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GunRock
11-14-14, 11:21 pm
What is a workout? When I asked this question in my gym, three different age groups gave me roughly the same answer. A workout is a group of exercises that you do to get yourself ready for something. It’s training or preparation. That answer seems to be a no brainer but like most profound truths it has layered meanings.

If you’re an athlete training for your sport, a workout prepares you for what you’ll face on the playing field, on the mat, inside the cage, on the platform, under the lights. But what if you never plan on competing or your competitive days are over? What is the workout preparing you for? I believe many former athletes stop working out because they’ve never found out the true answer to this question. In order to answer it, I’ve got to tell you a story first.

I began training with weights at age 19. My then girlfriend and I both weighed 135lbs. But she was built like Caitlyn Trout and I was built like a cotton swab. My pride was stung when she bench pressed 135 for a double and I couldn’t. In fact, when I tried it, she had to pull it off of my chest. That was that. I started reading all of the books I could find, watching workout videos and bugging everybody bigger than me for advice while putting time in the gym. In my years of training, I’ve tried 10x10, 20 rep squat routines, 5x5, heavy/light/medium, Positions of Flexion, 531 and the Juggernaut Method. Averaged out, my typical workouts were probably about 25 sets, maybe 100-150 reps per workout except for when I was in boot camp. I don’t know how many reps I did there. I just remember a lot of sweat and screaming.

Anyway, I’ve favored four day a week training splits for several years so let’s just agree that I’ve probably averaged 300-350 reps per week for the last 22 years. I also don’t miss training sessions unless I’m pretty sick and even then I make up the session so let’s give me 50 weeks per year of training.

300 reps per week x 50 weeks per year x22 years = 330,000 reps.

I'll admit that this information is probably not fascinating and I still didn’t tell you what this has to do with the question about what a workout prepares you for. Well here’s the payoff:

In every training session, we struggle against internal and external factors:
1. The environment, is it hot or cold,
2. Ourselves, are we tired, distracted, sick or energized?
3. The training stimulus, either the weights themselves or in the case of cardio, maybe it’s every foot of ground between the start and finish.

So every time I complete a workout. I’ve won not just one victory but several victories because every repetition is a struggle I win only by successfully lifting the weight. This goes for even the warm up sets. Those are easy victories. The work sets are victories born from greater struggle. Even when I can’t complete a repetition, I’m teaching myself that failure doesn’t have to destroy me. I just back off, tweak the training and either find another way or come back and try later. What insight to have when you’re escorted off the premises after being fired or staring at a stack of unpaid bills with a goose egg in the bank account!

One of my favorite verses reads, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4) ATLMusclBro5 has a great verse in his Forvm signature that reads, “But our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

I said I started training at 19. My gains were slow at first but 22 years later, I’m 200lbs, not a mass monster at 5’9, but better than where I started. I’ve won some local powerlifting meets and I’m strong enough to balance a living room sofa on my shoulder for no reason while standing in my driveway. And I’m a lot more confident now than I was then.

As I explained to the kids today, in our little garage gym, we’re learning to embrace struggle, to be slightly disappointed when something is too easy. To recognize that failure is an opportunity to be smarter than the problem. Using my math from earlier, I estimate that I’ve had 330,000 little victories so far. If I had started earlier, I’d have more little unsung victories today.

If The Iron Journey athletes stick with it, when they’re my age, they will have built a legacy of almost daily victories over themselves and their environment. In the process they will have built themselves into the resilient men and women God designed them to be.

What is a workout? It’s preparation.

knotahumanbeing
11-15-14, 4:26 am
Solid read man. I like that verse from James, I'm gonna have to save that. Keep up the work ethic and mindset, you'll see that it well begin to rub off on those around you in the gym and in life.

Rob

Ironworker
11-16-14, 12:34 am
Very well put. I was 14 when I started and I'm now 47 and stronger than I have ever been. My son is 14 and has just started lifting this year. He competed at his first meet today and I couldn't be prouder. The family that prays together stays together... Lifting together don't hurt either.

Failsafe
11-17-14, 8:03 am
Great read and wonderful insight.

GunRock
11-21-14, 8:02 pm
I want to beat up a teenager. Well, maybe not beat up, but at least smack some sense into him. Not that I think that violence is the answer to everything or that I’m into child abuse. Far from it, but as D.L. Hughley said once, “Sometimes an asswhipping is just what you need!”

I mean, I’ve known the kid in question his entire life. This kid is smart. Fourteen years old in the ninth grade smart. He went to a private school, comes from a family of educators, the whole nine yards.

Unfortunately, he’s only about four and a half feet tall, and weighs maybe ninety pounds with five pounds of that coming from his thick glasses. I’ve been there when older people have had him pull up his t shirt so they could count his ribs. And it’s obvious that it bothers this kid.
Okay, now you’re feeling sorry for this guy and honestly so do I. So why do I want to lay hands on this kid so badly? Hasn’t he suffered enough? Well, I’m all about unlocking the potential in people and this kid just angers me because he has so much wasted potential! Trying to fit in, the kid started letting his grades slip so he wouldn't be the "class nerd".

His uncles came back from college, saw what was going on with him and started teaching him the basics of lifting. He was gung ho as long as they were working with him, but as soon as they went back to college he quit! Apparently he felt that weight training wasn’t for him because it’s too hard and he wasn’t built like a Marvel super hero yet!
Wow. After two whole months of training, this kid who’s been picked on and intimidated his entire life decided to quit the one thing that would completely change the game for him. Because it’s too hard and because he hasn’t seen progress in two whole months. Unbelievable.

To make it even WORSE, some of the older kids at his school tried to get the kid back in the weight room and he turned them all down flat. And these are football players and wrestlers who told him they got their size by training with weights. No dice.

So yeah, I admit that I just want to slap him very hard, repeatedly around the ears and toss him back in the gym with nothing but some AnimalPak, a cooler of food and some gallon jugs of milk. I wouldn’t let him out until he’s put in three months of doing nothing but train on the basic barbell lifts and eat quality food every couple of hours.

See, I know this would work because the kid I’m talking about is me from 27 years ago. The story I told is my story. I quit after two months and didn’t go back into the weight room until my junior year of college when my girlfriend dragged me there.

I thank God that she out benched me that day because that was day I finally said enough is enough. From then on, I attacked the weights with a vengeance. When some of my high school friends came to my graduation they didn’t recognize me.

I can only imagine what I could have achieved if I had seized the opportunity when it was first presented to me. I almost feel like Esau did after he realized that he had lost his chance to inherit a blessing. Almost. Part of why I prefer to train forgotten and marginalized kids is to give them a shot at what I passed up. I know I can’t go back to 1987 but . . .every Christmas I ask Jesus for a time machine and boxing gloves.

I’ll let you guess why.

GunRock
11-21-14, 8:04 pm
Thanks Rob. I like your recent decision to stay true to your principles instead of grabbing quick money. Respect.

GunRock
11-21-14, 8:05 pm
Very well put. I was 14 when I started and I'm now 47 and stronger than I have ever been. My son is 14 and has just started lifting this year. He competed at his first meet today and I couldn't be prouder. The family that prays together stays together... Lifting together don't hurt either.


Most definitely! One perk of having my own gym is being able to train with my family.

How did your son do at his meet?

Ironworker
11-22-14, 5:35 pm
Most definitely! One perk of having my own gym is being able to train with my family.

How did your son do at his meet?

He did great for his first meet. He weighed in at 129 and benched 115. He was thrilled and so was I. He has never been into sports much so coming home with a good size trophy was a proud moment.

Ironworker
11-22-14, 5:38 pm
I want to beat up a teenager. Well, maybe not beat up, but at least smack some sense into him. Not that I think that violence is the answer to everything or that I’m into child abuse. Far from it, but as D.L. Hughley said once, “Sometimes an asswhipping is just what you need!”

I mean, I’ve known the kid in question his entire life. This kid is smart. Fourteen years old in the ninth grade smart. He went to a private school, comes from a family of educators, the whole nine yards.

Unfortunately, he’s only about four and a half feet tall, and weighs maybe ninety pounds with five pounds of that coming from his thick glasses. I’ve been there when older people have had him pull up his t shirt so they could count his ribs. And it’s obvious that it bothers this kid.
Okay, now you’re feeling sorry for this guy and honestly so do I. So why do I want to lay hands on this kid so badly? Hasn’t he suffered enough? Well, I’m all about unlocking the potential in people and this kid just angers me because he has so much wasted potential! Trying to fit in, the kid started letting his grades slip so he wouldn't be the "class nerd".

His uncles came back from college, saw what was going on with him and started teaching him the basics of lifting. He was gung ho as long as they were working with him, but as soon as they went back to college he quit! Apparently he felt that weight training wasn’t for him because it’s too hard and he wasn’t built like a Marvel super hero yet!
Wow. After two whole months of training, this kid who’s been picked on and intimidated his entire life decided to quit the one thing that would completely change the game for him. Because it’s too hard and because he hasn’t seen progress in two whole months. Unbelievable.

To make it even WORSE, some of the older kids at his school tried to get the kid back in the weight room and he turned them all down flat. And these are football players and wrestlers who told him they got their size by training with weights. No dice.

