A Story of Persistence
I grew up rather poor. My dad was a garbage man when I was born and we lived in a single wide trailer in the middle of 15 acres of land he was trying to pay for. We had no electricity and the only water was a water hose ran through the kitchen window.
My dad ended up being cheated out of the land by the man selling it to him. We left and he never gave up. He went from driving a garbage truck to a dirt truck. Then from there to a concrete mixer truck and finally he started his own business. There were still ups and downs through family problems, the ‘08 bubble causing the economy (especially construction business) to fall and so on.
So for my entire life, I grew up poor. We had food. We had lights and a home. I was never as bad off as others, but we were poor. Imagine, struggling lower class family with no health insurance, but not quite at food stamps (at least not all the time).
Overcoming Bullying and Adversity
I had a chip on my shoulder. I was also fat – the irony of being poor but eating too much always seemed like a bad joke played by the Universe on many poor people. So being poor and fat, I had my fair share of bullying. But that’s not what this is about. I’m glad it happened. It made me who I am.
The Equality of Exercise
A man who loves equality. A man who loves something that makes us all equal. And, to me, that’s what exercise and fitness represents. Equality. The gym – whether it be weights, or a pull-up bar, or a track and empty field – it doesn’t care where you come from. It doesn’t care your bank account. Or your gender. Or your color. Sexuality, religion, political beliefs – it’s all nonexistent under a bar or running along a track. A dumbbell is simply that: dumb. It’s too ignorant to care whether you’re obese or have veins popping out in your abs.
There’s a beauty in that. Stepping through doors and being equal to everyone else in opportunity and the amount of work you have to put in. That’s why I’m so passionate about it. It levels the playing field for all of us.
No Excuses, Just Work
And don’t hit me with “genetics.” That’s another way of me saying, don’t hit me with “excuses.” Anyone – and I mean anyone – can put in work and get rewards out of exercise. That’s what it’s all about. Equality and paying your dues. The squat rack, the medicine ball, the boxing ring, the pitch – they welcome everyone. Not many things in this world are that open to all.