Why i call you bro, and sign off with "Respect"

63Vette

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I had a lot of pm's over the years asking why I usually signed off with "Respect". Before that I had a lot of questions about why I use the terms brother and sister. If you have a minute, I would like to explain both of those to you.

I start my day at 3:45 am. Once I find my way to the bathroom, I wet a wash cloth and run it over my face. It is of course dark outside, and inside as well, and everyone and everything seems to be wrapped in a blanket of calm. The night before I loaded my car with the shirt and tie I wear to work and my gym bag contains all that is needed to prepare myself for the long day ahead….. but first…. there is much to do.

As I enter the kitchen and glance at the clock I see that it is 4am and time to focus. As the 80 calorie English muffin is toasting I take the required supplements and drink a pre-workout in hopes of maximizing my efforts. I mix a post workout shake and have an intra workout of BCAAS to refresh me. So, after vitamins, a dry English Muffin and a pre-workout I am in the car and on the way. Where am I going? Good question.

To me, and probably to you, I am going to a sacred place where challenges abound and character is revealed. I am going to a temple of iron where my skin and bone will be tested and tried. I am going to a place where cold hard steel will test my desire, integrity and resolution. I am going to the ‘gym’.

I arrive at 4:40am and a few are already there. The grimaced faces of my brothers and sisters function as a subtle reminder that I am not alone, nor am I first. In fact, I am never alone and I am never first. Someplace, somewhere, someone is working harder and smarter than I am and showing greater dedication and determination.

As I enter the gym my eyes begin to focus more keenly and my thoughts turn to small bits of motivational thought; ‘if you want what you want you are going to have to do more’, ‘you have had recovery time and you need to show what you are made of today’, ‘today is a chance to kick it up a notch and to prove to your mind that it is indeed the Master of your body’.

As I approach the weight room and settle in I find a corner to meditate in while I put on the gloves of my trade and say my daily prayers; “God, please grant me to strength to grow today and the will and the courage to move when I cannot, the will to push ‘One More Rep’ on command and the blessings of health that I may use this work to grow. Amen” It is 4:45 am.

I will not bother to talk about the pain, strain, passion, desire, intensity, expectations, or the rigor of my workout…. Or how every day despite my very best efforts at the time I am unhappy with the amount of work I could put in…. regardless, having failed I enter the sauna for meditation and to reflect on a workout that led to failure at every station and focus on where I need to go to move forward in my endeavors. It is 6:15am.

After a shower and getting dressed I hide the trophy I work so hard for. It’s there, my work in progress, under wraps if you will. It is rarely seen and probably misunderstood. My work has been invisible to the working masses I will now join. There is no one to cheer my performance or to console me in my failure. There are no spectators or judges, scoreboards or buzzers. It is a work done in isolation for a party of one.

As my day moves along there is much to be done. The cooler I carry for a “lunch bag” is a hint of things to come. There are no store bought snacks or a drive through breakfast available for me. My diet requires that I keep total control of my fuel intake and utilize the foods and nutrients that hours of study and years of experience has taught me will give me the best opportunity to recover and grow so that I can beat tomorrow what I accomplished today. I will sacrifice throughout the day- no cake- no bread. The cumbersome inconvenience of my cooler will draw odd looks and a few terse comments.

I will pay an extra $7 for my shirts to have the tailored so the top will fit without the bottom looking like a Barnum and Bailey tent. I will spend every spare moment I have reading and learning all I can about this amazing machine, my body, and how to fine tune it. I will spend thousands of dollars each year to make certain my body is supplied with the required ancillaries and fuel needed to be at it’s optimum at all times. I will invest, digest, and regurgitate a plethora of information discounting some while putting other theories in to practice and I will do all of this in the solitude of silence.

This is only the beginning of one day…. This is repeated every day all day long because anything less would be a lack of discipline and a failure to be trying my best… no one would know mind you, except for me. And while all of this may seem like an exercise of physical limits and discipline it is not. It is a battle that is fought by thousands of men and women every day to ensure that the mind is master of the body. It is a lifestyle. It is a never ending belief in growth. It is a religious torturing of one’s body, emotions, and limits to push our minds and bodies to their maximum potential and beyond, it is Body Building.

I am not the first, and I am not alone. There are thousands of men and women every day that got up a little earlier, worked a little harder, gave a little more effort and grew a little more. These silent partners are bound by a love and dedication only a few ever attempt and even fewer master. We are kindred spirits bound by the pain and sacrifice that is not a workout but a lifelong dedication to excellence and the willingness to fail every day to better ourselves. Those who move the statues in the temple of iron are a cut above. Pain and failure binds us. Determination and desire drives us. We are indeed brothers and sisters of the iron. And all of this my brothers and sisters is why I sign off:

Respect,

Vette
 

Hockeyplaya18

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I Heart you Vette, that was deep brother :)
 

Capt'n Ron

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I think I need to up my Aromasin, my E2 must be high. That just about brought a tear to my eye. Thanks brother!
 

ccpro

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Vette, are you a writer?...that was incredible! Props!

Respect,

ccpro
 

Curiosity

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Seriously, that was poetic. Also very true, this is the bond we all share here, and many people in our 'real lives' don't understand what we do or why we do it.

Good post brother!

Much respect!
 

Four1Thr33

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Dude that was a fantastic write up. It's like a bodybuilder manifesto
 

grind4it

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Unless you are putting that suit on every day to go to your job as a journalist, writer or editor you missed your calling brother.
 

LeanHerm

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Boooooingggg! You gave me a stiffy
 

jennerrator

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I am not the first, and I am not alone. There are thousands of men and women every day that got up a little earlier, worked a little harder, gave a little more effort and grew a little more. These silent partners are bound by a love and dedication only a few ever attempt and even fewer master. We are kindred spirits bound by the pain and sacrifice that is not a workout but a lifelong dedication to excellence and the willingness to fail every day to better ourselves. Those who move the statues in the temple of iron are a cut above. Pain and failure binds us. Determination and desire drives us. We are indeed brothers and sisters of the iron. And all of this my brothers and sisters is why I sign off:

Respect,

Vette

I have to say that I think about this every time I'm in the gym and something hurts...I don't quit, I push thru it..there is no quitting...this is what makes us a different breed.
 

Azog

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Great post Vette! Now I'm itching even harder to get back at it!
 

pirovoliko

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Amazing piece. Read it twice and saved it.

Respect to you brother.
 

St0ked

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That was amazing. Gave me chills. Lots of respect!
 

DarksideSix

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that's deep bro! very well said and written.
 

amore169

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Great post! Myself working almost 80 hours a week to provide for my family and still making time for the gym 6 days a week, your thoughts gave me more motivation to keep pushing for more! Thanks a lot.
 

SAD

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Serious writing skills but not to the point of being pedantic or unable to comprehend. In my experience, a piece like that probably just poured onto the keyboard from your heart and took far less time to write than one would think. Very poignant brother. A round of applause would cheapen that speech.

Much respect back at you Vette.
SAD
 

trim

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Nice post man! Maybe a hint of OCD? lol
 

69nites

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Vette well said. One of my closer brothers on these boards.
 

Patriot1405

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Incredible post Vette!!
Much respect brother!!
 

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