Have you ever thought about being a bodybuilder? You should. You don’t have to compete but bodybuilding will help you build your healthiest and best looking body ever!
Before we get started on this topic, keep in mind that I am talking about natural bodybuilding. That is, bodybuilding without the use of steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance enhancing drug. Regular exercise, healthy nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits are always the best way to build your body.
Read this interview I did with Cole, a natural bodybuilder and winner of competitions. I’m sure he will be a professional bodybuilder one day soon. Hopefully, it will inspire you to get healthier and fitter.
How long have you been a committed exerciser and how did you get started?
Well, I have always been an active person throughout my life. I’ve played basketball, baseball and football since a very young age. However, my actual interests in exercising and training began when I started competitively racing motocross at age 14. Motocross is a very tough sport mentally and physically…and takes a great toll on your body…so being in the best shape you can be in is very important.
Throughout my racing years, I was getting more and more serious into working out. I LOVED seeing how my body was changing and how much more I was getting noticed for my hard work. Around my senior year in high school, I gave up racing and solely committed myself to bodybuilding and the lifestyle as a whole.
How does exercise improve your quality of life?
I feel better mentally and physically than I ever have in my life and my confidence level has been greatly boosted coming from that 120 pound skinny kid I used to be!
How did you get into bodybuilding?
While in high school, I was introduced to the world of bodybuilding by one of my good friends’ dad. He was a representative for the company called Dymatize Nutrition. He took me around to bodybuilding shows/expos and let me meet people like Lee Labrada, Erin Stern, Brandon Curry and many of the IFBB pros we see and read about all the time.
Going around to all these events made me realize that these were my people. Everyone was so welcoming and just high on life and I absolutely love that. Bodybuilding is also more than just a cosmetic sport. There’s a real person inside all the people you see on stage. It takes great self-discipline, determination and most importantly, PASSION. Loving what you do job wise, hobby wise, etc is the key to succeeding.
What type of bodybuilder are you?
I’d say I’m more of the classic bodybuilder type. I’m not into the whole let’s be a “300 pound shredded monster” that’s 5 ft. 2 inches tall. People don’t like that normally. That’s why most of my heroes and idols come from the golden age of the sport. Arnold, Lou, Frank, Serg, etc. Yes, they were all pretty big guys but you can look at those big guys today and say “Man…that guy looks great!”
What was the first bodybuilding contest you competed in and how did you do?
My first show was the Ronnie Coleman Classic, March 31, 2012, in Dallas. I competed in Teen Men’s Physique and took home first prize. Then, 2 weeks later, I made my way to Austin to compete at Dave Goodin’s Texas Shredder Classic and took home first prize and the overall in both Teen and Men’s Physique!
This show qualified me for nationals, so I traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada for the weekend of July 28, 2012. I competed at the USA’s as the youngest competitor out of all the men. My finish was not what I was used to placing…I got 16th…but it was a great learning experience and I am very blessed to be able to do what I love, no matter what the end result.
What type of training do you do for a bodybuilding contest?
I honestly don’t change my training just because I’m doing a show. If you’re in the offseason and you are working out with heavy weight and nothing above 10 reps, you’re growing like crazy and seeing results. Why stop something that was doing you so much good?
I mean yes, there may be a few things I might focus on bringing out more for the next show…but changing up my workouts completely I do not do. I’ve been at it since age 15, so I have had a lot of trial and error with what works and what does not. However, every day you learn something new so I am always open to trying new methods!
How does your eating habits change during training for an event?
Well, growing up, my mother always made my family and I eat pretty clean. We never really were the fast-food or pizza night type of family. There was always something freshly cooked on the table.
This set up good habits for me as a young adult. When I see people complaining about their diet, it puzzles me because the food they complain about is the food I’ve eaten my entire life! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve had well over my fair share of cupcakes and cookies—but if you do it in moderation, you can maintain a great look pretty easily.
For my last 2 shows, I was doing around 6-7 meals a day but it wasn’t making me as filled out as I would like. So, between my time off and the next time I get ready for stage time, I am playing around with my food intake to look better and tinker with what works best for me.
How do you avoid injuries during training?
I’ll tell you how…don’t pickup weight you know you can’t lift properly!!! I can’t stress enough how much more effective doing moderate weight on exercises and really feeling the stretch and contraction of the muscle is for me.
“We are BODYBUILDERS…not weightlifters,” as Kai Greene says. Don’t just move weight from point A to point B. FEEL the stretch and FEEL the contraction…that will make the muscle grow and get the results you are working for.
How do you train and eat for the 2 weeks prior to an event?
My training and eating doesn’t change all that much as I stated before. I cut out some of the carbs the last week or so. Then, a few days before the show, I load them back on like crazy and really fill out the muscles.
How long does it take to recover from an event?
Honestly, not that long. The night after and the following few days, I just engorge in all the goodies that I can before usually getting back to eating somewhat clean. Again, my mother made it a habit of mine to like eating foods that are good for you.
What advice would you give anyone considering getting into bodybuilding?
Make sure it’s something you have a great passion for. No man can just go to the gym, workout and then leave to go eat crap and get wasted. You won’t become Mr. Olympia that way.
You have to WANT it, period. You have to make sacrifices, no matter how bad you’re tempted to go out to that bar or club…remember, that the other guy you’re competing against on stage already said no and is spending his Friday or Saturday night busting his butt to beat YOU.
