JP Fitness Forums - View Single Post - Chad's Amazing Ghetto Basement Transformation and Spider Eradication Project!

chaddukes · 06-17-2009, 07:25 PM

Hello all!

I'm starting a log on here. I've been using gyminee/dailyburn for quite awhile now, but the site is acting very funky and I'm often unable to access my training log. Plus, there aren't that many knowledgable folks to offer advice or criticism when its needed. I've received both here, and both were indeed necessary.

Short Bio:

OK, its not that short!

34 Years Old
Father of 3
5'10" in shoes....or very thick socks!
178 pounds as of this morning.
I think I'm around 15-16% BF
36" waist
Working in sales.....this means I spend lots of time driving and standing to talk with people....but mostly driving.

I was very active as a kid, but never played organized sprts as I always had awful grades. I spent most of my time riding bikes, skateboarding, or fishing or swimming. I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay and was usually outside on the beach year round.

I joined the service at 18. To date I was at my most fit when I was 19 years old. I could run 10 miles like it was nothing, do 100 pushups without breaking a sweat, etc. I was never all that fast, or strong, but I could work for days on end. Endurance was never an issue. In fact, I was actually one of my units "trainers" (in quotations as it's a very loose definition of the word) who helped people who struggled with passing thier physical fitness tests. I also thought of myslef as bing someone who knew alot about fitness. In retrospect, I realize that I knew nothing!

When I was 21 I was training for a marathon and had an injury to my right knee that took me out of commission. I wasn't able to run without pain.....pretty much ever.

I went into college at 22 and immediately joined the college rugby team. Eventually, I realized that it was stupid to be playing rugby with an existing knee injury and no medical insurance....but not before I injured my left shoulder. It still clicks and grinds, but thanks to all of the upper body pulling that I've been doing over the last six months, it's not as bad.

After my shoulder injury I basically stopped doing any exercise. Since I had been so active before I could eat whatever I wanted without gaining weight. That behavior didn't change. But, the results did. I went from 165-170 from the age of 19-22 to eventually hitting 245 about 15 months ago.

Last year right around February I gave up sugar for Lent. Don't ask me why. I'm not catholic and I've never observed Lent before. Over those 40 days I lost almost 20 pounds. I decided to take advantage of the momentum and I gave my wife some money that I'd been saving. I told her, "I'm going to use this money to buy a guitar, but don't give me the money until I get down to 200 lbs."

About eight months ago a buddy of mine was trying to get me to join his gym. My weight loss was starting to stall, so I decided to go with him when he got me free passes. But I couldn't afford to join. While going with him I realized just how out of shape I had gotten. I couldn't even do ten burpees without taking a break. I also began to realize how little I really knew about fitness.

But, the few days where we worked together got the ball rolling and I haven't stopped working out since. Over the last 8 months I've been reading, learning, and absorbing whatever knowledge I can about fitness and training. I've been focusing mostly on weight loss, and strength gains. I've been able to do both pretty effectively since I was so unconditioned at the start.

Challenges:

I got no money. What money I do have go towards my family.
I got no (ok, very little) equipment. This is challenging when trying to apply standard programs.
I have a hard time getting even 6 hours of consistent sleep a night. The newborn doesn't help.
I don't drink nearly enough water....
I'm not doing enough cardio right now.
Right now, I'm working out alone.

Goals:

Get to or below 12% Body Fat.
Eventually, have a better equipped home gym, and fitness library.

After weight loss:

I'd like to work on maximal and relative strength.
I'd like to gain back some weight while keeping the body fat down.

Particular Skills:

Rambling long winded diatribes.
Focusing with laser like precision upon the minutia!

06-17-2009, 07:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
chaddukes Will Deadlift for Food! Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 877	Chad's Amazing Ghetto Basement Transformation and Spider Eradication Project! Hello all! I'm starting a log on here. I've been using gyminee/dailyburn for quite awhile now, but the site is acting very funky and I'm often unable to access my training log. Plus, there aren't that many knowledgable folks to offer advice or criticism when its needed. I've received both here, and both were indeed necessary. Short Bio: OK, its not that short! 34 Years Old Father of 3 5'10" in shoes....or very thick socks! 178 pounds as of this morning. I think I'm around 15-16% BF 36" waist Working in sales.....this means I spend lots of time driving and standing to talk with people....but mostly driving. I was very active as a kid, but never played organized sprts as I always had awful grades. I spent most of my time riding bikes, skateboarding, or fishing or swimming. I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay and was usually outside on the beach year round. I joined the service at 18. To date I was at my most fit when I was 19 years old. I could run 10 miles like it was nothing, do 100 pushups without breaking a sweat, etc. I was never all that fast, or strong, but I could work for days on end. Endurance was never an issue. In fact, I was actually one of my units "trainers" (in quotations as it's a very loose definition of the word) who helped people who struggled with passing thier physical fitness tests. I also thought of myslef as bing someone who knew alot about fitness. In retrospect, I realize that I knew nothing! When I was 21 I was training for a marathon and had an injury to my right knee that took me out of commission. I wasn't able to run without pain.....pretty much ever. I went into college at 22 and immediately joined the college rugby team. Eventually, I realized that it was stupid to be playing rugby with an existing knee injury and no medical insurance....but not before I injured my left shoulder. It still clicks and grinds, but thanks to all of the upper body pulling that I've been doing over the last six months, it's not as bad. After my shoulder injury I basically stopped doing any exercise. Since I had been so active before I could eat whatever I wanted without gaining weight. That behavior didn't change. But, the results did. I went from 165-170 from the age of 19-22 to eventually hitting 245 about 15 months ago. Last year right around February I gave up sugar for Lent. Don't ask me why. I'm not catholic and I've never observed Lent before. Over those 40 days I lost almost 20 pounds. I decided to take advantage of the momentum and I gave my wife some money that I'd been saving. I told her, "I'm going to use this money to buy a guitar, but don't give me the money until I get down to 200 lbs." About eight months ago a buddy of mine was trying to get me to join his gym. My weight loss was starting to stall, so I decided to go with him when he got me free passes. But I couldn't afford to join. While going with him I realized just how out of shape I had gotten. I couldn't even do ten burpees without taking a break. I also began to realize how little I really knew about fitness. But, the few days where we worked together got the ball rolling and I haven't stopped working out since. Over the last 8 months I've been reading, learning, and absorbing whatever knowledge I can about fitness and training. I've been focusing mostly on weight loss, and strength gains. I've been able to do both pretty effectively since I was so unconditioned at the start. Challenges: I got no money. What money I do have go towards my family. I got no (ok, very little) equipment. This is challenging when trying to apply standard programs. I have a hard time getting even 6 hours of consistent sleep a night. The newborn doesn't help. I don't drink nearly enough water.... I'm not doing enough cardio right now. Right now, I'm working out alone. Goals: Get to or below 12% Body Fat. Eventually, have a better equipped home gym, and fitness library. After weight loss: I'd like to work on maximal and relative strength. I'd like to gain back some weight while keeping the body fat down. Particular Skills: Rambling long winded diatribes. Focusing with laser like precision upon the minutia!