Motivation

Zach was jealous of his frat bros body, while cooking he had been staring at their shirtless bodies; they were all much more muscular and jacked compared to him. Next to them he looked small, Zach himself was ok, he had a lean runner’s body but mainly from his diet and not from exercise. Zach lacked motivation, he wanted to get a muscular body like his jock brothers but could never be bothered to go to the gym and if he was convinced to go he didn’t stay long. However with summer time and pool party season coming up Zach knew he needed to do something. He promised himself he would go to the gym every day and every night before the first day of summer, that way he would be ready to show off his amazing bod. Well after one week of such a grandiose idea Zach was once again on the couch watching TV instead of at the gym.  He was about to binge watch another series when one of his bros stood in front of the screen.

“Zach, get off your fat ass and come to the gym, what happened to getting swole for summer?"

 

Zach tried to peer around his friend’s body to the TV but it was useless. “I know, but I can’t be bothered, plus what’s the point I barely look any different after a week’s worth of double sessions.”

“I hear you bro, but you got to stick at it, you don’t want to be the only skinny one out of all of us do you? You’ll never attract any babes at the pool with your shrimpy body.”

Zach let out a long sigh, he knew what his friend was saying was true, the girls always preferred the muscled up frat brothers to the skinny ones. “Fine I’ll come, but it’s hard to stay motivated you know, when you see no results it just seems pointless” Zach then stood up and followed his frat brother to his car.

“Yeah I admit it’s difficult at first, but for me it got easier when someone complimented me on my biceps. I felt so pumped afterwards that I had to go work out. Now that I’m even bigger I feel like I’ve got to work out even more.” Zach’s fart bro couldn’t help himself as he flexed a double bicep pose in front of his car and let out a dumb chuckle.

Zach stared at him with envy and got into the passenger seat, “I wish I had that kind of motivation”. As those words left Zach’s mouth a small nearly unnoticeable wisp of green smoke darted into his mouth and down his throat.

“Well bro it can be, I mean your abs are super toned and your arms aren’t that small. You’ll be like the rest of us in no time, getting attention from all the bros and babes”

As Zach’s friend finished his sentence a burst of energy surged around his body, it was as if that half-hearted compliment had given him the drive to workout. As soon as the pair got to the gym Zach was virtually shaking with excitement and energy. Zach had never felt so good when he started lifting weights, the energy surge had made him feel electric and alive, and he couldn’t help but get a good pump on. After three hours of working out Zach energy levels finally started to recede, he was drenched in sweat but he barely even felt tired. Zach glugged down an entire energy drink before meeting up with his friend.

“Damn dude that was intense, that thing you said about compliments really worked. I felt super motivated and energised to workout” Zach said elated with his last work out session.

“Dude I don’t know how you can act so upbeat, I’m exhausted. But I’ve got to say your arms look great after that session, super pumped”

Almost immediately after his frat brother had said those words Zach felt the familiar feeling of energy amassing in his body. Zach was going to thank his bro for the compliment and head back with him to the house, but the feeling of vigour just wouldn’t subside, he needed to work out again. “I’ll see later, I’m going to stay a bit longer” Zach said already moving over to the weights. Zach didn’t know why he needed to work out again but his body wanted him to get rid of all its excess energy and working out seemed to be the easiest way, even if he did end up spending another four hours at the gym.

Over the next few weeks Zach would workout with his bros, they would compliment him on his growing muscles and he would suddenly gain the energy and motivation to workout, sometimes when he was at the gym another dude or chick would comment on his growing arms or bulging pectorals and Zach would need to work out all over again, sometimes spending 10 hours a day at the gym. Zach barely even seemed to notice how much more time he was spending working out since the rush of energy and adrenaline felt so good and his body looked amazing. When it came to the first pool party of the summer Zach couldn’t wait to show off his new body. He grabbed a drink and made sure to walk around shirtless so everyone could see how pumped and hot he had gotten.

However, Zach had barely been at the party for 10 minutes when a girl in a skimpy bikini and long blonde hair walked over to him. She was so impressed with his physique and asked if she could feel his biceps which Zach happily allowed. This girl looked amazing, her body was toned and her ass and tits looked great in the small bikini she had on, Zach was sure he was going to get laid tonight.

“They’re amazing” she said while feeling Zach’s brawny arms. “Your body is so hot where have you been hiding?”

Zach smiled he was totally going to get lucky tonight, but before he could continue his conversation with the girl the familiar surge of energy started to flood his body. The girl was still talking about how toned and hot Zach looked but after the first few words Zach was finding it hard to concentrate. The energy just wouldn’t go away, he needed to release it, he needed to work out, but he wanted to stay, this girl was basically drooling over him. Zach tried to calm himself and pay attention to the hot blonde in front of him but he felt like his body was going to explode. As if automatically Zach pushed the girl out of his way and nearly sprinted to his gym. After 5 hours of working out his biceps he finally felt the energy inside him settle. Zach then looked in the mirror embarrassed he wasn’t even wearing a shirt or shoes; he was covered in sweat, wearing nothing but his swimming shorts. Why couldn’t he control himself? All the girl had done was comment on his arms and he had felt an overwhelming urge to work them out.

