Bob's Log

Hello everyone, i have not been on the forums for quite awhile, but i have not slowed down. I am starting a new log, there is a new journey starting, with new goals, and new perspectives.

I have spent the last number of months with very very little ambition, i have not missed any workouts, my weights have gone up, i was ganging weight (not a lot of productive weight) but i have finally found my escape back into the life of top performance.

I established my biggest problem was my gym, the flamborough YMCA had turned from a new life into a pit of non achievers. Every workout at the YMCA was becoming a test in my patients and my tolerance. I found it increasingly more difficult to get myself into the mental state required for hours of muscle shredding workouts i longed for. I was continuously the strongest person there, lifting weights with not only the highest strength to weight ratios but 99% of the time there were 50+ pounds above any one else there. I use surrounding weight lifters as a bit of a personal challenge, seeing someone lifting as much weight or more really triggers my competitive nature and gets me pumped for more weights.

The shift -

My parents have recently purchased a beautiful 4 season home in Huntsville so i got the pleasure of stay there for a week between and during new years. I spent every morning at FITT Gym on west street in downtown, where i was just in love with the facility. It was small, but packed with all the goodies a lifter could handle, which included dumb bells unto 120 lbs (this was the first time i have had access to this large of weights so i took a shot at 110 lb dumb bells flat bench and got 4 reps) and was nicely tucked into surrounding wilderness with some out door facilities as well. Atlas this could not last and i was headed back home.

I was on vacation from december 21 - january 6th, so i spent the end of my holiday time at La Fitness. I have looked at almost all of the surrounding gyms in my area and i was instantly impressed with La Fitness. I started a 3 day trial and was blown away. It was the first time i had used a spin bike that was buttery smooth and fit me very well in a very long time. The vibration from the worn out spin bikes, the clunking feel in the cranks, the wobbly seat post and bars really caused my arthritis to flare up and would cause me a huge mental distraction while i was at the gym. The quantity and quality of the ab equipment was astounding, i worked out so hard on my abs in those 3 days i couldn't sit down for another 5 days. I have now been a member of La Fitness for 1 week and have had astounding success and already seeing great improvements. The membership is also $20 a month cheaper then the YMCA which more then off sets the increased fuel cost.

I can happily report that all my current changes have helped me to lose over 15 pounds in bad weight, while maintaining muscle, and strength. The equipment has helped me nurse a sore shoulder back to prime condition and has greatly helped with my cardio.

If anyone on here goes to La Fitness burlington in appleby and HWY 5 and would like to workout, let me know, i am there every other day from 6:30-9:30 pm and 8:45-11:30 on my weekend workouts (that will change when i start working saturdays in the spring)

The workouts-

My personal best have been good, but this new facility will help me greatly increase them.

Current weights - 150 lbs

Incline Barbell - 245 lbs x 5
flat barbell - 305 - 4
Decline - 335 x 4
Shoulder press dumb bell - 95 lbs x 7
Incline dumb bell - 100 lbs x 7
Flat bench dumb bell - 110 lbs x 4
Lateral pull down cable - 250 lbs x 10
low row cable one hand - 110 lbs x 4
Squats - 185 lbs x 5
Leg press - 450 lbs x 4 (plus the sled)

These are obviously my top weights, i get pretty close to all of them on every workout, but i don't necessarily push top weight on all workouts, some are done strictly for the pump. I do not do heaving on my bicep curls, max is 35 lbs per hand and i will pump out 10 reps per hand with 4+ seconds on both retract and extension, i just love the pump! I now have hammer strength machines at the gym so i use those after my dumb bell or bar bell lifts to just completely destroy the muscle group without the risk of personal injury.

The excitement burns and the ambition continues.

Flat bench press 305 for 4, squats 185 for 5....see a problem? Time to prioritize the legs!

