Inspiration for Newbies

[maverick]

Not everyone's got the same goals you do, as you are certainly aware. The "yes" people for the vanity shots are those that share his goals. There's a lot of people that would look at your training clips and say "who cares, he doesn't even look that big". I'm not one, as I've complimented your work before, but you gotta see the other side of the coin. Primarily strength vs. primarily size people may never see eye to eye, but we can still respect each others accomplishments and not try to diminish them by seeing them as inferior to our own.

[givasum]

Originally Posted by luke.w

PART of this statement really does bug me though, I mean is this what really matters to you for your kids to say you look like a pro-wrestler?

You hit the nail in the head with living for your kids, but the other stuff?

I'm sure it's nice to have kids say you can lift a buffalo, but don't you think it would be better for you and them if you could actually do the deed, instead of looking like you can, is what your doing right now the best thing?

everyone is quick to be the "yes" person when someone posts a vanity shot of a dream body?

I think your reading way too far into these comments. wtf? A good parent is a happy parent. He seems happy with himself and his progress, as well he should be. Would he be better off going back to his old self and potentially being tired, lazy and angry? Sounds like he has a damn good relationship with his kids and has his priorities dead on. Don't knock him.

[luke.w]

Originally Posted by maverick

Not everyone's got the same goals you do, as you are certainly aware. The "yes" people for the vanity shots are those that share his goals. There's a lot of people that would look at your training clips and say "who cares, he doesn't even look that big". I'm not one, as I've complimented your work before, but you gotta see the other side of the coin. Primarily strength vs. primarily size people may never see eye to eye, but we can still respect each others accomplishments and not try to diminish them by seeing them as inferior to our own.

well thank you for trying to defend vaniety......but I think you missed what I said, his goals are way differant than mine now, his goals are his kids according to him, yet every example he gives is vanitey, thats what bugged me. I only asked a few questions here, if I wanted to diminish his accomplishments from a bb piont of veiw, I could (I won't) pics do say a few words, but certainly not a thousand.

so Maverick it is a-okay from him to continue to pound his upper-body and create more imbalences endangering his back,hips,and knees, just because he's "buff" right? sounds like bad advice for a begginner,intermediate, or advanced, muscles don't make the best protection, tendons and connective tissues should be focused on.

[lifthard20]

more pics taken on my day off

[Dan C]

So my wife and I have been car shopping for the last couple days. She wants a sedan to accompany the children she's planning on hauling around in the near future. My concern isn't so much how it looks, and even performance isn't that big of an issue being that it's a "family car". I'm concerned about the structural integrity of it. You know, under that pretty plastic bumper is some kind of space-age styrofoam. Will it stand the test of time?

I hope so for my families sake.

[maverick]

Originally Posted by luke.w

well thank you for trying to defend vaniety......but I think you missed what I said, his goals are way differant than mine now, his goals are his kids according to him, yet every example he gives is vanitey, thats what bugged me. I only asked a few questions here, if I wanted to diminish his accomplishments from a bb piont of veiw, I could (I won't) pics do say a few words, but certainly not a thousand.

so Maverick it is a-okay from him to continue to pound his upper-body and create more imbalences endangering his back,hips,and knees, just because he's "buff" right? sounds like bad advice for a begginner,intermediate, or advanced, muscles don't make the best protection, tendons and connective tissues should be focused on.

Why does somebody wanting to look good bug you? Seems silly. How is he endangering himself? He is working lower body at least some, just not with the heavy-hitting exercises. Its not like he's neglecting it.

I'm not saying its something to emaulate, but I hardly think that he's in danger because of it.

Originally Posted by Dan C

So my wife and I have been car shopping for the last couple days. She wants a sedan to accompany the children she's planning on hauling around in the near future. My concern isn't so much how it looks, and even performance isn't that big of an issue being that it's a "family car". I'm concerned about the structural integrity of it. You know, under that pretty plastic bumper is some kind of space-age styrofoam. Will it stand the test of time?

Maybe he's more of an SUV guy, ya know? Takes the rare roll-over, but 9 out of 10 times its passengers are the ones that survive an accident.

