mark!

Rowlett here, sleeved Feb 26th by Dr. Kim and Holden at Baylor Trophy Club. Always available for chatting.

Thanks for posting this, we all need reminders on form from time to time. I had a pretty shitty squat session last week and after reviewing the video, my form was all kinds of jacked up. It's amazing how much form comes in to play, it can make a weight seem so much easier when your mind is connected to your body and everything is working the way it needs to, plus it's imperative to remain injury free (even though injuries happen regardless).

Coming from someone who worries about everything, sees absolutely NO silver lining and thinks the worst out of every thing, the only thing to worry about is worrying about those things you shouldn't be worrying about. I worried about every test, what if I fail, what if I don't do it right, yadda yadda. It took time, and patience. Do I miss gorging myself on old foods? Nope, I don't. I hated that feeling of being stuffed after eating 1200 calories in one sitting. I hated the feeling of being huge and bloated from carbs all the time. Now I rarely ever feel that way. (The only time I do is when I'm stupid and try steak again, it just doesn't sit well with me anymore). I haven't tried to have beer yet, a little nervous, but I've had 3 beers left over from a six pack I bought last October that I haven't drank, if that tells you anything about how often I drank in the first place. I still enjoy good food, but I found I enjoy the conversation and interaction of a large dinner more now than before, because food isn't my main priority anymore, it's a staple in my life to keep me going, but it's not my entertainment any longer. I don't LIVE for food anymore. My cravings and salivating days are over. As the old saying goes, I eat to live, I don't live to eat.

When I look at jeans in the store, I see size 36 and 38, think no way in hell is my big ass getting in to those, but sure enough after trying them on, they fit. As long as I get relaxed or loose, God has blessed me with tree trunk legs, so tight jeans don't even make it over my calves.

6 months out, that active and only on 500 calories a day? No wonder you're light headed. I'd flat pass out on 500 calories a day in the gym. I'm 4 months out, I take in roughly 800-1200 calories a day, sometimes as much as 1800 calories depending on my calories burned and workouts. If I'm getting in two lifting workouts or a lifting session plus cardio later on, I'll up my calories. I'm more concerned with muscle building and retaining my lean mass at this point rather than losing fat at this point, but everyone is different.

Not here. I had to be up at 4am too, and I didn't want to chance over sleeping and missing my time frame, plus I was too damn nervous/excited to sleep. I just stayed up. I got all the sleep I needed the day of surgery that's for sure. Good luck.

I get bruises from dumbbells when I'm getting in to position for dumbbell presses, and from my belt during deadlifts, never anything from just running though.

Before lifting I take the following. Keep in mind this is usually taken for 5 weeks during my cycle of training when I'm ramping up weights to competition level, the 6th week is a deload week, 7th adn 8th week are accessory cardio and overload pyramid training with bands and bench accessories. Creatine always felt like a waste of time until I started taking more than what was recommended. I'll usually start this stack once either I schedule a meet or a sponsor says I have to compete in a particular meet for them. During my regular phases or training I cut the dose of each supplement in half, except for creatine, I keep high and I don't cycle it on and off. I have my blood work checked monthly for other panels and my kidneys are always functioning as they should be. 2 teaspoons of creatine monohydrate 1 teaspoon of bete-alanine 3 teaspoons of BCAA 1 teaspoon of L-arginine 1 teaspoon citruline malatate 1 teaspoon of l-glutamine 1 packet of crystal light to make it taste less like ass. After my session I usually down 2 more teaspoons of creatine monohydrate and 3 teaspoons of BCAA's along with a teaspoon each of l-arginine and l-glutamine for any soreness the next day. Not only does this stack fuel through my lifting, it also helps diminish any soreness, and helps me get back under the bar the next day. Right now, I weigh 290, when my buddies and I came up with this I was weighing around 380, and my buddy was sitting around 360, since then I've toyed with the idea of cutting back on some of the doses, but I haven't had any ill effects.

