Daily Ramblings – Daily Quote

Tags

Achievement, Attention to Detail, Ayn Rand, Competition, Contribution, creativity, motivation, Putting Love into the smallest task

Today’s Quote:

“A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.” – Ayn Rand

So many people confuse these two things. A desire to achieve is a way to improve oneself. The desire to beat others can sometimes undermine your ability to improve yourself because the competition may not be strong enough.

Improving yourself is so much more satisfying in my opinion. To read one more book, lift more weight, write more words, lose body fat %, or even learn something new. These are all examples of ways to improve by beating your old “record”.

Don’t worry about the other people in your life. They have their own goals, dreams, aspirations, etc. They have their own talents and strengths. I believe we are all unique and put on this Earth to add value by applying our talents to the problems we and society face. Whether you are in the military, the medical field, studying at the University, or any number of positions, we all have a function that is needed by our fellow man.

Do the best you can. Use what you have. Put love into all you do. Pay attention to the smallest details. If you do these things you will always be improving yourself. By improving yourself you can serve others more effectively and efficiently.

I hope you have a terrific Monday!

Until next time…

Daily Ramblings – Workout Log

Tags

Abdominals, Back, Calves, Hamstrings, Obliques, Quadriceps, tibialis, triceps

Last two day’s workouts:

Chest and Triceps Day

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Muscle Group	Previous Results	Reps x Weight
Cable Crossover (High Pulley)	3	12-15	Chest	15 x 25lbs 15 x 25lbs 15 x 25lbs	12/30.0 12/30.0 15/30.0
Cable Crossover (Low Pulley)	3	12-15	Chest	15 x 10lbs 15 x 10lbs 15 x 10lbs	15/12.5 15/12.5 30/12.5
Incline Dumbbell Flye	3	12-15	Chest	15 x 35lbs 15 x 35lbs 15 x 35lbs	12/40.0 12/40.0 20/40.0
Dumbbell Bench Press	3	12-15	Chest	15 x 40lbs 15 x 40lbs 15 x 40lbs	12/45.0 12/45.0 30/45.0
Bench Press	3	12-15	Chest	15 x 105lbs 15 x 105lbs 15 x 105lbs	12/130.0 12/130.0 18/130.0
Dumbbell Triceps Kickback	3	12-15	Triceps	15 x 12.5lbs 15 x 12.5lbs 15 x 12.5lbs	12/15.0 12/15.0 30/15.0
Triceps Pressdown	2	12-15	Triceps	15 x 57.5lbs 15 x 57lbs	12/62.5 30/62.5
Lying Cable Triceps Extensions (Bench)	2	12-15	Triceps	15 x 35lbs 15 x 35lbs	12/40.0 30/40.0
Overhead Cable Triceps Extension (low pulley)	2	12-15	Triceps	15 x 35lbs 15 x 35lbs	12/40.0 30/40.0
Close-Grip Bench Press	3	12-15	Triceps	15 x 95lbs 15 x 95lbs 15 x 95lbs	12/100.0 12/100.0 30/100.0
Hanging Leg Raise	3	12-15	Abs	15 x 1lbs 15 x 1lbs 15 x 1lbs	12/1.0 12/1.0 25/1.0
Decline Crunch	3	12-15	Abs	15 x 1lbs 15 x 1lbs 15 x 1lbs	12/1.0 12/1.0 30/1.0
Side Plank Reach Through	2	to failure	Abs	1 x 15lbs 1 x 15lbs	1/15.0 1/16.0

Leg Day (Sunday)

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Muscle Group	Previous Results	Reps x Weight
Squat	2	9-11	Legs	11 x 110lbs 11 x 110lbs	9/130.0 9/130.0
Front Squat	2	9-11	Legs	11 x 90lbs 11 x 90lbs	9/110.0 9/110.0
Leg Press	2	9-11	Legs	11 x 250lbs 11 x 250lbs	11/270.0 11/270.0
Leg Extension	2	9-11	Legs	11 x 145lbs 11 x 145lbs	11/160.0 11/160.0
Walking Lunge	2	9-11	Legs	11 x 110lbs 11 x 110lbs	9/110.0 9/110.0
Romanian Deadlift	2	9-11	Legs	11 x 115lbs 11 x 115lbs	11/120.0 11/120.0
Lying Leg Curl	2	9-11	Legs	11 x 60lbs 11 x 60lbs	11/70.0
Seated Calf Raise	2	9-11	Calves	11 x 298lbs 11 x 298lbs	9/328.0 9/328.0
Leg Press Calf Raise	2	9-11	Calves		9/328.0 9/328.0
Cable Toe Raise	2	9-11	Calves	11 x 50lbs 11 x 50lbs	11/60.0 11/60.0

Happy Monday, Readers!!

