IOL Strength and Conditioning

If you’ve followed this series of posts, you’ve understood that I have some very definite preferences regarding home gym equipment. Lest I be considered an “armchair trainer,” following is a description of the equipment (most of it, not all) in my home garage gym and my feelings about the equipment.

I have a power rack…which is not currently seeing much use. Since I don’t do the barbell bench press anymore and my squatting is currently confined to the use of a leverage squat machine, there aren’t too many movements that require the use of the rack for safety. It occasionally sees use for partial deadlifts and I’m in the process of cobbling together a T-bar rowing attachment…but it doesn’t really see much use right now. I still consider it a valuable piece of safety equipment, especially if you train the bench press and the squat alone.

Next to the power rack, I have a leg extension/leg curl bench. Despite the crowd that says leg extensions are bad for the knees and that the leg curl is useless for the hamstrings, this piece of equipment gets a fair amount of use. I use several sets of leg extensions as a warm up for squats, mostly. I’m finding that my hamstrings are worked more directly by Romanian deadlifts and good mornings, rather than leg curls but that doesn’t invalidate the machine for me.

I have a seated lat pulldown machine. This unit gets a lot of use and allows for a lot of different movements. Sadly, I can’t do low rowing with the unit but when the price is considered ($40 used at Play It Again Sports,) that little inconvenience fades away. As described in my gym set up articles, I use a single revolving lat bar with angled ends. I also have a triangle handle attachment and a single handle. Both of these items do “double duty” in other applications, as well.

I have a vertical leg press machine (yet another steal from Play It Again Sports.) Although the placement of the machine in my garage is rather inconvenient, I use this item rather frequently. It seems to work my quads and hamstrings in a way quite different than machine squats.
My most often used machine has to be my leverage squat unit by PowerTec. I can do three variations of squats, calf raises and shrugs/Hise shrugs with this machine. Since the machine has built in spotting stops, I can work the squat into the ground (should I desire) and do so in complete safety.

I purchased a hyperextension bench but I’m using it less than I thought I would. More than likely, this is due to the inconvenience of needing to move the machine in and out of a storage position in my cramped garage.

I have a fairly study and well padded flat bench and a cinder block or two for when I need it to be an incline bench. Not getting a lot of use right now. I’m eschewing most seated work and lying work for standing…just because I feel that standing work involves a lot more of the body. Why throw out the benefit of ancillary work for a little comfort?

Regarding various bars, I have the usual items and one or two specialty bars. I have both a five and six foot exercise bar and one Olympic bar, as well as a bent bar in both exercise and Olympic trim. I recently acquired two specialty bars, (guess where from?) a shrug bar and a two inch diameter “thick” bar. The shrug bar is being used at least once a week and is one of my favorite pieces of training gear.

Eleven pairs of fixed weight dumbbells occupy a three tier rack. Combinations other than what I have are constructed with plate loading dumbbells. Three plate trees with one inch pins hold almost all of my plates. I have a pretty fair mix of Olympic and standard plates and more than enough iron to accommodate my present (and future) level of strength.

Those are probably the major players in the Wicked Willie Garage Gym. I have lots of other “specialty” toys and homemade items but the above list comprises the staples…the “work horse” items, if you will. I guess it could be said that I practice what I preach.

Accountability and encouragement are two very powerful factors in logging workouts publicly. Anyone who participated in the End of Year Challenge knows this, if they didn’t know before our group accountability project. Most ended the year in a better place physically than when they started the challenge in October, which is pretty much not the case with the rest of the crew. (Or so I’m told.)

Let’s take this a step further. While challenges made too frequently will eventually die a slow death as people get bored and drop away, we can still use the group training log as an often-changing model under which the rest of us can follow along at home.

Think of this – our IOL Co-Op Training Log — as an opportunity to learn new exercises, workout combinations or lesser-used training tools. Each month a new group of three or four trainees will plot their workout plans in advance, tell us their purposes for the month and log their progress, ask questions, and give or take feedback as considerations come up in the journals. The trainees will have somewhat related goals, and the goals will change each month as the trainees surrender their spots to other loggers.

The following month another group of loggers will demonstrate entirely different regimes. You can follow along at home, changing up your workouts month to month or retaining the exercises and programs you enjoy.

The trainees will pre-plan and post their scheduled routines at the first of each month so the rest of us will know what to expect, perhaps to select a program to follow on our own, and to be able to make adjustments to account for equipment variances.

This will introduce readers to new training regimes, and to challenge us all to keep our training regularity during busy times or stressful months.

February (that’s tomorrow, days are getting longer, did you notice?) we begin with three guys who are training with the basic movements, squat, deadlift, press, plus assistance exercises. As a bonus for our opening month, Wicked Willie will run a squat rehab guidance program designed for those with a problem squatting well, and which will be helpful for anyone who wants to learn good squat form.

Come on, get in on the adventure while it’s on the tarmac preparing for take off.

You know why Weight Watchers works? Public accountability. That’s it. Sure, they’ve got a good eating plan that most people will lose weight on, but it’s the accountability that keeps the successful dieters on track. We discovered that for ourselves a few years ago during a winter workout challenge that kept a large group of IronOnline forum members on track through the holiday season and consistent through the depths of winter.

Now we’re back for a return engagement with our 2007 End of Year Challenge. And guess what? You’re invited. Bring your self esteem to the project, and bring intended, purposeful optimism because we can — you can — succeed.

Your choices are wide. Whatever you need to address, be it fat loss, not missing a scheduled workout, adding cardio to your training program, quitting smoking, increasing protein intake, decreasing alcohol during the party months… you get to choose your challenge, determine it… own it.

Describe what success feels like to you. Pick something reasonable, something you can get done. This is not shooting low; this is creating a target you can actually hit. Be honest with yourself — losing 40 pounds by the first of January ain’t gonna happen. We’re looking for success here.
Let’s get something fixed over the next ten weeks… everybody here has one thing that needs attention. Some have flaky workout compliance; some drink too much, or smoke; some need more cardio, others need more weight workouts, more protein or fewer carbs in their diets…. better sleep habits, some stretching or maybe planned rehab work.
For you, it’s that thing that’s giving you a little flush at the back of your neck — yeah, that one, right there. Let’s get after it. I’m talking to you there. This isn’t a ridealong.

If you need help planning a workout or getting your diet in order, we’ll give you a hand.

Get on this now, before the chaos of November feels impossible and you get swept up in everyone else’s plan, which nearly always includes missed workouts and sloppy eating.

We’ll start on Monday, October 15 and wrap this up Monday, December 31 — 10 weeks to take us confidently and aggressively through the food and layoff holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

What one thing is really nagging at you? Are you ready to take control and fix it?

WE CHALLENGE YOU TO JOIN US, right here, right now.

Late edit after seeing the comments below: You’re welcome to post your challenge participation here in the blog, however if you’d like feedback and support, you’ll want to join the group in the IOL Forum by clicking here. 

Dave Draper, the Blond Bomber

With his golden locks, beach habitat and mind-blowing mass, Dave Draper became the archetype for an entire subculture. The iconic Muscle Beach regular graced 24 muscle magazine covers and earned the titles Mr. America (’65), Mr. Universe (’66) and Mr. World (’70). Now 65, he’s the author of three popular fitness books and hosts IronOnline at www.davedraper.com.

