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 The
past tells much about the contemporary person. With this in mind, I'm happy
to reveal some of the of the places and experiences that have shaped the
man I've become. I was born in a small town in Missouri, but for all intents
and purposes, have lived in Omaha, Nebraska, for my entire life. With the
approval of our family physician, I started school at a fairly young age.
I went to a Catholic grade school from first through eighth grade as the
"young one". Looking back, being younger than my peers was a benefit for
me in the long run as it forced me to be held to a higher standard academically
and physically from an early age.
 An
issue I confronted during this time was being a shy and overweight ugly
duckling. I didn't have many friends, but a very small group of us
formed very strong friendships and shared the common denominator of being
"outcasts" from the popular groups. At the age of 13, I managed
to stumble upon an inanimate object that would form the person I am now,
in every sense of the phrase. This object is affectionately known
as a "dumbell". I still remember the day I asked my dad (who had
always made physical fitness a large part of his evening routine)
to show me how to properly workout. From that day on, I was hooked
and haven't looked back since. Over the years, this "healthy obsession"
has served me well, instilling in me a deep appreciation of the benefits
of hard work and perseverence - particularly in my athletic endeavors.
Sports
became the focal point of my high school years. Going into my freshman
year of high school, I had two years of football and track under my belt
and had already set my sights on eventually playing college football so
I knew I would have to kick my intensity up a notch. I breathed,
ate, drank and slept working out. My hard work in high school culminated
with a state championship title in football and placement in the 100m dash
at the state track meet my senior year. |
 I
went on to become a scholarship athlete in both football and track my freshman
year in college, but soon found myself affected by a guilty desire many
athletes are hesitant to admit - competitive bodybuilding. I became
so enthralled with the quest of physical perfection that my speed and strength
training became secondary in my quest for more muscle. I entered
my first bodybuilding contest at the age of 18 (between my senior year
of high school and freshman year in college) and have been competing ever
since - now with six competitions under my belt.
 This
brings me to who I am, and what I do now. With regard to my livelihood,
I am a self proclaimed jack of all trades. I am a certified personal
trainer; I restore and sell vintage collector cars as well as newer high
performance machines; and I work as a fitness and figure model. Shortly,
I will begin still another new career in real estate after having completed
all the required courses and tests. Ultimately, however, I intend
to become a professional firefighter, my true lifelong career ambition.
I am already a certified EMT-b; I have worked in a volunteer fire department
: and I've completed college courses as a fire protection technology major.
Workout
and nutrition routines will be appearing and expanding regularly - both
in my Blogs and in the "Fitness" section of this website. . . as
well as in my upcoming lifestyle, workout and nutrition DVD "Competitive
Muscle" - due out Spring '06. I hope you'll subscribe to the site and
keep track of my life, my several careers and my physical progress. Write
to me, if you like. (My email can be found on the site's "Contact" page.)
I'll read it all and try to answer when I can.
Jump
to "The Stats." |