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01-02-2004, 06:30 AM
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Name: Simmi
Female, Age 27 Occupation: IT Consultant (Email Administrator) and Performing Artist for a Dance Theater Company Height: 5'7" Weight: 169 (target weight 150) Married for 3 years Aim is to build a strong muscular toned body and increase stamina. Thats most important for me because of my dance background. I also like having a good strong body. I always wanted to but never had the confidence to do it on my own, so I trained under a personal trainer for a few months, after which I had to move and I couldnt continue with that. But the posts here helped me and now I am able to do things on my own. Which I liked the most about being here. I have had a lot of weight fluctuations, yo-yo dieting. But now I understand the process much better and I think I am working in the right direction and I can already see the results. Thanks to you guys! I have dealt with many of the hanging issues related to my health. Its fun to be here. 
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01-02-2004, 07:09 AM
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name - Joey
age - 24 weight - 305 when I started a few month ago my weight was around 330 height - 6'3 location - Neon Ky pop/alittle under 5,000 every since I have been 11 years old Ive been over weight but not alot.. all through high school I stayed the same weight (210) were I play basketball.. I was never much in to working out.. I work in a saw mill for a year after I got out of school so I keep weight off .. but when I got hurt and had to quit I started gain weight . I work as a security guard, internet tech support agent, and now I am back as a security guard.. I weight myself for the first time in 5 years in aug. and I was shock I had went up to 330 give or take a few pound.. (I was told the scales I was use didnt go over 300 pounds) .. and i said then I'm going to lose the weight ... some far I've lose down to 305.. and actually started to love workout I enjoy every thing about it...
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01-02-2004, 09:06 PM
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Hi my name is Garrett.
I'm a police officer in the Seattle/Tacoma area and am new to this site. I am 30 years old, about 210 lbs and out of shape. I have been a cop for over six years and military before that. I am married (the reason I am out of shape, lol, Italian wife) with 2 boys 4 and 8. Over the years I have done the up and down thing on working out, going in and out of shape (mostly out lately) I have never been in to weight lifting until recently and got a nice home gym for Christmas. My goal is to lose the fat, gain the muscle. I AM going to be about the same weight without the fat. I want to build up my cardiovascular (occasionally I have to chase bad guys on the job) and just feel better in general. I'm hoping to pick the brains of all you more experienced lifters so I can get it right the first time. Thanks. Garrett
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01-06-2004, 06:11 AM
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Phil
6'2 225 Age 37 Married for 13 years, One Daughter 21 months old Commercial insurance marketing/general manager I started training the summer before high school, but until I was about 19, I was a serious hardgainer. I was strong, played football for 4 years, but I only weighed 148lbs when I finished high school. Went on to the University of Florida but wasn't big enough to play, even on the practice squad(cornerbacks were 180lbs). Stopped training for about a year and a half and put on about twenty five pounds, mostly fat. One night at a party at my frat house, Emmet Smith and John L. Williams stopped by my room to check out the partying crowd that had gathered. Ended up training with them for most of the next year or so. After college, moved back to s. Florida and worked in 4&5 star restaurants for 2-3 years. Made a lot of money, but there was no time for exercise. In 1988, while still working at night at the restaurant, I took a job in an insurance agency. After 3 years I broke into commercial insurance and have moved on from worker to commercial lines manager to marketing director with several employers. Since last year I have worked for Nationwide Insurance Company and manage the commercial department for three offices and handle new business marketing and risk evaluation and analysis. Except for occasional stints of working out over the years, I had done very little until about 4 years ago. At that time I decided to dedicate time and dicipline to bodybuilding. I trained for a year and a half without missing more than three days and made nice gains including adding 3 1/2 inches to my arms. Then my daughter was born and I was again unable to train for about 6 months. I lost fifteen pounds, mostly muscle and probably added some fat. In the last year I have been training steadily and have gained it all back and more. My goals this year are to add some major bulk to my back, add another inch to my arms and lose some significant body fat. I can see reaching my goals with the amazing home gym I have, but a training partner would help. My wife had a pretty bad back injury two months ago and finding time to train has been hard as she can't lift our baby or even change a daiper. But I'm determined and if I have to work out at 11pm once they are asleep, I will. My goals are to satisfy myself and feeling and looking huge makes me feel amazing.
__________________
Consistency and discipline are everything! Without goals your going nowhere.
