“EH…WHAT’S UP, DOC?” Barry is right, as usual…HT’s thread is about more than numbers…it has drawn complete strangers together and formed a strong coalition…there’s way more to life than just numbers…we are here to help each other…motivate each other…to do better, not just in the gym, but in life as a whole! We share a common interest & that’s the catalyst…the thread can go in any direction & I’m sure HT knows the ebb & flow of the Internet & took that into consideration when he started it. I had a thread which Barry won’t let die, but it just became easier to post on HT’s because there seemed to be some ‘chemistry’ between “the gang” I can’t tell you how to live your life, BUT I can say with a great deal of confidence, that we welcome any of your input!
Barry, as usual you are on my ass to continue to be a human front loader like you and QT and the guys. And believe it or not, I have done due diligence on gyms for heavy lifting in Vero. So far I came up with zero, maybe thats why they call this place Zero Beach. You gotta remember the average age here is about 87.5. I do know that the high schools’ have some “real” weightlifting equipment but getting in there will take some connections, which I have lost but could maybe strike up again. And don’t think I aint thinking about this stuff all the time…yesterday a big guy, unfortunate diabetic in a wheelchair, noticed my muscles and asked me what my sport was. When I said “weightlifting,” he immediately asked “Powerlifting or Olympic?” Just that question alone gave me goosebumps. Turns out he used to be an Olympic lifter, not great but pretty good. AND, he has his old bar and weights, 600 lbs, which he treasures and keeps in pristine shape even though he can’t use it anymore. I lost my professionalism and asked him if he would sell it to me…and he said he’d consider it, and then the big bear started crying on me. SEE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO ME!!!
Nah, just kidding, this one’s all on me. I’m not so sure I can make myself do crossfit. lol
Doc
Maybe you need to do Tai chi.
Seriously though, many martial arts and boxing clubs cater to grunting and banging weightlifters as well. A Google search turned up 2 boxing clubs and 3 karate clubs. I’m sure there are lots more.
Here’s the local weightlifting club:
Team Florida Vero Beach
St Edwards School
Vero Beach 32962
Director Les Rogers
561-231-4136
Stu
[quote]stuward wrote:
Maybe you need to do Tai chi.
Seriously though, many martial arts and boxing clubs cater to grunting and banging weightlifters as well. A Google search turned up 2 boxing clubs and 3 karate clubs. I’m sure there are lots more.
Here’s the local weightlifting club:
Team Florida Vero Beach
St Edwards School
Vero Beach 32962
Director Les Rogers
561-231-4136
Stu[/quote]
Nice work, Stu. I know the school, my son went to second grade there!! It's a super preppy school, so I'm surprised they have a weightlifting club, but that might be a good place for me. However...
I did find out some news today, I was very happy to see an old tech I used to work with at my hospital who's a massive bodybuilder and a class guy. He told me that at the World's where he trains he's tight with the owner, and that he's pretty sure he can arrange for me to have not only room made for a platform, but that he's help make it if need be!
It really is inspirational how the "brotherhood of iron" takes care of its own. The tai chi's gonna have to wait, Stu, I've got a platform coming with my name on it. No excuses now! Doc
Wanted to workout tonight, but got home and I was real tired from long hours and night calls. So I drank a red bull with a green tea (I call that Workout Punch). Yet fifteen minutes later, I was dead asleep on the couch. I was probably out twenty minutes and then my phone rang, and it was the DAMN CREDIT CARD COMPANIES after my ass.
It pissed me off so much, I had adrenalin to workout! Went to the little gym nearby and did the circuit four times with the stacks of 200 plus some cardio and abs. Did fine, and I’m looking forward to returning to SOME barbell lifting in the near future.
Gotta be careful, I caught myself arguing with a crazy person today. I know better...this is the definition of futility, trying to convince a crazy person that they are crazy.
I should have just agreed with the lady that all the cops force us to do cocaine and then gang rape us...right? Oh, how could I forget, she included that MOST judges, lawyers, and psychiatrists do that too!!!
