D-106

D-106

      Its been going well the last few days, eating a shit load and staying hungry - of course. Training has been kicking my ass tho, I need to keep the intensity up but find that balance between weight and reps that feel right with what I'm eating. When I train, I dont necessarily walk in with an EXACT plan. I have a plan, but the best plans are the ones that can be changed. Based on what I eat, how much sleep I've gotten, my mental state - I train to hit a certain level of intensity. Regardless of the weight, reps, ego - that shit is checked at the f'n door - I go in with an intensity goal rather than a rep/weight goal. Thats how I grow and change my body. Its growing season 24/7/365 for me, only show prep is more of a mental growth rather then brute physical size.

I need to find that balance each time in the gym to keep things intense.

Train hard, make perfection a habit - MoneyMentality.

Read the full road here.

VAG passion

Volkswagen.

Strong Horsey

One of Italy's countless gifts to the world... FERRARI.

Daily Driven

Some of my daily friends...

Diet/Training

My contest prep training / diet can be found HERE.

Keep in mind, if you want big arms, stop doing curls for the girls and do some tri's for the guys.
The tri makes up 2/3 of the total size of your arm. "Horseshoe's like a Clydesdale."

Christmas List

If you have heard of ALL of these, I commend you. If not, check them out!

1. HTFU
2. fatlace
3. NIXON
4. 99u
5. Behance
6. 8380labs
7. Jawbone
8. The FORVM
9. Hilltop Hoods
10. 42DD

Define yourself through experience

I am trying. Who I am is rather simple, all you have to do is look at what I have experienced and you will see. Now the experiences? not so simple.

Other people see me as... well, frankly I dont give a shit how other people see me other than a select few - family, close friends and my girl.

I am trying to make myself into a reason for something bigger than just a job, a life and a family. I want to be the job, be the reason for the life I have and be the reason for my family and the way it is. I want that more than anything. At heart I am a family guy, the man who puts nothing before his loved ones. At heart, that is what kind of person I am because that is what I have experienced. My family has been more than supportive to me my whole life, and I love everyone of them for that.

My work experience - project management, engineering, military -  proves to show, as many can vouch for, that I am a technical leader who can manage people to get things done. What I am working with that is new to me is creativity. I have always had a sense of creativity, but I have never really expressed it other than through my music.

My future work experience - opening a creative design firm is something completely new to me. Through all of my experiences, I am defining who I am, how other people see me and developing my control for the future that I want. The advertising/marketing/creative/brand business is completely new to me and I have little to no knowledge - compared to other vet's in the field. I have already made a huge mistake, but I am not going to let it hinder my real aspirations and goals. I have learned from it, eliminated any chance of it happening again and re-evaluated some aspects of the business and my strategies behind it. My promotion strategy will consist of my first bodybuilding show being the backbone story shared through this blog, Facebook and the.

The experiences of amature bodybuilding and starting a new business are very new to me but I believe will exponentially build off of one another as time progresses. Above all else, I go back to my first point, my family. Sure I want to do all of this for myself, sure I want to be in shape, ripped, big, win, all that esy stuff, but what I really want is the experience. I want the experience of one of the most mentally draining sports on the planet and one of the riskiest financial things to do in my box of knowledge. I want to be able to be defined as someone who has those things complete, who has lived that lifestyle by people, but most of all my family. I'm nto talking about my family - mom, dad, brother, cousins all of that, they all made me who I am. I'm talking about my future family. My wife and kids. I never want to hear, "Dad, you don't understand." That would be the worst- I want to be that figure that my kids turn to. I want to be the omnicient dad who is loved and respected for what he knows and does more than what he gives.

Also for my wife. I need her to be comfortable. I need her to respect and love me enough to be as motivated and into family as I am. I want her also to be able to relate to me as the perfect guy for her kids, the perfect fit for her everything. The perfect husband. I want for her to have absolutely no instance of doubt that she picked the right guy for the right reason. Communication is huge in relationships, its going to be even bigger in my relationship. I need to be open, honest and really connected to make a relationship like this and I as well need to find the perfect girl. But I have. That part is done, I am defining myself through my experiences. Good experiences, bad ones, mistakes, misunderstandings are all part of it, but I will be who I want to be and who I am, I will be the perfect fit for her. She is for me, so why should I not work for her? I want the family.

