A Muscle Building Journey

Today I'm going to tell you a story. See if this sounds familiar to you...

If there was ever one thing I wanted to change about myself, it was my body. I felt insecure and weak. I would do just about anything to pack some muscle onto my frame. I would look at other guys and think, "why can't I just feel average?" Forget being strong and muscular, I just wanted to feel like I wasn't so different compared to everyone else.

It's possible I wasn't as bad as I imagined, but it didn't matter. In my eyes I was wasn't good enough. I was afraid to show my arms or take my shirt off. My self-confidence was really low. There were several times when I told myself I would do something about it, but I was never able to stick to any kind of real plan. I lacked the proper knowledge and wasn't sure if what I was doing would be effective. I would usually end up doing push-ups and sit-ups every night, and then give up in a week or two. I had no idea what to do as far as eating was concerned. I lacked the confidence to get advice from others.

One day when I was looking in the mirror, I realized just how unhappy I was with the way I looked. I realized that I could never be truly happy on the inside, until I was happy with myself on the outside. It was as if my mind had taken a 180 degree turn. It was on that very day that I decided it was time to change. This time I meant business. No more sitting around whining to myself and complaining. It was time to put all the talk aside and get to work. Talking builds no muscles. Although I still had no idea how to approach it, one thing was for sure, I wasn't going to quit. Whether or not I knew what I was doing, the bottom line was that I had made a self-promise. No matter how difficult it was, how long it took, or how many obstacles came my way, I was going to change. There was nothing that would stop me. It was there that my journey to a new and better me began.

A guy from work was looking for a workout partner and so we started going to the gym together. He taught me about proper form and eating right. By the time he moved away six months later, I knew that if I was going to be doing this for the long haul, it was a good idea to learn how to continue to do things right. Why on Earth would anyone want to put in so much time and effort and not do it properly? That's when I signed on with a personal trainer.

My trainer taught me everything I needed to know. Stuff you can't find in magazines or on the Internet. He put together my first real strength training program. It was nothing complicated, just a straightforward program that focused on basic lifts with maximal intensity. I trained with his assistance 3 days per week and worked each muscle group once each session. It was really hard at first, but I stuck with it. There were many times when working out would be the last thing I felt like doing, but it didn't matter. I dragged myself across town to the gym and lifted. I remembered the promise that I had made to myself, and that was all I needed to keep going. Now, I also had an advantage of having an expert to teach new things in the proper time as well as someone I could be accountable to.

Gaining weight has never been that hard for me. My problem was gaining muscle instead of fat. I had to train like someone possessed and learn to eat every 3 hours whether I wanted to or not. Maybe I was crazy, but that's what I had to do if I wanted to make any gains in the gym. You might call it obsession. I call it dedication.

My body composition started to change. After the first 12 weeks with my trainer, my body fat had decreased by 5% and I gained an inch on each arm. My hard work and persistence was finally paying off. I pressed on. I kept on training and I kept eating well. Most people would have quit, but I wasn't one of them. I refused to be defeated or to go back to the way I was. Workout after workout, week after week, month after month, I kept training.

Oh sure, there have been bumps along the way. Life has a way of putting obstacles in your path. Treat these obstacles as a test of your resolve, then rise above them. Those times when I felt like packing it in, I dug down deep and kept going. It's this attitude that separated me from the rest. No matter how tough things are, never quit.

To obtain my goals, I have to do things I hate. I train when I want to sleep. I eat when I want to rest. I go to bed when I want to stay awake. This is what separates champions from wannabe's. As time passed, I continued to improve. Finally, I was walking around with my head held high. I kept on training and I kept on improving. There was no letting up.

People who are dedicated to their fitness are few and far between. In the general population, finding those who are able to stay committed to something is rare. Of course, I went from a hobbyist to a professional. I don't expect that from anyone else. I'm still learning, still training, and still improving. I can truly say that muscle building has been the greatest choice I've ever made in my entire life. I went into it for the aesthetics, but what I discovered was it has changed me from the inside out. I now have more self-confidence, I don't hide behind baggy clothes anymore, nor am I reluctant to take my shirt off. I feel strong, powerful, and healthy. My life has completely changed for the better. Words can't do justice to the feeling of being in great shape. Plus, I now know that I am able to set a goal and reach it.

If you're just starting out or even just thinking about getting into shape, I have one piece of advice I can give you: never quit. No matter what happens, never quit. Even if it feels like you're back to square one, never quit. Building muscle onto your frame will do so much for you. If you're consistent, you'll be eternally grateful. You'll learn self-discipline, you'll build character, and you'll be pushed to your limits. You will definitely get more in return than you invest.

The next time you're tempted by that can of soda or those nachos, just remember that nothing tastes better than being in the best shape of your life. Cowards never get started and the weak die along the way. Do you want success in your life or to be one of the broken?