I was always a good athlete in my younger days as I won quite a few national boxing titles and got selected for school sports frequently, but I knew in myself that I needed something different; that's when I found out about bodybuilding. As a young boy, I would watch Arnold Schwarzenegger films all the time and wanted to be big and powerful like him and other action heroes such as Stallone and Dolph Lungdren.
I got started when my step dad brought an old set of dumbbells and a bench press into the house. My cousin and I would try to out-bench each other on a daily basis and my interest in weightlifting began.
A few years after, I met my partner of six years and wanted to impress her by building some muscles, so I started training again and could see that I had the genetics to become big and strong like my heroes.
After much research and dedication, I read every article I could on training and nutrition on Bodybuilding.com and decided I wanted to become a bodybuilder and compete one day in a competition.
I love bodybuilding because of the lifestyle you can create for yourself. In my younger days, I would go out and party a lot and would not eat well. Since I have started taking bodybuilding more seriously I feel better about myself; I feel more refreshed and my body feels as if it is clean inside.
I love the training in the gym - beating yourself every workout is a great feeling and I love it because it has given me a new lease on life that I don't think I would have if I had not started bodybuilding.
The guts and passion it takes to get ready for a contest is what really separates the men from the boys! I certainly do not love it, but the end result is always worth it. To me, there is no better feeling than stepping on stage to a cheering audience. This is what makes it all worthwhile.
What motivates me at the minute is competition. I have been dieting all year and although motivation levels do drop, the only thing that keeps me going is knowing that I have to step on stage and be in shape for the judges and the crowd. During the offseason, I stay motivated by training for the next competition!
I use bodybuilding to make me a better person inside and outside of the gym! This is what makes me want to achieve my goals - to become a better person through training, motivating people, and helping others.
After placing second in the junior class at the NABBA Mr. Northern Ireland bodybuilding contest, I have received an invitation to compete at the NABBA Mr. Britain Finals and also been selected to represent Northern Ireland at the NABBA World Championships. Both of these are a dream come true to me and I am currently trying to bring in a harder more solid physique for these shows.
If all goes well at the Britain Finals and I get a top six placing, I intend to go and compete at the NABBA Mr. Universe competition later this year.
My plans then are to take a few years off of competing, get some serious size on and come back in 2015 to compete in the Novice class.
Lean and mean, Dean is planning to take a few years off to pack on additional mass.
The one tip I would give is there is that there's no magic pill or powder that will make you big or lean; there is diet, training, rest, and dedication.
You have to have all of these things 100 percent spot on to become successful in this game - so train hard, eat big, and sleep well!
Arnold, Serge Nubret, Markus Ruhl, Ronnie Coleman, and Phil Heath.
I use Bodybuilding.com for everything. There is no better place for information on training, diet, and competition advice than this website.
Photographic Credit: Ace Photography