I was fortunate to have an athletic upbringing. My dad and I were always playing sports, even before I started school. In high-school I played almost every sport available: baseball, football, basketball, track & field, cross-country running. After high-school I stopped playing sports and got into bodybuilding. Even though I started late, I remember always appreciating aesthetic physiques. I'm sure comic books and action movies contributed to this.

Bodybuilding is a struggle. The aspects I love about it are the same aspects I find difficult and sometimes hate. The work is endless, and this can be incredibly satisfying, but also exhausting -- both physically and mentally. Learning new training and dieting methods is an on-going process, but this can also be confusing. Dieting gets me into the best shape of my life, but I have to suffer to get there each time. The suffering never goes away. It never gets easier. And yet, for some strange reason, this is why it's a wonderful pursuit. The pain is both good and bad, and it's really the combination of both that defines bodybuilding for me.