Well, there are two ways in how I view myself getting started into bodybuilding; subconsciously and consciously.  Subconsciously, I got started when I was 8 years old. I didn’t call it bodybuilding at the time as I didn’t know what it was, but I liked being physically fit and I wanted to look like the super-hero’s in comic books that I read and would draw.

I would routinely perform push-ups, sit ups and pull-ups. I was very active with sports, recreation and just really body “aware.” The sports that I most enjoyed and excelled in were baseball and football. At the age of 10, I won a Most Physically Fit Award in a fitness challenge event with 350+ fellow boy scouts in DuPage County, IL. I also won a gold medal for doing 63 push-ups in the one minute race challenge.

Consciously, I got started at the age of 13 weight-training in my basement with a Sears weight set…the good old plastic and concrete weights. I often read the bodybuilding magazines and wanted to look like the pictures. Arnold Schwarzenegger was my idol and I knew all the bodybuilders from past and present. The other physiques of interest to me were Frank Zane and Surge Nubret. At the age of 14, I got more into weight-training at my high school gym and became a regular gym rat. When I went to college at age 18, I immediately hit the student recreation center weight room. There my eyes were opened to a whole new level of weight-training and it brought me up another notch with training and motivation.

What made you decide to compete?

I got into bodybuilding competition after a fellow Exercise Science college classmate competed in the university’s first natural bodybuilding competition at SIU-C in 1991. He won the short class and beat a monster tall class winner in the overall. When he did that, I said to myself that if he can do it, so can I. My sights were set on competing in that same show the following year. In the spring of ’92 at the age of 21, I competed in the university show and placed 3rd out of 9 guys in the tall class. I narrowly missed 2nd place and lost to the previous years’ runner-up and best poser both years. I beat out many guys from the gym and I was extremely proud of my achievement and placing. I was on top of the world. I was happier about getting 3rd place in that bodybuilding competition than winning anything in the past. I was hooked on bodybuilding competition. The rest is history.

What is your history in bodybuilding?

Well, I have an interesting bodybuilding history. I competed in 92, 93 & 97 in 6 total shows. I thought I was through competing after college, but I got the itch again in 97. I was training hard for 4 years after college and made a lot of improvements. I decided that I was done competing in bodybuilding after my last show in 97 as I didn’t have a good experience. I came in flat in the morning, full in evening and didn’t place top 5 in the men’s open. I also sensed at check-in that the ANPPC federation didn’t like that I had competed with NPC. I didn’t like the subjectivity aspect of the sport and not taking the overall competitor look from both prejudging and evening versus prejudging only. I also knew that I was natural and that in the world of bodybuilding, I would have to take steroids at some point to compete with the big boys which I just wasn’t willing to do. So, I stepped away from competition in 97, kept training, focused on my career, was a NASM certified personal trainer for a year, then got into the real estate market with investing, property management and loan origination. I met my wife; we settled down and had 3 boys.

My younger brother was always pushing me for years to compete again, but I just didn’t have the interest…that burning desire to compete. Then early in 2010 after 13 years away from competition, I was turning 40 and I was tired of being 235-245lbs and strong, but nowhere near show condition. I wanted to get back into serious shape. I always need a goal in mind to get into shape and doing a bodybuilding show is the ultimate physical goal.

So, I did some research online and found John Hansen’s ABA Natural North America Bodybuilding Competition in Bolingbrook, IL. I chose this show as it was natural, polygraph and drug tested, went by height class and the event was 15 minutes from my house. Perfect. I was all in and I made the announcement to my wife, family and friends to solidify the commitment.

I started dieting and training early Spring 2010 for the August show (3 weeks before my 40th birthday). It started off great, but then I crashed and burned a couple times getting ready for the show. I was totally exhausted and had never had so many issues or felt so bad getting ready for a show. I was much older and hadn’t trained or dieted for a show in 13 years, but I couldn’t get my head around what was wrong. In retrospect, I was over-training and my diet was way too strict with the wrong macros. I almost didn’t compete in the show b/c I knew I wasn’t stage ready at 225lbs. However, I set my mind to do it and I always do what I say I am going to do. I didn’t come in the shape I wanted to for that comeback show, but it was good to be back on stage.

So, being the competitor and perfectionist that I am, I decided that I need a redemption show. I set my sights on doing the same show (ABA Natural N America) the following year in April, 2011. I made adjustments on diet/training and looked much better at 215lbs than my previous show, but to my amazement I didn’t place well. I was totally devastated and quite angry. The guys placing ahead of me looked didn’t have nearly the leg development, muscle, structure, shape or symmetry. Some guys looked like they had never touched a weight. I was told that shredded was in…needed striated hamstrings/glutes. I wasn’t sure I wanted to sacrifice my hard earned muscle and size to get that lean. I was lean back in my 20’s for competition, but not striated hamstrings/glutes lean. A lot had changed with Natural Bodybuilding in 13 years.

I was ready to quit my bodybuilding comeback, but my brother Dan, John Hansen and Ed Castillo all encouraged me not to quit. I knew I could do better and so I focused my anger into training/diet. I hammered the cardio for five weeks, kept my diet and weight-training the same and dropped 15lbs to 200lbs. I did the Nutri-Sport NANBF Natural Central Midwest (IFPA Pro Qualifier) in Des Moines, IA with my brother Dan and got runner-up in the Masters out of 11 guys. I was extremely happy in my placing and it was the definitely the toughest show I had ever competed in. I got close to getting my IFPA Masters Pro Card, so I then focused on getting it.