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01-09-2004, 11:01 AM
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Part one
Name: Rick Springer
Age: 34 Married 11 years w/ 2 kids (8 yr old son, 6 yr old daughter) Location: Fresno CA Hobbies: 955i Triumph ST (Motorcycle), Mt. Climbing, Mt. Biking, Skydiving Career: Secondary Educator (Former career A&P aka aviation mechanic) Personal Info: Height: 5' 8" Weight: now 167lbs :-D B.F.: 20%  Goal: Weight: 175lbs b.f.: 9% Raced amature cycling from 13-16. Raised myself since 16. Dropped ought of H.S. my Jr. year. Kicked out of the Army (Ft. Bennings GA). Floundered around from party to party reaking havoc wherever I traveled. Over all just your average loser. Decided I wanted to Fly airplanes but couldn't afford it so I became an aviation mechanic and made enough to pay for my new habit...flying. then I learned to skydive. What a Rush!!! Got married and found my self-esteem from my wife. Had a child and sold the motorcycle. Then God decided to intervene and open my eyes. Went back to school became published (for a messiahnic Christian magazine (TZion Magazine). Dreamed of becoming a Professor of Religion; however, I began running into walls after my 1st year of seminary (not to be confused with cemetary). Started subbing at an At Risk High School and fell in love. Discovered that passion will follow obedience. My ministry is working with At Risk kids and teaching them job skills at the local high school. I have asperations of beginning a 'VoTek' school for kids who have no intentions of going on to college...right away. I Started working out when I was 24, for about a year, having a personal trainer teach me many of the basics; however, I have since discovered the main reason I did not grow much was that I worked out too much; 6 days a week 1.5 hrs each day. After hurting my shoulder I dropped out for 6mths to recouperate then purchased a Soloflex and worked out for an additional 1.5 years until I got burned out by not seeing any gains. Last May I purchased a BowFlex and found Anthony Ellis' program after searching the net for how to get muscle. This happened because some friends and I were going Mt. Climbing (Half Dome) and I needed to train for it. I got back into a routine, discovered just how much better I was feeling, physically and emotionally, and became serious about making it a lifestyle. I started out weighing 145lbs, but had jumped to 150 due to metabolism all of the sudden slowing down, but am now at 167lbs and 19% b.f. (the most I've evered weighed and the biggest I've ever felt). The program I'm using has taught me about moderation and balance in eating and working out. Currently I W.O. three days a week hitting each muscle group once a week using Anthony Ellis' program. I am proof this system will work on Hard Gainers. To be continued...
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01-11-2004, 09:35 PM
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Name: David
Age: 20 Height: 5'8 Background: 50% Chinese 50% German (don't ask me take it up with my parents) Birthplace: Boston, MA Current Location: Bolton, MA Favorite Anime: Inu Yasha Current Weight: 138lbs or 63kg approx. 9%bf Starting Weight: 150ish approx 13%bf Long story short I'm an x crosscountry runner that found his way into the gym after messing up his knee falling down a couple times in a race, which was mind you essentially all uphill on a root encased trail. Stupid roots. Anyway All through High School I ran cross country at my peak running a mile in a little under 5:20 which isn't too bad considering I was a distance runner. Junior year was when I fell messed up the knee, so I took a year break from running, I was pressured not only by myself but by my father not to mess with my knees, might need them later in life. So I briefly ventured into the gym doing little else than chest and arms, mostly bicep curls. I ran a little more senior year but I never was able to reclaim my position on the team and became little more than a seasoned nonscoring runner. After I got out of HS and into college I sat on my ass, having thoroughly convinced myself I had run enough for a lifetime and indulging in a more lax lifestyle. I attained the weight of approx 150ish sometime before my first college summer and decided to essentially not eat over the summer and dropped down to about 140ish before seriously considering working out and eating right. Its been about 3months since I seriously started going at it, the real goal behind all my efforts is to attain the illusive six pack even now with 9% body fat I have a strong outline and when I flex rediculously hard you can see my 6 little friends snug behind their thin layer of fat. I have a very rounded workout routine which I'm still altering from time to time to keep my body from adapting and I have BBFU to thank for a great deal if not all the objective information I've gained on supplementation and working out. I've proclaimed Jim a demi-god and continue to suck up whatever information I can from this site. At the moment I'm supplementing only CLA being on vacation in HK. I'm also experiencing the difficulty in maintaining a healthy diet and work out schedule bouncing around China and HK almost on a daily basis... I hate Cal-fit all in one workout stations!! that one and Vectra... evil.. anyway I have Nlarge2 waiting back home with glutamine and AST's multi-vitamin as well as what remains of my ECA. ECA had essentially no effect on me. My goal weight is 150-160 with a bf% of 5-8%. I miss my protein soy bean milk can only sustain me for so long. Anyone that has any tips or supplement advice or whatnot is MORE THAN welcome to advise me :-D .
