And...Here...We...Go

[The Joker]

This post may offend some. Religious post below.

Austin, I was not judging. Definately not judging. I thought it was funny that I got shitty looks at a place where there is not supposed to be any judging.

My grandfather died of alcoholism. My wife is an alcoholic, sober for something like 15 years. My sister has been sober 11. My mother is an alcoholic. My mothers whole side of family is alcoholics.

I am not at step 1 yet. I am still thinking that I can control this. That my urge to drink is not as great as my WILL to keep my family. But apparently I will fail according to STEP 1= We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. So what the fuck?

Step 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." That Power is going to be my support system, ie my family and friends

Then comes Step 3- "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him." As I understand God, he is a loving God who lets crack babies be born. Let Austin be born to people that fucked him up so much he saw no OTHER to deal with his demon than to take a swan dive off of a 100' water tower on to concrete. And if you don't believe in him then you are going to burn forever. Doesn't sound loving to me. Religion TO ME is about Fear. Like I almost belief in God so I don't burn in Hell. Sound like something I want to turn my addiction over to? Not really. That is how I UNDERSTAND GOD (STEP 3). And I can't bring myself to read the bible because it was written BY MAN. See image.

This picture is funny.

Christianity seems to contradictive. And benefits the Rich.

So what I need to do is search for what I can ask for help and pray to spiritually. So those are my 2 hangs up right now. That I am apparently going to fail- that my will to succeed isn't good enough and that I need to figure out what my God is. People in my meetings talk about that when they started their God was a tree. Just something to prey to. SOMETHING! Other say that their God isn't their AA God. Good for them . I am not at that point.

I feel like if I accept that my will to succeed isn't going to be enough then how do I deal with other challenges in my life- if I am to accept I will fail? If I am going to fail at this how to do go forward with confidence and take on my other challenges?

[The Joker]

7/23
Back stuff

Chins
3 sets of slow 5

Rack deads- lowest pin in rack. mixed grip
5x135
5x225
5x275
5x315

Dead from floor- mixed grip. And no pain or discomfort.
5x135 X 5 sets

Pulldowns
6x170
6x190
6x200
5x210

Hyper extension
8
8 with 30lb bar on neck
8 with 30
12 bw.


Fun session Nothing special. Working on form and shit for my new program. Good times.

Next Monday I am training back with a BBer and the gym owner. We are going to lots of deads from the floor. Should be a good time.

[Austin_Bicep]

We all have our views. I was just making the point that AA is a group therapy, emphasis on the word "group," it's a community effort to help support everybody. Im just saying join the prayer even if it means nothing to you just to become more involved in the community atmosphere of the organization.

If you don't want to be involved, then maybe another AA group that doesn't pray is available, Im just saying these groups are successful because you got other people there to help you or share similar experiences with and not participating in some parts can make having buddies in there hard.

Just a suggestion though bro, I know you'll be fine.

[The Joker]

Hey I take no disrespect from your posts. It's all good brother. And I really appreciate the support right now. Maybe AA isnt for me. Maybe it is. My sister is coming down this weekend to hang out and we are going to go to a few meetings together. We are also going to a big party were I am going to have to control myself. But this Thursday will be 2 weeks sober. Which is pretty good!

I'm probably being stubborn and thick headed like usual.

[The Joker]

I am going to start deadlifting and squating. Squating tonight. I am pretty excited. I am taking on the mentality that I need to work through my back pain instead of let it dictate me and what I do.

I'm thinking that by doing more compound whole body movements my core and stabilizer muscles will be stronger and maybe, JUST MAYBE, my back pain will stop/decrease.

[Austin_Bicep]

I am going to start deadlifting and squating. Squating tonight. I am pretty excited. I am taking on the mentality that I need to work through my back pain instead of let it dictate me and what I do.

I'm thinking that by doing more compound whole body movements my core and stabilizer muscles will be stronger and maybe, JUST MAYBE, my back pain will stop/decrease.

