Terrence Ruffin: Everyone Thinks I'm Done - Olympia 2026 & The Full Life Story

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This is the first time Wesley has ever beaten me since we competed together.
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It was a little tough feel to swallow to see like some guys that you've consistently been ahead of and overtake you.
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This year, I told myself I live in a box like J.
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Colour.
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You stayed up all night meeting.
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I was asleep for maybe like an hour and then wake up, pose, so you can see.
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We never done that before.
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I built this up in my head.
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I'm gonna get this done for Matt.
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I don't know what it was, but like right after every post-trip I did for like two years, I just felt like Matt had believed in me and like it knew I could get to that point, and I was super sad that he couldn't be there to see it actually happen.
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And then when John passed, my most popular posey song is survivor, and I feel like that's my story.
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Every single reason I've had people say I'm not winning because I'm short, because I'm black, because I'm bald now.
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And I'm just like, no, I will what are the top three things that you learned from the time we're talking about?
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Welcome back, brother.
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Yo, thank you, man.
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It's good to be back.
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How are you feeling right now after the Olympia?
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I feel good, man.
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Um, well, I feel tired.
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I bet, but good.
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I got another show on Sunday, so uh, you know, we got like a day to rest, and then um, you know, we're back on it.
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Yeah, damn.
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What's the show?
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Far Labs Mexico Pro.
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And then a week after that, Prague, and then two weeks after that, Slovakia.
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Okay, cool.
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Yeah, a lot to look forward to.
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Yeah, yeah.
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What are you thinking about this Olympia?
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What's running through your head?
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Yeah, man, basically, um, was really happy with the look overall.
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Like, when I got into the sport, like what I weigh on state is kind of where I wanted to be.
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Like, that was what I envisioned.
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Like how I look would look like doing really well in the sport.
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Because when I got into it, it was only bodybuilding.
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And I'm like, okay, well, I probably need to be like 185 to like do well as a bodybuilder.
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So that was really cool, you know, after 10 years to see kind of like what I had like envisioned like all that time before.
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And then um obviously the negatives is like I didn't place where I wanted to place.
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Uh, this is the first time Wesley has ever beaten me since we competed together, and uh, and also now, obviously, but but yeah, yeah, it was a little tough pill to swallow to see like um you know some guys that you've consistently been over and you know ahead of and like them overtake you, yeah.
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Yeah.
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Do you have any thoughts about about about the placing or um this is honestly the first year where like I didn't quite understand or agree?
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Like third place last year, like I went through and did on my own page a uh show review, and I kind of went through everything pose by pose, and I personally probably would have had Mike winning last year.
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Um so I was like third place, I like it's fine, you know.
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Um this one I was a little surprised.
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Like I was really, really happy with how I looked, and I looked a lot better than last year, in my opinion, you know.
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So yeah, yeah, just a little, a little loss, you know.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Uh I am not okay.
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I'm I'm not saying this to be biased, bro.
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I have told this to so many fucking people, and I hope that these people can even like just say that I've said this by anecdote, but like I'm genuinely just so shocked at your placing.
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I thought you uh in terms of your package, I thought this is probably one of the best that you've ever come in.
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I thought you looked fucking insane.
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You look crisp from the front and full, dry and full from the front and from the back, of course, because you always look great from the back.
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Um, and um like even seeing the comparisons on stage, like your your back popped, uh your abs whenever you would flex them for, for example, the uh the ab and thigh, or you know, you did like fucking the side ab dog shot.
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It looks so fucking crisp, man.
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It looked amazing.
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So, I mean, in my opinion, I am I'm honestly just fucking super shocked at the placing myself.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Um, I just uh yeah, I was telling everyone out of the uh out of out of the entire top five.
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Like, I feel like you got cheated the most in your placing personally, but you know, we need you on the sport, yeah.
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I know this is probably what this is what I've heard a lot at this Olympia from a lot of people in the audience too.
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But obviously we don't know what the reasoning is, but uh yeah, dude's just so fucking dark, man.
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Like sometimes it's hard to see everything properly.
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You know, it's it sucks because like uh you know, I know Gilko.
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Um and Gilko was supposed to do the lighting at this show, and Gilko, every time I see like his production is fantastic.
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So I was super excited about this one because he said he called me and said, Hey bro, I got the lighting figured out, you're gonna look great on stage.
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And then, like, literally the night before, he's like, Yeah, bro, they they they canceled, like they're gonna do it themselves.
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And I'm just like, fantastic, you know.
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Damn, yeah.
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What do you do for tanning?
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I do very little because I'm dart, dude.
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Like I for the first for years, I would do just I still wouldn't do that much.
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I would do like a coat um the night before, and then I would go back for touch-ups, like you know, a lot of people do.
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But um, I don't know, man.
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I forget, I think like a few years ago, I was like, let me just try one coat in the morning, and that's all I do now.
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And to be honest, like I might even try something different, like uh maybe something with the more like red tones, or uh there is this there's this Vaseline they have quick bronze.
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Yeah, I might even literally just do the quick bronze like backstage and see how that looks.
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I feel like that'd be a good idea.
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I'm like almost wondering if you can literally just can you just like not tan yourself up just quiz.
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Yeah, yeah, just straight out.
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That might, that might, I don't know.
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I don't know.
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I'm a little worried that, but yeah, that could be a move, yeah.
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Yeah, maybe maybe try that at some of the other.
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No, actually, when I guess pose, I don't tan.
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So I mean like that, like next time I guess pose, if I'm in pretty good shape, I'm gonna see how that looks.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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I would try that for sure.
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Okay, yeah, for sure, man.
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That's a good idea.
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That is a good idea.
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Yeah, is there something that can make you lighter on stage?
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Bleach with your skin.
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Shit.
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Oh my gosh.
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Well, I was thinking it would be really cool for us to discuss this because I really enjoyed your post, and I think we haven't really talked about this on the past few podcasts that we've done, which I'm surprised why we haven't.
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We've done into your into your history a little bit.
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Um, in the last podcast, we talked about your time in the military and why you started bodybuilding and how you started off like uh it was like 120 or 120.
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Yeah, like 120 pounds.
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Yeah, 120 pounds.
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Crazy.
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Um, but I think uh we didn't go as early as to like what your childhood was like.
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I don't think we got to discuss time that your time with John Meadows and how that experience was.
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So honestly, if we could just turn back the tape a little bit, I think that would be super cool for us to just start from the very beginning.
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Yeah, okay.
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Um I grew my mom had me at like 20 years old.
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Her and my dad were in college, and um they stayed together for a little bit, but for whatever reason they they split, and then she raised me pretty much on my own from like I think I was two or three.
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Um we were living, I think, in Wisconsin at the time, and then we moved back home with my grandmother once they split, and she lived in this little town called Beatrice, Alabama.
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Um, at the time it was like population 300.
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Now it's like 200 people left.
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By the time I'm like 50, it'll probably be like 100 people left, and it'll be a ghost town, you know.
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But um, yeah, it's like a mile long.
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It's like we got our first Dollar General.
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Damn, you know, so that's cool.
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Fire.
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We can get junk food now, like on the go.
