The Gorilla of Weightlifting

What first started as a way to pass time on a boring 12 hour flight to Hawaii, ended in a drastic change in my lifestyle and beliefs. While my wife and I were packing our suitcases for our trip to Hawaii to visit my family and celebrate our first year of marriage, I decided to place 2 books in my carry on luggage. "Spartan Up" and "Thrive." The exact reason why I chose these 2 books is all a blur now but I'm pretty sure I heard about them listening to one of the many podcast I tune into on the weekdays. This decision would turn my lifestyle in a new direction.

What I read in these 2 books really changed my views on what it takes to be strong. They each explained to how protein from animal sources is not as vital as the media and online forums make it out to be. They taught me that it is possible to get high quality, nutrient dense, sustainable protein from a plant based diet. It also taught me how the quality of the meat industry continues to exponentially get worse. I was so engaged with the reading that I finished both books on the flight there.

While spending our 3 weeks in Hawaii, I couldn't help but constantly think about the information that I had read. My wife was already vegetarian at the time so this lead to a lot of conversations on the trip about the possibilities of me going vegetarian. I really wanted to do it, but my concerns lied heavily in how it would affect my athletic performance. My wife encouraged me to try it but reminded me that if it wasn't my decision to go vegetarian,it would never stick. On the flight home I decided to challenge myself to 30 days vegetarian. At the end of the 30 days I would assess myself and see if it was something I could continue.

Well the 30 days flew by with ease. I felt healthy, I felt strong, and PR'd on my snatch and clean and jerk. This positive response turned my 30 day challenge to an even bigger adventure. I stayed strict vegetarian for 7 months and continued making huge gains, getting strong, and increasing my energy levels. Is it possible that I could be competitive in the sport of weightlifting by completely eliminating meat sourced proteins? Could I still make it to nationals and the american open while sustaining a plant based diet?

Sitting now, a year and a half from the day I decided to go vegetarian, I have only had one fallback and ate meat for a month in between. I have won 4 medals in local and state meets including 2 golds and a best overall lifter award. I competed in the national championships and placed 13th. I am currently 21 days away from competing in the american open located in Reno, Nevada. 

I have grown to appreciate life and the rights of all animals. I am a huge advocate of plant based diets and will continue spread the word that it is possible to competitive in a strength sport while eating a meat-free plant-based diet. I used social media to show people, lifters, and young athletes that you don't need to kill animals to be strong. Teach them that animal protein is also not at the quality it used to be and that plant protein is more nutrient dense and better for the body.

Now that you know a little about me and what I represent as a lifter, I would like to conclude this entry with why I named this the Gorilla of Weightlifting. Besides the fact that I am an extremely hairy man that resembles an ape, Gorillas are one of the strongest and most fierce animal in the jungle. They walk around with silverbacks, monster chests and enormous arms. Gorillas have the capability to lift 2000kgs over their heads. Go to google or ask siri to find out what gorillas eat... You will find that they're organisms that survive mostly on a plant based diet and still are considered one of the top 10 strongest animals. Maybe others out there can choose to follow in my footsteps and become a Gorilla of Weightlifting.

The Hitman

    I have been a hit man for 6 months now. I have been watching 175s every move, trying to figure out his daily schedule, waiting for the right time to finish the job and collect the pay check. There has been many days where I have him in my crosshairs but, can't get the right shot. I see him wearing the red pants, red shirt, and red hat with the big chrome necklace. This is his favorite thing to wear. Today is the day I am going to do it. It’s been 6 months, it’s been too long. I know his schedule, I can predict every move he does, and today is the day.

     As I sit outside his apartment watching him through my scope, something seems a little odd today. He woke up a little later than usual. Normally he leaves the house around 6:30 but, today it’s already 11 o’clock and he is just getting dressed. Stay focused Brandon, keep him in your sight. Wait, his clothes are different too. Same chrome necklace, but today he has red pants, blue button up shirt, blue hat and a weird green tie. 

     Stay focused, I can still get this done. I have him in my crosshairs, I can do this. Wait for the right shot and pull the dam trigger. He is walking through his living room, taking his time walking across his polished wood floor. I take a deep breath, close my eyes and tell myself, "Brandon, you can do this."

