CLOSED: Year's Supply of Animal Flex [Archive]

RXrugby

08-15-07, 10:11 am

Ok here it goes.

Quick Background on me. In high school I weighed around 160lbs. Played 4 sports, rugby, football, swimming and baseball. As of now, 1 year later I weigh 175 lbs. 15lbs of solid muscle in one year is not too shabby. However, my gains have been limited due to aches and pains in my body.

I suppose the real question is why did I want to become big in the first place? Why squat, and dead lift when the chicks dig biceps and abs?
My mother just asked me this yesterday. "Why do you want to get big? You will only get fatter. You will look disgusting"
I am lifting for myself. My family does not support my goals, but I have to continue on anyway. It gives me motivation to know that I can do this on my own without the support of others, that I can get big on my own and no one can get in my way. Bodybuilding, becoming an Animal, is not a sport, its a way of life.
My only wish is that I had been born an Animal. It took me 18 years of my life to realize what I am capable of.

Basically I have been having several issues with my body that came up this week.

First of all my knee. My knee has been giving me constant pains ever since I started lifting. I can run, swim, bike, etc. but when it comes to doing squats my knee aches like crazy! I have isolated the location of the pain, the medial meniscus, and the only method that will work to repair it would be Animal Flex, or knee surgery!
My father has a history on his knees as well. He has had 2 surgeries where they have gone in and removed some of his cartilage , and he ended up having to get 2 more to remove part of his knee and to have some other bones screwed in place.
I need Animal Flex to save my cartilage, so I can exceed my fathers own goals, avoid the knee surgeries, and to be able to SQUAT to build my legs up and to let my dad know that I will not suffer the same fate as he did.
The earliest time I can see the Knee Specialist again is late September.

Second of all, is my shoulder. I played several sports in High school, swimming, rugby, football, baseball. The more I lift, the worse my shoulder feels. The pain in my shoulder is probably caused from several of the sports I played. I used to pitch, which could have hurt my shoulder. Swimming is also well known to bug the shoulders. Rugby and Football is an easy one to see, a lot of tackles could have caused some shoulder damage.
I will be seeing a shoulder specialist sometime this week.

I have 2 tubs of Torrent waiting for me. Its a known fact that Universal products rock.

As you can see, my body feels like it is falling apart. All I want is to be able to do squats again and turn myself into an Animal! My shoulder aches after workouts, and my knee hurts whenever I squat. Please, AnimalPak, help me out!

-Kenny

dbc5

08-15-07, 10:51 am

Obstacles and the Iron Game go hand in hand. Anyone who is serious about this passion we all share knows that you cannot reach greatness without sacrifice and hardship. Everyday in the gym is a grueling encounter with iron and steel, blood and sweat. Any yet this is what we choose to do. The additional obstacles we are forced to overcome only serve as greater satisfaction when a new goal is attainned.

So what obstacles have I overcome? First a little background. I got into this lifestyle once I started college and no longer had sports to occupy my time. My dedication quickly grew and made the neccessary adjustments that we must all make. Unfortunatly, my friends do not share this same passion as myself. They simply did not understand why I was sipping on aminos while they were pounding beer and why I was eating clean as they licked an ice cream cone. I was constantly questioned about my decisions and my habits. As time passed however, they began to understand me, and even admire the discipline I displayed. Again, my passion for bodybuilding only continued to grow.

However, my passion was not the only thing that grew. The constant pain in my right knee was increasing at the same rate as my love for this sport. A highschool sports injury in which I hyperextended my right knee sentenced me to a lifetime of issues. However, the grind of squats and pounding of deadlifts only served to highten the pain, and continues to do so each day. On one hand, I experience a tremendous feeling of satisfaction in fighting through the pain and crushing the weights anyway. However, the pain throughout the rest of the day doesnt come with the same reward as it does in the gym.

The oppurtunity to win a year's supply of Animal Flex is incredible and something I would be extremly thankful for. The chance to alleviate some of the pain I experience would allow me to direct that much more mental focus to the weights. Thanks for the oppurtunity Universal and a big good luck to all my fellow brothers in iron.

brandona

08-15-07, 11:13 am

Child of a single parent, raised by my mom..Grew up in a hole in the way trailer in the middle of the damn desert. Had to walk home from summer school during the summer, hell what's 5 miles in 100 deg plus weather with no water....Got threw high school, the only thing that kept me there was sports. I could not play ball my freshman year due to my knees, I was dionogised with Chornodomlysia, which as Big Ant tells me is a softning of the cartlidge under my knee caps. My knee caps dont track the way the should and are usally in a state of burning pain...I kept lifting, but the pain really hampered my squating...Played ball my second year, but had to get a job and was not able to comment myself after that...

But I kept lifting..College hit and my lifting suffered, actually died...I graduated college after 6 years (long story) and 50+ pounds heavier...Started working, bought a house, got the cars, baby on the way and I have come back to lifting. I have dropped 30lbs of nasty fat and slapped on some good muscle..My knees are always bothering me, icyhot, ice and rest dulls the pain, but every week, i go out and squat heavy, pull heavy...I can not allow the pain in my knees to slow my down any further, I already gave a too many years to that pain, no more...

I have not had the chance to buy and take flex yet, have to pay the bills..Babys are expensive..I hope to get a can soon as I am sure that it will make a world of difference on my knees and keep my in this game as long as possible...

-Brandon

Upstatebuilder07

08-15-07, 11:20 am

I lifted a bit with my friends in highschool but mainly I was an athlete, playing soccer year round. After I graduated I got into competitive ATV racing because I was dumb and just loved pushing the limits. One day I was at the local track, when another rider said he heard I went huge off the 65ft table and would like to see. So letting that go right to my head I raced torwards it shifting through the gears and went sailing through the air. I went so fast that I had overshot the downramp by about 15 feet or so. As I landed the impact of landing on a flat hard clay track instantly cracked my L1 in my spine, bruised my splein and cut my liver. The funny thing is i didn't even fall off initially untill the impact bounced my quad about 20feet off into the woods. Rushed to the ER to spend 2 weeks in the hospital and be fitting for a body brace that I would have to wear for the next 6 months, make a long story short I was basically laid up in bed, my live in gf figured it was a good time to leave (fucking bitch) and I fell into a sweet depression. Before all this I was 200lbs at about 12%, after i was 205 at 21%. Being in shape my whole life this was a horrible feeling. I began doing research on proper exercise and nutrition and got my ass in the gym. It was April when I started exercise and by August I had lost 25lbs and about 8% body fat. From there I kept learning more and more and took a job as a personal trainer at the local Y. While working there for a couple years I managed to pick up a wealth of knowledge and transform my body even more. This was around the time I first started using Animal pak, due to the encouragement of some Hardcore powerlifters. From then I began pursuing to become a "real" trainer and began studying the NASM course work. To sum it up passed my nasm, landed a job at Gold's training and continued to transform my body and life. Shortly after I enrolled back in college and managed to take my body up to 6'2" 205 at 7.5% currently. Im in the best shape of my life, an avid animal user and supporter and on the road to a better me, a better life...If it was for health and fitness, and getting in the gym after my accident I wouldn't have accomplished half of what I have today. P.S I am a regular flex user as it lets my go the heaviest on my sets of military's, dips and skulls-without it pain would restrict me to (light weight) haha

ChandlerXJ

08-15-07, 11:45 am

Man, this thread is going to be full of good stories...

I guess it all started in 5th grade. My mom had breast cancer, and my dad worked full time, and my 3 sisters were all still in middle school or high school. My parents did not know what was going to happen, but they did know that I needed to be involved in something. I needed to get out of the house to escape the pain of what was happening. It wasn't easy, being home after school and seeing my mom on the couch, bundled up, losing her hair. It wasn't easy seeing my Dad come home, bags under his eyes, voice all froggy from crying. Man, it's not easy writing about this either. Figuring I needed an activity, and not having anyone around to occupy me, my Dad decided to sign me up for football, 5th and 6th grade league. I don't even think I knew what football was, but I showed up.

When I showed up to football, I knew that I had to prove myself, especially to my Mom, just in case anything happened. Now, I know it was 5th grade, but you work hard. You run a lot, you do a lot of hitting - and in 5th-8th grade football, the coaches goal is to make you stronger. So, for years, I was getting stronger, doing minor team lifting for football, constantly improving myself so I could show my parents I could be as strong as them - after all, I didn't even know how to play, and I worked my way up - being the last guy put in the game to a starter. By the time 9th grade hit, my mom had cancer twice and she was doing better than ever, it almost seemed to disappear completely - memories and all.

The real lifting began when I had to give up my dream of becoming a full time professional musican. My parents believed in me and supported me, but they knew I had to make a decision. Did I want to struggle my whole life, or better myself with an education. Now, thinking back to memory, I knew exactly what I needed to do. My mother, in between having this cancer, achieved her all time goal - get a P.h. D in education and write a book. I looked back, saw this memory and knew I had to go for the ultimate goal, the education. I had to show my Mom that I could do something greater and much harder than music. So, after the last tour, I put down the ax, grabbed iron, and I have been pumping it for my mom since the day she told me, "Chandler, I want to see you succeed". She did not tell me to go to college, she did not tell me to be a professional musician either, but she told me she wanted to see me succeed, and now, with my priorities straight, her dream is coming true. I am on my way to competing when I am ready, I am on my way to my MBA, I am on my way to becoming the man that my parents know I can be, and I am becoming mentally stronger each day.

I had to give up my passion, music - but the iron took its place in the biggest way. The iron reminds me of my mom, too. She is always there for me, she never lies, and when you treat her good, she treats you better.

Man, I didn't even type this to win anything at all, it feels good to just share a story of beating the odds like my mom. I learned from her, and I am trying to show my mom I can beat the odds too.

Lowdown5

08-15-07, 11:45 am

I lived a life I would not wish on an enemy. I was an alcoholic and drug addict, and to boot weighed in at 440 pounds. The toll that carrying that kind of weight around can never be overcome, it can only be managed. I have tried every supplement under the sun to try and keep joint pain to a minimum, and to keep my knees and elbows from shutting me down. Then I found Animal Flex. My joint pain is gone, my flexability is improved and it is all because of Flex. At 47 years old this game is hard enough, let alone trying to compete with the younger cats. You have to have an Animal mentality, an Animal will and it doesn't hurt to have Animal Flex. The things that make me an Animal are my hard work, my dedication to this life and this place, my love of the people here and my desire to improve and be the best that I can be. Today, living this life I am 280 pounds, still have a long way to go. But God willing, I will have the body that I know I deserve.

MaddenMuscle

08-15-07, 11:50 am

I was raised by my mother. Child of a single parent. When I turned 20 years old (last year) my mom passed away from cancer. I was devistated once she passed. My only parent had died. While she was in the hospital for 2 months before she passed, I was literally there everyday. By the time she had passed away I looked diseased myself from terrible terrible diet. I actually looked like a walking stick at 5 ft 9," I weighted 120 lbs in January of 2006. I felt so bad all the time, I used going to the gym as my way of coping with the situation. I slowly began to rebuilt my character through exercise and training. Going to the gym is something I will always do because it keeps you focused and on track in life. At least for me. Before my cut last month I was all the way up to 177 lbs. I just finished my cut so now I am 161 lbs. The best part about training is seeing the results from all the hard working and dieting that I do.

