CLOSED: G-Diesel--100th Diary of a Madman Entry Promo

[J-Dawg]

G, I just wanted to say thanks for all the entries you've provided animalpak.com over the years. They've been a weekly inspiration to myself and to so many others here on the forum. I saw today was your 100th entry in your journey so I wanted to set up a special promo to honor of your milestone.
http://www.animalpak.com/html/article_details.cfm?section=livin&id=215

Here it is: In honor of G's milestone, I'd like to ask you fellas to pick your favorite entry and tell us why it inspired ya. G will then pick the best response and the winner will get a brand new tub of Universal's PWO shake, Torrent (which is G-Diesel approved).
To win ya gotta be 18 and have a US mailing address.

[Jaymafin]

No fucking doubt entry #67 for me. I made em all, literally everyone G listed. "my genetics", "oh they juice", "they dont have full time jobs and they can train and sleep all day". I was guilty as charged. That entry literally saved me from the downward spiral into excuses abyss. Now is a whole different story. Gs entry inspired my "Road to a full year" which i am still traveling on strong. I have not missed a workout, i have not looked at another person bigger than me and compared myself since that day. I account for me and only me. "Forge onward undeterred in the direction of your dreams". I adpoted this quote as my motto and low and behold it spread like a wild fire into every aspect of my life. I say it to myself everytime i get lazy about somehting no matter how small it is. I wish i could say that I was a true Animal from the start and have never waivered but thats simply not the truth. Not until i read this. this entry represents the death of the old me and the birth of the new me. Never will I change. Thanks G Diesel.

[brandona]

Entry #94
“Is that motherfucker crazy?” “Who the hell does he think he is?” “Give it up man… Get with the real world.” Fuck it; I've heard it all before. Having a vision, demanding more… These states of being have a cost. There is a toll to be paid for an outcome that is not guaranteed and as such, most ain't willing to ante up the buy-in. It has been that way since I was a kid… I did my own thing, followed my own path and never let the small-minded brain prisons that confined the people in my neighborhood dictate how big I could dream or how far I could strive. You can see it in their eyes-doubt, fear, condescension, intimidation, inadequacy, envy. The jealousy on their face mirrors that in their heart. To them I make no apologies, but instead I make this admission, and perhaps from this they can one day come to understand. To them I say, “I'm not like you. We are of different compositions. While we are comprised of the same stuff, layer by layer-skin, muscle, marrow, we are very different inside. I've known since the first day that I can remember that mine was a life of purpose. I knew that I was here for a reason. I was put here and commissioned with an undertaking from which I could not be swayed. My life is not the mere redundant cycle of an evolving pile of protoplasm shuffling towards conclusion, but instead a mission with a continuously narrowing window of completion. Do not begrudge me my freedom of thought or my ambition. It is the burden I must bear and a weight I would not want you to have to shoulder. Instead, wish me good day and good luck and let me go about my business. What I do, I do for you.”


Congrates G...your words hit home brother....But this one #94 hits really close to home..
Like many my childhood fucking sucked..My mom and Dad split when i was 3 or 4, my mom hooked up with the motherfucking drunk asshole and used to beat the shit out of us...My mom tryed hard but it took a long time for her to be free of him...she set out on her owe with two small kids to feed and took care of bidness....we did not have much but we had everything we asked for..We never knew how bad mom was suffering untill she told us that she was an alcholic when i was a senior in high school, we knew she tossed back a few, but she never let on how much..she fought through that got clean and has been through 4 marriages...

My mom is a true Animal, eating every bit of diversity in her path and shitting out a smooth path for other to follow..I would walk throught the fires of hell wearing a gasoline suit for her, cause she has done the same for me.

Every day I drag my weary body out of bed, prepared to give everything i have, every last ounce of my soul, for those around me. My happiness comes from the smiles on the faces of other. I never ask for kudos or thanks, i know what i did and why....

G's words hit home hard, like looking in a mirror, reading my own thoughts..i know that i am not alone in the world....i have brothers behind me.

