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Hanging Tough – Focus on the Goals

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment (Edit)

In the past week or two, I have felt a bit sluggish. I really could not pinpoint the main reasons why I was feeling as tired as I was, but I am sure that it was a combination of diet and rest. I still do not drink carbonated beverages and have not since Christmas of 1999, so water is my main beverage of choice yet I am sure that I have not been drinking enough throughout the day. Also, there are nights when my schedule just did not allow me to sleep long enough, so I am sure that it caught up with me. I guess you could consider this to be a challenging time of sorts for me, but I would not let it bring me down. Instead, I remembered what my main short- and long-term goals were, and made a plan according to them.

feeling sluggish??

While unusual for me, I ended up taking a few days off here and there from the gym to ensure that my body was fully rested. I decided to take 10 days off of pre-workout supplements. I even shifted my workout routines towards high repetition, low-weight exercises, and I shortened the time I stayed in the gym. Thus far, I am feeling a little bit better, but I know that I need to also step up my cardio. So, I plan to add more cardio back into the mix in the next few days, and I will transition back to Cellucor M5 Extreme 2-in-1 from [Cellucor] C4 Extreme for my preworkout once I get back to my next chest day (in two more days).

I wanted to share my odd [ongoing] experience with you to say this. We all must hang tough. Challenges will come our way, so we have to continue to focus on the goals that we have made for ourselves and ensure that we are doing the right things to reach them. Are you staying on track with your workout plan and/or diet? Are you sleeping enough at night? Are you drinking enough water? Are you staying positive no matter what life throws at us, good or bad?

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Persistence and Positivity Pay Off!

February 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment (Edit)

So, we are already well into the second month of the year, and most of us have hit a few challenges along the way towards our fitness goals. For some, it might be the lack of energy or drive to continue the workout routine that we set forth in our New Year’s resolutions; for others, it might just be a lack of time available in the schedule over recent weeks. No matter the situation, keep on track and moving towards your goals can be a challenge in and of itself. I’m here to encourage you to remain persistent with your hard work ethic and discipline. Additionally, I recommend that you remain positive throughout. By doing both, you will be able to climb closer to your goals. Certainly, the journey can be extra frustrating at times, but, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Keep on track and keep your head held high! Before you know it, your goals will come into sight. Here are a few quick tips to keep you in the game.

  1. Be sure to have reachable, quantifiable goals! You want to make sure that your goals are realistic, timely, and quantifiable. For me, I want to lift more weight on the bench press, but I need to be sure that I pick a specific number of reps for a specific weight if I am going to be able to better achieve my goal. Of course, while I’d love to bench press 500lbs, that is not a reasonable goal for me right now, so I selected 315lbs for 4 reps and 225lbs for 10 reps instead!
  2. Keep track of your progress! It is always great to see how well you are doing along the journey. If you are trying to lose 10lbs in 6 weeks, maybe you want to weigh yourself every week. If you are trying to walk 5 miles each day, maybe you should get something like the FitBit to help you monitor your daily progress. Tracking your progress can be a great motivational tool as you strive to reach each goal.
  3. Reward Yourself! As you reach various milestones and your overall goals, be sure to take a minute to reward yourself. If you attach an award for reaching a specific goal or milestone from the outset, it can really help boost your overall motivation levels!

goal barriers

Let me know how your resolution journey is going thus far. Keep working at your goals, stay on track, and remain positive! In the end, you will thank yourself!

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Fitness Goals For 2012

January 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment (Edit)

Another year has come and gone, and now it is time to ramp up for 2012. While I found great gains and progress in my fitness routine in 2011, I still have a lot more that I want to accomplish. So, here are some of the goals I have set forth for myself!

Weight Training

Standing Alternating Bicep Dumbbell curls – lately, I have been getting 40 or 45lbs (per arm) for 6 or so reps, but I would like to at least get 55lbs for 8 solid reps.

Standing Alternating Hammer Dumbbell curls – ironically, my inside hammer curls are stronger than my regular dumbbell bicep curls; I am able to easily get 50 or even 55lbs for 6 reps, so I am looking to move that mark up to at least 65lbs for the same number of reps.

