How Did You Get Started?

I started bodybuilding just a little over a year ago. I actually started weight training 22 years ago after my freshman year in high school training for track wanting to be a sprinter. I was tired of being skinny at the time I was 5'10" and 135 lbs. During that spring and summer after my freshman year in high school I spent my time trying to work on my speed and strength. During this time while all the other kids were out playing and going to parties I was either eating, training or sleeping. I came back my sophomore year weighing 175 lbs of good quality muscle. I graduated weighing 185 lbs and went to a Juco college on a track scholarship.

When I left school I went out into the work force and took up powerlifting my best lifts were 700 lbs squat, 350 lbs bench, and a 700 lbs deadlift at a body weight of 210 lbs, which wasn't too bad but way off of the mark for my weight class. A year later the gym that I had attended went "belly up" and I actually quit training for about 5 years. When I started back weight training I had people at the gym tell me that I should do a show because I had a good physique but I turned a deaf ear to it because I believed I had to be like 250 lbs to be competitive plus I didn't respect the sport too much having a powerlifting background.

Roughly 10 years after that I discovered "drug free" Bodybuilding. My wife competed in a NANBF bodybuilding show which the competitors had to take a polygraph and urinalysis test to compete in. Sitting out there in the audience and seeing the other competitors really sparked my interest. It was the first show I had ever seen in person and it looked fun. I decided I was going to do that show the following year and started working towards that the following week. During that years time I got to meet, talk and train with top drug free bodybuilders like Skip Lacour, and Jeff Willet. Now I can say that I'm hooked on bodybuilding.

What Workout Plan Worked Best For You?

To be honest I haven't tried anything else as far as bodybuilding is concerned other than what I do now since I haven't been in the sport too long. I don't want to be misunderstood about my years of experience in weight training. I've tried a lot of methods: drop sets, pyramiding, high reps, negatives etc. I think I was blessed to find a program right off of the bat that not only compliments my background in powerlifting but also the way I like to train. When I decided to take on bodybuilding I really didn't know were to start or how to train for it.

Through many magazines I've read I decided to look at AST as a supplement company to use. My wife and I went to the website and saw a program called "Max-OT" or in other words "Maximum Overload Training". We signed up for the 12 week program, read the philosophies behind the training and it was a "No Brainer" for me. It made total sense to me as far as building good quality muscle in a short period of time without the use of drugs and of course with a good supplementation program to support it.

There is more to what I was going to say about it but in a nut shell all sets are done to total muscle failure within a 4-6 rep range. If you do more than 6 reps the weight is too light, if you do less than 4 reps the weight is too heavy. Depending on the body part you work you may end up doing anywhere from 5-8 total working sets using 2-4 different movements. The workouts change every 4 weeks and you should take week off every 8 weeks a body part is trained only once a week.

In this program warm-up is just that and you only do it on the first movement of a particular body part. For instance, let's say I am doing chest; my movements are Flat bench, Incline bench, and Decline bench. I start out on flat bench my warm-up sets are 1x12, 1x10, 1x6, 1x3 each set is a progression towards my working sets, at no time should any of these working sets tax me. It's all about warming up for those heavy sets progressively. After my 4th warm-up set I'm ready for my WORKING sets which for me is 2. I do 2 goods sets in the 4-6 rep range going to total muscle failure and I move on to incline bench. Now here I'm already warmed up from doing regular bench so I jump right into my working sets on this movement. After that the same principle applies to the decline bench 2 sets, total muscle failure done with chest 6 total working sets. Stimulate the muscle and go home.

What Supplements Have Given You The Greatest Gains?

The supplements that work best for me are Micronized Creatine, Dymentadrine Extreme, Glutamine GL-3, Whey protein, and multivamins (by AST Sports Science). I stick with one vendor for all of my supplements. Also I take Vitamins E, C, and Beta Carotene.

Why do you love Bodybuilding?

Because it is a challenge. Most people where I live don't do it let alone do it "Drug Free". It really helps me mentally, physically, and spiritually and with everyday life. People who follow you respect you for what you go through to prepare for a show and the stimulation I get being up on stage feels good, and most of all the new friends, contacts, and knowledge I have gained since I've taken on the sport has made it worthwhile.

What Are Your Future Bodybuilding Plans?

I want to establish myself as one of the best in in the state. I plan to jump right in with the best there is by trying for my WNBF pro card in my next show (hopefully in October). Whether I win or not I can say I was up there with them. In the meantime I want to share what I've learned with others and hopefully help them achieve what they would like to achieve with their bodybuilding endeavors.

What One Tip Would You Give Other Bodybuilders?

You have to really want and love this sport to do it. It is just like anything else, if you really like or love to do something you will excel at it. Stay true to your love and passion for the sport and you may get what you want out of it. Bodybuilding can be very tough and lonely so if you like doing it the tough and lonely times don't seem so rough. Set long and short-term goals to keep yourself on track and don't let anybody steal your dream.

Who Are Your Favorite Bodybuilders?

I like them all but the one's I take to the most are: Skip Lacour, Jeff Willet, because they are "Drug Free" athletes, I had the honor of meeting, training, and hanging out with them at a training camp (Max-OT) they are great guys and I have the utmost respect for them. I can actually say that I know them and what they are about.

More Bodybuilder Profiles:

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

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