My next show was the ABA Natural N America in August. Third time was a charm as I was dialing in very nicely for this show with new much more detailed diet changes and I was looking my best ever. I had consulted with top prep coaches all year and I was ready to take the plunge. To seal the deal and make a huge commitment to my bodybuilding competition future, I hired Cliff Wilson as my prep coach 5 weeks out. Cliff took me on with short notice only because I was in such good condition and we had future shows planned…this would be the experiment and warm-up show. We did a crash course on contest preparation; he tweaked my diet, gave me supplement recommendations, gave me a new workout program and had me change up my posing quite a bit. He also showed up to my competition, we went through posing live for the first time and threw on my Dream Tan. I took first place in Masters, first in the Novice Men’s Tall and second place in the Men’s Open Tall. I also won the Novice Overall and qualified for the Jr. USA Natural as well as the Natural Olympia. I was floored at my success as this show and got more compliments on my physique than I had ever gotten. I was also placing ahead of guys that had placed way ahead of me in the previous two shows.

My next show was in September at the Natural KC Classic in Overland Park, KS for my IFPA Open/Masters Pro Cards. I kept the screws tightened more than ever with diet and training. There I won first place in the Men’s Open Tall and Men’s Masters. I received my IFPA Masters Pro Card and narrowly missed my IFPA Open Pro Card in the overall. This was a huge show as there were competitors from 26 states plus Canada.

I still wanted my IFPA Open Pro Card so my last stop of the year was the OCB Midwest States in DeKalb, IL. This show was actually the reason that I hired my prep coach Cliff Wilson. This was show was very important to me because of so many great natural bodybuilders had competed there: Layne Norton, Tommy Jeffers, Ed Castillo, Ryan Doris and Samuel Okinula. I know all of these guys and have competed with or against Ryan and Ed in several shows. I really wanted to be a part of the pro card/overall winner history with these guys. I ended up winning first place in the Men’s Open class, got runner up in the Men’s Open Overall and was awarded my IFPA Open Pro Card. What a journey.…from just wanting to get back into shape for turning 40, to winning my IFPA Masters and Open Pro Cards in Natural Bodybuilding at the age of 41. Unbelievable.

Competition History:

• 1992 SIUC Natural Bodybuilding- 3rd PL Men’s Tall
• 1993 SIUC Natural Bodybuilding- 1st PL Men’s Tall (Overall Runner-Up)
• 1993 NPC Tri-State Natural- 3rd PL Men’s Open Tall
• 1997 NPC Rockford Natural- 3rd PL Men’s LHW
• 1997 NPC Natural Prairieland Classic- 1st PL Men’s HW
• 1997 ANPPC Indiana Open Bodybuilding Championships National Qualifier- 6th PL Men’s Open Tall
• 2010 ABA Natural N America- 1st PL Jr Masters, 3rd PL Men’s Novice Tall, 4th PL Men’s Open Tall
• 2011 ABA Natural N America- 3rd PL Men’s Masters, 6th PL Men’s Novice Tall
• 2011 Nutri-Sport NANBF Natural Central Midwest (IFPA Pro Qualifier)- 2nd PL Men’s Masters, 8th PL Men’s Open Tall
• 2011 ABA Natural N America- 1st PL Men’s Masters, 1st PL Novice Men Tall, Novice Men’s Overall Winner, 2nd PL Open Men’s Tall
• 2011 Natural KC Classic (IFPA Pro Qualifier)- 1st PL Men’s Masters, Men’s Masters Overall Winner (received IFPA Masters Pro Card), 1st PL Open Men Tall, Overall Runner-Up for IFPA Open Pro Card
• 2011 OCB Midwest States (IFPA Pro Qualifier)- 1st PL Men’s Open Tall, Men’s Open Overall Runner-Up and received IFPA Open Pro Card

What is your current diet like?

• Meal 1: 1 cup of Egg Beaters, 1 cup Cheerios with ½ cup of skim milk, ½ tbsp of flaxseed oil.
• Meal 2: 3oz. lean steak, 1 cup green vegetables
• Meal 3: 3oz. chicken breast, 1.5 cups green vegetables, 1 tsp olive oil
• Meal 4: 1 can tuna, 8oz. sweet potato
• Pre, Intra, Post Workout shake 1 scoop whey protein, 2.5 tbsp Gatorade powder
• Meal 5: 3oz. chicken breast, 6oz. sweet potato, 1.5 cups green vegetables
• Bedtime: 2 scoops casein protein, 1 tbsp flaxseed oil

I will drink water throughout the day and total water intake with shakes is about 1.5 gallons. I also take various supplements throughout the day.

Current training routine?

I am doing a 6 week blood volumization program to increase capillarization. It is an extremely long, intense and painful workout. I will then bump up to a hybrid program of power and hypertrophy training. I have experimented with blood occlusion and will implement it after the hybrid program. I will change programs every 6-8 weeks. I do a 3 on 1 off, 2 on 1 off split. For cardio, I do 2- 25 min MISS and 2- 14 min HIIT sessions.  MISS is after workouts and HIIT is after leg days.  Off days are off days. I have changed my workouts a lot in 2011.

What are three exercises you could not do without?

