home! haha but thats a good thing i suppose.

I had a decent pre gym day gym day, spent 1 1/2 hours worked pretty well every muscle group, stretched, and just got myself feeling good! I did a weigh in just to see how i was doing, 137 lbs.... yeah haha bulking up will hopefully start soon?

[TopHatPlus]

So today was my actual gym day, pushed it pretty good got in a lot of my usually numbers and just tried my best to destroy myself. Got about half way through my workout, most of my big weights done and the power went out... so we got kicked out. thats about it... haha noticing massive improvements on my breathing and my throat i am like 95-98% healthy now. Looking forward to mondays workout!

[TopHatPlus]

haha hey so its been a busy week and this is the first opportunity i have had to update!

Sunday - snowmobiling was fun, packed up all of my non important belongings

monday - first day pumpin the iron (since near death strep throat ;P)

tuesday - cannot remember but i don't think it was that good... (think i packed)

Wednesday - AMAZING workout got my first real cardio set in, haha 10 miles in 9 minutes 38 seconds. 90 lbs one hand low row, 175 on the incline bench no assistance, 190 lbs peck deck, started a reverse sit up thing on the exercise ball... felt good haha i will have a thorough post friday night and a new picture!

[TopHatPlus]

Great great workout, got a solid 1 rep in 185 lbs incline bench, 5 reps 180 lbs flat bench, 10 reps 70 lbs dumbbells incline bench, 10 reps 170 lbs rope for triceps, 10 reps 90 lbs one hand low row, 3 reps 95 lbs bicep curl barbell, and just rocked everything else.

So those are my cardio legs... they just did not photograph very well >_< haha maybe some tan would help... so i have noticed great improvements in my entire arm including my shoulder, my abs are becoming much more defined and my chest is starting to get some great definition. As always suggestions, comments, and critiques are welcome =D

[TopHatPlus]

Had a pretty thorough workout today, had a weird pain in my bicep that felt like someone was pressing there finger into it. It was not effecting my lifting or anything so i just powered through but i think the peck deck may have caused this so i will be keeping an eye on it. Had a more moderate cardio day, 5 miles in 10 minutes and then got some squats in just to help stretch me out. Focused more on the free weights today for the incline/flat bench but i ended up doing the barbell incline to help stretch out my left bicep. Just rocked it like i do =D

[TopHatPlus]

I had a better workout yesterday then i thought... those squats tore my but muscles so bad! haha sounds bad... i had issues picking things up and sitting down haha i love the pain of progress.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

i posted this on facebook to all the ladies who are not married =D same deal applies here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOep-pUv-9g

[TopHatPlus]

Pretty stellar day, didn't get my cardio in till half way through so i only did 5 miles but it was good and REALLY helped stretch out my butt muscles from those deadly squats =D haha Got 3 reps per arm 100 lbs on hand low row which was exciting but shocking because i cannot get past 170 lbs two handed. Got tons and tons of abs in today, a super clean set on the decline bench sit up 10 reps with a 20 lb dumbbell on my chest. Tried some of the stretches i seen in the link for a deeper squat to help stretch myself out further and was not surprised but disappointed in the results. My doctor used to do a lot of them during my monthly check ups so i had an idea and my flexibility is MINIMAL at best, i tried the one with your foot 2-3" from the wall and pressing your knee into the wall, i could only touch the wall when my foot was touching the wall. So all and i all i concluded that my squat depth is more then acceptable and i will try the no shoes thing and maybe some other stuff i will keep you updated.

I may have a gym buddy! yay haha one of my biking buddies has started going at night so i will be able to push my bench's insane! I should also note the my left bicep feels 99% better, there was a smidgen of pan today throughout but once i got working out and stretched it, it was fantastic.

Running out of days till summer... haha i am excited i have never EVER been this excited to get my self tanned and on display =D haha trying not to spend my 22nd valentines day in a row single =D hehe

[TopHatPlus]

Had a above average workout? haha its been a while since the weights felt this good, i got 13 reps of arnolds in at 55 lb dumbbells, 100 lbs one hand low row, 185 lbs rope for triceps, 185 lbs 3 super clean reps flat bench barb bell, 175 lbs 3 reps incline bench barb bell, i did alot of push ups i think about 40 with my feet on an exercise ball, lots of core of course, and hd a nice 10 mile bike ride to start it all off.

Going to push for 200 lbs on the rope it will be the first machine i have ever been able to do the stack =D haha makes me pretty excited, my mixing it up for pecks seems to be working my packs are starting to grow pretty great and i am trying to eat more.

[TopHatPlus]

WOW today was good, got 110 lbs on the one hand low row, 200 lbs (divided by half for a double pully system) on the rope, 95 lbs biceps curls and got 6 solid reps in, 185 lbs 3 reps on both incline and flat bench.

A trainer that i have gotten to know invited me to do front squat-shoulder press's with him, so i figured why not i was waiting for the squat rack, i need to work on my form a bit and the front squat thing really threw me off at first but i got a very nice 8 reps (3-5) at 95 lbs and i was thrilled with how my muscles felt afterward, every muscle was going crazy and it made my mid back feel amazing! so i have added this to my workout routine.

I also asked him just for my curiosity what he would guess my body fast % around being it is one of the only things i care about as far as weight is concerned, and he guessed me around 8% which made me pretty happy and i felt it was an honest assessment, and then it made me a new goal haha spring/summer is coming and i want to no no need to look spectacular so i am shooting for 6% body fat. That would make me very very happy and i thinks its very achievable.

Been packing and stuff still i got the move in date moved up a bit to saturday the 26th and my dads giving me the day off to move, so things are about to become quite different but i am moving within 1/2 km of the gym and everything else i go to so i am pretty excited!

[TopHatPlus]

Just a quick hey, hope everyone had a great family day (or friend day if you prefer them over your family)

Took the day off, not by choice i was stoked to go but the gym closed at 5 and i worked till 5, i bummed. Mentally prepping for 200 lbs on the flat bench bar bell.... i am pretty excited this has bee a 3 month goal and may very well be achieved, i also know that if i can get even one smooth rep in at 200 lbs i will be able to destroy 185 lbs and then really work up to a good set of 200 lbs haha i am ready!

[TopHatPlus]

Great workout, and i mean GREAT workout, i got a few personal best in today, i felt kind of sluggish because i did not get into the gym yesterday and it tok more effort then it should have and took longer to loosen up. But it ended up being pretty sick, FINALLY got 200 lbs flat bench! 3 reps (1 super solid and the other 2 were spotted with maybe 5 pounds shaved on the tough spot) felt really good 185 x 3 incline bench, 60 lbs arnolds 8 reps, 200 lbs (divided by 2) x 12 on the rope, and got 5 miles in 9 minutes 35 seconds whish is also a personal best, chest press 95 lbs barb bell x13.

Just feeling so good my chest is growing and i am pushing it SUPER hard every time im there, haha every workout is an improvement on the previous one and i am pumped to go everyday so i know i have gotten into an amazing routine that i can keep up.

So i did some front squats with the bar bell and it just felt wierd, are you supposed to rest the bar on your chest? i seem to be holding it the whole time? kind of confused on it.

[TopHatPlus]

Sick night, i got the keys to my apartment so i will starting moving tomorrow night and officially move on saturday. I got some personal bests today ofc haha i always try to hit something, i did not get the 90 b dumbbells on the flat bench and i think its because i did 185 lbs on the incline barbell, and 190 on the peck deck before so but i got a solid 5 reps at 85 lbs on the flat bench dumbbells so i was satisfied for today (saturday is a completely different story), got 80 lb dumbbells on the incline bench which was a first and it felt SO good! the rest was pretty well the same as always, i got 115 x5, x3 on the shoulder press and WOW did i feel tight after that one =D haha

I did not take any time to just relax before the gym i was just running all over the place and i ended up cramping in result... haha taught me about the 20-30 minutes of listening to music in bed before i go really helps me unwind =D haha should be a fun weekend of moving + gym + unpacking haha super excited. I am also going TV shopping tomorrow haha yeah... not really a biggy but i am looking for a 50" plasma haha

[TopHatPlus]

Update for Saturday, i had on ok workout, if i had of had this workout 6 months ago it would have been the single most exhausting workout of my life but now a days it was ok =D nothing outrageous to report i hit all my numbers and just had some fun and spent more time then usual chit chatting with different people there.

But on the other hand everyday has something happen thats momentous and that was i MOVED haha yeah... i am now moved out. I was up at 3 am wide awake on friday after 3 hours sleep with anxiety haha and worked till 5 then worked till 11:30 moving most of my bulk stuff, then worked from 9-2:30 on saturday and i was completely exhausted! so i took my protein shake and 1mr hit the gym and boy did i sleep like baby last night!! haha it was pretty exciting now i can really "start" my journey =D

[TopHatPlus]

had a pretty awesome workout, i ended up running all over waterdown doing tasks my cardio was pretty slack, but substituted. I may have a gym buddy now =D haha we'll she i know her from high school and she's almost deathly afraid of the free weights because of the big scary guys... sad...


my parents bought me the magic bullet as a moving out gift and i must say after using it finally it works pretty well i purchased some frozen strawberries to spice up/ add nutrition to my shakes and it mixed it perfectly smooth and my strawberry milk shake tastes great =D

[Robocop]

I'm just waiting for the magic bullet to go on sale, and I wanna get the one with the larger cups.

Keep up the good work. Post pics of new workout partner please. :rulz


had a pretty awesome workout, i ended up running all over waterdown doing tasks my cardio was pretty slack, but substituted. I may have a gym buddy now =D haha we'll she i know her from high school and she's almost deathly afraid of the free weights because of the big scary guys... sad...


my parents bought me the magic bullet as a moving out gift and i must say after using it finally it works pretty well i purchased some frozen strawberries to spice up/ add nutrition to my shakes and it mixed it perfectly smooth and my strawberry milk shake tastes great =D

[TopHatPlus]

I'm just waiting for the magic bullet to go on sale, and I wanna get the one with the larger cups.

Keep up the good work. Post pics of new workout partner please. :rulz

haha yeah... i can assure you although she's spunky and super bubbly she is in no where near the shape i am >_< haha but she has been working hard =D and she wants me to help her with some new workouts so... she will improve fast =D haha but i can always post pics of myself??? i do enjoy that ;P


i think my parents bought it at costco's when it was on sale... they buy EVERYTHING from costco except for me and my 5 siblings although if they had a choice they would have =D

[TopHatPlus]

Had an ok workout out, i woke up tuesday with pink eye.... i have been taking some over the counter drops since then and they are working but its been a bit of a pain, and my arthritis has been going insane, my knees, ankles, shoulders, hips, elbows and wrists have been so ache and at times intolerably painful.. but i have just motored through and had a good workout anyways =D i was showing my gym buddy some new workouts and she is going to be so sore tomorrow! but she did great and really tried hard!

I have really enjoyed walking to the gym its a nice pre gym excursive and just getting my head in the game, haha lovein it!

[TopHatPlus]

Pretty good workout, i was falling asleep at work so it was a tough night, i do not own an umbrella so i drove to the gym..... i was disappointed in myself but its raining and its 1 degree out >_< I got 85lbs dumbbells flat bench, 80 lbs dumbbells incline bench, 200 lbs (divided by 2) on the rope, 115 barb bell chest press x8, 95 lbs barb bell chest press x 20, just killed it like usual. This weather has been playing havic on my joints and i am hoping this goes away and FAST its driving me to insanity. I am hoping to get out and get some shopping done tomorrow and by hooks and stuff so i can start unpacking some of my show off pieces like my many beautiful helmets and i got my bicycles (aka babies) moved and they looks pretty damn sharp =D haha love them. Looking forward to sunday hoping to get my 200 lbs flat bench barb bell! (again)

[Sandwiches]

your avi would be way cooler if you were wearing a top hat

[Sandwiches]

your avi would be way cooler if you were wearing a top hat

[TopHatPlus]

your avi would be way cooler if you were wearing a top hat

haha i will see what i can do, i will have some new photos on the 10th ish, gotta find someone to take the photos >_<

[TopHatPlus]

My workout today was much better then it has been for about the past week, i started with my flat bench dumb bells and got 4 reps 90lbs and felt great so i went back and got another 3 reps at the 90 lbs and worked down a bit, i felt so good at this point! i have gotten myself upto 65 lbs dumbbells on my arnolds! and that is quite for achievement for me. I have doing the 200 on the rope and i added a 10 lbs weight to it so i was doing 110 and it felt so good. I have really been pushing my shoulders and been doing alot of shoulder press's with the barb bell at 95 and 115 lbs and its also help a lot with my middle back. So tonight we are having my moms 45 th bday party and a i got her a 1 motnh membership to the gym so she can kick some butt in her goals! I will have my gym buddy back on tuesday so i will try for 200 lbs on the flat bench haha we'll see how that goes.

[TopHatPlus]

Hello everyone (if anyone reads this) feel free to say hi =D i love feedback, criticism (not short jokes so much but i can deal)

Had a pretty decent day, 30 minute walk in the cold while traveling to the gym, 90 lbs dumbbells on the flat bench, with a funny story so i got a set of 4 in and i wanted another 3 so i get them get layed down and ready and there was no way they were moving, so i was a little disappointed but figure di will put them back and try the 85 lbs, and i have no idea how but they got away on me while try to get myself upright... well a 137 pound guy losing 2x 90 lbs dumbbells.... haha so one fell to the side the other one headed for my "man junk" and i was not allowing damage so i flexed and tried to recover it and caught it with my thighs.... haha disaster diverted and went for a bit of a ride >_<

Got my 200 lbs flat bench bar bell with 2 solid reps, and taught my workout buddy how to spot, and just had a good day cruising around i have had an uncomfortable pain/feeling in my fore arms about half way between the elbow and the wrist on the top, its not really all the painful but its there... and it gets much worse when doing 95lbs bar bell bicep curls, i am not sure if i have just over done it with them and they are SLOWLY! healing or what so if anyone know feel free to add some insight, picture day is coming either thursday or saturday and i am SUPER excited for you to see my shoulders i would say they are finally proportionate if not getting bigger then my arms and giving me a human crusher look =D

Have a good international woman's day =D

[TopHatPlus]

Hello all, i had a pretty great workout, i think i may have a cold coming on (crossing my fingers i don't) so i am getting to bed early tonight =D

I have found a new talent i have? i can do hand stands while holding onto things like the arms of chars and the leg raise machine/thing which has handles for dips and i can almost do a full press while in a hand stand position, haha my family was dumb founded by it and now request like a party trick >_<

THE WEIGHTS are coming haha it was a good day i got 1 rep 205 lbs barb bells flat bench, after i had already exhausted my arms, and then one of the trainers asked if i wanted to do some negative on the bench so i said sure.... so he added another 10 lbs bringing it to 215 lbs and i would lower the bar SLOWLY in about 5-7 second durations and he would help me list it up i got 5 reps of that and my pecks felt like they were going to POP and it been a while since they felt that good! I did about 30 dips and tons of abs/core as always, 90 lbs on the flat bench dumb bells, and quite a few reps of the shoulder press.

One of my friends is going to school in i believe north bay to become a personal trainer and he was over last night playing xbox kinect and what not and could not believe my progress and how fast my weights improved, and he was pretty harsh with his critiquing of me in the fall last year which partially pushed me to get more into the weights and build all over. (harsh critiquing is something i enjoy it allows me to really look at what i need to do rather then everyone saying ooo you look good >_<)

I ended up taking my pictures tonight incase i do get ill and i cannot take them later haha so i got a pic of my back so you guys can see that its progressing, please note that i was having some flexing issues because i am EXHAUSTED!

[TopHatPlus]

So yet another fantastic workout, not sure on the getting sick >_< i got 4 reps of the 90 lbs dumbbells on the flat bench, 3 reps 195 lbs barbell incline bench, and 2 reps 205 lbs barbell flat bench, and just did everything as usual, did more of the negative bench thing where i lower the weight and my spotter lifts it, got 5 reps at 225 lbs and man doe sit make your pecks feel like there going to POP haha it was interesting.

[TopHatPlus]

excellent/weird day, i was having to most god awful hip pain (arthritic) while i was walking to the gym, and then a song came on, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqSy8QdjFcI its by the red jumpsuit apparatus "godspeed" its a song about world war 1, and it just made me walk a little taller, and i kind of felt like eli from the movie "the book of eli" and just felt like every step i took was making a change in the world... thats what i was thinking i am seriously delusional but it got me there >_< Broke up my routine a little bit and hit the should press early in to see what i could destroy so i got 5 reps 125 lbs bar bell which is a 10 lb improvement and made me pretty pumped! Just an average day other then that, picked up some supplements on my way home(i mr lemon lime, Promasil chocolate), and am just happy to be going to bed soon! haha SO TIRED.

My gym buddy update, she is doing amazing! and she has a great charisma in the gym, she even helps me rate woman =D haha, she has gone from struggling with the 45 lb bar bell on the bench press to 75 lbs and killin it, she is just continuously getting more and more excited about her progress and feels so good about ehr progress, and for only 2 weeks of real workouts with me she is doing great! she even wanted to do sit ups on the decline bench and reached her goal of 5! haha so i made her set her next goal at 15 instead of 10, stating that good goals are fine but great goals are even better! and she will reach it!

[TopHatPlus]

Hello everyone, i feel like i am getting severe ocd, today felt like meh day, but my body feels amazing, i hit all my target weights, 205 flat bench, 195 incline bench, 65 lbs arnolds, 115 shoulder press, 105 rope, 110 one hand low row, got a nice 10 minute ride in, but my arthritis was just fighting me, ever sense this time change i have not been getting great night sleeps like a i usually do and i think thats a LARGE part of it, but i have been trying really hard. The warmer weather appears to actually be happening which is getting me excited, the power steering pump and fan motor (for the heat) have not been working worth a damn since mid december of 2010 so i am getting excited to bike! haha so yeah i just want to push so hard everyday! that when i only reach my target weights i feel like i slacked?

ps i like the new look, and the newer site loads SO much faster! good job!