When I thought no one was looking, I held my breath, closed my eyes and leaped onto the posing dais, hit a few shots and miraculously disappeared. I later discovered the place was packed with screaming fans – “They’re hanging off the chandeliers, Draper” – and I’d won the 1965 Mr. America title.

One ordinary day not long after my move from the East Coast to the West, word circulated through the gyms that the popular Los Angeles television station was looking for a character to host their upcoming Saturday prime-time show. I couldn’t resist joining in the cattle-call action, and was eventually ushered onto a soundstage, placed before a marker and asked to read a handheld teleprompter. I got the part and they called the show, “David the Gladiator.” And so began my brief show business career.

24 magazine covers and countless inside spreads later, the weights – barbells and dumbbells – were the source of resistance that built the muscles that build the men who built the magazines. I, and the guys before me, lifted the cold and noisy metal not for a moment on a page of paper, but for reasons, wonderful reasons too numerous to count. Be sure of this: Few pastimes provide more benefits, rewards and fulfillment.

If I’m proud, it’s because I’m a muscle-building original. I invented, improvised and rooted about along with a small, disconnected band of rebels with a cause: to build solid muscle and might through the austere, hard labor of love – the lifting of iron. Our shirts were not torn to be fashionable; they were shredded by use and outgrowth. We didn’t imitate; who would be the model before us?

Training for contests in the Golden Era with The Governor, Franco Columbu, Frank Zane and Mike Katz: The heat was on and the pain was welcome. When you’re done, you’re done. Tomorrow’s another day. Nevertheless, it is very good – splendid, in fact – when you crown the fiery, intense moments with gratitude, mutual recognition and the encouragement of the guys.

My training today is fundamentally the same as it was when I trained for contests in the ‘60s and ‘70s: hard, long, supersetted and volume accented. There’s a lesson in this for all of us, new and seasoned, male and female, striving and maintaining: What worked for you in the past will work for you today with appropriate modifications and extraordinary care.

In 1970, after winning the Mr. World in New York City, I sensed a shifting of the gears in bodybuilding, and stepped out of competition. The sport took off like a rocket to the moon, soaring into the ‘80s with ever-increasing momentum toward where it is today. Where it will go next, no one can say.

The secret is, there are no secrets. You simply have basic God-given genetics, body chemistry and bone structure. And provided the attributes of discipline and determination, you apply yourself full bore and your body potential emerges, slow and sure. Where most go wrong is in perseverance; they give up too quickly.

My workouts have been fluid since I stepped out of competition nearly 40 years ago, no less intense, just less rigid. Therefore, in that sense, my training principles have not changed. I search each and every workout for the exercises, the combinations, the sets and reps, the page and tempo for the methodology that will allow me to optimize intensity.

The years have come and gone and tons of weights have moved up and down. I, as you, love this stuff and I can’t, nor do I wish to, put it aside.

We’ve got a bit of an anniversary to celebrate this week: Our blog rolled over its one-year calendar. It’s clearly been a lot of fun and has provided an outstanding and wide-ranging collection of material; still, without a specific purpose in mind at the outset, it’s hard to say we met any goals here. Next year we simply promise more of the same un-planned randomness to educate and entertain.

Snooping around the thousands of pages of the forum looking for the highlights to point out in a blog post a couple weeks ago reminded me of the kazillion other pages in this 3,000-page website you’re unlikely to have accidentally stumbled upon. A quick glance at our server logs gives a picture of our wiki health and fitness database, and I thought you might like a look at what pages are drawing the most reader attention, see what you’re missing.

Exercises and Workout Routines

1. Exercise Descriptions
2. Bodypart Exercise Suggestions
3. Workout Routines
4. Overhead Squat Instruction
5. Bench Press Instruction
6. Byron’s 5×5 Workout Guide
   
7. Bentover Barbell Row
8. Abdominals

Training Styles and Home Gyms

1. Powerlifting
2. Cardiovascular Fitness
3. Homemade Gym Equipment Ideas
4. Home Gym Set-up
5. Kettlebells
6. Sandbag Training

Health and Wellness

1. Dealing with Back Pain
2. Male and Female Hormones
3. Menopause
4. Cholesterol

Food and Diet

1. Intermittent Fasting
2. Protein Shake Recipes
3. Weight Gain

I was surprised to discover the weight loss page wasn’t even in the top 20. Who *are* you guys?

If you’ve been around the Iron Game for any length of time, you’ve come to realize that there are many different theories regarding training and just as many approaches spawned by these theories. In recent years, high intensity training has become a very popular way of training. It has seen its share of use and abuse in the Iron Game…here’s an “average” lifter’s thoughts on the subject.

This style of training can rapidly increase the trainee’s strength and supposedly, his muscular hypertrophy will keep pace with the strength. In an ideal world…this happens. It tain’t so in the real world. Muscular hypertrophy requires two things (I’m greatly simplifying things here) fiber thickening and capillary perfusion. High intensity training – where you push to momentary muscular failure in a limited amounts of sets – allows for fiber thickening but doesn’t really have enough volume to stimulate capillary perfusion. So the strength can outrun the muscle size.

If this weren’t true…Olympic weightlifters would have huge muscles like bodybuilders and by extension, bodybuilders would be world class strength athletes. Again, tain’t so.

This style of training is also said to be safe – and the statement often used is that “the harder it seems, the easier it is.” Also, it has been said that “the first rep is the most dangerous rep.” The theory here (using curls as an example) is that if you’re curling 100 pounds, the first reps are accomplished quickly…because you’re producing in excess of 100 pounds of force. So they are the most dangerous, since you’re producing excessive force and subjecting the muscles, tendons and attachments to a greater force. As the set progresses, the reps slow down and you produce less force each time until movement isn’t possible…or you produce less than 100 pounds force. So your final rep (where you produce less than 100 pounds force) is actually safer and easier than your first. Sounds logical, eh?

Well, it is logical…but it’s not necessarily correct. Injury won’t usually occur in the primary muscle mover being stressed (the biceps and brachialis) but in the smaller, supporting muscles that tire even quicker.

This style of training requires a constant emphasis on progression…usually in the form of more reps and/or more weight. Progression should be fairly linear for a short time, then stall. At this point, you rest, recover and start gaining again. This is true for the most part…after all, isn’t one of the names applied to weight training “progressive resistance training?”

The problem here is that the relentless pursuit of progression often leads to poor form, with resultant soft tissue injury. The trainee pushes the poundage or the reps before they have actually mastered the previous poundage and gets sloppy. Injury usually isn’t far away.

If the trainee will strive to maintain scrupulously good form, using muscle power and not momentum, to move the weight…if the trainee will forestall progression until they have dominated a particular weight with good form…and if they will occasionally train lighter using more volume…then high intensity training should be a safe and productive form of training for them.

For a short time, anyway. We’ll leave the discussion regarding failure and central nervous system issues for another time.

Regarding poundage goals…there is an author that recommends trying to meet the following goals:

Three hundred pounds in the bench press, four hundred pounds in the full squat and five hundred pounds in the conventional, bent leg deadlift. As laudatory as these goals are, they aren’t very practical for quite a few of us. In fact, I disagree with them.

Granted, you will certainly be strong if you achieve these goals and you may develop a fairly husky, if not muscular physique – but striving for these goals doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be built like a physique competitor through their achievement or pursuit. Contrary, you may end up injured and with a thoroughly sour attitude toward training. (This author injured himself in doing 400×20 in the deadlift. It was quite a while before he recovered and was able to train effectively again.)