So yeah, I admit that I just want to slap him very hard, repeatedly around the ears and toss him back in the gym with nothing but some AnimalPak, a cooler of food and some gallon jugs of milk. I wouldn’t let him out until he’s put in three months of doing nothing but train on the basic barbell lifts and eat quality food every couple of hours.

See, I know this would work because the kid I’m talking about is me from 27 years ago. The story I told is my story. I quit after two months and didn’t go back into the weight room until my junior year of college when my girlfriend dragged me there.

I thank God that she out benched me that day because that was day I finally said enough is enough. From then on, I attacked the weights with a vengeance. When some of my high school friends came to my graduation they didn’t recognize me.

I can only imagine what I could have achieved if I had seized the opportunity when it was first presented to me. I almost feel like Esau did after he realized that he had lost his chance to inherit a blessing. Almost. Part of why I prefer to train forgotten and marginalized kids is to give them a shot at what I passed up. I know I can’t go back to 1987 but . . .every Christmas I ask Jesus for a time machine and boxing gloves.

I’ll let you guess why.

Very cool post!!!!

GunRock
11-23-14, 4:54 pm
Thanks man. my writing for external sites has slowed down quite a bit but I still need to write often in order to stay sharp. This Forvm gives me the best opportunity to get my thoughts out there. I'm grateful to all you who take time to read my ramblings!

GunRock
11-28-14, 1:22 pm
I measure life from Thanksgiving to Thanksgiving. That's not to say that Christmas isn't important to me. It is, I celebrate my Savior's birth and I enjoy giving gifts to my loved ones. That being said, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on my blessings so I decided to give God praise to you my Animal family.

Since last Thanksgiving:
- Our 16 year old turned 17

- I set the goal of free squatting 405lbs (in other words not to a box) and deadlifting 500lbs this year.

- My older sister spent Christmas in a coma. She came out of it and was stable by New Year's. The doctors told her that if she doesn't lose weight, she'll continue to be hospitalized until one day it's the final time.

-An ice storm hit the Atlanta area, stranding motorists on the highway for days. I was able to get my kids and the neighbor kids because of my 4WD (It's a Jeep thing bro!) My wife was stuck at her job at a hospital until I went and got her. Another ice storm hit a week later. I could have left but my job is to help maintain the supply of power for Georgia's electrical grid and I was on shift when the storm hit. I left when relief got there four days later.

- Our 9 year old turned 10 and our 13 year old turned 14.
- My wife and I were able to return to The Cage where my brother Uncle Boo competed in the Bodyweight Bench Press for Reps despite it being his first time at The Cage and his first experience with Animal!

- While we were in Ohio, our 17, 16 and 14 year olds showed their maturity by getting our ten year old to his State Wrestling Championship where he placed 7th and defeated a kid who's given him trouble since they both started wrestling at age six. This despite not competing at all during the season.

- I was honored to meet Ed Coan, Richard Hawthorne, Grant Higa, Dan Green, Garrett Griffin, Ibn Mahama, Frank McGrath, Brandon Lilly and Brent Willis at The Cage.
I had the privilege of having Alpha Bench Adrian Larsen, give me tips in Bench Press and Brent Willis give me deadlift pointers. I achieved my goal of deadlifting 500lbs that day. I did it again at a meet seven days later to make it official.

- I injured my pec minor and rotator cuff benching at a meet in Gainesville, GA. I stayed to finish the competition despite being extremely light headed and nauseous because my athletes needed me to be there coaching them.

- During medical treatment for my injured pec and rotator, I discovered that I had a tumor in my leg that needed removal ASAP.
- I was able to bench press 25lbs for a partial rep.
- My 17 year old took over most of the training at The Iron Journey Gym
- I was able to bench press 45lbs for 1 set of 15. More importantly, I opened a jar without help for the first time that day.
- I was able to bench press 95lbs for 3 sets of 15
- I was able to bench press 135 2x10
- Since I couldn't lift heavy anyway, I decided to lose bodyfat. I started my journey at 225lbs. I wore a size 36/34 pant and the waist was SUPAH TIGHT!!!

- I had a surgical biopsy to determine if my tumor was malignant.

-We hosted our first ever clinic featuring Tee Skinny Man Meyers who covered all three power lifts and some accessory movements.

- I was able to bench press 205lbs for 5x15
- I attended WUAP-USA Nationals, frustrated because I couldn't compete.
- My 17 year old son won WUAP-USA Nationals and met some of his heroes the Lilliebridge Family as well as Animal's own Derek Kendall.
- At WUAP-USA Nationals, my 17 year old son broke the WUAP World Record total for his age and weight class.
-I benched 225x5x10

- I asked God to show me whether He had taken powerlifting away from me or not and told Him to use my next meet performance as His anwer.

- I benched 275x1
- July 31, I had a second surgery to remove the rest of the tumor. Nine days later, I squatted 303 benched 314 (breaking the Georgia USAPL Raw Masters Record) and deadlifted 450. I guess God's going to still let me compete.

- The tumor removed from my right leg was declared non malignant. Praise Jesus!!!

- I organized my first Animal Barbell Club event. The camaraderie that day was incredible and I've found a new home away from home at Iron Beast Barbell. Uncle Boo was not only there but he recruited another member for the Animal Brotherhood.

-The Ebola virus continued to ravage the country where I was born. Most of my immediate family is thankfully in the States. We continue to stay in touch with those who are still in country.

-I was able, through the donations of many kind people to take my oldest son and another teen I coach on a trip overseas to represent the United States. They took home gold and silver and had several life changing experiences that increased their appreciation for our country. My oldest, depressed that he didn't hit the numbers he wanted to, came home and signed up for a meet on December 6.

- Seeing European lifters inspired me to continue my physique transformation/focus on being a power builder.

-Our 16 year old turned 17.

-My wife battled feelings of inadequacy and loss related to her childhood. It affected her to the point that she questioned whether she had any purpose for being alive

- Through support from my church family and friends, including our Iron Journey team, my wife rediscovered her passion for life and realized her importance to our family

- Our soon to be 18 year old signed paper work to follow in my footsteps as a member of the United States Marine Corps. He leaves in July. He wouldn't sign until the recruiter and I assured him that he could still compete in power lifting while on active duty! (I got stuff to prove in this game Dad! he said.)

- Nine weeks ago, my wife and I found out that she's pregnant and I'm GOING TO BE A DADDY AGAIN! (Who says 41 is old? I gave her both barrels son!!!)

- Four days ago, I free squatted 367lbs (my previous max) for a double
- two days ago while training with WABDL World Record Holder Eric Head, I benched 315.

-This morning, I weighed 200 and put on a pair of my 17 year old's 32/34 jeans. Had no problem buttoning them up but the thighs were SUPAH TIGHT!!! So smaller waist and bigger legs. Squats do work! junk in the trunk son!

- I spent Thanksgiving surrounded by my wife and our four boys. God has been good.

Uncle Boo
11-28-14, 2:33 pm
I measure life from Thanksgiving to Thanksgiving. That's not to say that Christmas isn't important to me. It is, I celebrate my Savior's birth and I enjoy giving gifts to my loved ones. That being said, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on my blessings so I decided to give God praise to you my Animal family.

Since last Thanksgiving:
- Our 16 year old turned 17

- I set the goal of free squatting 405lbs (in other words not to a box) and deadlifting 500lbs this year.

- My older sister spent Christmas in a coma. She came out of it and was stable by New Year's. The doctors told her that if she doesn't lose weight, she'll continue to be hospitalized until one day it's the final time.

-An ice storm hit the Atlanta area, stranding motorists on the highway for days. I was able to get my kids and the neighbor kids because of my 4WD (It's a Jeep thing bro!) My wife was stuck at her job at a hospital until I went and got her. Another ice storm hit a week later. I could have left but my job is to help maintain the supply of power for Georgia's electrical grid and I was on shift when the storm hit. I left when relief got there four days later.

- Our 9 year old turned 10 and our 13 year old turned 14.
- My wife and I were able to return to The Cage where my brother Uncle Boo competed in the Bodyweight Bench Press for Reps despite it being his first time at The Cage and his first experience with Animal!

- While we were in Ohio, our 17, 16 and 14 year olds showed their maturity by getting our ten year old to his State Wrestling Championship where he placed 7th and defeated a kid who's given him trouble since they both started wrestling at age six. This despite not competing at all during the season.

- I was honored to meet Ed Coan, Richard Hawthorne, Grant Higa, Dan Green, Garrett Griffin, Ibn Mahama, Frank McGrath, Brandon Lilly and Brent Willis at The Cage.
I had the privilege of having Alpha Bench Adrian Larsen, give me tips in Bench Press and Brent Willis give me deadlift pointers. I achieved my goal of deadlifting 500lbs that day. I did it again at a meet seven days later to make it official.

- I injured my pec minor and rotator cuff benching at a meet in Gainesville, GA. I stayed to finish the competition despite being extremely light headed and nauseous because my athletes needed me to be there coaching them.