Doc
you mean she’s wrong?!
Hey Doc, my stepson moved to another state (his mum walks around the house crying every time she sees his photo, sheesh) so I lost my motivation to go to the gym for a few weeks.
I went yesterday and got the good season’s greetings from the regular younger guys there, that was nice. It injected a little motivation to keep going again.
I miss the boy and our sessions in the gym together. You need to keep writing Doc, you are often my motivation now and I’d imagine I’m not alone in that thought.
cheers mate.
[quote]Duke wrote:
you mean she’s wrong?!
Hey Doc, my stepson moved to another state (his mum walks around the house crying every time she sees his photo, sheesh) so I lost my motivation to go to the gym for a few weeks.
I went yesterday and got the good season’s greetings from the regular younger guys there, that was nice. It injected a little motivation to keep going again.
I miss the boy and our sessions in the gym together. You need to keep writing Doc, you are often my motivation now and I’d imagine I’m not alone in that thought.
cheers mate.[/quote]
Motivation to train-this is a crucial thing to discuss. I have had it, to some degree, since I was fifteen, and it has never totally left me. However, as life has dealt me certain blows, it has either increased my desire to train through anger and fury which must be sublimated somehow, or it has killed my desire to train altogether. But there have also been times, as I have gotten older, that injuries and general fatigue have eroded the desire to train hard.
My thread started in the middle of a six month run of furious determination the likes of which I have not had in many years, and I must say that drive and passion have been cut down considerably by life circumstances. It is, looking back, not probably very natural to be obsessed and driven like I was the last few months of 2007, training for longer and longer periods of time, pushing myself to the brink every workout. But I must say, I loved every second of it.
Now that I am back in the real world of hard work, long hours, facing my life obstacles etc it is definitely much harder to get fired up for a workout, of any kind. I have found that feeling, which I detest, of “making” myself go, which is alien to my natural love of this sport. Usually I still feel good midway through a workout, and end up feeling much better afterward, but it irritates me that I even have a partial motivation problem at this time.
I believe perhaps we go through cycles, phases of intensity and drive, and as long as we don't cave altogether the days when the drive comes easily will return again. For me it is now complicated by my hormonal problems, as today I found out my thyroid hormone levels are still on the low side despite medication. So it is more than just a psychological issue, it has its physical components as well. Nevertheless, I believe we each must find a reason to lift which is compelling, regardless if it is a certain bench press number, a good bodyweight, looking a certain way, lifting atlas stones, whatever.
None of our individual motivations mean anything to anyone but ourselves, in the big picture. But I must say I have gotten a little boost recently just by many patients asking me about my size or muscles, or if I played football, or how do I stay in shape at my age, etc. Many staff who have known me for years tell me I look better than at any time since my accident in 2002. So even simple things like this, a boost to the ego no doubt, but what the hell, what’s wrong with it? It makes it a lot easier to stay on a healthy diet, stay away from booze, and occassionally at least get my ass back to the gym.
So yeah, I'll keep writing, this thread helps me with my motivation now...I didn't think I'd need help with it, but I do. Doc
Motivation. It’s an interesting thing.
I don’t consider myself motivated. I don’t feel like “woo hoo, let’s lift” and I don’t feel like “o god do I hafta”. It’s like lifting is just something that I do that I have no choice about. It’s like breathing. 
I was never athletic growing up. I flirted with lifting weights from my mid-twenties but I was never hardcore about it or really dedicated to it. I’d join a gym, go a couple of times, and then find other things to do instead and stop going.
I went through some changes in my early 30’s and moved to LA to become a musician. I’m a really good guitarist. I went to the Musician’s Institute in LA and graduated with honors. But… I let myself get into pretty bad shape. When I was playing clubs in my late teens/early twenties, I was skinny as a rail and couldn’t gain weight. But by my thirties, I was fat.
I went on an audition for a band that was made for me and the guitar player I auditioned for loved me and wanted me in the band. But the hot chick singer told me to my face that I was too fat. At about the same time, my doctor told me that I had cholesterol issues and needed to start exercising.