Overcomming obsticles and indifference is challening, but if you find something that interests you and give it your all, you can overcome almost anything.

Spikes079

08-15-07, 11:58 am

I've always been a very skinny person to begine with. When I was in my early teens, I began drinking and doing some drugs also getting my self into some legal trouble. After about 2-3 years of this I decided to try and make my self a better person and quit everything. Everything was going great, then about a year or so later I had a girlfriend cheat on me and a month after that my dad was arrested. I has a step mom who did alot of drugs and one of her friend visted who sold Chyrstal Meth, Well the police assumed he was coming to my dads house because he was some huge drug ring leader which he wasn't at all. The house got raided and my dad was taking to jail for absoulutly nothing at all. I kinda releapsed, I began drinking hard again and become suicidle. Eventuly some of my friends got worried about me and because of them I decided to quit. I begane lifting after school for track then to try and keep my focus on somthing positive, I was never the biggest dude in school at only 135, so I wanted to be as strong as an ox. I lifted my legs 3 times a week I was able to squat around 320. With in the eyar my friends got me to start lifting my whole body seriously, Since then I now weigh 160. I feel I have made a complete turn around in my life. I've been sober for almost 3 years now and I plan on being sober for the rest of my life. I plan to be a life time lifter to keep myself safe and healthy and keep my head in the right direction.

7707mutt

08-15-07, 12:01 pm

I was skinny till I turned 11. My mom was just starting her path in depression, that led to shock treatments, state run psych wards, brain surgeries, and more drugs than Courtney Love is on. I am one of 7 kids. And when i hit 11 something happened to me. I gained fat all over and by 7th I was 170 at 5 ft 5 and all most of it was fat. I went through Highschool afraid of taking off shirt cause of the boobs that I had. I went into depression myself, and in college I was 6 ft 1 320. In 1994 I started to lift. Soon I was down to 230lbs had a 18 in arm and was on my way ( I thought) to a life of fitness.

In 1997 I met my soon to be wife. As most people know in a realtionship most times that takes over, and in my case it did. I still lifted but my wife and life with her took more time. Then money troubles hit. I was in and out of gyms. I had kids and they are the #1 thing in my life. I was at times lifting crates of paving blocks, and old metal posts (clothes line poles) with cement on the ends to lift.

Through all this, I dealt with issues of weight gain and loss. In sept of 06 I took care of it for good with surgery. Some here may not understand that, but it was what my family needed. I am now on my way to my first competition, a strong man event. I am 36 and even though I was a fat guy I trained throught that. MY love for the Iron and things realted to it is what makes me an animal. I never give up, I never say I can not do it. I find a way to gain and move on in what I want with this.

Thanks guys for listening

ironshaolin

08-15-07, 12:02 pm

I'll tell you my life story for a year of FLEX. You know how much money that would save me? Kick ass.

Back in highschool, I started lifting a little bit because I wanted to get stronger for football and lacrosse. I was the new kid in school, come from pennsylvania to new york. For anyone that lives in new york, you know how much of an asshole people can be. Needless to say, I wasn't accepted lightly onto these sports teams. I used to go hit the weight room a bit after school, but the varsity kids would always end up coming down there and torture me into leaving. So, after 3 years of this treatment, I quit sports altogether. Screw those guys. End result: spent a year skating alot, then a year skating a little and smoking pot alot. That turns into one thing, next thing you know I'm out of high school, with some newly developed social anxiety problems, anger, depression, you name it. I hate to sound like the whiney one who complains about being picked on, but I think its one reason I turned to some harder drugs, it felt like other people who did them accepted me unlike the people who were supposed to be the "role models". What did all this get me? One of my friends died in a car crash, got in trouble with cops, destroyed my body, got fat and overweight, and my girlfriend got pregnant.

After her pregnancy, I decided since I was gonna be a dad I should quit partying. What did I turn to? Martial arts, first. IN the beginning, it was really just because I had alot of anger and felt I needed to hit things. At the time, I was playing in a disfunctional metal/hardcore band, and a few of the members got a gym membership. I chose to join with them, figuring the strength might help my punches. I had no idea what I was doing, and neither did my friends. They would say things like, benches should never touch your chest because then you work your shoulders, and other ignorant things. Anyway, the more I lifted, the more I trained, I got good, REAL quick. After just 2 years I earned a black belt, and they wanted me to teach for them. The same time they told me to run aschool, my band got signed and was about to go on tour. I had to decide: Party some more, travel the country, play metal and never see my daughter, or keep working out, training, run a dojo and try to be a good dad. My decision was against the music. anyway, at this time I had to resort to working out solo, so I started getting educated on lifting. Reading magazines, websites, buying supplements. Thats how I stumbled upon animal pak, as sheer coincidence. Liked the hardcore mentality it reminded me of my hardcore background. Since then, I've gone through about 10 training partners, workout with someone for a while, they quit, I continue solo. Then anotherone comes along, sticks it out for a while, but eventually gives up. I never gave up, not once. When money is low, and everyone tells me I should stop going to the gym for a bit, I keep going. When baby schedules get crazy, I keep going.

Anybody who's ever had a baby knows how difficult it can be to get a good night's sleep sometimes. Other people I know use it as an excuse to skip workouts. They use money as an excuse to skip meals. I'm bound and determined. Black belt has taught me the meaning of a true Non-Quitting spirit, the warrior mindset. I don't care if I get 3 hours of sleep a night, or if I have to eat chunk light 8 times a day because I can't afford anything else. I'm in this for the long haul, I'm in this for me. I'm bent on success, I have a clear cut, crystal image of what I want and where I want to be, and anything that stands in my way will be cut down and smited. Although doing lots of kung fu stances, tornado kicks, spinning kicks, squats, and deadlifts really takes its toll on your joints. Flex is the best. Period. but I use universal's jointment because its all I can afford right now. Hook me up with some flex so I don't mess myself up.

rcrott1

08-15-07, 12:09 pm

what have i overcome? Losing 2 fingers, reynauds, 2 different types of cancers, torn miniscus in my right knee, left ankle is fucked up and hurts to walk most days...but im still there, pushing til i cant push any more...

why did i become a lifter....i love it when someone tells me that I Can't do something...I will smoke those barriers...i live the code. day in and day out.

nothing but animal.

strength and honor brothers.

Terranova1340

08-15-07, 12:21 pm

I would have to say the biggest thing that I have over come in my short 19 years on this earth was back surgery. I was born with a birth defect to the Pars (these are the little wings on either side of your vertebrea which hold your spine from moving foreword or backwords) and way I had a birthdefect to L-5 thats the lowest vertebrea above your tailbone basically. Due to this birthdefect as I got older and participated in sports I put stress on the other pars of L-5 and it to broke. I went through months of rehabilitation physical therapy and what not. Everytime it got better and I would go back to trying to play only for it to get really sore again sore to the point where if I would be running and I would stop say at half time I might not be able to go back into the game because I would get so tight. I went to some specialists because everyone thought it was just a pulled muscle finally after a series of bone scans and x-rays they found one side was broken and the other side had healed at least once. They told me if I wore this special back brace for 6 months (it wouldn't allow me to bend at all) that it would heal so I tried that, one side did heal I was cleared to play as the pain had gone away, then while running in basketball one day I felt it "Pop" I thought I pulled a hamstring well come to find out it was the one pars breaking again. This time I went to a Neuro surgeon and he put my films up laughed took them down and said this will never heal (he told me this in a matter of 5 mins) he told me one side was a birth defect it would not grow, therefore it would not heal. He told me they needed to go in remove the broken pars remove my disc right below and fuse this area. I went ahead and had the procedure. I still have back pain and a 6 inch scar to show for it.

Why do I lift?
I lift because it makes me feel alive, its my outlet, I feel like lifting is the one thing that will never change, even when I am 80 years old I can say I once lifted x ammount of weight and no matter what that ammount is now it will be the same then, lifting the weight makes me feel alive makes me feel like I am accomplishing something.

live2lift

08-15-07, 12:48 pm

You know, this shit started in high school for me (junior year to be exact). I always grew up as a chubby kid and didn't really do too much to help that because it was all I saw around me. Besides my mother, everyone else in my family was overweight. As I am sure a lot of us here can say, I didn't have a great childhood. I actually was not supposed to be on this earth (I was born after my mom's tubes were tied), and believe me when I say that my family used that against me. I have been told by my own mother "I hate you and I wish that you weren't born". My family was never there for me through all of my school years or for anything for that matter. I could have just crumbled at this and become depressed or something. But I chose to use it as a positive motivating force. I have done everything in my life for me because of this. I chose not to do things to make other people happy, I do it for me. I graduated high school the top 50 of my class and had to literally beg my parents to come to my graduation. I was the only one of my family that did well in school, and I never got rewarded for it, and I got to the point where I stopped caring if my family cared. Then when I took up weight training because I got sick of PE it was junior year. The minute that I first touched a weight, I set a goal to compete in bodybuilding. Everyone around me said that I couldn't do it, your'e too fat to do it, etc. I took these comments and used them to motivate me. It took me 11 years, but I finally did it 3 years ago. I placed 4th and will be competing this November. Nobody in my family knows that I did this, which is how it will stay. You know there are some good and bad to having this childhood. The good of course is that you are very independant, and can overcome almost anything, and do anything just by setting your mind to it. I don't let anything stop me from reaching my goal...whatever it may be. The downside is that you can almost be too independant, which I never knew until I got married. You have to learn to rely on the support of others at times. Sometimes it is hard also because I don't see other people's sides of things as well as I should. Not to say that I am always right, but there are certain things that I can't see eye to eye on and I have to learn to see there side. Somewhere in all of this lies a happy medium that I am trying to find. I am trying to rebuild some kind of relationship with my family and trying to be a great husband and a bodybuilder. This forum is one of the best things that I have been a member of (I have rev8ball to thank for that). This is almost like a family for me. We are all united here and have a bond because of our love for the iron. Since joining this forum, I think that my workouts have improved drastically and I am more focused now to do things because I have that focused intensity that comes from being around like people. I love that I can post something like this and I will not be judged for it. I will only get more positive reinforcement for it. Thanks in advance to everyone here for hearing me out. Peace and Train Hard!

By the way, I am an avid user of the Animal line...I use PAK, PUMP, and FLEX. Flex has helped tremendously. When I was younger and stupid about lifting I injured my elbow and shoulder. Nothing ever really worked, I just kept lifting. Eventually they got better, but never 100%. I would get those annoying little twinges here and there. After taking FLEX for 1 week the little pains that I had went away and have since to return. I have never been a big believer in joint supps but now I will never go another day without FLEX. Thanks for the great supp.

On a side note, I would love to win this promo, but after reading brandona's post, if I could make a pick a winner, I think he should get it. He seems like he has overcome alot and continues to overcome daily. He is always on this forum giving great advice and probably needs FLEX more than alot of us. Just my 2 cents.

