I'm Back!
Wow, it's been a whole year since I posted! I've been active, though. I'm now training for the LA Marathon and have been lifting weights for a while. I can run 5 miles in under an hour, so that's a good pace since I'm aiming to run the marathon in under 6 hours. I hadn't run a mile since high school (over 10 years) so I'm really hyped about my new found endurance.
My weightlifting is really what's holding it together, though. My bench press is up to over 300 lbs. I haven't maxed out, but I suspect that I can probably hit 330 or so 1 time. I can curl over 120 lbs. I can shoulder press over 200 pounds, but I need to be careful with that because I slightly tweaked my back during my last set (my fault - bad form). Progress at the gym is coming on strong and it's starting to show!
My pants fit better... but my shirts are getting a bit tight and for the first time, that's a good thing. I need to buy XXL shirts because my chest and arms have really expanded while my waist has lost a few inches. Overall, I feel GREAT!
As a recommendation, pick up the following 2 books:
The Wisdom Of Mike Mentzer
High Intensity Training The Mike Mentzer Way
Mike Mentzer was a true pioneer in the science of bodybuilding. I've read both books and have successfully used Mike's approach to lifting, annoying my friends who spend countless hours performing mind numbing set after set. I get into the gym, lift for 20 - 30 minutes TOPS, and don't show up for another week. In the process, I can lift heavier weights than my buddies who have been training for a longer time than me.
I know training for the marathon does not fit into Mike's overall philosophy (and I can understand why), but it is something that I've always wanted to do. I only run twice a week in order to not totally deplete my energy reserves, but I know it takes a toll. I workout so hard that I am drained for a few days afterwards, so my running progress is coming a bit slow. I do ride my bike, but the majority of my training is lifting and running.
Mentzer feels that aerobic exercise is counterproductive because of the large amount of energy reserves that it depletes, while not really complimenting a bodybuilding program. He feels that it is also too hard on the body (I can attest to that) and therefore is not fundamentally healthy. He sites research that shows that training with heavy weights and heavy intensity is enough to stimulate the cardiovascular system. I need to do more research into this line of thought, but I know that my weight lifting has strengthened my running.
Mike Mentzer was a true genius; read his books and you'll know what I mean. He was also a philosopher and an excellent writer. His logical approach to training is what drew me back to the iron game and I can attest to the success of his methods. Do yourself a favor and check out his website and get his books:
http://mikementzer.com/
My weightlifting is really what's holding it together, though. My bench press is up to over 300 lbs. I haven't maxed out, but I suspect that I can probably hit 330 or so 1 time. I can curl over 120 lbs. I can shoulder press over 200 pounds, but I need to be careful with that because I slightly tweaked my back during my last set (my fault - bad form). Progress at the gym is coming on strong and it's starting to show!
My pants fit better... but my shirts are getting a bit tight and for the first time, that's a good thing. I need to buy XXL shirts because my chest and arms have really expanded while my waist has lost a few inches. Overall, I feel GREAT!
As a recommendation, pick up the following 2 books:
The Wisdom Of Mike Mentzer
High Intensity Training The Mike Mentzer Way
Mike Mentzer was a true pioneer in the science of bodybuilding. I've read both books and have successfully used Mike's approach to lifting, annoying my friends who spend countless hours performing mind numbing set after set. I get into the gym, lift for 20 - 30 minutes TOPS, and don't show up for another week. In the process, I can lift heavier weights than my buddies who have been training for a longer time than me.I know training for the marathon does not fit into Mike's overall philosophy (and I can understand why), but it is something that I've always wanted to do. I only run twice a week in order to not totally deplete my energy reserves, but I know it takes a toll. I workout so hard that I am drained for a few days afterwards, so my running progress is coming a bit slow. I do ride my bike, but the majority of my training is lifting and running.
Mentzer feels that aerobic exercise is counterproductive because of the large amount of energy reserves that it depletes, while not really complimenting a bodybuilding program. He feels that it is also too hard on the body (I can attest to that) and therefore is not fundamentally healthy. He sites research that shows that training with heavy weights and heavy intensity is enough to stimulate the cardiovascular system. I need to do more research into this line of thought, but I know that my weight lifting has strengthened my running.
Mike Mentzer was a true genius; read his books and you'll know what I mean. He was also a philosopher and an excellent writer. His logical approach to training is what drew me back to the iron game and I can attest to the success of his methods. Do yourself a favor and check out his website and get his books:
http://mikementzer.com/
posted by JG at
8:50 AM
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