Now, think back to that time period... 94'-98'. Everyday I'd come into Yeager's after school to train, and hang out for the evening, and all they played ever was Q101. Now between 94'-98' there was SO MUCH great music on the radio then. Alternative music was at it's peak. Every band out there had a hit song, and almost all of them were awesome. Most of the singles that were big back then are still heard regularly to this day.
In an effort to remind me of where I came from, and to inspire me throughout my training I have tried to put myself back into thatYeager's mindset as much as possible. Thus my reason on telling the story of the place, and it's signifigance. I've been doing this by breaking out my old Yeager's shirts, and thanks to the convienience of mp3 players, have compiled a playlist of over 100 songs from back then that I listen to on random every workout. The whole playlist is over 6 hours long, so it takes me about 2 days worth of workouts to get through it all. It consists of songs from bands such as:
Beck
Collective Soul
Green Day
Live
Oasis
The Presidents Of The United States Of America
Radiohead
Rage Against The Machine
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Soundgarden
The Smashing Pumpkins
Weezer
No Doubt
Alanis Morrissette
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Stone Temple Pilots
Beastie Boys
Bush
Foo Fighters
Nine Inch Nails
U2
The Wallflowers
I'm sure there's still some I could add to the list... so if there are any suggestions do let me know. But this is what I listen to everyday in the gym. This is the soundtrack for the next 12 weeks.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Yeager's
When I first began working out in high school it was 1994. I trained at a gym that was down in the shopping center down on Finley and Butterfield. It was called "Yeager's". Named after the owner Mark Yeager. A big part of why I got into working out in the first place was due to Yeager's Gym. Picture any Balley's, or Powerhouse or whatever... then picture 1/10th the size of it. That was Yeager's... an above ground basement. About 80-90% of the equipment there was MADE by Mark himself, and it was the best shit I ever worked out with. He had something for everything there... something the clubs 10 times bigger STILL don't have.
Being such a small place, you had little choice but to get to know every person there. The great thing though, was that everyone there was fucking awesome. Everyone was your buddy, and they were all extremely supportive. It was "Gym" gym... 95% of the people working out there were competitive bodybuilders. At one time Carlton Fisk was a regular there, and a fucking asshole I might add. (side story available at bottom of entry)
I didn't really get to join any sports in high school, but I didn't mind so much, because I lived for when school would end, and I'd go to the gym. I'd workout, and then hang out. I'd spend 3-4 hours there. I'd train, and then as the other big guys were coming in after getting out of work, I'd hang out to watch them train. They'd explain to me what they were doing, why, and how. It became my hangout, I didn't have much of a social life otherwise, so I spent all of my free time there. Weekends... everday after school.
A close friend of my Father's... a man by the name of Larry Weiss, a Vietnam vet and the greatest guy you could ever know, met me there everyday after school to train with me. I'll be writing more about him, as I get closer to the show. But this placed fueled an interest in weightlifting and bodybuilding that has remained in me to this day.
Yeager's was sold in 97', and the new owner ran the place out of business within about a year. This was also in part due to Powerhouse opening in Lombard. This was obviously a sad day for me when Yeager's closed. I boycotted Powerhouse for a long time, until I finally accepted that it was the only decent place around at that point to work out at.
To this day, I don't know that I've ever had a workout like the ones I'd get at Yeager's.
(side story... Jason Holman asked me to get his Carlton Fisk baseball card autographed for him. So I said "Sure, no problem!", you know, I see the fucking guy everyday this should be easy. So I see him at the gym the next day and I asked him, if he'd mind... his response was, "$25". I was still too young and naive to realize that he wasn't joking, so I just laughed... holding the card out waiting for him to take it. He was for real. So I felt like an asshole going back to Jason the next day, and telling him it was actually going to cost him. Had I been in his shoes, I'd have said fuck it then. But he pony'd up the $25, so I took it back to Carlton the next day, and he took it... said thanks, signed the card, and walked off without saying anything... fucking asshole.)
