Meet Sam.  The Dragon.

SHJ’s Newest Contributor!

Hey, guys!

If you haven’t read my debut article about yoga a while back, allow me to introduce myself here.

I, like you, am a nerd with a knack for exercise. Growing up, the number one super hero I always identified myself with was Peter Parker, aka, Spider Man.

As a kid and into high school, I was always the short kid with glasses with their head buried in a book (that or a sketchbook). PE was one of my least favorite subjects, although I’d have to give that honor to math. Anyway, I was oftentimes an open target to bullies or people thinking my short stature was somehow adorable enough to warrant special attention. Physically, I wasn’t very strong.

I have a fast metabolism going against me, so I was definitely a skinny, Peter Parker type. However, like Peter Parker, I had secrets of my own. While I got made fun of for reading manga (Japanese comics), I had a smart knoggin’ resting inside my head. One filled with creativity and ambition.

To make a long story short, I decided to rise up and become a hero of my own. This led me to graduate early, pursue studies in art and design, writing, and physical fitness as a means of looking and FEELING (very important here!) my absolute best. I ran into plenty of obstacles along the way, and continue to do so. Just like Spider Man, who had his fair share of battles. But I don’t let any of them stop me, whether it’s managing my finances, investing in personal care, or finding a way to connect with others and give service to the world.

Over here at SuperHeroJacked, that’s what I intend to do. I may not be the most ripped, heck, even the tallest, of authorities out there on the Internet, but I’ve come a long way from being the quit introvert hiding in the shadows.

Today, I write to inspire and inform, whether it’s related to YOU becoming your own hero, or finding some way to get a fascinating tale out there about dragons and fishpeople (you read that right!).

I’m also a 200 Hour Certified Yoga Instructor, with over 8 years of practice under my belt, in addition to a background in Hap Ki Do martial arts and a certification in health coaching from Cynthia Pasquela’s Institute of Transformational Nutrition.

I look to strike a balance between natural (ie, eat real food, take as little prescriptions and medications as possible) and modern (ie, smart supplementation, lab testing), and urge everyone to find the methods that work best for their unique bioindividuality when it comes to health and fitness.

On top of all of this, I’m an aspiring actor with a specialization in creature performance, bringing to life characters requiring either motion capture technology (a la Caesar in Planet of the Apes) or practical effects (think Hellboy and Abe Sapien). When I’m not pursuing all of these things, I’m usually working my active imagination into creating original stories or watching movies, especially classic and sci-fi/fantasy.

You can find me on Instagram @samantharodes, and keep an eye out for a new website I’m building, where you can keep up to date with my latest ventures.

It’s such a pleasure to provide for the SuperHeroJacked team, and I strive to serve you, the readers, as best as I can. Hope you’re all having a great summer so far, and thanks again to Mike for letting me pen some content for the site. And on that note, take care everyone!

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Sam

The Dragon

SHJ’s Newest Contributor