I started when I was about 16. I played high school football and took a helmet to the back from a fellow teammate in practice. A week later and I found out I had two herniated discs in my lower back. My dream of playing college football was over.
I took the therapeutic route for my back and began doing light strength training and core exercises to strengthen my body. A couple of months after therapy, I developed such a passion for training. Five years later and a whole lot wiser, I am ready to break out into the industry and give it everything I've got. The love I have for the sport is immense and will never die out.
The love I have for the sport is honestly beyond words. There is no adjective or word that can completely describe the feeling of living this lifestyle. After all, it is a lifestyle and everything you do revolves around it. It is a constant battle and competition against yourself. The idea of never being satisfied fuels the continuous motivation to better the physique. Regardless of my future in the industry, it is a lifestyle I will continually live. The love between fitness and me will never die.
I would be lying to say the mirror doesn't contribute to the motivation in some way, shape, or form. The concept of seeing your physical body change in what can be such a short period of time is truly amazing. What you put into the lifestyle is honestly what you get out of it. My family and girlfriend are also huge players in motivation. They always have supported me in all decisions I have made.
Favorite Personal Quote: "You're either in or you're out!"
I don't know really how to answer this besides saying the drive inside. I don't know what it is inside me, but my heart is so set on going out and achieving success in anything I do. I don't want to look back 20 years from now and say I should have gone for it, or I should have done this or that. If an opportunity is close by, I go after it. The worst possibility that can happen is I fail or someone says no, and I strive on that.
I am making the transition from Bodybuilding to Physique. In the end, the physique look is the direction I want to go. I also feel it is attainable naturally and that is a life I have and will continue to live. Currently I am about to prep with my new training team Peak Performance Prep. They're awesome people and I am looking forward to rocking the house with them for the NPC Garden State on June 9th and then possibly go for my Pro Card in July at Team Universe depending on how I look in June.
Be patient. Too many people, especially my age, want results too fast. It takes time to build a muscular physique with great symmetry and proportion. Put in the work and the results will come.
Greg Plitt is definitely the man. There will never be another guy like him. Also, I am looking forward to the journey of competing against guys like Ryan Hughes and Steve Cook. Both have standout physiques in the industry. As far as bodybuilders are concerned, Evan Centopani will always be and remain my favorite bodybuilder. He was one of the coolest guys I ever met.
I think my favorite aspect of Bodybuilding.com is the supplement reviews part. It contains an endless amount of information on every supplement imaginable, which is definitely a great resource I utilize. Also, it is awesome to see the entire fitness community come together and create such a positive energy on the site which motivates tons!
I want to give a big thank you to my brotha Mike for training me for my past show. He has offered me a tremendous amount of knowledge and I could never thank him enough. He is a true friend with a true passion for the sport!
Nick, Dave, and Dustin. They help keep me in check and support me in everything I do.