Happy August everyone!
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A good photograph can do quite a bit for you. Not by itself, of course. But if you are well- prepared for that photograph, and the photo is good – it can open up a new world for you. It can get the right people to notice you, which can give you the opportunity to demonstrate all of your skills. And then, wham – you’re a star.
Three years ago, I returned from a two-year project on which I was working in Nicaragua, Central America. I was born and raised in California, and started lifting weights at the age of 14. At 16, I entered my first bodybuilding contest. Over the course of the next 26 years, I won the Mr. California, Mr. America and Mr. Universe titles. But at 40 years of age, I thought I was finished – over the hill – my best years behind me. I had been working as a Personal Trainer, but found myself burnt out and frustrated with the industry. So, in 2005, I took a job in Forestry in Nicaragua, thinking that a career change might be good for me. But, after two years there, it was clear that the job was going nowhere, so I moved back to California in August of 2007.
With few career options, I re-started my Personal Training business, and also began working-out again. Living for two years in a third world country has a way of giving a person a new perspective, and a new appreciation, for life in the US – especially California. It made me realize how lucky we are here, for so many reasons. So, I worked and exercised with a newfound enthusiasm. Soon, my business was thriving, and I found myself getting into remarkably good shape – especially considering my age: 49.
Realizing, at that time, that my physical condition had reached an exceptional level, and remembering that 27 years earlier – when I was 22 years old – I was on the front cover of Iron Man Magazine, I decided to have some new photos taken, and send them to that same magazine, to see what they would say. So I called Kelsey Edwards, whom I had known for many years. She did her magic, and got some beautiful shots. I sent them to the magazine, with a note saying, “27 years ago I was on your cover…how about another cover now, showing me in this kind of shape at 49?” The publisher sent a message back, “You look like this now? … I’ll have our photographer call you”. Within a couple of days, I was in the studio, having photos taken of me by the same photographer who had photographed me years ago.
After seeing the photos, the magazine’s publisher decided to do a 10-page article about me, my past ups-and-downs, and my philosophy of training. It was published in the October 2009 issue of the magazine. In that article interview, I was asked about a book that I’m writing, which is about the mechanics of weight training. The book focuses on the deciding factors which allow one to determine whether an exercise is good or bad (safe and effective – or not). In a subsequent issue – December 2009 – in the column where readers comment on articles from previous issues, someone opined that I was “wrong” in my assessment of a particular exercise. So I wrote an article explaining my position – point by point – and sent it to the publisher. He loved it – both in content and in style, published it in the magazine, and invited me to be a regular columnist for the magazine.
Being a columnist has given me quite a bit of exposure, and that has helped my Personal Training business to sky-rocket. I began posting my articles on Facebook, and that has lead to more invitations to write articles, as well as a book contract with an academic publishing house, for which I am now writing a university textbook. Further, all the attention lead many in the fitness and bodybuilding arena to encourage me to re-enter bodybuilding competition, saying that I had been one of the best in previous years. Originally, the idea seemed absurd, but not for long.
This past month, I did just that. At the age of 50, after ten years of not competing, after going through depression, after living in the 2nd poorest country in the Western Hemisphere for two years, after thinking that the fitness industry was not for me, after thinking that my better years were behind me – I once again stood on stage and received a 1st place trophy. Add to that the fact that I’ve discovered my writing talent and realized the worth of my biomechanics knowledge, and, well – let’s just say I’m giddy.
I feel like a kid again. I see future potential where before I saw only memories. I feel like I have a new lease on life. Metaphorically-speaking, I feel like I went up into the attic, and found an old box. I dusted it off – unsure of what was in it. Upon opening it, I found gold – figuratively speaking. I found talent, skill, knowledge, ability and potential – sitting there, untapped. It had been there all along, collecting dust in the attic. While I cursed life, and looked for a better one in a foreign land, the box sat there, in the attic, quietly collecting more dust. And, through a serendipitous turn of events – which included a timely and beautiful series of photographs by Kelsey Edwards – I stumbled upon that box, and – in it – found tools for a better life.
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