Born on December 12, 1981 in Indianapolis, Indiana, Josh was adopted at 3-days-old and raised in Fort Wayne with three brothers and a sister. He grew into a skinny kid, whose low self-esteem often overtook his natural athleticism. He started smoking at the age of 13 and continued the habit for seven long years. Then, in 2001, he lost his good friend Tony—and quit for good.


Just one year later Josh’s older brother, Ryan, died of Cystic Fibrosis—a medical condition affecting the lungs. Everything changed. Ryan had loved weightlifting and playing sports, so Josh made it his goal to help others reach their goals. A friend said it best when she told Josh, "Do what Ryan couldn’t."


In late 2003, standing 5'11” and weighing 145 pounds, Josh began reading everything he could get his hands on about the eating right and building muscle. He had always wanted a muscular body like the ones he saw in magazines, and now, motivated by thoughts of his brother and his friend, nothing could stop him.


Every time Josh reached a goal, he set a higher one. All of a sudden, people were looking at him like he should be in magazines. People were actually e-mailing him and approaching him in stores with questions about diet and weightlifting. Before long, the once-skinny kid who looked up to his big brother and best friend became the one to inspire others. From the glossy pages of national magazines to the weight room of his local Michigan gym, Josh continues to make it his mission to help others.

          

"I feel like it is not only my hobby and not just my job to motivate others, it’s my responsibility,” Josh says. He has a ceaseless passion for helping others grind away at their goals, and hopes people recognize that hard work is part of the process. “Progress is a slow process, but the hard work does pay off!"


Today Josh is a fashion and fitness model for the New York City-based agency, works as a certified personal trainer at Great Lakes Health and Fitness in Michigan where he currently resides, and serves as an elite model spokesperson for Cellucor Supplement Company.


"I would never have thought I would be ‘that guy’ who people look up to and are inspired to look like. It’s kind of unbelievable."


Today, as in the beginning, Josh’s friends and family are his greatest influence. "They push me,” Josh explains. “They are my mirror on the wall, and they don’t sugar coat anything.” His biggest supporter is his friend Barb, who took the struggling teen under her wing. “If it wasn’t for her, I think I would be in a much darker, unhealthier place.” Luckily for Josh, and for his growing number of avid supporters, a healthy place is exactly where he’s at.



Sample Diet

(I eat the same thing 6 days out the week and give myself a cheat day)

* Breakfast - Oatmeal, Glass of milk, 2 pieces of toast with peanut butter, multivitamin

* Pre-workout - Scoop of whey and scoop of creatine in apple juice

* Post-workout - Scoop of whey and creatine in apple juice, 4 whole eggs, turkey sandwich, fat free yogurt with unsalted peanuts

* Lunch - Turkey sandwich, fruit salad, trail mix bar

* 2nd lunch - Chicken Breast, tuna salad and wheat crackers

* Dinner - steak/chicken breast, mixed veggies, scoop of whey, bagel with peanut butter (I always aim to drink 1 gallon of water a day)



Training

Favorite part of body to train: Shoulders and triceps

I do a 4 day split routine with usually one day of maxing out on squats and bench to see where I am at.

* Day 1: Chest/Biceps
* Day 2: Legs/Triceps
* Day 3: Back
* Day 4: Shoulders
* Day 5: Max outs
* Days 6-7: REST!

Day 1:

Chest Routine:

o Flat Bench/5 set of 6-8 reps
o Decline Bench/3 sets of 8-10 reps
o Incline db presses/4 drop sets
o Butterfly machine/4 drop sets
o Incline smith/3 drop sets

Biceps Routine:

o Incline bench curls/3 drop sets
o Hammer curls/4 drop sets
o Crooked bar curls/3 drop sets
o Arm blasters/3 sets of 6-8


Day 2:

Legs Routine:

o Squats/4 pyramid sets
o Leg Press/4 drop sets
o One leg standing calve raises (weighted) 4 sets of 8-10
o Donkey calf raises/4 drop sets

Triceps Routine:

o Dips/3 sets of 10-12 reps
o Pulldowns/4 drop sets
o Skull crushers/3 drop sets
o Reverse grip bench press/3 sets of 8-10 reps


Day 3:

Back Routine:

o Lat pulldowns/4 drop sets
o Upright rows/4 drop sets
o Reverse butterflies/3 sets of 10-12 reps
o Pull ups/3 sets of 6-8 reps
o Raise ups/3 sets of 10 reps


Day 4:

Shoulder Routine:

o Military press/4 drop sets
o Reverse barbell shrugs/3 sets of 8-10 reps
o Lateral Raises/4 sets of 10-12
o Smith and row overhead press/3sets of 10
o DB Shrugs/4 drop sets


*I love drop sets because they are great for adding size. It keeps your muscles guessing and makes it harder for your body to reach a plateau. I also train my abs 3 days a week. I try to keep it to 2-3 different exercises for my stomach. I also try to get 7-9 hours of sleep a night... THAT IS CRUCIAL!!! Your body only grows while you are resting it!


My Advice

My advice to anyone who wants to be a muscle head, thin, or just lose a few pounds of fat or gain a few pounds of muscle, is to be patient. True results come in time. Be smart and consistent with what you eat, and the way you train.

Don't play number games when hitting the gym. If you are there to try to impress and not results, you are there for the wrong reason and you will fail. You just have to keep at it. Some people's bodies are more stubborn, but sooner or later, they are forced to change.