Commitment and Duty: A young Officers drive to the stage.
[center][b][u][size=+2][color=red]... The Beginning...[/color][/center][/b][/u][/size]
[B][I]He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality, and will never, therefore, make any progress [/I][/B]
Hey guys, most for you know me from my other log detailing my contest prep and from many other active board members logs.
My goal for this log is to bring you all with me as I proceed into my new career as an Army officer, going to new places, and eventually leading young men and women.
All along I will find balance to pursue my dreams and fulfill my commitment.
My background is similar to many others here. Throughout middle-high school I was overweight and did not play many sports.
I started to gain interest in lifting late in my senior year in high school, but fizzled out once summer came around . I have always been interested in the military and began talking to ROTC recruiters in college.
I was offered a full Scholarship to Auburn University. Once there I swayed back and forth between Computer Science and Information Systems, and I also started Army ROTC.
I finally settled into Information Systems and graduated Magna Cum Laude this past week. I also just commissioned as a 2nd LT in the Army with a branch of Signal.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8273012951/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8339/8273012951_23b3f4a701.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8273012951/]MSG and me[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/72735151@N02/]hamiltron89[/url], on Flickr
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8274080228/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8356/8274080228_fd0f70cfa6.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8274080228/]graduation[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/72735151@N02/]hamiltron89[/url], on Flickr
I have been lifting weights very seriously for the past two years. December 2011 I got the competition bug. I started working with Shelby Starnes at a weight of around 210lbs.
As with any prep life tends to hit harder during this period. My father was diagnosed with a very aggressive type of lung cancer.
I spent much of my time running between my university and his house to take him to doctors appointments and treatments.
Most of the time driving 6hours throughout the day to make it back to class the next morning.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8279479808/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8069/8279479808_9f9c020f7d.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8279479808/]dad[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/72735151@N02/]hamiltron89[/url], on Flickr
My competition was planned to be on May 26th. I was awake getting ready to do my morning cardio on May 25th when I received the call that my father had passed away.
I can only describe the feeling to being similar to falling flat on your back and the air being taken away from your body. At that point the competition seemed insignificant.
After the funeral I was brought in to a major pharmaceutical company into their Product Innovation team for the summer.
Since then I have been clean bulking and am very happy with the results to date. The day before the show I was a completely depleted 161lbs. 6months later I am hovering around 170-173lbs.
I am currently doing a 5/3/1 + PHAT hybrid 4 day a week program with 2 Army PT focused days mixed in.
I will be posting my workouts, my thoughts, my diet.
I hope you all join in on this ride with me.
[center][b][u][size=+2][color=red]... Pics...[/color][/center][/b][/u][/size]
[center]
Early college after going on a 3 month crash diet of 1200kcal….fail Pics 1-3(170lbs)
Pics 4-6 was the start of me working with shelby(210lbs)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8278426237/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8219/8278426237_3ce8f752b6.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8278426237/]The beginning[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/72735151@N02/]hamiltron89[/url], on Flickr
Throughout Contest pre and post show til mid june(190lbs-166)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8278426165/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8073/8278426165_2cf5090f75.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8278426165/]week 12_2[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/72735151@N02/]hamiltron89[/url], on Flickr
Early June(159) til now (173)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8278426315/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8067/8278426315_7ca0b472d0.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/72735151@N02/8278426315/]Post show[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/72735151@N02/]hamiltron89[/url], on Flickr[/center]