Author: davidpwahr

The Day After…Thanksgiving

davidpwahr

Warning – I deal frankly with some bodily functions in this blog (not graphic but more sensitive types might want to take care)

Okay, so as I mentioned last blog I got through Thanksgiving pretty well. And I was happy as this was the first Thanksgiving ins a while were I didn’t feel sick during or after wards. Understanding now that I have a permanent “narrowing” of my intestine due to scarring from the Crohn’s has given me a different attitude about eating. Keep the portions smaller, eat more frequently (if I’m really hungry) and no more giant meals…which is an issue since I still haven’t been to Tony’s in Birch Run for one of their famous BLT sandwiches (either Google it or follow this link to the Foursquare entry – https://foursquare.com/v/tonys-i75-restaurant/4b1df72ff964a520871624e3).  I guess a doggy bag is always allowed…

Side note: I was never a big portion guy anyway, I remember at the now long gone Trail Duster restaurant while visiting my sister and her husband in Denver, CO that I could barely get through the “cowgirl” steak while my brother-in-law polished off what appeared to be an entire side of beef. I was in awe, and a little in shock – not quite like the old 96 ouncer in the classic movie “The Great Outdoors” with John Candy and Dan Akroyd but close. I tried to look up the menu but it appears that it is no longer served at even the original Trail Duster which is still open in Arlington, TX. They do still cut off your tie after 5:00 PM though!

Anyway, so things were going pretty good yesterday as well. Some mild pain and discomfort but nothing unusual. I ate lightly during the day after a bad start at breakfast. Handy kitchen tip – don’t get a sudden diarrhea attack when the waffles are in the maker and the bacon is on the stove. Or at least turn the bacon off (can you say “extra crispy?”). A delicious turkey sandwich for lunch (by the way, what makes leftover Thanksgiving turkey the best turkey for sandwiches anyway?) and a little leftover Ruby Tuesday’s ravioli for dinner. Then while watching television later in the evening I started coughing.

Now coughing isn’t rare during this time of year and I’ve had a nagging sinus drip for about a week now (no fever, just drip, cough, etc.) and tonight something from my sinuses was trying to go down my throat but not quite making it. As a result my coughing got violent as did my gagging. Well, after so many years of vomiting on a regular basis I think that my guts are just ready to “go” on a moment’s notice and sure enough – upchuck city without even feeling ill! I did have the good sense to move to the bathroom before the moment occurred at least. To me the worst part was that my sinuses still didn’t clear!

The good news, if any, is that the food from earlier in the day did seem to be digesting well as very little solid matter came back up and I would say my gastric juices were working well. No real burning sensation as I had just drank some water a little earlier. All in all, not a bad vomit if I were to rate them – and sadly, I do now.

The point of this post? Not much, just that with Crohn’s you always have to be ready for the unexpected. This is why I sometimes find it tough to go to the movies. I like to sit in the center but also like to have a clear aisle. If I’m feeling a little off I’ll just go ahead and sit on the side so if I need to get out I don’t have to disturb anyone else. I try to take a little plastic bag with me a lot, too – and have even quietly thrown up during a broadway show (at least I hope it was quiet, no one glared or looked at me from what I could tell and they all came back after intermission. Of course it was a good show). And, just like the commercials, I’m always very aware of where the nearest restroom and/or trash receptacle is. Life with Crohn’s, even a mild case like mine, is always an adventure.

Of course, it does make it easier to pretend that I squatted until I puked in the gym!

Onward!

Dave

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Fitness Quest: ‘Tis the Season to Be Jolly…Bowl Full of Jelly Jolly…

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Well, with Thanksgiving yesterday the holidays have officially started – IMHO, despite what the radio stations playing Christmas music and retailers would have you believe, Halloween isn’t the first holiday of the “Holiday Season.”  And with the holidays the annual challenge of not overeating has begun. Though in one sense, the holidays are no different than any other time of year, because let’s face it, gooey, delicious sweets are available year round. But during the holidays I think that there’s a little (a lot?) more social pressure to snack on sweets. After all who can turn down a Christmas cookie? A slice of pie? Fruitcake (okay, I have no trouble turning down fruitcake). Even yesterday during Thanksgiving after eating sensible portions for dinner I found myself snacking on a few extra pieces of the delicious home made fudge one of my cousins makes…yeah, a few…like 10 or 20.

