Committing to a workout plan can be a daunting task, especially for those already trying to balance both a college and work schedule.

For Southeast Missouri State University junior Brandon Strop, exercising is more of a career goal as opposed to a daily burden.

Strop has a dream of becoming the No. 1 handicapped bodybuilder in the world. When asked where his inspiration comes from, he simply said body building is his lifestyle.

"My life simply revolves around bodybuilding," Strop said. "I wake up in the morning, have a meal, and right after class, I go to the gym for three hours."

The 21-year-old nursing student is no stranger to weight lifting.

Prior to his sophomore year at Jackson High School, Strop played football for eight years, which prompted him to spend most of his free time in the school's gymnasium.

In 2010 at the age of 16, Strop was a full-time employee at the Cape Girardeau Wendy's while attending Jackson High School.

"I started working here in town, roughly 45 hours a week," Strop said. "I would wake up at 5 a.m, go to the high school gym, then get to class. When school let out, I'd head to work from 4 in the afternoon to 1 in the morning."

With his overbearing workload, Strop eventually pushed himself to the brink of exhaustion, which lead to an automobile accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down.

"One night it hit me and I fell asleep at the wheel, and I hit a ditch at 60 miles an hour," Strop said. "And that's how it happened. I wasn't wearing a seatbelt, and I ejected from my seat."

After the accident five years ago, Strop sought to spend his leisure time doing other things.

While being confined to a wheelchair, he spent his time remaining inactive.

Unfortunately, other problems occurred.

"The following February after my accident, I had a heart attack because I was not active," Strop said. "I'd go home and play Xbox after school until 12 in the morning. When you're not active, your metabolism slows down. You have to worry about blood clots since you don't have feeling. It made me realize I needed to be healthy, chair or not."

After suffering the heart attack, Strop felt it was time to get back in the groove of weightlifting. With much persistence to carry on, Strop sought out power lifting to remedy his prolonged inactivity.

With constant follow-ups to his high school's gym, Strop made the most out of what he had.

Months later, Strop found his ultimate objective -- he set the bench press record for Missouri at 225 3/4 pounds at the age of 17.

"I was decently strong, and wasn't familiar with bodybuilding while in a wheelchair so I got into power lifting," Strop said. "I did a powerlifting meet that year and set a record for Missouri. That record still holds today."

Fellow bodybuilder and friend Taylor Klump said Strop is a good example to display that any goal is achievable in the gym.

"He's definitely determined and knows where he's going," Klump said. "When someone says they cannot get up and do it because of a little ache and pain, Brandon can find all the excuses in the world.

"Little stuff like trying to get into my car when it's snowing is something I have to worry about while getting my workouts in. I ask, 'How does Brandon get in and out of his car and how does he pull his wheelchair out?'"

Both Klump and Strop are competing in the National Physique Committee.

NPC is the largest amateur bodybuilding competition in the country, hosting more than 10 contests worldwide in 2014.

Each competition consists of a number of participants who perform a routine of poses to demonstrate their strength and physique.

A date for this year's division has yet to be confirmed for Strop, but he remains focused for the competition ahead.

"I think we're a little bit crazy from the rest of the student body. We are not the one's who eat a massive amount of carbs then kill ourselves in the gym. We would rather fail time and time again," Klump said.

By training at least six days a week, both Klump and Strop consider their goal of bodybuilding to be a time-worthy investment.

"We don't have the typical life. Brandon and I may not find ourselves in the same predicament others would, and I like it this way," Krump said.

"You have to strive to find the perfect balance," Strop said. "Sometimes I'm late to class to make sure I get my meals in. Sometimes I have to eat in class. It's hard not to put body building before class, but sometimes I do."