[TopHatPlus]

UPDATES! haha nothing major, but i hit all my weights, pretty much the same as last post just killing it working on the comfort level so i can continue to push. My hips have been acting up a bit, just insanely sharp arthritic pains... but Tylenol does nothing due to large quantities over decades, and i really do not take anything for any reason. Sit ups were painful and well worth it ;P as always.

I have this strange feeling that i am going to get into a fist fight walking home one night from the gym, these teenagers in Waterdown have egos the size of ontario and they feel like they own every thing, and they all think they are true gangsters from the gheto? So when walking i tend to stay to the right and kind of run like rules of the road, and the walk right down the middle like they are on the red carpet and i absolutely refuse to walk in the swampy wet grass... and i have far to much pride to bow out to the spoiled little bastards... so thats my rant for the day...

[TopHatPlus]

Today was one of those days... lots of good looking young ladies at the gym and i was ON! I stayed up to late... (2:30 am playing WoW) then woke up at 9:30 with the regret of staying up thinking i was going to feel groggy and gross, but because i only got 7 hours of sleep and not my usual 11 after a late night i felt pretty good, i had tons of energy while i was getting ready for the gym took my 1MR and could have jumped off my 4th floor balcony and laughed and headed on my way. My arthritis was obnoxious it was SO painful today but i got there did a cool 5 minute sprint on the spin bike and i was ready to ROCK. I did like 40 dips over the corse of the workout, lots and lots of different weight stretching things i have been trying. I got 4 reps of 205 lbs on the bar bell flat bench! i was ecstatic, i was shooting for 2. Got 3 reps 125 lbs standing bar bell shoulder press, and hit all of my other weights! So i like to play with my weights as i put them on the bench's so i will lift it straight up over my head keeping my arms straight but i finally figured out how to lift the 45 lb plats, you need to keep the weight to the inside of your arms not passed you hands, haha it twists and it damn hard to keep it there, so i did this about 40 reps or so over the course of my workout.I have been wanting a workout like this for about 2 weeks now and it feels SO good.

the WoW thing... yeah blizzard sent me a 30 day free trail of WoW and it was kind of lame but iLOVE Diablo 2 LoD so i gave it some time and it grew on me, and its helped me just chill out on my non gym nights instead of itching to go to the gym >_< so i play because it helps my workouts =D

[TopHatPlus]

Been really suffering lately with the arthritis thing... may consider just removing my hips... haha but its been all good, hit my numbers, crushed some weight, showed my gym buddy a few workouts today that she "loved" and i am pretty sure she just goes home and curls up into the fetal position until her next workout with me hahaha but she's a trooper and she trys her best every time!

I have just started to feel like iv really been packing on the muscle lately, just standing there in a shirt i feel my chest is really starting to get big and my shoulders and my arms are tight in the sleeves of shirts that they weren't even close, and i just feel big. I have not done any bicep curls due to fore arm pain in a while but i am not terribly concerned about it because my bench's and of workouts are not letting my biceps rest and they are growing in great! My arm pits are looking weird, at least to me anyways they have like to different muscles and have gotten pretty big and i kind of have the flying squirrel pouches? haha its weird.. i recall watching a commercial a few years back about a mens calone and there was these 2 super buff guys running op a set of stand and when they got to the top they raised there arms and there pits were MASSIVE and i just remember thinking WOW could you imagine? haha now i know what it feels like and warm weather will have never been better!

[TopHatPlus]

my day was kind of like the weather in southern ontario, it was doing pretty well then BLAMO ARTHRITIS, it was pretty intense when i got home, i had my traditional 45 minute rest listening to music pre gym, and it was just aching, the sidewalks were icy and rough looking so i drove to the gym, did my 10 minute sprint on the spin bike which gave me momentary relief, and then it started.... it just kept getting worse and worse to the point that standing, sitting, lying, and walking was a chore and a test of endurance, i did a set of 20 sit ups on the incline bench and knew it would hurt, and it did i did 90% of the pull with my left leg and it was over, my hip was just throbbing. My gym buddy was like wow gives me something to look forward to when i am old... haha well when i am old it will be interesting... i do not know anyone in there 70-80's that was born with severe arthritis so i suppose i am my own experiment. My weights went pretty well did things in a different order and my arms were pretty tired my the time i hit the flat bench, not to mention all the snow i did on my "off day" haha it was no relaxing day thats for sure.

My funny story of the snow storm on wednesday, i had an interesting driv e home just after 5 pm, the roads were horrendous, took a lot of corners sideways and what not but i took my time made it home, and got stuck half way into my parking spot with was a massive drift... i under estimated the density of the snow and my car got wedge on top so i have my brother (who lives around the corner) come and help me dig/push it out. haha so yeah got all the way home and shazam!

I bought some new bar soap, its Dove for men +care deep clean, so i will chuck a review of that up tomorrow, at first impression it smells nice and it makes my whole bathroom smell good =D

[TopHatPlus]

Hip is slightly improving so i walked to the gym, the weather is improving as well so my kona is getting pretty pumped for a spin. Had some weird shoulder pain so i didn't try to push the weights up to much today just hit my numbers and added an extra rep or 2. Hopefully a restful sunday will get me ready to destroy some stuff on monday.

[TopHatPlus]

Hello everyone, so i had a pretty great workout, i got 205 on the flat bench, 200 on the incline, 5 reps of 125 lbs standing bar bell shoulder press, and hit all my other weights, got a solid 10 minute sprint in on the bike, my walk felt good, my arthritis seems to have accepted my threats of joint removal and backed off, it was just good, but gym buddy had a few personal bests, like 13 reps on the decline bench and she was ECSTATIC she said she didn't think she would ever get there and could not believe how easy 2-3 reps was, shes looking so much better and making fantastic progress.

Until wednesday =D try not to k/o yourself (it helps)

[TopHatPlus]

Had kind of a weird day, i felt pretty good at the gym other then a very tense lower back that took 3 hours to work out, but i hit my numbers, and i got 2 sets 135 lbs standing barb bell shoulder press, and 3 reps 70 lb arnolds! i was very excited about these, they were fairly smooth, had a good walk to the gym, my hip has really settled down lately and once the warmer weather comes and i put it through a few HELL rides on my kona it will be ready for the summer!

I i watched the movie 127 hours yesterday and it was crazy, you want ot see a movie about motivation and determination in the absolute worst case scenario that is a watcher!

My main buddy was over, (the one who highly encouraged me to start working out) and was could not believe the progress i have made in the last month, the only word he could use to describe it was, "inspirational" and it felt DAMN good to hear that, i am getting pumped to show off my body a bit this spring HARD WORK PAYS OFF!

[TopHatPlus]

RANT ALERT

i am fuming! me and my gym buddy were finishing up our routine when she got to talking about how much she hated high school and all the comments (about her weight) and i was kind of taken back because we have talked about this before but the way she brought it up right after i finished my set, and i put my headphones in, and i got to thinking the 6 or so high school students 15 feet off lifting weights were making jokes and stuff, so i asked her if anyone said anything, and she is one of the nicest people alive and just said oh no don't worry about it, i'm so scared from high school i don't care anymore. This made me furious, i was just chatting with her and she did admit one night while i wasn't there there was a bunch of guys making jokes and what not, and i could have crushed a semi truck at this point! i strictly told her if anyone says ANYTHING hurtful or disrespectful to let me know, i have NO!!!!!! tolerance for this!!! She is not in amazing shape but she is losing weight at a great and consistent level, and she works SO much harder then 99% of the people in there every work out! So my walk back to my apartment was like 30% shorter then usual cause i was fuming, i think lifting weights gives me roid rage because i could have smashed every car window i seen! I do not think anyone would say anything while i am there, although i am only 5' 6" 135 lbs i am one of the big not big guys there, and one of a handful of peopel that can lift the 90 lbs dumbbells off the rack and press then and the only one under 180 lbs that can, so i have a certain amount of respect in there, but i could have rounds housed these kids with a bar bell!

Just for the record every time i hear story about this or what ever it takes me back to one specific even in my past, i was in grade 10, 4' tall, and probably weighed 140 lbs, so i was chubby encroaching fat, and 2 guys i have known sense i was 4 years old, one 6' 1" and the other 5' 10" and fairly athletic decided it would be fun to drag me into the one washroom and push me around a bit... yeah i was thrilled! there was very very little i could do but take a strong upper lip and push back with everything i had! and this may sound cruel but it was one of HUNDREDS of occasions i was physically bullied, i cannot recall any day in my entire school career that i was not brutally picked on.

the math on why, 5 years old 2' 8" 35 lbs, 15 years old 4' 140 lbs, 17 years old 5' 6" 140 lbs. plus i had my arthritis that basically crippled me, arthritis causes abnormal limb growth, so my right leg is about 1" shorter then my left so i have quite the limp when i walk, and my jaw did not grow fast enough to accommodate my teeth so they are pretty f"""" up. There was a whole list of things they had so i take the approach that hearing it happen and not doing anything is as bad as doing it.

OOOO yeah i went to the gym today >_< haha i got a solid 5 reps 90 lbs dumbbells flat bench, 5 reps 80 lbs incline bench dumbbells, 5 reps and 3 reps standing bar bell shoulder press at 135 lbs, and just my usual numbers.

[TopHatPlus]

WHAT A WORKOUT! I was not feeling over ambiteous today, although i had a good amount of sleep, a great prep for the gym and a nice walk over (in a T shirt) i started with incline bench dumb bells and got the 85 lbs down pat (personal best), then hit the flat bench dumb bells and i really wanted to do something here i have been benching the 90's for a month or so now and i WANTED more, so i got 3 reps 95 lbs down and was pretty ecstatic! i did more dips then i usually do, i did 8 reps 135 lbs standing shoulder press. I was kickin around last night waiting to go out with friends to the movies and was trying to think of something new i could do at the gym, the only thing that really came to mind was a hand stand press. I have been yearning to work this one out for months so i figured id try something in my apartment. I put on my Fox bicycle gloves which have a carbon fiber knuckle on them and slip my feet up my door, i kept my hand about 1 1/2 feet from the door to give me enough angle i wasn't going to topple over, and i could lower myself until my chest touches (if it doesn't touch it doesn't count) so my first attempt i got 10 reps, then 7, then 5 and i figured that would work. So at the gym today i took off my shoes and gave it a try, i got 15 reps then 10 reps and i was ready to drop my arms off >_< haha it was good though and i really felt a good burn so i will continue these and see what madness i can add to it.

I purchased a 5 lbs container of perfect whey, by perfect nutrition, its 100% new zealand whey and vanilla cream flavour, i am quite interested to try it, it has 8 grams of protein more then promasil per scoop so that will add 32 grams per gym day =D I was going to purchase promasil but apparent Rival US has not been so good to there distributers and pulled out of canada without telling anyone? if anyone knows anything about this i would like to know.

[TopHatPlus]

I had a pretty beat workout, i was so tired today and just felt like sleeping when i got done, but i would literally kick myself in the head for it later so i did my pre gym took my 1MR and was READY. Hit all my target weights today, including 95 lb dumb bells on the flat bench, and did some more hand stand push up. They seem to be quite the crowd pleaser >_<

got done a set of 10 and a girl takes her head phones off and this was the whole conversation

girl - "thats crazy are you training for something?"
me - "no just amplifying my workout"
girl - "your crazy"

puts head phones in shakes her head and continues with her work out.

First impressions fo my new zealand weigh protein, not that great. Its kind of chalky tasting and weird not sure...

[TopHatPlus]

HELUVA workout! i did pretty great today, i did not get the best sleep last night and was SUPER tired all day at work, but i pushed and pushed through it. I hit all my target numbers which included 205 lbs flat bench barb bell, and 70 lbs arnolds. I did not do either the low row or the standing shoulder press i can assure you i worked my mid back and arms un believable! i did 3 sets of hand stand push ups totalling about 40 reps.... yeah it was feeling pretty tired by this point and felt that both of my back work outs were not going to be good... and my back felt amazing! I have found that i need to be fairly responsible where i do my hand stand push ups, i did them out in the main part of the gym because they have a 2" rubber mat and i wan't to see how it felt on my knuckles while doing them.... i think a few people almost K/O'd themselves on the olypticals >_< but they feel pretty great and doing them on a brick finished wall vs a smooth drywalled wall made me float my feet a lot more and put al ot less pressure on them and hence making me practice more balance.

I have lost my workout buddy for a bit... its sad >_< she is busy with her final exams in university and will be out for about 2 1/2 weeks, still working out but not in the evenings when i am there.

[TopHatPlus]

It was a pretty great day, i went to bed early, got a super sound 8 hours of sleep, woke up feeling GREAT, went to work in the morning, and got home and did all my pre gym stuff and was just feeling fabulous. Now today marked the start of summer for me, the weather was great and my Kona was begging to a stretch! So i went for a REAL bike ride and did a nice 9 km stretch to start the season. It was very odd at first! i am completely different then i was in the fall so putting all my gear on was weird and required re adjustment. My Kona weighing in at a WHOPPING 22 lbs felt like it wasn't even there, and i felt kind of top heaving, i have thinned out my mid and bulked my top so it was bound to happen, after about 10 feet i was like damn I've done this before >_< haha and the rest the ride went well. Stopped by my supplement store on my way home from my bike ride, and confirmed that 1MR is no longer being shipped to canada, and apparently i may still be able to buy it but not like i did before >_< and i may just end up switching to either animal rage or super pump 250 (i have a sample for super pump 250 and i will post a review when i take it)

My workout was pretty good, hit all my numbers. My shoulder (right) was just bugging me the whole time, i think i may have used it weird this morning at work but no biggy it will be ready to rock for monday. So i have been walking to and from the gym every time i got, and its a nice 15 minute walk but up until now it been in jeans with a jacket on and today was pretty awesome so i wore a sleeveless and board shorts, and was enjoying all the attention i was getting =D haha being thin is one thing but being fit is completely different.

[massabsamurai]

i can see a huge difference already bro, keep at it. Ur doing a great job so far. Keep pushin

[TopHatPlus]

i can see a huge difference already bro, keep at it. Ur doing a great job so far. Keep pushin

Thanks, i have note noticed alot of change, but when you see yourself everyday its hard to. I have noticed i physically feel different, much more bulky and going my summer sports has really felt weird >_<

[j.solyon]

looks good man, good job!

[massabsamurai]

im telling u when people notice a difference that means you definitely have improved.

[TopHatPlus]

Hey, thanks for the comments, it means alot more on here then in real life coming from people who haven't done a sit up in over 20 years >_< haha

Had a decent workout, my shoulder is killing..... but i pushed through, only did 50 lb dumb bell arnolds, and did less hand stand push ups. Rocked the rest of the weight and just did tons of stretching! and dips and core and just worked other things. I did squats... its been probably 3 weeks since i touched them and my gym buddy was requesting them so i figured what the hell. Got a new personal best of 135 lbs which equals my body weight and it felt pretty good but i could feel my hip getting tense. I have really been enjoying people staring at the gym =D when the big guy (6' + and over 200 lbs) grabs the 60 lb dumb bells and rocks a few reps and i grab the 95 lbser and rock a few reps it seems to draw some attention >_< Had a decent walk home despite lots of hip pain, and i think i'm going to do another pre gym prep tomorrow and go for a bike ride >_< stretch that baby out and tell it who's bass!

Feel free to comment i enjoy reading them =D

[TopHatPlus]

its been a weird week, i went out street boarding for the first time this season and it felt AMAZING but i was SO SO sore the next day, i struggled to get my shoes on and getting to the gym was tough. I made it though i had a pretty sack workout no major weight but did 2 hours of stretching >_< i am hoping my shoulder will be much better tomorrow.

[TopHatPlus]

In like a lamb and out like a lion! I finally had a decent workout this week, nothing to crazy but i worked my shoulders (as light and heavy as i could) i did 115 lb barb bell standing shoulder press, and a few hand stand push ups and i really feel like i thoroughly stretched it out. Not to sure how its going to feel tomorrow once my adrenaline is toned down and my muscles are relaxed but i am watching it like a hawk. I have been noticing big strides in my chest growth, it has far surpassed my upper abs (FINALLY!!!!!) and it getting some great definition! my shoulders as you can see from my last posted photos, have gotten some outstanding definition and showing several separate muscles >_< haha i think that shows my different work outs are working. My cardio has all but died.... i am SO bored on the spin bike its literally driving me insane and now that i have been on my road bike the spin bikes just feel cheap and uncomfortable >_< haha and i find pushing on them is near impossible! and the fact that i am averaging such a great speed but not getting the wind in my hair or hills or the bumps in the road i don't know i think i have a really short attention span >_<


here is a link to a video that a friend posted on Facebook, if you are tired in the morning or don't feel like going to the gym? this video gives you the power!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JWLe8ERZb4&feature=related

[Mr Ontario]

Looking good bro, you come a long way :)

[TopHatPlus]

Thanks MR Ontario i am a true believer that input = output

So yes i am alive, i feel like i was abducted this week and put on a planet of HELL! haha it was not that bad but i was not happy with it. I had a shoulder injury last week as most of you know, and i was sort of resting it??? not as well as i should have but my body had enough i suppose and i woke up tuesday with a soar throat and a stuffed up nose, missed tuesday's gym, day and work wednesday, thursday, friday, nd maybe tomorrow.... so to me missing 2 gym days is hell! i had a 1/2 workout with 3/4 intensity and 1/4 scoop of 1MR. My shoulder pain was not non existant but better, and i did no shoulder weights just hand stand push ups. So i am working on monitoring it and seeing how it goes. Tomorrow is my first real workout all week... and i am looking forward to it. As disappointed as i was it was kind of relieving that i did not even want to get out of bed so resting my shoulder was not terrible.

My headphones are broken.... so may not seem like a big deal but i am running Monster Cable Turbines, they are a spectacular set of headphones, the clarity and the bass is unreal! but after 6 months of fairly intense use and hundreds and hundreds of hours they are breaking on the cable where the jack connects. So i will be contacting Monster Cable and be seeing what they can do, i have heard good things about there customer service and will let you guys know.

