I started weightlifting my sophomore year in high school (age 15) to get stronger for sports and immediately fell in love with it. I continued lifting on a regular basis. After my second year of college soccer, I started picking up more weight and lost interest in sports.
My body responded well to consistent weight training. With the right diet and workout routine, the gains started appearing. I went from a 180-pound soccer player to 200 pounds of solid muscle by age 22. I continued training hard and reached my goal weight of 225 pounds. Within the last year, I dropped weight, because my main goal changed to develop a "fitness" look with the right proportion, symmetry, and size to fit my frame. I'm 200 pounds with about five percent body fat currently.
I have always been amazed by great physiques in movies and magazines. When I started weight training and saw the results on my body, it gave me the drive to take it to another level. My goal is to build the best physique I can for my frame. It has to be the right proportion, symmetry, mass, and size so everything fits right.
I was inspired at a young age after watching actors like Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and Van Damme. I was amazed by their physiques and always had a dream to build the body I wanted. When I got access to a gym, I took advantage of it and started working toward my goal.
I opened books and magazines on bodybuilding or watched motivational videos on the Internet to get me going. I rarely lose sight of my goals, so it's easy to get motivated to step outside my comfort zone and do serious work at the gym.
This year, I have two overall men's physique wins at regional shows, so one of my plans is to earn an IFBB pro card in men's physique by winning a national show. I placed sixth at the USAs last July and will continue competing in 2013. I will live the health and fitness lifestyle for as long as I physically can.
There are many factors that play huge roles in reaching a certain goal. One of the biggest is the consistency. Building the body you want takes time. The more time you take off, the longer you wait to achieve your goal. Stick to the plan no matter what life throws at you.
Arnold, but I also like Frank Zane and Steve Reeves.
I have used Bodybuilding.com to purchase the best supplements for the most affordable prices. I also browse through and find information on any questions I have. I started using BodySpace a few months ago and I'm seeing tons of aspiring bodybuilders and fitness athletes in one place—that is something you can't find on other social media sites. The interaction with people who have the same goals is great and I'm becoming more and more active on my account.