Bench Press – in 2011, my bench press started to show some added progress, and I expect that trend to continue. I maxed out at 315lbs for one solid rep, so I want to take that 1-2 rep maximum up a notch to 350lbs. This will be a tough task, but I am always up for the challenge. Also, I want to be able to rep out 225lbs for 10 super strong and slow reps and 275lbs for at least 6 solid reps.

Flat Bench Dumbbell Press – I saw some significant improvements and gains on this exercise in 2011. I am now up to 110lbs to 115lbs for 6 to 8 reps; hence, my goal for 2012 is to move that number up to 125lbs for at least 6 reps and make my warmup set of 10 reps grow to 100lbs (currently, I normally use the 85lbs or 90lbs dumbbells).

Angled Linear Leg Press Machine – you all know by now that I love my leg press machine! In 2011, I pushed my body to the max, and I even tried overloading the leg press machine’s sled (totally 1,723lbs) and struggled to push out 4 reps. Towards the end of 2011, I took about one month off the leg press machine and started integrating more squats. Overall, I am pleased with this, but I also found myself slowly progressing back up to 1,400lbs+ 6 rep sets. More importantly, I found myself a little weaker on my 20 rep dropsets (at 823lbs), so 2012 has to include more growth and progress as I look to get back up in the 1700lbs+ ballpark (but with better form and depth). Since leg routines are some of my favorite workouts, I want to set personal bests whenever and wherever possible! So, keep on me about this one!

Squats – as I mentioned above, I finally started reintegrating this powerful exercise back into my routine. While I had some level of success, my comfort level with this exercise is not exactly where it should be. I look to lock down my form even more and push my max to a new level. Ideally, I will be squatting at least 315lbs for 8 or so reps! It all takes time, but I am confident that I can knock this one out of the park!

2012 Fitness Resolutions CrossroadsCardio

Running – since I found out early in 2011 that the US 10K Classic was cancelled for the year, I found myself without the added motivation to hit the treadmill like I normally would have. I was out of town when the Peachtree Race came around, so that added to the lackluster amount of running I did in 2011. But, I look to probably be in town on the Fourth of July, so I will look into running the 10k. Furthermore, I need to add a few more races into the mix and challenge myself a bit more, so 2012 will include more cardio success. Plus, I am sure that my body will be pleased to have such a challenge!

Cycling – I love spin class, but I slacked a little bit during this past summer. Ideally, I still want to complete at least one spin class per week (on average). At the end of 2011, I got back into the mix and attended some one hour long spin classes. I plan to make this routine permanent and might even invest in some spin shoes just to be sure!

Wrap Up

Well, that is the bulk of my initial 2012 fitness goals. I will continue to look to eat cleaner (better) and work to lose a few percentages of fat while concurrently growing lean muscle mass. I currently weigh between 179lbs and 181lbs, I go to the gym six to seven times per week, and I feel great. If I gain more weight, it better primarily be muscle! Here’s to a ripped 2012. I wish you all great success in your fitness goals and would love to hear your top goals!

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Posture and Form – 2 Key Ingredients

October 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment (Edit)

When it comes to working out, you want to make sure that you are doing the exercises the correct way. I find myself walking into the gym and seeing a number of people trying to rush things and possibly trying to lift more weight than they really should be. Sure, I am certain that I have been a little guilty of this at times, but everything really comes down to making sure that you pick a good weight for the exercise that you are doing. AskMen.com reminds us that you risk injury when you improperly lift weights in the gym. Knowing your goals can be a great place to start. Do you want to gain size? If so, maybe you want to lift slightly heavier weights for fewer repetitions. Do you have all of the muscle size that you want and are simply looking to have that lean, cut look? Well, if that is the case, lower weight for higher repetitions is the approach that you should consider. But, either way you look at it, you need to make sure that you are focusing a lot of your attention on your overall posture and form. Doing exercises incorrectly does you no good at all; in fact, that just increases your risk of getting injured. No matter if you are a newbie in the gym or are a highly-dedicated and veteran gym rat, you need to make sure that you focus on doing each repetition of each exercise set with the correct form.

Improper Lifting Techniques are bad news

By focusing on form, you do a few things:

  1. You help reduce the risk of injury.
  2. You help your overall muscle-building or toning process.
  3. You help to improve your overall posture.
  4. You get much better results ~ achieving your goals faster!
  5. You don’t waste your time!