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01-12-2004, 06:55 PM
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Re: Part one
Quote:
The meal plans were what tempted me the most. But I kept researching for weeks and weeks on the net, found out lots and lots of stuff, and since finding this site a while ago...i've NEVER looked back at anthony ellis' stuff. There is simply no need. I think it's the lazy mans way out sometimes=) How he gained that much weight in 3 months....bs. Utter bs. Plus, what he doesn't tell you, is that his metabolism had slowed down, he was only on 2000 calories a day and still got fat. We all know that slower metabolism makes it TONS easier to gain muscle mass. If people out there are interested in buying anything related to bbuilding (apart from supplements and food) i'd say dont buy anthony ellis' stuff..get the arnold encyclopedia. Its pure motivation, Im gonna get it as soon as I have the $. I've seen it once before though. Obviously dont follow arnold's routines becuase he was a genetic "freak", but yea all good! Dave.
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01-13-2004, 07:49 AM
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In response to Dave
Dave you raise a good point. Anthony's claims may be inflated.
However, it was not the food quantity/quality, but the routine of working out that helped me the most. In my hay day I worked out 6 days a week 1.5 hours a day and gained NO mass!!! (I did this for about 2 years). Whether Anthony's muscle growth is accurate or not, based on food consumption, is irrelevant. His big argument is on Hard Gainer's inability to gain mass based on the amount of excercise. We hard gainers typically believe 'more excercise = more muscle'; however, Anthony goes into detail about how that is more than likely not the case. For the H.G. working out less is better. That is, a structured routine of 3 days a week usually no more than an hour each session. His method may be lossly connected to the old Bulgarian model of excercise. That is, 2 warm up reps, 1 set of 6-8 reps (near failure), 1 set of 4-6 reps (near failure), 1 set of 2-4 reps (near failure), 1 set of 1-2 reps (to failure), one set of 8-12 (lighter weight (to failure)), and then a superset of another excercise that works the muscle slightly differently. This method has greatly assisted muscle growth in me. In regards to food consumption, Anthony provided a pretty good guide, but I do not follow it very well. However, I do supplement protein, Creatine, L-Glutamine and essential vitamins as Anthony suggests. Nevertheless, my diet is closer to the SouthBeach/Atkins model where I limit my Carbs lower than Anthony suggests and raise my fat and Protein considerably. All this has equated to about 13lbs of MUSCLE growth in about 13 weeks. (WOW)! AND my b.f. has gone down 9% in that same time period. All this with no aerobics...yet. So then, am I trying to promote Anthony's system...maybe a little; however, what I am attempting to do is at the least give some validity to his madness. Take it or leave it. I chose to take it, mold it to my specific needs and abilities and it has worked swell for me. :lol: Thanks Dave for this constructive discussion.
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01-13-2004, 05:50 PM
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so he builds up to failure, fails, then does another light set to failure.
Hmm It's really what works for you I guess...this is just one way out of kazillions to do it. And what happens after 6-8 weeks when you need to change your routine? Does he provide you with another one? BTW, ya less=more. That's emphasised everyyyyywhere though, its completely true.
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01-14-2004, 07:48 AM
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As a matter of fact, Yes!