Being such a small place, you had little choice but to get to know every person there. The great thing though, was that everyone there was fucking awesome. Everyone was your buddy, and they were all extremely supportive. It was "Gym" gym... 95% of the people working out there were competitive bodybuilders. At one time Carlton Fisk was a regular there, and a fucking asshole I might add. (side story available at bottom of entry)
I didn't really get to join any sports in high school, but I didn't mind so much, because I lived for when school would end, and I'd go to the gym. I'd workout, and then hang out. I'd spend 3-4 hours there. I'd train, and then as the other big guys were coming in after getting out of work, I'd hang out to watch them train. They'd explain to me what they were doing, why, and how. It became my hangout, I didn't have much of a social life otherwise, so I spent all of my free time there. Weekends... everday after school.
A close friend of my Father's... a man by the name of Larry Weiss, a Vietnam vet and the greatest guy you could ever know, met me there everyday after school to train with me. I'll be writing more about him, as I get closer to the show. But this placed fueled an interest in weightlifting and bodybuilding that has remained in me to this day.
Yeager's was sold in 97', and the new owner ran the place out of business within about a year. This was also in part due to Powerhouse opening in Lombard. This was obviously a sad day for me when Yeager's closed. I boycotted Powerhouse for a long time, until I finally accepted that it was the only decent place around at that point to work out at.
To this day, I don't know that I've ever had a workout like the ones I'd get at Yeager's.
(side story... Jason Holman asked me to get his Carlton Fisk baseball card autographed for him. So I said "Sure, no problem!", you know, I see the fucking guy everyday this should be easy. So I see him at the gym the next day and I asked him, if he'd mind... his response was, "$25". I was still too young and naive to realize that he wasn't joking, so I just laughed... holding the card out waiting for him to take it. He was for real. So I felt like an asshole going back to Jason the next day, and telling him it was actually going to cost him. Had I been in his shoes, I'd have said fuck it then. But he pony'd up the $25, so I took it back to Carlton the next day, and he took it... said thanks, signed the card, and walked off without saying anything... fucking asshole.)
Sunday Morning
It's a pleasant Sunday morning...
I'm sitting here having my morning coffee, chillin' online. I've got one workout out of the way, with one to go. It's fucking freezing outside, but the sun is out and that's good enough for me. Tonight is WWE No Way Out, the last Pay-Per-View stop on the road to Wrestlemania 22. The next PPV will be the grandaddy of them all, and I will be there to experience it first hand.
So I've got that goin' for me... which is nice.
I'm sitting here having my morning coffee, chillin' online. I've got one workout out of the way, with one to go. It's fucking freezing outside, but the sun is out and that's good enough for me. Tonight is WWE No Way Out, the last Pay-Per-View stop on the road to Wrestlemania 22. The next PPV will be the grandaddy of them all, and I will be there to experience it first hand.
So I've got that goin' for me... which is nice.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
11 Weeks Out
Well, the first week of dieting is now behind me with 11 weeks to the competition. Last night was a better night of sleeping than I've had this past week. I may be starting to adapt a little more now to the lower calorie intake.
Last week before I went in for my first workout of the day, on my first day of dieting before eating anything, I weighed in at 228 lbs. I weighed myself this morning to see where I am a week later, and I weighed in at 219 lbs. So that's 9 pounds right there. I have a feeling the rest won't fall off quite as easily, but it's a nice to chunk to get out of the way.
Last week before I went in for my first workout of the day, on my first day of dieting before eating anything, I weighed in at 228 lbs. I weighed myself this morning to see where I am a week later, and I weighed in at 219 lbs. So that's 9 pounds right there. I have a feeling the rest won't fall off quite as easily, but it's a nice to chunk to get out of the way.
Friday, February 17, 2006
A Sollution To The Knee Issue
I consulted with my chiropracter about my knee, he checked it out and said that there wasn't anything majorly wrong with it that he could tell. The meniscus, and ACL seemed fine... He said that taking time off from using it would cause it to atrophy more than heal itself. It needs to be stimulated so that it will heal. He suggested that I try using the elliptical rider to get my cardio in and see how it feels, and ease my way back into lifting with it. I rode the elliptical twice yesterday, and then again this morning, and so far it seems to be holding up ok. I'm burning enough calories in my half hour on there too. So that's a relief.
