Sushine abounds this morning as I scrape off my windshield, shovel my driveway, and fire up for the gym...I enter at 8 a.m., and the holy place of iron is still relatively empty...except for a few hardcore plateheads. I go to the assisted dip chair, and do supersets of pull-ups, dips, and wide-grip pull-ups...
I see my arms and chest grow, and glisten with perspiration...Now is time to get serious...I sit and pull my own weight with cable pulleys...then pull down my whole weight with cable-lat, wide grip bar...I go to short grip and pull down some more...arggggh...this is good!
Off I go to the pec-rack and do 3 sets of 10 with 160 lbs...then do back flyes with 110...3 sets of 10...Then off to the Hammer/Smith machines for more back work...pulling, pulling, pulling...this is "pull" day.
Now that larger body parts are worked...I superset barbell curls with tricep extensions...then I do incline curls with 25 lb. dumbells to total exhaustion.
I finish off with tricep pulldowns with the rope and the close grip iron bar.
I do 20 minutes on the incline treadmill...dancing around to loosen my legs from yesterdays leg workout...My wife takes me grocery shopping, and I lug in bottles of water, propel vitamin drink, and bags of groceries for "Mongo"...need fuel for the week...
Now rest up and eat 6 meals with supplements, and "grow big" for another day...No rest on Sunday...Amen.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
OLD GYM WARRIORS
A couple of days ago, I met up with my friend John, in our gym...John is an old warrior, 69 years of age, stands all of 5'6", and is built like a brick shit house!...This guy was an iron worker all his life. He works out in Metallica or other terrifying type t-shirts, has leather wrist bands with skulls, blue jeans and motorcycle boots. He has long hair and a goatee, crystal clear blue eyes, and the demeanor and looks of Charlie Manson, without the swastika carved into his skull.
Most people are afraid of him, but he is a pussycat. He helps the clean-up lady, when her electrical extension cords for the vacuum cleaner get snagged on machines, and he is always willing to share knowledge about supplements and pumping iron.
I told him I was kinda' worried about my vocal cord checkup, 'cause I had cancer a couple of years ago...I went in today, and am clean now for over 2 years. He smiled at me and told me that he had a "little bit" of cancer in his lungs. Huh??? He made no big deal about it, and just went about his business of pumping 6 plates of 45 pounders for his bench press. He told me that the doc's wanted to see him in about a week.
John gave me a good kick of inspiration right in the seat of my pants...yeah man! Old warriors like John, keep going like the Energizer Bunny...They usually don't bitch and complain. Guys like him just deal with whatever life throws their way.
I like the "never give up" attitude. Every day is a challenge which has its' rewards, if you put out 100% effort. I imagine Jeff will be around for a long time. He's too tough to die "from a little lung cancer". If perchance he passes away, he told me he wants to be laid out in a muscle man t-shirt! I told him that the cancer might make his arms look too skinny. He told me, "There's always a taxidermist around to pump 'em up"!
You have to love his style.
Most people are afraid of him, but he is a pussycat. He helps the clean-up lady, when her electrical extension cords for the vacuum cleaner get snagged on machines, and he is always willing to share knowledge about supplements and pumping iron.
I told him I was kinda' worried about my vocal cord checkup, 'cause I had cancer a couple of years ago...I went in today, and am clean now for over 2 years. He smiled at me and told me that he had a "little bit" of cancer in his lungs. Huh??? He made no big deal about it, and just went about his business of pumping 6 plates of 45 pounders for his bench press. He told me that the doc's wanted to see him in about a week.
John gave me a good kick of inspiration right in the seat of my pants...yeah man! Old warriors like John, keep going like the Energizer Bunny...They usually don't bitch and complain. Guys like him just deal with whatever life throws their way.
I like the "never give up" attitude. Every day is a challenge which has its' rewards, if you put out 100% effort. I imagine Jeff will be around for a long time. He's too tough to die "from a little lung cancer". If perchance he passes away, he told me he wants to be laid out in a muscle man t-shirt! I told him that the cancer might make his arms look too skinny. He told me, "There's always a taxidermist around to pump 'em up"!
You have to love his style.
Monday, January 23, 2012
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
There's times in the gym, where my mind will take my body where it didn't want to go. At other times, it's best to listen to my body. When I hear my shoulders popping and I have a feeling of general weakness, or a runny nose, I know it's time to slow down, and go lighter with my weights. I warm up with light weight, and progress to heavier loads, only if my body allows it.
Injuries are common when we overtrain. Often, I do exercises that are new to my muscular skeletal system. i awaken new muscle fibre and get joy in other ways, attaining the "pump", while guarding against injury. The abdominal muscles are usually the ones that everyone hates working. In reality, these are the most important. Lower back and ab strengthening are paramount in having a good exercise routine. They are the core, and from the core comes everything else.
So listen to your body. Work what needs to be worked. Eat what nourishes you completely. Get enough sleep. Often you will grow stronger with rest.
Injuries are common when we overtrain. Often, I do exercises that are new to my muscular skeletal system. i awaken new muscle fibre and get joy in other ways, attaining the "pump", while guarding against injury. The abdominal muscles are usually the ones that everyone hates working. In reality, these are the most important. Lower back and ab strengthening are paramount in having a good exercise routine. They are the core, and from the core comes everything else.
