I am a drug-free powerlifter. After a 14 year layoff, I have once again started competing. I won the 2016 Rocky Mountain Regionals, 2017 Utah State, and took 3rd at the Drug-tested Nationals. The goal of this blog is to relay some information that I have found helpful so that other busy dads can get back into the game, whether they are powerlifting, or getting back into shape.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Week 3 done...almost
Well, with the exception of today's workout, which will come later, I am done with week three. I increased most of the weights moderately, and even tested my bench a few weeks earlier than I had been planning. While 352 is not my personal best by any means, I am happy with it. I used perfect form with a slight pause at the bottom and top. I probably could have pushed for 360, but since I am just establishing a baseline, I thought it best not to push too hard. I'm looking forward to closing out the week with some good deadlifts later today followed by some solid increases in next week's working loads!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Keep it in the Family
As you pursue your fitness goals others will notice. They will admire your dedication, scrutinize your cheat meals, and perhaps even become inspired and start their own routines. I have found that often the people who notice the most are my kids --they seem to notice everything I do! When I catch them trying to copy my workouts, it brings a huge smile to my face. So, I thought I would share a few fun moments we had today.
 |
| My 18 month old :) |
 |
| My 4 year old :) |
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Week 2 Complete... Only 4,680 More Weeks to Go!
Yesterday marked the end of the second week, which is the first milestone in my program. Now, obviously I don't have 4,680 more weeks before my deadline this November, but that is not the point of the title. You see, the pursuit of becoming a Steel Dad is a life long journey. So, while I am shooting to achieve my current goals by my birthday this year, I should always be striving to make new gains and improvements throughout my life. And, since my wife says I am not allowed to die until I am at least 120 years old, that gives me roughly 4,680 more weeks before my program is complete... (If you think about it, the lifelong pursuit of becoming a Steel Dad encapsulates our lives in microcosm. Our goals should ever be to continually improve ourselves, in all facets of our capabilities, throughout our lives.)
If you look at the exercise logs and the fitness goals a couple of things will likely stand out. The first is that I made some incredible progress in my measurements such as adding 3/4 of an inch to my chest measurement, or decreasing my overall body fat percentage range by .09-1.93%. The second is that I have used relatively light weights on all of my exercises, and went fairly easy on cardio. My results were not completely unexpected since I am returning to a prior ability rather than starting for the first time. So, even though I used a light program, I expected this kind of result right away. In the next two weeks, I am not expecting significant changes in most of my measurements, however, I am not overly concerned with making huge gains in the first few weeks and frankly, you shouldn't be either.
The first few weeks are what I call a foundation period. The point should be to get your muscles, ligaments, and tendons primed for the harder loads that will come later on. So while my capacity may increase, I will likely continue using relatively light weights through the first 4-6 weeks. If you are a beginner who has never lifted before, or haven't lifted for a few months or more, then you should also follow a similar approach. If you try to go all out in your first couple of weeks, you are opening yourself up to an increased risk of injury. So, even though I know I can lift more, it isn't wise to do so right now. Besides, why rush? I have 4,680 more weeks, waiting another 2-4 to make sure my body is properly prepared to handle increased working loads should be seen as an investment, not a hindrance.
