There was nobody that motivated me to get started. I just always wanted to be big and strong. I started training at around 8 years old. I use to do pulls ups, push ups, dead lift a sand bucket. I would tie a belt around my Tonka truck and do curls. I finally had access to weights at 12 years old when my friend's father, who was a fireman, said we could go to the fire station and use the weights whenever we wanted. It just had a barbell, two adjustable dumbbells and a bench. In those days you had to clean a barbell to do military presses and squats. My friend quit after a month but I'd ride my bike everyday to train. I finally saved enough to get my own Sears 110 barbell set and bench at 15. I can clearly remember picking it up at the Sears store in Kahala Mall. I was so damn excited. My older brother made fun of me. He said, "My brother the He-man," in a sarcastic way.
So I officially count my "working out" beginning at 12. So I've been at it non stop for 44 years. It sure doesn't show but what am I suppose to do? Stop? Conclude that this is not for me as many say here? It's just so ingrained as a part of my life that I just can't imagine ever stopping.