Since that time, the only times I’ve stopped working out have been because of injuries (damn my rotator cuff) or for planned breaks. I mean, I’ve had a workout here and there that I’ve skipped because of scheduling issues and things but I’ve always found a way to fit it in to my “normal” schedule. Even going as far as getting up at 4am.
I will admit that I’m in a bit of a better situation than most people. For every house I’ve lived in for the past 7 years (2 in TX, 1 in CA, and one in PA), I’ve turned a room (or a bay of the garage) into a gym so I’ve got a lot of flexibility and I don’t have to worry about the time it takes to drive or the money for the membership. I suggest that for anyone who works out. If you’ve got an extra room, buy a power cage and some weights and go to town.
Doc,
I know you told me before you’d given up throwing because you soured on it long ago. But if you’re looking for a focus to your training it’s great. Realizing of course your available time is limited now. But for clearing the mind there’s just nothing like putting a shitty day of work behind one big throw. Nothing like a blood curdling scream to clear the head. Don’t know how long you plan on staying in Florida but it’s the senior sports Mecca. Lots of competitions to give you some motivation for.
Maybe it’s time you cycle back to your roots. In fact, I think a lot of your motivational problems stem from your leaving throwing. Let’s look at this issue. Here, lay on the couch. Now, when you were a child and you threw your first rattle from the crib…
Sorry. Anyway. Hang in there. Lot of us are hoping you the best.
[quote]hel320 wrote:
Doc,
I know you told me before you’d given up throwing because you soured on it long ago. But if you’re looking for a focus to your training it’s great. Realizing of course your available time is limited now. But for clearing the mind there’s just nothing like putting a shitty day of work behind one big throw. Nothing like a blood curdling scream to clear the head. Don’t know how long you plan on staying in Florida but it’s the senior sports Mecca. Lots of competitions to give you some motivation for.
Maybe it’s time you cycle back to your roots. In fact, I think a lot of your motivational problems stem from your leaving throwing. Let’s look at this issue. Here, lay on the couch. Now, when you were a child and you threw your first rattle from the crib…
Sorry. Anyway. Hang in there. Lot of us are hoping you the best.[/quote]
hel320, good to hear from you and you gave me a laugh. There is something very cathartic (good shrink word for emotionally releasing pent up shit) about throwing, especially I think the shot. I probably understated in earlier posts how much I actually loved it. I did. In fact, after first falling in love with throwing the discus in 8th grade, little by little I grew to love the shot more and more until by midway through college it was my main focus.
Throwing a ball of iron in the mud while screaming was something very childlike and primitive and certainly Freud would have had a field day with it (there’s a pun there…it just kinda slipped out).
My future, damn, every time I think I'm getting a little closer to solving things, I get thrown a new curve ball...deals on houses fell through. Work is brutal but is my financial salvation so I am grateful. I have always loved Florida and would be glad to live here and maybe next year get into some kind of Master's competitions...I just can't imagine not doing that after I tasted the thrill of the heavy weights these past few months. But for right now, my wife's oddly set on staying in CR the next three years because our son is happy and in a great school there...HOLY FUCK I DIDNT SEE THAT ONE COMING.
Oh well, I'll keep rolling with the punches. Keep lifting heavy hel, you're an inspiration to me you strong son of a gun. How the hell you still bench 4 at our age I'll never know! Doc
[quote] How the hell you still bench 4 at our age I’ll never know! Doc
[/quote]
When I first started lifting again I also started throwing again. The only place around with real facilities (not being my backyard) was Alabama A&M. I feel in with the throwers there, all who are also linemen on the football team. These guys do reps with 400+ in the bench (they do suck in the throws, though.) As my bench increased I gauged my progress against them and never really considered it high.
I only followed throwing web sites so I really had no idea what people our age bench. My focus was getting strong to throw farther. The thrower’s sites are full of arguments about how much the bench helps, power lifting vs olys. I still work out mostly with these guys and it definitely keeps one humble. They do love to help me stretch, though.