Edited by Brandon.....thanks for the vote bro...gender intacked...hahahah

Medford

08-15-07, 1:35 pm

My knees make more noise than snap crackle and pop. I have never let joint pain keep me out of the game, though. when I was working in a restaurant into the wee hours of the morning to make my money and pay my rent, I would take a pair of neoprine knee wraps, then DUCT TAPE them even tighter and be able to make it through my weekend shifts.

I have lived out of a sleeping bag before as my primary residence, and I was not willing to give up the only job available at the time due to pain. I'm in a much better position now, because I had the tenacity to work through tough times and even put myself through bartendering school so I'd have a more marketable skill on my resume. That certificate caught the eye of a better restaurant who saw that I was willing to better my skills on my own and of my own initiative.

I still remember showering by buying a cheap gallon of spring water, having the heater from my car blow on the floor to heat up the gallon, and going out into the woods to shower so I could be reasonably clean. And saving just enough water to brush my teeth in the morning before driving to work.

Now when I shower at the gym I think, gee, running water sure is nice.

freakisht

08-15-07, 1:43 pm

Hmm Im amazed reading what everyone has gone through and still stuck with the iron. I figured Id just add my story in here. I was overweight through most of my life eating whatever I want, never thinking I could do anything or finish anything I struggled with depression, but then one day I looked at myself in the mirror and decided I needed a change I needed to do something to better myself... I bought some weights for my room lifted a little bit didn't know what the hell I was doing... I loved the feeling.. it grew more and more. I started seeing change and started feeling better about myself.. Now I work at a gym.. Working out 6 days a week... Ive overcome depression, being heavly overweight and just changing my lifestyle and finally finding something I truly love and have dedicated my life to.

general

08-15-07, 2:13 pm

I am 40 years old. I started lifting consistantly at about 33. What have I overcome; alcoholism, drugs, death of loved ones. Many of the same things everyone deals with growing up in this crazy world. But those are the psycological obstacles, the easy ones. It's the physical obstacles that are tough. Most of mine have come since I started lifting. I'm not complaining though. See, I was like many others who learned things the hard way. I used to push and pull just as much weight as I could all the time with semi poor form and try to impress others in the gym. It's been worth it though, to learn what works and what does not and how important good form is and how much better it accomplishes your goals. I just tore up a lot of things in the process. I have a herniated disc in my lower back, crushed disc in my neck, torn maniscus in my left knee, tendonitis in both elbows and I'm having foot surgery tomorrow to remove a bone fragment from some previous injury. But I'm still lifting three days a week heavy enough and often enough to continue to see progress.
I lift because I love it, I am addicted to it like a drug. I get high off of hitting a new max on the bench. If I have to go a week without lifting, my body aches and my mind can't stop thinking about it. My wife does not understand, my kids do not understand, my friends that don't lift do not get it. But that's okay. That's what makes and Animal. That's what makes me an Animal.

musclealchemist

08-15-07, 2:16 pm

Well when i was 8 my parents got divorced, and around that time is when is started getting big. I was 11 years old and i was 200lbs. I would always get teased about being fat, and it didnt help my self-esteam. Well i started eating right and i started to lose weight. Well a few years went by and my friend got me to go work out at a gym not to far from our house. I was 14 when this started. I havent stopped since that day. 2 years ago i lost my house for hurricane rita, but it was only a minor bump. Now im in college still hitting the iron. I dont plan to stop until i cant move any longer. Peace.

MassMonster

08-15-07, 9:55 pm

Ive overcome obessity and negativity through lifting.... when i started i lifted to honor someone close to me who had died ....tho i lifted like shit... the "glamour" muscles were all i did... didnt realize i was wasting my genetics but the crappy way i was handling my training... i found animal... and flex was the first supp i used from it.... i had fucked up my shoulders and kness through this shit faced coaches excuse for practice... after my first can my squat which i could almost curl at the time had gone up 25pds...then by 60.... until now where i beefed it up by 200pds all by using this sites exercises and flex....no more knee pads while squatting 225... no more bullshit...

thickasblood

08-15-07, 10:27 pm

im want to start off by saying, this isent complaining or anyof that, and theres no disrespect to my family, i love them.
here goes, when i was 4 weeks old i was having heroin withdrawls, thanks to mom. at two years old i had swelling of the brain, almost dident make it. folks get divorced. mom starts up old habbits. we lived in the basement of a bar. until about i was 10, i was always at the hospitol, ive had countless spinal taps. until i was 12 my mom was always with bad dude, they were always knocken us around, shit wasent pretty. on my thirteeth birthday i came home to some dude beatin up on the old lady, so i smashed a pot of boiling coffee on his face. mom had to to the hospitol and i told her if she wants to live like this i was going to leave. she finnaly listend and got her life back together, as long as i would promise to protect her, she would be a mother again. so i started doing pushups and stuff in my room listen to some master p cds. eversince then i havent looked back. and now im training in boxing and brazilian jui jitsu, and bodybuilding. and on the real, im still young but even at 19 im having some joint problems, the flex could realy helpout. and to think the doctors said that i may not be able to move again. look whos doing deadlifts twice a week baby!
respect.

Preston

08-15-07, 10:38 pm

Never used flex, and personally don't really know how much good it will do me. I'm dealin' with heavier weight now than ever before, so maybe it'd be a good idea to buy some first, before you send me a years' load of shit that won't work for me... Fuckin blew through that thing labled a disease these days, ya, obesity...whatever fuck that shit, let's just call it lazyness.

265 to 155 in a fuckin year. Now bulking back up to whatever weight makes me happy, which I probably won't stop till I hit 250 then cut do be a hard, dry 243 with a fuckin sick v taper. I've got huge dreams, and trust me boy's I don't plan on stoping till they come true, then there are always "ontop of the future's," dreams.

Give me something that will stop my elbow from cracking and making me stop mid press on incline db....that shit's gettin old.

Goin to college now...so money's tighter than.....let's just say tight, so a year supply would be amazing.

Personally though, my votes for rcrott1...GO ROB! Crazy mother fucker has 2 missin finger and that guy deadlifts and rackpulls most guys' maxx's.

He's a true Animal, my Big Brother.

gjn5002

08-15-07, 10:54 pm

I cant get down with a sad story growing up, my mom and pop were great but they gave me the shit end of the genes. I got stuck with my moms side of the family build which is tallish (6'0) and lean with small joints. Ive always been an athlete but ive been plagued by joint problems. Football gave me two broken wrists, and an ankle full of scar tissue. My old BMX hobby left me with a shit shoulder and two unpredictable knees. No worse than some of you guys but if Im not on a great supplement like flex, Ive got problems and at age 22.
I always loved football but I got hurt too much and then I rode BMX for several years until I had more scars from it than football, the only thing I stayed consistent with was lifting. The iron game is the only thing ive found that no matter how much it hurts or what my body goes through I want more and adding a supp like flex makes it that much easier to hit it hard everyday.
Since Ive starting supping with flex my triceps tendonitis has diminished and my tator cuffs have been working with less crunching.
Universal is great for creating promos like this and since I just graduated college and Im still on the job hunt with student loans breathing down my neck, this would be as good as winning the lottery. Bottom line Im broke as shit and banged up.

Roland

08-16-07, 1:28 am

My story begins in Romania, Europe. Was born there on November 22,1986. Went to school there, grew up there until the age of 12-13. That is when my parents got the word that they have been waiting on 12 years for. The freedom to come to the US LEGALLY forever. I was really happy, since english was my favorite subject in school, I really wanted to come, but a big decision came up. To leave everything behind. This was a huge decision, but I overcame it. We then got on the plane and headed to London where we switched planes. Bad thing was the computers stopped working and we ended up spending about 3 nights at the airport, parents didnt know any english, I was a little kid, cried, wanted to go back home.

Once we arrived then the whole new journey started...adapting to the new lifestyle, working hard, becoming fluent in english,etc. and just basically not ever giving up...even tho there were so many times that I could have given up. I stayed strong and overcame all the obstacles that were facing me, my dad got sick, had to get surgery, only mom was working to keep us alive. We lived in a shitty apartment. Then in high school i got introduced to something that I've been wanting to do my WHOLE life, but I never got the chance to do it, because I was a shy kid. I always looked up to the BIG guys, always wanted to be like them...weightlifting. I knew that this was my passion and wanted to make it a lifestyle. We started lifting in a friend's garage. I started advancing, friend started giving up, I got a membership at 24hr fitness so I could always go, I was hooked. I knew from then that this takes an Animal attitude and sacrifice to make it there every day. Friends looked down on me..."why the hell are you going to the gym again, you just went yesterday, that's enough". Friend's calling me names because I wouldn't go out and drink and party with them anymore. Another obstacle to overcome...friends are just that, friends...they come and go. Real friends are still here supporting me and my lifestyle. This is what I have chosen and wanted to do since I was a kid. I had to pass and overcome so many obstacles for this...its hard to explain...only I know inside my heart.

I thank GOD every night that I am fortunate enough to be here and live a good life, while others just dream about it. Animal has changed my life and it is truly a lifestyle...I'm glad that I have found a place that I can call home. Coming on here is like entering my house or bedroom door, I love this place, love all the people on here...we all share the same mentality, so who cares about the people that will NEVER understand. I rep Animal everywhere, you won't see any other supplements in my kitchen but Animal/Universal, because it flat out works, no question about it. Now that I'm getting into more heavy lifting, I'm startin to feel my joints a little bit, and this would be a great opportunity to try it out since I have never tried it before. I'm really happy again that I can be here today doing what I love to do with all my fellow Animals, this is like a dream come true. Consistency, discipline, sacrifice, commitment, strength and honor...I'm proud to be an Animal.

andykram

08-16-07, 9:47 am

My entire life I have been the fat kid who gets good grades. You know that kid, the one you sit beside in class to make sure you can pass easily enough. Yeah, hello, that was me. I finally had enough of it and decided to reform my ways with the help of a book I found for sale at the library for $1. I probably should have realized that if, of all places, the library was trying to get rid of this book it was garbage. Unfortunately the promise to lose fat quickly and painlessly overcame common sense. The book was simple in premise as it detailed the journey of a man on a calorie-cutting diet. “Wow,” I thought, “this is really simply. All I have to do is not eat… Wait, isn’t there a disorder like that… Nah, must be mistaken because it worked so well for this guy!” Math guru that I am I realized that if instead of cutting 500 calories, I cut by 1000 I would accomplish my goals twice as quickly! Needless to say I had a very self-destructive few months, rarely going above 1000 calories a day. Eventually most of the weight was gone, however I constantly felt miserable. Wonder why, eh?