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And um, yeah, I'm trying to think of anything else.
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Like, you know, the cool thing is like, you know, like I'm very aware of like, you know, like what people say about African Americans and statistics and things like that.
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And you know, I'm very blessed that my mom was like like somehow in some way very, very different.
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Where like growing up, she always had me in sports to keep me out of trouble.
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Uh, anytime we were in the car, like she had like these books on um The Alchemist, Les Brown, um Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, uh Robert Kirasaki, um Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
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So like all this stuff was like, I didn't know what it was at the time, it was just playing, but now that I'm older, it like really, really helped develop a very positive mindset for me.
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And even with our food, like she's not a bodybuilder or like anything like that, but we didn't have sodas in the house.
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Um, a lot of nights we would eat pretty healthy, like she had like that George Foreman grill, and we would just eat chicken, rice, green beans.
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You know, breakfast was like grits and eggs.
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And uh yeah, like a lot of like what I do now was already doing kind of like the light version when I was a kid.
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So that's dope.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Fucking grits, man.
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It's the shit that makes a man.
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Bro, yeah, yeah.
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Dude, my grandmother, like when we she ate grits every single day, every morning, like like until she passed away, man.
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Like, it's she lived like a bodybuilding lifestyle, dude.
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Every every morning, same time grits, eggs, and bacon, dude.
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So like I'm used to like the monotonous like food culture, like a bodybuilding.
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Yeah, gotcha.
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That's dope.
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What was it like growing up with a single mother?
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I don't know anything else, man, but like it was it was fine.
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Um she kind of played both roles.
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Like she was definitely was very hard on me, like discipline and everything like that.
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Told me like not to cry.
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I feel like that's what a dad normally tells his son to do.
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Yeah.
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She told me like uh things like yo, you're gonna have to work ten times harder than most people to get the same uh type of reward or respect.
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What did she say that?
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That's more of a race thing to be honest with you.
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Yeah, like a lot of a lot of like uh that's like very common in like black cultures, like they'll say stuff like that, you know.
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So like just growing up, you know, like just teaching me work ethic, and like that's gonna be very, very important moving forward.
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Yeah, yeah.
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So I mean like like even in the house, like I I was taught how to cook, clean, I had chores I had to do to get like allowance, like all that type of stuff, you know.
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Yeah, and I don't feel like that's very common.
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Like none of my friends had to do anything like that growing up, but like you know, in my household, you know, we had to.
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Right.
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I mean, I think that's pretty remnant of uh southern southern culture, especially especially that culture.
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Yeah, yeah.
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I I still go to grocery stores and uh the fucking checkout will ask me if I'm from the south, because I'll just by default say yes ma'am.
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Yes, sir.
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It's funny.
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So no, I think I think uh you know, I'm very blessed to have a mom that was somehow aware of all those type of things, you know, and like you know, worked super hard to like put me in a good place, in a good situation, you know.
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Yeah, yeah.
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You mentioned too in the post, I think that uh she had you she made sure that you worked really hard and you ended up getting to maybe like the top of your class, or yeah, yeah.
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Well, I I I should I like um she would get on so like I in middle school I went to a magnet school, so like um you know, I was very like a lot, I was ahead of a lot of things, you know, in terms of like education.
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And then when my grandmother got older, we moved back to the country.
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And dude, the education system out there was not even close, man.
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So like she definitely pushed me to work hard in middle school, but when I got to high school, it was so easy.
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Like, I didn't do I didn't do any homework, and I still was able to get really good grades.
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Um, I graduated a year early, and I tested at the top of some of uh the um the college, it was ASFABs and SATs and stuff.
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So um I wanted to say in high school one more year, just because I'm like, hey, I'm 17, you know, I'll have a year just to do like one or two classes and I get to have some fun, but she's like, no, you're not gonna sit around here, bro.
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So she was like, You can get a job, you can go to college, or you can join the military.
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And so I was like, I'm I'm gonna join the military.
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Fire.
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Fire.
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Yeah.
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What had you decide to join the military?
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I was in ROTC in high school, and like uh there's this guy named Sergeant Brown, and like I really, really respected him, you know.
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Um, he was like, I guess, a father figure in a sense, and so I I just wanted to do that, you know, because that's what he did.
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Yeah.
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Toucha.
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Dude, I wonder how much of a Gen Z these days how's their parents tell them, like, you have three choices, or you have two choices, or you need to fucking just leave the goddamn house, you know.
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Yeah, man, it's funny because like um I feel like it's a very like American thing too, because um, you know, in other countries, like kids will stay with their parents until like you know, mid-20s, late 20s, early 30s, yeah.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Especially the sons there.
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The moms love their son.
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So yeah, duh, I um definitely completely different, man.
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I feel like I'm super thankful for that.
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My mom and I like came to a consensus when I was 15 that we would have me leave the house as as early as a 15-year-old could leave the house.
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So I applied to some schools that obviously have dorms for me to live in.
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So uh, and then I got into this math and science school that was state funded, so only had to pay like maybe 300 bucks or something per year, something like that, something super low.
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But um for a school, so that was kind of nice because it kind of gives you a place for you to start creating your own identity away from your family.
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I think whether or not that's good for everybody, I think that's debatable because I think some families can be an amazing influence.
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Yeah, but yeah.
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That's crazy, dude.
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Like 15.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Okay.
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I was dude, I um around that age, there were I we did go look at this art school for me.
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Um, it just was too expensive.
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So I was like, she was open to it, but I guess it just didn't work out for us.
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But yeah, I don't know how how life would have been different if I would have like left the house at 15.
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Yeah.
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Well, I mean, when you moved on to the military, I feel like that's kind of when you took on your own journey of like I'm gonna get fucking huge and I'm gonna start becoming becoming physically adept and shit like that, right?
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It well, it it came after I washed out of the tag pee after that.
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Like, that's when it and honestly, at first it was like I'm gonna gain weight and try this again, but yeah, I I found bodybuilding like super quick after I went down that path.
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Yeah.
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Do you feel like that was hard for you at first?
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I know you told me, I believe you mentioned that in the first couple months that you were able to blow up on like 40 to 60 pounds or something.
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I put on, I got up to like 155, 160 pretty quick.
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Yeah.
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Um, I was just eating.
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Yeah, I literally every chance I got, I would just eat something, man.
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I think too, like, like especially it's funny now, man.
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Like, I look at how bodybuilding was like back then versus now, and like there's so much more like education, and like it's so much easier to do things right.
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Yeah.
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Whereas back then I had like a bodybuilding magazine, and it was I literally just followed the diet that the other the bodybuilder in the magazine was doing.
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You know, yeah.
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Do you remember what you were eating?
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When I was still in like they like they call it tech school, um, where you're learning to do your job, I was eating basically whatever the the the uh cafeteria had.
00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:10.639
So like like a lot of eggs and oatmeal.
00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:15.200
Uh I was doing soy, soy milk, soy protein milk.
00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.960
Um, I would I would get like two or three cartons of that.
00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:26.240
I would eat, and the way I would do it is since it's free, I would eat breakfast there, and then I would take a plate to go and then eat that again.
00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:29.120
Then we would have lunch and it it rotated.