The military, my company, my show, my friends my family: I appreciate you all. Most of all, I appreciate the last few months with my girl, she's the one who pushed me over the good edge to pursuit the things I want. I'm devoting it to her, I want to make the definition of myself her family guy, her goal.

Do you have the right experiences for who you want to be?

I do.

Do you have a reason or someone to define yourself for?

I do.

D-111

follow it HERE

Hams, Calves, cardio today. Cooking everything for the week, should be a good start.

Meal Plan:
8 egg whites, 3 whole eggs
3/4 cup oats

8 oz tilapia
1 cup rice

8 oz tilapia
1 cup rice

8 oz tilapia
1 cup rice

8 oz tilapia
1 cup rice

8 egg whites
6 oz broccoli

Casein

More to come tomorrow, I have some real info on why my show is being done, why I'm doing this, who I'm doing this for. Stay tuned.

D-112

D-112. Contest prep.

Quads, cardio and abs for today, got my diet laid out, very excited. Massive boost of energy after the session with my trainer - really looking forward to gettin this started on the right foot.

Took some pics today for a baseline... more will be up later once I have some to compare the two.

Stay tuned.

Carbs with every meal except the last meal, 2 lbs off meat every day, 5 30 min cardio sessions a week to start... It will be a big change, but nothing I'm not used to from the Army - I laugh at the Army PT program sometimes - its a good way to maintain, but I dont see how it really can improve anyone other than making everyone a skinny stick runner. Cool if that's something someone wants, but last time I checked, if my ass is blown up or any of my comrades are down in a truck because of some ass hole trying to kill us over seas I want a strong mf'er who can pull a 300lb body out of a gunner's hatch over someone who can do 100 situps, 100 push ups and run a 10 min 2 mile. Thats just my 2 cents... gotta love the Army tho, its given me a lot.

I'm looking for this experience to really provide a way to get to know myself a little better, really hone in on my weak points as a person, as a bodybuilder, as a friend, future husband, business owner and so much more.

Define yourself through experience, thats when you really find out who you are. Stop thinking and start doing.

follow my whole journey here: animal FORVM

D-Day

D-Day... no significance behind the "D", but one of the most well known moments in our history. I say moment because, for the guys who were there it probably seemed like an eternity, but for those civilians state side who were masked from the REAL epxerience of it all, it was a moment. Respect.

For me, D Day is March30th, 2013 - my first show. I am about a day and a half away from my 16 week prep; D-114 for me. 113, 112, 111... everyday takes a little more determination and discipline than the last.

D-114 results: crushed arms this moring around 5, woke up at 430am and told myself: Get your ass outta bed and train. It helps me when I can relate to articles written on the FORVM. Thanks for everything again everyone, almost ready to start the prep.

NPC, FourtyEighty, Pittsburgh Animals

German Car Scene

GERMAN
GERMAN
GERMAN
GERMAN
CAR
CAR
CAR
CAR
SCENE
SCENE
SCENE
SCENE
FULL SITE HERE

FourtyEighty

My name is Justin and I'm from Pittsburgh, I work as a project engineer and I am an aspiring business owner. To cut to the chase, I am competing in my first BB show in March 2013, the NPC NATURAL EASTERN USA CHAMPIONSHIPS. This is my log for my contest journey - the first, but certainly not the last. I've defined my morals and my lifestyle - in and out of the gym - from my parents, the military, the FORVM and experiencing things for myself.

I'm a junior officer in the Army as well, so I am a firm believer in the fact that experience defines who we are. I like to believe that I have good experience under my belt - not a lot - but what I do have is quality about strength, discipline and dedication in regards to "livin." My aspirations are to be the best at what I set my mind to - thats how I was raised and what I was taught.