Even still, if you look at the exercise logs you will see that the foundation period is not a stagnant, boring rehash of the same workout day in and day out. Switching up some of the secondary exercises for muscle groups keeps each workout fresh during this phase. Also, trying to increase the workload by reaching for additional reps each time (with good form- now is not the time for cheating) keeps the workouts challenging despite the light loads. The next time I will take measurements is two weeks from now, near the end of the foundation period. However, I will upload the third exercise log at the end of this week. Currently, I am working on publishing a few staple routines that I use for hypertrophy as well as a few of my favorite strength programs. (I have a few routines that are almost guaranteed to increase your max in 6-8 weeks by 20-40 pounds on the bench press, squats, cleans, and deadlifts...) I am also working on a series of short articles to post as well. If you happen to have a particular topic you would like to see me post about, shoot me an email and let me know. Until then, stay hungry for your goals!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
The Golden Exercise Program
Over the last several years I have found several great workout routines. Some worked better than others, and each one had its own strengths and weaknesses. However, it is important for each of us to remember that while there are basic principles of exercise science that generally hold true for most people, there is no "Golden Program." There is no magic bullet, no miracle pill, and certainly no single book or magazine that can transform all of us into a Steel Dad. That said, there are a few things that anybody who is serious about becoming a Steel Dad should learn about:
1. Your body type- this is essential to mapping out challenging, yet attainable goals for your personal situation. Dr. William Sheldon identified over 88 distinct categories -called somatotypes- but generally it is enough to understand the differences between the three main categories: Ectomorphic, Mesomorphic, and Endomorphic (Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding, Robert Kennedy, 2008). For those of you who have not heard of these before the breakdown can be explained thus: Ectomorphs have very low body fat and often have a hard time adding mass of any kind, let alone muscle mass. Mesomorphs tend to be very muscular with a low body fat and can add muscle mass pretty easily. Endomorphs tend to have higher body fat and can put on mass easily, though not always the good kind ;)
2. There are generally three accepted categories of working loads (the weight and reps you use within a set), though this is not a rule by any means. Almost everyone has heard that you should perform a lot of reps at lighter weight for "toning," medium reps and weight for "hypertrophy," (muscle growth), and low reps of heavy weight for "strength." These categories can be generally true, however I have found that often the desired result has to be worked for using not only a specific working load, but also adjusting your rest periods, your cardio, your set tempo, and --likely most important-- your diet. For example, many bodybuilding programs actually use lighter weights for 20-30 reps in order to achieve hypertrophy, despite the fact that most people use that kind of working load with the goal of "toning" or slimming down. (An interesting WebMD article on building muscle mass with light weights can be found here)
3. Your muscles need time off to recover. As my powerlifting coach often said, "The magic happens when you are resting." Of course he wasn't saying I should lay in the sun for 18 hours a day slurping chalky protein shakes. We had to work hard, but we also had to give our bodies a break between sessions. Any worthwhile routine will include at least 24-72 hours of rest in between sessions that target the same muscle group. While our age, gender, and genetics will play a role in determining exactly how much rest we need between sessions, I find that I generally abide by a rule of two to three days between hitting the same muscle group. Sometimes, during heavier working load cycles I may increase the rest days. And, to be honest, I have made strength gains in as little as one gym session a week. (Not that I recommend that, but at the time my work schedule only allowed for one day at the gym, and I did the best I could with pushups and light dumbells on the other days.) Frank Zane was able to create his physique with a lot more rest days built in than the average gym rat gives themself today. (Look up Zane's book "Personal Training Diaries" for more on this.)
4. Your diet determines at least 70% of your results. Let's face it, would you buy a Ferrari and then pour just anything into the gas tank? Of course not, it wouldn't perform well and would likely ruin your machine if you used anything but the best fuel. Our bodies are similarly built and the old adage "you are what you eat" definitely comes into play, more than we may think about. Of course our exercise routines, stress levels, and sleep will all factor in as well, but our diet will make or break our goal of becoming Steel Dads. It is easy to eat everything in sight (well, if you don't have a gluten free diet that is) and then lift heavier poundages until you are bending the bar. The problem is you will also be bending your credit card buying a whole new wardrobe of baggy clothes and really, really big belts... that is not what a Steel Dad should be doing. On the opposite side of the spectrum it may be "possible" to eat only salad or cabbage soup to slim down, but then your body will be flung into a horrible catabolic cycle where it breaks down your muscle tissue to fuel its functions. Definitely not the right option. However, we don't need to count every calorie either. There is a happy medium. I concentrate on portion sizes. I keep carbs to "complex carbs," make sure I eat enough protein for my body (between 0.6 - 1.0 grams per pound of bodyweight) and try to limit my fat to about 20% of my daily caloric intake. My method may not work for you, but that is what I do. I also drink about two liters of water a day.
5. There are no magic pills! Supplements are expensive, may not work as advertised (or, perhaps probably is a better word) and can have many side effects. I certainly do not pretend to be a chemist, so I am not going to get into the nitty gritty here. What I am going to say is that I only use a protein shake, a multi vitamin, and an amino acid complex as my staple supplements. On occasion I will do two to four weeks of creatine to bust through a plateau. However, regardless of what supplement I use (don't worry, this isn't going to be a sneaky commercial here) I only buy products that I trust to be clean and safe. I look for the "NSF Certified for Sport" to ensure they have no banned substances, unlisted ingredients, or harmful impurities. After all, for me even a cross contamination with gluten can be a big problem, so I have to really trust what's going into my body. So the lesson here is, try to get as much of your nutrition from actual food as possible, and when using a supplement, make sure you know what is in it.