So listen to your body. Work what needs to be worked. Eat what nourishes you completely. Get enough sleep. Often you will grow stronger with rest.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Incline bench....3x12 with 25 lb. dumbells to warm up.
3x8 with 40 lb. dumbells at forty five degrees.
3x8 with 50 lb. dumblells at forty five degrees.
3x6 with 60 lb. dumbells with bench flat
Bench presses...3x12 with 150 lbs.
Incline bench press...3x12 with 90 lbs.
100 rope tucks with 130 lbs.
100 crunches on decline bench with 25 lb. weight cradled on chest, twisting torso.
100 ab crunches on ab chair with 70 lbs. on back
wide grip push downs with 45 lbs.
3x15 quad presses at 320lbs.
4x12 calve raises with 120 lbs.
incline treadmill cool down...intervals.
walk backwards, do side-by-sides at ten degrees...Immediatley ingest recovery fluids, eat a 32 gram protein bar...(Met-Rx), and take to Muscle-wiz branch amino capsules to make sure protein feeds the muscles....Now, on to grocery shopping and a huge lunch!...bon-appetite!
3x8 with 40 lb. dumbells at forty five degrees.
3x8 with 50 lb. dumblells at forty five degrees.
3x6 with 60 lb. dumbells with bench flat
Bench presses...3x12 with 150 lbs.
Incline bench press...3x12 with 90 lbs.
100 rope tucks with 130 lbs.
100 crunches on decline bench with 25 lb. weight cradled on chest, twisting torso.
100 ab crunches on ab chair with 70 lbs. on back
wide grip push downs with 45 lbs.
3x15 quad presses at 320lbs.
4x12 calve raises with 120 lbs.
incline treadmill cool down...intervals.
walk backwards, do side-by-sides at ten degrees...Immediatley ingest recovery fluids, eat a 32 gram protein bar...(Met-Rx), and take to Muscle-wiz branch amino capsules to make sure protein feeds the muscles....Now, on to grocery shopping and a huge lunch!...bon-appetite!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
TODAY'S DIET
2 scoops of GNC wheybolic-60 protein powder and tablespoon of glutamine in 16 oz. of fat free skim milk...2 cups of black coffee...pre workout at 7 a.m.
drink 16 oz. propel energy drink while working out, and 16 oz. of water
Post workout at 10:00: Muscle-wiz recovery drink with glucosomine/chondroitin in
8 ounces of water...32 gram protein Met-Rx bar and 2 Muscle-wiz branch amino capsules.
Lunch: Three quarters of a lb. of Kobi beef...3 servings of steamed carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower...One 16 oz. bottle of Propel vitamin water, a 32 gram Met-Rx protein bar...One slice of rough grain wheat bread.
late afternoon: 1 scoop of whey powder and glutamine in 12 oz. of fat free milk
dinner: a cup of non-salted almonds, 8 oz. of water packed tuna, and 2 capsules of muscle-wiz branched amino capsules.
after dinner snack: two oranges, two bananas...16 oz. of water
before bed: Muscle wiz fat burner (non-thermogenic), derived from green tea...
burp!...i then sleep for 8 hours....This is a diet to gain muscle.
drink 16 oz. propel energy drink while working out, and 16 oz. of water
Post workout at 10:00: Muscle-wiz recovery drink with glucosomine/chondroitin in
8 ounces of water...32 gram protein Met-Rx bar and 2 Muscle-wiz branch amino capsules.
Lunch: Three quarters of a lb. of Kobi beef...3 servings of steamed carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower...One 16 oz. bottle of Propel vitamin water, a 32 gram Met-Rx protein bar...One slice of rough grain wheat bread.
late afternoon: 1 scoop of whey powder and glutamine in 12 oz. of fat free milk
dinner: a cup of non-salted almonds, 8 oz. of water packed tuna, and 2 capsules of muscle-wiz branched amino capsules.
after dinner snack: two oranges, two bananas...16 oz. of water
before bed: Muscle wiz fat burner (non-thermogenic), derived from green tea...
burp!...i then sleep for 8 hours....This is a diet to gain muscle.
Monday, January 16, 2012
STARTING OUT SLOW
The weight lifter over sixty, has to start out slow. You remember the old tale about the tortoise and the hare? The same applies to bodybuilders who want to win the race at a mature age. I came in the gym today, slightly sore, but not aching, so i felt relatively safe to start my routine, but instead of heavy lifts, I went for a ten minute walk on the treadmill to loosen myself up, and get my blood moving. I gingerly walked upstairs to the "house of iron", and picked out an incline bench. I began concentration curls with half the weight I'm used to using, and felt really good with a set of 8 reps. The next set, i slowed the movement down and felt a wonderful burn and increased to 12 reps. Ahhhh! Sometimes it's great to be a turtle! I went to incline curls, standing hammer curls, and by God, I was pumped up more, than when I used the heavy weight, and my shoulders and wrists were not paining me.
