I had always been skinny my whole life. While in college I was even called �stick�, I would hear �Hey!,Wut�up stick~!?� That really hurt. I hardly ever showed my arms even in the hot summer months. I wore double layered long sleeve shirts to hide my arms and torso. I suffered all my teen years, my college years until ten years after college, I was offered a job in South Korea teaching English. At first I refused the job, but then reluctantly took it. It was one of the greatest choices in my life, that I ever made.

In 2004, while working this job, and (remembering the day well), went to work, looked at the cold grey ugly cement stairs I had to climb to my office, and the unending feeling of dread coming from in my chest as I had to climb them. My office was only on the second floor (two flights up!) When I finally and windedly got to the second floor, I opened my office window and the noisy energetic rugby team was playing on the schools green astroturf field below. I looked curiously down at the boys playing, they were half my age and fitter, stronger, and bigger than I was. That evening, I shared my grief with my wife who told me of a local gym.


I found the gym near my home and was friended by a young Korean man named Sang Ki was a certified PT. He desperately wanted to learn how to speak better English so I traded an hour of teaching English with him; in exchange for one hour of his personal training. What a trade off. Learning about eating was the overhaul. I changed my diet to wholesome foods, clean eating, and a tight health filled scheduled and a new �bodybuilding lifestyle� emerged. What a difference- when I went to work and I sailed up those same school stairs. Others at work said �You look� different� That was a clue, I was on the right track. My biceps started to grow. A feeling of surrealism started. Pounding weights after work. Never missing a day.

It��s a rush. This sport is so underrated. It transformed me into a well known figure now. I take off my shirt and have complete confidence I never had before.
Last year my family and I went to the beach, I had strangers walk up to me and ask for flex photos with them. This is what bodybuilding does it re-creates.

Bodybuilding takes you to a new level, it opens a door. When friends see me now on social sites like Facebook after not having seeing me in twenty years ask ��Are your pictures photoshopped?��, ��Is this really you??�� or the best one ��Can��t believe this is you- you put me to shame now��.

Bodybuilding is a place where you can go to the gym and free yourself. I never dreamed that someday I would be asked ��Excuse me, you look great, your body is amazing- can I ask how you did this?�� I always stop and share my knowledge. This is what all of us in the world of bodybuilding must do- give back and share.

Bodybuilding is also a brother and sisterhood, I have met more people from around the world in the world of bodybuilding. And knowing they lift its an instant friendship. They know and you know what it takes to make that kind of a body.


What Are Your Future Bodybuilding Plans?

My future plans is to keep going- why stop? I��m 41, in the next ten years my goal is a total increase of my size and want to take this to the next level, entering as many shows as I can. I have won multiple awards now in bodybuilding. Also, something new is tugging at my heart- starting my own gym. I want to open Maslon Health & Fitness, I would love to open the doors of a facility that helps other transform to their dream bodies. I would also love to write articles for some fitness magazine on fitness over 40.