Just got back from the fitness center. Really earned it tonight!
I am pushing boundaries which I have not reached in nearly 20 years. In some cases, haven't reached the same levels I once was, in other cases, I am actually exceeding any prior abilities.
Still at 130 lbs on bicep curls. However, increasing repetitions considerably. Up to 160 lbs on tricep press. Still around 130 max on chest butterfly but again seriously increasing repetitions. Up to 1 mile on the ski machine but will say I have not increased speed from last week on that one.
Up to 260 lbs on the leg press Thing to recall on incline leg press is that you have to add your own weight to the stack weight. So effectively I'm pressing 420 lbs. That's an increase of 80 lbs in one month. And lots more repetitions.
Increased weight slightly but also increased a lot of repetitions on abdominal crunches.
Of course, all of this is normal. Once you reach your true baseline, you never increase weights, speed and repetitions concurrently. The one I've always been worst at is speed. Just not built for it.
The difference is becoming very visible, especially to my arms, chest and abdomen. Things people tend to focus on most. I may even move up my timeline on my chest and abdomen. Think I'll have a well defined washboard and several inches to my chest inside of one more month. Not going for bodybuilder physique per se but not too far off. Not going to spend every minute at the gym. Blech.
It is amazing. Getting inflammation under control has removed so many limits and increased how fast I build muscle. I cannot help but wonder what I could have done if I had known about this and gotten it under control 30 years ago. Then again, if I had known at that time, I would have gone with the traditional treatment. No knowing what the result of that would have been. So, it's useless to ponder. May have been better, may have been worse. Definitely would have been different.
I still believe things happen a certain way in my life for a reason.
One thing is likely. A person in extremely good shape when they are younger declines from that baseline as they age. In my case, if I am increasing my condition now after a previous decline, it's an improvement. The person in good shape when younger who declines has negative emotional effects. In my case, the improvement means positive emotional effects. Most of my life I haven't been in bad shape but not exactly in great shape. Something always held me back in some way. My schedule, finances, back injury.. Not as much holding me back now.
Besides, I know a lot more about how to build muscle now than I did when I was younger. So that's another advantage.
I am pushing boundaries which I have not reached in nearly 20 years. In some cases, haven't reached the same levels I once was, in other cases, I am actually exceeding any prior abilities.
Still at 130 lbs on bicep curls. However, increasing repetitions considerably. Up to 160 lbs on tricep press. Still around 130 max on chest butterfly but again seriously increasing repetitions. Up to 1 mile on the ski machine but will say I have not increased speed from last week on that one.
Up to 260 lbs on the leg press Thing to recall on incline leg press is that you have to add your own weight to the stack weight. So effectively I'm pressing 420 lbs. That's an increase of 80 lbs in one month. And lots more repetitions.
Increased weight slightly but also increased a lot of repetitions on abdominal crunches.
Of course, all of this is normal. Once you reach your true baseline, you never increase weights, speed and repetitions concurrently. The one I've always been worst at is speed. Just not built for it.
The difference is becoming very visible, especially to my arms, chest and abdomen. Things people tend to focus on most. I may even move up my timeline on my chest and abdomen. Think I'll have a well defined washboard and several inches to my chest inside of one more month. Not going for bodybuilder physique per se but not too far off. Not going to spend every minute at the gym. Blech.
It is amazing. Getting inflammation under control has removed so many limits and increased how fast I build muscle. I cannot help but wonder what I could have done if I had known about this and gotten it under control 30 years ago. Then again, if I had known at that time, I would have gone with the traditional treatment. No knowing what the result of that would have been. So, it's useless to ponder. May have been better, may have been worse. Definitely would have been different.
I still believe things happen a certain way in my life for a reason.
One thing is likely. A person in extremely good shape when they are younger declines from that baseline as they age. In my case, if I am increasing my condition now after a previous decline, it's an improvement. The person in good shape when younger who declines has negative emotional effects. In my case, the improvement means positive emotional effects. Most of my life I haven't been in bad shape but not exactly in great shape. Something always held me back in some way. My schedule, finances, back injury.. Not as much holding me back now.
Besides, I know a lot more about how to build muscle now than I did when I was younger. So that's another advantage.
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