See a lot of machine type exercises. Swap some for some heavy compounds and lose some of the machines (in my unprofessional opinion). If you're working a split then do a 5x5 bench or 5x5 press followed by maybe 4 or 5 accessory lifts. Same for lower body, 5x5 heavy squat followed by whatever. You will get significantly stronger in a shorter space of time and won't need as many accessory lifts.

I'd highly recommend visiting the healthy and fitness forum on 2+2 <--, there are some seriously strong and incredible physical specimens over there who know their stuff very well and have plenty of excellent advice.

As for how something like this can fit in time wise, to answer the other poster. I work full time, study part time, play poker and still lift for 1.5 hours per day several days a week. I know another poster who doesn't have the study part but also works full time, plays poker seriously and manages to fit in some serious liftage. If you plan your week properly and don't expect to watch much TV it's more than possible.

Edit: 2100 calories?!? I'm surprised you even have energy to get out of bed with that!

I agree, don't do silly isolation exercises. They are mainly for sculpting the muscle, when you've already built a significant amount of muscle mass. Do compound lifts with free weights.

Also 2100 calories is awfully low. No way you will build muscle on that puny amount, let alone have the energy for full-time study, work and poker. Eat more.

I don't think you've really thought this through, have you?

In response to the two above posts:

I have been bodybuilding since I was 14. I trained with a professional for a year in high school as well. I never took any gear, but I put on a lot of size.

2100 calories is not a lot for most people but I am one of those endomorph people who gains 1 lb just by looking at fast food. It is summer and I am currently cutting. When I bulk in the fall/winter I eat about 3900 calories per day. I'm not training for competition or anything besides looking good and getting big, so I do carry a little extra weight.

I wouldn't be surprise. Girls absurdly need some attention. Like alot of it. But if it went beyond some psycho **** things. Dump her

Agreed. She's a good one. I've dealt with crazy in the past. Had an ex gf assault me and my gf (at the time, not this one) at a football game. Not looking for that type of excitement in my life currently.

OP, I'd advise you to quit poker and I'd advise your girlfriend to quit you.


FWIW, I meant to post this a week ago. It sounds like you are moving on the right track based on your followup posts.

Oh good everybody wins

my tl;dr story and 2 cents:

I am about to get married and I've been with her for almost 4 and half years and we've lived together for 2 1/2. Previous to our relationship, she was married to a poker player, albeit not a very good one from the sounds of it. It was not his skill that was the problem though. It was that poker was all he ever wanted to do. She went everywhere alone cause he was in front of his computer or at the casino. Not to mention that he lied about it. He would say he was going out with friends but really go to the casino. And he lied a lot about the money side of things too.
Naturally, in the beginning of our relationship, she hated that I played poker. In fact, she dumped me about 3 months in, stating specifically that she didn't want to be with another poker player. I was so into her and I knew she felt the same about me.
I seriously considered giving up the game just to keep her in my life. However, after some thought I realized I would never actually quit. I love poker and I knew I would want to play again at some point . I would either end up trying to manipulate her into "letting" me play again or I would just do it behind her back. Neither of those options seemed like they would end well. So I told her exactly how I felt about her and exactly how I felt about poker and that I wasn't willing to choose.
After about a week apart she called me and said she wanted to make it work but she didn't know how to move past her feelings towards poker. She was convinced that I would slowly stop spending time with her and withdraw as her ex had. But she also said that she couldn't see any reason, other than poker, not to be with me. I stayed the course that poker and I were a package deal but that it was not my life. I told her that I could see myself building a life with her but that I didn't want to have to lie. We both decided to take it day by day and try to be as aware and respectful of the others needs as possible.
Fast forward to present day and it's a complete non-issue. She actually tries to leave Sundays open for me because I'm a tournament player. She is totally supportive of my hobby because she knows I love it and she loves me. Even more importantly she know I love her.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, if you are right for her and she's right for you, you'll make it work. Only playing when "she's not home", doesn't sound realistic to me. There needs to be balance where there is time to do things apart and things together. Poker can't be a dirty secret or it will always cause problems. If you can't find the time to make her feel special than she's gotta go. And if she can't give you the time you need to do your thing then she's gotta go.

Good luck dude. I think the fact you are taking so much time to think it though shows you're on the right track!

Wow this was a great story and I'm really thankful you shared. We started dating before I got into poker, but she has been accepting of all that I am, which is a huge step up from previous relationships. We had the talk about poker and we agreed to just make certain we have time to spend together each day and as long as we can do that I have poker available. So far this past week we have been doing well from my standpoint. I'm getting about 4 hours in when I work and about 5-8 when I'm off.

