In October 2010, after over 30 years of lifting, I ripped both of my triceps tendons off at the elbows. My doctors and surgeon had never heard of anyone having this injury to both arms at the same time and made it clear that my lifting days were over. The injury, the surgery to re-attach the tendons, and the recovery process was all very painful and frustrating.
　　
At the time of my injury Dave Johnston and I had been training at the same gyms for about 2 years. We had not worked together as client and trainer, but we would talk occasionally about exercises or different lifting techniques. It was clear to me that Dave was not only a student of the history of bodybuilding, but also understood the actual science behind diet and exercise and kept himself up-to-date on the latest research.

As I faithfully went to the gym everyday to do my rehab exercises Dave was always helpful and supportive. When I would get disgusted that I was only able to lift 10lbs . Dave would remind me of how serious my injury was and assure me that things would get better. As I improved he reminded me of how far I had come since the injury and encouraged me to keep at it.

Over the course of the next six months I continued to lift and to recover. In the spring of 2011 I considered entering the Maryland State bodybuilding show in the over 50 category. I waffled back and forth for several weeks until Dave convinced me that I should do it. It had been 25 years since I had last competed; Dave was a great help with dieting, posing routines, and general contest preparation.

In the weeks leading up to the show we reduced my body fat significantly with Dave’s diet and cardio programs. With his help and support I achieved my goal of getting on stage one last time. Until next year anyway, when he will probably manage to convince me to do it again.

In 30 years of lifting Dave is one of the few trainers I have known who truly understands why things work; most trainers provide a one-size-fits-all program for every client. By watching him you can tell that he genuinely cares about his clients enough to hold them accountable and push them beyond their comfort zone.

I ran a 5K last weekend.  It felt good to know I could do it.  But it’s just not my thing.  I respect those who run.  But deep down I’m a strength athlete, plain and simple.  I respect raw, brute strength, and the insanity required to achieve the strength.

I remember the first time I lifted 500lbs off the floor, no straps, just my hands caked in chalk and wrapped around the knurl of the bar.  And I remember the 550lbs.  And I remember the 585lbs conquering me.  But mostly, I remember smiling to my wife Nikki like a small boy, proud of my feeble accomplishment– knowing that the amount of weight I could place on the bar was theoretically infinite, that I just had to keep coming back and watching it rise over time, and that this feeling of strength, efficacy, accomplishment, could be replicated indefinitely.

There is a long-standing, and needlessly stupid, rivalry between bodybuilders and powerlifters.  Powerlifters don’t train to look a certain way, just perform a certain way.  Bodyfat levels tend to be higher, and there is no emphasis on the aesthetics of one’s physique.  Bodybuilders tend to castigate powerlifters for being “fat”, “out of shape”, and “lazy”.  Bodybuilders, by contrast, do not lift weights for the sake of maximum strength, but to break down muscle tissue and sculpt the body.  As such, bodybuilders are not as strong, pound-for-pound, as powerlifters, and tend to obsess over symmetry, balance, and their overall look, rather than the sheer intensity of their workout.  Powerlifters have been known to laugh at bodybuilders for being “pretty boys”, “all show and no go”, and– in a nutshell– fake.

So which is harder, bodybuilding or powerlifting?  Bodybuilding is definitely harder in the sense that it requires discipline and attention to detail over time.  But powerlifting is harder– or at least, more hardcore– in the sense that it is the true epitome of intensity and will.

The bodybuilder’s exertion meter is measured over time– not a single workout, but weeks, months, and years of discipline, dieting, weighing, measuring, planning, training and improving.  Yes, this is difficult, but it is difficulty spread out.  Bodybuilding is a sport consisting of thousands upon thousands of moments that all create a sum total, to stand as a trophy or statue at end of days proudly presenting one’s physique to the world.

Then there is powerlifting.  Powerlifting is true calculated insanity.  It is about taking everything you have within you– every single micron of energy, rage, fury, fire, will, strength, exertion– and applying it against a cold steel bar for less than 5 seconds.  Motivation, as an abstraction, is always about switching to the next gear.  In most sports, that gear has to be shifted into, slowly, time after time after time, until the event is over.  Even with football, you’re looking at 60 minutes of play, and you have numerous chances and plays and quarters to shift into your highest gear, to try to make up the distance at the end, to finally turn the shock meter to a thousand percent and bury the needle.