- During medical treatment for my injured pec and rotator, I discovered that I had a tumor in my leg that needed removal ASAP.
- I was able to bench press 25lbs for a partial rep.
- My 17 year old took over most of the training at The Iron Journey Gym
- I was able to bench press 45lbs for 1 set of 15. More importantly, I opened a jar without help for the first time that day.
- I was able to bench press 95lbs for 3 sets of 15
- I was able to bench press 135 2x10
- Since I couldn't lift heavy anyway, I decided to lose bodyfat. I started my journey at 225lbs. I wore a size 36/34 pant and the waist was SUPAH TIGHT!!!

- I had a surgical biopsy to determine if my tumor was malignant.

-We hosted our first ever clinic featuring Tee Skinny Man Meyers who covered all three power lifts and some accessory movements.

- I was able to bench press 205lbs for 5x15
- I attended WUAP-USA Nationals, frustrated because I couldn't compete.
- My 17 year old son won WUAP-USA Nationals and met some of his heroes the Lilliebridge Family as well as Animal's own Derek Kendall.
- At WUAP-USA Nationals, my 17 year old son broke the WUAP World Record total for his age and weight class.
-I benched 225x5x10

- I asked God to show me whether He had taken powerlifting away from me or not and told Him to use my next meet performance as His anwer.

- I benched 275x1
- July 31, I had a second surgery to remove the rest of the tumor. Nine days later, I squatted 303 benched 314 (breaking the Georgia USAPL Raw Masters Record) and deadlifted 450. I guess God's going to still let me compete.

- The tumor removed from my right leg was declared non malignant. Praise Jesus!!!

- I organized my first Animal Barbell Club event. The camaraderie that day was incredible and I've found a new home away from home at Iron Beast Barbell. Uncle Boo was not only there but he recruited another member for the Animal Brotherhood.

-The Ebola virus continued to ravage the country where I was born. Most of my immediate family is thankfully in the States. We continue to stay in touch with those who are still in country.

-I was able, through the donations of many kind people to take my oldest son and another teen I coach on a trip overseas to represent the United States. They took home gold and silver and had several life changing experiences that increased their appreciation for our country. My oldest, depressed that he didn't hit the numbers he wanted to, came home and signed up for a meet on December 6.

- Seeing European lifters inspired me to continue my physique transformation/focus on being a power builder.

-Our 16 year old turned 17.

-My wife battled feelings of inadequacy and loss related to her childhood. It affected her to the point that she questioned whether she had any purpose for being alive

- Through support from my church family and friends, including our Iron Journey team, my wife rediscovered her passion for life and realized her importance to our family

- Our soon to be 18 year old signed paper work to follow in my footsteps as a member of the United States Marine Corps. He leaves in July. He wouldn't sign until the recruiter and I assured him that he could still compete in power lifting while on active duty! (I got stuff to prove in this game Dad! he said.)

- Nine weeks ago, my wife and I found out that she's pregnant and I'm GOING TO BE A DADDY AGAIN! (Who says 41 is old? I gave her both barrels son!!!)

- Four days ago, I free squatted 367lbs (my previous max) for a double
- two days ago while training with WABDL World Record Holder Eric Head, I benched 315.

-This morning, I weighed 200 and put on a pair of my 17 year old's 32/34 jeans. Had no problem buttoning them up but the thighs were SUPAH TIGHT!!! So smaller waist and bigger legs. Squats do work! junk in the trunk son!

- I spent Thanksgiving surrounded by my wife and our four boys. God has been good.
Very true I lived through most of it with him.except of course the pregnant part. I didn't think he need a spotter for that. Anway good job bro

Ironworker
11-29-14, 2:22 pm
I measure life from Thanksgiving to Thanksgiving. That's not to say that Christmas isn't important to me. It is, I celebrate my Savior's birth and I enjoy giving gifts to my loved ones. That being said, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on my blessings so I decided to give God praise to you my Animal family.

Since last Thanksgiving:
- Our 16 year old turned 17

- I set the goal of free squatting 405lbs (in other words not to a box) and deadlifting 500lbs this year.

- My older sister spent Christmas in a coma. She came out of it and was stable by New Year's. The doctors told her that if she doesn't lose weight, she'll continue to be hospitalized until one day it's the final time.

-An ice storm hit the Atlanta area, stranding motorists on the highway for days. I was able to get my kids and the neighbor kids because of my 4WD (It's a Jeep thing bro!) My wife was stuck at her job at a hospital until I went and got her. Another ice storm hit a week later. I could have left but my job is to help maintain the supply of power for Georgia's electrical grid and I was on shift when the storm hit. I left when relief got there four days later.

- Our 9 year old turned 10 and our 13 year old turned 14.
- My wife and I were able to return to The Cage where my brother Uncle Boo competed in the Bodyweight Bench Press for Reps despite it being his first time at The Cage and his first experience with Animal!

- While we were in Ohio, our 17, 16 and 14 year olds showed their maturity by getting our ten year old to his State Wrestling Championship where he placed 7th and defeated a kid who's given him trouble since they both started wrestling at age six. This despite not competing at all during the season.

- I was honored to meet Ed Coan, Richard Hawthorne, Grant Higa, Dan Green, Garrett Griffin, Ibn Mahama, Frank McGrath, Brandon Lilly and Brent Willis at The Cage.
I had the privilege of having Alpha Bench Adrian Larsen, give me tips in Bench Press and Brent Willis give me deadlift pointers. I achieved my goal of deadlifting 500lbs that day. I did it again at a meet seven days later to make it official.

- I injured my pec minor and rotator cuff benching at a meet in Gainesville, GA. I stayed to finish the competition despite being extremely light headed and nauseous because my athletes needed me to be there coaching them.

- During medical treatment for my injured pec and rotator, I discovered that I had a tumor in my leg that needed removal ASAP.
- I was able to bench press 25lbs for a partial rep.
- My 17 year old took over most of the training at The Iron Journey Gym
- I was able to bench press 45lbs for 1 set of 15. More importantly, I opened a jar without help for the first time that day.
- I was able to bench press 95lbs for 3 sets of 15
- I was able to bench press 135 2x10
- Since I couldn't lift heavy anyway, I decided to lose bodyfat. I started my journey at 225lbs. I wore a size 36/34 pant and the waist was SUPAH TIGHT!!!

- I had a surgical biopsy to determine if my tumor was malignant.

-We hosted our first ever clinic featuring Tee Skinny Man Meyers who covered all three power lifts and some accessory movements.

- I was able to bench press 205lbs for 5x15
- I attended WUAP-USA Nationals, frustrated because I couldn't compete.
- My 17 year old son won WUAP-USA Nationals and met some of his heroes the Lilliebridge Family as well as Animal's own Derek Kendall.
- At WUAP-USA Nationals, my 17 year old son broke the WUAP World Record total for his age and weight class.
-I benched 225x5x10

- I asked God to show me whether He had taken powerlifting away from me or not and told Him to use my next meet performance as His anwer.

- I benched 275x1
- July 31, I had a second surgery to remove the rest of the tumor. Nine days later, I squatted 303 benched 314 (breaking the Georgia USAPL Raw Masters Record) and deadlifted 450. I guess God's going to still let me compete.

- The tumor removed from my right leg was declared non malignant. Praise Jesus!!!

- I organized my first Animal Barbell Club event. The camaraderie that day was incredible and I've found a new home away from home at Iron Beast Barbell. Uncle Boo was not only there but he recruited another member for the Animal Brotherhood.

-The Ebola virus continued to ravage the country where I was born. Most of my immediate family is thankfully in the States. We continue to stay in touch with those who are still in country.

-I was able, through the donations of many kind people to take my oldest son and another teen I coach on a trip overseas to represent the United States. They took home gold and silver and had several life changing experiences that increased their appreciation for our country. My oldest, depressed that he didn't hit the numbers he wanted to, came home and signed up for a meet on December 6.

- Seeing European lifters inspired me to continue my physique transformation/focus on being a power builder.

-Our 16 year old turned 17.

-My wife battled feelings of inadequacy and loss related to her childhood. It affected her to the point that she questioned whether she had any purpose for being alive

- Through support from my church family and friends, including our Iron Journey team, my wife rediscovered her passion for life and realized her importance to our family

- Our soon to be 18 year old signed paper work to follow in my footsteps as a member of the United States Marine Corps. He leaves in July. He wouldn't sign until the recruiter and I assured him that he could still compete in power lifting while on active duty! (I got stuff to prove in this game Dad! he said.)

- Nine weeks ago, my wife and I found out that she's pregnant and I'm GOING TO BE A DADDY AGAIN! (Who says 41 is old? I gave her both barrels son!!!)

- Four days ago, I free squatted 367lbs (my previous max) for a double
- two days ago while training with WABDL World Record Holder Eric Head, I benched 315.

-This morning, I weighed 200 and put on a pair of my 17 year old's 32/34 jeans. Had no problem buttoning them up but the thighs were SUPAH TIGHT!!! So smaller waist and bigger legs. Squats do work! junk in the trunk son!

- I spent Thanksgiving surrounded by my wife and our four boys. God has been good.
Awesome post

GunRock
12-04-14, 6:14 am
The purpose of my garage gym is to strengthen the weak, to help the helpless. Within that, my fondest hopes are that everyone I train will end up able to use fitness to bless those around them. They might not want to have a garage gym ministry like I do, but they should be able to create a basic workout plan and train at least their immediate family.

