It’s been a few months since I’ve decided to get into bench pressing at the gym full time and I’m glad I did. I’ve been noticing more chest development lately because of it. When you see all those so called “experts” claiming benching doesn’t give you chest development… don’t listen to them ’cause they’re full of it. Bench appears to be working for me ’cause I feel my chest getting slightly bigger each time I do it. My chest muscles are feeling sore the day after I do bench so I must be doing something right. When I take my shirt off, I’m noticing that I’m finally starting to look like a bodybuilder a little bit.

I used to never like benching in the past but it really grew on me and I’m loving it now, I think. They don’t call it the king of all workouts for no reason ’cause it really is. They call it that ’cause it’s the best chest developer. You want monster pecs like Arnold had during his Olympia years, the bench press will do that for you.

Yeah, yeah, people always speculate that to get big pecs: “steroids”, “steroids”, “steroids”. *yawn*… I’m tired of so called experts always assuming that steroids gave them that big physique. We live in an age now where every successful bodybuilder gets accused of “steroids” and it’s unfair, in my opinion. You can’t always speculate that. That’s all it is speculation. They’re quick to judge that it’s “steroids” without any proof to back it up. Truthfully, when successful bodybuilders get accused of “steroids”, the person that accused them that is just jealous, in my opinion. They just want the physique that he has so they scream “steroids” ’cause they aren’t happy with their own physique.

I believe it’s definitely possible that you can look like a young Arnold, Lou Ferrigno, Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Phil Heath and many others naturally.

I’ve got a built physique some and I never juiced up at all. I’ve got a built physique quicker just by training hard with intensity, strict eating and lots of resting. If you do all three, you’ll look like Arnold in no time. To me I don’t think it’s a slow process to get a jacked body, it’s just a myth going on out there. It’s definitely possible to get a jacked physique quickly.

I’m going to keep benching for the rest of my life, I think. Definitely will. I’m not a heavy bencher yet but would like to be. I’m not gonna rush. Just gonna take my time. The more I lift on bench, the stronger I’ll get so I just gotta keep lifting and lifting. I am noticing I’m getting slightly stronger on the bench already so I’m at a good start.

Benching is awesome. Don’t listen to those who are critical of the bench press.

Kev

I think this is a pretty important video that all weight-lifters and gym rats must watch. I see too many lifters in the gym never lifting weights that feels right for them… that’s why you see so many in the gym working out in horrible form. They always lift so heavy aka ego-lifting… lifting weights they can’t handle.

This guy here gives advice that if you do reps in good form at first and when you get out of your good form, that’s how you can tell that it’s not the right weight you need to lower it a bit. If you work out in bad form then it’s probably too heavy for you.

Most gym-rats and lifters don’t ever want to listen to this advice ’cause everybody wants to lift heavy. There’s nothing wrong with lowering the weights that makes you feel comfortable ’cause I’m starting to do that with all my workouts. I just figured out why my form is bad on some stuff ’cause admittedly, I’m guilty of ego-lifting too but no more of it. Yeah, I’m definitely guilty of ego-lifting but we all are.

I need to work out in good form in all my workouts so I can get a full contraction and hit the right target. You’re not going to get a full contraction by lifting weights you can’t lift in bad form.

I see so many working out in horrible form, it’s crazy. I made a vow a long time ago that I will workout in good form in everything I do.

Good form is important ’cause it’s part of safety and injury prevention. If you lift heavy and in bad form, you’re going to get injured. You could get some nasty strains, pulls, tears and all that stuff. It’s going to hurt bad and depending on how serious the injury is, it could take you out of bodybuilding for a pretty long time.

Admittedly, I’ve had a few injuries in the past before but they weren’t that bad. I’ve gotten some strains here and there but nothing that will get surgery on. If you wanna know why so many lifters in the gym get injured so much it’s ’cause of all the ego-lifting they do. It’s hilarious to me that so many guys that workout in the gym, always lifting heavy and they don’t think an injury will happen.

Lift responsibly and safely which a lot of people never do. It’s okay to lower the weights some if you feel it’s too heavy. I’ve been doing that a lot lately. Leaving your ego at the door is the best thing you could do.