In the meantime, the diet has been a bit rough. It's not so bad during the day, but at night is when it's really kicking my ass. After I have dinner, I feel hungry again within a half hour or so. Then I'm hungry all night, and can't sleep on account of it. Add that on top of my sleep issues I've had already going into this, and I'm just not getting enough rest right now. I had a feeling this would end up being an issue, but I'm dealing with it the best I can. Part of the problem was how fast we dropped my daily caloric intake, it was faster than my body could adapt to.
But I'm toughing it out for now, and we'll see where things go from here.
In the meantime, the diet has been a bit rough. It's not so bad during the day, but at night is when it's really kicking my ass. After I have dinner, I feel hungry again within a half hour or so. Then I'm hungry all night, and can't sleep on account of it. Add that on top of my sleep issues I've had already going into this, and I'm just not getting enough rest right now. I had a feeling this would end up being an issue, but I'm dealing with it the best I can. Part of the problem was how fast we dropped my daily caloric intake, it was faster than my body could adapt to.
But I'm toughing it out for now, and we'll see where things go from here.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Late Night
Well, it's almost 3 am right now...
I'm starving my ass off, and I can't sleep. Having sleeping issues going into this is bad enough, throw on top of that sheer hunger, and now sleep may become even more of a rarity. I don't know... it's still too early to tell. I may get used to it. But for right now it's almost 3 am, and I have about 5 hours before I can eat.
I'm starving my ass off, and I can't sleep. Having sleeping issues going into this is bad enough, throw on top of that sheer hunger, and now sleep may become even more of a rarity. I don't know... it's still too early to tell. I may get used to it. But for right now it's almost 3 am, and I have about 5 hours before I can eat.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
The Plan
Well... after consulting with my Father on how to handle this situation with my knee we've decided to go the route of cutting calories sooner than later. This will be rough... but necessary.
I won't do any cardio at all for the next two weeks. I'll replace my morning cardio with an additional abs session, so that I'll be doing some minor level of cardio work, and increasing the amount of time put into my abs along the way. I also won't train legs for the next two weeks either. Then after the two weeks, I'll come back light, and ease my way back into things cautiously.
After the two weeks, I'll come back to doing the stairs, but on a much lighter setting. I was cranking on level 8 before, I'll come back at level 3.
I will also continue to ice my knee 3 times a day.
This unfortunately still leaves an air of uncertainty about things... but I have to try whatever I can to get me to that show.
I won't do any cardio at all for the next two weeks. I'll replace my morning cardio with an additional abs session, so that I'll be doing some minor level of cardio work, and increasing the amount of time put into my abs along the way. I also won't train legs for the next two weeks either. Then after the two weeks, I'll come back light, and ease my way back into things cautiously.
After the two weeks, I'll come back to doing the stairs, but on a much lighter setting. I was cranking on level 8 before, I'll come back at level 3.
I will also continue to ice my knee 3 times a day.
This unfortunately still leaves an air of uncertainty about things... but I have to try whatever I can to get me to that show.
Severe Knee Problems...
Well my right knee is being a problem again already...
This is not good. It's not good to be acting up so early in this portion of the training. If this was happening like 2 weeks out from the show, I would just tough it out... But I have 12 weeks of twice a day intense cardio sessions. Which at this point equates to 162 more times on the stairs.
My knee hurts just walking on it right now, let alone when I'm stomping on the stairs for an hour a day. It's like a burning/cold feeling under the top of my knee cap. Without any health insurance currently, there's not much I can do about it from a medical standpoint.
I'm going to try and start training on the bike instead, and see how my knee responds to that. Like I said, it hurts just walking on it, so I'm still going to feel it on the bike. But if I can do less damage to it, that would help. I can't push it too hard, because like I said... no health insurance, and if I blow my knee out, I'm definitely out of the competition.
In the meantime I'm icing the shit out of it, and still taking my glucosomine....
It sucks, because I'm conditioned now on the stairs. I can handle the workload in every way, other than my knee. Now I'm starting from scratch with the bike... (assuming my knee can handle it), and now to get myself to where I can ride 400 calories in a half hour could take a few weeks... which isn't a lot, but when you've only got 12 weeks to competition time, and need to be burning 800 calories a day in cardio, it's a HUGE setback. If the bike is in fact possible, then I'll have to do it for as long as it takes to get to 400 calories, whether it's 45 minutes or an hour, or whatever.
