Total Physique Online

The mind of the true Strength Enthusiast is unique.

Many Strength Enthusiasts do little outside the gym, giving the impression that we are boring, self-absorbed ego maniacs who can only get excited by the site of our own muscular reflection staring back at us. To be honest, I suppose in many cases that is a accurate description of most of the folks you find in health clubs all over the world, but these knuckle-heads are not Strength Enthusiasts. These unwashed masses make up a cadre of useless, sagging skin-bags I like to refer as Gym Rats.
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 The Wall [12:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

OK, granted, this movie/slideshow has nothing to do with strength training, but must we be so pigeonholed in life that we Ironheads cannot appreciate the finer things in life? Perish the thought!

What if you wanted to just relax after a brutal session, or meditate just prior to a set of PR Squats? What are you going to? Listen to Slipknot? Or maybe War Machine, by KISS? That might work for Gene Rychlak when he is trying to bench over 1000 lbs, and hey, that works for him.

But some of are are civilized, are we not? How about trying something different for a change.

Enjoy a relaxing trip though time, back to 2007, April, Charlottesville Virginia>

Winter Wonderland In April, 2007

If you use iTunes, you can download the below Podcast directly into iTunes by clicking the iTunes Button Logo at the bottom of the Right Sidebar on any page. From there you can get the episodes. Of course, you can view a smaller version of the movie here, at TPO either by downloading it or viewing it within the post. Gee whiz! So many options!

The smaller version below is viewable now.

 

 Winter Wonderland April 2007 [10:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I recently sent an email to a friend of mine. His name is John. John is older than I am, and a dear friend. I trust him, I look up to him. He has been assisting me since the ordeal of my life, which began some 6 months ago in Williamsburg Virginia. After I read the email I sent John, I felt that this web site was the perfect place to re-post it.
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I stood in the middle of the gym. All around me were thickly muscled lifters, power racks and benches. The gym was buzzing with activity.

As I recall, the benches and racks stood out like a sore thumb. This was some of the strongest looking equipment I had ever seen. The frames of the benches and squat racks were white, and the tubing that comprised the frames that formed the pillars of the racks and benches was thick and stout. Not surprisingly, the athletes in the gym were equally thick and stout, heavily muscled from stem to stern. What stood out the most about these athletes was their hands.
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Dave, our prayers are with you for a speedy recovery!! You are looking terrific!
Reprinted with kind permission from Laree and Dave Draper (thanks guys!)
From Dave Draper’s Post Column

Staying The Course

My very first job working for a gym was as the weekend manager for Vic Tanny’s on Journal Square in Jersey City, circa 1961. Friday they gave me a key and told me I started Saturday at 9am. Imagine, 19 years old and I’m already a gym manager… I’m on my way, I’m a cool guy. As I finished my workout that Friday evening I felt my lats and triceps assume a permanent flexed position — it sort of hurt, but it was the price one had to pay. Saturday morning I witnessed a miracle. I unlocked the prominent glass gym door at the top of the broad staircase and the gym was gone. Overnight. Where did it go? I did a series of 360’s with my mouth open and it still didn’t appear. Gone to the next county, no doubt. I didn’t need no stinkin’ gym job anyway.
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Life is a journey. I truly believe this. You and I are travelers. Our lives are the journeys we take. And while I am not a prophet or a mind reader, I am fairly certain that most people are not taking the journeys they want to be taking, or at the very least that want to add a few detours to their lives journeys - detours that they have long since given up on ever taking.

I am not one who believes in magical thinking, but I do believe that what we think and believe about ourselves and others largely impacts our lives. It therefore makes since to become more disciplined in our thinking.
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