P

I most certainly do agree, The last 8 months have been some of the worst months of my life for my arthritis flaring up. I have not had any time of an day without pain, and i am walking with a really bad limp now. I have cut way down on the unicycling, but have found mounts of solitude when i get on a good spin bike.

I just have not figured out how to settle the pain down. I had gone a few years with only mild pain after really intense leg workouts. Now a days i wake up in pain and it just escalates over thee course of the day. I average about 15 - 20 minutes of stretching per workout trying maintain my terrible but usable flexibility.

Thank you for your comment.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TopHatPlus

I most certainly do agree, The last 8 months have been some of the worst months of my life for my arthritis flaring up. I have not had any time of an day without pain, and i am walking with a really bad limp now. I have cut way down on the unicycling, but have found mounts of solitude when i get on a good spin bike.

I just have not figured out how to settle the pain down. I had gone a few years with only mild pain after really intense leg workouts. Now a days i wake up in pain and it just escalates over thee course of the day. I average about 15 - 20 minutes of stretching per workout trying maintain my terrible but usable flexibility.

Thank you for your comment.

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Where did you pick up arthritis at such a young age ? Injuries ? Peripheral arthritis or other medical condition ? I have had multiple knee injuries and peripheral arthritis due to Crohn's disease. I have found that ART therapy has really worked well for hamstring tears and most recently a torn meniscus in the left knee and torn MCL in the right knee. I squatted 365 for an easy 8 on my last session and although that's **** all , it's the first pain free squatting (other than Smith squatting) I've done in nearly two years. I'm going to work my way slowly back up to good numbers with more treatments. It's great therapy IMO. Before starting ART I would also wake up in pain , mostly due to the injury itself , not the residual arthritis. IF you decide that you are going to the dark side for relief I would suggest 2IU HGH daily along with IGF 1LR3 20mcg daily. I am sure that has helped in the healing as much as the ART.

Hey hose head

I was one of the fortunate few that was born with it. When i was a baby my knees would swell up multiple times larger then normal and feel burning hot to touch. I spent a lot of time at Mcmaster Hospital as a new born but they could not solve the mysterious problems. I was transferred the Sick Kids Toronto for about a year and became the youngest diagnosed case of Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. I took just about everything under the sun as a kid and became a bit of a test subject for the hospitals. When i was about 5 i had a series of cortisone injections, but one thing that has been a huge effect was the prednisone. I was one prednisone from the age 1 to the age 11, which had side affects that took a good shot at killing me.

Despite all the pain and not being able to lift with my legs on a regular basis, my legs have grown quite a bit from all the cycling, unicycling, and walking on my toes. One of the side effects of arthritis in children in abnormal limb growth, so my right leg is exactly 1" shorter then me left, which causes the limp while i walk, cause me to be un even when i do legs, and is a portion of all the hip pain.

Since i have switched to La Fitness they have a squat "rack" like the hammer strength machines so i have made an attempt to do them every other workout, i load unto 185 lbs, and i really rely on the machine and just take it easy. Progress is progress.

Thank you for you comment.

Have you tried using Pennsaid, Adequan, or Hyaluronic acid to help with the inflammation?

P

Are you taking magnesium everyday ?

Eric

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TopHatPlus

Hey hose head

I was one of the fortunate few that was born with it. When i was a baby my knees would swell up multiple times larger then normal and feel burning hot to touch. I spent a lot of time at Mcmaster Hospital as a new born but they could not solve the mysterious problems. I was transferred the Sick Kids Toronto for about a year and became the youngest diagnosed case of Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. I took just about everything under the sun as a kid and became a bit of a test subject for the hospitals. When i was about 5 i had a series of cortisone injections, but one thing that has been a huge effect was the prednisone. I was one prednisone from the age 1 to the age 11, which had side affects that took a good shot at killing me.