The only other alternative, is to cut my current calorie intake drastically to make up the difference in cardio... regardless though, I still need to be able to perform some level of cardio. Oh yeah... and let's not forget... LEG DAY!!! Leg press, leg extensions... if I can't do those for the next 12 weeks I'll lose what little quads I have...
This is very depressing... but I'm going to try every way I can to get around this, and make this work. I'm so fucking close to the end of this, I've got to finish it.
This is not good. It's not good to be acting up so early in this portion of the training. If this was happening like 2 weeks out from the show, I would just tough it out... But I have 12 weeks of twice a day intense cardio sessions. Which at this point equates to 162 more times on the stairs.
My knee hurts just walking on it right now, let alone when I'm stomping on the stairs for an hour a day. It's like a burning/cold feeling under the top of my knee cap. Without any health insurance currently, there's not much I can do about it from a medical standpoint.
I'm going to try and start training on the bike instead, and see how my knee responds to that. Like I said, it hurts just walking on it, so I'm still going to feel it on the bike. But if I can do less damage to it, that would help. I can't push it too hard, because like I said... no health insurance, and if I blow my knee out, I'm definitely out of the competition.
In the meantime I'm icing the shit out of it, and still taking my glucosomine....
It sucks, because I'm conditioned now on the stairs. I can handle the workload in every way, other than my knee. Now I'm starting from scratch with the bike... (assuming my knee can handle it), and now to get myself to where I can ride 400 calories in a half hour could take a few weeks... which isn't a lot, but when you've only got 12 weeks to competition time, and need to be burning 800 calories a day in cardio, it's a HUGE setback. If the bike is in fact possible, then I'll have to do it for as long as it takes to get to 400 calories, whether it's 45 minutes or an hour, or whatever.
The only other alternative, is to cut my current calorie intake drastically to make up the difference in cardio... regardless though, I still need to be able to perform some level of cardio. Oh yeah... and let's not forget... LEG DAY!!! Leg press, leg extensions... if I can't do those for the next 12 weeks I'll lose what little quads I have...
This is very depressing... but I'm going to try every way I can to get around this, and make this work. I'm so fucking close to the end of this, I've got to finish it.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
The Next Day...
Well this morning I got up, and went in for my half hour of cardio... Man, it kicked my ass. I was exhausted from the day before. Within the first minute on there my quads were exhausted, and wanted to just stop. I somehow made it through the half hour on the stairmaster, and then dragged my ass home, so that I could finally have some breakfast. I couldn't believe I got through it.
I have to say that my lowfat yogurt in the morning is quickly becoming the highlight of my daily diet. With only 60 calories, and 5 grams of protein... it's nice. You can squeeze a few of those into a meal, and maybe use one for desert at night. Compared to the bland tasteless shit you eat all day, the yogurt is an explosion of fruity flavor in your mouth!
When I went in for my second workout of the day, I was dreading hitting those stairs again... Suprisingly enough I blasted right through those things. I don't know... but it was a lot better. So hopefully I'm adapting to the high levels of cardio, and then it won't be a big deal... currently it is the most unpleasant part of my training.
I can tell already though, that after this is all said and done, my regular diet is definitely going to change. For as tired as I am right now, and as sore... I still feel pretty good... clean. I feel a lot less sluggish. Which is something I didn't realize I was until I started feeling this way. Not to mention I'm getting so much more protein in my diet currently. Had I been eating cleaner sooner, I may have been able to come in bigger than I did. In bodybuilding there's always things like that you'll discover about yourself, that you wish you had figured out years earlier. Then you think about how much bigger you could be.
But... better to find out at all, rather than never.
I have to say that my lowfat yogurt in the morning is quickly becoming the highlight of my daily diet. With only 60 calories, and 5 grams of protein... it's nice. You can squeeze a few of those into a meal, and maybe use one for desert at night. Compared to the bland tasteless shit you eat all day, the yogurt is an explosion of fruity flavor in your mouth!
When I went in for my second workout of the day, I was dreading hitting those stairs again... Suprisingly enough I blasted right through those things. I don't know... but it was a lot better. So hopefully I'm adapting to the high levels of cardio, and then it won't be a big deal... currently it is the most unpleasant part of my training.