-B

[gnoll5]

unfortunately i can't win, being a Canuck and all, but wanted to say thanks to G Diesel for all of his diary entries. each one is fantastic and very inspirational and a big reason i am here and lifting. cheers, G!!!

[G Diesel]

No fucking doubt entry #67 for me. I made em all, literally everyone G listed. "my genetics", "oh they juice", "they dont have full time jobs and they can train and sleep all day". I was guilty as charged. That entry literally saved me from the downward spiral into excuses abyss. Now is a whole different story. Gs entry inspired my "Road to a full year" which i am still traveling on strong. I have not missed a workout, i have not looked at another person bigger than me and compared myself since that day. I account for me and only me. "Forge onward undeterred in the direction of your dreams". I adpoted this quote as my motto and low and behold it spread like a wild fire into every aspect of my life. I say it to myself everytime i get lazy about somehting no matter how small it is. I wish i could say that I was a true Animal from the start and have never waivered but thats simply not the truth. Not until i read this. this entry represents the death of the old me and the birth of the new me. Never will I change. Thanks G Diesel.

Thank you bro... I'm glad I could help you, even in some small way, to find your way. Peace, G

[Brute Force]

This one definitely resonates most with me. Stereotypes are a bitch, but I love the look on people's faces when they realize their preconceived notions are completely wrong.

Entry #60
Let them underestimate you. The term “meathead”… I embrace it in the same fashion members of a particular race, ethnicity or creed adopt a slur or hateful moniker. On one hand, it is a positive, because it lumps you in with those of a noble ilk. It means that off of a mere visual assessment “the normals” have identified you as a bodybuilder. You cannot hide from what you are nor would you if you could. The time you have devoted to crafting your physique has paid off. You are what you chose to be… Mission accomplished. This for me, however, will never be enough. As Picasso once stated, “My mother said to me, "If you become a soldier, you'll be a general; if you become a monk, you'll end up as the Pope." Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.” This mind frame, arrogant as it may be, is the only way to approach every facet of life. Let those that do not know you judge you… Welcome their scorn and stereotyping, knowing in your heart that you are so much more. They paint you as stupid and vain, shallow and insecure. You are bigger and stronger and as such they must chop you down to size. Use their prejudice to your advantage. To them, it is OK for you to be physically superior, for they assume that this is your solitary dimension. God forbid they discover that you are also articulate, humble, educated, worldly, motivated and well rounded... Even, dare I say, more intelligent than they are themselves. Use your physique and the preconceptions of the small minded to gain the upper hand. Crush their bias and at the same time crush their feeble spirits.

[Bulldozin727]

Entry #92
I'm an emotional guy. Heart on my sleeve. What you see is what you get. I take shit personally. Can't help it... It is part of my personality. Always has been. When I'm involved in something that I care about, I commit myself to it on every level... Physically, spiritually, intellectually, emotionally. Things that I pour myself into gain my full attention and become, in a way, an extension of my person. Be it words and ideas, art and literature, or even my training, eating and the fruits of my labor as they pertain to bodybuilding. These elements are not mere aspects of another guy's life, but instead as I see it, brush strokes of my signature on the face of mankind. Thoughts and actions both massive and miniscule, manifestations both in the abstract and physical world that will bear my mark once I'm gone. If the greatest gift we can ever receive is this life we have been granted, and our only ability to show our gratitude for this priceless present, is to cultivate our abilities and work diligently to reach our goals and maximize our potential, then what the fuck right do we have to bitch and moan, to procrastinate and bellyache? Answer: none. Yet and still, I hear this same sorry shit all the time, "Fuck it. Who cares? What impact can my little life have?" With that attitude? Same answer... None. Either make your mark or you are a mark. Maybe you think I take this sort of shit too seriously. But I submit for your consideration the distinct possibility that perhaps you take this shit too lightly.