I found it interesting that the late Arthur Jones had this to say about squatting and effort:

“In performing power lifts, the danger comes from another source – from prolonged exposure to a force that may be more than the skeleton is capable of supporting, regardless of the strength of the muscles involved. At the moment of this writing, at least a few individuals are squatting with over 800 pounds – and since most of these men weigh at least 300 pounds, this means that they are actually supporting over 1,100 pounds on their feet, and most of that amount on their spines. In the author’s opinion, the human skeleton simply was not designed to support such loads for prolonged periods of time; for any purpose except power lifting competition, all of the benefits that can be provided by squats can be derived without using more than 400 pounds, and in most cases without using more than 300 pounds.” (bold emphasis mine) (From the Nautilus Training Bulletin Number 1)
I’ve moderated my goals to a more obtainable standard, 200, 225-250 and 300 in the three lifts mentioned. By doing this, I hope to preserve my joint integrity and avoid soft tissue injury. I’ll still train intensely but that will be achieved through other gambits, such as decreasing rest times between sets and cumulative fatigue training. Sometimes you just have to reconcile with your existence…and train so as to not hinder your enjoyment of life, which catastrophic injury or overuse injury would certainly do.

Over and out.

I don’t have to tell you my favorite part of the day is a morning cup of Leo’s java and an hour clicking around our forum for a visit with my great friends there. Still, for those who haven’t been around since the beginning and don’t know the players, sometimes it’s a little daunting to jump right in. Who’s who, and do they really know what they’re talking about? Is that guy joking or is this a serious argument? Once in a while it’s hard to tell, especially for newcomers.

So how about a sweet little intro to show you around? These are a few of the notable threads from August.

In the Main Flight Deck:

• Let’s begin with our memory thread of Arthur Jones, who, as you already know, died yesterday. Perhaps you have a memory of your own, something he wrote that triggered your training evolution back in the ’70s? Give us the scoop!

• Do you wake up with a numb arm sometimes? What’s causing that and how do you fix it? Michelle gets us going here in “Nighttime Numbness.”

• Farmer’s Walks — what’s not to like? Who’s doing what, and how; we’ll find out in this thread started by Tim Tyler of tylergrip.com.

• Up next: Quitting Smoking. Time for you to get onboard? Here’s some encouragement you can print out and tape to your carton of cigs. Getcha goin’.

• Kyle invites the Southern California locals to join him in this year’s Volkslauf October 13th. It’s an obstacle loop, either a 10k or a 5k; he knows the course from last year and has a training plan to get you in shape for the event. Ya got 6 weeks, go for it!

• We talked about this last week, still it’s a notable thread going strong. Whether you’re interested in fasting or not, the discussion is intriguing: Intermittent Fasting.

• Boris’ Squat RX instruction videos again topped the charts, and I’d be remiss to slide past this one, even though this, too, was pointed out earlier this month.

In the Bodybuilding Hangar:

• Well, heck, let’s tackle the toughest one first: Is Bodybuilding Healthy? If not, and we’re aging yet in it for the long haul, what can we change to be strong all the way into our longevity?

• Mark would like to know about squat depth, in particular how far past parallel should he go when doing a 20-rep squat program. Once he gets the answer, he then needs to know how exactly to get there.

In the Training Logs Forum:

Now here in the training log section, I couldn’t begin to select a few favored links for you. Some of the logs have been going strong since we brought the email discussion group over to the forum board back in spring of 2004. Other people started a new log each January, or when changing training focus for a variety of reasons. What began as an exercise in accountability became, I think for nearly everyone, a private place for group camaraderie. This is where individual attention is given when times are tough, PRs are abundant — or sparse — and consistency in training is paramount.

Pick a few training logs to read through; you’re sure to find one you can either learn from or contribute to, and perhaps you’ll get the bug to start a report of your own. You’re welcome here.

In the IOL APO/FPO Military Barracks:

• Over in the APO/FPO Barracks forum we’re happy to welcome a couple of Afghanistan-based troops to our military support space. From his plastic tent, Sgt. Clifton expands on his questions of diet and exercise; we welcome your Q&A assistance, our way of supporting these guys and gals (actually, so far it’s just gal, our Army Mom, who’s on her way home to the kids in slightly less than a month).

In the Kettlebell Training Forum:

• In the kettlebell forum, Stella, a veteran gymrat new to kettlebell training, requests our favorite kettlebell workouts in a thread that ranges from a simple swings ladder to a Tabata-style kettlebell snatch workout on video.

In the Vince Gironda Wild Physique Forum:

• Jack triggers a hearty discussion in, “Gironda Bench Press to Neck,” wherein, as you might expect, not too many are in favor of the exercise. The discussion, however, is illuminating, as was the rest of the study of Vince Gironda and his Wild Physique.

And now, I bid you adieu. Dave is finished with his part of the newsletter, so I’m up to bat in the clean-up position. There are countless more terrific threads in the forum, so many in fact, I think I’ll dig you out more treasures next month.

Drought in California and Australia, plus the rise of fuel and transportation costs, higher demand from Chinese consumers and feed corn diverted to ethanol production have all combined into a sort of perfect storm, shooting a price rumble through the catalog of dairy products. Increasing dairy prices affect everything from milk, cheese and yogurt, to secondary markets that use dairy products, such as Starbucks espresso drinks, Hershey’s chocolate and Round Table pizzas.

And protein powders, all of them, everything using any form of whey or casein. As manufacturers take delivery of new shipments, we’ll begin to see price increases across the board. I’m guessing in that regard, of course, but I’d be *very* surprised if protein powder makers will be able to absorb a price increase this large and remain in business.

Today marked our second cost increase this year; we took a loss the first few months on the off-chance whey and dairy prices would return to normal this summer. That didn’t happen as hoped, and with receipt of our new shipment this week, we simply have no choice but to pass the price increase on, representing our first price increase since bringing Bomber Blend to market six years ago. The cost increase? $5.00 per jug.

No kidding. That’s how much *more* our whey and casein costs per jug this year over last. And that’s the amount we’re forced to pass on to the consumer. If we had a choice, we’d choose something different. In fact, we’ve had minor cost increases over the years and have chosen to hold our price steady. This time, unfortunately, it can’t happen that way.

One bright light in this otherwise gloomy picture: We’ve negotiated new UPS shipping rates that will decrease the shipping costs for most packages. We’ll continue to ship smaller one-pound parcels via the postal service’s priority mail service, and will shift the majority of our other US mainland orders over to USP delivery.

This switch enabled us to switch to flat-rate shipping costs.

I think you’re gonna like this part: Freight charges for a case of protein will now be a flat $10, down from $18-$25, depending on delivery location. Other packages with multiple items will all be cheaper to ship, and all with better online parcel tracking.

US Mainland Flat Rate Shipping
Order Total – Freight Cost
$1-$49 – $ 5.00
$50-$99 – $ 7.50
$100-$199 – $10.00
$200-$249 – $15.00
$250-$299 – $20.00
$300-349 – $25.00
$350-$399 – $30.00
$400-499 – $35.00
$500+ – $40.00

We’ll continue to ship USPS parcel post and priority mail to Alaska and Hawaii, and USPS Priority and Priority Flat Rate to international locations. Top Squats are shipped via DHL from the manufacturing plant in Indiana.