I can tell already though, that after this is all said and done, my regular diet is definitely going to change. For as tired as I am right now, and as sore... I still feel pretty good... clean. I feel a lot less sluggish. Which is something I didn't realize I was until I started feeling this way. Not to mention I'm getting so much more protein in my diet currently. Had I been eating cleaner sooner, I may have been able to come in bigger than I did. In bodybuilding there's always things like that you'll discover about yourself, that you wish you had figured out years earlier. Then you think about how much bigger you could be.
But... better to find out at all, rather than never.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Here We Go
Well... today was the first day of the diet.
So far it's ok... but I'm not sick of any of this food yet. Though I can see it coming quickly on the horizon. More than anything I'm just exhausted. Between the early morning intense cardio workout, and then the 2 hour workout later in the day... I felt fine most of the day, and then after that second workout it slowly crept up on me and now I feel like I've had the shit kicked out of me. It's 8:30 on a Saturday night, and I'm looking at goin' to bed in a half hour. This is why I've told people I won't be around much. Between the scheduled meals, the two workouts a day, the time spent practicing posing, and then the inevitable exhaution... there's no room for much of a social life.
Regardless... Day 1 of the diet is done... 83 more to go.
So far it's ok... but I'm not sick of any of this food yet. Though I can see it coming quickly on the horizon. More than anything I'm just exhausted. Between the early morning intense cardio workout, and then the 2 hour workout later in the day... I felt fine most of the day, and then after that second workout it slowly crept up on me and now I feel like I've had the shit kicked out of me. It's 8:30 on a Saturday night, and I'm looking at goin' to bed in a half hour. This is why I've told people I won't be around much. Between the scheduled meals, the two workouts a day, the time spent practicing posing, and then the inevitable exhaution... there's no room for much of a social life.
Regardless... Day 1 of the diet is done... 83 more to go.
Monday, February 6, 2006
The Diet Draws Near...
Well this weekend starts the 12 week diet. So these next few days I'll be enjoying whatever real food I can get my hands on. Tonight will be my last Subway meatball sub... so I'm looking forward to that.
Here is a short version of what I'll be doing starting next week... I have a feeling I'll be writing on here much more once I get started so I'll detail it more as I'm going through it.
I'll get up, and before I eat anything I'll go into the gym, and do 30 min of cardio. During which I must burn at least 400 calories if not more. So the intensity level must allow this. My meals the first week will consist of about 400 calories a meal, spread over 5 meals throughout the day. Which for the first week isn't too bad. For the first 4 weeks, the daily calorie allowance will decrease by 10% each week. The decreases... will increase after the first 4 weeks. So I have my first cardio workout before breakfast, then later in the day I'll do my second 400 calorie, 30 minute cardio session, along with abs, and my usual weightlifting routine. I'll be drinking at least a gallon of water a day, and my last meal must be done by 7 pm. The foods I'll be allowed to eat in the first 4 weeks are as follows...
Chicken Breasts
Turkey Burgers (no bread)
Fresh fruit
Rice
Potatoes
Water, coffee, tea
Fat free yogurt
Lenders regular bagels. Not New York kind.
Oil and Vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Tabasco
Giardinera
Ketchup, Mustard
Pickles, Olives
Air popped popcorn
Eggs
Butter
Equal
Oat Meal
That's the basic outline...
Until then... I'm pigging out!
Here is a short version of what I'll be doing starting next week... I have a feeling I'll be writing on here much more once I get started so I'll detail it more as I'm going through it.
I'll get up, and before I eat anything I'll go into the gym, and do 30 min of cardio. During which I must burn at least 400 calories if not more. So the intensity level must allow this. My meals the first week will consist of about 400 calories a meal, spread over 5 meals throughout the day. Which for the first week isn't too bad. For the first 4 weeks, the daily calorie allowance will decrease by 10% each week. The decreases... will increase after the first 4 weeks. So I have my first cardio workout before breakfast, then later in the day I'll do my second 400 calorie, 30 minute cardio session, along with abs, and my usual weightlifting routine. I'll be drinking at least a gallon of water a day, and my last meal must be done by 7 pm. The foods I'll be allowed to eat in the first 4 weeks are as follows...
