What
got you started in bodybuilding?
I’ve
always had an interest in the sport, and dabbled a bit in
the training aspect of bodybuilding while in college, but
felt that at that point in time I didn’t have all the
knowledge and didn’t know where to go for dependable
information. Luckily
for me, Brent Lake relocated to the Bay Area and began
working at my club in 2009. He saw my
potential and began talking to me about his 15 years of
experience in the bodybuilding industry. It
was his confidence and knowledge that reignited my interest
in the sport of bodybuilding.
Describe your training and nutrition(In/Off-Season).
Training
Initially, my training centered on
getting my body used to lifting heavy loads again. Now
that my base muscle conditioning is settled, my training
regime is focused on rebuilding the mass I had been
losing over the past few years. My current In-Season
training regimen is:
Focus:
3-week programs, with emphasized muscle groups trained 3
days/week
Frequency: 2 resistance training sessions/day, 5
days/week
Intensity:
Generally 6-10 rep range per exercise
Recovery:
45s-90s recovery between supersets; weekly massages; TRX
stretching routine to maintain joint mobility and tissue
health
Cardio: road cycling and Kettlebell intervals
Fun:
Truck pushing and pulling 2 days/week
Nutrition
Food is the center of it all. Sundays
are dedicated to shopping and cooking. I make homemade beef
or chicken broth to flavor my food during the week. Breakfast
is always savory steel cut oats with chicken. Meals
throughout the rest of the day include chicken and
broccoli/asparagus with avocado for fat. My
snack in between meals during the day is almond butter. My
only supplement right now is fish oil in the morning,
afternoon and night. I stay on this strict
diet for 3-5 days, then have a refeeding day in which I will
increase my carbohydrate intake and cut out my avocado or
almond butter.
Off-Season, my focus is to increase my
caloric intake from 3,000 to 6,000. I plan on
doing this as “cleanly” as possible, by adding in more whole
foods like yams, squash and beans to my diet.
What
are your bodybuilding contest highlights
(titles/experiences)?
2010 -
California Natural Muscle Mayhem: 1st Place Men's Tall
Division, 1st Place Overall
What is the most important thing you’ve learned/gained
through bodybuilding?
In the past year, I have gained a greater
respect for the sport of bodybuilding. The
detail, dedication and commitment it takes to maintain a
consistent eating schedule while maintaining a job, family,
and friends is intense! There is nothing that
could prepare me for the sacrifices I have had to make other
than living through this journey. I have
definitely learned the vital importance of friendship and
trust to help get me through the tough times. I look forward
to learning more as the years go on!
Future aspirations?
I now have the bodybuilding bug! My
goal is to further develop my mind and body to better
present myself and represent the sport of bodybuilding
for others. I definitely plan on competing in the IFPA
Pro California Natural Muscle Mayhem in 2011 and look
forward to being able to compete in the Yorton Cup by
2012!
All in all, I want to continue to
grow and learn more about this sport so that I can
become a stronger proponent for its athletes.