Good luck. I read an article today about back pain. They said contrary to popular belief resting the injury and laying off it does more harm than good making the muscles there atrophy and become more stiff. Instead work through it and eventually you should be pain free again.

[TheKillerOfSaints]

i saw something in md about dbswings/kettlebell swings helping to aleviate back pain

[David Lees]

Hey I take no disrespect from your posts. It's all good brother. And I really appreciate the support right now. Maybe AA isnt for me. Maybe it is. My sister is coming down this weekend to hang out and we are going to go to a few meetings together. We are also going to a big party were I am going to have to control myself. But this Thursday will be 2 weeks sober. Which is pretty good!

Right on dude!!

[The Joker]

Good luck. I read an article today about back pain. They said contrary to popular belief resting the injury and laying off it does more harm than good making the muscles there atrophy and become more stiff. Instead work through it and eventually you should be pain free again.

I am coming to this conclusion. Thanks man. Too bad it took me 3 years to figure it out. At first I thought "well if inlay off it should heal" but it seem just like you said. The muscles have atrophied and are stiff as fuck. Time for Plan B.

[The Joker]

i saw something in md about dbswings/kettlebell swings helping to aleviate back pain

Hey KOS! Thank you for the suggestion!

[The Joker]

Right on dude!!

Thanks Dave. I appreciate it very much.

[The Joker]

7/24
Legs!

Squats
5 sets of 10 with 135.

These were not heavy at all. Just working on form because I am so rusty. I had the owner who is a PLer watch me for reassurance and I was spot on. I could feel it but just wanted another opinion. AND................... no back pain what so ever, though my left hamstring cramped for about 45 minutes.

Front Squats
3 sets 10 with 95lbs.

Same thing as with back squats. Just form checking and back checking. All is good.

Calf Press
4 sets 10 with 225

Abs.

Good shit. Excited for next weeks back day! Yeah buddy!

[ZyklonB]

This post may offend some. Religious post below.

Austin, I was not judging. Definately not judging. I thought it was funny that I got shitty looks at a place where there is not supposed to be any judging.

My grandfather died of alcoholism. My wife is an alcoholic, sober for something like 15 years. My sister has been sober 11. My mother is an alcoholic. My mothers whole side of family is alcoholics.

I am not at step 1 yet. I am still thinking that I can control this. That my urge to drink is not as great as my WILL to keep my family. But apparently I will fail according to STEP 1= We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. So what the fuck?

Step 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." That Power is going to be my support system, ie my family and friends

Then comes Step 3- "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him." As I understand God, he is a loving God who lets crack babies be born. Let Austin be born to people that fucked him up so much he saw no OTHER to deal with his demon than to take a swan dive off of a 100' water tower on to concrete. And if you don't believe in him then you are going to burn forever. Doesn't sound loving to me. Religion TO ME is about Fear. Like I almost belief in God so I don't burn in Hell. Sound like something I want to turn my addiction over to? Not really. That is how I UNDERSTAND GOD (STEP 3). And I can't bring myself to read the bible because it was written BY MAN. See image.

This picture is funny.

Christianity seems to contradictive. And benefits the Rich.

So what I need to do is search for what I can ask for help and pray to spiritually. So those are my 2 hangs up right now. That I am apparently going to fail- that my will to succeed isn't good enough and that I need to figure out what my God is. People in my meetings talk about that when they started their God was a tree. Just something to prey to. SOMETHING! Other say that their God isn't their AA God. Good for them . I am not at that point.

I feel like if I accept that my will to succeed isn't going to be enough then how do I deal with other challenges in my life- if I am to accept I will fail? If I am going to fail at this how to do go forward with confidence and take on my other challenges?

Even though I'm very religious and believe in God, I don't take offense by your post...your questions are common enough. Asking how could God allow crack babies to be born or allow bad things to happen seems logical on the surface.