My best friend is a talented and built athlete. In the beginning he praised my dedication to my diet, however once I revealed how little I was eating he began to get worried. After months of negotiation I agreed to eat a little more and lift with him. The first few times I hated lifting. I despised the weights, but even more I despised myself for being so weak. Shortly thereafter my friend moved hours away and daily lifting was no longer feasible. The weights sat in my basement until one day I realized I wasn’t going to take it anymore. First I was the fat kid, now I’m the skinny kid – I have to be my own man. That’s when I started lifting for myself. Not one to do things half-heartedly I immediately turned to the greatest resource I know of, the Internet. From various body building sites on the Internet I’ve been able to perfect my routine, my diet, and my goals. My goals are no longer based on what other people think of me, but are based around what I want for myself. Trips to the weight room no longer entail repetitive light-weight curls with a sissy bar. The weight room is no longer a scary place full of uneasiness. My weight room is a haven where I can unleash all my emotion and channel into creating a better me. Slowly but surely I carve myself into what I want to be, and that is why I lift.

krazyassmexican

08-16-07, 9:58 am

bigbridrol

08-16-07, 2:53 pm

I have never used a joint product before. But now that I am getting older and playing a lot of racquetball I have been having knee problems for the first time. Sucks having them hurt every time I dig low or squat and even during normal day to day activities. Also skull crushers have been giving my elbows some pain. Since Flex is #41 on bb.com bestseller. It must be pretty good!

Hot_Sauce

08-17-07, 12:03 pm

Can people from outside the U.S get in this aswell ?

Extreme

08-17-07, 12:22 pm

I want to start off by saying there have been some true Aniamls who have already posted. You guys have been through it all, for that you have my respect. Here's a briefing on My Life's little obstacles:

In the summer of '94 everyone in my family, except for my father, was involved in a severe drunk driving accident. As we were pulling into our driveway a drunk driver crested the hill, hitting us at over 70 mph. He hit the passenger side of the car, which happened to be the side I was sitting on. As you can imagine, I was pretty messed up after that. I was life flighted to Allegheny General Hospital, in Pittsburgh, PA. There doctors told my dad they didn't know if I would pull through. I suffered major head trama, had to have my left ear re-attached, and had fractured my neck.
For me that didn't mean much, except for the fact I lay in bed for weeks after that in a good bit of pain. The devistating part came when doctors said I could no longer play any kind of body to body, contact sports. Sports had been my life up to that point and now they were telling me I was no longer able to participate in them. I became depressed and overweight. I spent the first two years of high school sitting in the bleachers, becoming heavier and heavier, having to watch instead of participate. The excess weight put a strain on my joints and my knees and ankles became weak.
My junior year of high school I was approached by the football coach, b/c even though I was fat I had a large frame and was naturally built, and was asked why I wasn't on the team. After explaining my story he gave me some advice that changed my life forever. He told me I had to be the maker of my own dreams, and I could do anything I set my mind too. I took it to heart and with the help of a few friends introduced myself to the weight training coach. I did this b/c at the same time I had just read my first article on bodybuilding and had seen pictures of Ronnie and Jay and others, and thought to myself, "this is what I want to do". I also knew that by lifting weights I wouldn't be involved in the body to body contact, but I would be putting some real stress on my body. And I figured if my body could handle that then it could handle other things over time, like playing sports again. The only problem was the weight lifting coach had one rule. You could lift at the high school anex as long as you were on, or going to be on one of the high school teams. So this is where my friends came into the equation. They spoke up and said I was wanting to train to be a thrower on the track and field team. The weight lifting coach took one look at me and said, "Get to it then." Long story short, I lifted, threw shotput and discus, and realized my body could handle it. By the time I graduated high school I had played soccer, basketball, been on the swim team, wrestled, had done track and field and defied everything the doctor's had said I couldn't do.
I'm now 25 and have never stopped pushing iron. I've had my periods where I slacked off, but always pick it up and continue on. I know I'm young, but b/c of my history it sometimes becomes painful for me to get up in the mornings, especially after a hard work out the previous day. I have tried shark cartelidge pills in the past, but they havent helped and I've had the opportunity of trying a can of Flex. And let me say that shit works. I'm able to wake up with minimal pain after taking Flex. I feel it helps with both my muscles and my joints. To have a years supply would be awesome, especially with my budget, which is the main reason some supps dont make it to my shelf. It is definitely a top notch supplement that works. I'm a firm believer in the universal supplement line, already taking animal pump, animal pak, real gains, shock therapy, storm and Torrent. Having a years supply of Flex would only add to the benefits of using the universal line. Thanks for taking the time to hear me out.

Universal Rep

08-17-07, 2:17 pm

Eligibility:
All members in good standing, who are at least 18 years old and have a U.S. mailing addy.

Can people from outside the U.S get in this aswell ?

See above bro. U.S. only.

dIdDy

08-17-07, 2:31 pm

I was one of the few white kids in a pretty much all black school. I was otkasted from all "social" groups because my parents could not afford the new trendy clothes or shoes, so I had to wear the same clothes to school for years and years. I literally wore one pair of shoes until the entire sole of my left one (I believe) became comepletley detached from the main body of the shoe....anyway... Going to school everyday was no different than a lamb walking into a den full of hungry wolves, it was pure hell and I still have hate and anger in my heart from it. On numerous occasions, I was tackeled from behind, body slammed, pushed, spit on, stolen from, they set my hair on fire one time, and I've also had a razor pressed up against my throat. It was a literal hell on earth, my youth was. After a while I became numb. My heart had no love to give anyone. I hated life. I hated myself.

Then one day, during P.E. class, the coach actually let our 8th grade class into the weight room. It was the first time I had ever been in a real gym. I was in complete awe. I knew, right then, something just happened to me. I didn't know what, but I knew it was something. Specifically I remember being on the pull up bar, pumping out reps. people were cheering me. Cheering.......me! I could not believe it. Once I reached failure, I did a static hold, which seemed like forever, even the coach was cheering me at this point. it was the first time, in my whole life, that I felt equal and accepted as a peer. That day a seed was planted in my brain and that seed has now grown into a full blown fucking FOREST!

Since that day, I have never looked back, nor will I. I thank that coach under my breath from time to time. Thanks coach Jackson...

diDy

Hot_Sauce

08-17-07, 4:55 pm

See above bro. U.S. only.

cool. are you planning on starting something for your neighbor's up north as well

Titan

08-18-07, 5:33 pm

I started this life because of my family. My dad and his two brothers were powerlifters when they were younger and they still lift today. Though I went the bodybuilding route they still support in all I do. At first I got into this to honor them. I now do it for myself but still try to make them proud.
What have I over come? When I was younger i broke a small part of my knee cap during baseball.
I would love to have flex to help me ease some of the pain in my knee and to help my body last longer in this sport.

mgmmaze

08-18-07, 5:45 pm

Well what have I overcame hmmm.. Well I joined the military to do something different and to help my anger problems. Well along with the military training I found the gym along the way. Now I find out my mother has bladder cancer and they don’t know how bad it is yet. If its just contained to the bladder its all good but if its out no way hello chemo. So hitting the gym is my therapy so far from the pain and to contain my anger and anguish over my moms right now. And as for the supply of flex that would great esp. since now I’m 27 and I feel every workout not only in the muscles but in my joints also. When I was young buck I would always here the older Marines say man my knees or this or that is killing me. Well now I feel it so flex would be the bomb. Would help the beating I give my joints in the military life and the weight room assault that happens constantly.

Hdansjr

08-19-07, 7:38 pm

What an exciting contest! Ok, here's some of my history. I grew up participating in Karate. At first is was just for "fun" when I was younger, then as I got up into middle school and high school I got into competitions. I fractured my ankle in two places during a contest at my Dojo where the Sensai was seeing who could kick the pressure target the hardest. Well, I got out of Karate and didn't do much of anything. My ankle never really got any better, which causes pain to this day. I started to lift in high school since Karate wasn't an option then, and have been lifting ever since. I Started to get back into Karate and then tore the TFCC ligament complex in my left wrist. I was told I could have a surgery to repair it but I would always be in pain. Well, I didn't get the surgery. The pain was unbearable most of the time, which interfered with my job. I am a physical education teacher, a strength and conditioning coach at the high school, a CC coach, and a part time personal trainer. So i was really limited in my jobs with what I could do with the students and my clients. I also had a 3 month old that I couldn't pick up because of the pain. Well, I ended up seeing a promo for animal flex back in like March or April for Animal Flex. I got my first can of Flex, and I haven't looked back. I have used A LOT of different joint supplements, but the only one I have used that has ever worked was Animal Flex. Animal Flex is the only thing other than a multi that I take daily. Animal Flex has allowed me to do things that I once couldn't do after I tore my TFCC ligament complex. Even if I don't win, I'll still be buying Animal Flex for as long as it's made, cause the best outcome from taking it, for me is that I can pick my toddler up, and theres no pain what-so-ever.
Thanks universal!

D-Bomb

08-19-07, 7:58 pm

shit well, ya know im not a U.S.A citizen, but I'll let you guys know my lingo anyhow to keep this thread going.

Damn, ya know I guess this is all about how your bodies been busted up and shit and how ya came through it all, guess it ain't how your mentality was affected by social upheaval, so we will leave that for another day.
I can say this though, there are these things which aren't directly Because of the iron game, but shows how amazing the body is, and why it is important to have strong joints,muscles,bones,etc.
At the point of my birth, My ma had to have an operation and I stood in the balance with my life not being as important as making sure my mom was all cool, so thus i was pushed aside literally, and my right collar bone was not attached and neither was it in the right place when the operation and my birth was successful, luckily With some love and care and damn good medical care, My arm/shoulder all that was strapped and i came out all fine, with an eternal scar to prove it, Im one of the first few in my Country to have had this operation and its a medical breakthrough.
Alright, couple years roll on, my brothers and My family were on our way back to a holiday home we rented, in a large "bus" sized car we had called a Kombi, the sliding door was open cause we were cruising at snails pace along the driveway from a safe day out at the beach, I was still learning to swim and had what they called a polly-otter strapped around my body, which is a whole lot of foam things stuck into a suit so that you stay afloat while you kick and scream to swim, thank goodness i was still in it, as i saw my brothers jump out the car into the garden, i attempted the same, and due to me being small,fragile and unable to complete many things as a much older more athletic guy could, i stumbled under the car, and the back wheel made its way across " the foam on my stomach ", 1000 kilograms (454lbs) of overall weight pushed against my body,...the next thing i knew, i was in hospital being treated by my best friends father, what a coincidence, but there again is an example of the human body fighting, and protecting.

an iron warfare example or two, trying to bench much more than i should have been doing at the time ( a mere 154lbs which i couldn't do back then ) came crushing down on my chest, after that i couldnt work chest for the next 6 or so months Hence why im gaining so much now for those of you who follow my journal, i remember stretching in second language class, and i was stretching my arms back, and I recieved the most HORRIFIC pain in my chest, that i immediately started eye-balling my eyes out, while my teacher started fucking shouting at me, anyhow...my chest is all better with no treatment just simply healing naturally and now im stronger than ever (238+lbs bench), finally a squat gone bad, basically ending up with 300+lbs of weight on my neck, a head fucked up from hitting the bench...i managed to "throw" it off me..and survive to tell the tale...

i hope you understand, my body, your body, is damn strong, from fragility to strength, the body is amazing.

