Bodybuilding has become much more than a simple competition. In an industry where most so-called experts can’t seem to see eye-to-eye, the term bodybuilding has become damned.

This same industry, “The Fitness Industry” is full of people who proclaim there is only one way to train. That bodybuilding no longer has a place in our industry.

I’m here today to tell those people, they’re lying to themselves.

Bodybuilders Help Create the Foundation of the Fitness Industry

Think about your clients for a moment.

General Population  - they to want to look good.

Recreational athletes – want to look good.

Fat loss clientele – want to look good.

Elite level athletes – want to look good.

Your busy moms – want to look good.

The business person – wants to look good.

Even your teen athletes – want to look good.

9 out of the 10 clients who you work with want to LOOK BETTER NAKED!

Coach Chris "Before" Bodybuilding

So why then do we as an industry get hung up on treating clients like rehab patients and veering as far away from treating the client as someone who ultimately just wants to LOOK BETTER.

It’s been made even more apparent by those in our industry who push the personal records on their clients.  Do the majority of your clients truly care what their PR deadlift, squat or bench press is? Or do they truly, deep down inside, just want to enjoy what they see in the mirror everyday?

The Fitness Industry has collectively lost its way.

Bodybuilding has always been a major part of my journey into the fitness industry. From that time back in grade school where I first “lifted weights” in my basement to that day during my junior year of high school where I made a commitment to strength training that ultimately lead me to my life’s mission.  Bodybuilding allowed me to transform my skinny athletic frame from my childhood, to the physique I carry with me today. The term bodybuilding has forever helped shape who I’ve become as a man, friend, competitor, business owner, Strength Coach and Fitness Professional.

Coach Chris "After" Bodybuilding

In the eyes of many fitness professionals the term bodybuilding brings with it numerous stereotypes, phrases and beliefs. In my world, the term bodybuilding means so much more.

For most avid gym goers, bodybuilding has led them into the gym to pursue the physique they have long desired.

As human beings we each carry with us the need for self-pride and self-importance. This need can be achieved by simply helping a person change the way they look and feel about their body.

If you disagree with me then you too are lying to yourself as well. Ultimately every one of us, deep down truly cares about the way we look.

We all want to look better naked and for the majority of your clientele they do not have major injuries and aren’t what you would call athletes.

Instead they are coming to you for the sole purpose to help them feel better, LOOK better and you better damn well believe that if you can help them do that – they’ll be your client for a lifetime.

Think about this for a second.

Visit your Facebook Page and look at the Profile Picture of many of your friends. Chances are it’s a revealing picture that portrays them in minimal attire. If they don’t have a revealing picture, you better believe they want one and are envious of the people who do.

Hell, I know I’m guilty.

Men, do you want a six pack abs? Bigger arms? A bigger back and thicker chest?

Ladies, do you want a tighter butt? A tone upper back? Leaner arms and sleek shoulders?

Tracey 41 Year Old Mother of 2, 16 Weeks "Before"

I hate to break it to the naysayers but this falls into the term bodybuilding.

If you can make your clients feel better in their skin and help transform their physiques to THEIR personal desires.

Then we are talking about Bodybuilding.

Sure, a person who has more body fat to shed will need to initially follow a metabolic training program designed for specifically for fat loss. Then what? Chances are there will come a time when this person too will aspire to take their physique to new levels.

Doesn’t this constitute physique enhancement or bodybuilding?

Tracey 16 Weeks "After" Bodybuilding and Her 2nd Place Bikini Placing

I believe so.

In an age where the Fitness Industry has become increasingly divided there remains one constant.

Your clients want to look better.

For that reason alone, Bodybuilding will always have a place in the Fitness Industry.

Work Hard, Train Hard, Get Better,

Tyler

PS – I’d love to hear your comments. Leave a comment below on the blog.

PPS – Do you think bodybuilding is dead? Do me a favor! Share your thoughts below!

Have you heard that line before?

I love to say it and say it often. It truly encompasses what most people struggle to understand when it comes to transforming their physique.

I’ve put together a list of 21 Body Transformation Tips to follow to place you on the fast track to altering your physique.

When you begin your training and nutrition program follow these guidelines, some will be required of you daily, while others may be a one shot deal.

1. Take a “Before Picture” as this “image” will continue to be a driving force in your journey and a way to look back on how far you have come.

2. WRITE DOWN your Goals! Be sure to set short term and long term goals. I prefer to set my goals as is:

a. Set Daily Goals – Do so the evening before.

b. Set Weekly Goals – Do so on a Sunday.

c. Set Monthly Goals – Before the end of the current month.

d. Set Yearly Goals. – Look at the year in quarters (3 month) blocks of time and break your goals down accordingly.

3. Grocery Shop on Sundays: Sunday should be the start of your weekly preparation. This begins your week with a solid foundation.

4. Prepare for the week ahead on Sunday. For some people this means preparing grilled chicken, boiling brown rice, chopping veggies. For others it is simply preparing the next 3 days worth of meals or even dinners. Find what works for you but always prepare.

“A Failure to Plan is a Plan to Fail.”

5. Meal timing: Eat every 2-3 hours. This will help regulate blood sugar, hormone levels and keep your metabolism working throughout the day, helping get the most out of your metabolic cardio strength training workouts. These small feedings should be a balance between protein, carbohydrates and fats.

6. Drink water. Consume a minimum of half your bodyweight in ounces per day. Your body dehydrates while you sleep, water is your #1 natural fat burner. Be sure to consume 12-24 ounces upon waking, 8-12 ounces with each feeding, 16-24 ounces an hour prior to intense exercise with continued sips during the workout and small sips continued throughout the day.

