Mission: possible

Muscle & Fitness, July, 2006 by Jason P. Hirdler

In the 1970s, my friends and I had older brothers who liked watching bodybuilding on cable TV. Soon we all pooled our money and bought a weight set and bench. I worked out through my teen years, but eventually alcohol became more of a priority. And in my 20s, it became more of a priority than just about everything else.

By the time I was 30, I was 220 pounds at 5'9". My wife and I had started a family, and I figured it was time to grow up. I checked out some issues of M&F at our local library and was drawn to the articles about Ronnie, Jay and Arnold. Last spring, I decided to try something I never thought would be possible: bodybuilding. I had been sober four years but was still fat, 225 pounds with 26% bodyfat. I looked like Buddha. But I had learned it was never too late to make a life change.

It's Never Too Late I trained hard for the next nine months; at times, I felt like giving up. But on Nov. 12, 2005, after losing more than 40 pounds and almost 20% bodyfat, I entered the NPC Minnesota Northstar Classic Bodybuilding Championship. I placed runner-up in the masters class and third in the overall light-heavyweight. Since then, I've gotten certified as a personal trainer and helped open a gym right off beautiful Lake Minnetonka in Minneosta. To all those who've touched my life, thank you. I couldn't have done it without you.

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