Under the Weather

I'm really behind on my blog. It is a combination of being busy and not really having anything new to say. I'm trying to figure out how to post pictures. If there are any other bodybuilders over the age of fifty that would like a picture posted on this site let me know. Just send them to my regular Email address. I should have the picture deal figured out within a couple of days. I've been feeling sick the past two days. That is the reason I'm home right now. Probably won't go back to the gym until Friday.
The Senior Olympics are coming up. For most regions the local competitions will be in May. I urge anybody over the age of fifty to check it out and consider entering. Besides weightlifting and bicycling I've decided to enter the shot put and the discus. I shot putted in junior high but the coaches told me I was too small to do it in high school. I've never even seen a discus in real life but I've bought one off Ebay so I should have it in a few days. Luckily I have enough property that I can practice at home. I thought about entering the javelin throw too, but the cheapest javelin on Ebay was over $200. If anybody knows of a cheaper on let me know.
I'm going to go but check out the Senior Olympics in your region.

Benjamin Voiles

Yesterday

Had a hard workout yesterday at the gym. I'm a little off sequence so I hope to do a back and bicep workout here today outside. It is supposed to get to about 50 degrees. So with sweats on I should be OK.
I had planned to have some pictures taken yesterday but I didn't for two reasons.
First of all I felt a little puffy. Must have ingested too much salt. It would have covered up what little definition I have. The other reason is the gym was crowded upstairs and they were having a gymnastics class downstairs. I didn't feel comfortable about posing for some pictures with a bunch of people around.
Hopefully, I'll get some pictures on Monday.

Until Later,
Benjamin Voiles

Finally Made Back to the Gym

Yesterday it finally started to warm up. I made it back to the gym and had a good workout. I'm already a little sore but it feels good. Today I'll work my shoulders and triceps here at home and maybe spend some time on the exercise bike.

For anybody that is notching up their training or if you qualify for senior citizen status like I do, I would recommend you try phosphatidyl serine or PS. Sometimes its spelled as one word. I guess either way is correct. The best known brand is CORT-BLOC by Muscle-Link. Each serving of it provides 200mg of PS and 800mg of glutamine. Glutamine is supposed to work with PS to blunt the effects of cortisol.
As most of you know, cortisol is steroid that is needed to live. Its production goes up when we are under any type of stress. It has powerful antinflamatory properties as well as other effects. The problem is the body, in response to heavy training produces too much which severely curbs muscle and strength growth. Cortisol is what we would call a catabolic steroid which means it breaks down muscle tissue and encourages the deposit of fat. These effects are exactly the opposite of what we are trying to achieve. A good portion of the effects of overtraining are caused by too much cortisol. So all of us drug free bodybuilders are in a quanderary, we have to train hard to acheive any progress but the harder we train the more cortisol we produce which limits gains. Testosterone blunts the effects of cortisol but as we get older we produce less so the negative effects of the cortisol are more pronounced.
The only problem I see with taking PS is that it is expensive. A bottle of CORT-BLOC costs about 30 dollars. That is for 60 capsules which should be about a months supply. You could save some money by just taking it on your training days.
I found a cheaper version off Ebay by a company called "Doctor's Best". I paid about 23 dollars per bottle of 60.
Anyway, this is one supplement I would urge you to check out. Also, if any of you could share your experiences with different supplements let me know.

Until Later
Ben Voiles

Still Snowed In

Its Sunday and we are still snowed in. I haven't been to the gym for about a week but I have been working out some at home. Upper body workouts are Ok, but the legs are suffering. If the forecast holds than back to the gym tomorrow.

Benjamin Voiles

Snowed In

Couldn't go the gym today. We are having a snow storm. I know it is very mild by Northern standards but we arn't really set up for it in this part of the country.
Besides that, I live on a mountain and I was afraid I might get to the gym and not be able to get home. That would not be good especially since my wife is disabled.
I did a little working out here. I did bicep and ab work plus some time on the exercycle. Hopefully, I can make it to the gym tomorrow.

Till later,
Ben Voiles

Back to the Gym

Went back to the gym today. Worked about everything except for shoulders, traps, and triceps. I've had to change my split since I try to go the gym two days a week and work out at home twice a week. I've almost always followed a traditional push-pull split. The main difference now is that I train my chest during the same session I do my back and biceps and then the next day I do my shoulders and triceps at home. Seems to be working OK so far. When the weather warms up I'll change things around again. I really think this forced variety is good.
As I noted in a previous post, I've started using my exercise bike. I went 24 minutes yesterday and did seventy leg lifts. I was surprised about how weak my legs were today. After I did my warm up set of squats with 135 I double checked the plates because the bar felt about 20 or 30 pounds heavier. I thought I might get my strength back as I warmed up but I didn't. I guess my legs will have to adapt to doing both strength and endurance work. I'll try again on Thursday.
I have to go but I hope I can be in inspiration to some other older people out there to keep their New Year resolutions.

Ben Voiles

Off to a Good Start

Yesterday was New Years Day. The gym was closed but luckily I have weights here at home and a couple of exercise bikes. I moved my upright bike inside. I just used it a few minutes before my legs started cramping real bad. I hope it is just because I haven't been doing any endurance work lately. I plan on doing about ten minutes today and work up to twenty minutes by next week. After my conditioning improves I'll start doing mostly interval type work. My main goal for the exercise bike is to improve my conditioning enough so that when Spring gets here I'll be ready to go on my street bike.
I also did a light shoulder,trap, and tricep routine. All I plan on doing today is ten minutes on the bike and a little abdominal work. As soon as I can get a couple of guys to help me I'm going to move one of my antique cars out of the garage and down to the barn. I'll set up a small workout area in the garage. I have heat out there. Monday its back to the gym.
See you all soon.

Ben Voiles

New Years Resolution

My blog officially starts today. This will outline my attempt to get in good physical shape by my 56th birthday. I'm in pretty good shape already but I know I can get a lot better.
Right now my weight is 200 even. I hope to lose at least five pounds of fat by the end of January. By my birthday, which is April 6th, I hope to be around 185. In June I am going to compete in the "Battle on the River" physique contest, which is held in Chattanooga TN.
I will enter the Masters for sure and depending on how I look, probably the open. I am concerned about the weight classes. The Masters doesn't have weight classes in local competition so I could go in at about 185 pounds but if I enter the Open I would want to go down to middleweight which is 176.5. I don't really want to go that low this year.
If I'm looking good in Chattanooga I will enter the NPC Masters Nationals in July. They have their own weight classes so that could be a problem.
I plan on competing in the Senior Olympics which will be held May 3 through May 8th. I hope to compete in weightlifting and bicycling. The bicycling could be a problem because of the weather. It will be hard to get in adequate training by May. Starting today, I'm going to start forcing myself to start using my exercise bike. Its out on the porch but I'll bring it in today. It isn't a complete substitute for the real thing but its better than nothing. I really think that any type of indoor cardio is extremely boring but I can tolerate it by setting up my bike in front of the TV.
As soon as the weather clears a little I'll have some pictures taken and I'll post them here.
If there are any other senior bodybuilders out there let me hear from you.

Ben Voiles