I’ve read before that the average person gains somewhere between 3-5 pounds during the holidays and frankly, I’m surprised it’s not more!

Oddly enough, I don’t usually have too much trouble with additional weight gain during the holidays. I came to the conclusion quite a while ago that there is no reason to overeat during the holidays and in my case especially so. Thanks to my Crohn’s if I stuff myself as I used to do in my youth, pigging out on the Thanksgiving meal as if I had not eaten in weeks, taking the meal as a challenge to see how much I could it, instead of focusing on the meaning of the meal as a way to acknowledge and give thanks for everything I have as it should be, I would suffer later.

Remember, because of my Crohn’s a portion of my intestine has literally narrowed (shrunk) so that only so much food is going to go through. I think this is the case with everyone, but in my case the amount is much less. If things “back up” on my I might have enjoyed the meal, but I won’t enjoy it later that evening when it makes a return visit to my mouth (if you get my drift).

So I’m going to take things one step further. I’m planning to drop weight between now and the New Year. My goal is to be down at least 10 pounds.

Not just for myself in general, but I’ve got this fitness contest that I’m involved in with my brother-in-law and another friend. In order to win, I need to lose weight and put on some muscle (actually, I suspect I need to put on a fair amount of muscle to beat these guys who historically seem to have gained muscle more easily than I have – of course we are all older now). But, as my bro-in-law pointed out last night, I may have a little bit of an unfair advantage over them. I have a colonoscopy coming up in two weeks. Part of that prep will involve essentially a clear liquid diet for 4-5 days prior (what fun that’s going to be). I may drop five pounds just because of this.

The trick, as always, will be to keep it off. 

What do you think? Do you have strategies to get through the Holidays without getting a belly like a bowful of jelly? I’d love to hear about them.

Onward!

Dave

I Have Crohn’s (Again)

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Well, the CT Scan results are in and unfortunately they showed what I expected they would show. After nearly 30 years I still have Crohn’s…

No surprise to me, though still a little disappointing as the doctor really suspected that I did not have it. On the plus side though I had the rare privilege of having a doctor say “I have to admit my suspicions were wrong.” Wrong? Did he just admit he was wrong about something and i was right? I almost asked to see his Med School transcripts! Of course he isn’t a surgeon so maybe it’s okay for him to say he was wrong. And heck, no need for the tests if doctors are always correct, right? But, as I so often do, I digress…

So, I have Crohn’s no surprise, but there is some bad news. The Crohn’s is more advanced than I thought. In addition to some permanent scarring and narrowing of my intestine there is also at least one fistula. A fistula is basically a “shortcut” that my bowels have made to avoid the narrowing, a new opening where there should not be one. It’s a bad thing and we need to do something about it.

There are two ways to treat it: 1) by medicine, which ironically could make my symptoms worse as the fistula heals and food goes through the narrow section of the intestines; or 2) surgery.

I’m not a fan of surgery, given the inherit risks of being cut open, anesthesia, infection, etc. But if my symptoms worsen under the medication (which also comes with risk) surgery may be the only option.

Am I disappointed? Yes. Am I upset? Well, it’s hard to be upset about something that’s been part of me for so long and I’ve also actually been quite blessed to have had such a mild case of Crohn’s. I know several young men and women who have been struggling for a short time compared to me but have already undergone surgeries. Who cannot gain weight (fat or muscle) because they are simply too sick. My Crohn’s has been inconvenient and sometimes embarrassing but for the most part my life has not been altered because of it and there is no reason to suspect that this will change.

I just have to remind myself of this each time I wake up in the middle of the night to vomit or have diarrhea which last for what seems like hours and worse, often in a public restroom…the frightened looks I sometimes get when stepping out of a stall….priceless! And let’s not forget the constant gurgling, burping, and uh, other emissions.

However, on the brighter side, the CT Scan also revealed that except for the Crohn’s my insides are “unremarkable” and that, as Martha would say, is a very good thing.

Next up, colonoscopy. I bet you can’t wait for the blog on that!

Onward!