This right here made me smile. My old man grew up on a farm and has always been a tough son of a bitch. When I was younger I was always a care free mama's boy. He rode my ass all the time. "Quit GoldBrickin it boy, you don't know what real work is." When I was either 11 or 12 he told me one day, "You better start taking life serious boy before it takes you". It didn't realy hit home till years later what that meant. When someone puts a gun in your face you got two choices, you can die or you can kill the motherfucker. Such is life. You can either let life kick the shit out of ya or you can grab the bull by the horns and the motherfuckin bean bag and throw that sumbitch. I believe that God ordained a long time ago when my time on this earth will be up but until then I am gonna own each and every single day of my life. Keep on writin G cuz your words just add more fuel to the fire. This entry was a nice hardcore reminder of everything my old man taught me growing up. BE EASY, Peace~Nick

[Argos]

Entry #3
This lifestyle of ours provides shelter from the storm. Stress, problems with relationships or family, lack of cash flow, career issues… Life can fucking beat the living shit out of you if you let it. But no matter what shit sandwich you get served, it is no doubt a blessing to have the structure and comfort of routine that bodybuilding provides. Eat, train, sleep when you can… Wake up and do that shit all over again. When all else fails there is the gym, a place of solace and refuge. Like a Tibetan monk escaping to a remote mountain cave to meditate and be at one with nature, we can go to the gym with a chip on our shoulder, go to the squat rack and throw down, punish our quads for the inequities of the world and leave it all on the gym floor… Like a spiritual and physical cleansing all at once. Plus, we are able to make a positive investment in ourselves, our goals and our future, even during our low times. Moments when others choose to walk a path of self-destruction, we build and grow and flourish. Bodybuilding is steady and solid. It is hard and unyielding like the cast iron of a 45 lb. plate. Times change and trends come and go. Interest rates rise and the Dow Jones plummets. But the gym is always there. A 100 lb. will always be 100 lb. And I like that.

I was in school when I read my first entry of the diary and I was hooked...I read the first one and I thought "that was intense"...I moved on and thought "unbelieveible"...then I got to the third entry and stopped. I read it and was struck...my thoughts, my feelings were there upon the screen. Pure and simple my life to a "T". I read the word and a fire was lit. I looked into the abyss and saw the fear and stress that loomed in my world...how there was always the iron that was my release...how the gym, my sanctuary, would never fade. The words "Eat, train, sleep when you can… Wake up and do that shit all over again." pounding in my head over and over again, a drum beat which I pray never stops. Leading me further and further into a world where pain beings and pain is my only release...a place where the weak fall short and the strong never cease to endeavor. I had to have read that entry 100 times and what I always took away from it was even though the world may be falling down around you my sanctuary will never fall. In the words of G "A 100 lb. will always be 100 lb. And I like that." and I couldn't put it better myself. Thanks G...

For the pain...

[focused]

Entry #67
"Excuses, excuses, excuses… We all make a million and one of them. Rationalizing and deluding ourselves into a state of helpless denial. “It's my genetics…” “It's the drugs…” Blah, blah fuckin blah. “If only I didn't have to work a real job and pay all of these bills.” “If only I didn't have these responsibilities.” If only this and if only that… Save that bullshit. If “ifs” and “buts” were candy and nuts than everyday would be Christmas. Life ain't a fairy tale, it is a war story--the epic tome of a warrior who must again and again overcome adversity with no guarantee of eventual triumph or glory. The glass ceiling that restricts our progress exists only in our minds… That confining force is only as oppressive as we allow it to be. Your approach to life and your daily mental state needs to be a fucking ball peen hammer capable of shattering those see-through barriers the moment you feel them closing in. We can blame external forces and societal norms-the suffocating effects of the status quo I'm always preaching about. But, truth be told, we are our own worst enemy… Our most vile nemesis… Because we are the only ones who can impede our rise. We must find that alter ego, that loser element of our psyche and wring his scrawny fucking neck. To truly grow and flourish we must kill that cold, miserable part of ourselves so bent on stagnation. Let go of doubt and hesitation, rid yourself of negativity and fear. Forge onward undeterred in the direction of your dreams. If you ain't game, just toss in the white towel and let the main eventers mix it up."