I am going to use my journey to compete to fuel and drive the creation of my upcoming business - FourtyEighty. It is a lifestyle brand based on definition by experience and living things out for yourself. Animal, HTFU and the military are my biggest influences in forming my idea. It will include writings, accessories, apparel, custom car parts and motorsport / action sports photography+video creation to start out. I'm looking to launch it in April 2013.

This is a rather complex idea and hard road to take head on, but fuck it. I can handle it, I won't fail.

I'm 16 weeks and 2 days away from the show, and 16 weeks and 3 days away from FourtyEighty. Time to begin making perfection a habit.

"Post of the year"

This hit the "whimpy nail on the head..." I like his additude...

Man the F up.

Hunt the good stuff

I found this on the Amial FORVM - it was a post from a friend to a friend found by a friend...

Aggression quoted:

"When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 Beers.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.

The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was
Full.

They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.

Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full..

The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed..

'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car..

The sand is everything else---the small stuff.

'If you put
The sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your children.

Spend time with your parents.

Visit with grandparents.

Take your spouse out to dinner.

Play another 18.

There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter.

Set your priorities.

The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented.

The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.'

The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of Beers with a friend. "

So true - read the FULL thread here.

What's your problem?

I guarantee you, if you took 35 average people and put them in a room and sat them all down at a round table - all facing each other - and asked them to put their problems down in front of them for everyone to see that they would all be hesitant. To say the least.

All it takes is for one to start, then one more, then it begins to spread. "Mine is worse than your's, you have it so nice compared to me..." "No way, look at mine... its so much worse..." It may turn into a damn pissing match, sadly. Maybe along the lines of - "I'm better, deserve more, respected more than you because I'm in a worse situation." This may go on for a few minutes until everyone's problem is out on the table.

Then, just pause and watch everyone with all of the problems sitting out blatently apparent and simply say, okay, "At this time you all have to go home with a problem."

Just saying that, it completely flips. "It," meaning the pissing match. Before, one "deserved more" or was "better" than the next guy because of his worser issue, now, when they leave, of course they will grab their own and go home. If you show up and compare your issues to the next guy - sure, you may be in a worse position which yould make you NEED more resources to solve, but it sure as hell won't make you DESERVE more. Who the F are you and what have you done to deserve more than the guy next to you? When everyone leaves, they all want their own problem back becaus it is "easier" to deal with than the guy's next to them. Hopefully, when they leave they will have the impression that their problem really isn't as bad as they thought when they sat down at that round table.

What I'm getting at here is simple: It can always be worse. Look at who is next to you, look at people you know, people you don't, and read up on things and realize what's happening and be consious of the world around you. "If everyone put their problems out on a table for everyone else to see, they would all take their own back." My mom used to say that to me when I thought I was having a "rough" time growing up. Recently I have forgotten about that - until I read THIS.


Comment if you were inspired by Chris. If not, then I invite you to look around and see who's REALLY having a rough day.

Peace.

Format67

source: format67.net

Format67 makes "thinking visual." These guys are in incedibly talented and enterprising group of guys who really know how accentuate the passion and work put into cars with their films.

"We are a group of Filmmakers and car enthusiasts. In our productions we capture raw human emotions and feelings to bring them to the people.
A good Film takes time. We don't believe in getting more popular because of a client's big name or a big car."

Check em out here! Format67

"You're a player, and you know it."

Click the link below to see the newest from Nixon mens watches...
Player XL

HotShizz

evo - GoPro

Get Glad: Your Daily Trash Bag

This is so true. Who would have thought a computer voice would be so fitting....

Wheels, Girls, Cars and Photography.

Here are some of my favorites... check these out, I guarantee you, you will not be disappointed!

ROTIFORM
YUI - CARS AND GIRLS
fifteen52
FORMAT67

Go Hard

I must post this. By post, I mean quote. I'd attempt to put this into my own words, but I could only cover half of what G Diesel is getting at here. This guy knows how to live - take this to heart, I'm trying to.