Dave

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Reflections on a Visit With a Doctor

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I recently started seeing a couple of new doctors (general and a gastro) and I just want to know one thing,when did they start letting teenagers practice medicine? Yeah, I’m officially getting old everyone looks like a kid to me these days…but despite his obvious youth I have to admit I liked both of them (her and him) and am willing to trust them with my overall health care. I especially liked that the first doctor wasn’t sure how to maintain my health with my disorder (Crohn’s) and sent me to someone else who knew more (the gastroenterologist).

Anyway, things went well, and there were no real surprises. Still some of the same old concerns (Crohn’s – which is being rechecked again, overweight, a touch of asthma and now a patch of eczema to add to the ever growing list). Then we started talking about my workout routine – or lack of it. Here’s where the doctor asked me a question that I don’t think a health care professional had ever asked me before: what exercise do you like to do?

Believe it or not, I don’t think I ever really thought about exercise in terms of liking it or not but mostly as a means to an end. Want bigger biceps? Lift. Want lower bodyfat? Run.

So what exercise do I like to do? I’m still thinking about it. On on hand I do like lifting – especially when I’m making progress. There’s a certain thrill from watching the weight on the bar go up, pushing myself against a previously immovable object and then moving it. You know what I’m talking about I’m sure. Plus, you know, the bulging biceps.

Running…eh. Never liked that. But I used to enjoy bicycling (unless it’s on an exercise bike). Then I kind of run out of exercise options. Sure there are the sports, but I don’t really like basketball and most everything else takes some sort of organized team (not too many guys playing games of pick-up rugby/soccer/hockey you name it in my neighborhood). Rowing/canoeing/kayaking I like but you need a river/lake…golf gets expensive…softball is seasonal.  I would like to swim more but don’t have good access to a pool.

I’m in a quandry. What else can I try? I do agree with my doctor when he said “if you don’t enjoy it, you won’t do it.”

So here’s my question for all of you – other than weightlifting/bodybuilding what do you enjoy doing? I’m looking for ideas!

Musings of a Grumpy Old Man and Why Kids Today Have It So Darn Good (at Least in the Gym)

davidpwahr

So, I was just sitting here earlier today, shooing some young whipper-snappers off my lawn, when it occurred to me that kids really do have it better today than when I was growing up.

Not so much in terms of jobs, economic mobility, etc. (heck, even us old folks don’t seem to have that anymore), but in terms of training and especially in terms of lifting.

Way back when dinosaurs roamed this great land and you couldn’t stand still for long without melting the soles of your shows (the Earth was still cooling you see) – so basically before 1985 – if you said out loud to someone that you wanted to be a bodybuilder you would have been ridiculed. The only reason anyone went to a gym was to…well actually almost no one went to the gym. Weight training was not a part of high school sports because “bulk” (aka “muscles”) only slowed you down. It might be okay for the occasional high school line backer to lift weights but even he couldn’t do it often for fear that those muscles would not only slow him down but tighten him up so badly that he couldn’t move. And a girl lift weights? Not even if everyone thought she was a lesbian (which she would never admit back in those days by the way).

Nutrition consisted of pretty much anything you could put into your mouth, well sweets weren’t good so you only had them after dinner, but there was no real talk of protein, fats, carbs, or anything else.

Now, some people may still be ridiculed for wanting to be a bodybuilder, but today you have guys (and gals) openly talking about working on their “six pack,” adding a few pounds for the summer, and proudly taking pictures of themselves while locked in their bathroom to show off any new gains (okay, so maybe bodybuilding isn’t completely out of the water closet yet). And it seems that everyone is aware of their diet these days (did you see what I did back there with “water closet?” cute, huh?). Though most of us clearly don’t pay attention to nutrition despite knowing the rules.

So, all in all, I think that there are advantages to training in the early 21st century, even without flying cars. What do you think?

Next up: why you are driving to gosh darn fast!

