Malkavian Raven

Oh my dear word! LOL!! WHY! Why would you do that to your cat... LOL!!

I'd be tempted to serve chips and salsa out of it!

~ Malkavian Raven

http://www.polyvore....=l&tid=25105032

Hehehe

I'mma get me some of those! YOW!!

~ Malkavian Raven

I like this one. I wanna see a dog climb a tree.

~ Malkavian Raven

No trees were harmed in the making of this video...

Extremely true. I still think it was a heated fight with two idiots lunging forward at the same time.

Mod note: let's not advocate violence against anyone, please

I'll just wait for all the facts to come out. I'll agree this does seem out of character for Chad, but I can't say that I know Chad Johnson well enough to know how he acts outside of the spotlight. Some people are night & day when the camera's on or when they're around a bunch of people.

~ Malkavian Raven

(yawn)...

I see. I guess ill just continue to attempt to bulk up althought ive hit a wall at 155ish when my goal is 170. I know im not eating enough, thats the tough part. I just cant find the appetite most of the time and it does get expensive. Any reccomendations for cheap eating to bulk up? feel free to pm if youd like

charles

Sounds like what you're really needing is protein, lots of it. If you're not eating much, that's why you're not seeing any results. There is an old rule of thumb of 1.5 - 2.0 grams of Protein for every pound you weigh. Since you're at 155, you should be taking 232 - 310 grams of Protein a day.

Best sources for protein are salmon, tuna, shrimp, grilled chicken breasts, lean ground beef, steak, eggs and cottage cheese. As long as you're working out every day, I could also suggest loading up on carbs. Generally, people think carbs are bad for them, but carbs are where your body gets its real fuel. Without carbs, your body starts burning muscle tissue. You can find carbs in oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, beans, potatoes and yams. Try eating some avocados now and again, cook your meats in olive oil or flax seed oil and that should cover your unsaturated fat intake.

Other suggestions I can make is try not to go long periods of time without eating because your stomach will shrink. Try snacking. Try going out to eat with friends and ordering a big meal. Try DRINKING more of your calories, the Bolthouse Farm smoothies are great for calorie intake. Try eating faster, the faster you eat the less time your stomach has to tell your brain it's full. Other than that, try keeping a food diary to see what foods you are eating and when. Try stocking up on those items and have them readily available to snack on periodically throughout the day.

~ Malkavian Raven

So, should i cut calorie intake and continue to lift heavy? thats the only thing i can think of

You can give it a try, but I don't think you're going to see the kind of results you want. You'll burn up the fat and you'll build lean muscle. But if you're wanting to bulk up, then you're going to be disappointed. You can continue what you're doing to torch the fat, but at some point you are going to need the excess caloric intake to build the mass you want.

~ Malkavian Raven

See, thats where my dilema is. Im a small guy like i told you before and im trying to add about 20lbs. But at the current moment i have a bit of a gut. how would i reduce calorie intake but still manage to pack on size?

It has and always will be a dilemma. You can have both, but you need to get rid of the gut first by dieting and doing lots of cardio that keeps your heart rate up to burn off the excess calories that are stored as glycogen in your fat cells.

To build mass, you need to heavier weight training and excess calories to repair damaged muscle to make them grow and get stronger.

See how the two contradict themselves?

~ Malkavian Raven

Thanks alot man. And when i sweat it's mostly while drinking a ton of water. I also would like to kbow about that skin brushing thing. I'm curious if you dont mind. Lol

Article

~ Malkavian Raven

Damn thanks man! But yeah my situps are more like crunches. I know when I used to do them I started to get abs. But then I stopped and they dissapeared! They are so hard to maintain I dont even know if its worth it lol. I quit smoking for the final time last week, and I still drink from time to time. Not so much though. My diets consist of ramen noodles,chicken,sandwhiches,water/sprite. Thats all I eat/drink. I play basketball atleast 1-3 hours just about every day. (Not as much lately because of the heat.) I think I just gained a bunch of weight because I've been real lazy the past few months.

Just wondering is sweating is good for you? When I was back in shape, I used to sweat, but not excessively like I do now. Also are you a trainer or something? lol

Sweat is very good. It's not just for cooling down your body as your core temperature increases. A better question is, what is in your sweat? Everything from water, salt, ammonia, etc. -- basically what your body is sweating out is the equivalent to urine. Hence why sweat stains are the same color as urine. Anywho! It's very important to keep pushing water as you're working out.