That is a tough one as I have changed these up so much throughout the years with various mind-muscle connections, injuries, areas of improvement, etc. As of now, I would say squats or hack squats, close-grip barbell presses, weighted pull-ups or pendlay rows.

What do you wish you knew when you started?

Plenty of things….Proper lifting techniques (form before ego), high intensity training, mind-muscle connection, focusing on entire body vs favorite body parts/exercises or “show” parts, changing up angles, proper diet and timing of meals/cardio/supplementation. My training and contest prep has vastly changed from my younger years. A proper nutrition and supplementation program is by far the most important aspect of bodybuilding.

Favorite quotes?

Energy and persistence conquers all – Ben Franklin
A man is but the product of his thoughts…what he thinks, he becomes –Mohandas Ghandi
The best way to predict the future is to invent it –Alan Kay

Future plans?

I am taking a year off of competition after 1.5+ years of contest dieting and competing in 6 shows (5 were in 7 months). I need to give my body a break, make some improvements and spend more time with my wife and our three boys. I have my IFPA Open and Masters Pro Cards so I would like to hit the IFPA Pro Stage, but cannot say when my next appearance could be at this time.

I would also like to gain a sponsor. 2011 was a great year. I got in the best shape of my life, made huge improvements in my physique, looked my absolute best for natural bodybuilding competition at the age of 41 and I accomplished goals I never dreamed of when I started my comeback in 2010.

Contact Brian:
E-Mail: bwnoe13@yahoo.com
http://facebook.com/IfpaMastersProBrianNoe

I’ve always been active and have enjoyed weightlifting and running.  But after having my three children, when my youngest was 2, my husband got deployed to Afghanistan with the Army.  While I had been working out, I wasn’t as consistent as I had once been before having children.  I was determined to get back on track to relieve stress and to make sure I had the energy needed to care for my kids on my own.

Unfortunately, my two year old son had different plans and refused to go to the daycare at the gym. Feeling defeated, I went into a slump and didn’t workout for 6 months. Needless to say, being at home on my own with 3 small kids, I felt exhausted and depressed.   During that time I put on some weight and felt worse than I had in years.  One day I decided enough was enough.  I headed back to the gym, and began working on shedding the weight. I also started running again and participated in my first half marathon.  I was in great shape but was getting bored with my routine in the gym.  I hired a trainer to get some new training ideas.

I also took his advice and started changing my eating habits.  I began to log everything I ate, and started focusing on eating every 3 hours, and began closely watching my macros.  Once my sessions with my trainer ended, I was amazed to see a huge difference in my body.  I was still doing the weight training, but running much less, and eating super clean.  I was in awe at the way my body had had changed simply from more focused weight training, less cardio, and a clean diet.  I developed muscles I never knew I had!

What made you decide to compete?

One of my friends who hadn’t seen me in a while stopped by for a visit.  She’s been to a few competitions and after seeing how much I had changed, suggested I do one.  I hadn’t even taken her seriously until I had a couple more people at my gym suggest it as well.  So I gave my trainer a call, and asked him how to get started.  I never thought I would put on a bathing suit and get up on a stage.  Not only did I never think I could be in that kind of shape, but I never thought I’d have the confidence to do it at my age.  I am a very goal oriented person, and I love hard work.  Having a goal to focus on and work towards accomplishing is what keeps me going, so naturally I fell in love with competing!

What is your diet like?

I focus on eating every 3 to 3 ½ hours and I drink a ton of water.  Oatmeal, egg whites, protein shakes, sweet potatoes, Greek yogurt, chicken, spinach and rice cakes are my diet staples.  In the months leading up to a show my diet is super clean. In the off season I’m able to relax a little bit, but I try to stay on track as much as possible, only having a cheat meal once, maybe twice a week depending on how many carbs I’m taking in at the time.  I measure and weigh almost all of my food, and I prep in advance taking my meals with me when I can’t be home.

Here’s an example of a typical day

• Breakfast: Oatmeal, egg whites, and Training shakes before and after workouts
• Meal 1:  Brown rice, chicken or tuna, green veggies with olive oil
• Meal 2:  Tuna, low fat mayo, spinach, rice cakes , whole wheat tortilla or sweet potato
• Meal 3:  Greek yogurt, almonds, oatmeal
• Meal 4:  Chicken, spinach, low fat dressing, sweet potato
• Meal 5:  Casein shake before bed.

Current training routine?

I usually do a 4 or 5 day split depending on the week.  I typically do 4 15-20m sessions of HIIT cardio on the treadmill or stairmaster, and always after my training.

• Monday:  Legs, abs, cardio
• Tuesday:  Biceps and Shoulders/Back, cardio
• Wednesday:  Chest, triceps, abs and cardio
• Thursday:  off
• Friday:  Back abs and cardio

What are three exercises you could not do without?

I love deadlifts.  I’m working my whole body and building up my back, which has been my focus since my last two shows.  I’m also trying to move up in reps on chin ups.  My goal is to get up to 10-12 reps for 3 sets.   They are not my favorite, but also a great move for widening your lats.

Squats would have to be my second favorite.  They are a great full body workout as well, and are essential when bringing up your legs.  Lastly I love weighted tricep dips.  I remember when I could barely do them without weight, and now I’m up to 35lbs.

What do you wish you knew when you started?