Sometimes, we all get to thinking that lifting extra heavy weight will easily get us to the finish line that much quicker, but, sacrificing the essentials like proper lifting techniques will only slow you down. Are you unsure how to properly complete an exercise? No problem. I recommend that you exhaust your resources – use Google and YouTube to search for lifting instructions and how-to videos. Also, ask a trainer and/or reputable bodybuilder at your local gym. Remember that reaching your fitness goals take time and hard work; you cannot put the right time in at the gym if you pull your back out by lifting improperly. So, keep that in mind the next time you want to take a shortcut on your next visit to the gym!

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Take Stress Out at the Gym

September 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment (Edit)

Did you have a long day at work? Are you frustrated with your boss? Did you children upset you? Did somebody in your family give you bad news today? Well, life certainly has a lot of difficult hurdles to jump over, but much of the question is how you handle adversity and stress. Some might bottle it up while others want to scream at the top of their lungs. Ultimately, you need an out! I highly recommend that you just try and release your stress, frustrations, and other negative feelings at the gym. I have found that that this is a great way to do just that! I have bad days from time to time, but keeping a positive attitude at each step of the way is critical to me reaching my short-term and long-term goals! If I bottle it all up inside, that is not good for me, and I doubt that it is any good for you. Certainly, there are times when you just want to choke somebody or yell at them, but taking out that aggression at the gym is both healthier for you and for your wallet! We do not need you building up the frustration until you find yourself about to explode on somebody one of these days; only bad things come from that sort of action. The great thing about fitness is that you can do so many different things. Maybe, you have a favorite sport to play. Do you like to run or cycle? Do you like to lift weights? Experts in the medical field have found that exercise is an easy way to alleviate stress! It is important that you find something positive to do in order to better manage that stress. If you do not, the overabundance of stress will have a negative effect on your body.

stress

Lastly, make sure that you are eating good, clean foods. If you are eating a lot of unhealthy foods, it is greatly possible that they might be hindering your ability to (optimally) manage your stress levels! In some cases, some foods are known to trigger more stressful moods; there is a link between stress and nutrition deficiencies!

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Fitness on the Fly

August 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment (Edit)

Everybody likes to take a little vacation every once in a while, right? I certainly do! That means, however, that you are probably going to be away from your favorite gym, and it also means that you probably are going to be busy having a lot of fun, thereby limiting the amount of time you have to get a run in or hit the weights. In many cases, you might be going to a vacation destination with few gym equipment options that are readily available and handy. So, what do you do? Well, I recommend that you get creative where and whenever possible! In a recent summer trip to Orlando, I found myself away from my full-size gym for one week, and I found myself on the go a lot too. What did I do? Well, I ended up doing the basics like pushups and crunches. Also, the resort we were staying at had a lazy river, and we went to the east coast (to Port Canaveral) to hang out at the beach. During both occasions, I found myself turning the swim and walking in the water into a workout! Guess what? It was fun… have you ever tried to run out into the ocean as fast and as far as your body would allow? Have you tried to fend off the waves by driving through the legs? I found this really refreshing; it was a nice little workout! However, I will admit that I really did not get as creative as I could and should have! Recently, I ran across a fitness fanatic (kind of like me) named Ross Yeager, the founder and creator of J&R Maximum Performance! He and his colleagues put together a simple YouTube video about this very topic (see quick video below)! It reminded me that, even when we do not have the gym available to workout in, we can still get a workout in. I recommend that you take a few minutes of each day of your vacation and come up with a little workout! Just make sure you have fun with it because fitness is supposed to be a fun (yet challenging) thing to embrace!

Great tips, guys! Also, I must quickly mention that your nutrition is just as (and probably even moreso) important. I know your (eating) options are a bit more limited at times on vacation, and you might want to just kick back and enjoy the tasty food that you might otherwise skip. I say… enjoy the delicious foods on your trip, but use some common sense along the way too. Picking your times to eat, when possible, can be a great way to keep the “damage” under control. Also, when possible, make sure that you are still eating smaller-portioned meals while on your getaway! Lastly, do NOT forget to drink plenty of water!! Okay, now that we have talked about vacations, I think it is time for me to figure out where and when I might want to vacation next!

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Winner, Winner, Cellucor Dinner!