Maharg

08-19-07, 8:00 pm

D-Bomb

08-19-07, 8:06 pm

Give this guy anything he can get. You sir, have earned my respect by overcoming what you have. To stand up to a guy much older than you and protecting your mom you in my minds eye are 10 feet tall and a big as a house.

i agree, thickasblood has my best wishes and blessings FO LIFE!

Reacher34

08-19-07, 8:24 pm

Well, I was the skinny kid at school. Typical story. I played basketball and got pushed around a lot. Early on, I was a bit taller than everyone else, so the coach had me "bangin" in the paint. I ended up dislocating my knee twice, breaking my left ankle twice and right ankle once, breaking my elbow, and almost all my fingers (I don't know which ones are the good ones anymore). The last time I hurt the ankle I was done. Happened to be the same time I turned to bodybuilding. Over the course of nearly three years trying to transform the 150 lb kid into the 215 lb man i am now, I've definitely had my share of joint pain. Obviously, all the leg injuries lend themselves to some aches and pains during leg day, and while deadlifting. On top of that, I used to try to handle much more weight than I should have, so i've developed some severe wrist pain and matching elbow problems.

When you guys first put out Animal Flex, I jumped aboard with 100% confidence in my favorite supplement company. You didn't disappoint. The pain in my elbows and wrists that was threatening to shut my upper body training down, suddenly began to disappear. I enthusiastically endorse this thing wherever I go, almost to the point of people thinking I'm a rep. Right now I'm in grad school and money is tight, so it takes a while for me to save enough money to buy a can. I could definitely use this promo brothers. You get to a point where you just deal with the pain, it must be nice to do a skullcrusher without your elbow screaming at you. If I win this promo, you can rest assured the product will be put to good use for someone who will most assuredely appreciate it.

Stovall

08-20-07, 5:43 pm

Alright I'll make mine short and sweet. Animal Flex has done alot for me. I crashed my motorcyle 1 year ago today, and I carry the pains with me from that. Animal Flex is the only joint supplement that I have found that keeps me mobile and pain free. After every heavy lift I can feel the Flex doing its job. My pain is almost non-existant, helping me contiue on my own journey. I'm proud to tell people of the supplements I use because I'm not paid to do it and I know they work. Thanks for helping me get my life back.

Jeremy

live2lift

08-21-07, 12:43 pm

I just have to say MUCH RESPECT to everyone who has posted on this thread. We have all been through some shit in our lives and I think this is part of what makes us who we are today. Even though the shit we have been through sucked when it happened it made us the strong people we are today. I know for me even to this day it is hard to talk about the things I have been through, but I also know that each event carved a part of me. These things are what make us have the dedication and determination to push our bodies beyond preconceived limits and endure the punishment that we do on a daily basis in and out of the gym. Like I stated in my previous post...I would love to win a year's supply of FLEX (actually for me it would be a 6 month supply because I got my wife taking it because of joint problems) but after reading others posts, there are clearly some others who could use it more than me. Good luck picking a winner...I wouldn't want to. Peace.

ChandlerXJ

08-21-07, 12:58 pm

I love this fourm because everyone spills their guts man. Everyone talks about everything, as if we were all best friends. We're brothers in iron, we take each other to raise the bar.

Don't you love it when you feel the unity?

LegendKillerJosh

08-21-07, 1:33 pm

I have overcome what I thought was the impossible. It all began just after high school ended for me. The epic begins...

I had always been interested in lifting since I was young. I got into it because I've always had this craving for strength. That's mainly what I train for - performance. During High School, I started to hang out with the wrong crowd. We started out just by smoking and drinking, and then led to more. And I know what most are thinking - "big deal, everyone experiments with junk in high school..." but there's more. One night after graduation we were all attending a concert and we all decided to try the "smack." We all agreed just to try it, and that no one would get addicted. That proved to be wishful thinking.

By the end of that summer, most of my friends had went off to college. Me and 1 friend remained, so we got an apartment together since we weren't going to college. We barely made enough money stocking groceries and delivering pizza to feed our addiction, let alone pay our bills. Eventually we were evicted and bouncing from friends and families houses trying to get clean.

One day my friend went to southwest detroit to pick up some stuff for us. He was tired off the way we were living, and tried to scam the wrong person. He was shot and killed, and I was left alone. I checked myself into rehab for 30 days and had to go through detox. Once I was out, my parents let me back into their house.

After that I knew what had to be done. I had to find that animal that was in me before my addiction. I had to get my life back on track. Luckily for me, the discipline I learned from the weights in high school was back and I knew how to overcome.

I just graduated from Henry Ford Community College with an associates degree. I'm attending Wayne State in the fall to get my bachelors in nutrition. I've been drug free for nearly 2 years now, and the animal inside me is not only back, but mentally and physically stronger than ever before.

rcrott1

08-22-07, 8:07 am

brandona

08-22-07, 12:05 pm

If I am lucky enought to get the year supply, I will split it with my father in law...Years ago, his knee was destroyed when a horse fell in him. He takes some joint stuff, but I know the flex will make a big difference for him..He is a hard working dude, not un-common for him to work 18+ hour days, 7 days a week...I figure that this would be the least I could do for him...

-B

squattingtillipuke

08-22-07, 12:30 pm

OK, I can't match some of these stories but here it is...graduated from High School standing 6'4" and 170lbs...never really understood this world at all. I stayed pretty thin until my son was born in '97, then I got to be a lazy fat ass. In 2000 I got a new job and with it came a gym membership, so I started to take advantage of it. I was doing really well until I tore my shoulder up and tried to take a couple months off...went back and messed it up more. So I had surgery to repair rotator cuff, remove some bone spurs and shave off some of the bone in my shoulder. Doc told me that I already have arthritis in my shoulder and if I don't take something believe me I can tell in a day or two. I have yet to take Flex but it is on my short list to buy once my glucos/chondroitin is finished.

mick

hjayss

08-23-07, 7:31 am

What got me in the game are health issues. I found out I was a diabetic and I was really outta shape, even though it is in the family my health probably brought it on sooner. I started just running and I read that weight training is a little better for gaining muscle and losing fat. I needed to get that down mos def. I heard from my boy about the animal pak actually it was stak but I figured the pak was best for me. after reading article from house man I got down with the only style worth training and that is animal. Of coourse I am a forum junkie lol...

scals17

08-23-07, 1:08 pm

Sitting in a hospital bed, not knowing whether or not you'll ever have full function of your right arm again, was probably the lowest point in my lifting career. Unfortunately for me, it was the beginning of that career. I had just torn my shoulder and the doctors thought that there could have been serious nerve damage done. I am happy to say that they got way to far ahead of themselves. My first thought is that I am not going to be able to workout for a while. That happened to be true. So when I got home from school, I went to a surgeon near me and he said that there was no way I would ever be able to lift seriously again. He gave me my prescription for physical therapy and away I went. The physical therapist said the same thing. I was instructed to go to physical therapy twice a week, but knowing that not being able to lift was not an option, I went five times a week. After 5 or 6 weeks I renewed my gym membership and started to workout light. Teamed with the physical therapy, my time spent at the gym, my shoulder slowly but surely became stronger. I couldn't press more than 30s but I wasn't experiencing any pain. By the end of that summer I was almost back to the weight I was at before my accident. I went back to that doctor to get the last set of xrays and he was amazed at my progress.

To this day I remember all those who said I couldn't do it. I remember them, especially on max out day, when I'm squatting 425, benching 365, and deadlifting 415. I think back and laugh a little bit. Knowing that I proved doctors wrong is one hell of a feeling.

EQUINOX

08-23-07, 2:11 pm

After all of the trouble I had gotten into in my yonger years, It was hard for me to find a stable job. Me and my long time girlfriend(now fiance) were having it rough. I had no job and neither did she. She was in school due to financial aid but it didnt cover everything. So being a man, it's hard to see the one you love stressed out and depressed about anything. So I started collecting scraped metal and picking up empty soda cans. So that ment jumping in and out of dumpsters all day. One day, in the mist of trying to provide for my family, I ended up with a knee injury that left me stuck unable to walk for 5-6 months straight. Let alone trying to get out of the dumpster and back to the house on one leg. So against my will(pride rather), my girlfriend rushed me to the hospital and they told me that i tore my miniscus(not sure on spelling), hairline fracture down my leg and i tore my calf muscle. Yes yes I know, fucked up. So, my fiance found a part time job and we barely survived during that time. Honestly I do not know how we did. I started taking weightlifting seriously after my leg was ok 2 start up again. It still hurts on a constant basis but not as much as it use to. Now i am glad to say that me and my fiance are doing good. The hospital was kind enough to pay the hospital bill in FULL. She is assistant manager at her job making 50 plus a year. And I have been hired at a 14+ dollar and hour job working 3 days a week full time. Also I am starting college part time this upcoming semester. The reason I posted this personal information is not to win the promo contest. It's just to remind my fellow brothers that when you lose motivation, just remember no matter how hard you think you have it, somebody always has it harder then you. Because nobody is going to lift those weight for you. And nobody is going to believe in you unless you believe in yourself. Reading some of your stories before i posted I know that their are many other people that NEED that year supply of FLEX more then I do. So I do hope that one of you wins. You have my prayers. Thanks to all of you for taking the time out and reading my story.

Peace

cubs1987

08-24-07, 9:46 pm

Lots of quality posts above mine, but here it goes. I'll be honest I have not gone through as much as the guys above me. I used to be an overweight kid and was so up until second semester of my freshman yr. I then decided I wanted to stop that and unwisely ate very little. I had usually 1.5 meals a day, lost 40 lbs and found myself with no muscle, 155 lbs (down from 195) and technically anorexic. Since then I have been bulking like none other, trying to gain as much quality muscle as I can. However I found a bulge on my stomach. I could feel it squishing so I went to the doctor and found out I had an umbilical hernia from birth and it took 20 yrs to show up. I went through the surgery fine and spent 6 wks not working out. I kept my strength (w/ a little help w/ nitro) and began working out again. Everything was going great, making good gains when one day while doing crunches I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I felt some minor squishing again, took some time off felt fine and now I am working out again. I'm hoping it is just some scar tissue or some fluid buildup but we will see. I've been taking glucosamine, MSM and chondritin at high doses for the past month for my stomach hoping that it will improve my immune system and help my body rebuild itself. That's basically my story and thanks for listening. Good luck picking a winner out of all these great guys.

Lowdown5

08-24-07, 9:51 pm

Fury317

08-24-07, 10:09 pm

No fancy stories here. Actually been pretty lucky growing up. Great family that supports me in anything. And especially bodybuilding since they have seen me get from lean 175 to a solid 235. Ive had my injuries like everyone else here but nothing serious or life threatening. Busted ankle, double hernia repair, having my shoulder rebuilt from a lifting injury, I mean you name it- we all go through it. I havent won any of these promos on here and I enter all of em hoping to come away with something- no luck so far. Im not gonna try to convince you to give it to me for a bunch of different reasons, and justify why I should have it over the next Animal here. I just straight up want it- plain and simple. Supps are fuckin expensive and if I can get a year of something that I will take every day to put me a notch above the dude Im gonna be standing next to on stage, shit why not.

hjayss

08-25-07, 6:22 am

B, if I am lucky enough to win, I want Universal to send it to you and your father in law. He sounds like the kind of cat who deserves it.
you are one classy guy lowdown life has shaped youo into a perfect flawless diamond bro class all the way...

