THT 4.0 V1 chest and abs done! Plus, a retrospective on training.

We are all given different starting points in life in a number of ways. We might be born into privilege, or into abject poverty. Quite a few of us will be born into the "in-between" of those two extremes. You might be born with a predisposition for science, a passion for the arts or a desire to perform public service. However you start in life, with a few tragic exceptions, you can always change your ways and, furthermore, change your own life.

It's important to note that last part: change your own life. When I started to really get into MuscleHacking (and submitted my first testimonial to Mark McManus), I never intended to "change" anyone's life but my own. I wasn't satisfied with my level of personal fitness and I had always wanted to be "more", physically, than what I had ever been before. When Mark had mentioned to me that I should write my own blog about my training experience with the MuscleHack THT systems, I was enthusiastic about the opportunity to tell my story as a "hardgainer" bodybuilder. In reality, I also know that the audience I would reach at first was tiny, but would hopefully expand over time.

As one of my favourite Internet memes goes, "Suddenly, everything". I started to really put on some muscle almost 2 years after starting out, but with some "breaks" in training that I didn't want - travel, injuries, other commitments, it still wasn't piling on as fast as I wanted it to. My blog started to gain some consistent readers (thank you!) and my progress was published for all to see. This kept me accountable, but apparently it also had a motivational effect for other folks. Things like that always make me smile!

So, 3 years later I've been published as a pictorial testimonial for Mark's latest free training guide - Targeted Hypertrophy Training v4.0 -  and I've been invited to be one of the first authors on Mark's new website, MuscleHacker. In fact, my first article is up and I've been asked to continue writing! I plan on doing so for as long as I'm allowed to continue. I owe the MuscleHack community, especially Mark, more than I can ever repay for the chance and tools to build a better me.

Now, I look back at what I have done in the past three years and I'm truly shocked by it. I'm humbled by my ever-expanding reader base and the feedback I receive from everyone. I'm inspired by the messages I get that tell me that I've inspired someone else. I'm bolstered by my own conviction to keep putting on muscle and to be able to keep helping friends, acquaintances and complete strangers effect change within themselves - to help them obtain the shape and health they've always wanted.

My favourite part is that I do this for free for them. Every last one of them. I guess I really am "paying it forward" as a MuscleHacker because Mark has made so much knowledge, so many tools available to us for free. It only seems right to continue that philosophy. For as long as I can assist others in a mneaingful way to them, I'll keep blogging and training others as I train myself.

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Training note: chest and abs day was yesterday. Gains, gains, GAINS. I love a solid day with no back-pedaling! Benching was hardcore, narrow-motion pec deck was BRUTAL, but so worth it. Abs work? Slaughtered 'em. All in the name of gains. Today is back and biceps day. LET'S DO THIS!

Have a great day everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings today. Apparently I just had to "get that out" of me.

Train hard and lift safe!

Adam

PS - an "aftermath pic" from training yesterday. Toasted abs and shredded pecs!