Ex. Bodyweight = 150 lbs, Water Intake = 75 ounces/day

7. Eat a balanced breakfast complete with low glycemic carbohydrates. Your blood sugar is at it’s lowest point at the beginning of the day. In order to keep your blood sugar controlled you must feed it every 2-3 hours following a solid feeding first thing in the morning. Studies have shown your body demands carbohydrates at two important points in your day. 1) Breakfast 2) Post Workout (read #10 for more info). Consuming a breakfast containing low glycemic carbohydrates like fresh oats (oatmeal, steel cut oats), low glycemic fruits (blueberries, strawberries, apples, grapefruit), whole grain natural breads (Ezekiel, Arnolds etc) will enable your body to increase your daily caloric burn by supplying it with important fuel for your metabolism. Think of it as kindling on a fire.

8. Take a whole food based Multi Vitamin: I recommend Prograde VGF 25+. FACT: You just don’t get enough of the essential vitamins and minerals you need for optimum health through diet alone. You would have to eat 5,000 calories a day, that’s about 20 pounds of food! Because we are most likely not consuming the necessary dosage of nutrients that our bodies need to stay healthy, we need to take some form of nutrient supplement.  However, traditional vitamin supplements do not provide us with natural fruit and vegetable extracts, essential fatty acids or phytonutrients.

9. Take an Essential Fatty Acid Supplement in the form of Omega-3, Omega-6 essential fatty acids. Let’s face it, no one eats enough fish. Essential Fatty Acids are key in the fight to achieve increased fat loss and lean muscle gain. Try Prograde’s Icon as it is made from high grade Krill Oil, meaning NO FISH BURPS!

10. Consume a liquid blend of 2 to 1 Carbohydrate to Protein ratio following an intense workout. One can surely “blend” together a mixture of whey protein and fast absorbing carbohydrates following a workout yet we recommend Prograde Workout. Following a workout your body has a 30-minute window to speed up the recovery process. During your workout you tear muscle fibers, in order to repair these muscle fibers you need the 2 to 1 balance between carbohydrates and protein.  Your body does not make essential amino acids but needs them in the recovery process. Prograde Workout provides this ratio of proper macronutrients and is ready to consume with only 2 scoops, 8-12 ounces of water and a blender bottle or shaker cup. Besides, if you rely upon “a protein shake” or a meal when you get home:  1) You will have either missed your window of recovery.  2) A “protein shake” will only provide your body with protein and in the absence of carbohydrates your body will use the protein you are consuming as energy, not for rebuilding lean muscle tissue.

11. Consume lean proteins. Protein provides your body with muscle building compounds called essential amino acids, aids in satiety, and thermogenesis (your body’s inner calorie burning mechanism). Chicken, white fish, salmon, tofu, lean deli cuts (chicken, turkey), turkey, bison, sirloin, whey protein, casein protein, flank steak, and even some “bottom feeders” like shrimp can be great foundations for consuming lean protein.  You can find “Complimentary proteins in everything from Natural Nut Butters (Almond, Peanut Butter), Whole Raw Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts, Macadamian Nuts, Walnuts), Legumes, Cheese (Block, Sticks, Cottage), Yogurt all provide complimentary proteins but are not complete sources.

“A Complete Protein Source At Some Point In It’s Life: Had a Face, A Mother, Could Swim or Could Fly.”

12. Consume Complex/Low Glycemic Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are your body’s MAIN SOURCE OF ENERGY/FUEL! Carbohydrates supply your body with energy. Without an adequate supply of carbohydrates, your body goes into carbohydrate deprivation. This is called a state of ketosis (your body is using protein “muscle” as energy). This is not good to be in for very long because it will rob your body of muscle tissue in an effort to create energy. Carbohydrates come in two forms: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are for quick energy like fruit juice. Complex carbohydrates are used for timed-released and lasting energy. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are good sources of complex carbohydrates and make you feel more satisfied after a meal.

13. Consume good healthy fats. The most misunderstood nutrient. Your body needs fats to manufacture hormones, for proper brain function and for healthy joint lubrication. In addition, fats release energy slowly, providing a necessary feeling of fullness by prolonging digestion.  Eliminate fats completely from your diet and watch your energy/strength levels go down as well as your sex drive. Also your skin will get dry and your hair will lose its shine. Be sure to eat healthy, unsaturated fats. Look for them in nuts, fish oils and seeds. Ensure your daily fat intake by supplementing with Prograde EFA Icon. It is very common in western society today to consume foods that are low or even deficient in essential fatty acids. In fact, the typical diet contains too much Omega 6 fatty acids and not enough Omega 3. When there is too much Omega 6 fats this promotes the production of inflammation causing chemicals in the body. Fortunately, EFA Icon is a powerful source of the potent Omega 3 fatty acids your body craves for optimal health. In fact, the unique formulation in Prograde EFA Icon of Antioxidants, Neptune Krill and Omega 3 fatty acids enhances cellular function, decreases inflammation, and improves body composition, health and well-being.

14. Make a Shopping List. Grocery stores are very tempting places. They are carefully designed by experts to persuade you to buy. So unless you know what you are looking for, you can easily end up buying a ton of items you didn’t plan for. Before stepping foot in the grocery store, plan out what types and amounts of foods you will eat throughout the week by making a shopping list. This will help you to comply with your nutrition plan. Never shop for groceries on an empty stomach. Hunger increases temptation. If you are hungry when you shop for food, you will be led astray. Shop the outside aisles. Grocery stores are designed with the four basic food groups on and around the perimeter. If you stick to the outside aisles, you’ll find produce, bakery, dairy and meat — the most natural, unprocessed foods which are best for your health. Avoid going up and down the aisles where processed “convenience” foods dwell to tempt you away from healthy foods.

15. Keep a Food Journal. Being accountable is half your battle. A daily food journal will keep you organized, well-planned and accountable to your daily supportive nutrition plan. FYI: Tracking your daily food intake and exercise habits is a great way to take action and prove to yourself that you are serious about your achieving your goals! Don’t worry about the occasional setback – you are only human! Instead of giving up entirely, simply start fresh the next day. Make an effort to do better than you did the day before. Keep in mind that lifestyle changes won’t happen overnight. Be patient, make small changes and gradually add new supportive habits.