I really appreciate your post! Thanks again for sharing

She probably feels threatened, ladies do abhor competing with a computer for attention. And she may have unstated - and not-illegitimate - concerns about your going bankrupt at the game, being an addict, that kind of thing, even if the risk is smallish, and might be passive aggressive

This thread makes me feel lucky to have a gf that supports me in anything I put my mind to (within reason). Everything I've aspired to do she's been there for me the whole way throughout the years. I feel blessed, and couldn't imagine having to put up with someone trying to steer me away from what I love. In your position op id be inclined to make it work, but if she makes it between her and poker, that's not somebody I want to be spending my life with.

Word

This thread is full of a lot of people who really hate women and likely need to talk to someone to work out those problems....

Not sure if anybody is reading this anymore but heres an update:

So far, time management has been interesting but working. I have given up some time in the gym for poker and still have free time for my girlfriend. We have been spending a lot more time together. For instance, today we went on a date to play mini golf and arcade games over at this place right by where we live.

Normal schedule now on working days is I get home at 5:45, eat and shower and play poker until about 9-10. Then we relax and watch tv or something like that until it's time to go to bed. Not my favorite activity - just sitting there watching tv - but it's what she wants to do so I go along with it.

On my days off I usually will either play 5-6 hours in the morning or at night and have the rest of the day to do chores and boyfriend stuff.

Thanks for all the feedback guys! Things seem to be ironing themselves out.

- deposits more to shot take higher stakes SNGs
- stops posting overall results when they turn negative
- shot takes higher stakes PLO when drunk and tilted
- donks off a bit on casino games
- still jumping around between formats a lot

you're gonna bust your roll if you keep on like this

not hating, just giving advice

good job working things out with the Mrs though

It might be necessary to work that many hours. Maybe he doesn't want to graduate with 20K of student loan debt like his less focused friends will have. When I joined the National Guard they had a program that made payments on old student loans, so I thought I would be fine. One day that program changed to only cover tuition each semester. I never dreamed that I would be stuck with a bunch of loans and if that's why he's working so hard, it's a good move on his part.

I do however agree with everyone that said he'll have to prioritize at some point. And while I appreciate his poker enthusiasm, he'll have to figure out how to put in a lot more time if he's serious about making money. (There comes the priority issue again.)

One more thing. I have been in about 10 different countries as a musician in an army band. While I was in Iceland or Australia on tour, my wife got to sit home with our cats. Two of my sons have done a combat tour, and their wives (one of whom had three small children) have spent even more time without their husbands. My wife and my son's wives didn't complain.

If in fact all of his work hours are aimed at paying down student loans (or at not having them) then the discussion gets interesting. I think that they need to sit down have a conversation, not just about now, but about what the big picture is and how what they are both doing fits in with where they see their lives going after graduation.

This situation isn't really so unusual. There are a lot of husbands (and boyfriends and wives and girlfriends) who might be on call as police officers or doctors, or have to do day-long shifts in a firehouse, or have an insane workload as a medical student. We can't always be with the ones we love every single day. Life doesn't work that way.

I just thought of one more thing. I wonder if the two of them have had a serious talk about poker. My wife and I did.

I told her why I wanted to play and what my goals were. As I play only tournaments, I thought it was very important to talk about variance and how crazy it can be.

I spent almost nothing to start. I put $50 on a site and I got books from the library to study. I told my friends and relatives that the only presents I wanted were poker books.

As a part-time player I messed around in $1 tournaments for about 6 months or so before I started making a few bucks. Then, one day I played a $3 online tournament and cashed for $384 (7th of 4200 players.) My wife saw that it could really turn into something. When I retired from the military we decided that it was time to give playing full-time a shot. She saw the potential and told me to go for it.

Now when I get a nice cash at a live tournament she takes the envelope from me, counts the money, spreads out the bills and takes a picture--then she hands the money back to me. I have complete discretion how to handle my poker funds and I trust her to handle the family finances. We each have access to the records that the other keeps.

This would never have worked if I didn't listen to her concerns, answer all of her questions and prove that I could make money.

She either supports you or bounce, don't need other people killing your dreams. You were born alone and you will die alone.

You need a female that supports your every move. If she doesn't do that. Then she's not the one.

I've had both types of relationships, and I progressed much further and faster when I had a woman who supported my every move and improved my confidence and willingness to be better.