[TopHatPlus]

Had a decent workout today, my nose is clearing and i am not nearly as congested in my chest so i really tried, i did not hit any of my weights nore did i intend to. I did quite a few hand stand push up, and i have found that doing bicep curls with dumbbells solve my fore arm pain, i guess because the bar bell turns my hand out ward rather then me keeping every aligned is just to much stress on my bones and so i did a number of 35, 40, 45 lbs curls. I just felt really good when i left, got lots of protein into me and i just feel really good, even though my shoulders crying and i am sick >_< haha life is truly good =D

[TopHatPlus]

Pretty good workout, i really tried to start a post illness push to reach all my numbers so i can then push for new ones. Had my buddy come with me that got me into the gym, and he was pretty impressed with my work outs and had some specific muscles he wanted to work which were already in my routine. Needless to say he will be sore for a while >_< I was doing my 135 lb standing bar bell shoulder press on rep #3 and i felt something pinch in my left shoulder and it was quite worrisome, i am not sure what it is but it is feeling fine now so i will wait to see how it feels tomorrow. IM BACK! and ready to destroy some stuff.

[TopHatPlus]

Had a ballin' workout, i feel soo good right now, i really have established my shoulder pain and how to workout and let it rest although i don't seem to >_< i am just feeling super good lately. It was a crazy weather day but by the time i went to the gym it was 20+ degrees and sunny so i walked to the gym in a sleeve less (wife beater) and board shorts and just the oxygen hitting my body felt SO good. i am almost ready for summer just need some colour>_< I have had a very busy week, with people over or me out since thursday but my cold is almost gone and i am planning on sitting on my butt tomorrow after work and just RELAXING haha pretty excited!

I was talking to the trainer i get advise from today because he had tried some hand stand push ups, he was surprised at how hard they were and he can shoulder press most of his body weight. It made me feel amazing that i was giving tips to a guy who has 10 years of experience on me >_< and hand stand push ups have become like push ups for me, just a nice shoulder stretch before i lift and kill some weight >_<

[TopHatPlus]

Just feeling weird, i feel like i hit a slump since i hurt my right shoulder, i hit some decent weight today, but i think between a few bad sleeps i just wasn't able to kill it like usual, i do not have control of my heat so i leave all my windows open all day and get home to a sweat pit for an apartment... i really do not understand why they have the heat so damn high...I had what i refer to as a slack first half of a workout and good second half. I manage to get about 30 reps of bicep curls, 25 or so hand stand push ups, 30+ dips, and lots of stretching, i have found that the reason for my shoulder pain in both sides is the barb bell shoulder press, it just seems to cause pain but i can do unlimited hand stand shoulder press's and no pain? so i will stick to that, i hope with a good rest day on saturday and a good night sleep on saturday i should be ready for some real weight =D

[TopHatPlus]

Oh jeeze... this is my first update in about 2 weeks thats worth reporting >_< i have not been doing any shoulder pressing or arnolds, just hand stand push ups and my shoulder is feeling much better. I actually clobbered some weight today! i got 3 reps 195 lbs bar bell incline bench, and i got 4 reps 205 lbs bar bell flat bench, with no assistance but a spotter on stand by. My cousin who is not stronger or more muscular then me but he takes his weight lifting a lot more seriously with an arsenal of pills, teas and supplements to get jacked i guess was pretty much speechless. That in its self made it a good day, but my gym buddy got 95 lbs on the flat bench and she was just on a victorious high for the rest of the workout and she did this while being quite sick. I did 65 dips non weighted and 20 weighted, so i think i will up the weight, i have not weighted my dips until today but i think its a good subtstancial shoulder/tricep workout and i enjoy using my body as weight as much as possible. I did about 30 reps per arm @ 40 lb dumb bells and 5 reps @ 45 lbs. My veins were popping, my shoulder looked like some one sculpted them and the blood rush when i was done a set just exhilarated me SO much and thats how i finished my workout. I got into a groove about 3/4 through where i was doing 110 lbs one hand low row, then 5 pushups with the push off and the hand clap, and then 3 chin ups on the cable machine and did that quite a few times with quite good efficiency and my gym buddy said she was waiting to watch my heart explode but i just felt so good, i had so much indrenaline running and just wasn't feeling fatigued so i just kept pushing harder. It was a good day.

i have a tendency of coming up with catchy sayings like the one in my sig, so usually when someone asks me if i am ready i usually respond with "born ready" so when we good done with a workout my gym buddy asks me if i am good, so today i come back with "i was born good, and i will die great" haha i try to use my attitude to set the modo.

[TopHatPlus]

Had a decent workout, hit 195 lbs incline bar bell bench, 95 lbs dumb bells flat bench, just warming everything up to start a push i am thinking in about a week, see how my shoulder handles the weight. So i decided i was not going to vote yesterday, i was so disappointed in all the parties that i just could not bring myself to do it. I just watch Arnolds inspirational videos on yotube and just wish so much he was running, he has worked so hard and he speaks so passionately about everything! The election went almost exactly as i expected, and i cannot really argue with it, the campaigning was so much shmearing it was just disappointing... I followed the Obama campaign a bit and i watch his inauguration, and i was just so inspired and i wanted to drive down and vote for him myself! So thats my tale, hehe life goes on and i continue to push myself to perfection.

[TopHatPlus]

Felt good today, i had to move some coils of aluminum weighing in at 101 pounds from shoulder height to the floor, and 2 of them back up to shoulder height, it played with my sore shoulder slightly because i was not warmed up for it at all, but it was SUPER sunny and the warmth felt SO good! I had a pretty decent gym day, enjoyed the warm walk in my board shorts and sleeveless shirt, but an average workout, but i was getting pretty tired about 2.25 hours into my workout but i just got myself into a groove and was doing mass push ups and dips, and bicep curls, i was extremely exhausted when i left but i felt great. My gym buddy abandoned me... so i just strolled around aimlessly but there was lots of cute girls so i had plenty to keep me busy =D Getting pretty excited about the weekend, looks to be decent weather which means MORE exercise!

[TopHatPlus]

Great day, not a great workout =P it was good. I had a wonderfull 45 minute bike ride on my Rocky Mountain, and did a large figure 8 in waterdown, and that bike still amazes me as much as the first time i rode it. Had a nice walk to the gym, got there and was shocked by the crowds >_< haha i counted 8 people. My gym buddy ditched me for her grandfathers 90th bday? what the hell is that? haha j/k. Got some good numbers pressed, lots of push up, chin ups, and bicep curls, and just enjoyed it today, loved the walk in the warm weather and i am starting to lose my stark whiteness. Hoping to get outside tomorrow for a bit and just relax lots. What are you most looking forward to this summer?

a pic of my at the gym, not flexing, and doing bicep curls, push ups, and hand stands.

[TopHatPlus]

Had a hell of a workout, i hit my numbers! its been about 3 weeks since i could post that! i got 4 reps 205 lbs bar bell flat bench, 3 reps 200 lbs bar bell incline bench. That was how i started my workout, i got all my numbers, did some insane amount of sit ups on the decline bench with it jacked about 1 1/2' in the air to add some substantial difficulty. My shoulder feels meh, its there but not dead. My gym buddy was completely mia and i feel pretty fantastic. My arms are starting to feel like there almost swollen, they are much bigger now cold then they were warm a couple months ago and just feel very prominent. I just feel so good its hard to describe but everyone here understands what that means =D

so i am going to see thor tomorrow evening, what are some reviews?

[TopHatPlus]

Disappointed today, i hurt my left fore arm at work. I knew it wasn't a good idea but we were rushed with people and i need the axles unloaded fast so i lifted them off the truck (above shoulder hight, @ 125 lbs per axle) and did a slow drop with them to the ground, this is about 30 lbs more then i can curl so it was straining but i did it with no stretching or warming up and thats what killed it. It plagued my workout most of the day although i hit about 90% of my numbers. I picked up a double big mac (just he sandwich) from mcdonalds on my way home to help support the ronald mcdonald house, although i am against most charities and i personally never need there services i like what they do for the community. I had quite the argument today with my brother and dad at work, my brother gets pissed at me because i avoid 100% working on my knees, it causes me great discomfort and a lot of pain (arthritis) so it seems logical not to do it. But according to my brother and and dad i no longer have arthritis and the pain i am feeling does not exist i am making it up..... i could have round housed him through a wall! we argue this a lot because they feel like i no longer have pain and the pain i do have is imaginary at best. I really do feel that i know WTF is going on with my body but apparently they know bette? I get great satisfaction in the fact that i will be well prepared when i get old, and when they get arthritis i can do this all to them =D haha its not the most beneficial approach but it pisses me off that i am told that i am lying and i don't know what i am feeling but they do >_<

I had a sad truth on tuesday... i ran maybe 60 feet across my parking lot to my buddys car to go out with some friends and i just kinked my hip weird. This is an extremely common thing for me, sometimes if i role over in bed and drag my toe it happens, turn to fast, receive any sort of hit in the side of the leg even small. So i went the day very very stiff and tender knowing exactly what would fix it, Tylenol? HELL NO, hurting the other hip to take my mind off it? NO haha biking! low impact cardio with clipless (they clip in i don't get the name) pedals and smooth repetitive motion does WONDERS for my arthritis!

[TopHatPlus]

haha not a gym night >_< but i had a good night, i tried super pump250, it was meh. It was lick licking 1mr off your finger tip? i noticed some energy, if i had never used 1mr or any more intense energy shake then i would have probably been more impressed. I took it with the straight up knowledge of not going to the gym i was going biking, and it was a pretty awesome ride, i didn't hit the bruce trail just bombed waterdown all over the place! and just felt to good! wheelies through intersection, mad bunnie hops over manhole covers and just having some fun with the bike.

Superpump250 - a low end casual energy shake, it would be sufficient for a casual gym attendee and not for any one with the type for workouts i do.

My Bike, this is my 4th season, it is truly an incredible machine!

[TopHatPlus]

had a good workout, i was overly tired and just un motivated today. I got my numbers agin which thrilled me, but i tried something new. I was doing the rope on the pully machine and a guy recommended i talk to the one trainer and use his dip belt and do some real dips. So i did just that and did 15 reps @ 35 lbs, 15 reps 25 lbs, and about 40 reps un weighted throughout my workout. My triceps felt insane! So i am going to look into getting a dip belt, i really enjoyed using it and was very happy with how comfortable supporting the weight was. I forogt picture day so i will try to have that up for sunday.

[TopHatPlus]

My warm ups just felt heavier then they usually do, But i got 4 reps 200 lbs bar bell incline bench, and destroyed the 100 lb dumb bells on the flat bench with a smooth 3 reps. Pushed my dips even more today, got 10 reps @ 60 lbs, and damn did i feel spectacular after. Needing a dip belt =D its no longer a want. Got soaked on my walk home (with an umbrella)

Took these photos after the gym, i apologize for the quality, i pride myself on taking great photos but... when you have it set on a 10 second timer on a desk leaning on a pen... its hard to make the magic happen >_< Feel free to ask any questions comments, or critiques.

[Felinecougar]

I only want to comment on your post title. "Addicted much"

We are addicted to the endorphins that working out brings. Most of us seek them for similar but different reasons. To describe your addiction or mine would require a degree in Psychology. Keep your addiction healthy, balance life and work. Keep family close and don't forget to have fun in between.

4 yrs ago..a young man I mentored found me on here. He and I were like mother and son since he was 15. He greeted me at the drinking fountain at the gym one night and called me felinecougar. I'd been had. He knew. He studied this site...did his home work.. I spread my addiction...my virus. Once you catch it it's yours,...it will make you healthier or it will destroy.
Enough said...addiction is what it is.

[TopHatPlus]

Haha yeah, i wouldn't say im addicted to the lifting, its the way i feel and the way i look, i can assure you if i could get this from sleeping i would have 5 year naps =D It gets me out of the house and give me some substantial goals.

DIPS!!!! haha i had a good workout over all, i think my shoulders starting to make progress. I really pushed dips, got 5 reps, 3 reps, 3 reps, @ 80 lbs. For the record that is quite heavy >_< and then worked my self down and i felt SO good. I was talking to the guy at Body max nutrition in water down and he sells lifting belts, and wrists straps and what not so hes going to see about getting a dip belt. Ahhh (sighs) i just feel fantastic right now.

[TopHatPlus]

Scissor cut feeling, i had a fantastic workout. I got my usual numbers and my shoulder is really starting to feel good. My headphones are about 50% through the replacing process, and the weather cleared up. I did weighted dips once again. so i tried to push myself as far as i could this time and i did pretty well i think. 7 reps, 5, and 3 reps @ 90 lbs. (2x 45 lb plates) putting my somewhere around 230 lbs total. I did about 4 sets warm up and 5 cool down and my low pecks feel like someone cut them. This is the best low peck burn i have ever had and far far far exceeds my bench pressing and push ups i have been doing. Had a wonderful walk home, and just a great day. My gym buddy is back after 2 weeks mia doe to illness and she did great for a first day back. And to top it all off i had some teenagers asking me for tips to increase mass =D they said i looked huge and i firmly corrected them with good, haha there is guys in there that look huge >_< Looking forward to saturday and a sweet bike ride =D my jake the snake needs a run =D

[TopHatPlus]

Today started great, got a good night sleep, work ws busy but i was done at noon, my pre gym went well, i planned a road ride as my first real ride of the season. It actually went like 5x better then expected. I got 40 kms, in 1 hour. I got to really see how my muscle and building will effect my riding. It was spectacular! i was able to pull my self like a train and motor up hills and blast the straights. Purchased some racing bars, then returned to my apartment for gym time. As i was about 100 feet from the gym and getting myself mentally prepped my hip just started throbbing. I had been fighting with it for a few days now, ie when i am driving and i rotate my ankle from the gas to the break i get an unbearable sharp pain in my hip. So i was kind of pissed to start my workout, and only ended up working out for 1 hour. I couldn't get and core done and my hip was just throbbing to sit. My walk home was well.... crippled. I basically had a 25 minute hobble to get back. It will be an interesting evening being i am in excruciating pain to sit on the couch >_< So now to install ym racing bars and relax.

[TopHatPlus]

Had a fantastic bike ride! it was cloudy out starting to spit and extremely windy, so not the ideal conditions for a ride but i wanted to try out my new racing bars. I give them a 10/10 i had a super rough first 3/4 of the ride because of severe head winds and misting rain but i had a cool 10 km sprint back to waterdown, got out of the wind, and tucked into my new bars. I had an untold amount of power and i was going conservatively on it. I would say i felt like i gained 30-40% efficiency. For those not fromiliar with the riding position of a road bike its kind of screwed up and takes quite some time to adjust to being its extremely awkward/uncomfortable in the beginning but it is ideal for power. Had a nice walk to the gym, the gym was very hot/muggy/humid but i hit my numbers and my gym buddy is officially recovered from her sick leave.

I posted this in worst advice ever but here it is.

I had my first experience with this today. I have been using a dip belt at the YMCA that belongs to one of the employees and have permission to use. But i guess one of the ladies there i don't know if she's a trainer or not and i hope not but she would not let me use it, her reasoning was that it is far to much of a liability, and the belt is unsafe to use. So she did not stop there she started up with her genius suggestion that had me dumb founded..... She recommend i load plates into a back pack..... I don't think this ladie has ever lifted a 25 lb plate in her life she is in terrible shape and told me that this was a much safer way to support the weight. So i was thinking about this as i continued my workout, how much weight is a back pack designed to hold? my guess is around 30-35 lbs. So put 2x 45 lb plates (they are to round to fit anyways) and you would break the bag for sure, but lets say it you get them in the bag, on your back (and they don't dig in horrendously) and it breaks while i am up in the air, i tuck my legs into my body while i dip to throw some abs in while i dip and that would break smoke my legs and then potentially damage the floor.... i was very surprised by this suggestion... so it has increased the severity of my dip belt purchase. And i will be making mention to her the substantial flaws in her "idea"...

[TopHatPlus]

Just wasn't feeling it today, the ymca was super hot and muggy inside, actually quite more then outside. I tried my best but i could not hit all my numbers. I talked to a trainer about the backpack thing and i guess he was informed about the dip belt not being allowed and he was informed about the managers suggestion to use a backpack and he completely shut her down on it >_< I have been talking to the owner of Body Max nutrition in waterdown about getting some dip belts in, he has the belts and wrist straps and stuff so i will find out tomorrow the verdict on that and see whats up. I also took a moment and left a suggestion in the YMCA's suggestion box just voicing my concern and i left my email if they wish to contact me. I will be taking my mother to the gym tomorrow to set her up with a basic stretch and workout to get her started and then we'll see how she does and work her up to a great workout in a few months. Walked home in the pouring rain and thunder storm, it was quite exhilarating i was soaked from the shoulders down because my umbrella is just large enough to cover my head and keep my headphones dry, and ym shoes are waterproof so they were dry but i was not even in the slightest bit cold, i think i have some fantastic serculation because i rarely get cold and if i do i am usually sick. CUT MY HAIR OFF haha it felt like i was getting eaten by my hair but now its all gone and i am running a semi short professional look =D haha

[TopHatPlus]

Thursday, went in to the gym for a bit to show my mother around and get her set up on a very basic routine to start her out with. I had not used any of the weight machines since last september ish when i switch over to real weights. It was rather interesting and i can max many of the machines and it just felt wierd, like it was heavy but there was no weight to it? I will stick to my free weights.

So i missed fridays post because i was insanely tired after the gym, but it all went good, i got my numbers and killed it.

