You wanna hear a random fun fact about me? I've popped my shoulder out 19 times in my life. yea 19, that's insane - so insane that my doctor when he finally fixed my shoulder said it was one of the weakest shoulders he had ever seen.
(Picture above: I had to put my shirt back on in Koh Lanta as it was getting chilly. You can probably play where's waldo with my muscles, there simply is none. Verdict: Super self conscious).
(Picture Below: I had a lot of fun at the Kuang Si Waterfalls in Laos but I still look about as thick as a swizzle stick. Verdict: If i'm not going to be ripped, at least get a tan).
From 2010 - 2013, there wasn't really much I could do in the way of sports. It could be as simple as rolling over in bed, reaching for my seat belt or just throwing a ball the wrong way, my shoulder would pop out. Eventually, it got to a point where I had to get surgery. Funny enough, even after the surgery, my shoulder continued to pop out at which point, I got another surgery, this one really did a number on me though. Till today, I can't stretch my left shoulder the same way I can with my right. I struggle doing pull ups and overhead-tricep exercises cause my shoulder to feel like it's going to pop again. During this time, I wasn't working out and was super skinny - I was very self conscious with my body. (You'll be hard pressed to find a lot of pics of me with my shirt off).
Even for a long time after my 2nd surgery, I was scared to really push myself in the gym. Coupled with the fact that I traveled for 3 years straight from January 2017 - January 2020, I didn't really make time to properly work out.
(Here's a video of me at The French Riviera in Nice, France back in 2017, you can see how skinny I was and yes, I was very self conscious about my little shoulders).
Finally at the end of 2019, I sort of snapped out of my misery of looking like an emaciated porcelain doll and decided to hit the gym under the guidance of my friend Adam Pike and his East Coast Shredz Workout. I'm 12 weeks in and I'm feeling like I'm in the best shape of my life.
(I had fun hanging with my best friend Itay in Thailand at the end of 2018 but the only flabby muscle I see are my moobs - yay. I'm on the left if you're visually challenged).
(Picture Below - I went to Israel right before I went to Thailand at the end of 2018 and hung out on the beach. Looking at this picture, I don't even know if I'm 3 dimensional, yea I was rockin' a full beard.).
Here's some of the songs that keep me pushing as hard as I can in the gym. Songs that inspired me to push past my limitations and turn me into what I look like now. Let's not fool anyone though, I got a long way to go but I WILL get there.
(These 2 photos are of me at around the 8 week mark of working out, I was actually pretty happy with these pics as I had never been this muscular in my life before).
Do you want your adrenaline to soar to level 3000? This is the song for you - this song will get you pissed off at everyone and everything around you, you'll be in so much rage, it'll be a workout just trying to calm down. I wonder if David Draiman listened to this track when he threw his schoolmate out the window at the gym. (The kid threw a 25lbs plate at him, he kinda deserved it).
Apparently, this song was used to torture inmates at Guantanamo Bay. The guards would play it over and over to annoy people and not give them any sleep. Honestly, if you wanna get hyped up, this is the tune for you. I know it works for me.
(This picture of me is around the 10 week mark. For some reason, my traps like to build up at lightning speed while my chest is slower than the 401 during rush hour - Toronto reference).
3. Three Days Grace - Riot
I like to listen to this track right before I hit the bench press. There's something about envisioning myself in a jail, forcing myself to just break out and smash everyone and everything in my way and channeling that energy into bench pressing beyond my natural limits.
(Ok, now we're talking! This picture of me was taken at the beginning of the 12 week mark. I'm starting to see some results. The lower picture is around the 11 week mark. Notice the difference between the first back picture and now)!
4. Muse - Psycho
This is a fun one because I actually saw Muse live in Melbourne back at the end of 2017. When this song came on, the whole crowd went absolutely mental and the whole row in front of me was just freaking out. I think it's this energy that has me fueled up every time I hear it.
Collision Course was an awesome album. Every collab song between the 2 was a home-run in my opinion. If I had to choose any off of that album though, it would be this one.
My final words to you: Keep pushing, good things will happen! I never thought I could get to where I am now but with good work ethic and by eating right, here I am. If you want to look like this, you can and you will. Hit up Adam Pike on Instagram - @adampikefitness and he'll change your life, I can guarantee you that.
Cheers!
Mark D
IG: themarkdshow
My other social media links: linktr.ee/themarkdshow
Enjoying your blog.
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