The importance of a spotter/workout partner

I think it's very important to have a spotter when you're in the gym and want to get great results FASTER and SAFER.

It helps if you have a spotter who knows what he's doing and is a good mental supporter also.

With a spotter you get:
- safer workout
- more intense workout
- negative reps
- boosted motivation and get more reps/weight into a set because you don't want to dissapoint your spotter ;)
- you can increase the weights knowing your spotter will be there for you

I really wish having a training partner who thinks like I think. I think I could get one but it's the timing for the workouts that is very hard to coordinate. Most of my workouts are without a workout partner and for the time being it's going well. BUT.. yesterday I had a leg day and my buddy "Blade" stepped it on my last leg press set. Well I'll just say that he brought a new dimension to that last set ;). It became a not planned/flaming drop set.

I recommend checking out my buddy's Youtube channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/EggsRiceNuts.

Let's just say that after 12 sets of squats, 6 sets of leg extensions, 4 sets of leg presses this last drop set was a bitch!

Oh.. I broke my PB on Squats.. first from 8x140kg -> 10x140kg and then 5x160kg. The form wasn't 100% and I guess I could go lower but didn't want to risk a back injury. Only 12h before Leg workout I had a back workout with deadlifts so my lower back was already in pain and quite tired.

This is it.. 10x140kg Squat... 

 

BTW:. happy Halloween .. here's a clip that my buddy Blade made ;)...

Finally feeling better

Sunday... Leg workout. New PB - leg extension - 6x139kg. My quads are staring to shape up.

I'm almost at 100%.. Not quite there yet but am getting there pretty fast.
On Wednesday I had chest/biceps workout. I felt the toll that being sick left on me. I did my PB on bench press - 5x110kg. I thought I will do at least 120 but the strength just wasn't there.

My chest/biceps are still very sore. Know that burning sensation you have in your muscles every time you move your body ;). Well it's exactly like that ;). BURNING... nice!

Thursday was a shoulders/calves day. Did another PB with overhead barbell press. 6x90kg. I liked that a lot ;).
Today is back/triceps time and tomorrow Leg destruction.. Oh boy am I going to punish them ;). If i get a new lifting belt by tomorrow I'll try and set some new PB's on squats. Not sure if it's a good idea to do it yet since it's only been 3 days since I'm not sick any more. We'll see.. no pain, no gain..

IBFF world championship 2011 - Koper, Slovenia

WOW... what a motivation boost. I spent this Saturday in Koper at IBFF world championship 2011.
Oh man.. some bodies on that stage were SO awesome I can't believe they're real.

I took about 1000 photos of the contest. I checked out my competition for next year as I plan to compete at this event..





Yeah.. that's what I'll be trying to match... gulp.. Can you believe this guy.. He's awesome.. his symmetry is a bit off though.. His shoulders are a bit too big. But otherwise he's so cool.. 

I've still got A LOT of work ahead of me. First I need to gain a lot of new muscle. My priority should be my biceps and my back. Specially back width I guess. It's a bit hard to be specific since I'm bulking and I can't really assess my progress. I also don't have enough experience in this. I'll have to consult some experts to give me some tips.

I'll have to do magic in one year.. well.. a lot can be done in one year.. we'll see ;). 

Check my Photo Gallery of the IBFF 2011 Event here

https://picasaweb.google.com/114361556714995030472/IBFF2011WordChampionshipKoperSlovenia22102011

Loosing weight - change of plan

I'm still fighting the illness and I've started to drop weight.
 
On Monday morning my weigh in showed me at 84.8 kg. Which is great but I didn't like the way I looked in the mirror. So .. I decided to drop a few kg and then start bulking again. But I didn't expect it to go this fast.

I'm still sick and came down with diarrhea too. I missed a couple of training sessions so I also stopped using Creatine and went to maintenance level with my food. Wouldn't wanna gain any excessive fat while I'm trying to recover from illness.

Now the water is leaving the body and hence the major weight loss. Almost 2kg in 3 days and my guess is I'll drop even more today.

