Ziegler

Male

19

West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States

Volant Fitness
981 E Lancaster Ave
Downingtown, PA
United States

Jun, 2002

I remember being young, very young. My father had two sets of dumbbells, the twenties and the thirties. I would look at them all the time but never touch them. One day I asked about them, and my father seeing I was curious started talking to me about the weights and weight training. He taught me the simplest of things, light and high reps to shred and lean up. Then heavy with few reps to bulk. He demonstrated for me as I watched him; I remember he looked huge to me. As I become older my curiosity grew and I started to pick up the dumbbells. I was still too young to lift them, only being around the age of 13. I made my mother take me to the local sport outlet where she bought me one ten pound dumbbell. I would curl it all the time, trying to make my arms strong and so on. Eventually I was to the point where I would lock myself in the basement and would rep out the 30’s for 80 reps with 5 sets. I had outgrown what I had, and only knew enough to do the simplest of things. When I was 14 and going into high school for the first time I relied on my sister to keep me off the “loser” bus and give me a ride. Only downside was I would have to wait an hour and half after school everyday while I would wait for her to finish with year book. Little did I know how well I would benefit. Because of this forced waiting was I looking for something to occupy my time and what only but the gym to fill the void. It was heaven for me. I had no idea where to start, there was everything I could have ever dreamed about in this tiny gym and all the time in the world. I would talk with the bigger older guys and mimic what I saw them doing. I was hooked, and there was nothing better. Soon I found myself skipping class, or my lunch period to go lift in the tiny gym. I was in there so often that the sports director started patrolling the gym to kick me out during the class hours. I would listen, and try to do everything like the big guys. My father would tell me to keep with it and how strong I would become. Eventually I left the school, and started anew in a different high school. But the damage was done and I was hooked.

There are too many things about bodybuilding that I love to try and just put it into a small column…but let me try. First off I love the feeling you get before, while, and after the gym. Something about the anticipation and the thought of the workout to come gets me excited and my muscles start to tense as if preparing themselves for what is about to come. When I m in there I feel like I m at home. As if the weights are the only constant thing in my life. The only thing that won’t let me down, wont change, won’t go easy on me, tell me lies, or turn its back on me. When I leave I feel like a million dollars. Everything is okay, and everything will be okay. My body being tired and sore, just telling me I did a good job and that I will benefit from what has just happened and the tomorrow will be a whole new day for me to try it again. I also love the competitive side of it. My whole life I have been extremely completive, I don’t like to lose at anything. I played sports as most kids do, trying my hand at everything. I was always the kid who was good at everything but not necessarily great at anything. Except with my body and strength. That was what I was known as, the muscle kid. Or “the kid you didn’t want to mess with” I love it so much because its mine, it’s the only thing I have that no one can take away from me as much as you try. Im the star player, Im the team, Im the coach, Im the motivation, I am everything. If I fail it is my fault…and only mine. If I win it is because I led myself to victory. I don’t say that to be cocky or sound aragent - only that I love how self controlling it is. You win, or you become a champion because you make it happen. No one can stand in your way. That’s how I like to handle situations and the sport it perfect for that and me. Its all on you…make it happen.

I constantly remind myself that it is all up to me. Either I do it or I don’t. This is something I want more then anything, so if ever I feel like I m half assin it or not giving my all. I think to myself…it won’t come. I need to build it, I need to make it, and I need to make things happen. I have my goals, and I know what I must do. And nothing will stop me from achieving them…nothing. I try to look up to the current and past IFBB guys. I think about what it must have been like for them, and what they must have gone through. Then me, how someone, somewhere had it harder. A lot harder then I have it. So there is no excuse for me to not thrive, and no excuse for me to not make it to the top. Just do it.

ZIEGLER