Early Inspirations

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Even though I’ve obviously never been a serious bodybuilder/weightlifter, for as long as I can remember I’ve had an interest in the sport. Though there are those who don’t really think it’s a sport. But at the very least it’s a competition, albeit a subjective one from a judging point of view. Much like boxing is when I come to think of it (barring a KO). I’ll call it a sport anyway as it is a competition, it does involve training and much like professional football and baseball they like to pretend that there is no steroid use or abuse (“no, really, I just naturally have 23″ arms and can bench press a Ford F-150 judge…”). But, I digress…

As I was saying I’ve always had an interest and I must say it was this interest that first led me to pick up a weight in my teen years when my father one day bought a weight set (I suspect that he was a bit of a frustrated bodybuilder himself looking back on it). That and the fact that I never really identified with the “jocks” in high school and was actually afraid to work out with them. Of course, back then weight lifting was not really advocated by the coaches, especially for those of us on the track team who were not in the strength related field events (i.e. shot put). Also, my high school was not well equipped in the weight room department. I remember we had one Universal Lifting machine in a small store room just off the gym near the custodian’s office. It was tough in those days. Today, by comparison, I understand that the weight room at my old high school takes up what used to be the entire wood shop. But, again, I digress…

Anyway, I’ve often wondered if my interest stemmed from my early reading of comic books (back in the sixties kids actually read comic books, today it’s mostly 20-40 year olds). But not because comics were filled with hyper-muscled heros (and women very blessed by mother nature by the way, but not as well endowed as many of today’s super-heroines), but because of the ads that filled the pages of every book.

You see, I think Charles Atlas, Joe Weider, and other gurus of bodybuilding understood that the boys reading comic books were the boys who would become the teens who would want, nay yearn, for their products with the promise of building muscle, defeating the bully, and getting the girl. And, they were right. While much of the public at the time saw bodybuilders as oddities or worse yet, freaks, the men who sold muscle building “systems” knew that behind every skinny kid lived a super-hero waiting to get out.

Well, it worked for me…but not completely. Though I have always had an interest and have tinkered with weights – getting serious about it here and there (see my earlier post on bench pressing) – my true love revealed herself later. Yes, I’m talking about theatre and let me tell you, theatre is a demanding mistress (or mister if you prefer). Takes a lot of time and effort, more so than most people think. And let’s not even talk about work and other life commitments! Okay, excuses all, but I’m sticking with it. We all make priorities in life and somewhere along the line bodybuilding for me fell to the middle of the priority list (at least not to the bottom as it clearly has for so many Americans).

I’d be interested to hear about other people’s early bodybuilding inspirations and/or stories. I’d even like to hear about comic books and theatre too!

Onward!

Dave Draper ad for Joe Weider
I remember this ad clearly. Dave Draper in the sixties was something to behold. He is still an active bodybuilder today and still sports those impressive arms.
Arnold Schwarzenegger early ad for Joe Weider
When I first saw this ad I wanted those wrist weights. I thought for sure I’d look just like Arnold even though I was only eight or so at the time!
Early Charles Atlas Ad
Don’t we all know about the “Insult That Made a Man Out of Mac” the original bodybuilding ad.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Betty Weider in a Joe Weider ad
Picking up women was a strong theme in these ads. FYI I believe that the lovely young women who Arnold is holding up is Betty Weider, Joe’s wife.

 

How Much Can the Average Man Bench?

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Note: since this entry was first written in 2014 there has been some new data added to several sites on this topic that you may want to check out. 

  • Strengthlevel.com has a chart of bench press standards based on their users (nearly 6 million to date). 
  • Livestrong.com has a good article on how much weight the average man can lift.  They cite Lon Kilgore, a researcher at the University of the West of Scotland’s Institute for Clinical Exercise and Health Science as a source. 
  • My original research include information from Men’s Health as well as the Center for Disease Control in the USA. 

Somewhere recently I was either blogging or telling someone that at one time I was actually able to bench press 350 pounds (1 rep only, never tried again, and I need to find some documentation on this – you know how memory plays tricks I know I was at 315 once for sure).  Which got me to wondering what can the average guy press? Not important in the everyday world but I’ll bet that if you talk to someone who’s obviously muscular sooner or later you’re going to ask “what can you bench?” More than any other exercise or activity it’s the universal measure of strength in most people’s minds.

