BigLantern Reporting for Assignment

[BigLantern]

Hi guys!  

 

I'm Andrew, a 27 year old graphic designer from South Carolina.  I'm finally getting into a shape I'm more confident with, though I'm not there yet.  I started this journey at an uneasy 235lbs, I could barely clear the bar when I'd attempt to bench press.  Forget push-ups or crunches, those weren't event fathomable. When I started getting serious about physical fitness and general health I was living on a steady diet of fast food, pizza, dead carbs, junk food and soda and could barely make it a day without some kind of candy bar.  I was constantly tired, worn down and stressed out.  Then, I found out my girlfriend and I are expecting a baby on my birthday a few months back and decided it was time to step up to the plate and make a change.  

 

With the help of a friend who is a black belt in karate and a Jujitsu instructor I decided to find something that I would enjoy in order to get the ball rolling.  I quickly discovered that picking up heavy things is fun...And then along this site comes.  The idea of applying a super persona to my workout mindset appealed to me so I got some rash-guards printed up with the Green Lantern insignia and "BIG Lantern"  a shout-out to my gym "Brutal Iron Gym" and my inspiration, the hero of will.  

 

I started thinking differently then.  Every choice in regards to my health began to make more sense, and became easier to manage.  I started actually using my own willpower.  Soon the candy bars were a thing of the past.  Shortly thereafter, sodas were nixed.  Eventually I had made it 4 months without fried or fast foods, and have actually become quite fond of my new healthy eating habits.  

 

Today I write this at about 202lbs before my lunch time gym trip. (Today I get to swing the Mace...and I love me some mace.)  My goals now are to continue to trim down while building strength and muscle until I can start a strongman routine.  I'd like to pick up a car someday.  We all need goals right? 

 

I'm pretty new to NerdFitness but discovered this community when looking up proper form on some activities I'm working on with my weight loss and strength training routines, but I can already tell you guys that I love the mentality and ideals behind the site and hope that I can actually keep up with some of the inspiring examples you guys set.  

 

My goals are as follow;

 

-Lose/convert the remaining fat into muscle mass

-Increase overall strength rating I'm up to pushing around 175/200 on bench but I'm sure I can get higher.

-Quit smoking (I know it's not particularly fitness oriented but good cardiovascular health will improve on everything I'm trying to accomplish.)

-Continue making wiser and more health conscious choices with my eating habits

 

And my Nerd Credentials are;

 

-Comic book fan (Predominately Green Lantern/Spider Man/TMNT)

-Video Game dork (RPG's and Platformers are my guilty pleasure)

-I'm a Tolkien nerd

-I play Magic: The Gathering, and DC Deckbuilding Game frequently 

 

I apologize that I'm so scatterbrained.  It's still fairly early :-P

[BlackTezca]

Welcome to NerdFitness!  Love the story behind your username and the nerd cred!

[Strickland5]

From one Andrew to another I say GREETINGS and welcome aboard!

[Gogor]

In brightest day, in blackest night,

No evil shall escape my sight.

Let those who worship evil's might,

Beware my power, BIG Lantern's light!!!

 

Welcome!

[BarloTardy]

Welcome aboard, sir! I salute your powerful beard.

[Strickland5]

That is one pretty epic beard

[BigLantern]

Thank you guys for your kind words, my beard is definitely appreciative.   I'm the only bearded guy at my gym, and I've gotta say, I definitely rock it.

 

I am thinking about rolling my character today.  But I've a hard time (As in the past on tabletop RPGS) trying to figure out what class set to roll a mystical character like a green lantern.  But that's another story.  

 

I just wanted to say it's an honor to be greeted among the community and I've drawn so much inspiration from you guys already.  The first article I stumbled across led me to the idea of incorporating a seperate persona to my workout routine...now I can hardly make it a workout without imagining myself as Kilowog from the Green Lantern Corps.  Anyway I look forward to my stay and journey with you guys.  

[Strickland5]

I am thinking about rolling my character today.  But I've a hard time (As in the past on tabletop RPGS) trying to figure out what class set to roll a mystical character like a green lantern.  But that's another story.  

My brain says Paladin for a Green Lantern (as they really are space cops) ... but honestly with your goals you're looking at Warrior 100% 

[BigLantern]

My brain says Paladin for a Green Lantern (as they really are space cops) ... but honestly with your goals you're looking at Warrior 100% 

 

Warrior is definitely first pick, considering the fact that I've been entertaining the idea of training up for strongman competitions once I reach an ideal body size.  