The rest of my routine was done with the normal weight I use...Some lifts I actually increased weight, where I felt comfortable. I am continuing to take my Muscle-wiz reactive repair after my workouts. I also take a Met-Rx bar and a couple of Muscle-wiz amino isolates after a my routine. This feeds my hungry muscles and allows for a nice anabolic effect. I continue to eat 6 times a day, and take 2 branched amino capsules, 6 times a day after meals. At night, I use muscle-wiz fat burner...a non-thermogenic formula which is derived from green tea and magic herbs!...youza!...I try to get at least 8 hours of sleep at night, and drink as much water as I can during the day. I also use GNC wheybolic 60 and glutamine prior to my morning workouts in fat free milk...I use it again in the afternoon.
I see a significant gain in muscle size and strength in the last couple of weeks, since I have started this regimen. My body weight has increased from 175 to 178. I notice a little more thickness in my core, but I am not too worried about it. I will lose water and fat, when I start the leaning out process and 2-a-day workouts this summer. Right now in my program it is important for me to gain size and strength to lift heavier weights and build more muscle mass. My body fat was at 18.0 today, which was disappointing, but I have time to get it under 10.0.
Body building is totally holistic...It invovles, mind, will, persitence, patience, dutiful practice and luck. For me, it is the most interesting game in town.
The rest of my routine was done with the normal weight I use...Some lifts I actually increased weight, where I felt comfortable. I am continuing to take my Muscle-wiz reactive repair after my workouts. I also take a Met-Rx bar and a couple of Muscle-wiz amino isolates after a my routine. This feeds my hungry muscles and allows for a nice anabolic effect. I continue to eat 6 times a day, and take 2 branched amino capsules, 6 times a day after meals. At night, I use muscle-wiz fat burner...a non-thermogenic formula which is derived from green tea and magic herbs!...youza!...I try to get at least 8 hours of sleep at night, and drink as much water as I can during the day. I also use GNC wheybolic 60 and glutamine prior to my morning workouts in fat free milk...I use it again in the afternoon.
I see a significant gain in muscle size and strength in the last couple of weeks, since I have started this regimen. My body weight has increased from 175 to 178. I notice a little more thickness in my core, but I am not too worried about it. I will lose water and fat, when I start the leaning out process and 2-a-day workouts this summer. Right now in my program it is important for me to gain size and strength to lift heavier weights and build more muscle mass. My body fat was at 18.0 today, which was disappointing, but I have time to get it under 10.0.
Body building is totally holistic...It invovles, mind, will, persitence, patience, dutiful practice and luck. For me, it is the most interesting game in town.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
I HIT THE WALL
"Hitting the wall", when I was a Marathon runner was when my quadricep muscles turned into jello at around the 20 mile mark, in a 26.2 mile race...I knew it was no big deal, that I would push through it to the end of the race...that I wasn't going to die, and I kept on going until I hit the finish line...expressing my agony in the typical ways that marathon runners express their agony...with tears, salutes to dieties, tossing their cookies, going down to all fours with lower back muscles aching so badly, they feel like they have been hit by hammers...and writing run on sentences like this.
Well, I hit the wall with weight lifting...I overtrained, and kept on training, like a fool...So now my arthitic left wrist is aching, as is my left rotator cuff, and left tricep muscle...I knew I was going to get in trouble, because I have been waking up with soreness at night, and have been more grouchy than usual...We try to push through these things with catch phrases like, "stiff upper lip", "what don't kill yah will make yah stronger", etc. and so on. I say "bullroar" to all that claptrap...yet, I keep pushing on...what a fool I am.
So today, I went on the sissy machines...elliptical, treadmill, keeping my heart rate low, so as not to burn up any of my precious muscle...My obsessive/compulsive mind freaks me out as I look in the mirror...I see this skinny guy with no muscles...and shriek with terror!..."This is not reality", I say..."It's only a movie!"...Now as I sit and watch football, I fear the calories I ingest..."Will they go to fat or muscle?"...
Forget it...Tomorrow's another day...and hopefully, I will lift again...Now I recover from hitting the wall...and that means, rest, rest, and more rest...Amen.
Well, I hit the wall with weight lifting...I overtrained, and kept on training, like a fool...So now my arthitic left wrist is aching, as is my left rotator cuff, and left tricep muscle...I knew I was going to get in trouble, because I have been waking up with soreness at night, and have been more grouchy than usual...We try to push through these things with catch phrases like, "stiff upper lip", "what don't kill yah will make yah stronger", etc. and so on. I say "bullroar" to all that claptrap...yet, I keep pushing on...what a fool I am.
So today, I went on the sissy machines...elliptical, treadmill, keeping my heart rate low, so as not to burn up any of my precious muscle...My obsessive/compulsive mind freaks me out as I look in the mirror...I see this skinny guy with no muscles...and shriek with terror!..."This is not reality", I say..."It's only a movie!"...Now as I sit and watch football, I fear the calories I ingest..."Will they go to fat or muscle?"...
Forget it...Tomorrow's another day...and hopefully, I will lift again...Now I recover from hitting the wall...and that means, rest, rest, and more rest...Amen.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
THE HANGING MAN
I headed up the stairs to "ironland" this morning...It was bench press day...As I passed rows of contraptions designed for pain, I saw a strange dude hanging from a barbell on the Smith machine...He had a raggedy stocking cap on his head, nerdlike glasses held together by tape...He was dangling like a bat, shuffling his feet, and showing a set of rock hard abs,, that took my breath away...i watched him as he was flexing and smiling...
