It can be done

[Orange24]

Started lifting my dads dumbbells in his workout room at 17 when he wasn’t home so he didn’t know I was messing with his stuff. I was 123lbs. I did 150 reps straight for curls with 10lb DB’s or till I saw a vein. True story lol.

15 years later here we are. Fellas, I’ve only ran a couple cycles. I can count 3, and one was only 6 weeks. It’s not the drugs. It’s the food, and it’s not missing a gym session for 15 years straight. Keep at it, I’m starting to think I finally
look like I lift!


My approach to training has been very very simple. I lift as heavy as I can, with the best form I can, for as many reps as I can until about 8-9 reps and go back down to the 4-6 range with heavier weight. Get stronger, eat on time, every single day, and it’ll happen. Don’t forget cardio, the heart is the most important muscle here, both physically and spiritually.

I get tempted here and there to see if I can BLOW UP!!! But I remember it’s not the drugs and my life right now is just ludicrous with two young kids, buying a home, married to a queen, and working 60+ hours a week!

Anywho, was feeling like checking in! Love y’all.

Orange

[MuscleAddiction]

Re: It can be done

Looking good brother!

[knights]

Re: It can be done

Inspirational bro! You were one of MCs youngest members when we started this many years ago. I’m personally proud of everything you’ve accomplished and will accomplish!

[Orange24]

Re: It can be done

Inspirational bro! You were one of MCs youngest members when we started this many years ago. I’m personally proud of everything you’ve accomplished and will accomplish!

Thanks knights. I was actually over at the other board with all of us before we migrated over here. I was a youngster and OD reached out to me. He’s been a guiding light ever since, kept me healthy, mindful and helped me thru some really tough times, same as MA and many more including you! Now I’m an old man, hairs a a little grayer now and not quite and thick haha.

[ordawg1]

Re: It can be done

Thanks knights. I was actually over at the other board with all of us before we migrated over here. I was a youngster and OD reached out to me. He’s been a guiding light ever since, kept me healthy, mindful and helped me thru some really tough times, same as MA and many more including you! Now I’m an old man, hairs a a little grayer now and not quite and thick haha.

Just awesome - cannot tell you how proud I am to be your friend and watch you grow as a man- father and a great leader -Love You-Pops

[Orange24]

Re: It can be done

Just awesome - cannot tell you how proud I am to be your friend and watch you grow as a man- father and a great leader -Love You-Pops

Likewise pops!

Great team we have here.

[SFDan]

Re: It can be done

You look great Orange-Thanks for the inspiration!

[reapwhatusow]

Re: It can be done

You’ve taken great care of the temple HE has given you. I thank God for you O for helping me in my journey. The Coalition is one big family. Thanks for the uplifting life journey brother. Delight yourself in HIM and HE will give you the desires of your heart!!

[AnalogMan]

Re: It can be done

Look good Orange.. Your right about the food, but a lot is DNA.....Feels good to put up pics, ('don't it')!! I have always done that.. Shows how proud you are of what you have accomplished … And your the real deal....Proud of brother!!…………..AM

[Orange24]

Re: It can be done

Look good Orange.. Your right about the food, but a lot is DNA.....Feels good to put up pics, ('don't it')!! I have always done that.. Shows how proud you are of what you have accomplished … And your the real deal....Proud of brother!!…………..AM

Pics for the fam any day!!

I’ll say this; I remember my first day with a trainer. He asked me to do 10 push ups to warm up. I couldn’t do 2. This is a true story. I literally could not do 2 push ups. I couldn’t have been skinner. Obviously this is why I was there in the first place.

I told him I just really needed to gain 10 lbs. Well I gained 10 lbs in like the first month and we all know how that goes; “I don’t look different”

Took me a while to look jacked, probably a decade.

I did a push up contest and a pull up contest last year. I won both. I quit at 100 push ups because the previous dude had 88.

And I did 45 pull ups. Not chin ups lol. No one came close. I’ll say that was fun.

