From Powerlifting to the Iron Man: Here’s How I Did It

Learning from Legends

Eventually, I wanted to take things to the next level and moved over to Quads Gym, just down the street from Bally's in Calumet City, Illinois. Let me tell you, I had no idea what I was in for! That place was a real “GYM.” Some legendary athletes trained there, and they kept me on track. And then there was Ed Coan—the Greatest Of All Time in Powerlifting! Training with him and learning from those amazing athletes was a game-changer for me. From then on, I never went to the gym just to “sweat and get tired.” Every workout had a purpose and direction.

Still, my self-esteem was a work in progress. Even though I was hitting solid numbers in my lifts, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being in the same weight class as Ed. I mean, his warmups were my maxes! But I rolled with it and kept pushing forward on my journey, just enjoying the ride.

Throughout my twenties, I continued to lift weights and bounced around from job to job, working as a personal trainer and in other management positions. In the late 1990s, Roger and Sandy held a seminar at the World Gym in Highland, Indiana, where I was training and working as a trainer. I learned so much from just that one lecture! I started using their products immediately and haven't stopped since. That’s nearly 30 years of loyalty BECAUSE THEIR PRODUCTS WORK!

Embracing New Challenges: Marathon / Triathlon Revelation

As life went on, one day, I found myself watching the Chicago Marathon and wondered, “How in the world do those people do that? I can’t run one, let alone 26 miles!” Going with my fiancée (now wife) to support her coworker as she ran the marathon, I was instantly HOOKED! The atmosphere was electric, with athletes giving their best and high-fiving everyone! How was it that I could be here, watching people of all ages, colors, sizes, and handicaps —blind, one-legged, or those with no legs — out there doing it, yet thinking, “I’m Mr. Cool with muscles, and I couldn’t run even one mile!” Game on! I decided I was going to do it. And I failed in training over and over again. Until I didn’t!

Finishing that one marathon changed my life. I drew upon all the lessons I had learned about weightlifting over the years. I combined them with my newfound knowledge of endurance training, transforming myself into a completely new coach and trainer. Never content with "good enough," I always aimed for "more." This is another reason I’m still with Beverly—nothing compares to it or provides my body with what it needs!

Eventually, I discovered the sport of triathlon, specifically Ironman triathlons. An Ironman consists of a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike ride, and capped off with a 26.2-mile marathon, totaling 140.6 miles all back-to-back. Not bad for someone who once couldn’t even run one mile!

I've completed 16 Ironman races, including a challenging Ultra event, where I finished a 70.3 Half Ironman on Saturday and a 140.6 full-distance event the very next day, totaling 210.9 miles. The highlight of my journey was competing in the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, this past October.

From Double Knee Replacement to Recovery: Rehabilitation, Nutrition and Beverly Supplements

Over the years, I have experienced significant wear and tear due to heavy lifting, extensive running, a history of rheumatoid arthritis, and genetic factors such as degenerative disc disease. I also have bone-on-bone contact in my hips and knees. As a result, I decided to have both of my knees replaced just three weeks after the Kona event.

Incredibly, I was able to rehabilitate my right knee within two weeks and then had the left knee replaced just two weeks later. I also fully rehabilitated the left knee in another two weeks. Within a month of the surgeries, I was back on my bike, running, swimming, and even squatting and leg pressing with heavy weights!

My success can be attributed to my diligence in rehabilitation and diet, as well as my wife’s support. However, Beverly’s Glutamine Select, UMP, Mass Aminos, Ultra 40 Beef Liver, and Super Pak were the real gamechangers for me!

Nearly all of my clients use UMP, and even my 14-year-old daughter, an up-and-coming international-level swimmer, takes her UMP after every swim; her favorite flavor is Cookies and Crème. My 10-year-old stud soccer-playing son has a BEVERLY shake after practice and games. He loves all the flavors!

I want to thank BEVERLY FOR EVERYTHING! I think it would be pretty cool to see myself featured in the same magazine that I always wait for and share with my wife and clients! My kids would freak out from pride. If you’re reading this, then that means it happened!

Diet & Supplement Plan

I'm not really into meal prepping, so I don't have any elaborate recipes to share. I prefer my meals to be as close to natural whole-food options as possible. This approach helps minimize inflammation in my body caused by training and arthritis.

I practice intermittent fasting as much as possible, depending on my training cycle. Generally, I only need about 6 to 7 hours of sleep each night, but I take a midday nap if necessary.

I have designated “carb-up” days on Mondays and Thursdays. When I’m not training for a specific event, I follow the Beverly Fat Burning Diet to prevent gaining any unnecessary weight. While training for sports, I adjust my daily calorie intake based on my specific caloric needs for that day.

Twice a day, I take a 7-Keto MuscLean, Quadracarn, Lean Out, GH Factor stack on an empty stomach.

All meals include 2 Lean Out, 5 Mass Aminos, and 5 Ultra 40 Beef Liver. I wake up at 4 am and get in my first training session on an empty stomach.

Meal 1: 3 scrambled eggs with omelet veggies and one or two lean sirloin burgers.

Meal 2: Protein Shake: 2 scoops of UMP mixed with one tablespoon of flax oil and 4 strawberries. The second training session occurs early to mid-afternoon.

Meal 3: Protein shake (same as above) immediately after the training session.

Meal 4: Chicken Caesar salad.

Meal 5: No later than 7 pm (3 hours before bed), 4-8 oz of lean meat and veggies.