The truth, as best as I can figure from my research, is actually somewhat surprising for me. When asking “how much can the average man bench” the short answer turns out to be no one really knows because the average man doesn’t do bench presses and is considered untrained! This is hard to believe on Mondays at the gym, of course, when it seems that every guy in town is waiting for a bench, but I’m sure it’s true. So, from the few studies that have been done I’ve found that among those men who do bench press the stats look something like this:

Pounds the average 175-pound man (aka : average weight, average height is 5’9 1/2) can bench press at one time:

Age: 20-29 – 180 lbs

Age: 30-39  – 158 lbs

Age: 40-49 – 143 lbs

Age: 50-59  – 128 lbs

Age: 60-69 – 116 lbs

Note: taking an average from this gives the result that the average male, ages between 20 and 69 can bench press 145 lbs.

So, from the above I was way above average ranges, not only for my age group but for all age groups! Of course I’m above average height (in North America at least) and well above average weight as well. But, even at my heaviest weight, the fact that I could bench press more than I weigh (by about 70 pounds – you can do the math) also puts me well above the average man who cannot bench his own bodyweight. Of course, at least one article I read said that to be considered strong a man should be able to bench 1.5 times his body weight. In my case that means that currently I’d need to get my bench up to 340 pounds in which case I should just go for my old max of 350 lbs. Or, I suppose, better yet, get my weight down to 200 lbs and then I only need to get back to a 300 lb max! Since I’m several years older option two may be the most reasonable.  But I know that even in my current out of shape condition I’m still above the norm of any age group – not bad for a geezer!

Sounds like a new goal for me. Onward!

Crohn’s or No Crohn’s – Step One Completed

davidpwahr

Well, as I mentioned earlier my new gastroenterologist wanted to re-check to see if I really had Crohn’s.

 

Twenty some years later - about 100 pounds heavier (fat and muscle).
Twenty some years later – about 100 pounds heavier (fat and muscle).
Me shortly after beginning treatment for Crohn's, smiling with food!
Me shortly after beginning treatment for Crohn’s, smiling with food!

 

Crohn’s is the disease which has in part defined who I am for the about 30 years now. I have mixed feelings about the possibility of no longer being considered a Crohn’s sufferer for several reasons. But, one of the biggest is simply because if it’s not Crohn’s then what the heck is wrong with me?

I have many questions, such as:

Q – Could it be something worse?
A – Not likely as it has not gotten worse over the past three decades.

Q – Can it be treated differently if it is Crohn’s?
A – Possibly.

Q – Is it possible that whatever the problem was years ago has gone away?
A – Maybe…but not completely based on how often I do get sick.

But these are not the point of this post. I’d like to talk a little about my first CT (CAT) Scan tonight at the University of Michigan Hospital.

First off, I’ve gotten to know this place better than I’d like to. This is where, despite excellent care, my father passed away much too soon and every time I walk in memories come flooding back.

Second, I do feel that I get great care through UofM and that’s why I’m still with their health system. I’ve never had a CT Scan before, though I had a MRI, and the prep wasn’t much different. No eating 4 hours before, no drinking 2 hours before, and don’t wear any metal.

I arrived an hour before the actual scan as requested and after making my way through the cavernous B1 level I checked in at Radiology Reception A (I think they go up to D). The clerk checking me verifies that I’m me and then says, “just a minute you need to drink something before your test.” Not unexpected, what was unexpected was that there were actually three drinks all together about 60 ounces…more on this later.

At 6:25 I went back to the men’s changing room to wait for the nurse. Since I arrived in sweat pants and my favorite “Summerfield Bulldog” t-shirt I had a chance to finish the third drink and look around. On the table was a journal where patients could write down their thoughts to leave for others. I looked through this journal and almost cried reading some of the comments left by cancer survivors, those waiting diagnosis, and one defiant entry from a Crohn’s sufferer who said that he was not going to let this disease get him down or rule his life. Regular people coping with unusual struggles…very cool. I, of course, wrote nothing.

The nurse came in to attach my IV and noticed my handsome shirt and said, “oh, you’re from Summerfield?” I said, “no Petersburg actually…” and prepared to explain why the school’s name was different than the city’s and she said “Sorry, that’s what I meant. I’m from Deerfield.” Which is the town across the river and 3 miles down the road. Small world!