Powerlifting is a different, and scarier, animal.  You have to bury the needle all at once.  There are no second chances, third legs to the race, or fourth downs.  There is just this one moment, this one lift, this one attempt.  The bar goes up, or it doesn’t.  You insanity conquers gravity, or you are conquered and destroyed, all in the blink of an eye.

Watch the pre-lifting rituals of a powerlifter, and you will see insanity on a different level.  They slap themselves in the face prior to a big lift, simply to increase adrenaline, often drawing blood:

The athletes are not the long and lean frames seen on athletes of other ilk.  There is nothing “esthetic” or “beautiful” about the prototypical powerlifting physique.  And that’s the point.  These men and women are pure animal, beasts and bulls and bears with bulging necks and bald heads, traps that sit high upon their shoulders and bear witness to the thousands upon thousands of pounds pressed, pulled or dropped down to the floor, into the bucket, supported by thighs thick like oak trees:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo1tU1YqPp0

Powerlifters do not like creature comforts.  They do not like air conditioned gyms and well-lit areas.  They are monsters that lurk in the recesses, hidden in the basement, amongst chalk on the floor and ammonia in the air, waiting to unleash everything all at once, a nuclear explosion and meltdown, a supernova of energy.

The mindset required to step underneath 500, 600, 700lbs is not possessed by many.  But they go bigger.  They step under 800, 900, 1000lbs.  A few elite individuals step under 1100lbs or more. Or press it off their chests. Or rip if off the ground:

They practice, they train, and they build their bodies through the torture of moving mountains, to the point where, one day, at an official meet, they will step up against a bar weighing more than they have ever moved, and make it move.  They will channel all of those training sessions into this one moment, this payoff, trying to drain everything all at once, the great compression before the Big Bang, shoving it into a funnel and condensing it into one moment of calculated insanity.  There will be no “recorded race time” at the end of the event, as there is with a 5K.  The powerlifting event does not occur over time.  It occurs in the blink of an eye, genesis, like the instantaneous creation of force within the cosmos.

And that, is power. That, is calculated insanity.
-David A. Johnston

I have said before that you have to create your own purpose, that the universe will not come down and hand you the gift of purpose.  It’s a hard lesson to learn.  Over the years, I have had numerous gym members sit before me during a fitness consultation that were completely lost, both outside and in.  I invariably ask, “What is your goal? What are you trying to get accomplished?”  And amazingly enough, I have been told far too many times to count, “I don’t really know– what am I supposed to want?”

When somebody tells me, “I want to be healthy“, I ask them, What does that mean to you?  “I dunno’. Never really thought of it“.  They snatch the concept out of thin air, as a buzz word they heard on an episode of Dr. Oz, completely detached from reality, from the concretes and the moments that contributed to the idea in the first place.  “Health” does not mean to these people all the moments of feeling strong, virile, able-bodied, efficacious; it does not mean years of looking yourself in the mirror with pride, or years of great sex, or years of feeling 20 inside a 40-year-old body.  “Health” is simply something they are “supposed to” care about.

The real problem is, you can’t make somebody care about something, despite all the “supposed-tos” in the world.  You can’t make somebody do anything, really.  You can plant the seed of an idea, of a value, but even that presupposes they are already focusing on the external world, and receptive to that seed in the first place.  But if the mind is shut off, if the passion is extinguished, then no amount of prodding and poking and aggressively selling somebody will get them on-board.  That has to be done within the individual.

No, goals do not come down from the stars.  They are selected.  They are willed into being.  We wake up, we look at the world, and we decide in which direction to move.  Some of us, anyways.  Some of us, by contrast, decide not to move– decide not to select a goal, or a purpose.  And those individuals sit passively throughout their lives, awaiting the inevitable.