Sunday - i got to the gym and when i got there i was just thinking the whole time i should not be here i should be biking... I was there for an hour i did 2 sets of abs, extensive stretching, 185 x 6 on the incline bench (there was no one there to spot so i didn't want to push it) I finally got a dip belt so i hit those pretty hard. 4 sets @ 90 lbs hang, 5 reps, 3 reps, break/stretch 5 reps, 3 reps then a cool down. Some hand stand push ups, push ups, more stretching and i just could not be in there nay more, my gym buddy was mia and there was like 6 people in the whole gym. So i walked home grabbed my kona and went for a 50 km ride. I did not set any personal bests but i had a lovely ride an i get a very very consistent speed the entire ride. As i pulled into the parking lot of my building i could feel it starting to spit and felt even better about my ride. I would say my biggest realization this season of riding is that my new muscle mass has not in any way hampered my riding like i have been told SO many time by SO many people. When i get out there and I'm in my shuttle position its all power. haha and for me biking = legs, the more i do of it the bigger my legs get and being it in no way effects my arthritis and actually makes it feel better, i will be able to bulk my legs quite a bit this year.

[TopHatPlus]

Felt like roid rage today. I just had some fairly heated arguments today and i was in a terrible mood! I am not testy or anything but mentally i need to destroy something. So the natural choice tens to be my body, but not in a emo way. I wanted to really see what i can do with the dip belt today.... i gathered some plates and started my warm ups and i got a set 5 of reps @ 90 lbs done and i was very curious as to what i could achieve, i have been chatting with one of the trainers there and he got 4 reps @ 110 lbs (plus his 200 lbs of body weight) so i wanted to see if i could top that. I planned on doing 100 lbs but ended up with 115 lbs on the belt.. haha you know how that goes >_< I got 3 pretty smooth reps and then struggle into another set but only got 1 rep. I felt like a monster when i finished and i am sure putting a shirt on tomorrow will be interesting >_< I got all my other numbers plus a new personal best on the bench press. I have tried so hard as iv gotten older when i get enraged to the points i want to curb stomp someones face to channel that into something more productive. So after 2 hours of working out including my dips i got 3 super clean un assisted reps @ 210 lbs and a 4th assisted (maybe 5 pound shaved) but close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades ;P My mother has been a few times now and seems to really be enjoying it and she is progressing nicely, and is now looking for more intense workouts (beyond basic machines) and my gym buddy clobbered 10 reps @ 90 lbs on the bench press!

[TopHatPlus]

Fantastic day. I got home after work immediately got a small shake into me stretched a but got ready and headed out for a 25 km sprint on my Kona, gabbed her and there a for a bit. I got to the gym wondering how i would do being i did go for a bike ride and it usually wears me out for lifting. But i did pretty awesome, 3 unassisted reps 205 lbs incline bench press. 5 reps (3, then 2) 115 lbs for a total 255 lb dips. I sure am feeling those dips already feels like someone cut my lower peck with scissors >_< but i got a lot of protein into me so they will get some TLC while i am sleeping. The one trainer at the YMCA that tends to challenge me to some insane workouts told me he had started to do one handed push ups.... well..... those are damn hard.... after like 7-8 different configurations i think i got 2 pretty solid reps. It is a work in progress >_< Did some weighted chin ups/wide arm chin ups, and 145 lb shoulder press. It was just a good day. My mother did Hawaiian dancing today and my gym buddy did it last week so i will be doing it next week =D it looks like a lot of fun, and theres no guys in there so good time to hang out with the ladies. =D

[TopHatPlus]

FOREARM, it was quite a day, some insanely erratic weather and i was so tired heading to the gym. I struggle with my incline bench but i got 2 reps @ 205 lbs, and then decided it was time to kill something! So i headed over to the dips, lots of stretching, and a few warm ups and i pounded out 4, 1 rep @ 115 lbs for a total 255. This workout is AMAZING, i cannot get over the little things its done and the big changes. My lower pecks are looking/feeling much better, and my fore arms were SO SO tight it felt like they were made of concrete. I did some hand stand push ups, dumb bells bicep curls, chin ups both weighted, weighted wide arm, and non weighted. Got my protein into me once i got back and am please that my tricep is finally starting to settle down. Those one arm push ups are ridiculous... and being that would put me at a combined 280 lbs its far past my personal best. Just a nice relaxing afternoon, hopefully i will get my A/C installed tomorrow, a bike ride, and some tanning (the body is looking sad >_<) Now for World of Warcraft =D

(pictures coming in a few days pretty excited)

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Not feeling it... it was a weird day, i had a small nap after work/before the gym and when i awoke my arms felt heavy just lifting them above my head... This was kind of a buzz kill..... But as always i tried my best and got most of my numbers. Did some arnolds today which is a return from a 2 month break due to shoulder pain and i destroyed the 65 lbs with very liuttle effort so i will be pushing for 75 lbs ASAP. I made another attempt at one hand push ups, and got 2 decent ones per arms. This told me both it was getting easier and my arms as far as being even are within like 1% of each other. I don't have huge expectations for werdnesdays workout about i would like to hit 210-215 on the flat bench. I will try my best to kill something on friday.

I have become a bit of a product tester for Body Max nutrition in waterdown. So i was given a pre workout called Serum Accelerated, by Magnum Nutraceuticals inc. It was okay i would give it a 6/10

Pros
Does work!
Kicks in quickly
Mixes smoothly
Lasted fairly well

Cons
Tasted pretty terrible, like a mixture of gross cough syrup and terrible cool aid.
Had a very intense crash after about 5 hours of ingestion. Which also lead to a pretty harsh headache.

If i had to compare this to my usual 1MR i would say its about 1/4 of its potency, gave a similar mental clarity and kicked in, in a similar fashion.

[TopHatPlus]

Headache.. it was a weird day i felt like i had heat exhaustion, i was tired and just had a brutal headache. So i started my work out and the headache just kind of sundered along until i hit the weighted dips. I figured if i pushed them as hard as i can i would either get a migraine or it would stop. So i had a small mental battle weather to push 115 or 125 and well 125 is easier to load on the belt so i tried that. I got 2 sets 2 reps, and it was one of the hardest lifts i have ever done! but it felt amazing. After i ditched the head ache and warmed up my arms and stretched out thoroughly i did some serious hand stand push ups, low row, and weighted chin ups. Had a pretty great walk home and now just relaxing. The owners of Body max nutrition was wondering when i was going to enter my first competition. I really don't think the whole competing thing is my cup of tea, i am doing to this to perfect myself. HAWAIIAN dancing tomorrow!

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Thursday i know this is not a gym day but i decided to help keep my mother motivated i would go to the occasional cardip class with her. We had planned to go to hawaiian dancing but it was canceled and instead did a 30 minute step class and 30 minutes of yoga. They were both slow and easy and i lost interest fairly quickly but my mother was enjoying it so i just got it done.

Hmmm.... so it was an alright day. I was super pumped before i got there because i had found the perfect gift for my expecting Brother/sister inlaw. It is the magic bullet for babys! haha i use my bullet SO much and when i seen it on sale i had to buy them one, and although my brother was like not overly thrilled his wife was ecstatic! which put me in the best mood heading to the gym. I got a new personal best 2 reps @ 215 lbs no assistance and a few pound shaved on the third so 2 reps. I got 3 consecutive reps @ 125 lbs for a total weight of 265 lb dips, and a single rep after that. From there some neato abs and then got challenged by a personal trainer at the gym to a circuit training exercise... haha it was neat we did "burps", a front squat sit up, push ups rotating back and forth on a half ball, and a skipping rope for 1 minute each for 3 rounds. Its not even close to my usual workouts which consist of more intense weight less reps but ti was kind of fun, my gym buddy champed through all of it and that was when called it a day >_< We were physically spent.

PICTURES haha my camera was not co operating on AUTO which i don't care for anyways but as i have stated to take a photo and be in it is a touch thing >_< and the flash did not want to go off even though it was necessary so i set it up manually and got some alright shots, they were over exposed but i didn't feel like taking 100 shots to fix it so i edited them up some to make them look right.
As always comments, critiques, and questions are welcome.

[Felinecougar]

"am by no means consuming 5000 calories, i would be lucky to hit 500"

WTF...No? NO no no

Wasting away because of lack of calories in the kitchen and pushing heavy in the gym is negating all your goals. Don't tell me this is true. 500? a pre adolescent 10 yr old eats more! Ok..I feel I am coming on strong here..you bet I have to. Can I smack you silly about now/

IMO a 14 yr old girl who eats 2000 calories a day will look better then you and all hour hard work..all she has to do it eat clean, no training.

How long have you been a member here? Honestly..500 calories? I won't waste my time anymore responding.

[TopHatPlus]

Im not overly proud of my diet its mostly due to scheduling and time, and then money

i work monday - friday 8 -5
so im up at 7, bowl of cereal at work for 8, eat a small wrap at lunch, home by 5:30 pending its not busy, get a shake into me unwind a bit have a 30 minute nap get ready for the gym and out the door, at the gym for 7, home at 10:30 in bed at 11. On non gym days its pretty well the same but instead of the gym, i'm biking, or street boarding, and if the weather sucks im usually running errands like grocery shopping or cleaning.

On gym days i take 5 scoops of powder, which is about 400 calories/160 grams of protein, a wrap with some salsa and cheese on it (very gourmet i know) and then for dinner (if its not a gym night) i'll either make another wrap or have another bowl of cereal. On weekends i try my best to relax as much as possible but one day is a gym day so the other tends to be biking or something. I have never had an issue bulking or with general energy through the day. I cannot eat with 3-4 hours of exercise or i cramp up pretty bad, and i don't have much time to eat at work, i work for a small family business and its busy busy all day. If i had and extra $5 at the end of the month i would invest it into food >_< but theres only so much of it and i am by no means living a lavished lifestyle haha i do have the internet but no home phone or cable tv ;P so its just trying to balance out what i can afford with what amount of time i have.

[TopHatPlus]

Good workout but meh overall. I had good energy and a great warm up and was pushing some great numbers i just could not get my head into the gym today. I did 6 reps total 3,2,1 @ 125 lbs for a total of 265 lbs. I have noticed substantial improvements in my fore arms both in size and endurance, and my back is starting to look pretty good as well. I did a very smooth set of 5 reps @ 45 lb dumb bell bicep curls, and had no fore arm and no shoulder pain! So i think things are looking up on that aspect and i am thinking my pain was just due to a lack of muscle in my fore arms in comparison to the strength in my biceps. Just looking forward to a relaxing afternoon, going to my gym buddies baseball game tonight so i will take my Nikon D90 and play around with it a bit =D

[Talo]

Almonds are cheap and one cup is about 1000 cals.

Peanut butter
Oil
Pasta
Rice

are all cheap foods that will add extra calories to your diet.

[TopHatPlus]

I felt like a Duramax diesel pick up running a alison transmission at the gym today. I got 3 nice solid and smooth reps of 215 lbs on the flat bench and it felt REALLY good, it felt very heavy but it kept moving! I was kind of toying with my dips today to see what i was feeling, without weight and at 45 lbs i felt kind of stiff and kind of like a brick. I got 4 reps @ 125 lbs and 3 reps for a total of 265 lbs. It felt very good and had me pumped for thursday, if today went well i am going to push for 3 plates, it only another 10 lbs and it will be alot easier to load consider all the holes lineup. Got some nice smooth sets of hand stand push ups in, and i thoroughly surprised myself with some very clean one arm push ups which not surprisingly end up at one arm/one leg haha. It was a good day and will lead to some great workout days ahead.

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Been attacking weighted dips for about 1 month now and i feel like i have made some substantial progress. I started with 35 bs and i am now up to 135 lbs, i got 2 sets of 2 reps @ 135 lbs and i felt AMAZING. I got the insane tearing feeling and the insane pump it was pretty epic (to me). I did a few other workouts and i wanted to hit the flat bench because it was un occupied, i got 5 reps @ 210 lbs, and it also was pretty great! it was just a good night i felt good while i was there, although i slept on my arm funny again and my shoulder has had some insanely sore moments. Greatly looking forward to saturdays workout adn i will hopefully get out street boarding this weekend.

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SUN? haha i got out for a bike ride today, it was pretty good but it took a few minutes to adjust to the temperature. I have not really been biking in a week and a bit and only been working out indoors so once i got my breathing under control put some air in my fatty tires it was a good stretching of the legs. Got some new bicycle shorts, had a lovely walk to and from the gym, hit the 275 lb dips again for 3 consecutive reps and just feel pretty awesome right now! doing some tanning tomorrow!

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It started about noon on sunday, i have been having some intense lower back pain. Today at work was pretty sketchy and was a intense day up and down day. Getting into and out of my car i have been using the band aid approach... fast and painful >_< I had a good day at the gym though i got a smooth 3 reps @ 275 lb dips, i got 4 reps 215 lbs on the flat bench, and did a ton of stretching. This allowed me some relief but allowed me to pin point that its only on ym left side just beside my spin and feels like a pulled muscle. So i am going to get some rub on lakota and we will see what happens. I may have picked up another gym buddy to, haha she did a few sets of abs on the decline bench and has been in some intense pain for about a week so she want to come workout now to =D

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KABOOM! it was a extra spectacular workout today. My lower back muscle is feeling about 80% better after a few layers of lakota and some intense stretching. I was feeling really good before i started my workout and was highly contemplating a push for 2 plates on the flat bench. Well i did my warm up, 5 reps @ 135, 3 reps @ 185 and then just said screw it and added another plate. So with 225 on there and one of my most substantial goals in the balance i got 3 VERY smooth reps that were not overly difficult and a decent 4th, i had a little spotting at the pivot but the rest was all me. Cooldown then dips, i got stretched and warmed up and i got 2 set of 3 reps at 275 lbs (140 + 135) and it once again felt pretty beast, i am fighting on whether to finish the week at that weight and push for more reps or run it another week then try for more? haha its not a big deal either way i just have a thirst for dips =D I will say that doing these dips has GREATLY improved my bench pressing regularity. I was having issues always hitting 215 and if i did i would get jammed a lot in the pivot from elbows inline with the body to above or as most call it the tricky spot. But i have found since hitting some serious numbers on my dips i have a lot more consistent power and its not above and below the pivot change. My fore arm pain is gone and my back is getting quite large. All in all it was well worth it! I had another former high school class mate join me today and she asked me if i was one of those people who "always want more" haha and i had an immediate "theres no other way". It seems so pointless to be satisfied being in 6 short months i went from 95 lbs on the flat bench to an unrealistic goal of 225 lbs, so what i just stop the flat bench now? haha NO WAY. Lots of protein, sleep, and relaxing for friday when i will again destroy some weight!

[TopHatPlus]

Deception.... I was feeling great when i got there other then a slight pinch in my left shoulder, so i did EXTENSIVE stretching. I did a nice warm up on the incline bench then attacked the flat bench with style. I got 3 smooth reps of 230!!!!!!! i was pretty happy with this. 2 Days in a row now i managed to increase my weight but i can assure you it will not be a third. I got another 2 sets of 3 reps @ 275 lb dips and i am not sure if i will increase this sunday or not, i guess it depends on how my shoulder feels, but sundays are good days for push's because i don't work. Pushed my core pretty good today to make up for this weeks lower back issue which is now about 95% its just mainly stiff. Just feeling good and living life i suppose. I did Hawaiian dancing last night with my mother, a few family members, my 39 weeks pregnant sister inlaw, and my mothers red hat group (a few of them) and it was alright, definitely more of a female thing but my mother seemed to appreciate my attendance and thats why i was there. Some of the teenagers there (the regular ones) felt it appropriate for mockery (i have never talked to them before) and i found this rather amusing. So when i seen them around and about i amde a few tid bit comments "get these ladies Hula dancing and they start to lift like men" haha i don't think they enjoyed it nearly as much as i expected them to but they were rude, these are the same guys that have made very rude comments about my gym buddy so they deserved it >_<.

[TopHatPlus]

Hey, had a good day. I am in the mood for some outdoor fun so i tried to keep it brief but intense. I got 3 reps 225 lbs on the flat bench, 2 sets 3 reps @ 275 lb dips, lots of stretching and push ups, shoulder press's, handstand push ups and much more.

Now the interesting thing about today was i got a free set of Haulin hooks. I have never used any form of wrist strap or grip assist other then gloves. So i was interested in trying these out. I usually get 3 reps on a wide arm chin up with a 25 lb plate on the dip belt. Today i got 3 sets of 3 reps. It was kind of awkward at first and i felt best with a 50/50 grip (50% me, 50% the hooks) and i felt much better stimulation in my delts and back. When i was finished my hand had lots left in them so i did some low row with them and felt really good. It seems like i will be using these just as a fore arm preserver throughout my workouts. I have no worries about loosing fore arm strength because the weighted dips arm very hard on them and working 9 hours a day with my hands =D haha it was interesting...

[TopHatPlus]

Had a wierd day, i have been getting ehadaches the past 2 days which NEVER happens, so i am semi conserned with that but i am watching it carefully. I had a good day at the gym. I got 3 reps @ 235 lbs on the flat bench, and 3 reps (2, 1) @ 285 lb dips, but i got a massive pinch on my thing from the chain and the plate >_< it was rather unpleasant, but i coult not chain it up my usuualy way because the 10 lb plate i added made it to wide at 4 plates >_< haha but its all good. Finally got a 5000 btu A/C installed in my apartment and its been running like a trooper for a few days now and keeping it nice and cool. Other then that Rib fest is coming to waterdown this weekend and that should be a fun event!

[TopHatPlus]

I had a decent day, found out i get friday off YAY! so that put me in a pretty glorious mood into my pre gym prep. My gym buddy bailed just before the gym, which is not a big deal but shes been bailing on just about all of our plans, for just about anything else >_< haha although attendance is not mandatory i consider it expected. So iv been trying to wrangle up some friend to come along with me. I really need to find a girl who's as hard working as i am =D As for the work out, i was doing my bench press, and i generally put my feet together on the end of the bench due to severe leg length issues. But it was recommended by my spotter to put my feet on the floor. I tried it and it was different, i had probably a 4 inch gap from the bench to my lower back and it was tweaking my hip weird as i desperately reached for the floor. He said it aligns my chest better with the bar and aligns your arms better and what not, i did not notice a difference. I found it harder, but im not sure if thats because im so use to the other way? but i found i just couldn't flex my body the same. So what do you do? and recommend? and why? (example of my leg length, a 28 inseam on a pair of jeans is to long.) Hit most of my weights and got some good stretching in. Planning on doing some serious bike riding tomorrow, probably road, we'll see how it goes but things are all pointing towards a good ride. HAPPY CANADA DAY!

