TIME FLIES (WHEN YOU'RE SICK)

Hey guys. Sorry I haven't been on in a week or so. I was very sick from Friday til about Monday, and I've just been busy as can be this week for some reason. On top of that, my calves hurt so bad I couldn't even walk all weekend (literally). So, I was sick, hurt, and we didn't get to go to Columbus for the Arnold's. Major bummer. I talked to some people who went, and it was really great apparently. Oh well. One year and counting. I won't miss it again!!

But, I started feeling better on Monday and my legs were feeling better, so it was back to the gym! I did way too much to post here, so check out my workout tracker at bodybuilding.com. Also, if you haven't started a profile there, you should really do that. Even if you're just dieting, it's a nice website to keep track of your progress. Plus, there's like a million members and you can check out and see what they're doing to get ideas. It's definitely one of my little "homes'' on the net.

This morning, I was down to 270.5. I haven't lost much weight in the last week, but I also started taking Gaspari Nutrition SizeOn, and think that might have something to do with it. It's a creatine product that I've read wonderful review about, so I decided to try it for 30 days. It might make me lose weight slower, but if that means I build more muscle, so be it.

I also stopped taking SuperPump250 (my favorite Nitric Oxide booster). I don't know why, but I had a very adverse reaction to it last week. It made me itch so bad I was up for hours just scratching myself all over. It was awful. The guy at GNC thinks I'm starting to develop a bit of a problem with caffeine. I don't drink soda, so all my caffeine comes from supplements. Some of them have a LOT, and maybe it just is starting to disagree with my body. I'm still going to take it as caffeine is a really great energy booster for working out. But I need to watch it. I'm now taking Gaspari Nutrition PlasmaJet. As you've noticed, I really like Gaspari stuff. They make amazing supplements. A bit pricey, but they do what they say. That's not the case with everything, so it's nice to actually have a label do what it says!

Speaking of caffeine; I thought I'd take a minute to talk about burning fat. Caffeine isn't really bad for you in moderation. Soda is really bad for you, but there are lots of things you can take with caffeine that aren't full of sugar. If you take caffeine on a daily basis, especially before working out, it can really help your metabolism speed up. Which equals fat burning! Couple that with a supplement such as Carnitine, and you can burn a little more fat than you normally would. Just a thought for you if you're looking for a little edge.

Well, I'm off for now. I'll be back on sometime this weekend. In the meantime, keep focused, get some exercise, and I hope you have a great start to the weekend. Here's some tunes for you rock out to!!

Example- Girl Can't Dance (Don Diablo Remix)
Zombie Nation- Kernkraft 400 (Laidback Luke Remix)

DO-OVERS...

Hope everyone has had a good weekend. As usual, mine went way too fast. I've had a sick wife to take care of, had to work, and tried to find time to workout in between that. I did make it to the gym on Saturday, but I myself felt kind of bad, and decided to just leave before I got too into the workout because my strength was sapped.

Today, however, I had a GREAT workout!! I started taking Gaspari Nutrition Sizeon, and I'm fairly certain some size will be packing on. I actually had to make myself stop working out I had so much energy. Sizeon is a Creatine product. And as in my previous blogs, I've explained that Creatine is one of the most important supplements out there if you want to build muscle. The only disadvantage of the SizeOn is possible weight gain. So I have to be sure to watch calories very closely. I weighed 272 today, so I haven't lost any more weight this week. But that's okay. Weight fluctuates. It happens!

Anyway, here's todays workout, and I'll discuss the Tabata training from Thursday after this one!! Going to start posting things a bit differently. I'm starting to enter my workouts on bodybuilding.com to track progress, so I'm just taking a screen shot of the workout to post. Click the picture to see the workout in a larger size. Here you go!!


(note: where it says 0 on reps, it means go to failure)

Now, about the Tabata training. I think it's something I may start doing for a few months, but Thursday my wife and I did a run-thru. Basically, it's a weight training/cardio routine all wrapped up in one.

The premise is, there are 3-4 exercises per workout per muscle group. You do 8 sets per exercise. You do as many reps at 50-70% of your maximum weight you can handle for 20 seconds. That's one set. You rest 10 seconds, then repeat for a total of eight sets. If you've chosen the right weight (which I already can tell is trial and error), both your muscles and your heart will be begging for mercy by the end of the workout. We did arms and triceps on Thursday. And all I can say is, it's the real deal. I'm not going to post a picture for this one because it would be very large. So here is how it played out:

TABATA ARMS AND TRICEPS ROUTINE

Warm Up
5 minutes of light eliptical cardio. Good stretch of the arms!

Lying Triceps Press (Skullcrushers)
8 Sets: 30 pounds

Triceps Pushdown
8 Sets: 35 pounds

Cable Overhead Tricep Extension
4 Sets: 30 pounds
4 Sets: 25 pounds

Standing Barbell Curl
8 Sets: 30 pounds

Incline Dumbbell Curl
8 Sets: 12.5 pounds

Cable Hammer Curl (Rope Attachment)
8 Sets: 30 pounds

Barbell Wrist Curl
8 Sets: 20 pounds

Reverse Grip Barbell Curl
8 Sets: 30 pounds

I wasn't completely wiped out by the end of this workout. I think it had something to do with experimentation of the proper weight. I think next time it will be very intense. I don't know if beginners should try this, as it is very muscle and heart intensive. But if you want to find out what you're made of, I'd highly recomment this!!

