At 46, weighing 285 pounds. Never set foot in a gym, never lifted a weight. Self-described geek — computers, RPGs, pizza. Then a friend started losing weight, and something clicked.
Did what I always do: research. Dove deep into nutrition, found keto, used it as a forcing function to think about food for the first time. Lost 65 lbs in six months through diet and walking alone.
Joined a gym for the first time. Good Life, 5am sessions. Started with StrongLifts 5x5 — squat, bench, overhead press, deadlift. Everything began with an empty bar. That early morning habit has stayed for 11 years.
Discovered Gymnastic Bodies and their seven fundamental skills. First exposure to handstands — shoulder mobility, tripod headstands, wall work. Got comfortable kicking up and bailing.
Missed the barbell, joined The Lab — a local powerlifting gym. Trained there for two years, volunteered at meets. First real taste of training community. Loved it.
Built out my setup at home — rack, parallettes, barbell. Made the decision to train at home full-time. Lucky timing: when lockdowns hit, I was already self-sufficient.
Discovered Handstand Factory, joined BSF (Balance, Strength, Flexibility). First time with actual coaches giving feedback. Worked with Tom, Ulrick, Erdi, Paul, Sundi. Each brought something different.
57 years old, training 6 days a week. Chasing the one-arm handstand — not because I need to prove anything, but because I want to see how far this goes. The real goal: staying capable for the next 30 years.
Cleaning up my freestanding hold
Building the strength and mobility
The ultimate test of control
I taught myself barbell training from books. Research, synthesize, execute, iterate.
Self-direction built my foundation, but elite coaches refined my work in ways I couldn't find alone.
Skill work without a strength base is fragile. I still squat and deadlift.
Elbow tendinitis, shoulder issues. Every setback taught me about volume management and sustainability.
Online coaching fills some gaps, but the in-person connection is something I'm still reaching for.
Started at 46 with nothing. The only barrier is starting.
You don't need to be young. You don't need a circus background. You just need to start and keep showing up.
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