A New and Lazy Society

Have you ever really sat back in the past little while, and thought of what has become of our society? Sure, many people would look around and say, “We are technologically advanced, and in an age of prosperity.” However, that is only looking at one part of the account. Having such an advanced technological society in things such as electronic devices, people are becoming lazy and out of shape. This is caused by the need for higher education due to the technology, the increase in past time electronics such as gaming devices, and the rise of hand held devices like cell phones and MP3 players. Overall, these seem like harmless devices, and they are; if only we were smart enough to find a happy medium.

At first, many may think, “A higher education, how could that be bad?” ill tell you how. The rise in technology has been the basis of many new discoveries and innovations. Due to this, we need a higher level of education, and often more, to meet the necessary requirements of society today. More work and studying means one thing; less time to do everything else! Between work and school, how are you supposed to find the time to exercise and eat right? Often times, people are forced to eat out at fast food restaurants, and exercise is out of the question, other than walking from class to class. Is this really what people were meant to do, sit in a chair for eight hours a day, studying? I think not! People spend 90 percent of their time sitting around doing nothing but move a pen, or type on a keyboard. There is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the leading causes for people gaining 20 percent of their bodyweight after post secondary, and it usually isn’t lean body mass!

One of the more evident causes of laziness in our society is now one of the biggest industries in the world, that’s right, the gaming industry. How many commercials do you see on TV for the newest game console, or game? These industries have this generation right where they want them; at home on the couch playing video games that are often purchased at ridiculous prices. Some people’s lives revolve around these games. It seems that is much easier to hit a home run, or score a goal in a game rather than go outside and do it yourself. It is becoming obvious that as more and more people go inside for gaming, the less people go outside. This is surely one of the major contributors to today’s unfit society, and will likely continue to worsen as the technology advances.

Perhaps the most noticeable of all technological changes in the past few years has been that of the cell phone, and portable audio devices. Almost everyone has one. The question is does this technology enhance or enslave us? I think the answer is that it enslaves us. People can no longer get away from phone calls and instant messaging. And then there are the brainless Mp3 players; which people will spend hours upon hours listening to. What ever happened to interacting with people? Not only does listening to music hour upon hour make you increasingly indolent, but furthermore, when people are hearing lyrics in today’s music like “I’m gonna knife ya sista” , it doesn’t necessarily help to bring up the people of tomorrow. In general, these pieces of technology can be used beneficially, but it all comes down to moderation.

Taken as a whole, technology has the potential to do great things; however, most people just haven’t found out how to incorporate healthy living with it. The need for education, new gaming devices, and the newest cell phones and MP3 players has certainly contributed to the increasingly lazier people of modern society. However, it mostly falls on the individuals self control to be able to moderate their usage. Take it from me; exercise doesn’t have to be boring; if you get out there in your community, the involvement in athletics can be one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime. For now, I’m happy with the fact that I don’t have a cell phone or Mp3 player, and that my XBOX rarely sees the light of day; I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Mr. 1000

Well, it seems that we at Popeyes got a special treat last month. A Korean man, that to us came to be known as Mr. 1000 , joined our gym for a two month trial. Of course, the first day we saw him was during our squat day.

All of us turned and looked, shaking ourheads at this tall man, with big glasses, and a cane by his side. Two one-hundred pound plates on each side of the bar, in the Power-Rack.

"Is he going to lift that?" We all asked ourselves.

Slowely but surely, the man walked up to the bar, but first before getting under it, he took a few big leaps into the air, yelling "Im a kangaroo,...Im a kangaroo!!"

The man got underneath the mammoth weight, and hoisted it out of the rack, tacking two unsure steps backwards. He prepares to squat, all of us watching in amazement, (but mostly fear). he began to squat, knees starting to go forward. We had to close our eyes, but then, a sound of a bar hitting a pin calmed our nerves. He had placed the safety pins at shoulder height, ...what a relief!

After five reps, he set it back in the rack, looking over for a sign of the Powerlifters approval. "Thats a lot of weight", we tell him.
"No, this is my warm up weights", he says. "Im going to the Beijing games to squat 1000 pounds in 2007.

Now by this point, we know that something is up. We decide it would be better to let him be. however, this is easier said than done for me and my buddy Sam. He seemed to take real interest in who he started to call , " Mr. Olympia and Hercules". He walked over to Sambo and asked if he would jump up onto his shoulders, so he could run up and down the stairs. Sam and I both looked at eachother, trying our hardest not to laugh. Sam turned to him and said, "no, that would make me very uncomfortable". Its seemed to damper his spirits, but in no time, he was back to his good old self.

