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Hi, my name is Michael Orr,
I have been exercising, knowingly, since I was 4 years old! When I was 4, almost
5, I watched a Hercules show on TV and saw the most powerful looking man I ever saw play the part of Hercules. His name was Steve Reeves. I was so amazed by his strength
and appearance; I asked my father how I could be like him (Hercules). My dad
told me to do pushups everyday, and when I became a man I would look and be Hercules.
I started right away. By the time I was 13, I could do 250 pushups without
stopping. I was always the strongest boy at my school. I could do more pushups and pull-ups than anyone else – even teachers and coaches. Before I was 14, I walked into the UMCA and saw some high school boys and older men working out with free
weights on the bench press. I was fascinated by the movement; it looked like
a pushup upside down. One man asked me if I wanted to try it. I shook my head yes and walked over. They were working out
with 135 lbs. It felt easy, but awkward.
After 7 reps I found the grove and did another 5 easily. One man said,
“he found the grove. Look how easily it is for him.” They decided to put another 50 lbs on. I lifted it off easily
and did another 5 reps, easily. They said, “Let’s move up!” We went to 200 lbs. I did 3 reps and
they said, “stop, let’s see what his max is.” They took off
all the plates except one 45 lb plate on each side. They put another 45 lb plate
one each side. The weight was now 225 lb.
I did one rep easily. They put on another 50 lbs – now at 275 lbs. I pressed it up slowly, being tired from all the previous lifts. These men were amazed. I just lifted more than any of the
men could lift. They asked me if I had ever done the weightlifting before, and
I shook my head no. They all laughed and shook their heads in amazement, I went back to the same gym 5 more times before I was 14. I was able to bench press 315 lbs on my second to last workout, 10 days before I was 14 years old! My family moved to another location between my 8th and 9th grade
year (over the summer). We moved to Long Valley, N.J. about 30 minutes from Mad. N.J.
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