Another thing, which I mentioned in a previous post is dry skin brushing. Your skin is essentially your third kidney, dry skin brushing will make your kidneys and other internal organs work a little easier as your skin is responsible for eliminating about two-pounds of waste. If you want more information on that, let me know and I'll send you the article & video of how to do it.

Congrats on quitting smoking. I smoked for ten-years, quit off & on about seven times before I finally kicked it for good. This July 4th was my second year without one. (I know it was July 4th cause I used my last pack to light bottle rockets.) As for drinking, just don't over indulge at any time. One of the points was sugar intake, alcohol turns to sugar in the blood. Sugar thickens the blood, which causes the "hangover".

As for being a trainer, no. But I know plenty of them around the local area and we're always exchanging ideas and methods.

Good luck on your weight-loss!

~ Malkavian Raven

P90X Trial - Day Three (Plyometrics)

Sorry it took so long, life and all that.

Plyometric means "jump training", and there is plenty of that throughout the entire video. As Tony states at the beginning of the video, Plymetrics is the "X" in P90X and I'd have to agree. I don't know if I've ever jumped this much on a basketball court -- then again, probably not, because no one ever passes me the ball. (I'm a terrible shot.)

If you seen an "X" before the exercise, it means for 30 seconds, "Y" means for 60 seconds.

Equipment Needed:

Heart Rate Monitor

Mat

Stool or Chair

Water & Towel

Exercise List:

Set One --

x Jump Squats

x Run Stance Squats (4 squats each side, then rotate to the other)

x Airborne Heismans (back & forth between left & right)

y Swing Kicks (need a chair or stool to lift your leg over)

(repeat all four exercises)

Set Two --

x Squat Reach Jumps

x Run Stance Squat Switch Pickups (back & forth between left & right)

x Double Airborne Heismans (side step twice, Heisman pose: tire, tire, hold)

y Circle Run (put a waded up towel on the floor, run around in tight circles, 30 seconds in each direction)

(repeat all four exercises)

Set Three --

x Jump Knee Tucks

x Mary Katherine Lunges

x Leap Frog Squats (two forward, two back)

y Twist Combos (30 seconds like you're skiing, last 30 seconds 180 turns to the left)

(repeat all four exercises, 180 turns to the right on the Twist Combos)

Set Four --

x Rock Star Hops (15 seconds each side)

x Gap Jumps (like you're jumping over a creek)

x Squat Jacks

y Military March

(repeat all four exercises)

Set Five --

x Run Squat 180 Jump Switches (left side)

x Lateral Leapfrog Squats (side to side)

x Monster Truck Tires (4 forward, 4 back)

y Hot Foots (30 seconds each foot)

(repeat all four exercise, change to right side on Run Squat 180 Jump Switches)

Set Six --

y Pitch & Catch (30 seconds each side, pitch then squat to catch)

y Jump Shots (30 seconds each side, catch from one side then shoot with the other)

y Football Heroes (4 monster truck tires forward, six jogging steps back)

(no repeat)

If you've got leg or knee problems (like I do), you do not have to come too high off the ground, just get your body off the ground.

Other notes, Kris Kross' "Jump" would make great workout music for this disc. Just kidding.

~ Malkavian Raven

Back to working out...I took a, lets say 5,6 month break.

Im gained 15 lbs the last month and feel fat as crap. I'm only 155 though, but I've never had man boobs before...

My pecks and Ab(s) are gone!!!!!! lmao.

I'm starting with 24 bench reps of 135 (4 sets of 6). 24 reps of curling 100 (also 4 sets of 5) And 150 situps every night. I'm also aiming for atleast 5-7 minutes of using my speed bag non stop. I'm going to ease myway back into it at first. Hopefully I can b around 160-165 by the end of the summer, of pure muscle. ;D

If you're looking to get rid of belly fat, sit-ups aren't going to do you any good. Sit-ups do not directly target your abdominal muscles, but rather your hips. Secondly, your abdominal muscles are buried under the wall of belly fat, so you'll never see physical results anyway.

If you want to get rid of belly fat, here's a few quick pointers:

a.) watch your caloric intake, try reducing it

b.) try to cut out sugars

c.) if you drink or smoke, cut that out

d.) when you workout, workout all of your muscle groups

e.) walking, dancing, basketball, etc., anything that makes you use several muscle groups at once

Belly fat is extremely hard to get rid of simply because it just a wall of solid fat. It is my worst area of my body, which is where most of my body fat comes from. I workout three times a day, several days a week and I have nowhere near "ripped" abs. So, if you don't see results in a week or two, don't quit. Most people expect exercise to make them look like a supermodel overnight -- it doesn't work like that.

