View Full Version : Inner Awakening
Everyone is doubting at me. I HAVE TO FINISH THIS SET. Prove them wrong. I do NOT want to be like them. Fuck this burns. Tris are lit on fire. 3 more and ill be happy. Everything is quiet as it comes down. UP UP UP UP AHHHHH. 2 left.. dont be a pussy, lets go. Breathe in... down slowly, touch lightly..now UP UP UP UP.. fuck. One more. Thats it. Ya, tris are already pumped. Pumped like they are going to blow the fuck off the back of my arm. It doesnt matter. I said 9 for this set and im at 8. IM NOT FINISHED. Slowly lower the bar... it feels like any second this e-z bar will just drop and crack my forehead open. I can feel their eyes burning into me. They know im not done with the set. Everyone wants me to fail. A strange feeling comes over me. Somewhere, something changes. MY grip tightens. My senses are heightened. The bar becomes lighter. It is like someone is helping me. HE is awake. The inner ANIMAL. He wants to come out. He wants to take over me. He wants to become everything i am andremind me I am not him yet. He is inside of me. Only awake when I rise up, break a barrier, truely choose to be something better, give myself a trial by fire. This weight should crush me now but HE and I wont let it. For a moment, we are one. I am better than i just was. On the level i seek every day in the gym. On His level. He lifts me to a level just above where i am. The last 3 reps felt as if it was just the bar again. We drop the weight behind my head. As I sit up i know he is gone. I recapture my own body. He is not far from the surface but back inside me, where only i know he lies. As i look around i know that nobody else knew he was there. They only saw a set of nine go to a set of twelve. I know he is not far. In the mirror i can see my own eyes. He lurks within them. He is looking at me and i can see him. He is waiting for the call. Waiting for me to need him. Waiting to put me in my place. We smile at each other. As i grab a half pie i can hear a laugh. But nobody in the gym is laughing. His eyes in the mirror say it all. Here i come bro.....here i come.
Berserker
01-19-07, 10:07 am
Beautiful.
Gotta love that feeling when you push yourself beyond the limits and realize nothing is impossible. Way to train hard bro
Wasteland
01-19-07, 1:39 pm
Nice brother. Ought to turn this thread into your personal log and continue sharing...
Sitting down next to the power rack. One more set to go. Not going crazy. 4 pies a side. Getting nice and deep. Flexing my legs outstretched. Hurts but its a good pain. New song comes on, Edges entrance music ( still a huge WWE fan). Mind wanders.. royal rumble was last week, undertaker won, hes goin to wrestlemaina. Dude gets older and gets bigger. he knocked the shit outta Sean Michaels. Cena wont lose to anyone, it doesnt matter who won. Hes a goon. HOW THE FUCK IS THIS GOING TO HELP US SQUAT. My eyes shoot open. Shit, now hes awake and pissed. Your right i tell him, ashamed. OF COURSE IM RIGHT NOW MOVE THIS FUCKING WEIGHT. EVERY SECOND YOU WASTE IS ANOTHER SECOND WE'RE FURTHER FROM BEING BETTER. LOOK AT THE KID DOING SMITH BENCHING AND TALKING TO A GIRL 15 FEET AWAY AT THE SAME TIME. YOU WANNA BE HIM? FUCK NO BE A ANIMAL LIKE ME. GET YOUR ASS MOVING. STOP WASTING OUR FUCKING TIME.
My mind isnt wandering anymore. Focus, determination, even fucking anger take over. A set of 6 turned to a set of 9. Almost didnt come up on the last one. Took abuot 10 seconds. No way i wasnt getting it. He is helping me now.
The rest of leg day is like a war. A pre-won war. We destroy every excercise. Walking out of the gym it all caught up. legs shaking, knees buckling. Finally i fall into my car. Turn it over and Egdes entrance music is playin ( love the fucking song.. metalingus by alter bridge.. check it out is unreal). I wait for him to chime in about it. Talk more shit.....................Nothing. He is gone now. Back inside, waiting. As i pull out of the gym, Im excited to wake him up. Tomorrow is back day. Ill wake him the fuck up alright. Tomorrow, its on....
Strong workout bro, I'm a huge wrestling fan also. Very glad to see Taker finally hope the RR and hopefully he'll become the WWE champion one last time.
You're writing straight up inspiration. Keep writing brotha so I can keep reading. Peace
Shit, that's his new theme song? I used to LOVE wrestling but I haven't watched any in a while, I'm a big fan of Alter Bridge though. Nice logs by the way
Sweat is pouring down my face. "DONT MAKE ME SHOW YOU UP" Hair covering my eyes. Straps hanging from my tired, bleeding, calloused hands. We save deads for last. The only room to do deads is right in front of all the bikes and treads. "THEY WILL WATCH YOU FAIL. I WONT HELP YOU MOTHERFUCKER ". They are afraid to make eye contact. Even though they act like they can't see us, they do. Walking all the way across the floor with a pie in each hand. They slow slightly asking themselves and each other "Why?" "THIS IS TOO HEAVY. YOU ARE NOTHING".
Veins crawl like worms after the rain. We are the lone cloud in their bright, sunny, beautiful day. Something for them to snicker and complain about as they warm up for spinning class. We fucking love it. They work off last nights booze and pizza. Hungover and tired. We are working on 9 hours sleep and a fire inside that burns like the sun itself. We MUST become something better.
As I strap in i can hear him...."MAKE THEIR JAWS DROP. SCARE THEM. DONT MAKE ME LIFT THIS WITH YOU."
It feels light. I stand up. Everyone gawks. Up again. They cannot look away now. Up. "This is rediculous" they think. UP UP UP UP. "He is going to bend that bar and RUIN it". As the weight drops to the floor they go back to their targer heart rate.