Much of the confusion on this issue comes about when one thinks of goals as intrinsically right or wrong, better or worse.  I started playing the drums right before my 9th birthday, after my Dad brought home a cheap drum set.  Instantaneously, I felt I had found my life’s purpose.  I remember talking to other kids growing up, in middle school and high school, and asking them “what they did”– and what they planned to do when they grew up.  Ninety percent of the time, I was met with a blank stare– “I don’t know, I haven’t really thought of it”.  The answer bothered me on a deep level, as if I was talking to an unfortunate individual who had been placed on this earth missing a soul.  How can you go through your days, and not know who you are, what you are, what you are going to be and where you’re headed?  Isn’t that overarching goal the thesis or theme that is going to define the outline and necessary steps that will constitute all days to come?

I had such a strong reaction to music, such a strong calling, that I could not fathom being confused about the future.  But as I got a little older, I found the “purposeless-syndrome” was more common that I ever had expected.

As an adolescent, my wife was similar in her undying passion, but not for music; instead, she was driven by her sport of choice, volleyball, which propelled her to excellence all through high school and college.  Even after college, her days were defined in large part by coaching future players.  But then the day arrived: she had to admit she was no longer defined primarily by being a volley player.  And a sense of malaise and dread spread throughout, infusing her limbs, and choking off her inner motor– “If that’s not who I am, then what do I do?”

I went through the same thing several years earlier when I decided that music was no longer my primary passion.  I turned my passion instead to philosophy, and then later, to bodybuilding.  But I always sought that passion, that outlet– that goal.  I always knew that, in order to justify getting out of bed in the morning, there had to be some driving force compelling me to move, to learn, to research, to work harder, to be better.  I have now watched my wife struggle through it and admit to herself that there is no intrinsic purpose to life, that we select our own purpose at any given moment in time– but that there must be purpose.

That purpose can be great or small.  It can have larger philosophical or moral import, or it can be more humble in nature.  But one thing is for certain: in order to lead a purposeful life, you must select that purpose, and then throw yourself into it wholeheartedly.  That’s precisely what “passion” is, and that is what separates the great from the good from the average from the rotten.

So yes, I want to be a bodybuilder.  I want to work overly hard, and deprive myself of common worldly pleasures, and spend lots of money, for a stupid plastic trophy.  It’s no different than golf, or stamp collecting, or horseback riding, or skydiving.  It is an activity, a lifestyle, a destination and a path.  It is a means of organizing one’s activities and steps from beginning to end. And if and when it becomes boring, it will be time to select the next purpose.  But one thing is for certain: there will always be some purpose there, until the day I die.

-David A. Johnston

David Johnston was overweight for most of his life and wanted to make a change for himself and his family. See how he lost over 70 pounds and competed!

bodybuilding.com is one of, if not the biggest bodybuilding sites on the internet. Each week they feature a Transformation of the Week. This week they have selected David to profile. Read it here…

In the article David talks about what led him to getting involved in bodybuilding and what he did to prepare for the 2010 Maryland competition. Learn the exact carb-cycle diet plan that his coach Dan Kelsey (www.lbs4lbs.com) laid out for him.

David gives some great advice to others who might be looking to make some serious changes in their lives…

My main advice to others is simply to prioritize, be serious about achieving your goals, and don’t hold back. So many people approach life at 50%, and that’s simply not going to get you there. I know, because I was a fat kid my entire life-I never played sports, and was always somewhat embarrassed by my body. I tried to get into fitness a few times during my teens and college years, but again, never went 100% at it.

Read the entire article at http://bodybuilding.com/fun/david-johnston-shed-over-70-lbs-competed-onstage.html

UPDATE: 12/16/10 – Video added

My name is Yuri Kostovetskiy and I began training with David about 2 1/2 months ago on my legs. After the first trial session and the amazing leg workout he put me through I quickly realized that what I have been doing for legs all along was not even close to what he put me through. It was honestly the hardest workout of my life but I loved every second of it.

After just few short weeks of seeing him one time per week I have began to notice a change in my leg size and definition. I quickly realized that he is not only an incredible trainer but also a great motivator. Anytime I had questions for him about anything he was quick to reply with great knowledge about the topic.

Recently I started to train two times per week with David and I cant wait to add a third day. He has made my goal of possibly one day getting on stage much more realistic now. I know I still have a long way to go but with his expertise help, I am confident that I will reach it.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done for me individually. I have much respect for what you have transformed with my body and I am confident that you will continue to do to help me make my goal a someday reality. Your hard work, dedication and efforts are always well appreciated! Cant wait to do legs tomorrow!