When he dismounted, I asked him, "How old are you?"...I placed him at around 50, but he countered with, "I am sixty-eight". My mouth opened, and I was slack-jawed...I said, "Dude, you are in some awesome kind of shape." He told me of his inversion exercises, his commitment to nutrition and Zen, and his martial arts master who lived to be 120 years old.
We shook hands, and as he departed I thought of my prior antipathy toward him. I was ready to hate him, to run him off, to be derogatory. I am a fool. I learn something every day in the palace of iron. The most important thing to learn is brotherhood and sisterhood, compassion, humility, and the willingness to give a helping hand and share knowledge.
Ain't life the most beautiful thing?
When he dismounted, I asked him, "How old are you?"...I placed him at around 50, but he countered with, "I am sixty-eight". My mouth opened, and I was slack-jawed...I said, "Dude, you are in some awesome kind of shape." He told me of his inversion exercises, his commitment to nutrition and Zen, and his martial arts master who lived to be 120 years old.
We shook hands, and as he departed I thought of my prior antipathy toward him. I was ready to hate him, to run him off, to be derogatory. I am a fool. I learn something every day in the palace of iron. The most important thing to learn is brotherhood and sisterhood, compassion, humility, and the willingness to give a helping hand and share knowledge.
Ain't life the most beautiful thing?
Friday, January 13, 2012
GYM CLOTHES
I dress for the gym like a homeless person...I love my holey sweatshirts with cut off arms, and smelly sneakers, that are broken in..."just right". I like the muscle man t's even in the winter time...I wear shorts when it's fifteen degrees outside. I slather myself with aloe skin cream, so I don't get the crusties.
Today, I wore the fancy Nike gear my daughter bought me...All the hip people wear this stuff, on the north side of Chicago in Wrigleyville...but I'm a south side kinda guy, and I like sweating and doing heavy lifting, so I guess I just don't get it...I can't fromp around with my blackberry or IPod. This interferes with my concentration and work at hand.
Besides, why ruin expensive outfits with sweat?...I can always wear the new stuff to non-sweaty, daytime or evening events. I like the look of a renegade when I am pumping iron. I like harley dew rags, and heavy wrist wraps. Give me more weight, and big guys to help me pump a few more reps...yeah, guys like me with garlic on their breath, who don't shave their chest hair or underarms.
We carry ratty gym bags, not the fancy kind. We don't stop to chat at the juice bar, but sit alone in a corner ingesting concoctions which make us bigger after the workout. It's ok to say "hi" in passing, but don't mess with my routine...I only get to rest 30 seconds between sets.
This is how it is, and this is how it's 'sposed to be...amen...but thanks anyway sweet daughter, Catherine!
Today, I wore the fancy Nike gear my daughter bought me...All the hip people wear this stuff, on the north side of Chicago in Wrigleyville...but I'm a south side kinda guy, and I like sweating and doing heavy lifting, so I guess I just don't get it...I can't fromp around with my blackberry or IPod. This interferes with my concentration and work at hand.
Besides, why ruin expensive outfits with sweat?...I can always wear the new stuff to non-sweaty, daytime or evening events. I like the look of a renegade when I am pumping iron. I like harley dew rags, and heavy wrist wraps. Give me more weight, and big guys to help me pump a few more reps...yeah, guys like me with garlic on their breath, who don't shave their chest hair or underarms.
We carry ratty gym bags, not the fancy kind. We don't stop to chat at the juice bar, but sit alone in a corner ingesting concoctions which make us bigger after the workout. It's ok to say "hi" in passing, but don't mess with my routine...I only get to rest 30 seconds between sets.
This is how it is, and this is how it's 'sposed to be...amen...but thanks anyway sweet daughter, Catherine!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
WORKING OUT WHEN STILL SORE?
Yeah...but be careful. Today was my incline bench dumbell presses...flat dumbell bench presses...barbell bench presses, rope tucks, behind the neck pull downs...etc. etc. etcetera!
I was sore as hell yesterday, but took my glucosomine/chodroitin recovery formula, and most of it dissipated by this morning...BUT, I was still sore. Hmmmm. Now the question comes...Should I chance working out my sore shoulders?...sure!...I start out with 10 lbs. lighter, and do my repititions very slowly...Gradually, I worked up to weight that I am used to doing. By the end of my workout, my body is primed, and I am bombing once again.
The things to really watch for if you are overtraining are fitfull nights of sleep, where you keep waking up due to soreness, mild colds or fever, gnarly old-man-ness, where you are a bear at home, feelings of malaise or tiredness...You are cruisin' for a bruisin' when you keep working out hard if you display these conditions. Your body needs rest. Don't worry if you gain a couple of pounds by taking a day or two off. In fact, you may gain muscle size and strength when you come back.
The body needs sleep and good food to grow...Bomb on, men of iron, women of steel. Live to lift another day. Injuries can put you down for weeks or months, so don't get all obsessive/compulsive about this deal...Remember you can always work your abs, and do incline walks on the treadmill, while you listen to your favorite IPod tunes...Check out the eye candy, you might meet your dream date, or the date from hell! It's all up to you.
