Growing up I was always the bigger kid, but I never sat still. I played just about every sport, and eventually football, which is what first got me into a weight room. The guys around me pushed me to put on size and get strong. Having that goal, and having people pushing me toward it, is what kept me going.

It worked. The lifting packed real strength and size on me, and I climbed all the way up to 220 (image 1). There was muscle under it, but I was out of shape, and I sat at that weight for a long time.

Then I got into MMA, and I knew I wanted to compete. At 220 I was nowhere near my natural weight class. Cutting down wasn't about avoiding the bigger guys. It was about getting to the weight where my speed and skill actually give me an edge. So I went back to what built me in the first place: the people around me. My coaches and training partners knew what I was after, and they held me to it (images 2 and 3). That's how I got from 220 down to 155 (image 4), and it's how I still make weight and compete today.

These days I fight as an active amateur (image 5), with years of kickboxing, Muay Thai, and jiu-jitsu in me. I've taken some real damage along the way too. I tore my ACL, tore my pec, and did the long rehab all the way back to 100% (image 6). I also work a full HVAC job, so I know what it's like to try to train when you're already wiped from a nine-to-five and your body's beat up.

None of this happened because I'm special. It happened because I always had someone in my corner. Teammates who pushed me, coaches who wouldn't let me quit on myself. Almost nobody gets there alone, and I was lucky I never had to. That's who I want to be for you. Whether you've trained your whole life or you've never set foot in a gym, I'll keep you honest and make sure you show up for yourself.