I slowly strip the bar. They can act like they live in a hallmark card now. We are out of their line of sight. Just something for them to forget about. We walk out quietly. A silent agreement among us. We showed them. Shit, We improved on US.
At the same time i glance to a mirror next to the door and think "I showed you"
Ususally, lifting at 3 am means silence. Only sounds are the ones in my headphones. Everything is still. Only movements are my weights. The gym is my world. Nobody is there to bother me or interrupt me. Im totally alone. Shit, half the time the guy workin the desk is asleep and never knew i was there. I like it like that. Its something i can count on. It turns from Golds to Goodys for the night.
Not Tonight.
His mouth is moving, and I can feel him looking at me. He is the only cloud in front of my full moon on a clear night. The fly at the beach. He actually thinks i can hear him right now. Does he not see that im mid set? Or does he not care? Fuck him, im not stopping a good set to entertain this moron.
After my set is done and my breathing normal, I take off the headphones and shoot him a look. He is looking at me waiting for an answer of some sort. "Couldn't you hear me?" he says. "Anyways, im a bodybuilder and i competed and I'm gonna compete again. Have you competed? Do you want to? Are you a powerlifter? Why do you lift at 3 am?"
I look him head to toe slowly. I only say one word. "respect". He looks at me confused. He doesnt move. He did not get the message i was trying to send him politely. As he opens his mouth to waste more of my time i say not so politely "Respect the fact that im lifting. If i wanted to talk to you, I would be." As he scurries away, he is talking quietly. No doubt talking some shit about me just quiet enough for me to not make out. Fuck it, Goodbye fly. Clear skies again. Back to work.
Made me think. To all of you who are in the gym and have a level of respect most of the people at this forum carry themselves with, Thank you. I have more respect for the guy who keeps his mouth shut and lets his body do the talking than the guy who thinks hes at a social club, tellin everyone how strong or good he is. Lets all have some respect for each other in the gym.
We dont have an "injured reserve". In other sports, athletes can take days off here and there because they are "fatigued", have "flu-like symptoms", random blisters, pulls, and are just generally sore and tired. Rain can delay or evencancell some sports. Snow too. They are only pro athletes on days that conditions align with being a pro athlete. One good season can mean the payday that sets them for life. Paychecks that they cannot spend the interest on fast enough. Games are about every day. Bad day today.. oh well just make up for it tomorrow. Or the day after. No bid deal. Its a long season bad slumps happen.
Lets talk about our sport for a minute.
Injured Reserve? Ya fuckin right. If you arent sore or in some type of pain, you aint goin hard enough. You either get your ass to the gym and gut it out, or you do not become better. Blisters? I lose count. Forget i have them most of the time. Flu-like symptoms? Shit, the flu and about 8 inches of fresh snow tried keeping me outta the gym tonight. There was no meeting of refs at mid field or umpires behind the plate to decide of I should lift or just stay home. I got my ass up, drove through the snow, hacked and coughed through the whole workout but I fucking got it done. Our pros? Day after day. No days off. 24/7 your a pro bodybuilder. Take a day off or go into a slump, and your out of fucking work. The paycheck? IF you earn one, covers gym dues, and maybe part of your supplements for the year. You win on a day, you get paid. If not, get back to fucking work.
Steinbrenner says his players need to "Earn their stripes." To him that is a clutch hit, a big catch, basically shining in one game. We earn our stripes after years of grinding it out. There is no glory, no plug on sportscenter. 99 percent of the people in the USA couldnt tell you who won the Olympia or the AC. Probably not even what they are.
What Im trying to say is, forget the glory. There is no such thing as a shining day. You either win the Stanley Cup, or go home. We only get a handful of "games" a year.
If this isnt music to your ears. Go play basketball or football. This isnt a normal sport, therefor, normal people will not suceed.
Some friends from my bar are begging me to go out with them instead of doing arms. 2 girls ive gotten to know. 2 real lookers. The kind of girls you want to walk into a bar with so everyone says "Wow hes doing something right". Ive known them a while, they always bust my balls about being a "musclehead". "You dont need to get any bigger" they say. "Girls wont like it. Its only one night. Come on you can go lift tomorrow. A few drinks wont hurt. Come on.." etc. etc. etc. Now a few of the guys in the bar are noticing them hassle me. Giving me the look like "what is wrong with you. GO OUT WITH THEM." I just smile and look away.
They just dont get it. I dont expect them to either. Its an argument us animals will never win. No a few drinks wouldnt hurt. Ive been wanting to go out for a few for a week now. Shit id probably have a great time tonight. They are fun people to hang out with. Plus, Id feel like Dirk Digler for the night goin out with these 2.
That however, would put me a day behind. A few hours in a bar or another club would not help me Another workout and a few meals further from where i want to be. If it were a day off from liftin.. id go. But its not.. so im taking a rain check. Much to their dismay.
Now one of them says to me "Why dont you start living instead of lifting."
She could not have asked a more perfect question.
With a smile i reply... "Because to me, lifting is living."