We have 3 workouts left in the Down and Up Mass program. What will be next? I’ll keep you posted. I haven’t decided what routine I’m going to tackle next. I’ll update before I start hitting the next one.

For those of you who are interested in working out or don’t know where to start, I can’t recommend Jim Stoppani’s website enough (www.jimstoppani.com). Another great site to go to is Bodybuilding.com (www.bodybuilding.com). Bodybuilding.com is free, has tons of workouts available, tons of articles and videos on the various aspects of bodybuilding and fitness in general. It also has a store where you can buy all of your supplements. Either way, both of these websites are definitely worth your while if you are looking for some great advice and information about exercise, bodybuilding, nutrition, etc. I hope some of you follow my lead and really get moving. It will make a HUGE difference in your life and will improve every aspect of it.

See you tomorrow!!!

Daily Ramblings – Daily Quote

Tags

Direction, Goal Setting, Planning, Progress

Today’s quote:

“Progress has little to do with speed, but much to do with direction.” – Author Unknown

This quote is really important because many times if we are moving too quickly without a plan of action we end up making a lot of mistakes, building out a product or deliverable of low quality, or end up in a position that we really weren’t looking to be in. How do we avoid this mistake? We plan.

Planning is the way we bring an idea into fruition. We say I want to read so many books by this date. We look at the time we are allotting ourselves and then we determine how many pages we have to read per day to achieve our goal. Let’s say we have to read 10 pages to achieve our goal. That means you have to schedule time each day to read 10 pages. Simple right?

This is the same process we can use for anything. My example is pretty simple. Some other goals or projects may be more complicated. The key is to really brainstorm and document where you are now and where you want to be. Set a realistic time frame to accomplish your goal and be flexible. You may find after a few days, for example, that the book you’re reading just isn’t interesting. Drop the book and pick up another one. Readjust the plan a bit to accommodate your new requirements and continue moving forward.

Hope everyone is having a terrific Saturday!!

Until next time…

Daily Ramblings – Workout Log

Tags

Bodybuilding, Deltoids, Down and Up Mass, healthy living, Jim Stoppani, Shoulders, Trapezoids

Today’s workout!

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Muscle Group	Previous Results	Reps x Weight
Barbell Shoulder Press	2	9-11	Shoulders	11 x 70lbs 11 x 70lbs	11/80.0 11/80.0
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press	2	9-11	Shoulders	11 x 30lbs 11 x 30lbs	11/35.0 11/35.0
Smith Machine Upright Row	2	9-11	Shoulders	11 x 40lbs 11 x 40lbs	11/50.0 11/50.0
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	2	9-11	Shoulders	11 x 15lbs 11 x 15lbs	11/20.0 11/20.0
Face Pull	2	9-11	Shoulders	11 x 35lbs 11 x 35lbs	11/50.0 11/50.0
Barbell Shrug	2	9-11	Traps	11 x 135lbs 11 x 135lbs	11/205.0 11/205.0
Behind The Back Barbell Shrug	2	9-11	Traps	11 x 135lbs 11 x 135lbs	11/185.0 11/185.0
Straight-Arm Pushdown	2	9-11	Traps	11 x 180lbs 11 x 180lbs	11/250.0 11/250.0
Cable External Rotation	2	9-11	Shoulders	11 x 15lbs 11 x 15lbs	11/17.5 11/17.5
Cable Internal Rotation	2	9-11	Shoulders	11 x 15lbs 11 x 15lbs	11/17.5 11/17.5
Hanging Leg Raise	2	9-11	Abs	11 x 1lbs 11 x 1lbs	11/1.0 11/1.0
Standing Cable Crunch	2	9-11	Abs	11 x 50lbs 11 x 50lbs	11/57.5 11/57.5
Cable Woodchopper	2	9-11	Abs	11 x 35lbs 11 x 35lbs	11/42.0 11/42.0

Well, folks, we are closing in on the final week for the Down and Up Mass Routine by Jim Stoppani (www.jimstoppani.com). This workout has been terrific and really helped me progress. Let’s talk about increasing your weight from workout to workout.