If any trainer points to a chart, and says you're "zone" is "this" because of your weight and height, or any other factor NOT using biometrics, they're idiots trained by the certification system. Your zone is your zone, mine is mine, it doesn't matter that we've had WLS, after you're fully healed, it's fair game. I and several others I know on here bust our asses in the gym, your physical limitations are still just that, before or after surgery, they're the same and will have to be improved on just like before surgery. Do your thing, bust ass in the gym and don't worry about what she says.

There's a lot of hostility in gyms, I'm just glad I don't work out at the normal "nice person" gym. I'll stick to my kick in the ass powerlfting and bodybuilding gym and my garage. I personally think racking between sets is stupid, so long as you're not up wandering around in between sets. After a set, if they get left there unatteneded for any period of time, they're fair game, you were in the right.

Compression shorts, jock straps, banana hammocks, they all work for work out supporters. Can't do boxer briefs, too much pain and agony.

I went shopping for more than a shirt here and there for the first time last week. I was constantly searching for 3xl and 2xl shirts, size 44-46 pants but everything I put on was too baggy. My wife finally told me to wait and she'll bring me things to try on. I ended up with some xl shirts, a few 2xl's and size 38 pants. I'd look at them before putting them on and see that tiny circle they made where my waist is supposed to go and suddenly feel defeated until I tried them on. I hate my mind sometimes, it's taking a long time to prove to myself that progress has been made too.

This has taken all of my time, and freed it up for the rest of my life. Thank you, for giving me my freedom and life back.

To start out, major compound lifts. There's no reason for isolation movements like targeting biceps or triceps etc. The only isolation that's really acceptable is for the legs since the muscle groups are huge, quads, hams, and calves. If your gym has machine weights, work chest, shoulders, back and abs. Doing this will get all minor muscle groups hit while targeting larger muscle groups. In the far future, if you feel the need to target specific areas for aesthetic reasons, do so, but not until you've got a solid core plan in place and have milked all of the "beginner gains" first. Youtube is your friend as well, there are millions of example programs out there. Starting Strength, 5/3/1, are both good programs for beginners.

Bigcountry that's awesome man, solid work. For bodybuilding in a larger, drug free weight class, Protein intake with diet and lifting, with hard work and dedication is what it takes. Consistency. Every day, busting it in the gym. You can get there and make it happen, just be strict and consistent in your craft.

Really? I thought this was the man room, I must be mistaken and have found my way in to the 13 year old school girl room where maturity is NOT the order of the day. Forgive me, I'll show myself to the door.

This rules out everything you said. That's laughable. Before surgery... Bench Press -465 in a 1 ply shirt. 415 raw*MSA Texas State Record for SHW Open weight class, after I went to 308 the record is 605 raw and for me, unattainable. Dead Lift- 815 in briefs, 675 raw*MSA Texas State Record for 308 weigth class Squat- 835 in single ply briefs with straps up, 695 raw*MSA Texas State Record for 308 Weight Class 2010 Texas Strongman 2nd place finisher in super heavy weights (SHW) 2011 Texas Stronman 3rd place finisher in 308 weight class. I've competed at nationals once, been invited 3 times for USAPL lifting federation, I placed 19th at 308 weight class after bailing on my 3rd squat attempt after tearing my anterior pec muscle dead lifting. You can squeel BS all ya want, check out USAPL website for stats on lifts and dates, I've been on their youtube channel numerous times, it ain't no biggie. My opinion on p90x is based from a powerlifter/weight lifter stance, I think it f**king sucks because I want to build solid muscle mass, don't give a damn about a beach body 6 pack, and would rather be able to move a truck rather than flex my biceps while drinking a fancy drink with an umbrella in it at a bar. Leg press isn't considered a lift, it's an accessory, so I don't max out on an accessory lift, anyone who does is doing so strictly for egotesticular reasons alone. You're using physics to assist in a "lift" therefore you can max out at a much higher weight, which again, is laughable by any real means. But to play, my wife weighing 130 pounds leg presses 315, so yeah I'd say you're pretty strong. For the record, my pull ups were assisted with monster mini's, so calm down. Again, further explaining my stance. Do I think P90X has it's place? Sure, it has its place on Jersey Shore and any place that wants to get you ripped and shredded at 140 pounds. Do I think P90X has it's place in physical strength? GPP? Nope. I sure don't. And if you were training bodybuilder "types" I'd imagine what you're calling body builder type are more swimsuit models with decent bi's, a semi noticeable lat spread and a 6 pack with sticks for legs. To each his own but being 5'9, weighing 260 and benching "nearly 300" isn't considered fairly strong in the strength world.