We’ll, I feel like I really am just starting.  I’ve learned so much in such a short amount of time, but I still have so much more to learn.   I do regret not being more open about my goals of competing with friends and family.  I found that competing and the stress that comes along with it is something not a lot of people can relate to.  The dieting, food preparation, posing, training, etc.  It’s not just time consuming, but mentally consuming.  More so than I was prepared for. It takes so much focus, drive and dedication.

If you don’t have others around you that can relate to what you’re going through it can be a very lonely place.  Thankfully I have now met many others in the sport and I have a lot of support from my friends and family.  I’m so thankful for that.   Had I shared my goals early on, I may not have felt so isolated.  But after I competed, I had so many people asking me how I did it, what did I eat, how did I train.  I found that I inspired so many people to get back in the gym, and to begin eating healthy.  I wish I would have been more forthcoming about the process I was going through.

Favorite quotes?

“Be confident. Too many days are wasted comparing ourselves to others and wishing to be something we aren’t. Everybody has their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is only when you accept everything you are-and aren’t-that you will truly succeed.”

“The more you know who you are and what you want, the less you let things upset you” -Bob Harris ‘Lost in Translation

One of the hardest things for people to do, especially women, is to be confident. So much of that comes from comparing ourselves to others.  At some point you have to just stop and be happy with who you are, and what you’ve got.  Or you’ll drive yourself insane with jealousy and misery.  Only until you are happy with yourself, can you be happy for others.

JSK Photography

I think so many people have a misconception about the kinds of people that compete in this sport.  They think they are arrogant and full of themselves because they are working towards perfecting their bodies…nothing could be further from the truth.  I have met so many inspirational people while competing.  Many of them have overcome serious illnesses.  Many of them are just driven people who love the results that come with hard work.   Until you are content with yourself, you will never be truly happy. I know that bodybuilding isn’t for everyone.  And I know many don’t agree with what I’m doing.

But I have always tried to have an open mind towards others and what they want for themselves and for their own life. Who am I to judge until I’ve walked in their shoes.  I feel everyone has something to offer. If you take pride in what you do, you’re working hard to better yourself and those around you, and If it makes you happy, and you feel accomplished, then who is anyone else to judge.

Future plans?

I’m currently working on training towards my Pro Debut.  I have a several Pro shows slated for the Spring, and my goal is to qualify for the Yorton cup.  I never thought I would enjoy competing as much as I have.   I’m excited to see what the future holds, and am excited to see how all my hard work has paid off.   I’m also looking into becoming a personal trainer.  It’s something that’s always been in the back of my mind, and now I feel like I’m in a position to not only inspire people to get into shape, but to truly help and guide them based upon my own experiences.

Photo Credits: JSK Photography

I started lifting weights at 13 years old to prepare myself for Highschool Football.  I thought that I was too small.  I remember that day so well because I went to a Highschool Football practice and when I came home I started working out using furniture, books, and anything I could get my hands on.  My Mother came home and caught me trying to bench press the floor model television.  At that point, my Dad bought me some DP weights and a bench.

What made you decide to compete?

Yohnnie Shambouger, a former Team Universe and World Champion Bodybuilder approached me in the gym and encouraged me to compete in Bodybuilding.  He helped me prepare for my first show where I placed 5^th.  A few years later, I won the Overall at that same show.

What is your diet like?

Cliff Wilson is controlling my diet and preparation for this 2012 Bodybuilding season.  My diet is the normal protein, carbs, and fats.  Cliff advises me to adjust the macros as needed.

Current training routine?

I use the Max OT approach popularized by Skip LaCour.  This is where you use approximately 80% of your max for 4-6 repetitions for 2-3 sets per exercise. This is my basic approach however, I do use different exercises and I change the order each session.

What are three exercises you could not do without?

• Incline Dumbell Press
• Bent Over Barbell Row
• Hack Squat

If you were to use only these three exercises, you would still be able to develop a well balance and muscular physique.

What do you wish you knew when you started?

Diet, Diet, Diet!!!!!!!!  If I would have taken my nutrition as importantly as my workout, I feel I could have changed the expectations of Natural Bodybuilding.

Favorite quotes?

That which does not kill us makes us stronger.

Future plans?

My goals for the upcoming year in Bodybuilding are to:

1. Win an IFPA Pro show
2. Gain a sponsor
3. Continue to improve my physique

Should Women Lift Weights?

The fast answer to this all too common question is yes.  The positives by far out weigh the negatives, and there aren’t any real negatives to them lifting weights in the first place!  Of course, this doesn’t really answer there question or even touch on getting “too bulky or masculine” by lifting weights.  I’ll touch on that in a second.

First off, let me say that building muscle takes a ton of time and work.  If you look in practically any gym and look at the most guys in there, you will see only a very small percentage of them actually look like they carry a ton of muscle mass.  The rest are working their butts off year in and year out to just put on a little big of muscle and strength.

With that said, think about the amount of natural testosterone that guys produce compared to girls.  Girls do produce testosterone, but it isn’t anywhere in the ballpark to the amount that guys produce.  From there, you can easily put 1 and 2 together.  If most guys with a lot more testosterone than women struggle to put on muscle, then how can you expect any women to pack on a ton of mass?  It’s just not simply possible.

Photography by Pavel Ythjall

“..But I’ve Seen Pictures of Massive Looking Bodybuilding Women!”

