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[josephkuli-blog]

Progression

10/22/2018

So last week I posted two posts in regards into me. One was Before shots of my upper body physique( arms) and the back story to why I got started on my fitness path.  Now to lay out what my goal is. Starting 10/10/18 I set a goal for myself that I wanted to increase/improve my upper body strength. Giving my self a time table of March 2019 to get myself to a better upper body condition. 

Why March 2019? In March 2019 is the start of my Spartan race season for which a great deal of Upper body strength is needed. By setting a date, this creates accountability for myself to get better. With that I’ll make weekly updates or biweekly updates on what I’m doing in and out of the gym. 

I’ll include some routines I’m routinely doing and some meal preps as well to show case what I’m putting in and putting out of me. So start out this week I’ll post my routine for today i commenced at the gym. Note dealing with healing my shoulder during this process hence the light weights especially with the reverse butterfly routine

                                               Workout 

WARMUP-.25mil run

Clean Over head press: 90 lbs 5 reps 5 sets (one set included a increase of weight to 135 lbs

Bent over underhand row 5 reps 5 sets 

2 sets 90 lbs

2 sets 135 lbs

1 sets 155 lbs

Seated row: 5 reps 5 sets

2 sets 50 lbs

3 sets 70 lbs

Lat pull downs: 5 reps 5 sets

2 sets 50 lbs

3 sets 70 lbs

Butterfly and reverse butterfly simultaneous 5 sets each

Butterfly 10 reps 70 lbs

Reverse butterfly 10 reps 10 lbs

Butterfly 10 reps 150 lbs

Reverse butterfly 10 reps 50 lbs

Butterfly 10 reps 170 lbs 

Reverse butterfly 10 reps 55 lbs

Butterfly 10 reps 170 lbs

Reverse butterfly 10 reps 60 lbs

Butterfly 10 reps 170 lbs

Reverse butterfly 10 reps 65 lbs

.66mil run

Incline dumbbell over head press 5 reps 5 sets

30 lbs

35 lbs

40 lbs

45 lbs

4 reps 50 1 rep 45 lbs

[josephkuli-blog]

Hello,

My name is Joe This wall of text to follow is my story as to how I got into fitness. Once upon a Reese cup, I found myself staring at myself in disbelief. I spent a good portion of my life just ignoring the obvious truth that I was not healthy. Eating fast food, downing sodas, being apathetic and overall grounded. After a visit to the doctors do to improper eating, I got a scare of my life. The scale, that I avoided for so long, read 314 LBS. Blood tests indicated I pre-diabetic and with these results I got scared. I stared at little photos that I was in. I saw a man who was blinded by his passion of food and the comfort of sitting in the house. It's strange when people comfort you with " No Joe you look fine," and help me not realize where I was.

With the reality check of my doctor visit I decided to quite the soda and hit joined the gym (Anytime Fitness). With much intent I signed up with a trainer and took on a fitness journey. With that journey I was part of the struggle bus and pushed myself. Within years' time I had shaped myself into a better person. I lost 34lbs and felt healthier. Then came July 2016 and I plateaued. I lost inspiration, my 4 days a week fell to 1 maybe 2 days a week and my eating habit came back to bad. I went from 270lbs and crept back up to 300lbs.

I had run a local charity obstacle course race and the gym manager had asked me if I had wanted to run a Spartan race with the gym at Citizen bank park that September. I was sketchy at first. With some consideration I decided to run the race. With running that race, I got the hardest reality check in my life. I failed several obstacles and in total had to do 125 burpees. It was the most grueling thing I had done.

In the past, I would of saw that grueling race as something I’d never do, but in truth I saw something that could help me set new goals for myself. That November I had a changing of trainers and began a new focus and motivational gym regime. That December I decided to sing up for my next challenge Palmerton, PA’s spartan race on Blue Mountain. With the signing up I focused on trying to run more and be consistent with my training. In the beginning of 2017 I noticed my gym had a group training session going one evening of people who I ran with at Citizens. 

I took a leap of faith and joined the group every Friday evening, when I could, and added to my weekly work out routine a grueling, sweat filled, soul crushing work out. It was with this group that my fitness grew with leaps and bound. The trainer, Jason Silva, mentored the group of us designing these high intense workouts through the year that tested us, strengthen us and brought the entire group’s fitness level to better standard. 