Now this was not the only day we saw him, ohh nooo. he came for about two weeks; telling us his stories, and informing us on his knowledge. The one day he walked up to me, and randomly stated that Polar Bears can get six feet tall. I assured him the may be able to get a bit taller than that, and he looked a little worried, as if he wanted to fight one. Then, there were his great diet habits. he told us that in order to get the proper protein, and keep our hearts healthy, we needed to eat a triple cheese burger from Harvey's, and some fries with extra gravey. I would go on to tell you his reasoning, but you get the point.

However, there was one thing that stood out the most. After the two weeks , and we had witnessed all that we could of near death situations under 500 lbs, and plates sliding off bars, he left telling everyone that he was heading off to buy RIM Park. Surely, this left us pondering the thought, but nevertheless laughing, figuring we would never see him again.....WRONG!

It just so happens that by coincidence, i had gone to RIM Park to watch my cousins hockey game. As I walked in the door, I glanced over to my left, toward Williams Coffee shop, and there he was, Mr.1000 himself, enjoying a relaxing time on a bench. His cane lay beside him, and he wore a huge racoon hat, and a large winter coat. I couldnt believe it, and before he saw me, I turned and ran bursting into laughter (looking like a goof in the crowds of people).

After controlling myself, a walked over to the bench, and took a seat beside him, thinking for this one day, it may be more entertaining than a hockey game.

I went on to ask him about his planned purchase of RIM. The way he described it was, RIM ripped him off, stealing all his brilliant ideas like Einstein's. He specifically recalls telling RIM to make the building colourfull and stylish, which it appears to be, yet he never saw a PENNY of royalties! He also talked about how they stole his ideas for blackberry, yes thats right, he says he invented some of the audio components for blackberry!

This whole ordeal with RIM greatly angers him he tells me. In fact, he plans on taking them to court and getting back his millions of unpaid royalties. After he reaps his profits, he is planning to buy out this public institution (good luck bud), and name it "St. Billy Millenium Park"

I'm sure I'll meet up with him some day in the future, and now, I'm actually looking forward to it. My luck, he'll get millions of dollars, and read this blog and not give me a penny! lol

Mr. 1000, WE SALUTE YOU!

The 5 Most Influential People on Modern Bodybuilding

The 5 Most Influential People on Modern Bodybuilding

At the end of the nineteenth century, muscle was no longer just seen as a way of survival, but also as a new beauty. There came about a return to the Greek ideology; muscular development as a form of art and celebration. Stone lifting turned to weight lifting, changing cultures around the world. Then, this ideology of weight lifting formed the professional strongman, which later branched off into a totally new sport, the sport of bodybuilding. Thanks to a few outstanding individuals, bodybuilding has grown into the great sport that dominates physical culture today.

#5)

During the Victorian age, men wore confining and sophisticated clothing, and hidden was the thought of unclothed men as the subjects in art and photographs. But during the turn-of-the-century, a physical culture idol arose by the name of Eugen Sandow. Sandow went on tour as “the world’s strongest man” in the 1890’s, out doing strongman competitors at their own sport. However, a certain quality set Sandow apart from the other competitors. This quality was his symmetrical and muscular male physique, which at this time was generally unseen. Sandow became a superstar, earning a fortune through books and magazines. He eventually started a contest in where men’s body measures were compared, and physique was observed to declare an overall winner. In turn, this started the first competition of its kind, taking the first step towards bodybuilding as we know it today. This influential contribution to the sport of bodybuilding puts Eugen Sandow at number five in the countdown!

#4)
Skipping ahead into the modern era of bodybuilding, there was a bodybuilder by the name of Lee Haney, who changed the standards for the present day sport. Lee Haney began winning competitions in 1979, when he was crowned “Teen Mr. America”. He continued competitive bodybuilding for 25 years, competing in 24 major and world renowned competitions. But what made Lee Haney stand out was his professional career in the IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilders), where he competed in the prestigious Mr. Olympia contest. Before Lee Haney, the famous name of Arnold Schwarzenegger dominated the bodybuilding scene for his unmatched seven-time Mr. Olympia titles, 6 of them being consecutive. However, Lee Haney came out to smash this record, with his unprecedented eight consecutive wins at the Olympia. This amazing achievement awed the world of bodybuilding, setting the standard one step higher, through both his achievements, and his physique. Lee Haney went on to be an educated trainer, working alongside some of the worlds top athletes. He has established well renowned fitness centers, and has created and contributed to many non-profit charity facilities, such as a retreat facility for children, and a petting zoo. These, as well as many other great things, put Lee Haney at number four!

