I remember that first time I walked in there. I was lost, weights everywhere machines every were and little old me at 148lb. I finally saw what I knew now as a smith machine in the corner that no one was on, so I headed over to it. There I stood and wow, I had no clue what to do with it or were to start. Underneath the bar was a bench and on the bar was a 25lb plate on either side. So under that bar I went, grabbed that bar figured out how to unlock it and started to push. About 30 seconds later and 15 reps later I thought I was off to a good start. Till some 300lb guy came over and asked if I was done after I had done like 6 sets. He threw on three 45lb plates per side and made me look like a fool, and out the door I went. I didn't go back to the gym for a week.

The following week at one of my basketball games a girl that I had a crush on, I guess had seen me at the Y that day, so I thought for sure there was any chance I had. She had said she'd not seen me in about a week and asked when I would be back in again. Well that's all it took. What more motivation did I need.

I started back the following day, this time I thought why not try working a little arms. That went over good as I struggled to curl a 25lb dumbbell. But this time I was determined to stick with it. Hey, on the up-side of it I played hockey, so I was sure that it would improve my strength. That night at 148lbs, having benched 50lbs on a smith machine and only being able to curl a 25lb dumbbell I went home, got some money and bought my first tub of Whey Protein and creatine that the old guy at the local health food store had recommended. When I got home and showed my Grandfather, wow did I hear it and well let's just say, It all went back just as fast as I went and got it. The old guy at the store went through it with my grandfather and I, and once again I was set and ready to go.

I started training just to work on things for hockey and to become a better all-around player, and then to try and gain some size. But strength was always what I really wanted.

From that day forward I never looked back and one year later from 148lb, benching 50lbs to 150lb, benching 315lbs.

I knew this was a sport that only I could determine the outcome.

Not being one of the smartest and most behaved kids in school, I turned to working out to help me blow off steam. My routine became simple, in the winter it was school, hockey, workout; in the summer it was baseball, workout. After that first year learning and educating myself, I needed something more then they YMCA, so, I took some time away and drove the extra distance to Popeyes Gym in Kitchener, ON. I thought the first day walking into the Y was something, man! I signed up here and the whole world had come down on my shoulders. But I new this was the place I needed, this was the place to be. Training there and meeting a lot of Body Builder trainers and making new friends in the industry, I added to my connections and education to become what I wanted to be. There and then is when I learned to before a Power lifter.

Three times a week training for power. Bench, Deadlift, and Squat. From there I implemented power into everything and became crazy strong. Deadlifting 540lbs, Squatting 435lbs, Benching 365lbs. I was on top of the world. But I wanted to know it all and become more rounded. That's when I met Janeen Lankawski -- a female bodybuilder training at the gym. She was bad ass that's for sure, but she knew her shit. She pointed me into the direction of forming and sculpting my body to be a "bodybuilder" not a "freak".

That's when I started taking courses to become a personal trainer and to educate myself on the body to put both theory and practical together to become even better.

At that point it was time for a change, a new location. So I joined Good Life Fitness where I landed-up getting my co-op job placement, and my first job as a personal trainer. Working with some of the highest and advanced trainers in the industry. Just when I thought I had it all under my feet, I learn to be an aerobics instructor. So I started teaching classes twice a week and man what a job. I never cursed a treadmill from that day forward. From there I became a freelance trainer, in people's homes and in other gyms. After a while I decided it was time to stop cutting my wages and start my own thing, so I started in my home. I purchased some equipment from Life Fitness and started Body Development Fitness Studio in the basement of my home. I then further educated myself in sports-specific advance ball training and joint injury. After a few years of seeing where the personal training was going, I decided to go bigger, it was time to go full fledge. I wanted to turn Body Development Fitness Studio into a Gym, not just a studio. So a year later the walls went up. I opened Body Development Fitness in Cambridge, ON.

Now as a competitor, personal trainer, and gym owner I have trained with many different athletes, trainers, bodybuilders and power lifters to gain the experience needed to be a better up-and-coming bodybuilder on the OPA and soon to come IFBB.