Workout: Grappler Baki

Stop me if you've heard this one. Guy goes to gym, guy runs on treadmill until his heart rate reaches 173, guy keeps pushing til he reaches a "zone" wherein he's unstoppable. That, my friends, is the Grappler Baki zone. This happenned to me tonight at the gym and I liken it to Grappler Baki because that's the name of an anime series that I used to watch. Basically, the protagonist is this kid named Baki: his father is the strongest fighter in the world but kind of evil (in an Akuma kind of way where he thinks his path is the right path) and he, Baki, trains relentlessly as a fighter in order to one day beat his father. So one particular episode, when he was really pushing hard while working out, he reached a zone where he was able to awaken, or rather gain access to, his endorphins. For the purposes of the anime, they described endorphins as this feeling you have wherein you can't be stopped, i.e., you're tireless, and thus can keep on pushing your body to remarkable levels. It was kinda funny because the anime was in Japanese (with english subtitles) and since the word endorphins is not a Japanese word per se, the voice actor just pronounced it in his own native tongue; it came off sounding kinda like this -
en-dawphinz (I know, I know, I digress a bit; back to the point)

Now I'm no scientist but the anime was kind of on-target with the feeling you get when endorphins enter your bloodstream; as near as I can tell its a hormone released after sex...maybe, bout 90% sure. But the anime just used it as a zone where you can feel no pain and hence no limitation, which, I guess, is akin to the feeling of absolutely no-pain you get after sex because you "shot off" ;)

To wrap up (y'know, before this all becomes incoherent) I feel really good because once I reached that Grappler Baki/Endorphins zone tonight, I felt so incredibly powerful. I gotta say, it feels damn good. If this is what it means to be fit, healthy and strong, count me in for life.
I love the gym :)

R U Ready to Rrrrrrramble!

So, I'm at work, watching the clock. Man, I need a much more exciting life for 08, maybe I should run for President under the RMA (wouldn't U like to know, heh). Actually considering taking quite a few leaps of faith and risk for the New Year after my proposed ending of my tenure at my current drop. More on that to follow.
So...read Blayze's blog, read Birdimus's blog, commented on both.
I need a muse or a muse needs me. I need some new local girls too.
May this week be a productive one at the gym and end with muses, music and more girls.
This is rambling people, I don't really have anything specific to say.
I'm out.

No, I am not dead

Been awhile, almost 2 bloody weeks, but I'm back.
First things first, NYC Labor Day Wknd:

1) Didn't make it to the parade (again) but my peeps who did said I was better off on the Queens side where I was chiling with my cousin et al.
2) The drive-up was pretty decent; minimal traffic and seamless transition from the Verazzano Bridge to my first stop in Bklyn by my sistren K. However, can you say TOLLS!! Goddamn!!
2.5) Might as well get the driving part out of the way while I'm at it: the drive down was on Sept. 4th, from Bklyn str8 to work. Gotta admit tho, had to take a 20 minute nap at a rest stop of the NJ Turnpike. Only real traffic I encountered was in Baltimore making my way to the job. Overall, I'm pretty proud of myself for making these drives by myself (without a CD player might I add). It was my first solo road trip going that far (previous was close to 2 hours to Virginia) and I'm fully confident I can do it again. Lastly, NY drivers are fckin aggressive!! If it wasn't for my Jamaican driving experience, I would be flustered by the impatient, improper and in some cases, a phrase I coined (maybe) NON-drivers out in that Mofo! "Too many cars, not enough drivers."
4) Hit up quite a few barbecues, one of which featured Shark-Meat, and its not bad really. Though its not great either. I kept up my discipline for the most part by having a lone Guinness amongst the water, juice and soft drinks that I drank.
5) Managed to eke out a gym session at Bally's with my cousin; I was adamant about working out at least once while I was there, mission accomplished.
6) Girls: my cousin, his boy and myself met 3 girls from Boston and had a random outing with them that ended with us sleeping over at their hotel room. heh, funny, strange, but kool likkle flex. On that same outing, before we headed in for the night, we hit up one of my sistren's cousin's barbecues in Bklyn - the cousin is quality, so I had to initiate a 'program.' Speaking of program, I also met in person a girl I've been talking to for a while (basically, a mutual friend/mentor type hooked us up over the phone and we've just managed to meet - exchanged pics of course) and finished 'programming' her. When she comes to MD, the programming will come to fruition....yeah, she knows it too, the boy is bad! Oh yeah, some random girl backed it up on me crazy in this Soca session and I was really just trying to get past her, didn't intend to dance. But she grabbed my wrists and pummelled me with that a$$; hey, what u gon do? I answered back. No use wasting a 'wine.' Interestingly enough, she backed me into a column. Now columnar support is always a good tool for winists - if the deed arises - but in this case, she was a bit overzealous (my back!). S'aight though, I'm a winist, we adapt.
Girl Summary - couple warm kitchen-kinda encounters and couple things cookin ;)
7) Networking - My cuz and I briefed each other on our respective ventures and I met and hung with some of his peeps/entourage. Fortune 500 coming strong!! RMA on the rise!! 80sssss runnin it!!!

Overall, good, relaxing trip; I look forward to going back. NY is indeed one of my favourite places. Since I got back? Well.....here's a 1-line/sentence summary:

Gym - faster, stronger...1 Outing, +ing the girl vibes...more RMA, 1 B-day Blayze, VMAs - Kan-tourage-50

Ersk is out for now....nuff words on my mind, must run the novel movements. Businesses, got to set the dynamite. More gyal or 1 gyal? Irregardless, steamsin fi gwaan soon. Also, I choose Kanye; its the ROC!!

