My big goal of the year is to get healed from all these injuries. I think I am on track... My neck is completely pain free, and that is just the beginning. Once I start to get back in the gym, I am going to have to re-create all of my habits, which I have lost this year. I have absolutely GOT to drop some of this bodyfat! The worst thing is that I have fat in areas I had never had it when I was younger. It has to go. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that I am pushing 16-18%! (please don't laugh)
Outside of the fitness area, my goal for the year is to get more organized than ever before. I am immersing myself in Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Successful People, and I have a close friend who is a 7 Habits instructor who is kind of a personal coach for me, helping me learn to manage my time like a company leader should.
As I study this material I immediately see some applications for improving my skills as a personal trainer. After all, what is our purpose when we work with a client? Teaching people exercises is only a small part of it. The greatest thing that we can teach them is how to adopt good habits. How else can they keep what they have gained with us? One of the quotes that stands out the most to me is this:
All successful people have the habit of doing the things failures don't like to do. They don't like doing them either, necessarily, but their dislike is subordinated to the strength of their purpose.
I want to get down to 300lbs to help out my knee so I won't have to worry about hurting it as much in football. I also would like to break through 360lbs bench press.
I'm going to spend more money on food and eat cleaner...Not that I eat really bad, I'm just not eating clean enough for me (I know this is really vague, but with what my diet looks like right now, any improvement is good.)
Hit 180 lbs. at the same bf% (currently 170 [img]redface.gif[/img] )
Squat 300 (currently ~250-260)
Dead 350 (currently ~300)
20 rep set of towl pullups (currently ~13, I think. That's embarrasing)
It's gonna be a fun year! I can't wait.
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More jobs? How about less people?
I want to undo the damage done by "the holidays." This is the period that begins sometime in October with the purchase of candy for the trick-or-treaters. Our street is visited by very few of these kids, but there are little Hershey bars and Reese's peanut butter cups sitting around for weeks, whereas during the rest of the year there's hardly any such stuff in the house. Then November arrives, and physical activity slows down. I still hit the gym at dawn three days a week, and my trainer pushes me ever harder, but my idea of a reasonable winter is based on my Texas childhood and NJ ain't like Texas. It gets cold in mid-fall. and it's often damp and windy. Then comes Thanksgiving and Christmas, and worse of all, cookie-making. My wife is a terrific baker, whose ever changing and growing cookie repertoire includes many of the German recipes that are her heritage and the Southern American ones that are mine, like sand tarts and my grandmother's 10-pound pecan and fruit cakes, transformed into delicious little 4-oz brandy-soaked balls.
One thing that the Atkins diet gets right. Eating lots of carbs feeds the desire for more carbs. I am asked to sample each batch of cookies. A half cookie will do, but I eat a whole one and then snatch another in secret.
The house fills with the scent of spices and the odor of sugar. Starch and sugar beget more starch and sugar.
The cookie baking that goes on under this roof from mid November until December 18 is no minor project. This year it was 33 different kinds of cookies, rich in pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts; in cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, and lemon and orange zest; in brown sugar, molasses, honey; in raisins, dried cherries and cranberries, candied pineapple, dried apricots. There are about 30 recipients.
At this very moment, near sundown on the Sunday before Christmas, my wife is out delivering bags of cookies to local friends, colleagues, and relations.
My waist line has "relaxed." It's not back to the 40+ inches it was 3 years ago, but it's looking a little Pillsbury Doughboy-ish, if not quite Michelin man. I think I can probably spend Christmas Eve with my wife and my sons and their familes in regular clothes, not sweats, but only if I don't gain another gram between now and Wednesday.
New Year's Day will be a return to old Texas traditions--lean eating, with a couple of spoons of blackeyed peas for luck, and collard greens as a symbol of fairwell to rich food. Though I hate it, maybe I'll go to the gym 40 minutes early and get on that boring treadmill. I'll weigh in. In February I have a check up. Maybe bf will be back down to 15% from whatever it has ascended to since the holidays began.
And...I know I have company. Lots of guys at the gym have been looking a little Doughboy-ish too of late.
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"It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in an argument." William Gibbs McAdoo. US Vice-President under Woodrow Wilson.
