Back & Lats

Just like these guys - I couldn't be touched last night by the flames of the weights! (lol) Actually I was touched and my very last 2 exercises I only got the first set of both in before I was just wasted. It was really a tough and hard workout and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Using the new Versa grips that I purchased at the Olympia expo I have been really able to push much heavier - I know that sounds weird, but really if you hands and wrists aren't feeling the pain when you are lifting, then you literally can lift heavier and harder - so my workouts have been really great these past 2 days. Here is a little picture of what they look like:

Well, the samples have been going well. It just takes to much to scan them all the time - so I won't do that anymore -- haven't really had any great ones, but all the ones I have tried thus far have been working "ok".

Keep working out everyone - or at least start up a workout program for yourself!

Happy Birthday Ann!

This is Me and Shadow - and we miss our Ann. My daughter, Ann Marie, turns 18 today. A sweet and fine young lady she has become. My heart is joyful but sad as "daddy's little angel" has grown up. But I couldn't be prouder or as Heavenly Father said about His Son, "In whom I am well pleased." I am well pleased and she will always have my heart and my everlasting love. Happy, Happy Birthday my dear! Para Bens Pra Voce! I decided to put together a special something to Ann in memory of the love she has shared for me and brought to me -- I call it 'An Ode to Ann Marie':

I couldn't believe the day had come...I questioned the nurse about 3 or 4 times, "are you sure the baby is coming today?" and "is this really going to happen now?", I think they were about ready to send me away...but they understood the excitement and could see the new daddy joyful glee about me, so they put up with me and allowed me to stay. My mission president, Sheldon Murphy (now my Uncle) told me once during my mission how special a daughter was and how much you will truly love her and want to do anything for her...I didn't understand then - but was now about to discover as you emerged from your Mother and your Spirit left the pre-existense to join your new body...it was evident then to me the journey of love I was about to begin with this sweet little angel of a daughter...

...curly haried and running around the yard we played catch with your ball and ran through the sprinklers...running along the beach avoiding the waves from getting us wet...I still have the socks you were baptized in, never been washed as new and pure as the fresh fallen snow...our first daddy/daughter church activity of which I cherish that picture repeatedly...the many songs I would make up on the fly as I would sing you to sleep...the many father's day poems and pictures you made for me - I quote just a few: "Here's a little poem I made for you, Unfortunately I couldn't do it in blue. I wanted to tell you how great you are, and if you ever played golf you'd always get par. And if you'd ever played basketball, You'd win them all! Whatever sport you play, I'll be by your side from day to day!" and "I give you a gift far better than the rest, it is prettier than a dove, it is the gift of love." and one of my all time favorites, "I may be getting older but I still will remember all them memories we shared together looking for star fishes on the beach, seeing disneyland and many more. The older I get I'll love you more, so here's my LOVE to have and to hold." (and it's written on a heart shape) I use this always as a book mark so that I will always have her love with me.

Ann has been patient with me throughout her years as I was learning how to be a father and dad. I am thankful for her love and jealous of her artistic abilities. I always admired my Dad for his abilities and talents and even though it passed by me, I'm so happy it went to her. She is definetly not burying her talents but sharing them and I love and respect her for that. I'm thankful that (as my partiarchal blessing states) she is a "choice young spirit" who had raised her arm to the square and wanted to experience earth life. I'm thankful that she knows of her nobility as a daughter of God and pray she always remains true to the godhood within her to become a priestess and a queen.

Thankyou my little angel for the memories that will fill my days in this life and eternity to follow. I look forward to being there for you, always, as you begin this new step and adventure of your life. Please remember my love is boundless for you and my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for having you as my daughter is endless.

Happy Birthday - Love Dad!

Pumped Day

Yep - it's all about the pump! I love this cartoon, it's says it best.

Had a really great chest day. I tried Animal Pump for my pre-workout and had a Premier Nutrition bar this afternoon that was really good. I really feel that the Animal Pump did it's work during my routine and felt strong and pumped throughout. Afterwards I tried the H.A.R.D Nutrition Rebuild & Recover for my post workout. It was strawberry watermelon flavor and that really tasted good - we'll see how well it works later.

