Hans and Franz

Let me tell you a funny story. About three years ago I was still an aspiring body builder. Well, maybe not a full-on, 'roid-filled beefcake body builder, but I was pretty serious about increasing my muscle mass. I was doing heavy weight lifting six times a week at a local gym. Despite being naturally lanky, I had increased my strength enough to bench press over 200 pounds (at a weight of 175) and leg press nearly 450.

Three years ago, my arms looked like this:



Let's just say they don't look like that anymore.

Long story short, I quit lifting weights and started racing bikes. Overall I think it was a good choice for me, since I'm a competitive person and I could never hope to be truly competitive at body building. That and body builders are creepy assholes. So I started racing bikes and lost a lot of weight, especially in my upper body. My weight dropped from 175 to 155 in just a year and a half, mostly from the loss of mass in my arms and chest.

Long story shorter, after a full season of racing, I've realized I'm weak in some areas, especially in sprinting and hard solo efforts. The remedy? Gym work! I rejoined a gym, have restarted my old workout routine (modified slightly for the needs of cycling) and already feel the burn in my muscles. To be honest, I really missed it, and being back makes me feel at home. Maybe in a couple of years if this racing thing doesn't work out I'll go back to full-on body building. Who knows?

All I do know is that next season I'll be faster, stronger and waaaaay more attractive. 'Cause that's really all that matters.