[TopHatPlus]

Got busy saturday after the gym, i had a friend come aver and we went to rib fest. So the gym was good, nothing outstanding just warm ups and stretching, got 8 reps @ 275 lb dips (3,1,3,1) and started doing chin ups both wide arm and close with a 35 lb plate. It was a good day it was hot but my A/C has been running solidly so my apartment is nice and cool. Hopefully i will get my gym buddy back and get some numbers destroyed. TANSFORMERS ON TUESDAY!!!!

[TopHatPlus]

Had a really good day. My warm up bench was not as well as i had hoped but that can be a hit and miss at times, but my dips went VERY well. I got 8 reps, 3,3,2 @ 275 lbs and got a sensational burn in my tricep and a great tightening in my lower peck. Got a few decent sets of abs in, lots of stretching, some great weighted chin ups, and i even did some legs. Will have a gym buddy wednesday and friday so that should be good, and TRANSFORMERS tomorrow!!!

[TopHatPlus]

It has been an interesting week, and very interesting day. To start it off so you know what mental state i have been in., my sister in law is 1 week past due for her first child and is being induced at 8 am tomorrow morning. So my bother has not had much sleep all week and has been emotionally all over the place. So all week i have been dealing with an almost by polar brother and my very anxeous family. This is the first of our family to have a child and it has not been an easy pregnancy by any means so its nice to see and end. So i was having issues working out tonight with my mental location, physically i felt pretty amazing but getting my head there was a hit an miss depending on the minute. But i managed to get 4 of the cleanest reps @ 225 lbs on the flat bench i have gotten yet and 3 reps @ 285 lbs on the dips. I have been fighting for a few weeks on weight setup for the dips. I have issues with the chain being to short for one way but getting my thigh pinched in the chain in another. But i think i worked it out today! I got 2 then 1 rep on it and i was feeling GOOD so i got 3 then 2 reps @ 275 and a cool down and i was feeling like a monster. So my second gym buddy then joined me after an intense cardio class and i had her doing some pretty intense ab workouts, showed her the incline bench and did some legs/squats. It was just a good day, i am on cloud 9 with the baby coming (most likely) tomorrow and just everything lately, my injuries seem to be healing, my weights are increasing, and i am planning a bike ride tomorrow. I will not be going far just around town because i could be called upon by my brother to help with his 2 adorable small dogs or what ever =D so i will be ready!

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What a wonderful few days..... i have some catching up to do i suppose, so my sister inlaw/brother were due with there first child on thursday june 30th, and no surprise she went over her due date. So her doctor had her booked in to be induced by thursday july 7th, so on wednesday nigth at the gym this is was i had on my mind the whole time, but my gym buddy pulled me through. Thursday came, my brother wasn't at work and they induced her at 9 am..... blah bla blah the day rolled by, i heard at 4 that she was 3 cm dialated so i expected a long delivery so iw ent biking and got a call after 2 hours of biking (around 9:10 pm) that it was a 7 lb baby girl. It was to late to go in and visit but i was pretty exctatic, walked over to my brothers place and spent some time with his dogs and took them outside for there business and chilled till he got home at midnight to see how the delivery went. She did very very well and the baby came out in excellent health! So my goal tonight was to get done work, protein shake and a shower then visit the baby in the hospital and then head back up stop and buy a bicycle pump from bicycle works in waterdown then hit the gym. I was an hour late to the gym, one gym buddy bailed for hunger issues, and the other one stuck it out and got some good workouts in with me. She is really into dancing and ballet and stuff so i am having her teach me some stuff. It was not a great workout tonight, but i got a fantastic ride in on thursday, will go for a ride tomorrow after work, and the baby should be coming home so then go visit/take TONS of photos! and then i am really hoping to just destroy a workout on sunday, alone sadly... haha but life is well and i am enjoying being a uncle.

her name is Brinley, 7 lbs, black hair, and shes got some fight in her!

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Nothing overly great today, i thought it would be a good idea to do 20 kms of trails before the gym.... it was over 40 degrees with humidex! so it took me about 1 1/2 hours of insane amounts of sweating. Then i got 1 1/2 hours of weight lifting in plus 30 minutes of walking for transit.... it was a weird day. But i went over to my parents to build a bicycle stand and found out that the whole family was coming over for dinner and spend some time with brinley. It was a good day but i have a workout to make up for.... Picture DAY.

I apologize for the front views i had the ISO set insanely high for some previous night photos i had done and did not notice so there not as crisp as they could be but the back shot is a keeper!

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Hot Hot HOt, the weather has been rather warm.... I worked 12 hours yesterday and was completely burned out from over exertion on sunday. So today i did all my pre gym prep and i felt pretty good. I was having issues even after taking my pre workout with keeping my eyes open? I was physically sharp although a bit tense and mentally set but my eyes were doing something completely different >_< It was a typical guilt trip tuesday with a bunch of noobs on all the benches so i decided to hit up some dumb bells. They felt really heavy! but i mustered through them and got a solid 3 reps @ 90 lbs and 3 reps @ 95 lbs. I then got into my dips..... one a bad day they go good and one a good day they go great? its been quite and interesting thing. I got warmed up and got my 145 lb set ready and was sitting on the 3 plates (plus 2x 5 lb plates) and the trainer that suggested i use a back pack walked over, nelt down in front of me, looked me in the eyes and asked "are you sure you want to do that to your body" HAHAHAHA "HELL YES" was my response =D i got a satisfying 2 sets, 2 reps @ 285 and 2 sets 3 reps @ 275 lbs. I was pretty happy with that so i did my hand stand push ups, weighted chin ups, low rows, some core, and leg press. It was an alright day, but i am hoping for some more substantial numbers on thursday!

Have you heard the song "rolling in the deep" by adelle?

well linkin park covered it at the itunes music festival.... was not overwhelmed with the original but damn....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHtwZ07N1ic

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Good day, i got 3, 1 reps @ 285 lb dips, 3, 3 reps @ 275 lb dips, then 10 reps @ 230 lbs (plus warm up), did most of my usual stuff, incline bench 2 times (why not?) it was good there theres more to come this weekend.

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Had a bit of a change today. Went to the McMaster university gym with 2 friends who attend McMaster. Had a pretty good work out nothing over the top but i am tired now so i did good >_< Got some new wheels for my street board so i wanna go do some shredding tomorrow and am pretty exciting to relax this evening =D

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Buzz kill.... god damnit.... what a way to start off a workout. Got me into a mental roid rage which got me insanely pumped and made all of my workouts as intense as could be but just disappointing at the same. I need more to satisfy and calm myself but it was not happening.... i pulled another muscle in my back but the rub on lakota eased it enough to bust out 45 sit ups on a extremely steep decline bench. I will be doing a push on wednesday... i need this.

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missed my workout.... am not complaining but i got all dressed up with no where to go... (meh other things came up)

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for every failed rep i do 2, well i missed a gym day..... so i figured if its 2x hotter then usual out then if i go for a bike ride i get double the workout.... the math may be off but i felt better =D got 11 mms in on my rocky and passed a bus ;P

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GOT MY WORKOUT TODAY! it was not bad, i felt WAY over rested to the point i felt weak... My workout was not as intense as it usually is but i got my numbers and pushed through it. I seem alike it could be a rather active weekend =D should be a good workout sunday morning!

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UH OH, so its been a weird few days, i missed my workout wednesday so that means friday was a re breaking in, and i have a general rule of thumb for every failed rep - do 2 more, so for every missed workout.... 2 more. But i cannot list 4 days straight so i spent some time outside.... it was about 500000 degrees. So on saturday not only was i so busy i did not eat my first meal until 1 am sunday morning but i spent 1 1/2 hours biking (both road and trail) but i spent 2 hours street boarding, got way to much sun, was dehydrated to all hell and was malnourished. So i treated myself to some pizza at 1 am so i did not die in my sleep... got to bed at a decent time (kind of went on a date to a late movie), woke up at a good time, had a good pre gym prep and drove to the gym so i could be there for 9:30 sharp and i was early. Had a decent workout, i got a smooth 3 reps @ 90 lb dumb bells on the incline bench, and some really nice dips, and i though for fun i would weigh myself seeing as it had been a week. I knew my last meal was still in me, i had my shake and a bit of water in me so i knew i would weigh in heavier then my actual weight... it read 3 lbs lighter then it should have under ideal weighing conditions.... So i know how the food sits in me, water, and shake i figured i lost 5 pounds in 6 days.... Not overly excited about that... Non of my weights have felt heavier then usual and my shirts are getting SO hard to take off. I may be one of the only people on earth thats upset to lose weight >_< I blame the heat...

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Had a pretty good workout, i was in good spirits and had good energy, my bench press just is not as strong this past week as it has been and I'm not entirely sure why... but i hit 295 lb dips today! got 3 reps (2,1) and was very happy with this. Nothing overly exciting happened at the gym but i am starting a new sport this weekend. I have ordered a 20" Norco trials unicycle. I am pretty pumped, i get it thursday. Should be a fun weekend....

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Severe lack of brain in gym today. I had an okay workout/stretch, had a decent bench today, but could not do almost any dips due to muscle pain between my should and neck. But went out on my Muni afterward to practice and got some decent practice layer down. SO tired.

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Missed another workout... but not my fault this time. It was the civic holiday so the gym closed at 5, and i worked till 5:30 sooo..... meh i did a few sets of push ups, hand stand push ups, wide/closed chin-ups, dips in various locations.

I got some time in on my uni as well, getting pretty good on it now, got over 100 feet without falling!!! and almost removed my "junk" thats when i called it a night....

Here is an example of what my inevitable goal is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg644RVb3lY&feature=related

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Missed a update and basically missed another workout... Monday was closed to i tried to hit it hard wednesday... but i seemed to have pulled a muscle going from my shoulder to my neck... it has been less then pleasant.. It killed pretty much all of my upper body workouts, and basics like getting off the floor....

Today - went well, my favourite gym buddy showed up, was feeling good, my shoulder was feeling "better" but not great, got some decent bench in, 230 lb dips, stretching, skipped legs, hand stand push ups and some core.

Legs... unicycling is a monster of a leg workout.... and it have no regrets skipping legs when i go unicycling after.... I can ride over 600' un assisted (no fence), turn, control speed, dismount intentionally and non intentionally with out injury (usually) but its fun =D

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Back in the saddle (so to speak) after a rough week i got a real workout in today! i felt like a born bread machine! i got 3 clean reps 205 flat bunch un spotted and it felt SO good, i would have pushed for 225 but there was no one there to spot me. Got 3 plates on my dips 3 reps, and on the first rep second set i could feel the smallest pain starting to resinate from my left shoulder so after that rep i put the weight down. I got 27 hand stand push ups, 45 lb dumb bells bicep curls, and things just felt good. It is super sticky and gross outside so i walked home without my shirt on and i think i may have almost caused a few accidents.... >_<

Had a great night last night to, got a few good 600' + runs on my uni in and its really starting to feel good and comfy. Worked on some slope work and free mounting. Then because i was getting tired/frustrated i went back grabbed my rocky mountain and pedalled as hard as i could for an hour until my legs fell off and then went home feeling spectacular!

Going out on the uni later and just going to have a well deserved relaxing afternoon.

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Had a pretty good day, my shoulder on the left is feeling considerably better, but the right shoulder is being a pain again... Hit my target weights for the day and did a lot of high rep workouts, such as hand stand push ups, hands touching and conventional push ups, bicep curls, and chin ups. 1 1/2 hours of uni practice today and had some really awesome runs all over the place =D haha life is good =D and getting better.

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I have been having some really great workouts, but they are lacking all at the same time... My bench both incline and flat, and my dips seem to be just getting sad... But on the same note, i am doing more hand stand push ups then every before, more chin up/weighted, and all my other weights are doing very well. Apparantly since i started unicycling i have lost 6 pounds... i am not to sure whats going on. I know i am am not losing muscle because i am having ever increasing issues with getting shirts off, and i actually could not reach my camel back step on my shoulder... this is my indication that things are growing...

I am not happy with the quality of these photos, there kind of out of focus..... its so hard to take photos with a tripod of yourself....

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Busy Busy! having a new lady friend has not hampered my working oout time but it has greatly effected my sleep time... so that in turn effects my workouts... But i had a decent sleep last night and killed it today! I got 295 on my dips, 205 flat bench, 55 hanging sit ups, and just ahd a good workout! My pains seem to be going away and my pump is coming back!

I must say it is nice to spend time with someone who really enjoys the results of the amount of time/energy i have put into myself >_< having a less then supportive family, and friends that don't quite comprehend what I'm doing just means i am the only one that enjoys my results, which is fine and the reason I'm doing it anyways but its nice to have someone else enjoy it as well =D

Unicycling.... yeah i have gotten pretty good at it, free mounting, riding, turning, its all becoming easy =D

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I have caught a cold.. it appears my ladie friend keeping me up late has caught unto me.. I Did a super short 2 hour workout, got an insane new personal best of 305 lbs dips, and just did some through stretching and more low weight high rep. My cold is not death or anything just the slightest sore throat and a touch of light headedness, so working out was no big deal even for my hand stand push ups, hung out with the girl after and just had a good night!

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what a morning! I did not hit any huge numbers but i had one hell of a workout! I had a cool warm up on the flat bench, then killed 295 lb dips and almost cause several people to injure themselves doing there cardio.... apparently people staring while on an olyptical can be a dangerous thing... I had a few people talk to me about my different workouts and were thoroughly impressed by my core strength and muscle control. Did a stupid number of wide arm chin ups, closed handed push ups, hand stand push ups. I did legs today and it has been a while so i didn't push for anything crazy, but i got 5 reps 6 plates + sled, and i hit 50 lb dumb bell bicep curls today, got 4 each side, and my biceps felt like they were going to EXPLODE! i was LOVING IT.

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I have sort of started my vacation, i have to help with a service call this afternoon so i got a very good morning workout in, I wore my new pink shirt and it seemed to be quite the hit, if i seen correctly i was in at least 50 different conversations, and had people bluntly staring at me the entire time i was there (3 hours). I was pretty tight when i got there but with a good stretch and a good warm up things starting going very well, killed all my usual work outs, 50 lb dumb bell bicep curls again with no pain! Had some fantastic chin ups and my shoulders are really starting to feel good again!

It is kind of concerning some peoples attitude.. If you have seen my posts over the last few months on here i started at 35 lb dips (added weight) and i have worked myself unto 165 lb dips. I do understand that without a video of me doing it, it does seem unlikely but to bluntly be told by someone i would not know to trip over on the street that i can't... This is the reason people NEVER reach there goals and basically stop living... "Can't" is a word i have tried to remove from my vocabulary because its very negative and just depressing... so i have replaced it with "yet". We are started small and we all started weak and dreamed of benching the biggest dumb bells on the rack and pumping more then the guy beside us but if you "can't" then you won't.. I am not surprised just disappointed in this attitude and i correct people as often as i can!

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I have been on holidays so i have been going to the gym at weird times, like early morning and afternoon, and there is some weird people there... My pink shirt has been quite a hit! I had some good numbers todays and hit what iw anted to, everything feels like its healing and its rebounding rather well. I did some dips with my girlfriend hanging on my back... it was weird, the dip rack is only so big and with all the weight high on your body and on your back its trying to pull you over but i still got 3 reps, she's pretty close to my weight. I did a few push ups with her on my back, and just had some fun with my workouts, i had her take a photo of my big dip @ 295 combined weight and will post it when i get it, it shows my depth pretty clearly =D

AMAZING night on the uni!

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So here is the photos i promised, it was taken with my girlfriends blackberry.... so the quality kind of sucks...

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Did not have time to update this yesterday, took the girlfriend to the winona peach festival yesterday right after the gym, and it was a pretty awesome time! Good workout, my shoulder is really starting to heal nicely, its much less crunchy, stretching much better, and i did my whole work out with out putting anything on it.

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My work outs have been getting increasingly more intense! My aches and pains seem to be slowly disappearing and my numbers are bouncing back/up, I have not been pushing overly hard on the bench lately but i have been keeping good numbers, getting 3 smooth reps @ 205 lbs without a spotter, and 185/195 on the incline, and everything has been feeling really good! I have not been spending as much time critiquing myself lately as i have been, partially because my numbers aren't as good as iv wanted, iv lost a few more pounds, and i have been just struggling. But i have been noticing quite substantial size gains in almost all of my muscles and have been having increasingly more issues getting clothes off so it all seems to be going in the right direction.

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Had a pretty killer work out today, back unto 225 lbs on the flat bench, but only hit 295 on my dips, had some fantastic chin ups and just a great overall workout! Now for some uni practice =D

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Had a pretty good workout, my numbers were good and everything but my right shoulder was just SO tight it was making everything very difficult. I spent tons of time stretching and trying to get it to crack so i could get some relief but had no luck. I did some light leg press today thinking i shoulder try and stretch out my legs after my ride yesterday and boy was i tight! I could barely get 1/4 of a rep compared to my usual so i just took it easy on the weight and stretched myself out enough to be able to get some smooth and clean reps.

The bike ride was AMAZING! I went with a group of 7 people to Albion Hills, and we did 25 mms in just under 3 hours. We had a very new ridder with us so there was lots of breaks and a decently slow pace, but it was a GREAT ride! Super fast and flowing, lots of variety and some awesome technicals with real tight winding through the trees!

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Its been a goos shitty day... Things have been rather amazing with my girlfriend, she is quite a phenomenal young ladie but... she left to kingston for school (3 hours away) so i am feeling lonely and semi depressed about it but we will get rhoguh it. I managed to turn my sadness into rage and rage into a great workout! I pushed and hit some great numbers! I will not be posting photos this month although i did take them, i am going to give it another month, i have not had to many great work outs lately so i feel like i don't deserve to share my progress, so give me another month and i'll have them up!

