How did you get into bodybuilding?

I was always the smallest kid out of all my friends and used to get teased quite a bit. It really affected me. I was very active when I was younger so gaining any weight at all wasn’t going to happen. My father took notice of how the teasing was affecting me and came home one day with a bench press and some free weights. We set everything up right in the middle of my bedroom and I was immediately addicted. I began to read muscle magazines and tear out the pictures from the magazines putting them on my wall for motivation. Training in my bedroom at the age of 16 was an everyday thing, it soon became a passion that lead to living the lifestyle I proudly live today.

Current training routine?

Here is my current training routine, I will switch movements every few weeks but usually stick around the same number of sets and reps, slowly upping weight.

• Monday: Delts/Traps – 4 Sets – 6-12 Reps – DB Presses, Lateral Raise Machine, DB Lateral Raises, DB Front Raises, Rear Delt Machine, Reverse BB Shrugs, DB Shrugs.
• Tuesday: Arms/Abs – 4 Sets – 6-12 Reps – Tri Shortbar Pressdown, Pressdown Machine, Skullcrushers, Seated Preacher Curl Machine, EZ Bar Curls, Hammer Curls, Decline Crunches, Knee Lifts, Leg Lifts. (For abs I hit around 20-30 reps for each set.)
• Wednesday: Off.
• Thursday: Back – 4 Sets – 6-12 Reps – Lat Pulldowns, Close Grip Pulldowns, Seated Row Hammer Strength, Wide Grip Rows, Close Grip Rows, Deadlifts.
• Friday: Chest/Abs – 4 Sets – 6-12 Reps – Flat DB Presses, Hammer Strength, Seated Cable Fly’s, Incline Hammer Strength, Incline DB Fly’s, Cable Crunches, Knee Lifts, Leg Lifts. (Again, abs are in a rep range of 20-30 reps).
• Saturday: Off.
• Sunday: Legs – 4 Sets – 6-12 Reps – Leg Press, Leg Extensions, Lying Down Hamstring Curls, Seated Calv Raises, Standing Calv Raises.

Biggest mistake you made as a beginner?

I would have to say overtraining. I thought that working out more would in turn make me grow quicker when in fact it is recovery that is the key to growth, coming in as second most important in my opinion next to nutrition of course. I hate days off from training but now know that they are crucial. Overtraining will set you back and could possibly lead to injury and illness.

Favorite arm exercise?

I have many but if I had to narrow it down to 1, I would say skullcrushers. I usually hit them at the end of my tricep workout and with
a little bit of an incline, it feels better on my elbows with a slight incline. I try to go as heavy as I can with tight form, hitting close grip
tricep presses at the end of each set to really burn them out. Since introducing this exercise to my routine, the rear head of the tricep has really started to come out.

What is your diet like?

For the most part I keep my diet pretty clean, only allowing a cheat meal once a week. Here is an example of what I eat daily..

• 7:30am – 1 cup of oatmeal in water with a tablespoon of almond butter and a packet of Stevia with 1.5 scoops of ON Whey in 20oz’s of water.
• 9:30am – 5 egg whites/1 whole egg and 20 almonds with a cup of coffee.
• 11:30-12:00pm – 1 pound of boneless/skinless chicken breast with a cup of brown rice and a banana.
• 2:30pm – 8oz’s of steak with about 15 more almonds.
• 5:00pm – 1\2 cup of oatmeal in water with 1 packet of Stevia and scoop of ON Whey in about 16oz’s of water.
• 5:30pm – 5 Controlled Labs Green Bulge Pills, 5 Controlled Labs Blue Gene Pills, 2 scoops of Controlled Labs White Flood in about 10oz’s of water and 1 scoop of Controlled Labs Purple Wraath.
• 6:00-8:00pm – Workout.
• 8:15pm – 2 scoops of Controlled Labs Golden Gains in about 16oz’s of water.
• 8:45pm – 12-14oz’s of boneless/skinless chicken breast with a medium sweet potato.
• 11:30 – Bed.

Favorite chest exercise?

I really like hitting flat db presses, I feel I get the most out of this movement when it comes to chest. I used to hit bench using the barbell but it lead to a terrible shoulder injury a few years back, so I decided to move away from that movement, since introducing the flat db press my chest has started to fill out a bit more. With this movement, form has to be in check, without a doubt..coming all the way down and squeezing your chest together when you come up, the pump I get out of this movement is amazing,
it feels great.

What are the three biggest keys to your success?

There are three words I like to refer as “The 3 D’s”.. Discipline, Dedication and Determination. I repeat these 3 words over and over in my head on a daily basis to keep myself in check. This goes for everything, from training to other personal goals you have in life. Having made the decision to make a change for the better has brought so much positive into my life. There’s more to training than just weights and muscle, it’s the lifestyle that made me understand the true meanings of “Discipline, Dedication and Determination.”

Future plans?

I’d like to hopefully step on stage someday at an all natural competition and perhaps write a book, focusing on nutrition, training and a few personal experiences. I’d also like to open up a gym somewhere here in Southern California. For now I’m going to focus on my clothing line “Sacrifice & Honor”, www.SacrificeAndHonor.com, training and just continue to experience life with my beautiful girlfriend Veronica by my side. I’d like to give a quick thanks to everyone out there who has supported me and my dreams over the years, it’s been amazing.

Contact Nick at:
www.twitter.com/XNickEdgeX
www.bodyspace.com/XNickEdgeX
www.SacrificeAndHonor.com
Instagram/XNickEdgeX