Why in the hell did I prep for 16 weeks?
Peaking... bodybuilding tips for the rest of us.
Just in time for that 4th of july pool party
here:
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
6/26/2006
If pressed, I'd say this is the exact day I became a bodybuilder-the
day I started dc training, keeping a logbook, and eating like an
altered beast.
Happy birthday to me!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
No Free Lunch
Recently I had some friends over to my condo, and they couldn't wait to see how I had arranged my plethora of Air Jordans in my closet space. I think I let them down because my collection simply isn't what it used to be.
My Nike Air Jordan Collection, at its peak.
The shoe game is crazy. With sites like Nike Talk, hypebeast, and others, the urban "street-wear" culture has really taken off. There are guys these days wearing Jordans who weren't even born to see him play, or never even played ball a day in their life. And in reality it's a manufactured exclusivity- something is hot because only 500 were made, or because Kanye was seen wearing it or because some blog said so. Like my post about the story of stuff, we were programmed to consume from an early age, and I too was engulfed by the need to out-do the next guy.
I used to be one of these hypebeasts (people who have an obssession to collect and flaunt uber-exclusive shoes, clothes, toys, hats whatever for the sake of impressing other fellow hypebeasts, video HERE:) Symptoms include: camping outside of shoe stores, Buying tons of shoes and never wearing em, fretting about someone stepping on shoes once you do wear em.
As I was taken under by this bodybuilding game, more and more I became less enamored with the scene.
My man Mike asked me once why I was losing interest, and I put it plainly-
"If it aint going to make my muscles bigger, I aint interested."
The thing with shoes is, no matter what there's always someone out there with a hook-up at Niketown that you don't have, or with mommy and daddy's money that you dont have, or with shifted priorities that you don't have that will always leave you outdone.
But not in bodybuilding.
No one can "hook me up" with muscle. There ain't no friends and family discount in this iron game. Every inch beyond medium, (now large, and onto extra large, which is a trip) is an hour spent in the gym, a bite of chicken, a swig of protein, a night of drinking foregone.
Hard work is the great equalizer.
I am who I am because I made it that way, because I built it. I'll let everyone outshop me, but I'll let no one work harder at the gym.
I feel better going to the mall in a wifebeater and sweats than I ever felt in a 50 dollar hat, 80 dollar shirt, 250 dollar denim and god knows how many dollar shoes. Don't get me wrong, I still got some heat when I step out on the scene, but if all else fails, I'm content with being the bigger dude.
That's winning.
My Nike Air Jordan Collection, at its peak.The shoe game is crazy. With sites like Nike Talk, hypebeast, and others, the urban "street-wear" culture has really taken off. There are guys these days wearing Jordans who weren't even born to see him play, or never even played ball a day in their life. And in reality it's a manufactured exclusivity- something is hot because only 500 were made, or because Kanye was seen wearing it or because some blog said so. Like my post about the story of stuff, we were programmed to consume from an early age, and I too was engulfed by the need to out-do the next guy.
I used to be one of these hypebeasts (people who have an obssession to collect and flaunt uber-exclusive shoes, clothes, toys, hats whatever for the sake of impressing other fellow hypebeasts, video HERE:) Symptoms include: camping outside of shoe stores, Buying tons of shoes and never wearing em, fretting about someone stepping on shoes once you do wear em.
As I was taken under by this bodybuilding game, more and more I became less enamored with the scene.
My man Mike asked me once why I was losing interest, and I put it plainly-
"If it aint going to make my muscles bigger, I aint interested."
The thing with shoes is, no matter what there's always someone out there with a hook-up at Niketown that you don't have, or with mommy and daddy's money that you dont have, or with shifted priorities that you don't have that will always leave you outdone.
But not in bodybuilding.
No one can "hook me up" with muscle. There ain't no friends and family discount in this iron game. Every inch beyond medium, (now large, and onto extra large, which is a trip) is an hour spent in the gym, a bite of chicken, a swig of protein, a night of drinking foregone.
Hard work is the great equalizer.
I am who I am because I made it that way, because I built it. I'll let everyone outshop me, but I'll let no one work harder at the gym.
I feel better going to the mall in a wifebeater and sweats than I ever felt in a 50 dollar hat, 80 dollar shirt, 250 dollar denim and god knows how many dollar shoes. Don't get me wrong, I still got some heat when I step out on the scene, but if all else fails, I'm content with being the bigger dude.
That's winning.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
I'm sorry
But my boyfriend will kill u.
-carrie when some random dude tried dancing with her on Saturday night.
Gorilla suit. Love it.