I was sore as hell yesterday, but took my glucosomine/chodroitin recovery formula, and most of it dissipated by this morning...BUT, I was still sore. Hmmmm. Now the question comes...Should I chance working out my sore shoulders?...sure!...I start out with 10 lbs. lighter, and do my repititions very slowly...Gradually, I worked up to weight that I am used to doing. By the end of my workout, my body is primed, and I am bombing once again.
The things to really watch for if you are overtraining are fitfull nights of sleep, where you keep waking up due to soreness, mild colds or fever, gnarly old-man-ness, where you are a bear at home, feelings of malaise or tiredness...You are cruisin' for a bruisin' when you keep working out hard if you display these conditions. Your body needs rest. Don't worry if you gain a couple of pounds by taking a day or two off. In fact, you may gain muscle size and strength when you come back.
The body needs sleep and good food to grow...Bomb on, men of iron, women of steel. Live to lift another day. Injuries can put you down for weeks or months, so don't get all obsessive/compulsive about this deal...Remember you can always work your abs, and do incline walks on the treadmill, while you listen to your favorite IPod tunes...Check out the eye candy, you might meet your dream date, or the date from hell! It's all up to you.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
WRIST WRAPS
Some bodybuilders, like me, are not lucky enough to have huge wrists and forearms...ergo the wrist wrap is an essential tool in the lifting of heavy weight. I use TKO brand boxer wraps which can be adjusted with nice little velcro strips...When they get smelly, you can toss them in the washing machine, and lay them on the top of the clothes dryer, and you are good to go the next day...I put on Harbinger leather lifting gloves, over the top of the wraps...The Harbinger's also have wrapping devices for better stabilization...Ocaisonally, during my workout, I loosen the straps and re-adjust them to stabilize my wrist, or loosen them for circulation purposes...I have to buy some wraps, that I can attach to barbells, and other equipment in the gym, so I can specialize to lift heavier weight. I have an arthritic left wrist from running and shifting bulldozers and end loaders all my life. I don't want the huge calcium deposit on my wrist or carpal tunnel to impede my progess...Lifters wrap with all kinds of things...I see guys using knee wraps all the time when they are doing squats...Squats and deadlifts are some of the best exercises, because they employ so many muscle groups...but beware of overstressing the lower back and knees...Make sure you use a whole range of motion with light weight, before you try those gargantuan lifts...No one expects you to be a hero in the gym...Injury makes you stay at home, so wrap up, dudes and dudettes!...See yah tommorow, healthy and strong!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
TODAY'S DIET
Started out the morning with 40 grams of whey protein and a scoop of glutamine in 16 ounces of fat free milk...had 2 cups of black coffee...post workout at gym had 2 capsules of branced amino's a Met RX power bar, and regenerative glucosomine/chondroitin drink...Lunch was a 12 ounce steak with ceaser salad, baked sweet potato, 2 branched amino capsules, iron tablet, multi-vitamin, baby aspirin, and 16 ounces of water...Home to nap for an hour. Upon waking drink another teaspon of glutamine in 16 ounces of propel vitamin water...3 p.m. had Met RX replacement meal bar, half a cup of almonds, a pear, 2 bananas and 2 branced amino capsules with 16 ounces of water. At 8 p.m. tonight will have 2 cups of cottage cheese and water packed peaches, and before bed will take fat burning, non-thermogenic grean tea supplement. Diet is a lot of work...Must eat to grow!...forgot the steamed asparagus, peanut butter on multi-grain bread...whew!
Monday, January 9, 2012
TRAINING THE ABDOMINALS
These are the muscles that everyone wants to have. The legendary "six-pack"...the awesome abdominal wall...and for taller people, the oblique muscles, that girdle a human's sides, running down to the hip. On squat, fireplug guys like me who are short waisted, big obliques make me look too darned wide, so I don't work them too much...but I do work the hell out of my abs and I work them every day.
The first thing I did is to get lean. I got rid of all my fat. At the age of 62, this left a helluva lot of skin. I looked absolutely awful. I am getting rid of the skin slowly, by doing 200 to 300 reps on my abs every day.
One day, I do crunchies, hanging leg raises, and pull downs on the ab chair...On alternate days I do rope tucks and more crunchies. The idea is to isolate the muscles you are trying to work on, and burn them. The leg raises are good for the lower abs. My favorite over-all are the rope tucks. As the muscles grow, they become more noticable. I have a "4-pack" now, and need to really isolate the lower belly. Wearing a rubber belt, with velcro adjustments while working out, helps burn the fat off the lower belly.
Also, taking a fat burner at night...(a natural herbal one...NOT thermogenic), also keeps the metabolism burning fat, not muscle. Remember to eat every two hours, stay low on carbohydrates, and drink a lot of water. This keeps you clean, lean and mean! Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day...Abdominal muscles are hard work! Make sure you develop your lower back muscles, or you will be in for a strain...Core training is the basis of every other exercise...without core training, you are looking for injuries.
The first thing I did is to get lean. I got rid of all my fat. At the age of 62, this left a helluva lot of skin. I looked absolutely awful. I am getting rid of the skin slowly, by doing 200 to 300 reps on my abs every day.