     Open my eyes, take another deep breath. I pull the trigger slowly and then it feels like time stops as the bullet leaves my gun. I see the bullet gliding through the air towards the window of 175s apartment. Glass shatters as I blink. 175 turns and falls. Did I finally get the job done? Can I move onto my next target of 180?

     I wait a few seconds and I see 175 stand up and look towards me. I fall back in fear. Did he see me? Hopefully not. I peek over again look through my scope and see 175 shaking his head, laughing, as if he is invincible. How did I miss this shot? I was ready for it. 6 months went into this one shot and I blew it.

    All I can do is go back to the drawing board. Work on my shot every day and get better. Next time I get a shot a 175, I will make sure it’s a hit. I need to move on to my next target, 180. I've taken too long with this immortal 175.

Garage Lifter

*** This is a piece that I wrote almost a year ago. Thought I would post it on my blog***

With a new apartment and new gym a lot has been going through my mind. Where I came from, a typical 3 bedroom house with a garage and a simple weight set, flashes through my head. Lifting weights in the small garage with 1 lightbulb after a 10 hour work day, the ups and downs of training, having easy access to a bed, a couch, a good TV show, a beautiful wife waiting for me to finish, are just a few of the hardships of lifting by yourself in your own home. 

Every morning I wake up excited about my training and the workout for the day. I give myself a pep talk and set some training goals for day. I go all day anxious to begin my training, watching weightlifting videos, and of course teaching high school students math. When 4:20 hits and the last student leaves my classroom, something enters my body that is hard to explain. My energy levels plunge, negative thoughts go through my head, and the entire drive home my attitude towards training is negative. I believe these feelings comes from the expectations of what is to come. 

I see an image of a weightlifter, a weightlifter sitting by himself in a metal chair waiting to complete his next set. Lights super dim coming from a single lightbulb, the same hardcore rap music playing in the background, and a lifter contemplating his decision to lift. The same weightlifter questioning is it all worth it? Why be a weightlifter when sports like CrossFit are built around community? Athletes struggling together, helping each other through the rollercoaster of training, encouraging each other to finish faster and stronger.

When you hit a milestone, a lifetime PR, a personal goal alone in your garage, who is there to celebrate it with? Who is there to share the excitement with? No one, just yourself. Why be a weightlifter, alone in a garage, when the only person cheering you on is your own mind, conscience and will power? No teammates, No community, No Encouragement. 

Thanks for Reading???

     Blog name. Check. Write my first entry. Work in progress. I have decided to name my blog Kill Kilos Not Animals for a few reasons. I myself am a vegetarian, actually as of write now as I'm writing this, I'm vegan. Long story short, trying it for a week. 2nd, I am a competitive weightlifter that competes at the national level in the snatch and clean and jerk, even though I do not eat meat. So I have came up with the name kill kilos not animals to basically sum up 2 important parts of my life for the last 2 years, plus I use that hash tag on instagram, so why not? Go check it out #killkilosnotanimals.

       Now that you know where the name came from, I guess the next step is to tell you the direction this blog is heading. That direction is no direction. Some days I may write about "where do you get your protein from bro?" a question I get a lot being vegetarian. Look how big gorillas are dummy, and they don't eat meat. Some days I will write about the million random thoughts that go in and out of my head. And to be honest, most of my entries will be about weightlifting. Heck maybe i write some blogs about "lets save the earth together." Just know that my blog will be 2 things for sure. Random as hell, and it will have terrible grammar and spelling. I'm a math teacher for crying out loud. I don't know how to write, I just know how to math.

      At the end of the day maybe I'll gain a few followers, maybe not. Maybe I'll change some of you carnivorous lifters, into earth friendly, animal loving hippies, like myself, but then again, probably not. At the end of the day I don't care who reads this, who agrees with this, or if I write every week for the next year with no views. The only thing that matters to me is that using this blog, there is a chance that someone will get some enjoyment out of it and I will get a chance to express myself to the world of the internet. How do you finish a blog? Stay tuned for more entries and enjoy the ride? I don't know how to conclude this. Thanks for reading??

P.S. So I guess I can add a check mark to the "write my first entry" box.