When I make a decision to progress from one weight to another, my decision is based on a few things. The first consideration is: Am I going to be able to preserve my form? If you have to cheat from the very first rep to get the weight to move, you’re not ready to elevate your weights just yet. The second consideration is: What rep levels am I pursuing this workout? If you are lowering your reps in an upcoming workout, you can more than likely put up more weight doing 3-5 reps than you could at 6-8, 9-11, or 12-15 reps. The key is to progress without sacrificing a full range of motion and good form for the exercise. If you jump too quickly, you will risk an injury and potentially not really work the muscle you are intending to work. Take your time. It is much better to underestimate your ability to progress than progress too quickly. Bodybuilding is a marathon, not a sprint.

I made great progress on most of my exercises this time around. Tomorrow is the last of the heavy weeks in this routine. Next week it’ll be the final stretch with 3 sets to failure. I’m going to do everything I can to just destroy my muscles.

Tomorrow is another leg day.

See you then…

Daily Ramblings – Daily Quote

Tags

Anger, Choices, Contentment, Gratitude, Happiness, Quotes, Sydney Harris, Ungrateful, Unhappiness

Today’s Quote:

“When I hear somebody sigh, ‘Life is hard,’ I am always tempted to ask, ‘Compared to what?'” – Sydney Harris

Boy, what a great quote!

This quote really alerts us to our own attitudes. I post and discuss happiness and gratitude quite a bit because these states of mind are nothing more than an attitude. If you are happy, you are grateful for all that is going on. If you are not happy or require a certain fictional condition to be happy, then you will chase that for the rest of your life. I can almost guarantee if you are not happy–you are also not grateful.

Folks that are unhappy are that way because they choose to be. For some, being unhappy is their “happy” state. It’s weird to think of it this way, but it’s true. People choose to be or feel the way they do. It is not an involuntary act. If you are sad, you choose to be. If you are angry, you choose to be. If you are unhappy, you choose to be. The same goes for happiness, contented, and grateful. They are literally nothing more than a conscious choice.

Some folks are unconscious about their attitude, mood, or general outlook on life. This is also a choice. They choose to be unaware. They are an automaton simply moving through life like an unconscious machine. This state is a hell all by itself.

Be cognizant of your attitude. If you are unhappy, it is nothing more than taking a few moments and realizing how great life is to turn that unhappiness into happiness. Everything in life involves choosing something. Choose happiness, contentment, and gratefulness. It is a great way to live a life.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Workout Log

Tags

Abdominals, Back, Biceps, Calves, chest, forearms, Legs, Obliques, tibialis, triceps

Last Three Day’s Workouts:

Sorry for not being her for a day or so folks. Been busy with some other projects. Here you go!!

