I was born in Eastern Europe, and I started exercising from age 14. Back then, there were no fancy gyms or equipment. I trained with kettlebells and dumbbells mainly and did a lot of push-ups and pull-ups. I loved running and playing sports like soccer, basketball, volleyball, ping-pong… whatever kept me moving.

When I was 18, I spent two years in the military, where physical training became an even bigger part of my life. We trained very hard daily and ran a lot.

Later on, I moved to the United States and for more than 35 years, exercise has continued to be a huge part of my everyday life. Working out at gyms, lots of running, using kettlebells and dumbbells along with push-ups and balance / stretching exercises— has allowed me to remain fit and keep moving.