Go Hard by G Diesel As I rose standing stationary aboard the cattle chute escalator out of the bowels of Penn Station, I gritted my teeth, my jowl muscle flexing hard under my bearded cheek. Having just completed my cramped quarters commute with the rest of the hustlers and bustlers, I observed the landmark train station decked out with Christmas regalia and I felt nothing. Golden bells, metallic bulbs and boughs of holly designed to push those familiar sentimental buttons… Quaint, Yule jingles streaming through the old public address speakers preying upon memories--the romantic flame of which has long since been extinguished. Sure I was once a kid and I felt that flutter this time of year, but though the neatly wrapped boxes under the tree were nice, even as a child it meant something more--that familial warmth, that idealized sense of a mankind that was kind to its fellow man… That warm, fuzzy bullshit tough guys like us aren’t so comfortable openly acknowledging. The notions of which take a piece of you with them, when they, like everything else pure and good, inevitably die. It is indeed a dark day when a man must come to grips with the fact that so many of the small joys of life are a lie. Lies that have nothing to do with friends or family, nothing to do with the birth of a cultural revolution twenty plus centuries ago. Materialized, marketing figments designed to alter our value system and grift us out of our last buck. Grown men competing to see who can outspend who, compensating for their little dicks by uprooting the biggest of the mighty pines and then letting that majestic tree die slowly in their living rooms on display for the entire neighborhood to see. It all seems so important, it all seems of such great consequence, but in reality, it all means nothing. Truth is, it is a cold, cold world. Colder than the winter wind off of the Atlantic. It is “dog eat dog”, “look out for number one” and every other cliché you can think of to signify the fact that you are on your motherfuckin’ own. It is harsh out there and if you aren’t willing to go hard, to go all in and to do everything it takes to get yours and to ensure your own survival, this world will eat you up and shit you out. Don’t laugh… It has ripped to shreds a whole army of motherfuckers ten times tougher than your punk ass. Go hard and guard what’s yours with your life. Build that ruddy and weathered muscle, that scarred and calloused outer shell to protect your soft spots. Temper your emotions and never show your hand. Come to grips with the lonely and solemn existence that is your daily life when stripped of all of its pomp and artifice. I wish I could be more pie in the sky, more sunshine and happiness, but there is a weighty sense of duty with which I must address you. Honesty is the cross I must bear, spitting the awful truth here when I’d much rather spin a tale of love and light. In illustration of these earlier points, I will share with you a story of recent loss. Last week, a new friend and associate of mine, a close friend of one of my oldest comrades, a brother in our lifestyle, took his own life. Pushed to a point of despair and hopelessness, lost and scared, he drove to the top of a casino parking garage in Atlantic City and leapt to his demise. As he was driven to that point, working contrary to the most basic human instinct for self preservation, standing on the edge, seeking to make the pain stop, I can only imagine what ran through his panicked mind. How alone he must have felt, looking at the cold concrete so many stories below and seeing relief there, an escape, as he swayed in the cold December breeze. I shudder when I ponder his loneliness, imagining that it could only be trumped by that of his infant daughter, some distant day, so many years from now when she’s old enough to understand. My friend Josh will be missed and while our mourning won’t bring him back, while his family’s pain can never be relieved and his vast potential can never be fulfilled, I have to believe that he didn’t die in vain this holiday season. That this waste of a promising life can’t possibly be for naught, that his passing was meant to happen for a reason—for a much needed dose of perspective to the many of us apt to pity ourselves and to grow bitter, failing to see the promise with the blessing that is each day we’re lucky enough to open our eyes. Life can be a motherfucker, but fuck it; it’s all we’ve got. As our days dwindle away more quickly than we realize, hold onto your ideals and fight the good fight. Fight because you can, because life is worth fighting for, fight because though guys like Josh can fight no more, you won’t let them lose. I implore you to go hard in everything you do… At work, at home, in the gym and anywhere else you pursue your dreams. Love those you love as if you’ll never see them again. Let them know that they’re treasured and dear, that even in this cold, cynical and cutthroat world, you’ll never let them be alone. Go hard for those that can’t motivate themselves, those that have lost hope and given in. Let your struggle and strain be an example to those that can’t afford the luxury of optimism, that while you’re neck deep in the same shit that has broken others stronger than you, that you refuse to be broken… That you refuse to give in… That you won’t quit this life til this life quits you. Go hard for those that can go no more. Go hard… And while you’re at it, be happy.

