My dad had me lifting at an early age, but I really got into it in a big way when I was an 18 year old Marine. We had to be strong and in good condition of course; this was achieved through group exercise and "humping"(i.e. walking long distances with great amounts of weight on your back) and I started bodybuilding in addition to this. Honestly, I went way too hard in the gym and wasn't smart about it. I gained a ton of muscle and looked great, but the combination of heavy lifting and the daily life of a Marine caused some discs in my lumbar spine to rupture. This was super painful and still gives me trouble on a daily basis.

In my prime, I was about 220lbs (6'2") and single digit bodyfat%.

After my injury followed over a decade of substance abuse, alcoholism, depression, and no consistent exercise. In July I weighed over 320lbs and my back pain was worse than ever. Since August I've been doing a push/pull/legs&abs 6-day split and two HIIT workouts per week in addition to cleaning up my diet and doing some intermittent fasting. I'm currently 245lbs, back pain is much less than any time since I was 20, and I've been visibly regaining muscle mass and strength.

I'm switching up my routine as I do every few months but keeping the same goal of getting lean again. So far it feels great and I'm optimistic about the future for the first time in a long time.

It's given me back my mobility, self-confidence, and lets me show my son how a man should take care of his body. And I love watching those muscles grow!