I really love what you write....we need to share...we need to tell each other what we feel in the gym...how we make it through another workout...how we deal with the pain. I feel the pain...I live for the burn...for the one more rep....for the feeling of being just about the oldest fucker in the gym...and out lifting the trainers....growing more than the 20 year olds....hitting it harder than the teens. We refuse to step down...we hate to quit...there is no easy way out...nor shortcut home here....its all about feeling the pain. Now I sit here at 1 am in N. California...its another cold foggy night..but my body burns from the workout yesterday...3/4 dead lifted 585lbs 3 times..broke my strap on one hand...felt like my hart was going to explode and I was going to pass out...but I survived....and stood there looking at 12 plates bending the bar...and the onlookers just shook their heads...and asked me....how the fuck does an old guy do this....and I say its simple.....you just make up your mind to do it...move the bar in your mind first...then connect...and move it with your body. I also tell them...I moved this in my mind all day...I knew I was going to do this...visualized this lift over and over. Yes...Im 53...back after a 23 year lay off and now after 8 months in the gym...I live...I feel the pain...and my much younger girlfriend looks at me....holds me in her arms....looks into my eyes and tells me...what she feels and sees is a much younger man...a younger spirit....a human that does what she never expected from me....but supports what I do...loves what it has done to my body...and how it makes her feel when she sees men her age..out of shape....lazy...and gave up on being in shape....and they are are her age....in the late 20's.... thats right...this animal is here to stay....strong and willing to feel the pain....and...never give up......
goody19
02-19-07, 12:35 am
Every day, i look for something to be my motivation. Sometimes before i get to the gym, sometimes before a big set, sometimes before work if i dont really feel into it. I'll think.. im dedicating this set to the clown who has been here for an hour and hasnt done a set yet. Sometimes its to the people who arent lucky enough to be in this game and know its rewards.
The person who got me hooked on the iron, was Trainer Dave. He was one of the trainers at the gym i went to. I guess he saw some potential in me, maybe my drive or something i still dont know i have. Anyways.. of all the kids who lifted at the gym, he asked me to train with him. He was the first animal i met. For a year, we never missed. 5 days a week. Pushing and teaching. 12 months after we met, I am proud to say I had become an animal. Lifting was life and we were a team. It was everything we lived and breathed.
Well, then he got married. Then his job changed. Then I was lifting alone. His life had changed so much he wasn't an animal anymore. Just a guy who would lift when he could. I wished him the best, and told him what he would have told me. Sorry but i gotta keep my pace... and you just cant keep up bro.
This morning im coming out of a Dunkin Donuts (for COFFEE) and who do i walk right into. Trainer Dave. A smaller, out of shape, person who i will only now call, Dave. We shot the shit for a minute. When i told him i think im gonna compete next summer, he just said "oh thats nice". We made our separate ways and i thought "He didnt have it in him to stay the road. He couldnt buckle down and just get it done. He quit. Something i vowed i would never do, My lifts, my meals, my competitions i hope to do, are all dedicated to him. Since he couldn't get it done, ill throw him on my back and keep marching.
Today I was gonna train at a normal hour. I tried to make some time and switch a few things around during the day so i could get to somewhat of a normal lifestyle. One not so noctournal. One thing ran into another and before i knew it, i was going on no sleep (so id be tired tonight and sleep from like 3 until hopefully 11am.) and starting a 6 hour shift at the bar WITHOUT training today. I wasnt happy with that, but at the same time i wasnt really pissed. Shit happens sometimes.
About half way through the night, some kids i graduated with made their way in the bar. One just turned 21, all fired up ready to drink the place dry. We hadnt seen each other in abuot a year, so we began catching up. When he asked me if i had competed yet and i told him i plan to, i felt sick to my stomach. Here i am saying i want to COMPETE, and I wasnt mad that i missed shoulder day? What the fuck was I saying. Then he goes on to tell me his band is about to sign a small record deal. He and 3 friends just quit school and their jobs to travel the country to follow their dream.
That was all it took. Here I am, missing a training session because i want to get to bed at a more normal hour? WHAT THE FUCK? This kid is leaving everything he knows, everything stable in his life and i act like I am chasing my dream too?
Right now its 2:30. I could easily fall asleep. Nope. Just took my pump. Already cooked 2 meals for when i get home from the gym. Fuck a "normal" lifestyle. Im waking the fuck up to follow my dream of the animal lifestyle.
Raff- Thanks for the wake up call buddy. Youll never know you gave it to me but fuck i wont forget it anytime soon.
Stay the path brothers.....
20 sets. If you cant get it done in 20 sets, cancell your membership on the way out. The whole way to the gym tonight i repeated this. 20 sets. 1 hour. Not a single minute or set over.
The past few back days, something has been off. Ive been going hard, grinding, but the pedal hasnt quite been to the floor. Tonight I had all the motivation in the world. Shitty day, bad weather, bullshit to deal with at work, typpical frustrations throwing out all the drunk people at the end of the night when im dead sober. I thought, if i dont leave the gym tonight spent, 100 percent DONE in 1 hour and after 20 sets, thats it. I picked 4 exercises. Went in this order
1. Deadlifts (5 sets)
2. Bent Barbell Rows (5)
3. Cutler Style T Bar Rows (5)
4. Dumbell Rows (5)
Deads were BRUTAL. 4th and 5th sets i stuck at 405, first time i got 6, second time only 4. Started with a good pump. Feeling good. On to barbell rows. After the 4th being still just inside my comfort zone with 275 for 6, i decided to kick shit up a notch. I traded perfect form in for 315. Best move i made all night. Stood a little more upright and had just the slightest movement of the waist. A set im still proud of. Buried 315 for 6. Now i felt like my lats were going to tear holes in the sides of my shirt. Quick swtich to the setup and i had 3 plates on for T bars. By the 5th set, i had 6 plates on the bar and was FIGHTING with every fiber in my back to pull the shit up. After 4 and a half reps, i had reached failure. Not the failure when you decide.. wow im pretty tired i better put this down, the failure where you have the weight 4 inches from the top for about 10 seconds, veins jumping out of veins red faced and suddenly, CRASH... the set is over. 35 minutes in and 15 sets down, i was running on fumes. My back felt like there was a airhose plugged into it. As i walked to the dumbell rack, i stopped from my typpical upward pyramid from 100's to the 150's. I rolled the big motherfucker out for set 1. 7 with each arm. Set 2... feeling slightly woozy, got 6 left and 5 and a half right. Set 3 was a war. 4 with each. Now i was ready to pass the fuck out. 4th set was a carbon copy. 4 a piece. quick glance at the clock... 12 minutes left. Fuck ya. 1 set left. Then i did something i have never done to finish. Instead of doing the normal reps, I held the DB at the top of the rep, right at my side and just held the fucker there. Did the same with each arm. Gravity eventually proved to be a greater force and pulled the things back to the floor, but not till abuot a 10 or 12 second stretch.