16. Plan your Workouts. You may be thinking to yourself: What does planning my workouts have to do with Proper Nutrition? The Answer: EVERYTHING! Your meals will be based and planned around when you will be exercising. So plan accordingly. It may seem easy enough. Remember, exercise takes WORK and HARD WORK at that.

17. Keep a Training Journal. Studies have shown that strength and results increase when you track your strength training and cardiovascular progress. Write down the day, time, workout, weight, sets, reps, feelings, and any other feedback that will help you attain your goals.

18. Be Consistent. Take one step at a time. You didn’t “get out of shape” in one day, you surely are not going to “get back in shape” in one day. Prepare accordingly. Through hard work, preparation and consistent healthy behavior you will begin to see results that will lead you to your personal goals.

19. Give Yourself Time. The more time and effort you put into creating a healthy lifestyle, the more results you will achieve. There is no such thing as “the correct plan” but if you put in the time and effort you can create a flexible plan suitable for you.

20. Hire a Mentor or Coach. Sometimes having the accountability and guidance of a trained professional is all we really need to achieve success. For others the simple nature of working with someone to help them create their unique plan is all it takes.

21. Live by the 80/20 Rule. Focus 80% of your time and energy on the 20% of your life that is truly important to helping you achieve your fat loss success.  That may be more time and effort on your nutrition, more energy in your training or making the time to put yourself first, in order to allow these guidelines to be implemented.

Remember this, no matter what curveballs life may throw you it truly comes down to the below:

“YOU are in CONTROL of your RESULTS!”

If you have more tips you think others would benefit from I’d love to hear them in your comments below!

Work Hard, Train Hard, Get Better,

Tyler

PS – Did you see this? My colleague and Natural Bodybuilding Champion Skip La Cour is giving away some great Fat Loss, Nutrition and Mindset Tips and the best thing they are FREE!

Pick them up => http://simplebodybuildingnutrition.com/

PPS – Did you know I was voted to the Top 5 of “The Fitness Industry’s Rising Stars”? The entire voting process was awesome!

See my story and thanks here => http://www.fitnessbusinessinterviews.com/fitness-industry-rising-stars-winners/

So I thought what better way then to give you an example of how I may structure a particular body part routine that isn’t so “body part” specific. Instead focusing on major lifts while still targeting specific muscles on given days.

This type of training routine has actually allowed me to hit muscle groups multiple times in a week without having to wait an entire week.

Monday – Legs

1A) BB Squats  – 4 x 6-8

1B) BB Romanian Deadlifts  – 4 x 6-8

2A) Bulgarian Split Squats – 3 x 12

3A) TRX Leg Curls – 3 x 25

Tuesday – Chest, Shoulders and Triceps

1A) BB Push Press – 4 x 5-7

2A) BB Close Grip Bench – 4 x 5-7

3A) Weighted Dips (Bands, Weight Belt or Chains) – 3 x 12-15

3B) Blast Strap Push-ups – 3 x 15-20

Wednesday – REST

Thursday  – Back and Biceps

1A) BB Row – 4 x 8-10

1B) Weighted Chin – 4 x 10-12

2A) Single Arm DB Row – 3 x 12-15

3A) TRX Face Pull – 3 x 15-20

Friday –  Chest, Shoulders and Triceps

1A) Incline DB Press – 4 x 8-10

1B) Single Arm DB Push Press – 4 x 8-10

2A) DB Floor Press – 3 x 6-8

3A) Band Pushdown – 3 x 15-20

3B) DB Floor French Press – 3 x 15-20

Saturday – Back and Biceps

1A) Trap Bar Deadlifts – 4 x 5-7

2A) Mixed Grip Chins – 4 x 10-12

2B) BB Cheat Curl – 4 x 10

3A) BB High Pull – 3 x 12

3B) DB Power Curl – 3 x 10-12

Sunday – REST

There you have it, an entire 7 day split. I keep lower body (legs) to one day per week due to recovery and the fact my legs have always been a strong suit.

This type of split has also allowed me to hit my upper body 4 times in a 7 day period while still allowing me ample recovery time.

Give this a try and let me know what you think.

Work Hard, Train Hard, Get Better

TE

Commitment

Passion

Focus

Preparation

Isolation

Persistence

Visualization

Separation

Seclusion

Each of these words has their place in the life of a bodybuilder, some more than others and others I surely missed. Over the past 33 weeks I’ve lived each of these and more. In 5 days it all comes together at the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation (WNBF) World Championships in New York City.

It’s crazy to think that I began the year by having an emergency appendectomy followed by a state of inactivity that would ultimately change my outlook on competition, training, nutrition, business and life.

So here I am some 8 and a half months into my contest prep season with the biggest show of my young career this coming Saturday and I can’t seem or even want to look back on my “recent success.”

This past Saturday I guest posed at the INBF Monster Mash in Marlborough, Massachusetts where two of my clients were competing in their first bodybuilding competitions. (They took 3^rd and 4^th respectively!) While I was there I had numerous conversations with other fellow competitors who seemingly uttered the same words to summarize my year.

“It’s been a big year for you.”

I’ve never been one to look back on success. I don’t do it in my day-to-day business as I only look at what needs to be done to get better.

Living in the past is not where most people want to find themselves or at least it sure as hell is not where I want to be.

I for one only want to be better as I move forward and I’ve taken the same approach with this season’s biggest and final competition.

There’s always room for improvement, there’s always someone who wants it just as much as you do and there’s plenty of competitors out there who are willing to work just as hard for it.

I take that all in stride but only focus on what I need to get done, what I need to improve, what I need to focus on and what I want out of it.