My biggest goal will be to stay on track all year. I had a 2 spots this year where I took full months(and then some) off, and that really hurt me. In my race to get to 160, everyone week is a chance to gain some weight. So heres a rough draft of my goals
Weight - 160 with my low bf% too(currently 145, I have the power of youth on my side to make gians REALLY fast when I put my mind to it)
Bench - 210x2 (currently 155x2)
Squat - 160x2 - ass to grass (currently 105 ass to grass... I have legs like a 4 year old girl who doesn't excerisise)
Deadlift - 225 x2 (currently 160x2)
Pullups - One set of 20 (currently at 12)
Snatch - 100x1 (currently at 60x5, form isn't good enough to try and go heavy yet)
JP - I've read the 7 habits of highly effective teens. Its a great book!
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This is your life, and it\'s ending one minute at a time.
mine is to get back to my old stats. currently i'm 172lbs, 14.5% bodyfat, 14" arms and calves and a 38.75" chest.
goals are 180lbs, 10% bodyfat, 15" arms and calves and a 40" chest with a 32" waist.
i've been planning my cycles for next year. i've got from january 3rd to memorial day weekend down solid and rough ideas for the 3 months of summer and from labor day weekend to the end of the year.
plus i now have a digital camera to help track my progress. the old polaroid just wasnt cutting it. [img]tongue.gif[/img]
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They get a program that lasts 74 weeks, and this week calls for a protocol of four sets of seven partial quarter arm extensions with an L-bar twist doing a 12-0-9 tempo with 32.9% of their projected monthly three rep max. Daniel John
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They get a program that lasts 74 weeks, and this week calls for a protocol of four sets of seven partial quarter arm extensions with an L-bar twist doing a 12-0-9 tempo with 32.9% of their projected monthly three rep max. Daniel John
Current stats: 6'1"
206lbs
BF%: ? but can see abs so not too bad, though theres certainly room to improve.
Primary goals are to heal all nagging injuries & prevent further ones while increasing strength & overall fitness for better sports performance (cycling, surfing, martial arts).
areas of focus: increase poundage on cleans/push press, squat, dead, and bench. Am not too concerned with 1RMs as much as being able to increase my numbers for higher reps.
Having said that I'm gonna try like hell to break a 250 bench, 400 squat, and 200 clean during max strength phases.
Dialing in my diet further is a big factor, consisting of eating cleaner food throughout the day.
Working up and following a detailed written workout plan is another cog in this plan. Rather than playing it by ear and being led astray by too much useless info, I will take the time to research and modify my current workouts and stick to them.
for a start
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Working "hard," or the perception of working hard, doesn't really mean anything. Sweating, vomiting, and breathing hard could be a good workout or a tropical disease kicking in.-Dan John
It is so strange when you hear a description of someone that does not jive with your mental picture of them. Kuri, for some reason, based on reading your posts and learning about your tastes for fine tea, etc, I sorta pictured you as a smaller guy (like me). Wouldn't have envisioned you as 6'1". You should post a photo of yourself so we can all see what you look like. I know what most of the guys in here look like (Gardener, Kaiser, Bill, Brian G, me). I even know what TS looks like from the neck down (since he works for the NSA, if we actually saw his face he would have to kill us).
200 lb clean eh? That is pretty solid. How close are you now?
I would like to remain 190 but get under 10% BF. I have done it a few times in the past year but it is difficult to maintain. It seems every time I plan vacation time or have a convention for my company, everything gets thrown off a little bit. I guess one of my goals for the year would be to use better damage control in these situations. I also want to increase strength. The following are my goals:
Bench-225
Squat-225 (I may be able to do this now but I think there is a mental barrier I need to overcome here)
Deadlift-315
Pull-ups-2 sets of 10 perfect reps, currently I am at about 8 and 6 respectively.
Yeah I know what you mean about preconceived notions JP. OK, I'll post a pic- have to download one from my wife's cell phone (she has one of those snazzy Japanese cell phones with the onboard camera). don't have any good pics of myself on my laptop.
As for the 200lb clean - will see. I do sets of 5-6 with 160 right now & am not sure what my max is. I'm not going to attempt it either until my knee is fully healed.
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Working "hard," or the perception of working hard, doesn't really mean anything. Sweating, vomiting, and breathing hard could be a good workout or a tropical disease kicking in.-Dan John
Well, I already made my New Years Resolution come true (partly), is to stay away from the hospital! So far I have made it through the new year w/o having cancer reocurring. [img]smile.gif[/img] . Now its time to hit the gym and get big again. .