My car died... so i traded it in for $300 and got myself a 2006 Envoy =D its pretty awesome!

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I feel like i am being dropped down a well.... My girlfriend moved to kingston for her third year in engineering, which she has done for the past 2 (i was not a part of her life during those years) and it has been kind of tough on me. I am not an emotional personal... i do not enjoy showing emotion or get emotional about just about anything... I put my cat down of 12 1/2 years and it was one of the hardest things i have EVER done but it really didn't get me blue, he was suffering and i could not bare to watch. But her leaving has sent me through a loop... My past 2 workouts since she has been gone have been much better, i am getting more sleep and turning my depressive attitude into rage and destroying my body as a result. Due to a lack of ambition i spent most of sunday loafing around and in result my back was extremely tight and sore today, so it was a tough workout. I hit all my numbers and some and really got to release some frustration while turning some heads at the same time. Its going to be an interesting fall/winter/spring.

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I have been having increasingly better workouts, getting caught up on some sleep, and charging hard at the gym again! I have decided since my girlfriend moved 3 hours away for school that i would start to attend the gym every day, lose some belly fat and maybe even bulk a bit, get rid of my grossness... I will keep the same idea with an intense workout every other day, but to help keep me primed i am going to do and hour or so between days doing lighter weights more reps, lots of stretching and more cardio, it can't hurt >_< Just been working on the whole separation thing with my girlfriend and its been kind of depressing me... but i am working through it as always >_<

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Hey hey, its been a while... it have been mixing this up and having some fun with things. So i have decided to start attending the gym everyday, only for an hour or so on none gym days for stretching and lighter higher rep weights, and my real workouts as usual. I headed for kingston friday night to spend it with my girlfriend, and we hit the gym both saturday and sunday.

Saturday - we went to the Kingston YMCA because i am a members and they are usually pretty nice... usually... it was rather disgusting... the facility was super run down and old, the equipment was super old and generally useless... There was like and inch of dust around the bottom of every machine, basically no spray bottles or cleaning clothes, and the ones that were there was always a walk and a half.

Sunday - We went to the arc, which is the queens university gym. I was told very good things about it by people who really don't know much about weight lifting and i had a good feeling i would be disappointed. Sure enough i was... They have a brand new massive facilities on like 6 floors, with a insane amount of equipment, with a large variety and large quantity, but it was in weird groups all over the place i i was on every floor like 9 times trying to find different equipment... and they did not have 1 incline bar bell bench press... i even asked..... they had no idea what i was talking about.... how do you have a gym of any sort without it? IT was such a piss off...

Monday - left kingston at 10 pm on sunday and got home at 1 am on monday and i was exhausted from working all day so i skipped the gym.

Tuesday - had a very awesome workout and destroyed a very satisfying amount of weights, although i pulled my hip exiting the gym by tripping on a buckle in the mat... I finally got some muscle pump going and really destroyed some stuff.

Missing my girlfriend.period.

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Hmmm.... good workout, was having focus/drive issues, but i pushed some decent weight. My shoulder was acting up, my body felt achy and i was tiring quickly... i need sleep....

[#8]

is that a unicycle in your pic?

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yes it most certainly is

heres a video of me doing it =D (a while ago though)

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150256458441759

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Well what can i say... i am in tons of pain.. and i managed to pull a workout out of thin air... I took my frustration and loneliness of my girlfriend being gone and channeled it, i was having sever pains in my right shoulder, left elbow, left fore arm, lower back, and right hip. It was to the point i could not bench 135 lbs, or even do a none weighted dip as of saturday and sunday, but today i put lots of lakota on and i got a very large amount on adrenaline going and pushed through all my target numbers for the day. Hopefully over the course of the week things will start to feel better.

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Had a bit of a PUSH day, i really wanted to hammer some stuff out, it was alright i spent a lot of time talking and cruising around, i got some decent numbers but nothing over the top it was just a okay day >_<

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My log has been on sick leave >_< I got a nasty cold last thursdya... nasty... i was not congested even the slightest bit but my ENTIRE body ached so back i could not sleep, eat or do anything, i was really dizzy and had an insane headache... that was the entire cold... and it was brutal. Had 2 gym days with it and they were okay, i never had an issue with my strength, it was my head throbbing that killed them...

First day back, back to work and i tried for a real workout, i had decent success some mores then others but a good overall workout. One of the trainers there is always trying to challenge me so he comes up with workouts and then we compete at them... today was one handed push ups on a sideways turned 50lb dumb bell and hopping back and forth from one arm to the other... i was a little intimidated at first but i got 16 consecutive so it did alright =D It was a good burn and works your core very intensely.

Weighing my one hand push ups

Arm extended to lock out (for measuring purposes) - 78 lbs

Full rep (hand touches shoulder) 93-98lbs

i weighed in at 138 pre work out.

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Had a weird couple weeks, got very sick and missed a few days, then my girlfriends came back for thanksgiving weekend and well we were "busy" ALL weekend, then i had our 3rd annual campout to attend so i have missed my last 3 gym days and have not had a workouts since last tuesday, its extremely frustrating but i am planning on hitting it hard tomorrow, its a short day so i can recover form working all weekend so i am hoping for a great workout, if nothing else it has given my shoulder some time to rest =D

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OOOO BOY does it ever feel good to get back in the gym, we got the day off today so we could relax and recover from working the camp out so i went to the gym well rested with the intent on having a good gym day, hit all my numbers and some, had some incredible stretching and just felt amazing the whole workout. Pretty excited for the next work out, going out on the unicycle later so that should be fun =D

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Had a pretty good workout, hit 305 on my dips, and 205 bar bell flat bench. I ran into some issue when doing my standing bar bell shoulder press, i pushed for a fifth rep @ 145 lbs and my leaned a bit to far back and i felt a huge crunch in my back. I had the weight maybe 12" off my chest and immediately racked the weight and went to stretch it out. I am not in pain and nothing feels abnormal, it just feels insanely loose and thoroughly stretched, i have no idea what it will feel like in the morning after my muscles have relaxed and my adrenaline has calmed down.... kind of worried...

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Resurected... i feel like i have died... i have had a weird workout schedule for bout 4 weeks now, i was sick one week, camping the next, in kingston the fallowing weekend and in kingston last weekend... my only decent-good workouts happened in kingston on saturdays when i was with my girlfriend, theres something about this girl that really makes everything in life 100000x easier. We have been dating for 2 1/2 months now and it feels like a year, i have a slight suspicion i may end up marrying her =D yes she is that awesome >_<

Got sick again... i feel okay, but its still early been pounding the vitamins and working through it. I had a decent workout today and hit most of my numbers, i have been working on some neat new workouts which i will post more details of later, life is getting so much better but is fighting me tooth and nail at the same time...

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I am starting to enter the recovery side of my cold and took today off work to help assist that, i went to the gym... although my father would murder me... i am kind of addicted to the way i feel so i went anyways...

I had a pretty good workout, was nice and smooth in my reps, and it most of my target weights. I was having some issues with the leg press, my arthritis was acting up and my hips felt extremely tight so i just did 4 plates + sled. I have been doing one arm push ups on a 50 lb dumb bell turned on its side and alternating back and forth, i do not count reps i just go until i cal apse on the floor and it gets me insanely pumped. While i have the dumb bell there i will do some hand stand push ups on it, i must admit that its kind of sketchy.... if i jerked one way to quickly the dumb bell would likely tip and send me into a face plant.

I am approaching the 3 month mark with my girlfriend and we have had some interesting arguments and some absolutely amazing times, our arguments (even about the most intensely personal things ie. religion) are kind of funny... neither of us like arguing so no one yells or just gets super defensive we just talk it out. I feel like 4 months pass for every one that do, and i have been having these massive urges to get married... its kind of amazing and i am falling madly in love with this girl =D

I had mentioned some stupid incline press... yeah it pissed me off... I did 1 rep with my handles horizontal and 5 with my hands on the lower grip.

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Had a crappy drama filled day... i was not in the mood to go to the gym but i got ready and went anyways, it was a pretty good workout nothing over the top. I was laying in bed last night... not sleeping... it was depressing because i was so tired.... and it hit me! I have been doing a new core workout when i am on my hands and knees and my girlfriend sits on my mid/lower back and i lower my back as low as possible and then raise and hold while flexing my abs as tightly as possible. It feels really good and i get a very deep core burn with no actual ab burn. My girlfriend lives 350 kms away for the next several months so i had to work out how to get weight attached to me so i can do them on a regular basis. Putting weight on my back would not work because it would fall off but to hang weight i am not long enough to lift it off the ground, so i put 2 benches together and hung the weights that way, so i would raise and hold it for 5 seconds counting one thousand two thousand etc, then lower it and if i bend my arms a bit i can completely let the weight off and the plates rest on the floor, this was comforting incase i needed to quickly relieve myself of the weight if i some how sustained injury. Its basicely a yoga pose... but amped up for some serious results. I did 45, 90 and 135 lbs for a few eps each and it felt amazing! The belt dug in a bit but it wasn't bad considering how much weight i had. I will be doing this for a few weeks to see the results.

[cog]

Try the TRX.

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Try the TRX.

I am not sure what that is?

I had a pretty beast workout of wednesday, i smoked out my dips with 135 lbs hanging i did 2 sets 5, 4 reps. I was talking with a young guy there, maybe 17 years old... now that i think about it haha i am only 22 so yeah.. anyways he was super depressed after he watched me do my dips and was asking a billion questions about my workout and lifestyle >_< haha and my cousin was there, it was weird they were so impressed and i was rather disappointed i didn't get the 5 th rep on the second set.... After talking to them its kind of clear that there ideals in life just aren't overly ambitious and pushing for more and needing more just isn't a necessity.

Todays workout had its moments, my chest was really sore yesterday and today as well, i could not get it to loosen up no matter what i tried and i only got 2 reps @ 225 lbs on the flat bench bar bell, you win some you lose some and I'm ready to win =D Got 3 and 1 rep @ 3 plates while doing my dips, and my head was feeling buggy, i have been battling a cold for the last 2 weeks and i am very pissed off about it... being sick shows weakness... and i am not a fan of that... My girlfriend is coming home this weekend so some cuddles should make me feel better =D Life in the broader spectrum is amazing at the moment, its just fighting the hell out of me in the day to day....

[TopHatPlus]

Had a fantastic workout! I am still sick and my breathing/oxygenation was not good but the workout was =D Hit all my numbers, my ongoing injuries are feeling really good, did lots of stretching and manages to stitch out my extremely sore muscles which completely failed to recover from mondays workout, but thats life of being sick... Did my new ab workout again.... OMFG i am loving it! gives a fantastic burn and does not touch your abs =D Did cardio... i have not done any cardio since the beginning of september... i have been on and off my cold and having the girlfriend... but i did it today, got 6 miles in 12 minutes if you work the math through thats averaging 50 km/h, which is satisfactory =D i will probably work that up to 30 minutes and kick some butt this winter, plus i am looking into spandex pants so i can unicycle in the cold... ooo yeah!

Minecraft is officially released this friday! SO EXCITED!!!! been playing it since early alpha and like may/june ish of 2010 there was about 40 000 purchased copies when i joined, nows there over 4.1 million and 15+ million registered users, this game is going to be insane!

[cog]

Unicycling in winter= brain injury.

[TopHatPlus]

Unicycling in winter= brain injury.

Under regular circumstances yes, i will be wearing my snowboarding gear though... $160 burton helmet, Anon goggles, and a bandana for the face. If i attempted it with a hat i would over heat and destroy my noggin....


Had a decent workout, nothing overly exception, was having a lot of breathing issues from my cold and flem build up in my throat. I did 11 miles on the spin bike at a cool 50 km/h average which includes warm up and cool down. It was a decent day.

There seems to be a weird shift at the gym... For some unknown reason all the regulars that have been there far longer then i have, have recently started noticing my hieght vs my weights, and have been asking me for rather in depth details on different workouts and how often i do it and they are always disappointed... Apparently hitting top weight every other day is weird, and expected that kind of performance out of yourself is weird, and wanting to push for much more is also weird. I don't get it... i am there to get shit done. I used to idolize these people and was in awe of there size and strength, after a while of body building and seeing my own progression none of them seem impressive anymore, there lifting form is weak, there quite un even and a lot of them are jerks... I am going to keep on keepen on =D

[TopHatPlus]

Life is such a weird thing... People seem to really take note when someone is giving off a positive vibe, i have been a bit depressed lately with my girlfriend begin so far away and not being able to help her from day to day with what ever, i have been sick for 4 weeks, and i am just feeling generally down... but if you look at the whole picture my life is starting to come together at an alarming rate and i am extremely happy, so i tell people, if i am complaining i am just getting to picky.

MY workout today went well, did some negative @ 305 lb dips after my 2 successful reps, did 5 really nice clean reps on the flat bench bar bell @ 205 lbs, did my new core workout, i have been trying to name it... i believe the yoga pose is called the cat stretch or something, so maybe i will call it the lion stand >_< It is the epic version after all =D

[TopHatPlus]

Todays workout in one word... CARNAGE!!! I wasn't feeling overly ambitious... nothing special, i forgot 1/2 my shorts (the inner spandex liner in the laundry...) and figured it out about 5/8 of my way to the gym so it was a 10 minute walk back, and then restarting... So i got there later then i wanted to, with my hip now feeling achy because of all the walking... I got stretched and it was all going well, i felt pretty good but nothing over the top and i was kind of tired if anything... I started with some flat bench which has become a usual warm up for me and i did 2 sets 3 reps @ 205 lbs... which is no record but i didn't even almost feel it... I did not have a spotter and no one around i trusted so i just moved on to the bench machine. I have even fighting this thing for 2 months and hovering around the 250 top weight and sometimes hitting 270 with 290 as stack. I really wanted the stack... and today i got it >_< 3 reps @ 290 lbs... It was a beast effort! But my arms just were not warming up... So i then hit dips... did 3 reps at a warm up with 3 plates and wanted the 4th... i have been dreaming about 4 plates for months... working so hard, through injury and disappointment... i had a valiant effort at it. I do not consider lifting myself into a up start position a rep although i do lift myself, so according to my standards i got 1/2 a rep... i got down and 1/2 way back up before i lost it, i was not able to lift it after that so i did some nice and easy 6 seconds negatives with the 4 plates, 4 reps, and called it for that, i dropped to 3 plates and did a set of 5. I did my 10 mile sprint in 19:45 which is a FANTASTIC time for me seeing as my previous best for the year was 20:10. I was forgetting to breathe because my legs were not tiring... and forgetting to drink water because i was barely sweating... i think i may have broken this 5-6 week cold and i could breathe, which seemed to make everything easy... so i made it hard >__< I had a request today to film and yotube a few of my workouts because some people were rather impressed, and not just randoms but some big guys that have been at this A LOT longer then i have O_O it was rather flattering =D

[TopHatPlus]

Monday, had a decent workout nothing over the top... had issues getting a pump going, was stiff during my cardio but still got 10 miles in 19:43.

Wednesday, had a MUCH better workout, i had not recovered from monday and was feeling really stif and sore but i pushed through it, my cardio felt weak and sluggish but when i got to the 10 mile marie and check my time... i almost passed out... i did it in 19 minutes even... i have NEVER gotten 10 miles in the time. Just had a great all round workout, chatted up some people and showed some young guys some new workouts with the dip belt. It was just a good day.

[TopHatPlus]

Did not have an outstanding workout, i just lacked the pump... i tried and tried and tried, and had some great sets but just couldn't get myself into that "zone" I did my 10 mile sprint in 19:30, it was okay? Sunday i will be taking ym girlfriend so it should be a better workout =D

[cog]

Sounds like you're getting burned out from always pushing maximal weight.A cold shouldn't last that long.Injury is around the corner with those dips.

[TopHatPlus]

Depsite my best attempts i just had a fail workout... I had a good sleep friday night, and a decent sleep saturday, but saturday after noon i had a nap with ym girlfriend and she fell asleep on my arm funny and it basically just re ignored my right shoulder... i don't know if its actually re injured or just aggravated but it killed my workout, i couldn't stretch it very well and it was extremely sore. I did my 10 mile sprint in 19:43, 3 plates on my dips, 185 flat bench, 145 shoulder press, i tried my best but it just wasn't working....

[TopHatPlus]

Sounds like you're getting burned out from always pushing maximal weight.A cold shouldn't last that long.Injury is around the corner with those dips.

I find going to gym helps me work through my cold, my aunt was sick for like 8-9 weeks, my best friend was sick for 6 weeks and went in for mono testing, it's a hell of a cold... my dad and brother have gotten it, and they have been weeks with it... just a pain in the but and i have done the best out of anyone i have talked to and i am feeling much better now!

The dips are thing >_< i can push 165 (added weight) every other day and not cause injury or burn out on them? I love them because i can push SO hard all the time and never need a spotter, i am very careful with them though! If my shoulders sore i don't lift more then 135 lbs and even then i base number of reps on how i am feeling, They are my all in one of death... =D I want to film me doing them, and some of my crazy push ups, maybe over the xmas break when my girlfriend is home.

[TopHatPlus]

Saturday - Meh i tried my best... it was a decent workout but nothing over the top

Monday - ROID RAGE!!! A trainer walked up to the machine i had been patiently waiting for and just told me i would;d have to wait because they were showing someone... if she wasn't so over weight and knew what she was doing i wouldn't be raging so hard... and she made me wait like 10 minutes while they discussed this guys sad sob story about why he is fat... I WAS PISSED. So i went into my dips fuming! I was on my third set and was ready to load up 3 plates when this chubby girl walks right in front of my onto the dip rack and starts doing crummy leg raises... waited another 5 minutes... I am more then courteous when doing my workouts, yes i occupy machines for a while, yes you may work in as long as you ask, and you let me do my sets between your sets... nope she just stood there like she owned it... My workout other then that was pretty decent, cramped up at the 8 mile mark on the bike but still pulled into 10 miles at 19:13 and had a good over all workout, working on some new fore arm exercises and just starting to feel much bigger, ym gloves are getting much tighter and just feeling good =D My shoulder is slowly starting to feel better and XMAS is COMING!!! Got my girlfriend a pretty sweet little gift =D If she reads this she will smack me but I try to make holidays and special occasions special =D

[TopHatPlus]

Wednesday - Meh, it was a workout, my shoulder was bugging me a lot so not a lot happened.