Back to wait for the tech, a pleasant young man who escorted me into the scanner room. He explained that I would like the CT scan better than an MRI as the unit is much more open and the test wouldn’t take as long. He had me lay down and attached the IV to the “contrast” chemicals and said, “now you’ll feel warm in about 30 seconds.” I said, “that’s okay it’s a little chilly in here anyway.”

Well, within 20 seconds I started to feel flushed – interestingly in my nether regions first (I thought I was wetting and messing my pants) and then it felt like Satan had decided to give me a taste of Hellfire! Warm, indeed. But it was over in just a few minutes. A couple passes through the machine and I was on my way. However, just about the time I passed the first restroom those 60 ounces of liquid decided that they needed to get out. I’m not sure what the stuff was but I’ve had enemas which were less effective! But, about 15-20 minutes later I was able to leave the restroom and head home…

Not much of an adventure but possibly an important one. Now we play the waiting game for the results or “Hungry, Hungry, Hippos.” Your choice.

Onward!

 

 

When Is a Man’s Arm Considered Big?

When Is a Man’s Arm Considered Big?

davidpwahr

Over the years I’ve often wondered how do my overall measurements compare to the average guy – specifically my arms (I know how my weight compares). As I probably  stated before, I’ve always wanted to get my arms to 18″ (flexed, cold) and always seem to fall just short of my goal. Yeah, sometimes life just works out that way.

Size Matters

Now 18″ sure seems a reasonable size when you read about pro bodybuilders with 20, 21, or even 22″ arms. Granted, the pros are more than likely exaggerating their size to maintain a certain mystique, maintain their ego, and even to “psyche” out the competition.  Also, their size is very likely beyond the normal, non-chemically enhanced person. There are also experts, such as Ellington Darden – one of my favorite workout “gurus” of the eighties, who say that because of improper measuring almost all arm sizes are exaggerated (especially with a cloth tape which can add a quarter of an inch to the circumference because of the width of the tape itself).

What is Average?

Anyway,  finding out the stats on the average male arm was tougher than I thought! There are several articles and discussions on the web and they mostly point back to the same one or two sources – Men’s Health magazine among them – and the answer seems to be that an American man of 5’9.5″ at a body weight of 175 has arms which are 13″ in circumference. What I can’t find is if that’s a flexed or unflexed measurement. My guess is unflexed since 13″ seems a bit on the small side to me for a flexed arm of a fully grown man, but I could be wrong.

Now granted I’m a little taller and a lot heavier than the so-called “average” man I’ve referred to above, but in any case my arms are significantly larger than 13″ even unflexed (about 14.75″ unflexed – 16 flexed as of this morning). I, of course, don’t think my arms look that big, but I imagine that’s common among those of us who workout to get both bigger and stronger, and hanging around gyms and guys who workout does mean that I tend to be around people who are, on average, larger than average. Heck, my former training partner’s arms taped at around 18″ and I’ve compared myself to him for years – even when his arms where “only” about 16″ and mine where in that average neighborhood of 13″ (was I really that “small” once?).

My Experience and Opinion

My own personal obsession with big arms, and bodybuilding in general,  was probably strengthened when I was first diagnosed with Crohn’s and my weight dropped to below 140 lbs and my arms shrank to 11″ (flexed! – I was literally skin and bones at that point).

However, all the above are just statistics. I think ultimately, a man’s arm is considered big simply when it looks big. I know men who are relatively short (below 5’10”) and have arms that appear massive (Google any male gymnastic team). But in reality, they don’t tape over 16″. Likewise, there are tall men (6′ or more) who appear thin, but their arms tape at over 17″ (think basketball players). Perspective plays a big role in appearance. That along with bodyfat percentage and muscle shape (see examples below). 

To Sum it Up

Keep lifting, watch your diet so that your bodyfat stays low and ignore the tape. You’ll be surprised at how big your arms look. If you want to find out how big you are compared to other lifters and “recreational” bodybuilders check out my blog post How Do My Arms Stack Up to Other Gym Bros and participate in my survey to add to the data I’ve collected on this topic.

Oh, and wear shirts one size smaller than you usually do. That’s the fastest way to get big arms. But for the secret to building big arms (which isn’t a secret) check out my post on the subject here.

I’m curious as to what other people think. When do you think an arm is “big?” And I, of course, mean in a solid, muscular way.

Onward!