Okay, fine – so you made a search online for bodybuilding women and found a few pictures of complete mass monsters!  This still should not sway you away from lifting weights, and I’ll let you know why.  These pictures that you are seeing are women that use “enhancements” that are far from natural.  I’m sure you know where I’m getting at and don’t need to go into any further explanation.  This is not to discredit any of their work of course; it still takes a lot of hard work and dedication to get that big even with the extra “enhancements.”

Won’t Muscle Make Me Weigh More and Appear Bigger?

Once again, the simple answer to this question is no!  Let’s say that you currently weigh 120 lbs with very little muscle mass.  Now let’s fast forward to three years later after you have been lifting weights consistently with a solid diet.  If your weight is still 120 lbs after the muscle gains, then you will actually appear leaner than you were before since muscle is less dense (takes up less space) than fat.

Weight Lifting Program

Since we have established the fact that it is definitely beneficial for women to lift weights, let’s talk about some programs that you can use.  What I would recommend is a simple “upper, lower” split where you train your upper body and lower body twice per week.  Here is an example:

Monday – Upper

Bench Press – 3 sets of 5

Rack Pulls – 3 sets of 5

DB Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 5

Tuesday – Lower

Squats – 3 sets of 5

SLDL – 3 sets of 5

Lunges – 3 sets of 8-12 (accessory exercise)

Leg Press – 3 sets of 8-12 (or another accessory)

Wed – Off or Cardio

Thursday – Upper

DB Flat Press – 3 sets of 8-12

BB Rows – 3 sets of 8-12

Lat Pull down – 3 sets of 8-12

DB Curls – 3 sets of 8-12

Skull Crushers – 3 sets of 8-12

Side Lat Raises – 2 sets of 8-12

Rear Lat Raises – 2 sets of 8-12

Friday – Lower

Squats – 3 sets of 8-12

Leg Press – 2 sets of 8-12

SLDL – 2 sets of 8-12

Hamstring Curl – 2 sets of 8-12

Leg Extensions – 2 sets of 8-12

Calf Raises – 4 sets of 8-12

Saturday – Off or Cardio
Sunday – Off

This is just an example of a program that you can use.  There are several other programs that you can look into as well, but make sure that they are proven to work.  Also, you should asking a personal trainer for help unless he has a solid background and shows that he knows what he is doing.  Many personal trainers will make their women clients train with light weights with the false assumption that it will make them “toned.”

Conclusion

The verdict is finally in – women should definitely lose weights if they want to look their best.  Like mentioned above, girls should lift as heavy of weights that you can to get the best results; trust me, women will not blow up and turn into the hulk.  Performing light weights with high reps won’t make women “toned” either.  That comes with fat loss.  By staying consistent with a workout and diet plan, women should have no problem in achieving their dream bodies.

Let’s try to not be so negative though; it’s a great thing for people to have fitness goals and trying to turn their lives around.  With obesity higher than ever worldwide, something needs to be done and get people in better shape!  Joining a gym is a great way to do that; however, as you know, these “new years resolutioners” end up quitting within the first couple of weeks to a month.  Why is this?

Fitness Goals: How to Reach Them?

From my experience, it is either one of two things.  First off, they do not know how to reach their goals.  They think by just going to the gym or eating less junk food that they will be able to lose weight.  While this may be helpful, it actually comes down to much more than those two facts.

Some people may even get personal trainers and not see results because their trainer does not know what they are doing.  This is all too common by the way; just because someone is a trainer does not mean they know what they are talking about.

Fitness Goals Need to Be Realistic

Secondly, people may not be setting realistic goals for themselves.  Someone may want to lose 100 lbs in just a couple of months, and then they will end up quitting when they only see a few lbs come off after a month or so.  It is important to set goals, but you should make sure that they are realistic.  Try just setting a weekly goal for yourself such as losing 2 lbs per week.  By reaching these “smaller goals,” you give yourself the confidence that you need to keep pushing on when times get tough.  Once you add all of these accomplished goals up over a longer period of time, you will see how far you came.  Setting a large goal is a sure bet way to just discourage yourself.

Weight Loss Fitness Goals

For those that have fitness goals in the weight loss department, it is important to realize that you should not expect a large chunk of weight to come off week by week.  I would only personally recommend a person go into a 750 caloric deficit.  A huge mistake that people make when it comes to weight loss fitness goals is they end up starving themselves in some gigantic 2,000 or more caloric deficit, and then their body ends up going into starvation mode.  From then, their body’s metabolism ends up crashing and their weight loss stalls.

Before jumping into a diet, you should make sure that you know exactly what you are doing and how you plan to reach your fitness goals.  Get a personal trainer that really knows what he is doing if you have to; it’s important that the person really shows a great understanding of the subject and can help guide you to your fitness goals.  Like mentioned above, there are a lot of “pretender” personal trainers out there that really do not know how the body works.  Make sure that you are getting the best bang for your buck!

Experienced Lifting Fitness Goals

Even if you would consider yourself a more experienced lifter, it is also important to set fitness goals for yourself as well.  I’m sure that you already know that, and you have probably already been setting goals for the past year or so.  If you haven’t, then you should start setting up small goals for you to hit no matter what your fitness goals are.

If you want to add 100 lbs to your bench press by the end of the year, then change that goal into smaller ones.  Try adding 5-10 lbs to the bar each month.  You could also setup weekly goals as far as weight or rep changes as well.  It’s very important to create small “stepping stones” along the way.

