Muscle in Progress

Oh my gosh, Spring Break is officially over around here… you know what that means? Back to working our asses off in the gym or at home in time for summer! Personally, I have a personal goal of 20lbs by June. Don’t ask me how I’m going to do it, but I like to dream big and not put limits on myself. And trust me, I’m not about to try any “quick fixes” or illegal methods so don’t you all worry But, with only 2 months left, it’s time to kick it into high gear and really focus my efforts!

I hope this week’s batch of hotness inspires some of you to kick it up as well! Now I’m not saying that our first couple of guys have it going on “up there” in the head, but hey… they must be doing something right to have builds like those! Both have great chests and nice firm arms and flat stomachs… sure, they’re not perfect by any means… I think the beer proves that…. well, that and the underpants made out of duct tape…but hey, just focus on the bodies themselves hehe. Nice firm definition. No major love handles. A great goal for all, don’t you think?

Our next guy loves to spend a lot of time in the water, having a good ‘ole time and being somewhat of a practical joker . What I love about his pose though, is that it really shows off the musculature in his shoulders. In my opinion, shoulders are a real b**ch to train and have always been the roughest part of my workouts so I applaud his efforts in building some huge deltoids. The other cool thing about the pic is that it really shows off the connective tissue between the different muscles in the upper body, and how everything fits so well together. His chest is chiseled and firm, not just hanging limply from his frame. I think that’s something that we all aspire to, right?

What I love about our next guy is the incredible definition in his abs.  I mean, just look at them…wow!  Of course, he’s a porn star, working in an industry where your body is your livelihood, but hell…you have to give the guy credit for everything that he’s done to keep himself in peak shape!  Damn… I just can’t get over those abs!  They’re perfect!  Even his obliques pop out nice and strong!!  I wonder what his daily workout routine is like?  Anyone care to take a guess?  Probably a lot of protein shakes and some heavy weights, huh?  I’m sure he’s one of these guys that has those HUGE containers of protein powders in his kitchen .

Anyway guys, I hope that this week is a great one for all of you!  And for those of you who are stuck in some freaky winter weather still… take heart, summer is only two months away!!  Have a good one just like these guys… (Btw, I was kinda shocked to notice that this pic was taken here in Honolulu at the Aloha Stadium heheh)

Alright gangy, this is the big week!  Spring Break!!  Now I’m sure that every tourist destination in the world is loaded with the hottest college and prime-aged men hitting the beaches and the forests left and right!  That also means that it’s time to strip down to our skivvies and show off all the hard work that we’ve all put into the gym!

But hey, if you’ve still got a bit more work to do, no problem!  Just keep at it and remember that your mind is a powerful tool to help you break through those plateaus of life .  For this week’s batch of inspiration, I’ve decided to go with the “jock” kind of bod this week… including one shot of a world-famous jock who’s also been known to be supportive of his gay fans!  And hey, if they can’t be straight.. we’ll take gay-friendly

Our first stud has a very exotic look, don’t you think?  And look at his bod!  Incredible… A nice well-formed chest, abs so firm you could do your laundry on them, and arms that probably feel awesome when they’re wrapped around you heheh.  Overall, his body is perfectly proportioned.. any takers??

Now take a look at our next candidate… he may be a little leaner than our first stud, but hey those abs are lean, mean, and ready for any kind of action!  Not to mention, there’s that fine layer of hair on his belly that leads down into unchartered territory heheh

Our next gentleman is for our Latino hotties out there who strive for more .  Now I doubt that this guy’s name is actually Carlos, but that’s what the file name was hehehe…  At any rate, he is one beautiful man.. don’t you think?  That killer smile, those beautiful eyes… and I’m jealous of any guy who can wear a pair of cargo pants that just hang on his hips… that’s just something so hot and desirable to me!  His chest and his arms are full, and his stomach is nice and lean.  He looks like he put a lot of work into himself, but he also knows how to enjoy life, don’t you think?  And that’s what we all want right?  We want to be able to enjoy life, not just live day to day in a rut…

Our next candidate just has an incredible “ripped” look to his body.  The abs are popping out in every direction and it just looks… wow… hehehe… that’s all I need to say really… “wow” hehehe…

And last but not least… I promised a true athlete.. and that you shall have… unfortunately the sport isn’t big in Hawai’i, but I think rugby has to be one of the hottest sports in the world heheh.  Here’s a shot of the beautiful Ben Cohen…  he’s got an incredible bod, and best of all, he’s very supportive of his gay fans… well we love you too Ben!!

