Chivon John

How Did You Get Started?

I participated in several athletic activities during high school and joined my first gym during university. Although I was very active in various sports growing up, I didn't make healthy choices with respect to nutrition, experimented with unrealistic diets and silently struggled with an unhealthy body image for several years.

My turning point occurred in 2008, after a chance meeting with my mentor, Pro Fitness Model Lyzabeth Lopez. After a brief conversation, I was inspired to join Lyzabeth's Hourglass Workout Boot Camp and from that day forward, I have been passionate about fitness and wellness. For the past few years I have undertaken a complete lifestyle overhaul of embracing holistic nutrition, transforming my body through resistance training and challenging myself to step outside of my comfort zone to compete in fitness competitions and become a fitness model.

Click To Enlarge.
Chivon John.

What Workout Plan Worked Best For You?

I work out 5-6 days per week and focus mainly on building muscle and increasing my strength. I incorporate cardio workouts 2-3 days per week and opt for HIIT training, the stepmill or spinning. I like to change my program every few weeks depending on my goals and to keep things challenging and fun.

TERMS YOU'LL NEED TO KNOW

Superset - Two exercises are performed consecutively without any rest. Failure - That point in an exercise at which you have so fully fatigued your working muscles that they can no longer complete an additional repetition of a movement with strict biomechanics. You should always take your post-warm-up sets at least to the point of momentary muscular failure, and frequently past that point. Rest-Pause - Do a set to failure. Rest for 5 to 10 seconds then do a few more reps with the same weight. Do this once or a few times depending on your energy levels and how far you wish to push. With this technique you can take a weight you can only do for a certain number of reps and increase that amount. Drop Sets - Also known as strip sets, drop sets involve the immediate reduction of weight between sets with no rest. This will thoroughly burn out a muscle. Add Sets - An add set is the reverse of a drop set in that as you progress the weight used increases with each set. [ Learn More About Reading Workout Logs ]

A sample week would look as follows:

Day 1: Heavy Legs

• Leg Extension: 2 warm-up sets of 8-12 reps
• Barbell Back Squat: 5 sets of 5 reps
• Barbell Front Squats: 5 sets of 5 reps
• Hack Squats: 5 sets of 5 reps
• Step ups: 3 sets of 20 reps
• Leg Extension: 2 drop sets of 25 reps
• Cardio: Spin Bike, 30-45 minutes

Day 2: Biceps/Triceps

• Pushups: 2 warm-up sets of 25 reps
• Superset:
  Barbell Curl: 2 sets of 6-8 reps
  Triceps pushdown: 2 sets of 8-10 reps
• Superset:
  Hammer Curl: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
  Weighted Dips: 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Superset:
  Preacher Curls: 2 sets of 6-8 reps
  Skull Crushers: 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Superset:
  Incline dumbbell curl: 2 sets of 8-10 reps
  Close-grip bench press: 2 sets of 4-8 reps
• Cardio: Jumprope for 1 minute between supersets

Day 3: Shoulders/Abs

• Side Lateral Raise: 3 sets of 15,12,10 reps
• Front Raise: 3 sets of 15,12,10 reps
• Bent-over dumbbell lateral raise: 3 sets of 15,12,10 reps
• Arnolds: 3 sets of 15,12,10 reps
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Cable Crunches: 3-4 sets of 25 reps
• V-ups: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Pikes on stability ball: 3 sets of 15 reps
• Cardio: Stepmill, 20-30 minutes

Day 4: Legs (High reps)

• Warm-up: Stepmill, 5-10 minutes
• Leg Press: 3 sets of 15 reps
• Deadlifts: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Good Mornings: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Barbell Squats: 3 sets of 15 reps
• Seated calf raises: 3 sets of 25 reps
• Superset:
  Leg Extension: 3 sets of 25 reps
  Spin bike: 1 minute of heavy resistance standing

Day 5: Back/Chest/Shoulders

• Close-grip pullups: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Underhand-grip barbell row: 2 sets of 20 reps
• Superset:
  Wide-grip pulldowns: 2 sets of 15-20 reps
  Seated row: 2 sets of 15-20 reps
• Superset:
  Incline barbell bench press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  Pushups: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Back extension: 3 sets of 8 reps

Day 6: Abs

• Cable Crunches: 3 sets of 15 reps
• Hanging leg raises: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Reverse Crunch: 2 sets of 15 reps
• Pikes on Stability ball: 3 sets of 15 reps
• Cardio: Spinning, 30-45 minutes

Day 7: Off

Click To Enlarge.
Chivon John.

