Daemon Cain Fitness

Looking for some before and after pictures from using my Bowflex? Click here.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Year End Muscle Shots


Upgrading my Bowflex:
I'm really still debating on whether or not to get a new Bowflex or go for something cheaper.
Don't get me wrong, I love my current Bowflex but I've maxed out on a few exercises like Bench Press and my machine cannot be upgraded.

Recording Workout:
Now, I don't get to do it often but every once in a while I record my training sessions. This helps me watch my form and assess my overall performance.

What has recording my sessions taught me? I have a bad tendancy to watch TV between sets. so I'm not fully maximizing my time. Also, I seem to add weight to quickly week over week and lose my focus on form.

Also, it's a great way to get lots of pictures to post on my blog!

I'm looking pretty chiselled if I do say so myself so for all of those people who say you can't get muscles using a Bowflex I have to disagree. My biggest problem area remains my mid-section. I'm really starting to wonder if maybe I'll just never be happy with it but I'll keep trying.

Since I won't be seeing you with the pending new baby I will post in the new year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Best Tricep Exercise

I've got a short list of tricep exercises that I really like:

French Press
with EZ-Curl

Dippy with added weight
Bowflex (progressive cable) Extensions
Tricep
Pushdown

Check out the full list of exercises and muscle groups here.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Promotion @ Work - Sprained Wrist - Latest Progress Pics

It's been a very busy past few weeks for me. I was recently promoted to Director and now have a pretty big staff and lots of projects that I'm responsible for. I think it's important to look the part too. I preach the "Always Be Your Best" mentality. That the more committed you are to your goals the more you'll achieve and the more satisfied you'll be when you get there. I practice what I preach and I live well, keep myself in shape and do my best to balance home and work while trying my best to be successful in everything I do. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone slips up and there's nothing learned if things are easy. Ultimately if we stay focused on our goals with a plan in place, they will be reached.

Between my baby's arrival fast approaching and looming year end deadlines at work I've had little time for blogging.

Daemon Cain 1 Year and 11 Months after starting a fitness routineThat being said, I've kept my as balanced as possible and I'm still working out. I've stayed dedicated to my nutrition, supplementation and exercise program and I've even tried to get some more cardio in which is my weakness because I generally find cardio boring.

Stupidly, in an effort to save on time, I skipped warm-up stretches and I sprained my wrist. I've been on a strict Bowflex (no free weights) and cardio until my wrist is fully healed. The Bowflex is great for this type of injury because the weight is progressive so I can still lift heavy but since it's a bowflex, the resistance is progressive. This is perfect for my sore wrist!!

Speaking of Bowflex's I've been thinking of upgrading mine. I love my Bowflex but I've currently maxed out the 210 lbs of resistance for my bench press and several other exercises. I think I'm going to aim for the Bowflex Extreme 2. If you happen to have that model tell me what you think.

Also, since New Year's is fast approaching, all of the fitness places are having great sales to cash in on everyone's new year's resolutions to get in shape. If you didn't get in shape this year it's a great time to get back on the wagon.

So almost 2 years later have I been successful at reshaping myself? Truth is, it's the mind that is harder to retrain.

My mental self-image is still of the fat guy I used to be 2 years ago. It's also challenging when you do focus on physical stuff to be un-biased. It's very easy to become overly critical. I still think my biceps and chest are too small or that my McBelly is too flabby. I guess we're never ultimately satisfied with what we have. Perhaps this is the fatal flaw in my methodology both at work and home. There is no such thing as "good enough", there's no such thing as "enough".

Still need to lean up a bit because I want more definition but it's getting there...