Why do you lift?
I am a competitive bodybuilder, but before I became a bodybuilder I fell in love with lifting during my High School Football years. Everyday faster school we would lift weights for the football season to get stronger, bigger, and faster. Everyday I enjoyed pushing myself, getting stronger, and trying to be a stronger football player. I needed to improve my strength to play on the offensive line and also be more explosive.
After my 4 years of playing football my time came to an end. I tore my MCL and then could do nothing else for 9 months rehabbing my knee issue. After I got back to being able to weight lift I just loved it that much more. All throughout my college career I took weightlifting as a passion next to my education. I also had the pleasure of training with IFBB Pro Seth Feroce and saw him win his procard while I attended IUP university. As I continued to weightlift I wanted to dab into bodybuilding and did my first show in 2010. I took 3rd place in the open and 5th place in the novice. After getting on stage I got the bug, and then wanted to do another show.
During that time from high school to my first show I went from being 200+ pounds as a lineman to a 154 pounds as a lightweight and almost losing 100 pounds in the process and restoring my health for the better.
This lead me to 2012 and doing a national level show after qualifying for nationals. I ended up taking 5th and first call out in the Lightweight division. For my first national level show I was very surprised and also very happy. Not to mention there was over 1200 competitors in the entire show. Even thought I took 5th it just made me want keep going, improve, and get bigger and stronger. Which leads me to today....
Today I am 2 weeks out from NPC Mid Atlantic West Virginia bodybuilding show. I have given it my all after being 4 years off stage and I have improved my thickness and conditioning to another level. I have been working with Austin Stout, Jason Theobald over the last 5 years as my contest prep coaches and they have done leaps and bounds for me and my training/nutrition. the continue drive and push to improve has really taken my intensity and physique to another level. I have had the pleasure of training with Marc Lobliner, Tommy Jeffers, Paul Rivela, Layne Norton, and have had the pleasure of trianing with all the Pro's when I worked the Olympia in 2012.
All of these occasions, contest preps, and also self motivation from weightlifting have not only improved me out of the gym but also inside the gym. The Why I continue to lift is to improve my physique, and also a great place to meet friends. Some of my best friends whom I can count on one hand have come from the gym. Its a great way to meet others who share a similar passion, and also a great place to let out all your rage, stress, and help relieve your mind.