Point is this, what motivates you? You have a hint of how mine began. You see what I told that fellow in the Boston hotel elevator was true. Now my motivation is body control, self image, self esteem, sense of accomplishment,
the thrill of being a small part of the population, feeling of overall health and well being and of course a habit. Is there ego involved? Of course. I think one the goals in life is to finally have the ego in it's proper place - serving you rather that being served. Your body will change over time - duh! If you begin as a beast will your goal morph into a bow-flex body like mine did? Or will you be an older lifter with plenty of strength but additional girth as well? Sorry ladies I do not know how to address a woman's body progression. Motivation will change over time and you must as well. If you have no motivation, start small. One day per week. One body part.

Perhaps the noticeable changes will help your motivation. Perhaps a small - I MEAN FREEKIN SMALL - cycle will help you begin. Remember my caveat, if you burn up your body when you are young what will you have? Do not be too reckless. If you choose a cycle go with GBN and Kalpa. Or at lease stick with GBN, their stuff is real.

Last year I had a gym membership for the summer. I like to change location from time to time to avoid growing stale. A middle aged guy asked me about my routine. In turn I asked him about his routine. He described following
someone he had heard on the web. He begins lifting hard, at his personal peaks, with few reps, heavy pounds and then finishes with sets of lower weights and higher reps. I explained that a routine like that may work for a
younger person but when one is older all of the body pieces and parts are not the same. Starting with heavy can tax the ligaments, joints, sinews, etc. to the point of failure or extreme wear. I explained that if you are going
to lift in that manner at the minimum be aerobically warmed up to the point of a real sweat. At least the body will be primed for heavier lifting at the start.

Personally, I stretch first. This can take 20 minutes. Then I treadmill until I start a sweat. It could be jumping rope, etc. I prefer jumping rope myself. This is really all about preparing to lift while burning the most calories possible. The sets are designed to move the body into the heavier lifts. For example:

1 set x 20 reps
2 sets x 15 reps
3 sets x 10 reps
4 sets x 5 reps
5 sets x 2-3 reps
1-2 sets x 1-2 reps (if you are building - which I always am)

Monday Legs
- Squats
- Vertical Leg Press
- Calves
- Situps
* Roman chair
* Core pull down (using a triceps or lat pull down apparatus)

Tuesday Arms
- Triceps pull down, rope
- Triceps pull down, handle
- Dips
- Bicep dumbbell curls
- Bicep straight bar curl
- Bicep angle bar curls

Wednesday Chest group one (these alternate every chest workout. This week group one, next week group two. Then repeat.)
- Flat bench
- Incline flat bench
- Decline flat bench

Wednesday Chest group two
- Dumbbell flat bench
- Dumbbell incline bench
- Dumbbell decline bench

Thursday Back
* Some trainers suggest exhausting the biceps before beginning the back. I practice this every other week.
- Bent row
- Lat pull down
- Seated row
- Light dead lift
- Situps
* Roman chair
* Core pull down (using a triceps or lat pull down apparatus)


Friday Body
- Dead lift
- Clean lift
- Shrugs
- Hands / Wrists

After a month I alter the order of each day, for each group. (Seems to complicated? Put it on paper for easy tracking). For example:

Week One:
Monday Legs
1. Squats
2. Leg Press
3. Calves

Week Two:
Monday Legs
1. Leg Press
2. Calves
3. Squats

Week Three:
Monday Legs
1. Calves
2. Squats
3. Leg Press

Week Four:
Monday Legs
1. Leg Press
2. Calves
3. Squats


It is 5:10am on Sunday. I had to prepare the breakfast bars which takes about 45 minutes. Christine? She will be up in about 3 hours. This is the life of what I perceive to be a serious lifter. Unfiltered raw honey. Almost white in color. 9-10 egg whites and maybe 3-4 whole eggs depending upon how many fail the egg white extraction process. About 12 eggs total. Thick rolled oats, wheat gluten for extra protein (use the non GMO, organic if you are sensitive), 1/2 cup flour, 1/4-1/3 cup safflower oil, cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, walnut halves and pieces and a fruit of choice. Today was blue berries. It could have been cran berries, dates, peaches, etc. Pressed into a flat pan and baked for 32 minutes. There will be enough for about 2 weeks. You see, when you lift you eat like you lift. For example last night dinner was an Asian dish, Thai basil chicken. Tonight will be fajitas, optionally using egg instead of meat for protein. I never use packaged spices. Taco or fajita mix for example. It is 100% better to learn how to mix oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, red pepper, basil, rosemary and salt together to achieve a better taste without the crap from a package. Nevertheless. Christine has been eating like me for years now. She is 5'8" 120lbs blondish, grayish, whiteish hair. She is 56yo after all. She runs, does body pump - you get the idea. I did not force her or coerce her into this. She simply saw the result in me.

Back to, whoops - the timer just began beeping. I have to get the bars out of the oven.

Ok, look the above lift routine is really about two things: increase the lift, remain in the game and manage the body. The body is 100% against these goals. Don't believe me? Try changing any physical habit that is unhealthy
into a healthy one. One of the goals is to continually shock the muscles. Otherwise they grow accustomed to the lift and will cease to grow. I had a friend that received a recliner for his birthday. Here they call them 'lazy
boys'. I have one as well. I sat in mine twice and the second time was because Christine was sitting in my lap! Well he may as well have received a coffin at the same time. He was a lifter like me. Over time the recliner
'cozied' up to him and 3 years later we had a discussion. End result? I advised him to take his name off of that 'fat trap' and start sitting or laying on the floor. Use the recliner on designated days/times. Seems harsh but
not really. Of course his body complained and those around him thought he was crazy. 'Laying on the floor when he has such a nice recliner!'. Yeah.... Six months later he was back in game!

The above routine needs to be adjusted and tracked so that you cover all combinations. For example after 6 months arms have a complete cycle going from - Triceps pull down, rope - being first to last and then first again. While
other groups like - Leg Press - have cycled twice. The weights amounts, pounds, are yours to consider. If I am off lifting because of injury or life circumstances I am back to freekin square one!! Let me share. During the
recovery from triceps distal repair I wasted away. The atrophy was mind numbing. Or it could be that you are traveling heavy for a job, or family circumstances, personal illness, cannot afford a gym, hooked on drugs/booze or just being a lazy a**. Whatever keeps you from lifting, get back to it and be smart. Start at low pounds for several weeks and move up. While the body will quickly catch up to former levels - take the time. If you are moving
back to your 300lbs bench and 450lbs squat it will take a little longer. If you are 35yo+ and push it, you may be sorry that you did.

Remember I started as a fat kid called Pugsley. 150+lbs at 12yo. Today I am 58yo, 185lbs, heading down to 175lbs. That will be about 15%-20% body fat. My BMI will be revealed shortly as it is almost spring here.