6. Weightlifters and Bodybuilders are not the same. This should be obvious, but many people confuse these two terms. Often a person who wants to build a bodybuilder physique will train like a weightlifter, make incredible gains for a while, and then quit because they don't look like the cover of this month's bodybuilding magazine. It is important to understand that overall (this is a big generalization here) weightlifters are primarily concerned with getting stronger to lift maximal weight. These are your power lifters. Bodybuilders train their bodies with weights to shape and form their muscles. Hence, they each train differently (although they often do mix in and do similar programs) concentrating on routines and programs that give them the desired results. (As a side note, many people think that bodybuilders are not strong because often they use lighter weights than their weightlifter counterparts. While this may be true, let us not dismiss a bodybuilder's strength. Former Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman told me he could bench well over 600 pounds. And Arnold describes going out in public to bench sets of 450 pounds after he had already completed his workout, just to see peoples' faces when he did it.) A Steel Dad's goal is to maximize his full potential. Thus he focuses on both types of lifting programs at precise intervals to achieve the goals I have set.
Obviously, it would require at least one entire book to get a good explanation of all of the different workout routines depending on your current physical condition, age, gender, goals etc. My intent with writing this entry is simply to prime your interest in educating yourself about all of the many variables that go into creating a workout program, and understand that no one person has the Golden Exercise Program. The good news is that any routine that touches on the five points above will likely give you some good results. The real key is to know your body and how it responds to training, and to dedicate yourself to the programs you decide to do. A Ferrari may be an amazing car- but if you keep it in the garage you will never feel the power. Likewise your body has amazing potential, but you have to get out there and make it happen!
I have several programs that I keep in my "go to" notebook, so please feel free to ask if you are looking for something new. In the meantime, you can follow my workouts and watch me as I work to become a Steel Dad. Feel free to comment on your own programs an your progress as well.
To get you started building a library of your own, I would suggest you read the following books (listed in no particular order)
1. Your body type- this is essential to mapping out challenging, yet attainable goals for your personal situation. Dr. William Sheldon identified over 88 distinct categories -called somatotypes- but generally it is enough to understand the differences between the three main categories: Ectomorphic, Mesomorphic, and Endomorphic (Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding, Robert Kennedy, 2008). For those of you who have not heard of these before the breakdown can be explained thus: Ectomorphs have very low body fat and often have a hard time adding mass of any kind, let alone muscle mass. Mesomorphs tend to be very muscular with a low body fat and can add muscle mass pretty easily. Endomorphs tend to have higher body fat and can put on mass easily, though not always the good kind ;)
2. There are generally three accepted categories of working loads (the weight and reps you use within a set), though this is not a rule by any means. Almost everyone has heard that you should perform a lot of reps at lighter weight for "toning," medium reps and weight for "hypertrophy," (muscle growth), and low reps of heavy weight for "strength." These categories can be generally true, however I have found that often the desired result has to be worked for using not only a specific working load, but also adjusting your rest periods, your cardio, your set tempo, and --likely most important-- your diet. For example, many bodybuilding programs actually use lighter weights for 20-30 reps in order to achieve hypertrophy, despite the fact that most people use that kind of working load with the goal of "toning" or slimming down. (An interesting WebMD article on building muscle mass with light weights can be found here)
3. Your muscles need time off to recover. As my powerlifting coach often said, "The magic happens when you are resting." Of course he wasn't saying I should lay in the sun for 18 hours a day slurping chalky protein shakes. We had to work hard, but we also had to give our bodies a break between sessions. Any worthwhile routine will include at least 24-72 hours of rest in between sessions that target the same muscle group. While our age, gender, and genetics will play a role in determining exactly how much rest we need between sessions, I find that I generally abide by a rule of two to three days between hitting the same muscle group. Sometimes, during heavier working load cycles I may increase the rest days. And, to be honest, I have made strength gains in as little as one gym session a week. (Not that I recommend that, but at the time my work schedule only allowed for one day at the gym, and I did the best I could with pushups and light dumbells on the other days.) Frank Zane was able to create his physique with a lot more rest days built in than the average gym rat gives themself today. (Look up Zane's book "Personal Training Diaries" for more on this.)