Last year I missed the finals by 1-point.

That hurt, though I have no one else to blame for it but myself. I’ve changed the way I go about everything this year and it’s made all the difference.

From more recovery, to my overall training style, to daily and weekly preparation for everything from business to nutrition to training, to my meticulous tracking of daily macronutrients and even with who I’ve surrounded myself with during this entire journey.

Truth be told “my inner circle” is smaller than it’s ever been and I like it that way.

On Friday night and Saturday morning the only people with me will be those few I’ve allowed in.  The truth of the matter is the only two people I need to be in contact with that day are my coach Dr. Joe Klemczewski and my bro, Robert.

It sucks to say it, but everyone else on this day comes a distant second. Those who make the trek to support me get all my love for their support, but until I step off that stage after prejudging…IT’S MY TIME!

Now as I promised myself, my brother and those in “my inner circle” I’m going to be a bodybuilder this week and only a bodybuilder.

Time to get focused!

Work Hard, Train Hard, Live Better,

Tyler

I have.

It was my fault I was in the place I was in. It’s the reason I wasn’t succeeding.

But I realized the only way I would succeed is if I admitted my failures to no one else but myself.

It happened almost exactly 1 year ago.

I competed at the 2009 WNBF World Championships with HIGH hopes but deep down inside knew that I hadn’t given it my all.

After the morning prejudge, I knew it was going to be REALLY close if I were to make the final 7.

I was right, I missed the finals by a point.

This was a major lesson and knew I had to do something different.

After making the decision to do something about it, I hit a major roadblock, I had an emergency appendectomy on January 3rd.

So, it would take 6 weeks before I could really go back to the drawing board.

Upon my return to training, I started over.

I worked harder than ever and did something that most people are afraid to do.

I got help!

Yup, I would seek out the best coaches in the Bodybuilding World. As I figured, I already had the best business coaches in the Fitness Industry, so why not hire the best person to get me ready for something I LOVE to do.

Compete.

In April of 2010 I “officially” hired “The Diet Doc” Bodybuilding Guru, Dr. Joe Klemczewski and it’s made all the difference in the world!

Sure I design my own workouts, I design my own meal plans but I have Joe to turn to as my Nutrition Coach for tweaks in my macros and especially “peaking” that final week for a show.

With Dr. Joe in my corner I’ve had one hell of a run this year including  finishing 5^th in a tough Heavyweight class at the 2010 WNBF Pro America on only 9 weeks of prep, winning the 2010 WNBF Mid America Pro Am Lightweight Class  some 9 weeks later and finishing 2^nd via a tiebreaker at the U.S. Cup in the Lighweight class.

Not too bad for a Naturally Professional Bodybuilder in only his 2ND YEAR as a Pro!

In 12 Days I will be competing in my 2^ND WNBF World Championships against many of the best Natural Bodybuilders in the World.

Though, there’s a difference this year.

I’m ready!

Work Hard, Train Hard, Live Better,

TE

It is without a shadow of a doubt one of the major reasons I was able to earn my professional status as a Natural Bodybuilder with the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation (WNBF) in only 3 years of competition.

Winning the 2010 WNBF Mid America Pro Am Lightweight Class!

Building a powerful set of legs takes work and is by far the least glamorous muscle to train. There’s no checking yourself out in the mirror, wearing less clothes to see the muscle swell during each and every rep and set, there’s no “showing off” your legs during a training session unless you’re one of those dudes that wears those weasel squeezer bike shorts during a set of squats. (For the record, don’t be that dude!)

When I started training in high school I had a lean physique and some of the smallest legs. I was a soccer player all my life and was told to run, run, run. That is until I found the weight room, but massive quads, dense hamstrings, powerful glutes and eye popping calves don’t happen overnight.

I thought the immediate way for a young hardgainer like I was at age 15 was to squat heavy! The problem was my body couldn’t handle it. So then I thought more and more was better. I used leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses, and became enamored with these exercises.

There was one problem; my sticks were still sticks.

Even after gaining close to 30 pounds from junior to senior year from my efforts in the weight room, I still didn’t have the legs I wanted.  My quads didn’t exist!

That is when I began to learn the true art of “The Squat” and began to experiment.

Yet, all I wanted to do was squat more weight and still my quads weren’t growing.

At this time I was a college student who doubled as a gym animal and party animal!

Through trial and error I stepped into the gym one day and decided I was going to do 200 repetitions of squats in one workout and didn’t care how I was going to get there.

The workout was brutal!

I can remember not being able to leave the gym for almost 30 minutes after my workout and I couldn’t walk normal for over a week! The scary thing, the workout took me less than 30 minutes to finish!

I was dead!

But I loved it! For the next 6 weeks I followed this program!

And yes, you will see there are “machine” exercises in this program. I was still a baby in the iron game and still used them.

This workout was and still is by far one of the most brutal workouts I have ever done in my life. BUT IT WORKED!

In 6 Weeks I had seen a huge jump in my quad size!

If you are like I was and still struggling to grow those legs  then try this!

But I warn you be sure to prepare for the following.

1)   Tons of  soft tissue work (foam rolling) before and after this workout.

2)   Warm-up REALLY good before starting this workout. (Either some or a combination of movement prep, active mobility, bodyweight squats, t-spine mobility and lunge variations.) I didn’t know this back in 2001 and hence I the reason I couldn’t walk normal for the entire week.

3)   To be breathing heavier than you have huffed and puffed in your life.

4)   For every sissy squatter who wants the rack to hate you on this day, because the squat rack is yours on this day!

5)   You will feel nauseous and you probably will vomit.

6)   To not finish with the weight you start with.

6-Week Leg Overhaul

Do to the amount of spinal loading you will take longer to warm-up before this workout.

