This would be my self-indulgent biography section. No worries, though. I hate boring biographies anyway, so I'll spare you the nonsense.

I was born and raised in a town called Newcastle, that's about a two-hour drive from Sydney, Australia. I had a regular, working class family, and I played with friends and all that stuff. We were all a very close and tight knit group. Yes, we’re all short, too! I'm one of the tallest in my family.

My grandpa is a former army wrestler, and enrolled me in gymnastics when I was about thirteen. I found some weights lying around at the gymnasium, and started playing around with 'em. I already had a muscular physique, and responded quickly to it. At that moment, I got hooked on it. I was into all kindsa stuff, but bodybuilding really caught my imagination. Thankfully, we had a friend of the family who was an experienced power lifter, so I started lifting with him. He's the one who instilled the philosophy for working out with heavy, basic compound movements for mass -- which is a philosophy I hold to this very day. Thanks to his tutelage, I feel I got a head start on other kids who were unfortunately misguided into training with machines and ended up in a typical beginner’s trap of making little progress.

About a year later, I decided to compete. I ended winning three local shows, and despite being a shy person, I feel natural up on stage. I'm the kinda guy with a very laid back personality, and see myself as someone who enjoys life and doesn’t get hung up on any BS. I knew early on that life is precious, and tomorrow is a guarantee to no one, so I live each day to its fullest.

I tend to shy away from talking about any achievements or whatever I've gained in the sport, because to me, a bodybuilder is someone who loves to train irrespective of whether or not they compete. And, that's me. Competing is a way for me to earn a living doing what I love, and to meet other bodybuilders out there that I may be able to help in some fashion.

In my opinion, being able to help others, even in a small way, is more rewarding than some trophy. Look, I'm a bodybuilder, and you're a bodybuilder. What more is there to really say? Just because I've won this or that, or have a certain amount of size, doesn't make me any better. I mean, there are plenty of guys out there who are just as committed, disciplined, and train like there's no tomorrow. Just because I'm bigger, or well known, isn't an indicator of being a better bodybuilder. The truth is bodybuilding is a self-empowering endeavor in which you receive what you invest, and the only judge worthy of deciding how good you are is yourself. At the end of the day, we're all equal. Don't let anyone else tell you different.

I’m just a guy named Lee, ya know? My love for lifting has been with me my entire life. As I grow older, the parallel similarities between bodybuilding and other areas of life are striking. For example, I’ve always strived for more strength, bigger and freakier size, and I take that same relentless, incredibly committed approach to my career. It’s a great formula for making good things happen! Like you, my dream was to become a great bodybuilder, but not just any champion. Rather, a bodybuilder that could afford a lifestyle geared towards pursuing my own dream as well as provide a much needed “spot” to other future bodybuilder hopefuls. We’re all in this together, ya know? Thanks to my close relationship with the guys at Twinlab, I am able to pursue my dream and conquest with even more fierce progression. Twinlab has helped bring these aspirations full circle by assigning me the coveted position of Director of Performance! Yes, that’s right – me, a bodybuilder in charge of a million dollar company! Twinlab is awesome! My dream is starting to become reality in all sortsa ways, guys. This is what it’s all about – sports nutrition by bodybuilders, for bodybuilders! Twinlab and me are working together to develop and deploy some of the most effective supps for hardcore bodybuilders – the chemistry between us is simply amazing.

And, at the end of the day, while I may not get my due on stage, I am able to help out my fellow bodybuilder the same way others have helped me.

So, what’s the greatest thing I’ve learned about being a bodybuilder that I hold dear to my heart? Humility and honor, son.

This means we’ve got your back!

This is my sport, and this is my sports nutrition. End of story.

-Lee Priest