Well anyway, whether your goals are to be a great athlete, or just to have a healthy lifestyle… I hope that these images over the years have helped some of you aspire to greatness   Have an awesome week everybody!!

I haven’t done one of these in ages!  Aww I’m hurt I never get tagged anymore…. ahh well, I’ll do one anyway

The rules are:

* The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
* Each player answers the questions about themselves.
* At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

And here’s the meme:

What I was doing 10 years ago:
Hmmm I was almost through my freshman year of college!  Boy, now that was a year I could have written a book on!

Five things on my To Do List today:
1. Eat something.
2. Pick up some needed supplies at the Apple Store.
3. Go to rehearsals tonight.
4. Eat again!
5. Talk to one special person, hopefully.. and then crash out.

Snacks I enjoy:
Ooh… my downfall.  Doritos, Funyuns, ‘opae and peanuts

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Quit my job, build a brand new house, pay off my family’s debts and my sister’s house.  Buy myself a car and a private jet, and start exploring the world and visiting all those friends that I never get to see.  Then I’d set up a college scholarship fund.

Three of my bad habits:
1. Procrastinating
2. My sometimes lack of motivation to work out
3. Late-night snacking

Five places I have lived:
1. Honolulu, HI
2. Orlando, FL
3. San Antonio, TX
4. ??
5. ??

Five jobs I’ve had:
1. Coach
2. Dorm advisor
3. Front desk clerk
4. Disney
5. Usher

Current position:
Not at liberty to say sorry…

Five people I want to know more about (a nice way of saying TAG!):
Oh gosh, I don’t even know if there are 5 people who even read this blog anymore hahaha…

Living in Hawai‘i, hearing about volcanoes is nothing new. We bear witness to one of the most active volcanoes on the planet. The Pu‘u O‘o vent on the eastern side of the Kīlauea caldera has been flowing almost non-stop since 1982 and has made new believers of the spiritual power behind the great volcano.

Hawaiians, and by “Hawaiians” I am referring to those of us whose ancestors have inhabited these islands since the beginning of time, have always believed that the natural world around us is alive and is the embodiment of our ancestors themselves. One of the most revered ancestors is Pelehonuamea, ka wahine ‘ai honua… Pele the creator of land, the earth-eating woman. She resides over the various volcanoes that litter the landscape of our islands.

Scoff if you must, but she has been seen by native and visitor alike in her many lava fountains and flows that have been a part of Hawaiian history for centuries. Over the last 30 years or so, all who have lived here in Hawai‘i have grown accustomed to the news stories of new flows and spectacular displays of creation and destruction that Pele and her family have provided while creating new land for the island of Hawai‘i. So when we here on the island of O‘ahu started to observe the cloudy skies of vog (volcanic fog) and began to feel the warmth of a new spring, we thought nothing of it. However, unbeknownst to me, and probably to many, this was no ordinary occurrence.

Yesterday, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory situated just outside of the Halema‘uma‘u crater issued this statement:

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY INFORMATION RELEASE
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 14:28 HST (Thursday, March 20, 2008 00:28 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW#1302-01-)
19.43°N 155.29°W, Summit Elevation 4009 ft (1222 m)
Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Explosive eruption in Halema`uma`u Crater, Kilauea Volcano, is first since 1924

At 2:58 a.m. H.s.t on Wednesday, March 19, 2008, a small explosion occurred at Halema`uma`u Crater at the summit of Kilauea Volcano in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. This event was erroneously reported as an earthquake earlier this morning. The explosion scattered debris over an area of about 75 acres (30 hectares), covering a portion of Crater Rim Drive and damaging the Halema`uma`u overlook. No lava was erupted as part of the explosion, suggesting that the activity was driven by hydrothermal or gas sources.