I took the Bench a little easy - I just didn't go all out like last week. I kept it down some and will hit it hard again next week. Did 210x10, 225x8, 240x6 and 250x4 so you see it was a little lighter - everything else went pretty heavy and was a great pump. You gotta keep form and focus hard and it'll happen.

Tomorrow is my daughter's "18th" birthday! Mitchell and Michael would be 20 if they stayed with us, but to see Ann at 18 really seems to date me -- am I that old? nah, age is just a number it's all good!

Stay strong everyone and keep the faith!

Sample Time!

I just love the "after" Olympia expo workouts as I get to test/try the many samples that I acquired. Through the years I know that some work and some suck -- but so far I've tried three and love them!!

Here is the first - I actually tried this one yesterday. I don't like protein bars at all - just something about them -- however, this one is a pumpkin flavor (and I LOVE pumpkin) and so gave it a try and instantly loved it -- it was just really good and actually tasted like a pumpkin bar -- so looks like I have a winner here.

This one (on the right) I actually tried last year, so I knew what to expect - but since I hadn't used it since last year ('cause I really can't afford a monthly supply) I had forgotten how good it really is. I did this pre-workout this morning and waited about 40 minutes before hitting the workout. I felt energized and good throughout the workout and didn't lose any stamina. I did my Legs supplemental and had my squats and calf routine. I hit the squats pretty hard with 230x10, 250x8, 275x6, 300x4 and then decided to hit a record - so I put 340 on and went for 2 reps and got 3 reps!! so new record and boy was I excited. Calves were 230x20, 240x17, 250x15, 260x12 and 270x10 - record is 290x10, closing in on that one too! I always focus on form during these exercises and go slow enough to hit the targeted muscles just right - so I could probably go heavier, but at the expense of form - which I won't do - you can have proper form and heavy weight at the same time - just takes time to get your body up there - and I'm getting there.

This was the first time I tried this (on left) post-workout sample. It actually won the most popular supplement of the year last night at the Olympia and I can see why -- it worked really great and I was feeling it instantly replenishing everything I'd just lost in my workout. I really like this one and will have to see about getting some of this for future workouts - luckily I still have a few more samples of it.

So, Dexter Jackson won the Mr Olympia last night!! I wanted Dennis Wolfe to win, he got 4th place - but I was glad that Jay Cutler didn't - he was the reigning 2 time champ, but to me just wasn't that great - anyway, I'm glad that the judges finally got the award to the best bodybuilder and didn't just award it because of politics! Maybe there is hope for the IFBB after all -- nah!!

Pump Hard friends & family - you all rock!!

Mr Olympia 2008

Here I am at the Olympia Expo 2008. I went down with Andy and we had a great time.

First, I did my Delts/Traps workout in the morning to get if out of the way - because I knew that I would come home very tired. I was able to increase the weight pretty good and hit all the reps. Nothing really was a struggle and I really feel things coming together again.

We left around 7:30 and hit breakfast - then were on the road by 8:00 am (7:00 vegas time). I normally take a pic of me flexing while driving - so who am I to knock with tradition - right?

It was really great being around so many other people with the same fitness desire - I mean at home, it's basically just me and the gym -- so it was good to mingle with these guys again. It opened at 10:00 and actually opened on time -- without anyone turning "green" (hulking out). By the time my first few bags were filled I looked at my watch and it was already 12:00 - 2hrs just blew by - so I headed to the car, put them in and headed back for more. I kinda got talked into doing pushups on stage -- I didn't mind because I knew you'd get something really cool if you did - anyway here I am doing 40 pushups in 30 seconds - incredible the power you get from having tons of people watching you! I did get some great supplements that I wouldn't had gotten if I didn't do it - and that will save me for a few months.

Andy was really hurting from his back and so had a wheel chair and was getting tons more stuff because everyone did the "feeling sorry" thing - oh well, it was cool - 'cause he gave me almost everything he got!