He provides a full 26 week routine with three sub routine changes both in specific excercises and in weight/reps. He then suggests a short break, around 2 weeks, then begin the same or a modified (that is alternate excercises for a given muscle group) version of what was completed during the first cycle. Of course he provides a list of specific excercies for each routine but is flexible enough to say that if we are 'experienced' and 'knowledgable' about specific excercises then by all means do alternate excercises for a given muscle group for the next cycle. And again Yes, there are a kazillion ways to do excercises...and I've tried many of them over my 7 years of trying to build muscle. The idea of less=more may be common knowledge today; however, 10 years ago it was not. This is when Anthony (and myself) was thin (of course I still am) and trying to find 'the way'. You might say he was on the cutting edge of muscle building for his time. Although I'm no physical trainer, I too have done some research and found the following information helpful. It should be no surprise that Anthony also talks about the following in detail. Moving beyond Anthony Ellis and into philosophy of muscle building, slow twitch and fast twitch muscles respond differently to specific conditions. Slow twitch (if memory serves me correctly) responds best to heavy resistance while fast twitch responds to higher repetitions; hence, lighter weights. The concept of building to failure, failing, then do a lighter set to failure (superset) is an attempt to stress the slow twitch muscles at various depths. The first 12 weeks focus primarily on slow twitch muscle (heavy weights, low reps). While your building to failure the surface (primary muscles) are spent) During the 'failure set' the deeper muscle (secondary muscles) the take over and become exhausted. The superset changes the excercise slightly (ie from Chest Press to Flyes) so as to exhaust the remaining chest muscles giving a near complete exhaustion of all muscle fibers in the chest. The next 8 or so weeks the routine alternates to high reps lower weights AND different excercises so as to stress the fast twitch muscles. However, to failure is not used during this routine. We then return to heavy weights for the remainder of the cycle using slightly different excercises from the first routine, but mainting the same 'building to failure' model. As stated earlier, it works for me. In fact, I have begun a diary at the following link. http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/ph...pic.php?t=7151 Although I have begun ProHormones to increase my gains, I have been keeping track of my changes since October and have gained on the average of .6 lbs a week. Since beginning Prohormones 2 weeks ago, I have upped my gaines to about 1 lb a week. for this hardgainer that is HUGE and I've dropped my b.f. by 11% since November. It is ironic that my body seemed to respond best during and right after the high rep/light weight cycle. That is, measurements of chest, arms and the like grew more during that period. If I understand this change correctly, I may want to extend that light weight/high rep cycle longer for better gains. The most I have ever gained from any other program was 5lbs. I've doubled that in less than half the time using the above model. Current Stats: 167 lbs @ 19% b.f. My goal is 175 lbs at 9% b.f. I believe this is now attainable. Thanks again for the good discussion.
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01-15-2004, 02:54 PM
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Name: Nick Mathewson
Age: 17 Location: Blomington, MN Hobbies: Lifting, filming, general fun things Career: Student Personal Info: Height: 5' 9" Weight: 150 B.F.: 7% I have been lifting for a good year, I also used to wrestle but ive got too many concussions now so the Doc wont let me, since that ended ive gone hardcore on weightgain and lifting. End of my career 12/10/03 I wrestled at 135. Max (goal) Bench:195 (225) Squat:325 (400) Deadlift:405 (500) My goal weight is also 165...for now.
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01-15-2004, 03:48 PM
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My Bio
22 years old
College student in OH 5'10'' 165 lbs. I was huge into fitness and conditioning growing up. Ran CC, track, and played basketball in high school. Didn't discover running until my Junior year, and i absolutley fell in love with it. It was finally a workout that I could enjoy in which I could push my body to the extremes while also acting as a emotional and psychological getaway. Went to college to discover that all my new friends were just as athletic as I was, if not more so. Sort of gave up on working out as I became depressed and started binge drinking a few times per week. After gaining the notorious freshman 15 I had a revelation and realized that this was not the person i used to be or wanted to be. Needless to say, I got back into exercising and decided to focus on lifting (mainly to get bigger to impress my ex-girlfriend). Over the past two years I've lifted continuously besides a 6 month hiadus because my depression got the best of me again. Right now I'm back in the swing of things and prioritize my physical health and fitness as number one. It's hard not going out to the bars every night w/ my friends, especially since it's our senior year and our last harrah. Now when I drink I do so in moderation and try to stick to the gin and tonics (supposedly the "best" alcoholic beverage if you're heavy into fitness). Right now i'm at a plateau and a little discouraged as I can't surpass the 165lb. mark. I'm on a strick weight gaining diet and workout regimine but to no avail. Cross your fingers for me as I'm ready to tweak my diet and workout a little with hopes that i can pack on some lean muscle. by the way, i'm ecstatic to find such a great forum where i can chat with people like myself to aid in motivation and advice! after my first response I received a much greater response from one person than i imagined i would from everyone combined. feel free to look up that post, entitled- "help!...can't gain weight." let me know what you think. thanks guys. damn well glad to be here