So when my wife told me last night that several of my former trainees had gotten pissed off and intended to open their own garage gym, doing the same thing I am, to spite me, my response was, "Mission Accomplished."

Ain't God awesome?

GunRock
12-08-14, 7:44 am
It's interesting to me how the different groups I train approach their workouts.
Typical routine for the adults: Walk slowly from their car right on time or a few minutes late, talking or texting on their phones. Deep sigh as they get to the door. Look at the board for today's training. Slowly begin warming up. Move methodically from one exercise to the next. I sometimes have to remind them to start their next set if they have to answer a call. I sometimes have to remind them of what the next exercise is because they forget to check the board. Sometimes we're done on time, sometimes not. They leave to go sit at a desk for 8 hours.
Typical routine for the middle and high school athletes: Slowly walk up the driveway talking animatedly about what happened at school. Come inside a couple of minutes late, still talking, stand around until I yell at them to get moving. Check the board. Slowly begin warming up. Talk throughout the training session, I always have to motivate them to do their next set. Get done about ten minutes behind schedule. Stand around talking instead of going home to shower and eat.
Typical routine for the ten year old athletes: Run up the driveway ten minutes early. Drop their bookbags. Wave at me as they run back outside to climb trees for fun. Get down only when I yell at them to warm up. Fly through the training session resting only as long as it takes to change weight or longer if I make them. After training, climb more trees or go ride bikes.

Guess who's making the most progress? If you really need a hint, none of them are old enough to drive.

GunRock
12-15-14, 12:04 pm
At my meet two days ago I was behind the eight ball from the get go. My challenges included:
- Worked the night before so by the time I arrived for the rules meeting at 10AM had been awake since 2pm the day before. By the time we started the deadlifts, I'd been awake for 24 hours.
- I originally planned to take one of my new lifters with me so he could see how a meet was run but his mother told me it was too far at the last minute, meaning I drove all the way home for nothing AND my drive to the meet went from 30 minutes if I'd gone straight there from work, to an hour and a half.
- I had planned to compete in 198 because my scale at work had me at 199 all week and I didn't eat for 8 hours prior to the meet, had bowel movements etc so I figured that I'd come in at about197, 198. Wrong, I went to weigh in the day before the meet after work and weighed 202. I decided I needed sleep more than I needed to make 198 so I drove the hour and a half back home to get six hours of sleep before waking up at 2pm as I said earlier.

So I was a little apprehensive especially since I'd be the only member of my team there.

Then I watched Ricky Hubbard, a guy who was paralyzed in a car accident last year bench press 100lbs to break the SPF Quadraplegic World Record. Last year, he couldn't do anything, this year, after being strapped to the bench, he realized his dream. At his first meet ever. I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and thank God instead for the blessings He's given me all year along with the privilege to be able to compete in a sport I enjoy.

Then I crushed the weight that I was worried about, the same weight that injured me last March when I was 25lbs heavier. I also got a lifetime deadlift PR.

All a matter of perspective. Check out Ricky's lift here: http://instagram.com/p/wjXq3YC7d6/?modal=true

Stay Animal!

Uncle Boo
12-15-14, 6:42 pm
At my meet two days ago I was behind the eight ball from the get go. My challenges included:
- Worked the night before so by the time I arrived for the rules meeting at 10AM had been awake since 2pm the day before. By the time we started the deadlifts, I'd been awake for 24 hours.
- I originally planned to take one of my new lifters with me so he could see how a meet was run but his mother told me it was too far at the last minute, meaning I drove all the way home for nothing AND my drive to the meet went from 30 minutes if I'd gone straight there from work, to an hour and a half.
- I had planned to compete in 198 because my scale at work had me at 199 all week and I didn't eat for 8 hours prior to the meet, had bowel movements etc so I figured that I'd come in at about197, 198. Wrong, I went to weigh in the day before the meet after work and weighed 202. I decided I needed sleep more than I needed to make 198 so I drove the hour and a half back home to get six hours of sleep before waking up at 2pm as I said earlier.

So I was a little apprehensive especially since I'd be the only member of my team there.

Then I watched Ricky Hubbard, a guy who was paralyzed in a car accident last year bench press 100lbs to break the SPF Quadraplegic World Record. Last year, he couldn't do anything, this year, after being strapped to the bench, he realized his dream. At his first meet ever. I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and thank God instead for the blessings He's given me all year along with the privilege to be able to compete in a sport I enjoy.

Then I crushed the weight that I was worried about, the same weight that injured me last March when I was 25lbs heavier. I also got a lifetime deadlift PR.

All a matter of perspective. Check out Ricky's lift here: http://instagram.com/p/wjXq3YC7d6/?modal=true

Stay Animal!

Nice post bro keep them coming

Ironworker
12-15-14, 7:50 pm
At my meet two days ago I was behind the eight ball from the get go. My challenges included:
- Worked the night before so by the time I arrived for the rules meeting at 10AM had been awake since 2pm the day before. By the time we started the deadlifts, I'd been awake for 24 hours.
- I originally planned to take one of my new lifters with me so he could see how a meet was run but his mother told me it was too far at the last minute, meaning I drove all the way home for nothing AND my drive to the meet went from 30 minutes if I'd gone straight there from work, to an hour and a half.
- I had planned to compete in 198 because my scale at work had me at 199 all week and I didn't eat for 8 hours prior to the meet, had bowel movements etc so I figured that I'd come in at about197, 198. Wrong, I went to weigh in the day before the meet after work and weighed 202. I decided I needed sleep more than I needed to make 198 so I drove the hour and a half back home to get six hours of sleep before waking up at 2pm as I said earlier.

So I was a little apprehensive especially since I'd be the only member of my team there.

Then I watched Ricky Hubbard, a guy who was paralyzed in a car accident last year bench press 100lbs to break the SPF Quadraplegic World Record. Last year, he couldn't do anything, this year, after being strapped to the bench, he realized his dream. At his first meet ever. I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and thank God instead for the blessings He's given me all year along with the privilege to be able to compete in a sport I enjoy.

Then I crushed the weight that I was worried about, the same weight that injured me last March when I was 25lbs heavier. I also got a lifetime deadlift PR.

All a matter of perspective. Check out Ricky's lift here: http://instagram.com/p/wjXq3YC7d6/?modal=true

Stay Animal!
Well done. I will check out the results from the meet when they post

GunRock
12-16-14, 8:52 am
Well done. I will check out the results from the meet when they post

Here's the thread where I posted my meet stuff. Thanks for checking in.

http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?43309-This-Iron-Journey&p=1396135#post1396135

GunRock
12-17-14, 9:00 pm
I encourage everyone to read The One Percent by P. Diesel. Then share it with your friends. I've already posted it on my Facebook page. This sort of article is preaching to the choir if it's only on here, but shared with our family and friends who don't frequent the Forvm it could be the catalyst for much needed change in them. It's not for everyone but it wouldn't have the same impact if it were written for the masses.

I say post it and share it because somewhere out there some guy may be sitting in his cubicle or waiting in his car checking his status wondering what happened to his childhood dreams. This is a wakeup call to the guy who's dying slowly because he's trading his passions for a steady paycheck. That guy needs to hear this call to arms. That guy needs to know it's time to slam his fist down, say enough is enough and go snatch his dreams back. This article just might light that fire.

So share it and share it some more. Here's the link: http://www.animalpak.com/html/article_details.cfm?ID=699

GunRock
12-19-14, 11:26 pm
I train an eighth grade girl who has had a pretty rough go of it. I don't know all of the details but she used to live with her mother and that wasn't a great situation, now she's living with her dad and her stepmom. I started training her stepbrother and met her because after his mom saw what I do, she decided that this girl needed my help. Anyway, her first workout I decided to see what she was made of, Stepmom said she had a bit of an attitude and refused to do homework. Ok. Day 1 you're going to flip tires up and down my driveway just to see if you quit on me and yourself. Bottom line she stuck it out and has made steady progress. Iron bug has bitten her.

Still, I'm interested in the whole person when I train someone so I got in her business about grades and found out that she was failing classes because she refused to turn in homework. After a little digging, I found that in her previous school they stuck her in special needs classes because she didn't understand the material but no one took the time to teach her anything. Now that she's in a new school system, she's drowning. I promised to help her parents find her a tutor if she wouldn't quit on herself. So she comes everyday now. Two days a week to train her body and three days a week to be tutored by my sons who are in high school.
I've also been working with her on her study habits and general attitude and today as everyone headed into the Christmas break, we had a ceremony in my firepit where she burned all of the homework assignments, tests and quizzes she got zeros on for failing to complete them. She's got a new attitude and I'd appreciate it if everyone would just like the video on Instagram and say some encouraging words to her.
No matter when you read this please visit the IG link and shout out to her. Her name is Meagan and I'm trying to motivate her to make a fresh start.

Anyway, thanks to all who read this and show support. Here's the link: http://instagram.com/p/wzax9mi7Yj/?modal=true

GunRock
12-25-14, 12:27 am
Hope it's a great day for you all as we celebrate our Creator and Sustainer.

