(Yes, I'm happily married, no I do not want an online personal trainer, especially below the age of 25).
I've been a fan of bodybuilding since I was a kid. I paid close attention to the Body by Jake workout shows on cable TV, amazed at how Jake moved large dumbbells around like they were kittens. I used to stand in front of the TV and copy him in my bedroom while wearing a "USA" sweatband, a neon orange belly shirt, and two little five pound weights. I would scream "aaaah!!!! Embrace the pain!!" while blasting "Push It to the Limit" by Paul Engemann on my boom box. Jake looked gigantic to me as a kid and I wanted to learn how he got that way.

Later on as a young adult, I joined the military and began learning about weightlifting from others which continued throughout the time I served. My physical training was made up of mostly running and calisthenics, and it was very boring to me because I sucked at it. Even after I learned how to lead training sessions for other soldiers, I still didn't know enough about weight training or dieting to make much of a difference in anyone's physique let alone my own. Despite the time consuming demands of military life, I remained a fan of bodybuilding. I ending up buying Arnold's Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, and I also followed the career of 4x Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler. Jay became tremendously inspirational to me when he finally won his first Mr. Olympia in 2006 after years of being the runner-up to Ronnie Coleman.

I've heard of bb.com over the years, but I didn't actually join Bodyspace and use the programs until 2014 when I needed to be in shape for my job. I had tremendous success with Kris Gethin's Hardcore 12-Week Program and still use his nutrition methods. Now I find myself training by powerlifting and power-bodybuilding because it keeps me excited to go to the gym. There's nothing in the world that makes me feel like a Greek god than deadlifting the weight of a small truck (or at least feeling like I did). I'm still a fan of the Mr. Olympia contest, and I still track all my workouts on here and use the data to improve.

I love shattering PRs, pushing my body to the absolute limits, and the pump after a good session. I love to hear the ring-and-clang sound the plates make when I slide 45s onto the barbell after weeks struggling with 25s and 35s. I love the soreness the next day that tells me I did a great job, and most of all, I love knowing that I am stronger than I have ever been in my life and that I will continue to grow!