Sharing and Caring is the best form of Thanksgiving for the Holiday season.

Thanksgiving Day 2008 … I used it to reflect on and be thankful for all of my blessings, but Thanksgiving Day is also a time for me to think about ways to make a difference in other people’s lives.  I was taught at an early age to share with others who are less fortunate.  After all, we were less fortunate for many years as my parents struggled to make ends meet as foreigners in a new land.  I am thankful today that there were so many people in America who cared enough to take my entire family of 9 individuals in and care for us like their own.  My father never hesitated to donate to charity and give of himself to help others in need.  Through his numerous examples of philanthropy, I realized that is in giving that we ultimately receive.

I like to use this time of year to plan for the New Year … not in terms of what I am going to accumulate, but rather how I am going to help others see the good in each other and themselves.  What are you going to do with your time?  You can be like most people and go out and get caught up in the commercial aspect of the holidays … or you can be like me and try to immaterially touch other through simple acts of caring and sharing.  Of course I am going to give gifts … but I am going to take it a step further.  I am going to make a conscious effort to try to give a greater number of gifts that continue to give.  How?  I am going to try to be more courteous when I am out an about.  I was out today near a popular shopping area in southern California and the scene was sheer pandemonium … people running into, over, and through one another without regard for anything, much less anyone.  Every year during this time, I make a conscious effort to slow down enough to share a simple smile with hopes that it will act as a stone hitting a pond.  It will amaze you how many ripples can be caused by a small irregularity such as a smile or some other random act of kindness.  As far as I am concerned, the world is as crazy or as loving as you want it to be … but you must first be the catalyst for positive change.  Stop waiting for others to do what you know is the right thing to do.  Don’t be afraid of going against the grain and being a leader by setting a positive example for others to emulate.

Please share your experiences of love and kindness with me and others throughout this holiday season. Many will struggle financially, spiritually, or emotionally this holiday season.  Let us all work together to keep it all together.

November 23, 2008

With “Turkey Day” just days away, I can’t help but be astonished at how quickly this past year has literally flown by.  Let us all not forget the true meaning of “Thanksgiving.”  For me, Thanksgiving Day is a time  to stop worrying about what I don’t have or can’t have and reflect on the many ways that I have been blessed.  I truly believe that we as a people worry far too much about the future and things that are beyond our influence that we tend to forget about ways that we have and can influence others to become better and happier people.  As the holiday season progresses, try not to get too caught up in the commercial side of it and focus on the meaningful aspects … just remember that it is not about what we are going to get others or what others are going to get us.  It should be about getting together to share and care … with the simple gifts of love, kindness, forgiveness, and understanding.

My blood runs red as yours does … I just don’t settle for mediocrity!

I have been receiving a lot messages and emails inquiring about how I have managed to stay successful through the years. I have to admit that every time I read about my “success”, it bewilders me a bit because I know deep down that I have been through as many trials and failures. People … I AM NOT PERFECT! I don’t come from another planet so what makes you think that I am so much different than you. The whole point to my bloggin’ is to let you know that you TOO can achieve your dreams if you just FOCUS and GIVE IT YOUR ALL. At the end of the day, the catalyst that shoots you to the top will be your mental approach versus just relying on your physical abilities.

Am I saying that genetics is not an important trait? NO! What I am saying is that you can have perfect genetics and waste it all away by not having the right mental approach. I think having the “right” frame of mind is just as important, if not more important than having phenomenal physical capabilities. I have blogged before about the importance of VISUALIZATON, but what I am talking about here goes far beyond that. Having the “right” frame of mind entails being keen enough to not only see weaknesses but to make necessary revisions. What weaknesses am I talking about? I am talking about PRESENTATION (pump, color, sheen), and especially POSING. My point is that there are many non-genetic intangibles that you can improve on that will significantly improve your chances of winning. You just have to be opportunistic enough to recognize and capitalize on breaks that WILL come your way.

I have been successful on the competitive stage because I will not only recognize an opportunity to distance myself from the field, but I will exploit it to the fullest. What do I mean? It will surprise you how very little sleep the average competitor gets during the last week prior to competing. Why is this important? Without sleep, there is no rest … without rest, there is no recovery. This is a “double-whammy” since stress of any sort will result in water-retention. My advice is simple. Rest and relax because the battle ahead will take its toll. Secondly, do not do any photo-shoots prior to competing. Again, the stress is not worth the little return. Just stop and assess your goal. Did you come all this way for a photo-shoot or did you come to compete and win? When you win, the photo-opportunities will naturally be there. Last but not least, DO NOT eat SHIT food prior to competing. Being carb-depleted is not an excuse to be RETARDED. I cringe every time I see competitors exhibit poor self-control. My peeps who compete … please listen up! That shit is not going anywhere. It will be there the day following the show … it will be there a year from now … what the fuck is your hurry? Tell me if I am wrong, but you aren’t you suppose to fuckin’ win before you celebrate?