Friday - Started my christmas holidays and the gym was closing at 5 for there christmas party so i was out the door at 8 am >_< got a solid 4 hour work out in and feel AMAZING! My shoulder was feeling a lot better! My cardio went well, lifts were smooth and almost pain free =D my GF comes home on wednesday so i am prepping for that =D Life is good >_<

[Roadhouse]

got a solid 4 hour work out in

4 hour workout?? what the hell are you doing in the gym that takes 4 hours??

45-60 mins is all it should take to get your workout in...

[TopHatPlus]

4 hour workout?? what the hell are you doing in the gym that takes 4 hours??

45-60 mins is all it should take to get your workout in...

flat bench
flet bench machine
dips
incline bench
one handed push ups
shoulder press
arnolds
chin ups
cardio (20 minutes)
bicep curls
fore arm curls
vertical rows
cable rows
push ups

core between every workout
30 minutes of stretching throughout the entire workout usually 10 of it to before i start working out

60 minutes work outs barely gets me warmed up >_<

[TopHatPlus]

Just one of those days... iv been in a weird mood lately... kind of the same vibe i had when i was 14... kind of depressing and unmotivated... Its an interesting state and being i am a number of years older and slightly wiser it just feels unhealthy... I have been putting a rather large amount of effort and time into the holidays this year, money is tight so i am using my time as a substitute... but its kind of been squashed... and has made me really want to sleep through the holidays... I don't know... winter is my season, and its coming really late this year, xmas is my holiday and i just want to be left alone... I have a feeling i will be spending the next few months living at the gym...

Sunday - My workout was decent, forgot my lakota on my shoulder and tretched and did a set of dips (unweighted) and my shoulder was actually feeling pretty good, did some decent weights and reps, had great form and am baby the shit out of my shoulder (my way) after 1 1/2 hours i was just not able to be there anymore (mentally) i was just all over the place and needed to settle down. I watch a 14 ish year old kid almost drop a 50 lb cheater bar on his face while doing a shoulder press... i was about to say something but he racked it and walked away... he was like 2 seconds from his arms calapsing...

[cog]

I think your shoulder needs a rest from heavy dips.

[Roadhouse]

flat bench
flet bench machine
dips
incline bench
one handed push ups
shoulder press
arnolds
chin ups
cardio (20 minutes)
bicep curls
fore arm curls
vertical rows
cable rows
push ups

core between every workout
30 minutes of stretching throughout the entire workout usually 10 of it to before i start working out

60 minutes work outs barely gets me warmed up >_<

imo you are way overdoing it and with not nearly enough intensity. if 60 minutes barely gets you warmed up then you need to seriously re-evaluate your training protocol.

[TopHatPlus]

I think your shoulder needs a rest from heavy dips.

I have been trying, i usually only get 2-3 reps, my shoulder starts feeling the itch so i call it early, and have not made a second shot at 4 plates in a few weeks, but that will be soon =D


imo you are way overdoing it and with not nearly enough intensity. if 60 minutes barely gets you warmed up then you need to seriously re-evaluate your training protocol.

Hehe, i am yet to meet a single person who can keep up, i have no recovery issues and push max weights every other day with that workout, plus i add one handed push ups for about 15 reps per hand, and some "man pus" ups >_< which i have been requested to film and youtube... haha it takes me 20 minutes to get to the gym (walking) i am going to get my workout in, its not enough for me to look fit i have to be able to perform =D 6 hours on the mountain is exhausting >_< If you ever wanna check out my workout your more then welcome to =D

[TopHatPlus]

Put a fork in me because i am done haha =D I had a pretty good work out today, 2 hours plus walking time, had a super smooth set 5 reps 185 lbs on the her bell bench, shoulder was feeling great, got 5 reps 3 plates on my dips and shoulder was feeling great, did like 25 man push ups and was feeling super pumped, my hips have been really achy lately and i think its due to the mass climate fluxuation... 10 degree highs and -10 at night seems to be causing me issues... i did a 5 mile sprint on the spin bike in 9:40 which was satisfactory, got me warmed up and my hips moving. Had a friend come with em who is going to school to be a personal trainer, he was not happy with my bench form, and when i tried it his way it felt super weird and powerless, basically P would have smacked him... He commented that i do very "manly" workouts, do lots of bench, dips and aggressive workouts that involve grunting haha >_< no arguments there =D I am now weighing in consistently at 139-140 which tells me i may have gained a pound =D I am starting to feel like a truck, all the cardio has made my legs feel like machines extremely toned machines >_< haha my girlfriend comes home tomorrow night for 3 weeks!!!! i am ecstatic!!!! haha i am almost ready for the holidays, i have been ready the forum "body builder friendly meals" and omfg.... i am picking up eggs and making some of those recipes.... i may even try horse meat... >_< haha

[TopHatPlus]

Still alive >_< its been an interesting few weeks, spent the most amazing 2 1/2 weeks with my girlfriend over the xmas/new year holidays, and literally had the best holidays of my life! I have had 3 solid weeks of cheat days and have gained a respectable 3 pounds >_< i have noticed a lot of muscle growth and little is any tone loss... haha i burn a lot of a calories in my day to day apparently >_< My shoulder has been feeling A LOT better and i have gotten my flat bench back unto 225, my dips back unto 305 and have been getting a wicked pump going. My mono i still acting up and has been trying to slow me down but i won't allow that >_< haha life is good ALWAYS!!!

[TopHatPlus]

Had a really good workout tonight, i feel like i am slowly but surely getting better =D My shoulders are feeling so much better, and my energy is starting to come back to me, my weights are rebounding wonderfully, and i am happy to report as of yesterday i have been attending the gym for 2 year, and body building for 1 year. It has been a wonderful year with an untold amount of amazing things happening to list a few

Moving out of home
Moving up form a 1999 gran dam to a 2006 Envoy
Becoming a beast
Unicycling
Getting my wonderful girlfriend (which ranks 1st by the way)
Growing up =D
Got mono and told it where to get off =D

Haha this year should be at least as awesome if not more

[TopHatPlus]

Hey, its been a while O_O but i am alive an well, the last couple weeks have been a complete 180 for me, i was doing all my usual workouts and getting no pump... no adrenaline, and just no real drive. But literally from one workout to the next i was a completely new person! My weights have rebounded, and i get a crazy pump from thinking about lifting weights =D I have gotten super vascular looking and have gained 4 pounds. It has been an epic few weeks as far as the gym has been concerned, been missing my girlfriend =D haven't seen her in 2 weeks and 2 more to go before i see her >_< Just sucks coming home to a dark empty apartment every night >_<

[JudgementDay]

Subbed!

Got some reading to do, but good to see training has been going great:)

[TopHatPlus]

HEy thanks man, if you read the first post and the last post your pretty much unto date >_<


I don't even know where to begin >_< Life is becoming better then i had EVER hoped! My mono is long gone, and my approach to the gym is back x1000000! I have been having the best workouts i have EVER had! I did 3 reps @ 225 on the flat bench bar bell with no spot, the last rep was a killer! I would guess it took me 15-20 seconds to get proper extension but i did it! I had done quite a bit more incline bench then i usually do so i was not as fresh as i could have been, but it didn't matter! I destroyed it! I got 3 reps with 4 plates doing dips! I had an audience! It was rather awesome! I have started doing dead lifts, even though my hips have been feeling insanely crumbing lately dead lifts don't seem to be causing me loss of sleep due to hip pain so i can handle discomfort >_< I started last friday and i am now unto 225 for 3 reps, with the assistance of my haulin' hooks, after 2 1/2 hours of weight lifting i get kind of tired so i will try later next week to squeeze it in earlier. I have been feeling huge lately, with a intense attitude towards everything. Its been amazing =D

I am glad to report i am still very happily with my girlfriend =D we are approaching 6 months! I finally broke down and told her about my most intense scaring from all the drugs the doctors had me on >_< she hadn't noticed... i was kind of shocked but she didn't bolt out the door so i was pretty happy =D It's my teeth... i absolutely with an utmost passion hate them and have had many thoughts of smashing them out of my mouth... i think 9/10 girls i have ever talked to found teeth to be there #1 turn on about a guy... which made me epicely sad... being diagnosed and put on prednizone at the age 1 one and not getting off it till 11 cause me some severe issues... ones that i cannot afford to fix... I seriously think i have found a keeper =D hehe i only wish we could spend valentines day together... stupid kingston... want to hook it with a chain and pull it into the burlington harbour >_< haha i will make it unto her on the weekend though =D

Work has been going very well, we have been in the works of entering the realm of youtube so we have filmed a walk through with my father on a 12' unit =D We are also filming a time lapse of a trailer 1 photo every 30s seconds on a go pro hd hero 2, it is looking pretty epic!

heres our youtube channel, for you camper i am sure the name is familiar =D coming into our 45th year!

http://www.youtube.com/user/TaylorCoach1967

[TopHatPlus]

Hey, i have been rather busy >_< hehe although i have not missed a workout in quite some time =D My weights have really rebounded, 4 plate dips for 3 reps 6 workouts in a row, 225 for 3 reps on the flat bench bar bell, i have been doing a lot of hand stand push ups on a sideways dumbbell, tons of chin ups, my physique is looking pretty good =D

I need some advice, how the hell do all you guys/girls remove body... i absolutely hate body hair... it holds sweat and it just looks un attractive... i have been shaving for years but shaving is costing me a fortune in razors, causes me a lot of razor burn, and takes a hell long time... i have purchased nair ready-to-use was strips with no heat wax, i am going to try it and see how it goes... it does not seem to be getting me excited... but if its costs me less, does a better job, and is quicker, then i am game =D But seriously how do you do it?

[TopHatPlus]

Hello and good day, i have been trying to slow down my posts on here and just have more exciting posts when i do. I have been having some exceptional workouts, with an amazing pump and getting myself past my platue i suffered through with mono, i have gotten yet another cold but and 90% through it, it has just been a rough winter as far as colds have effected me but its been a good winter for workouts =D I hit 245 lbs for 2 reps on the bar bell flat bench (after watching a trainer at the gym do 245 close grip and wanting to match him), i have been killing my drips and getting the most amazing triceps pumps EVER! been doing more arms, 90 lbs on the cheater bar.

I decided to measure myself lately due to the lack of weight gain, my finances have been tight since i moved out and have found living on my own challenging, no surprises >_< but having a girl friend and doing an additional 4000 kms of driving with gas prices how they are and holidays and such has just made it that much harder, so buying lots of food is not in the budget... or really even possible at the present moment, so i am doing some thing to help,

1- working harder to make more money
2- spending less (no unnecessary purchase NONE)
3- Trying to acquire some sponsorship (hard to do when you don't compete...) and have achieved some success (free weight lifting gear, and supplement discounts)

so i am trying to get sponsorship and do product testing while logging my progress how am i going to log it?

1- Photos - i am working to get permission to have my friend (a professional photographer) come in an photograph me lifting from time to time
2- measuring, biceps, chest etc
3- written log (kind of like this one)

So i have measured my biceps cold and warm... no idea what i was supposed to do but i now have both

cold present day - 13 3/4" Warm Present day - 14 1/2"
Cold 2 years ago 10"

i feel like that is some substantial improvement in a very respectable amount of time, my weights have sky rocketed, my body does not even resemble my former self and i have had some of the most bizarre and yet flattering comments lately...

"you should seriously try out for the olympics"
"how long have you been a gymnast?"
"you would make a beast rock climber"
"if i tried that it would tear me in half"

so i feel like those little things are a sign that i am not the only one that has noticed improvement and its not all mental >_< hehe

My parents meat freezer decided to stop working last night so they had a ton of meat to cook up or chuck... so they made me up a nice 10 lbs bag of sausages and home made burgers to cook up this evening =D haha i will be eating like a KING!!!!

Life is hard... but its awesome... even a bad day is a good day... hehe and to top off all my awesome ongoings lately me and my girlfriend are still going strong =D this long distance thing has not destroyed us, and we are looking forward to spending a fabulous fun filled summer together =D WOOT!!!! hehe


Hair removal... searched it up on here... even more lost... tried waxing... both my back and my chest >_< figured there was no point in doing the whole test it and see how it works out... slapped to large strips on with only one result... hehe it wasn't terrible... but when i was tired from a bad sleep, intense workout, and long day they hurt!.... hehe i am considering that hair stuff that burns the hair and wipes off? or continue waxing? my back turned out great but ran out of time and did not get the front done, not sure if i can do it to myself... but i suppose i will have to try >_< haha would love some suggestions?

[cog]

If you start squatting you will put on more weight all over.

[TopHatPlus]

If you start squatting you will put on more weight all over.

i miss squats... and leg press... my last 3 attempts had me almost cripple for a week.. seems every attempt even with low weight high reps end up causing my arthritis to flare up... makes 9 hours a day on my feet extremely difficult, the hugely fluctuating weather may have something to with it, i found it much easier to do during summer time, but i will be unicycling and biking all the time so it will be interesting to see how it works out. I have not been able to do my near hanging sit-ups on the decline bench because my hips start to ache so bad after 6 reps... its been crappy... >_<

Unicycling as a workout? its basically like doing a 1/2 squat position while walking up stairs... and down... >_<

[cog]

I don't understand how you can do all this cycling but your hips bother you from a few squats.

[cog]

I don't understand how you can do all this cycling but your hips bother you from a few squats.Snowboarding and skateboarding along with regular cycling aren't too much wear and tear on your hips?

[TopHatPlus]

I don't understand how you can do all this cycling but your hips bother you from a few squats.Snowboarding and skateboarding along with regular cycling aren't too much wear and tear on your hips?

streetboarding and snowboarding are pretty touch on my hips, but i don't do a lot of jumps or high impact stuff (more so then just cruising) but biking is just amazing for my hips, i to low resistance high rpm's and keep my weight on the seat, cycling is almost like water sports?

[TopHatPlus]

WHAT A WORKOUT! I got a perfect 8 hours of sleep, got to the gym and changed by 9:30 this morning and i was ready to rumble! Started with my flat bench, 3 reps 185, 3 reps 205, 3 reps 215, 2 reps 225, and it felt like a machine! I would have pushed more on the 225 lbs but there was no one to spot me and i was not in the mood for any hospital visits, 4 plates on my dips, smashed out some great standing barb bell shoulder press @ 145 lbs for 5 reps, 15 per hand one hand push ups, 90 lbs for 5 reps bicep curls with the cheater bar, shoulder press (its really a handstand push up but i do them on a 55 lb dumbbell turned on its side) for 15 reps, man ups, tons of stretching, and a new ab workout. I was taught it on a flat bench, you use the bench side way resting on the top of you back/shoulders, raising a 35 lb dumbbell from straight out to over your head while you pelvic thrust, but that was just getting lame so i ditched the bench and hit up and exercise ball, first attempt ended with me flip over on my head but after that i was all good.

I GOT MY PHOTOS! i will post them later! they turned out pretty good, its hard to take photos and do the lifting >_< hehe

[TopHatPlus]

Hey! i have been having some pretty great workouts, i have acquired a chest cold (yay) so its been a tough couple days and battled with severe dizziness on and off last week, but my workouts have powered on, new unicycle seat and a bit of sun have been doing me some good =D a decent update coming soon.

[TopHatPlus]

So here is a proper update:

I have gotten 2 colds in the past 4 weeks... and have been rather disappointed with my unsuccessful health, money is tight (whats new)


My workouts have been pretty great! I have been destroying weight, building muscle, getting better form and lifting much heavier then i ever have and consistently! I got permission to take photos at the YMCA a few weeks back and they turned out pretty good =D

[cog]

Vid would be better for those dips.

[TopHatPlus]

Vid would be better for those dips.

agreed, that was rep number 2, ended up having to hold it for about 3 seconds so i didn't quite meet my best depth on it but that was pretty close, (its pretty heavy) its a work in progress. =D

[cog]

Don't believe I've ever seen that new Ab movement you describe.

[TopHatPlus]

@ cog - its just a combination of a few different workouts

My workout this evening was pretty great, smashed out 2 reps @ 245 bar bell flat bench, and 2 reps 320 lbs dips, feeling like a bit of an animal these days, my muscles have grown so much over the winter and my clothes are getting pretty tight fitting on the upper body >_<

Unicycling is going amazing!!! having so much fun with it!!! will hopefully have some video to share soon

[TopHatPlus]

I have been on quite the roller coaster over the last 2 weeks, all of my joints are hurting, my strength seems to be in the toilet... it is rather confusing... I have spent a ton of time with my girlfriend (home for a bit before exams) and unicycling. I had a pretty good work out this morning, everything was feeling 70% better and i had a great pump!

I have joined youtube... why not? hehe

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkbs0ejRP76RndX6sIs0wBw?feature=watch

Hoping to get some work out videos up here =D haha enjoy, feel free to comment.

[cog]

Too heavy for too long.

[TopHatPlus]

Too heavy for too long.

I was thinking this could be it, i don't think 2 weeks of half workouts are to bad of "down time"

I have my 4th wisdom tooth coming in, causing the right side of my mouth to swell, the upper wisdom to cut my gum to shit, and the right side of my throat has been swollen for the last week and a half, it hurts to breathe, eat, sleep, and just about everything... might have something to do with it (doubt it >_<)

Tuesday should be a good showing of the issue, my mouth is finally starting to feel better.

[TopHatPlus]

Enter the gym yesterday damn determined to have a good workout to break my spell of aches and pains. Mission successful! I destroyed back to 250 on the flat bench and it didn't even feel that heavy? hehe a good week of intense workouts should have me back to kicking butt!