 

As an aside about the ideal body size thing...I guess this is the place to explain that growing up I've always been bigger, at 11 I was 205lbs and a 38 in the waist.  Which is actually lucky because I was hit by a car around halloween that year. Doc's said I survived because of my size alone. Since then I've always struggled with weight management, and knee aches and pains.  I've never let it slow me down though for the last 6 months I walk upwards of 10/15k steps a day at minimum, and yesterday I ran a mile in 9 minutes and 20 seconds...Not a breakneck time by any means, however considering in high school my best time for the mile was somewhere along 13:45 or something I was very proud. 

 

(See what I mean about scatterbrained?)  Anyway, I started that because I've always been a little self conscious about my size and shape and even though I do hear that it's improving from some people, because of the self image I find myself getting hung up on that in particular.  Which isn't always all bad, it's definitely a driving factor, but I also hear all the time that sometimes size and shape aren't important when it comes to fitness and health.  But I figure at 5'10 with my frame I should be able to plateau out around 180/185 before I start trying to pack on some serious muscle.  This morning I weighed in at 201 so it's coasting along.  I've got a few months to go before I can expect that 15 to fall off I know.  

 

But yes, Warrior/Barbarian kind of character is what I usually roll in an average tabletop.  

[Stonefist]

Ack! Sudden attack of beard-envy. I hate those.

 

Anyway, hello there, fellow newbie warrior. Sounds like we're pretty much in the same boat.

 

I'm 5'10, 206 lbs myself, looking to turn some more of the ale-belly flab into muscle (was about 220 when I dragged my arse off the couch back in june).

 

How are you set up for working out ? Gym membership ? Dungeon, err I mean basement lifter, or just bodyweight for now ?

[BigLantern]

I do a gym membership to one of the more intense gyms available in my town.  We have a planet fitness, an omni, a golds and a couple Ymcas but then we have my gym, Brutal Iron...I've from day one (even before discovering you guys) called it my own personal torture chamber.  There is everything from treadmills and stair machines, to free weights, chains, ropes, atlas stones and tires...

 

My working out schedule is as followed:

 

Mon-Fri from 11:15am-12pm I do endurance and toning weight training at the gym (basically whatever I feel froggy about that day, nothing to organized, just something to mute the second half of my work day a little)

 

Then alternating days my friend (We'll call him Wreck-It Rhett) and I hit the gym for strength training usually averaging about an hour and a half per session.  We rotate Chest, arms, legs, back, shoulders, and misc workouts.  It's a scattered system like my thought process but I'm actually about to switch my routine once the gym owner gets back with me as I'm going to start trying to trim down further before I attempt to bulk back up with raw muscle mass.  

 

On off days I try and push for 2 sets of 300 on my personal kettle bells, a couple sets of lightweight high rep curls and about 200/300 pushups just to keep my heart rate up.  

[BarloTardy]

Hell, start training for strongman now and your ideal body size will happen as a result! Also, beard pushups.

[Strickland5]

Not QUITE sure where you are in all thing so a few suggestions

 

Stronglifts 5x5 is a great starter lifting routine for great gains

 

Check out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe for more good all round lifting info 

 

Oh and go over to the Powerlifting and Weightlifting forums too!

[goodbye_farewell]

Welcome!

 

Not QUITE sure where you are in all thing so a few suggestions

 

Stronglifts 5x5 is a great starter lifting routine for great gains

 

Check out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe for more good all round lifting info 

 

Oh and go over to the Powerlifting and Weightlifting forums too!

 

^Yes what he said. I heard no mention in your posts of building strength through high intensity strength training (squats? dealifts?). Though your gym sounds pretty damn awesome.

 

Also, have you checkout Camp Nerd Fitness? It may be very close to you since it is in Clayton, GA.

[BigLantern]

Welcome!

 

 

^Yes what he said. I heard no mention in your posts of building strength through high intensity strength training (squats? dealifts?). Though your gym sounds pretty damn awesome.

 

Also, have you checkout Camp Nerd Fitness? It may be very close to you since it is in Clayton, GA.

 

When I was 11 I got hit by a car in my right knee.  That did some heavy damage to my ligaments and tendons in that leg and over the last 16 years I've done some damage to the other compensating and carrying around the extra weight.  Squats and Deadlifts while they are part of my routine (Back and legs days) are not a huge part of my workout.  I'm actually working on a plan my Gym owner just sent us.  Today I get to flip tires and sprint, wish me luck...

 

Post Lunch Workout Update..."Ouch"  That is all

[matty_mcfly]

When I was 11 I got hit by a car in my right knee. That did some heavy damage to my ligaments and tendons in that leg and over the last 16 years I've done some damage to the other compensating and carrying around the extra weight. Squats and Deadlifts while they are part of my routine (Back and legs days) are not a huge part of my workout. I'm actually working on a plan my Gym owner just sent us. Today I get to flip tires and sprint, wish me luck...

Post Lunch Workout Update..."Ouch" That is all [emoji14]

Super late but what are you doing in order to train strongman? Have a comp coming up?