Body Transformation: Day 1 of 84

The Catch Up It's been about a year and a half since I've written anything. 2014 was a busy year. I changed jobs twice, I started coaching at a different school, and living situations changed for the family. Those are just a few of the major highlights, but they are the moves/decisions that will affect my 2015 experience. Something I am semi proud of: I made a decision to make a major body change in 6 weeks and accomplished it. I lost 40 pounds and 4 percent body fat. I wish I had kept going, but that is life. Today I realized from last year's experience, I can do better. Two 12 week Body Transformation contest ate going on now! Bodybuilding.com and Labrador Nutrition are, each, holding contest. I intend to make noise in each one. My plan: strict nutrition monitored through spreadsheet (this worked well for me last year and was easy to carry around electronically), 2 to 3 workouts everyday except Sunday (again, this worked well for me last year. I was able to carry and track workouts electronically), and keep it fresh. Each part is important. I like to stress the last part of the plan because 12 weeks can seem like a long time. I have to treat it like a football season and allow my small victories amount to the larger victory: accomplishing my goals. My goals: plain and simple, I want a physique change (255 and <10% body fat); I need a physique change. My Programs: I am following two 12 Week programs and a 6 week program that will be repeated for the second half of the contest. Jim Stoppani's Shortcut to Shred Duration: 6 Weeks This is a high intensity grind that I was introduced to last year. Every workout will involve the whole body, concentrate on 2 to 3 body parts. I like this program because of the exercise combinations and the progression. This will be my pm workout. Labrada Lean Body Duration: 12 Weeks I love this workout because it allows for a quick, effective morning workout before going to work. It is also broken down in phases. This will be my main am workout. 12 HMB-FA Experiment Duration: 12 Weeks I added this out of pure curiosity. It is broken down in three phases: 3 days a week for 8 weeks, then 5 days a week for 2 weeks of increased intensity, and, lastly, 5 days a week 2 weeks of decreased intensity. I sought to shock my system today: I did more than 30 minutes of cardio through various activities, I did three resistance exercises, and killed it with nutrition. I'm definitely feeling it right now, but it's worth it and I'm optimistic about what my results will be. You can follow my workout progress on bodybuilding.com through their social tool: Bodyspace. It's like Facebook for like-minded individuals and pets many support tools, workouts, tips, etc. They also have an app that is quite useful. That's all for now, I'll check y'all later.

The Hiatus is Over

Hello everyone! It has been a while and a few things have happened that have kept me off the blog. No more. I am attempting to make this a weekly thing now. Since the last time I wrote, I have been signed/offered by a few teams (5 contracts to be exact), two went on to their league championship and have played 0 downs of football with the exception of the 4 games I played for an outdoor team this summer. I'm coaching at a high school outside of Philly and enjoy the challenge of passing on the passion (we won one game last season). I was interviewed by Jason Bristol during camp with one of the championship teams: Here's a shot of me doing Oline drills and one of me trying to make a tackle:

The most productive thing I have done lately is start a t-shirt shop . It's been 3 years overdue, but is up. Right now, we are doing a back to school drive to help at least 100 kids get school supplies. It's going slow, but we are making progress. Log on and support. We have discount codes so hesitate to hit me up. That's all for now, I'll check y'all later.

2012 Camp Life - Day 2

Today was the last day of my 2 day waiver. I would either get signed or "released". I had to go out and get rid of all previous mistakes. Well, I was released. It's no the end, but it is definitely disappointing given the circumstances. It is what it is and I have to just get better.



That's all for now. I'll check y'all later.

2012 Camp Life: Day 1

Today was my first day in Arena Football. It was quite an experience. Once again, I have to say I have the best agent around. I got to the facility this morning and was nervous. I had no clue what to expect. Other teams have put guys on a two day waiver and have had the guys sit and watch (something I'm not a fan of). Would I just be run through drills, a fly on the wall, an actual part of practice, or what? I just knew I had to be prepared or anything. I walked in and did paper work, got gear, and it was time to get focused.