00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.600
So like it was whatever the cleanest option was.
00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:35.759
You know, sometimes it was chicken, sometimes it was steak and potatoes, whatever it may be.
00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:37.279
Same deal.
00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:41.759
Eat, eat um one meal there, take the other one with me.
00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:46.000
And then uh I was able to have enough money for protein shakes and stuff.
00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:50.000
So I would do that after my workout, and then whatever they had for dinner, I would eat that.
00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:50.399
Yeah.
00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:52.720
What do they usually have for dinner?
00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:58.480
Bro, that was like it yo, the Air Force food was actually pretty good.
00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:04.000
Like the other branches, like the Air Force get gets made fun of because like they treat us nice, yeah.
00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:06.480
And the other branches get treated like shit.
00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:10.960
Like their their rooms suck, um, the food sucks.
00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:15.119
Uh but yeah, so like they call us a chair for us because we get pampered.
00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:16.720
So like everything was pretty good.
00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:17.359
Yeah.
00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:27.200
But dude, I remember having like I remember having just ungodly amounts of soy milk when I was in the high school, in the dorm school.
00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:28.319
Like, what is that?
00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:31.119
What is that the name of that popular soy milk called stilt milk?
00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:33.440
Or shouldn't still oh my god, bro.
00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:36.880
When people started telling me that I was gonna grow tits and shit from that.
00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:38.559
Dude, holy fuck.
00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:41.200
I didn't know anything was wrong with it, dude, until like years later.
00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:45.759
Yeah, I was drinking probably like gallons of that for like three years straight, dude.
00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:46.880
Makes me wonder.
00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:50.319
That's why I fucking got a little gyno and shit.
00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:51.839
I don't know, it's us, dude.
00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:52.640
It's not the cure.
00:17:52.880 --> 00:18:00.160
Yeah, do you feel like um so failing out of the TAC or the TACP?
00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:04.720
That is what caused you to be like, okay, fuck, I need to gain some fucking weight.
00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:05.200
Yeah.
00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:06.160
Right.
00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:09.279
Um, did you ever like what's the okay?
00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:12.480
I'm sorry, I'm so ignorant, but like, is there a process for like reapplying for that?
00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.519
Or yeah, yeah, no, it's definitely very niche.
00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:30.960
Um so yeah, basically the way that whole the whole special forces program works is like before you join, you take a um I forget what it is, I think it's called a past test, and that's how you get to go.
00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:32.480
Um it's not even that hard.
00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:37.119
It's like you do like uh I forget how long of the swim is.
00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:43.920
You do a swim, you do a run, you do pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and it's a little bit higher of a standard than like the normal military test.
00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:59.440
Um then you get into basic training, and then you get to stay with all the people doing that same those same jobs because you have to do more during PT so you can you know be ready to go when you get to the actual like pipeline.
00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:08.640
Once you get there, um if you don't make it past, I think the first week or the or the first two weeks, then it'll just kick you out.
00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:12.079
Which I saw a couple that happened to a couple people.
00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:16.240
And then if you make it past the first two weeks and then you wash out, then they'll give you a different job.
00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:23.279
And then from there, I think you have to wait like two, I think it's like two years to apply again.
00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:24.319
Yeah.
00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:25.759
Yeah.
00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:27.200
So what did you do?
00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:33.759
I ended up uh getting a job called uh electronic warfare.
00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:50.799
So I worked on jamming systems that attach to aircraft, and uh I was like, dude, as soon as I got to my base, like I spent I think six months going like retraining to that job, and like I found bodybuilding like in month five of that.
00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:56.480
So as soon as I got to my base, I was over going back and trying again, and I was all in on bodybuilding.
00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:01.359
And then someone convinced you to do your first show.
00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:09.279
Uh basically when I was retraining, someone told me about bodybuilding, and I was really like I that's when I knew I wanted to do it.
00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:11.680
I just had to figure out how to do a show.
00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:19.039
Yeah, and I remember this dude, I knew I met him and I saw he was a bodybuilder, and I asked him, I said, hey bro, how do you sign up for a show?
00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:20.640
And he's like, just go figure it out, bro.
00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:21.279
It's online.
00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:24.400
I was like, I was like, okay.
00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:26.319
Yo, funny enough, dude.
00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:31.680
Like, I turned pro before him, and he turned pro a few years later, and he he mentioned that to me.
00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:34.319
Um, he's like, Yeah, bro, I was a little mean to you, dude.
00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:36.640
I'm like, Yeah, yeah, he was, yeah.
00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:50.480
Uh, but I ended up going to like this this gym, go an old a ghost gym in Fort Wild Beach, Florida, and uh this bodybuilding couple, Heather and John Blats, uh, they had like a bodybuilding team, and like I couldn't afford it.
00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:57.119
So like they still brought me on, but like I had to help them like sweep and clean and do different stuff like that, you know?
00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:01.680
And yeah, they were the ones that had me get started.
00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:10.400
Yeah it's funny, like Heather was like, um she wanted me to do men's physique at first, but I just was all in on bodybuilding.
00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:18.880
So like I I tried the men's physique posing like one time in class in like the posing class we have, and then I just was like, nah, I'll just do bodybuilder.
00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:26.160
But you gotta do like a you gotta post the picture of you doing a men's physique pose like any I didn't have any of that.
00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:26.960
You know it's funny, dude.
00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:31.920
The whole reason I have social media was because of her because she's like, Oh, yeah, you're gonna need social media if you're gonna be bodybuilder, you know.
00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:33.359
I'm like, oh, okay.
00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:42.400
And then like I didn't know what to put as my my social media names, but my cousin, when I was in high school, called me rough diesel, like in football practice.
00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:44.640
So I was like, we just put rough diesel, you know.
00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:46.160
Fuck yeah, yeah.
00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:47.279
That's fine.
00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:50.880
Yeah, so that's how that name everyone always asked me about like the other name came around.
00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:55.200
Yeah, it's like every white person ever calling me Goku because I'm fucking Asian.
00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:58.480
Like, wow, like do an Asian guy that lifts is crazy.
00:21:58.640 --> 00:21:59.680
I never heard that before.
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:00.720
Is that a thing?
00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:01.359
Yeah, dude.
00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:02.400
For sure.
00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:03.839
Before I had social media.
00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:04.400
Oh, yeah.
00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:05.200
Okay.
00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:07.519
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:08.960
Like, dude, this guy's like Goku.
00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:10.880
Like, what the fuck?
00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:12.319
That's like super random.
00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:12.720
Like, yo.
00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:13.759
What's up, y'all?
00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:16.000
So it's been a while since I checked the YouTube analytics.
00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:20.079
So it's looking like 55% of y'all are not subscribed.
00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:32.960
And if you guys have found value from this podcast during your one-hour cardio sessions, then if you'd like to help support the pod, if you could just click the subscribe and the bell button if you haven't already, it'll help us immensely.
00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:42.000
And I'm sure you guys have noticed as the podcast has grown, it's been easier and easier for me to reach out and get guests on that used to never give me an ounce of their time.
00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:49.759
So it's all thanks to you guys that we can have these conversations that five years ago I couldn't really even have in person, nor was I comfortable to.
