To me, getting muscular was the first thing I ever achieved by working at it, and it was a game changer for me, because it was the first time I ever had confidence.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I wasn't athletic as a kid, and I was self-conscious about my body, but then in eighth grade I won a school contest, and the prize was a bunch of personal training sessions.
Bodybuilding saved my life because I overcame the nerd stage. I got picked on. I was fascinated with power, and then I decided to take that direction because I knew that would make me feel good about myself.
When I was a kid I did marshal arts, and then I did all-star crazy competitive cheer and dance, and then I swam so I was very muscular. You know, healthy, but not quite as thin as I am.
As a kid, what brought me in the gym, what got me in there every day was a chance to break your personal best, a chance to be strong; I just really, really dig that.
I think sports and bodybuilding were the only things that saved me from getting beat up. People are not pleased, for whatever reason, when you can answer all the questions in class. If not for the respect I got from track, cross-country, wrestling and bodybuilding, it would have been a disaster.
I liked sports but I never really had the confidence. I was always coordinated and it came easy to me, but I didn't have the confidence to go along with the physical skill.
Being successful at a very young age gave me the confidence and the capability to try out other things.
I learned how to get in shape without getting certain muscles too big that make you look like a meathead.
It was probably right after I made my comeback - after retiring post-2008 Olympics - when I finally felt more at ease with my body. Being away from the sport helped put things in perspective.
My main goal is to become the most successful weightlifter in history.
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