In Health,
Silas C.
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In Health,
Silas S Chen Exercise Specialist @ MorganStanely Fitness Center Mid-town NYC
Well, I already made my New Years Resolution come true (partly), is to stay away from the hospital! So far I have made it through the new year w/o having cancer reocurring. [img]smile.gif[/img] . Now its time to hit the gym and get big again. .
In Health,
Silas C.
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In Health,
Silas S Chen Exercise Specialist @ MorganStanely Fitness Center Mid-town NYC
todays the last day of january. hope everyone is still on track. [img]smile.gif[/img]
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They get a program that lasts 74 weeks, and this week calls for a protocol of four sets of seven partial quarter arm extensions with an L-bar twist doing a 12-0-9 tempo with 32.9% of their projected monthly three rep max. Daniel John
Originally posted by Sandra:
Currently:
Height: 5' 2"
Body Weight: 152
LBM: 111
Body Fat %: 27%
Goals:
Body Weight: Between 140-145
LBM: At least 115
Body Fat %: 20% or less
Current Stats
Height: 5' 2"
Body Weight: 149
LBM: 111
Body Fat %: 25.5%
I'm happy that I'm still losing weight, though it IS getting harder as I get closer and closer to my goal body fat%. My trainer thinks that I've pretty much maxed out my LBM. He doesn't think I'll get any more muscular, just increase density... whatever that means. So, I'm guessing that to get to my goal BF% I'll need to lose about 10 more lbs. When I started with my trainer in Oct. I was 158.6lbs., LBM was 99 & BF% was 37.5%.
I'm having wrist surgery in 3 weeks though and I'm worried that I'm going to lose a lot of the ground I've gained in the past 4 months.
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Sandra (aka Erika\'s Las Vegas friend)
I'd love to hear your trainer's explanation for "increased density" (sounds like bodybuilder BS). Why do trainers need to make up sh*t...is it to sound intelligent?
Not to be rude or to pry...what do YOU think is slowing down your progress?
As far as your surgery goes, you can still train everything else. Just get a good plan together.
Originally posted by Bill Hartman: I'd love to hear your trainer's explanation for "increased density" (sounds like bodybuilder BS).
Bill,
I just happened to be looking in my copy of Exercise Physiology, by McArdle , Katch and Katch (5th edition) trying to sort out how my body actually changed from one assessment to another in terms of actual body fat and lbm.
Anywho, under that section, they discuss "indirect assessment" and densiometry or underwater weighing as a method for determining body composition. "This method computes percentage body fat from body density, the ratio of body mass to body volume." They also discuss equations, such as the Siri equation, for calculating body fat from body density.
Could this be related to what the trainer was talking about? Anyway, I need to read some more to find out the answer to my own question.
LOL, porbably, not. I'll bet my HARTMAN Cert. that its not what he's talking about. But, nevertheless is will be intreasting to what this so called "trainer" has to say. [img]tongue.gif[/img] .
__________________
In Health,
Silas S Chen Exercise Specialist @ MorganStanely Fitness Center Mid-town NYC
Regarding progress 1 month in, have been getting back into "fighting" shape up until a couple of days ago when I aggravated the bursitis in 1 knee while kicking a heavy bag. Stupid? check.
Now its back to working around that. Its not too serious so should be OK soon.
still 6'1" and still 206
time to double up on upper body and ab work.
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Working "hard," or the perception of working hard, doesn't really mean anything. Sweating, vomiting, and breathing hard could be a good workout or a tropical disease kicking in.-Dan John
Bill... Don't quote me on the increased density thing... I don't remember exactly what his words were, just that for my height and build, he doesn't believe that I'll be able to increase my LBM much more. He said something like I could still get stronger, but that my LBM wouldn't change much. Does that make any sense?
Although I do think I'm doing pretty darn good given my circumstances, the trainer and I both know what's holding me back from doing even better... my diet. I definitely have improved my eating habits over the past couple months, but at this point, I just don't know if I am committed enough to cutting the extra calories. I work full-time and just got a promotion which is requiring me to do some extra side projects and have almost 3 year old twins. My hubby also works nights and weekends and so my free time is very slim. I do 2 days of weighttraining at the gym with the trainer during my lunchhour, "cardio" (generally interval training) 3 times a week for 40-45 minutes (twice during my lunch hour and once on the weekend) and abs maybe 15 minutes 5-6 days a week. Following recovery from my surgery I'll start playing co-ed soccer 1-2 nights a week and cut out most of the "cardio" at the gym.
