doc savage

Just a few thoughts on my progress; I'm now in week 4 of routine strength training, cardio, healthy eating (frequent small portions of lean poultry, fish, healthy fats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and of course protein shakes), and mainstream supplements. I think the biggest achievement so far is breaking thirty years of bad habits and replacing them with healthy ones. So far I have definitely put on muscle and lost a little fat, but it really feels like I am just getting started. I got a full physical and health evaluation before I got started so I can track my progress, as well as taking some scary "before" photos. I've learned to love the "pump", it seems like in the past 10 years of occasional lifting I was probably leaving the gym just as I was getting warmed up. Lately, the last muscle group I work on gets so swollen that I am tempted to start over again from the beginning; for now I just keep switching things around so different muscles get a chance to be last. I am still using the EAS brand arginine in pill form. I asked about Amped at one of the (many) local vitamin joints, and the guy gave me a sample dose of the hous brand they push. Due to the popularity of NO-Xplode, everybody is trying to sell their own blend of L-Arginine with stimulants and other stuff in a pre-workout shake. So I did some research on it, and gave it a shot--working out while on a mega caffeine buzz is pretty crazy but kind of fun. Unfortunately it contained a little too much creatine when combined with the amount I was already taking, so I had to work out with an upset stomach. I think I will give NO-xplode and Amped a try; but it's not something I would use with every workout. Here's this week's haul, and carrying all this crap to the car AFTER my lower body workout was not fun: I'm going to want to start losing more fat, so I'll be using the 100% whey more and the Myoplex shakes and bars less. As for the taste (in water, of course all three are much improved by adding skim milk) , personal preference aside the chocolate is the most palatable, closely followed by strawberry and vanilla is surprisingly dead last. I did get some regular Myoplex RTDs; it tastes better and it's more filling than the carb control or "lite" varieties, plus they are a lot bigger so I usually just drink half with a bite or two of a bar. These are the "mocha latte" flavor, and they taste almost too good to be a protein shake. I know the bars aren't all that great for dieting but they can be a lifesaver when the munchies hit, or when traveling. I'm adding CLA to my diet. It's sort of a long term thing and I'll probably never know if it helped or not, but at least it can't hurt. I really appreciate the tips and advice, I know some of you guys have put some real work into your bodies and I respect that immensely. My goals are probably a lot more modest; I mainly want to live past 60 and get my body fat percentage down to a respectable number.

"We" can; "they" can't. Usually.

My latest package from Jay hit SFSO at 2AM and cleared Customs by 8AM. I do prefer LAX since I usually get my reps the very next day. My biggest problem is taking delivery--we have one of those mail lockers so every house on my block gets all their mail stuffed into a 4 inch box. The reps usually won't fit so I get a delivery notice instead, DENIED! I never had any delays or saw any green tape, even though the postman has asked me why I get so much stuff from China. The largest single order wasn't watches, but rep clothes. I ordered a couple dozen items once from a wholesaler/dropshipper; I wouldn't do it again but there were no issues with shipping. On the other hand, I didn't get more than two of any one item, so it probably didn't look like resale.

Hey, somebody let me know if my math is off: 10cm x 10cmx 10 microns=.1 cubic cm .1 cm3 x 21.5 (specific grav. of Pt; jewelers platinum is lighter but as a plating I assume it's pure?)=2.15 grams= 0.0758390182 ounces Platinum is crazy high right now at almost $2K per ounce, so $2K x 0.00758390182 = $151.68 for 10 microns of Platinum with the area of a large Post-It (10cm x 10cm). Also, the average human hair is 10 times thicker at 100 microns. So now I'm really curious how thick the plating is. BTW, you can get stuff platinum plated at this place in Michigan.

http://www.puretimewatch.com/index.php?productID=405 On what planet is this a good price?

http://www.puretimewatch.com/index.php?productID=405 Oh boy, I had a good laugh over this one. If it's actually 10 microns then you get a whopping $3 worth of 4 REALS platinum, plus a sweet Chinese movement, all for only $758!

