Jim Stoppani Is The Truth

As anyone who reads my blog knows, I like to workout.  When I started working out again, I tried to piece together my own lifting program from what I had done in high school, had seen my buddies do at the gym and from what I had observed other people in the gym doing.  This was okay.  But I wasn't seeing the results I wanted.  Was dropping weight, but didn't get the cut or the definition that I wanted.  One of my buddies that I worked with gave me a manual for a 9-week program put together as an advertisement for the preworkout, 1MR.  It was distributed by GNC.  I figured why not.  I tried it.  And really noticed significant gains in strength, and was beginning to see the separation I wanted.  He gave me another manual, this time, it was an advertisement for Blox, a silk chain aminio acid intraworkout.  It had some dude named Jim Stoppani on it, and was called, "Six Weeks to Sick Arms."

When I moved back to Washington, I started back in the gym on a program called "4 Minute Muscle," which I found in the October 2010 copy of Muscle and Fitness.  I figured this would be a good place to start and lay a solid foundation with as my workouts had slacked a little before I left Illinois.  Great plan.  Will do it again.  Basic premise is that you are trying to work up to 60 consecutive reps of an exercise and do them in under 4 minutes.  For cardio I was alternating between a week of interval training and low and slow, keeping my heart rate in the "fat burning zone." I finished that program, and decided to pullout the "Six Weeks to Sick Arms" manual and give it a go.

I had been hesitant to try Six to Sick because it was an arm workout.  While biceps look awesome, how many times in sports or daily life do you "curl" something?  But.  I had nothing else, so why not? It quickly became apparent this was an intense, total body workout, that put extra focus on building ones arms.  It.  Was.  Awesome.  The booklet claimed to be able to add an inch to your arms in six weeks.  It was skeptical.  But.  It did.  Welcome to the gun show Charles!  I absolutley loved the intensity and results of the workout.  So what did I do? I got another Stoppani program.  This time.  I got the 1-2-3 Lean program.

The reason I chose to stay with a Stoppani program, is that they are based in science.  Dude has his PhD.  He really gets the most out of a plan, with out overkill.  You will sweat.  You will hurt.  You will shuffle after leg day.  But.  You will get results.  I started the 123Lean program at 217 pounds, and just shy of 15% body fat.  I'm 30 years old, 6'2" and at the time, was just over 37" around at my widest point (my stomach).  Coming off of SixToSick, I had about 184.55 pounds of lean body mass and 31.43 pounds of fat.  I track my stats using a caliper and measuring tape.  So I can't say they are 100% accurate.

The 123Lean program is based on the notion of cardioacceleration.  The idea behind this is that you do your cardio in one minute intervals, between your weightlifting sets.  This  program also has two styles of lifting.  Your traditional heavy exercises, Bench, Deadlifts and Squats, and your cutting type exercises cable crossovers, incline curls, calf raises.  You train each muscle group twice a week.  The program also provides you with a nutrition guide to help you set your macros for protein, fat and carbs.  Plus a full supplement guide.  It is awesome.  I loved this program.  I never have worked so hard, sweated so much, or enjoyed a workout more than this program.  And.  I loved the results.  This program got me in the best shape of my life.  You don't stop moving for at least an hour.  Think of P90x but with weights.

I finished the program yesterday.  I only puked on it once.  And that was this last week.  I don't think I quite got the full potential out of it.  But that was on me.  Had a softball tourney and a family vacation mixed in. But.  Its a great plan.  I finished at 210 pounds, brought my body fat down to 13.31 %, and ran my lean mass up to 185.55.  My actual body fat sits at 25.05 pounds.  To summarize, dropped almost 7 pounds over all.  All of it fat.  In six weeks. Working out for a little over an hour a day.  And eating fairly clean.  Not a bad way to go.  Highly suggest this program to anyone looking to cut up.

Not only did this program help me, it inspired me.  I have since decided to start working on my CSCS from the NSCA.  I want to start as a personal trainer and then work with athletes to up their game.  Thanks Doc.  My next workout program is the 12-week cut program from the October 2010 Muscle and Fitness.  This is a more traditional program, but still looks intense.  Be nice to have a little more bounce to my step for softball.  I'll keep you all posted.

My Trip To The Grand Canyon

So.  After moving back to Washington, Mom decided she wants to go on a family vacation to the Grand Canyon.  I'm all like cool.  Never been.  Let's do it. She decided to push it to the extreme and stay in Grand Canyon, Arizona.  Two miles off the South Rim of the canyon.  Great for a quick commute to the Canyon, bad for boredom.  No gym to workout at, not even at the hotel.  Wendy's closes at nine.  McDonald's at ten.  Place was so mall, Mickey D's jacks up their prices to cover housing for employees.

Anyway.  The Canyon itself is amazing.  No way to describe it.  Pictures can't do it justice.  Go see it in person if you haven't.  The first of two days at the Canyon was spent wandering around town, getting a feel for places to eat.  Things to do. The afternoon was spent walking along the Rim Trail and taking in the view.  I even sat on the edge.  First time I've ever gotten light headed from heights.  Weird feeling.  Listened to Ranger Bob's twenty minute speech about the uniqueness of the Grand Canyon and the hows and whys it came to be.  That night.  We had dinner at a place called, 'We Cook Pizza and Pasta.' No joke.  And yes.  That's what they cook.  They also do great sandwiches and wings.  I tried a couple microbrews from the Grand Canyon Brewery, their 'Sunset Amber' and the 'White Water Wheat.' Both are excellent options.  Dinner was followed by a trip to the local iMax for a forty minute movie about the 'History of Grand Canyon.'  Sleep followed.

Day two started off with a helicopter tour of the Canyon.  Mom and Dad sprang for the longer tour in the nicer helicopter.  Worth it.  One of the coolest experiences ever when you fly over the rim.  Wow.  We also got to see the North Rim of the canyon.  The North Rim, on average, is about a 1000 feet higher than the South Rim.  Interesting.  After that, it was lunch, hot tub and pool time, before grabbing dinner and heading out towards Desert View to catch the sunset.  The Canyon really does 'change' colors with the sunset.  Kinda cool to see.

Big props to my mother for planning the trip.  But.  If I was to do it again, which I want to.  What we did could easily be done in a day, staying in Flagstaff (an hour-ish away), and driving up and back.  These would leave time to see other things.  Like Chimney Rock or a Diamondbacks' game.  If I was to go back, and I want to, I would stay for a couple days.  But hike it, camp at the bottom, hike to the North Rim, stay a night there.  Hike back.  Camp.  Hike out.  Maybe do some rafting in the Canyon.  Who's in?

Been A Minute

Oh you know. Life happens. Finally settled into Pullman. There iPhones later. Plus one busted tablet I finally can blog. Normally I would have posted from my laptop. But its in my room and I don't have internet access there. So now that my tablet is back. I can post from the dining room. The TV room doesn't get the best signal. Wait what? Why do I have so many different rooms? I live in a fraternity. Yes. A frat.

I got lucky. I got hired as the live-in advisor for Theta Xi. A fraternity at Washington State University. It's a different, but rewarding, experience. It affords me the opportunity to work with young men, give back to WSU, and live for free. Great situation.

Other than living in a frat castle, I spend most of my time at the gym or at work. Occasionally I wander up to the Valley Road Playfields at hit some softballs.