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01-17-2004, 12:10 PM
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my bio
21 years old,
degree graduate from bournemouth university in England, UK 5'11" 200 lbs. I'm kind of a poster child for peer pressure at school - I was certainly NOT obese, just a bit chubby but I was extremely fit and loved exercise, especially football (soccer to americans!)). In the locker room I'd get pointed out as being fat/overweight, whatever the "in" label was at the time. I played football for about 3-5 hours every day and had no clue just how fit I was until college (not american college) when I was doing my a-levels. I decided not to do a-level phys. ed. and I regret it to this day. I got into computers and started a life in online gaming. I slowly put on weight until I went to uni, when I started trying to eat healthy and starting going to the gym. This was Sept 2000. On and off I was losing weight then putting it back on, drinking and clubbing whilst working out and then nothing but eating whilst doing exams and coursework. Now I'm at home in the IT job depression and have decided to sort myself out. I'm following a diet set out by slimming world, like weight watchers but a "different" take on things. I'm not sure if you have slimming world in the US but the idea is you have green days (pasta, rice, potatoes) and red days (meat/protein). Ony any such day, objects from the other category, along with foods not in the green/red section are considered sins. I'm allowed 10 sins a day, and an example of sins would be 1 teaspoon of low-fat margerine is 1 sin, a chicken korma (lovely curry) from an indian restaurant is 40 sins. Half a pint of cider is 5 sins. I came across this diet through my aunt who lost 7stones (~100lbs) and said it's easy to follow and mixed with exercise it helps out. The exercise part lead me to this site. I've figured that if I put checkpoints throughout my week then it will help me to lose weight, and have the toned, defined body I've always wanted. I'm hoping to make friends at the weekly slimming world meetings, hoping to make friends at the gym I'm a member at, and hoping to make friends on this forum and site who will have similar ambitions, goals and interests to me. As has been mentioned on this post, people on this forum seem very friendly, very helpful and consumately knowledgeable on the subjects I am not regarding weight loss. It's nice to be on here, and I look forward to getting to know some of you! Antony.
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01-22-2004, 07:46 AM
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Name:Jim
Height: 5'11" Weight:265lbs Home: Windsor Ontario Canada Family:married for almost 10 years, 3 daughters 8 and 5 yr olds, yep the last 2 are twins. Hobbies: I am deeply entrenched in a group called the Society for Creative Anachronism. We recreate life as it should have been in the middle ages. in short though it boils down to a bunch of people getting dressed up in armour and hitting each other with sticks. I also do rennaiscance fencing, armour making and much more.
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01-24-2004, 03:18 PM
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Name: Paul Mallinson
Location: England Other Interests: Rugby (though I dont play anymore!) Fishing (yes I know its sad!) reading and Music. Height: 5'10" Weight: 80kg 176lbs Age: 21 Been Lifting: around 6 months - just starting to get more serious Marital status: Single I work on an oil rig in the middle of the north sea, about 100 miles off the east scotland coast. Beofre starting this job (2 1/2 years ago) I spent 2 years in college training for it. Whilst at college I did no cardio vascular work at all except for the odd game of football (soccer) and I dont think I had ever lifter a weight! As a result of this I put a bit of weight on although Ive never been slim. When I started on the rig one of the guys I was working with got me going to the gym, plus I wanted to lose the gut! Anyway for about a year I completely knocked my pan in whilst at work for two weeks solid, and then went home for two weeks and did nothing in the way of gym work. Infact quite the opposite, I partied like hell and was drinking a minimum of 5 pint of beer a day and getting drunk 4 times a wekk drinking in excess of ten pints a day 3 times a week. I did this for about a year but because i was traing so har whilst at work i idnt gain any weight, i fact i lost quite a bit. After a while though i started to realise that the crazy drinking was affecting me and i wanted to stop, around this time i met up with an old school friend who had been going to the gym and lifting weights, he was fairly big and i was impressed so i started going with him, initially i made some quite good gains but i injured my shoulder quite badly and had to stop lifting for around 3 months but now i'm well back into it but ive neglected my cardivascular workouts and became unfit. so at the moment i'm trying to fnd a good balance between the two, which is difficult!! Anyway that my story!
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01-24-2004, 10:55 PM
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Im new to this chatting on the net **** but ill put my stats or whatever u want to call it
18 years old from westernAustralia-Bunbury Interests are Taewondo and weightlifting dont play sport anymore oh and music like everyother teenager 6ft2 6ft3 with shoes 245pounds 13%fat biceps 42cm chest 123cm upperlegs 57cm calves 41cm anyway ive only been at the gym for a month nearly never done weights before cause ive only did pushups since i was 12 ive always been bigger than average ive found i can gain muscle easily they think its my testosterone level its pretty high or something. i dont know if my biceps are big enough i go to the gym 4 times a week only doing upper body work taking one day off for rest found its the best way to do it since i do taekwondo aswell i need all the energy i can get hoping to compete for mr universe in next year or so if i have the same dedication i have now anyway thats enough typing for me 
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