So it goes, a bit of good news mixed with the bad. But you know, all in all, things are pretty favorable when we can continue to feel healthy, train, eat right and share our experiences with the terrific friends of IronOnline.

Those arriving here from the online store Bomber Blend page can return by clicking here.

Our first steps through the Saddle Brook, New Jersey, Marriott lobby toward a Friday afternoon lunch set the stage for the weekend as we were greeted with a “Hey, Dave!” and the excited chattering of Lou Mezzanotte, who writes those great Legends articles for Bob Kennedy, Iron Mike D’Angelo, the eager 102-year-old Joe Rollino, Fred Yale, the announcer who was to introduce Dave at the Awards Dinner the following night, and his good-spirited young sidekick, pro wrestler John Brooks, Al Santos and his wife, Olga, then Dave and Julie Hartnett, and so it continued hour by hour through the long reunion weekend.

Each trip through the lobby crammed additional new friends, a substantial list of barbell enthusiasts, many well known, and equally as many unknown, deceptively strong and pleasantly humble.

Here at IronOnline we enjoy a breadth of experiences and interests in the forum, yet most of us have little knowledge of the greater reaches of the Iron Game. Many of the AOBS attendees live in the niche areas where the average IOL reader probably doesn’t venture, so let’s bump around the ‘net a little and get to know some folks who were part of the Jersey connection last weekend.

The Marriot hotel lobby buzzed Friday night as the collection of personalities grew. A casual half hour chatting with Fred and John suddenly expanded to include Mike Corlett and his son, Andy, Del Reddy, the publisher of Norb Schemansky’s biography, “Mr. Weightlifting,” William Moore, one of the first to create a collector’s exchange, Robert Francis and David Landau, portrait artist Jim Sanders, who would present Dave with a painting Saturday night, Rick Perkins, Reuben Weaver, Howard Havener, and on and one until eventually I stood to the side simply to watch and grin at the rising energy.

Literally hours passed between the time we set out for dinner and the point when Mike D’Angelo pushed me toward the dining room, “Get in there before it closes; I’ll send Dave… Artie would never forgive me if I let youse two miss dinner.” What a gem, that guy!

Shoved through the crowd, I pretty much stumbled into Dr. Ken Leistner‘s pal from the early Nautilus days, Coach Kim Wood, his son John Wood, a renowned grip and strength artist in his own right, plus their traveling companion, an old internet friend of mind, Superstrengthbooks.com publisher Bill Hinbern. So… we mostly invited ourselves to dinner with them, after which Coach picked up the tab. Not that we suckered him into it, no way. In fact, after an hour of non-stop storytelling by this master, we’d have paid and still owed him one.

Eventually the restaurant staff began to vacuum under our table, absolutely time to go. Passing back through the lobby, we enjoyed our first of several episodes with Slim “The Hammerman” Farman, a strongman entertainer who built his great strength busting rock during his 50 years of quarry work.

By then tired enough to drop on the marble floor, I was still pumped at the sight of Norm Komich and his son, Jon, two gems of the Iron Game, and even today I get a grin at the memory. It was Norm, many of you will remember, who provided E! TV with much of the ’65 and ’66 footage of Dave’s competitive wins for the True Hollywood Story episode, that same footage you can get from Norm for a nominal fee, and which includes many other priceless memories on film.

Saturday’s events opened with a group of collectors and iron history enthusiasts sharing stories, exchanging ancient books and carefully preserved magazines — even some old bits of wood and metal were swapped with glee. Muscle Museum Forum publisher Mike BonDurant presented his Charles Atlas collection, then corralled the loosely organized historians for a bit of give and take.

Kicking in well for Mike were Carl and Audrey Linich, Rick Perkins, Howard Havener, Reuben Weaver, Don Reinhoudt, Joe Molino, Mike Greenstein (son of Joe, The Mighty Atom), along with another couple dozen participants. The collector’s meeting eventually morphed into a bodybuilding seminar by Mr. America Joe Abbenda, one truly terrific guy, whose seminar was the talk later at our dinner table.

It was here Dave and I began to meet up with our IronOnline pals that throughout the day eventually included Bryon Chandler (ccrow) and the owner of his Scranton gym, King Joe, Steve (bug), and later Dave’s old friend, Richie Pawliak, Joe Matrisciano, Paul Hogroian, Barney and Conor Shannon, Ed Fox, Ardena Busby, Phil and Cecile Nower and Tim Koenig, plus others mentioned earlier as well as our pals from the Leistner’s day-after-Christmas dinner, Jack Lawrence (whom many readers will remember as Dr. Ken’s Life in the Loft lifting partner), and his sidekick, Barney Shannon. Our excited chattering carried on too long and the restaurant closed, too late for lunch. Luckily, Bob and Linda O’Leary were quick with a gift box of Muscle Sandwich bars to tide us over quite tastefully. You might even say we scarfed those right down.

As the afternoon passed, the entertainment grew in size, passion and power. You see, Artie talked Slim into creating an outdoor feats of strength display to showcase the next generation of showmen (alas, there were no women), a session they call “The Emerging Stars.”

And this is what we saw:

~ Tom Hermansader, an artist by day, bender by night, who after a fairly recent start at this, bent a 60-penny nail and a drill bit and broke a #10 jack chain with a chest expansion belt.

~ Luke Whippo, who first did a combination feat with two 53-lb kettlebells looped with a strap in his teeth as he bent a carriage bolt by hand, followed by bending a 1/2×48″ piece of rebar across the bridge of his nose, which he then scrolled into double circle.

~ Tommy Heslep, after bending a 10×3/8″ spike, proceeded to crush the contents of a 5-lb bag of potatoes, one potato in each hand, arms outstretched. Slim said it was to be a 15-second event; as far as I heard, no one with a watch thought to time it. However long it took, it was pretty amazing to see.

~ Steve Weiner, whom, along with his pal, Pat Povilaitis, you may remember from Dr. Ken’s charity event, during which they bent all variety of hardware for charitable donations. This day, Steve was to roll an 8″ frying pan inside of a 10″ one. That was one cool feat.

~ John Wood… well… to speak of amazing, this was phenomenal. Let’s see if I can set this up so you can visualize it. Big John hits the deck, flat on his back, then bounds up into a full neck bridge. Once up, he tenses, and holds as Pat Povilaitis steps high to stand upright on John’s stomach. Still in a bridge position, with Pat standing on his abdomen, John reaches behind his head, grabs a 2-inch phone book and rips it in half. Pat steps off; John pops up like nothing happened. Incredible.

~ Greg Matonick followed that with a bit of teeth bending, first bending a quarter not once, but twice — a quarter bent on two sides using his teeth as a vice and his fingers to bend. I’m not kidding; I have one sitting here on my desk as proof. A 60-penny nail was next on the teeth-bending agenda, and he bent it good.

~ Sonny Barry bent a 12″ long, ½-thick carriage bolt, then bent a 1/2 x 3/4″ square 28″ long metal bar in half, braced his elbow between the bar and his leg and bent that hunk of metal around it.

Next up:

~ Dan Cenidoza, a favorite in the IronOnline forum, lured us off into the brush where he brought a smooth 230-lb granite stone from the ground to overhead, dropped it at the back of his neck, balanced ever-so-carefully as he attempted to tear a deck of cards in half with the stone sliding around between his neck and shoulders. Two attempts… one miss, one nearly successful.