1A) – Barbell Squat 1 x 20

1B) – Leg Press – 1 x 4-6

1C) – Barbell Squat 1 x 20

Rest 4 Minutes

2A) – Barbell Squat – 1 x  20

2B) – Leg Curl – 1 x 4-6

2C) – Barbell Squat – 1 x 20

Rest 4 Minutes

3A) – Barbell Squat – 1 x 20

3B) – Leg Extension – 1 x 4-6

3C) – Barbell  Squat  – 1 x 20

Rest 3 Minutes

4A) – Barbell Squat – 1 x 20

4B) -  Leg Press – 1 x 4-6

4C) – Barbell Squat – 1 x 20

Rest 3 Minutes

5A) – Barbell Squat – 1 x 20

5B) – Leg Curl – 1 x 4-6

5C) – Barbell Squat – 1 x 20

Pass Out!

There it is! The workout that got me started! Since then I’ve mixed and matched the machine exercises into a variation of other leg exercises. But this is what I started with.

Now if you don’t like pain, don’t like to train legs cause it hurts, are weak-minded or just have no pain threshold, then DON’T DO THIS WORKOUT!

But if you want legs that set you apart from all the top-heavy meatheads in your gym!

GO GET IT!

Work Hard, Train Hard, Live Better,

TE

I know pretty boring in most people’s eyes, yet for me, it signifies just how far I’ve come.

You see, unlike the majority of the population, I train for something and consistently work towards something. You can call it what you want, but the world of physique enhancement i.e. Bodybuilding, takes a unique individual.  Being a successful Fitness Professional, in an industry full of wannabes, takes even greater commitment.

Everyday I encounter questions from personal trainers desperate to be a successful boot camp owner and aspiring bodybuilders, figure competitors and the average fitness enthusiast who just wants to look like one.

My question to all of you out there that fit into that classification is:

Do you really know what it takes?

It’s not like Bodybuilding is my full-time job. It’s just a hobby that I tend to be really good at.

My full-time job you ask?

Well, I don’t really have a job, as I fired my boss as what now what feels like ages ago and started my journey as a business owner, fitness professional and entrepreneur some 21 months ago with $500, a plan and a dream.

Sometimes I will tell you however it can feel like I have 2 full-time jobs.

Bodybuilding in it’s own shape and form can be treated like full-time job and running a rapidly growing fitness business takes a lot of time and energy.

I’m often asked: How do you do it all?

In a word.

Dedication.

I don’t half ass anything I do and if I do something I do it 110%, 100mph, with all my heart and soul.

Has this required a good amount of sacrifice?

Absolutely.

Has it cause me to sacrifice the “other things” guys in their later 20’s are doing?

Sure, if that’s what they want to be doing. But my old definition of a good time isn’t what I consider a good time today.

You can say I have grown up, matured or maybe I got bored with it all.

The way I live my life now I am constantly accepting exciting opportunities and new challenges. Each of these opportunities and challenges requires a new amount of hard work and dedication.

In what has seemed like a very fast 2 years I have expanded my personal network beyond my own belief. Become friends with some of the industry’s brightest minds while becoming recognized as a respected fitness professional, successful business owner among these same peers for being “real” and practicing the art that I teach daily.

If you told me two years ago that I could pick up the phone and call “The Underground Strength Coach” Zach Even-Esh, to ask him for advice, or that I would have almost weekly conversations with Pat Rigsby because he was going to be my business coach, or that Jason Ferruggia and I would become friends, or I would visit Louie Simmons at Westside Barbell because my good buddy and fellow Mastermind member A.J. Roberts trains there, I would have laughed at the thought.

Rob and I at Westside Barbell with Louie Simmons

Let’s not forget that at least 3 times per year I travel down to Louisville, Kentucky where I just so happened to be surrounded by a Mastermind Group full of the brightest minds in our industry. Many of which have become like a second family to my brother Robert and I.

That’s an abbreviated list of the “who’s who” in the Fitness Industry that I am humbled to call “my network” and more importantly, my friends.

Before 2008, I was a partying 20 something, who had a job as personal trainer, who was an amateur bodybuilder and went where the wind blew him.

Since 2009, I’ve grown to be a Fitness Professional, Entrepreneur and Professional Bodybuilder who knows EXACTLY what he wants out of life.

With that comes dedication, commitment, drive, hard work and plenty of sacrifice.

So ask yourself this.

When the rest of the world is following. Will you lead?

Work Hard, Train Hard, Live Better,

TE

In my line of work Personal Trainers hear all the excuses as to “why” someone can’t do something.

It’s too hard.

I don’t have time.

I can’t do that.

I don’t want to eat that.

Yet, no matter where it is, what competition it is, or who it may be, there remains so many influential people in the Bodybuilding World and more specifically in my organization. One of the best parts about being a natural competitor is talking to fellow competitors from our amateur division, the International Natural Bodybuilding Federation (INBF) and our professional division, World Natural Bodybuilding Federation (WNBF).  Over the past 5 years I continue to meet some of the most inspirational, driven people.

Recently I had the honor to interview INBF Figure, FitBody and Bodybuilding Competitor Gina Stone about competing, life and how she does it all as a single mother.

Tyler English: Gina have a beautiful daughter, Brooklynn, and as a fitness professional I hear it all the time about balancing being a mom, work, working out and just life in general. What has made you successful at creating balance with all of these interchangeable parts?

Gina Stone: Balance is definitely key and although it can be very challenging at times, the trick for me is to plan each day in advance from the minute I wake up to the minute I go to bed.  There are days that you just can’t do it all… even though I like to think I’m superwoman, I have to remind myself that I’m not. So those days when I’m feeling burnt out or just overwhelmed, I try to look at the big picture and figure out what is most important today and things that can wait til tomorrow.

For those moms out there who may feel “selfish” by doing something solely for you, don’t!  One of the best thing you can do for your child is to do something that encompasses you and only you.  This will make you a better person and a better mom by adding something so special and positive to your life.  Your child (no matter how young) will see this and will respect and appreciate you for it.

