A Guy Walks into the Gym...

looking hyper buff, confident and focused. He doesn't say anything to anyone, just grinds out his reps with heavy weight, no breaks and takes some creative approaches to his work. I'm impressed. He's young, clearly in his early 20's, and all I can wonder is whether what he's got is natural or built by drugs. Really, that's my #1 source of curiosity about most people in the gym. How do you come by all your muscle? Through hard work or artificial enhancement? Because I have the utmost respect for natural muscles and minimal regard for anything else.

I see this guy a second time, then a third. We sort of cris-cross our paths, with some overlap in a few areas of the gym. I can tell he's noticing me. I have an overwhelming urge to break the ice and say something. Nothing wrong with that. I don't want to discuss world peace or global warming, just a little inane gym chat. So I tell him that maybe he could use a wireless headset like mine since his iPod has fallen out of his pocket about 3 times already. He's intrigued and thinks it's a good idea. He'll check it out. By the way, my name is Adam, he tells me and shakes my hand.

You just never know someone's true identity when you meet random people. Maybe they have a sordid past. Maybe they misrepresent themselves. Maybe they are flat out pathological liers. I think Adam fulfills all 3. I have another conversation with him after he becomes a little competitive with me by copying my decline push ups but one-upping me by intensifying them (using a stability ball for his feet instead of a step like I used and planting only one foot on the ball while letting the other one extend outward, ouch!!). He tells me that he's a personal trainer, works at another nearby gym, but also likes to work in people's homes (he makes more money that way). He reveals that he's completely drug free. Holy crap!! "I don't even use protein powder," that being the most mild product a person, such a myself, might be willing to ingest. He gives me his card. "24 hour training," it says. Who needs a trainer at 3 a.m.??? Hmmmmm.

When I get home, I google him because I feel a strange vibe, like there's something I don't know. Maybe it's my latent reporter's instincts. The first item to appear in my search has the subject line: "Student Arrested on Drug Charges," dated Feb. 1, 2010. He sold cocaine and other prescription drugs in college. He was caught in a buy bust when he sold 5 ounces of coke to a narc. In a later search of his home, they found other drug paraphernalia and marijuana. He was arrested and taken to jail. He was charged with 3 fourth-degree felonies which have a maximum sentence of 18 months and 1 fifth-degree felony with a maximum sentence of 12 months.

Apparently, he didn't do the maximum time. I don't know whether he did any time at all. But what I realize is that he absolutely lied when he filled in a few other details of his biographical info. Something verifiable: his card says he's certified through the National Association of Sports Medicine. No, he's not. I checked its website which allows for credential validation. He's not listed.

I shouldn't be shocked but, silly me, I am. He seemed like a nice guy, even if something felt a little amiss.

But the real question is, do I still believe that he really doesn't take any drugs to achieve that ripped-to-shreds look? Nah, not a chance.