~ Pat Povilaitis (The Human Vise) wrapped up the show with one of his favorite combination feats as he lapped the 230-lb stone, brought it upright, then squatted low — real low, seriously rock bottom — and held it there as he simultaneously bent a 6-inch long, 3/8-inch-thick bar of cold-rolled steel. Later that night, he hunted down Dave and me to personally bend us a couple of horseshoe hearts, my very favorites.

But wait! What’s going on over there in the corner? Uh huh! It’s Dan. Can’t possibly leave his trick at failure… third time’s a charm and the cards are ripped with the stone quite still at the top of his shoulders. He told us at breakfast the next day that his practice stones are homemade and rougher, easier to hold steady than Pat’s expensive smooth granite. It took a couple tries to get the hang of it.

Reluctant to part, many of us had to hustle to get gussied up in time for the dinner Awards event, where the list of VIPs in the audience nearly surpassed the number of spectators. This was one special event, and it drew to attendance the likes of Bruce Wilhelm, Boyer Coe, Red Lerille (along with his son Mark and grandson Brady, three generations of health nuts), Steve Jeck, Stan “Stanless Steel” Pleskun, Denie Walter and Chris Devin, among others, and if I can cop the list from Artie, that’ll provide a full backdrop of iron history when posted.

At the dais sat Dave, of course, along with co-recipient weightlifting champion Mike Karchut (a gem of a guy among many that weekend) and Lou DeMarco, who was to introduce him and Fred Yale, who introduced Dave. Also at the head table: Artie Drecshler, Don Reinhoudt, Bill Clark, MC The Mighty Stefan Sadicario, Dick “Smitty” Smith, artist Jim Sanders, Joe Rollino, Joe Abbenda and Ken “Leo” Rosa. Nearby to intervene as needed, Iron Mike D’Angelo and sound man Russell Jones.

John Davis was the posthumous award recipient, and was represented by a Bud Greenspan film that was terrific. This was a decades-old black and white screening that brought exclamations from this experienced audience.

The presentations were spread through the course of the long dinner, with long breaks between in order for the diners to chat and move among the tables. Lou’s introduction of Mike and Fred’s of Dave were thorough, 10, 15 minutes probably, and covered the highlights of their lives and professional history, and, as Dave mentioned in his article, leaving little for the guys to add. Humorous it was to those at our table, but possibly less so for Mike and Dave standing at the podium with nothing much left to say. Gives me a grin to think about just the same.

Earlier I posted a photo of the award the AOBS presented Dave, with the lengthy inscription. Everything these AOBS guys do is first class, I kid you not.

Steve “The Mighty Stefan” Sadicario, emceed the show with his strongman energy, eventually disappearing to re-tool as a stumbling elderly gent who burst out of his suit and into a rapping, bending, ripping, card-tearing carney. This was not before his bit of personal history wherein he told of his first tearing attempt as a thieving child during which he tried to rip a photo of our Blond Bomber from an old Weider magazine at a NYC newsstand. Busted!

Artie Drecshler, the guy Vic Boff tapped to head the Association after his passing, is a respected Olympic weightlifting coach. Saturday night, two of his national-level athletes demonstrated his outstanding coaching ability; Ericka Dice and Ed Herger displayed flawless form during their weightlifting exhibition.

Toward the end of the evening, Erik “Hammerhead” Vining presented his bending and tearing feats, and I have to say his bent metal art is fabulous, on par with the great John Brookfield. I found an article of Erik’s online, a large pdf download that is absolutely worth the wait if you have any interest in bending or coiling steel, and includes photos of Erik at work. You can also follow his action or get some bending advice from him via the Gripboard forum; you to have to register first, but it’s easy.

Just so you know, once grip guys get going, there’s no stopping them. After the Cinderella hour as Dave and I were heading to the elevator (in point of fact, Russ Jones assisted us with the extraction, noting that our heart patient needed some rest), another group of benders we didn’t meet were hauling out more hardware at the far end of the hall. Dan Cenidoza told us at breakfast they bent stuff until 2am. Craziness!

Next year, June 7, 2008, all living AOBS honorees have been invited to the 25th annual AOBS celebration. That will be one incredible gathering; my quick count shows over 30 prior recipients (29 guys and the only gal) are alive and anticipated at the reunion. Save up your quarters this year so you can make the trip, and bring an extra for Greg Matonick to bend for a keepsake.

Meanwhile, to join the AOBS, mail your donation check of $25 to AOBS, P O Box 680, Whitestone, NY 11357. Since the death of founder Vic Boff, the Association oversight is handled by its president, Artie Drechsler (and his wife, Joanne, you can believe that!), with help from the chairman, Johnny Mandel and Artie’s agreeable sidekick, Iron Mike D’Angelo.

This morning Reg Park’s family issued a press release to bring us up-to-date on the latest news that’s been shooting around the internet the past week or so. Let me quote the Parks’ news in its entirety:

“We sadly inform all the thousands of family, friends and fans around the globe that Reg Park, The Legend, has been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and we are told it is untreatable.

“Even during this extremely trying time, in a way typical of Reg, he is concerned for each and every one of you, and he is optimistic.

“He is now so glad and feels blessed to have his immediate family around him, and with all of us he is positive. We knew that he was an icon but only now have realized the immense love and influence he has had on thousands of lives. The support through phone calls, emails, visits and postings has been overwhelming.

“Reg is currently undergoing radiation treatment and is exploring all other avenues possible.

“The gym where Reg has been training himself, the other trainers, patrons and his clients over the last 15 years have sent messages and enquiries about his well being. His popularity has transcended people of all races and creeds – a tribute to Reg, known as The Legend.

“He has walked the talk and lived life to the fullest, his way, and for that he will always be remembered as a true Legend.

“In a tribute to Reg, his son Jon Jon, now based in LA, will be calling his new gym the Legacy Gym, to continue the legacy of transforming lives positively and continuing The Legend. His daughter Jeunesse will be forming the Reg Park Legacy Foundation to assist the many who cannot afford to have access to physical training to improve their quality of life.

“Reg is a man who never compromised his principles or beliefs. It takes some thinking to realize what he achieved. Can you imagine any other world champion in any other field regardless of who they may be, and without disrespect to any, winning a world title three times over 14 years and then coming back five years later after his final victory and competing on an unleveled playing field, with those 21 years his junior, and still placing respectably in the top 3.

“Reg is known to his family and to all others who know him as a REAL MAN.

“He recognizes that we create our own reality and set our own life paths, he is a deeply spiritual man who loves life and especially rejoices in nature, a giving man who has helped so many.

“Whatever you believe, power of prayer or positive thought, give a moment to the great Reg Park, our father, grandfather and Mareon’s loving husband. Now each day will be another day we have to be with Reg and keep him as comfortable in his family as we can while he battles against this terrible affliction.

“Even though Reg and the family may not respond to everyone’s attempts at contact, this does not mean we do not appreciate and recognize your love and support. Not only does it mean the world to Reg but also to us, his family.

“We apologize for being somber while informing you of this. We know that Reg has been positive throughout his life in everything he has done and continues to do and always wants the same for all his family, friends, clients and fans. Thus we leave you with the message that Reg has always impressed upon us- live every moment to its fullest and cherish every breath of life.”

