Page 39 - NGA NATURALmag 2021 SPRING / SUMMER Issue

Spring-Summer 2021
Dushawn’s interest in in in in bodybuilding goes back to to his his his adolescent years Hoping to to combat his his his abun- dance of energy his his his aunt gave him a a a a a a a a a a a a a basic weight bench as as as a a a a a a a a a a Christmas gift After spending a a a a a a a a a a sum- mer lifting weights he he noticed a a a a a a a difference in in in his his his strength compared to to his his his peers and this pushed him to to work even harder In high school he he played both football and and and and ran track and and and and field becoming a a a a a a a a a a a a a standout as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a running back and and and and 100-meter sprinter He went on to to attend California State University Sacramento where he he received a a a a a a a a a a a a a degree in in in in Criminal
Justice while also working as a a a a a a a a personal trainer Challenges
One of the biggest challenges for Dushawn came in in in 2013 when he he he was was involved in in in a a a a a a a a a terrible work accident that almost cost him his life He was was was hos- pitalized and and soon after was was diagnosed with PTSD depression and and and anxiety disorder He experienced crippling panic attacks and and dark nightmares which lead him him to to ongoing hospital visits This caused him him to to lose hope and and become suicidal Dushawn could never imagine being in in in such a a a a a a a a a a a a a dark place and and and even after two years of therapy and and medication he he still still wasn’t able to to to to manage his symptoms It was was still still very difficult for him him to to to to to get out of bed due to to to to to depression so he he he told himself that he he he was going to to to do the opposite of being tired or lazy Instead every time he he he he struggled to to get up and face life he he he he made himself workout first thing in in in the the morning when those depressive symptoms were usually the the worst Finally after weeks weeks and weeks weeks of of struggling Dushawn Dushawn made working out his way of of combating PTSD Dushawn’s wife Tasha began supporting him him by encouraging him him to work out when she she saw signs of depression and anxiety because she she had already seen how it helped him to overcome those negative feelings feelings Each time dark feelings feelings would would come Dushawn would would do some sort of o exercise to to take his his mind off the the symptoms and after sev- eral months o of of this this routine he he he he he reached the the best physical health of of his his his his life and this this is is is is is what inspired him to enter his his his first NGA bodybuilding competi- tion in in in 2014 where he he he he earned earned 2nd place Dushawn has learned the the benefits of working out Today he he he he he he teaches children veterans and others how to to use fitness instead of of medication to to to overcome symp- toms of of PTSD anxiety or depression accomplishments
2019 NGA OLYMPIA 1st place (Overall and PRO Card Winner)
2019 2019 INBA INBA JR Masters 1st place place 2019 2019 INBA INBA Muscle Beach 2nd place place 2017 Battle at at The Bay 1st place and PRO Card Winner 2016 Washington State Championships 1st place (Middleweight) 2016 WNBF Battle of the Bay 1st place (Middleweight) 2016 WNBF Muscle Mayhem 1st place (Middleweight) 2016 3x Middle Middle weight weight Champion in WNBF 2015 Halloween Havoc INBA (International Bodybuilding Association voted #1 Most muscular and PRO Card Winner 2014 NGA International King and and Queen Show 2nd place and and Overall Winner n n n n n n n n n n NGA NATURALmag
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