Lets just say i didnt cancel the membership. As i sat there, i felt my back fill. It was the most amazing pump i have ever had. I could feel my last all the way down to my waist and fighting for space with my tris. I was in awe. I think for about 3 minutes, i could have beaten Jay or Big Ron in a lat spread.
I think i found myself a new back workout....
Tonight, while i was workin, i met a fuckin beauty. His name is Tan Lines. No joke thats what he was introduced to me as. Tan Lines. A good buddy of mine intorduced me to him. Met him on some job site somewhere. Anyways. Tan Lines loves gettin wasted, and since he was in a bar he wasted no time in getting after it. About an hour after I first met him, he was leaning on the bar so he didnt fall telling rediculous stories to anybody who would listen. I walked by with my shake mixer in hand he stopped rambling and just looked at me. He pulled me aside and i swear on my life this is how the conversation went. (he was SMASHED)
TL " Your big"
Me "Thanks, still a work in progress though."
TL "You know your doing to die at some point right, you arent goin to live forever. You arent invincible."
Me "Ya i know tan lines, kinda creepy topic of conversation though ya?"
TL "I was the skinny kid. Used to get beat up alot. One day my old man said to me 'Son, your gonna die someday.. before thay day comes, dont you
wanna be the big guy, just once, and know how that feels'. So i got big. When i was your age. Long time ago. Keep getting big man. I know people dont get it. And just cause im drunk now and fat and old, doesnt mean SHIT. I was there once. Keep at it kid. Being big is fucking awesome."
Tan lines just got a spot next to dave i posted about earier.. someone who isnt on the path anymore but im gonna carry with me up the mountain.
Tomorrow im throwin on an extra set for Tan Lines.
Protein bombs... earth shaking, ear rattling, causing everyone around to pinch their nose and let out a sound that assures you that whatever just crept from your ass smelled like last weeks rotten food.
Stretch Marks.... signs of growth; ugly dis-colored lines that crawl along the skin and make everone who sees them have a painful look on their face. girlfriends say they are gross. "normals" agree. they look like old stab wounds.
Wardrobe... this seasons "in fashion" hahaha ya right. the latest abercrombie shirts that are "XL", but wouldnt fit anyone who ever looked at a dumbell... not anymore. All those clothes in the bottom drawer yuo forgot abuot over the last year... charity. Sweatshirts, sweatpants, and basically "uncool" threads always fit perfectly.
Expenses.... liquor store runs? going to the mall to blow some cash? try the local supplment store. figuring your accounts in your head wondering of you can grab that bonus supplement you treat yourself to once in a while. then stop at the butcher. "To be as big as a horse, you cant eat like a bird" - Lee Haney. Ever try buying food for a horse? woops.. looks like your already almost overdrawn.. fill the tank on the car and its wait till next paycheck.
Social life.... sure, while im working. Maybe while im waiting for my shake. With Jay, the kid who works at the supp. store down the block every 3d week. Want a new girlfriend? Try finding one down with the lifestyle. My boys, every day about our lifts, and when we go out for grub and watchin WWE. The only line i use in the gym "wanna watch me on this one?. Shit, arent I popular.
It sure aint a pretty lifestyle, but its fucking beautiful to me....
People cant just throw on some sweats and go workout at any random hour. They have to be at the gym at the same time as everyone else. So they are seen there. They have to do the hot new spinning or cardio class or, the worst... the "kickboxing" class just because, well, eveyone else is doing it. People even need to get the top of the line, sweat repellant, air resistant magical spinning suits that cut down air flow because we all know how important aerodynamics are when your riding a bike THAT DOESNT EVEN FUCKING MOVE. Lifting gloves are a must because they cannot have any blisters on their hands from playing grabass with their exercise balls and 7.5 pound dumbells. I got an ipod. The cheap one. Holds like 50 songs. Im not cool though, because mine doesnt play videos and get radio stations and go on the internet and help launch a motherfucking spaceship like everyone elses though. Shit, im not that "cool". I guess my smelly, ripped hoodie isnt cool either. Or the way i wear it over my eyes. Oh well. My cutoff sweatpants? Not real aerodynamic.. thats ok. Dont need that for squatting. Lifting gloves? Nope. Some lifters like em, not me. I love my callouses. I lift at 3 am too. In my eyes, and correct me if im wrong please, it doesnt matter who sees your presence at the gym, if you DONT LOOK LIKE YOUVE EVER STEPPED A FUCKING FOOT INSIDE OF A GYM BEFORE. Ill let people make that realization off my physique.
CatalinB
03-02-07, 8:36 am
Good job my brother, keep it up and pump the shit out of those motherfucking weights...
Defy gravity dawg, every time.
As i walked down the ramp to the gym floor today, I walked into a sea of morons. Its the last week before spring break, and it was arms and chest all over the place. Kids standing a dozen deep watching their friends try to max out, cause like we all know, that is the secret to getting in sick shape in a week. Max out every day. Anyways, today was supposed to be shoulders, but that would have involved fighting my way through this sea of morons and dealing with them stealing dumbells, benches, the whole 9 that goes along with kids who have no gym respect. As i glance over to the far wall, well what would you know.. none of these kids were near the leg area. Leg day it is.
