March 30, 2012

Alarm Went Off

Alarm Went Off

Posted by Arden Wallace


I just got a call at work from my neighbor saying that she heard my home alarm security system going off. I called my husband, and he is on his way over there right now. I really hope nothing has happened. Lately, there seems to be a rash of break-ins occurring. I think it has to do with how bad the economy is, and how Christmas is just around the corner. People feel compelled to spend money they don’t have, and perhaps even go to any lengths to get it. I don’t know, that is just my thoughts. I tend to give people the benefit ofthe doubt, and see that, like me, they are just doing the best they can. Of course, I would never rob someone. I’m waiting for my husband to call me back and tell me what is going on at the house. I wish I could go find out for myself right now, but I’ve got to stay here with my group until 3 in the afternoon for sure.

“Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong"


Rant and Tip for March 30, 2012

Quote: “Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong" Calvin Coolidge

As I was looking for a quote for today’s blog I came across this one by President Calvin Coolidge. What struck me is how in our relationships when we experience a level of achievement there is always at least one person who will try to take away from your accomplishment. Society has a tendency to do this and I certainly hope this is not our true human nature. When someone does this to you believe in your heart that the challenge is not with you but with the person that is making the attempt to break you. Do not let this happen to you. Take control of the situation and politely walk away with a smile on your face. One of the things that impresses me at the meets I have been at is how supportive all the lifters are to each other. Maybe it is the fact we are exerting ourselves so much on the weights there is a level of respect that is automatically given to each lifter.

I recently was doing some reading and came across a study that indicated that people who go on crash diets or have been yo-yo dieting end up crushing their metabolisms. The findings suggest that moderate diets change how the brain responds to stress and may make crash dieters more susceptible to weight gain. One in every three Americans is now obese. “Yo-yo dieting,” temporarily losing weight only to regain it, plus more, is a well-known phenomenon. Studies have indicated that a lifelong diet that is used as a way of living is much better than any temporary fix. Very little is known about the long-term consequences of quick-fix diets. Yo-Yo dieting can increase levels of the stress
hormone corticosterone, it is known that the release of this hormone actually hinders weight loss and actually increases fat in the body. It is very important to learn to eat to live instead of living to eat. When you eat to live you are no longer dieting is the sense that you are familiar with. Your diet becomes how you eat and your way of life. You will no longer be going on crash diets because you will be eating just what your body needs. 

Friday is leg day for me. I will not be doing squats, however I will be doing leg presses along with leg curls and possibly lunges. I want to be careful to save my shoulders for the big bench session on Sunday with Sebastian Burns. I have made some real progress with him in just one session and I am looking forward to another great day Sunday.

Tip: For you ladies looking to get rid of the bye-bye arms, working your triceps is vitally important. Go to my Exercise Video page and follow the routine for your triceps. 



March 29, 2012

“ Unless you’re willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go success won’t happen


Rant and Tip for March 29, 2012

Quote:  “ Unless you’re willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go success won’t happen.” Phillip Adams

When we finally decide to lose the unwanted fat on our bodies and decided to get fit you will have days where you fail on your diet or fail on your exercise session. Like your parents use to say “ You need to get right back on the bike” You need to be willing to fail, however here is the tough part, you also need to be willing to have another go at it. I failed in my third squat this past weekend. I will attempt that weight again and I will be successful.

I am often asked “How much should I eat before and after I work out?” This is a trick question. We all have different metabolic rates. So how many meals should you eat before working out is a question only you can really answer. If you are a person who works out in the morning and that is the only time you schedule allows then you already know you are only going to get one meal in before a strength training session. If  not then you have some things to consider. You have to keep a log of what you have eaten for the day and then log how your workout went each day. Then also track your body weight. If you have a really good work out one day then the amount you ate prior was probably the proper amount for you. You will also need to at this point watch your body fat percent and track that as well. You will find the perfect storm so to speak where you are able to put on muscle and lose unwanted body fat. This takes a little time and effort but is achievable.

Shoulders and back for me today. The shoulders are the base from which I push in the bench press. The stronger the base the more weight I will press up. So I will continue to train these muscles as well as train my arch for the bench. One of the things I have been doing is using a 4 inch PVC pipe under my back and forcing my butt and shoulders to touch the floor or bench, thus stretching my back and rib cage. As the arch gets bigger the stroke on the bench gets smaller and the power to press he weight up increases.

Have a great workout!

Tip: Stretching should be a part of your exercise schedule. Be sure to stretch before and after you sessions.


March 28, 2012

We may age, however we do not have to get old


Rant and Tip for March 28, 2012


Quote: “We may age, however we do not have to get old”

I like to think that as time goes by I become a fine wine or a good cheese. Both these items age to perfection are at their best as time goes by. We as humans can do the same thing. We need to take care of ourselves to get there though. We need to eat sensibly and get proper exercise in on a regular basis. If we become stagnant that is when problems start to arise. Now there are some things that are almost uncontrollable and we have to deal with the cards that are dealt to us. However other conditions can be fought and fought hard to either reverse or at least lesson the effects on our bodies. High blood sugar and hypertension are just to conditions that can benefit greatly from proper diet high in dietary fiber and other healthy vegetables. Vegetables combined with the proper amount of protein and healthy fats helped along with exercise have helped me get my blood pressure down as well as my blood sugar. The secondary benefit was increased stamina and I look healthier.

