Why

They say that you should start with ‘Why?’

And that is precisely what I plan on doing.

At 27 years of age I am not exactly ‘starting’ my life, but in a sense every moment is a chance to start again, a chance to gaze at a blank slate and make a new mark.

This realization, that we can start again, allows us to hang on to the hope of achievement, success, or victory; whatever those terms may mean to you.

To me victory means victory over myself. My greatest ally, and my most vile enemy.

Success means knowing that my portion is equal to my efforts, knowing that I have squeezed out every last drop and have left nothing behind.

I strive to strengthen my body and my mind because my ancestors did the same.

History is not a vacum.

It is not something to be viewed from behind a pane of glass or on a TV screen.

Your history cannot be analyzed through the lens of modern rational and sensibility.

This will rob you of your identity.

Those that came before you. Your grandparents, great grandparents, great great grandparents lived to survive in the times that they were thrust into. Some of them survived. Some of them thrived, some of them may have even tasted glory.

They knowingly, or unknowingly, were pushing us towards building a better world.

My ancestors came from royal blood as did yours. We are not seperate from those that came before us. We belong to them as they belong to us.

We are responsible to carry on the tradition that they created.

The tradition of hunger. The tradition of courage. And the tradition of self mastery.

I lift weights becuause I have to.

I have no choice.

I lift weights because my ancestors have put me on this path.

Their royal blood courses through my veins.

Their hunger gnaws at my stomach.

My mental circuitry has been refined over millions of years and I must push to refine it even further.

I have no choice.

I lift because to not lift would make me a slave to the comfortable flow of unconsciousness.

I have no choice.

I lift to bring people together.

I lift to crush my ego.

I lift to make my parents proud.

I lift to show myself that failure is a very real option and that we must do everything in our power to experience it and grow from it.

And so the question remains with you.

Why do you train?