The Park family

If you’d like to submit an online get-well note, here’s where to do that on Reg’s site. While you’re there, trip on over to his photo gallery, where you’ll find a collection of nearly 200 shots, many of which I’m pretty sure you’ve never seen before. Click on the little magnifying glass in the corner of each shot you’d like to view larger, and click on the “more cards” link at the top right to continue through the archive.

A selection of his wonderful articles are reprinted online here on his site; my all-time favorite “Reg” story is Dave’s tale of traveling with Reg in South Africa.

Sharon, one of my wiki database collection partners, gathered a set of information and links to other pages of Reg’s material, including his titles and magazine covershots over at MuscleMemory.com, and a great page of nearly 200 other photos, where you can again click on the images to enlarge these terrific shots.

As we come to the end of this blog post, please slow down for a sec to consider Reg and his family, and to pray for their strength in the weeks to come.

Dateline: Austin, Texas
April 27-30, 2007

By mid-day Friday, we zeroed in on the first stop of our itinerary, a visit with Jan and Terry Todd at their Todd-McLean Physical Culture Collection situated in the heart of the University of Texas, Austin, an assemblage of written material, documents, books, photos, magazines, scrapbooks and personal notes unparalleled across the globe. Currently jammed into about a thousand square feet, with the upcoming move to their new facility in November 2008, they’ll occupy 27,000 square feet, holding over 150,000 printed items, a reading lounge, library, storage areas and archival workspace.

Quite unbelievable, really; their material spans over 125 years of written material documenting the history of barbells and musclebuilding, in addition to holding the largest gathering of sports and alternative medicine books, including one written in 1569 and recently donated by Highland Games authority and historian David Webster. Three hours there, and we barely snooped a single aisle of a dozen, and only just poked a nose into the storage room for the fun of it.

Next on the agenda was a group workout at the Bee Caves Gold’s Gym, but someone else will have to tell that story because after 24 hours of frustration with my faulty new handheld GPS tool, once Tom “Rambo” Paulson fiddled with it and scored my elation at its “satellite captured” tone, I couldn’t help playing with the thing. We’d been in the Library for hours, and a few of us wanted food over workouts, so we headed for Ruby’s BBQ as per this now-operational new toy that throws out restaurant suggestions like mini-Snickers off of Halloween serving trays.

Unfortunately, I misread the thing and the crew trucking along behind me (Dave, Barb, Charlie, Bill, Cajin and Corey) tired of my searching for a new satellite to re-calibrate after several block-long treks in the wrong direction, so we ate at the next diner we passed. Luckily, it was highly recommended by Barb, our agreeable Friday tour guide, and we enjoyed the food at Kerbey Lane Cafe almost as much as the companionship.

Word has it across town at Gold’s our strongwoman competitor, Miss Michelle, hit a PR deadlift of 275 to an earsplitting round of IOL applause.

After our sidetrip, we set off to see the bats on Congress — about a million and a half of them; can you spell Hitchcock? — but by the time we sorted out the complicated instructions that bought our freedom from the parking garage, we were a few minutes from late to Threadgill’s, the fabulously friendly Eddie Wilson’s joint, where Supperman stood at the front door to greet his old pal, Bomber.

At Threadgill’s, our split groups reunited and met with late arrivals, along with locals Dave Goodin (aka the Texas Shredder), Koley Porter, Austin’s country finest, Mike Graham and Carol Finsrud, whom you’ll hear more of later in the weekend, and our hosts from the Collection, Terry and Jan Todd, all of us crowding two long tables and dominating a major dining room at the center of the cafeteria, at one point the laughter and conversations so boisterous as to render the room deafening.

Hours later and a few dozen plates served, our server carted out a strawberry rhubarb pie, compliments of Eddie. We wondered about declining, saying no, thanks, that this group wouldn’t eat dessert, but hey, that’d be rude, so we gracefully accepted the monstrosity (unsurprisingly, they make pies BIG in Texas), sliced it into a couple dozen slivers and scarfed it away clean.

Here’s another sweet treat — next week on the Threadgill’s menu: Bomber Cake, a new recipe using no sugar that Eddie created in Dave’s honor. Sweet beans!
Now, on Saturday Dave did have a slice of Linda’s Southern Pecan Pie. Normally I don’t tell that part of the story, but I happen to know our pal Kris, who drove all the way up from central Mexico with his dojo partner, Dave, caught this unusual occasion on film. So… I think to myself… why keep silent? Let that headline out!

As I look back, considering the days and events to report, I see I was far too distracted by the IronOnline companionship at dinner, renewing friendships and gaining new ones, so much so that I missed the opportunity to scour the walls of Eddie’s priceless collection, photos of his musician friends, although the real thing — good ole boy music — blasted us from the beer garden on exit, and we all grooved to the beat of Bob Schneider’s Texas Bluegrass.

That grooving’ got the Jersey boys amped (‘cept for Dave, but hey, he’s still in post-surgical mode, making that no reflection on Jersey energy), so Ed and Pete dragged along Laurie and Janey and hitched off to Austin’s famous 6th Street for dancing in the streets.

Tired, the rest of us splintered off quickly, knowing we were to meet up again after daybreak.

Under clear skies, with BBQ smoke already wafting into the farmhouse, the early birds re-grouped for a hearty breakfast. Headlining the menu at the Farm Saturday, and again Sunday, were Steve’s secret recipe sourdough pancakes, set off by our Leo Rio’s fresh roasted coffee, a beloved IOL treat.

Eager to work off a rancher’s breakfast, the gang tromped outside to push and pull, lift and carry under the supervision of Bryan, a true Texas Strongman, and, later, to learn to shoot under the guiding touch of Bill “Wicked Willie” Peel.

Check out this list of implements: oblong rocks and rounded smooth stones, all a hundred to perhaps three hundred pounds of heft, to lug the circle or hoist overhead, tractor tires to flip, a 600-pound backhoe attachment to pull, kettlebells to snatch, a sled to tug, a caber pole to turn, 45s to pinch, and nails and bolts to bend. See anything missing? If you do, it’s only because I’ve forgotten an item or two from the list.

On shooting with Wicked Willie: most of us shot a clever 22; Dave a rowdy 45 ’cause his forefinger was too huge to fit the trigger of the little starter pistol. Bill’s a teaching pro, a fact that will surprise no one from IOL, and step by precise step, he got us all on the target by round number four. At least two tinny pings on the metal piglet rewarded the ears and pride of each shooter.

So, what were ya jumping for, Vicki? You pulled the trigger and knew what was coming. All in good fun, her two pings clanged against the metal, just like mine. We’re bad now. Wicked’s wife, Michele, aka Felicity Shameless, was proclaimed top shooter that day, with Double D nipping at her heels.

A quick shout out to my gal pals, if I may (fair enough, since Felicity beat out the menfolk at shooting): Michelle, so agreeable, sunny and friendly — and oh so strong — always first up to help, followed closely by Betsy (a Texas jewel), and Susan (my Santa Cruz bud, now a Texas transplant, who hauled along her husband, Jim), Colleen (wish you lived closer), Laurie (Fit in Pink, who lived up to her handle, let there be no doubt), Michele II (the giggly Felicity), Linda (shoulda put her first since she organized this whole thing!), Alison, her gorgeous daughter, Vicki (eagerasanirshsetter, which the IOL forum regulars will get and the other readers will be tempted to write to tell me of the typo) and Janey, the better half of Pete’s dancing duo… I sure enjoyed spending Saturday afternoon with y’all.

