A high school friend told me I should start working out. I reluctantly agreed, and spent the next year working out with him in his ghetto garage gym. Neither of us had any idea what we were doing, so I ended up just doing arms on and off for about a year. The following summer I was sick of being small, weak, and skinny, so I joined my local YMCA and kept pumping, still no idea what I as doing. I'm currently a student at the University of Oregon, and going to a school with a powerhouse of a sports program has inspired me to take my fitness as seriously as I do my studies. Over the past few months I've consumed volumes of information on fitness, and been inspired, thanks in no small part to the bodyspace community. I've finally realized a hard body is made in the kitchen more than it is in the gym, and I'm working to fine tune my diet. It is my goal to achieve single-digit body fat and get shredded by spring break. I'm excited to watch my body transform in coming months. When I see disabled veterans getting jacked and shredded, men twice my age making incredible gains, it gives me that kick in the ass to bring the intensity to every last rep. What's your excuse today?

I love working out because it gives me a couple of hours per day during which I can shut my brain off and move some heavyass weight. I love the feeling of power, mastering the iron. I love the incessant, insatiable drive to be bigger, leaner, and stronger. I also love it because I know that I am making an invaluable investment in my health, which will allow me to live a long, fun, full life and achieve that which would otherwise be out of my reach.