It's Holistic

[Gem]

I progressed in that yesterday I could do the full squat movement, which I couldn't do before, and I have started using the Smith machine for squats until I feel competent enough to move on to the barbell.

As I said before, I feel a lot better than I did, and I lost a couple of Kgs, but now the first visual signs of muscle growth have become noticeable as noticed definition in my triceps today.

I still can't get the whole motion for deadlifts, but I'm working on it, and it won'[t be long, definitely within a month I should be well able to deadlift.

squats and deadlifts are pretty crucial exercises, and needed badly for the gym junkie fix.



I hurt pretty much all over, but as they say, no pain no gain.

[Gem]

I went in to work on shoulders, and as I mentioned before, there are issues with mobility on the left, but I commenced with light weights, and increased just 1kg at a time, and I am very pleased to say, whereas I was reduced to a kilo or maybe 2 just a fortnight ago, today I repeatedly raised 6 kg dumbells in my overhead press, and enjoyed vastly improved shoulder mobility throughout a range of exercises.

[Gem]

I had a rest week, so said nothing, but it looks like tomorrow I shall resume... unless I put it off til Tuesday, which is the day my weekly routine starts, but seriously, I'm at a point now where I just want to lift a buttload of heavy metal till I cannae do no more, and tomorrow is there to do it.

[Gem]

Since the journey of the physical became the most important factor of my life, due to it's demand of attention after long neglect, I sought for icons that would be not objects to aspire to, but sources of inspiration itself, and in the bodybuilding world there are so many well formed physiques, but few that truly inspire me. Of these few, there is one man in particular who gives me that feeling in my soul where I do this not only for myself, but for him, for you, and for the whole Godforsaken world... and all my moments of pain are payment, like Jesus' pain on the cross for the uplifting, not of this heavy a$$ weight, but of all mankind for the rest of time. Remember, all my sweat, and my rise from weakness to strength, is so far beyond the vanity I enjoy in the mirrors as love of my aesthetic form; it's like on the surface a volcano erupting is so mighty, but it is nothing compared to the immensity of all the swirling magma below the Earth's crust. When I explode in the Gym, there's a force below me which goes far beyond reckoning, just as that same magma feeds every volcano, which even together and at once, could only display a tiny fraction of it's full power and potential.

Who are you really? Not that voice which answers. No. There is something unlimited and energetic, fully charged, unfathomable, and living right here. Whatever the mind is set to do, all that power is there to make it happen, and there is nothing, literally nothing exists, except that which mind itself imagines to be in the way.

So I found the one. My superhero, who, because of his soft tone of voice, his depth of philosophy, his dedication to his dream, and his kindness to everyone, became my source of inspiration: Kai Greene - a man of his times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0cd8f9f6Gk

[Gem]

I did have a rest week, as there was other stuff going on in life, but I started back again yesterday with chest workout, which I should call a 'heart healing exercise hahaha' and today I went hard on ABs, which I could call an 'earth chakra healing' teehee. Dang it hurts. The personal trainer came up to me and said you look like like you lost weight, and your clothes look better on you, and I was like, yep down to 85 from 89 kgs in two months, and I have noticed muscle definition in my triceps!

Keep getting healthier. Keep getting stronger. Each day is an opportunity for improvement.

[Gem]

Today was legs day. Squats are getting good. I used the Smith machine, but technique seems poor as the weight is going forward and pushing from my toes rather than my heels. I'm thinking the shoes I have are padded up on the heels forcing my feet in a forward posture. I must get myself some shoes with flat soles, like maybe volleys or something, for leg day. Annihilated it.

[Gem]

I was going to work back today, but felt soreness in my legs from yesterday and thought it would make dead-lifts hard, so I went with shoulders instead. I still struggle with mobility issues on the left, but was still pushing 6 kg dumb-bells as I was last time. Though the right could press more, higher reps and so on, I limit it to be the same as the left is... it's a bummer, but I just persist with it and it should get better over time.

[Gem]

I worked back today. The deadlift is difficult due to my physical weaknesses and mobility issues, but I worked on these obstacles and will break through eventually. I had to increase the weight on the other range of exercises, as the technique is improving, and I have become noticeably stronger. My physique is visibly improved, so I can almost feel vanity again, and basically, I just feel a zillion times (that's an accurate figure) better than I did only 2 months ago.

[Gem]

Arms day today, and as I add weight, I notice more unbalances in strength between left and right. The tricep in my right arm is much weaker than that in my left. Biceps too, come to think of it. Anyway, weight is increasing, so all good. I expect the right to be stronger, but no, left is in this case. I work long and I work hard. It takes hard work to get results. There is no way around it: input = output.

[rainbow.sprinkles]

I've been quietly following this thread and thought I'd finally say hi.

I recently lost some weight that I had gained from developing metabolic syndrome due to taking an atypical antipsychotic, and 5 months ago I started following a heavy lifting program called Stronglifts 5x5 as an attempt at body recomposition. I very much enjoy it, it's excellent therapy lol. the program consists of heavy squats, bench press, bent over rows, overhead press, and deadlifts. my OHP is currently at 55lbs, my bench 80lbs, bentover row 100lbs, squat 145 and I'm deadlifting 150. I do a lot of walking as well, no other cardio or accessory exercises or anything. I just love lifting that heavy ****! :)