I was born here in Pittsburgh, PA. I am a very good academic student (straight A's) and a very good athlete at contact sports such as basketball and football. I am also a sprinter for my track and field team. I use weightlifting and bodybuilding techniques ofr two main reasons. The first and more improtant reason is to improve my ability to succeed in sports. The old adage that "weightlifting make you musclebound" is long since dead. Weightlifting in general has been proven by athletes time and time again to be an effective way ti improve your sprts performance. Every athlete, from football players to ping-pong players have used weightlifting to help improve their performance. Not only does weightlifting improve your ability, it also allows you to minimize your risk for injury. Weightlifting stengthens your tendon, ligaments, bones, muscles, etc. It is a key to every athlete's injury prevention program. The second reason is to look better. I honestly feel I look decent right now, but like other things, I'm not satified by being "decent". Weightlifting also is a wonderful stress reliever, and a bad day at school is a better day in the gym. My last remark is to remain positive with your weight training and bodybuilding goals and let it carry over to all aspects of your life.