If we’d have had another afternoon we could have gotten a self-defense class from experts Kris and Dave from Aikido Seikikai in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Can you believe the assortment of talent collected in Dripping Springs that day?

After shooting, strongman lifting, pulling and pushing, Steve and Linda’s neighbors — pro BBQ competitors, as if we could be any luckier — hollered the old Texas yell: Comin getit!

And we were treated to the heady smells and succulent tastes of slow-smoked chicken, sausage, beef brisket and pork ribs, along with coleslaw, Texas pinto beans and potato salad made just like my mom taught me, probably just like her mom taught her (and so on). Oh, very yum!

Stuffed to the gills, we sat, wandered, talked and sat again. At one point a line formed near Corey Pavitt, his audacious twinkle charming us right along with his big, easy grin. It wasn’t his grin that captured the attention this time, though; instead it was his magic fingers. You see, Corey’s a chiropractor who, along with Bill Frazee, has made an appearance at all seven of the IronOnline bashes, which is saying something, considering his gym and chiropractic office is in Juneau, Alaska. I must admit, each year we begin taking advantage of Corey’s skills as soon as he arrives.

One who really needed Corey’s smooth medicine: Al, known in IOL as Uncle Al, but, dripping from melting ice packs covering every joint, I’m going to have to go with Arthritis Al. Beat up joints didn’t dampen his competitive spirit, though, when rocks — heavy ones — need to be shifted from one end of the circuit to the other as his turn at the track came ’round. Without Corey’s ministrations, Al would have been sidelined for certain.

Winding down, the cushy seats down near the barn drew us in. Calm, dazed even, most of us sat and watched as the bold tested their mettle against nail and bolts that defied bending. Grippin’ Greg brought his case of bending goodies, along with his extensive know-how, happy to share (he also brought along his great family — wife, Angie, and daughters Kaylee and Mattie).

Susan, Michelle, Wicked, Steve, Kris, Corey and Rambo jumped in to practice this old-time skill. Alex (Yeti), he with the deceptive strength, Robbie and T.W., two truly terrific young Texans and John MacMullin, photographer extraordinaire, unfortunately left before the impromptu bending seminar began; these guys would have loved it.

While watching the bending, wouldn’t you know it — food was hauled out again. The choice this time, an Italian meat tray hand selected and flown in by Laurie from her Florida corner deli. Delightful! The pepperoni was a huge hit, but I was stuck on the most unusual and meaty salami, and, to the pleasure of my two closets neighbors who were also chowing down on the savory goodies, I neglected the spicy pepperoni treats.

Parked around a bonfire at Fat Horse Farms, the Percheron draft horses clomping around the corral, peacocks squawking over the ridge, mellowed with food and activity and friendship, we put the wraps on Saturday.

Breakfast Sunday was a repeat of Saturday that wound its way from 8am to noon, and, as far as I heard, only Tom went away unfed seeing that he hit the dusty trail long before dawn. Corey did a re-do of his chiropractic duties, then we were off to eat again, this time at Nutty Brown’s amphitheater, with the backdrop of live music under the trees out behind the joint.

Do you have the impression we ate often? That’s about how it went; you’ve got a good read on things if that’s what you were thinking.

Now about this time on Sunday afternoon, our group begins to dwindle. Each lively segment from Saturday on, a few more travelers make the break, and by now — stalling, unwilling to say goodbye for another year or perhaps longer — we bid farewell to another dozen and are down to the remaining nine hangers-on who plan re-group the following morning.

Monday breakfast became lunch when we discovered our diner choice wasn’t open for breakfast after our five cars collected in the parking lot — far too late to ferret out a secondary breakfast site. Stepping over the old County Courthouse building threshold that now houses the highly recommended Hill’s Café, where Rachel Welch (I’m told this is true, but did not see it for myself) is the marquee image in the men’s room, and, among a hundred other such photos, the spotlight in the women’s room focuses your eye on a Gulf Coast beach shot displaying the huge backside of a guy in a 10-gallon hat strolling hand in hand with a beautiful bikini-clad chicklet, captioned, “How to Spot a Texas Oil Man.” Ya gotta love it.

Fed again, we set off, trucking down US 183 toward Lockhart, Texas, along with CJ “I’m moving to Lockhart” Baron, CB, Ed, Laurie, Bill, Vicki and Pete, where we were to train at Mike Graham’s Old Texas Barbell Company.

And we did… train, that is, but twixt it all, we snooped around the dusty corners, past Carol Finsrud’s kazillion World Championship throwing medals, in search of old treasures. What’s this? A circus sledgehammer block?

And next to it, what’s that? Oh. My. Why, that’s a Peary Rader Magic Circle.

Nope, not kidding around. It was indeed a Magic Circle. Now, I know a whole bunch of you remember seeing that contraption on the sidebar of an ancient IronMan 6×9, but how many do you really think they sold? And how many of those are still collecting dust? What a bolt from the blue that was, one that held us enthralled for half an hour as we hauled it from behind the back door and over the shoulders of our pal, Charlie Barber, who’s spiffy black tee shirt suffered under the decade of dust we neglected to hose off first.

After a couple hours of free rein of the place, 3pm rolled around, the locals clamored in, and it was time to take our leave, but not before Vicki and Pete, traveling, while not exactly hippie style, in a bus obligation-free and fanciful, decided on the extended stay option and ponied up the bucks for a month’s membership at the Barbell Company. Since that includes personal training from Mike, a 50-year weight-lifting veteran, that’s whatcha call priceless.

Anyway, the original plan was to walk next door, but we’d caught a whiff of Kreuz Barbeque out on 183 on the way by, then a bit of local gossip confirmed the location switch. Kreuz it was to be, no question.

BBQ Texas style looks like this: butcher paper = plate; fingers = fork. BBQ in Texas is sauce-less. Did you know that? Slow smoked, no sugar, no goo. Sometimes fatty, sometimes dry, usually peppercoated. At Kreuz’ you point to the meat you want, guide the slicer’s knife to the cut size that looks right, and pay by the pound. There’s a wash basin coming in; wash basin going out. Afterwards, Bluebell ice cream for the bold.

And now, finally, our group of nine foot-draggers dwindles to seven; next to five; four, until Dave and I stand alone in the enormous parking lot fronting the barn, bidding farewell to another fabulous IronOnline vacation.

    As I mentioned a month or so ago over on the site, I got a surprise last December when visiting the doctor. I had gained a pretty substantial amount of weight back after some five years of maintaining a 160 lb weight loss after a TIA around the time of the September 11th wake up call. There was the issue of a change in the bipolar medication and some domestic troubles that joined together to challenge my discipline and resolve. But one thing I’ve come to realize in the last six years is that the ultimate responsibility for what happens to me rests squarely on my shoulders.

    With that in mind I set the ‘building of a better Jack’ in motion. Many of you came to my support. You’ll never know how much the PM’s helped me. The bipolar battle still rages,as it will all my life. My relationship with my Creator is holding me firm again. I am freed of the feeling of hopelessness again. I walk upright and tall in the warmth of the sun and drink in the goodness again.