Wow....when i first saw this, i noticed when i first came into the game at times i found myself saying these same things, using these lame ass excuses. As soon as i read the line "Your approach to life and your daily mental state needs to be a fucking ball peen hammer capable of shattering those see...." i was like holy shit. To me that was shatter the thoughts of others telling me i cant put that weight up, i'm to small. or telling me i'm too weak. Now i just bring out the hammer within and shatter everything around me. The nonbelievers and the weak, the owns that hold me down, and most of all, my own demons. Waking up at 5:30am for me is not an easy task, but every day i feel the weights of the demons dragging me down, or the fact i can barely get up from a brutal leg workout thinking...'i need a day off...i can miss this once' but fuck....the hammer comes out and smashes the weak inside of me to keep on pushin for my goals. Never will those personal demons or non believers make me throw in the white towel in this game, this war, fuck that. Never will i accept failure.....unless its a set of heavy ass weight pushing to failure. My demons and struggles will only now face the hammer on a daily basis, thanks G. Not only for this motivational entry, but all fuckin 100.

-focused

[stumblin54]

Entry #12
Every year that passes, I look back on the previous year and think about how much of a pussy I was back then, compared to my current status. I am always trying to do better, to demand more of myself, to be more hardcore than before... Whether it is diet and supplementation or gym warfare, there is always a little bit further to go, an inch or two closer to the brink of insanity. One way for me to push the envelope is to be innovative, to create exercises, or to take my surroundings and utilize them to make my training even more insane. Last summer during a moment of cruel inspiration, I devised a way to take my leg training to a new level. My gym is located on the second floor of a shopping center, up two flights of steps to the front door. Once the dinnertime rush to the gym subsided and thoroughfare would be at its lowest, my boy Pots & Pans and I dragged some dumbbells downstairs after heavy squatting and leg pressing and decided to lunge up and down the steps. Two steps at a time with the 80, 90 and 100 pounders, up and down, in the brutal July heat, reveling in the fact that we were the only motherfuckers hardcore or crazy enough to do such a thing. My legs had never been as sore as they were in the days following the “Stairs of Death.” But that was last year, and now I must outdo myself and think of something so sick it will make the stair lunges look like a walk in the park. So I’ll be here in Jersey scheming a way to take it all up a notch to be more hardcore than ever before… To do whatever it takes.


When I read this entry I thought to myself, I can directly relate to this because I can't stand stagnant workouts, or just going through the motions in anything I do. At this point in my life, being just 19 years young, I am still very much influenced by my surroundings and act as a sponge to new and useful information, including training, diet, and most importantly school. This entry emphasized that I can always do better, and get bigger, gain more knowledge, and conquer more ground in what I am involved in. I was a pussy last year compared to my current status, and on March 16 next year I will view myself as a pussy now. I use old school methods of lifting but also incorporate my new knowledge that I collect every day into my workouts and try to always be innovative, attaining that "orgasmic" pump as Arnold would say. I actually did lunges up and down stairs with dumbbells after reading this, and felt like I needed a wheelchair to get my ass out of the gym and to class for the next few days. Aside from this soreness in my glutes and hams that I had never quite felt, I realized that I must never, under any circumstances, simply go through the motions because if I do, G Diesel and all the other innovative people out there will be gaining more ground than I am. So I now keep this entry on my wall of my room to keep my mind awake and my eyes open to new things, and keep it real in every aspect of my life. Thanks G Diesel. Peace.

Stumblin

[BeastofBurden]

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep. -Robert Frost

Promises… We've all made more than our share. To friends and family, to God and country. But the most solemn vow is that which we make to ourselves… Not that which is shouted in the town square or professed from the pulpit for all to hear. That contract we make with ourselves, internally, in private quarters with those we love… That pledge that echoes in the four chambers of our heart-reverberating with each beat. To do what we must… There is no higher calling. To give all that we have in the name of something bigger and more important than ourselves. To know that no matter the weight of the load across our shoulders, no matter how great the force that bears down upon us we will do what we must to get the job done. No matter wicked wind or torrential rain, regardless of the pain and drudgery of earthly existence we will plow forward… Not unbreakable or immortal by any means but simply a testament to the indomitable spirit of man. Weathered, weary and worn the warrior wills the next step, summoning the courage to forge onward toward destiny. There are miles to go before you sleep, Animal. Be resolute.