Just stay positive, and keep working for it. Need anymore advice, let me know.

~ Malkavian Raven

What do you think of the C4? My buddy's been using it and loves it.

I would recommend it to anyone who is serious about body building. If nothing else, it keeps me from taking those extra days off, even when I don't feel like working out. I call it my "5-Hour Energy" drink, though most of my workouts don't last but a couple of hours at the most.

My only suggestion, just stay away from the Icy Blue Razz flavor. I usually get the Watermelon flavored C4, thought I'd change things up a bit -- never again.

Oh sweet Watermelon, how I miss you so.

~ Malkavian Raven

Do you take any supplements? What would you recomend? I started Wheybolic Extreme and Cellucore Super HD recently. Have you tried those?

I have not tried Wheybolic Extreme, nor the Cellucore Super HD. Currently taking the Cellucore C4 Extreme, along with the others on this list:

Optimum Opti-Men

NOW Omega-3 Sofgels

MusclePharm Combat Powder

USPlabs Modern BCAA

I've been seriously thinking of cutting out the Omega-3s, been getting a lot of upset stomach lately after taking them.

~ Malkavian Raven

P90X Trial - Day Two (Ab Ripper)

11 exercises, all of them 20-25 reps, unless you're working both the left and right separately, then it's 40-50 reps; save for the leg climbers. Anywho, here is the list of the exercises.

In & Outs (25 reps)

Bicycle’s (Forward) (25 reps)

Bicycle’s (Backward) (25 reps)

Crunchy Frog’s (25 reps)

Cross Leg / Wide Leg Sit-Ups (25 Reps)

Fifer Scissors (25 reps)

Hip Rock ‘N Raises (25 Reps)

Pulse Ups (Heels to Heaven) (25 Reps)

V-Up/Roll-Up Combos (25 Reps)

Oblique V-Ups (25 Reps each side)

Leg Climbs (12 reps each side)

Mason Twist (40 reps)

Equipment needed: mat

Once again, impressed by this workout regime. I'm used to riding my seven-speed Ridgeback 501NX, so doing going through the motions sitting down, a little more exhausting. After going through the 50 reps (forward and backward), I actually had to stop because I was finding it hard to even remain seated-up. I gave myself about a 10-minute break between exercises because my core was just exhausted. And I think I'm in fairly decent shape, this should be no problem; right? Wrong. My core has always been my biggest problem.

Overall, if you can pace yourself through the first five exercises, you should be able to handle the rest of the workout fairly easily. Don't be like me and burn yourself out.

If I learned anything from this part of the workout regime; I'll be reviewing the Plyometrics disc ahead of time before I actually start exercising. I'll post another review of that disc tomorrow, then I'll have to see about getting the next few discs.

~ Malkavian Raven

P90X Trial - Day One (Back & Chest)

So, a co-worker of mine was generous enough to lend me a few of his P90X workout discs, mainly the few that he won't be using until this time next week. Today's disc was for the back & chest areas.

Lots of push-ups; military, diamond, wide-arm, decline and divebombers.

Lots of pull-ups; overhand, underhand, close-grip & wide-grip.

Additional exercises included lawnmowers, heavy pants & butterflies.

Equipment needed: chin-up bar, free weights, chair and workout bands

Initial assessment, if you are looking to just lose weight -- this is going to be a really great program for doing so. Everything is quick impact; the quicker you go, the more fat you will burn. The slower you go, the more muscle you will build.

Since I am more into building mass, this workout really did a number on me both mentally & physically; however, keep in mind that Horton makes it a point throughout the entire video to set your number of reps before you start and try to hit that number. You don't have to do in the time he's allotted you on the disc, pause it and keep going till you reach your goal. That last set of divebombers about did me in, but I still hit my goal of 20 reps with about a 10 second pause on the last few reps.

Anyway, again, if you just want to lose weight and get in shape, this looks to be the kind of series you'd be interested in. My co-worker has lost 17-pounds in just 5 weeks. He's got about another 20 before he hits his ideal weight. I'll follow-up tomorrow with a review of the "Ab Ripper" disc. Any questions or comments, let me know.

~ Malkavian Raven

WTH.. If Rice holds out I'll be your agent. Get you reps with the first team no problem

Only if you get me AP money. In all seriousness though, I could never make a pro football team for the simple fact that I crushed my leg in the door of a Kia and dragged it down the outside of a brick garage. I had a hairline fracture from my ankle all the way to my knee, even had a case of blood poisoning from it.