Taking tomorrow off, but I'll be hitting the weights Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I'll be sure to update you on the progress, and have some great new music and maybe a couple product reviews for you to check out. Have a great night!!

BEING SORE IS A GOOD THING!!

And I'm happy that's true, because I am SORE today! Last night I did my 1st of 2 chest workouts for the week. I'm trying to grow all my muscles obviously, but my weakest point is my chest. Being fat and losing weight caused me to have fairly pronounced "man boobs." I'm very self conscious about it, so I hit my chest very hard a few times a week in order to help me fill out and theoretically burn fat in that area. The fat burning thing might not actually work, but it makes me feel better. Either way, everyone has at least one thing they want to look better than the everything else.

So far, I've managed to create some noticeable gains in my chest area, and my bench press has improved from barely being able to handle the bar to around 120 pounds in less than a year. My chest area has something that is starting to resemble pecs, and I'm very happy for that. Here is a picture of me this morning:

I know I'm not going to be hitting the bodybuilding pro stage anytime soon, but this is the best physique I've ever had and it's continuing to improve, just like yours can with dedication!

I am also happy to report that I weighed 274.1 when I hit the scales after I woke up this morning. Maybe the 4 pounds a week calorie intake thing might work. I was 276 a few short days ago. It goes to show you that watching what you eat and being active can work wonders quickly!

Back to my workout, though. I did most of my sets last night pyramid style. I don't normally do them that way, but it's a good way to shock the muscles sometimes. I usually follow a straight sets routine (same amount of weight, same # of reps the whole workout). Here's how my workout played out last night, including all supplements I took before and after:

SUPPLEMENTS BEFORE
GNC Leucine-XT (6 pills equalling 3 grams): 60 minutes before
BSN N.O.-Xplode (2 scoops w/10oz. of water): 30 minutes before
GNC L-Glutamine Powder (5 grams mixed with N.O.-XPlode)

WORKOUT
5 minute warm-up on eliptical at moderate resistance (just to get the blood flowing, nothing else)

Dumbbell Bench Press
Warm-up set (2 of them): 25 pounds, 15 reps
Set 1: 35 pounds, 12 reps
Set 2: 40 pounds, 10 reps
Set 3: 50 pounds, 8 reps
Set 4: 40 pounds, 10 reps
Set 5: 35 pounds, 12 reps

Incline Dumbbell Press
Set 1: 45 pounds, 10 reps
Set 2: 45 pounds, 8 reps
Set 3: 50 pounds, 6 reps
Set 4: 45 pounds, 8 reps

Barbell Bench Press
Set 1: 95 pounds, 12 reps
Set 2: 105 pounds, 10 reps
Set 3: 115 pounds, 8 reps
Set 4: 105 pounds, 10 reps

Decline Barbell Press
Set 1: 100 pounds, 12 reps
Set 2: 105 pounds, 10 reps
Set 3: 115 pounds, 8 reps
Set 4: 105 pounds, 10 reps

Incline Dumbbell Flye
Sets 1-3: 25 pounds, 10 reps

Flat Dumbbell Flye
Sets 1-3: 25 pounds, 10 reps

Cable Crossover
Sets 1-3: 50 pounds (each side), 10 reps

Low-Pulley Cable Crossover
Sets 1-3: 40 pounds (each side) 10 reps

Crunches
Sets 1-3: To failure

Cardio
20 minutes on eliptical: 2 minutes steady rate, 2 minutes high rate, repeated 5 times

POST WORKOUT SUPPLEMENTS
Protein Shake (8 oz. 1% milk, 1.5 scoops of Wheybolic Extreme, One scoop (5g) L-Glutamine Powder

This is a pretty advanced chest workout that takes a lot of stamina to complete. I wouldn't recommend it to beginners necessarily, but I do recommend doing at least 4-5 separate exercises when doing a full chest workout. Remember, listen to your body. If you feel like you can't go any further, that's your body telling you quit. Don't injure yourself. And don't forget my main rule. USE PROPER FORM!! I might not post anything tomorrow since I have to work at the bank and DJ, but I'll be back on Saturday to post any progress, and post the details of my leg workout. Thanks for reading, and stay motivated!! Here's some music to help!!

Alizee: Fifty Sixty (Rolf Honey Remix)
Britney Spears: Circus (Diplo Remix)
Both tracks hosted by The Docking Station

SUPPLEMENTS..ARE THEY FOR YOU?

There are literally 1000's of different kinds of health and workout supplements.  What exactly is a supplement, though?  My definition of a supplement is a product that comes in pill, powder, or liquid form that aids in a number of different bodily functions as it pertains to working out.  Some of them make you stronger.  Some of them make you have more stamina.  Some of them help with recovery time after a workout.  All of them have their place in the fitness realm, in my opinion.  