Like I said, for someone just starting out in working out yes it's decent. If you're dead in the warm up then you're not conditioned, as I also said, P90X would benefit those who are coming from a sedentary lifestyle, couch to p90x type gig. And yes, I'm strong. You don't hold 3 Texas State powerlifting records by not being strong.

Why wait until tomorrow? Stop right now. A bad day isn't having a piece of candy or something you shouldn't have, a bad day is say well since I had that screw it I'm all in for the buffet! I struggled with this, well I'm just now getting over it I think. I went back to square one. I started up my Protein liquid diet all over again and told myself 1,000 times a day I'm not going to eat anything, I'm going to complete this week and move on adding things back as I did after surgery, only more condensed, in a shorter period of time. I was able to eat 2200 calories on days I worked out hard, even though I was burning off 800 of those calories, I still felt like crap. My mind told me I needed to eat more, but I was rarely hungry, actually physically hungry, I only had mental hunger issues. Occupying your mind may help too. I wish you the best.

You can make sandbags, get a duffle bag, and some plastic sheets, fill the plastic with sand, duct tape the crap out of it, and put it in the bag. You can make the sandbags smaller that way you can add/remove weight from the larger bag depending on what you want to do. You can do overhead press, squats, firemans carry sprints, sandbag toss, farmers carry with 2 of them, and many other things. With the tire (go to an old tire store and ask for one, even a semi truck tire is decent to start with), and get a sledgehammer, beat the living crap out of the tire. Just be careful when doing these outside, your neighbors will think you're insane. I frequently take my 500 pound tire to the front and flip it down the street and back, I've had neighbors come out and join me, and other just look at us like we're freaks. It's good times had by all. My backyard has numerous tires from 250lbs to 800lbs, several homemade sandbags, kettlebells and dumbbells (the old ones that have either chipped or cracked that I no longer care about), some atlas stones, a few farmers carry handles, an old water soaked heavy as hell punching bag with 25 foot rope attached for carrying or dragging, and a homemade wooden push sled.

If you don't have access to a gym, or weights, or canned goods, or a baby, or a chair, or anything else that can be picked up, put down, or access to a sidewalk/yard/field/living room where you can do mini laps, swimming pool, floor, then I guess P90X would be ok to do. It's not all it's hyped up to be. The before/afters aren't what they appear to be. If you're used to doing nothing, it's a hardcore workout. I laughed at P90X and all 90 days when I was 380. It was nothing. It'd be a decent starter for those who haven't had a set workout program before. I'd go with hip hop abs afterwards though, because you gotta get a 6 pack, and that's the only way to do it.

Everyone's different. My wife took off the entire 2 weeks with me. I didn't need it. I hated the fact I had to be wheeled out of the damn hospital when I left. I didn't have any issues with moving around or walking. I had slight soreness and such, but nothing major. Some people need the help, others do fine with minimal help. My wife made me let her do everything for me, wouldn't let me do anything on my own, but I still fought her for my independence.

Sometimes you gotta kick em in the keister to get em to go, especially the stubborn ones. And gotta love the "I'm gonna get all up in your face and yell and scream, point, poke, push you but boy if you touch me you got another thing coming pal" type women.

Taste is subjective, what's good for me may make you puke. Best bet is to go to a place that sells supplements. Ask them for some samples. I know Max Muscle will give you samples of their powders, and they're nutritionally sound with less fillers than a lot of mass produced products. Any of the High Five proteins from Max Muscle, Monster Milk/Muscle Milk work, Dymatize is also a very smooth protein, mixability is amazing even in just a shaker cup, which a lot of people have issues with clumps.

No, there was some over dramatization for sure, but genetics only take a person so far, hard work and determination will do much more in that aspect. Didn't mean to "appear" to mislead anyone, but exercise is a larger factor in body composition than anything else listed.