OK, 3 months since my last challenge. My focus has been strengthening shoulders and chest and doing a lot of Tabata stuff. Did the challenge today and I beat my sub 30 min goal. Did it in 29:45. PT said that my form in all exercises was great. Bench press especially with every rep of 50 touching my chest. I'm happy and a good start for 2011<br />
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Forgot to mention, weight is now hovering between 92.5-94kg, but I haven't reduced weights, in fact increased weight in Shoulder and Leg Press

[quote name='BartMan']RB, we'll have to have a session when you get back - a Gym session that is![/QUOTE]<br />
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:think::whistle:

Ha the Ab circle is gone! Sold for $130 to my mrs best mate. She wanted to pay $160 but I felt guilty knowing she was likely better off with a clear space on the floor...<br />
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Have been really slow with work so have been doing some tiling with a mate between jobs. Tiles are fucking heavy! Lots of tiles are really fucking heavy. Laying 200sq.m of the fucking things is something I don't think I'd look back on with great fondness. Great work out though. Mix in with a sudden up turn in fine weather and Im sweating off kgs like...well...sweating off kgs.<br />
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94kgs this morning 90kg as im writing this...if not a tad light headed.

I had a decent sized hernia back when I was in 6th form. I didnt know what it was so I just left it. The old 'she'll be right', mind set. Even though shit should never be right if u can push a lump back inside of you for it to pop straight back out lol. Anyways long story short, I did some major damage doing hills one day which made the hernia which you could see outside the body the size of my fist. I had the key hole surgery and was going all guns blazing. Got back into the gym, and playing rugby again which despite having clearance was still to soon and I burst it open again. One of the most painful things Ive ever gone through and it came out twice as bad. Ended having to be fully sliced open (got about a 4-5 inch scar from it) to fix it. Well the lesson I tried to bring out of this little rant lol is that everyones different. Each hernia is unique and different, as is the recovery. People can do different stuff at different times, depending on the sports they play etc. All I can say is obey the body. The specialists can give you a general outline, but the best judge is the person whos had the op. That, and do lots and lots of core rehab. Dont make the mistake I did

So how did it go? Results?

[quote name='BartMan']schweppes diet tonic - I don't notice the difference with the normal.[/QUOTE]<br />
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Maybe you have a better blend in NZ? I normally don't mind diet drinks but this tasted like a nasty lemonade.

hey guys - thanks, results are in, good and bad.<br />
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Won my 'international athletic' class but did not win overall title this year - sucks, but there you go! Ness did not place in her class, very tough call on her. WE placed 3rd in pairs which we happy with.<br />
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but suffice to say, these events are judged, and the seven in the hot seats are the opinions that count. I think Ness was unlucky to not be winning her section, and then goes and comes in 4th - and not just me either. Pretty gut wrenching.<br />
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but back to the drawing board, Waikato next June or July the next time we go through all this pain to be judged by a panel of 7!!<br />
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Me, I'm off for a run tonight!

[quote name='Razbra']Nice work Paj! How long since you've dropped under the hundy? Must be a couple days away now.[/QUOTE]<br />
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Sorry for late reply Raz.<br />
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Off the top of my head I think 1995, worked in a woolstore in Gisborne and mate and I, both Props, would do a bit of pre season training pressing bales. Had big set of scales that we kept weighing ourselves trying to get under a hundy. Sadly since then I have lost the fight against gravity.

bottom line, they LOOK really cool....

@ dingo - yeah bro that is the truth. A good workout, be it weights or a cardio session, does wonders for your state of mind/stress etc. Got me thinking about JK's anti-depression campaign and how it has really started to focus on exercise as an important part of looking after your mental health. With the increasing obesity epidemic it's even more topical. You aren't keeping fit or even mildly in shape just for physical benefits, there are also tangible psychological benefits to being active. In many cases it tends to connect you with people at your gym or in your sports team or family so that is great in a social sense as well.<br />
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Spot on about listening to your body too. Often a tricky thing when you are young and dumb but very important as you get more 'mature' and want to avoid damaging yourself!!

Bones you could check out [URL]http://www.100pushups.info/[/URL] ... looks like a pretty good approach to improving pushups etc.

Maybe one day MN5, but the knee would just reject it now I reckon.

Here's more from Jones. He really is the father if HIT, or High Intensity Training. <br />
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[url]http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/shannon4.htm[/url]

[quote name='BartMan']yeah, I used to do that exclusively too davi, but aiming at pre-exhausting the buggers, scare some growth into them! Just a change to keep me, and my muscles fresh![/QUOTE]<br />
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Well, judging from some of the photos you've posted, you know what you're doing. Keep up the hard work my fellow muscle head!

yeah, salt keeps the water in - I hardly use salt anyway unless the food tastes too bland, and then it'll be pepper. but that option is removed from the last ten days - no salt, no seasoning, just suck it up and eat the cardboard man!!

My fave arnie quotes are "Milk is for babies" and "Eating isnt cheating"<br />
Agree totally on belts and gloves, no need for them.

[url]http://www.oversize.co.nz/jason/barts-thoughts/95-anb-pimps-and-bikinis.html[/url]<br />
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more thoughts.<br />
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It was a VERY bright blue though...!!<br />
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yeah, think old farts need not apply to the ANB - don't fit their criteria, unless you are in the old fat divisions - which I qualify for next season (40+)

awesome! great effort by Ness to tie even though she wasn't peaking for that comp and that must have been primo taking out Novice Men. Sounds like the groundwork has been laid for the Oz invasion. Hope the rest of the prep goes well!

Hey Duluth - the deads aren't too bad, and funnily enough adjusting my breathing has helped me over the last few months with those. However the BB rows are something I've never really done before so in sets 6,7,8 its been a real struggle and have only been able to do at most 6 reps in those sets.<br />
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The bent over close grip row motion doesn't feel that natural to me and the two days I have done them thus far have never really felt I was in any sort of decent rhythm. So that is my first priority I guess. I'm watching quite a bit of instructional video and even had my old PT yesterday give me a couple of tips while he was working out.<br />
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So I did Day 1 again yesterday and upped by 5kg on the bench press warmup sets and 4x4s. Also upped a bit on the Lat pulldowns. Maintained weight on the bb rows.<br />
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Off to do some legs today...