Oh yeah, I was gonna say throwing was cathartic (I just couldn’t remember how to spell it)
You guys are going to get me to think I can throw 90 and with no dianoblo The Doc is going to come back. You guys are the best.
Just went through a 36 hour stint, very grateful to plop in the bed and watch the NFL playoffs.
I had several really fascinating patients. Generic details here…One 15 year old boy watched the movie Scarface everyday from the age of eight until ten, and his goal in life was to be the next Scarface. He had latin blood, too. So for the past year, he gradually worked on becoming a drug dealer, a pimp, and a overall underworld entrepreneur. At 15! He could quote any line in the movie and did a great Al Pacino. Well, the problem is some of the local street muscle are worried about his growing power and there was a hit out on him (more the break your legs type than killing-he came in all beat up).
So while I’m trying to get this guy to realize his life expectancy on this career path is about 3.5 years at most, his mother becomes unglued and decides all of this is MY fault and she comes into the building with lawyer papers and is screaming she is going to SUE me and the hospital. She is nuts, of course, and will NOT speak to me no matter how much I try. So I resort to the only thing that I have left, from experience…I get in her face and start screaming at her that if she does not help me help her son I will report her to Social Services and help them take her son away from her. Guess what, that gets her attention, but now she still wants to scream at me and we go into a private room to scream about an hour more.
At the end of that time, she is fully convinced I am a wonderful doctor and will take good care of her son, and will help in any way she can. Screaming in her family is the only way people communicate properly…talking softly means being devious or being passive aggressive. WTF!
And, my last of sixty some patients this weekend was a hot blonde twenty-something who got “addicted to pain pills after I got this big boob job.” That might be the best opening line I have gotten from a patient in quite some time. lol Doc
Glad you’re crazy as ever my friend. You are a very gifted human for what you do. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall with the mother. Hit the machines when you can and stay in touch. You might take our friends idea of throwing again, when I pick up a baseball, I want to air it out but I can’t. Hopefully you gave the titted gal a thorough comprehensive professional Freud-like evaluation. Given you are a professional. Have a great week.
Mind if I share something on motivation…
Very conceited but nonetheless, I’m going to share…
As I wrote previously, I’d been lacking some motivation after the boy moved to another state. Today however, when I was leaving the gym and handing my locker keys back to the ladies behind the desk, one of them stopped me from leaving and said “you’re really getting big, we talked about you the other day as you left and we all reckon you’re looking great” (** awww shux**)
Then a bloke around 60 ish comes to the counter too, hands in his key, looks at me and says, you certainly work hard mate and it’s paying off"
Damn! talk about motivated… Of course I know they’re full of shit but I can’t lie, I loved it and can’t wait to go back and see those ladies again behind the counter… NOW I’m motivated (or is that just horny, hah hah) anyway, one of them has asked if she can train with me… I’d love to say yes but I won’t… I’m not good at resisting temptation… I have issues
End of gloating session, back to reality now.
[quote]Duke wrote:
Mind if I share something on motivation…
Very conceited but nonetheless, I’m going to share…
As I wrote previously, I’d been lacking some motivation after the boy moved to another state. Today however, when I was leaving the gym and handing my locker keys back to the ladies behind the desk, one of them stopped me from leaving and said “you’re really getting big, we talked about you the other day as you left and we all reckon you’re looking great” (** awww shux**)
Then a bloke around 60 ish comes to the counter too, hands in his key, looks at me and says, you certainly work hard mate and it’s paying off"
Damn! talk about motivated… Of course I know they’re full of shit but I can’t lie, I loved it and can’t wait to go back and see those ladies again behind the counter… NOW I’m motivated (or is that just horny, hah hah) anyway, one of them has asked if she can train with me… I’d love to say yes but I won’t… I’m not good at resisting temptation… I have issues
End of gloating session, back to reality now.[/quote]
I was gonna give you grief for sounding nuts like me, but actually this sounds pretty normal. In fact, it reminded me of several similar occassions for me (not many lately except what I wrote above). But, one incident about resisting temptation came to mind. Curious how others would have handled it.
