Og Gets His Start

I have a small multi-gym affair at home along with some free weights, but only use these if I can't make it to the gym. The gym I use is virtually brand new, with all new machines and a good selection of free weights. I chose it because, being relatively new to this, I figured I needed to cover all eventualities.

I now find out that all I need is a power rack and a good supply of tuna :-) Huge tuna are caught every morning and brought into the harbour about five minutes from here, so that should be OK. I picture myself in a few years wandering home past the tourists queuing for yachts with a large breakfast over my shoulder as the sun rises...

I had a heart transplant 10 months ago in Madrid and took up training five months ago. I was already doing enough aerobic exercise to keep a Tour de France cyclist happy (without the EPO!) but found that I really wanted to lift. The huge amount of medication I have to take brings its own problems, I have some osteoporosis of the spine for instance (this is being carefully monitored). The nerves of my new heart are not attached to my CNS, so it just sort of 'freewheels' although it is able to respond with short power surges when needed, but can't beat at a sustained rate above it's natural 90bpm.

The heart is, however, 24 years of age, and in my 39 year old body I can't tell you how good THAT feels (the legs sometimes want the old ticker back though...).

Being an information junkie, I now have in my possession a few books on the iron game and one that's thrown everything into turmoil for me is "Beyond Brawn" by Stuart McRobert which I saw recommended in various places. I'm usually at the gym for five or six days of the week and do about 20 miles on the bike every morning before dawn (and I never used to get home before dawn!). I realise that I've been overtraining now, and can come to terms with that.

However, according to (the apparently well-respected) Mr. McRobert, I shouldn't be training for more than two days a week and using machines little, or not at all. The machines had been my staple because I was a little afraid of squats, deadlifts etc. because of my calcium deficient backbone. However, if that's the only way to go for a hardgainer (to which category I feel I probably belong) then so be it. BTW, everything I do is double checked with my cardiologists and doctor of rehabilitation (bones).

So, I'm nonplussed — does anyone here have experience of the "Beyond Brawn" training method and has gained well? It's such a large, long term, commitment that I want to be absolutely sure that it is the way to go before setting off down that road. My time on the planet is probably limited, so I really don't to waste it.

Good to be here, and thanks to everyone who welcomed me.

I'd better find a quiet corner now in case Bill arrives...

Be well,

Og.

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