Back and Biceps

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Muscle Group	Previous Results	Reps x Weight
Deadlift	2	9-11	Whole Body	11 x 45lbs 11 x 45lbs	11/100.0 11/100.0
Barbell Bent-Over Row	2	9-11	Back	11 x 95lbs 11 x 95lbs	11/100.0 11/100.0
Seated Cable Row (Close)	2	9-11	Back	11 x 100lbs 11 x 100lbs	11/105.0 11/105.0
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown	2	9-11	Back	11 x 100lbs 11 x 100lbs	11/105.0
Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown	2	9-11	Back	11 x 100lbs 11 x 100lbs	11/105.0 11/105.0
Straight-Arm Pulldown	2	9-11	Back	11 x 40lbs	11/55.0 11/55.0
Standing Barbell Curl	2	9-11	Biceps	11 x 45lbs	11/55.0 11/55.0
Incline Dumbbell Curl	2	9-11	Biceps	11 x 20lbs	11/25.0 11/25.0
High Cable Curl	2	9-11	Biceps	11 x 10lbs 11 x 10lbs	11/15.0 11/15.0
Prone Incline Dumbbell Curl	2	9-11	Biceps	11 x 15lbs	11/20.0 11/20.0
Hammer Curl	2	9-11	Biceps	11 x 20lbs 11 x 20lbs	11/25.0 11/25.0
Barbell Wrist Curl	2	9-11	Forearms	11 x 30lbs 11 x 30lbs	11/50.0 11/50.0
Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl	2	9-11	Forearms	11 x 20lbs 11 x 20lbs	11/20.0 11/20.0
Standing Calf Raise	2	9-11	Calves	11 x 208lbs	11/298.0 11/298.0
Seated Calf Raise	2	9-11	Calves	11 x 208lbs 11 x 208lbs	11/298.0 11/298.0
Cable Toe Raise	2	9-11	Calves	11 x 20lbs 11 x 20lbs	11/50.0 11/50.0

Chest and Triceps

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Muscle Group	Previous Results	Reps x Weight
Bench Press	2	9-11	Chest	11 x 110lbs 11 x 110lbs	9/150.0 9/150.0
Reverse-Grip Bench Press	2	9-11	Chest	11 x 80lbs 11 x 80lbs	11/90.0 11/90.0
Incline Dumbbell Press	2	9-11	Chest	11 x 40lbs 11 x 40lbs	11/50.0 11/50.0
Dumbbell Flye	2	9-11	Chest	11 x 35lbs 11 x 35lbs	11/45.0 11/45.0
Cable Crossover (High Pulley)	2	9-11	Chest	11 x 22.5lbs 11 x 22.5lbs	11/27.5 11/27.5
Close-Grip Bench Press	2	9-11	Triceps	11 x 45lbs 11 x 45lbs	11/100.0 11/100.0
Dumbbell Overhead Extension	2	9-11	Triceps	11 x 45lbs 11 x 45lbs	11/45.0 11/45.0
Lying Triceps Extension	2	9-11	Triceps	11 x 50lbs 11 x 50lbs	11/60.0 11/60.0
Triceps Pressdown	2	9-11	Triceps	11 x 57.5lbs 11 x 57.5lbs	11/57.5 11/57.5
Dumbbell Triceps Kickback	2	9-11	Triceps	11 x 12.5lbs 11 x 12.5lbs	11/15.0 11/15.0
Smith Machine Hip Thrust	2	9-11	Abs	11 x 90lbs 11 x 90lbs	11/150.0 11/150.0
Smith Machine Crunch	2	9-11	Abs	11 x 20lbs 11 x 20lbs	11/60.0 11/60.0
Standing Cable Oblique Pressdown	2	9-11	Abs	11 x 25lbs 11 x 25lbs	11/42.5 11/42.5

Legs

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Muscle Group	Previous Results	Reps x Weight
Leg Extension	3	16-20	Legs	20 x 130lbs 20 x 130lbs 20 x 130lbs	20/130.0 20/130.0 20/130.0
One-Leg Leg Press	3	16-20	Legs	20 x 90lbs 20 x 90lbs 20 x 90lbs	20/208.0 20/208.0 20/208.0
Front Squat	3	16-20	Legs	20 x 60lbs 20 x 60lbs 20 x 60lbs	20/60.0 20/60.0 20/60.0
Squat	3	16-20	Legs	20 x 80lbs 20 x 80lbs 20 x 80lbs	20/75.0 20/75.0 20/75.0
Lying Leg Curl	3	16-20	Legs	20 x 40lbs 20 x 40lbs 20 x 40lbs	20/50.0 20/50.0 20/50.0
Walking Lunge	3	16-20	Legs	20 x 90lbs 20 x 90lbs 20 x 90lbs	16/80.0 16/80.0 16/80.0
Romanian Deadlift	3	16-20	Legs	20 x 90lbs 20 x 90lbs 20 x 90lbs	16/90.0 16/90.0 16/90.0
Seated Calf Raise	3	16-20	Calves	20 x 208lbs 20 x 208lbs 20 x 208lbs	20/218.0 20/218.0 20/218.0
Leg Press Calf Raise	3	16-20	Calves		20/218.0 20/218.0 20/218.0
Cable Toe Raise	2	16-20	Calves	20 x 40lbs 20 x 40lbs	20/50.0 20/50.0

Daily Ramblings – Daily Quote

Tags

Alice Morse Earle, Being Present, Living in the Moment, Quote, wisdom

Today’s Quote:

“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.” – Alice Morse Earle

What wisdom right?