I was referring to the type of guy who will only lift plates, instead of taking some of the weight off and lifting it properly. Usually the same type of guy who will do some presses, some curls, and go home. I heard an interesting story of how "before and after" pictures are made; the snake-oil company tracks down an amateur weightlifter or athlete who's suffered some kind of temporary injury and pay them to fatten up and stop working out for a while, then they take the "before" photo. Then once the guy recovers and goes back to working out and his normal diet, they snap the "after" photo. Of course this is the kind of thing that the poor saps who get their science from a magazine would eat right up. I personally like to see an actual research study, and not some half-assed data that doesn't prove anything (ZMA). I don't have the slightest problem with intelligent steroid use. If you are willing to take the risk, not competing in a sport where it is banned, and not breaking the law. I personally cannot benefit from them mainly due to family history with heart disease, so it could be a bit of sour grapes in my case. Would you say steroids could make up for a genetic disadvantage? Some people have naturally higher testosterone levels, would they benefit less from them?

I'm sick of hearing how "steroids are the only thing that works", it sounds like a major cop out. Anabolic steroids have an obvious effect on muscle growth, but how does that somehow negate the (scientifically proven) benefit of legal, low- or no-side-effect dietary supplements? Yes, they may not give you as much bang-for-the-buck as a shot of AAS in the ass, but throw in surgery for gynecomastia or heart disease and that goes out the window. Steroids have become a convenient excuse for laziness too: "That ripped guy doing deadlifts with 35s MUST be on the gear, because here I am benching 45s (3 reps) and he's bigger than me. Guess I'll go home and watch TV, since I don't do drugs." Hard work "works" too, and it always has. Supplements to me are just part of eating right, nothing more. Speaking of cost, all this crap: was under $200, and if you subtract the cost of all the meals I didn't eat I'm sure I came out ahead. I think my protein per meal is closer to 20-30g average, thanks to these low calorie shakes and bars. It's just so much easier to chug a good-tasting ready-to-drink shake than stirring up whey powder and choking it down. For now I'm going to at least try increasing my post-workout meal to 50g or so--I'm always STARVING after cardio or strength training so I think my body is trying to tell me something. As for the NOS, it has no or very little effect until you start exercising; but then my pump comes much sooner and lasts a lot longer. The actual ingredients of Nitron are: Ornithine, Arginine, black pepper, Niacin, Evodia, and Gynostemma.

I'm not aware of any proof of this either. There are too many variables (type of protein, weight, metabolism, activity level), but it does seem that there is not much harm in getting too much protein. http://www.sportsci.org/jour/9901/rbk.html HMB Creatine CLA

All of the above; except maybe the bulking up part. I do expect to make some size gains but that is not my main goal. Steroids are right out, I'm not trying to be Mr. Olympia (or win the Tour de France for that matter). You might as well tell me not to get implants.

I skipped the NOS at yesterday's workout (forgot to take it actually) and it did seem like there was more lactic acid buildup; towards the end of my sets it was the burning that was stopping me and not actual fatigue. I'm wondering if I'm getting enough protein; you get vastly different numbers depending on who you ask. I am packing on some muscle, but I'm trying to get fit--not huge--and I have a pretty good amount of fat to burn. Things are already improving after only two weeks. Instead of dragging myself to the gym and trying to get it over with, I'm looking forward to my next workout so I can improve my form and push myself harder. In the mornings, I hop on the bike without thinking twice about taking the car. I used to use the very lowest gears to make it up the steep hils, now I rarely shift out of top gear. My diet has never been healthier, and the more junk food I turn down the easier it gets. It's become almost automatic for me to eat healthy snacks in moderation, when before I could eat a full size bag of Doritos before I even realized it. Of course I have no way of knowing what effect the supplements have had, but I can at least say that taking them helps keep me in the right mindset.

I'm getting a PA system like the cops use; a buddy of mine used to have one in high school and it's PERFECT for giving the obstacle in front of you some driving tips.

