Hope this motivates you to get to the gym.

[thegatekeeper]

I was alway the fat one out of the group as a kid, probably up until I was 14 when I decided to hit the gym. Before then people made fun of me, didnt want to associate with me, etc. I was never actually obese just on the chubby side so I wanted to change things. At first I was embarresed to even go into the weight room. The bigger guys would chuckle at the young kid pushing weights and would try and discourage me.

My grandfather died soon after I started hitting the gym, he helped raised me and lived with me. He really helped get me into excercise as excercise had saved his life before. Now he was gone and I felt that my source of inspiration was gone, but I kept on going. The first time I benched 135 ( a plate on each side) I cryed a little when I got home because I knew my grandpa would have been proud of me.

I hurt my back when I was 15, they said I would never workout again I had detoriation in my disks. I was in the gym the next day, I couldnt let myself down.

Later that year we were a few months into foreclosure, my dad tried to hang himself, we almost lost our house. I had already had 3 jobs before then I started working in 8th grade, I picked up another one doing manually labor 7 days a week to pay for my gym, this is while I still had back pain. After each day of work id take an hour walk to the gym and an hour walk back.

When I was 16 I had severe blood pressure issues that sent me into the hospital multiple times, that caused me to go into a state of anxiety/depression where began to get thoughts of suicide. I was in this state for 5 months before the meds started to work. I was always tired, Id take 3 hour naps throughout the day, I had to take a month off from school because my anxiety attacks lasted for hours. Ive never been so broken down by something before. Working out saved my life

When I was 17 I herniated a disc pushing my moms broken down car out of the road. It was the worst physical pain I have ever felt, It almost cut off the nerve going through my leg, I spent 3 days in the hospital and had to be carried out of the car, I went to work the day I got out of the hospital, I was in the gym 2 days later.

Now the guys that laughed at me are trying to get me to help them out, people move out of my way to let me use the equipment, the trainers refer to the dumbells that cannot fit on the rack as "my dumbells", I have benched/squatted/deadlifted more then anyone that has visited that gym as well as personally beating some state powerlifting records, as a bodybuilder. Each day I deal with the pains of my past some physical some mental, everytime I hear an excuse for not training, I realize how much stronger these events have made me. I know I do not have the worst life, much have it worse off, thats why I train as hard as I can now because I never know whats coming next. To many I havent accomplished much, I havent competed yet after all. But to me I have accomplished a lot, I dedicate 2 hours a day to be in a building where I force my self to test the limits of my body and to put my self into physical pain all to be the best at what I love.

I hope you guys got something out of some of the events in my life, this isnt to make you upset or to make you feel bad for me. In fact I love my life and wouldnt change a thing. Its to open your eyes so that when you dont feel like heading to the gym, arent feeling like pushing out the extra rep think about what the guy next to might have to go through just to be able to come to the gym to put his body in more pain.

[thereisahell]

That's a really touching story, I'm glad you stuck to working out; I think it's greatly helped you through your rough times.

I myself am going through a rough patch, and I am certain you just made my day a little easier. Good luck with the rest of your personal goals, I truly hope you achieve them.

[dodo233]

I was alway the fat one out of the group as a kid, probably up until I was 14 when I decided to hit the gym. Before then people made fun of me, didnt want to associate with me, etc. I was never actually obese just on the chubby side so I wanted to change things. At first I was embarresed to even go into the weight room. The bigger guys would chuckle at the young kid pushing weights and would try and discourage me.

My grandfather died soon after I started hitting the gym, he helped raised me and lived with me. He really helped get me into excercise as excercise had saved his life before. Now he was gone and I felt that my source of inspiration was gone, but I kept on going. The first time I benched 135 ( a plate on each side) I cryed a little when I got home because I knew my grandpa would have been proud of me.

I hurt my back when I was 15, they said I would never workout again I had detoriation in my disks. I was in the gym the next day, I couldnt let myself down.

Later that year we were a few months into foreclosure, my dad tried to hang himself, we almost lost our house. I had already had 3 jobs before then I started working in 8th grade, I picked up another one doing manually labor 7 days a week to pay for my gym, this is while I still had back pain. After each day of work id take an hour walk to the gym and an hour walk back.

When I was 16 I had severe blood pressure issues that sent me into the hospital multiple times, that caused me to go into a state of anxiety/depression where began to get thoughts of suicide. I was in this state for 5 months before the meds started to work. I was always tired, Id take 3 hour naps throughout the day, I had to take a month off from school because my anxiety attacks lasted for hours. Ive never been so broken down by something before. Working out saved my life

When I was 17 I herniated a disc pushing my moms broken down car out of the road. It was the worst physical pain I have ever felt, It almost cut off the nerve going through my leg, I spent 3 days in the hospital and had to be carried out of the car, I went to work the day I got out of the hospital, I was in the gym 2 days later.

