DIARY OF A BLUE COLLAR BADASS
I got the email I have been waiting for from Jess, "Brent are you interested in doing a deadlift demo again at the Arnold this year"? Before I finished the sentence I hit reply and sent "YES YES YES! THANK YOU SO MUCH JESS, I WILL DEFINITELY BE THERE".
This is where the journey starts.......................where did it begin? Many moons ago in an old school high school gymnasium. Where I was 5'11 and 145 pounds trying to get on the powerlifting team. I never deadlifted before and thought I would try it. I used a thin leather belt and with no warmup, went to 335 and after a 30 second lockout got the lift, and a spot on the team, due to my HEART and WORK ETHIC. I couldn't bench press 100 pounds...yes pathetic, and could not squat 135. I knew I could deadlift and wanted to be the best ever. A few years passed and many weight classes, I joined the USMC and attained the rank of Sgt while stationed at the Pentagon, and was the ONLY member of the USMC Power Team. I won a few world titles in their as well. I tore my right pec and part of my right bicep benching in 2003, had surgery, wore a sling for 4 weeks, and two weeks later with NO TRAINING pulled 705 in Alabama. I knew 800 was mine soon. I put it into overdrive. In November of 2004, just after visiting my best friends grave site who was murdered exactly one year prior, I tore my LEFT pec.......after swearing and almost passing out, I proclaimed to the world 800 would still be mine and take me to the fucking ER. That takes us close to now....my trek for the Arnold Classic Cage yet again, and 800 pound in the deadlift. I switched to the hook grip so not to tear a bicep. I partially tore it benching (rare) and the hook is just plain safer, does it hurt? Hell yeah! But I use it quite often for protection, and I do admit, do it because most just dont have the balls to do it.
A typical day in my life:
I live in a very small town, and travel 30 minutes to do my heavy day at a Private Facility called Austins, owned by a 76 year old man that benches over 400...officially weighing only 225...THINK ABOUT THAT! I have it in Four wheel drive low due to the snow falling, its friday night, my friends are at the titty bar, im not. I have Black Sabbath Paranoid blaring on my sound system. I have my Animal beanie pulled over my eyes. This is what its all about for me...the anticipation....what am I going to do today.....even if I am all alone...im going to blow that place away. Im sipping on hot coffee, my pre workout CD blaring on my sound system...RAPPER TI...WHAT YOLU KNOW ABOUT THAT......so loud the bass is hitting my ribs. This is where it starts............stay tuned....do you want to come along for the ride?......shall I proceed? Reading this is going to give you a different perecption on life and training, and may make it hard for you to smile in the future....welcome to the Diary of a Blue Collar Bad Ass..................I am certain ALL of you can relate to some extent...or you wouldnt still be reading...this is OUR journey....buckle up tight......