[RTY]
Friday, June 13, 2008
Japan's on to something...
Ya, call me ethnocentric or biased, but Japan's got it right!
In Japan it's damn near illegal to be out of shape! here:
"Those exceeding government limits — 33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women, which are identical to thresholds established in 2005 for Japan by the International Diabetes Federation as an easy guideline for identifying health risks — and having a weight-related ailment will be given dieting guidance if after three months they do not lose weight. If necessary, those people will be steered toward further re-education after six more months."
In Japan it's damn near illegal to be out of shape! here:
Thursday, June 12, 2008
How I Lost...
Ok, so you know I'm really big on winning
The japanese call it: kachikosu
Life is 5% what happens and 95% how you react so let me rephrase:
So
"here's how I lost"
is replaced with
"Here's how I almost won:"
Since some of my readers rather enjoyed the ins and outs of bodybuilding competition and its peculiarities, I thought I'd highlight what I believe were the deciding factors in me placing 2nd. For those of you who don't know, the dark dark dark dude on my left was the one who placed first, so I'll compare and contrast accordingly.
In this shot, I feel that darkman and I were pretty evenly matched- while my legs were bigger, his legs featured more deep "cuts," and separation. Had the judges valued size and sweep (development of the outer portion of my thighs,) it could have gone my way.
When we turn around, you see a couple things. First, in this shot you can see that my glutes have skin that creases, indicating there is likely some fat and or water, whereas his glutes are tighter, and perhaps some early indications of striations. Also, I have what is known as "high lats" (highlighted in green) where my latissimus dorsi aren't as developed as my competitor, as his appear to insert more towards the waist, and my appear to insert higher up. The high lats are a combination of genetics and inferior back development. Gotta bring sexy back!
Finally, I'm not conceding chest to everyone like I did in Fresno! But I must say that my competitor has 2 things on me in this shot. First, his delts appear to be more deeply defined, and 'drier,' and the cut between his quadriceps and hamstrings from the side is deeper and more separated.
All in all, I still can't complain, because I did go home with 3 trophies that night!
AND
I found a big pair of scissors, so next time I'll be extra cut!
The japanese call it: kachikosu
Life is 5% what happens and 95% how you react so let me rephrase:
So
"here's how I lost"
is replaced with
"Here's how I almost won:"
Since some of my readers rather enjoyed the ins and outs of bodybuilding competition and its peculiarities, I thought I'd highlight what I believe were the deciding factors in me placing 2nd. For those of you who don't know, the dark dark dark dude on my left was the one who placed first, so I'll compare and contrast accordingly.
In this shot, I feel that darkman and I were pretty evenly matched- while my legs were bigger, his legs featured more deep "cuts," and separation. Had the judges valued size and sweep (development of the outer portion of my thighs,) it could have gone my way.
When we turn around, you see a couple things. First, in this shot you can see that my glutes have skin that creases, indicating there is likely some fat and or water, whereas his glutes are tighter, and perhaps some early indications of striations. Also, I have what is known as "high lats" (highlighted in green) where my latissimus dorsi aren't as developed as my competitor, as his appear to insert more towards the waist, and my appear to insert higher up. The high lats are a combination of genetics and inferior back development. Gotta bring sexy back!
Finally, I'm not conceding chest to everyone like I did in Fresno! But I must say that my competitor has 2 things on me in this shot. First, his delts appear to be more deeply defined, and 'drier,' and the cut between his quadriceps and hamstrings from the side is deeper and more separated.All in all, I still can't complain, because I did go home with 3 trophies that night!
AND
I found a big pair of scissors, so next time I'll be extra cut!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Bodybuilding Works...
Yeah Yeah, bodybuilding can improve your life, health, mood etc...
But it helps at the dentist too...
Today I was at the dentist having some partial crowns installed that I'd been fitted for about 3 weeks ago. Basically an old filling had eroded, allowing a nice deep crevice to form underneath. Boy did drilling that out feel amazingly terrible!
But this time I was told no worries, the hard part was over, they just needed to plug n chug, put em in and glue em hard. Unfortunately the temporary fillings wanted to stay, as my mouth is apparently a fun place to be.
My professionally administered busted lip
The thing about the dentist is that you usually go 6-8 months between visits so you have plenty of time to forget of how painful it is. The fiasco of 3 weeks ago was fresh in my mind, so when she started digging in my skull, i was not pleased. The filling was in so hard she busted my lip, cut the roof of my mouth and i swore she was gonna rip me open like king kong did the T-Rex.
So how does Bodybuilding relate?
