Bodybuilding- The next generation

I have a mentee (a little brother thru the Big Bro/Big Sis of America to be more specific.)

He's 11.

I do my best to assert my influence in mindset and general goals more so than guide him to specific walks of life in our interactions. I cringe at the thought of being that Dad who makes their kid play baseball because Dad loves baseball. I want him to choose his own path.

Because he's 11 his attention span is somewhat non-existent.

I do have random bodybuilding paraphernalia laying about my place. Muscular development Magazine. Arnold's Encyclopedia. And of course, huge jugs of protein- but none of this do I force upon him.

When my lil bro and I watch movies (in theater or at home) he's always watching dust in the sunlight that pours through the window or he is busy flipping upside down in his chair- basically- he cannot sit still. It's endearing, really.

But about a month ago, he asked if I had ever seen a bodybuilder pick up a car. "Of course I have" I responded and I popped in Pumping Iron and fast forwarded to the part where Franco Colombu moves the car out of a tight spot for his dad or uncle. He was in shock and awe. Shawe.

He kept watching. And watching. I asked, "Hey V, wanna watch it from the beginning?"

"YEAH YEAH YEAH, Can we!?!?!!!"

LOL this guy is asking ME if we can watch Pumping Iron is like asking a fat man if he wants seconds....

So I pop it in and he is locked in. Tractor beam set. I can't believe it. He won't take his eyes away.

Lil V absolutely mezmorized by Pumping Iron.

Did I just witness the bodybuilding bug bite him?

The next time I come over he speaks of Kai Greene, and Victor Martinez and Dexter Jackson. He emulates some of the posing routines he's seen on Youtube. Instead of basketball he wants me to show him my weight room.

Now when he comes over he runs straight for the MD magazine. When I give him new issues, the kid is silent- and the last time I gave him a couple issues in the car on the way home- he couldn't wait- and tore through the book feverishly- holding up each page up so that the headlights behind us could satiate his hunger for all things Iron- reading madly as if it's correspondence from a long lost love.

As I said before it's more than moving weights-- it's a love affair...

Everything comes aroud full circle- Me at ~11 years old.