Sharing My Story

Over the past several weeks I reprinted some thoughts on weight training
and bodybuilding I had written in 1989. Perhaps a few words need to be
said as a short update. During my senior year in high school as I got my
first set of weights and trained in the back porch of my parents home
I gained around 15 to 20 pounds. I had friends on the high school football
team who noticed. No, I didn't go out for football but their attention
was gratifying. Also at that time I took an interest in Karate and
purchased books on it and tried to educate myself and even learned
how to break boards with the side of my hands.

However the interest in weight training prevailed in the long run.
After the initial magazine with Dave Draper on the cover I started
collecting these magazines which were filled with training routines
and nutritional information. From the start I never had a desire to
become involved in competitive weight lifting or bodybuilding.
However I did persevere with frequent and hard workouts to see
how much I could lift and the amount of muscle I could gain. As I
read and studied weight training/bodybuilding it became apparent
to me that there were naturally athletic body types that could
because stronger and bigger quicker and easier (relatively speaking).
After a lot of training I realized that I was not providentially or
genetically blessed with that type of body. This is not to say that
with determined and consistent training anyone (whose overall
health will permit) can significantly improve their strength and
overall body appearance but some are more naturally gifted to
make greater and faster gains.

After I graduated High School I continued training at home and
also at the weight room at Western Washington State College.
After I left Washington in 1971 I worked out at the San Bernardino
YMCA and numerous private health clubs and gyms in the years
since. However that is getting ahead of my story.

Another note: I recently came across a Midwest Christian
Bodybuilding Association website that had interviews with
various Christian bodybuilders. Dave Draper (my original
inspiration for starting weight training) has an interesting
interview where he openly shares his Christian faith.