00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:57.359
And uh the world is changing year by year, and it's all thanks to you guys supporting content like this and making this a very open space.
00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:02.799
So if you guys would also like to support the podcast, Code Nile for Young LA and Huge Supplements.
00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:05.599
Young LA is the clothing brand I've worn in a bunch of my podcasts.
00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:13.359
You guys may have seen probably about 90% of what I've worn is like Young LA, whereas the other 10%, like thrift stores, maybe Amazon.
00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:18.960
And uh Huge Supplements is the company that I have that whey protein and whey isolate that's like really, really sweet.
00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:32.720
I like to mix it to ninja creamies and then um the Magnify and the pre-workout products that give me a good pump, but also makes it look juicy whenever you're trying to take those uh after picks to show people that you a gym sometimes.
00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:36.480
So I appreciate you guys, and we'll get back to the episode.
00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:42.400
I know, I know you kind of explained that, like, you know, you started like uh the the people at this gym ended up helping you and you were just sweeping everything.
00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:43.119
But who is this woman?
00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:45.039
Like, how did she know all of this shit?
00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:50.000
How'd she know that like you'd have to be, you know, you'd have to have a social media in order to do well in bodybuilding?
00:23:50.079 --> 00:24:00.480
Like, well, her her um, you know, it was a couple, so she was just a coach, but her um husband at the time was he was like a top-level um amateur.
00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:06.400
Like it was it was a whole different scene back then because like amateurs back then were like kind of popular.
00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:15.920
Like they had the what RS muscle had like the in the trenches series where they would fly people out to shoot the amateurs, and like it was like a big deal.
00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:19.039
I remember like Nick Trigilli.
00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:26.160
He was funny enough, like he was the reason I actually went to get my pro card as early as I did.
00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:32.720
He was dating this girl in town, and like he was uh like kind of a big deal, even though he wasn't a pro at the time.
00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:40.480
Like he had like a I think like a six-figure contract with muscular development, or not muscular development, but um what's that company Kai used to be with?
00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:41.759
Um Muscle Mads.
00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:42.960
Yeah, yeah.
00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:48.640
So she kind of knew because of her husband and what he was doing.
00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:50.319
Okay, I gotcha.
00:24:51.279 --> 00:25:04.079
It's kind of cool to hear about the stories from Bro, it's a whole like it's cool, like the the like that I got into bodybuilding when I did, and kind of I've been able to see like the changes because of social media and everything like that.
00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:06.720
It's been it's been really, really interesting.
00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:07.359
Right.
00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:12.640
How do you feel like this prep for this Olympia is different from the first ever prep you did when you were working for that gym?
00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:15.839
Like, what are all the different things that come to mind first for you?
00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:18.720
Well, yo, man, I didn't know what I was doing, dude.
00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:29.680
Like, I remember um I was eating my meals, the the meals were fine, but uh I remember I was telling one of my friends at the time, he was older, his name was Joe, Joe Luke.
00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:32.160
And I said, Yeah, man, like meal prep's pretty easy.
00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:35.359
You know, I just put a little honey on my food, and like it's I'm good to go.
00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:39.440
And he's like, Yo, bro, you can't put honey on your food, dude.
00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:41.039
And like, I was like, Oh, why not?
00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:42.720
He's like, because that's carbs.
00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:44.880
I was like, Oh, I was like, Oh, okay.
00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:52.160
So like I'll just do a dumb stuff, man, and like um, yeah, I was just doing, I don't know, man, I was just doing dumb stuff.
00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:53.359
Like, I didn't know any better.
00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:59.920
Yeah, um it was it was honestly pretty easy too.
00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:09.119
Like, like I remember during the the it was easy in the sense of like being on schedule because like when I had a job, like I had to eat at this time, and if I didn't, I didn't eat, you know.
00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.559
So that was really cool.
00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:23.200
Like the way I would get my meals in is during like I obviously I would eat before we started work, then everyone would take like a 15-minute smoke break, and I would eat while everyone was smoking.
00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:34.400
Then we would have lunch, then they would take their uh like two hours later, they would take their next smoke break and I would eat then, and then I would eat right after work and then I'll go train.
00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:39.200
So it was pretty, pretty easy to keep things on track with that prep.
00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:44.319
The only hard part was like the last few weeks when I got tired and I still needed to work.
00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:52.160
So like when I would be really, really exhausted, I would just go sit in the bathroom for like 20 minutes and just sit on the toilet, dude.
00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:56.240
Dude, oh yeah, so um that was hard.
00:26:56.319 --> 00:26:57.440
Yeah, very, very hard.
00:26:57.599 --> 00:26:58.720
That's fucking real, dude.
00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:02.559
Yeah, and then I'm like, okay, they're probably looking for me.
00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:03.519
Let me get up, you know.
00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:14.480
Yeah, but uh overall the prep preps were I think a little bit harder then too, maybe because I had less muscle mass, so I had to diet and like diet harder, do a lot more cardio too, yeah.
00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:16.720
Yeah, man, I can say the exact same.
00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:23.359
Remember like 1200, 1100 calorie like uh last two to three weeks for me in my first few preps.
00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:38.480
Dude, I like at back then dude, I would it was really common for me to go no carb for a while um with like two hours of cardio and now I've I've the last like three years, I haven't I haven't had any no carb days.
00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:41.279
Yeah, what's the lowest your carbs?
00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:58.000
Lowest they go, 30, 16, maybe 90 grams, because I'll have like 30 grams in the morning and uh like 30 grams pre-workout and then maybe one more meal with 30 grams of carbs.
00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:59.440
Yeah, like 90.
00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:02.319
Yeah, still a lot better, but still fucking like nothing.
00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:04.799
I think I handle it pretty pretty good too now.
00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:13.200
I don't know, like yeah, I thought dude, I talked to a lot of pros, and I I like for me it's gotten a lot easier, but a lot of pros are like, bro, it's just as hard as the first one.
00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:15.039
And I'm like, oh, okay.
00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:22.720
But like for me, whatever reason, it it has gotten handling this type of stuff like the hunger and the tiredness gets a little bit easier.
00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:26.319
A lot of pros say that uh their current preps are just as hard as the first.
00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:27.359
Some of them I have.
00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:38.559
Like, I'll talk, like it'll like I remember when it like anytime a kid will come up to me and I'm like, yeah, bro, like uh it get I'll I'll tell me it gets easier, and then a couple pros will be like, nah, bro, it don't get any easier.
00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:40.480
And I'm like, yo, okay.
00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:43.119
But uh yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:44.640
It definitely got easier for me, dude.
00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:45.359
It got way easier.
00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:52.480
So I think uh I don't know, it probably depends on like it makes you wonder like uh back then, like uh like was your was your first prep out?
00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:57.200
Like were you even like did you even like do well and were you even doing anything for your first prep?
00:28:57.359 --> 00:29:08.640
And then also I think about like guys that are starting, it could be now who uh not everybody's gonna do this, but there's like the few that'll probably start on like a GLP, for example, yeah, on their first prep.
00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:10.640
I got mixed feelings about that, man.
00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.759
I I definitely don't agree.
