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James Shildon | Maximuscle Life changing stories
Dear Maximuscle,
The year was 1995. I can't recall the exact date, but I do know it was one of the coldest winter evenings I can remember. A friend had persuaded me to join him for a workout at our local gym. Frankly, I was nervous as hell. I had never been near a gym, let alone trained at one. I was worried I would stand out like a sore thumb. And I did.
At 17 years old, I weighed nearly as much as my age. I can't begin to describe how embarrassed I felt when getting changed for PE lessons. Some of my so-called 'friends' joked about my weight. Although I pretended it didn't bother me, it did. In truth, I was very self-conscious. And the only way I could feel better was to eat. As you can imagine, at just under 17 stone, eating formed a big part of my life. I used food as an emotional comfort, almost like it was a drug. And it worked - for a few hours anyway. Then I felt guilty because I'd eaten so much, and ended up devouring some more. I was trapped - completely powerless to stop the rolls of unsightly fat slowly accumulating around my waist. My evenings and weekends were spent slouched in front of the television. I had no social life worth mentioning. If they gave awards for gluttony and sloth, I would have been top of the list.
Looking back now, I can see that my life was in a mess. Six months earlier, I had started to dabble with drugs. Nothing serious, mind you - just the odd 'spliff'. To tell you the truth, it wasn't something I really enjoyed. I just did it to fit in with my friends. Some friends they turned out to be. In fact, one of them was recently given a five-year prison sentence - drug dealing I think.
That first night at the gym.It was set up in the basement of an old warehouse. The walls were bare, there was no heating, and the ceiling had the odd leak. In fact, it often reminded me of a dungeon. But the atmosphere was incredible. It just made me motivated and want to train. Although the machines were primitive compared to the stuff you see now, it didn't matter. It had everything I needed. Even now, I can still remember wrapping my hands around that cold steel barbell for the very first time. It's difficult to explain (and it might sound a little strange), but it just felt 'right'. And although the idea of going to a gym still made me nervous, I decided to join there and then.
For the first six months, my training programme was based on the routines followed by all the professional bodybuilders. You know the type - twenty sets per muscle group, six days a week. It made perfect sense at the time. After all, these guys were the professionals. It wasn't until later I discovered that most of the articles in the popular muscle magazines were ghost written - made up by an obscure staff writer. I also followed the supplement advice given by the champions.
I'm a little embarrassed to admit it now, but I believed that they actually used the milk powders they promoted. Not surprisingly, my progress was painstakingly slow. In fact, if I hadn't enjoyed the training so much, I probably would have given up. I thought perhaps that I didn't have the right genetics, or that my metabolism was slower than everybody else.
Then I saw some of the early Maximuscle adverts. To tell you the truth, I thought the claims made for some of the supplements sounded a little too good to be true. For example, the protein drinks I had used always needed a blender. I did try using a fork once, but the drink was so lumpy it was almost impossible to drink. You can imagine how sceptical I was when I read that Promax could mix without a blender. I took the plunge and bought a tub for myself. I was pleasantly surprised! It actually worked and did what It promised. So I decided to order a few more supplements. I think my first supplement 'stack' was Creatamax and Promax (chocolate was my favourite). I know it sounds basic, but it was all I could afford at the time. I also used one of the training routines detailed in the free training guide that Maximuscle send to their customers. And that's when I started making real progress. I could literally see myself improving on a weekly basis - That was five years ago.
I'm training as hard as I ever. The 'dungeon' closed down last year, so I had to join one of the fancy gyms, popping up everywhere. The equipment is great, but the atmosphere doesn't even come close. Still, you can't have everything.
I continue to use Maximuscle supplements. Sure, they might cost a little more than most. But you get what you pay for. I'm absolutely convinced that without these supplements, I would not have experienced the kind of progress I have over the past five years. Now don't get me wrong - I'm far from being the best-built man in the world. But my physique puts me head and shoulders above 95% of the people I see in the gym. I've been asked for advice more times than I care to remember. Some listen, some don't. Frankly, I gave up arguing about supplements a long time ago. If these people think they can get all the nutrition from their diets, that's fine. But it doesn't surprise me when I see them in the gym making little or no progress. I guess some people never learn.
Now things are different!Sometimes I look back on my old life and laugh. Things are so different now. I work in a job that I love. I have a girlfriend I adore (she's been bitten by the weight training bug as well - my enthusiasm must be contagious!). It's still difficult for me to believe that it all started with a barbell, a converted basement and a tub of chocolate Promax!
Thanks, guys, keep up the good work.
James Hildon
