“If you can control your mind, you can control Your motherfuckin’ muscles. Command them motherfucker’s to grow!” – CT Fletcher

“I exist to show people what’s possible.” - Terry Crews

Like drops of dew sliding down a blade of grass, the dumbbells fall smoothly, almost gently.

There is patience in the way the set proceeds. It is not too fast, not too slow, arms shaking under the weight but steady on their path. It is the incline dumbbell press of someone who has practiced the movement thousands of times. It is the incline dumbbell press of someone who is barely able to lift the weight.

Mastery and Will are all that makes the weight rise.

After a dozen years of regularly lifting heavy shit for fun and glory, where does this motivation come from?
After a dozen years of trying to reconcile my passion with my peaceful nature, where does this intensity come from?
After a lifetime of wanting to be a superhero, where do I find the will to keep trying; to keep failing?

I am a Zen Buddhist of the Soto sect.

I am not a monk, not an expert, not a Zen master. I am just a dude who realized some truths that have made the path to physical and mental greatness simple.

The Middle Way is not about peace. It is not easy; it is terribly difficult. But when I embraced that difficulty, the path to becoming a superhero unfurled.

When I looked down that path, when I realized what I had to do, it scared the shit out of me. Each superpower has a cost -- this *is* the Middle Way after all -- and the cost was so breathtakingly vast I almost chickened out.

Almost.

But my mom didn’t raise a coward.

Let's get started.


Weight: 148lbs
Height: 5'6"
Age: 33

Chest Workout

Incline Dumbell Press: 20x20 30x15 40x12 50x8 60x6 60x6 60x6
Landmine Press, single arm: 25x12 25x12 45x5 45x5 45x5
Landmine Press, both arms: 70x10 70x10 70x10
Machine Flies: 140x12 160x10 180x8 180x8
Weighted Push-Ups: 25x20 25x20 25x15 25x15 25x15 25x15
15 unweighted Pushups x 2 mins Jump Rope: 10 rounds