Yuri Kostovetskiy

UPDATE:

I began working with Dave about 9 months ago just doing legs one time per week. I quickly realized and saw my results and the weight that I was moving each week and how my legs were changing I started to train three times per week and have never looked back. I went from possibly considering one day competing in bodybuilding to doing my first show in the 2010 NPC Pittsburgh and placing 7th out of 17 in my class.

Quickly approaching my 2nd show in less than 10 days, Dave has made me a believer and showed me that I can be competitive and look like I wanted to look on stage against people who have been doing this for years. He has been my coach, mentor and motivation through this long and painful process but I wouldn’t trade it in for the world.

I accomplished my goal and have never looked better and I owe it all to Dave’s hard work and dedication to my success! He is truly my inspiration and I know he will help me achieve more personal goals I have set for myself in the future!

-competed in the 2010 NPC Pittsburgh Bodybuilding Championship and took 7th out of 17 in an incredibly stacked class, after only training like a bodybuilder for 8 months!

-8 weeks later, competed in the 2010 NPC Philadelphia Bodybuilding Championship and took 7th out of 13 in men’s open middleweight bodybuilding, and 4th out of 15 in men’s novice lightweight bodybuilding.

-see more pictures here: http://gallery.rxmuscle.com/index.php?contest=40&year=207&bodybuilder=9101

Back to Client Testimonials

Dave, a personal trainer at my gym, agreed to be that resource — throughout my training and dieting, he served as my mentor and coach, guiding me to the best physique I had ever achieved.

As the months passed and the show approached, Dave would regularly provide very detailed and straightforward (i.e., no BS) instruction for each phase of contest prep.

I was very impressed by his client service, attention to detail, and passion for the sport — thanks for all the help, Dave!

Brian Denny

Why? Because when your goal is that of a bodybuilder– to get as lean as humanly possible, while retaining as much muscle mass as humanly possible– the body does not need fruit, or Gatorade, or trail mix. The body, in reality, needs very little to achieve that goal and sustain itself.

Being successful as a bodybuilder is about identifying the principle that “need” is relative to “goal”, and that most people multiply their purported “needs” well beyond true necessity. The principle of Occam’s Razor– paring variables down to absolute essentials, that there is elegance in simplicity, and that the easiest answer is most often the right one– applies well within the context of a bodybuilder’s diet.

The principle can be applied, of course, on a larger scale. The concept of “need”, as used by many individuals today, is completely divorced from its actual meaning. We are bombarded with commercials, advertising, billboards, and updates on our electronic devices alerting us to precisely what we need now, at this precise moment, don’t wait, don’t hesitate, GET IT NOW!!! We are told by friends, by family, by coworkers and associates, what we need to do next. The truth is, we don’t really need any of that stuff. In most instances, we want it. Why, precisely? No answer– blank out– because we’re told to– because it’s advertised– because our friend has it– because there is a line around the block outside of the store, and I simply won’t feel content until I’m a part of that culture!

…re-set…

“Need” has been rammed down the throat of every American for quite some time. And it has unfortunately turned us into a society of screaming infants, with virtually no work ethic, no delayed gratification, no attention span, and no concept of what really matters, if anything. Wanting everything, inevitably, turns into wanting nothing, as the over stimulation of the senses becomes numbness, a mind immune to anything and everything.

In the vast majority of cases, “need” is, in fact, a relative term. Relative to what, exactly? To a goal, or purpose. That is to say: one needs something in order to achieve or attain a given value. And that value then allows one to continue setting goals and purposes, in order to achieve more values.

“Take a look at your life today. What are your main priorities? Are you focusing on them? What can you let go of or improve so you can use more of your energy to get you closer to where you want to be?” – From  http://rawgirltoxicworld.wordpress.com

The above is a fancy way of saying: create a value hierarchy.

What is a value hierarchy, you ask? It is a listing, or ranking, of what matters most to you, in order– what are you going to invest the most effort into, down to the least effort, and everything in between.