[threenorns]

dan, luke - you really know how to welcome a guy.

take it to your own thread, willya?

personally, i think he did an amazingly good job on the upper body and i'm sure he'll get the lower body matching when he figures out the exercises that will work for him.

dan - if safety's the ultimate factor, then get a volvo. looks like crap, but hey: it's the safest on the market.

[lifthard20]

ok, my life is not bodybuilding, i do this in my spare time, roughly 45 minutes a day with minimal rest. from a bodybuilding standpoint, some of you are right, but like i said, this isa hobby, not a lifestyle. if you can only slam me because you arent happy with your own body, then grow up. i mean, do you really need to slam someone who accomplished his goals just to feel good aboutyourself. it is called jealousy.

but i aint mad at you, i once was you.......now im not, thank god.

[luke.w]

Originally Posted by maverick

I'm not saying its something to emaulate, but I hardly think that he's in danger because of it.

Dan has a good story of a honeymoon with his wife and a flat tire with no jack, also a story of a possible white water accident and a strong grip.
anything could happen in a situation without good tendons and connective tissues disater could happen.

I got good things to say about "lift hard" at 6'3" and a former athlete, he's proabilly got more natural strength in his body than I could dream of, he's probially got a stronger grip than I can dream of, I didn't have those things, all I had was a high pain tolerance.

I'm not dimishing him, I just wanted to understand this thinking and the thinking of others, it would suck if his family expected something from his build and he ended up hurt.

hey, I used to be just like you and everyone else, I had the vanity feeling for a few years, but I still always believed in strength thank god!

[Dan C]

No harm, no foul intended. Just an observation I've made about the way cars are made now-a-days. I thought it was a pretty clever way to illustrate the importance of priorities, which Lifthard20 is obviously concerned with - family first. I agree.

I apologize if you took my post the wrong way, Lifthard. Just offering a related, yet different perspective.

And you two (mav and 3norns) really shouldn't try and play off my analogies.

[sunmedicFL]

<deep, throaty voice booming over loudspeaker>

lllllllLLLLLLet's get ready to rrrrumbllllllllllllllllllllle!!!!!!

Holy cow, this thread is really touching some nerves it seems. Lifthard, I know it's difficult, but don't get too defensive, my opinion is that Mav is right.
You have made great progress, there is room for overall improvement, but I doubt you're doing harm to yourself. Consider the information that you may be able to repair old damage done with increased leg work & get more benefit, if you choose not to & you're OK with that...never mind.

[maverick]

Originally Posted by Dan C

And you two (mav and 3norns) really shouldn't try and play off my analogies.

[Vas85]

Looking great dude! bigg bigg difference, and lots of inspiration considering your age aswell!.

You look a lot healthier too might i add, keep it up.

Originally Posted by sunmedicFL

OK - granted, but that still leaves an 11mo window...
If you did that in 366days, I'm stoked for ya! If it took 729days... that's a great example of persistance.

Either way the guy looks awesome, sounds like he feels great about his accomplishment, and he serves his goal here of inspiring noobs. I certainly do not intend to take anything away from that, I'm just wondering how long it took him to get that result. I can only hope that my genetics can allow me to see similar acheivment.

Again, no offense intended. Congrats!

Given his knee problems, that kind of increase does sound about right.

In little less than 3 years ive added 30kg maintaining same bodyfat levels, and it wasn't 10kg per year, rather odd one year a little, another year a lot of gains.

[.V.]

I'll say it once agian. I admire what you've done. It looks great. I admire the guy who can pick up an 800lb yoke and walk around with it too. That's quite impressive. Wouldn't it be awesome if we could all look like Coleman and carry around big sh*t like Sven VanSvenson, then run out and win the tour-de-france. Sorry guys - it ain't happening. Pick a CURRENT goal and work for it. Then pick a new one and work for it. Don't neglect other aspects of training - if something from a "strongman" or "powerlifter" routine will be useful to a "bodybuilder" - use it. If not, don't. But if you try to do it ALL, you end up overtrained, sick, injured, and working against yourself...been there, done that. That's why I've settled on being a mere bodybuilder for now. Not a good one mind you.

But once again...and for my last time - you look great. More legs would be nice, but hey, we all have our weak points. My legs are a weak point for me...and my back...and my arms...and my shoulders...and my chest...oh and my abs too.

lifthard - your traps and delts are obviously one of your best features. Have you done anything other than your posted workout for those two body parts?