Page 39 - The Mirror of My Soul. Vol. 1

Nicolai Levashov. The Mirror of My Soul. Vol. 1. Born in the USSR

I took these 3 kilogram dumb-bells and began several exercises, one of which
consisted of lifting them from my belt to the shoulders and further up until my arms were
completely straight. In the first day I repeated every exercise one hundred times without
a break, in the second day—two hundred times, etc.

On the tenth day I repeated every exercise a thousand times for approximately same
time as on the first day. Then I got bored “waving” dumb-bells one thousand times and
I decided to ask my father to find me something heavier. When I came to him with this,
he said that my words were a complete fantasy, because it was simply impossible. He
declared me a liar and asked me to say nothing about this to anybody, so as not to
disgrace him.

His words strongly offended me; I was very touchy (to tell the truth I still am; only

I’ve learned to hide it). The reason why my father reacted this way was that he was sure
that even an adult man, who was constantly engaged in hard physical work, would be
unable to lift a simple half kilogram hammer even one hundred times! And here was a
boy saying that he had elevated, a thou-sand times, 3 kilogram dumb-bells without a
break. Naturally, I was offended and demanded the opportunity to prove to him that I
invented nothing. I’d like to give him his due, he gave me it and I am grateful to him. I
invited him to sit on the sofa and with the offended face repeated the exercise a thousand
times. After that he apologized to me, a boy, for being wrong.

Several years later in 1997 or 1998, an acquaintance in the USA also said to me
that this was impossible, when I told him this story. He also said that, if he hadn’t known
me personally, he would bet money to prove the falsity of this statement. The point is
that he was a professional weight-lifter and the master of sports of the USSR and as a
professional, he considered it impossible. I asked for several days, took eight pound
dumb-bells (about four kilograms) and in two weeks I lifted these dumb-bells without a

break one thousand one hundred times in half an hour before his eyes (gross weight was
17,600 pound or about 9 tons).
I did not tell this story to show how “mighty” and “strong” I was, but to demonstrate
that I had inherited a very tough body from my ancestors, which is simply my good
fortune...
So, even considering all my powers of endurance, I was drained to the limit that
memorable day, but, nevertheless I agreed to go and sort out the aforementioned gall-

stone.
After that I was dead on my feet and only my will-power kept me from dropping
down right there and then. So, I walked up to the window and pretended to admire the
view. I did not want anyone to see me fighting with myself. But my “contemplative”
observation of “the beauty” of the rear yard of a block of flats was unexpectedly
interrupted. The hostess asked me to work with her. I was not comfortable refusing and
began treatment gathering all my will.

The first several minutes were incredibly heavy going, but then, in a moment,
something happened, something switched inside me and all came with terrific ease. The
exhaustion disappeared, and then came clearness and clarity of thought and the treatment
began to go smoothly.

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