Separate From the Pack

This is the story of how I got to where I am today:

After serving four years in the Marine Corps and one tour to Iraq I was finally done. I served my country valiantly and fought for my freedom. I said to myself it is time to let loose, so I did exactly that. Five months and thirty pounds of fat later I was a mess. I became another statistic, another face in the crowd. I was one of the sixty plus percent of overweight people in this world.


This was something I thought would never happen to me. I was raised to standout from the crowd and excel in life. I let myself, my family, and more specifically my wife and kids down. I took a good long look in the mirror on August 12, 2008 and knew it was time for a change. On that day I took my life in to my hands and decided to make numerous changes. First one was to set a goal and than pick a date to do this in. I enlisted the help of Elitefts own Shelby Starnes and expressed to him my concerns and disappointments. I told him my goal was to get down to single digit body fat and wanted it done in three months. It was a long a grueling process but I knew it had to be done. I had to take myself out of the majority column and into the minority one. Three months later my goal was met and man did it empower me to achieve more.


Still after all this there was something inside me that said do more, be the best. I decided again that this was not good enough for me. I needed something bigger something more fulfilling. So I set my sights on a strongman contest sometime in July of 2009. This gave me eight months to transform myself into a strongman competitor. I knew this would give me enough time to prepare mentally and physically. I set up my template to focus on my weak points while continuing to build on my strong ones. My template was pretty basic because I did not know what to expect at a competition.


I continued to do carb rotation and managed the micros and macros myself. Training days I consumed a healthy 3600 calories and on the low days I consumed 2800 calories. I monitored my weight and made adjustments as I continued to progress. I was not worried about putting on 30lbs of muscle and increasing my deadlift by 100lbs. That is impossible to do in the short amount of time provided to obtain my goal. I knew if I stuck to my plan and made small improvements than I would be fine.

Day in and day out I was in a zone. All I could focus on was getting in the gym setting PRs and crushing the competition. Slowly but surely I was putting on some good size and strength. I could not be deterred from my goal and I would not let anything or one get in my way. Finals week in school no problem, neighbors complaining about the noise I did not care. They were the statistic I once was and will never be again. I was obsessed with being the best; I would read any and all books related to strength and performance to hone my skills. I had to learn from the best so; I took a trip up to New Jersey to train at Defrancos. I was there for one week learning from the best and training with his NFL crew. This was an experience that will affect the way I do things for the rest of my life. I loved the feeling of being a rare breed and I wanted more. I continued to set goals and plan my life around the steel. I opened my own gym and am finishing up my degree in exercise science all while continuing to pound the weights and achieve my goal.
The day finally came and a date was set July 18, 2009 the 3rd Annual SW Florida Strongman Show. I competed in the novice division with ten other strongmen. I knew I had my work cut out for me. I was undersized in an open weight class and these guys were on the same path as I was. First up log press 215 for reps in 60sec. Game time, I push out 12 reps and thought maybe I should have tried this before the contest. Second event was the axle deadlift 405lbs for reps in 60sec. I knew this would be my event I blast out 13 reps then my grip gives out. Third event was an 18lbs crucifix hold in each hand. I held it for 1min and 7sec. Going into the atlas stones I was in second place and had to set the time to beat. Just before the judge said go all I could think about was becoming one of the elite and separating my self from the pack. First stone was 200lbs and it goes up like a pillow while the second, third, fourth, and fifth do the same. First time ever touching stones and I lifted 200, 220, 240, 260, and 280lbs like they were my 33lbs three year old daughter. Finished in 15 seconds and waited patiently as the guy in first went. He struggled with them and I knew that right than and there it was mine for the taking. It was time to fulfill the life I was born to live I was separating myself from society from the pack. The scores were in and as they called out my name and everybody cheered for me the guy who took first place I knew my life would never be the same.



I was amazed at the feeling I got when they called my name. That was the validation I needed, that was the separation I desired. That fed me for about two minutes and than I wanted more. Now I am on a journey to turn pro and I will not stop until I get it.