00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:16.480
I think you should do your first prep just it just experience all of it, man, 100%.
00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:32.960
But I think for people who have like legit like jobs and need to like function, and like you know, I think it's a good tool, you know, because like if your job, like if what you do in your job is very important, like brain fog and hunger, you can't be messing up at work, you know.
00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:38.640
So I I I definitely see like a use case for it, but I still think the first one you need to like feel it.
00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:41.279
Yeah, you know, absolutely, I do too.
00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:53.119
I do think of like uh my boy Eric who continuous preps are starting to affect his family life and uh taking care of his his toddlers and his babies uh with his wife.
00:29:53.200 --> 00:30:00.720
So I mean, when it gets to that point and it's affecting your relationships like in your close family, like I I can see how the benefit to risk ratio is very high.
00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:10.960
But aside from that, you know, if you're starting your first prep, man, like I think having that baseline of like just hard is going to set the standard for you for the rest of your entire life.
00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:14.880
You will remember that and you'll be like, dude, at least it's not that fucking hard.
00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:16.319
No, 100%, dude.
00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:18.559
I think you need to test your limits, man.
00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:22.079
I think, and it like you said, it'll benefit you in all aspects of life.
00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:28.160
Like when I was in the military going through the special forces stuff, dude, I was like, that was fucking terrible.
00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:32.160
But like now, a lot of things are easier because I've been through that hard thing.
00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:34.079
Yeah, uh, same thing with the diet.
00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:37.119
My second prep was actually my hardest prep, I think, ever.
00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:44.400
Um, Heather had stopped coaching, so her husband started coaching, and he wasn't as good at all.
00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:49.279
So, like six weeks out, I'm like, I don't think I I'm supposed to look like this.
00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:55.359
So I had to switch coaches, and we went like we went like uh for like six weeks.
00:30:55.440 --> 00:31:06.880
We did two hours of cardio, like just off the bat, and then three days no carbs, um, and then and no carbs and no fats, and then one day with protein and fats.
00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:09.119
Damn, probably not the best diet, you know.
00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:14.720
We didn't know shit at the time 10 years ago, but and dude, yeah, I didn't eat peanut butter.
00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:19.039
Um, I didn't eat peanut butter for like a year after that, dude.
00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:22.160
It was it was the hardest prep I had ever done.
00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:27.599
Um so you know, and but now, yeah, now all other preps, I'm just like, oh, it's not that bad.
00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:28.319
Yeah, you know.
00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:31.759
The first show, too, the results.
00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:33.519
You got last place?
00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:35.759
Yeah, so I like to lead on that.
00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:37.200
So I got last place in the open.
00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:43.119
I got second in the teenager division, but yeah, I was hoping to do good in in the open.
00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:43.680
Yeah.
00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:48.640
Uh I remember, dude, I was going there, I had saw the winner from last year.
00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:50.319
His it was his kid named Kel.
00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:53.119
And uh I was like, yo, I'm gonna beat that dude.
00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:54.880
And like that was a whole prep.
00:31:55.039 --> 00:31:58.799
I was gonna beat that dude, and um I did not beat that dude.
00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:05.119
So like so that kind of changed my perspective on like what I should focus on going into shows.
00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:08.079
But uh, but yeah, I don't know, man.
00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:15.839
Like, I see a I get a when I do the Q ⁇ A's, I get a I get to see like inside a lot of people's minds and like and how they think.
00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:22.799
And you know, people ask me like, oh, you placed third or fifth at the Olympia, are you depressed?
00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:32.319
And I'm just like, no, like it's like motive, like well with that fifth place back then, it was very motivating for whatever reason.
00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:39.599
I just I don't know, found this thing that like, hey, I can like do this and get better at it, and let me see how I do next year.
00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:44.240
I'm like, let me put all my intention into this and like really give it my all.
00:32:44.799 --> 00:32:49.279
And then like I yeah, I came back that following year and won like the novice overall.
00:32:49.440 --> 00:32:53.599
I won my class, and then like six months after that, I got my pro card, you know.
00:32:54.079 --> 00:33:00.480
So I think just in life, man, people have like the wrong like framing for like events, you know.
00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:02.799
There's a you can take things different ways.
00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:05.039
Well, it's all about how you take things, you know.
00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:08.720
Yeah, do you remember what you needed to improve after the first show?
00:33:09.200 --> 00:33:10.400
Why you got last place?
00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:12.079
I was just small, dude.
00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:30.880
I mean, I was I was kinda lean, but I was really I was like, I mean, I was a lightweight, but I was probably at I was at the bottom of the lightweight division, so like I think I was 145 pounds on stage, and if I was a pound lighter, I would have been a banner weight, so yeah, I just need to be bigger.
00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:35.519
So the following year, I think I was 155, yeah, on stage.
00:33:35.599 --> 00:33:37.119
Yeah, what was the weight last time?
00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:38.640
Uh 145.
00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:40.960
So I put on 10 pounds, and that was naturally.
00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:42.079
How did you do that?
00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:43.039
Huh?
00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:44.400
How did you do that?
00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:46.240
Just going all in, dude.
00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:52.640
Dude, my I I really I truly think like you can only do like 100%, be a hundred percent at one thing at a time.
00:33:52.880 --> 00:33:55.200
And like I went all in on bodybuilding.
00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:57.359
Like, I didn't all my money went toward it.
00:33:57.519 --> 00:34:01.839
I didn't have much money, but so I didn't have like a smartphone, I didn't have Wi-Fi.
00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:09.679
So like when I wanted to watch the Olympia that year, I had to drive to Starbucks and like it was closed because I'm on like the East Coast.
00:34:10.079 --> 00:34:11.280
So it's like midnight.
00:34:11.360 --> 00:34:14.719
I'm in like the Starbucks parking lot watching the Olympia, you know.
00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:16.159
Fire.
00:34:16.480 --> 00:34:17.519
Yeah, that's right.
00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:21.280
And um, yeah, just everything went towards it.
00:34:21.440 --> 00:34:23.519
Like I could have I did okay.
00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:28.559
I did good enough in my job not to get in trouble, but it was it was very I was just mid, you know.
00:34:28.800 --> 00:34:33.679
Um but yeah, I just I just put all my time and attention into that, you know.
00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:40.639
Even for I turned 21 like a week before one or two weeks before nationals, and like I didn't go out, I didn't do anything.
00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:43.360
I just you know focus on this.
00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:44.079
Damn, bro.
00:34:44.159 --> 00:34:50.880
I turned 21 right before like my it was a regional show, but like right before like one of my first regional shows before another nationals, too.
00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:53.840
Yeah, it was 20 I turned 21 during peak week.
00:34:54.079 --> 00:35:01.280
So from like from my girlfriend at the time, I got a peak week box and it was like birthday cake-flavored protein bars.
00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:03.280
That's actually thoughtful, man.
00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:05.039
Yeah, super thoughtful, super thoughtful.
00:35:05.280 --> 00:35:10.639
Yeah, but I didn't drink alcohol for a while until I didn't get it get my first like alcohol at the bar or something.
00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:15.039
Yeah, until like, I don't know, sometime towards like months later.