From then on out Zach spent very little time at any social events, every time he went to a party, a meal or birthday someone one would comment on his improved physique and within a couple of minutes Zach would have to rush to the gym to release all of his pent up energy. He barely even made it to class most days because the girls would go crazy for him, telling how hot his arms looked, how fit his ass looked in his shorts or how great his pecs looked in his tight t-shirts. Zach would desperately try to concentrate or stay focussed but the excess energy made it impossible and he would leave 2 minutes into his lecture to get his pump on. Zach soon didn’t even bother heading to class he’d just walk to the gym and by the time he had gotten there someone would have remarked on his body. Zach tried to act normal but it was near impossible with him having to be in the gym all the time. In the end Zach had to resort to being mean or an asshole to people so they wouldn’t approach him or compliment him. He hated having to tell the hot girls at the gym to fuck off, or telling his bros to leave him alone but it was the only way to stop them from getting him all excited and ready to work out again.  Zach hated it, his life just revolved around the gym and working out. He should have been studying to get his degree, he should have been out partying with his frat bros, he should be having fun with and his friends, he should be out fucking girls, but instead he was miserably pumping away at the gym surrounded by other sweaty muscular dudes. Even more frustrating for Zach was that his involuntary energy burst could happen anywhere or anytime if someone complimented him. Even after changing at home, if one of his frat brothers caught him and commented on his physique he would need to head the gym, regardless of the state he was in.  Zach was too embarrassed to count how many times he had been seen in the gym working out in nothing but his underwear.

However Zach couldn’t find any other way of dispersing his excess energy, going to the gym seemed to be the only way and the more time he spent in the gym, the more compliments and remarks he received, he was basically living in the gym by the end of summer.

A few months passed and as expected Zach’s university threw him out, he hadn’t been on campus in weeks and he hadn’t even bothered to take his exams. His frat brothers weren’t too sad to see him go either; they barely even spoke to him since he was at the gym all day and night. Zach wanted to reason with his friends, to tell them he was sorry and that he really needed a place to stay. However before he could, a bag full of his stuff was shoved into his arms by one of his closest bro's.

“Looks like you’re going to have a lot more time to spend on working out those massive biceps of yours” with that he slammed to door on Zach. Zach wanted to bang on the door, explain that he couldn’t help it, that he needed his brothers and his friends right now more than ever, but after that comment about his biceps Zach felt the overwhelming feeling of energy that he just couldn’t seem to get rid of and had to hurry to the gym. It was only after another 6 hour gym session that Zach took a good look at himself in the mirror. Gone was the toned, lean jock he had been at the start of the year, gone was the muscular hunk he had been in the summer, now Zach was left with the bloated, bulging body of a professional bodybuilder.

Zach didn’t know what to do, he couldn’t go home now not with the shame of dropping out of university, plus how would he explain to his parents his obsession with working out without them thinking he was mentally unstable. Luckily the owner of the gym, Mr. Capucci noticed Zach and with wisp of green smoke blown into his ear he was compelled to clear out an old storage closet and offer Zach a place to stay if he helped out round his 24 hour gym. At first Zach was super grateful for somewhere to stay and being at the gym would be very convenient for him. However soon Zach realised what a mistake he had made, now that he lived at the gym he could never escape the comments and remarks about his body. Zach went on full 12 hour binges of working out due to the adoration he received from the various gym patrons; he would miss entire days to his relentless need to work out. Zach needed to get out or else he could be trapped forever in a work out cycle, however after three months Zach had barely made it past the front desk. Zach had resorted to only eating the food provided at the gym, mainly protein shakes and snacks which only seemed to further increase his size. He could only wear his shorts now since his shirts were too small, plus he was never able to go out and buy new clothes, his shirtless body meant he received more compliments than before, however very little of them ever came from women anymore. Zach had noticed that the majority of his motivational comments came from other bodybuilders or gay men trying to flirt with him. Most women didn’t seem to be interested in a guy who was more obsessed with his body than anything else. Zach now spent his time either asleep in his storage closet or working out in the gym, his routine mainly consisted of getting up heading to the gym showers where someone would comment on his impressive physique, then he would spend the rest of the day on the gym floor endlessly working out until the gym died down and he was able to escape back to his tiny room.

Zach’s body had now grown far beyond what he had ever wanted; he now had the body and lifestyle of a professional bodybuilder but never had the time to enjoy it. Zach hated his new body, he was uncomfortably big and bulky and doing the easiest of tasks was now more difficult. Sure the attention use to be fun now it was terrifying, Zach never knew how long he would need to work out or whether the amount of compliments he received would keep him working out throughout the night. Zach was miserable and that didn’t go unnoticed.

