2006.03.21

It is hard to believe that I have been lifting weights for close to 20 years. I saved my money and bought my first weight set when I was 12 years old. No one taught me what to do - I just started doing stuff on my own.

Once I arrived at Ohio University, my weight-training regime changed significantly. I lifted under the direction of the university strength and conditioning coach. He corrected my form. He taught me new exercises. I made tremendous gains under his direction.

After I graduated from college, I continued to weight train regularly. Exercise is a normal part of my day-to-day life. Exercise is a part of who I am. In the past several years, I have had numerous (Dale Johnson and Carlton Kaz to name a couple) workout partners. I have usually worked out with guys just learning to lift. I have instructed them along the way. I directed the workouts. I haven't lifted with anyone who could really push me. I haven't lifted with anyone who could lift the same amount of weight and produce the number of reps.

That all changed last week... I worked out with someone who pushed me on leg day and buried me on pec day.

I am sore all over...

My neck is stiff from straight bar shrugs, straight bar hang cleans, and one arm dumbbell snatch lifts. My lats are tight from wide-grip pull-ups and flat bench lat pull-up.

My chest is on fire from flat bench dumbbell, straight bar decline bench, and one-arm incline dumbbell exercises. Not to mention - he BURIED me on chest day. I struggled to get 4 reps on our final set of flat bench dumbbell... he plowed through 12 reps. It has been close to a decade since I have been buried like that.

Tomorrow morning is leg day. We will hit straight bar deadlift, box squats, quad extensions, hamstring curls, and walking lunges. Last time, my legs stayed sore for about 4 days.

Did I mention that all of these workouts happen at 5 AM? Sitting behind a desk for 8 hours after these workouts is challenging to say the least. Coffee keeps me going for the first couple of hours. After that...

It is exciting to workout with someone that can push me like this. I am happy to be this sore. I hope we are able to continue with this intensity. In a sadistic way - I feel great.