Tank, the Book

[philat99]

TANK, THE BOOK

I was at Mac?s gym just talking about old times when this young behemuth came in flaunting himself like a peacock. He sauntered up to me and blurted out, ?Hey Fatman. Why don?t you USE the gym and not just stand around jabbering?? (God, he?s a fat sucker!)

Now I used to have a really short fuse and would have clobbered him summarily, but I had a much better idea for this upstart. He did look like he had great potential.

Meanwhile Mac introduced us. ?Tank, this young upstart is Bart Koster, a real up-and-comer for the big titles. He?s been training here putting all my boys to shame.?

?And I?ve already won state as a heavyweight!?

?Bart, this is Tank Vorash. He owns The Room where the real heavyweights train.?

?And he looks like a tank, too! Man you really need to lose some pounds and put on some real muscle!? (Man! Is he repulsive!)

?Hey, Boy Wonder, don?t judge a book by its cover!?

Bart looked to be around 6?, 250+ pounds of really vascular muscle. I, on the other hand was 6?4? 530 pounds - very off-season. Bart - 25. I - 52!

?So you think I need to lose some pounds! Why don?t you come on over to The Room and I?ll make you a deal you can?t pass up!?

Mac interjected, ?Do it, Bart. You won?t regret it.? Of course Mac was also looking out for his own guys, wanting to get rid of this arrogant ass from his stable.

********************

Bart did indeed come to The Room where I immediately welcomed him. I saw the look in his eyes as he saw the signed posters of me dwarfing Ferrigno, Priest, Cutler, Cormier, Wolf and nearly two dozen more ?greats? who had come to The Room to train when they passed through town. My place was famous if not infamous for attracting the really big muscle boys.

?All these guys came HERE? What?s so special about HERE??

?Just Li?l Ole Me. That?s who.?

?But who ARE you? I never read about you before. And you?re so - FAT!?

?Don?t judge a book by the cover, Boy Wonder! While these boys were pumping up for show, I was concentrating on strength and strength alone!?

So I guess it was time to demonstrate a thing or two to the arrogant young pup.

?You?re already in your training gear, right??

?Yeah.?

?Put on your lifting belt and buckle it tight.?

I called over Antoine who was pretty close to Bart?s weight.

?You both have your weight belts on - tight. You?ll need to hold my forearms or bis or shoulders for balance. Hold on tight, boys! You?re going for a ride!? And with that I grabbed one guy in each hand by their belts and lifted them to arm?s length over my head in one smooth move! Antoine had experienced this before. Bart, on the other hand, looked like he had just been manhandled by King Kong, eyes bugging out and barely recognizable words uttering from his quivering mouth.

(Ohmygod! Ohmygod! He?s fuckin? liftin? me and this other guy like we?re babies! He?s liftin? 250 pounds with each arm! Oh my god!)

I put them down gently, sent Antoine back to his training, and looked Bart straight in the eyes. ?So you think I need to lose weight and gain muscle. Is that what I heard you say at Mac?s??

?Ye-e-e-s-s T-t-t-a-a-n-k,? Bart stuttered. (Oh God! I?m dead meat!)

?OK. We need to get a few things out of the way. You do NOT call me Tank. You will EARN that privilege. You will call me....?

?Sir! Yes, Sir!?

?Sounds like you were in the Corps. Me, too. Now that that?s out of the way let?s get down to business. You still want the deal, or don?t you? And here. Have some tea.?

?Sir! Yes, Sir!? (Why did I come here? He?s gonna kill me! And what?s with the tea? Tank drinks tea???)

?For every pound of fat that comes off this 530 pound body, one-half pound of prime grade-A muscle adds to yours. Understood??

?Sir! Yes, Sir!?

?I intend to get back down to 350 pounds at around 10% bodyfat. What does that mean you will do??

?Sir, I will add 90 pounds of grade-A muscle to my body for a total of 340 pounds and 10% bodyfat! Sir!?

?So, Boy Wonder does have a brain in that head of his! But for you it?ll be 7%! - And, you will follow the regimen I give to you perfectly! You will study and learn from The Book, namely Me, and realize that while covers may change, content doesn't!?

?Sir! Yes, Sir!?