Everything is good for something so I guess it's OK. I can again see veins popping out again and I can already see the progress I've made during bulking phase. Oh man.. I've gained a lot! My motivation level is now boosted again and I can hardly wait to hit the gym again.

I'll see how I'll be feeling today. If I'll be feeling better I'll hit the gym and destroy my legs.. they're WAY overdue and miss the pain. 

I've caught a cold

And I don't like it..
Can't go to the gym.. and I feel like a peace of $$#%$&//"*=%  ...

My appetite is gone and I'm forcing myself to eat.  Oh well.. I'll just have to get over it. I just hope it doesn't last too long. It started last Tuesday. I was in a very cold air classroom. Air conditioning was turned to the max and I couldn't do anything about it.

Well next day was already showing signs that something is not OK. But I still went to the gym and broke some more records .. ;)
Decline bench press 3x120kg...
I increased vitamin C and multivitamins and all I got was 2 days before it hit me. After Fridays shoulders workout I was busted...
Small viruses have won the battle but are not going to win the war ;).

Time to go to bed.

400kg Leg press

So... on Sunday I broke my record on leg press machine - twice ;).

I still haven't tried 1MR but calculator say it should be at around 490kg. Wow.. I'm surprised ;).

Oh.. first I set new record at 10x370kg and now my record is set at 7 times 400kg.
My previous record set two weeks prior was 10 times 350kg.

My squat is at 10x140kg at the moment. I don't want to get higher yet since my form is still not quite what is should be at this weight. I mean.. I do a squat but until I'll be able to do ATG squats with this weight I'm not going to increase the weight too much. Maybe up to 150kg IF I'll get someone to spot me.

Show must go on and I must grow! 

Inspiration, motivation, what keeps me going

One day a guy who attends the same gym as I do asked me a question.
"Dude.. Every time I see you in the gym you're going to the extreme and every time you're bigger and stronger.. What keeps you going? Where do you draw your motivation from?"

My answer..
"Thanks for noticing and the question."

I hesitated with the answer because I really didn't know what to answer. I had to think about it for a few seconds to sum all the reasons in one sentence. I couldn't tell it in one sentence and because I go to the gym to train not to talk I gave him a short answer.
"Because I love this kind of lifestyle, I love the physical challenge and for my health. My health is my main motivation. Now I gotta lift some weights ;)".

So.. what would the longer version of my answer be like. What inspires be to go to the gym four times a week, eat right, do cardio, write this blog and the blog on bodybuilding.com..

Inspiration:
- Some of the guys I meet and sometimes workout with in the gym.
- Kris Gethin and his views on healthy life style and bodybulding.
- Layne Norton.
- Amazing transformations I see every day on bb.com.


Motivation:
- I set myself a long term goal. That's to attend the 2012 IBFF world championship in Koper (Slovenia). I don't only want to attend it. I want to be in the finals. I WILL be in the finals! ;)
- Youtube motivational videos.
- Want to get bigger and leaner.
- Want to show the world that natural bodybuilding is fun and can bring awesome results.
- Comments on my bodybuilding.com bodyspace profile.
- My before/after pictures.

What keeps me going:
- My overall health and my well being.
- The feeling I get after a great workout. I feel good about myself because I know I did something positive for myself and my health.
- I LOVE the pain during and after workouts ;).
- I love the way my wife looks at me :P.
- The look in the mirror.
- The calmness of mind after each workout. 

That's a bit longer version but I could just go on and on.
Anyway.. If you want to change, you can and WILL change. It's all in your head. Set yourself on the right course inside your mind first. Get straight with yourself first and be honest to yourself.  

6 weeks of bulking - up 6kg

So.. I'm now into 7th week of bulking.
So far it's going according to plan. Even better I might add. My plan was to reach 85kg by the end of the year and retaining  a proper shape. Well, I'm WAY ahead of schedule.

I've already gained ~6kg and I'm making PB's every visit to the gym. I guess I'm doing it right.
Started on 17th August @ 78kg. Yesterday (4th Ocober) I was @ 84kg and I'm still in quite a good shape I guess.

Check out the "before/after" picture. 

I started doing killer leg workouts and it shows already. Can't wait to see what my quads will look like after cutting again ;).