Bout half way through, I was doin stiff leg deads. Hard and heavy. About a dozen morons are right next to me doing "curls". Sleeveless shirts with their spaghetti arms hanging out. Using their back, legs, eveything they have to get up a weight they have no business even looking at, then slamming like they accomplished something. Im on my 5th set. 335. I can feel the sound im making. Im not doing it intentionally, but for fucks sake this is heavy. Its a deep, throaty, growl. These kids are looking at me like they are at a zoo. Hood over the head, Veins bulging out of my head and neck, sweat dripping down from my hair over my eyes. Music is so loud in the 'phones they can hear it. Disturbed, Dropping Plates... lyrics are fucking unreal. So i take disturbeds advise and decide to do a 5 step drop set. 5 reps with 335 right to 3 with 315, stumbling off the platform i notice they are all staring quietly. Like they are seeing something they dont want to, but cant look away. Down to 225. Full stretch, stomach is rumbling now. These kids are looking at me with their arms crossed like im the one who doesnt belong in the gym. Buried 6 then dropped again to 185. After a few seconds of deep breaths i grab the fucking bar again. Fight it for 5. Stomach is not happy. After i drop it to 135, i peel my sweatshirt. Eery vein in my arms it out. Forearms are pumped as fuck. Somehow i get another 5 and just abuot collapse after racking the bar. I slump down onto the platform and grab the trashcan.
As i wipe my mouth and spit out the remains of the shit i puked out, i look up. The morons are still staring. Now they are looking at me like im the one who fucked up their day. Like im out of place because I work my ass off. It kind of offended me. They come into my house and disrespect me. I got arms in 2 days and something tells me, they will again too. Cant wait to see what happens....
to be continued
Preston
03-07-07, 10:02 pm
I can relate to one part of your post. That whole throwing up, done that once, decline situps 25lb plate, dropped that shit, and before I could bend over, fucking through up all over my face. Nasty ass shit dawg, but man....had one hell of an ab workout.
Keep taking names dawg, make them resepct you, take nothing less.
Awesome fuckin logs bro, I'll be stopping by here and there
So today I walk down the ramp to the floor, i smile at the sea of morons. Im ready for them today. As i make my way to a bench for some close grip, i can see them snicker at me. Im not tan. Im pale as a irish guy in New England in march. I have long hair. Its not cut in the look of a ducks ass like theirs. All spikes even in the back. Im not wearing any designer clothes. Wow, what was i thinking coming to a gym like this. These kids are clearly going to show me what the gym is about. After all, they have mastered this lifestyle over the last week of lifting, and ive only been after it for about 4 years. After tris were done, straight bar curls were up. A few of the morons were milling around the curl bar I use ,again, cheating up weight they shouldnt even be thinking about. I do a set with just the bar to warm up, and over my headphones a kid says "Hey, i was about to use that". I smiled at my opportunity and said "why dont u just work in with me?" He agreed and to my delight told me "It might get too heavy for you at the end, im wicked strong."
After fighting back laughter, I threw on a couple 25s and started set 2. When he grabbed the bar, i was embarassed at his form, but wasnt going to say a word. He made the bed now he was going to sleep in it. Set 3 was a 35 on each side. Nice and steady for 9. He got 4 and I thought I was going to have to call a paramedic. After i upped it to a 45, i looked at him and said like a real asshole "It might be too heavy for you, you arent wicked strong." He didnt even wait for me to do my set, he grabbed the bar and did a "curl" that literally made me laugh. After he put it down, and looked at me like "Now you try it asshole", I threw on another 10 and did a nice set of 6. He was staring at me like he wanted to fight me. A few of his friends started in with "Ohhh man he showed you up hahahaha". HIS OWN FRIENDS. As i stripped the bar and grabbed my waterbottle, i told him "Dont worry, nobody at the beach will know what just happened, besides, you wont be here again till next years spring break is around the corner, dont be so hard on yourself nobody is gonna remember you." Again, his friends... "Ohhhh he owns you" "Your a pussy" "I coulda done that". I walked away with a smile ear to ear. I thought to myself "who ruined whose day now motherfucker.....
hahahahahahaha ohhh my fucking Lord, that's some good shit right there dude. Ok, when it comes to completely pwning someone, I'm damn sure you just owned. You sound like a fucking beast man, and I would love to lift with you man, but . . . .
"It might get too heavy for you at the end, im wicked strong."
-Preston
Joff the Beast
03-09-07, 12:45 pm
Bro I dont post often but I had to comment on your logs. You are a fucking animal man and you are an inspiration for me. You sure showed that little kid what an Animal is about. I guess he will respect you now when he shows up next year.
nice job man. i train at home so i find the stories fun to read about the bullshit going down at the gym. almost makes me wanna join one just for fun.almost.