Now the guys that laughed at me are trying to get me to help them out, people move out of my way to let me use the equipment, the trainers refer to the dumbells that cannot fit on the rack as "my dumbells", I have benched/squatted/deadlifted more then anyone that has visited that gym as well as personally beating some state powerlifting records, as a bodybuilder. Each day I deal with the pains of my past some physical some mental, everytime I hear an excuse for not training, I realize how much stronger these events have made me. I know I do not have the worst life, much have it worse off, thats why I train as hard as I can now because I never know whats coming next. To many I havent accomplished much, I havent competed yet after all. But to me I have accomplished a lot, I dedicate 2 hours a day to be in a building where I force my self to test the limits of my body and to put my self into physical pain all to be the best at what I love.

I hope you guys got something out of some of the events in my life, this isnt to make you upset or to make you feel bad for me. In fact I love my life and wouldnt change a thing. Its to open your eyes so that when you dont feel like heading to the gym, arent feeling like pushing out the extra rep think about what the guy next to might have to go through just to be able to come to the gym to put his body in more pain.

you are really a great guy and i look up to you, i wish you the best in your life and what you do i hope you succeed and reach your goals and accomplish your dreams the best of luck to you bro i can relate to you in so many things you've done.. no matter what life throws at you, you will find a way out never give up.

[EvilCookie]

I was alway the fat one out of the group as a kid, probably up until I was 14 when I decided to hit the gym. Before then people made fun of me, didnt want to associate with me, etc. I was never actually obese just on the chubby side so I wanted to change things. At first I was embarresed to even go into the weight room. The bigger guys would chuckle at the young kid pushing weights and would try and discourage me.

My grandfather died soon after I started hitting the gym, he helped raised me and lived with me. He really helped get me into excercise as excercise had saved his life before. Now he was gone and I felt that my source of inspiration was gone, but I kept on going. The first time I benched 135 ( a plate on each side) I cryed a little when I got home because I knew my grandpa would have been proud of me.

I hurt my back when I was 15, they said I would never workout again I had detoriation in my disks. I was in the gym the next day, I couldnt let myself down.

Later that year we were a few months into foreclosure, my dad tried to hang himself, we almost lost our house. I had already had 3 jobs before then I started working in 8th grade, I picked up another one doing manually labor 7 days a week to pay for my gym, this is while I still had back pain. After each day of work id take an hour walk to the gym and an hour walk back.

When I was 16 I had severe blood pressure issues that sent me into the hospital multiple times, that caused me to go into a state of anxiety/depression where began to get thoughts of suicide. I was in this state for 5 months before the meds started to work. I was always tired, Id take 3 hour naps throughout the day, I had to take a month off from school because my anxiety attacks lasted for hours. Ive never been so broken down by something before. Working out saved my life

When I was 17 I herniated a disc pushing my moms broken down car out of the road. It was the worst physical pain I have ever felt, It almost cut off the nerve going through my leg, I spent 3 days in the hospital and had to be carried out of the car, I went to work the day I got out of the hospital, I was in the gym 2 days later.

Now the guys that laughed at me are trying to get me to help them out, people move out of my way to let me use the equipment, the trainers refer to the dumbells that cannot fit on the rack as "my dumbells", I have benched/squatted/deadlifted more then anyone that has visited that gym as well as personally beating some state powerlifting records, as a bodybuilder. Each day I deal with the pains of my past some physical some mental, everytime I hear an excuse for not training, I realize how much stronger these events have made me. I know I do not have the worst life, much have it worse off, thats why I train as hard as I can now because I never know whats coming next. To many I havent accomplished much, I havent competed yet after all. But to me I have accomplished a lot, I dedicate 2 hours a day to be in a building where I force my self to test the limits of my body and to put my self into physical pain all to be the best at what I love.

I hope you guys got something out of some of the events in my life, this isnt to make you upset or to make you feel bad for me. In fact I love my life and wouldnt change a thing. Its to open your eyes so that when you dont feel like heading to the gym, arent feeling like pushing out the extra rep think about what the guy next to might have to go through just to be able to come to the gym to put his body in more pain.

Damn man you could be a bodybuilding novel writer, that touched deep in a place I thought was long gone in me.

[SMASHgym]

Heaps ****ing motivational!
Keep it up man!

