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Once a Bodybuilder, Always a Bodybuilder

Dan Grenemyer — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:30:50 +0000

I am a bodybuilder by heart and that is the way I have trained for the majority of my life. I did however compete three times as a power lifter and was able to get my lifts up to 400 bench, 635 squat and 625 dead lift. I found that when I went back to a bodybuilding routine I was stronger, felt more confidence and was actually in better shape because my muscles were used to lifting heavier weights. I grew quicker and gained more mass when I was back on a bodybuilding routine and being stronger and it was just fun. I find that sometimes when my lifts plateau or I just feel bored in the gym going back to a powerlifting routine can spark life back into my routine and I start looking forward to the gym and getting stronger again.

This type of routine is based upon a one rep max and should be used for bench, squat and dead lift—the three major powerlifting exercises. To do that you have to find your one rep max. I generally find the best way to max is to warm up very well and slowly increase the weight building no more than 50-90 lbs at a time per warm up set so that I do not wear myself out but warm up the muscle and then try a max for 1 rep. It doesn’t have to be exact but it is a good starting point to pencil into the charts to build strength. Try this out for 12 weeks see where it takes you and I bet you will be more excited to be in the gym, the change of routine will be a great way to test yourself, try something different and lifting heavy weight is always a great self confidence tool and a heck of a lot of fun. You can also take your 10 rep max and times it by 1 & 1/3 to get a good idea of your one rep max.

When doing powerlifting movements form is always # 1 and if you haven’t done powerlifting before it may be a good idea to stick to your current routine a little longer and modify it by adding in the powerlifting movements and practicing them before trying to go up in weight, and not starting the percentage based routine until your form is solid. I would have someone who knows the powerlifting movements ensure your form is right before increasing your weight and you must have a spotter on this type of routine. Belts are a must for squats and dead lift and I recommend powerlifting knee wraps as well. You may want to change up the rest days if your schedule works better another way.

When doing this type of routine proper rest is important, I would consume at least 1 gallon of water throughout the day, and good protein is absolutely vital to give your muscle what they need to recover before the next workout. So, it is essentially you take a protein shake within about 30 minutes after the workout. So stock up on your Blitz protein now as it will provide the quick absorbing whey isolate you need. Good luck, lift, eat, take your protein, get strong and grow.

Giving my bones and joints a break

Rick Hagen — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:25:31 +0000

Lots of reps

I changed my leg workout around to 15 to 25 reps. I still get the blood rush and the pump but as I get OLDER the joints and cracking of the bones are feeling the heavy workouts.

I still do a total of 5 exercise and now train quads and hamstrings in the same day. I like the over all feel of a full leg workout instead of half done workout. Meaning I want the pump and rush along with the soreness in one complete workout instead of waiting 3 days after my quad workout. My goal with the workout is to get deep cuts. If I lose a little size…oh well. I like my jeans to fit in the waist instead of the old days when you had to go 2 sizes up in the waist to fit your legs.

I have to look at longevity instead of just today. Otherwise all this heavy training will catch up to me.

On the Mend

Paul Vinson — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:11:14 +0000

Just when you think your diet and training is working for you and you start feeling better and looking better, you get hit from the blind side. Well that’s what happened to me.

After receiving my kidney transplant over a year ago. I had gained 40 pounds, benching 300 lbs., and feeling great. Then out of nowhere I started to feel tiered, couldn’t eat, didn’t want to train, didn’t want to leave my house, or do anything. So I go to my doctor and he finds nothing. I go to a different doctor. Same thing. After the 5th doctor he tells me to go to the hospital and he would meet me there and run some test. Two days in the hospital and I end up in ICU. 11 days later I come out of ICU and was told I had just gone through five different operations. I went in on Dec. 8th and went home Dec. 23rd. Lost 40 pounds and just walking to my car would leaving me out of breath.

So here I am having to put myself back together again. This is my second time in just one year. I can’t train yet. But I can eat. Already I have put on 20 pounds and feeling great. After going through this once before. I already knew what I had to do. At that’s were ProteinBlitz comes in. I am putting lean muscle back on as well as having a lot of energy. My doctors are more than surprised at how well and fast I am recovering. The reason I’m sharing this with you is to remind you of just how important exercise, rest, and diet is. Protein is a big part of a healthy diet. Whether you’re trying to gain muscle or lose fat. I strongly recommend ProteinBlitz. I know first hand that it works – I’ve been through it once and I will get through it again. It’s nice to know that there is a product out there that really works. It gives you hope knowing you can reach your goals that you have set for yourself. I will be the first to tell you to never give up and that there is help out there.

