Now let the real training begin..
 

I'll give you guys a bit of a journey here into my past, while this is my first post, i suppose it's fitting as a you all seem to be a bit of an encouraging bunch. I'll start off by saying I'm 6'2" and I'm an ectomorph I'm surprised there are other people who know what that means. haha.

Here I am at about 190lbs in 1999 at what I felt was my peak(in looks anyway):

http://a381.ac-images.myspacecdn.com...c4badc66bc.jpg

Here's me in 2004 with my now ex-wife:

http://www.megpowersphotography.com/DSC_0004_BW.jpg

Because of my very broad shoulders and my overall density I did carry my weight rather well and still do. In that picture I was pushing 260lbs. I was still gaining weight then. I had a herniated disc in my lower back and was pretty much bed-ridden for 18 months.

Just over a year ago I started training Northern Shaolin Kung Fu at a local school. With no prior martial arts experience I had nothing to unlearn, no bad habits to work around and I've excelled greatly at my school. It also helps that I was training there for upwards of 16 hours/week. I hadn't ever thought I'd do anything athletic again, but it was the best thing I ever did. My first day I was tipping the scales at 302lbs.

These pictures of my progress at 8 months were a shock to me as I had not seen myself this way ever. I was still very self conscious about my body and when I finally had the courage to step in front of my own lens. At this time I was weighing in at 255lbs. But despite the weight, I felt light and strong. I still had the worst endurance of anyone at the school but for some reason I'd work twice as hard as anyone else.

http://www.dev-inspirestudios.com/ph..._gEccq-L-1.jpg

Unfortunately, I still have a bit of a belly, while I can finally see my wedding vegetables again, it's still a long ways off from being flat and firm. It also doesn't help that my abdominal muscles and pectorals have thickened thus pushing out the remaining fat, making it appears almost as though I've made no progress.

Now I look roughly the same I'd conjure except that I'm about 12 lbs lighter.

http://www.dev-inspirestudios.com/ph..._eWD7p-L-1.jpg

I conjure that has to do with muscle gain and fat loss combination. In my school we do our workouts in the proper order most times. Resistance training first, then interval training last. We do a lot of metabolic stress exercises which I love.

All that being said, I've been bigger than this muscularly IMO. But I most definitely haven't been stronger or more flexible.

So now this is when the real training begins. I'm here to learn and absorb and put into use the rest of the formula for making myself healthier and stronger. I know next to nothing about proper diet. I am here with humble regards for you all and your dedication to what you all do as it is really no different than my dedication to what I do and love. I really want to finish it off. My arms and legs and back are pretty lean, I just have the waste, stomach and chest area to burn the rest of the fat off and I'm golden. I have goals and motivation, now I just need the know-how.

Welcome vex, I'm glad to see you posting over here. There is a wealth of knowledge, and many people who are ready and willing to help on this site. Take a look through some of the stickies in the fatloss and training sections, there is so much info here it really is amazing.

How's the new dev-hack site coming along, I havent stopped in for a while, I'll have to make sure to do that soon. Good luck with the goals, looks like your on the right path so far.

Holy crap you know me? hahaha. well, the new dev-hack site isn't really getting rolling even in this third iteration. I don't get it. I was hoping that if I let the masses shape it it'd be come what everyone would want because I felt I created it too broadly the first two times.

Welcome to the site and good luck on meeting your goals. :weights:

Vex, what in the world would lead you to say you're an ectomorph?

Good luck on all your goals.

hahahah yup, I used to post on accordinglydone before I sold my car. You actually helped me a lot man, you turned me onto 1and1 for hosting, and helped me with a few things on my site (the one in my sig). I hope to return the favor here.

the dev-hack site is pretty awesome, you just need to market it, same problem I'm going to have with my site when its done.

Before the Marine Corps. and 2 marriages, i was 6'1" at 145lbs and could eat and eat and eat and eat... Very small bones for my mass as well. I'd be a wirey little guy if I cut and had no muscle mass. That's why I tend to weigh more than I look.

Good luck with your future gains and other accomplishments

Be that as it may, bro, you're not an ectomorph. They are not very good classification systems anyway since if someone looked at you at a heavier weight then they would "label" according to your weight gain, and not your skeletal frame. But broad shoulders and the ability to gain weight and muscle, period puts you out of that category. I used to weight 115 pounds and I'm not ectomorph either. Being 145 pounds but then at some point pushing 250 to 300, no way. It's just a label that people put on themselves but doesn't mean much.

It's become a completely ridiuculous thing. Basically you see a marathon runner and they're labelled as an ectomorph simply by being very slim or skinny. But if they were to train and eat differently, for a different goal, they could of course be labelled a mesomorph. The labels won't help you!

Just ask youself this, if you had never seen Jared holding up his fat pants....how would you label his bodytype?

Then I stand corrected, I believe I was going with my 8th grade health class definition which is what you just described to me as being the problem. Thanks for clarifying that.

The only reason I say it, Vex, is not to correct. I think there is a kernel of truth that people can have a certain body type. But most people do not easily fall into the type they are placed in. It's that I think it can tend to stand in the way of people's goals. You know it's the kind of thing that will cause people to think that their results are not mostly a consequence of their habits. A lot of skinny guys, for instance, who are having trouble gaining muscle are convinced they are eating tons of food but they are "ectomorphs". Then as soon as you examine their diet you find out their doing about 1500 calories. Just as an example. When I hear those terms the first thing I want to do is convince someone not to put up those types of barriers. :)

I never used that label as a limitation. I haven't set any limitations on myself in that manner. I understand that I'd have genetic limitations for size, but that's not what I'm truly after, I'm after health, strenght, and longevity. I do appreciate your concern though.

Well then good luck.

Hi Vexamus,


Here's an interesting little thing on Somatotypes if you're interested:

http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.p...7707.msg893482


I'm not sure if the author was correct here:

I always thought Sheldon originally mapped it on a triange, not a linear line. If so, then the end of his article doesn't really matter. Oh well, but it's an interesting and funny read anyways.

Good luck,
Jeff

I too used to believe I was an ectomorph. I was 6-1 and 145lbs when I was 17. At the peak of my training I got up to 210 lean. Now I am 225 and am trying to get back to my former self.

Welcome and goodluck!

Welcome VEX, great transformation so far... and Semper Fi my brother... Several of us Marines on here