If you’ve never done this, it’s an interesting experiment. Seriously, take five minutes to grab a pen, list everything that matters to you, and then try to rank it. I want quantification here, people– how much of your daily energy and effort are you willing to devote to each category or item or abstraction? You can’t give equal attention to “my kids” and “my job” and “my health” and “my new car” and “my big screen TV”. What makes the list, and what doesn’t? How many gadgets made the list? Or clothing? Or tangible items in general, for that matter?

In the above clip, bodybuilder Dave Pulcinella was told to “live a little”, and as he notes, “living a little” means different things to different people. To some, it means having a general feeling of happiness and comfort throughout their days, surrounded by peoples and foods and situations that are non-threatening and non-difficult. To others, it might mean temporary discomfort to achieve a larger goal– foregoing the comfortable situations, the comfortable people, the comfort foods. To a few, “living a little” means “living a lot”, or better, “living the most”, or best, “living the most possible”– having a clear-cut notion of what matters and what doesn’t; having a ranking of priorities, and acting each and every day to achieve the things that matter most; dropping the irrelevant, the trivial, and the unimportant; and constantly and consistently imposing a laser-like focus on what is truly important.

Whichever category best describes you, I encourage you to fix your value-list to the fridge, or the mirror, or wherever you will see it every single day. And live a little– or a lot– or, hopefully, the most possible.

-David A. Johnston

Dedication. Determination. Drive. Desire. Passion.

For 15 years, I dedicated my life to the hardwood floors of hundreds of gyms, arenas and coliseums around the nation.

For 15 years, my determination broke old records, and set new ones.

For 15 years, my drive paid for my college education and granted me so much gratification.

For 15 years, my desire allowed me to eat, drink, sleep– and live– a life-long dream.

For 15 years my passion never faded, and I didn’t believe it ever would.

But it did; it began to wane. I got scared. I shut down. I was lost. I wasn’t a star anymore. Holy shit, I was no longer considered an athlete. I wasn’t recognized for my greatness anymore and what I thought was the ONLY thing that defined me.

It took me another 5 years to understand that my past was just a part of me and there was so much more to me and for me to express, to show to the world. I look back now and realize how close I was but just didn’t allow myself to open up. In that 5 years I was beginning what would be a failing career and a failing marriage. All of the negatives suppressed the “Nikki” everyone used to know and love. I was in hiding, but from what I didn’t know.

I slowly emerged, surrounded myself with fun people, finally allowed to enjoy my “college years.” I was getting closer, but it wasn’t until the fall of 2006 when David took me to a bodybuilding show that I found a new way to conjure the fire that I thought was lost from those 15 years. I was ready for a new challenge, one that would push my mind and body to new extremes. By the end of that year I had made up my mind to compete. I hired a coach and began a new diet and lifting protocol. I did what I was told but I didn’t understand “why“ behind it all. I didn’t see my body change fast enough. I expected a totally different experience. I hadn’t done my research. I wasn’t ready.

Being an athlete all my life I lifted heavy-ass weights because it was fun and I wanted to beat out all my teammates. I lifted to be the best at my sport, not to look a certain way. I spent countless hours in the gym to hone my skills, which allowed me to eat whatever I wanted. Was I lean, hell no, but I was fast and I could jump, so what did it matter what I ate? Even though I was in school to become an Exercise Physiologist, one class on nutrition didn’t give me the necessary tools for my new endeavor. I had to wait a little bit longer. Several months later I decided to leave my job to work with David as a personal trainer. Trainers and clients all around me were stepping on stage to compete and I was going through my “raw foods, runner, I-don’t-know-what-the-hell-I-want-to-accomplish” phase. I had slipped yet again. Fuck!

David and his training partner would laugh and laugh and laugh at me, but still try to help me get my diet fixed so I could meet my new goals. It was a constant joke and I just seemed to get fatter. David and I became very close friends and decided to take it to the next level and to the next level of fattness. I was a personal trainer and I weighed 190 pounds. Who the hell would want to hire me when I couldn’t even look the part? David was looking quite pathetic himself, but the difference was that he had “gotten there.” He had competed already and had the pictures to show his success, so fat didn’t look so bad on him. But we knew something had to change. After a whirlwind romance we fell in love and married immediately and moved to Columbia, MD to continue our personal training careers.