This article inspired and educated me beyond my years. So many times you hear older men say things like, "I wish i knew what I know today back when i was your age." Its to articles like this and people like G Diesel to who I owe my graditude to for giving me the inclination and wisdom beyond my years. Its to this article which made me carry on my dreams of one day becoming a U.S. Marine. Despite the people who were trying to destroy my dream I still carry on. Since I was 10 years old I wanted to become two things, a fire fighter and a Marine, and I made a solemn vow to myself that I would do what I wanted with MY life, no matter what. I already accomplished the first one before i turned 18, now its time to forge on to the next obstacle to complete what I KNOW is my destiny. No dream in my life has ever beat as true as this one and it has stood the test of time. MY dream alone is weathered and has even been worn down to a simple interest. But today it sounds louder than a air horn and i must answer the call. No matter how treacherous the ordeal may be, I will obtain it. I will be resolute.

[xenrus]

Hey G !Just popped in to congratulate you and say thanks for your being.Keep up the good work bro.I respect and honour every entry you make and no words can compare to the spirit you have awakened in many of us.Peace

[Bam Bam]

I have read every single madman article but on seemed to really hit home and that is entry #14. When I found Animalpak.com and the Madman articles I was just starting out. I was hungry, I wanted to be big, no huge, and I wanted it right then. Frustration built up and many times I almost threw in the towel because the muscle wasnt coming quick enough. Then reading the first sentence, so simple, direct. I knew I could not give up. "Stay the course." it begins. After reading the article I took some time to think about its meaning and how I had been going about things. All wrong I realized. "Slow motion is better than no motion. Be not discouraged or disheartened when things look bleak, Animal. Hard work pays off and hard people prosper.Your day will most certainly come if you have the balls to stay the course." And there I was discouraged and disheartened. Hard work most definately pays off. The words of G Diesel lit a fire under my ass like non other. And now after being on the brink of quitting, many many grueling training sessions, force fed meals, and pound after slow pound later I have built something that I can be proud of. So I would like to thank G Diesel for his words of wisdom. You helped me see the light. After coming so close to retiring the gloves and hanging up the belt, I stayed the course. I followed the fucking plan, and shit my hard work paid off.

[MELTDOWN]

I gotta say, there is no way for me to pick one. but on the walls in the basement and the inside of the locker door at the gym are snippets from a few that really stand out for me...theyare not all complete as G wrote them, they are butchered, copied and pasted to work for my required apllications out of a particular week's post....

Entry #58
...... I often say that all of my heroes are dead. Aside from my folks, this is a sad fact. Leadership and individuality are rare qualities to find in a person these days. The desire to live by a personal code of conduct and ethics is lost on those so caught up in the rat race. Feeling the duty to instruct and provide an example to those younger or less inclined; this is an honor and a privilege… It is a calling to be blessed with, not a burden to be bore.....By carrying yourself in a manner worthy of imitation and aspiration, one can make their mark..American Idol? My only idol in this realm is the motherfucking man in the mirror and even he has to prove himself on a daily basis.

Entry #52
....... “When you're a kid, baseball cards are treasured keepsake portraits of your idols, but when you're an adult they're just pictures of men.” ..... But there is a time that comes in every man's life when he needs to start being his own hero.

Entry #31
Muscle dysmorphia is a bitch. And it is a part of every bodybuilder’s life. If you train hard and your goal is to get big, odds are you see yourself as small. Call it “bigorexia.” Call it what you will. But it is a fact of life....... The other day I was in the gym, and an athletic looking college kid walked by me while I was doing abs. He said, “Looking good, man. You should be in the magazines.” “Thanks, bro. I’ve got a ways to go” was all I could muster in reply. Then I smiled and looked in the mirror and wondered what was different about what each of us saw. I couldn’t do much more than shake my head. That drive, that desire. That need to be better… To never be satisfied. It’s both a gift and a curse. What’s 250 gonna look like? I’ll let you know when I get there.

