steve chapman.

Steve Chapman

Height: 6'0”

Weight: from 307 lbs February 2010 to 199 lbs February 2011.

5,000 m row: 18:06

2,000 m row: 6:54

1,000 m row: 3:06

500 m row: 1:25

Max dead lift: 455#

50 burpee-pullups: 6:01

10:00 airdyne test: 306 calories

1:00 airdyne test: 68 calories.

Steve and I have been friends for over ten years. Our fitness goals were always drastically different from one another’s. Steve had a nickname: “Big Steve,” and for good reason. He is built like a freight train. He never expressed a problem with being bigger, and never seemed uneasy about being overweight. That was his life, his reality. Several years ago during “the bodybuilding phase” I joined Steve at our local gym for weight training sessions. Once he stepped foot in a gym he never looked back. He built a habit from scratch; unlike anyone I know: training 5-7 days a week at 5:00 am before work. His goal was to look awesome and that was about it. He informed himself, he coached himself, and created diet plans all to increase size.

Before creating Vitality I asked Steve if he would want to check it out, and without hesitation he responded with, “oh fa-sho man.” Back then, the gym consisted of concrete floors, a row machine, some ropes, three kettle-bells, and dimming lights. He walked into the gym weighing 307 lbs. His first workout consisted of body weight squats, lunges, and then a circuit with kb swings and burpees. I remember his face during the first round: a look of panic. After a short trip to the restroom he returned with a look of determination. He finished his first day, and has not stopped progressing since

His attitude and commitment to Vitality matches mine. He mentally loves a challenge, and physically changes everyday. While he may never had thought about running, I have required Steve to pick up the sport initially for conditioning and weight loss. Since starting to run he as found a passion for the sport. He plans to run his first half marathon in February of 2011. He will then run a half marathon every four weeks for the next three months helping him to prepare for a marathon in October. Steve’s ambition, and happiness towards fitness and life match the definition of Vitality through and through.