?Into the measuring room. We will be documenting our changes.?

I told Bart to strip as I proceeded to do likewise. He did have an impressive physique and oh what a tool - proud and at attention!

?Holy crap! You look like Emmanuel Yarborough! - Sir!?

?Actually Manny?s around a hundred pounds heavier and 4? taller, but he discovered I was stronger, and a better sumo wrestler, too - quite a master of leverage, if I do say so myself! AND, after we measure one another, you, too, will get to wrestle me, Boy Wonder!?

(OHmygod!) ?Sir! Don?t you think your 530 vs my 250 is a bit unfair? Sir!?

?And the fact that you have the stamina of a 25 year-old and I?m an overweight 52 year-old - twice your age -MIGHT compensate.

********************

I led him to MY Room, the one with the really heavy weights and the extra thick mats to work out my fetishes - massive lifting and muscle domination. Bart was going to ?taste? the latter.

(Ohmygod! He?s gonna kill me!)

?So I remind you of Emmanuel, eh? Well, Boy Wonder, I really don?t want to take total advantage of you, so I?ll hold both hands behind my back while you TRY to take me down. Of course you know to go for the legs, right??

?Sir! I?ve wrestled before, in high school and at the Marine base. I should be able to hold my own. Sir!? (as long as he doesn?t fall on top of me first!)

I knew this was going to be easy as pie since he had only a passing knowledge of leverage and was still scared shitless by my size and strength. Sure enough he went for the legs. That power of suggestion sure works well. He?d never stand a chance against my treetrunks - or any other part of me for that matter. His 250 pounds of muscle against my legs: He grabbed them and nothing happened. I didn?t move a muscle. He was dumbfounded. Exasperated, he started pulling and pushing at my two marble columns. He didn?t even notice when I started to move - but then it was too late. I just let gravity do the work and flopped forward - with a splat - right on top of him.

(Ohmygod! He did it! I?m going to die! He?s going to suffocate me here and now! Why did I ever listen to Mac?)

?Check and mate, Boy Wonder!? I pushed myself up into a squat over his back, turned the boy over, and just let my belly hold his muscled chest to the mat while my package loomed precariously over his face. ?One - two - three,? I said very slowly. ?How about two out of three??

?Sir! Please NO! Sir!? (I feel like... I don?t know what! I?ve never felt this scared in all my life! Not even the tough DI in the Corps prepared me for this!)

I slowly raised off Bart letting my belly apron rub over his muscled chest and head, stood up and folded my arms over my chest, just to assert and ingrain in Brad my absolute domination. He moaned and let go with a huge load right then and there. ?There?re rags and cleaner in that room over there. Clean up the mess while I contemplate which page of The Book you?ll experience next.?

(He had mercy on me - this time! That belly! It?s so disgusting, and yet I got hard and shot when he rubbed me with it. What?s going on with me? And, yeah! I?ll never, ever forget the sight of that well-hidden package. He?s humongous! - at least a 12? soft cock and grapefruit sized balls! He puts my junk to shame. Thank God I didn?t have to experience THAT!)

?OK, Boy Wonder, clean yourself up in the bathroom over there. The next page will be much easier for you. You up for a little excitement??

When he came out of the bathroom looking a bit refreshed, I picked him up and headed for the bench thinking of the fun I was going to have with this little muscle hunk.

(I can?t believe he?s handling me like a rag doll. Oh god, what?s he planning now?)

?What?s your max on the bench? We?re going to see how much we can increase it today.?

?Sir! 300 pounds! Sir!?

?That?s only 50 pounds more than you weigh! You really have been lifting just for show! The world record is just over half-a-ton. My personal record is more than that. We?re going to give ourselves a year to become transformed. Let?s see if you can increase your load ten pounds a week. That shouldn?t be too difficult with all the other increases you?ll be making.?

?Sir! That?s 820 pounds by the end of the year! Sir!?

?And that?s for reps, too, Boy Wonder! Now let?s get down to business!?

I loaded the bar to 250 and let Bart position himself. Of course I spotted him since I could easily curl whatever he could bench anyway. ?Ok. Start!?

?Shouldn?t I warm up first??