So many of us get wrapped up into what happened yesterday or worry about some unknown in the future, ignoring the fact that none of that has any impact unless we let it impact us. The only way to benefit from yesterday and have an effect on tomorrow is by being present. Do your best today. Focus on what you want today. Stay on task right now! If you do, you’ll find your tomorrow’s are better, your yesterday’s are great teachers, and the only control you have is your attitude about what is occurring right now.

Here’s a trite quote: “Stop and smell the roses.” Take your time, enjoy every bite of your meal, enjoy every moment with your loved one, enjoy every moment of peace when you just sit and relax.

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

See you tomorrow…

Daily Ramblings – Workout Log

Tags

Bodybuilding, Deltoids, Down and Up Mass, healthy living, Jim Stoppani, Shoulders, Trapezoids

Today’s Workout:

Today was Shoulders!

I hope everyone is having a terrific Tuesday!

See you tomorrow…

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Muscle Group	Previous Results	Reps x Weight
One-Arm Cable Rear Delt Flye	3	16-20	Shoulders		20/5.0 20/5.0 20/5.0
Cable Lateral Raise	3	16-20	Shoulders	20 x 5lbs 20 x 5lbs 20 x 5lbs	16/10.0 16/10.0 16/10.0
Cable Front Raise	3	16-20	Shoulders	20 x 7.5lbs 20 x 7.5lbs 20 x 7.5lbs	16/10.0 16/10.0 16/10.0
Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press Alternating Arms	3	16-20	Shoulders	20 x 15lbs 20 x 15lbs 20 x 15lbs	16/15.0 16/15.0 16/15.0
Barbell Shoulder Press	3	16-20	Shoulders	20 x 70lbs 20 x 70lbs 20 x 70lbs	16/70.0 16/70.0 16/70.0
Dumbbell Shrug	2	16-20	Traps	20 x 45lbs 20 x 45lbs	16/50.0 16/50.0
Barbell Shrug	3	16-20	Traps	20 x 155lbs 20 x 155lbs 20 x 155lbs	16/205.0 16/205.0 16/205.0
Straight-Arm Pushdown	2	16-20	Traps	20 x 234lbs 20 x 234lbs	16/250.0 16/250.0
Cable Internal Rotation	2	16-20	Shoulders	20 x 10lbs 20 x 10lbs	16/12.5 16/12.5
Cable External Rotation	2	16-20	Shoulders	20 x 10lbs 20 x 10lbs	16/12.5 16/12.5
Hip Thrust	3	16-20	Abs	20 x 110lbs 20 x 110lbs 20 x 110lbs	16/1.0 16/1.0 16/1.0
Cable Crunch	3	16-20	Abs	20 x 70lbs 20 x 70lbs 20 x 70lbs	16/80.0 16/80.0 16/80.0
Oblique Crunch	2	16-20	Abs	20 x 1lbs 20 x 1lbs	20/10.0 20/10.0

Daily Ramblings – Daily Quote

Tags

Dr. Stephen Covey, Fountain of Good, Marcus Aurelias, Spark of God

Today’s Quote:

“Look within. Within is the fountain of good and it will ever bubble up if thou wilt ever dig.” – Marcus Aurelias

You can call this fountain of good your conscience, the voice of God, the universe, etc. I believe this fountain exists in all of us. The key to utilizing this fountain is to visit it daily. I do this through meditation, but you can do it through prayer, or whatever means you utilize to quiet yourself and go inside.

Stephen Covey also tackled this in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People when he discusses the internal voice we all have. The voice is clear and gets even clearer if we listen to it. Conversely, the voice will dull and become more diluted if you ignore it.