It feels good to not be that skinny kid anymore though. But with all that said, I thought I’d feel way better about myself when I finally looked awesome naked and jacked at the beach. I always wanted that, and now that I look decent, it doesn’t feel like I thought it would. Don’t get me wrong, it’s more comfortable than uncomfortable. But what happens on the inside is what produces what I was looking for all those years. It’s what I’m still looking for, and what I’m working towards.

I’ve worked way harder for my mental health as an adult than I EVER would have imagined. A lot caught up to me about 5 years ago. Panic attacks started and I had no idea what was happening. Trust me, I can rep out 305 more times than anyone at my gym but I couldn’t lace up my shoes or walk down a flight of stairs without trembling or even crying during that season. All hell broke loose.

I had my wife, a team, an army I’ll call them, there with me, reminding me I’d find my way home again. I needed major support. OD was in conversation with me everyday as well, a time I’ll never forget. I was teaching at the time giving lectures in front of hundreds of people per day. It couldn’t have felt more impossible to get up everyday. I remember watching my hands shake all day writing on the white board, I could barely type, and even talking wasn’t fluid for me. And for those who know me, communication is by far my greatest skill. Like I said, my life came unglued.

Maybe one day I’ll post more on the topic but for now, know that mental gains will always supersede the physical gains. It’s a lot harder to stay calm and collected for me than it is to go train my ass off. We can all get jacked and tan, but can we fully live, be content, not worry about tomorrow and breathe a little deeper? Well, my aim is to do so, and most days it’s still tough.

All love

O

[AnalogMan]

Re: It can be done

Pics for the fam any day!!

I’ll say this; I remember my first day with a trainer. He asked me to do 10 push ups to warm up. I couldn’t do 2. This is a true story. I literally could not do 2 push ups. I couldn’t have been skinner. Obviously this is why I was there in the first place.

I told him I just really needed to gain 10 lbs. Well I gained 10 lbs in like the first month and we all know how that goes; “I don’t look different”

Took me a while to look jacked, probably a decade.

I did a push up contest and a pull up contest last year. I won both. I quit at 100 push ups because the previous dude had 88.

And I did 45 pull ups. Not chin ups lol. No one came close. I’ll say that was fun.

It feels good to not be that skinny kid anymore though. But with all that said, I thought I’d feel way better about myself when I finally looked awesome naked and jacked at the beach. I always wanted that, and now that I look decent, it doesn’t feel like I thought it would. Don’t get me wrong, it’s more comfortable than uncomfortable. But what happens on the inside is what produces what I was looking for all those years. It’s what I’m still looking for, and what I’m working towards.

I’ve worked way harder for my mental health as an adult than I EVER would have imagined. A lot caught up to me about 5 years ago. Panic attacks started and I had no idea what was happening. Trust me, I can rep out 305 more times than anyone at my gym but I couldn’t lace up my shoes or walk down a flight of stairs without trembling or even crying during that season. All hell broke loose.

I had my wife, a team, an army I’ll call them, there with me, reminding me I’d find my way home again. I needed major support. OD was in conversation with me everyday as well, a time I’ll never forget. I was teaching at the time giving lectures in front of hundreds of people per day. It couldn’t have felt more impossible to get up everyday. I remember watching my hands shake all day writing on the white board, I could barely type, and even talking wasn’t fluid for me. And for those who know me, communication is by far my greatest skill. Like I said, my life came unglued.

Maybe one day I’ll post more on the topic but for now, know that mental gains will always supersede the physical gains. It’s a lot harder to stay calm and collected for me than it is to go train my ass off. We can all get jacked and tan, but can we fully live, be content, not worry about tomorrow and breathe a little deeper? Well, my aim is to do so, and most days it’s still tough.

All love

O

All men die, thats inevitable, out of our hands, but not all men live, you have to take care of that part.... Hang in there bro...………….AM

[Slayer]

Re: It can be done

You look great O! Good beginner story.

[ltyson]

Re: It can be done

Congrats on your journey brother, both physically and mentally. An inspiration to others for sure. Thanks for sharing.

Ltyson

[JRam]

Re: It can be done

Look great.

Height? Weight?

[Orange24]

Re: It can be done

Look great.

Height? Weight?

5’8 185