#3)
There are a few people in this world that are true mentors, people who stand out in the crowd, inspire and influence others; people who are born leaders. For the sport of bodybuilding, this person was none other but Reg Park. Reg Park was a true leader and mentor; it was his god-given talent. He became an idol in physical culture, not only because of his character, but also because of his achievements. In the fifties, Park was known as one of the strongest men in Europe, competing in both strongman, and bodybuilding competitions. He achieved a 500 pound bench press, which was the first ever in Europe, equaling the standards set by world class weight lifters. This changed the way bodybuilders looked at heavy weight training. Before, many were satisfied with lifting their own body weight, and using light weigh for higher reps. Reg Park redefined the way people looked at training. His poundages were staggering, and the results he was getting attracted the attention of many, inspiring some of the past’s, and today’s top bodybuilders. Reg Park has been an inspiration to many, and he gave another new outlook to the sport for many to benefit from. All in all, this puts Reg Park at number three in the countdown!

#2)
There was one man in the history of bodybuilding, who took the sport to an all new high. He redefined the meaning of fame and stardom, and brought the sport into global fame. This man was the one, the only, Arnold Schwarzenegger. For the sport of bodybuilding, there could have been no greater success story than Arnold. He started out as an Austrian farm boy, breaking into gyms at night to train, and putting much of his life behind him for his true passion. But Arnold was a business man, he knew his goals, and bodybuilding was one of the steps he took towards national stardom. Winning title after title in Europe, Arnold moved to the United States, on a chance for fame and fortune. Starting a new life in America, Arnold became affiliated with other bodybuilding greats, such as Franco Columbu, and also got to meet a man named Joe Weider. With the help of Weider, Arnold became a bodybuilding superstar, being the first to win a massive seven Mr. Olympia titles. Arnold also began to get known in the film industry. Unfortunately for Arnold, his thick accent and long name steered many producers away in the beginning. Arnold’s early struggles to enter the world of Hollywood later proved to help, setting his now well known macho action hero persona. All this media attention has definitely helped draw attention to the bodybuilding world. His role in his first big film, the documentary “Pumping Iron”, has made bodybuilding more socially acceptable, and noticed. Today, Arnold has even moved into politics, creating an even bigger draw into the world of bodybuilding, bringing it even further into the public eye. Arnold has also contributed to countless, charities, and has led the way with organizations such as the Special Olympics. His contributions to the sport of bodybuilding and to society are countless. Thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger, bodybuilding has become the well known amazing sport it is today, putting him at number two!

#1)

Looking back at how far bodybuilding has come, and at what bodybuilding is today, there must have been a person who inspired it all; a founder of the sport. That founder was Joe Weider. However, he could not have done it without the help from his brother, Ben Weider. Together, these two great men came to be known as the founding fathers of modern bodybuilding. Joe and Ben were born into a small tough town in Montreal Quebec. Forced to toughen up to defend themselves from the neighborhood bullies, Joe began to train using scraps from the local junkyard. As he noticed changes, he began to realize that there must be others out there with similar ambitions, so Joe Weider, with just seven dollars in his pocket, started to create a small newsletter called Your Physique. It sold for almost nothing, but soon it became widely distributed, and the brothers soon turned it into muscle and fitness magazine, which became a well known publishing in its field. Now Joe Weider has many publications, including books, and a number of magazines such as the famous FLEX magazine. Their publications have attracted attention to the sport that nothing else before has done, not to mention the massive fitness revolution it has brought about. They also went on to create their own line of exercise equipment, and nutritional supplements. Ben Weider also became the founder of the IFBB, (the International Federation of Bodybuilders), which brought competition to a whole new level, and Joe soon followed to add the Mr. Olympia contest in 1965, seen as the “super bowl” of bodybuilding competitions. They also began to reward the winners with money, and provided many athletes with the financial support needed to stay in the competitions, which was never done in the past. Joe Weider also realized that women had a dedication to the sport, and in turn started the Ms. Olympia contest, for female athletes. Overall, these two brothers from a small Montreal neighborhood have shown outstanding dedication to the sport of bodybuilding, and to the entire fitness community. Their efforts can be seen everyday in our society, and the inspiration to the athletes in the sport has been unimaginable. Their legacy has forever changed the sport of bodybuilding, and made it what it is today, making Ben and Joe Weider the most influential people on modern bodybuilding!

Niagara Open, 2007

Ahh, the Niagara Open, my first real competition. The only thing I had before this was the bench press contest. Niagara was awesome! I went down the night before, went out to eat, then got "some" rest, only to wake up at 6:30 for weigh ins. Lifting started at nine. Thankfully, I had two awesome coaches, Jane and Steve from my club, The Golden Triangle along to help me out. And of course, the support of sambo and Big B in the audience!


I ended up with a squat of 253lbs, deadlift of 260lbs (man that was easy), and a bench of 160lbs (also could have put a bit more on, lol). Really I only got to my max at the squat, I actually stopped during the lift, but still managed to all 27 white lights!


i took it generally easy this time around, it being my first meet, I went in raw. We'll have to see how I do in the highschool provincials, when i make it, (Im being optimistic) and the Guelph open in July,.. until then, I'm going to keep on training!

to watch the video of my third squat, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfGHB5eUi2c

Manly or What?