One day, I do crunchies, hanging leg raises, and pull downs on the ab chair...On alternate days I do rope tucks and more crunchies. The idea is to isolate the muscles you are trying to work on, and burn them. The leg raises are good for the lower abs. My favorite over-all are the rope tucks. As the muscles grow, they become more noticable. I have a "4-pack" now, and need to really isolate the lower belly. Wearing a rubber belt, with velcro adjustments while working out, helps burn the fat off the lower belly.
Also, taking a fat burner at night...(a natural herbal one...NOT thermogenic), also keeps the metabolism burning fat, not muscle. Remember to eat every two hours, stay low on carbohydrates, and drink a lot of water. This keeps you clean, lean and mean! Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day...Abdominal muscles are hard work! Make sure you develop your lower back muscles, or you will be in for a strain...Core training is the basis of every other exercise...without core training, you are looking for injuries.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
HOW TO BUILD MUSCLE
Most people think that to build muscle, a person has to only lift weights...In fact, nutrition, eight hours of sleep a night, and many other metabolic factors come into play in order to build a rock hard body, with chiseled definition. Long periods of aerobics may get one heart healthy and lean, but they also burn up muscle.
I got lean with brutal aerobic exercise, ninety-minutes, every other day,and on alternate days I pumped iron for 90 minutes...but I also was burning up muscle. I no longer use aerobics, because I superset my weight lifting routine, to keep my heart rate in a zone between 125 to 135 bpm to burn fat. I keep moving in the gym from one exercise to the next. This takes some planning, but is well worth it. Never rest more than 30 seconds between sets. This keeps your body burning at a level that burns fat and build muscle. When lifting really heavy, you might have to wait for longer periods. Fool the body into getting bigger by changing exercises or adding new ones to your program every 6 to 8 weeks.
It is also true in order to build hard, lean muscle, a man has to lift heavy...We walk a fine line between injury and "bigness". Clean diet with no alcohol, sugar, fritos, chips, pizza, donuts, ice cream, and all the other food I used to love is paramount in fitness. Clean whey protein in the amount of 40 to 60 gms. of protein is taken pre-exercise, and post for recovery. Mainstays in my diet are egg whites, tuna, cottage cheese, lean read meat, and fruits and vegetables. I also drink 160 ounces of water every day. Generally if I am crabby, have trouble sleeping at night because of soreness, or I don't look forward to my workouts, I am overtraining. I change things up, and listen to my body, to avoid this staleness. If I keep pressing on or trying to increase my weight or intensity, injury usually is the result.
Supplements which I take include, glutatmine, pharmaceutical grade, liquid arginine, branched aminos, herbal fat burners, vitamins, and fish oil. Make sure you read about the side effects of supplements. I do not recommend thermogenics. They speed up the heart, and can to be damaging to your cardio health.
Feed your body every 2 hours...Most bodybuilders eat six times a day. We are never hungry, unless we are preparing for a competition. I will talk about hypertrophy and periodization in some future blogs.
Great eating and great training to you all! Enjoy this lovely weekend!
I got lean with brutal aerobic exercise, ninety-minutes, every other day,and on alternate days I pumped iron for 90 minutes...but I also was burning up muscle. I no longer use aerobics, because I superset my weight lifting routine, to keep my heart rate in a zone between 125 to 135 bpm to burn fat. I keep moving in the gym from one exercise to the next. This takes some planning, but is well worth it. Never rest more than 30 seconds between sets. This keeps your body burning at a level that burns fat and build muscle. When lifting really heavy, you might have to wait for longer periods. Fool the body into getting bigger by changing exercises or adding new ones to your program every 6 to 8 weeks.
It is also true in order to build hard, lean muscle, a man has to lift heavy...We walk a fine line between injury and "bigness". Clean diet with no alcohol, sugar, fritos, chips, pizza, donuts, ice cream, and all the other food I used to love is paramount in fitness. Clean whey protein in the amount of 40 to 60 gms. of protein is taken pre-exercise, and post for recovery. Mainstays in my diet are egg whites, tuna, cottage cheese, lean read meat, and fruits and vegetables. I also drink 160 ounces of water every day. Generally if I am crabby, have trouble sleeping at night because of soreness, or I don't look forward to my workouts, I am overtraining. I change things up, and listen to my body, to avoid this staleness. If I keep pressing on or trying to increase my weight or intensity, injury usually is the result.
Supplements which I take include, glutatmine, pharmaceutical grade, liquid arginine, branched aminos, herbal fat burners, vitamins, and fish oil. Make sure you read about the side effects of supplements. I do not recommend thermogenics. They speed up the heart, and can to be damaging to your cardio health.
Feed your body every 2 hours...Most bodybuilders eat six times a day. We are never hungry, unless we are preparing for a competition. I will talk about hypertrophy and periodization in some future blogs.
Great eating and great training to you all! Enjoy this lovely weekend!