NOTE: In September 2018 I researched average arm size again and found that 13″ still appears to be the standard for a 20 – 29 year old man. However, this number moves closer to 14″ in middle age (50+) presumably due to an increase in body fat however, not an increase in muscle mass. The 13″ arm is also based on a man of average height (in the USA about 5’9″. No doubt taller men may have naturally larger arms and there’s always that one guy out there who never trains but has the arms of a Mountain Gorilla anyway).

P.S. Do you wonder when a man’s chest is considered big? Check out my blog on that subject HERE!

Olympic gymnast Jake Dalton. Noted for the size of his biceps – but at a height of 5’5″ his arms likely do not tape over 16″ (note: since this post was first put up I have actually been in contact with Jake. As of 2021 his arms tape in at about 16″ (40.64cm). Though he still trains it’s likely his arms were larger when he was an Olympic gymnast). However, proportionately to his physique his build is impressive. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
The impressive arm of Peter K. Vaughn (@peter.kv on Instagram – check out his website ). On it’s own it appears big, but check the tape. At 16″ it’s not big by most traditional bodybuilding standards. However, excellent definition and muscle shape – particularly the peak of the bicep – contribute to the appearance of appearing larger than it is.
Here’s my arm at about the same size as Peter’s. It doesn’t appear as big due to my much higher bodyfat percentage and the relatively flat shape of my biceps. My forearm looks good though. For reference Peter and I are just about the same height (5’10” and 5’11” respectively).
Here’s my friend Ty Clifton, who is 6’3″ with a long, lean overall physique. On the left his arm measures 18″ and on the right 17.5″. Notice that the smaller arm looks larger due to the increased definition. Because of his height his arm needs to be larger than any of the others I’ve used as an example to appear to be big – which they are! (Photo courtesy of Ty Clifton on Instagram @bigcherryfit).

Changes…

davidpwahr

Well, for those of you who are friends of mine on Facebook and longtime friends here you already know this but this is for anyone else who happens to stumble upon my infrequent blogs…

About 30 years ago I started to lose weight for now reason. This was accompanied by an intense pain in my gut that seemed nearly constant. Within a matter of 2 or 3 months I went from a relatively healthy 180 pounds (at 5’11”) to a clearly unhealthy 140. All the muscle mass I had worked a couple years to put on was gone almost overnight. Vomiting and diarrhea were the norm for me. Well after many medical tests – most of them uncomfortable at the very least – the diagnoses was in. I had Crohn’s.

Now this was much better than my worst fear which was that I had cancer. My family was worried, my co-workers were worried, my friends were worried, and so on. The good news is that I was given some pills (sulfasalazine and prednisone) reacted well to the medicine and within weeks started to put the weight back on – and then some. My doctor’s instructions at the time were to take one of the sulfasalazine pills each day and the prednisone only for my worst flare ups. This treatment seemed to work and unlike so many other Crohn’s sufferers – some who are friends here on Bodyspace – my life was pretty normal. I’ve actually gained too much fat (along with a fair amount of muscle by the way) and flare ups have been few and far aweigh.

My treatment was coming from my primary care doctor and I never saw a gastroenterologist in all those years until last week. And he pretty much rocked my world. After discussion he said, “I’m not sure you have Crohn’.” I said something along the lines of “Whaaaaaa?” and he went on to explain that though my symptoms are Crohn’s like that the dosage of the medicine I took at best had a placebo effect and that there are many other conditions which mimic Crohn’s and we know so much more today. My colonoscopy a few years ago was so good (yay) that there is no indication of anything odd in my gut.

We are starting from scratch. I have a CT Scan scheduled for next week. IF there’s evidence of Crohn’s I get to have a biopsy taken. If I don’t, well, we don’t know yet.

So this thing, as bad as it has been, has been part of my life for three decades. I didn’t like it but it had a name and in many ways has become part of my identity. I’m not really sure how I feel about possibly not having it any more, but if what I do have can be cured…well, I’m all for that.

Oh, and once again my job is in jeopardy. The College I work at is about to go under a “fiscal watch” by the state, we are all getting another pay cut and lay offs will be announced in January. So, I’ve got some interesting stress in my life right now.

How’s everything with everyone else?

Moving forward…