A King's Return!

My posing music for the Maryland Championships was from the movie 300, and was called "Returns A King." Why did i pick this? First, it's powerful, moving, and kinda old school like back in Arnold's day. Also, I wanted to prove that I can pose. I won my first Best Poser award at age 18 at the A.N.B.C. Rhode Island Natural.

And lastly, I AM a king ... of MY world. After the Lehigh Championships in 2010, I felt like I could have done more, been better. Way better. It was right after that show in May of 2010 that I set on a journey much like the Spartans in the movie 300.

64 Weeks!
I trained balls to the wall non-stop for 64 weeks, never missed a workout no matter what, even when travelling. Nothing was going to stop me. Sixty-four weeks of productive workouts; during each and every single session, I left everything in the gym. Sixty-four weeks of pain, pushing myself where I didn't want to go, further into pain and past it, past exhaustion. Sixty-four weeks of meals, seven per day, non-stop no matter where we went. All the same foods every single day, never missing a meal.

King Leonidas

I was uncomfortable, in pain, tired, hurt, mentally broken each and every day ... only to get up the next day and do it all over again. Twenty-two weeks of a strict cardio program, never missing a session, sometimes up to two hours per day, on top of my 60-90 minute weight workout.

Twenty weeks of a strict diet moving into the show, eating only what was on the plan. Nothing else. I never strayed once, never missed a meal.

So by the time I got to the stage after living the Spartan-like lifestyle for over a year, I felt like King Leonidas standing on top of the mountain. King of my own body, mind, and my own world. Tried, tested and proven, scarred from battle but now battle ready. I had won despite the contest outcome. My posing routine showed how I felt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-1jLUgW4zA.

In the end, my goal of improving my back to match the rest of my body had become a reality. My back poses were now STRONG poses instead of my weak link. Back and legs are the most demanding things to make grow; back is by far the hardest to make grow. It's just a fact. 

Post-contest, I ate a little bit, had some fun, and yesterday when I got up, the first thing I wanted? A protein drink! Yes, not junk, no cookies; protein. Later in the day while grocery shopping, I found NUTRAMENT, something I used to drink as a teen to try and gain weight. I drank two of them and it brought back memories. But then I just wanted more protein again. It's strange that I can have anything in the world I want, but I choose the foods I had been eating every day for over a year straight.

My old friend from 18 years ago!

This morning, I got up and had some BCAA's. The first thing I did? Cardio. I hopped on the treadmill that I had hated so much for 22 weeks, and without missing a beat, went right back.

I guess it is the Spartan lifestyle of being master of your body, mind, and your own destiny, and always wanting to be working towards something no matter what the goal. I'm not from Sparta, but I AM Spartan! So it's back to the lifestyle I have chosen, which I like, but for now, no decisions are to be made for the future. The battle has just finished and wounds need to heal. I feel like I proved my point, and that was the goal all along!