Conclusion

Fitness goals are a huge way to make sure that you stay motivated in the gym.  Goals in general are good no matter what you are doing.  Not only do they keep you focused on the task ahead, but they also give you something to look forward to.  You will also feel really good about yourself and give you that much more confidence in the future in your fitness goals.

Having a workout partner is a great way to stay focused on your fitness goals.  On the days you don’t feel like showing up to the gym, you would end up feeling terrible if you ditched your partner.  By keeping each other accountable, you will have no problems in reaching the fitness goals that you have set for yourself.

1. Build Muscle with Diet

The single most important step to build muscle is your diet.  This is the biggest thing that you will see people mess up.  Some people get so caught up in their workouts trying to increase their weight and get a good pump that they completely forget to eat.  Others may focus on just getting in enough protein, but they don’t think about just getting in enough calories.  In order to grow, you must put yourself in a caloric surplus – that is, consume more calories than what your body burns to build muscle.

What I tell most people is that they need to be tracking their macronutrients each day.  Macronutrients include proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.  In order to build muscle fast, it is recommended that they consume their body weight in protein, .4x their body weight in fats, and the rest will be filled up with carbohydrates.  Their caloric total is dependent on how many calories they burn.  A beginner should eat around 500 calories (1 lb per week) over their maintenance whereas a more advanced lifter should stick to around 250 calories (0.5 lb per week) over maintenance.

2. Focus on Compound Exercises

Another very important step in order to build muscle fast is to focus on compound exercises: the bench press, squat, and dead lift.  If you get the “big three” to a high number, then you will be able to pack on a ton of overall body strength and muscle mass.  You should do all of them as they are all equally important.  Some people get so caught up in “isolation exercises” in the beginning when they should just be focusing on the compound exercises.  Over time, it is okay to throw some isolation exercises in there, but these three compound exercises are what will get you off the ground.  Do not neglect them and you will be able to build muscle at a solid rate!

3. Good Form to Build Muscle

Another very important step in order to build muscle fast is to always stick to good form.  Most people want to see their lifts continually go up in the gym each session – that’s completely fine!  However, by sacrificing your form to move up in weight, not only are you throwing other muscles in there in order to lift those weights, you are also putting yourself in danger of hurting yourself.  No one is invincible, and putting yourself on the sideline for a few months will only put yourself back in your attempt to build muscle.

It may be embarrassing only lifting a certain amount of weight, but I can guarantee you will get more out of only benching 135 lbs with a slow negative and really controlling the weight versus bench pressing 185 lbs with virtually no negative, bouncing it off your chest, and showing no control over the weight.  If you want to build muscle, then you need to make sure that you form is spot on!

4. Focus on Progressive Overload

Another key to build muscle fast is to focus on progressive overload.  What I mean by that is to make sure that you are continually increasing in weights.  This may seem obvious to you, but a lot of people get caught up so much in the “pump” that they completely forget or disregard gaining strength.  A good “pump” does absolutely nothing unless you are getting stronger and giving your muscles a reason to grow.

Let me give you an example.  Let’s say that you go into the gym and curl 10 lb dumbbells each time.  You could get a tremendous pump each time you went in there from curling the 10 lb dumbbell for several reps, but will you be able to build muscle by doing this?  Absolutely not!  In order to build  muscle fast, it is extremely important to focus on progressive overload and keep adding weight to the bar week by week.

5. Variety of Reps to Build Muscle

Finally, it is important that one uses a variety of rep ranges when training to build muscle fast.  Some people get so caught up in sticking in the bodybuilding 8-12 rep range – even though this is fine, it is important to train for strength as well in the 3-5 rep range.  You can build some solid muscle training for strength as well.

What I would recommend is to have one day of the week where you train heavier in the 3-5 rep range and then another hypertrophy day where you train in the 8-12 rep range.  By doing this, you will be able to mix things up in the gym making it funner for you while at the same time being able to train what is most optimal for putting on a ton of muscle mass.

When trying to lose fat, your main goal is to lose weight.  That means that you need to be in a calorie deficit in order to achieve that goal.  You cannot possibly gain or stay the same weight if you’re in a calorie deficit.  If you think you’re in a calorie deficit but you’re not gaining weight, then that means you’re not in a calorie deficit.  Get it?

I would hate to get far off track from the main point of this article about why the myth of carbohydrates make you fat is wrong.  For one, carbohydrates are one of the most important muscle sparring macronutrients.  Secondly, a lot of people say that carbohydrates are bad because they spike insulin.  I’d hate to break it to you guys, but protein will also spike your insulin as well.  That means you would have to take any protein source out!  You can only have fish oils from now on (I’m kidding of course).

One of the reasons you get a lot of people to ask “are carbohydrates bad” is because of all the ketogenic diets you hear of.  People are so scared of carbohydrates that they just completely avoid them.  Truth is, that is really their biggest downfall.  Carbohydrates create energy for your body to use.  If you eat more carbohydrates, then your body may end up burning more calories for that day than it would if you didn’t eat them.  Make sense?

Finally, the last way to remove the  myth of carbohydrates make you fat is that if you ate only fats, then you could get fat as well.  So basically, if you just blame carbohydrates for your fat gains, then that is extremely narrow minded.  That’s like saying your team lost the game because you played on a different basket.  You blame one factor, when in reality it was a combination of all the factors.