Mr Capucci had been keeping an eye on his muscle obsessed tenant, he saw that Zach would work out for hours without breaks, sometimes without food or water but yet he never seem to tire and seemingly whenever someone said anything to him he would get straight back to working out. He hadn’t questioned any of it before but Mr Capucci’s curiosity had finally got the better of him when he decided it was time to investigate the muscle obsessed bodybuilder he had let stay in his gym. Mr Capucci waited until he saw Zach head back to his closet after another full day of working out and cornered him before he could enter.

“Hello there Zach, how are we this evening?” Mr Capucci looked over the muscle behemoth that was Zach and couldn’t help but feel pity. The guy had the body of a god but looked despondent and glum, he had never seen the guy talk to anyone and no friends or family came to visit, come to think of it he had never actually seen him leave the gym.

Zach was terrified when Mr Capucci cornered him, he had only just got rid of all his excess energy from the compliments he had received today, and he couldn’t handle an all-night work out session as well. Zach looked at the ground “I’m fine Mr Capucci, you need anything?” It was almost comical how the hulking frame of a man shuffled awkwardly like a boy in trouble with his mother.

Mr Capucci could sense Zach’s anxiety and truly felt sorry for the muscular monster. “No, no, I just want get to know you better. You know, understand why you work out so much? Is everything alright?”

Zach looked into the man’s eyes and genuinely saw pity; it had been so long since he had talked to anyone properly just in case they said something about his body. Zach could feel himself get emotional as he saw the kind smile on Mr Capucci’s face. Zach could feel his eyes watering and he couldn’t help but blurt out what had happened to him. Zach confessed everything, from the wish he made, to the involuntary gym sessions he had to take to get rid of his energy from any kind of compliment and how he lost everything to his need to work out.

At first Mr Capucci thought it was all bullshit and that Zach was just a loser who had become obsessed with his body and lost everything, but as Zach continued to plead for help and a place to stay away from the gym, Mr Capucci became curious.

“So you’re telling me Zach that if I compliment your body, you’ll suddenly gain this energy or whatever and have to work out to get rid of it?”

“Yes Mr Capucci, I’ve been trying to leave for weeks now but everyone keeps talking about my body or flirts with me and I can’t help but stay, I feel like I’m going to explode if I don’t get rid of the energy.” Zach let out a deep breath through his sobs, he felt so much better now he had told someone; maybe finally he could get some help.

“Zach your arms are super impressive” were the next words out of Mr Capucci’s mouth. Zach’s eyes went wide as he felt the overwhelming energy run through him, he turned and looked pleadingly at the man he had just confided in and saw the kind smile had turned into a wicked grin.

“Your pectorals are so perky and tight, you’ll have to tell me your secret” Mr Capucci continued.
Zach couldn’t help himself as he waddled over to the weights and started lifting them. “Please Mr Capucci, stop!” Zach cried.

Mr Capucci only continued to smile “Your whole body is near perfection Zach, you could be a professional bodybuilder with a body like”

Zach started to cry as he felt the energy inside him build, his body pumping away to try and relieve some of it but it was quickly amassing from all the compliments Mr Capucci was throwing at him.

After several more compliments and Zach in tears Mr Capucci finally decided to stop. He stared menacingly at the sobbing muscle man unwillingly doing bicep curls and grinned.

“I think you have the best body I have ever seen Zach and people are going to know you got it at Capucci’s Gym” Mr Capucci laughed as he walked away leaving Zach crying for mercy and working out until midnight the next day.

Six months passed and Capucci’s gym became famous, everyone came from near and far to try Mr Capucci’s challenge. ‘Beat the bodybuilder’ it was called you could win a lifetime membership to the gym if you beat it. All you had to do was out last Mr.Capucci’s bodybuilder in a work out and you would never have to pay a membership fee again. Naturally no one ever won, because Mr Capucci was always there to encourage his favourite bodybuilder, telling how great he looked, how huge his muscles were and how big his muscles were going to get. People did find it odd that the bodybuilder was crying and often pleaded for help, but Mr Cappucci sold it as a psyche out tactic to put off the less focussed competitors. People did get a bit freaked out whenever Mr Capuccci would put his special headphones on to his bodybuilder and he would scream for people to remove them. However after listening to Mr Capucci’s special inspirational recording the bodybuilder would often quiten down to just gentle sobbing and people would continue their workouts. The gym now was always at full capacity, day or night the machines were full and the gym was packed. Everyone was in awe with Mr Capucci’s bodybuilder; people couldn’t help but compliment him on his size, strength and stamina it was as if he never stopped working out. Plus if anyone felt like giving up, quitting the gym, or going home early, the trainers in the gym would always point him out. They would talk about the silent bodybuilder who could work out for hours on end, never leave the gym, never have any friends and never get tired, all in the pursuit for a bigger, muscular body. After that people tended to renew their membership or hop back on the treadmill.

After all Zach was the only motivation they needed.