{"id":77150,"date":"2019-11-07T05:07:27","date_gmt":"2019-11-07T10:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=77150"},"modified":"2019-11-09T09:11:15","modified_gmt":"2019-11-09T14:11:15","slug":"eye-of-the-tiger-meet-adrian-schmidt-falik","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/eye-of-the-tiger-meet-adrian-schmidt-falik\/","title":{"rendered":"Eye of the tiger: Meet Adrian Schmidt-Fajlik"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This town is jam-packed full of extraordinary people! If you know someone who is walking to the beat of their own drum or has an inspiring story to share I want to hear about it! Shoot me an email at laura.maclean@doppleronline.ca<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Adrian Schmidt-Fajlik has got beads of sweat rolling down his face. He’s been working out for the last two hours. His adrenaline is roaring before most people have had their first cup of coffee.<\/p>\n

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This routine is not unusual. In fact, it’s been the norm for the last two years. He often works out for four or five hours before he heads to the Huntsville LCBO for an eight-hour shift.<\/p>\n

We’re at the 24-hour gym Adrian pays a lot of good money to go to and I’m apologizing profusely. I just made him lift a nearly 100-pound weight over and over and over again so I could take some photos. He assures me it’s no bother.<\/p>\n

“This is what I do,” he says. “This is what I live for.”<\/p>\n

Prior to this incredible weight-lifting I’m witnessing, I watched him punch a speed bag. He did it so fast and with such precision the ball became nothing but a blur. He points out that it’s actually pretty deflated, the result of his repeated whacks to it. He uses it consistently throughout each workout and in between sets instead of resting. Sometimes, he just practices a new move on it. But he uses it a lot. He thinks it’s as awesome as I do.<\/p>\n

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Adrian has high hopes and big dreams. He’s on his way to becoming the best MMA fighter in the world.<\/p><\/div>\n

He’s not tired. Not the least bit. He’s conditioned his body for rigorous workouts like this. He also did some crazy moves with an almost 125-pound weight where he held it up above his head while he kneeled down. And then he did what seemed like an endless number of push-ups first on a dumbbell and then with his hands cusped in front of him. He’s got all the gear: wireless headphones to pump beats that in turn pumps him up even more; he’s got on a Pink Floyd t-shirt and fluorescent shorts that bear the face of a ferocious lion. The shorts are everything. They are totally and completely symbolic of this ambitious 26-year-old.<\/p>\n

“I’m always pushing my limits,” he says.<\/p>\n\n\t\t