00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:20.800
Uh but do you remember what you did nutrition-wise, training-wise during that year?
00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:28.000
Training was like I was I like high green a lot, so like my whole leg day was just based on his leg day.
00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:32.320
Uh my arm, I was I was basing certain body parts on like certain people I liked.
00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:36.159
My arm day was based on Lee Priest's arm day because I liked his arms.
00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:45.840
Um for like chest and back, I don't remember, but everything was very high volume for me back then, like like extremely high volume.
00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:48.320
Um what is high volume like?
00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:58.880
So like I would do let's say for leg day, I would do like four working sets of leg, and no, actually, I would start with glutes because that's what Cadi ate.
00:35:58.960 --> 00:36:04.800
So I would start with glutes, do like three, four sets of um kitbacks.
00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:12.880
Then I think I would move on to like um the hip abduction machine after that.
00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:20.639
Then from there I would do like leg extensions, and like two sets would be like drop sets or like some type of like intensifier.
00:36:20.800 --> 00:36:23.599
Do you remember how many sets total of each?
00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:26.079
Around four sets of everything.
00:36:26.239 --> 00:36:34.079
So like I would do the leg extensions, um uh free weights, uh free weight squats.
00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:40.159
Then I would go and do like a machine squat, then I would do like lunges.
00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:41.119
God damn.
00:36:41.840 --> 00:36:42.800
That's a lot, dude.
00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:43.360
I would do a lot.
00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:44.400
I mean, that's what Kai didn't.
00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:45.599
A lot of quadwork, bro.
00:36:45.679 --> 00:36:50.159
Kai and then I would finish up with maybe two hamstring exercises and calves.
00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:50.559
Yeah.
00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:54.400
And um actually probably one hamstring exercise and calves.
00:36:54.480 --> 00:37:02.000
So yeah, it was it was a bit of and I would do like a like a super long drop set for that, that, that uh machine squat, dude.
00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:03.119
It was it was nuts.
00:37:03.360 --> 00:37:03.920
Damn, dude.
00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:04.639
That's wild.
00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:08.320
So, like, so like 16 sets of quads and then like one exercise for hamstring.
00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:11.360
That's why my hamstrings suck for so long, dude.
00:37:11.519 --> 00:37:12.400
That's fire, dude.
00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:15.599
Yeah, I literally can see every like reason what every imbalance I have.
00:37:15.679 --> 00:37:18.960
I'm like, yeah, I was doing that, or I this is the reason, you know, looking back at it.
00:37:19.039 --> 00:37:20.480
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:37:21.199 --> 00:37:22.719
Dude, I was thinking about the same.
00:37:22.800 --> 00:37:28.880
Uh one of my uh biggest weaknesses is my middle back thickness, like the fucking rhomboids and this line downwards.
00:37:29.039 --> 00:37:46.480
And uh I realized whenever I did back thickness exercises for the last like 15 years, it was just me moving my rear delts and my biceps, but my not me retracting and retracting my scapula and stretching it, and yeah, just no retraction, no contraction.
00:37:47.199 --> 00:37:47.840
Just stable.
00:37:48.159 --> 00:38:03.119
Bro, it's crazy now, and like now, like I would say, like if we grew up in this era, like we probably wouldn't have those issues because like there's so much more knowledge out there, like like uh half the mistakes I made, I'm like, yeah, if I would have known that, like I would have gotten to my goal quicker.
00:38:03.199 --> 00:38:07.119
And I think that's why like you see all these young kids looking like huge now.
00:38:07.280 --> 00:38:09.039
I mean, that's one of the reasons, but yeah.
00:38:09.360 --> 00:38:14.000
Dude, I'm actually so excited for what bodybuilding is gonna look like all the divisions 10 years from now.
00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:23.599
Like, I know people will there's gonna be some people that always say, like, oh, the 90s were the best, or the golden era was the best, or whatever this era was the best, but I generally believe that we're only going to elevate.
00:38:23.679 --> 00:38:29.920
Yeah, I think people who are starting now, who are competing now, 10 years from now, we're gonna have some fucking freaks, dude.
00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:31.199
And it's gonna be wild.
00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:39.440
I made a post um, I think it was yesterday or the day before, of like my entire like pro career.
00:38:39.599 --> 00:39:02.079
And I'm like, it's really cool to see because I'm I'm like uh the only one that's kind of been there since the start to now, and like I've been at the Olympia every single time, and to see like the first year what like an Olympian level physique looked like versus now, like that first year, I don't think that physique would have won like a uh a national show, to be honest with you, dude.
00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:04.400
Crazy, I dude.
00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:06.159
It's yeah, it's insane, man.
00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:10.159
Like the level how much classic has evolved.
00:39:10.239 --> 00:39:14.000
Granted, the weight cap is gone up, but like still, it's crazy, dude.
00:39:14.079 --> 00:39:16.960
I feel the same way like thinking about those physiques too.
00:39:17.119 --> 00:39:20.159
Yeah, I don't think they would have won a national show either.
00:39:20.480 --> 00:39:30.320
Yeah, I think possibly there's a couple that might have like I think Brian might have been able to squeeze through and maybe Araj, but majority of us no, it wouldn't, it wouldn't have worked at all.
00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:33.199
Dude, Brion is still fucking massive at his age.
00:39:33.679 --> 00:39:35.119
He's like what 48 now or some shit.
00:39:35.199 --> 00:39:36.880
He's he's up there, he's almost 50.
00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:37.599
He's up there, man.
00:39:37.679 --> 00:39:38.880
It's crazy, impressive, dude.
00:39:38.960 --> 00:39:41.119
I don't think he gets enough love and respect, man.
00:39:41.280 --> 00:39:44.159
Um, no, dude, he's it's it's insane, dude.
00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:47.119
And like, yeah, yeah, it's crazy.
00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:48.000
It's insane.
00:39:48.159 --> 00:39:50.480
I remember we I remember my first pro show.
00:39:50.559 --> 00:39:56.239
He was he was there, and I saw him and I was like, I hope he's doing men's physique because he was huge.
00:39:56.400 --> 00:39:59.039
And nah, he went on to beat me at that show.
00:39:59.199 --> 00:40:00.400
That's hilarious, dude.
00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:01.039
Yeah, yeah.
00:40:01.280 --> 00:40:06.559
So qualifying for your first Olympia 1.5 years later after your pro card, right?
00:40:06.800 --> 00:40:07.519
Yeah, yeah.
00:40:07.679 --> 00:40:16.880
Well, um, I got my pro card in November of 2014, and yeah, um, what like June or July of 2016 was my first pro show.
00:40:17.039 --> 00:40:19.280
And your first Olympia at 22 years old is pretty crazy.
00:40:19.360 --> 00:40:23.039
Yeah, like I know it was back then, you know, and like Anton at 22 on stage now.
00:40:23.119 --> 00:40:26.719
Okay, his 22 was a lot different than my 22 bro.
00:40:27.519 --> 00:40:28.320
Yeah, yeah.
00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:31.760
Yeah, but still that's fucking that's fucking so sick, man.
00:40:31.920 --> 00:40:33.679
Yeah, Olympia stage at 22.