In addition to damaging the overlook, explosive debris covers the trail to the overlook, the Halema`uma`u parking area, and the portion of Crater Rim Drive adjacent to the parking area. On Crater Rim Drive the debris was up to 2 centimeters in size, with the size and thickness of debris increasing toward the overlook. The largest observed block ejected during the explosion was about 1 cubic meter (35 cubic feet) and must have been propelled from the vent located more than 70 m (230 feet) below the crater rim. Small impact craters from 30 cm (1 foot) blocks are abundant in the Halema`uma`u overlook area. Rock debris also extends halfway across the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater. The debris is composed of rock fragments that were derived from the walls of Halema`uma`u Crater. No fresh lava was observed on the floor of Halema`uma`u or in the ejected debris.

At 2:55 am,, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory recorded a series of seismic events that may have been shallow, high-frequency earthquakes or minor explosions. The main explosion at 2:58 was associated with long period seismicity. Low frequency sound waves were also detected by the University of Hawai`i infrasound laboratory, operated by Dr. Milton Garces. These signals have persisted through this morning indicating continuing energetic release of gas from the vent in Halema`uma`u Crater.

The explosion produced a small crater along the east wall of Halema`uma`u that is about 20-30 meters (65-100 feet) in diameter. The crater occupies the area in which incandescence had been observed during the previous week. Sulfur dioxide emissions from the new explosion crater are still elevated, and sounds of rock breaking are frequent.

This is the first explosion in Halema`uma`u crater since 1924 and the first eruption of any kind in Kīlauea caldera since September 1982.
Future explosive activity is possible and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to monitor the activity. Photos, text updates, a new Halema`uma`u crater webcam, and details about the Kilauea 1924 explosive eruption can be found at the HVO website hvo.wr.usgs.gov.

Of course, I had to rush over and see the pictures of the destruction that was caused by this “small” explosion. Keep in mind that in geologic terms, what is “small” is in reality quite large.

For those of you who are curious… the image on the left is a portion of the Chain of Craters Road…or what’s left of it. And the picture on the right shows the size of some of the rocks that were ejected during the explosion. What follows is a picture of the new crater that was created within the Halema‘uma‘u caldera from this explosion that morning.

Now speaking from a geologic standpoint, the Hawaiian Island Chain sits on what’s called a “hot spot,” a stationary area where magma is able to push through the earth’s crust in the middle of a plate to create a shield volcano. Now as the Pacific plate has traveled Northwest over the past few million years, this hotspot has created these many islands that we have today.

Anyway, getting back to the Kīlauea caldera… if you take a look at the image of the caldera below (and special thanks to Volcanovillage.com for providing the image), you will see Halema‘uma‘u crater on the left side of the photo with Kīlauea Iki slightly above it, and Pu‘u O‘o further to the right.

Now, speaking in terms of elevation, Halema‘uma‘u and the Volcano Observatory are situated at the highest points of elevation, and as you move to the right in the image, the elevation decreases until you reach sea level. So as the island continues to move over the hot spot, and the hot spot is moved in an easterly direction, the volcanic activity moves as well. Kīlauea Iki was created from an eruption in 1959 and the last major flow to surface from Halema‘uma‘u occurred in 1974. As I mentioned beforehand, Pu‘u O‘o burst forth in 1982 and has been flowing ever since.

Why have I rambled on about this geologic lesson? Well… the explosion the other day at Halema‘uma‘u signals a reversal in volcanic flow. It takes a lot of volcanic energy and power to create an explosion “up-stream” as some would say. And that could only mean one thing… there is a blockage somewhere in the volcanic system. And I have a feeling that we haven’t seen the last of the activity at Halema‘uma‘u.