What supplements are right for you?  That definitely depends on what you're looking for in a workout.  Here are some of the staples that many bodybuilders and fitness minded individuals use:

PROTEIN POWDERS- There are many different kinds of protein.  Whey, Milk, and Egg are among the more popular proteins out there.  The undisputed king however is Whey Protein.  Whey is one of 2 major proteins found in cows milk (the other being Casein).  Whey is arguably the highest quality and best form of protein.  It contains essential amino acids that help aid the body in achieving optimal performance.  When taken in conjunction with exercise, it helps muscles grow.  

If you're going to pick just one supplement to take, make it Whey.  My brand of choice is GNC Pro Performance Wheybolic Extreme 60.  There are 60 grams in a serving, but I cut it in half and mix it with 8oz. of milk (which contains Casein).  It reacts with my body very well, and I am much less sore after working out when I take it.  Wheybolic is a bit pricey, however.  If you want something cheaper, but still good, try something from EAS or Six Star.  They make high quality, good tasting protein, and it's a very decent price.  Plus, you can find it at most larger grocery stores such as Walmart and Meijer.

CREATINE- In many people's opinion, it's the 2nd most (or even most) important supplement in existence.  Creatine is actually something our body produces naturally.  Check out the science behind it here!  So what does it do?  In a nutshell, it increases lean muscle in a short period of time, aids in overall performance and endurance, and helps with recovery like Protein.  Many bodybuilders take one serving before a workout and one after.  I typically take one serving before lifting and that's it.  My brand of choice is GNC Pro Performance Amplified Creatine 189.  Just like everything else, there's a million different kinds of creatine supplements out there.  Some is expensive, some is much easier on the budget.  But if you want to build some serious muscle, Creatine is definitely for you!!

GLUTAMINE- One of the most abundant amino acids in the body and most popular amino acid for bodybuilders.  Why is that?  Not only is it necessary for proper muscle function, but it's essential for muscle growth.  It elevates growth hormones in the body, and also boosts the immune system and helps your body decrease the risk of overtraining.  When taken before training, you will not fatigue as easily.  When taken after a workout, it helps your muscles recover faster.  I typically take Glutamine twice a day.  On off days, I take it in the morning, and with my evening protein shake.  On training days, one serving before and after working out.  GNC also makes a very good brand of L-Glutamine powder.  Just for the record, I do not work for GNC.  I just enjoy using their products because many are clinically tested and are tried and true products.  Not to mention, they are often cheaper than other brands, which helps a lot!

ARGININE- I consider arginine the most important workout product there is aside from protein.  It is the key to be able to work out to your fullest potential each and every time.  Arginine is also an amino acid, however not one the body creates.  It is a precursor of nitric oxide.  Nitric oxide, in Lehman's terms, causes your vascular system to dilate which in turn causes increased blood flow to muscles.  The more blood your muscles have pumping to them, the harder you can work out and the stronger you feel.  In the long term, Arginine can cause your blood vessels to grow, which helps with speeding up your metabolism and causes nutrients to be more easily delivered to your body.  There are many very good Nitric Oxide products out there.  The 2 I recommend are Gaspari Nutrition Superpump 250 and BSN N.O.-Xplode.  I have used both to great effect.  However, everyone's body reacts differently to N.O. products, so try them at your own discretion.  If it makes you feel bad or causes side effects such as diarrhea, take it back to the store and get something else.  

FAT BURNERS (CAFFEINE)- Everyone has seen the commercials for Hydroxycut, Dexatrim, and Alli.  They all claim to blast fat away at a rapid rate.  So, many people buy them and take them and continue to eat poorly.  Then they wonder why they haven't lost any weight after a month.  In my opinion, fat burners can work.  However, you have to diet and exercise.  I've taken a few different fat burners, and aside from increased energy (most of them have a very high dose of caffeine), I haven't noticed any big results.  I was one of the people eating poorly while taking them, though, so I can't give an honest review.  If you want to try them, the most popular brands are Hydroxycut Hardcore and Lipo6x.  They have similar ingredients, and are both big with bodybuilders.  

STACKING- Many bodybuilders prefer to stack supplements, and I am no different.  To learn a bit more about stacking, check out this article!!  My stack consists of Leucine, Arginine, Creatine, Glutamine, and Protein.  Most people stack 3 to 4 products, but you can create your own depending on what you're looking for in your workout.  

There are so many more supplements I could write about, but I just wanted to get you familiar with some of the basics.  To read further about the subject, check out http://www.bodybuilding.com and surf around.  There's a world of knowledge on there for you to read.  

Well that's it for today, and should be the last of my long posts.  From here on out, I'm going to update you about my progess, my diet, and my training sessions.  I'll be posting lots of great music for you to check out as well.  I hope you are enjoying the blog so far, and I ask that you please subscribe and be sure to follow me on my journey!!  Take care.  See you tomorrow!