Here is a pic of me at the end, after 6 hours of walking around and below that is a pic of the "stuff" I got -- it was a good haul this year and can't wait for next!

Pump Hard everyone and stay strong!

Jesus Christ - The Son of God

Here is a really great vid - I truly know that He is the Son of God, my redeemer and savior - my brother and friend! Enjoy:

Leg Day Blast

Yes - I know it's "kinda" gross - but a great squat workout is often like that -- you gotta have your bucket with you just in case. Luckily I didn't need one today! I had a good leg workout - I just didn't kill myself. Since I am doing 2 a week now, I don't push the squats on this day - only during the leg supplemental workout. Today I hit 4 sets ending with 290 which was actually relaxing - it's nice that these weights are starting to feel good to me. Everything else went well - I was able to finish the entire workout and was exhausted at the end -- which is how I like it.

Andy will be down tomorrow evening and then we'll head down to Vegas for the Olympia expo - that'll be fun with him. I've been chatting with a lot of the people who are doing some of the booths - so hopefully I can score some extra goods. I will do my Delts/Traps workout early that morning before we leave and will hit a hard arms day tomorrow!

Stay strong everyone!

Chest Day

Had a really great chest workout and yes, I did listen to my muscles and went even harder on a few sets because my muscles told me to! lol

Seriously - I am getting closer to where I was in June. I was only going to do 4 sets of Bench, but as I hit that (230x4) it was just routine so I wanted to add some weight to get closer to the 285 - I did a 5th set at 260 and got 3 good reps out of that. So probably in a few weeks I'll be there. Also in the decline Bench press I was doing my 2nd set and wondering why it was tough (I could hit the reps, it was just tough doing it) so I looked at my record book and saw that I was only 20lbs away from my record -- so that is why is was tough -- getting closer to that also. I am taking it easier - most are only 4 sets or 3 sets but in doing so I am finding my body recovers quicker and I can hit it harder the next workout and get stronger.

Andy is coming down from Salt Lake to go with me to Vegas for the Olympia Expo - that'll be fun. Also I found out that Matt (who is an old bodybuilding friend) will also be there and we will try to find each other in the expo - that's always crazy because it's so noisy in there that you can't hear your cell phone and so crowded that it's hard to even feel the vibrate - but we'll find each other!

Have a good one everyone -- keep yourself strong and fit!

Days Missed

I love these "musclehedz" cartoons -- I'm no where near the "500 club" - but just love this cartoon. I have been working out all week, just forgetting to post. Today's "leg supplemental" was a good one - I am really close to my 330 that I did in June (before going lite). Today on my last set I put the bar to 310 and only needed 2 reps, but added a 3rd just to seal it! I would say that 350 is only a few weeks away - not sure if I can get the 400 by year end, but if my legs keep advancing like these past 3 weeks - it is still possible - we shall see.

I finally got rid of all the spider webs around the back yard and deck - it's one thing they didn't mention when getting this house -- and I HATE SPIDERS!!! But yesterday I was the grim reaper to them and showed no mercy or fear -- (just closed my eyes a lot! lol) - hey, if I can't see it I can be afraid right? but for now we are spider web free - and will spray everywhere to be sure of it! I was watching TV the other night and laying on the couch with my feet up and just out of the corner of my eye saw something move on my foot -- when I focused on it, it was a large brown spider -- yeah, I freaked - all 6'5", 240lbs of me flew off that couch and screamed! (oh the shame!) -- I finally recovered, found it and removed it from this world! I HATE SPIDERS!!!

Friday is the Mr O expo - can't wait - gonna get lots of stuff!!

His Hands!

The love of our savior for us - enjoy!

Rain

Wow - we had a great 15-20 min blast of rain, and it was real rain -- it didn't pull any punches and was coming down hard and heavy -- as I left work I got a few drops on my head and thought this would just be another blow over -- half way into my workout it unloaded. I had the gym door open for the coolness and after about 5 mins of the down pour had to close it because the rain started coming in -- it was really great.

