After never getting hooked on the lame excuses for lifting we did in middle school, a friend and I decided to really hit it hard the summer after 8th grade. Pretty soon, I was no longer the tall, skinny kid with pencil arms, and a lot less upperclassmen picked on me or gave me crap. As I started to see results, it just became addicting, and the rest is history.

I love the idea that the harder I work in this sport, the more results I'll see. I, and I alone, am responsible for how my body looks, and if I'm not satisfied with it, I have no one to blame but myself. Some of the best motivation I get is being young. When I see a bodybuilder online and feel inferior, I just remember, "I've only been doing this for a few year...wait 'til I get another ten! That keeps me pushing.