00:40:33.840 --> 00:40:34.719
What was that like for you?
00:40:34.960 --> 00:40:38.079
It was really well, it was really cool going into it.
00:40:38.159 --> 00:40:39.920
It was a little underwhelming, like being there.
00:40:40.400 --> 00:40:43.360
Like the a lot of people don't really like, you know what's funny?
00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:46.800
There's very few photos of that first class of Zeke Olympia.
00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:51.280
I don't know if they didn't think we were gonna be, they definitely didn't think we were gonna be as popular.
00:40:51.360 --> 00:40:52.239
That's part of it.
00:40:52.320 --> 00:41:01.920
But like there's like I have like a couple shitty like flip phone photos from like from that, and uh that's about it, outside of like the actual stage shots.
00:41:02.480 --> 00:41:11.440
But yeah, not like anything like how they do now where they have photographers and videographers all backstage the whole time, all at the press conference, all at this other stuff.
00:41:11.760 --> 00:41:14.239
Um, yeah, back then it was like it's like nothing.
00:41:14.320 --> 00:41:16.800
I have like two photos of all of us together, you know.
00:41:17.119 --> 00:41:22.400
How scary was it for you to uh just drop out of the Air Force and commit completely to Olympia?
00:41:22.880 --> 00:41:33.119
No, it was it was definitely uh a hard decision, dude, because I wasn't at the point where I was making um much money from bodybuilding.
00:41:33.440 --> 00:41:39.280
Like, so like our the person I was dating at the time, they were like, I think the military's holding you back, you know.
00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:45.840
You know, if you want to pursue that, you know, for a year, you know, I'll be able to help you, and you know, you can get that rolling.
00:41:45.920 --> 00:41:52.000
And so like that was the main the main uh thing that made me feel safe to do it, you know.
00:41:52.480 --> 00:41:55.760
But yeah, it was a struggle the first like two, three years.
00:41:56.000 --> 00:41:59.599
Yeah, it was a really big struggle, you know, to figure out figure things out.
00:41:59.840 --> 00:42:01.679
What are some of the struggles that come to mind?
00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:04.400
Because I think a lot of people, including myself, could relate to this.
00:42:04.639 --> 00:42:05.199
The money, yeah.
00:42:05.280 --> 00:42:06.400
It was just the money, dude.
00:42:06.480 --> 00:42:18.400
Like, um I had a I had one I had one sponsor, MPA Subs, and they paid me like$2K uh a month, and obviously that's not enough to like live off of.
00:42:19.599 --> 00:42:34.639
So very early on, like I've I I was working with Joe, and like for whatever reason, I just started just sharing everything like I was learning from him, and then I started doing pretty well from coaching, you know.
00:42:35.119 --> 00:42:45.199
Nowadays they have all these different people that teach how to get clients and how to get leads, but back then it was it wasn't that any of that any of that out there.
00:42:45.760 --> 00:42:53.360
And like I just kind of happened to like figure it out, like, oh, if you provide value to people, then like you know, it comes back to you, you know.
00:42:53.599 --> 00:42:55.920
And even back then, like, dude, no one really did that.
00:42:56.000 --> 00:42:59.760
Like, they just coaches and everyone would they wanted to keep their secrets, you know.
00:42:59.920 --> 00:43:02.400
Yeah, so like people keep it out there, dude.
00:43:02.559 --> 00:43:07.039
Bro, it was crazy it's crazy how yeah, like nobody wanted to come on the transparent podcast back then.
00:43:07.360 --> 00:43:09.199
It was completely different, man.
00:43:09.519 --> 00:43:12.800
Um completely different.
00:43:13.039 --> 00:43:19.679
So yeah, I was one of the few people actually like just sharing stuff, and like so that really helped me, helped me out back then, yeah.
00:43:20.559 --> 00:43:24.320
But no, it was that definitely financially was just the hardest part for sure.
00:43:24.639 --> 00:43:31.360
Did you ever end up having to do any like side jobs or anything in addition, like before coaching ended up like no man?
00:43:31.440 --> 00:43:32.880
I I came very close.
00:43:33.039 --> 00:43:34.079
Um, very, very close.
00:43:34.239 --> 00:43:38.639
I remember uh when me and my girlfriend now, I used to start it, um, we were talking.
00:43:38.880 --> 00:43:41.840
I was, dude, I I what happened?
00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:49.679
Um I had I I had to live with my cousin for a couple weeks, and then I was trying to get a job at MI40.
00:43:50.000 --> 00:43:51.920
But yo, Ben would not give me a job.
00:43:52.000 --> 00:43:54.079
He's like, bro, you're a pro and like this and that.
00:43:54.239 --> 00:43:55.280
I'm like, dude, I need a job.
00:43:55.440 --> 00:44:10.400
He's like, I can be a pro and like work at a gym, but he was like I did three interviews with him, like wrote up a whole like um plan for like the year for the gym, and like nothing, dude.
00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:14.159
So like I've had the hardest time getting normal jobs in my life, man.
00:44:14.239 --> 00:44:14.480
Yeah.
00:44:14.880 --> 00:44:16.639
And so like that didn't work out.
00:44:16.719 --> 00:44:18.320
So damn, that's crazy, man.
00:44:18.400 --> 00:44:18.880
I know, right?
00:44:19.440 --> 00:44:20.320
Man, come on.
00:44:21.119 --> 00:44:24.400
Dude, dude, I ended three three separate interviews, dude.
00:44:24.559 --> 00:44:25.119
That's funny.
00:44:25.280 --> 00:44:26.000
I had to drive.
00:44:26.079 --> 00:44:30.639
And when my cousin lived, like, I feel I can't remember, but it was like hours away.
00:44:30.719 --> 00:44:32.320
It wasn't like like a 30-minute drive.
00:44:32.400 --> 00:44:38.639
I he lived in like a he no, it was it was like a six, seven hour drive to get down there, you know.
00:44:39.039 --> 00:44:41.360
Uh, but eventually I just gave up on it.
00:44:41.440 --> 00:44:44.000
I'm like, I'm just gonna try to go all in on this coaching thing.
00:44:44.079 --> 00:44:51.039
And like, I remember I had like I didn't even have enough money for um the down payment for the apartment.
00:44:51.119 --> 00:44:56.320
So she gave me 300 bucks uh to to pay the rest off of it, you know?
00:44:56.480 --> 00:45:03.679
Yeah, and then in that house I had a mattress, a chair, and a microwave, and that was it, you know.
00:45:03.760 --> 00:45:07.840
So I would yeah, yeah, it was it was a wild time, dude.
00:45:08.079 --> 00:45:14.079
I mean it's funny, I like I wish like now everyone's so like transparent and like open about that type of stuff.
00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:18.480
And like now, like I wish like I had like took pictures or like talked about it or anything.
00:45:18.639 --> 00:45:22.639
I have zero, zero like anything from it.
00:45:23.039 --> 00:45:28.719
Um, but but yeah, that was that was uh definitely a difficult difficult time, yeah.
00:45:28.960 --> 00:45:32.800
Um I had a hard business uh when I when I quit being an engineer.
00:45:32.960 --> 00:45:37.199
Luckily I had some savings left from being an engineer, but bro, that didn't last very long.
