Recent Posts by Alan

I have never written anything on your thread before. I mainly drop in, now & then to wind up Mary!

I have decided it's about time that I contributed to the many compliments that you have already received. You are, without doubt, an inspiration to all.  I wish you well in your pro-card endeavours for 2009, good luck and keep on with inspiring the rest of us!

Right ! Due to your goodself, I have just about used up everything in my compliment bag for january. I need to rest and recharge my compliment batteries!

Mary, I have to report  that my weird imagination has been filed, and is also now, fully under control . . . .

Buenos " notches " to you, too, Mary . . . .

PS. I can see that you are getting in tune with me, with regard to the eccentric british humour. Check out my son on this video clip, below. He is trying to make it as a  comedian and has, at the request of Ricky Gervais, appeared with him live this year and hopes  to be appearing in/ making a film with him, also later this year. This clip is one of his characters. By day, he is perfectly normal, just like his father.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tbPwEcFEfs&feature=related

It must be, " wind Mary up " time, once again . . . . . all these things are far too serious, for me . . . . .

The German poet, Heinrich Heine once said that he intended to leave all his money to his wife provided that she agreed to re-marry immediately, " That way, I will know that there will be at least one man who mourns my passing."

I find quotes like that, quite inspirational. Others might err on the side of calling it sexist, however! Mmmmm  . . . . I'm off, before things get dirty . . . . .

Hi Mary

Read your input on the other "Training" thread. Did my wife lend me out to you ?  Was it good? I don't actually remember too much, these days . . . . . .

There's another thing. I am developing a complex, as would most of the young guys in my gym ( if they could read english ), reading daily, the content of your workouts. To be congatulated on for sure, but it's ruining my masculinity. Time's up. My stone beckons . . . . .

Keep up the good work.

Mary, I've come out from under that stone again . . . . .  . . . just to thank Joe for mentioning me in the same breath as all those super greats. Really, I still think he was typing a mail to me, at the same time as typing this entry and got his wires crossed ! He's not as young as he used to be !

I did mean to wish everyone a Happy New Year, a few days ago. Better late than never. I am looking forward this year, to watching closely, the progress of the man who tortures me day in and day out, through his outlandish schedules. Mr McCauley, of course. No pressure intended, Sean! I also have ambitions of making some improvements myself, and I'll keep you posted. Fingers crossed . . . . .

Hi Mary

My dear wife Karin meant this entirely in fun, of course! To quote Eric J.    please lighten up ! If you associated with us long enough, it would be realised. Norwegians, as well as the british, have a warped sense of humour  . . but  in any case, who am I to deny any of it! But in reality, I think I will crawl back under that stone I was originally under, before everything gets out of hand and let you guys continue with your discussion on aging rock stars . . . . . . .

A short note to Mary Ford.

My husband has pointed out certain amusing comments on this thread.

His birth date is december 1944, even older than Eric Clapton. I can assure you that he needs no blue pill and is far fitter than I can handle, and I am only 44 ! Anyone want to borrow him ?

Karin Earl

Joe & Sean

I loved your input to this post. I find opinions on subjects such as this, from directly educated people, interesting.

At almost 64 years,  I have only my personal experiences to draw upon. I have never been strong at this sport,  apart from being reasonable on one exercise, where for a few short years ( until I was 25 ), I proudly walked around our gym thinking i was indestructable. I was soon to learn a quick lesson. I trained on the deadlift and deadlift only, once per week. Yes,  I learned even in those  days,  that this exercise, if taken all out, trashed the body for days to come and required a full recovery. Don't forget, in those days, people  trained each bodypart 3 x per week and trained for 6 days each week.  I quickly improved, and had a high of 525 lbs in competition and in training, 400 X 15 reps, all at a bodyweight of 180 lbs. Not light in bodyweight by any means,  but I was pretty pleased. Then the inevitable happened. I injured myself going for a personal record. To cut things short, over the next few years, I never, ever recovered. Like Sean ( I have written to him enough times on this ) I  am now in total fear of performing this movement. My thoughts since those early days,  is that I would always advise  people never to go all out on this exercise. Maybe, if I had read the information as outlined above, I would have trained differently and my opinion would have taken on a different form,  today. 

Sean, I one of those clients that Joe talks of.