To really drive this home, there are two things that you need to make sure to do when trying to lose fat.  First off, you should put yourself in around a 500 calorie deficit.  Secondly, you should pick out macronutrients in order to maintain your current muscle as good as possible.  Eat your body weight in protein, around half your body weight in fats, and all of the calories that you left over can be carbohydrates.  Do not be afraid of carbohydrates because of the myth that carbohydrates make you fat!

Can you Gain Muscle and Lose Fat at the Same Time?

In order to gain muscle and lose fast, you must fall under a few of these categories: starting out, being extremely obese, or using anabolic steroids.  Unfortunately, there are no other real ways on how to gain muscle and lose fat.

Sadly, a lot of people spin their wheels in the dirt for months trying to gain muscle and lose fat.  What they will do is try not to gain any weight at all, thinking that they may be able to gain strength to put on muscle, while at the same time burning fat.  All they are accomplishing by doing this is limiting their gains in the gym.

Think about it.  If you’re able to put yourself in a calorie surplus during a “bulk” period, you will be able to gain much more muscle.  From there, you’ll be able to cut much more fat if you put yourself in a 500 calorie deficit.  You should pick out one goal whether it is to put on muscle or lose fat and then go from there.

I know this may come off as a disappointment to some people that thought they could gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, but this is all just a reality check.  I’m sure there are several personal trainers that will try to get you on their tip top program to accomplish these goals, but in all reality, they are just wanting to get in your pockets.  If you find that a program is too good to be true, then it most likely is too good to be true.  There are a lot of gimmick programs that you should definitely beware of.

Like mentioned above, there are ways that you can gain muscle and burn fat, but a lot of us do not fall under that category.  The most important thing you can do to assure that you make the best gains whether it is losing fat or gaining muscle is to make sure that your diet is in check.  Each person has different individual needs, so I can’t tell you the perfect diet that you need.  To sum this up, the whole idea to gain muscle ad lose fat is a myth.  Get yourself on a solid diet, train hard, and see some awesome gains!

Wilson's Client, WNBF Pro Mike Martino

HOW DID YOU GET INTO PREPARING PEOPLE FOR SHOWS?

It was almost by accident really. I had only done one show myself and placed 2nd when a guy from my local gym said he wanted to do a show but didn’t know where to start. He asked if I would train him. I agreed to help him with his diet, training, and all the little things that go into prepping. Well, he ended up winning the whole show his first time out. Once people saw his level of conditioning, I started getting emails from people wanting me to train them. At first it was mostly first time competitors but as my clients kept winning, higher level competitors started to consult me for their prep. Only two years later I now have clients from all over the country as well as a few overseas including several pro bodybuilders. I run the contest prep business with my wife, Katie, who is also a figure competitor.

Where did you learn all of your training and diet techniques?

After college I was manager for several GNC’s. Any GNC employee will tell you that you have a lot of free time on your hands when you work there. I literally had several hours every day to just sit and read. When I first started out I did what everyone does and study the bodybuilding magazines. When I looked through them though, I realized that everyone was doing the same things as everyone else. I was not blessed with the best genetics in the world for bodybuilding so I figured that if I did what everyone else was doing there was no way I would be able to catch them.

I had to come up with better diets and more effective training programs. At that time in my life I couldn’t afford to go back to school so I just found the textbooks that were being used in the classes that I would take to get degrees in advanced nutrition and exercise science as well as other medical texts. Not all of the info in these books is applicable to the bodybuilding world so I just had to find ways to make it transfer over to my training and nutrition. Since I had so much free time to read I was going through whole text books in just a few weeks.

What training style do you use?

Cliff's Client, IFPA Pro Corynne Pero - Credits to JSK Photography

I actually do not subscribe to one style of training. I am a firm believer in using both very high and low reps. I believe that all training should be intense but volume should be systematically raised and lowered to bring up weak points as well as prevent overtraining. The only thing that all of the programs I use have in common is that they are all based around progressive overload. That is continually getting stronger with different exercises and different rep ranges. Strength is not the only factor that contributes to muscle growth but it is definitely the primary factor. I am a firm believer in having a structured training plan though. Too many people just go out and lift by how they feel that day, but I feel that you training should be goal oriented to keep making progress.

Does your training change from off season to pre-contest?

Many people tend to lower weights and go higher rep once contest time gets near. They do this believing that they will shed more fat with high reps. This is actually one of the best ways to lose muscle while getting ready for a show. When calories are restricted your body is searching for any reason to not have to carry around so much muscle. If you do not subject yourself to the same resistances that built your muscles then your body will have no incentive to keep those muscles. Think of it this way, let your weight training handle muscle growth and let your diet and cardio handle the fat loss.

What does your diet look like right now?

There is one huge advantage to being an extreme ectomorph and that is all the food you get to eat. I know that some people are going to hate me for saying this but right now my macronutrient count is, 224 grams protein, 695 carbs, 85 grams fat. Needless to say, I can handle a lot of carbs. I will follow this for about 10-12 weeks then I will diet for about 3-4 weeks. I just keep repeating this cycle during my offseason. I do mini diets to keep lean during the offseason. I don’t like to go over 20-25 lbs. above contest weight.

Cliff's Clients, Tom Vana on left - Jason Pero on right

Do you recommend any particular type of diet pre-contest, such as low carb?