goody19
03-12-07, 12:10 am
So i Finally made it to 300 tonight. Unreal movie. Definately worth the hype and the buildup. Loved it from start to finish. Got me real fired up. Cant wait for the gym tomorrow. Anyways, as im walking out of the theather into the lobby with my brother and one of my boys, im spacing out a bit not really paying attention to anything and BAM, me and a guy walked around a corner and bumped right into each other. Knocked me back a step and i realized i had collided with a rather large man. I looked up and saw the he too got knocked back a step. Automitic response of "Sorry guy" was about to come out until i realized who i had walked into. See the WWE is in town this weekend and i guess they had some time to go out and kill tonight. Batista had decided to check out 300 too and was walking into the theater i just left. "My bad big guy" he says. "No my fault Animal (his wwe nickname)". We trade a nod and walk in our separate directions. For me to knock back a 6'5 300 pounder even though he wasnt ready for itand for him to call me big guy... fuck ya. 300 pumped me up enough for lifting, but knowing the animal is in town and lifts at golds when he is here... tomorow wont come soon enough
Today was arm day. When i say was, i cringe. "was" really means "was supposed to be". Wake at 11. Late night at work means late to sleep means late to wake. Up and eating meal 1 at 11:15. Phone calls and orders and crap takes me until about 12. Walk out to the car and see the back tire is beyond flat. No idea where it happened, but on the way home last night it got sliced. Few more phone calls and i got a buddy taking me over to pick up an air pump. Ill save you the rest of the sob story and the bitching and moaning and get to the meat of why im writing. I fucked up. Didnt do arms. Didnt lift. Shit got piled up against me and i didnt do what it took. I dont know how or what, but somewhere in the day there is something i could have done to get there and lift. Something could have been pushed aside instead of arms. Id like to think im an animal. I post things that i hope motivate a person or 2 who read them. Just wanted to say sorry. Leaders lead by example. Wont happen again.
bleed_alone
03-16-07, 10:07 pm
I just sat my ass down and read your whole log so far. Hits home, I can relate. I really respect your attitude towards all this shit. And the spring break tough guys, I've had my fair share of shit from them. "Who ruined who's day now, motherfucker." Classic.
On a more serious note:
You have a true understanding of what this life is all fucking about man. This life, your life, our life, my life. I know you're going to fucking punish yourself to hell for that missed arm day, because it's happened to all of us. It's happened to me. This is what makes the difference between animal and human. We will be crushed, we will be beaten, we will tear ourselves to fucking shreds. Our faces will be shoved in the dirt.
But we will stand right back the fuck up. Stronger, smarter, and WAY fuckin' harder.
RESPECT.
digitalbeast
03-19-07, 1:13 pm
I completely agree with the above poster. This log is definitly inspiring. Its funny how much BS we as lifters have to deal with at the gym. Its so annoying to have someone get in the way when we are "doing work" if you will. I cant tell you how many times someone has screwed up my supersetting routine.
The gym that I am at right now is awsome. I am at a Powerhouse that barely anyone goes to and there are not a bunch of cardio freaks or springbreakers that come in. The skinny abercrombie wearin kids wouldnt dare to try to make a scene in my gym due to the amount of regulars and serious lifters that are there.
Keep up the good work brother!
Im at a golds now. Its pretty good half the time. But the other half the time, it sucks. Id love someone to bring a powerhouse to my area. Or just a gym that is a home for animals. Dont get me wrong, i know everyone starts somewhere and nobody is born an animal, but it would be nice to be in a gym where we are the majority, and they are the minority.
T_N_Muscle
03-19-07, 3:39 pm
THE PASTOR'S ASS
The pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won. The pastor was so pleased that he entered it in the race again, and it won again.
The local paper read: PASTOR'S ASS OUT IN FRONT
The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the pastor not to enter the donkey in another race.
The next day, the local paper headline read: BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR'S ASS.
This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the pastor to get rid of the donkey. The pastor decided to give it to a nun in a nearby convent.
The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next
day: NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.
The bishop fainted. He informed the nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for $10.
The next day the paper read: NUN PEDDLES ASS FOR $10
This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild.
The next day the headlines read: NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE
The bishop was buried the next day.
The moral of the story is:
Being concerned about public opinion can bring you much grief and misery...and even shorten your life. So be yourself and enjoy life...
Stop worrying about everyone else's ass and you'll be a lot happier and live longer!
digitalbeast
03-19-07, 6:30 pm
THE PASTOR'S ASS
The pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won. The pastor was so pleased that he entered it in the race again, and it won again.
The local paper read: PASTOR'S ASS OUT IN FRONT
The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the pastor not to enter the donkey in another race.
The next day, the local paper headline read: BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR'S ASS.
This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the pastor to get rid of the donkey. The pastor decided to give it to a nun in a nearby convent.
The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next
day: NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.
The bishop fainted. He informed the nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for $10.
The next day the paper read: NUN PEDDLES ASS FOR $10
This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild.
The next day the headlines read: NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE
The bishop was buried the next day.
The moral of the story is:
Being concerned about public opinion can bring you much grief and misery...and even shorten your life. So be yourself and enjoy life...
Stop worrying about everyone else's ass and you'll be a lot happier and live longer!
LOL good post bro. Its the truth, not just in bodybuilding but in anything in life. I used to care what people thought of me...and honestly I got walked all over because of it. Not anymore, I have molded myself into someone that is making a mark in life...my mark not anyone elses.
Praetor
03-19-07, 11:28 pm
Its the greatest feeling in the world, I know what you mean brother, sometimes it talks to me, the voice husky and deep...
T_N_Muscle
03-19-07, 11:31 pm
LOL good post bro. Its the truth, not just in bodybuilding but in anything in life. I used to care what people thought of me...and honestly I got walked all over because of it. Not anymore, I have molded myself into someone that is making a mark in life...my mark not anyone elses.
