Entering bodybuilding at age 63:
It was lying in my mind that I always wanted to try bodybuilding. Obviously when you're 63, there isn't much time left, and if you're going to do it, you better do it now.
Mind-set from his Marine Corps days:
One of the things that was hammered into you was you're not allowed to quit. You are trained to think that way: 'Don't give up, do not quit,' and that attitude rings in your mind always when you're approaching something that's difficult. You force yourself through.
From babying to bustin' a move:
You'd think there's no way a 65-year-old person's body could tolerate [bodybuilding], but one of the things I've really learned is the capability of the human body. About eight years ago, I had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee. The doctor said, 'You've got two years before you need to replace it,' so I babied it and it hurt. Then I started lifting with the leg and the leg got stronger and stronger and that knee never bothered me anymore. The body adapts so well developing muscle -- it's an added feature we don't realize until we go there.
Workhorse payoffs:
The problem in society is we don't work our muscles. The only way to do that effectively is through weight training, and this really is a fountain-of-youth type thing where it maintains your body. I do not have the numerous problems other people in my age group do because I go through the training.
What drives him:
Pride is one thing. Pride in yourself. Uniqueness in yourself. The thing about this is you're creating and sculpting this physical being. We do not have to accept the aging process the way we do, we can do something about it. My objective is to demonstrate to others, through bodybuilding, that we can build and maintain muscle mass and bone density as we age. Yes, it does take determination and effort on one's part.
Looking ahead:
I want to go to the nationals and win my age group in the NPC (National Physique Committee) contest. The competition is very stiff. Normally what I do [locally] is compete in the 50-year-old category because there's nobody in the 60-year-old category. But there were about 20 guys there last year in their 60s at nationals.
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