But if you believe in God and the Bible, NOT what organized religion teaches per say, you will see that from the beginning, the human race sinned and therefore introduced pain and suffering into this world. We were born with freedom of choice, God did not make us as robots and therefore there are causes and effects from our actions. Satan (evil) loves it when we fail or when we question the Creator, b/c his greatest achievement would be to make you believe that since there is sin in the world, then there can be no God.

God in his fairness and wisdom allows us to make our own choices and he cannot prevent sin because Satan would then point to the fact that God is controlling our destiny and therefore we are not free at all but slaves to him.

In reality God/Jesus wants all mankind to live forever by accepting Jesus as his/her personal savior. Once you do that it doesn't mean your life will be perfect or without pain. But it does mean that you have a future in eternity vs this mortal life being the end of the road.

For me knowing and believing in Jesus and heaven gives me hope and light in a world that sometimes seems so dark.

The search you are on can go down many roads, you many never end up going to church on Sunday and being that typical Christian. God doesn't need that...God doesn't require you to complete a checklist of A-Z in order to get to heaven or even be saved. He just stands at the door of your heart and knocks. It's up to you to talk to him, no strings attached.

And yes the Bible was written by man, but it was inspired by God. Faith in Jesus is not about Fear, it's about Redemption.

Good luck on your journey bro

[David Lees]

7/24
Legs!

Squats
5 sets of 10 with 135.

These were not heavy at all. Just working on form because I am so rusty. I had the owner who is a PLer watch me for reassurance and I was spot on. I could feel it but just wanted another opinion. AND................... no back pain what so ever, though my left hamstring cramped for about 45 minutes.

Front Squats
3 sets 10 with 95lbs.

Same thing as with back squats. Just form checking and back checking. All is good.

Calf Press
4 sets 10 with 225

Abs.

Good shit. Excited for next weeks back day! Yeah buddy!

EXCELLENT! you must be stoked with no lower back pain. My squatting days are over...I've gone back so many times determined to squat without pain and well, you know the story. I am getting great results with what I am doing so finally made peace that I don't need to squat to have good legs. More power to you J!

[woodswise]

Bud, I am right there with you on the Bible and God. But Austin is right. Find a group that you can work with. This will be easier with people to talk you through it. You are such a great guy, any group that isn't hung up on small things will be glad to have you there participating, regardless whether they all agree with your point of view.

This post may offend some. Religious post below.

Austin, I was not judging. Definately not judging. I thought it was funny that I got shitty looks at a place where there is not supposed to be any judging.

My grandfather died of alcoholism. My wife is an alcoholic, sober for something like 15 years. My sister has been sober 11. My mother is an alcoholic. My mothers whole side of family is alcoholics.

I am not at step 1 yet. I am still thinking that I can control this. That my urge to drink is not as great as my WILL to keep my family. But apparently I will fail according to STEP 1= We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. So what the fuck?

Step 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." That Power is going to be my support system, ie my family and friends

Then comes Step 3- "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him." As I understand God, he is a loving God who lets crack babies be born. Let Austin be born to people that fucked him up so much he saw no OTHER to deal with his demon than to take a swan dive off of a 100' water tower on to concrete. And if you don't believe in him then you are going to burn forever. Doesn't sound loving to me. Religion TO ME is about Fear. Like I almost belief in God so I don't burn in Hell. Sound like something I want to turn my addiction over to? Not really. That is how I UNDERSTAND GOD (STEP 3). And I can't bring myself to read the bible because it was written BY MAN. See image.

This picture is funny.

Christianity seems to contradictive. And benefits the Rich.

So what I need to do is search for what I can ask for help and pray to spiritually. So those are my 2 hangs up right now. That I am apparently going to fail- that my will to succeed isn't good enough and that I need to figure out what my God is. People in my meetings talk about that when they started their God was a tree. Just something to prey to. SOMETHING! Other say that their God isn't their AA God. Good for them . I am not at that point.

I feel like if I accept that my will to succeed isn't going to be enough then how do I deal with other challenges in my life- if I am to accept I will fail? If I am going to fail at this how to do go forward with confidence and take on my other challenges?