A Few Final Thoughts For The Year

Rick Hagen — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:01:45 +0000

I took the whole month of November off. I felt with all the injuries I had this year and finding out I have 1 kidney, I needed a break. I was way too stressed out! I started back in the gym December 1 and WOW, I haven’t been this sore in a while. But thank God our bodies remember and I stick to a clean diet all year around always: (3) meals and (3) Blitz shakes a day.

The goal this next year is to listen to my body and cross train. I think the body learns a routine and you get stuck. So it’s time to mix it UP!

Dan Grenemyer — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:41:27 +0000

I am finishing up another good week of training. I am now down to 327, thus far I have lost 23 pounds in just over a month of dieting. The BLITZ protein has provided a great high protein option with great results. I am focusing on low glycemic carbohydrates specifically yams, brown rice and oatmeal. I operate under the diet philosophy that spikes in insulin drive blood sugars into storage as fat. Instead of eliminating carbs from my diet I eat carbs that have a minimal impact on blood sugar levels, thereby reducing the insulin spikes. I eat plenty of protein, namely three BLITZ shakes or RTD drinks per day in conjunction with lean meat proteins as protein has a negligible impact on blood sugar levels. Bodybuilding is a sport that uses biology and scientific methodology to create a desired effect on our bodies. The goal being to remove as much fat from our bodies as possible while retaining the maximum amount of muscle. Our bodies are extremely adaptive. If we send the signals through working out with weights that we have a need for the muscle our bodies will retain that muscle. Through cardio we send the signals to our body to reduce the amount of fat we are carrying. I use BLITZ before and after all workouts because it provided the lean protein to supply my body and saves muscle from being used for my bodies protein needs. I find that the whey isolate protein used in BLITZ is effective in helping me maintain muscle mass while dieting. Isolate is a very refined form of whey protein, that allows for a very quick absorption rate allowing me to quickly supply my body with protein while dieting so that my body will retain the maximum amount of muscle possible.

20 Pounds Down…More To Go

Dan Grenemyer — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:23:22 +0000

This week was another good week of dieting and training. I am down to 330 lbs now; I have lost a total of 20 pounds. The keys to my success have been cardio to lose the fat, but using PROTEINBLITZ RTD’s right after a workout restores my blood amino acid levels and encourages my body to rebuild muscle and maintain my muscle mass. This really helps, especially when dieting. The Whey Isolate is perfect as it is the most pure and quickest absorbing protein.

I do moderate-intensity cardio on the eliptical or on the treadmill for 45 min to 1 hr. I try to follow the rule that I should be doing cardio hard enough where I can talk but can’t sing. I know it sounds weird, but it helps me find that perfect balance of enough intensity to burn fat without burning too much muscle due to overexertion. You have to do cardio hard enough to burn fat, but not so intense that you lose your hard earned muscle. For me on a treadmill that is just enough speed where I am walking fast enough that if I turned it up another notch I would be jogging. On the elliptical I use the talk-but-can’t-sing rule.

My brother Dustin Grenemyer and I are having a competition of who can lose the most weight while he is in the desert serving with the US Air Force. My Brother Darren Grenemyer and other family members, even my Mom, have decided this is great motivation to cut weight and get in shape.

Dustin has provided me an update of his progress using Designer Whey and the diet I follow. Here’s what he has to say:

I will definitely blog on my tour when I can! I will follow Dan in trying to get into competition weight! I am a national champion power lifter and am looking forward to grasp body building with Dan leading the way. I also use Designer Whey Protein I brought with me! Looking forward to this deployment and weight loss comp. I am currently deployed to the Middle East and am competing against my oldest brother Dan to see who can lose the most body fat. Dieting in a desert environment is a tougher challenge then one might think. Your mind is always on what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner with the high stress involved with keeping my eye on the bad guys over here versus the general comfort of home. The upside of things is you are constantly working, perspiring and burning calories. I am trying to eat as healthy as possible, but when the food is already prepared, it’s a hard mathematical calculation with many variables to consider on how much fat, protein, and carbohydrates you are taking in.

My diet consists of:

Breakfast: 4 egg Omelet & 1cup of oatmeal
First snack: Designer Whey Protein Shake
Lunch: 8 oz lean meat (Chicken breast, hamburger, tuna or fish)Lots of Veggies
Second snack: Designer Whey Protein shake
Dinner: 8oz lean meat & Lots of Veggies

This is working well so far with a weight loss of 9 pounds in two weeks. Only time can tell what an hour of cardio every night does to the fat cells.

- SSgt Dustin Grenemyer, United States Air Force

Down Another 3 Pounds…334

Dan Grenemyer — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 23:37:28 +0000

This week was tough as I was extremely busy with work duties which makes it very difficult to prepare the proper foods for the diet. I did lose another 3 lbs this week to drop down to 334. I can feel my clothes fitting better and I do feel really good about the progress I have made. I have been using a lot more Blitz RTD drinks when I am on the go to meet my protein needs. It gives me a quick burst of protein when I don’t have time to make a shake. The whey isolate in Blitz RTD and Blitz Powder is also perfect for after workout to replenish my muscles and provide them the building blocks they need to re-build and of course GROW!

