I discovered bodybuilding in my late 20’s. I was about 135 pounds and my physical prowess was limited but I had always wanted a body like Charles Atlas, so I read as much as I could about weight training, diet and how I could put on as much muscle in the shortest amount of time. I sought the advice from anyone who would give it, and needless to say, I suffered my share of strains, pulls, muscle imbalances and postural shifts. A dding to this, I was actively competing in several of the Scottish highland games in Virginia and Maryland. My body became overly more increasingly tight and imbalanced and I wasn’t able to move well. What I didn't know at the time was that I was  developing compensation patterns from asymmetric movement and loading during my practice sessions, competitions, weight training and a serious lack of smart recovery ; my training mentality was one of more ... more weight, more reps, more sets. Within a couple years despite earn ing  my first personal training certification   and being  expos ed to functional training, kettlebells, yoga, and other holistic methods,  my body reflected my training practices… I hurt chronically, especially my knees, which led to a torn medial meniscus and surgery on the left knee in 2008 (and on the right knee in 2013).  Late 2010, I gave up personal training and began work as a maintenance technician. Changing roles seemed to increase the demand I had put on my body and furthered the struggle to reestablish balance my body lacked due to repetitive movement, odd body positioning and posture. Although working in maintenance affected me daily, it helped me to realize the greater importance of balanced movement (mobility, stability and strength) and recovery. I left my maintenance job in 2022 to pursue a new career in massage therapy. In addition to being licensed in massage, I currently hold certifications in personal training (NASM) and corrective exercise (NASM, The Biomechanics Method).