For those of you who may be in the Volcano area of the island of Hawai‘i…especially those of you malihini, or visitors, to the area who may be thinking of checking out the action…heed this warning. Do not attempt to go near the caldera at this time. I know how you tourists LOVE to get up-close and personal with the volcano, but please, don’t be stupid.

Although Kīlauea eruptions have been considered to be “gentle” by most geologic standards, this was not always the case. In November of 1790, the high chief of the Ka‘ū district, Keōua Kū‘ahu‘ula, was traveling with his armies after suffering a defeat against Kamehameha and his warriors. Keōua separated his men into three companies, and as they made their way towards Kīlauea, plumes of steam could be seen coming out of the crater. His troops tried to appease Pele by offering prayers and various other gifts at the crater’s rim. However, when the second company stopped to rest near Halema‘uma‘u, they were attacked by one of the most explosive eruptions in recorded memory.

Hawaiian historian Samuel Kamakau writes in 1867:

“Thus was it done. Sand, ashes, and stones grew up from the pit into a very high column of fire, standing straight up. The mountains of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa were below it. The people even from Ka-wai-hae [a seaport on the opposite side of the mountains] saw this wonderful column with fire glowing and blazing to its very top. When this column became great it blew all to pieces into sand and ashes and great stones, which for some days continued to fall around the sides of Kilauea. Men, women, and children were killed. Mona, one of the army, who saw all this but who escaped, said that one of the chiefesses was ill and some hundreds of the army had delayed their journey to guard her and so escaped this death.”

When the rear company reached the area where the central regiment was encamped, they found nothing but corpses strewn all over the ground. Some were laid flat out on the ground, others were crouched over clutching their spouses and children. From a distance, it looked as if these soldiers were merely resting, but upon closer inspection, nothing could be further from the truth. None had survived to tell what exactly had happened that night.

The rear company rushed off to meet up with Keōua Kū‘ahu‘ula and the first company to tell them what had happened. And when they returned to the scene of the explosion, they found their fallen friends exactly as they had left them a few days before…with no marks of decay, in a state of perfect preservation in ash. The chief decided to honor them by letting these brave soldiers be, in their preserved state for many years. All that remains today of this company of men, women, and children, are a few footprints in the dark sand.

Now, who’s to say that what happened over 200 years ago could not happen again? Granted, science is much improved, but sometimes even volcanoes can’t be predicted to the minute. Can we say Mt. St. Helens?

I have a feeling that Pelehonuamea isn’t completely finished with her design of Halema‘uma‘u…

Happy St. Pattie’s Day!! Kiss me, I’m Irish!!! Well at least part of me is heheh . Unfortunately I can’t really drink ’cause I have bronchitis and have to be on meds so I can kick this nasty illness. But hey, I hope you all have a great day of drinking for me. Then again, it’s also a Monday, and you know what that means… another week to push our workout goals even further!

So in honor of the Irish and their love for the color green on this holiday, all of our images of inspiration feature guys who are wearing some form of green somewhere on their bodies hehe. Our first candidate is such a tease…I can’t really tell if this is an actual A&F ad or a porn shoot, but hey… either way it shouldn’t detract from the hard work that he’s put into his body. For myself, I see beauty in a lot of different kinds of bodies, and what I love about him is that he doesn’t have those over-developed pecs or the ripped abs. He has what I would consider to be a more “functional” body. He has a lot of muscle on his frame, but it’s not overly-defined. I wouldn’t mind having a bod like that . And with that sly smirk, who wouldn’t be interested in him, right?

Our next model looks like he’s a bit constipated, but I guess that’s a desired look in the modeling world heheh. But regardless, his body is incredible. For those of you who aspire to a more muscled look, just look at the size of his arms! They’re huge! And not to mention the incredible set of 6 pack abs. Then again, he’s wearing body makeup and oils that bring out that definition so it’d be interesting to see what he looks like without all that extra help. So for those of you who think that you would never be able to make it to his level… fear not, makeup does wonders .

