When I went to college in '05, I paid for a membership to a gym there and had the discipline to work out religiously, almost like I did during high school. I'm not sure how I did it, but I went four days a week between school and work, no matter what my schedule was like. For about a year, my schedule was classes 8am-1pm, work out 2pm-3:30pm, and then work 4pm-midnight, four days a week. But I stuck with it for over a year, and it paid dividends! I never thought I would get into better shape than I was during my athletic years in high school, but I was actually in the best shape of my life around October of '06. I could run at a high speed forever, the weights on my lifts were higher than in high school, and I was pretty darn cut with an impressive, real 6-pack if I do say so myself.
Why am I mentioning all of this? I am not trying to brag at all - I do have a point. LoL! My point: I have done it all without ever taking any whey protein or shakes or any type of performance-enhancing or muscle-building supplements. I've always been proud of the fact that I was completely "all natural" and had benefited from strictly hard work, sweat, and dedication, and no supplements or other items. (I just re-read that, and it sounded like I am saying I was huge! Haha. Not the case, I was just a very in-shape, strong, 5'11" 175lb man... an outside linebacker type of shape) Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with people who do use supplements, no problem at all (except steroids); I have just chosen to take the hard road.
That brings me to the final and main point of this post. After switching jobs, baseball season going on and then ending (I coach at the high school varsity level), and a very messed up schedule, I have been out of the weight room for quite some time, and it shows. My friends and I are going on a cruise in January, and both of them have been working out consistently for almost 6 months. I have always said that if you give me the right workout routine (which I have now) and 3 months of consistent and dedicated time, I can get into impressive shape. I have toyed with the topic of supplements, like taking them religiously like I have seen others do. But then again, I would like to stay completely natural... but I guess it's not a really big deal?
Well, I started back in the weight room and on the track today after a couple false starts the past month or so. I decided that no matter my schedule or how tired I am, I am putting in the time and the effort to make it work, on a consistent basic. I have a key to the high school weight room, and I have a workout schedule given to me by our athletic trainer who worked with Temple University and The Ohio State University's athletic training departments, and I am finally ready to take this seriously again. I don't really even care about being in shape for the cruise. I just want to be in better athletic shape and look better.
I have set an October 31 goal for myself, at which time I am going to stand back and check my progress. Why October 31? Well, it's just over 3 months from now, and last year on Halloween one of my friends and me agreed we were going down to Columbus the following year on Halloween night, which just happens to be a Friday. We are pumped! Anyway, I think that's about all I had to say. But if you have had some experience with healthy, legal supplements (good experiences or bad), let me know what you think. Is it worth the money? How much do they really help (when combined with the right diet and workout routines)? Etc, etc. Thanks!
May God continue to bless you.
-Marcum
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