Chicken Breasts
Turkey Burgers (no bread)
Fresh fruit
Rice
Potatoes
Water, coffee, tea
Fat free yogurt
Lenders regular bagels. Not New York kind.
Oil and Vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Tabasco
Giardinera
Ketchup, Mustard
Pickles, Olives
Air popped popcorn
Eggs
Butter
Equal
Oat Meal
That's the basic outline...
Until then... I'm pigging out!
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Competition Info
I got the official info on the competition for all of those wondering where, and when it is. I thought it was going to be in Rockford, but they moved it. It's still near Rockford, but it's actually a bit closer which is nice.
Grand Prix Natural Bodybuilding and figure championships
May 6, 2006
Belvidere HS Performing Arts Center
Belvidere Il.
Guest Poser Tricky Jackson New IFBB PRO
Grand Prix Natural Bodybuilding and figure championships
May 6, 2006
Belvidere HS Performing Arts Center
Belvidere Il.
Guest Poser Tricky Jackson New IFBB PRO
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Back For More
Well, I made my return to the gym this past Monday after another 2 weeks off. So far the joints are holding up ok. Today will be my first day working legs again, so we'll see how the knee holds up. Either way I'm going to just have to work through it, because I need to train 6 days a week from now until the show. I'm taking my glucosomine for my joints, and I'll just keep icing my knee when I can. I'm also working on keeping myself covered up more while working out. I overheat real easy, as I don't sweat for some reason. So with no sweat my body just builds up all this heat, and then I want to pass out. So I usually work out in a tank top, or cut off sleeve shirt. But this leaves my shoulders exposed and they cool down easily. So I'm going to start wearing a warm up shirt over my tanks to keep me warm. But I have already found that I need to regulate how much I wear it. Yesterday I was training back, and kept covered up. I was feeling a bit dizzy near the end of the workout, but was so close to finishing it that I just wanted to get through it. My keeping my shoulders warm was making for better sets too. I got through them but then when I was standing in the locker room afterwards talking to some of the guys, I started getting these heat rushes to my head, and thought for sure I was going to pass out. Those heat rushes left me with a headache the rest of the day. A smarter man, would have taken the warm up shirt OFF when he started feeling dizzy... especially considering it was right near the end of the workout. But... a lesson was learned.
So now I've got about 2 more weeks of regular training before I start dieting.
So now I've got about 2 more weeks of regular training before I start dieting.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Eating My Ass Off
I think I've been psyching myself out to a degree over this impending diet. I'm not really all that worried about my ability to do it, I'm just not looking forward to not being able to eat all the things I love. So I'm constantly having cravings now for everything. I really got an urge for KFC which at some point this week is going to have to happen. Today I had a bowl of cereal, 3 bananas, 2 chicken breasts, 3 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a Marie Callendar spaghetti and garlic bread, and 2 hot dogs.
I'm just enjoying it all while I still can.
I'm just enjoying it all while I still can.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Tommy Else: Wrestler
People ask me all the time why I don't become a professional wrestler...
With all of the time I've spent watching it, analyzing it, learning the business... I suppose it seems like a natural assumption that I'd like to participate in it. The fact of the matter is, I would love nothing more than to be apart of it. The reality of the situation is that I'm too old to just start breaking into it on a professional level. Most competitors who are breaking into the business are between the ages of 18 & 24, and they have some level of High School or Collegiate sports experience under their belt. I don't even have that. I've never done anything but lift weights since I was 15.
Regardless, I do think about it quite a bit. For all the love & desire I have for it, it would seem a shame if I lived my whole life and never did get to step into the squared circle at some point. Like I said, to be any sort of professional is an opportunity that has passed me by, but I'd still live to throw on some tights and get in the ring, even if it were in front of 50 people.
With that in mind, I've been thinking...
After I've finished this bodybuilding competition, and I can get settled in my new job, I'd like to start looking into wrestling schools. I'd like if nothing else to learn how to wrestle. I want to learn arm drags, suplexes, submissions... And then possibly get to compete locally. If only for a short while. I don't see it being something I'd do long term unless I somehow found that I was a natural for it, but I doubt it.
