I'm lucky to have a home gym. And as the year draws to an end, here are some of the visitors who have come to hang out.
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| Cody Marshall - LIFE 100.3 |
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| Shake'N Jake - LIFE 100.3 |
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| Chris Bray - checking me out. |
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| Chris Bray - Musician - Aylmer |
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| Jordon Cober - Teacher and Dr. Rob - Optician |
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| Martin Stansfield Roderick - Hamilton |
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| Kevin Rapati - Worship Leader - Peterborough |
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| Robert Brandon III - Sound guy - Barrie |
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| Ryan M.M - Trucker - Innisfil |
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| Paul Enqvist - Hotel Management - North Bay |
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Paul Maybee - Factory worker - Barrie
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| Adrian Holvik from Meaford |
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| Eric Valiquette - Future Fitness Instructor- Barrie |
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| Dan Hotchkiss - MMA fighter - coach |
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| Caleb Grexton The Red Monster - Marine Sales - Wasaga Beach |
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| Eric Vinnels-Bell - LIFE 100.3 Street Team |
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| Brad Handrahan - Carpenter - Barrie |
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| Andrew Haverson - best friend |
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| Mike Annunziello - Developmental Service - Barrie |
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| David Mann and Andrew Haverson - LIFE 100.3 |
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| Dan Kirkness - Videographer - Cobden |
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| Bobby Wilson - Electrican - North Bay |
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| Dan Vanderveer - Singer - Huntsville |
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| Will Martin (marketing) and Colin Thompson (web design) - Barrie |
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| Terry Molinaro - LIFE 100.3 - Barrie |
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| Eric, Dr. Rob and me. |
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| Adrian Holvik - Engineer - Meaford |
One of the most improved members of the
gym is 25-year-old Matthew Martin. I like him because he's got 25-year old energy and thankfully, at this point, I’m able to keep up. Matthew is following my workout schedule. We have
good chats about business, and God and other guy-stuff.
Just because you go to the gym doesn't mean you're actually working out. Your mom and girlfriends may tell you so, and sometimes even your wife, although not mine. "Oh honey, you look great!" And, the ego is fed. It's nice to have the affirmation.
So, my people, are you progressing? Being transformed? How do you know? I made up a 5-point criteria that you can use to determine your own transformation.
THE CRITERIA
1 - The Mirror - When I look in the mirror do
I see improvement? Let’s be real. We see what we want to see. Some days I see
Zac Efron when I look at the mirror and other days I see a flabby old man. Since the mirror is unreliable I only consider half of what I think I see and move to another criteria.
2 - What do other people say
about my physique? This only counts if it is unsolicited. Your family members don't count. Neither does your wife. (My wife hasn't comment on my physique since I was 17.) People like to say nice things so (possibly) their answers unreliable.
3 - Am I pressing and curling and squatting more weight now
than I did one year ago? That's easy to track by journalling the results of each workout. Either you are increasing or you're not.
4 - Are my biceps bigger and is
my waist smaller than it was a year ago? With a measuring tape, it's hard to lie, so long as your partner measures fairly. This is perhaps one of the best criteria of the four.
5 - The last criteria is an easy
one. Your body weight. Stand on the scale. Are you going up or are you going down? Yes, muscle weighs more than fat so you need the other four criteria to balance it all out.
None of these five criteria on their own tell the real story but put together we get a more realistic picture.
Please note - I am not a trained fitness instructor but I've learned alot of stuff over the years from different coaches. My posts are only to journal what I do. Feel free to follow along or make up your own.
AND NOW MY RESULTS
I am just an average guy, with average energy and some minor limitations. I am 62, I don't drink or smoke and I seem to have good genetics to keep me slim.
I am probably foolish for
posting many of these photos publicly. Perhaps I am too stupid to be embarrassed, or as the haters say, I am "self-absorbed". Probably true. But, I'm confident and content that my fitness training ain't doin' too bad.
Now it's my turn.
1 - The mirror - Generally, what I see is pretty good. I think my muscle tone is staying ahead of my age. There's still a roll around the belly, which comes from my junk food diet. I could improve.
2 - What other people say. No question, when someone tells you you're in good shape it's nice to hear. It's nice to be encouraged. Thank you. I do the same with my gym buddies.
3 - Amount lifted. I wish I had
room for a bench press so I could get back to benching 185 but dumbbells is
what I have in the gym. I really don't know what amount I can bench. My spider curls are pretty good as I compare myself to other guys my size. For my age, to keep with with a 20 year old, ya, i like that.
When it comes to tricep exercises I have a setback because of the C7 in my neck being squashed by arthritis. The nerve is squashed so it can't talk to the muscle. Consequently, my triceps have shrunk so all my strength comes from other music groups.
Up until six months ago, I avoided doing legs. I'm not a runner - not even interested. But my friend Chris Bray encouraged me to skip and do air squats and calf raises, which I do, and I actually enjoy it. And...I think there's muscle progress. :)
4 - Bicep size Looks to me like I'm half an inch
less this year than last year. It could be the way the tape measure went around my arm
that made the difference or more likely that my muscle mass could actually be shrinking. (Currrently 15 inches post workout.) As long as I can maintain definition, the size actually is important.
5 - Body weight. I
never thought I would be able to get below 180. My body likes being their. I few years ago I peaked at 188
pounds and that was a huge slap in the face. I got down to 182 but I longed for anything under 170 because I thought my abs would show.
When I went in for dental
surgery I could only eat soft foods for three weeks which took me down to 175 and with a little
more effort I got down to 169 which was my dream weight.
My wife is telling me to
increase it by 10 pounds but I think I’m going to aim for 165 and see how that
looks on the abs.
NOW
2019 2020
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Left 2018 -- Right 2019 |
In the annual assessment I've lost 8 mounds. I've toned up a bit. My lifting in terms of "how much can I lift" hasn't increased. The mirror sometimes looks good. Other people are complimentary. I'm happy. I'm content. If this is the best i can do at age 62, I'm pretty happy.
There are guys who want to be beach-ripped, and amaze people with shock and awe. For me, that would be over the line of good taste. I don't want people staring at me and I'm sure my wife doesn't! I just want to be fit in a t-shirt.
My mission with this page is to a) keep myself accountable by working out every day, knowing people are following me. And b) to encourage other guys my age to start working out before it's too late. I don't mean like the Incredible Hulk or Arnold. Let's be honest - we can work out all day and never look like them! I'm reaching out to average guys, who want to look a little better than average.
We can build on the bodies God gave us. So guys, before the flexibility is gone and the muscle disappears, hit the gym. Let's do this! Uh, easy at first.
If you want my specific program, feel feel to ask. scott@moreradio.ca