Despite all the pain and not being able to lift with my legs on a regular basis, my legs have grown quite a bit from all the cycling, unicycling, and walking on my toes. One of the side effects of arthritis in children in abnormal limb growth, so my right leg is exactly 1" shorter then me left, which causes the limp while i walk, cause me to be un even when i do legs, and is a portion of all the hip pain.

Since i have switched to La Fitness they have a squat "rack" like the hammer strength machines so i have made an attempt to do them every other workout, i load unto 185 lbs, and i really rely on the machine and just take it easy. Progress is progress.

Thank you for you comment.

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You've done very well to be lifting at all. I highly commend you for your efforts !I was on high dose prednisone cycle from 20-28 years. It is the nastiest stuff ever. Anabolic steroid side effects are minimal compared to cortico steroids and you get the benefit of actually destroying your muscles and connective tissue. I made no gains in those eight years. None. Still, my connective tissue is pretty good for a 44 year old who has had a dozen cortisone shots in each knee and a few in the elbows. For the last 16 years I only take sulfasalazine for the arthritis and it's always under control. No more knee swelling unless I tear something.

@Praetorian - I am not on any of those, and i am not sure what exactly i have taken. When i turned 12 my parents took me to a iridologist and got me taking a hand full of different herbs/vitamins/supplements and cleanses. I took those 3 times a day faithfully for about 6 years.

Before the 6 years of "re building" my body i was probably 40+ pounds over weight, exhausted 24/7, my finger tips and toes had a hint of blue, and was being told by the doctors my organs were starting to shut down from all the drugs they had put me on, i was also being told i needed to have both knees and hips replaced. It was by no means a "highlight" in my childhood.

@tt Eric - No i am not

@hosehead - The gym has become a lot more then just manoeuvring weight for me, i have had to go through life changes, mental changes, get past all the mental defeat and lack of self confidence and either demand a healthy life style for just live on disability and except the results.

I would say the inflammation is the problem, a stiff joint is no big deal, its the INSANELY sharp pains i get in the front side of the hip joint. Literally like knives in there just destroying everything... Cycling helps, have a super smooth high end bike. My biggest fear for my health is if i ever stopped my intense training, i would just seize up like the tin man on the wizard of oz.


Thank you every for your comments. This forum has been a HUGE help in every aspect of my training.

I use to have pain in my articulation, sign of arthritis beginning to bother me and learned that almost everyone lack of that very important mineral, even more bodybuilders because magnesium is involved in every muscular contraction, so each time we train, we use magnesium. When I began to take some, pain went away very fast, I've only stop to take magnesium for about 3 months in the last 14 years and it's the only time the pain came back (at the end of the 3 months). Granted you case is much more severe then me, I would still make sure you take ZMA religiously every night and I'm sure it could only help. ZMA is staple for many bodybuilders, zinc and magnesium, 2 minerals lots of people miss, plus you have the extra bonus feature of making sure your body will produce optimally hormones like testosterone, if you lack those minerals, production might be impaired.

Also make sure you have enough vit D3, especially in winter, 5000UI daily.

Eric

High does fish oil as well as curcumin will all help with inflammation and not deliver the sides of NSAIDS. Vitamin D3 year round at 5000iu daily...our summers are short in canada and it takes time to raise levels as most are severely deficient. You can also use DMSO on muscles and joints which will help tremendously with no sides.

P

i have often thought about fish oils, and i will do some investigating and purchasing into them.

I have a container of Animal "oak" multi vitamin supplement. Any thoughts on how effective it is? I will start taking it and stop procrastinating about it. Some the pills in there are the thickness of my fingers >_<

What is some of your recommended brands of vitamins? The southern ontario sales rep for Sisu is one of my customers so i get a lot of free samples, i have found very good success with there products and have been taking there "no. 7" vitamin which is designed for active middle ages men with arthritis. (i take a lot more then the recommended does)

What are some good price points? I have seen vitamin d3 in 2000ui capsules ranging from $0.06 per to $0.21 per. I don't want crappy vitamins but i don't have a fortune to spend either.