This is what I ate today

Whole bagel w/ cream cheese (heavy on the cheese)
A Milkshake w/ one scoop brier's icecream, whole milk, and a scoop of protein= 1 solo cup
3 cups of whole milk w/ 6 tbsp chocolate syrup
Cup of pretzls
4 crackers w/ cheese
Meatloaf x2
Mashed potatoes, tblsp extra butter x2
green beans extra butter x2
50oz regular beer
carrot cake cup cakes w/ full cream cheese frosting x3 or x4 ... i forgot
And I just finished a plate of ravioli w/ sausage and red sauce

I added it up, comes out to about 4015 calories.

Enjoying Strength

Today I mixed up my routine a bit. Normally I squat down to 90 degrees. Today I did squats on the smith machine and brought my ass all the way down to my heels. No pain in the knees, but I can definitely tell this is going to help with my flexibility.

The other day I was able to lever an 8 lb sledgehammer. I've been working toward that for a few weeks, and it felt good to finally acomplish this.

Been getting more proficient at double-clapping pushups. I think i might be able to do 3 here soon. We will see...

A New Direction...

Sometimes I flip flop on the goals of my training. Some days I want to gain weight, other I just don't have an appetite. I want to lift heavy, and then I want to go high volume.

Also, like many other guys, I think I have been focusing on just building muscles and neglecting the other aspects of fitness. This will no longer be the case.

I have been working on my balance and flexibility aggressively for the past 3 days and have noticed minor progression. I am excited about doing the splits and walking on my hands. I feel that these two skills are uncommon and perhaps the novelty of the two help to motivate me.

Ninja Warrior... ever heard of it? I want to try out for that too. Its the most intense obstacle course I've ever seen. At 5'7" 135 lbs, I feel like I was made to fly through the air and kick some ass at this. Maybe its a pipe dream, but maybe we'll see. Until then, I need to keep what I've gained, and focus on improving where I need to.

How to Jump Higher

Jumping power is a skill valued in many sports such as basketball, track and field, and even martial arts. In this article you will learn four different ways to jump higher

Increase leg strength

This is the best way to increase vertical jumping power in untrained people. Hit the gym and perform leg press, lunges, leg curls, and calf raises. Do 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions with a heavy, but not impossible weight.

Mimic or perform Olympic lifts

The power clean is a terrific way to add inches to your vertical. Stand in front of a barbell on the floor… as if you were about to perform a deadlift. Now grab the bar with your palms facing toward you. Squat down, keep your back straight, and your heels flat. Drive the weight up using your legs. When the bar starts to come up, finish the movement by shrugging your shoulders up and using all the power in your legs to create momentum. Catch the bar at the collar bone level and squat down and back up. The power clean is a combination between a deadlift, shrug, and front squat. Check out the link below for a video instruction on power cleans.

Plyometrics

Jump squats are a great plyometric exercise for increasing jumping power. Squat down low with your legs shoulder-width apart and keep your back straight. Now jump up as high as you possibly can for 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.

continued at the Food and Fitness ehow page

How to become a personal trainer

This is my profession. It is the best job in the world because I get to give people their lives back. If you enjoy helping people and like making lots of money, then check out this article on how to become a personal trainer and live the dream.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5644035_start-career-personal-trainer.html

How to develop a 1 punch knockout

http://www.ehow.com/how_5643897_develop-punch-knockout.html

Want to end a fight fast? Knock em' out in one hit.

Vitamin C- a closer look

When we think about vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), often the common cold comes to mind. Ever since scientist Linus Pauling released his book, Vitamin C and the Common Cold, the sales from vitamin C has, and continues to be a huge money maker in the supplement industry. Does vitamin C cure or reduce the severity of the common cold? Does vitamin C cure any diseases at all? As we take a closer look at the history, function, sources, and use of vitamin C, I will hopefully shed some light on these questions and any more you might have about this popular vitamin.

History

Throughout the earlier centuries of human existence many people were plagued with “diseases” we now recognize as nutrient deficiencies. Scurvy is just such an ailment characterized by weakness, lethargy, and spontaneous bleeding from under skin or gum tissue. Ships logs in the 16th century tell of widespread occurrence of scurvy, as well as documentations of disease in the American Civil War.

A British scientist, James Lind, discovered a cure for the disease in the 1700’s by feeding sailors with the disease a combination of oranges and lemons. It wasn’t until 1932 until vitamin C, or ascorbic acid (meaning, without scurvy) was isolated and recognized as the vitamin we know today.

Functions

1. Provides a roll in the formation of collagen, a connective tissue that holds cells and tissues together in the body.
2. Promotes development of bones and teeth
3. Involved in metabolism and synthesis of amino acids and hormones
4. Increases the absorption of iron and calcium when eaten together
5. A powerful antioxidant
6. Useful as a food additive for many different applications


Sources of Vitamin C

Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and other fruits such as strawberries, and cantaloupe are good sources of ascorbic acid. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, or vegetable juice are good sources as well. It should be noted that vitamin C can easily be degraded or destroyed by cooking fruits or vegetables at high temperatures, especially if cooked for a long time. However, this is not a cause for concern if you generally eat a variety of fruit or vegetables, or enjoy juice in your diet.

Necessity

The Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin C is 60mg daily for normal adults. This can be fulfilled for example, by eating a medium orange which has 70mg of vitamin C. An intake of 100mg of vitamin C will saturate the tissues and any excess consumed will be excreted via the urine. Deficiency and scurvy is very rare in America. Only 10mg of vitamin C are needed daily to prevent this disease. It would take several weeks on a diet containing no vitamin C for someone to develop scurvy.

Disease

The common cold- controlled studies have shown that supplementing vitamin C does not prevent or reduce the duration of a cold. Slight benefits may be shown in reducing the severity of the cold.

Cancer - a study testing supplemented vitamin C in cancer patients showed no effect on symptoms or length of survival. However, if your diet consists of a variety of fruits and vegetables containing vitamin C, evidence suggests that this may have a roll in cancer prevention. Mega doses of vitamin C- have been reported to cause rebound scurvy when stopped abruptly. It is suspected that large doses may increase the formation of kidney stones. Large doses decrease the amount of copper that is absorbed. Increased formation of uric acid found in mega doses can be a problem for people who suffer from gout. Finally mega doses can mask important lab results important in diagnosing certain diseases such as diabetes or colon cancer.

In conclusion, vitamin C really is an amazing substance with many functions in the body. This however, does not merit any type of supplementation in a normal person. Ascorbic acid is often found in abundance in many fruits and veggies, so focusing on their consumption raw, cooked, or as juice is the best way to ensure our vitamin C is being delivered to our cells in a healthy and tasty way!

Adopted from my site at: http://www.foodandfitnessonline.com/nutrition.html