Anyway, the trainer and I were talking about my progress more in the sense that at the beginning of the program, I hadn't worked out in over 6 months due to my car accident, so just by significantly increasing the calories I burned I was losing weight... I reduced my caloric intake enough to maintain my current body weight, but I haven't reduced it as much as I need to in order to lose another 10lbs. That's the gist of it...
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Sandra (aka Erika\'s Las Vegas friend)
It's cool to see people's stats and goals... here are mine...
At new years
6'2"
200 lbs
41in chest
38 in gut
BF 21%
Goal
Don't really care about the weight
43in chest
33 in gut
BF 12%
Current results
196 lbs
42in chest
35in gut
BF 16%
I also have some workout goals that are on another post. Most of this is a continuation of last years resolution when I weighed around 210 and decided to exersise and eat healthier.
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A healthy lifestyle is not a sprint.... It\'s a marathon.
Location: Philly on one side, Pittsburgh on another, the Green Between...
Posts: 5,857
Currently
5'11.75"
189 pounds
Biceps: resting--13" flexed---15"
Neck: 16.25"
Chest: resting--40.5" inflated--43"
Waist at the navel: 37.5
Thigh: 21.5"
Calf: 16"
Not even sure what's possible...it's something I want to find out at the JP fitness retreat. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Goals:
I want to continue to eat clean. I want to be "that guy". You know, when people are talking about people, and there's one guy everyone talks about? The guy with the incredible physique, the charming smile, the great family (oh wait...have that!), the great job, the winning personality. I want to be that guy.
Specifically:
1) Get my teeth whitened...it's vain, but I want to do it, so there!
2) Start getting myself together with regard to time, and how I spend it. That means at work AND at play. Stephen Covey seems like a great place to start, JP.
3) Read 5 days a week, even if it's just for 15 minutes, about my business (I am in sales).
4) Write everyday, just for fun.
5) Continue to go to church regularly..I really enjoy the congregation and I am getting a great deal from the services.
5) Work out regularly--at least 4 times a week, depending on the program, and have fun doing it. I want to learn more about my body, how it works, toy around with diet, programs...that sort of thing.
6) Do some new things--climbing, for example.
7) Continue taking art classes.
8) Get a dog.
9) I want to learn how to better set realistic goals--financial, fitness, career, family, etc.
10) Fish more....whine less.
11) VOTE!
12) Take the things I have learned, the friendships I have made, and the wisdom I have gained from palces like this (thanks JP) and begin to explore how to apply them in my community. Could I do a community wide healthy living forum? A 52 Day Challenge at my church? It seems to me, as I think about this more, that I am missing an opportunity to serve people, and I want to take some time this year and explore how I can do that.
13) Eat the curd. Here's my plan: Feb-1x per week, Mar. 2x per week, then increase every odd numbered month until I get to November, which will be six times per week. No way am I going to do it seven times a week...
14) Take at least one week-long vacation.
15) Chat less...talk more....listen even more still...
16) Run again....really fast.
tomorrow is the end of the 2nd month. is everyone still on track?
personally, just finish up my 8 month mass cycle and i'm proud to report that even though my wife and i got food poisoning, even though i went through a stretch of working 12 hours a day for 14 days straight, even though my computer went out and the car broke down i only missed one workout. and the only reason i missed was that we worked till midnight and i got to bed at 1am and the thought of a 4am leg workout was out of the question.
i'm taking a 3 day break now. working all day today, then going out of town sunday and monday. back on tuesday for a 4 week cut cycle. changing exercises and my rep scheme in preparation for my next mass cycle for april and may.
spring is my 2nd favorite time of year. 70 degree days with crystal clear skies. life is good! [img]smile.gif[/img]
__________________
They get a program that lasts 74 weeks, and this week calls for a protocol of four sets of seven partial quarter arm extensions with an L-bar twist doing a 12-0-9 tempo with 32.9% of their projected monthly three rep max. Daniel John
That's embarrasing)
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