No TRAINING TODAY FOR ME!!!

GunRock
12-27-14, 10:14 pm
We need our Sabbaths. Jesus said that the Sabbath was created for man. I don't believe in compartmentalizing my life so I looked for a long time for a way that this applied to my training and I believe that deloads are the bodybuilding equivalent of the Sabbath.

I hear all of the time that it's impossible to overtrain. That you just need more training frequency, that when you're extremely sore after multiple training days that your body is telling you that you were UNDER trained.

I get it. Makes sense to a point. But I still believe in deloading on a regular basis. For one thing the people who are most vocal about not deloading are competitive athletes and they're describing their training leading up to competition. I don't deload in the six weeks prior to a meet either and I didn't deload when I would train for a kickboxing match. I have to maximize my training time and taking every fourth week off would be counter productive. But, I did and do deload in the seven days prior to the competition. A lot of athletes do this. So the deload just happens less frequently. But what about if I'm not training for a meet? From time to time, I take a year off from competing. Which is in itself a deload of a sort. What do I do then? How do I observe my Sabbath?

That's when I think it's most important to hit planned deloads every fourth week. It's a spiritual, mental and physical thing.

Spiritually, it's because sometimes you need to work on you, sometimes you need to focus on others. I don't know how else to phrase this. We're all a little egocentric, especially if we spend a huge chunk of our week devoted to self examination and improvement. But sometimes I can't see the forest for the trees. I get too close to the problem and need to get mind off of myself in order to make any further progress. I believe that this one reason why people experience so much clarity while fasting. I learn the benefits of denying my physical urge to eat, realize that I won't die from not eating every two hours. I also end up with a lot of free time. Many people during the first few days of fasting are focused on themselves. Hunger pains, how they feel. I'm no different. But after the third day, a switch clicks and I start to see the world differently. I notice things that I've never seen before, I appreciate the beauty of God's creation and I am more responsive to the plight of others. It's great for perspective and I'm always refreshed when I go back to my normal routines.

Mentally, sometimes my brain needs a break from the constant overload. Anybody can be burnt out or jaded by anything. It's why even year round schools still have vacation days. It's why most office jobs give you paid time off. They know that work quality suffers when someone's been at it for too long. But even something we love can get stale. Look at nude beaches. At first, just seeing a naked girl gets a guy excited. After that, he gets bored and unless something else happens to up the ante, the nudity fades into the background. That's why nude beaches aren't necessarily all out orgies and societies where people wear minimal clothing aren't one constant sex party. I love training, I love this lifestyle. But every now and then, my brain needs to rest and recharge. Monthly deloads do that for me. They get me out of the gym, they let my CNS recover from the constant stimulation of getting amped up to do sets, from the allowing this life to become routine. It lets me miss it and build hunger.

Physically, there are a ton of benefits. I'm 41 years old and I'm learning that my joints need me to be kind to them. I still push to be as strong as possible, but after 21 years of training in gyms around the country, I've seen a lot of gym rats fall off because they never missed a day. I don't mean the New Year's resolution crowd. Honestly, I don't care about them. I won't give them a seconds thought until they demonstrate some commitment and a willingness to keep the promises they make to themselves every 365 days.
I'm talking about the dedicated exerciser. Our joints need regular breaks so we DON'T have to stop lifting heavy. Then there's CNS and adrenal fatigue. I like to let my adrenal glands recover from constant pre-workout drinks and deload weeks are the perfect time. After all why would I need to get hyped up to NOT work hard? and because I sometimes fast during deload week, in addition to the spiritual benefits I mentioned earlier, it also lets my system take a break from constantly digesting calories and detox itself.

Obeying this Sabbath principle or observing natural rhythms in my training, keeps it fresh. I'm not saying I've lost 50lbs in 30 days (20lbs in six months is more like it) or upped my total by 100lbs. What I am saying is I'm fitter and stronger than I was at 15, bigger and more muscular than I was at 21 and more injury resistant than I was at 31 years old.

I believe that there are certain rhythms built into the universe, sowing and reaping, cause and effect, work and rest. The Bible says that we should rest every seventh day, hunter gatherer societies work while hunting then engage in active rest the remainder of the time, repairing tools/weapons etc.

I think that if you push for too long, you violate this principle and you don't allow yourself blessing of your Sabbath.

GunRock
12-30-14, 9:33 pm
I hate New Year's Resolutions. I think that if you recognize a problem, you should make a course correction as soon as you know what you're doing wrong. What I do like is long term planning. This year I plan to follow in the footsteps of some other great lifters and plan my entire year out. I did a little of this last year, I had some deadlift and squat goals I wanted to hit. I ended up surpassing the deadlift goal and I'll find out about the squat goal tomorrow.

Where I think I failed is not planning out which meets I wanted to compete in. This led to me competing in two meets in a month which meant I kept my training percentages above 85% for over a month and neglected my supporting/antagonist muscles. So yeah, I got hurt. Stupid.

This year, I'm planning out not only my poundage goals but also which meets I'm going to compete in. No more last minute, sure I'll be there. I'm not one of these big name lifters, I don't get paid to do this sport that I love. I am committed to remembering the sacrifices my family has made this past year just so I could have the chance to stand on a platform in a grown up onesie with heavy stuff in my hands or on my back. I have to honor that.

In 2015, I'm going to set definite physique and lifting goals which I'll post here on January 1. That way everyone can call B.S. if I stray. In 2016, I'm taking a break from powerlifting competition to spend time building up my physique so I can continue to make progress in the amount of weight I can tolerate. I don't want to be strong for a Master's lifter. I don't think I can even claim that yet with best lifts of 303/350/525 that's pathetic frankly! Circumstances or no circumstances. I didn't even get all of those numbers at the same meet! Unacceptable.

Time for a change, because how can I honor God with this body if I treat it like crap and have a haphazard approach to improving it? Would I be happy if somebody painted my house with the same approach I've taken to improving my body?
Time for a change.

GunRock
01-02-15, 5:31 am
Goals for 2015. Some of these are pretty feasible. Some seem impossible right now. Oh well. Shoot for the stars and you might hit the moon. Shoot for the floor and you'll hit it every time.

Waist 32 inches currently 34 inches
Arms 17.5 inches unknown I'm measuring tomorrow and if they're there already, I'll revise upwards
Bodyweight 198 currently 202

Squat 450 currently 405
Bench 350 currently 330
Deadlift 550 currently 525
Freestanding Handstand Pushup: 2 I can currently do 5 but only leaning against a doorway or with somebody supporting my legs

Finances
Pay off all debt minus my mortgage and car note

Regain the ability to do a split. Chest to the ground, legit split.

Compete in USAPL Military Nationals
Compete at WUAP-USA Nationals
Compete at WUAP World's

Attend Become Unstoppable Seminar
Attend The Cage 2015

GunRock
01-02-15, 5:04 pm
After doing some measurements I've revised my goals. My arms were bigger than I thought which just means I'm fatter than I thought also.

Waist 34 inches currently 39 inches
Arms 18 inches currently 17.5 inches
Bodyweight 198 currently 202

Squat 450 currently 405
Bench 350 currently 330
Deadlift 550 currently 525
Freestanding Handstand Pushup: 2 I can currently do 5 but only leaning against a doorway or with somebody supporting my legs
KB Overhead Throw: 40lbs 13.5 feet I can currently throw 20lbs 13.5 feet

Finances
Pay off all debt minus my mortgage and car note. This is about $10,000. Should be able to do it at our current salary if we stay focused on the prize.

Regain the ability to do a split. Chest to the ground, legit split.

Compete in USAPL Military Nationals
Compete at WUAP-USA Nationals
Compete at WUAP World's

Attend Become Unstoppable Seminar
Attend The Cage 2015

GunRock
01-08-15, 4:15 am
I've started doing more cardio recently. Part of my goal to reshape my physique. It's not the most interesting part of training but it does give me time to think. Right about the 20 minute mark my mind tends to wander into some strange places. Yesterday I started remembering the old He-Man cartoon. If you remember He-Man was the alter ego of an equally muscular, but not as tan guy named Prince Adam. Adam looked like he could handle himself in a scrap, but we never got to find out 'cause as soon as trouble threatened, he found a quiet corner to transform into Jacked N Tan He-Man, "The Most Powerful Man In The Universe"!

The cool thing about He-Man is that even though everybody else on the Planet Eternia looked like Jason Khalipa, only He-Man could hurl boulders and juggle dragons. I used to think that it was cool that most people in America hate to exercise. That just makes everybody who does lift look that much better right?

I'm not so sure now. He-Man was even more awesome because he stood out among all of the other muscular people all around him. They had all developed their bodies to the utmost, but he was even more superhuman because human meant more. Confused? Okay, let's try something a little closer to home.

I compete in powerlifting and since I'm not a sponsored athlete, I compete in meets according to how far away they are and how my wallet looks. This means that sometimes, I show up to competitions and I'm the only one in my weight class and age group. Now that may seem cool. Easy to win a trophy when you're the only one there right? Wrong. I don't want to be strong for an old guy. (Well, forty-one isn't necessarily old but you know what I mean.) I want to be strong.

