How I got started... Well I began my first year of high school, not seriously but I was starting on to where I am now, and I got a membership at my local YMCA so I could hang out with friends and lift because I found out I was old enough to begin using the weight room. After 2 months i stopped and didn't return for transportation reasons. About halfway through my second year of high school I started, what I thought to be, a serious relationship and then after about two weeks she dumped me and went back to her ex-boyfriend. Just before she did that I had a night where we were watching a movie and she touched my stomach, I felt her kind of hesitate which alarmed me. At that moment i really started to consider doing anything to lose the fat so another encounter like that again. I started to search YouTube for answers, how to lose belly fat, how to get six pack abs in one month, anything that could get her back. I found one channel that intrigued me, a muscular guy who appeared to have the answers I want and I listened and tried it, but sadly his advice that worked for others failed for me. So I turned to the one thing that people had always been raving about, P90X. I had no money for extra weights, Beachbody supps, or special gear, all I had was an xbox, t.v., a few weights and that was it. Well after one month I dropped 10 whole pounds and it was amazing, the next month i lost 6 and just up until two weeks left I got my wisdom teeth taken out, causing me not to finish. During my P90X journey I was taking the weight lifting class at my school and getting stronger maxing out at 235lb (started at 175)for bench, 285lb(started at 225) box squat, 180lb (started at 135) incline bench and 265lb (started at 220) squat. During my recovery from the wisdom teeth being pulled, I found this site, Bodybuilding.com, and before I clicked on it I was only thinking there is no way I want to be a bodybuilder mostly because I thought the sport to be just 250-300lb guys on steroids cheating their way to their physique (although now I realize the hard work and dedication they go through) I never thought of people reaching their maximum naturally only using suplements and no steroids. After I discovered this I was back on the P90X and found I had absolutely no motivation for workouts like those, I wanted to build my body like what I saw, I want to be like them. That is how I got started bodybuilding, I doubt I will ever compete but I know it has become a life long hobby I never want to give up. I can only progress, there is nothing that can stop me from reaching my goals.

I love bodybuilding because there is nothing that can put you down as long as you know you can only improve. Every rep, every set is earned. Every pound you lift is earned. All of your time goes into this lifestyle and it is much like being a Christian and putting everything into what you do. The pump I get during lifting just adds on to my motivation, every time I progress does to. There is no feeling like bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger compared lifting to sex, jokingly of course, but he is probably right. The feeling is so amazing that it is pleasure.