Amateur Bodybuilder Of The Week: Big As Can Be

As a kid, I loved cartoons like Dragon Ball Z, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Power Rangers. I loved their muscles and power and used to try and draw the characters. I've always been fascinated with great muscles and conditioning.

Roughly two years ago, a friend of mine told me to watch Pumping Iron. As I was watching, I kept comparing myself to the bodybuilders. I want arms like that, shoulders like rocks, and to be as ripped as possible.

I had no clue about training or nutrition, but I had desire. So, one morning I just woke up and started running twice per day and doing push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups. I lost a few pounds and trimmed my waist a bit, but I had no size.

About six months later, my dad told me to join a gym. I joined my local gym and it was love at first sight.

I usually switch my training depending on my goals. I play around with cardio in the off-season to include boxing, kickboxing, basketball, and sometimes rugby, but for contest prep I do moderate low-intensity cardio for about 45 minutes.

I try to minimize the use of supplements as much as I can, but there are a few I find useful. Every now and then I'll have black coffee for a pre-workout on heavy training days. I always have whey protein post-workout unless I'm four weeks out from a show.

I love the feeling of achievement after every training session. I coupled it with a structured diet. I love seeing the changes to my body. The ability to set a goal and manually work toward achieving it is a great feeling. I have always been better at individual sports where I don't have to communicate with others. I love the look of veins popping on my forearms and biceps bulging without having to tense them. I love bodybuilding because of the skills it teaches me.

I have never been an organized and disciplined individual. It was prominent with school work and other areas of my life. I could never commit to something and see it trough. But since I started bodybuilding and living and eating healthy, my whole character has changed. Preparation taught me lots about organization. If I start something I must see it through despite what people think. It's my journey and the end says more about a person than the beginning.

I will always be fascinated by what the human body can accomplish trough diet and training manipulation. I'm self-motivated and feel almost like a scientist learning the best formulas for my body to obtain close to perfect size, symmetry, and conditioning.

I think about Jesus a lot and what he went through. If he could do 40 days and 40 nights, then I can diet. If he could take being crucified, then I can make it through a grueling training session.

My future plans are to compete in many more events and win as many as I can. I hope to open a supplement shop, a gym, or some kind of organization that works in the field of sports, supplements, or nutrition.

Be prepared in every sense of the word. Be prepared to start the diet, to get to the gym on time, and most importantly, be ready for those who will think you're crazy. Some will say you can't do it or that it's too expensive. Those people are the most dangerous. Learn to avoid them and continue on.

My favorite bodybuilder is Mike Mentzer. His size and symmetry are like a jacked up cartoon hero; mesomorphic with crazy forearms.

When I joined Bodybuilding.com and saw Kelechi Opara I committed to working my ass off to look as ripped as I can. I started reading books and online articles on Bodybuilding.com to find the secrets to being huge and full of ripped muscles.

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