Thread: Bio / Introduction

Hello All… My name is Michael and I am in fact, new to this forum. However, I am not new to Body Sculpting / Body Building as a whole. I just have been away from it, for a long while. (Smile). I got into body sculpting (yes there is a difference) back in the early 90’s, then as I progressed, I slowly made the transition into heavy - lift (power-lift) and body building.

This, in retrospect, was probably a big mistake for me, since at my peak I ended up severing my left Rotator Cuff and severely tearing my right Cuff. I tend to push the threshold of much of what I do, far beyond acceptable limits, thus I should have stuck with my original plan of sculpting what I already had, and stayed away from power-lift all together. However, I digress!!


About me: I’m a large framed male to begin with. I have a very heavily built skeletal structure, (my wrist bones are larger than some men’s forearms) and my upper chest is exceptionally large, but tapers down a long torso, to a slender waist line, with no butt. My arms and legs are both genetically and naturally large, with my genetic structure being that of a Viking/Norseman.



I reached 6 foot even, when I was in the 7th grade, and weighed out at a lean 190 lbs.. Between 7th grade and a sophomore in High School, I grew another inch, but filled out to a lean 225 lb. However, I only added another 20 lbs. of lean muscle to that, after high school, as well as about 20 lbs. of fat.



By the time I was in my early thirties I weighed around 275 lbs. but honestly was about 30 lbs over weight, so I got into body sculpting (shaping) to slim down and tune up. It wasn’t long before I found my training transcend from sculpting to power lifting. I think the rush of test I got from training and being in the gym, played a big part of my progression to power-lift.



As I mentioned earlier, I trained for just under 7 years with my peak climax coming in late 97 when I blew both shoulders out. I was attempting to bench 485 lbs. (4 plates of 100, 2 plates of 20, and 2 plates of 5, with the bar weight) when my left shoulder gave out and I felt a painful tearing of my right shoulder. (A true testament to the need for having spotters) Kind of a wet dream gone bad I guess.


My usual Bench work out would be the first set of 5 reps at 350 + then later that session a wear down set of how ever many reps would turn my arms into rubber bands. Even though I could squeeze an occasional rep out at 400 my best lift was on the leg sled. At my best, I could do from 1 to 5 reps at 1200 lbs. on the leg sled even though I couldn’t do much more than 400 in a squat cage.



At that stage in my life my basic stats went something like this… 6 ft. 1 in tall with a body fat index of 5% or less, depending on where I was in training and outside social activities (pitchers of beer), 56 inch chest, 36 inch waist, upper arms/biceps 24 to 25 inches, forearms 16 to 17 inches, and 30 inch upper thighs with 20 inch caves. (Caves were too big and never could get their size down much)



Probably not the best stats in the world, but I was somewhat satisfied. After recovering from rotator cuff and hand surgery I moved to South Miami Beach and though I lost some muscle mass I stayed in fair shape up until I started driving a truck for a living.

Fast forwarding, now after driving for some 9 year…, I’m 54 years old and find myself in need of a rebuild… a makeover! Hence the screen name Classic_Rebuild. I been slowly preparing for this for a couple of years now, but understood that until I was close to getting off the road, it would be a big waste of time and money to attempt any kind of remake.


Just a quick note here about truck driving then I will end this. Anyone out there planning to drive a truck, especially over the road, please understand, that trucking, is one of the hardest and unhealthiest professions, one can become involved with. Especially, if one is planning to become a body builder. I could write volumes about the health issues of trucking, but I think I need to restrain myself here, and move on.



Anyway, to try and end this longer than most introduction/bio, I found this last night and it seems like it’s just what I been looking for. I was looking for a source of both information and message forum of other enthusiast to share and discuss all the new advances in supplements and the mechanics of body building.



Once I have had a chance to make sure this is the place for me, I will more than likely move up to the “Elite” status on your site. After all, isn’t that partly what Body Building is about? Seeking to be “Elite”

Good to meet you.