Tyler English: How did you get into competing as a figure competitor?

Gina Stone: I was thinking about competing for about one year before I moved forward with the idea.  I love setting goals and completing them, always challenging myself and pushing forward.

Tyler English: What made you want to compete as a natural figure competitor?

Gina Stone: The less chemicals we put in our body the better.  Knowing that the outcome is nothing but hard training, clean nutrition, dedication and personal commitment makes me feel a sense of accomplishment without any “shortcuts”.

Tyler English: How did you start working with WNBF Pro Bodybuilder Bill Murphy aka “Murph?” (LOVE THAT DUDE!) haha

Gina Stone: I love Murph!!!! What a story, at the time I was working for LA Fitness in Stoneham. I stopped by Filipes Nutrition in Woburn and mentioned it in passing like, “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about doing a show, blah blah blah.”

So he said if I really want to do one, he had the perfect guy for me: Bill Murphy.  I said sure, I’ll talk to him.  Right then and there he picked up the phone, dialed and hands the phone to me.  (I’m like, I said I’d talk to him. I didn’t mean RIGHT NOW!)

I made an appointment to meet Murph that week (yea like I had time for that!).  He looked at me, pinched and prodded me like the human caliper he is, and he told me there was a show coming up in November… we have 9 weeks. Let’s do it!

I’m glad I didn’t put it off.  Procrastination is one of the worst things we can do to ourselves when we really want to do something but are scared.  Don’t make excuses!

My first show I “shouldn’t” have done.  I started training in September for a November show.  During that 9 week time frame I had to go to court for my divorce/custody case, switched jobs and took a pay cut to work closer to home, moved out and lived alone with my daughter.

To recap: divorce, new job, new home, new life.  Three huge life-changing events all during the time I should be focusing solely on training, nutrition and competing.

Moral of the story: If I can do it during the most stressful time in my life, anyone can!

Tyler English: How long do you prepare for your shows?

Gina Stone: First show prep time: 9 weeks. NE Classic prep time: 12 weeks.

I spent the last 6 months, after my first show, focusing on building muscle.  When I first met Murph, we were 9 weeks out from the first show and I went to him already lean due to stress and other factors going on in my life.  He put me on his nutrition plan and although I was eating more, every 2 hours, and working out the same time length, I managed to drop 10 lbs and get completely shredded. He completely flip-flopped my style of training and educated me on what really works.

Tyler English: What is your favorite part about competing?

Gina Stone: My favorite part about competing is seeing the metamorphosis take shape. Setting goals and achieving them.  I do these competitions for myself, no one else.  Many people get caught up in the drama of who made top five, who looks better than who, who “should have” won, shoulda woulda coulda.

If you get caught up with all of that than you’re missing out on what truly makes these competitions amazing, the personal journey.

It’s such a mental and emotional challenge on top of physical, but I like the idea of squeezing in as many shows as I can in one season.  For me it’s not just about placing or winning, it’s about the journey and knowing I gave 100% everyday until the second I step on that stage.

Most of all I love meeting awesome new people who share my passions.

Tyler English: What shows have you competed in?

Gina Stone: 2010 INBF Natural Connecticut Championships Ms. Fit Body: 2nd Place

2010 INBF Natural Connecticut Championships Figure Medium: 5th Place

2010 INBF Natural Connecticut Championships Heavyweight Women: 5th Place

2010 NE Classic Novice Figure:  4th Place

2010 NE Classic FitBody: 4th Place

2010 NPC Rhode Island Open Figure: 5th Place
2010 NPC Rhode Island Open Bodybuilding: 3rd place

2009 INBF Monster Mash Novice Figure: 3rd Place
2009 INBF Monster Mash Fit Body: 4th Place

2009 INBF MuscleTech World Championships Open Figure: 7th Place
2009 INBF MuscleTech World Championships Fit Body: 7th Place

Tyler English: Where do you see yourself on stage in 3 years?

Gina Stone: I would love to see myself competing as a pro within the next 3 years.  It would be an honor to step on stage with the pro women, they look truly remarkable and are an inspiration.

I have been making some really great connections and created networking opportunities that I could only make by competing in this field.

You never know what can happen 3 years from now, but I have some really exciting things that I am working on right now that I can’t wait to share with everyone.

As soon as I can talk about it I will share the news, but it goes to show you that even as a single mom at the cornerstone of turning 30, persistence and determination can reawaken dreams that you never though could come to fruition.

Tyler English: How long have you been training (in general?)

Gina Stone: In general what feels like forever.  I took a weight training class my sophomore year of High School (14 yrs ago) and was hooked on pushing weights and pushing myself physically.  Once all my girlfriend’s saw the muscle development and were like “I want your arms” I knew I’d never put a weight down again, lol.

Tyler English: What type of training split to you do?

Gina’s Weekly Training Split:

Monday:  bis/tris & legs

Tuesday: shoulders

Wednesday:  back/chest

Thursday:  cardio

Friday:  bis & tris

Saturday: legs

Sunday: rest or just cardio

Gina Stone: Unless I’m 2 or less months out from a show I do all exercises 4 sets/ 6-8 reps.
Closer to show time I switch to 2 sets/ 6-8 reps because of time- I need to spend more time on cardio closer to show and can “slack” a bit when I’m further out – I can’t believe I just used the word slack.
The above routine has worked WONDERS on building the mass I’ve been after in a short period of time- all super heavy weights too- like I mean 6-8 til absolute failure- if I can do even 9 reps I automatically kick up the weight.

About 8 weeks ago I started training bis/tris and legs twice a week, mainly because I want to be a monster, lol.  I noticed a HUGE difference by training those two body parts twice a week.