Like I said, it just seems like it would be a shame if I lived my whole life as a spectator for something that I love, and never tried to do it myself even once. You never know until you try. I'd rather try and fail, then have never tried at all. If nothing else I'm sure I'd walk away with an even greater respect, and understanding for the business than I already have.
I've always had, and even more so in the past few years, a fatalistic sense of destiny. I just have this feeling that I'm not going to live a very long life. I may have another 20 years at best, but I have a hard time seeing myself making it past that. I hope I'm wrong, but I just have a bad feeling about it. Just under 5 years ago I suffered through some events, that I feel like stunted my life in a way... and literally sucked half of my life out of me. Like someone cracked the hourglass, and now it's all spilling out slowly but surely.
The one upside to this haunting feeling, is it has pushed me to start enjoying each day I have, enjoy each moment I spend with friends and family, and strive to do all the things I'd like to do in my life. My Father has always strived to do all of the things that he wants to in his life, and I've always respected that. He's competed in bodybuilding, he took up scuba diving and swam with the sharks, he ran the Chicago Marathon, he competed in 2 Iron Man Triathalons, he's learning how to play piano, and taking up golf. Not to mention all the places he's travelled. I think he has the right mentallity, and I'm trying to follow the same, and do all the things I want to in my life, and not waste a minute getting there. People like to assume that they'll have time later in their lives to do things, well I'm happy to just wake up and be alive each day, so I'm trying to do as much as I can now, to do all that I want.
So before it's all said and done, Tommy Else WILL step into the squared circle and compete.
With all of the time I've spent watching it, analyzing it, learning the business... I suppose it seems like a natural assumption that I'd like to participate in it. The fact of the matter is, I would love nothing more than to be apart of it. The reality of the situation is that I'm too old to just start breaking into it on a professional level. Most competitors who are breaking into the business are between the ages of 18 & 24, and they have some level of High School or Collegiate sports experience under their belt. I don't even have that. I've never done anything but lift weights since I was 15.
Regardless, I do think about it quite a bit. For all the love & desire I have for it, it would seem a shame if I lived my whole life and never did get to step into the squared circle at some point. Like I said, to be any sort of professional is an opportunity that has passed me by, but I'd still live to throw on some tights and get in the ring, even if it were in front of 50 people.
With that in mind, I've been thinking...
After I've finished this bodybuilding competition, and I can get settled in my new job, I'd like to start looking into wrestling schools. I'd like if nothing else to learn how to wrestle. I want to learn arm drags, suplexes, submissions... And then possibly get to compete locally. If only for a short while. I don't see it being something I'd do long term unless I somehow found that I was a natural for it, but I doubt it.
Like I said, it just seems like it would be a shame if I lived my whole life as a spectator for something that I love, and never tried to do it myself even once. You never know until you try. I'd rather try and fail, then have never tried at all. If nothing else I'm sure I'd walk away with an even greater respect, and understanding for the business than I already have.
I've always had, and even more so in the past few years, a fatalistic sense of destiny. I just have this feeling that I'm not going to live a very long life. I may have another 20 years at best, but I have a hard time seeing myself making it past that. I hope I'm wrong, but I just have a bad feeling about it. Just under 5 years ago I suffered through some events, that I feel like stunted my life in a way... and literally sucked half of my life out of me. Like someone cracked the hourglass, and now it's all spilling out slowly but surely.
The one upside to this haunting feeling, is it has pushed me to start enjoying each day I have, enjoy each moment I spend with friends and family, and strive to do all the things I'd like to do in my life. My Father has always strived to do all of the things that he wants to in his life, and I've always respected that. He's competed in bodybuilding, he took up scuba diving and swam with the sharks, he ran the Chicago Marathon, he competed in 2 Iron Man Triathalons, he's learning how to play piano, and taking up golf. Not to mention all the places he's travelled. I think he has the right mentallity, and I'm trying to follow the same, and do all the things I want to in my life, and not waste a minute getting there. People like to assume that they'll have time later in their lives to do things, well I'm happy to just wake up and be alive each day, so I'm trying to do as much as I can now, to do all that I want.
So before it's all said and done, Tommy Else WILL step into the squared circle and compete.
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