I took my blood pressure the other day - 120/75 64 beats per minute =D Not bad? (this was after spending saturday night in emergency with my girlfriend, she's fine just a allergic reaction similar to a severe poison ivy reaction)

Went out unicycling tonight (lots of unicycling!) Made a short video on my beginner Muni stuff (Mountain unicycle) Let me know what you think =D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXWFFeMGUjI&context=C4028e0cADvjVQa1PpcFPc1sOoBTfyZd7xd2wdxenb zQlguzC_0Xw=

[TopHatPlus]

HEllo, had a fantastic workout! Forgot my rub on Lakota for my sore joints but that did not slow me down! and my shoulders are feeling GREAT! Had an amazing pump all over, got all my workouts in, and now i am getting ready to go unicycling!!!! BOOO YEAH!!!!

[TopHatPlus]

WHAT A DAY! i spent 5 hours outside riding and filming, and got a pretty nice little set put together, i may not be able to walk tomorrow... my hips feel like they may explode...

I passed 10 000 views! Thank you everyone for stopping by to see what at times can be craziness >_<

Heres my latest video

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkbs0ejRP76RndX6sIs0wBw/featured

[TopHatPlus]

The last 2 days have been interesting, monday i had an OUTSTANDING chest workout, i did 2 sets- 3 reps - 225 lbs and it felt great! I also started with a closed hand grip (hands at the width of my torso) got 5 reps @ 185 lbs, did 95 lbs dumb bells incline bench after and just an alround outstanding workout, got home said by to my best friend who is leaving for the east coast for the summer so i did not get foo or protein into me after the gym, but i got 9 hours sleep the next night (last night)

Todays workout - went very well, i was well warmed up and felt great! I got 225 for 5 reps on the flat, and 205 for 5 on the closed hand.

Went unicycling after for my leg workout and damn! it went awesome!!!!

SO AWESOME!!!!

[TopHatPlus]

MY workouts lately have been pretty good but i am fighting yet another cold... i believe my 7th cold in 8 months... i need to sleep more... >_<

heres my latest youtube video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwMMNYQ2WaI

[TopHatPlus]

It has been an interesting few weeks, i have caught yet another cold... i have had it for about 2 1/2 weeks and it finally feels like its subsiding >_< My workouts have been a roller coaster and things in general have just been hard... well harder then they should be. My frig broke so the super intendant came in to fix it while i was away at work and has informed me that aftering okaying it with the previous super and have it for a year and a half i must immediately remove my washer/dryer from my apartment... so pissed! there is some loop holes and i am confident i can correct this but its a huge pain in the butt...

My unicycling is going well i have not had a lot of time to get out but i can now side hop onto a curb hop 180 and hop back off >_< its a weird butt intense thing >_<

Been arguing a lot with my girlfriend and getting really frustrated and not able to put things in a way that she accepts as an answer >_< so it had me super distracted this morning and did not get the workout i had wanted, but it was still good =D

I am thinking about (and was discussing with a trainer) doing a small change in my workouts, and it kind of fits/makes sense i am going to try a week (he recommend 4 weeks) of not doing intensely heaving weight and just do a stupid amount of reps, with 1 hour workouts (he recommend 30 minutes) and just give myself a break, more unicycling time, and time to play DIABLO 3!!!! Comes out on tuesday i have been waiting for this game for 7 years... 4 officially because it was announced in 2008 >_< WOOT

Thanks to anyone who watched my unicycling videos on youtube i am working on a few different projects and short film ideas for the future =D

[cog]

And make sure you are getting enough essential vitamins for a guy working out,not a sedate person.I mentioned these colds and going heavy eh?

[TopHatPlus]

And make sure you are getting enough essential vitamins for a guy working out,not a sedate person.I mentioned these colds and going heavy eh?

I am soaking up the sunshine likes it water!!! haha i know, you did, you are/were right >_< i never argued, things have been tight on the financial front (woman... they don't ask for much but the little things add up) I have been feeling so good getting outside and getting some lovely rays into me =D I took photos today!!!! WOOT they turned out decent, i am starting to look weird... like photo shopped and not me... hmmm i suppose thats the goal >_<

Pending on the results of my one week cycle (if i make it that long) i will be trying to work in it every 3 ish weeks (maybe)

I shot 2 youtube videos today as well, on of unicycle hopping and the other a free mounting tutorial >_< for those interested links are attached =D
hopping - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dprp-3iM7OI
free mount tutorial - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g80cI4XFmUo&feature=youtu.be

my other photo of my back is to large a photo i will upload it later, this is a good example of my "pigeon chest" which is one of the side effect from my arthritis. Makes it really hard to get a super deep define lower peck... although in person it looks pretty good =D

[TopHatPlus]

Hi ho, i have been having some really good workouts!!!! been pushing some awesome weights, and the warm weather combined with some good unicycle rides has me looking decently shredded. Been having a ball on my unicycle, got a new one 26" mountain unicycle with a 3" wide tire, thing is amazing!!! Made some new friends and acquaintances.

They had a Country, bbq festival at spencer smith park in burlighton so i went down with ym girlfriend, i seen a "free check your posture" tent so for jokes i thought i would go see what they had to say.

According to the double scale stand that measures side to side weight i am perfectly balanced.
According the iPad photo on un even ground i have good but not perfect posture.
It will inevitably lead to me getting arthritis in my hips, knees, and shoulders if i don't take pro caution.

After my diagnosis i informed the guy of my current medical history (summed up the shpeal into about 45 seconds) to watch his jaw hit the ground, him start to stutter, and tell me "its incredible you manage to lift weights" and tell me "i really don't know what to say" haha it was pretty funny... the poor guy had no idea what he was getting into. All and all it was fun =D

Until next time =D

[TopHatPlus]

Been having some outstanding workouts, pumping some intense weights, still doing a lot of my more risque manoeuvres ie. hand stand push ups on a sideways 50 ish pound dumb bell, and horizontal push up on the dip rack. 245 lbs is still my top bench but i have been working some serious rep numbers in the 225 lb range, one day i was only feeling unto doing 2 plated dips so i dip around 45 reps (in sets of 10) not sure how many lost track.

A rather interesting story for you, i went to the Burlighton Country and BBQ festival in spencer smith park last sunday, and they had a vender offering a free poster check. So i thought what the hell lets see what this guy has to say?

So according to his iPad photos of my standing on a slanted un even hill my head is slightly forward in comparison to my shoulder
My hip is slightly forward in comparison to my body
and my left arm is much stronger then my right. He had done a test where you hold your arms out and he tries to push them down... my confusion was why he was putting so much more effort and i mean 2x more force on my right arm then my left and telling me my rotator cuffs are un even.

His diagnoses - I have decent poster but if not corrected i could get arthritis in my hips and shoulders. I should book a 90 minute physical exam with him to go over my changes. Usuually he charges $180 for this but had a special rate of $40 for this.

Sounded good?

I broke the news to him that i had arthritis and gave him an 45 second brief on my medical history.

You know the moments in movies when the character is so flabbergasted they start mumbling in utter confusion and you see there jaw literally hit the ground... yeah the poor guy had no idea what to say and just kept muttering how amazing it all was >_< haha it felt pretty good to have a "professional" in utter awe of my current physical status...

I never received my "free email going over my entire picture report"

What did i learn? I need to push harder... the last 2 1/2 years were the warm up... and its game time!

[TopHatPlus]

Still riding the unicycle haha it has become my main source of transportation for around town. =D

Shot a video of my ride Sunday morning, a little off road action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpY91ue5YD4&feature=plcp

[TopHatPlus]

Had to post my workout!!!

I felt like a titan! I was extremely stiff headed to the gym (on my unicycle of course) and fairly tired from a insufficient sleep from the previous night and a long day at work. But i heard some FANTASTIC news about a fellow gym goer that got me pretty pumped, had the new linking park song "lost in the echoes" on repeat and became "Bob" i 140 lb rage monster that was suffering from a hunger for pain and tunnel vision >_<

Flat bench- 45 x 5, 135 x 5, 185 x 3, 205 x 1, 225 x 3, 245 x 2 (no spot needed)
Inlcine - 45 x 5, 135 x 5, 185 x 5, 205 x 3 (no spot needed)
Dips - body weight x 15, +45 x 5, +90x 5, +135 x 7
Bicep curls (cheater bar) - 70 x 10 (3 sets)
Cable low rows - 110 x 5, 150 x 5, 170 x 5, 190 x 5
rope pull downs (double cable pully divide by 2, although its less then 2)- 170 x 5, 200 x 5
I also did a whole slew of wide arm chin ups with around 30 reps done, 40 push ups, 5 hand stand push on a dumb bell, 10 per side one handed push ups on a dumb bell, some core, some tailing, and a few other things.

I was asked if i could train a chum of my fathers 15 year old son, i did not think he was serious but he showed up today and handed him over to me. I did not do anything crazy, leg raises, sit ups on an exercise ball, the blower half of a dip, 20-40lbs cheater bar biceps curls, low row, rope pulls downs, push ups, basically what i could fit in, in 10 minutes and hit most of the muscle groups. He will not be able to put a shirt on tomorrow >_< and i did not make him do any weights he couldn't do 10 reps without it was rather exilerating to train some one haha, even a non intense lifter >_<

Fantastic night =D

Heres my latest youtube video, me unicycling last sunday morning, the first song is the linking park song i rocked out to today (i use Monster cable Turbine in ear buds)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpY91ue5YD4&feature=plcp

[TopHatPlus]

Was quite interesting last night, did decline bench for the first time... was a wierd... did 135 x 5, 185 x 5, 225 x 5, and it did not feel heavy i was getting tired from 2 very large bench sets on the flat and incline. I am setting a goal of 275 lbs in 2 weeks.... once i get a few more days under my belt on it and it starts to feel more natural, things will get insane... I have been challenged by one of the trainers at the gym, he wants to see me do a 1 handed chin up... This means i need to be able to do 130 lbs on the lateral pull down one handed, seems impossible... sort of... after 3 hours of weight lifting (40 minutes of that talking to different people) i managed to smash out 2 x 90, 2 x 100 lbs 1 x 90. I was fairly exausted at this time and was also doing wide arm chin ups, and 70 lbs (cheater bar) bicep curls. Sunday morning is my next workout day so it will be on of my openeds >_< it will be interesting to see how tings go.

Bob

[cog]

One handed pull up or chin needs to be done from a true dead hang position.

[TopHatPlus]

One handed pull up or chin needs to be done from a true dead hang position.

Agreed, that is currently my goal!

Today i started with decline bench, 3 x 205, 1 x 225, 2 x 255
One handed lateral pulls 5 x 70, 5 x 90, 3 x 100, 2 handed 5 x 180, 5 x 200, back to one hand 7 x 70
Did some dips, flat bench, bicep curls, core workout, and a slew of other things. It was a great workout!!!!

I am upto 142 lbs =D

Made some delicious pasta last night, replaced ground beef with ground pork (500g of non lean ground beef is $4.50 and 500g of lean ground pork is $3.50) i was very surprised at how comperable the to meats are, the flavour, texture, and cooking was very similar =D

[TopHatPlus]

Hey been a while >_<

Quick update -

Flat bench BB personal best is 275 for 1 or 265 for 2
Incline bench BB - 225 for 2
Decline BB - 275 for 2
Flat bench DB - 100 lbs (per hand) for 10
Incline DB - 100 lbs for 3
Standing shoulder press with full ROM - 155 for 3
Cable low row - 210 for 3
Cable Lat pull down - 230 for 2
Dips - 180 lbs added for 3
Rope tricep pull downs - (not 100% sure of the weight because its a double pully system but it says 210, and feels like 115?) 7 reps with 1 second down and 5 second return
Chin ups - almost infinite... almost...
Cheater bar standing bicep curls - 90 lbs for 5

Things have been going very well! My workouts have been decently consistent as far as attention is concerned... had a lot on my mind lately so i have been getting a tad bit distracted lately.. I have been challenged a few times by people at there favourite workouts... One of which was on the decline bar bell bench... he has over 60 lbs on me at the same hight so i figured he would be able to stomp me... not the case... i brutally and effortlessly outlifted him with considerably better form. I have been spending so much time all year working on control! Its become one of my attributes i suppose.

I am going to try a mass gainer for a few weeks.. i don't seem to be able to pull the funds together enough to get my diet sorted out so i am going to try adding a mass gainer to my diet and see how things go. My progress is fairly obvious, and is definetely happening... just not fast enough...

Still uniycling ofc =D even more now then ever and i have a pretty fancy off road one now =D

Still dating the same girl as before hehe and we are excited to be back together for christmas! (shes at school)

I am weighing in at 144 lbs these days and would like to hit 155 by spring... but i am going to what ever the hell it takes to keep lean on the mass gainer... its my challenge to myself!

Have a good day everyone!

[MIAGIONJUS]

dont mean to be a dick tophat but what is the point of doing one rep...

[TopHatPlus]

None what so ever, but i am holding that one rep as motivation for my 3 rep goal and my inevitable 315 lb bench goal. If you can do it once... its a start...

Thank you for reading/ posting =D i don't get a lot of visitors.

[TopHatPlus]

Day 1 on mass gainer - Results are INSANE i have gained 20 pounds and I'm a monster!!!! haha could you imagine?

I am just making my way through this new challenge, i am taking 3 scoops of it... thats about all i have to report...

heres my gainer- http://www.perfectnutrition.ca depending on how this cycle goes i will either continue on it or make my own... depends... (the website doesn't have direct links, its called massive)

it was hard to get a pump going tonight... girlfriends coming home from school tomorrow and i have seen her much in the past 6 weeks so my mind is other places >_< still had a good workout though... it was my only option....

There is something i wouldn't mind clarifying

this thread - http://www.canadabodybuilding.com/showthread.php?21739-how-do-some-guys-get-so-big

i did not see it until today. I would first of all like to say i found it rather flattering. Its a tough cookie to swallow but none of you have made enough of an impression on me to remember you >_< but i seemed to have made quite the impression on you >_< I was going to get into the facts about shirtless photos being acceptable and a pink shirt and blah blah i really don't care... I'm here, im doing my best and working out harder every day. I may sort of maybe a tad bit possibly like the attention? I may not be bodybuilding.com but i am electricity materialized!

[MIAGIONJUS]

None what so ever, but i am holding that one rep as motivation for my 3 rep goal and my inevitable 315 lb bench goal. If you can do it once... its a start...

Thank you for reading/ posting =D i don't get a lot of visitors.

this leads me to my next question which is whats the point of 3 reps?

[TopHatPlus]

this leads me to my next question which is whats the point of 3 reps?

My personal definition of what weight i can move is expressed as the amount i can rep 3 times.

[Talo]

Seems like you like the lower rep range style of training. THis is good. Maybe try the 5/3/1 program by JW and see what you get out of that.

[TopHatPlus]

Seems like you like the lower rep range style of training. THis is good. Maybe try the 5/3/1 program by JW and see what you get out of that.

Hey, you were a tad vague on your suggestion, but if i am not mistaken you are the only person to post more then twice... and the first to have something confident and positive to say about something i did... thank you.

I made a goe of the 5, 3, 1 to best of my understanding. I did the bar on incline to stretch then 135 for 5, 185 for 3, and 205 for 1.

I had a pretty great workout, i am fighting a bit of a cold so my body was feeling a tad bit achy but i persevered and destroyed some weight anyways =D

Day 3 on the weight gainer - i am feeling a lot more full in more ways then one. This is no surprise and i have known this for a while but the increase in carbs, protein and fats have quite drastically cut down my appetite and made me feel much more satisfied all day, no snack cravings every 20 minutes and my body feels "full" my arms, chest, back, shoulders, legs everything just feels really really good!! One of the guys at the gym said i looked a bit biggerm but i did have one wicked pump going =D

In the never ending pursuit of my personal perfection the results are in progress =D

I ordered an early xmas gift on Ebay for myself, 16" biceps... should be in the mail box in 3-4 months pending no hold ups... the mass gainer (express shipping) should improve the delivery date HAHA!!! What isnt available on the internet....

[Talo]

I made a goe of the 5, 3, 1 to best of my understanding. I did the bar on incline to stretch then 135 for 5, 185 for 3, and 205 for 1.


I don't understand what you mean you gave it a go ?Have you read the book ? it is a math based training program that can last upto a year if your making good gains.

Well worth the read or google the base program.

[TopHatPlus]

I don't understand what you mean you gave it a go ?Have you read the book ? it is a math based training program that can last upto a year if your making good gains.

Well worth the read or google the base program.

i most certainly will look into it.

I have been feeling really strong since starting the gainer, my weight was 148 lbs tonight which is definitely up from last week, i am feeling bigger? Not drastically but my clothes are fitting a fair bit tighter and seem to be short? I am getting great pump every workout, So far so good!

Dropped off my first 2' ledge on my unicycle... sketchy but i got it >_<

[cog]

Wouldn't the sudden impact be rough on your hips and spine?If you really want to stimulate your body to grow,you're going to need to start squatting.

[TopHatPlus]

Wouldn't the sudden impact be rough on your hips and spine?If you really want to stimulate your body to grow,you're going to need to start squatting.

My hips have felt terrible lately... i carry my socks into work so my dad can help me put them on (cannot flex enough to reach my toes) but my spine has very few issues, i have found huge relief from my weighted dips. They seem to instantly relieve any and all tension in my lower back and doing a nice deep squat seems to help the upper.

Squats... they are not easy on my joints but what the hell its the holidays... i will throw a set or two depending on how they go and see what happens.

Its not usually an instant pain im worried about its the entire week after of severe stiffness in both ankles, knees, and hips.

Could get an un expecting xmas gift and feel great the next day?

[cog]

I'm thinking this could be a mental block on your part here TP.I can't see how could use your ankles,knees and hips for cycling with some impact added in and worry about squatting.What I do know is that people who do not get into at least a moderately deep squat stance also get pretty stiff don't they?