Biceps and Triceps can be trained easily twice a week because the muscle is smaller… the reason I started doing legs twice a week is because it’s always been the HARDEST body part to train and I’ve never been satisfied with how they look… and I really want to look like a freak. (which is a good term in this industry, lol)  I’m finally starting to see the new shape and muscle definition I’ve been after.

Tyler English: What is your favorite workout?

Gina Stone: LEGS!!!

I always do one warm-up set per body part, 4 sets of 6-8 reps to failure.

If I can do 10 reps, I stop and add more weight. Everyone who has seen me lately is SHOCKED at how much muscle I put on over the winter.  This is why: if I can push more weight, I do.  No sense in wasting my time- I’m not looking to maintain, I want to get better and better with each season.

Gina’s Sample Leg Workout

Smith machine squats

Rear lunge (on smith machine)

Hack squat

Leg press

Calf raise (on leg press)

Leg extension

Leg curl

Deadlifts (on smith machine)

Calf raise (standing or sitting)

Tyler English: What advice to you have for any mothers out there looking to compete?

Gina Stone: Just do it!

First, make sure your spouse or significant other is supportive, if they aren’t, find a new one! (j/k)

Seriously though, the last few weeks before show time can get physically as well as emotionally and mentally draining.  A strong support system will help give you the “oomph” you need in the last few weeks.  A best friend, supportive co-worker, training partner, trainer or coach anyone can work as a support system. That person does play an important role throughout your journey and helps keep your head on right, and reminds you just why you signed up to compete in the first place.

Some things that work for me and may work for other single mom’s out there:

1) Plan each and every day in advance, even if you have to plan out your entire weeks or 2 weeks at a time! (I’ve done it and it makes the day by day much easier)

2) Make the cooking fun and try to incorporate the kids if they are able to help. My 3 and 1/2 year old loves helping me, so I give her tasks that she can handle like wrapping the sweet potatoes in foil, and separating almonds in 1/2 oz piles.  (I tell her to count out 10 almonds, it’s approximately 1/2 oz, so I get my portion and she works on her counting)

Gina and Brooklynn

3) Find a gym w/ a daycare room so you can bring your little tot with you- no excuses!

4) Ask your trainer for plyometric routines or at-home exercises that you can do in case there is a day or two when if you can’t make it into the gym, especially if your child is sick.  Gotta keep moving when you’re prepping for a show!

5) Always look forward to training (even if you’re body isn’t).

6) Never make excuses. Don’t use your child or anything else such as time, work, money, etc. as an excuse.

7) Rise above the opinions of others. Women with muscles are strong, beautiful, powerful and sexy! People who have an opinion otherwise usually are intimidated or jealous… Just keep doing ya’ thing and be humble.  Do it for yourself and no one else.

Make yourself accountable and responsible- Hire a pro to create your nutrition and training program. This will help with keeping you on track.  Although the competition seems miles away, it gets closer everyday, and the timeline sure moves fast!

9) Idealization in everything you do!! There are no limits.

10) Never compromise your dream. Remember that this is a commitment.  It’s a lifestyle.  Things don’t go back to “normal” after the show is over.  It takes a special individual to be a fitness competitor but I do believe we ALL have the qualities inside us to compete. If you have desire, determination, persistence and commitment, than you can be a fitness competitor.

Tyler English: Thank you Gina for your time! You have an amazing story and I am sure there are many women and single mothers out there that can use your story as inspiration and motivation in their own lives. I want to wish Gina the best of luck as she is taking her Personal Training Certification Exam today and in her pursuit of that Professional status I think we all know she will obtain!

It was the early afternoon of January 3^rd, 2010 I started to experience ridiculous pains in my lower abdominal region. I figured it was just from watching my boy Wes Welker tear his ACL and MCL, during the Patriots final regular season against the Houston Texans. After all, I am super passionate about my Boston sports teams, my boxer’s name is Bruschi, and seeing that in the final game of the season, didn’t help!

As the day continued, the pain didn’t subside. I couldn’t move from the sofa and it didn’t get any better Monday, which just so happened, was the start of the first phase of Farmington Valley Fitness Boot Camp in the New Year.

I didn’t however ask my brother, Robert, to cover the morning sessions. No my stubborn ass decided to battle through a restless night’s sleep that accumulated all of 90 minutes!

So that next morning I battled through and taught our 6am and 7am sessions with increasingly pulsating pains in my lower abdomen. Following the 7am class I called my brother and told him he needed to come in to the gym because my pain was getting out of control.

He and I co-taught our 9:30am boot camp and then headed over to my place to watch the first part of NBC Connecticut’s 2-part feature on Farmington Valley Fitness Boot Camp.

After watching the feature at my place, Robert (Rob to all of you) wanted to know if I was going to be ok, again I said “I am fine, it’s just indigestion or some shit.”

Well, only a half-hour after he left I couldn’t stand up straight. I was doubled over in pain. After calling some of those people in my surrounding network for advice, my mother, my assistant and my brother, I loaded up Bruschi in my Jeep and drove myself to Med Help.

The diagnosis? They didn’t know… but feared the worse. To quote the Doctor, “If I told you that you needed to go to the hospital immediately which hospital would you go to?”

So? WTF? Am I going to die?

He “feared” it could be appendicitis and my appendix may “burst.” I immediately drove to the emergency room and called my Bro to tell him what the hell was going on.  After all, my dog was with me and I didn’t want the little guy to be stuck in my Jeep forever. So Robert came and picked him up and I sat in the waiting room in ridiculous pain and was able to watch our feature once again on NBC Connecticut.

After a fun 3-hour wait in the Emergency Room (good thing my appendix didn’t burst), I was admitted. After a series of tests, one in which required the doctor to push on the area in pain but required my abdomen to be relaxed. So the Doctor said to me with his Indian accent, “can you bend your knees, your abs are too firm,” which made me laugh. he told me I needed emergency surgery to remove my appendix.