You may say, well why don't you just compete in the Open? Of course that's the immediate solution and that's my intent. Win or lose, I'm going to start competing against whoever shows up that day. But my second answer is, why should I have to? I mean, I can read the top 100 rankings and I see the National records in squat, bench and deadlift. I'm currently listed in the Southern Powerlifting Federation top four lifters for push/pull. But why are there only four of us? Are you telling me that all of the other powerlifters took their ball and went home on their fortieth birthdays? What is it about America that makes men decide that once they hit forty it's over?

Maybe you don't powerlift and you think that this doesn't apply to you. So I'm going to make it a more general question. Why are we content to sit back and let our vitality be stolen by our habits? Type II Diabetes for example, is a behavioral condition. It's also reversible. Many of our common modern ailments are. Yet we continue to let ourselves fade away.

I look up to guys like Odd Haugen, Ed Coan, Ernie Lilliebridge Sr., Tee Skinny Man Meyers, Andreas Muntzer. Guys who continue to grab life by the throat and squeeze all they can out of it. Remember when boys couldn't wait to be men? Now we have men wishing that they were still boys or else acting like they're already dead. Whatever happened to relishing our manhood?

I think if Earth looked like Eternia, you would still have those who rose above their peers. Those who were head and shoulders above the rest by virtue of natural talent, genetics. But what we would have are shorter wait times in hospitals because nobody would be in there because of bad habits. If Earth looked like Eternia, we'd have more innovation because people wouldn't be spending their lives afraid to try their dreams. They would have learned the lessons that the iron teaches, to strive, to try something you're not 100% sure you can do, to fail and try again. To overcome.

I wish that Earth looked like Eternia. How about you?

GunRock
01-09-15, 11:54 pm
http://www.animalpak.com/html/article_details.cfm?section=livin&ID=231

So I like to go back and read some of the older articles on the main site from time to time. I frequently find something that makes me stop and think. This one by Machine was pretty thought provoking.

None of the information was brand new but like reading a Bible verse again, it struck me. I've always been tempted to try to explain to friends and family why I spend so much time on this. Why I use up valuable channel surfing time lifting heavy stuff. This article pointed out that they may never get it and it's okay. I get it and occasionally I'll meet somebody else who does and experience camaraderie with them.

And that's enough.

Ironworker
01-10-15, 6:10 pm
I've started doing more cardio recently. Part of my goal to reshape my physique. It's not the most interesting part of training but it does give me time to think. Right about the 20 minute mark my mind tends to wander into some strange places. Yesterday I started remembering the old He-Man cartoon. If you remember He-Man was the alter ego of an equally muscular, but not as tan guy named Prince Adam. Adam looked like he could handle himself in a scrap, but we never got to find out 'cause as soon as trouble threatened, he found a quiet corner to transform into Jacked N Tan He-Man, "The Most Powerful Man In The Universe"!

The cool thing about He-Man is that even though everybody else on the Planet Eternia looked like Jason Khalipa, only He-Man could hurl boulders and juggle dragons. I used to think that it was cool that most people in America hate to exercise. That just makes everybody who does lift look that much better right?

I'm not so sure now. He-Man was even more awesome because he stood out among all of the other muscular people all around him. They had all developed their bodies to the utmost, but he was even more superhuman because human meant more. Confused? Okay, let's try something a little closer to home.

I compete in powerlifting and since I'm not a sponsored athlete, I compete in meets according to how far away they are and how my wallet looks. This means that sometimes, I show up to competitions and I'm the only one in my weight class and age group. Now that may seem cool. Easy to win a trophy when you're the only one there right? Wrong. I don't want to be strong for an old guy. (Well, forty-one isn't necessarily old but you know what I mean.) I want to be strong.

You may say, well why don't you just compete in the Open? Of course that's the immediate solution and that's my intent. Win or lose, I'm going to start competing against whoever shows up that day. But my second answer is, why should I have to? I mean, I can read the top 100 rankings and I see the National records in squat, bench and deadlift. I'm currently listed in the Southern Powerlifting Federation top four lifters for push/pull. But why are there only four of us? Are you telling me that all of the other powerlifters took their ball and went home on their fortieth birthdays? What is it about America that makes men decide that once they hit forty it's over?

Maybe you don't powerlift and you think that this doesn't apply to you. So I'm going to make it a more general question. Why are we content to sit back and let our vitality be stolen by our habits? Type II Diabetes for example, is a behavioral condition. It's also reversible. Many of our common modern ailments are. Yet we continue to let ourselves fade away.

I look up to guys like Odd Haugen, Ed Coan, Ernie Lilliebridge Sr., Tee Skinny Man Meyers, Andreas Muntzer. Guys who continue to grab life by the throat and squeeze all they can out of it. Remember when boys couldn't wait to be men? Now we have men wishing that they were still boys or else acting like they're already dead. Whatever happened to relishing our manhood?

I think if Earth looked like Eternia, you would still have those who rose above their peers. Those who were head and shoulders above the rest by virtue of natural talent, genetics. But what we would have are shorter wait times in hospitals because nobody would be in there because of bad habits. If Earth looked like Eternia, we'd have more innovation because people wouldn't be spending their lives afraid to try their dreams. They would have learned the lessons that the iron teaches, to strive, to try something you're not 100% sure you can do, to fail and try again. To overcome.

I wish that Earth looked like Eternia. How about you?

Very good article. I wish I would have started powerlifting when I was younger. I'm about to turn 48 and started powerlifting just in the last year. I think the vast majority of younger guys are drawn to the bodybuilder look. They don't care that much about being strong they just want the appearance of being strong. Honestly, I believe that companies like Animal have done more for Powerlifting recently than anything in the last 5-10 years. More exposure has revitalized the sport which means more interest which leads to more meets. I know that as I get older I am drawn more to Powerlifting. It is great for the body, the mind, and the soul.

GunRock
01-14-15, 10:16 pm
Very good article. I wish I would have started powerlifting when I was younger. I'm about to turn 48 and started powerlifting just in the last year. I think the vast majority of younger guys are drawn to the bodybuilder look. They don't care that much about being strong they just want the appearance of being strong. Honestly, I believe that companies like Animal have done more for Powerlifting recently than anything in the last 5-10 years. More exposure has revitalized the sport which means more interest which leads to more meets. I know that as I get older I am drawn more to Powerlifting. It is great for the body, the mind, and the soul.

Yeah. I felt like I channeled my inner Mark Rippetoe with that one but it's what I felt. Thanks for reading brother. Means a lot.

GunRock
01-23-15, 9:28 am
I had a rough day yesterday. Seemed as if everything was going wrong. Nothing that by itself would cause me to spaz but together it was like that annoying drip of water that makes you want to throw something.

Had a slow air leak in one tire, had to resolve an issue with my bank account, got lost on the way to an appointment. It was a beast of a day. I don't really feel like going back into it, I wrote about it in my post Planned and Unplanned Cardio over in my Journey (http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?43026-Gunrock-s-Iron-Journey&p=1400059#post1400059 )

What I am grateful for is how I handled it. It's easy to take things out on other people when you're having a bad day. We stereotype women as doing it during "that time of the month" but really guys do it too. How many times have you gone into work and had your boss chew you out for no reason just because he had a fight with his wife or had somebody flip you off in traffic because you were driving the speed limit and they were in a hurry? That road rage example is typical guy. Like it's my fault you left the house late.
I quit my job with a major insurance carrier because I was tired of getting yelled at by people for accidents that weren't my fault. In fact, usually the person who bitched the most when I couldn't do something for them had set themselves up for failure by not buying that coverage because they were trying to save money or they were too lazy to actually read their insurance card. Then they'd scream when I wouldn't give them a rental car because they'd not paid for rental coverage.

Anyway, back to the story. I was determined to be pleasant to everyone I encountered yesterday. None of my issues were their fault. Blowing up at them wouldn't have fixed a single thing. Thing is I'm not patting myself on the back here. Really this puts MORE pressure on me because now I've proven that I can do it. So next time I'm in a similar situation, I've no excuse if I become the Douche of the Day.

Because I've proven I'm better than that. That sort of behavior only makes me less of the person I hoped I would grow up to be. In case you didn't catch that, remember when you were a kid and dreamed of growing up to be a hero that people would look up to? Are you that guy today? Are you somebody that your younger self would admire? Or are you a douche when stuff doesn't go your way?

Only you and the person at the Refunds and exchange counter at your local department store or the telephone customer service people at Universal Nutrition can answer that.

GunRock
01-24-15, 4:00 pm
I'm not star struck. I don't need to know what random people ate yesterday. I like social media as a way to connect with people who share common interests with me. So why should I follow a bunch of random strangers? Answer: I shouldn't. So I cleaned house today. If I don't have some tie to you you're gone. Exceptions made for people who follow me. They’re showing support for me so I show support for them. If I end up with thousands of followers one day I want it to mean something. I want it to be because each one values what I value. Far fetched? Maybe but out of 6 billion humans there have got to be a few out there who would share my interests. Imagine being captivated by ALL of the posts in your IG feed rather than scrolling past a bunch of clutter looking for something interesting. Imagine.