NYC - Wknd (Spartan break)

Ok, so its been a couple of days since I blogged, but its just been a bit busy (being SORE!! from the gym, etc.) I planned to work out last night but something I ate, or rather a combination of some things I ate yesterday put my stomach on lock. Nevertheless, I managed to write the prologue of my book and check out some clothing concepts for a new venture...stay tuned. A little about my book; well, it's fantasy fiction and I aim to rise to the stature of JK Rowling with my story, lets leave it atthat for now. But I definitely have to ge my grind on: Between workin out, working in general and 2 new business ventures to grow, I'm feelin the crunch. But I got a good team around me, we'll do it.

Today, I leave said team behind to journey to the city that never sleeps, New York. Although actually I'll be staying between Brooklyn and Bronx, but I'll definitely be hanging in the city. NYC is a special place for me, in some ways, I consider it my birthright. Its such a fun, energetic and diverse place; you can find anything for anybody, and the girls are very hot. One summer when I was working in NY, I would spend some of my wknds just walkin around Times Square, Penn Station, Broadway etc. and I almost twisted my neck off looking at the various, exotic, beautiful women. And anyone who knows me well knows I have a "weakness for sweetness."

This trip I plan to reconnect with some of my former co-worker/interns, hang with my 'foundation' friends and generally have a great and relaxing time. I definitely need to get away for a while and NYC is what the doctor ordered. But I still have my mission on my mind, I'm going to try to go the gym at least once over the long wknd, I hope my gym has a branch there. If not, I'm sure amongst all the friends I have there, SOMEbody has a gym link. Also, I recently gave up hard drinking while I train for Spartan Glory. With some determination and willpower, I'll only have water or juice when I go clubbing. If I break, maybe a 1 beer, but I'll try not to. So I'm signing off now, wish me a safe journey people and expect a blog with the rundown of what popped off up there. Ersk Out.

Spartan Workout - Day 2

So, I just came from the gym where I spent the last hour and a half pushing my limits; feels good. My personal trainer is cool and we seem to have a good vibe going. I like the fact that he simply states what I should work on and have me execute but in a cool, calm way. I think I was expecting a real loud, boisterous kinda dude, but this guy is cool. According to him, I was the first guy in about 3 years that managed to do a set of 10 pull-ups without much hesitation or slacking. What do I do after a statement like that? I tell him he's BSing....heh. But he just reaffirmed calmy and went on to expound that he's seen people of many different body types who just didn't do the damn thing on the first attempt. Gotta say.....feels good. My goal for the day was to go in there and test my limits and push a little past them. I accomplished that.

Ok - Quick run down
25 mins on treadmill (str8!! - never did that b4)
chest set - 1 each flat and incline (lower and upper chest I think)
shoulder set - 1
pull ups set -1 (standing position)
push up set - 1 (triceps work-out, I think)
barbells (up n "clapping" over head and also regular curls)

That's all I remember, but basically a full body work-out. I told trainer, lets call him "Strents", exactly what my Spartan goals were and I'll say this work-out will definitely get me there.
So, all in all, Work-Out Day 2 was a great success. Since I started out this strong, all I have to do is maintain the momentum and determination.
"N- n- now th- that don't kill meCan only make me stronger..."
Incredible Ersk!!!

Spartan Workout - Day 1

This morning I got up at roughly 6:15am and hit the road to jog/run with my room-mate. The plan was 4 laps around the perimeter of our apartment complex and the surrounding area; approximately 2 miles. I managed to do about 2 and a half laps consisting of running, jogging and brisk walking (the terrain is uneven and there's a hill at some point) which is not bad all things considered.

I have to say though, just this morning alone taught me a few things about the ideal surroundings/terrain for running. Where I live is relatively suburban so the area is pretty quiet compared to a more bustling urban environment. However, I live right off of a highway of sorts and the moving traffic, dispeling an uncomfortable amount of carbon monoxide, is not the best thing for me. When I'm running, I need as clean an air supply as possible. Secondly, the "lap" consists of areas of sloping ground, followed by flat-ish, followed by slope. In the areas where there is no sidewalk, the grass is rough and un-even and then the shoulder of the road in some places is gravelly. Again, not the best thing for me. Therefore, before the week is done, I'm going research what open tracks are nearby that offer clean air, seclusion from car noise/fumes and even ground to tread on. That's me, ever the idealist, ever the realist. I's weird, but the ideal and the real are not far apart at all; I think its a matter of pre - thought and post - action respectively.

With a little dedication, I hope to make this particular post about my work-out everyday until the goal is reached. Stay tuned.....

Spartaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The journey of Levaughnidas

So this weekend was pretty productive and fun. B-Prime returned from Yaad and the Triumvirate is again united. The goals we've set for the next few months relate to writing, starting a small business and working out. Writing and business I'll talk about in an upcoming blog, but this one deals with the gym movements.

Here's the goal: By October 31st we (3 of us) will look like members of the Spartan Army from the movie 300, or close enough. BIG GOAL!!!! But the motivation is there thus far and I've joined the gym today (well yesterday now); BTW, the process of signing up with the gym was a lot more complicated than I expected......paperwork.....trainer options........automated billing.....wow.

Well, its all for a great cause; the culmination of our efforts will be going to a Halloween party as Spartans. I dare you to tell me that's not a wikkid idea! But, there's a lot of work to be done. It's actually kinda exciting; we have 2 months, can we pull it off?
Some would say this is madness.....blasphemy......
This IS SPARTA!