Now of course there has to be a “goofball” in every group of guys, and our next guy believes in having fun. Now I don’t know how the hell you would get your body into that kind of position, but it really helps to show off the power in his frame. Everything is popping out in all the right spots, and check out those upper obliques popping out there just below his chest! Wow…

And last, but definitely not least… our last image of inspiration and visualization is for those of you who dream of the more bulkier look. A hot guy with a big firm chest, and a great set of abs that are not overdone…and those arms with the veins popping out in all the right places… hehe and of course, me being me.. I couldn’t help but notice the slight hint of a certain favorite area for a lot of gay guys hehehe.. you know I had to pick this one just for you guys! Now of course we all know that the black paint is for effect, but hell.. who cares! He’s hot!!

Whatever your goal may be, I hope that you all find inspiration somewhere and really use it to your advantage

Aloha mai kākou e nā makamaka mai ka hikina a ke kau ‘ana o ka lā. Tonight I was privileged enough to watch a great hula theatre production about one of the greatest Hawaiian chiefs of all time, Kahekilinui‘ahumanu. In ancient Hawai‘i, the Hawaiian island chain was made up of separate kingdoms each ruled over by powerful chiefs and chiefesses. Kahekili ruled the kingdom of Maui, which at the time encompassed the islands of Maui, Moloka‘i, Molokini, Lāna‘i, and O‘ahu.

Born in the mid-1700s, Kahekili was the second-born son of Kekaulikekalaniku‘ihonoikamoku, King of Maui, and his high chiefess, Keku‘iapoiwaakalaninuikauleleaiwi. It was said that the Hawaiian chiefs were descendants of the gods, and Kahekili with his high genealogy was no exception. He grew to be a very impressive young man, said to be of very fine features, almost 7 feet tall and close to 300 pounds of pure muscle and bone. Now, I don’t know about you, but that’s a far cry from the average body these days. Can you imagine seeing someone near 7 feet tall and nearly 300lbs of muscle? Damn!!!

Anyway, it was also said that Kahekili was one of the fiercest warriors of the age, able to defeat hundreds of the most skilled warriors without any hesitation. To further illustrate his devotion to the art of war, Kahekili and his chosen warriors tattooed half of their bodies from head to toe, and trained harder and longer than any other warriors in the islands. In times of peace, Kahekilinui‘ahumanu excelled in sports like boxing, wrestling, spear-throwing and cliff diving. It was said that he would routinely dive off of cliffs over 150 feet high…and would require the same of his warriors.

The great chief lived a long and fulfilling life, never being completely conquered by any other island forces, instead dying of old age. It was said however, that the wars that he did fight in were the bloodiest battles in recorded history. With his Po‘ouahi and Niu‘ula regiments and his elite class of warriors known as the Pahupū, Kahekili’s forces were able to expand his rule from the island of Maui all the way up to Ni‘ihau, a task never before attained and never again equaled.

Unfortunately, in comparison to other great chiefs of his time, not much is known about Kahekili other than the tales of his war efforts. He was a very private man and often kept to himself instead of socializing like the other chiefs. However, it is clear that Kahekili was a man of great integrity and intelligence. In times of peace, he ensured that all of the natural resources of his kingdom were properly managed in order to provide for his people, and to secure the continuity of the natural environment as well. (It’s funny how modern society often does the opposite, huh?)

I am so very happy that three major hālau hula (hula academies) from the island of Maui decided to put this production together. We so often hear tales of the great chiefs of Hawai‘i island but seldom hear of the other the great histories of the other islands. My hat goes off to hula masters Hōkūlani Holt-Padilla, Keali‘i Reichel, and Cliff Pali Ahue for bringing the story of Kahekili to life through the use of traditional Hawaiian chants and dances. Personally, I think that everyone in Hawai‘i should know of the great culture and history of its Native Hawaiian people. We are not just “hula dancers” and people in “grass skirts” like the Hollywood machine of the 20th century penned us to be, but a people of vibrancy and great tradition that spans back to the beginning of time.