I AM 100% FEMALE THANK YOU, LOLOL
Agreed. If you care what other people think of you, yuo are definately in the wrong sport. This lifestyle isnt mainstream. Its not accepted by most and its understood by even fewer. Gotta love it though
Every animal was once small and clueless. Every single one of us. I understand that and totally respect the people in this lifestyle who havent been on the grind as long as i have. I also know that some levels of gym respect are too much to ask for from beginners, but today i witnessed something that made my fucking blood boil. The bench i was using for some db shoulder presses was at the other end of the rack from my weights. After picking up the 90's and making my way half way to my bench, i see from the corner of my eye a bright orange t-shirt coming at me at eye level. See, a kid who looked about 17 and anemic came running down the ramp onto the floor, jumped to grab a pullup bar and swing through the rack like it was a motherfucking jungle gym. Only the moron didnt see me walking by with 180 pounds of metal in my hands first..... WHAM. One db drops and almost takes my foot off and the other lands on its side and bounces and rolls away. The kid crashed off me into a bench and got leveled. Now it wasnt my usual time and the gym was empty. It was PACKED. I dont know where he got the room to pull his little fucking circus stunt, but somehow i became his landing pad. I got up and walked away slowly. Thinking about happy things. It took everything in me not to pin him down and pummel him. I dont care how green someone is to The Life, A move like this is rediculous. The kid is 17 and he belongs in fucking day care.
Anybody else ever run into a horrible example of someone being a moron in the gym? Not the typpical not racking the weight or stealing your bench, but a real moment of shining douchebagness?
So I woke up 3 days ago and the left side of my lower back, from waist to about 6 inches above waistline is FUCKED UP. From right off the spine to a few inches to my side. If im facing dead ahead, no problem at all. Bend a bit at the waist, and I have a serious shooting pain. Locks me up and i cant move really. Havent done anything stupid in the gym to cause it, and havent had bad form on a lift that would cause it. Advil and normal painkillers dont really work. I heat it up, but that doesnt do much either. I have a friend who is gonna toss me a SOMA, a muscle relaxer. Hoping that will help out on my off day. I can still lift, but not very well. This has happened to me once in the past. Again, not sure why it happened then but it just went away after a few days. Im hoping its not serious, and I doubt it is because Ive never really been injured ( I dont believe in jinxing so i aint knockin on wood). Wondering if anybody else has had something like this happen and how you treated it.
SpecialBlend
04-04-07, 2:07 am
Good fucking posts goody, very inspirational cannot wait to hear more
Back Is Fine Pullin More Weight Than Before And Fired Up About It Woooooo.
Saturday night i close the bar and get a call from 2 of my boys. Real big party goin on at a house a block away from mine. Sunday being my day off, I decide to head over. As the party winds down, one of my boys gets into a "just for fun" wrestling match. Since my boy and the other kid were shitfaced, it soon turned into a brawl. My buddy outweighs the other kid by about 80 and has screwed around with some mma training. Nothing serious but enough to know how to really hurt someone who isnt trained. Me and my other buddy quickly jump in and pull him off. These kids are friends and nobody wants a drunk scrap to end a friendship or for somebody to get hurt. It takes I think 7 of us to break them up ( My buddy is 6'5 255 and when he is mad it takes a person on each limb to pin him). After some rolling on the ground My fighing buddy grabs his shoulder and says "Dude, ER NOW"
Tomorrow he has surgery. They popped his shoulder back in that night no problem, but reattaching the ligaments he tore requires goin under the knife. Also at least 3 months off the iron before he can even THINK about extremely light weight.
Remember to use your head. You never know what decision might cause a lay-off from the iron. Decide if the risk is worth it.
I havent posted anything lately. I come here and sit down and think abuot things going on and whats happening but ive been coming up blank. Work has been kicking my ass lately. Usually I like work. Shit i own a bar. Whats not to like. Hang out with my friends, daytime free, on the rare occasion i choose to have a drink I just switch from a water to a silver bullet. Lately, work has been ugly. Its only been the nasty side of booze. The shit that reminds me that booze is just as much evil and poison as it is something to have fun with. I had to deal with a domestic dispute last week that spilled over into my parking lot as I was leaving at 3 am by myself. Getting him off her, fighting him (because now I was the target of his anger which i knew would happen, but hey better me than her) , and calling the cops at the same time was not the end to a week i wanted. Last night a kid fresh back from Iraq was smoking a cig outside and got into an argument, cop walking by told him to settle down and after who the fuck knows what happened the kid is under 3 cops getting arrested. Welcome home soldier. Not sayin the cops were wrong, but fuck, neither side wanted that as the result. Tonight a guy sneaks a beer outside and cops see it, so I have to go before the state and explain why I dont deserve to have my liscence to operate suspended. Thrown more people out in the last 3 weeks than i have working in bars for the last 3 years combined. And NOBODY just says "ok, ill leave, goodnight". Its always gotta be a battle. Just uglyness. None of the lets all have a drink and some good laughs. No easy nights out with people relaxing and minding their own business. Its all worn me out. These are just about a quarter of the incidents i remember off the top of my head this month that have combined to burn me out. Im hittin the iron harder than ever. I let it all out in the gym. Its my therapy. It all only makes me stronger. Every expierence in life teaches you something, its how you view it that matters. Im lookin at all this shit as a sign. This is where booze brings you. Sometimes its fun, and sometimes its ugly. Im thinkin about sellin the bar. Im sick of the baggage. I dont want to help people reach their lowest points anymore. I dont want to be the place they run to when they are getting bent and hurting themselves. I feel like im helping them destroy themselves. Every night that i had fun and the customers had a great time and everything went smooth combined does not make up for realizing that guy was drunk and hitting his girlfriend. Didnt start in my bar, but i sell the same booze that he drank. Id hate myself if a guy got hammered thanks to me and went home and did that. Im really thinking about getting into personal training or, if the bar sold, opening a gym of my own. Its a long shot, but so was opening my own bar at 21. I want to give people a reason to be happy, help them. Yup... time for a change
Armani43
04-21-07, 11:16 am
magnificent...'nuf said
feelthepain12
04-27-07, 10:57 pm
Great posts goody. Pretty inspirational I might add. Keep it up bro.