The lesson I learned, never stick your leg out of the door unless you're 100% sure the car isn't in gear. (1st Gear felt an awful like Neutral).

~ Malkavian Raven

Do you do that back to back or days rest in between

Two days, back-to-back, with a day of rest of the third day. In example,

Day One on Monday

Day Two on Tuesday

Rest on Wednesday

Day Three on Thursday

Day Four on Friday

Rest on Saturday

Day Five on Sunday

Day One on Monday

Rest on Tuesday,

etc.

~ Malkavian Raven

Regimen has been posted.

Each day works different groups of muscles, but you will still need give a day of rest every couple of days to give the muscle fibers a chance to relax & build. Throw in a routine jog and/or cycling, you should be able to build mass and keep your endurance up.

As you build muscle, your body will need more fuel to burn -- so eating will not be a problem.

Words of advice, just do what you can. Don't think you have to do the entire daily workout, at times even I don't do the full workout. Stay hydrated. And lastly, know your limitations when it comes to weight resistance. A good measure is to check what your maximum weight is for each exercise, then use 60% of that number. If 60% becomes difficult, try dropping 10% until the workout feels comfortable, but still challenging.

~ Malkavian Raven

-- DAY ONE --

SHOULDERS: Barbell Shoulder Presses (3 sets of 4-6 reps), One-Arm Side Laterals (3 sets of 12 reps), Front Plate Raises (3 sets of 12 reps w/ 3 second hold at top), Lying Rear Delt Raises (3 sets of 15 reps)

BACK: Bent Over Barbell Row (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Seated Cable Rows (3 sets of 8-12 reps), V-Bar Pulldowns (3 sets of 12 reps), Barbell Shrugs (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Back Extensions (3 sets of 12 reps)

CHEST: Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Incline Dumbbell Presses (3 sets of 8 reps), Incline Dumbbell Flyes (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Stalled Pushups (3 sets of 12 reps, the lowering portion should take 5-10 seconds)

CORE: Cable Crunches (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Side Bends (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Crunches (3 sets of 10-15 reps), Reverse Crunches (3 sets of 10-15 reps)

ARMS: Close-Grip Bench Press (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Cable Rope Overhead Triceps Extensions (2 sets of 8-12 reps), Triceps Pushdowns (2 sets of 15 reps), Barbell Curl (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Alternating Dumbbell Curls (2 sets of 8-12 reps), Straight Bar Cable Curls (3 sets of 15 reps), Palm Down Barbell Wrist Curls Over Bench (5 sets of 25 reps)

LEGS: Barbell Full Squats (4 sets of 4-6 reps), Dumbbell Lunges (4 sets of 12 reps each leg), Leg Presses (3 sets of 12-15 reps), Lying Leg Curls (3 sets of 12 reps), Leg Extensions (3 sets of 20 reps), Standing Calf Raises (4 sets of 12 reps)

-- DAY TWO --

SHOULDERS: Seated Side Lateral Raises (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Pushups (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Reverse Flyes (3 sets of 12 reps), Standing Side Lateral Raises (3 sets of 15 reps)

BACK: Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldowns (3 sets of 12 reps), Dumbbell Shrug (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Stiff Leg Barbell Good Mornings (3 sets of 12-15 reps)

CHEST: Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Dumbbell Bench Press (3 sets of 8 reps), Dumbbell Flyes (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Stalled Pushups (3 sets of 12 reps, the lowering portion should take 5-10 seconds)

CORE: Barbell Twists (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Air Bike Crunches (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Hands Over Head Crunches (1 set of 30 Seconds + 15 seconds rest), Lying Leg Raises (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest)

ARMS: Bench Dips (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Skull crushers (2 sets of 8-12 reps), One Arm Triceps Extension (2 sets of 12 reps), Incline Dumbbell Curls (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Barbell Curl Lying Against An Incline (2 sets of 8-12 reps), Lying Cable Curls (3 sets of 15 reps), Cable Wrist Curl (5 sets of 50 reps)

LEGS: Barbell Deadlifts (4 sets of 4-6 reps), Dumbbell Rear Lunges (4 sets of 15 reps), Hack Squats (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Seated Leg Curls (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Leg Extensions (3 sets of 15 reps), Seated Calf Raises (4 sets of 20 reps)

-- DAY THREE --

SHOULDERS: Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raises (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Dumbbell Shoulder Presses (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raises (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Barbell Rear Delt Row (3 serts of 12 reps)

