Adonis Complex

yo yo yo .. recently bought the domain: http://www.adoniscomplex.com .. i dont know where I wanna take the site .. but I am excited to have options

the term Adonis Complex was coined by Harvard psychiatrist Harrison “Skip” Pope Jr .. it is used interchangeably with Muscle Dysmorphia

“muscle dysmorphia is a disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with the idea that he or she is not muscular enough. Those who suffer from muscle dysmorphia tend to hold delusions that they are “skinny” or “too small” but are often above average in musculature. Sometimes referred to as vigorexia, reverse anorexia nervosa or the Adonis Complex, muscle dysmorphia is a very specific type of body dysmorphic disorder” (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_dysmorphia)

been reading about the disorder for a minute now .. about three weeks .. it lead me to start reading articles on steroids .. then lead me to the book: The Adonis Complex: The Secret Crisis of Male Body Obsession .. i really wanna cop it .. maybe over the weekend!

so do I make the site a place where people (parents, kids, and adults) come to learn more about Muscle Dysmporhphia? or maybe a social environment where people come to help each other cope with the disorder? or take it in the opposite direction and make the site a weight training page that helps you reach the Adonis Complex (with different exercises and supplements)?!

lots of different forks in the road .. there are probably tons of other options that I havent even thought about!! so lets hear em in the comments .. what am I missing? where do you think I should take the site?

Like Barack Obama said .. “It’s Time for a Change”

what do guys shoot for .. sheer power and size? .. or is it symmetry and definition?

when i was 227 lbs at 6 feet .. i went for power and size .. it made sense .. there was no way that I would be able to show off definition because of my body fat .. but now I am at 185 lbs still 6 feet .. even though i wish i could be 6 foot 2 sometimes .. at this weight I am still able to push the same weight as before .. i bench 6 sets 6 reps at 205 lbs with 90 second rest intervals .. and as i started to include squats, core exercises, and two mile runs to my regiment i started seeing some real solid definition .. but i’ve come to realize that my left half of my body is smaller than the right side!

nothing new right? women usually complain about it when it comes to their breasts .. one is always bigger than the other .. its natural .. my problem is not only my pectoral muscles .. but my shoulders .. biceps .. and triceps .. its my own fault though .. i was always told to work out with dumbbells .. for everything: chest, back, shoulders, bi’s, and tri’s .. but i never listened .. and for almost two years barbells and machines became my best friends .. now here i stand .. looking at myself in the mirror on the daily .. wondering how I am going to fix this problem

i am taking it one step at a time .. right now i am changing my arm exercises to all dumbbell work outs .. isolating each arm and working out the bicep, triceps, and shoulder .. i’ve talked to a number of people about it and got great tips and exercises recommended .. i’ve also read endless articles on www.menshealth.com and www.askmen.com .. i’m a little scared though .. just because i might not get the form down correctly my first time up .. and i might start losing strength and size while trying to build a more symmetrical body .. but i am hoping for the best

summer is around the corner .. and my new goal is symmetry and definition

What Makes a Good Spotter?

“Ey Yo, you mind spotting me right quick?”

A phrase you are bound to hear at least once a week, if you lift .. but what makes a good spotter? .. that’s like asking, “what makes a good burger?” .. answer: it depends on what you like

personally .. i want to know that i had to use a spot as a last measure to finish my rep or get through a set without getting hurt .. honestly, i hate asking for a spot .. it means that i believe that i will not be able to do the required amount of reps to finish the set .. apart from that, it takes away from the other persons time at the gym and screws up their rest intervals or holds them up from getting to a newly available dumbbell or bench

with that .. when i do use a spot .. i want him to let me do as many as i can by myself and to only help me when im stuck at the same position for at least a solid second .. the spotter i absolutely dislike .. is having him holding the bar through all 6 (or whatever you do) reps through my set .. if your gonna do that then I would be able to crank out like 12 reps .. thankfully i run into one of those once in a blue moon .. the one that’s most common is the spotter that lets you get through your first few then as soon as he sees you struggling .. he is quick to come in and just pull the bar off over your chest or head .. that doesn’t work either .. i asked for a spot because I believe that i can do them all .. and i might need some help not someone to come and rescue me