GunRock
01-26-15, 10:02 am
Had a great time training today and discussing Luke Sniewski's interview on Evidence Radio about the 6 Things All Healthy Cultures Do. They are
1. Real Food
2. Movement
3. Rest and Relaxation
4. Lifelong Learning
5. Community
6. Love

When you train with others, it's easy for the conversation to either get bogged down with b.s. or compartmentalize. I don't think that either approach is healthy. I try to integrate my life as much as I can which means I worship my Savior at the gym, I work on mobility at work and in church (laugh if you want but my hips have never been as healthy) I do cardio as a means of transportation rather than driving if I can manage it and I meditate during cardio. Sometimes we train without talking, just considering a Bible passage or a concept then we talk about it during the cooldown.

Life is good

http://instagram.com/p/yUj2IMi7WF/?modal=true

GunRock
02-04-15, 8:58 pm
Really. I usually live the goatee lifestyle. Either a Van Dyke, chin strip and mustache or straight up goatee and mustache. Sometimes I let it get bushy so I can feel like a Klingon warrior then when my wife has had enough, I trim it back to a neat little Van Dyke. That's because I'm normally bald and I just don't like the way full beards and bald heads look. I mean, it's fine for somebody else but I don't want to do it.

Then my double edge razor broke. And I couldn't find a replacement at Wal-Mart. I don't shave with new school 3, 4 and 5 blade razors. I'm a grownup and I like to treat shaving as the ritual of manliness it used to be. So what to do?

I decided to make this an opportunity for investment. I'm going to save up and buy a high quality razor. Until then, my facial hair and the hair on my head are being allowed to grow. I'm pretty scruffy right now and it strikes me that the process of growing a beard is similar to bodybuilding. A beard indicates how healthy you are. You can even take supplements to improve your beard quality. (seriously)

The early stages it doesn't look like much. You check your progress in the mirror and nothing looks different. You're uncomfortable all of the time because the changes in your body are uncomfortable and might even hurt. (I get ingrown hairs. They hurt.) The solution to the discomfort is likewise painful. You're sore from training so you might foam roll or stretch which also hurts. I brush my beard to free the ingrown hairs and that's painful.

Eventually, it starts to look like something. You're making progress but it's still not where it should be and you're tempted to chuck it and go back to the way you used to be. If you don't, if you push through, eventually, you'll have created something you can be proud of, something that everyone might not understand or appreciate but that certainly sets you apart and shows dedication.

No wonder so many strength athletes have beards.

Time to brush again.

GunRock
02-08-15, 12:52 am
My family and I watched Generation Iron tonight. It was my second time watching it but the first time they'd all seen it. What struck me is that after watching the segment where the bodybuilders explained about how strict their diet needs to be, how regimented they are with training multiple times a day, getting enough rest and getting in quality calories and how steroids can't make up for lack of attention to those things, my 15 year old, who I'm ALWAYS on to get in his calories and get enough sleep wanted to know if I thought steroids were a good idea for him. I mean, he's watched his older brother War Machine make gains without any drugs of any kind but this is what he wanted to know.

sigh.

First I'm glad that he asked me instead of just trying to get some on his own. Second, it's amazing that he jumped right over the point that ALL of the bodybuilders made. STEROIDS DON'T AUTOMATICALLY MAKE YOU A CHAMPION!! Even though I've never used any myself, I've been around them in the past and I've been tempted. What stopped me from using wasn't that I think there's anything morally wrong with taking them. I mean, I'm 41, I could probably get a doctor to prescribe them for me. I just want to see what I can do with my body if I dot all of my i's and cross all of my t's nutritionally and in terms of training before I take something. I also think that even supplements are just that. They fill in the gaps AFTER you've built a foundation of good eating, training and recovery.

I couldn't hold my head up with pride if I chose to skip steps and just take stuff knowing that I left a huge piece of the puzzle unsolved. Plus, I've seen guys take 'roids who skipped nutrition and they look like crap. So if I do the same thing, how do I know that I won't end up like that?

My answer to my son was that Steroids make it possible for you to work harder and hit the gym more often because you recover from hard training more efficiently when you're using them. But if you're not eating right and enough, not training, they've got nothing to work with. This isn't Steve Rogers' super soldier serum we're talking about. It doesn't give you muscles out of thin air. You still have to earn it. He said that he understood. I'm glad.

I wish more people asked before looking for short cuts that really don't exist.

Cellardweller
02-08-15, 1:42 pm
You're a good man Gunrock. I truely mean that. You really set the bar and are an example for your family, your community and even here on the FORVM. Hope to someday meet you in person.

GunRock
02-08-15, 6:44 pm
Thanks for the encouragement CellarDweller! (that's one of the coolest Forvm handles by the way).
I'm completely winging it most of the time. I get inspired by all of you guys on here as well. The National ABC really showed me how much of a family Animal is and I just want to always give others the same love and acceptance I've always gotten.

GunRock
02-20-15, 8:30 pm
Don't know about you
but eye hand coordination is better than cheat codes and walkthroughs
My favorite bodybuilder made history in the Sixties
I like the Old 52, I think Batman was better before 1950

I prefer talking to texting
Reading books to television
Classic fashions instead of chasing the next one

Today's music is fine but
old school R&B is what appeals to me
And my favorite rappers came out between '84 and '89

My favorite supplement company started in 1977
My favorite love song came out in '81,
Call it throwback or outdated but my favorite
shoes where worn to shoot hoops in cages
I remember when kids went outside to have fun

I'm so old school
I'm an old fashioned one
Some of my favorite songs end when the rapper says "Huh"

GunRock
02-24-15, 12:22 am
My wife and I are adding a little girl to the family in June. I'm getting calls from every father I've ever met telling me that what remains of the free will I had leftover from being married is about to be gone.

My wife's grandmother will pass any day now.

I am having strange dreams. First one was that I was in the shower and suddenly my wristwraps fell down the drain. I tried to grab them but I couldn't reach them.
Second one was I couldn't stop singing the chorus to "I'm So Fancy" by Iggy Azalea. What freaked me out in the dream was I tried to stop but it was like something else was controlling my body.

Sleep in general is a problem. 2am blood sugar checks are wearing me and the wife out. I do it when I am home at night and she does it when I have to work. Every day by noon we send a blood glucose report for the previous 24 hours. That's not bad except when I am resting during the work week. I train after work from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Then I sleep from 9:30 am-12 noon. At noon my son calls me to tell me what his blood sugar was at the last three checks. I log it on the chart, take a picture of said chart and email that picture to the blood glucose hotline. Everyday. Then I go back to sleep until 3 p.m. if I don't train when I first get home, I still try and adults from 730 to 830, then I sleep from 8:30 a.m. until noon but I have to wake up at 2 p.m. so I can train.
all of this is going on at the same time that I am in my week to cycle off of M Stak and before I add Animal Cuts into the mix. So no stimulants of any kind.
I give my future, my problems, my hopes and dreams as well as my family into my Heavenly Father's hands. Nothing can happen to me that He doesn't allow so whatever happens even if it seems negative is okay because I trust Him. He's cared for me so much and blessed me so often, how could I not trust Him? Not like worrying or being "tough " can alter the future anyway.

GunRock
02-28-15, 1:21 am
I've been sitting here putting together the training plan for the kids at my gym. They're all essentially at the same point in their training, basically the off season from youth wrestling and it's time to give them some training variety. I could give you a bunch of reasons but the most important one is that kids need to have fun.

So I'm putting in a bunch of exercises that look cool for them to do (I mean they've got Instagram and Snapchat followers to please right?) while helping them learn some hand eye coordination, develop athleticism and avoid burnout.

That's when I stopped and asked myself why I don't do the same thing for myself?

Granted, I didn't write the program I'm on right now and there's a certain amount of freedom in handing over control but I remember when I enjoyed training. I wasn't obsessed with hitting PRs and goal weights. Sometimes it was ok to just go in the gym and have fun training. I can't even say I'm stronger in every way now that I've been focused on powerlifting style training and now regaining my strength, dropping bodyfat and improving mobility. (I know, sounds like a lot when I read it all but it is what it is)

Food for thought when I put my next program together. Not saying I'm going to turn into a CrossFitter doing a different set of exercises every day but this is called the Iron GAME for a reason. Why not enjoy training?

GunRock
03-09-15, 6:07 pm
My brother UncleBoo56, my son, War Machine, and I were discussing our National ABC experience today and we all agreed that we all learned a lot. The most important lesson was not letting surroundings/environment derail the plan and not letting ego ruin opportunities.

When Sam Byrd came over to help me with my squat, I was working around 315 with plans on going up to try to get 420 for a single which would have been a PR. Instead, he had me try what he told me with no weight first, then 135 and finally, 225 for sets of 3. Meanwhile, I was watching the other people at the squat station rep out with weights in the mid 300s.

Then I looked over and saw my brother deadlifting going for a PR. I was tempted to go over and work up to something in the 500 range just so nobody would think I was a weakling. But that was the devil talking. I'm so glad I stayed right where I was with Sam watching my squats and that I was still there when Ibn came over to talk about keeping the core tight.

