August 2nd 2008, that was the last time I stepped off a bodybuilding stage. It was so long ago, but my memories are still so vivid. I recall flying across the country, and it was actually the first time I had ever traveled somewhere east of Texas. The crazy part was that I was doing so to compete in a bodybuilding show. A pro bodybuilding show nonetheless, and it was my first pro show. Simply the act of traveling in order to compete made me feel like a pro. I recall with such clarity that day...

Bodybuilding has been around for decades and yet it still remains a sport perceived by the general public as a tiny sub-culture. If Arnold Schwarzenegger (who is larger than life himself) couldn’t get the general public to view bodybuilding as a substantive mainstream sport, then I don't know who or what will. I know there are many athletes who would like for bodybuilding to go mainstream and that would be so cool, but in my opinion that’s probably unrealistic. I’m not trying to be a â€...