I'm going after one of those Ti Avenger chronos--I know it isn't the greatest reps but those kind of flaws don't really bother me. I think it's the mose blatantly titanium watch I've ever seen, and would add some nice variety to my collection.

Good idea, you'll like it. Nothing like passing around watches over beers with a great bunch of guys.

Sounds interesting.... I've swore off stimulants lately but I think I'll give it a try; I can see the extra energy helping me through those last few reps. EAS only makes nitric oxide in a pill form, and they add ornithine and arginine. I tried it yesterday per the label (4 tabs in the morning and 4 more 30 min. before my upper body workout) and did get a much bigger and longer lasting pump than usual, but why is that a good thing?

I just bike to work "intensely" 3 times a week (non strength-training days). It approximates a HIIT workout between the hills and dales, and conveniently the ride home is much more uphill so I'm drenched in sweat by the time I get there. I really can't stand the boredom of gym cardio, but if my bike times keep improving I might have to go that route. It's used in the treatment of wasting diseases too. Again I have to say that I really like Betagen; it's really convenient and doesn't taste half bad (kinda like Tang). I learned that it's good mixed with EAS chocolate 100% whey and ice water; tastes like a Terry's Chocolate Orange. So Amped is a protein+nitric oxide product? Do you like it for the convenience?

I am trying to burn fat in the short term, but mainly I just want to increase my overall fitness level. We had deaths from first heart attacks on both sides of my family (my mom's dad died at 55, then my father at 52). Of course supplements are an extremely profitable business with a rich history of dubious claims and false advertising, but these are basically large doses of compounds that have been scientifically proven to have a positive effect. I don't think you can back up these numbers, but if creatine and HMB gave me a 2% advantage I'll take it. Sorry to hear about the liver damage. I had a severe allergic reaction on my hands once, and my doc shot me up with steroids "just to see if it would help". Doctors really suck sometimes. Yikes. That aint sweat, kids! Maybe he heard a baby crying? Steroids and supplements are two completely different things, people.

That's what I love about my UPO. Ever since the first time I dove into a pool forgetting I had it on, I've learned to just let it be the tool it was made to be. I've scraped it a few times, but except for a scratch on the bezel a Scotchbrite would make it look new again. It even got a full day of beauty torture at Glen Ivy hot springs (pools, jaccuzi, massage and facial [for me, not the watch],hot spring soak, mud bath, and sauna) and it still runs like a... well, like a Swiss watch. I was a heartbeat away from buying the gen when I joined this site, NO WAY I would have put a $3K watch through all that. The real luxury of reps is not stressing about them.

Well, so far it's really hard to say what the creatine and HMB is doing for me. At first my muscle soreness lasted FAR longer than normal (4-5 days), but it was a new routine with a lot more reps than I normally do so I can't blame the supplements. That phase is over now; my last workout (Friday) was just as intense or more so and the ache was gone by Sunday. I'm really happy about the changes I've made in my diet! My "normal" pattern was to skip breakfast 90% of the time, skip lunch 85% of the time, and eat a large evening meal. I'm not sure how I ever thought that was healthy... at most meals I would be uncomfortably full by the time my appetite died down. Now, I eat six times a day and I never let myself get hungry. It makes things a lot more convenient having a variety of protein-rich snacks handy at all times, here's what I keep in my home office: So first thing in the morning (when I never feel like eating) I grab an EAS caf

Sly is still the man; I hope someday he makes the "Forty Days of Musa Dagh" film.

It's just a dumb thing to say that doesn't mean anything; kind of like "live strong", "girl power", or "go lakers".

Why would it be any less waterproof than the Swiss version? They use the same case.

How about Jetmid?

Priceless. And another thing, why do you guys worry about the crown guards and datefonts on your Rolexes? All you have to do is get old (55+) and wear a Hawaiian shirt, and no one on Earth will think that your watch is fake for a second unless you try to pull off a faux chrono Daytona. Just hop on any Southwest flight any you are guaranteed to lose count of all the Submariners and TT DJs among the wrinkled elbows and white arm hairs.