thankfully .. i’ve had some amazing spotters .. guys that let you go through your first few then as soon as they see u struggling they encourage you .. tell you, “keep going” .. “all you” .. “keep pushing” .. while not even touching the bar .. and when they see that there is no way you are gonna do it on your own .. they get at the bar .. but barely touch it .. sometimes with just their finger tips .. encouraging you along the way .. during this time you hate the spotter .. you just want the bar back on the hangers but they wont let you off that easy .. they know you have it and they let you get it .. afterward, your muscles are tight and sore .. the feeling of achievement .. that’s a good spotter

i’ve learned from all that .. i’m the guy that if you tell me your shooting for 6 then imma let you do 6 .. and watch over you .. but imma respect your decision and if you said 6 then give me 6 .. i wanna say that i am known for the phrase .. “keep on going .. you got it .. im not gonna help you .. i swear to God that i will let this weight drop on you” .. just like a lifter uses a spotter as a last resort .. a spotter should touch the bar as a last resort .. respect the lifter and let them achieve their goal with little to no help from you

a spotter has a lot of responsibility .. the lifter entrusted you with his goals that he wants to achieve .. and to an extent with his life .. cause if 205 lbs or 225 lbs comes crashing down on your chest .. i am sure that will do more than just crack a few ribs .. the spotter needs to know what they can and cannot help in .. ive had a guy ask me to spot him as he was pushing 225 lbs over his head on the military press .. scared that i would let it drop or it would fall .. when i saw him struggle .. i “yanked the shit outta the weight” .. that’s what i told him .. yes, i was a bad spotter .. i should have just told him that i didnt feel comfortable doing it myself .. apart from a lot of weight .. i had a guy ask for a spot as he was pushing 70 lbs dumbbells in each hand .. not a lot of weight .. but you should know spotter a bar is WAY different than spotting dumbbells .. and i can honestly say that I am a horrible spot when it comes to dumbbells .. where do you work from? the elbows? the wrists? i dont know .. and still dont .. but i tell ppl .. hey im a bad spot with dumbbells .. and ask them where they want me to help from .. don’t get me wrong .. it takes two to tango .. the lifter has a good amount of responsibility as well

the lifter knows how he likes to be spotted .. so tell em .. let them know how you want it .. how many you are going for .. on what rep you plan on needing help .. and if you will need help with a “lift off” .. a lifter cannot expect a spotter to read his mind .. good communication will ensure that you get the most out of your session

In N Out Double Double Fried Onions with Cheese .. that’s what makes a good burger!

Harbinger Big Grip with Wrist Wrap

I’ve been through my fair share of lifting gloves .. from my first pair of simple Harbinger leather gloves that were given to me by my pledge brother Mark .. to my current pair the “top of the line” Harbinger Big Grip with Wrist Wrap

My first pair were really simple Harbinger gloves .. leather front and nylon back .. no wrist support .. i loved them!! not only because they were a gift from my pledge bro .. i looked up to him and his weight lifting work ethic .. but because they they did everything i could ever want .. from protecting my palms from calluses to giving me a sense of newfound strength

After months of lifting .. thats hundreds of pounds over your chest and head .. the body builds muscles ..  but that doesn’t mean your indestructible .. I soon found out that my wrists could no longer keep up .. it wasn’t that the weights were too heavy too lift .. it was that my wrists couldn’t support the weight to keep proper form .. even worse was the sharp pain that shot from my wrists .. this lead me to a new pair a gloves the Harbinger Classic with Wrist Wrap

My second pair of gloves were amazing .. the stretched from the lower part of my wrist to the middle section of my fingers .. again all leather fronts with nylon backs .. and a wrist wrap the .. wrapped around my wrist! I love them .. the support was amazing .. i was back to pushing more weight than before .. and they looked so cool when i matched them with my work out clothes .. i used these for months on end .. they took a good beating before they gave out on me

