501st

 That number means a bit more than just a Star Wars reference to my favorite (and probably most everyone's favorite) legion of clone troopers. I mean sure, there's the 212th which is good too, and I think 41st or something? I'm not incredibly knowledgeable on the clone legions and battalions, but that's not the point of this post.

501 represents this post's number. Counting the words you're reading right now marks 501 total posts that I have made on this blog, initially "Geoff's Unfiltered Thoughts" where the URL contained "obiwanoutoften" as a reference to a joke rating of attractiveness from a friend group (that started this whole blog thing) as me being an Obi-Wan out of Ten due to Valentine's being right around when we all met and I sent those cheesy "Valentine's Cards" of Star Wars prequel memes/puns. To today where the blog has been "Into Vengeance. Into the Night. Into Batman." for about as long as I can remember once I phased out of that friend group and moved on to write a bit more sophisticated posts that had some thought and meaning behind it, as well as the URL containing "vengeancenightbatman". Actually now that I think about it, this blog may have been something else before "Geoff's Unfiltered Thoughts" but I can't quite place it right now.

To think that in the 4 years, 7 months, and 23 days that 501 posts have been written and posted is incredible. I mean that averages out to just over 9 posts a month, so it's really not all that significant or intense, but considering I don't seek to gain anything from these posts, no money, no advertisements, no fame, nothing, I have written quite a fair share. And sure I could've hit this mark a whole lot sooner if I hadn't had a couple of moments in which I don't return here for months at a time. I think the most I've blogged was in February of 2020, where that month had 69 posts (not just for the meme but it was also that year). If I'm being honest, I didn't even think I'd get this far along and would still be blogging after all these years. I mean it was started as a joke because one person had a blog, and quite frankly I don't even know how many people of that group of friends still have or use their blogs. I may be the only one.

Alas, whatever the case may be as far as their blogs are concerned, I figured I'd do a bit happier or upwards of a post. I don't write too many posts celebrating myself or looking forward, and I mean really looking forward, to the next step or the near future. It seems that even to me it's always about some girl that I'm crushing on or having relationship struggles with, or that I'm upset about something. I seldom celebrate myself.

Just for starters, I hit a long goal at the gym. Among the fitness community there is this group that is known as the "Thousand Pound Club." It's not a real or physical club, but it's just an elusive spot to reach for many, but with time and serious training and programming, I'd think most people can get there. The only "requirement" to "join" is to have a total lift of 1,000 pounds or greater, and that total is calculated by adding up your 1 rep max of your squat, bench, and deadlift (some argue it should be squat, bench, and clean, but if you could clean such heavy weight, you're in a totally different division).

I may have written here although I'm not sure, but in 2019, I had a 6 month period in which I was going pretty regularly to the gym, about 4 days a week, mostly switching between back/biceps and chest/triceps/shoulders. I skipped leg day about all the time, did a bunch of cardio, and called it a day. The only "compound" movement I did was the bench press, and even at that it wasn't a spectacular bench press either. I shied away from the squat and deadlift because I'd have heard about the risks and injuries associated with them, but never thought to ask someone to teach me. It's fine since I fell off the bandwagon eventually. When I restarted the gym going I did 3 days a week starting in February 2021, and began to incorporate the squat and deadlift. Once I did that, I had thought that maybe some day in the long, long future, I might try to join the 1,000 pound club, but even then I thought it impossible since each of the three lifts would have to be a couple hundred, if not a few hundred pounds each. I thought it to be impossible.

It wasn't.

I can now proudly say that (while using some equipment like lifting straps and a belt), I can squat 345 pounds, bench 250 pounds, and deadlift 425 pounds, which puts me at a grand total of 1,020 pounds (you see how this works for those who aren't into fitness?) And I feel good. I happen to recent start liking the way my physique is turning out, and sure I may not be the most muscular and I definitely don't have a 6 pack, but it's okay. I know that I'm pretty early into my fitness journey, sitting around 1 year and 7.5 months or so since starting all 3 compound lifts. I know that some people say that the majority of my training for the first 3 years should be focused on gaining as much muscle and strength as possible, so that's what I'm doing. Sure I'd like to shave down some fat, but I'm not going to purposely go on a cut right now because I think what I'm doing is working well for me and we'll ride it out until the close of Year 3. Even then, I may even ride it out 'til the close of Year 5, because the general consensus seems to be that most lifters who train hard and well will reach the majority of their genetic potential and have the vast majority of muscle mass their body is able to put on after 5 years of training. Then I can fine tune and cut or shred or do whatever I'd like from there.

Without getting too sidetracked on my weightlifting progress (as if I weren't already too sidetracked) why the post about 501st? Well that's because at least written in lore, the 501st Legion of clone troopers were associated with strength and loyalty. That they would become the best of what they are, with very memorable characters such as Captain Rex, Jesse, and Fives. They also became Vader's Fist when the Galactic Empire rose, but that still showcases their strength and their loyalty despite their more evil nature associated with the Empire

Where am I going with that? Well, I figured that strength and loyalty are great characteristics that I think I'd like to be able to hold for myself. Not just the physical strength, but the mental and emotional strength that I can and should build so that hopefully I can help someone else in their time of need and their time of weakness. I don't mean to try to be a white knight and go to help the damsel in distress. But I would hope that if a need arises and I see an opportunity to help, and if the help is wanted and requested then I would help. I can think of some people who invite themselves to help another even though someone simply mentioned a tough time but never asked for help. It mildly irks me, so whenever I do offer my help, I try to incorporate somewhere that I'll only help if they so choose to want me to. That way it's totally up to them, but never would I keep asking "hey do you want my help or not" or even just start helping without asking.

Loyalty is another thing that seems to be becoming sparse. Sure sometimes loyalty can backstab someone because they blindly trust and follow another. Sometimes it can be painful and tough to watch as someone sacrifices so much just to stay loyal to another. I'd like to think that with ample self-reflection and careful examination, one could find and choose when to be loyal. And it's a good quality to have. There is enough sneaky around or distrust between many because so many people are just looking for good times and quick times and not really looking to build genuine relationships and to connect with people. Maybe that's just the world we live in now, but I do like to occasionally think that I am somewhat old school, but in the right ways. I'd like to think I know or am learning how to build friendships and to be gentle and kind to another. That I'd hopefully not hurt others just because I didn't get what I wanted and that I am working in a non-aggressive way to try to befriend or earn favor of another. I don't know if I'm doing a good job on that, but I suppose time will tell.

All in all, the point of this post was to briefly celebrate my physical prowess that I never thought would happen, or at least not in this relatively short time frame (although just shy of 20 months of weightlifting is no short amount of time, and sure some people may have been able to achieve what I did in less time, this is me and this is my journey) as well as to look towards building up my strength in other areas, and to develop good senses of loyalty to those who care for me and would defend me, so I should hope to be able to care for others and defend them if the need ever arises. I'm not saying I hope to fall to a dark side like the 501st did when they became Vader's Fist, but I hope to have their sense of strength, direction, comradery, and loyalty to their friends, brothers in arms, and leaders. To eventually be a leader of my own and to build that same level of strength and loyalty with those who are above me, and those who are below me, for how strong is a chain if not for its weakest link?