Its funny how things work sometimes. The bar sold. Turns out people were already intersted in buying it before i decided to sell it. As soon as i put word out, i had a buyer. The people offered more than i was gonna ask for too. Seems too good to be true. Fucking pumped. It was fun, but it ran its course. I couldnt take it anymore. Cousin has a gym opening in NJ in abuot 3 months. Its a planet fitness type place, but welcomes people like us too. No lights if you yell or any of that shit. Been talkin to him about movin down there and working with him for a while. Looks like it might happen. Get paid to be in a gym? Fuck ya. Even though it wouldn't be the gym I lift in most likely (unless there happen to be animals there. i feel at home in a nice zoo with animals all over the place) id still love to be in a gym all day. Ill post more about that as the time comes. Maybe lift with some people on here from NJ. Anyways for now, its back to eat lift sleep eat lift sleep eat lift sleep eat lift sleep.............. its good to be back on track
been a long time. just checked my last post... may 3. wow. fees like a lifetime ago. been a loooong 6 months brothers. although alot of things in my life changed, some for the better, some for worse, at the end of the day a 45 pound plate still weighed 45 pounds. i return to the forum a stronger, in and out. larger, my size and drive. and a little more determined to prove some people wrong. i got more motivation for every heavy set im gonna be coming across. ill save you the long of it and just say for now... its good to see ya again forum
justinbrown
11-15-07, 12:54 am
words cannot describe...how inspirational this is
amazing would be an understatement
please...for the love of god...keep writing man!
when i think of Animal...i think of shit like this
strength gets better week by week. the scale is misleading, but the mirror is showing me... clothes arent fitting well anymore. i catch my good friends sizing me up when they dont think ill catch them... its GOOD to be back on track
new goal
2009 NPC New Englands. time to get to work... more to follow
Hybridtheory2o
12-07-07, 8:02 am
Nice writing very inspirational. I like the good to be back on track thing because thats what I am currently doing. Reading stuff like this makes me remember why I love hitting the iron and how I can have fun other ways besides just boozing(even tho i made a dumb post bout it earlier and got tough love) But it also helped me I think because sometimes thats what you need.
little bit of inspiration, little bit of tough love goes a long way.
Makes me want to start a little i guess online journal you could call it? to kind of share my thoughts and views and let shit out to people that dont even know me but might listen
but yeh keep writing man
goody19
12-14-07, 10:54 am
Last year this time i was just getting to bed. work at my bar all night, lift after work, fall asleep around 9 am. Up at 4 in the afternoon and do it all again. Things have changed. I sit here now, at 10:50 am, 4 hours into my day already. Not an early start by some peoples opinions, but compared to what i used to do, its like being up at the crack of dawn. I get to work now at 10 and work till around 6. Still working for myself so i can decide when my day is done. Im working 7 days a week, but it doesnt feel like work. 45 minute commute home and its straight to the iron. Leave the gym, eat 2 more meals and its bedtime. Work is sitting in front of a computer in a 20' x 8' trailer in a mall parking lot. I look past my monitor and out my window at the mall and i see my space. 17,000 square feet. Its empty and cold today, but in 4 months it will be a gym. Now im pre-selling memberships. Not gonna lie, its a gym for the fitness crowd. Ill have a set of 120's, but its a chain i bought into, and i gotta follow a few rules. There isnt a grunt light or a meathead meter or any of that bullshit ive seen in a few places. Since im the owner i know for a fact that no animal will ever get the boot just cause little miss circuit workout complained about his veins. (not a dig to any of you female animals who read this, haha, just making a point). Im thinking that its gonna have to close early some night/ weekend day, so that a chapter of the ABC can gather and toss the weights around. Wtih our music playing, only us inside, nobody else to fuck things up or get in the way. It would probably not happen till late spring or summer, but if that is appealing to anybody let me know. Im not tellin ya where it is exactly, but its in western mass, easy to get to from NY, Ct, or Vt.
just got my new animal pak shirts in the mail... fucking FIRED up
there is a gym... 2 hours north of NYC. 2 hours west of Boston. 45 minuts east of Albany. It is my investment. My business. My gym. Home. I have spent more hours there in the last 6 months than at my house. Home is where you make it. I know every inch of the 16,000 sq/ft. I say hi as someone walks in at noon. I shoot the shit as Mr Smith leaves at dinnertime. I help rack the weights at 10 when we close. As i lock the door and tell everyone goodnight, I put on my music, stop, and think. This is MY gym. Empty. Machines inviting me. Calling for me. Challenging me. I could hear a pin drop. I hear my own voice echoing off the walls. "A man can do anything, as long as he decides to do it." There is no reason NOT to. Here i stand, 6'0. 215. In the last 6 months, i have lost about 25 pounds. I have fallen off the path. I have failed myself. Avoiding the animal staring me down from the other side of the mirror.
It is 10:10 pm. a Thursday. Arms. The music, at full volume, bounces off of the mirrors and echoes inside of me head. I can hear nothing but silence. I must climb the hill. Rep after rep. There is no reason to falter. The night beckons me. I must beat back failure. Achieve failure. At 5 am the gym will fill with soccer moms and business men. From 10 pm to midnight it is MINE. Becoming what i once was. Inching back.... I can see my past physique in the future.. and I will surpass my previous highs without remorse.. without hesitation.. here i come motherfucker.......
R.Bearse1
06-06-08, 3:58 am
Love the posts bro. I couldn't imagine the things I'd be doing with my own gym either. Lucky man. Keep 'em comin
Mischief
06-19-08, 12:31 am
subbed. holy fuck this is the best shit ever. dont ever stop bro