Now .. for the next 8 months in my life i stopped lifting weights and working out in general .. spent mad time with the girlfriend at the time .. lots of eating out and staying in bed .. school and work picked up a good amount .. and lifting was just not on the top of my to-do list anymore .. by end of May i hit my worst .. 6 feet tall and 227 lbs

I looked and felt horrible .. my diet consisted of fast food for breakfast. lunch and dinner .. i had to change that .. i dusted off my second pair of lifting gloves .. the ones i thought gave out on me .. i washed them .. air dried them .. and breathed life back into them .. and with that .. i found  myself back in the gym .. by the end of June i was better .. 6 feet tall and 200 lbs

By far .. the Harbinger Classic with Wrist Wrap lasted me the longest .. almost two years of on and off use .. before they started to tear up from the sides of my palms and sections between my finger and thumb .. but i already knew which gloves would be next .. i called them the “robot gloves” .. the Harbinger Training Gloves with Wrist Wrap .. same style on the Classics .. but these were on steroids .. soft exterior, gel padding on the front, anti sweat lining .. i thought these were the best of the best .. they do not get any better than this .. they only lasted 6 months

I do not blame the gloves though .. in those  months .. I probably trained the hardest that i ever have in my life .. hitting the gym almost everyday .. switching up from upper body to lower body .. they were always in my gym bag and would only see the light of day when i took them out at the gym .. the gloves were amazing .. i felt i could instantly lift 100 more pounds on everything because of them .. they offer you a secure grip and a tight wrap around the wrists .. i couldn’t ask for me .. but after they started to rip in every section and the gel padding started to come out .. i knew it was time to look into new gloves

This is when i found that i wasn’t using the best of the best .. i found out that for the last 4 years of my life .. ive just been dicking around at the gym .. and that i was yet to start training .. i found the Harbinger Big Grip with Wrist Wrap .. the “Top Of The Line Lifting Gloves For Serious Lifters!” .. I got them mid January .. for the same price as my previous ones .. thats because everything is mad cheap on bodybuilding.com .. check em out .. from gloves to proteins .. first and last place you will look

I was so excited to use them .. i even left work early because i wanted to go see them .. i got home .. opened up the box .. and it was love at first sight

First day i used them .. didnt go as planned .. they were stiff .. the front part of the glove is rubber .. like tire rubber .. there is suede on the sides and wrapped in blue and black leather .. they hurt my hands .. the weights were fine .. nothing that i wasnt doing before .. but these gloves brought actual pain to my fingers and palms .. thats because the rubber would bend and pinch my skin 

I was a little disappointed .. but hopeful that they would get better .. second and third workout came .. and still .. the same .. at this point im thinking that they will not get better .. im looking into going back to my previous gloves 

Then .. i dont know what gym session it was .. I strapped them on .. nice and tight .. and to my surprise .. they fit like tailored lifting gloves .. hugged my every curve .. and i can honestly say .. these are the best thing to happen to me in the gym since i found out about whey protein .. i show them off to everyone .. “hey, check out my new gloves .. yeah feel right here .. yeah rubber” .. i am having a hard time looking for the right words to describe them .. its an amazing experience .. i guess it just took them sometime to break in .. just like any pair of running shoes or baseball gloves or cap .. i recommend these gloves to anyone that works out at least 4 times a week .. you will not be disappointed .. just break them in and soon enough they will be perfect

Turns out that Harbinger now makes the Harbinger Big Grip 2 with Wrist Wrap .. “The ultimate weight training glove for serious lifters” .. maybe these will be next in line for me .. but for now .. i will go back to my Big Grip with Wrist Wrap and dominate the weights on a daily basis

Hello WordPress!!

Hey! I’m Raul … student at University of Southern California … will add tons more when im not overwhelmed by school!