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Instagram.com/nph_fitWhat is your favorite exercise and why?I don%u2019t have a single favorite exercise, but a few that top my list are the barbell bench press, close-stance squats, and leg presses. I love the bench press because it%u2019s one of the first exercises my dad introduced to me, and I%u2019ve developed considerable strength over the years. I like closestance squats for their effectiveness in targeting the quads, and leg presses for the variety and stability they offer, allowing me to focus purely on my leg training.What advice would you give someone starting their fitness journey?My advice would be to find something you genuinely enjoy. For me, it was lifting and the gym, but for someone else, it might be running, swimming, tennis, or another form of exercise. The more you enjoy what you%u2019re doing, the more likely you are to stick with it, which is the most important part of any fitness journey.What are your short-term and long-term fitness goals?To be honest, I%u2019m not great at setting goals. I never really set specific goals for myself when it comes to training or bodybuilding. I started competing more on a whim, and things just naturally progressed from there. Training and eating a certain way are ingrained in who I am and provide the structure and routine I crave. I don%u2019t have defined goals, but I do aim to keep improving, get better, and try to enjoy and be more present throughout the journey, wherever it takes me.How do you track progress in your fitness journey?I track my progress with a logbook. I%u2019ve been doing this ever since I started training, following my dad%u2019s advice to write down all our workouts in a little notebook. Eventually, I moved to tracking my workouts in the notes on my phone. I document every part of the workout, including sets, reps, exercises, and even notes on how I was feeling that day. It%u2019s like a little %u201cjournal/diary%u201d focused on my training.Do you have a workout buddy or mentor?I do have a few workout buddies, mostly of the four-legged kind! My dogs and cats have witnessed thousands of hours of my training and are always there for support. Aside from them, I train alone and have for many years. When I first started lifting, my dad was my training partner and mentor. I%u2019m extremely grateful to have had him there in the beginning to push me, guide me, and teach me the foundations and principles that still shape my workouts today.64 MOST MAGAZINE - ISSUE 51