That’s a great video that I think should get a lot of views.

Kev

Yesterday, I went to the Saratoga Springs YMCA just to go to a different gym and see what the main YMCA looks like. Now that the YMCA memberships are good for ALL branches around this area, I decided to finally check out the Saratoga Y.

This building is a much nicer facility than the one in Greenwich. The Saratoga Y is a two floor building with plenty of things to do. Of course, the place has a much larger weight room and much larger cardio machine room. The building also has an indoor swimming pool, an indoor basketball court, an indoor running track which is upstairs, a cafe and all kinds of things. I think I’ll go to the Saratoga Y a lot more often ’cause it’s a really cool place.

As for the indoor swimming pool they have there, I haven’t used yet but will some other time. Only thing, I’m not the best swimmer in the world but I could be better. That’s why I want to go to that Saratoga Y ’cause I’m hoping to learn how to swim better. I want to learn to swim really good so I’ll work on trying to get a swim instructor if they’ll let me hire one there hopefully.

Anyway, here’s me taking a few quick mirror selfies in the big locker room at the Saratoga Y. I’m finally getting some chest development which is nice and got a full six pack going like I’ve been saying. I’m starting to look like a bodybuilder finally. I like what I see now but still got a lot of work to do, though.

I improved my chest by doing both the pushing and squeezing movements. Doing presses and flies will do it. How did I get visible abs? Well good eating for one…. abs are made in the kitchen like they all say. Plus weight training, stretching, planks and yoga got me the abs too.

To get a ripped physique takes three things: train hard, eat right and lots of resting. Do all of that, you’ll get ripped.

Kev

There’s a misconception out there that bodybuilding with scoliosis makes the spine curves even more when doing weightlifting in the gym. Does weightlifting makes the spine a lot worse like a lot of people claim? There’s no scientific proof on whether or not it does and realistically, weightlifting doesn’t damage the spine even more. No matter how heavy you lift, it won’t damage the spine.

Why? Simply because all the muscles on your back that surrounds your spine, helps protect your spine. The more muscle you build, the more it protects the spine. The muscles is kind of like a shield, ya know? A protective shield so that your spine won’t bend even more. I got the Harrington rod fused to the spine so my spine is made of metal — got the major surgery to that done when I was 11 years old, I think.

I understand how people get worried of those with scoliosis lifting weights in the gym but really, there is nothing to worry about. Lifting weights for scoliosis is very good in fact. Weight lifting won’t damage the spine at all.

When I first started lifting, I had doubts, worries and even scares but I’ve been working out for 10 years or a little more and I haven’t had anything bad happen to me yet. I haven’t had my spine bend, snap or even worse break. Nothing like that happened at all and probably will never happen. That’s what the muscles on your back are for. They protect the spine, I think. I don’t see how weightlifting makes the spine a lot worse.

I remember once a long time ago, I went to the doctor to see if weightlifting made the curve a lot worse and he said no, not at all. So there you go.

I’m perfectly good with weightlifting in the gym and I can do all the heavy lifting all I want. Deadlifting is the best exercise for the back so if you have scoliosis, don’t be afraid to deadlift, bench press, squats, etc. In the past, I avoided deadlift, bench press and squats ’cause I was worried if they would worsen my spine more but now I’m seeing that won’t be a problem. I can do all that stuff all I want now.

No matter what you think of people with scoliosis with or without the Harrington Rod, you gotta give them kudos for working out in the gym anyways. People worry about me all the time when I go to the gym. It’s annoying but I’m willing to deal with it and won’t listen to anyone. I just do what I want to do in life and do my own thing.

After all the heavy lifting that I do in the gym after all these years, I feel real good and haven’t felt better. I’ve been lifting for a long time and I’ve got a good enough physique and people still want to worry about me. I haven’t had any serious injuries and never got sent to the hospital over the years. I might have had a few muscles strains here and there once in a while but nothing that will hurt the back. My back is really jacked and wicked strong so I don’t see how it could worsen the spine. I’m okay, really I am.

Kev