It was in my med school days, I was in my brief bodybuilding phase, as in that photo in my profile. I was in an elevator, alone with a very attractive black girl about my age. She looked me up and down, and then said "I have never seen a body like yours in all my life. Can I...touch you?" We had a few floors to go, nobody around, I was flustered but said..."Yeah, go ahead." So she took her hands and just kinda felt my upper body all over. She was smiling from ear to ear.
I'm not normally attracted to black women, not a racist thing but I guess just preference and living in the South. But I have never had a woman so obviously want me (other than the one who wanted Conan's body). The door opened, I smiled at her, told her I enjoyed meeting her, but let the opportunity pass. I always wondered why, since I walked out of there suppressing you know what.
Now that I'm old and married, and at best get compliments for looking good for my age, I wonder why the hell I didn't fuck her and about fifty more women than I did. It's not like I was a virgin, but I saved myself a bit too much in those days. Any thoughts, you horny old guys out there? Doc
Man, you just destroyed all those wild fantasies I had about shit I missed by not going to college.
Ahh yes, the ones that got away… I think we all have those stories; I know I do and they aren’t all from my college days. It’s spur of the moment shit and there’s nothing you can about it except wonder. I just remind myself about the times that I didn’t walk away.
I know you’re married and trying to stay that way so don’t take this the wrong way, but since we’re on the subject… I’ve been finding that my “game” is better than it has ever been because I just don’t give a shit anymore. I watch the young guys at the bar I go to strike out because they’re fucking pussies and afraid to put it on the line.
If I see a little hottie giving me the look, I go for it and I’m surprised how often the result is a good one. Hot women are dieing to meet real men with confidence and not some pussy who is going to let them run the show. Step up, be a man, and you’ll be surprised where it gets you. My current girlfriend is twenty years younger than me and says she never met a man before that knew as much about a woman’s body. Experience has it’s rewards
[quote]happydog48 wrote:
Ahh yes, the ones that got away… I think we all have those stories; I know I do and they aren’t all from my college days. It’s spur of the moment shit and there’s nothing you can about it except wonder. I just remind myself about the times that I didn’t walk away.
I know you’re married and trying to stay that way so don’t take this the wrong way, but since we’re on the subject… I’ve been finding that my “game” is better than it has ever been because I just don’t give a shit anymore. I watch the young guys at the bar I go to strike out because they’re fucking pussies and afraid to put it on the line.
If I see a little hottie giving me the look, I go for it and I’m surprised how often the result is a good one. Hot women are dieing to meet real men with confidence and not some pussy who is going to let them run the show. Step up, be a man, and you’ll be surprised where it gets you. My current girlfriend is twenty years younger than me and says she never met a man before that knew as much about a woman’s body. Experience has it’s rewards :-)[/quote]
I'm happy for you, happy dog. I want my marriage to work, but if it didn't, I know I would not be that somewhat shy guy I was in my twenties anymore. Age and a little wisdom, and maybe HRT do make it easier to talk to women and know what to say. I stay on the straight and narrow for my marriage, but I find it very easy to ask women anything I need to as a Doc and get a lot of interesting information I never would have gotten in the past, because they sense I know what I am talking about and am confident to ask.
(for instance, I learn about women’s infidelities, fantasies and sexual misbehaviors easily now, where in the past I used to fumble about with this area of questioning.)
As far as the hotties in "the real world," I have to let opportunities pass for now, but I do enjoy just letting a pretty woman know I think they are pretty in a way they enjoy hearing. I get a little innocent thrill by seeing the joy in their faces. I sometimes push that envelope a little more than that, but I better shut up right about now. I don't cheat. Doc
I don’t cheat either (now) Doc, but it’s sure nice to have the opportunity.
I find myself getting closer (more friendly)to this lady at the gym. She’s very pretty and a nice person too.
See, now I feel motivated to go for the workout and the woman… just have to behave myself. It’s very good to have the motivation back again.
Doc, everything seems to be cruising along fairly well for you these days, I hope it stays on course for you.