Each person should really have a different macronutrient makeup depending on their own individual metabolism. Generally protein and fat should remain the same throughout the prep. Both should be a little higher for an ectomorph and a little lower for someone with more endomorph tendencies. Then for carbs the main goal should be to keep them as high as possible while still losing fat. I have had some people cruise into show day without ever going below 400 grams of carbs. When carbs get low though, you must use carb cycles to prevent a metabolism stall. Some people think that you have to torture yourself to get lean but getting absolutely shredded doesn’t need to be as agonizing as some people make it out to be. Lowering carbs to drastic levels when it is not necessary will also lead to a metabolic shutdown and you probably won’t get as lean as you wanted anyway.

Are there any particular foods that you use for a pre-contest diet?

This actually goes back to what I said about people needing to feel miserable during a diet in order to feel like they are working hard enough. My clients are actually allowed to have a lot of foods that are considered taboo to most people. To give you an example, I had a client that recently won the overall at his first show while eating Coco Puffs as his primary source of carbs until about 3 weeks out. I only start to get really strict with food choices during the final weeks and into peak week.

Speaking of peak week, I hear you tend to do things quite differently than what is typically recommended for peaking?

At shows this is actually one of the things that I get asked about the most. There are many factors that go into peaking properly, but here are some of the main points. First, water should stay high throughout the week. Many people think that drinking water will lead to water retention but this is just not true. Cutting water will only lead to flat saggy muscles on show day. Second, Sodium show not be cut at all, and for some it should be increased going into the show. Lowering sodium will lower blood volume which will make it near impossible to get a pump. Sodium and water both play very important roles in carbohydrate absorption, which means if you cut either of these your carb up will pretty much, be rendered useless. Whenever you hear people say that they look better after their cheat meal after the show this usually due to the increase in sodium.

Lastly is the carb loading for a show, some people load carbs at the beginning of the week and others at the end of the week. Loading carbs at the beginning of the week carries less of a chance of spilling over, but carb loading at the end of the week allows you to take better advantage of glycogen super compensation but is more risky.

Loading carbs at the end of the week is greater risk for greater reward, but if you know exactly what you are doing there is no risk. I load carbs at the end of the week, but if you are going to do it yourself and are not 100% sure of the amount of carbs to take in as well as how to properly manipulate sodium and potassium then I recommend loading at the beginning of the week.

Wilson's Client, Ajay Dixon

What supplements do you use?

I use only scientifically proven supplements. I take protein supplements, BCAA’s, beta alanine, a multivitamin, carnitine, fish oil, creatine monohydrate, and I will pre workout supplements for energy. With creatine I always stick with regular monohydrate. The other forms are usually twice the price and have never proven themselves to be as effective as monohydrate. For these products just make sure you choose a reputable brand, if it seems too cheap there is probably a reason for it.

When do you plan on competing next?

I am actually not planning on competing until 2013. I am taking some time off to really put some size on. I want to have a legitimate chance at a pro card the next time I step on stage. I am not in this for 2nd place. I just need to pick a show where I don’t have any clients competing. I also joke that I couldn’t beat half the guys I prep but it is kind of true.

Do you have any up and coming clients that we should know about?

Cliff Wilson Offseason Picture

There are actually a few. Corynne Pero will be making her IFPA pro debut later this year. I honestly believe that she will win the Yorton Cup eventually. Mike Martino just won his WNBF pro card and should do some good things in the pro ranks. Lastly, Darryl Siggers is still an amateur but he has amazing shape and the potential to put on a lot of size. He actually deadlifts near 500lbs. at a bodyweight of only 165lbs and considering he is only 21 years old he still has a lot of growing to do.

Is there anyone you want to thank for all your success?

First I have to thank my wife Katie. She is my best friend and the greatest girl in the world. At times she thinks I am hopelessly obsessed with bodybuilding but she still supports me. I want to thank my family including my Grandmother, they have always been there for me. I also want to thank Ray Crawford who started out as a client but has evolved into a great Team Wilson coach and friend. Lastly I want to thank all of the people that have put their faith in me and allowed me to be a part of their contest prep. Without them I would literally not be where I am at today.

How can people contact you?

People can contact me through my website at TeamWilsonBB.com or just email me directly at IntensityIsEverything@gmail.com.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My mom is my biggest inspiration.

What do you wish you knew when you started?

I wish I knew the benifits of post work out meals, the
changing of workouts, and getting ALL meals in consistantly daily!

What is your current training split?

• Monday-Quadriceps and Hamstrings
• Tuesday-Chest, Triceps, and Calves
• Wednesday-Off
• Thursday-Back and Biceps
• Friday-Shoulders, Traps, Abs and Calves
• Saturday-Off
• Sunday-Off

What is your diet like?

My first five meals of the day are 70%-protein 20%-carbs and 10%-fats. My last meal of the day consist of 90%-protein and 10%-fats

What keeps you motivated?

What keeps me motivated is the persuit of perfection. If there’s such a thing in this bodybuilding world! I think I can get better. That mindset pushes me to train harder, eat better on the off-season, learn different techniques to stimulate deeper muscle tissue. And most of ALL, prove to the non-believers that this level of mass and condition can be achieved drug free. I’m here to stay for a while, get used to this mug.

Favorite quote?

Train, Live and Love as if it was your last.

Future Plans?

I plan to help others achieve their ultimate goals while bodybuilding til I can’t anymore. We have athletes in my organization (WNBF) in their 50′s motivates me to keep pushing. Thats ultimate benifit and honor of keeping it NATTY!  I would like to thank bodybuilding fans for their support.