Friday, January 6, 2012
LEG WORKOUT
It was leg workout day today. Beautiful day in Chicago. Sun is a shinin', the birds are a singin', and I am dreading my screaming quads already...lol!...I start out by warming up...20 minutes of climbling 10 degrees and 1 mph on the incline treadmill...a walk backwards for the hamstrings, and do side-by-sides, to loosen everything up...this gets the heart rate up, and lubricates the joints for what's coming next...I do 20 reps. at 240 on the quad press machine...I make sure my feet are high on the plate with my toes flared out slightly so I don't put undue pressure on my knees...My 2nd set is 20 reps at 260...I rest a minute then do a killer 20 reps at 240...I stand up gingerly and walk around the gym for a couple of minutes...
Now on to the calf machine, where i hang my feet off a block, put my shoulders under a padded lifting device...and push 120 lbs...stretching my calves and standing on my tippy toes...i do this slowly and hold the contraction...I do 3 sets of 20...
Off the leg extensions for the hamstrings, and some squats, and deadlifts...whew!...I also worked my core and shoulders today, but it makes me tired just to think about what I did with these bombing exercises. I don't want to overload you senses...lol!...
I have to dance with my wife tonight. I am afraid...very afraid...more tomorrow!
Now on to the calf machine, where i hang my feet off a block, put my shoulders under a padded lifting device...and push 120 lbs...stretching my calves and standing on my tippy toes...i do this slowly and hold the contraction...I do 3 sets of 20...
Off the leg extensions for the hamstrings, and some squats, and deadlifts...whew!...I also worked my core and shoulders today, but it makes me tired just to think about what I did with these bombing exercises. I don't want to overload you senses...lol!...
I have to dance with my wife tonight. I am afraid...very afraid...more tomorrow!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
ROPE TUCKS AND OTHER THINGS
If you want a rock hard abdominal wall, diet is 80% of the game...but there are a few exercises that should be done with love and care. My mainstay is the "crunch" on a decline board, with thingees that hold onto your legs, so your head does not crash on the floor, and leave you more mindless, than when you stepped into the gym.
The crunch should be done slowly and with appreciation and concentration for the area to be worked...Oh yes, you will feel the burn, and when you think you can't do anymore, add five more, then relax for 30 seconds and do another 25 to 50 reps. I find 100 to 200 suit me well. I use my elbows to touch alternate kneecaps...ohhhh...It's wonderful...sure.
Then if you are really masochistic you can go to leg raise while hanging from a bar...Watch you don't go swinging out of control, and hit that hot blonde in the "bean" who you've been leering at for weeks.
My new love is the rope tuck...Get a nice foam mat, and place your towel on it...It dosen't matter whether you're headed east. Try and do a third of your weight for starters, grab each end of the rope above the knots, and pull down gently until your elbows touch the floor in front of your knees...After 20 reps, you will feel close to Allah, Jesus, Buddha, or Arnold Stang...Then do another 20, then another 20....ahhhh...you should be burning in your guts...It's a wonderful day!
Next, go to the ab pull down chair...Try to pull 70 lbs. Make sure your hernia doesn't rip open...If you can pull 70lbs, you're having a good day...I managed 5 sets of 20 today. Tonight as I lay on my tummy in bed, I will feel the glorious pain.
Tomorrow, I try 50 continuous slow reps with a 45 lb. plate for my bench press...Then proceed to an incline bench for 50 more with a 25 lb. plate. Please pray for me. I am certifiable.
The crunch should be done slowly and with appreciation and concentration for the area to be worked...Oh yes, you will feel the burn, and when you think you can't do anymore, add five more, then relax for 30 seconds and do another 25 to 50 reps. I find 100 to 200 suit me well. I use my elbows to touch alternate kneecaps...ohhhh...It's wonderful...sure.
Then if you are really masochistic you can go to leg raise while hanging from a bar...Watch you don't go swinging out of control, and hit that hot blonde in the "bean" who you've been leering at for weeks.
My new love is the rope tuck...Get a nice foam mat, and place your towel on it...It dosen't matter whether you're headed east. Try and do a third of your weight for starters, grab each end of the rope above the knots, and pull down gently until your elbows touch the floor in front of your knees...After 20 reps, you will feel close to Allah, Jesus, Buddha, or Arnold Stang...Then do another 20, then another 20....ahhhh...you should be burning in your guts...It's a wonderful day!
Next, go to the ab pull down chair...Try to pull 70 lbs. Make sure your hernia doesn't rip open...If you can pull 70lbs, you're having a good day...I managed 5 sets of 20 today. Tonight as I lay on my tummy in bed, I will feel the glorious pain.
Tomorrow, I try 50 continuous slow reps with a 45 lb. plate for my bench press...Then proceed to an incline bench for 50 more with a 25 lb. plate. Please pray for me. I am certifiable.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
SHOULDERS AND LEGS, OH MY!
I hate working my shoulders, probably because I should...They need widening and more muscle, so I must proceed with verve and extreme caution, because old warriors like me have arthritis and calcium deposits, and all other types of maladies brought on by weather, dampness, and wear-and-tear. I start my day with incline dumbell presses...3x9's with tinker toy 25 pounders...This gets me warmed up...I lower the bench to a flat position, and nail 3x8's with 45 pounders...Now I'm getting pumped, so I do standing military presses with 35 pounders to exhaustion...hmmmm...
i drink water...gotta' stay hydrated...I do stiff armed dumbell raises with 20 pounders..making sure my motion is nice and slow...shoulder level, no jerking...It ain't easy, folks!...I wander around in a daze and work my quads, calves, do rope pulldowns, decline crunchies, leg extensions, more hammer machine presses...and end up downstairs doing cross cable, free-for-all frenzy type stuff to finish.