Entry #4
....... Whether its a 10 egg white omelet in a cafeteria, a pyramid of burgers at MickeyD’s or the protein shake I’d bring to class in college, it is quite obvious that regular folks have a problem with eaters and consequently have issues with bodybuilders..... Also, I detest seeing uneaten food left on the plate. It might be my blue-collar roots, but I don’t like to see food go to waste. Remember, there are starving children in Africa and skinny guys at your gym, so pretty please, with sugar on top, clean your fucking plates.

there you have it....paragraphs that drive me. all have specific meaning and motovation that actually seem to be pulled from some part of my almost 40 years of life on this earth. no tear jerky sob stories or my dog left me on the train country ballad. just a real world connection with some of G's thoughts from the realms of his mind and keyboard.

[sjchris408]

I've read every single Diary of a Madman several times, love every entry. Sometimes when I'm relaxing after a leg workout I'll pull it up and read every entry start to finish. I I can't get up from my chair, if not for the how inspiring they are the fact I literally can't get up from my chair on these days My favorite entry though is the you or that guy one. That one hits me deep man, I can feel that one in my heart. Its so damn true, theres two types of people in this world. The champions, and "that guy"; the could-have been, should-have been. The fear of becoming that guy gives me the motivation I need to get through ANY workout, no matter how exhausting, mentally and physically.

G-Diesel: Real recognizes real, and you my brother, are as real as they come. I respect you my brother, may the everyday battles with the steel provide you with the fuel for 100 more entries.

[ct italian 1]

Entry #19: We pay our dues daily. We are bigger and stronger than 99.9% of the population. XXXL sized shirts and dumbbells twice that big are not an uncommon sight in our world. All noteworthy facts that, believe me, everyone we encounter is aware of without us having to remind them. Nothing puts as much of a black eye on our sport and our lifestyle as tough guys. Arrogance and condescension are our downfall. Narcissism and elitism plague bodybuilding. We all started skinny and weak and half the size we are today. But as we gain our ego often grows as well. This is unacceptable. This is a game for men not insecure boys. It is our duty, as we carry our lifestyle through the harsh external world just by means of our appearance, to represent bodybuilding right. We must be humble and approachable. Articulate and friendly… We must consider ourselves as ambassadors to the planet for the sport of bodybuilding. When the bells of war ring and it is time to do battle in the gym, be an Animal. If our personal safety or that of those we love is jeopardized, then by all means react accordingly. But the rest of the time, we speak softly and carry a big stick. There is always someone out there bigger and stronger. People look at us with the same sort of reverence, respect and trepidation that you would bestow upon that dude. In the outside world, as bodybuilders, we are role models… We should conduct ourselves as such.


This entry has great meaning and importance to me because when I first started working out I became very cocky, and bossy...thinking I could push people smaller than me around. Then one day it hit me, that all I was doing was living up to the world's stereotypes of bodybuilders. Ever since I was a small child, my father has always said to me "There is always somebody out there who's bigger, stronger, and faster." Even then, I still had it stuck in my thick head that I was somehow better than others, and it's been a while since I first realized that I am not. My old man is my greatest idol, and when I saw G Diseal say something that my own father has always said, it meant a lot in knowing he really was right. Between the two of them, I have become a better, humbler person and now go out of my way to help the smaller, weaker guy I may have picked on just 12 short months ago. Whenever I am feeling overly confident, I look back on old photos of myself and realize, the small kid I see in the gym is probably better off than I was when I first started. We're all in the same game here, and we must stand strong and rely on ourselves, yet also work together to reinvent the public's view on bodybuilding. We are not the dumb, vein, bullies they believe us to be, but in actuality their friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, classmates and people just like them. Be humble and you'll get much further in life than you would being stuck on yourself.

