Video of the muscle up progress! The quest for symmetry...

251 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 8 months and 6 days from today

Weight: 185

It's hard to believe I've gained almost 20 pounds now in the last two and a half months. I will soon be at the big 190 lb mark. I have never weighed 190 in my life! What else is strange is when I am talking to someone and they discover I am eating so much and TRYING to put on weight. With a world full of folks who would love nothing more than to lose a few pounds, here I stand trying to grow. It is difficult to explain but the fact is, I reduced my body fat percentage and realized that I had burned off a lot of muscle during this phase I went through trying to finish a 100 mile race. So I could not have the lean beefy body I wanted without first hanging some muscle back on my bones. Thus began the quest of building muscle and overeating.

Yesterday was terrible. I have a project going on at home and I worked all day and barely ate anything. It's the first time in awhile that I've actually let myself feel hunger and man, the food tastes so much better when you're starving yourself. I kinda tweaked my back working yesterday so maybe all will be well and I can get in a good workout today or tomorrow.

I promised a video of my muscle up progress and here it is. My lovely wife filmed it for me a couple days ago. I have a long way to go before it's perfect but I'm happy to get above the bar now. As mentioned before in the blog, you can see that the lawnmower tire and giant dog are present and ready for action. Maybe you can understand my son, he's good at cheering me on.

My Muscle Up

Don't allow yourself to miss a workout and focus on the negative. Forward movement, one step at a time. Whether you took a day off or two weeks, get back at it and move forward. We both know that it will be worth it in the end. Thanks for stopping in!

barbrothersdc.com


Feed the Wolf!!!
Bradley

Small results + time = large results.

254 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 8 months and 9 days from today

Chipping away at the stone.

I'm up to 185 lbs.

Yesterday I started my work out and had to just push through it. I was still very sore from earlier in the week and didn't get much done. I forced through my planned sets anyway to avoid laziness. Today was a different story. Schedule was perfect and when it was time to get to work, the right song came on (Digitalism-Miami Showdown) and I tore the place down. When I left the gym I knew that I had made some serious headway today. I love the feeling of getting it done right. I'm really going to try and make a short clip of the best muscle-up I can muster for everyone soon. On a couple occasions I have done 3 in a row but usually I can only get one at a time. I have yet to stay symmetrical  when doing it. I'm seeing big gains in strength so it's just around the corner. Can't believe how far I've come in confidence and strength in 3.5 months. This feeling is addictive. Keep rocking!



The Wolf stay's hungry around here!
Bradley

The Lawnmower Tire

261 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 8 months and 16 days from today

Weight 182

Every single time I go to the jungle gym I built in the yard and begin my workout, Bo, my red doberman hits the ground ready to get his miles in. He shows up a few seconds later with his lawnmower tire and stands there patiently waiting for me to finish a set and throw it again. He is a pretty good partner despite the fact that he won't attempt a pull-up. My son insists it's because "Bo don't have thumbs Daddy!" 

I had a great workout in the rain a few days ago. It's always cold and miserable for the first few minutes and then it becomes something better than normal. Once the blood is flowing and the endorphins kick-in I begin to feel like Superman with the Top Gun background music. I always get a lot accomplished on those days. Time for me to get to work now. It's a chest and upper body day. My favorite. 

Have a great one friends!

Become the master of yourself.

Feed the Wolf.

Bradley

State of the Journey

266 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 8 months and 21 days from today

Start weight 176
Lost down to 168
Current weight during bulk-182 Pounds

I have made myself sit down here in front of my computer to formulate a plan. Or, to solidify what is taking place right now regarding my year long journey. Three months ago I decided to really take my fitness to the next level. I have worked out for the majority of my adult life in different ways. The last few years have been more focused on endurance sports and have no doubt contributed to my withering away or more scientifically the catabolism of much muscle from my bones. Tired of seeing the skinny version of myself in the mirror and inspired by those around me including my wife and her progress towards her half-marathon I am moving toward my strongest, fittest, and most dramatic transformation I have ever achieved. I have learned a lot along the way and I'm finally working within the parameters that are giving me great results. Muscle is built slowly (1-2) lbs per month if I'm doing it all right. I have good days and bad days. Occasionally I skip a workout day and recently I have been just doing whatever exercise that I've wanted at workout time. But I am certainly making great forward progress. I have at times felt stronger, but I have never felt the growth that I have had lately. I workout very hard for 30 minutes. I usually choose 3-4 exercises and do 3-4 sets and 5-15 reps trying to stretch well and lift heavy. I am very good at sticking to pre and post workout nutrition. I do not like working out heavy early in the morning because I usually pull something. I'm eating 3000+ calories a day right now but sometimes that too is hard especially if I avoid garbage. I weigh 182 lbs at present. I am working toward 190. I hope to be there by middle to late June.  At that time, I will probably begin a fat cutting month or two and then begin bulking again. I would like to reach 200 and then cut fat back to 190 by my goal date next January. That means I would have added 20 lbs of muscle in a year. It's a very optimistic goal but I think it could be possible.