Stovall

08-25-07, 9:51 pm

Short and sweet..........I had a motorcycle wreck, I still hurt from my injuries and the only thing that has helped my joints is Flex. Plus I'm just about broke from paying for a honeymoon and all the bills. Oh well. Good luck to everyone on getting this promo. Its going to be well worth it.

adidamps2

08-26-07, 11:58 am

Yr supply of flex.
Hmm lets start off here with born with pneumonia, spent 1st 3 months of life in an oxygen tent. After this I grew up in a broken home from age 1-2 yoa, then my Mom found mister wrong for the next 12yrs. Age 11 I get my 1st weider concrete bench set. @ age 12 I break my left shin right below the knee, a hair higher and I would have shattered my knee, after 2 months I recover, but am told I will probably never ruin the same. Fuck that I ended up being one of the fastest kids in my neighbor hood, middle school and high school. At the age of 13 I had too guide my mom from our house in the dark through the neighbor hood, through back yards, behind churches, into wood lines gullies and everything else too keep my physco step father from finding her (us) as we escape. Traveling a lil over a mile away to a 7-11 to call police to escort us too a “Safe House”. Fun times. Headed to high school in 94’ after one hell of a summer of divorce and turmoil with step dad. Playing back yard football, @ 16 I shatter my left clavicle, almost a compound fracture (bone was pressing up on skin and stretching it out fierce). Doc throws me a figure 8 strap/bra to support my mangled collar bone. After 2 months he informs I should be good to go. I disagree, he says I am fine. I’m like what ever. 2 days later I am in the E-room. Collar separated at break point, MOM has to take me too a different doctor. (one a lil smarter), he places me in a figure 8 bra for 4 more weeks and has me using a $4000 piece of equipment too hasten the healing process. Some sort of magnetic device. Then after 4 more weeks he has to go and do surgery to remove excess bone and chips. Tells me I will never play sports again, lift weights or be able to join the military (my life long dream since I was 5). So about 3 weeks later I walk to the spare room were my weider bench set is, no one is home but me. I stare at it, I look at the wts that have collected dust over the last 8 weeks. I think too my self, there is NO FUCKING WAY that I can be this badly crippled. My collar area feels OK to me. I continue too stare at it for a few more minutes. Then I say fuck it. I close the door to the room, Close the windows, And there is no AC in our house, and I live in florida, summer time. I lay on the bench and just lift the bar, ok good to go so far. Then I start loading plates on. Still ok. More plates. Still ok. Next thing I know I am hitting old lifts all over again. Fuck the medical community what do they know. I am not broke, nor will I give in. I end up lifting wts and being able too do solid push ups (with some minor clicking). I get accepted into the Army at age 19. collar bone never held me back, and I never looked back. On top of all this I have suffered 2 broken fingers, one broken toe and numerous stitches and other injuries. None of which has ever held me back or slowed me down. Now over the course of time, my left shoulder aches, my knees hurt and I could really use a good joint supplement. I was already looking to buy the flex, but this would be a much better deal. And definitely not one looked down on either.

D-Bomb

08-26-07, 6:37 pm

keeping this bumped to all our brothers , just making it a little harder for ya universal rep ;-) hehe

live2lift

08-27-07, 11:38 am

addition to what i have gone through..............

just went to the eye doctor on monday after work. i am only 26, but apparently i have the degenerative tissue in my left eye, of a 70 year old. and my vision out of my right eye is still really fuzzy. i cant wait til someone can give me an actual fucking answer as to what is going on and how to fucking fix it.....because the 2 doctors i have seen so far...and this is a direct quote, "it is a mystery to me."

Hey rcott...if you read this, I will pass this info onto my wifey and see if she can get an answer for you as to what this could possibly be, instead of an optometrist telling you that it is a "mystery". She works in optometry right now and knows numerous optometrists, so maybe she can pass around the info and get a possible answer for you. It may not be a full answer because they can't see you to evaluate you, but maybe they could steer you in the right direction. I will PM you if I find anything out. Peace.

rcrott1

08-28-07, 8:37 am

Hey rcott...if you read this, I will pass this info onto my wifey and see if she can get an answer for you as to what this could possibly be, instead of an optometrist telling you that it is a "mystery". She works in optometry right now and knows numerous optometrists, so maybe she can pass around the info and get a possible answer for you. It may not be a full answer because they can't see you to evaluate you, but maybe they could steer you in the right direction. I will PM you if I find anything out. Peace.

i appreciate it brother.

the place that developed the pictures were really confused as to how this could happen to a 26 yr old....on top of it, my eyes have been causing me to get dizzy a lot lately, and there is a lot of pressure in em...............im too stubborn to go to the hospital. -shrug.

Thanks brother...it means a lot.

live2lift

08-28-07, 11:27 am

i appreciate it brother.

the place that developed the pictures were really confused as to how this could happen to a 26 yr old....on top of it, my eyes have been causing me to get dizzy a lot lately, and there is a lot of pressure in em...............im too stubborn to go to the hospital. -shrug.

Thanks brother...it means a lot.

No problem bro...glad that I could help. I will let you know when I hear something. Peace.

matic-

08-28-07, 3:42 pm

A little over a year ago, I was that skinny kid on the basketball team...Since then I've put on over 30 lbs. while staying nice and lean. While i am still learning everyday as we all are, I feel i am making good gains in this iron sport. I am far from my goal of being an absolute monster, but there is not a time that i don't strive toward reaching that goal whether it be passing up that beer (being in college), that tasty dessert, breakfast, meal whatever for eggs for chicken or steak over and over again. I don't mind letting these thigns go to obtain that goal.

I got into the sport when my coach told me i needed to hit the waits. I was really reluctant at the time, for some reason i don't know. Maybe because i didn't know what to expect having never lifted before. But instantly after he set me up lifting in his garage, i wouldn't miss a training session even if the only time to get in there was late night. And it was always game time.

Throughout my life I've had off and on lower back problems even before lifting...I remember squatting down at my locker in HS and my back locked up and i couldnt stand up for a few seconds....It was really bad... and right now im in one of those times although it is definitely not as bad as bak in the day. The Cissus is no longer working. I remember using Flex a while ago and loving it. I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to have a year supply of flex as i believe this would allow me to go my absolute hardest without having to worry about my back.

So please choose me :D

Hoffdogg

08-28-07, 7:45 pm

I don't have many stories to tell, growing up was good for me. Played football through school, and started to play in college when I decided to join the Marine Corps instead. Had my share of wrist, elbow, ankle and knee injuries typical to playing football that still bother me today off and on. Six years in The Corps brought on some other recurring joint issues with the ankles through humps and runs. To this day these ankles 'pop' all the time. Dislocated shoulder about 8 years ago.

I have a supportive family and always have, even though my parents divorced when I was young, I have been very furtunate that way. They are rather confused now at my choices in lifestyle, lifting so much, eating so much...but they are coming around. Making the choice this year to take care of myself has been challenging to say the least. I was just wearing big sweaters at the beginning of this year to hide it. I went from almost 250 down to around 218, when I started wearing clothes that hadn't fit in years and feeling the pumps I had. I decided that I really liked lifting, since I am back to 225 now. Those clothes are still fitting too. I have a long way to go for my goals but finding this website, and Forvm has been refreshing. Lots of support in the short time I have been here, learned a lot.

Where I would love to have a year supply of Flex (I currently use it, and it's great) sounds like there are a lot of other Animals that may need/deserve it more. Good luck to them all.

ironshaolin

08-28-07, 8:55 pm

addition to what i have gone through..............

just went to the eye doctor on monday after work. i am only 26, but apparently i have the degenerative tissue in my left eye, of a 70 year old. and my vision out of my right eye is still really fuzzy. i cant wait til someone can give me an actual fucking answer as to what is going on and how to fucking fix it.....because the 2 doctors i have seen so far...and this is a direct quote, "it is a mystery to me."

dude, watch it with those doctors and eye problems. My daughter was born with a condition called optic nerve hypoplasia. Basically its where the optic nerve just dosen't connect to the brain properly so your eyes don't work, at all. They can tell us what the problem is, but nobody knows what caused it, or if there's anything that could ever be done about it.
If I were you, I'd try to find a specialist on optic problems, even if it means taking an hour drive to try and find out SOMETHING, before it gets worse.

Revenant

09-02-07, 7:12 pm

As far as life in general, mine hasn't been too bad. I've lost all my grandparents, but that's not quite so rare, and my parents are divorced, also pretty common. But thats not the things that I'm in this promo for.

While my home life has been pretty cush, my gym life has been anything but. When I was 14 I jumped off a dirt pile and tore my MCL. It's more or less fixed, but the docs say it will still hurt for the rest of my life, and that since the tracking of the joint got screwed, I should stay away from any strenuous leg activity..whoops. Now, I've had two different workout partners in the last 4ish years. Both of them worked out just for sports, which I didn't play since I was young..so needless to say our goals were different, and their dedication was lacking. I worked out at the YMCA until 6 months or so ago, and there was only one experienced lifter at my gym. I watched him for a while, and one day I got the nerve to ask him for some advice. I don't know if he's always like that or if he was having a shitty day, but this guy was a dick. So I went without any advice or help for the first 3 1/2 years of my lifting life. I learned from watching other people work out, which especially at the YMCA is NOT a good idea. So now, I have the knee problem, there's a tendon in my shoulder that's about to break or tear my pec, I'm not real sure..but it's pretty rough, and I have a bulging disc in between my L5 and S1. The disc is my main reason for this entry. The doc says if I stay off of it, maintain a strong diet, drink plenty of fluids to hydrate the disc, and take a join support supplement, its 50/50 that it will heal. I stretch morning and night, always have dieted right, and I've cut out back workouts and legs completely for the last 3 or so MONTHS. I'm starting to look as narrow as a 2x4. I really wanted to compete at least once before I turn 20 next summer, so PLEASE U-Rep, give your bro a break!!

rcrott1

09-04-07, 7:30 am

dude, watch it with those doctors and eye problems. My daughter was born with a condition called optic nerve hypoplasia. Basically its where the optic nerve just dosen't connect to the brain properly so your eyes don't work, at all. They can tell us what the problem is, but nobody knows what caused it, or if there's anything that could ever be done about it.
If I were you, I'd try to find a specialist on optic problems, even if it means taking an hour drive to try and find out SOMETHING, before it gets worse.

according to many other retinologists offices, the guy i am seeing is one of the best in the field.

