My resistance training journey started off humbly enough, in the dirty basement weight room of the local YMCA. With Bill Pearl’s Getting Stronger in hand, I plowed through every exercise in the book -- or at least the ones I was able to do given the congenital absence of my left leg. Back then, I never would have thought my hobby would one day blossom into a career.
My goal at the time was largely performance-based (and perhaps a little aesthetic -- whose isn't?). I had my sights set on the Paralympics for swimming, and I knew resistance training would be an integral component of my training. I had no idea I was following a bodybuilding program, though. I thought lifting weights was lifting weights. I was getting stronger, and that was all that mattered.
Over the next few years, I read more books -- on heart rate monitoring, stretching, and the psychology of peak performance. I thought I knew all there was to know about training. Then, in the summer of 2009, I joined a new gym. The sign-up deal included two free training sessions. The cocky bastard I am, I doubted I would learn anything new, but I jumped on the freebies anyway.
My goal at the time was largely performance-based (and perhaps a little aesthetic -- whose isn't?). I had my sights set on the Paralympics for swimming, and I knew resistance training would be an integral component of my training. I had no idea I was following a bodybuilding program, though. I thought lifting weights was lifting weights. I was getting stronger, and that was all that mattered.
Over the next few years, I read more books -- on heart rate monitoring, stretching, and the psychology of peak performance. I thought I knew all there was to know about training. Then, in the summer of 2009, I joined a new gym. The sign-up deal included two free training sessions. The cocky bastard I am, I doubted I would learn anything new, but I jumped on the freebies anyway.
