Do You Know Where the Weight Room Is?

I always laugh to myself when I ask this question at a hotel. It just sounds funny. As this is my first post on the weight lifting blog at EveryJoe, let me start by telling you a little about my experience and knowledge and what direction this blog is going to take.

I have lifted weights consistently for 13 years now. I started when I was 15 and I am now 28. My peak performance came at the age of 24. If you want an indicator, my bench press (the standard almost everybody goes by) was 3×8 265 lbs at one point. I weighed around 215 at the time. Thinking back, even I find that hard to imagine myself doing.

I have tapered off since that fateful day at Bally’s (still remember it well). The real reason I not only haven’t improved but have regressed is a lack of dedication. On the surface, I was in graduate school so weight lifting got put off more than it used to and as the days grew further apart, so did the gap between my peak and my status at the time. Graduate school is not an excuse though. I believe you have to find a way to workout if you really want to accomplish your physical goals.

In December of 2007, I had ballooned to 252. I still had a base amount of strength from all my years and a trip or two to the gym every week, but this was embarrassingly far from where I had been. My lowest weight after the age of 20 was 183 while still maintaining a high level of strength. I am in still in grad school now, but my intervals between workouts has become much better and I am noticing a difference in strength and appearance.

Currently, I weigh 229 (up from 223 during the summer) and am steadfastly trying to lower my weight and improve my strength, speed, endurance, and lean muscle mass with size. (Yes, I want it all.) In this blog, I’ll be giving weight lifting advice and tips on how to achieve these levels of fitness efficiently while putting my workout on full display. I’ll give you a break down of everything I do and why I do it. I’ll also provide my recommended meals (while minimizing price) along with my eating habits.

If you have stopped lifting weights, currently lift weights, or never touched a barbell in your life, I encourage you to add resistance/strength training to your workout (whether you are a girl or guy). The benefits will empower you and take your lifestyle to the next level.

Tomorrow, I’m hitting the iron. Come join me. If you’re ready to start, I’m working back and biceps tomorrow to go along with some cardio. Take it easy on the weight and focus on getting the exercises done.

Here is a sample workout:

12 minutes cardio
3×10 dumbell curls
3×10 lat pull downs
3×10 pull ups
3×10 back extensions
10 minutes cardio

I’ll see you back here tomorrow.

Image: sxc.hu