Here in Norway, single amino acids are illegal. That's it!

Lately, companies here are selling Glutamine Peptide. Presumably, that doesn't qualify as illegal.

BCAA's I have to "illegally" import from Sweden. A guy drives over the border into Sweden, buys them, drives back into Norway and posts them on to his clients. But addicts have to do these things!

I also recently found out that Glucosamine & MSM are also illegal both here & in Sweden. But, in England they are sold like candy.

Crazy world we live in !

Hi Craig,

My name is Alan, and I think this is a great thread you've come up with. I have been down lately with a back injury, that has thrown a spanner in my works ( just ask Barry Saunders, Marathon Man ! )! "Positivity" is just what I need. So, today, is the first day that I can feel considerable improvement and hope to have my first light session, at the weekend. I can truly claim to be "kjempe fornøyd"!! Oh . . . norwegian for delighted, folks!!!

Jordan . . . actually,  that last entry sounded a touch depressing. I therefore, quickly must add another postive, in that, intensity of effort and my required period of recovery between workouts, have also not changed . . . . . .yet !

Good training

Jordan  . . . . . .100% realised that it was said in jest, as I know yourself and Joe hold your personal tustles within this open forum! Long may it continue  . . . .  as it provides much mirth & merriment ( old saxon saying ) to the rest of us.

Yes, I guess  that is good to hear about soreness in the muscle. . . no change there, for me at least,  but unfortunately other things become worse . . . aching joints/tendons, recurring injuries ( in the middle  of one right now from a 20 year gap from the previous episode ),  that sort  of thing. If I look back over the years and could have changed one thing about my own training, it would have been to ALWAYS hold something in the tank. Of course, if you follow the powerlifting/weightlifting route, even for a short period, that is not practicle.

Nevertheless, keep at it, and congrats on your latest condition!

Hey Jordan,

Soreness

Mmmm . . . . . interesting comment . . . . .

Your assumption that soreness "probably feels much the same way as you would feel as an old man".

As Joe is young enough to be my son, I feel I am more than qualified to answer your assumptions on behalf of the older generation.  The answer is that degrees of soreness, at least with me, have NOT changed since I was a young man. There are many other variables connected with training that have, unfortunately, but they are not subject of this thread.

Alan

I hope you are still training a) When you get to Joe's age and b) when you eventually get to mine!

I find this thread interesting, only in that I also "discovered" Jim's website yesterday, and spent time reading his articles and going through an excellant series of videos on exercise performance.

I was going to ask Joe today, on his opinion on this subject of exercise cadence, but I didn't want to burden him with an even longer email than is normally the case!

I am in no way educated on this subject, but I found it incredible that a TOP bodybuilder such as Jim claims that a slow cadence was better for shaping the muscle. That has never stacked up for me, as Sean has clearly answered. He did say ( if I remember correctly ) , in one of his articles, that he had favoured one method over the other ( slow cadence vs "normal" ) for a period of 12 months at a time, as a trial, whilst keeping bodyfat under control. He himself says that he gained more muscle from the power or normal phase, than from the other.

I have only seen one man train like that and, about 4 years ago, he was approx. 6% bodyfat and 78 - 80 kgs. The training method appeared strange to me at the time, but I saw him again recently, training in the same manner. The problem was, that his bodyweight had increased to 120-130 kgs! It was very difficult for me to judge if this method has had any impact on his muscle shape! Sean clearly agrees that if you are lean enough you are going to see what there is to see.

But, from an instructional point of view, regarding what movements emphasise what particular part of the muscle, I thought they were excellant addition to anyone's "favourites" library.

Hi Mary

I haven't a clue what the difference is between these terms and will be interested to find out. I do however,know what "smooth" is, as I had had much experience of that!

When I have "unnoficially" judged contests from the audience, I go by what is pleasing to the ( my ) eye. This was one reason why Frank Zane won everything going for me, back a couple of centuries ago.

In the lower photo of the three, you fit the category of a more pleasing package. I see subtle changes in shape and in definition. I don't know the detail of bodyweight, bodyfat percentages or when they were taken, but that is how I see it. I will be very interested to read your summing up of your condition in these photo's.

Meanwhile I am just going through a bunch of my "smooth" photo's. Mmmm . . .I don't think I'll post them . . . . . . after all!