?And what was our little wrestling match? A romp in the park? AND - what?s with the informality??

?Sir! I?m sorry, Sir! But I?ve never lifted in the buff before. Sir!?

?I?m glad to hear you?re sorry, but I?m sure you heard me say ?Start!? Now get to it!?

?Sir! How many reps and sets? Sir!?

?That?s MY concern. Just START, damn it!!!?

With that Brad started heaving the 250 upwards once, twice...5...10, and then he racked the bar!

?What the fuck! Why?d you stop? You?re barely sweating!?

?Sir! I finished my first set of ten. Sir!?

?Did I tell you to stop??

?Sir! No, Sir!?

?You DO NOT stop until you are told! UNDERSTOOD??

?Sir! Yes, Sir!?

With that he continued until I could see fatigue and I told him to stop. He racked the bar. Including the first ten I got 23 out of him. ?Way too light, Boy Wonder! Way too light for OUR purposes!?

?Sir! It would help if I knew the goal. I need an objective! Sir!?

?FATIGUE!? I yelled at him. ?FATIGUE IN TEN! That?s your objective! Understood soldier??

?Sir! Yes, Sir!?

********************

I couldn?t believe that I had to teach this know-it-all kid of 25 years with Marine Corps experience the basics of strength training, but then, he?d been training for show, not for power.

I saw great potential in Bart, but withheld that fact for the first few months. We?d arranged for a one-year sabbatical from his work so he could live with me at The Room and be at my beck and call as he read his book.

The weight training wasn?t going to be a problem. Bart was a natural. Great proportions to start with. 6? 250#, chest 49?, arms 19?, waist 28?, thighs 27?, calves 17?, neck 18? - plenty to work with! HOWEVER! The attitude had to be bridled. The young stud was just way too big for his britches, and he had to be broken!

?Boy Wonder! You said your one rep max was 300. Load that bar with 300! (Oh God! I?ve got a horrible feeling!) ?Get yourself set while I straddle your chest. I?ll spot you from the front! (Oh no! He?s gonna sit on me! I?m gonna be dead meat! I?m gonna drop the bar or he?s gonna squash me!!!) ?Lift till I say Stop. Understood!?

?Sir! Yes, Sir!? (I?ve never, EVER, lifted 300 for reps. What makes him think I can do it now?)

?Lift! One and two and three...and five...and ten! Stop!?

(How the hell did he know I could do that?) ?Sir, I did it! Sir!?

?And did I sit down and squash you? Or did the bar fall? Or did anything happen that shouldn?t have??

?Sir! No, Sir! But I was nervous, Sir!? (And how did he know what I had been thinking?)

?That all right. It was a new challenge - the next of many. Do you trust me now? That I?m not going to kill you or maim you? That I?m not just some fat ass looking to put you down to make myself feel good?

?Sir! Yes, Sir!?

?Right! You will gain confidence in yourself and not have to put other people down to feel good about yourself. By the time I?m done with you, you will be the biggest, strongest, most polite MF around, except for me, of course!?

?Sir! Thank you, Sir!?

?And you just learned one of the first rules of politeness - a sincere ?Thank You.? We?ll be working on the ?Please? part next. Add ten pounds to each side of the bar!?

?Position yourself and start when you are ready. Stop ONLY when I tell you.?

Bart lifted his heart out. 1, 2, 3...5...10, 11, 12.

?S-i-r-r-r! P-u-l-e-e-z-e! S-i-r-r-r!? Bart wheezed!

?Stop! Part two has now been learned! You could have defied me at 10, but you didn?t. You thought you knew your limit. But you needed my permission. You received it with your 'Please.' Your whole body is throbbing nicely! Now rest for a few minutes before we go on to the other muscle groups.?

Bart let out a barely audible ?Oh shit!?

?And again the informality??

Bart jumped up as if at attention. ?Sir! Oh shit, Sir!?