[aznlifter]

too much competition here, but yeah, G Diesel is the man, without a doubt.

[widdlewade44]

Entry #4
“What the fuck are you looking at?” Those are the words that rush to the forefront of my mind every time I’m out eating in public. Whether its a 10 egg white omelet in a cafeteria, a pyramid of burgers at MickeyD’s or the protein shake I’d bring to class in college, it is quite obvious that regular folks have a problem with eaters and consequently have issues with bodybuilders. I think their scorn is the result of an underlying fear. That fear is rooted in the fact that if we were stranded on a deserted island and somehow were caught in a “Lord of the Flies” scenario, they know that they’d be the first to get roasted over an open flame and eaten. It gets no more basic or primal than that. I’ve gotta admit, however, that I have my own issues with food as well. I hate to be seen out in public buying or eating junk food, for some reason I have attached a certain amount of unavoidable shame to the consumption of trash in the presence of normal people--they might presume that we are in some way alike. Also, I detest seeing uneaten food left on the plate. It might be my blue-collar roots, but I don’t like to see food go to waste. Remember, there are starving children in Africa and skinny guys at your gym, so pretty please, with sugar on top, clean your fucking plates.


You haven't had a bad entry in the bunch G, that being said I really like number 4; I think about it and quote it often. I have printed them all out and thrown them into a three ring binder for easier, portable access. You are a constant source of positive motivation G Diesel and I'm looking forward to your next 100 brother. Congratulations!

Kevin
widdlewade44

[J-Dawg]

Awesome comments fellas, keep 'em coming. We'll keep the contest open until this Wednesday, 5pm EST.

[Sir J-Werk]

"This lifestyle of ours provides shelter from the storm. Stress, problems with relationships or family, lack of cash flow, career issues… Life can fucking beat the living shit out of you if you let it. But no matter what shit sandwich you get served, it is no doubt a blessing to have the structure and comfort of routine that bodybuilding provides. Eat, train, sleep when you can… Wake up and do that shit all over again. When all else fails there is the gym, a place of solace and refuge. Like a Tibetan monk escaping to a remote mountain cave to meditate and be at one with nature, we can go to the gym with a chip on our shoulder, go to the squat rack and throw down, punish our quads for the inequities of the world and leave it all on the gym floor… Like a spiritual and physical cleansing all at once. Plus, we are able to make a positive investment in ourselves, our goals and our future, even during our low times. Moments when others choose to walk a path of self-destruction, we build and grow and flourish. Bodybuilding is steady and solid. It is hard and unyielding like the cast iron of a 45 lb. plate. Times change and trends come and go. Interest rates rise and the Dow Jones plummets. But the gym is always there. A 100 lb. will always be 100 lb. And I like that."

This is the fire that now burns in my veins; not the narcotics, not the alcohol, not the drugs. This is the focus that my eyes now set themselves upon; not the barrel of a 9mm or a river 70ft below me. This is the constant that now stays in my mind; not doubt, not fear. This is how a Man views the World; this is how this Animal was finally set free.

Respect.

[G Diesel]

"This lifestyle of ours provides shelter from the storm. Stress, problems with relationships or family, lack of cash flow, career issues… Life can fucking beat the living shit out of you if you let it. But no matter what shit sandwich you get served, it is no doubt a blessing to have the structure and comfort of routine that bodybuilding provides. Eat, train, sleep when you can… Wake up and do that shit all over again. When all else fails there is the gym, a place of solace and refuge. Like a Tibetan monk escaping to a remote mountain cave to meditate and be at one with nature, we can go to the gym with a chip on our shoulder, go to the squat rack and throw down, punish our quads for the inequities of the world and leave it all on the gym floor… Like a spiritual and physical cleansing all at once. Plus, we are able to make a positive investment in ourselves, our goals and our future, even during our low times. Moments when others choose to walk a path of self-destruction, we build and grow and flourish. Bodybuilding is steady and solid. It is hard and unyielding like the cast iron of a 45 lb. plate. Times change and trends come and go. Interest rates rise and the Dow Jones plummets. But the gym is always there. A 100 lb. will always be 100 lb. And I like that."