jkcole

09-07-07, 2:03 am

I just finished my first can of FLEX. I have to tell you that I'm very happy with the results. Up till know I couldn't play ball with my 2 boys. I could not pickup my arm without my shoulder hurting, much less throw a baseball or football. I've had shots, therapy, and alot of pain. Mental and physical. I hated that I had to give up playing softball and coaching my sons baseball team. My workouts fell out drastically, no presses of any kind. Talk about going crazy. Have your son come up and ask you to play pitch or throw the football and you can't. That SUCKS. I have a 17 year old daughter.She has been battling cancer for the past year and a half, we have it beat now (we hope and pray)and she is on the climb back to a full recovery. She's a trooper.I also have a 4 year old son, and a 15 year old son.
I work as an electrical lineman. I've had years of hard work and long hours in the field, climbing poles, alot of twisting and turning, side pulling. Extreme heat and cold. All the bells and wistles.It takes a tole on your body. Not complaining I love my job. It's very hard and demanding work. My dad was a lineman also at the same company. He was electricuted in 1968, I was 8 months old, I never new him. A fine and awsome man I've been told. My job is very dangerous, and I work alot of overtime. 900 to 1000 hours overtime a year for the past 4 years. My time with my family is very limited.
As for my lifting I started in highschool for football. Started powerlifting after that. Mid 20's dropped serious lifting and started raising my son as a single parent for 10 years.My ex was a crack head,and my son almost died as a result of her stupiditty. I owed him a loving home and a good life. I Didn't have time to workout much. I'm remarried now with a great family and a new son.
Anyway, I was a 39year old broke down dad in constant pain. I read about FLEX and figured I'd try it. What did I have to lose, nothing else worked. Well after my first can I'm throwing 40 to 50 yard passes and pitching strikes.I'm ready to start my journey to a new life. I can't believe the results. I'm SOLD on FLEX, thanks so much Universal. I've used your products from a while back and still a supplement company to rely on for quality.
FLEX gave me back my freedom.
Thanks for your time a GOD BLESS, John

Jimmy

09-07-07, 2:21 am

i dont really care if i win the promo, i dont really want to, my story cant really compare to some of these guys.

flex is AWESOME

i have a steel rod in my femur and without flex it would hurt everday

My mom and my GRANDMA are both slammin down flex packs everyday to help with their joint pain and i reccomend it to every single person i know could benefit from it

DONT EVER STOP MAKING IT!!!!!!! i will come to new jersey and run the flex making machine by myself if it ever comes to that.

that is all.

cviewmike851

09-09-07, 11:55 pm

First off thanks to everyone who started the forum. keeps me motivated!

My beginning to lifting was a strange one but I don't regret it a day of my life.... Played football in high school my freshman and sophomore year but always hated lifting and skipped out on it to go home and just sit around. I had other things on my mind I had a girlfriend which started my freshman year. I thought I had it all under control. As time went on things continued to get better with my girlfriend and we began to talk about marriage. I got comfortable with everything I had and stopped striving for anything else because I was happy with everything. A mistake I would learn to never repeat. My girlfriend was a year younger than me and she started school when I was 19. She went to a local University so it was easy for me to continue to grow stronger with her. After 4 years of dating I was sure there was nothing else for me in life, I had my life all figured out. How wrong was I. After completing her first year at the local University she hit me with the first blow our relationship would have to endure. She is originally from Mobile Alabama so she decided to get in touch with her roots and attend the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. I was very bitter about the whole situation but still deep down knew what we had built in almost 5 years of love could endure almost anything. I drove her down to Alabama and left with a sense of security in our relationship. We would talk on the phone every night and she even surprised me by coming home without telling me on a couple occasions. It was after the second time she left from home back down to college when things started to go south. She arrived back to college safely but the calls got fewer and fewer until I was only getting a call maybe every three days. I knew something was wrong so I begged her to come home for a weekend with me. She agreed to come home if I would help pay for her trip home. I agreed and she came home for the weekend. The weekend she came home I was sick with the flu so she stayed with me all night Friday but asked if she could go out with her girlfriends on Saturday night since she hadn't seen them in so long. Since I was only planning on sleeping all day Saturday I agreed to let her go. Sunday comes and she calls like everything was ok. I asked how her night was and she was very short with me. I finally worked details of the night out of her only to find out she had gotten with another guy at the bar. After she confessed she decided to let it all out and told me she no longer wanted to be with me and wanted to have a single life at school. I was shocked and it sent me spiralling into a deep dipression. On more than one occasion I would find my outrages of anger turn into tears and bouts of inconsolibility. I looked for refuge in alcohol and the alcohol would take the pain away short term but the day after would send me deeper into my depression. I finally went to see a therapist about my deep depression and I was sent to a psychiatrist to get anti depression pills prescribed to me. A week before my appointment with the psychiatrist a friend told me that he too had some problems with depression but found a lot of therapy in weight lifting. I bought a one day membership to the local gym and lifted with a couple friends. I left the gym feeling refreshed and rejuvinated so I went back the next day and bought a one month membership to the local gym. I started out lifting 3 days a week all upper body and within two weeks of lifting I was hooked on it. I would leave the gym feeling much better about myself and felt a sense of brotherhood in the gym. A friend recommended animal products so by chance I typed in animalpak.com on my computer to see if I could buy products from their website. I was intrigued by a link to a thread called "The Journey" I clicked and read from week 00 to week 18 about the journey of Wrath counting down to a bodybuilding show. After that I was hooked with Animalpak and lifting. I stopped drinking all together and finally stumbled onto the forvm in July. The rest is history...

DeathDealer

09-12-07, 1:12 pm

I've been lifting weights since I was 14, mostly for sports, but I've entered a few bodybuilding contests when I was a teen. I've been heavily involved in wrestling since I was 8 (with quite a few state and national titles), judo since I was 16 (with some state and national titles as well), and I've suffered my share of injuries from torn knee ligaments, torn ligaments on both elbows (I can't throw a baseball or football very well, but it doesn't seem to affect my grappling), popped vertebrae in my back, separated shoulders and torn rotator cuff. I had hopes and aspirations for an NCAA championship and a shot at the Olympics, but was sidelined by shoulder injuries that took all that away from me. I'm a bit older now and all of my old injuries seem to be coming back to haunt me in little ways.

While wrestling in college back in 1992, we were visited by some of the Gracies (Rickson, and a few others), who introduced us to jiu-jitsu. We thought that it was cool, it was like wrestling, but different. I started training in jiu-jitsu with one of the Gracie instructors a couple times a week. It was cool to see that just the next year the UFC came out and Royce Gracie showed off what jiu-jitsu could do. I continued to wrestle and train in jiu-jitsu, and I had the chance to help train many of the early UFC fighters. I never threw my hat into the ring (cage) until 5 years later. I started MMA fighting in 1997, at a time where it was undergoing a lot of backlash and political pressure to shut it down. I was sometimes hard to get a fight, but I was able to enter a lot of local fights, but most of the time I had to fight foreigners (mostly Brazilians, some Russians, some Japanese, etc) Now the UFC has become widely popular and accepted. Fights are easier to come by. I never threw my hat into the big ring (the UFC itself), because it was always a side gig for my. I had a full time job, wife and kids to support, and didn't have the time to dedicate to fighting full time. I never really got hurt in jiu-jitsu or MMA fighting (besides black eyes, and goose eggs), it didn't take a toll on my body like wrestling did. I was in various fights for about 6 years until about 2003, when it all came to a screeching halt....

One day on the way to work, while driving on the freeway, some other driver was speeding and driving reckless, in turn ended up crashing into me on the drivers side door going about 70 MPH. It totaled my car and almost totaled my body. It busted me up pretty badly, but luckily I wasn't killed. All of the doctors and policemen said that if it wasn't for the fact that I had a lot of muscle mass that I probably would have been hurt a lot worse. (So one thing for you guys, all that muscle not only looks good, but one day it might save your life). For 3 1/2 years I underwent several surgeries and lots of physical therapy to help fix problems with my leg, hip, shoulder, back and neck). I could hardly walk at first, but eventually most things got fixed, but I still have 6 herniated discs in my back and neck that would require surgery to repair. I've just become so sick of hospitals, doctors, MRIs, CAT scans, neurologists, chiropractors, etc. that I can't stand it. The doctors all told me that I had to give up wrestling, MMA fighting, and all of the sports that I love. They also told me that weightlifting and even running was out of the question (not even basketball, racquetball, or anything else that would be jarring). I was told to take up golf and watching TV, and that I needed to slow down.

Of course I was kind of depressed. I gained a lot of weight and got pretty fat (about 38% body fat). I was out of shape, my body hurt all of the time. I had to take all sorts of pain medication and muscle relaxers to cope with it all. I had kind of given up on myself and given up on life. I went to a health screening at my work, and my blood pressure was really high (147/105) and cholesterol of 240 and I was fat (considered obese). They gave me a high rating of likelihood of heart disease and early death.

About 6 months ago I was looking in the mirror, and thinking about it all. I was looking at the fat, miserable piece of sh*t that I had become. It started to really get me fired up. I thought to myself, "damn it! I'm not throwing in the towel"! Who cares what the doctors said, I'm not giving up on life, I'm not giving up what I love to do, I'm not throwing in the towel! Immediately, I started to change my diet. I have been to the gym every single day, busting my ass. I've got a fire in me like never before. I pound the weights, I do cardio every day, I'm getting my life back. I've lost about 45 pounds since then and dropped my body fat by 15%. My muscle mass has increased by about 15 pounds. Blood pressure is down to about 125/80, and I'm feeling great. I'm running and doing everything that the doctors have said that I wouldn't be able to do. I've been taking all of the Animal supplements, and I think that they are great! (Animal Pak, Animal M-Stak, Animal Cuts, Animal Pump, Animal Stak 2, Shock Therapy, Torrent, and of course Animal Flex). I've made the best gains that I have ever had in my life. I really like the Animal Flex and I feel that it has helped me tremendously. I'm not taking all of the pain medication, Advil, or muscle relaxers, and I feel that a big part of it is the Animal Flex. I like this stuff. I'm training hard and in about 3-4 months I feel that I should be able to throw my hat back into the ring (or cage). It's been a tough journey for me, but I'm back, and even better than before. I will never throw in the towel!

rcrott1

09-20-07, 6:54 am

getting down to the wire here!!

MassMonster

09-20-07, 11:45 am

before i used flex my knees used to crack whenever i bent them... the pain i used to get was unbearable that sum days i couldnt even squat or leg press .... even when using knee braces they would feel sore and brittle... my legs looked like i had just started lifting... started using glucosamine and it helped a little... then i went to get a refill at the supp shop i got to.. and the manager told me how hes been using flex since it was let out and it helped him since hes had 3 surgeries and bolts in his knees... after the 1st can i new i had gold in the palm of my hand... i could finally squat pain free and i didnt have to worry about not being able to move my knees after... i was able to bring my legz up so they went from being my weakest bodypart to opne of my strongest.... all thanx to flex....

Freakshow

09-20-07, 12:17 pm

Good luck to all of you guys.