I get my picture taken for a pre-supplement muscle site...(I am supposed to blow up like Charles Atlas in 8 weeks), then I proceed to the lounge where i ingest a Met-Rx bar loaded with 32 grams of protein...My wife is sitting there eating Cherios, and wondering how I can ingest this thing that tastes like a dog bisquit (to her).
I drink another bottle of water and cool down on the treadmill...I walk backwards, forwards, side-by-side, at a five-degree incline to loosen the legs...I know they will ache tomorrow...Quadricep work is brutal...I always do more than I should.
Anyhow, glad to be alive and old for another day! Debbie's birthday dinner was top-shelf last night, and my family had a good time...I love 'em all...See yah tomorrow!
i drink water...gotta' stay hydrated...I do stiff armed dumbell raises with 20 pounders..making sure my motion is nice and slow...shoulder level, no jerking...It ain't easy, folks!...I wander around in a daze and work my quads, calves, do rope pulldowns, decline crunchies, leg extensions, more hammer machine presses...and end up downstairs doing cross cable, free-for-all frenzy type stuff to finish.
I get my picture taken for a pre-supplement muscle site...(I am supposed to blow up like Charles Atlas in 8 weeks), then I proceed to the lounge where i ingest a Met-Rx bar loaded with 32 grams of protein...My wife is sitting there eating Cherios, and wondering how I can ingest this thing that tastes like a dog bisquit (to her).
I drink another bottle of water and cool down on the treadmill...I walk backwards, forwards, side-by-side, at a five-degree incline to loosen the legs...I know they will ache tomorrow...Quadricep work is brutal...I always do more than I should.
Anyhow, glad to be alive and old for another day! Debbie's birthday dinner was top-shelf last night, and my family had a good time...I love 'em all...See yah tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
ARMS...FEEL THE BURN!
It was in the low 20's in Chicago this morning. I peered out my kitchen window at 6 a.m., and saw nothing but blackness. It feels and looks like Siberia. This is the tough time of the day. I pour a cup-o-joe, get into my Chicago Tribune, and finally mix up 60 grams of good quality whey protein in fat-free milk...This magic potion allows me to do "superman" feats in the gym.
Today is arms day...no...not Armistice Day...arms day! I remember to warm up. It's very important to warm up on cold days. (The memory of a torn bicep muscle, 2 years ago is still with me)...stopped my training for 2 months! I start out with concentration curls with heavy weight dumbells...sitting at the end of my bench. I move on to superset with tricep extensions, also heavy weight...after 3 sets of each I guzzle some vitamin water and hit standing hammer curls...Then the real fun and burn begins!...I do forty-five degree incline dumbell curls to exhaustion with itty-bitty 25 lb. dumbells...I do 'em slow and easy...a 3 count up and a 6 count down...I look in the mirror and see veins popping as I lower and raise the weight.
I thank my higher power for mirrors in the gym! I must remain humble with my narcissism. Now on to more compound movements in the back of the gym...All my friends of iron are there...They grunt and groan and say hello...It's another beautiful day!
Today is arms day...no...not Armistice Day...arms day! I remember to warm up. It's very important to warm up on cold days. (The memory of a torn bicep muscle, 2 years ago is still with me)...stopped my training for 2 months! I start out with concentration curls with heavy weight dumbells...sitting at the end of my bench. I move on to superset with tricep extensions, also heavy weight...after 3 sets of each I guzzle some vitamin water and hit standing hammer curls...Then the real fun and burn begins!...I do forty-five degree incline dumbell curls to exhaustion with itty-bitty 25 lb. dumbells...I do 'em slow and easy...a 3 count up and a 6 count down...I look in the mirror and see veins popping as I lower and raise the weight.
I thank my higher power for mirrors in the gym! I must remain humble with my narcissism. Now on to more compound movements in the back of the gym...All my friends of iron are there...They grunt and groan and say hello...It's another beautiful day!
Monday, January 2, 2012
THIS YEARS GOAL
This year, my blog will be specifically devoted to health, nutrition and the world of body building. My journey has been a long and difficult one, since I retired due to health reasons over six years ago. I have experienced the pain of double aneurism surgery, emphysema, and vocal cord cancer, yet I have come to the point in my training where I am ready to compete in a master's body building competition. I had to quit the booze, drugs, smokes and start eating clean food to get to my proper weight. In the month of May, I was a lean 170 lbs., and began pumping iron. I now weigh 178 and have put on eight pounds of muscle. I quit doing aerobics, in favor of cycle training with weights. I am amazed how much good food I can eat, without getting fat. Everything I have to do now is a science. I have to consider proper supplements, training techniques, proper sleep and nutrition. I am happy to have some good people around me, to help me in my quest for excellence. Day by day, I will write about my experiences at the gym and at the dinner table. I also will write about the difficulties that outside forces such as family and peer pressure put on the body builder. I wish you all a happy, healthy New Year! Thank you so much for reading my stories!
sincerely, Rich Cronborg
sincerely, Rich Cronborg
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