 Then May came, that month a Spartan sprint was happening up in New York at Citi Field and with another leap of faith I deiced to do a test run with the group I had been training with. It was a grueling race that went better than my Citizens race and truthfully was a fun rainy race. It was then I realize the progress I had made. I’d slim down, I felt better and my fitness level was way better than it was 6 months ago. 

Palmerton came and I was scared and excited for it. This was my first Spartan mountain course. Many had said this was one the hardest East coast courses, hence why there was only a Sprint and Super on this course and boy did I discover just how brutal. The common joke about gingers is “They eat your soul” well if I wanted to characterize Palmerton, it was a ginger and it ate my soul. On that course I finished strong, battle heat exhaustion and general fatigue. At the end I was happy. I completed my goal of running a mountain course.

 I did a few obstacle course races after Palmerton, which I was on the tail end of Palmerton and performed way beyond what I expected in terms of running wise. I had already signed up for my Citizens, which I dubbed my anniversary race.

 Citizens was fun in the 2017, it was hot and grueling. It was at this point I began to slowly rescind on my progress that year. This race I felt like I did the year before. At the end of it, I did less burpees, but my general well being wasn’t 100%. In my mind, I had already made up my mind I was going to do the next challenge, complete a Trifecta. That December, I invested in my next step and purchased my Trifecta pass. I chose to go in reverse order Beat(Jersey), Super(Palmerton) and Sprint(Citizens). 

 I heavily made excuses in the beginning of the year of not training as intense in the gym due to shoulder injury. The gym manager, who got me into Spartan, ribbed me in the beginning the year about my lack and commitment to the gym where I only showed up 4 times in January. I laughed it off and said I would get back in I swear. If I were have pinkie promise I would of broke that pinkie.

Jersey came and it wasn’t the prettiest experience. The first 6 miles were good, I had friend who stuck by my side pushing me to do better. Then it came to the remaining 6 miles. The agony of cramps set in. My pace slowed to snail pace. I knew I had let me teammate down who would constantly call out to me to encourage me to keep going. Nearly 10 hours later I completed the Jersey beast, despite the dangers of Rain and Lightening, I was able to complete the race.

It was then when I got the opportunity to see race photos taken by friends and Spartan I saw my reality check this year. My progress had dropped and I was back to where I wasn’t. The scale told the truth. At the time being, I weighed 270lbs. The previous year I was touch and go with 230lbs. The photos showed the old curves I had gained back. Despite feeling somewhat conditioned, my lack of gym time showed. 

 My workout routine picked up a bit after Jersey. Palmerton was only 3 months away. Those 3 months were no walk in the park. My commitment was still lack luster, but at the time being enough to give me some more breathing room for Palmerton. This time with Super, my overall experience was better than Jersey. This was my first 8 mile spartan and the cramping wasn’t as bad. It was tough though. In the back of my mind I had known I still wasn’t up to speed. In the last mile of it, I felt like crap. Literally I felt sick at the end. My body was in shock and I barely made it to the finish line. 

 I reflected on Palmerton and saw that I needed to get serious. I had one more race to complete my Trifecta and in no way was I going to go sub-par for the next two months before Citizens. It was then I decided to put in my time. My gym time in the gym and outside the gym increased. My dieting got a tons better. My weight dropped from 270lbs to now 235lbs. Over the course of the two months I aspired to be the better me, the one that was more well balanced.

My mile run went from 10 minute to 8 minute. My team that I’m running with, recognized my growth and progress. My transformation was noticeable. I even had one say they were concerned with my absence throughout the year at the gym and group training. It was then she said how proud she was of my progress.  

It’s because of the love and caring nature of my fitness family that I was able to get back to where I needed be. It’s because of their drive and encouragement that I am at my best condition since beginning my fitness journey 3 years ago when I became a Spartan. The list is long I wanted to thank Jason, Chris, Kelly, Julie, Anthony, James, Ron, Rob, Chris, Justin, Jess, Courtney, Kari, James, Brendan, Mark, Sydney and all the Spartans that words of encouragement on and off the course motivated me to keep pushing. I look forward to completing my Trifecta this weekend and running with my Anytime Fitness Delaware family. AROO!

[josephkuli-blog]

This is the before photo compilation of where I am starting on my #fitness journey to improve my upper body strength.