I was 17 years old, it was February 1999. I had left high school after my sophomore year to attend college via a dual-enrollment program in Massachusetts. Basically the state paid for me to go to college and take courses which would obviously count for college credit, but also high school credit as well. Most people took one or two courses at the local college per semester. Not me; as soon as I heard about this program I knew I was doing it full time. Not only that, but I had amassed enough credit that I could graduate from high school after spending that junior year of it taking classes at the local college. I think I took 5 my first semester, 2 over winter break, and 6 second semester. But I digress. The only requirement I couldn't fill was my gym requirement at my high school. I looked at a few classes on volleyball, swimming, and the like, but none fit with my schedule. I actually enjoyed both of those activities, but never did them extnsively, and was basically Austchwitz-mode at this point. After talking it over with the administration they decided that if I worked out at the colleges gym a few times per week and had a trainer sign off on it they would consider the gym requirement fulfilled.
I'll never forget the fitness assessment they do. The trainer took me into the room and weighed me , I think I was 130 lbs @ 5' 10". Then he put like 95 lbs. on a bar and had me attempt to bench it. I basically dropped the thing on my chest, I could barely even unrack it. He tried 75 or 65, same thing. If /fit/ existed back then spaghetti would've started pouring out of my pockets (note: 90% of the people reading this won't get that). They set me up on a program, pretty much only machines. I liked the leg press the best. Oddly, despite being weak as dirt I enjoyed going there. It just felt natural. Granted I barely gained any weight (by September of 1999 I was only up to 138 lbs.), but I was enjoying myself. Maybe it's because my dad had lifted and I grew up around it, I dunno. Anyway, I started to get somewhat stronger, and eventually after graduating early I joined a local gym. The rest is a story for another time. Looking back though it's hard to believe that after my bulk this year I was 231 lbs., over 100 lbs. heavier than when I started
I'll never forget the fitness assessment they do. The trainer took me into the room and weighed me , I think I was 130 lbs @ 5' 10". Then he put like 95 lbs. on a bar and had me attempt to bench it. I basically dropped the thing on my chest, I could barely even unrack it. He tried 75 or 65, same thing. If /fit/ existed back then spaghetti would've started pouring out of my pockets (note: 90% of the people reading this won't get that). They set me up on a program, pretty much only machines. I liked the leg press the best. Oddly, despite being weak as dirt I enjoyed going there. It just felt natural. Granted I barely gained any weight (by September of 1999 I was only up to 138 lbs.), but I was enjoying myself. Maybe it's because my dad had lifted and I grew up around it, I dunno. Anyway, I started to get somewhat stronger, and eventually after graduating early I joined a local gym. The rest is a story for another time. Looking back though it's hard to believe that after my bulk this year I was 231 lbs., over 100 lbs. heavier than when I started
No comments:
Post a Comment