FINALLY .... IN THE RIGHT PLACE
SEAN KENNEDY , A JOURNEY TO THE STAGE by JUAN ROJAS
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Bodybuilding is an interesting pursuit . Some consider it a sport , as it involves daily physical exercise at a high intensity . It involves being meticulous about physical performance and maximizing every aspect of our training . Others consider it an art because the actual act of being on a bodybuilding stage is not very “ sport like .” Being on stage is about creating an illusion of being the most muscular , aesthetic , conditioned and best performed physique in the line-up while putting on a performance . This argument has gone on for decades about whether bodybuilding is a sport , an art or a bit of both . What we can all agree on though , is that bodybuilding is certainly a lifestyle . In order to have a fantastic physique to display on a stage , it is about hard , consistent and continuous effort every single day of the year . Whether it is sticking to your diet , having the discipline to train when you do not want to , or giving up other temptations to be the best bodybuilder you can be . One person who gives 100 % daily to their pursuit of bodybuilding is Sean Kennedy . Sean has overcome many challenges in his life and is finally living out his dreams of being a competitive bodybuilder . From depression and being in a wheelchair , all the way to now having the goal of earning an IFBB pro card , this man has a story you do not want to miss .
Juan : Hello Sean ! I am so grateful that you are sharing your story with myself and the CPA readers . Please give us some background about yourself and how you got into fitness .
Sean : My name is Sean Kennedy . I am 52 years old , and I was born in Middleton , Nova Scotia in 1969 . I come from a family of 4 . It was my mom , dad , and a younger sister . I lived in several different places growing up . Places like North Bay , Trenton , Chibougamau ,
Quebec , and Lahr , Germany . I currently live in Belleville , Ontario . I work as an Automotive Technician . I have four kids , one 21-year-old stepdaughter which I raised since she was one , 2 twin 11 year old sons all from a previous relationship an lastly , I have one 19-year-old stepdaughter that I treat as my own . They are all incredible kids who have supported me fully . As for sports or fitness , I was always extremely active . I played in all kinds of sports all my life , but I loved playing hockey the most . I became more interested in lifting weights as a teenager , mostly to improve for hockey . I was tired of being pushed around as I was a smaller player . After a bit of weight training , I began to push back at those same guys who used to push me around . This sort of led the way into bodybuilding , but this never lasted as things in life seemed to get in the way .
Juan : Looks like you have some awesome family support behind you ! What do you mean that things were “ getting in the way ” of bodybuilding ?
Sean : I floated in and out of bodybuilding for many years . One day , a friend introduced me to the world of strongman . In 1998 I dove into this world . I was 100 percent committed to training and competing . I was making some good gains as the time went by and I trained more and more . In the winter of 2004 , I was leaving my house to pick up my girlfriends ’ nephews from school and I had my 200-pound backpack on my back as I usually carried it for my training . On my way to pick them up , I slipped and fell . I tried to catch myself which ultimately made things worse . I ended up tearing all the tendons and ligaments in my ankle . My foot had done a complete 180 degree turn and my ankle