My current workout schedule is as follows:

Monday: Chest 1 hr cardio

Tuesday: Back 45 min Cardio

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: Shoulders 1 hr Cardio

Friday: Arms 45 min Cardio

Saturday: OFF WEIGHTS 1 hour of Cardio

Sunday: Legs, calves and abs 30 min of Cardio.

If I am not losing the weight I want I will increase all my cardio to 1 hour, but never over 1 hour as I don’t want to switch into burning muscle. I may also increase my cardio to two sessions of 45 minutes to really burn the fat. Remember to drink your Whey before and after your cardio so your muscles have protein and your body won’t dip into your protein storages (your muscles) that is called catabolism and will shrink your muscles quickly. Do not eat carbs before cardio because your body will use the carbs you just ate for energy instead of dipping into its energy storages (fat cells) which after all is the goal!

Introducing Dan Grenemyer…ProteinBlitz’s Man with the Plan

Dan Grenemyer — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 20:57:02 +0000

In my second week of dieting I have lost another 5lbs., dropping from 342 to 337. It was not as dramatic as the 8 lbs. I lost last week as my progress was slowed due to being sick this week. I think being sick is a risk when dieting, but I stayed the course and did not regress back to unhealthy foods. I limited my cardio a bit while I was sick, but continued to eat healthy foods which for me includes yams, brown rice, oatmeal and lean meats (i.e. orange roughy, turkey, chicken, lean ground beef, lean steaks, etc). As a side note my preferred choice of red meats is 93% lean ground beef cooked on the foreman grill to remove excess fat or top sirloin as that is the leanest and best steak a bodybuilder can eat. I upped my intake of fruits and green vegetables to provide the vitamins and minerals to help me get over being sick and I also supplemented Vitamin C. I did cardio 3 days this week instead of 5 to allow my body to recover and reduced my cardio from 1 hour to 45 minutes. When I didn’t feel good enough to eat solid foods I made a BLITZ shake with strawberries and fat free yogurt which gave me lean protein and healthy probiotics to help me get over the cold. I ended the week at 337 down 13 lbs from starting my diet two weeks ago.

My diet strategy is as follows:

Upon Wake Up:
50 grams of protein from blitz powder
1 cup of oatmeal

Workout and 45 to 1 hr of Cardio
1 Blitz RTD Drink immediately after workout
1 serving of fruit (1 apple, ¼ watermelon or 10 strawberries)

Mid Morning Meal:
8 oz lean meat (turkey, chicken breast, or lean ground beef)
As much green vegetables as I want (broccoli, lettuce, green beans)

Lunch:
Large Salad with Vinegar and 2 cans tuna

Mid-Afternoon:

6 oz lean meat (turkey, chicken breast, or lean ground beef)
1 medium yam

Dinner:
Asparagus
1 cup brown rice
8 oz orange roughy, tilapia, mahi mahi or sword fish

Before Bed:
50 grams BLITZ Protein to feed my body’s protein needs throughout the night and a multivitamin.

Introducing Dan Grenemyer. PROTEINBLITZ’S Newest Blogger

Dan Grenemyer — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:41:47 +0000

I am 29, live in Lakewood, CO I am a former collegiate all-star rugby player and semi-pro football player. I was runner up for Mr. Northern Colorado. My weight goal is to cut down from my bulking weight of 350 STOP ( a little more than I planned to be) back to a competition weight and leanness of around 275. So my goal is to drop 75 lbs in the next 18 weeks and maintain my lean muscle mass. With Designer Whey on my side, I am confident I can do it.

I have started my diet plan, cardio and weight training using Blitz powder and RTD’s and I have already cut 6 lbs and am down to 344. I use the Blitz powder before and after workouts and the RTD’s when

I don’t have time or the capability to make a shake. I also use Blitz Protein before cardio to provide my body ample protein supplies so I can keep my blood amino acid levels high so my body will use the protein in my system instead of becoming catabolic and losing muscle mass.

FOR SIZE AND STRENGTH ONLY

Rick Hagen — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:40:16 +0000

I decided to go back to the old way of training this month - heavy weight and low reps. The goal is to control the weight, get a great stretch and get the blood moving.

When I start training like this I up my protein levels to around 400 to 500 grams a day and I don’t count carbs. For me my energy level should be more than enuff and have extra left over for a little cardio warm down (gotta keep the heart conditioned).

This type of workout is for SIZE AND STRENGTH ONLY!!