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“Why am I not in bed, like everyone else, dead to the world? Why
do I do this, live with the constant pain, the suffering,
the sacrifice? Why? Because I can. Because pain tells me I’m
awake. Reminds me I’m alive. Who am I? I am the wrecker of steel. I am
the crusher of mediocrity. I am the face of destiny. I am
Animal...”
“I begin tomorrow. Eighteen weeks in this dark hole. 126 days of pain.
3024 hours of hunger and desire. I’m already counting the minutes, the
seconds. When it’s over, I’ll step up out into the light. I will
shine...”
“This place, this darkness... There’s no better place to be. This is
where the real work gets done. So if you’re with me, get that time card
and punch in, cuz it’s gonna be a long, sweet ride. Be prepared to get
your hands dirty. Listen... Hear that silence? Tomorrow, it’s gonna
rock ‘n roll. So let’s get the show on the road. Let’s throw some iron
into the fire...”
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"It’s out there, brothers... Has been as long as you or I or anyone can
remember. It thrives in the dark, dank corners of shithole gyms
everywhere. Listen... Can you hear it? It's the call. Those fortunate
enough to have heard it, who've made the journey, know the road is
long. The way is covered with mud, rock, and shit. To all those who've
come before me, I tell you this... I too have heard and I am ready. I
am ready to toil in anonymity under the merciless weight, under the
scrutiny of my own unforgiving gaze. I am ready for this undertaking
and when I am done, I will no longer be among the nameless, the
faceless. It's my time... I will stand up and be counted."
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"How do you know you're ready? Let me tell you something... You don't.
As I'm lying here in the dark, alone in the gym and thinking about the
next 18 weeks, I know this... You won't find answers anywhere. It's not
written in any book. There's no guide. Nobody's gonna tell you it's
time. Only one person will know... You. You just got to want it bad
enough. Maybe one day you'll wake up and you'll know today's the day and
you start your own journey. Just remember this... Making the decision
to venture into the unknown, into uncharted territory--that's the hard
part. You get over that, and your future will open up. Destiny will be
within your grasp. That doesn't mean things will get any easier. Fuck
no, they won't. But just getting to the edge, being able to look
over--that's why I'm here. Listen, you can't wait until you think
you're ready. I got news for you--you'll never be ready. You'll
never be big enough. You'll never be lean enough. Your lagging parts
will never catch up quick enough. So if you waited for that time when
you thought you might be ready, you'd never step up. And if you don't
step up, you're not in the game. I'm in the game. I'm gonna look
and see what's on the other side..."
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"In a couple hours, the sun will be up and the world will start
buzzing. But for now, it's still dark outside and fucking cold. The gym is still empty,
silent. I'm alone. I've got another set to do. I grip the bar, feel the
cold iron in my hands. It's familiar, yet strange. How many times have
I been under this weight, looked up, and tried to push the weight
through the ceiling? I couldn't begin to count. But every time I feel
the steel, I tell myself it's the first time--and the last. Never take
anything for granted. Not a single rep. Not a single meal. That's
what has kept me from getting stuck in a rut. What'll keep me
fucking going for the next 18 weeks? It's a date circled in red.
Soon, when I'm done here, I'll punch out and head on home. Is
bodybuilding a job? Fuck yeah. The toughest in the world. And the gym
is my office. When I get home, I'm not done for the day. Far from it.
Shit, bodybuilding is a job, but it's much more than that.
Bodybuilding... This is my life...
So I take a deep breath... I look up and brace myself for what comes next."
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