BACK: Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Underhand Cable Pulldowns (3 sets of 8 reps), Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row w/ Palms In (3 sets of 12 reps), Barbell Shrug Behind The Back (3 sets of 12 reps), Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift (3 sets of 8 reps)

CHEST: Decline Barbell Bench Press (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Decline Dumbbell Bench Presses (3 sets of 8 reps), Decline Dumbbell Flyes (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Stalled Pushups (3 sets of 12 reps, the lowering portion should take 5-10 seconds)

CORE: Frog Sit-Ups (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Jackknife Sit-Ups (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Oblique Crunches (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Reverse Crunches (3 sets of 10-15 reps)

ARMS: EZ-Bar Curls (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Cable Hammer Curls (3 sets of 12 reps), Concentration Curls (3 sets of 15 reps), Machine Dips (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extensions (3 sets of 15 reps), Kneeling Cable Concentration Triceps Extensions (3 sets of 15 reps), Palms Up Barbell Wrist Curls Over Bench (5 sets of 25 reps)

LEGS: Leg Presses (4 sets of 4-6 reps), Romanian Deadlifts (4 sets of 8 reps), Dumbbell Step Ups (4 sets of 15 reps each leg), Leg Extensions (3 sets of 12 reps), Thigh Abductors (3 sets of 12 reps), Thigh Adductors (3 sets of 12 reps), Standing Barbell Calf Raises (4 sets of 12-15 reps)

-- DAY FOUR --

SHOULDERS: Arnold Dumbbell Presses (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Laterals (3 sets of 12 reps), Lying One-Arm Lateral Raises (3 sets of 10 reps), Front Dumbbell Raises (3 sets of 12 reps)

BACK: Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldowns (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown (3 sets of 12 reps), One-Arm Dumbbell Row (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Upright Barbell Row (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Back Extensions (3 sets of 8 reps)

CHEST: Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Decline Barbell Bench Press (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Dips - Chest Version (3 sets of 8-12 reps)

CORE: Russian Twist (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Ab Crunch Machine (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Side Bends (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Crunch - Legs On Exercise Ball (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest)

ARMS: Close Grip Standing Barbell Curls (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Cross Body Hammer Curls (3 sets of 12 reps), Machine Preacher Curls (2 sets of 15 reps), Decline EZ-Bar Triceps Extensions (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Low Cable Triceps Extensions (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown (3 sets of 15 reps), Plate Pinch (5 sets of 50 reps)

LEGS: Front Barbell Squats (4 sets of 8-12 reps), Barbell Lunges (4 sets of 20 reps each leg), Leg Presses (3 sets of 15-20 reps), Lying Leg Curls (3 sets of 15 reps), Leg Extensions (3 sets of 10 reps), Seated Calf Raises (4 sets of 20 reps)

-- DAY FIVE --

SHOULDERS: One-Arm Side Laterals (3 sets of 8 reps w/ 3 second hold at top), Standing Military Presses (3 sets of 6-8 reps), Reverse Flyes (3 sets of 12 reps), Side Lateral Raises (3 sets of 15 reps)

BACK: Bent Over Barbell Rows (3 sets of 8 reps), V-Bar Pulldown (3 sets of 8 reps), One-Arm Dumbbell Rows (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Barbell Shrug Behind The Back (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Stiff Leg Barbell Good Mornings (3 sets of 8 reps)

CHEST: Incline Dumbbell Presses (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Decline Dumbbell Bench Presses (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Dumbbell Bench Presses (3 sets of 8-12 reps), Dips - Chest Version (3 sets of 8-12 reps)

CORE: Decline Crunch (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Dumbbell Side Bend (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Exercise Ball Crunch (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest), Flat Bench Leg Pull-In (1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest)

ARMS: Barbell Curls (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Close Grip Bench Press (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Incline Dumbbell Curls (2 sets of 8-12 reps), Lying Triceps Extensions (2 sets of 8-12 reps), Machine Preacher Curls (2 sets of 15-20 reps), Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdowns (2 sets of 15-20 reps), Seated Palms Up Barbell Wrist Curls (2 sets of 50 reps), Seated Palms Down Barbell Wrist Curls (2 sets of 50 reps)

LEGS: Hack Squats (3 sets of 4-6 reps), Romanian Deadlifts (3 sets of 8 reps), Dumbbell Lunges (4 sets of 25 reps each leg), Leg Extensions (3 sets of 20 reps), Seated Leg Curls (3 sets of 15 reps), Calf Press On Leg Press Machines (3 sets of 12 reps)