4. Your diet determines at least 70% of your results. Let's face it, would you buy a Ferrari and then pour just anything into the gas tank? Of course not, it wouldn't perform well and would likely ruin your machine if you used anything but the best fuel. Our bodies are similarly built and the old adage "you are what you eat" definitely comes into play, more than we may think about. Of course our exercise routines, stress levels, and sleep will all factor in as well, but our diet will make or break our goal of becoming Steel Dads. It is easy to eat everything in sight (well, if you don't have a gluten free diet that is) and then lift heavier poundages until you are bending the bar. The problem is you will also be bending your credit card buying a whole new wardrobe of baggy clothes and really, really big belts... that is not what a Steel Dad should be doing. On the opposite side of the spectrum it may be "possible" to eat only salad or cabbage soup to slim down, but then your body will be flung into a horrible catabolic cycle where it breaks down your muscle tissue to fuel its functions. Definitely not the right option. However, we don't need to count every calorie either. There is a happy medium. I concentrate on portion sizes. I keep carbs to "complex carbs," make sure I eat enough protein for my body (between 0.6 - 1.0 grams per pound of bodyweight) and try to limit my fat to about 20% of my daily caloric intake. My method may not work for you, but that is what I do. I also drink about two liters of water a day.
5. There are no magic pills! Supplements are expensive, may not work as advertised (or, perhaps probably is a better word) and can have many side effects. I certainly do not pretend to be a chemist, so I am not going to get into the nitty gritty here. What I am going to say is that I only use a protein shake, a multi vitamin, and an amino acid complex as my staple supplements. On occasion I will do two to four weeks of creatine to bust through a plateau. However, regardless of what supplement I use (don't worry, this isn't going to be a sneaky commercial here) I only buy products that I trust to be clean and safe. I look for the "NSF Certified for Sport" to ensure they have no banned substances, unlisted ingredients, or harmful impurities. After all, for me even a cross contamination with gluten can be a big problem, so I have to really trust what's going into my body. So the lesson here is, try to get as much of your nutrition from actual food as possible, and when using a supplement, make sure you know what is in it.
6. Weightlifters and Bodybuilders are not the same. This should be obvious, but many people confuse these two terms. Often a person who wants to build a bodybuilder physique will train like a weightlifter, make incredible gains for a while, and then quit because they don't look like the cover of this month's bodybuilding magazine. It is important to understand that overall (this is a big generalization here) weightlifters are primarily concerned with getting stronger to lift maximal weight. These are your power lifters. Bodybuilders train their bodies with weights to shape and form their muscles. Hence, they each train differently (although they often do mix in and do similar programs) concentrating on routines and programs that give them the desired results. (As a side note, many people think that bodybuilders are not strong because often they use lighter weights than their weightlifter counterparts. While this may be true, let us not dismiss a bodybuilder's strength. Former Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman told me he could bench well over 600 pounds. And Arnold describes going out in public to bench sets of 450 pounds after he had already completed his workout, just to see peoples' faces when he did it.) A Steel Dad's goal is to maximize his full potential. Thus he focuses on both types of lifting programs at precise intervals to achieve the goals I have set.
Obviously, it would require at least one entire book to get a good explanation of all of the different workout routines depending on your current physical condition, age, gender, goals etc. My intent with writing this entry is simply to prime your interest in educating yourself about all of the many variables that go into creating a workout program, and understand that no one person has the Golden Exercise Program. The good news is that any routine that touches on the five points above will likely give you some good results. The real key is to know your body and how it responds to training, and to dedicate yourself to the programs you decide to do. A Ferrari may be an amazing car- but if you keep it in the garage you will never feel the power. Likewise your body has amazing potential, but you have to get out there and make it happen!
I have several programs that I keep in my "go to" notebook, so please feel free to ask if you are looking for something new. In the meantime, you can follow my workouts and watch me as I work to become a Steel Dad. Feel free to comment on your own programs an your progress as well.
To get you started building a library of your own, I would suggest you read the following books (listed in no particular order)
- "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding" by Robert Kennedy (one of my all time favorites)
- "Building the Classic Physique" by Steve Reeves
- "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding" by Arnold Schwarzenegger
- "Body for Life" by Bill Phillips
- "The Workouts, Personal Training Diaries" by Frank Zane
- "Brother Iron, Sister Steel" by Dave Draper
- "Brawn" by Stuart McRobert
The Journey Begins
My name is Sam, and I would like to welcome you to my blog, Steel Dads. I started this blog with the goal of chronicling my progress toward my fitness goals in an attempt to make myself more accountable by publishing my triumphs, failures, and lessons learned along the way. If, in addition to reaching my own goals, my blog helps you with your goals as well, whether you use my programs or tips, or simply find camaraderie and motivation by reading, then I would count my efforts a great success.