Really, I never want to be that guy who cares so much about gym PRs that he sacrifices performance on the platform. What sort of douche would walk away from a world champion, world record holder so he can look good in the gym? Like I said, I'm glad I stayed right there and learned from one of the best.

War Machine said he had the same ego struggle because Richard had him deadlifting with less weight than two girls who were training right next to him. That's pretty rough for a strapping 18 year old young man. But I'm proud that he withstood it.

My brother said he went for a PR but realized that his plan in going to the National ABC was to get tips from Higa Monster and P. Diesel cause he has a strongman competition coming up next month. His first strongman competition at that. He was happy that he got some good tips from Richard Hawthorne along with Higa and P. Diesel. So the weekend was not only a success but a bonus. It may not have looked that way to someone unfamiliar with our situation, I'm not discounting the fact that we had both just driven about 8 hours before standing for 8 more hours in The Cage. I'm just pumped that we got in the training we needed to elevate our game despite the circumstances.

All because we kept our egos in check.

GunRock
03-14-15, 6:31 am
From time to time, well meaning people try to protect you from experiencing their failures by trying to scare you away from following your dreams. They try to talk you out of climbing into the ring, quitting your job to follow your passion. They want you to trade in your chance at really living with the promise of security and the threat of pain. It's the same temptation Satan used on Jesus. No need to go to the cross, just do this and you can have what you came down here for. You can achieve your goal without risking anything. Just bow down to me and my plan for your future.

Uh unh.

It may sound harsh to compare the people close to you to Satan but I'm not doing that. I'm telling you that the passion inside you, the fire to spend so much time on something you get paid either very little, or nothing to do, is because that passion was written into your DNA when you were conceived. The battle you were born to fight, requires that you be driven to it, that you be willing to take it up without the promise of reward. Because failure is a real possibility. Pain is a definite promise along the way. But you were born for it, designed for it, made to only be happy if you're pursuing it. And anything and anyone who tries to stop you, even with the best intentions, is standing between you and your destiny.

You realize that if Jesus had listened to Peter, he would have died an obscure former carpenter and most of us reading this wouldn't even live where we live? History is always written by those who turn their backs on comfort, curl their lip at the idea of staying home. It's written by those who hop on a ship and point the prow at the horizon and ride full speed into the storm they know is there, beard waving in the sea spray, blinking away salt and sweat. No matter how epic the contest, nobody remembers the onlookers. Only the participants get into the record books.

So climb into the arena. When your efforts fail, as will happen, we are only mortal after all. Don't throw in the towel. You might have to go back to your corner for a minute, but come back out, adjust your tactics and keep pushing the pace. Keep fighting.

No fight no championship belt. No heavy weight no trophy. No lung busting sprint, no gold medal. No cross no crown.
And never let a lion tell an eagle how to hunt no matter how much prey the lion has brought down his way. https://instagram.com/p/0NCKJtCZig/?taken-by=johngreavesthethird

Awsumsoss
03-17-15, 4:06 pm
Wow. I have been thinking alot recently about what I'm going to do when I graduate college next year, and I feel like this was written just for me. We were all created for a purpose, and that drive should be our goal, such a profound and simple truth.

GunRock
03-20-15, 9:01 am
Wow. I have been thinking alot recently about what I'm going to do when I graduate college next year, and I feel like this was written just for me. We were all created for a purpose, and that drive should be our goal, such a profound and simple truth.

Glad it home for you Brother. Get with ATLMusclBRO5 and Failsafe. We're planning to meet at my house when it gets warmer. Plan is to grill steaks and lift in my garage while we wait for them to get done. If we do the second weekend in May, we can make the after lift meal into a birthday celebration for my wife.

GunRock
03-26-15, 9:59 pm
If you can't scratch your own back, it's time to do mobility.

What you do outside the gym, prepares you to perform well inside it. So, if you have to do more than 10 minutes of mobility before you lift, you're not using your time outside of the gym wisely.

How to fit it in so you can spend your gym time actually lifting? A couple of ideas that have helped me.

Get a backpack, put the lacrosse ball and a band in it. Putting an Animal patch on it is optional.

When you first wake up put the bands on to open up your hips and lay there with your eyes closed until the snooze alarm goes off
When you get out of the shower, do your foam/PVC rolling
As you're leaving the house, hang from something for as long as you can while the car warms up
do shoulder dislocates and distractions while waiting for the microwave or coffee maker to finish
If you work at a desk, do hip mobility (cross your leg under the desk)
When you get home, hang from something for as long as you can before going inside.
While watching your favorite television show do hip and shoulder mobility, i.e. sit in a squat position or do the couch stretch during commercials.

When you get to the gym: Lift and go eat

GunRock
03-27-15, 8:55 pm
In the sixth grade, I remember taking the Presidential Physical Fitness Test for the first time. It was not a stellar performance. I remember not really being too worried about the test. Most of the stuff was fairly easy, I'm 41 years old and I can still touch my toes. Back then, I could reach past them, so I aced the sit and reach test. All of the running based tests sucked but we played a lot of games so it wasn't too bad.

Then came the pull ups. Again I wasn't worried. Until Nathan Ludke, same grade, two years older than me, banged out 17 pull ups. From a dead hang. Our P.E. teacher, Mr. Terrell couldn't believe it. I think Nathan may have actually gotten more than 17 pullups but once he got past ten, Mr. Terrell kept looking around to see if anyone else was watching this amazing feat of strength.
Amazing feat of strength. I'll get back to that in a minute.

In the ninth grade, I remember being down in the locker room where we had an old Universal multi station with a leg press station. I remember getting on it and sliding the seat back until I only had about a two degree range of motion and I loaded up the weight. I kept adding weight until finally I had the entire stack on there and I gamely leg pressed it all two inches. Everyone was cheering for me as if I'd just done something great. Then our Phys Ed teacher came in and told us to get outside to play touch football inside the gym. He knew what had happened, but he didn't bat an eye.

Back to Nathan's amazing feat of strength. Without taking anything away from his accomplishment, I think it was disgraceful that the rest of us struggled to pull our chins over the pull up bar more than once or twice. Nathan was the only kid in the sixth grade with visible abs. He wasn't the fastest kid but he was always near the front when we ran simply because the rest of us all dropped out after the first couple of laps.

Why do I think this is disgraceful? Because, we had in both cases, a supposedly knowledgeable adult whose job it was to improve our strength and conditioning. He didn't care enough about us or his job to actually help us get stronger. No one above him cared enough to make him actually teach us either.

For most of my life, I was smaller than the other kids. This was partly because I was two years younger, I graduated from high school at age 16, but my extremely thin frame also played a role. Not one of the adults I encountered, some of whom were muscular and had weight training experience, ever took me aside and did for me what Henry Rollins' teacher did for him. They let me drift along, desiring strength, but never finding out how to obtain it. They let me do a bogus leg press without ever taking me aside to teach me how to actually use the machine. That Universal multi station was never used in our P.E. classes. We'd do pushups and situps then move on to what we were supposed to do in P.E., play tag or touch football, form teams for basketball or dodge ball. P.E. was a time for playing games where those of us who were weaker, slower and less athletic were always picked last. Where the team captains were always the same athletic kids. Because of course that was a lot more important than taking those of us who were interested, off to the side and giving us exercise routines to help us close the gap. Maybe they were concerned that we'd stunt our growth if we lifted weights. That nonsense was around by then. But I think they just couldn't be bothered.

I've mentioned that I wish I could take a time machine back to beat myself up in the summer between tenth and eleventh grade when my uncles introduced me to weights but I gave up as soon as they returned to college. I still want to do that. But my second trip would be to the P.E. teachers, football and wrestling coaches who all walked past me in the hallway, who ignored my struggling in class because they couldn't be bothered. I don't want to hit them. I just want to ask them one question:

"If you're not going to improve the lives of the kids you teach, why are you even here?"

GunRock
05-07-15, 9:19 pm
I'm a fan of Mark Dugdale. I respect his grind and his lifestyle. His most recent DVD, "Legacy" is in constant rotation at my house, I've used it to spark discussions with my sons and the kids I train.

I recently had an email exchange with him that led to me reading his most recent article for EliteFTS.com "Masculinity and the Growth of a Man. It's definitely worth the read. Here are some of my favorite quotes from it.

"Men are inclined to produce, while boys are inclined to consume."

"I anticipate one day walking each of my three daughters down an aisle. I’m scared to death of giving them to a boy who can shave instead of to a man."

"a male who refuses to work and produce something meaningful creates all sorts of problems primarily because it means someone else needs to shoulder his load."

"Boys plan for the weekend and men plan for the next couple decades."

"Men don’t become proficient at something without practice, thus the reason it’s important to develop habits worthy of manhood while you’re young."


Good stuff and in line with the Animal lifestyle even if Mark doesn't make that claim. If you want to read the whole article which I highly encourage go here: http://www.elitefts.com/education/training/bodybuilding/masculinity-and-the-growth-of-a-man/

And if you don't get enough of my ramblings on here, you can read the blog post I did after reading Mark's article. It's called "The Batcave Is Manlier Than The Fortress of Solitude". You can check that out here: http://www.thejourneydallas.org/the-bat-cave-is-manlier-than-the-fortress-of-solitude/