GatorMP_69

09-20-07, 12:19 pm

I have been out of the game for a LONG time. I fault only myself for being out for so long. I have used the excuses of 2 ACL reconstructions on my right knee to keep me out. I finally took a good long look at myself in the mirror and got PISSED at what I saw. I used to be so proud of my legs. I had lost everything I had worked for. I used to LOVE playin rugby and football with the fellas. I even enjoyed teh occasional game of baseball. The surgeries slowed me down and then I just let myself fall apart more and more. I tried to get back into teh game a few times, but I was relying way too heavily on percocets and vicadine. I was so afraid of gettin dependant on them, I quit trying. I started working at it slowly and steadily, but never was able to push myself to the full potential due to the pain in my knee and back. When I got back to my unit here in Iraq and my buddy, Mo_500057, introduced me to Animal products. He showed me the Flex and said I should give it a try. Since I have been taking Flex, I have been more of my old self and workin harder than I have ever worked in the past. Flex has helped turn me back down the right road. I still have a LONG way to go, but with Flex as a daily part of my routine, I am making gains fatser and quicker than I ever could have without it. Thanks guys...win or no win, I am still a huge fan and will continue to use this product.

bobbymart

09-20-07, 9:14 pm

Alright I figure what do I have to lose...First off it has been a long road to get where I am, however I realise even though it has been long it is really just getting started. Before I started lifting I never really stayed dedicated to anything, I lived in my car in seattle by choice my family was always there to support me but I did not like to work I liked to party (we'll just leave it at partying no need to get specific) and I knew I did not like to work.
So would'nt you know after a few years of living that way it took a girl to get me on the right track I say girl because I was only 21 and she was a couple of years younger than me, but she worked at a gym and they offerd me a job. Come to find out I am good at training and selling gym memberships so figure hey why not start working out myself I was excited about somthing for the first time in a long time and I was actually good at it. Now weight lifting has blessed me, four years later I have moved across country with my wonderfull girlfriend and manage a gym soon to open my own and I am in great physical shape better than I have ever been and I really love what I do that is why I love the iron..It has not necesarily been a tough road but a bumpy one none the less but who can complain what the iron has given me all that I have now... and winning the years supply of flex... well that's just icin' on the cake!!

escholar05

09-22-07, 5:20 pm

I wish I could say I proactively use Flex, but I use it because of previous injuries, one of which being the reason I love this sport so much now.

In high school, I played two varsity sports, and lettered in both as a freshman, football and wrestling. However, wrestling was no longer possible by my junior year, with having to gain weight to play on the offensive line, I could no longer be competitive as a wrestler. I played Middle Linebacker all throughout high school, and also played offensive line (it was a smaller school). Going into my senior year, I had finally gotten to where I wanted to be, 220 lbs, benching 400 and squatting 550. I had even gotten my 40 time down to 4.8, which was huge for me. However, I never got to see the field that year, because two weeks into practice, I had a 1 in 100,000 reaction with a perscription cholesterol medicene and was in a near fatal car accident. After a 21 day hospital stay, I was 160 lbs and couldnt bench a 45lb bar. The biggest blow however was that I tore the ACL, PCL, and LCL in both of my knees, an injury that still does not allow for me to pick up (dorsiflex) my feet.

Anyways, after a full year of physical therapy and two hellacious knee surgeries, I found myself on my own as a freshman at Ohio State. I was always the big jacked kid in high school, and I was bound and determined to get back to that. I had always planned on going to a smaller college to play ball, but that was out, obviously.

So I started lifting again, and it was hard for the first year, I didnt really supplement at all, I think all I did was a tub of NO-Xplode, because everyone and their brother was doing that. Then I found Universal Products, and I took Shock Therapy and Storm, along with that I tried Animal Flex, just for the hell of it. Talk about amazing, my knees were never sore after squatting, my back felt looser, and my beat to hell shoulders could do what I wanted. Animal Flex is a great supplement, and I will for sure be taking it for as long as I'm able to lift.

Thanks to Animal Flex, I am much better able to pursue a worthwhile athletic endevour (sp?), one that allows me to discipline myself, and to work my ass off and see results. I feel that in the last few years I've had much taken away from me, but every time I step into the weightroom I feel like I get a little bit of what I lost back.

Natron

09-25-07, 4:48 am

In my aspiration to be not only an amatuer bodybuilder, but an Animal at that, I've let a few things go in my life. I've failed at a few relationships because I had much more important things to focus on(such as my meals), I completely gave up alcohol and most of my "friends" with it. I left behind what was left of my social life when I decided that I'd rather be something great in a sea of normal people. Worst of all was a back injury I suffered early in my journey due to carelessness when i tried to deadlift far out of my league and walked with a limp for about half a year. With regular stretching and smart training I'm what I refer to as "ok", but I know I could feel/perform better. I've heard that Flex is the shit, but money's kinda tight, and I spend most of it on my groceries, so I don't take as many supps as I would like to. If Flex is as good as it's said to be(and I have no doubt in my mind as I'm an extremely loyal Universal customer) I believe that it would help me out a lot in my aspirations to kick ass on stage and eventually put another "W" in the Animal column...right where it belongs.

RXrugby

09-26-07, 7:34 pm

Bump. Only a few days left.

Just wanted to say that I will be sure to add Animal Flex into my logs on bodybuilding.com and will definitely write up a review.

Get some stories in people.

frncscchavez

09-27-07, 10:43 am

Hello to all well I just be on drugs for 5years I lost a home cars almost everything and one day my daughter say to me the way I was doing way that I so post to bi doing was lifting and on the next morning I stop doing drugs and I star lifting know I’m going for 4 years no drugs no beer no smoke just lifting.

I lost homes, cars but the must important is that I have my family.

BigLee69

09-27-07, 10:43 pm

What I promised fellas, a promo on Animal Flex. Five (5) lucky winners will get a year's supply of Animal Flex, the premier joint supplement for serious lifters. If ya got joint issues (or if you're really smart, ya use Animal Flex to make sure you don't have joint issues) and you wanna get on it for free for a full year, you'll wanter enter this one. Think of Animal Flex as nutritional "insurance" for your joints. Many lifters have used Flex to overcome obstacles. As a dedicated lifter, what obstacles have you overcome?

Rules:
Tell us what you've overcome in your life to be here, to have entered the iron game. Tell us why you became a lifter, an Animal. Post your entry here. No PMs.

Eligibility:
All members in good standing, who are at least 18 years old and have a U.S. mailing addy. If ya won a Flex promo in the last 90 days, you aren't eligible for this one.

Deadline:
9/30/07

Hi I am Lee I am 3e years old ... I have played sports most of my life and endured several injuries that have included 2 total knee reconstructions, rotator cuff surgery and several broken bones (rugby can be a bitch on the body) I started on Animal pak in 1997 and it has been a staple in my routine for years ... and further reaching into the game i have stacked all of the animal products in various combinations at one time or another. The Iron game grabbed me at an early age and has only intensified with age thru ups and downs of life and adding kids to my life thru a second marriage that instantaneously added a 20 year old and a 13 year old who has taken to the iron game also and become my workout buddy my desire journey and ever relentless pursuit to be bigger and stronger than i am that gravitates me towards the Animal Family. Age is only A NUMBER!Sports drove me into the iron game and allowed me the be bigger and stronger and better as each year passed.

Obstacles I have overcame besides the surgeries include dealing with the normal pains that let me know i am alive .. plateaus that we all encounter blowing a rotator cuff while trying to Military press on a day that my previous workout partner bailed on me to chase girls and I was determined to get thru shoulder by myself. Now with the youngest bymy side we face the challenges mentally and physically at the gym each day together and I have more than a stepson i have a brother in this wafare .

Am i anymore deserving than the next guy Not really... But it is a cool ride and i wouldnt trade all my dissappointments failures and success in this game for anything in the world!

Big Lee

widdlewade44

09-30-07, 10:32 pm

I became an Animal because it fulfilled that need inside of me. I was skinny and weaker growing up; I had to scrap and fight for everything I earned. I grew up in a home with two dysfunctional, alcoholic parents and it was a challenge. Sports and more over, the iron was my release and my true home. It was always there and it was able to give you that ‘hand up’; 20lbs for 9 reps this week and next (similar) workout you got those 10th and 11th reps. You get out of the iron what you put into it, plain and simple.

I started to follow Arnold, watched ‘Pumping Iron’ and bought Arnold’s Encyclopedia. Read it cover to cover, started eating more and looked into supplements. Discovered the Animal Pak when it hit the shelves (oh, so long ago) and it was great!

By this time the iron bug had a full hold of me and I was a lifter. I lifted for myself and to be able to improve my sports performance. I tried out for Cross Country (CC) and made the team, kept lifting and by my Senior Year (of high school) was a Co-Captain and was 6’2” and a whopping…140lbs. I was using the Pak everyday, lifting 4-5 times per week and running 40-60+ miles per week (that's not conducive with serious bulking).

In the fall of my Senior year I joined the USMC via the Delayed Entry Program. CC was in the bag and I had the basketball and lacrosse seasons coming up. I could cut back on the running and finally pack on some size. Upon graduation, in June 1988, I weighed 155lbs. I went to Boot Camp and ‘A’ School and hit the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) in May 1989 at about 165lbs.

Over the next 4+ years I kept using the Pak, lifting, eating and joining the ‘6 miles a year Club’ (an inside Joke of USMC where you only run for your re-qualification running tests). I was in the Persian Gulf War and went on 2 Mediterranean 6-month floats. Got married and after my 5 year hitch in the Marines I weighed in at 205lbs.

I went to college, started a family and refined my lifting: Rotated my workout routines, ate cleaner and expanded my use of supplements. As I was evolving and growing, Universal and Animal were growing too. Making more products, awesome products and the routines from the AOM. Then the animalpak.com site came on line and the FORVM rolled out, damn, hit after hit.

So, I’ve been dedicated to the Iron for 25 years now. I’ve become a Marine, served my country, gone to war. I made the very tough decision to remove my parents from my life because they were holding me down. I’ve found and married the woman of my dreams, started a family and have a wonderful, healthy son who’s 13 now. I weigh in at about 235lbs now; the heaviest I’ve gotten up to is ~245lbs. I work professionally in a challenging, fast paced environment trying to make that difference everyday. Times get tough, money gets tight and you have to keep moving on…

I’ve had my injuries, twists and sprains (no broken bones) and 1 dislocated knee. The aches and pains and old Father Time following you. I’ve grown and continued to learn and now know that it’s just as important to pass on one’s knowledge to those that are following in your foot steps.

Animal and Universal are awesome, the best supplement company out there, hands down. They’re dedicated to iron game, as I am, and many others are too. Flex is a product I have been using for almost 1 year now. Flex has replaced 3 different joint supplement bottles I was using prior to Flex’s arrival. Flex has even helped me at times when I would have used aspirin; those aches and pains acting up, “Take a couple of aspirin”; instead I tried a second (for that day) pak of Flex and within 30 minutes the pain subsided.

Flex is definitely a foundation supplement for me along with the Pak and Nitro. And I would be honored if I end up being chosen to receive a free year’s supply of Flex. I’ve been loyal to the Animal brand for over 20 years and I’m looking forward to the next 20+

Thanks for offering up another great Promo and good luck to all those who have entered. Peace.

Kevin
widdlewade44