First, I would like to say a few words about myself. I work full time, and like many of you, often in excess of 40 hours a week. I am also a proud father of three, and in my spare time (what little there is after work, wrestling with my sons, and spending time with my wife) I am working on finishing my masters degree. I currently speak three languages other than English, and I used to be a personal trainer. (Though I should say that I am not currently certified by A.C.E. or any other organization as I no longer work in the fitness industry.) I also have had some health setback over the last two years that have severely hampered my ability to consistently exercise. As a result, I am now on a gluten free diet and doing my best to navigate the ins and outs of celiac sprue symptoms. So, in a nutshell, I am a real dad with time constraints, health concerns, and a plethora of other daily concerns. Just like anyone reading this right now. (Unless, of course, you have zero time constraints, never had health issues, and can melt away daily cares with lasers from your eyes --in which case you might want to check to see if you are related to Superman...)
As for my workouts- I used to be a very avid athlete. In high school I played football and competed on the power lifting team. As life moved along I kept up with my workouts as best as I could --mostly-- but especially in the last couple of years I have allowed myself to eat more than I should --half of a chocolate cake anyone?-- work out a little less, and let time slip by with excuses. Granted some health reasons are valid, but there are always those days when we say we have no time for a workout when, in fact, we know we could squeeze something in.
So here I am, in my 30th year with an amazing family and a fantastic job. I am in decent shape --for a desk jockey-- but let's face it, I don't want to be in decent shape. I don't want a body fat percentage anywhere near 20%, let alone over it. I want to be a Steel Dad! So, I have decided that now is the time to start the journey with renewed dedication. In this blog I am going to include my workout routines, results, and perhaps a photo or two along the way. I will also include my exact measurements on specific days (I find the tape to be a much better gauge than the scale by itself) throughout the program. My goals are to cut down to 7% bodyfat, while maintaining my lean muscle mass, by my birthday this November. However, I am not willing to simply diet and whither away like a flower in the middle of the Badlands. I want to be a lean, muscular dad, not a skinny dad. There is a difference!
If you would like to come along for the ride, I promise to be as open and honest as I can with my exercise routines, my diet, and my results. Whatever your goals are, perhaps you will find the motivation, and maybe some tips, to transform yourself into a Steel Dad!
First, I would like to say a few words about myself. I work full time, and like many of you, often in excess of 40 hours a week. I am also a proud father of three, and in my spare time (what little there is after work, wrestling with my sons, and spending time with my wife) I am working on finishing my masters degree. I currently speak three languages other than English, and I used to be a personal trainer. (Though I should say that I am not currently certified by A.C.E. or any other organization as I no longer work in the fitness industry.) I also have had some health setback over the last two years that have severely hampered my ability to consistently exercise. As a result, I am now on a gluten free diet and doing my best to navigate the ins and outs of celiac sprue symptoms. So, in a nutshell, I am a real dad with time constraints, health concerns, and a plethora of other daily concerns. Just like anyone reading this right now. (Unless, of course, you have zero time constraints, never had health issues, and can melt away daily cares with lasers from your eyes --in which case you might want to check to see if you are related to Superman...)
As for my workouts- I used to be a very avid athlete. In high school I played football and competed on the power lifting team. As life moved along I kept up with my workouts as best as I could --mostly-- but especially in the last couple of years I have allowed myself to eat more than I should --half of a chocolate cake anyone?-- work out a little less, and let time slip by with excuses. Granted some health reasons are valid, but there are always those days when we say we have no time for a workout when, in fact, we know we could squeeze something in.
So here I am, in my 30th year with an amazing family and a fantastic job. I am in decent shape --for a desk jockey-- but let's face it, I don't want to be in decent shape. I don't want a body fat percentage anywhere near 20%, let alone over it. I want to be a Steel Dad! So, I have decided that now is the time to start the journey with renewed dedication. In this blog I am going to include my workout routines, results, and perhaps a photo or two along the way. I will also include my exact measurements on specific days (I find the tape to be a much better gauge than the scale by itself) throughout the program. My goals are to cut down to 7% bodyfat, while maintaining my lean muscle mass, by my birthday this November. However, I am not willing to simply diet and whither away like a flower in the middle of the Badlands. I want to be a lean, muscular dad, not a skinny dad. There is a difference!
If you would like to come along for the ride, I promise to be as open and honest as I can with my exercise routines, my diet, and my results. Whatever your goals are, perhaps you will find the motivation, and maybe some tips, to transform yourself into a Steel Dad!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)