Dedication

What separates the best from everyone else? A lot of people would say it was great genetics and natural talent. Those at the top would say it is hard work and dedication. The truth is that it is some of both. We all know people out there that were born for athletic talent. Results come easy to them and they are able to excel even with a lazy work ethic and piss poor training. On the other side of the equation there are those who will slave away training and never amount to a bucket of piss in anything.

This transcends sports and delves into all aspects of life. In school I was naturally gifted at certain subjects like mathematics and history. Where as others had to slave away with long hours of studying I showed up to the test late (and sometimes drunk) and turned in the test ten minutes later and would get the highest score in the class. I am sure this pissed off that person who had spent every night that week plugging away hitting the books only to come back with a C+.

Life is not fair. We are told that as children but it really needs to sink in. While I may have been excellent at math and history I had poor grammar and spelling. Where as I could get by with barely studying (and sometimes not at all) for math I could ill afford to do the same when I came to English class. Hell I graduated with honors but failed fucking photography for fucks sake.

Ever seen Mike Tyson in his boxing prime play basketball? He was getting schooled by Don King's old ass. This is one of the greatest athletes in the world at the time with the basketball coordination of a white guy with downs syndrome.

Why am I saying all this? Because while you cannot change what you are born with you do have control over your work ethic and dedication. While it may not make you the best, a strong work ethic will make you much better than what you are. Want to know why I can bench press more than you? It is certainly not because I was naturally strong in the bench press.

There was a time as a grown adult at 250 lbs. and I could barely even bench press 135 lbs. for one rep. That is one freaking 45 pound plate on each side of the bar. It was pathetic and embarrassing. Do you know what secret methods I used to raise my bench press from a paltry 135 lbs. to where it is now? Hard ass work that is what. While I had a strong ass deadlift my bench  press crawled along. I had to fight for every 5 pound increase. It was rough watching guys smaller than me bench pressing the same as me while the big boys left me in a trail of dust.

While this would cause some people to give up in frustration it made me mad. A rage built up inside of me, a fiery cauldron of hatred that boiled over into every aspect of my life. I snapped at every motherfucker around me because anything outside of making my bench press stronger was a distraction I didn't need. You ask me for directions because you are lost and I would lift you in the air and throw you across the side walk.

I was a walking time bomb that had only one goal in life. I slaved away in the gym sometimes being at the gym 7 days a week 3 times a day. Before work I was there, after work I was there, during my lunch break I was there.

Soon I watched barriers fall. I remember the day I bench press 225 lbs. (2 plates per side). Everyone around me was happy for me but I told them to fuck off. I didn't want 225, I wanted to smash them and leave them in my dust. I didn't have time to be happy over a pathetic bench press.

Every milestone I hit after that I remember the same range of emotions. Anger and hatred seething through me even though soon I was beating those around me. People in the gym were now coming up to me and asking me how to get their bench press stronger. I used to be the guy doing the asking (and I still do because there is always someone stronger) and now I was being asked. I gave back what helped me, it is the only way to honor all those world record holder bench pressers who continue to help guide me. Pass on the free knowledge they gave me.

What is funny is I will help anyone who asks but you can see it in their eyes. Some guys have it and will succeed and others you just know will fail. It is not whether they are cocky or humble but it is in their eyes. You can see those who despite their words are a predator at heart and those who are a prey. You have to be a predator in this world. The prey will always curl up and die at the first sign of failure.

Now I pass on all my collective knowledge to Missy. She has been bitten by the Iron Bug and has become obsessed with powerlifting (and is there anything else worth being obsessed over besides Missy herself). I can see in those sexy brown eyes (and brown eye) of her's that she has that fire and passion that will carry her to the top. Even more so than me she has so much dedication I am just simply amazed. She chugs along in the Deadlifter's Fortress despite the fact that the gym's heating system sucks and she freezes her (very nice) butt off. She puts up with my incessant coaching and no nonsense attitude when it comes to training. She does everything I do despite my years of building up a strong work rate and her being new to this.

She will be a top lifter in her weight class. Maybe one of the greatest of all time. What about you? What will you do? It doesn't have to be powerlifting but it sure as fuck better be something in life. Live for something and don't make that something your next fix (and yes alcohol is a drug that is worse than heroin and crack). The glory of success is a better high than any bullshit drug. Live for the moment and be the best you can fucking be in this life. Missy and I will be.