Source: animalpak.com, Universal Products.

For all fo you who don't know what the Stanced-out or Hot Shizz forums are - here ya go.

Stanced-out

Hot Shizz

RWB

Ferrari F1

stance: nation form > function

stance: a highly debated subject in the world of forum creeper's and poster's. these guys, though, have the right idea. support these guys and be fresh as f*ck.

http://www.stancenation.com/

think geek

this is a cool site to help feed the "geek" in you... they have bacon band aids, electronic japanese eyes, portal 2 gels and snowball launching crossbows. 


www.thinkgeek.com

determination, dedication, devotion

determination: the act of settling a purpose
dedication: a state of mind when one is set apart and consecrates to a deity or a sacred purpose
devotion: a strong attachment to a cause marked by dedicated loyalty


very few people exhibit these traits on a regular basis - some hardly at all. apparently to me, hardly anyone - compared to 60 years ago - has the same work ethic and values it takes to run their lives independently.


it seems to me that now a days a lot of middle aged people, young adults, teens and in some cases young kids have their priorties completely backwards. i'm not saying i know it all, because i certainly do not, but i at least know that someone who cannot recall who won the civil war - or even knows there was one, but has the newest "flyest" clothing but has trouble providing for their family is a backwards - and sad situation. people need to start relying on themselves, owning up to their issues, taking responsibility for their actions and listening to their elders. that is why there are parents - my following reasoning is based on good parents though: the older the person, the more experiences they have under their belt - so the more they understand about life. why wouldn't anyone take advantage of that and actually begin to learn something and develop themselves? such a simple process - its a no brainer. if the kids aren't being raised correctly then they really ought to seek other sources of motivation - simply change the crowd of people who they are around - regardless if the crowd is the parents. easier said than done - i'm sure.


this blog is called format: experiences because experiences are what mold a person and define how people look at them. not clothes, not cars, not houses, not money. the molded person is what everyone else sees - regardless of what that person wants everyone to see. if a kid would go out of his or her way to develop a better life for themselves and then the people around them then that would be a reason for respect. taking control of your life is how you fix it. quit relying on other people and make it happen - no excuses. 


i have been fortunate to have great parents and an awesome family - everyone has their head on straight and has their priorities lined up. and now since i am going through a large transition on my life from a guy to a man - i needed more motivational sources. for me, i chose to hit the gym harder than ever before and really begin to take things i do to heart. i graduated, commissioned as a second lieutenant, got a full time job as a project engineer and now i'm beginning to really feel passionate about everything i do and surround myself with people who support me and are my real friends. if you don't like me for who i am then i don't need you in my life. why would i waste my time and energy dealing with someone who doesn't care themselves? 


the gym for me has become sort of my stomping grounds - for lack of a better phrase. i am definitely not the biggest guy there or the loudest or the most ripped - but i can guarantee you i have the best attitude and most will power out of anyone there. you will never see me messing around - when i'm there i get it done and focus. i take every rep and exercise to heart - just like i am beginning to do in my life. for me, working out is a great way to put things in perspective and look at the problems in my life with a better attitude.


animalpak.com is my largest influence - and is the reason i started to work out more regiment-like over the past year or so. these guys on here live determination, dedication and devotion every second, minute, hour, day, week, month of every year. for them its a way of life and a mindset - so true. i now see why they do the things they do - they take their life and put it on their own level rather than trying to match everyone else's. who needs new years resolutions every damn year when you have complete control of your life everyday? its just how much closer you are to your next goal - not a resolution.


slowly but surely i will be at my own level surrounded by only the people who i care about and live with the three d's. i will be where the animals are - at least mentally. i will provide for my family and do what needs to be done in order to teach them the same. listen, learn and take pride in the things you do. easier said than done, it takes a certain kind of mental state to do it. it starts with determination, continues with dedication and ends with devotion.