This is what a really great back should look like and if my workouts keep going as well as they are - I will soon! I went hard again - last week I actually ran out of steam towards the end - this time I had plenty and just kept pounding away. There really wasn't any exercise that I wasn't able to push and hit all reps. My Back/Lats day is as follows: I start with a 4 exercise back-to-back consisting of Wide Pullups, One Arm DB Rows, Chinups and Straight Arm Lat Pulls -- then do a 2 exercise of Lat Pulldowns (Wide) and Seated Cable Rows (Close) and finish with a 2 exercise of Lat Pulldowns (Close) and Seated Cable Rows (Wide) -- and Abs if I feel like it -- and today I didn't feel like it!

There were only 2 boys for scouts so we went with the older boys to a soccer game to support one of the girls in our ward who was playing - it was Dixie vs Pineview - also one of the asst. coaches is the teachers quorum advisor -- so we stayed until the half and left at which time Pineview was up 1-0. Anyway, soccer is just to slow for me!

Stay strong everyone!

Great workout

Hello all - had a great workout - both physically and spiritually today! First here is a link to a review of a talk we listened to for family home evening. It was given at BYU education week last month by John Bytheway and is titled, "Weed your Spirit, Grow your Testimony" - and it was really great. http://mormontimes.com/WC_education.php?id=1838 if you have a chance to see it on KBYU check it out. It's just amazing how those weeds just come out of no where and continually strive to destroy our beautiful gardens (testimonies) -- we've got to keep fighting with our garden weapons to keep it strong. It was awesome!

Today was chest day in the gym and it went really great -- went for heavy today and was able to hit the reps that I wanted. It wasn't too hard keeping up the intensity level but there were a few moments when I was struggling to get motivated -- which quickly disappeared. The Mr O expo in Vegas is coming up and I can't wait to get a new supply of free t-shirts and tons of sample stuff -- definitely going for a 6 bagger this go around!

Here's a sign I made up and put on the gym door -- most of the boys remember when I workout - but some forget -- you don't want to intrude on my time -- you wouldn't like me when I'm angry, I get a little green all over! lol

Stay strong both physically and more importantly, spiritually!!!

Leg Supplemental

Did my leg supplemental workout this morning. Since I am tall, I've discovered that 2 workouts a week for legs really helps. Today is when I only do 5 sets of squats and 5 sets of calf raises. I hit the squats as 180x10, 210x8, 235x6, 250x4 and 270x2 and they were all really good - not hard, but good. This is my 2nd week and so I am almost back to were I was. Calf raises went well too - really had a crazy burn on them - did 210x20, 220x15, 230x15, 240x12 and 250x10 and earned every rep as it was a crazy burn that I had to force myself through - man you gotta love leg day!

Do I look tough or what?? yeah I know, what! lol

Have a great day everyone!

Save the Family

This is what it's all about folks:

Arm's Workout

Hello once again - I do "hulk" out every now and then!

I just did my Arm's workout today rather than try to combine two. It went really good - I added more weight today and so next week's I am ready to start the hitting it hard and heavy again - should be fun! The Mr O Expo is in 2 weeks - so can't wait for all that fun.

CJ's football game today was another blowout - but the other team I mean. At least they held them to only 3 touchdowns. The guys really were playing good, but they defeated themselves more by forgetting plays and turning over the ball a ton of times. Hopefully they will score a touchdown one of these games - oh, and yeah - CJ was the sideline boy again today - whatever!

Have a great day everyone - stay strong and healthy!

Happy Birthday Nathan

My "little" boy is not little anymore - he's a teenager!!! - the big 13. Incredible to watch them grow up. My "little" girl turns 18 in a few weeks - ouch! Am I getting older??, of course not - it's just the kids that get older, I just "maintain" my good ol' ripe age of ___ (fill in the blank). We went to celebrate at the Olive Garden tonight and had a great meal -- then came home and opened his presents and then ate some cake - and I actually only ate one piece (amazing, yeah, I know! lol)

I have just been really busy (and/or lazy) to hit the gym yesterday or today. If I could just get myself up earlier in the morning (the lazy part) then I could get it over and done with and not have to worry about missing workouts - I will try again next Monday. I will do a combination of both today!

