Since I was a sixth-grade kid trying to get abs fast, I have been addicted to working out. I would do hundreds of sit-ups and push-ups on my bedroom floor while everyone else was going to bed just because I felt like it. Then, I would join the football team and never miss a workout, often doing two a day because I felt like the team ones were not enough. I was never satisfied with my performance and wanted to be the best at everything. This propelled me into my high school career, where by the end of my freshman year, I was already one of the strongest people on the football team. I despised “rest days” and would do whatever was in my power to train every day. Even if I were injured, I would find a way to train. This might not have been the smartest decision, as during football season, my body would struggle with wear and tear frequently.

During the second half of my junior year, I began waking up at 3:30 in the morning to get my lifts in before school since I no longer had weight training classes. I began to love being awake super early, and I still do it to this day. Now, though, I have goals beyond football, and I am competing on February 9th in a powerlifting meet where I hope to total 650kg in the squat, bench, and deadlift. I have been working toward this for a while(as shown in the image to your left in which I am squatting (220kg or 485lbs if you love freedom units) and it has become my new outlet to be able to keep my competitive juices flowing. I hope to remain able to lift as long as I live because it is one of the only things I get excited about anymore.