What Nutrition Plan Has Worked Best For You?

After my first year of competing, I learned that I have certain sensitivities to food and supplements. Therefore, I try to ensure that I am mindful of selecting gluten-free options and I cycle the type of protein power I use and proteins that I eat so I don't get stuck in a pattern of eating the same thing all of the time.

A typical week would include:

Before Meal 1

• 1 glass water with lemon

Meal #1

• 1 cup gluten free or wheat free oats with almond milk or water
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 scoop whey protein

Meal #2

• 1 whole egg
• 4-5 egg whites
• 1/2 cup spinach

Meal #3

• 4-5 oz baked chicken
• 1/2 cup brown rice or quinoa
• 1 cup dark leafy vegetables or 8-10 spears of asparagus

Meal #4

• 5-6 oz tilapia
• 4 oz sweet potato
• 1 cup vegetables

Meal #6

• 5 oz beef, extra lean
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1/2 cup quinoa

Click To Enlarge.
Chivon John.

What Supplements Have Given You The Greatest Gains?

Why Do You Love Fitness?

I love fitness because it is an outlet for me to challenge myself both physically and mentally. I love to constantly create goals for myself and fitness allows me to push myself beyond what I perceive to be possible. It has been very empowering to take control of my health and seeing my strength increase. Fitness has also introduced me to a new passion and allowed me to meet several amazing people who share similar interests of following healthy lifestyles and inspiring others to do the same.

What Motivates You To Follow A Healthy Lifestyle?

What motivates me is knowing that I am motivating and inspiring others. It's a great feeling when someone shares how you have touched their life simply by making small changes within your own lifestyle. I also love that my friends and family have been inspired by my passion for fitness and they have started to make changes within their diets and started to workout.

What Made You Want To Achieve Your Goals?

I have always been a very determined individual but there are times when I have moments of self doubt. It is within these moments that I am very blessed to have an incredible support network who believe in me when I second guess myself. Their encouragement inspires me to work harder and live up to the potential that they see in me. Setting and fulfilling the goals that I set for myself has now become an exercise of personal growth and it is very rewarding to have my closest supporters say that I also inspire them in the same way that they have inspired me.

Click To Enlarge.
Chivon John.

What Are Your Future Bodybuilding Plans?

I would like to eventually compete in a few shows in the United States. Presently I'm studying to become a certified personal trainer that I intend to complete before the end of 2011 and would like to eventually establish myself as a coach and writer.

What One Tip Would You Give Other Fitness Competitors?

Competing will test your mental toughness as much as it will push you physically. A key for success during your prep and after is to have a supportive network of individuals that you can turn to for advice and support. Whether it is a personal trainer or seeking advice from other experienced competitors I have benefited greatly from having a mentorship team that I can approach for extra encouragement or to seek advice.

Having individuals that you trust in your corner definitely makes the experience more rewarding and helps to alleviate any stress in the final weeks leading up to a show and after the show is over. I have been very fortunate to meet a lot of great individuals who have become close friends through my journey with competing so I think there is a great benefit in meeting new people and enjoying the process.

Who Are Your Favorite Fitness Competitors/Bodybuilders?

Lyzabeth Lopez, Obi Obadike, Alicia Marie, Jamie Eason, Laura Bailey, and Kassandre Harper-Cotton

What Features Do You Use On Bodybuilding.com?

I am an avid reader of the Supersite! It is an invaluable resource for training and nutrition articles. When I first started weight training, the training articles and videos definitely made the process a lot less intimidating and I still find a lot of great information and workouts that I incorporate into my plan today.

I'm also active on BodySpace and enjoy interacting with the supportive members. It has been great to meet different people from across the globe who share a similar passion for fitness and who are very encouraging.

More Profiles:

:: Current Fitness Competitor Of The Week.
:: Other Previous Fitness Competitors Of The Week.
:: Amateur Bodybuilder Of The Week.
:: Over 40 Bodybuilder Of The Week.
:: Teen Bodybuilder Of The Week.

---