Photo Credit: New York Times

There should be many more productions like this available to the public, and I mahalo (thank) the many hālau hula who have brought such stories to the stage over the last 15 years or so (Hālau o Kekuhi, Pā‘ū o Hi‘iaka, Ke‘alaokamaile, Ka Pā Hula Hawai‘i, Nā Maile Kū Honua, and Hālau Nā Pualei o Liko Lehua, just to name a few.).

Eō e Kahekilinui‘ahumanu ke ali‘i nui, a me nā hulu mamo o Hawai‘i nui kulāiwi kau i ka hano…

Oh my GOSH!!! It’s such a crazy week at work!  If I can just get through this week, I’ll be a happy camper.  I have a couple weeks of vacation coming up soon that I’m going to take full advantage of.  And what am I going to do, you might ask? Spend some committed time in the gym like I should be every day… and then after that?  A whole lotta sleep hehehe… I swear, I haven’t gotten more than 5 hours of sleep a night in ages because of my crazy schedule.

Anyway, for this week’s batch of visualization for all of you are a bunch of really hot muscle guys.  You’ll have to excuse me for my lack of candor and description this week, but my brain is completely fried and I can’t think of ways to talk about each one of these pics, so you’ll just have to let them speak for themselves.. after all, they say that a picture is worth a 1,000 words right?

Hope you guys all find something aspire to in this week’s collection!

Aloha everyone! I hope that everyone’s week got off to a great start?? I tell ya… Mondays are always the hardest for me.. they always seem to be much longer than any other day of the week. Oh wait, maybe that’s because I partied a little too much at my cousin’s house last night and have a bit of a hangover hehehe.. hmmm… nah I think Mondays are just too long hehe.

But anyway, let’s not forget that Mondays do have their good points.. being the beginning of the work week for most people, it allows us to make this week better than the last, right? And that’s kind of what the whole point of these visualization postings is. For those of us who have a hard time waking up to get into the gym at the start of a new week, you can always use these images to dream of the things that your bod could be…and maybe that’ll get ya into the gym??

So anyway, I think this week’s batch of inspiration has a little something for everyone…whether your goals are to be lean and trim, or bulky and hunky hehehe… Our first guy is on the bigger size.. and apparently he either spends way too much time in the sun or on the tanning bed Now coming from a place where it’s sunny almost all year round, I have to recommend to those of you who don’t have that luxury….that tanning beds are no good . I can spot a tanning bed tan 100 feet away . And it doesn’t look all that great.. sorry to burst your bubble hehe. He does have a pretty hot bod though, don’t you think? A hot set of flat abs, some killer arms… and the chest isn’t too bad too!

Our next hottie is for those of you who aspire to something a little leaner… how about the build of this hot volleyball player huh? A nice firm chest, some nice sizable arms, and of course some lean abs that pop out in all the right spots heheh. Anyone fancy a game with him? And hey, to top it off, volleyball’s a great way to stretch your muscles out and still kick your metabolism into high gear at the same time!

And hey, after a hard game out in the sun, don’t forget that another important aspect of building a better body for yourself is getting adequate rest. I mean, just look at this guy.. ready for bed and his abs are all ripply and hot Heheh ok, so he probably didn’t get the abs from sleeping alone… but speaking from the perspective of someone who used to spend many sleepless nights in my dorm room doing homework or working a midnight shift job… the short sleeping hours wreak havoc on the body. So do yourself a favor… get your 8 hours ok??

And you know, it’s always more fun to get active with friends Sure one of these guys is drinking…but hey, they must be doing something right? And then again, this gives you an idea of what you might be seeing this Spring Break! I mean, just look at that guy on the left there… abs, a huge chest, and what are those… 18″? 19″ arms? Not to mention his two friends next to him… flat abs, nice puffy chests hehehe…

Well anyway guys.. I hope that you can find some motivation in these pics and aspire to greatness Now if you’ll excuse me, I think this big hunk of man wants to grab a shower hehehe… see ya!