SOUND OFF
Welcome to The Voice Connection Sound Off; a forum for users of books like Raise Your Voice, Melody to Madness, The Ultimate Breathing Workout, and Unleash Your Creative Mindset, as well as a place for Vendera Vocal Academy members to interact.
This message board was created so that singers could come together and "sound off" to help support each other during vocal development and the creative process of unleashing the creative spark that occurs when writing and producing music. Currently, myself and vocal coaches Ben Valen, Ray West, and Ryan Wall are here to respond periodicially to your questions, with new vocal coaches coming soon. But, feel free to help each other too:)
This board is here for you to ask questions about my and my fellow coach's books, videos, and MP3 programs, as well as offer others help with our vocal techniques. You may also post videos of yourself and your band to share your music and ask for critiques.
Please refrain from negative comments, profanities, spamming, and inappropriate criticisms of vocal methodologies, vocal coaches, and singers. All negative posts will be deleted and subject to banning without question. I will not respond to negative posts, because, as Mark Twain once said, “Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” With that said, positive criticism is welcome because that is how you'll grow as a singer during the training process.
Man,
Jim had better watch it or he's going to end up about my size!
I'm going to have to start eating Tuna again when I start my cutting cyle.... I do all of this in 8 week cycles. I work one body part per day Monday through Friday, and lift as much as I can lift between 4-6 repetitions for 4 sets. (So my maximum for each exercise would be 24 lifts, but normally I put enough weight on that I'm struggling to get 16 in.)
Ahh, the joys of fat cutting.
8 glorious weeks of Tuna, Lettuce, and water.(If you don't eat the lettuce you won't go to the bathroom and you'll have trouble sleeping) I just can't do low carb (no starch) and vegetarian - I try not to use soy products(after all - I don't want to grow a "Mangina"), and I developed some kind of wheat gluten and dairy allergy after I got bit by a rattlesnake.... that totally changed everything man, and it sucks.
Ahh and who can ever forget my famous Tuna Shake! MMM
Now I'll bet Jim would like that one! If you think you're tough, try this on for size.
1 Can of diet coke
1 Can of White Albacore (in water - drained)
1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Raw Egg
Blend and enjoy!
It's sort of like a fish smoothie.
Tonight I was talking to my Dad and told him I was going to do another bulking cycle and he goes, "How much damned bigger do you plan on getting?!?! You're already bulked up enough! Drop that weight before you have a heart attack!" LOL
He about had a fit when I told him my eventual goal is to be able to bench at least 500 lbs. somewhere between 3 and 5 times...or not - actually my goal is to look like Steve Reeves or Dave Draper
(Currently I can bench 390 lbs. three times - but I'm also 6'2" and 310 lbs. I'm strong as an ox, but look like crap.)
So after this next 8 weeks (I figured I'm already huge - it doesn't make sense to flip-flop back and forth between looking like the "King of Slobovia" and being lean.) I'm going to try to strip as much fat out of my system as I can....there's always some muscle loss, so that's why I try to Bulk all at once instead of get big, get small, bulk up, strip the fat.
Ultimately I think he's afraid I'm going to wind up on the juice, but in all honesty - I don't need it.
Tim
Man, I wouldn't embarrass myself. LOL
Now, once I cut the fat off, I'll post some pics. Short term my fat loss goal is to drop to 250, but I'd like to get down around 225 eventually.
Trust me - I just look like an old hell's angel right now. All fat and puffy looking, but strong as an ox.
That's why my dad's worried about my health right now. He sees me lifting, and I've packed on a ton of muscle in the last 18 months - but I also packed on a lot of fat because I wasn't eating clean for a long time - I just ate whatever I wanted. Ice Cream nachos and cheese, 3 Big Macs and 2 Super-size fries I would go lift as much weight as I could, and then go pig out afterward, which definitely is not the correct way to do it. LOL
Except on Chest days.
For some reason, I always ate mostly steaks and salads on chest days. (as if only what I ate that day effected muscle growth.)
So now, I'm getting ready to start cutting the fat away and see what I've actually done. (Keep in mind - I'm 38 and have been doing this for years. Most of the time I just stayed heavier than I should have been - around 250 or so - just for the intimidation factor.
Jim's trainers are right - once your weight gets above about 240-250lbs, man you get REALLY slow.... I can only imagine how it effects you in the ring - because it's noticeable in daily life.
Years ago I thought about doing what he's doing... well something similar anyway - but I decided I prefer my nose unbroken.
I know two guys who used to go to Europe to fight bare-knuckled, and they made decent money at it - it's probably illegal, but they were doing it anyway - but one of them kept trying to get me to get into it. I didn't really start getting "huge" until after my ex left, and I just began lifting and eating massive amounts of food.... it was my way of trying to cope with depression... but it didn't really work. I just got bigger, stronger, and fatter. Hahaha
I told Jamie that I never would sing in public until I got the weight off, because nobody wants to be the next "meatloaf".
If you would learn anything from my life, I suggest it should be :
1. Eat clean and lift heavy.
2. Don't fall in love with a slut.
Tim
You have to forgive me, I left off the third, and most important thing:
PRACTICE!! PRACTICE!! PRACTICE!!
Tim
