Straight to the Bar

All Things Strength

HELPING YOU GET STRONGER SINCE 2004

How They Got Started : James Dotson
Written By : James Dotson
Filed In : How They Got Started
James Dotson

James Dotson.
I love hearing everyones’ fitness backgrounds, it’s always fascinating to hear how someone got started. Here’s how James Dotson began his own training journey.
Scott


How’s it going Scott? As far as my background goes, I started out as a gymnast when I was 12 or 13 until about age 15. I was inactive in sports from that time until I joined the U.S. Army in 2005 at age 17. Of course being a soldier meant I began daily physical training which usually consisted of long bouts of calisthenics and slow steady state running for about 3 – 5 miles.
Around that time I had a huge interest in MMA, so I began boxing at a gym close to base. I boxed off and on for the next couple of years, but It wasn’t until my 3rd deployment to Afghanistan that I was introduced to Crossfit-football by a friend. I fell in love with breaking PRs on a weekly basis, and when my progress slowed I began studying everything I could on strength training from Jim Wendler‘s 531 to Joe Defranco‘s WS4SB. I slowly put together an awesome home gym where I currently train today in addition to regular physical conditioning in the Army.

Cheers James, greatly appreciated.


If you’d like to share your own fitness story with the Straight to the Bar Community – and we love hearing how everyone does things – drop us a line via the contact page. Cheers.

Over to you. Drop us a line on Twitter ( @scottbird ), or add a comment below.

Cheers.

 

NB : if you love talking about strength-training as much as I do, you might also like to check out the weekly newsletter. A regular dose of fitness-focussed discussions, absolutely free.

And if you'd like to check out any of the stuff mentioned above (or in the comments), swing by Amazon. Huge assortment of fitness gear.

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Straight to the Bar is the online home of fitness enthusiast Scott Bird, and looks at the many training approaches, essential techniques, uncommon exercises and superb equipment to help you become as strong as humanly possible. In short, this site is the home of all things strength.

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'Napalm' Jedd Johnson.
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Before you start your fitness journey, it’s important to measure a few things.

Here’s how.

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Written By James Dotson
James Dotson is a martial artist, runner and seriously strong guy. Come and say hello.
Drawing of Scott Andrew Bird performing a deadlift. Artwork by Vince Palko.