Let us NOT forget that I have been successful off the competitive stage as well. Many people do not know this fact about me, but I was a hard-working and diligent scholar before I was any kind of bodybuilder. As much as I enjoyed working out, I had to make sacrifices to keep up with my grades and my scholarship. I hardly trained my first semester, but I learned quickly how to prioritize my schedule and make time for the most important things in my life. Once I got my priorities straight I was able to increase my workout schedule to three times per week … every week. The important lesson that I learned my first semester in college was that there is always enough time for the things that we NEED to do versus the things that we WANT to do. The mental aspect of life keeps popping up and will continue to challenge me throughout the course of my life as it will test yours. My challenge to you is to be rational and clearly think through your tough decisions. So ironic how quickly we can ruin years with one stupid, careless reaction versus the countless years it may take to make a positive lasting impression.

I did not know a single thing about the sport of bodybuilding until after I completed my undergraduate studies. It was right after I received notice of my acceptance into medical school that I learned of this crazy, but intriguing sport called “bodybuilding”. I befriended a rising IFBB star named John “Tank” Sherman who told me I should give it a try. I recall the transition from low reps with high weight to high reps with moderate weight. One simple phrase sums up this transition best … “FUUUUUCKIN’-A!” One of my first bodybuilding workouts proved to be one of my worse workouts ever. I recall leg-pressing 600 pounds for 30 reps … at least that was the goal before I passed the fuck out at around 24 … LOL. That initial workout taught me quickly the importance of adequate nutrition and rest. As a powerlifter, I could eat virtually anything and get away with it. Although I was always the leanest competitor at the meets, I was definitely not eating to be lean. A typical pre-contest meal would be spaghetti and meatballs or burger and fries. How ironic that I would go from one end of the nutritional spectrum to the other just by changing sports … LOL.

For the last time my friends, if you are looking to Fitness, Figure, or Bodybuilding as a hobby and you have a job to support the interest, then go for it. If you are barely making rent and are having a tough time budgeting then my advice is to step back and wait before taking the plunge into the sport. The sport WILL break your budget. I am not saying that it can’t be done because it has been done before. However, the stress of having to worry about your checking account will make it that much more difficult for you to focus on the task at hand. The sport is not going anywhere. It will be there when you are ready. Your chance to become professional will probably come only once in your lifetime so make the most of it. Don’t make it any harder than it has to be.

What did my transition from powerlifting to bodybuilding teach me? It taught me that no matter what I do, the sacrifices and challenges ahead are only short term and that the possibilities ahead are endless when I can see beyond my fears. During high school and college, I feared being asian and failure most. Sounds stupid right? I grew up in small southern city called Port Arthur, Texas. Need I say more? There were so many other gifted athletes and I was always reminded of the fact that I was asian. So how did I overcome those fears? My coach just told me to stop fighting everyone else and try to focus on besting my individual goals. Was that good advice? It was GREAT advice! I shifted my focus from trying to break meet and state records to just increasing my personal bests. I learned to “step outside the box” by focusing within “my” personal box. Before too long, my personal best crept up on and eventually surpassed the meet and state records. Can you do this? As long as you breathe the same air I breathe, dream to be the very best, are willing to bust your ass, sweat some, cry some, yell some and most importantly are willing to accept that your best (each and every time) is yet to come … you have a GREAT chance.

My blood runs red just like yours … I live and I learn just as you should.  Tonight (November 13th, 2008) I came home after 10 hours at work and all I wanted to do was lay down and chill in my bed … but I didn’t.  I got my ass up and chose to be better.  Sure my bed is probably the most comfortable bed in the world, but I have plenty of time to sleep and rest … I am, however, limited to how much time I can live.  Exercise is synonymous with my life as air and nourishment.  Even as I lay here after a grueling yet empowering squat session at the gym, I feel absolutely amazing.  Staring down a bar loaded with 600 pounds of raw steel is one thing … hoisting it on your shoulders is quite another.  But I love it!  To me, there is nothing worse than walking away from the gym or a task thinking that “I should’ve” or “I could’ve” … I want to leave with all questions answered.  How did it go?  600 for 2 1/2 reps, as the last one took me down.  Of course I used the power rack and had the safety bars engaged.  Needless to say, I walked out of the gym with no regrets and pure adrenaline racing through my veins.  OH YEAH BABY … I’LL DEFINITELY BE BACK FOR MORE!  Striving to become better and stronger is very exciting to me.  I do not allow fear of the unknown to paralyze me … I allow it to drive me to succeed.  My challenge to everyone is to open your minds, your hearts, and truly believe that you are capable of great things.  Keep in mind that in order for you to crave success, you must first be willing to taste it.  Good evening and many thanks for reading.  Please feel free to write me if you have a topic that you would like for me to expand on.