********************

My stint in Nam just before the war ended in 1975 gave me some experience with southeast-Asian culture. On a visit to a Buddhist monastery I was befriended by an old monk. We carried on a great conversation covering anything and everything under the sun. My ears perked up when he spoke of the many cures he had discovered from local plants. One in particular caught my attention. He and his fellow monks were not only exceptionally healthy, but also exceedingly strong, far beyond their size and musculature. It was one plant, he told me, that they used daily, that accounted for this miraculous gift. As I was due to be shipped home shortly, out of friendship, he gave me some seeds from this plant to take with me. I thanked him and put them in my pocket and nearly forgot about them as the days got pretty hectic around the base prior to leaving Nam.

Once I got back home I discovered all my little treasures and planted some of them in my garden. They sprouted but died from the much cooler climate here in Minnesota. I tried again, planting some in my sunroom. Perfect! They not only germinated, but grew into substantial bushes. Yes, I had to repot at least three times before they were happy and full sized. The old monk never did tell me what to do next, so I just harvested some leaves and brewed them as tea. It tasted awfully bitter, but I kept it up for a month as I discovered my strength magnifying intensely. At 6?4? and 250, I was fit, especially from my Marine Corps training. But no amount of training could have prepared me for the great gift from my Buddhist friend. I asked my dear muscle-love, Justin, to spot me in our home gym. I had never really tried to bench heavy before - just went for high reps. We loaded the bar with what was normal for me at the time - 275. I couldn?t believe it, nor could my bud. I was lifting like it was a pillow. We started adding in 10 pound increments on each side, then twenty-five?s, then changing to forty's, and finally to hundred's. When I lifted 800 for 10 reps I had to stop, not because I couldn?t do more, but because we were both so surprised and overjoyed that we had to just stop and consider the awesome feat I had just accomplished. Justin, who had never indulged in the tea, had been maxed at 500 for a few years. Needless to say, he started on the same regimen I had been on for the previous month. We then continued our lifting as partners, with our regular tea break every day. When we both broke one-half ton, we celebrated by quitting our jobs, he as a personal trainer and me as a construction supervisor, and opened The Room - a gym for the biggest guys around.

********************

Bart broke many a sweat many times a day over the next weeks and months, lifting for strength, working toward fatigue, covering all muscle groups in the process. My little 250 pound show-off worked his way toward massive pecs, delts, bis and tris, middle body, and legs of a titan. He grew a few inches taller, but oh so much more massive - with the help of a HALF-cup of tea each day. Couldn?t let him overtake the master, now.

?Hey, Boy Wonder! How does it feel to have lifted twice your body weight??

?Sir! Fantastic! Sir!?

Yes, Bart had really put heart and soul into the program and mastered page after page from me.

?Bart! I?ve got a surprise for you.?

?Sir! Yes, Sir! And that?s the first time you called me by my name. Sir!?

?Yep! And that?s part one of the surprise. My name is Tank. Think you can say it without the Sir??

?Yes, Sir Tank! er, I mean, sure thing, Tank!?

?You did better than I expected in the last six months. I figure you deserved a little reward. You?ve just reached the 300 mark and you?re benching just over 600 for reps. That?s a fantastic accomplishment in this amount of time. And your one rep max is 790!!!?

Bart?s lips curled into the most adorable smile I?d ever seen as he contemplated the admiration I held toward him. You?ve done great, too, Tank! What are you down to now? 420 or so? I see muscle now and not too much overhang anymore!?

With that compliment I couldn?t resist creating a third gift as I reached for my very large lifting belt. I tightened it real tight, looked Bart straight in the eyes with all seriousness, grabbed hold of his enormous bi and simply said, ?Go to it, Bart!? I think tears were about to come to his eyes as he grabbed that belt in his right hand and, with still a bit of difficulty, hoisted me one handed above his head. He lowered me fairly gently, not yet have the flowing motion mastered. What a sense of accomplishment he showed as he broke out giggling like a school kid.

The tea helped both of us, of course. The attitude adjustment sessions helped, too. In fact, his attitude changed so much along with his increase in mass, good old Mac hardly recognized him. He's been reading his book and learning his lessons well. Bart had been broke, just like the fine stallion he is, and now he?s on his way to achieving whatever title he wants. And we still have six more months to go! We?ll both meet our goals easily, and I just might let him grow close enough to my strength to have a real knock-down drag-out match with Mac and Justin as honorary refs.

-end

[arpeejay]

I need to drink more tea!

xoxo

Richard