racketboy.com

Nah, the duct tape is just some backup/moisture protection for the spot welds. The rack was hand-built over 20 years ago by a man I trust with my life. Looks like shit, but the thing is solid.

I'm not too worried about dropping weights/needing spots yet. The program I'm starting begins with the lowest possible weight (just the bar) on most of the exercises, which is fine by me, since I haven't lifted any weights in like 7+ years. Not gonna fuck around with pushing myself too hard yet, but I'm not unfamiliar with this stuff, if you feel me. Once I start getting to the point of really pushing plates, I'll probably invest in a commercial power rack.

Thank you all for your concern. It's good to know my internet homeys don't want me to die. (Well, at least some of you anyway, haha...)

Update:

Lifted weights. Didn't die. Have a workout buddy too!

I'm not huge and don't claim to be but throwing around 300 on a squat rack with u bolts and 2×4, I'd just be cautious lol. But whatever works for you. I've taken a month off, I've just been bored of lifting but ready to get going again.

Been on a diet lately. I weighed two hundred pounds on January 3rd. I suppose that makes it too late to call it a new years resolution, but maybe those are jinxed anyway. I have been dieting for two weeks now. No more junk food for me. High school weight was 187, so I guess that's my goal for now. I'm going to head downstairs now and weigh myself. I'll let you know what the scale says next time I'm online.

If I get the job up in Charleston I look forward to spending alot of my free time at the Kanawha State Forest. I enjoy hiking but there isn't really a ton of locations near here that I can go to since I'm a little iffy about solo hiking some of these trails that no one really uses .

@sam - Nice dude! What kind of diet alterations are you doing, just cutting out junk foods?

@Fragems - I love hiking out in the woods. Used to really enjoy it when I lived in the mountains. Gonna have to get back to it when the weather warms up some.

TSTR wrote:@sam - Nice dude! What kind of diet alterations are you doing, just cutting out junk foods?

Yeah, I had to face facts. I was simply eating WAYYYY to much sugar in my diet. Like any good southerner, I love my sweet tea. I had to face my own responsibility for overeating. So my diet is pretty simple: No more junk food and better portion control. If the primary ingredient is sugar, I don't eat or drink that anymore. I'm also learning to let one serving of food be enough instead of going back for seconds and thirds.

I always maintained an active lifestyle, so I get enough exercise as I am. On the other hand, a moderate amount of strength training couldn't possibly hurt. I'll keep it in mind.

When I walked downstairs to weigh myself yesterday, the scale read 197lbs. Not too bad for two weeks of dieting I think. If I keep at it, I should hit my goal weight by spring.

I started training again last January, and I have lost approximately 25 pounds since that time. (I was 235 lbs., but I am down to 210 lbs. - which is the least I have weighed since starting college. Also, I am 6'5" and thickly built; so, 210 is pretty thin for me. I may try to add some muscle weight later this year.) Here is my exercise routine:

Monday - 3 x 10 minutes intense aerobic exercise (rowing, stairs, running) with one to two minute breaks between sets

Tuesday - strength training (circuit training followed by rowing sprints or a 1/2 mile run)

Wednesday - 1 x 30-40 minutes moderate aerobic exercise (rowing or running)

Thursday - strength training (circuit training followed by rowing sprints or a 1/2 mile run)

Friday - open gym (whatever I feel like doing for 30-40 minutes)

Saturday and Sunday - work on my house and yard and play with my children until I am absolutely exhausted and can only motivate myself to play video games

Because I exercise during the day, I typically have only 30-45 minutes to complete my routine, but I have found it to be enough time if you push yourself hard enough.

Monday through Friday, I eat bran cereal with a banana for breakfast, black coffee when I arrive at my office, a protein shake for lunch, a small snack when I get home from work, and whatever I want for dinner (typically with one alcoholic beverage...doctor's orders!). On the weekends, I eat and drink whatever I want...in moderation. I do not drink soda, and the only carbonated beverage I consume is beer. Dark chocolate is my Achilles heel...but since I am not going to live forever, I don't worry about it too much.

@sam - Strong work, man, that's awesome! Sugar is the fucking devil. Being a southern boy myself, I feel you on the sweet tea. I've actually switched to drinking standard Lipton warm with stevia. Don't know how you feel about artificial sweeteners, but I think stevia has a pretty good taste. Better than aspartame or sucralose—to me, at least.

@prfsnl - Wow, dude, you've got the exercise/diet thing figured out! That's really cool you've found a routine that works for you and have been able to exercise the discipline to stick with it. Keep crushing it!

TSTR wrote:@prfsnl - Wow, dude, you've got the exercise/diet thing figured out! That's really cool you've found a routine that works for you and have been able to exercise the discipline to stick with it. Keep crushing it!

Thanks! I would like to attribute it to discipline, focus, etc. Taking a job with a large, very nice YMCA in the building is probably the real reason, however. (When I work out during the day, I view exercise as a fun break from my job. When I try to work out after work, I see it as just something else I have to do before I can finally relax.)