CJ has another game, but he hurt his leg at the scrimmage game on Thursday -- he was actually standing on the side line and not really paying attention when the guys who were playing were running his way - he got side swipped and his knee was a casualty. It's mainly just bruised, but hard to walk still - so not sure on the game tomorrow - we shall see I suppose.

Take care everyone - and always LiveStrong!

CJ's Turn

And here goes CJ:

Nathan rapelling

Here is Nathan going down:

Climb On

At out scouts today the boys were finishing up their climbing merit badge. So today was all about climbing and rappelling. Last week they had to sit through 2 hours of the class work stuff (boring to 12-14 yr olds) - but they got to have fun at this one.

Here the boys are eagerly awaiting their turn to rappel down. We are using a climbing wall that just opened up in a new fitness recreation center that just opened up in a neighboring town.








To the right here - we see CJ on his first try - it took him a few minutes to get off the ledge, but once he did it went well and he enjoyed it. They all got to rappel 3 times and they had to belay 3 times also. They had to do the same for climbing.



Here on the left is Nathan during one of his climbing turns. These guys had a lot of fun doing this and it was a really fun merit badge to work on.

I keep having the problem of "thinking" that I am still young. One of the boys (15yr old AJ) wanted to race me one lap around the indoor track (200 meters) - so I said sure - you can't beat me anyway --- Now understand, I have not done any aerobic work in ages and am about 240 something - so anyway we just bolted out and I think I was going faster than I ever had in my life!! Anyway, we got to the finish and he got me by inches - and we both just about died when we finished - me more than him. I swear I thought I was going to pass out or have a heart attach or something!! Someday, I'm going to realize that I really am getting a "little" older - but for now - I'm still young!! lol

My busy day didn't allow any time for a workout - so we will get things back on track tomorrow. Have you all heard the news???? Lance Armstrong coming out of retirement to try and win an 8th Tour de France?? I'm a huge Lance Fan so I sure hope it goes well!!

Stay strong and healthy everyone!

Which Superhero are you??

I always new I had a little Superman in me - so which one are you? Take the quiz at: http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com

Fun times

Just go and do your workout that is! Actually this is a scripture in the Book of Mormon about Nephi (an ancient prophet) who was told to do things he had no idea how to do, but new that if the Lord told him to do it then he will go and do it!

I had Brad return his gym key today as he moved up to northern utah -- so when Collin came over today I gave him the key (remember he is the 14 yr old neighbor) - he was pretty excited to have his own key to the gym! He came to workout at a little past 4:00 and I told him that from 4:30 to 5:30 is my time, so he has to do it before or after that time.

My workout went really great. It was just chest day - and week 2 (out of 8 weeks) and so I'm still building up the weight. Everything was really strong and I hit all the necessary reps - my front dips were a little tough today and upper flyes took some effort - but it went well. I totally blasted the abs today and added about 6 mins on the treadmill - I tried for 15, but my aerobic capabilities are a little lacking at the moment.

Have another great day everyone!

Sad Sunday

It was a sad Sunday in that my sweet daughter Ann wasn't there - and won't be for quite some time. She went to finish out her senior year down in Arizona and live with her Aunt & Uncle on Terri's side. It was sad because I really miss her and it's only been 3 days!! I'm such a sentimental Dad. During one of the classes I went to walk around and happened by the bulletin board and they had pictures from girls camp up - and there was one with all the girls together and there was Ann with her beautiful smile -- I just about lost it there and had to quickly walk away before I really did -- it's just hard and will be for awhile yet - even writing this is tough - life goes on and this is a new stage of that life.

I was going to do my leg supplemental workout this morning, but decided on starting it up again next week. Since I am so tall, I really need the 2 a-week leg workout to get they growing. I only hit squats and calves of 5 sets each on this workout and the one I do on Wednesday is harder and more intense. Haven't had Kevin or Drew in the gym for about a month now - they keep saying they will come back - but those young 20ish guys just have no dedication!! My 14 yr old neighbor, Collin, has more dedication than they do! lol

Stay true to the faith everyone and pump hard always!