Before we moved we intended to start dieting immediately. Because we were the newbies we didn’t received the warmest welcome, especially among the members. David once overheard a snide comment a female member had made about my weight. His initial reaction was anger and once the dissipated it turned into, “It’s time to show these people what we are made of!” Five months later David stepped on stage, 5 months later I had dropped 25 pounds. I did it!! It was the first time I stuck with a plan for several months and saw the results of time and effort I had put into my training and diet. But it still wasn’t enough, I wanted to compete, dammit, but I also wanted to start a family.

Unbeknown to the both of us I was pregnant at the time of David’s competitions. Once we found out I realized how much the past 5 months had meant to me and I was determined to eat well and workout during the entire pregnancy. That is exactly what I did. Up until 2 weeks before we had Raven, in July of 2009, I was putting 135 pounds on my back to squat and 6 plates on the leg press. This was my life, this was me, why would I stop if I was healthy and I knew my baby was perfectly safe?

By the end of October I had dropped 35 pounds and maintained through the end of the year. It was time to diet again, but this time I would be getting on stage.

The last 10 months have been one hell of a journey. David tested me, he pushed me and I pushed back , he pissed me off, A LOT, but he lightly held my hand, guided me, and never leg go! I got there, I made it up on that stage. I didn’t just get up there either, I qualified for Nationals, in my first year competing!

My training partner, my best friend, my husband, brought me back and a bit of “new” me has been added. David’s knowledge of the sport and passion for the industry far exceeds anyone I have ever met. Our journeys will be slightly different in the next year and a half; I plan on competing next year (and starting nursing school) while he makes improvements to his physique to come in even stronger to compete in 2012 (and grow his business). Each step of the way new challenges and road blocks will surface but I know that David will be there, as he is for all his clients, to teach, to guide, to push even harder, so that he brings out the greatness in us all. I was already great, that is why he married me, but now I remember it and exude it.

I am ready to make some changes in my diet/workout b/c I am tired of being fat! This is the heaviest I have been in 5 years and I am getting to the point where I am disgusting myself.　 Will you help me with a nutrition plan/blueprint/whatever and maybe even some with my workouts too? (I probably would need help with the workouts since I don’t take time to plan my workouts) If I have someone to be accountable to I will do it – I am one of those people that needs someone in my face telling me to stop being a fat ass!

Any help you can give me would be SOOOO much appreciated!!

This was the email I had sent you back in Aug of 08 – I could never imagine how appreciative I would become and how much you would help me!

At the time of this email, I had no idea I would ever get to the point I am at now. I had always hoped and thought about it, but could not believe it would ever happen. Since starting my training with you, my life has transformed in so many ways and so much of that is thanks to you. With everything you have given to me, done for me, and pushed me to do, there is no possible way I could ever repay you.

***My body has transformed so much in the past 2 years, hell, in the past 6 months, that my mother almost cried when she last saw me. She was so proud of how far I had come and so happy that I was, once again, happy. And when my brother saw my abs, his mouth dropped and he was speechless – it was the best feeling ever!!*** (you can omit this part if you want, didn’t really fit anywhere in the testimonial, but I wanted to share it)

There were so many times during our workouts that I, literally, almost cried because it just hurt that bad, but you didn’t care; you made me keep going. You pushed me further than I could ever imagine I could go because you knew that was what I needed to do in order to get the body and life that I have always wanted. You constantly push me to take it to the next level – to dig deeper and give everything I have to give.

By doing that, you gave me the strength to push myself in so many other areas of my life. Not only did you transform my body, you helped transform me back to who I used to be. (I know, corny and very cliché, but true!) Even though I was “emotionally unstable” (haha), you stuck with me and tried to help me work through some of the worst times of my life. You gave me the strength that I needed to stand up for myself, to take control over what I could and find a way to deal with what I couldn’t. When my life was falling apart, you helped me find a focus point in my training. You helped give me back the confidence that I used to have so many years ago, but let fall away from me. You gave me the “command to rise” and for that I am eternally grateful!

Thank you,

Liz Paesani