Well in the midst of this spine tingling pain, I had to take myself back a ways. Back to thoughts of the squat. If the brain is the source of the pain, turn off the brain, and voila, no pain!
I had to do something to manage the pain, so I literally began focusing my energy, envisioning myself doing squats and just like that, the pain was much more bearable. Actually, it was damn near gone. Wild.
But it helps at the dentist too...
Today I was at the dentist having some partial crowns installed that I'd been fitted for about 3 weeks ago. Basically an old filling had eroded, allowing a nice deep crevice to form underneath. Boy did drilling that out feel amazingly terrible!
But this time I was told no worries, the hard part was over, they just needed to plug n chug, put em in and glue em hard. Unfortunately the temporary fillings wanted to stay, as my mouth is apparently a fun place to be.
My professionally administered busted lipSo how does Bodybuilding relate?
Well in the midst of this spine tingling pain, I had to take myself back a ways. Back to thoughts of the squat. If the brain is the source of the pain, turn off the brain, and voila, no pain!
I had to do something to manage the pain, so I literally began focusing my energy, envisioning myself doing squats and just like that, the pain was much more bearable. Actually, it was damn near gone. Wild.
RTY Bday Photo Recap
It started with drinks with Michael
When Chuck Norris Gets Hungover, He Doesn't Throw Up, He Throws DownAKA
Anyone Can Piss on the Floor, but Chuck Norris can Shit on the Ceiling...
Then on Thursday, Dinner at Front Porch
I can't front on the front porch!
Too Much Chickeny Goodness!!!
It's a Nice Day for a White...Friday: Straits @ Santana Row/Kanye/NERD/Rihanna/Lupe Fiasco
Strait Delicious!
Water break during Rihanna's set
That chick stole my hat, and looks better in it!Saturday: Drinks at home and Dancing at Kitty's
Who shot ya?
Where my ladies at?
Look me in the eye when I'm talking to you!
Which eye? It doesnt matter!
John's Shirt was so Hood (maybe if it had a hood it wouldn't have happened?)
Lemme smell your face
(Smells good)
Who shot ya?
Where my ladies at?
Look me in the eye when I'm talking to you!Which eye? It doesnt matter!
John's Shirt was so Hood (maybe if it had a hood it wouldn't have happened?)
Lemme smell your face(Smells good)
Monday, June 9, 2008
So hardcore...
I was on BART last week thinking I was hardcore while cruising with my
ball and chain when I look over at this lady who has this rollie thing
filled with plastic bags.
I look a lil closer and the bags are all sporadically moving and shaking.
Something was alive in there. It sorta freaked me out (enough to snap a pic of it.)
This lady is hardcore and likes her protein fresh!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Day of the Birth
On June 5 1981 at 9:43 AM
Somehow This:
Became This:
and then later, somehow this:
Became This:
happy birthday to me!
Grow Forth!
Somehow This:
Became This:
and then later, somehow this:
Became This:
happy birthday to me!
Grow Forth!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Get Smart For Free
iTunes has a feature called iTunesU, where you can search thousands of archived lectures from such prestigious Universities as, say, UC Berkeley...
Being the nerd that I am I was strolling down memory lane, as I took a course with the world renowned Marian C. Diamond (who gained notoriety for studying Einsteins Brain. Literally looking at that dude's grey matter.) I took her class in the fall of some year that I probably wasted being drunk- I'm not gonna front like I was some whiz-kid who aced all his classes, I was a mediocre student, butI always liked learning when I didn't have to, and on this fine evening there were no quizzes, no tests, nothing of the sort!
At about 8:45 of her Muscular System 2 Lecture, she is quoted:
"In bodybuilders, you see what we call tendinous inscriptions going across the muscle mass like this... IN most of us you dont see them, but in bodybuilders they have strengthened them so, that you can see these inscriptions, just to show what extreme use of them can do!"I was amped because that is the hugest shout out from one of the world's foremost experts on the human body. Bodybuilders rejoice!
On a funnier note, she refers to the Linnea Alba at about 10:50. Then goes on to say,
"Could you believe it? I had a student in class once who was called the Linnea Alba, I never had to ask if the parents were anatomists- why that was used, I dont know... "
I actually knew Linnea, she was really sweet and stayed in my dorm, LOL!
3 of these things bit me today
A lot of superheroes get their start this way- get bit by an animal and they wake up the next day with superhuman powers.
Stay tuned: I got legs tomorrow, if I set all new records, I can thank him.
If not, I need a new job.
Stay tuned: I got legs tomorrow, if I set all new records, I can thank him.
If not, I need a new job.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
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