We all know what is right and wrong. When we do something right and good, you can actually “feel” it. You feel complete, connected, loved. When you do something wrong, you get this feeling in the pit of your stomach or a wave that rolls over you. Both of these feelings are not that great.

Marcus Aurelius uses the abstract word “dig” to emphasize that we have to “look” for the good in ourselves every day. We have to pay attention to the good within us. Taking this another step forward, it is also important to see the good in others. See the spark of God in them. Everyone has it, regardless of what they think about themselves. Look for it. Treat others as a spark of God. The effect it will have on you and others is quite startling.

I hope you are all having a terrific Monday.

I’ll see you tomorrow…

Daily Ramblings – Workout Log

Tags

Back, Biceps, Bodybuilding, Calves, Down and Up Mass, forearms, healthy living, Jim Stoppani

Today’s Workout!

Today was Back, Biceps, Forearms, and Calves. We are in a light week again, but as we digress from the 21-30 repetition range, you’ll see weights increase. The same goes for the heavy weeks. As the repetitions increase, the weights we were at will decrease.

Weight increases = Repetitions stay the same or they decrease

Weight decreases = Repetitions stay the same or they increase

The decision to alter the weight for a particular exercise is up to you. As mentioned yesterday, the bigger muscle groups tend to be able to handle a decent increase (5-10lbs). The smaller muscle groups will only be able to handle 2.5 – 5 lb increases. This is a generalized statement, however. Your body may adapt more quickly than mine and you may be able to increase your weights even more dramatically. The key is to maintain form and a complete range of motion. Remember, in body building our goal is to destroy the muscle. Whether you destroy it with an ungodly number of repetitions or tackle heavier and heavier loads of weight, the key is to stretch the muscle adequately and contract the muscle adequately. Subsequently, a full range of motion is required to truly tax the most muscle fibers.

That’s it for today folks!

See you tomorrow for another shoulder workout.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Muscle Group	Previous Results	Reps x Weight
Deadlift	3	16-20	Whole Body	20 x 60lbs 20 x 60lbs 20 x 60lbs	16/70.0 16/70.0 16/70.0
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown	3	16-20	Back	20 x 85lbs 20 x 85lbs 20 x 85lbs	20/85.0 20/85.0 20/85.0
Standing Lat Pulldown	3	16-20	Back	20 x 70lbs 20 x 70lbs 20 x 70lbs	20/85.0 20/85.0 20/85.0
One-Arm Seated Cable Row	3	16-20	Back	20 x 35lbs 20 x 35lbs 20 x 35lbs	20/35.0 20/35.0 20/35.0
Barbell Bent-Over Row	3	16-20	Back	20 x 85lbs 20 x 85lbs 20 x 85lbs	20/70.0 20/70.0 20/70.0
Prone Incline Dumbbell Curl	3	16-20	Biceps	20 x 15lbs 20 x 15lbs 20 x 15lbs	20/15.0 20/15.0 20/15.0
Behind The Back Cable Curl	3	16-20	Biceps	20 x 10lbs 20 x 10lbs 20 x 10lbs	20/15.0 20/15.0 20/15.0
Preacher Curl	3	16-20	Biceps	20 x 30lbs 20 x 30lbs 20 x 30lbs	20/40.0 20/40.0 20/40.0
Standing Barbell Curl	3	16-20	Biceps	20 x 35lbs 20 x 35lbs 20 x 35lbs	20/40.0 20/40.0 20/40.0
Rope Cable Hammer Curl	2	16-20	Biceps	20 x 25lbs 20 x 25lbs	20/30.0 20/30.0
Barbell Wrist Curl	2	16-20	Forearms	20 x 20lbs 20 x 20lbs	20/40.0 20/40.0
Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl	2	16-20	Forearms	20 x 20lbs 20 x 20lbs	20/20.0 20/20.0
Standing Calf Raise	3	16-20	Calves	20 x 208lbs 20 x 208lbs 20 x 208lbs	20/208.0 20/208.0 20/208.0
Seated Calf Raise	3	16-20	Calves	20 x 208lbs 20 x 208lbs 20 x 208lbs	20/208.0 20/208.0 20/208.0
Cable Toe Raise	2	16-20	Calves	20 x 15lbs 20 x 15lbs	20/40.0 20/40.0