Thanks, Mary

For me, that's a great answer you have given and helps to clear up what is, potentially, a confusing subject. At least to my small aount of grey matter !

Hi Joe

As I said before, all it gives you is . . . .

" *Adds a trivial amount of carbohydrates per serving ". No quantification of trivial.

I am sure if anyone was really interested and contacted ON, they would supply further information.

My idea of "tasteless" could be very different from someone else's but, compared to other "neat" powder I have tried, it is quite palatable and I shall continue to use it, for the time being. Enjoy!

Hi Kori

A message from Europe . . . .

I recently gave you my best wishes, via Joe. Congratulations on a great job  . . . well worth all the pain & effort now, no doubt!

Great condition, great skin tone . . great package . . . well done.

Hi Joe

Funny you should mention the taste like that.  True, of course, but I have just managed to get "hold" of some bcaa powder ( I have mentioned before on this site site that it is illegal to be sold in Norway! ) from Optimum Nutrition called BCAA 5000 POWDER.

This product is remarkably tastless. Further examination of the label reveals other ingredients as Maltodextrin*, Lecithin.

*Adds a trivial amount of carbohydrates per serving. That's it.

Not quite sure what "trivial" is in this case, but at least the taste does not make you gag! This company has the reputation of being one of the best, by all accounts, so I will continue using it. 

Thanks for that. I guessed all was ok, otherwise we would risk the wrath of Mary!

When you are "separated by a common language" you are never quite sure. Certainly, don't go saying that to a lady in the uk, if ever you go there!

Thanks for that . . . I guessed it was ok., otherwise we might risk the wrath of Mary!

When you are "separated by a common language", you just never never know. I know something . . . it wouldn't be the best idea to say that to a lady in the U.K., if ever you happen to go there!

Message to Mary Crockett Ford,

Found the car keys, but not the testosterone. Damn it, I'll leave that to all the plonkers out there and just trail along behind and carry your gym bag! You freaky baller you.  I haven't  got a clue what that means, and if it's in any way degrading . . . . . . forgive me . 

Loved the insight into your upbringing & what  makes you tick. Many noble qualities there, that should serve your daughter well. I can relate to eating mushrooms, killing rabbits and drinking red wine, it's just the bits in between that I haven't  mastered!

Back to the point of the thread. Egg whites in protein drinks. Doesn't everyone do this, a la Rocky Bulbous ? I have been slurping these things in drinks for what seems like centuries. Mmmm . . . it is centuries. Enough said. 

I am really behind on thiis one. I hadn't realised that so many products were now available in "the shop".

The point of me posting  here, is that I have to tell you how lucky you all are to live in the U.S. and have the choices that you have.

In Norway, it is illegal to sell Glutamine and BCAA's. Yes, incredible, isn't it ? I have to import mine via the "backdoor" from Sweden ( where they are legal and yet of course, Sweden is still a Scandinavian country ). This supplier, or guy, lives in Sweden, close to the border of Norway. He works in Norway. He collects the goods from Sweden, drives over the border into Norway and posts them to customers in Norway, therefore the contents are not checked. I feel such a criminal sometimes ! 

Prices also shock me. ON Egg Protein costs $31.23 or the equivalent of 155 Norwegian krone, from Joe. I can buy this product here ( yes, folks . . . this is actually legal . . .they haven't "cracked" down on chickens, yet ) for norwegian krone 399 ! Or, 2.60 X your costs. I can see that most things are in that order.

Of course, it's all relative, depending on what you earn, but it never ceases to amaze me. Count your blessings .. . . . ..

Awsome! . . . . .Sean's dead right. Where do you get all these great shots?

Impressed with that chest workout, too. Looks superb.

Which reminds me . . . .where did I put my car keys  . . . . .oh, and the testosterone ! 

This thread is hilarious . . . . .I can picture Joe pacing round his desk whilst he turns all shades of purple.

Actually, my old Mum always tought me that "the customer is always right". Then again.  she' d never ever been to Evansville!

Am I fired?

Thanks, Joe

As you already know, this is just what I needed. I can feel some of these movements already and I'm only reading about them, at the moment!

This item for performing the ice massage. Is this something you can specifically purchase, or can you knock up some sort of makeshift item ? Ice in a cloth, that sort of thing ?