This is the fire that now burns in my veins; not the narcotics, not the alcohol, not the drugs. This is the focus that my eyes now set themselves upon; not the barrel of a 9mm or a river 70ft below me. This is the constant that now stays in my mind; not doubt, not fear. This is how a Man views the World; this is how this Animal was finally set free.

Respect.

Glad to hear you are on track now and fully in control... I'm honored that I could contribute even in some small way in helping you find your focus. Peace, G

[BuffLove1]

"My only idol in this realm is the motherfucking man in the mirror and even he has to prove himself on a daily basis..."


Those words ring out like a fucking gunshot everytime I read them.

Respect

[Sir J-Werk]

Glad to hear you are on track now and fully in control... I'm honored that I could contribute even in some small way in helping you find your focus. Peace, G

G,
To quote Fred Rogers and keep this simple.
"If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person."

Have we ever met, no. But you have put so much of yourself in the Madman Entries that it is as close to in person as it gets; it is Raw and it is Real; a testament to the Man that you are.

Respect.

[satanonthebeech]

When all my buddies are out drinking on a Friday night, when peers are on cruise ships for spring break, and when everyone else is grabbing a burger and beer after work I am in the squat rack thinking about entry #84. I'm the better for it. I'm bigger, stronger, and more disciplined than all those jokers. G speaks the truth about the head games I use to get through workouts; he understands how to trick your mind into letting your body accomplish what in your heart you know it can do, what you want it to do. I used to hate leg day but I forced myself into the gym week in and week out and beat the shit out of them until I limped for days. I love leg day now. It's that way for everything I don't like. I do it until I love it. There's no place I'd rather be than squatting ass to the grass under a couple hundred pounds of iron. Happy hour? Forget that, throw another plate on each side and give me another set of squats.

[hjayss]

The start of a blaze into insanity for me. The first tumble that started the whole avalanch I have anxiously awaited each entry like a crack addict ha ha. I found the first entry to be the one that got me lifting better got me in control and focused each week. I still have this printed out and on my dash in my car and over my bench at home. Crazy my wife calls me, but deep down she knows that whatever motivates you to be healthy and persue your dreams and goals is welcome in our house any time I put the same entry in the mirror in our bedroom in the mirror so she sees it as she leaves out in the morning and she thinks about my crazy ass on the way to work.
Thank s G you are a smooth operator...name the artist G ha ha ha..

[J-Dawg]

The winner is...

Brandona. Good post bro.

Just pm me with your mailing address and we'll have that bottle of Torrent sent right out to ya.

[G Diesel]

Congrats Brandona... Thanks for your support bro. Hopefully this small stroke of good fortune will be another drop of inspiration in your bucket to help you achieve your goals.

For the rest of you fellas, I just want to say thanks for all of your heartfelt responses, kind words and personal stories. Being worthy of your support and admiration is one of the greatest motivating factors I could ever imagine. Together we will continue to struggle, strive, grow and prosper. Peace, G

[brandona]

Thanks guys, i am truly honored...I take insperation from every one i meet..G your words breath life brother they really do....Thanks to the Universial/Animal crew and the Forvm for being the best groups of solid human beings on the earth....I truly hope to meet all you guys some day and shake each and every hand...

-B

[widdlewade44]

Congrats brandona! Good work. Peace.

Kevin
widdlewade44

[Freakshow]

Congrats bro! Enjoy the Torrent...its gonna kick ass

[hjayss]

nICE TO GET SOME FREE SHIT HA HA HA HELPS THEM POCKETS.

[dIdDy]

Thanks guys, i am truly honored...I take insperation from every one i meet..G your words breath life brother they really do....Thanks to the Universial/Animal crew and the Forvm for being the best groups of solid human beings on the earth....I truly hope to meet all you guys some day and shake each and every hand...

-B

congrats bro