So after a long day of increasing pain I went into surgery after 11pm with a group of female nurses surround me and woke up in serious pain early Tuesday morning with my female nurses gone and to my disappointment some dude as my nurse.

I was quite pleased when I was sent home later on Tuesday afternoon (after of watching the 2^nd part of our feature, our Grocery Store Tour on NBC Connecticut).

The next week was absolute hell. Not being able to sit up, upset stomach, my appetite went to shit, I was in constant pain. The gave me pain meds, but if you know anything about me you know I refuse to depend on that shit as I view it as poison. I took my meds for 2 days and refused to continue loading my body with that pharmaceutical bullshit.

I had dropped down to 172 pounds! Hell, I compete at 175 and walk around at 185. The surgery had caused me to loose over 10 pounds in only 10 days. It only got worse after my visit to see my surgeon.

He told me that I could not lift anything over 5 pounds for the next 6 weeks! No weight barring movements what so ever, even bodyweight exercises for fear of abdominal stress and the possibility for a hernia.

I thought well there goes this year of Professional Bodybuilding competition, no working out, no teaching boot camp, man this SUCKS!

The next month and a half were by far some of the worst weeks of my life. I ate like shit, slept like shit, and now that I think back on it was definitely suffering from some levels of depression.

I struggled with no teaching, not eating right, lost focus on some parts of my business and my own well-being. Even after returning back to teaching boot camps, my mindset wasn’t the same. Not having the ability to lift heavy iron, drip sweat from intense workouts, and feel the euphoric aftermath of a brutal strength training session was draining on me.

After 2 weeks I returned back to my doctor, he told me exactly what I didn’t want to hear. I had to wait 4 more weeks.

But the stubborn Italian got the best of me. I tried to get back in the gym only 3 weeks later by performing an Upper Body Push Workout at our gym. Well, I couldn’t vertical press 115 pounds, I could horizontal press worth shit and even got stuck attempting to rep 185 on close-grip bench (normally a warm-up weight for me). My bro had to pull it off me and tell me to “just take it easy.” Not so “easy” for me. I was completely frustrated.

I worked hard over the next month to put the weight back on I had lost. I felt the worst I had every felt in my off-season. I had serious doubts to whether I would compete in June, a goal I had set for myself before the New Year.

After 6 weeks of moderate training I knew I needed to change everything. I needed to go back to the drawing board. I made a promise to reinvent myself, my training, my diet, my recovery, and my work habits.

The re-launching of this blog was a major step in that direction.  So here I am reinvented and reinvigorated as a Fitness Professional, Business Owner, Fat Loss and Muscle Building Expert and Professional Natural Bodybuilder.

On June 5^th I took home 5^th place in the Heavier of two Pro Divisions in the WNBF Pro American in Marlborough, Massachusetts. I came in my best ever against a group that included many “true heavyweights” and I held my ground as a true middleweight and the youngest in my division. I had the best combination I have every put together of  symmetry, size, muscularity and conditioning. This is only the start. I have 2 more competitions over the next year where I plan on turning more heads.

10 Weeks Out at 189

10 Weeks Later at 176 on stage at the WNBF Pro American

Unlike some “so-called experts” in our industry, I am who I am because I practice what I preach, work in the trenches day in and day out, and have submerged myself into being the best at what I do.

This blog is my way of sharing it all with you.

Thanks for reading the first of many more to come.

(Sorry for the long post, future posts will not be so winded!)

Work Hard, Train Hard, Live Better,

TE

I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico at my buddy Rocco Castellano’s Fitness Celebrity Branding Summit with my colleagues BJ Bliffert and his wife Kori as well as David “The Irontamer” Whitley and his wife Mandy.

Yes, I was the odd one out. Sorry no marriage for me in the near future!

Last weekend my travels kept me in Connecticut but a last minute invite by my good buddy Curtis Mock of Gym Success and FitBiz Television I ended up at Ryan Lee’s Continuity Summit. It is here I connected with new friends like John Romaniello, Vince Delmonte, Joseph Arangio, Joel Marion and old friends like Mock, AJ Roberts, Scott Colby to name a few.

If there is something that has remained a constant in my growth over the past year, it is investing in my education as both a fitness professional and business owner. It is at each of these seminars I am able to create these new networks, new alliances, and allowed the opportunity to form new friendships. It is each of these avenues that allow me to continually grow both personally and professionally.

So while on my travels I unfortunately, unlike most of North America, was unable to watch the Gold Medal Hockey men’s game between USA and host Canada. Besides an update on my connecting flight home by our Flight Attendant regarding USA’s late 3^rd period goal, I missed the entire game, but it got me thinking.

Many of you need to take a page out the book on what it takes to be an Olympic Athlete.

Seriously think about this for a second.

We can learn a valuable life lesson from these same Olympic Athletes.

These athletes eat, sleep and train for an event they only get to compete in once every 4 years. Yet, they don’t hesitate to invest in their training and ultimately their body.

In my own circle of friends that include bodybuilders, figure competitors, models, bikini competitors you will find many that are just as dedicated.

We put forth the investment of our personal time, money, dedication and hours of work for the ability to take our physiques to an ultimate level only to be judged subjectively for one day.

Why is it that we invest in 401k’s, stocks, cars, real estate and you name it but the thought of investing in your own personal fitness is something we consider an expense?

An expense? Really? Seriously? WTF?

What fun is life, if the tool to help you truly maximize your self-worth doesn’t function properly?

Think about that for a second.

How valuable is YOUR OWN LIFE?

Think about your return on investment for making positive changes to your nutrition habits, working out a regular basis, losing body fat, gaining lean muscle, having more energy and…

LIVING A LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE!

Do you still want to ask about the price?

How about PRICELESS!

Get Better,

Tyler English, NASM-PES, CPT