"Doggie Wrangler"

I spent so much time in high school lifting weights and reading "Muscle And Fitness," that my father pleaded with me to spend my time more judiciously. "Spend your time working at something you can make a living at", he would say. After taking a lengthy test to determine what careers would suit me best, the high school guidance counselors concluded I should be a doggie wrangler.

...a what?

After my parents were given the news of my potential doggie wrangling career, they became very supportive of my decision to make a living counting reps. The lesson I learned at the ripe age of 18 is to find something that you are passionate about, no matter what it is, and pursue with all your being. And if you are fortunate enough to make a living pursuing your passion, there is no better way to spend your days.

Not enough can be said for having a strength training partner that you can count on. Someone to help hold you accountable when your not quite feeling like moving that weight. Someone who is just as passionate about strength and conditioning as you are, and ideally, someone who is stronger and more fit then you. There is no challenge in training day after day with someone that will not require you to put that extra 45lb plate on the bar, or run that extra 100 yard sprint. If you want to get strong, train with stronger people.

That person for me is Dave Rudy. He and I shared the same passion for strength and conditioning all through high school and into our adult years. Dave has continued his passion for strength and conditioning by becoming an avid triathlete, even completing a few Iron Man Triathlons. Dave has also fed his passion for life long fitness by opening a "Snap Fitness Center" on Duke Street in Old Town Alexandria,VA. You should stop by and check his place out. The gym is the epitome of a neighborhood gym. The atmosphere is incredibly positive, which translates into great results for its participants.

I want to hear about your first training partner, the one that pushed you beyond your self-imposed limitations and out of your comfort zone.