As I get older there are some rather uncomfortable things that start to be required in my yearly physical exam. Yeah that is right I am talking about areas clearly marked for exit. It is suggest by medical professionals that all males get a digital prostate exam annually after age 45 and definitely after age fifty. Well in planning for this uncomfortable exam I tried to think of ways to make it less invasive. So I chose a woman doctor. My thought was that she would have small narrow fingers. Well I was right she did have small narrow fingers. My mistake was the fingers were short and let me tell you it was horrible and I felt like she was digging for gold. However apparently this is just another phase of life that we all have to look forward to. I will not complain though because the fairer sex has had to endure much worst humiliation over the years and they have to start much sooner in their life. The whole purpose for the digital rectal exam is to check for abnormalities in the prostate. Of course for me I always think the worse and end up looking up information on the web. There is a ton of information out there. HIFU is a minimally invasive acoustic surgery that is gaining speed in the treatment of prostate cancer. I encourage all men to read about HIFU.

Workout for me today will be top end work on the bench press. I am thinking a lot of close grip board work. I will also put the shirt on again just to work on my set up and get the stroke down.

Have a great workout!

Tip: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
Fact: One of the more damaging myths of aging is that after a certain age, you just won’t be able to try anything new or contribute things anymore. Quite the contrary. Older adults are just as capable of learning new things, thriving in new environments, and sharing their wisdom and experience with many generations.  If you believe in yourself and have confidence in yourself, you are setting up a positive environment for change no matter what your age.

March 27, 2012

I demand perfection and hard wor


Rant and Tip for March 27, 2012

Quote: “I demand perfection and hard work” Sebastian Burns

I had the pleasure of getting some training from Sebastian Burns. The man is a beast. He increased my bench in the shirt with one session and I expect that to continue over the next several weeks. He pointed out some things to work on my setup and even my thought process. One of the things I need to do better is push my stomach/chest up to the bar.  This will also increase my arch. My back was actually sore after the training session. I was handling some solid weight yesterday and he expects that I will be handling a lot more. I am so looking forward to the next training session.

Losing weight is hard work. You have to work at it, you need to track your foods and it almost becomes an obsession. It was easy to put the weight on and you know a lot of that was just being lazy. Planning is so important so take the time to plan your meals for the day, and then move on to the week. With a proper plan it is possible to get the body you want and deserve.

Exercise of any type is important as well. If you are currently inactive and sit most of the day, start with just a simple walk. If you are already active choose a cardio workout that you enjoy. However be sure to try new things every so often so you do not get mentally tired of the one you enjoy. Once you have a good cardio schedule be sure to add strength training. More and More studies prove that the use of resistance training is extremely beneficial to the bones and mental health as we get older. The more you are able to tax the body the better it will respond with the release of endorphins and even hormones that help keep the mind and body sharp.

Squats are the call for me today. Nothing heavy just enough for make sure my form is good. In the video of my missed 350 you can notice I leaned forward a bit and I cannot let that happen again. When you lean forward you hips pop up a bit and you have to go even lower with the weight on the bar.

Have a great workout!

Tip: When squatting sit back like sitting in a chair

March 26, 2012

Ontario / New York Cup Results a lesson learned


The Debut of Team OMG

Rant and Tip for March 26th, 2012

Quote “Put some weight on that bar”

You here this in a power lifting meet when a lifter opens real light or is just having one of those days where it is all going their way. Every lift seems to get snapped right into place and everyone around them thinks the person could have gone heavier. 

Saturday was the Ontario/NewYork Cup. It was a well run event by 100% Raw and Hunter Claypatch deserves a lot of credit for running a two platform event. Nice job Hunter. With that said Team OMG took first place in the single lift team standings. It was our first meet as a team and we had a great time. There will be many pictures to follow. Her is a shot of us with the team trophy.

I had a good meet and set a Masters record in the combined total for squat, bench and deadlift. I totaled 1040. I was a little disappointed in my squat and my bench. On both of those lifts I missed my third attempt. During my last squat at 350 pounds I rushed to the platform and did not put my mouth guard in. I like to bite down hard on the guard when I lift a heavier weight. I also did not take my breath right and saw stars on the way down to the point I panicked and came up a hair to early. Even with a coach yelling at me down down down. I just got thinking I do not want to pass out with 350 lbs on my shoulders. I will get it next time. I also missed my 319 bench. This was a real let down. I did not even get the weight half way up. Seeing as I had pressed 325 last November you can see why this annoyed me. My deadlifts went as planned and I made all three lifts. I still have a little to work on with my form and yes get stronger in the lift. I pulled 413 but strongly believe with some hard work I can get over 450 and maybe someday 500… However the clock is ticking and this old man is fighting it tooth and nail one pound at a time.

One issue I think that attributed to my not getting those 2 lifts is my weight. I weighed in at 159.1 pounds. This was way too low. I had dehydrated too much and even with drinking like a mad man I could not rehydrate fast enough. I got panicked yesterday when 2 scales I weighed myself on were different by more than a pound. I decided to continue to dehydrate for the rest of Friday before weigh-ins and it was just too much. A lesson learned right there. I will not have this problem in May. I will have access to the official scale starting on Sunday and I do not lift to Wednesday. In that event I want to come in right on weight. Here is my 350 pound squat, although the depth was not there I had the power.


Back to working out for me today, I get to work in the bench shirt today and will give you all an update tomorrow. I will be concentrating on getting some big numbers in the shirt now with a month and a half left before I leave for the meet in the Czech Republic. So it is chest day for me. For those of you who follow the schedule I have posted for a more advanced workout you have legs today:

Squats- 4 sets 10
Calf raises- 4 sets 10
Thigh extensions if doing at home try sitting on a chair with a dumbbell held with your feet
4 sets 10
Lunges - 4 sets of 10 Leg curls - 4 sets of 10

Have a great workout!

Tip: Keep you fluids up when working out. Your muscles need the water!

My 413lb deadlift