[CiscoKidney07]

There are some of us who, although we have not been through what you went through, have had our times. In September 2006, I was diagnosed with failing kidneys. A few months later, I was on peritoneal dialysis, requiring sugery and implantation of a tube into the peritoneal cavity. At least I could clean the toxins out of my blood at home doing this, changing out a bag and putting another bag in. This, however, was short lived, due to two peritonitis infections. They determined that I had to go on hemo dialysis. This meant a surgery to put an ash catheter in my chest. That cannot stay in for any great length of time as it leads to your heart. If you get an infection there, it would most likely be fatal. So, they had to put a fistuala in my arm. This is minor surgery, where they connect an atery to a vein. I was on hemo dialysis for ten months before I got a kidney transplant. That is hooking you to a machine with a couple of large needles. One pulling blood out, one putting it back in after cleaning. While on dialysis, I decided to start going to the gym. I had to grab the front of the treadmill to be able to walk at 3 mph. I was determined that I was going to make a full recovery. Today, I am in the gym a minimum of 5 days a week, and usually 6. I weight train five of those days and do cardio at least three or four. I have been told by several folks at the gym that they are motivated by this, knowing what I have been through. I have to say, for me, all that this amounted to was my having a head like cement in that I was not going to let anything as simple as a kidney problem slow me down. Because of my tenacity, I have many new friends. I am well on my way to meeting my goals of having a happy and productive life, despite of a couple of bumps in the road.

[BustaHyman]

I was alway the fat one out of the group as a kid, probably up until I was 14 when I decided to hit the gym. Before then people made fun of me, didnt want to associate with me, etc. I was never actually obese just on the chubby side so I wanted to change things. At first I was embarresed to even go into the weight room. The bigger guys would chuckle at the young kid pushing weights and would try and discourage me.

My grandfather died soon after I started hitting the gym, he helped raised me and lived with me. He really helped get me into excercise as excercise had saved his life before. Now he was gone and I felt that my source of inspiration was gone, but I kept on going. The first time I benched 135 ( a plate on each side) I cryed a little when I got home because I knew my grandpa would have been proud of me.

I hurt my back when I was 15, they said I would never workout again I had detoriation in my disks. I was in the gym the next day, I couldnt let myself down.

Later that year we were a few months into foreclosure, my dad tried to hang himself, we almost lost our house. I had already had 3 jobs before then I started working in 8th grade, I picked up another one doing manually labor 7 days a week to pay for my gym, this is while I still had back pain. After each day of work id take an hour walk to the gym and an hour walk back.

When I was 16 I had severe blood pressure issues that sent me into the hospital multiple times, that caused me to go into a state of anxiety/depression where began to get thoughts of suicide. I was in this state for 5 months before the meds started to work. I was always tired, Id take 3 hour naps throughout the day, I had to take a month off from school because my anxiety attacks lasted for hours. Ive never been so broken down by something before. Working out saved my life

When I was 17 I herniated a disc pushing my moms broken down car out of the road. It was the worst physical pain I have ever felt, It almost cut off the nerve going through my leg, I spent 3 days in the hospital and had to be carried out of the car, I went to work the day I got out of the hospital, I was in the gym 2 days later.

Now the guys that laughed at me are trying to get me to help them out, people move out of my way to let me use the equipment, the trainers refer to the dumbells that cannot fit on the rack as "my dumbells", I have benched/squatted/deadlifted more then anyone that has visited that gym as well as personally beating some state powerlifting records, as a bodybuilder. Each day I deal with the pains of my past some physical some mental, everytime I hear an excuse for not training, I realize how much stronger these events have made me. I know I do not have the worst life, much have it worse off, thats why I train as hard as I can now because I never know whats coming next. To many I havent accomplished much, I havent competed yet after all. But to me I have accomplished a lot, I dedicate 2 hours a day to be in a building where I force my self to test the limits of my body and to put my self into physical pain all to be the best at what I love.

I hope you guys got something out of some of the events in my life, this isnt to make you upset or to make you feel bad for me. In fact I love my life and wouldnt change a thing. Its to open your eyes so that when you dont feel like heading to the gym, arent feeling like pushing out the extra rep think about what the guy next to might have to go through just to be able to come to the gym to put his body in more pain.

wow epic brah thanks for sharing

[Brian94]

Inspiring story man, it does motivate me.

Everyone has those days when they feel a bit discouraged or tired, but you gotta push on, knowing how much more difficult other peoples' lives are.

[jlsnyderTypeR]

Great story! Thanks for sharing...

[flyrich]

sure did

[jaykav]

It's great that you got into weight lifting at such an early age, shows you are very passionate about it. I didn't start till I was 24 but before that I had gone through some rough stages in my life, drugs/alcohol. I can certainly see how it can change people's lives esp if they have been bullied at school. Glad you shared your story with us and best of luck in achieving your future goals.

[tewic]

Nice story - thanks for sharing it with us!