August 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment (Edit)

Wow! What a day. Two weeks ago, I heard about this great contest that Cellucor was putting on. Basically, the person who referred the most people to like the Cellucor Facebook Page would win one free year of supplements. Since I have been using more of their awesome products (like C4, M5, and M5 2-in-1) lately, I felt that it was worth the shot. First, recommending this page to my workout buddies and supporters really was a no-brainer since I was sure that they would get some great use out of it and possibly find a Cellucor product that fits their fitness needs! Second, I have a great number of Facebook (and other social media network) friends; some are people I have known a great number of years and hang out with in person while others are virtual friends and colleagues I have had the pleasure to connect with in recent years! Overall, this contest was perfect for me because it integrated two of my biggest passions – social media and bodybuilding/fitness! Still, winning this contest wasn’t going to be easy, and I simply could not take for granted that everybody would just take time out of their busy days to lend me a hand. Of course, there would be a few moments wherein I would have to ensure some of my friends and colleagues that there wasn’t some form of catch to this contest (like so many others have)! Well, I have to say that I pulled out my social media toolbox and reached out to my great connections, and they certainly did not disappoint. For those of you whom I sent multiple requests to and filled up your Facebook message box in an effort to get an extra page like for this great supplement company (and to ensure you that my random message was not some hacker using my account maliciously), I appreciate your patience and understanding. For everybody who considered liking the Cellucor Facebook Page on my behalf, I am extremely thankful. And to everybody who had a moment to check out and like the Cellucor Facebook Page, words cannot give justice to my extreme gratefulness! At around 2:00PM (EST), Cellucor announced (on their Facebook Page) that I won the contest!

Dwayne Kilbourne wins Cellucor Contest

Cellucor Announces Contest Winner via Facebook (8/17/2011)

Lastly, I must let you know that I will not take this opportunity for granted, and I will not put this chance to waste. I plan to try out some of Cellucor’s new line of supplements along with some of the ones I love and use today, but I do not plan to just keep my results and thoughts to myself. Instead, I will be keeping you posted about what I think about various Cellucor products and stacks! So, please check back (or subscribe) to follow along this exciting 12 month journey! Again, thank you for all of your help and support… and for making this contest dream of mine a reality!

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Help Me Stay Fit Now That I’m 30!

August 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment (Edit)

Hey everybody, I turned 30 years old today, and I feel really good. You know me; I hit the gym everyday and sometimes twice on a rare occasion. Overall, I am doing pretty well, but I still have many fitness goals to go! My drive to succeed and reach my goals continues to stay strong, but I could use your help now that I’ve reached my thirties! Recently, some 140 of you who are friends with me on Facebook received this favor via Facebook message. Some of you may not have received my request just yet (but, if you did, please disregard for now)! Here is what I am asking your help for:

I just wanted to reach out and ask each of you for a quick favor… as you all pretty well know, I love to workout, and I hit the gym almost everyday! Currently, I am taking some awesome pre-workout supplements (C4 and M5) from a newer yet growingly popular company called Cellucor. After following them on Twitter and Facebook, I realized that they are giving away a free year of supplements to the person who gets the most of their friends and colleagues to like their Facebook Page. Normally, I would not go for such a contest, but I figured that I would give it a go! The Cellucor Facebook Page does not post a whole bunch of content, so liking their page should not bombard your news stream. Also, if you are into fitness or anything like that, their FB Page might offer you some new deals on supplements that might fit your needs and goals. The cut-off is August 15th; to enter myself into the contest, I have to send a list with the number of people who I referred, and they will then verify it via their FB Page, so I ask that, if you like their page, you do not unlike it until after the 15th of August! Here is the direct link to the Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cellucor-Sports-Nutrition/44829557651

So, I ask that you help me reach my fitness goals during this first year of my 30s. If you would like to help by liking this Facebook Page but are not currently a Facebook friend of mine, please send along a friend request (and/or email me at cellucorcontest@dwaynekilbourne.com) using the subject Cellucor FB Contest so I can be sure to flag and read those accordingly and so I know to add you to the list and get credit for the page referral!! Also, you can tweet me @dwaynekilbourne or simply shoot me a new FB message ~ whichever method works best for you is good for me! Of course, if you wish not to like their Facebook page, I certainly understand! No obligations! With your help, maybe I can win this thing. I am highly determined and will achieve everything I put my mind and action towards! If you do not mind and would like to help me win one full year of top quality Cellucor supplements, I would greatly appreciate it. Soon, I will be blogging about my recent experiences with the Cellucor line of products (whether I win or not), so I hope to provide some more insight soon! Well, after I pick up a new container of M5 at Max Muscle, I am heading out to the gym! I really appreciate all of your support, and thanks for your time, everybody!

