I hit a huge speed bump in my life a year ago when I hemorrhaged after a tonsillectomy, lost more than 60 percent of my blood, and nearly died. I became a human skeleton. Four months later, I started lifting weights and discovered my love and passion for bodybuilding. Behind God and the people I love, bodybuilding became the central focus of my life.
I love this sport with every fiber of my being. I'm not athletic and have never truly excelled in any other sport. Bodybuilding is more than a sport to me. It comes down to whoever is willing to work the hardest.
Personally, I will always choose the value of hard work over the gift of genetics. I always walk (or crawl) out of the gym knowing there is no possible way I could have done anything more to improve my body. I plan to push my body to perfection. Pain and sacrifice breed success, and I welcome both.
I have been at the gym and mid-workout my hands started bleeding, so I pushed myself to make them bleed more. I learned about work ethic and mental toughness from watching my father as I grew up. I have been around him nearly every day of my life and haven't heard him complain once. I pray that with the help of God, I will become half the man he is.
When I first started lifting, I didn't have the money to afford supplements. It was about four months into my transformation that I was able to start using whey. I've been taking creatine, fish oil, and Animal Pak for the past month and a half.
My recommendation to anyone starting out is to buy a bunch of supplements if you can afford it. I wish I had them during my first four months.
I'm not blessed with the best genetics and that can be a problem, but that's why bodybuilding is so great. It's not about genetics, it's about determination. Everyone has the chance to be a champion. This applies to many challenges you face in the sport. Being mentally tough is required for success.
I recently decided to do bodybuilding shows. At first, I wanted to simply for the experience, but the more I thought about it the more I realized I won't be satisfied with anything less than first place.
I have six months left to bulk. My goal for when I step on to the stage is that it becomes a competition for second place.
Don't be overly concerned with your physical appearance as you go through your transformation. I know that's strange to hear since we all strive for perfection. I'm not saying to take it easy in the gym, have cheat meals, or give up on the goal for a pro card, but make sure you don't trade your soul for your body. You won't like the person you become and nobody else will either.
For the first three months of lifting, I spent at least 90 minutes per day doing research on Bodybuilding.com to learn more about lifting. I still visit the site daily. There is so much to learn and Bodybuilding.com offers the knowledge you need to transform and detailed articles to teach you about supplements. I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for Bodybuilding.com.