The facilities are impressive. Any notion that Arena Football is not professional is flawed. This place reminded me of the facilities we had in college, but better. I just sat and tried to get a vibe from the other players until we had the morning meeting/film session. This organization definitely takes care of the athletes mentally and physically. I was still nervous, but at least I knew a little of what I would be doing. I was going to at least get to hit. After the meeting/film session, we got in a van and headed to a complex that is shared with some of the biggest names in sports over the last 5 to 10 years. I was a little shaken. I told myself, "use this as motivation and have a great practice."



That's all for now. I'll check y'all later.

Unnecessary Attention

It's funny how many times I have I walked into a place and gotten stares. I know it's not because I'm gorgeous or anything like that. It always makes me wonder what's going through their collective minds. My wife and friends say it's becaus I am a big person, but I don't believe I'm an overwhelmingly big person. At least, not enough to get the looks I get. It's usually one of those "Where do I know this guy from?" looks. Of course there are those times that people saying I look like some celebrity.

The most common one I get is Donovan McNabb. In one trip alone, I was called Donovan three times; once in Houston and twice in Philadelphia. Now, I wonder if the looks are telling me I should be somebody. Like, what am I waiting on or what's taking so long? I even get weird attention when there are celebrities in the area. Like the various times I did security at concerts and pro sporting events. Pink decided to make a spectacle of me during one of her shows in Houston and I couldn't even budge or laugh or shrug it off. We were to be statues, but why was I the statue she chose? Anyway, it was funny. I don't take it as a negative thing, just curious or maybe being an egomaniac.

Well, if that is indeed what you are waiting, I am working on it. I have championship to win first though and a few other things, but stay tuned. You never know until you know...


That's all for now. I'll check y'all later.

Smells

Many of us have certain smells that linger with us for the rest of our lives. The sense of smell is one of the most powerful because it can indicate an array of things from danger to meal time. I'm sure that as you read that first sentence you thought of a smell. It was probably linked to a memory. One of my significant smells is tied to the first time I stepped on a freshly cut football field and how I felt from head to toe .

I felt good, anxious, and ready. I don't know what it was about those smells. That fruity smell that wafts up as your cleats crunch and crunch that grass. Along with the sound and feel. It makes me feel bouncy when I think about it. Anytime I get a hint of that smell these days, I think back and I get amped. I love playing on turf fields, but nothing beats driving your opponent to the grass and getting a big whiff of that fresh;y cut grass. It also gives a shot at getting dirty...that's another story.

Happy New Year to everyone. Look out for the 2012 Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League. WE GOT THIS!


That's all for now. I'll check y'all later.

I found a stain on my Geoffrey Beene Shirt

Today, I found a stain on my Geoffrey Beene shirt, my only one. I am not a wealthy man by many standards, but I enjoy my life. And this is one of those things I am proud to own. Geoffrey Beene isn't a cheap label. I can't believe there is a stain on it! As I sat there staring at the stain, a very small one mind you, I asked myself many questions. "What is this?" "How did it get there?" "Why on this shirt of all shirts?" I had brief moment of panic. Of, I guess I could call it despair, but it wasn't that dramatic. I wasn't pleased.

Then, I notice it isn't too big. "Oh OK...it's on the back." I can still wear it with a jacket or something. For some reason, I became upset with myself. I was conceding. It made me wonder how many little moments like this come along in my life and I concede. I wonder if that is why I'm not playing in the NFL right now.

The funny thing is that people do things like this all the time and we don't realize that it could be a deterrent to our goals. "I'll just go through the motions on the set..." or "It's raining, I'll just take today off." It could be something out of our control (like my shirt) or something we could grab the reins of and ride all the way to our destination.

We have to be careful when conceding in situations because it could lead to settling. We know how dangerous that can be...



That's all for now. I'll check y'all later.