     The workouts are helping, my food is good again. My mind is at peace again. I walk out of the gym each day, with my T shirt plastered to my skin, a spring in my step, my head held high. It is not just sweat that comes out during my training, it is despair and self-loathing. The manager of the gym, a friend named Chris, calls me the hardest working guy in the place. I don’t know about that, and wouldn’t admit it anyway, but I do leave it all on the floor. I take great pleasure in achieving. I was reluctant to admit that I have achieved much. The psych says I’m my own worst critic. I now try to give myself some credit for the small advances.

   The weight is coming off, the strength is returning. The sun is shining and is warming my soul and nourishing my ‘temple’. I have learned, or rather relearned the discipline that I’ll need for the rest of my days.

   I took a detour from the ‘uphill path’ for the one that looked easier. I had to push past some tangled brush to get right again but I’m going after it again in my wet shirt and soggy shoes.

   Peace 

 

In Too Early for Insight, Dave writes his first update since the surgery. It takes awhile to assimilate such an experience, and he’s surely not there yet, but he did want to check in to re-assure everyone that he’s recovering and in reasonably good spirits considering the enormity of bodily stresses. Next, he updates us with his first recovery tale.
If you missed part one, where the story of the surgery begins, start here.

    It’s been cold and gray here in the tri-state (Pa,WV,Ohio) area just lately and I admit I’ve been feeling it. Pschologically and somewhat physically. Not enough to degrade my training in frequency or intensity, but it can wear on you.

    So, Friday night past, as I finished up playing a loosely organized game of ice hockey at a local rink, (our team won a close one 4-3), I ran into about four guys who looked a lot like mid thirties versions of guys I’d coached to a state title (19 yrs ago?)

    One of them came over and complimented me one my play. He mentioned that I had gone full out even as time was running out. I guess they figured a 54 yr old ex slacker should have been at home watching the weather forecast with a comforter over his knees. It felt good to be recognized as atypical. I watched as they played and recognized the defensive zone breakout and a no hard check version of ‘take the body, your buddy can take the puck’ scheme we had used long ago. After the game ended we went out for a couple of St Pauli Girls and some ‘where are you nows’. It turns out that these ‘boys of the winter of ’88′ were progressing nicely in their lives. A couple had continued their hockey careers through college, but mostly they had gone on to school and the life beyond. I don’t know if it was the rush of seeing their old coach or the hops and barley or both, but they remembered fondly the events that had bonded them (and in a way,me) together. They replayed the triple overtime game against their rival school that advanced us to the Civic (now Mellon) Arena. They spoke of the sour taste that losing to that team the year before had left in their mouths. We spoke of the new training methods (weight training and agility drills on a field outside the high school) we instituted that summer and the mental discipline that summer had introduced in them. I should have been doing the listening instead of the preaching back then. God knows I needed to be. I eventually reread my speech notes and have come onboard.

As the evening turned into Saturday, they wanted to know about my transformation and I told them of the mini stroke and the rest of the story. I told them of this place and the feeling of camaraderie and support. I told them of getting the wake up call on September 11th and the great turnaround. I also told them that I had a half hour drive to get home and would like their phone numbers to keep tabs on them. Before I left them the old team captain, now a dentist, thanked me for caring enough to show them what it took to be a champion and told me that they would never lose that feeling. Made all those cold mornings and bad rink coffee worth it.

 It’s been about five years since my own personal ‘Saul of Tarsus, knock me off my donkey’ epiphany. It was shortly after the attacks on the World Trade Center and I was fresh out of (1) excuses and (2) the hospital, after a mini stroke had slapped some (but not much) sense into this thick head of mine. I had thought somewhat seriously about getting with a plan to shed the weight I had been lugging around. The day was cool and a wind was pushing leaves before it as I drove past a gym. Some rain appeared on my windshield. The Pittsburgh radio station was doing pledge break and they got their tenth  pledge call and the guy on the radio put a song on.

 ’twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood
When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud
I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form.
“come in,” she said,
“i’ll give you shelter from the storm.”
I recognized the singer and the song as one of my favorites. I’d listened to it numerous times, but never quite heard it like I was hearing it now. It was like it was sent to me from another space and time. I found myself turning in to the parking lot of the gym. Now, when you’ve had a life changing event happen to you, there is a tendency to feel like some mundane thing has some special meaning to you. Sometimes you think of it and let it pass through your conciousness. Sometimes it sticks with you. This time it stuck. I parked the pickup and walked in to the gym. I listened to the sales manager’s pitch, took the tour of the gym and found myself feeling at home. Don, the manager, told me of the high you could get from the act of exerting yourself. I hadn’t felt that sort of high in some years. I remembered it and after some negotiating, I signed up for a three month trial. I felt the lure of the gym almost from the first day and soon found myself going daily and the pounds began to strip off my frame. I felt a warm feeling of fellowship with my compatriots at the gym and my rehab from the stroke made excellent progress.

I’ve suffered from manic depression for many years and the daily workouts served to flatten out the peaks and valleys for me. The feeling of desperation gave way to a feeling of control and I can only thank my workouts. I heard the song again tonight as I was leaving a rather hard workout.

“And if i pass this way again, you can rest assured
I’ll always do my best for her, on that i give my word
In a world of steel-eyed death, and men who are fighting to be warm.
“come in,” she said,
“i’ll give you shelter from the storm.”

Not a word was spoke between us, there was little risk involved
Everything up to that point had been left unresolved.
Try imagining a place where it’s always safe and warm.
“come in,” she said,
“i’ll give you shelter from the storm.”
 

The time I get to spend in my gym, where all is exactly as it seems and two hundred pounds is alway two hundred pounds is a gift that I will always treasure in a world of uncertainty.

Someone recently mentioned using ear plugs to solve his problem with music in the gym during workouts. My imagination immediately went to a dim and silent place. I was holding the heavy steel handle attached to a cable that traveled 20 feet, looped over a thick six-inch pulley, ruggedly secured to the ceiling, and dropped ten feet to the floor. There it connected to a length of 2-inch pipe acting as a holder for an assortment of Olympic plates lying flat and stacked.

You wanted to adjust the weight, you unhooked the cable and kept it in place under your foot as you added or removed plates. Simple as the wheel and equally as effective. The Dungeon’s long lat pull – a giant movement, you’d love it.

I wore wax ear plugs, made slits out of my eyes and burrowed through my workouts. There was no music in the Muscle Beach gym, but the noise from the guys was too much for me. Though the 5,000-square-foot cellar was never packed, the voices were loud. To speak, one yelled as one would across the Grand Canyon. ‘PUSH it – PUSH it – ONE MORE REP – you can DO it.’

Some things never change – same exact musclehead vernacular.

One thing changed: mid-’60s there wasn’t a woman’s voice amongst them.

dungeon dweller

I was reading the various posts in the IronOnline today and a post by one of our moderators (Bill Keyes) caught my eye. Bill was responding to something that Eric (Erkmax) had posted earlier…the exchange went something like this:

(Eric)
…It has been my experience that people are too focused on getting results than taking the journey….

(Bill)
The equivalent of, “Are we there yet?” My observations are the same as yours. So many folks train and don’t enjoy it. Achieving a goal overrides all other considerations and many miss the wonders of the process. Too bad.

Quick weight loss

Quick weight gain

Quick strength

The “quick” achievement of a goal

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