The Plan-
Workout 3-4 times per week. Usually a day on then a day off.
Eat 3300 calories per day
I am going to make a list of exercises that I do and have a good rotation.
Make goals for each muscle group so that I will not skip muscle groups


Sorry for the intermittent posts. It's busy here with great weather and of course family first. Thanks for checking up on me. I am more confident than ever that this will be a success.

Keep moving toward your goals. One day at a time.

Feed the Wolf!!!
Bradley

Refocus

The last week I have slacked off slightly. I have started doing just the workouts that I like and omitting crucial muscles like legs. I need to get back to a plan. I lost my appetite last week and have not been eating as much as needed. I have been in a mental struggle to decide if I should start cutting again. I'm going to write a solid plan in the next few days and get this train pointed in a solid direction. 

MUSCLE UP GOAL-BAM! New Goals Reached

284 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 9 months and 9 days from today

I am growing. I am realizing new strengths now more than ever. I have truly created a new habit by working out almost everyday now. Mentally, getting up and working out is part of my day that I look forward to. I am not always in the "mood" to exert a high work load. But, by building a routine of changing clothes, stretching, eating a preworkout snack, getting my journal/workout log and headphones ready and thinking about what I'm going to do. My body will usually get on board and get fired up. I am still limiting my workouts to about 30 min. This prevents any anxiety about working out because it takes almost no time, it lets me workout at a higher intensity, and keeps my body from breaking down muscle for energy while I play. I will say that many times I get to the end of my workout and start to do just another set or another exercise and I have to make myself get out of the gym. Once I'm warmed up, I want to burn every muscle I have got and make progress but I don't think that is the best method right now. I want to gain  weight and add muscle mass.

 Since I have started eating 3300-4000 calories per day my physical strength has shot forward. My pull-up max has moved from 8 to 12 reps continuously. My entire upper body feels stronger and I am noticing an decrease in flexibility from the new growth. My weight is in the low 180's now and I am hoping to get above 185 in the next couple of weeks. I am rapidly losing my cut look due to the caloric increase but my results later will be more pronounced if my muscles have grown.

This past week I realized one of my key goals when starting this program. I did my first sloppy muscle up. the next day I did another and the third day I did 2. I am very excited about this accomplishment and look forward to improving my form and number of repetitions. After putting in so much work, I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever do it and then BAM! I'll try to put a video up soon of me doing one so I can look back on how rough they were in the beginning. Steady progress my friends. Little by little. I'm only 2.5 months into my transformation and steady on course. 2013 will always be the year I got serious and made it happen.

Thank YOU for your continued support. Keep your goal in the front of your mind and make any progress towards it daily. It's tough when you expected results already and they are not visible yet, hold the line, keep moving forward. The world is yours to take.

If you see someone in the gym that looks out of place, say something encouraging. Imagine that they are putting themselves out there to be better. Make a positive difference in their life by being a friend. It might be all they need to change the course of their life. How amazing would it be to give that Dad or Mom 5 or 10 more years with their family by being healthy just by making them feel welcome and in the right place.

Have a great workout!

FEED THE WOLF!!!!
Bradley

Goals- Here are a few short-term goals. I will re-post everyday and add dates to them as they are accomplished.

10 Consecutive Pull-ups (12 Consecutive Pull-ups 7 April)

1 month of Excellence in Training (February 2013)

1 Month of Excellence in Diet (February 2013)

10 Good Handstand push-ups (7 against a wall on April 16 balance improving with strength)

1 behind the neck pull-up (March 31, 2013)

1 muscle-up (April 12, 2013)

Explosive Pull-up/ Toe Touch

Body Fat 10% (Got close to 12% before starting bulk)

Human Flag

Pull-up with behind the back clap

Kuki Push-up

Body Fat 6%

One-arm pull up

One-arm leg raises on bar

Fear of Failure- Be the one

290 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 9 months and 15 days from today

It's a freaking great day to be alive and able to move forward with my goals. Ever noticed that right before you do something big, you always get those butterflies that tell you to turn and run or that little voice of doubt in your mind that tries to tell you that you're not worthy or qualified? I think it's fair to say that in life most people get this feeling before they put themselves out there. That makes it normal and ordinary. What makes a person extraordinary is having the mental strength to battle that feeling with self assuring thoughts and to step out of the crowd anyway. We each have our own goals in life and face different types of fears each day. One of the greatest of these is fear of failure. I face this fear often and I constantly work mentally to stay focused on the positive and moving forward. It can be tough. Not just with fitness but other things as well. I hope you are talking yourself up and realizing your true value. Put yourself out there and make a difference. All those other people who did it are just people like you and me. Have a great one!
Feed The Wolf!
Bradley