Cellucor Supplements

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Fitness Finesse

July 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment (Edit)

The fitness battle is one that encompasses an entire lifetime. At each new turn, there are new challenges, and each of these challenges can be conquered with a little bit of hard work and dedication. Recently, I was privileged and pleased to be able to take a vacation to Orlando, Florida, with my loved ones. As most of us know, vacations tend to be a relaxing yet busy experience, and that was certainly the case for us! While we only scheduled two days for the amusement parks and one day at the beach, the remaining four days flew by so quickly that we really did not have any time to get over to the fitness center. For me, I appreciated the break from the typical (daily) grind at the gym, but the vacation is now over, so it is time to get back into the swing of things. Looking back, I recommend that you take a day off here or there or at least switch up the routine to keep fitness fun, exciting, and fresh. At the end of the day, fitness is a long-term life commitment, and it requires some finesse, persistence, determination, self-motivation, and dedication. Getting burned out along the way is a common frustration for many, so be sure to change things up from time to time and certainly give your body time to heal. Furthermore, be sure that you are feeding your muscles and getting adequate and consistent sleep each day. The fitness battle is long and tiring, but the fruits of the victories are well worth the time and effort; good luck and keep up the good work!

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Don’t Give Up On Fitness Goals

June 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment (Edit)

Why is it that so many people give up so easily? I was exercising in the gym last evening during my 2 hour and 15 minute legs/triceps/abs workout, and I noticed that the gym was not crowded. In reflection, I recalled just how busy the gym was at the beginning of the year. Yet, at the halfway point of 2011, the number of people working out at the gym on a Thursday evening had diminished. This is unfortunate, and this is a sad observation to make. I want everybody to live a healthy lifestyle and reach their goals. Have you kept up your progress towards your fitness goals? As we all should know by now, fitness is a lifelong endeavor; it’s a lifestyle and not a hobby, and the results do not show up overnight. Attaining these fitness goals take time, effort, dedication, attention to detail, and hard work!

Alexander The Great was quoted to have said the following:

“There is nothing impossible to him who will try.”

Try! And try again! But, we all need to maintain that motivation and drive in order to get to the finish line. So, here are five straight-forward tips to get you back on track:

  1. Set Measurable Goals: Do not just say that you want to lose weight or grow muscle; be specific and be able to measure your progress! For example, one of my goals for this year was to leg press 1,600lbs (which is measurable) instead of just wanting to get my legs a little stronger!
  2. Set Reachable Goals: If you are bench pressing 150lbs today, it might not be wise to set a goal of 300lbs by the end of the calendar year. Sure, 300lbs on the bench press might be a solid long-term goal, but you need something real for the short-term!
  3. Build Milestones: Reaching your goal might take you six months to achieve, or it might take you a few years, so you need milestones along the journey in order to be able to measure your progress (see tip #1). I would love to bench press 350lbs, but that is 100lbs greater than my maximum, so I should place a few milestones along the way to keep me on track.
  4. Reward & Reinforce: When you reach a milestone, reward yourself; reinforcement of your achievements is a great motivational tool! There’s nothing wrong with allowing yourself to spurge once in a while; maybe, you want to buy an outfit when you lose 10lbs or a new pair of shoes.
  5. Set a Manageable and Fun Routine: Consistency is the key, and your body is extremely smart, so take a few minutes or an hour to plan out how you are going to achieve those awesome goals that you have set. Make sure that the routine is realistic; scheduling 2 hours in the gym every evening might not be realistic for most. Lastly, make it fun so you will be motivated to stick with it and to give it your very best!

You cannot achieve your fitness goals by quitting, and we all are going to go through a few slumps. We’re all in it together, and we can achieve whatever we set our minds to; we just have to hang in there and keep giving it our best effort!

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