00:45:37.360 --> 00:45:46.559
Like because I went all in into fitness, social media, and bodybuilding and everything, because I just decided I hate being an engineer, but also like I want to make this this dream grow, you know?
00:45:46.800 --> 00:45:50.639
And like I don't what I'm doing right now, I I hardly have any time.
00:45:51.039 --> 00:46:02.800
So the I'd say the hardest part was like watching my savings dwindle down to zero over the months as I was trying to pay rent and not having any income.
00:46:03.039 --> 00:46:13.280
Bro, and it's like you you like you go into hoping like oh it's gonna be good, I'm gonna get this going really, really quickly and and get like supplement that income, but then it takes way longer than you expect it.
00:46:13.519 --> 00:46:14.400
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:46:14.800 --> 00:46:23.360
Then I think about how my my immigrant dad always had the story of like when he moved to when he moved to America from Asia, someone stole his luggage at the airport.
00:46:23.599 --> 00:46:24.079
Oh my god.
00:46:24.639 --> 00:46:36.719
Yeah, he had to just live off his um like his uh research assistant uh salary and ended up having to eat just like cup ramen cup ramen for like three months or something.
00:46:36.880 --> 00:46:41.440
Yeah, then also basically like sleep on the floor, like on like a mattress or something, that's it, or some shit like that.
00:46:41.519 --> 00:46:44.000
Uh some funny stories wear the same clothes for like three months.
00:46:44.320 --> 00:46:44.719
Holy shit.
00:46:44.960 --> 00:46:45.199
Fire.
00:46:45.599 --> 00:46:46.559
Good shit.
00:46:46.960 --> 00:46:50.239
What was it like working with uh Joe when you guys started working together?
00:46:50.400 --> 00:46:57.519
Like what what were like some of the top things that you can think of that you learned from your experience and your time with him training?
00:46:57.840 --> 00:47:00.079
Um so yeah, how we met.
00:47:00.159 --> 00:47:04.480
It was it was he saw me after I won my first pro show.
00:47:04.559 --> 00:47:05.679
He saw me on stage actually.
00:47:05.760 --> 00:47:09.360
I won my first pro show was that I won was the Tampa Pro.
00:47:09.440 --> 00:47:12.320
I lost to Brianna and Prestige Crystal Cup.
00:47:12.400 --> 00:47:12.639
Uh-huh.
00:47:12.880 --> 00:47:17.440
And then I think one or two weeks later I went to Tampa and uh won that when what's his Instagram again?
00:47:17.760 --> 00:47:19.440
It's uh fee coach.
00:47:19.679 --> 00:47:20.000
Yeah, yeah.
00:47:20.880 --> 00:47:25.599
So um he sent me a message and he was like, hey man, like great job on the win.
00:47:25.679 --> 00:47:31.840
I I I see some of your training viz, and I think I can help you, like I see some gaps that I can fill in.
00:47:32.320 --> 00:47:39.280
And like I was uh I guess 20, 22, maybe 21, 22 at the time.
00:47:39.679 --> 00:47:48.239
And I knew like like I know some people be like, oh, you're a pro, like you already you should, you know, you should be able to do whatever, but I was like, I don't know shit.
00:47:48.400 --> 00:48:05.840
Like, you know, and like uh just previous to that, like you know, I turned pro, I weighed 155 pounds in uh November 2014, and then you know, over a year and a half later, I won Tampa Pro at like 156, so I gained like a pound.
00:48:05.920 --> 00:48:07.599
So I'm like, I really don't know what I'm doing.
00:48:07.760 --> 00:48:10.480
So like let me let me figure this out.
00:48:10.960 --> 00:48:13.599
So I I saw him and like I was like, okay, yeah.
00:48:13.920 --> 00:48:28.480
So I would drive from Fort Wallon Beach down to Tampa, which I think is like an eight-hour drive once a month, and um I would get in and we would uh train like three times before I had to go back to work in the Air Force.
00:48:28.960 --> 00:48:38.800
I would do that every month until I I got out of the Air Force and moved to Maryland, and that's when he finally wrote me my first plan, like like several months after I started training with him.
00:48:39.360 --> 00:48:45.840
Uh and um I started following that, and then once me and my ex separated, I had a choice.
00:48:46.000 --> 00:49:00.559
It was either move to Vegas to be with my nutritionist coach, Matt Porter, or move to Tampa to be with Joe, and um decide to move to Tampa, you know, um, because it made more sense to be with someone that's gonna train with me.
00:49:00.960 --> 00:49:04.239
So uh yeah, and that's how we got started together, man.
00:49:04.320 --> 00:49:08.800
And like for five years straight, I saw him more than any other person like in my life.
00:49:08.960 --> 00:49:17.039
You know, we would train together five days a week um for like two, three hours, and yeah, well, we talked a lot.
00:49:17.199 --> 00:49:23.599
So it was probably like an hour and a half actual training and like another hour of just just chatting, you know.
00:49:23.679 --> 00:49:26.559
So Joe, you're not keeping up with the uh rest times, brother?
00:49:26.719 --> 00:49:30.800
Bro, no, me and Joe, like I remember my girl would come down sometime, she's like, Y'all talk a lot.
00:49:32.480 --> 00:49:33.679
I was like, Yeah, yeah.
00:49:33.920 --> 00:49:34.719
That's hilarious.
00:49:34.960 --> 00:49:52.400
So yeah, but the things I learned, I mean, the reason why I kept going back was like I remember that first session we had, and I'm like, that was the first time like my muscles like hurt, but I wasn't winded, and that was the that's the best way I could describe it to him at the time when the session was over.
00:49:52.639 --> 00:50:00.719
I was like, I'm not out of breath, but like everything hurts, yeah, you know, because like previously you you know, I was doing the crazy high volume, you know, the drop sets and all that stuff.
00:50:01.199 --> 00:50:09.039
So that was the big thing is learning like, okay, I'm I'm not just going into the gym to like exhaust myself.
00:50:09.440 --> 00:50:11.519
I need to like be more meticulous.
00:50:11.599 --> 00:50:19.199
And then obviously like outside of like the form fixes and things like that, it was literally just law booking, man.
00:50:19.280 --> 00:50:21.280
I think that was the biggest difference he made, you know.
00:50:21.360 --> 00:50:21.760
Yeah.
00:50:22.159 --> 00:50:23.840
The shit we all hate doing.
00:50:24.079 --> 00:50:25.280
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:50:25.360 --> 00:50:26.400
I love I yeah.
00:50:27.599 --> 00:50:28.159
I like it, man.
00:50:28.239 --> 00:50:40.000
Especially I think for people who struggle in the offseason, like like I think it's a good idea to have goals, and like the only thing I can think of in terms of short-term goals is like having like like training goals.
00:50:40.239 --> 00:50:41.360
I think it's a key, man.
00:50:41.760 --> 00:50:46.800
I I'm saying this, I'm saying this to say this also to myself, to make sure I do it.
00:50:46.880 --> 00:50:47.440
You know what I'm saying?
00:50:47.599 --> 00:50:54.480
Like when I logged my when I logged my hex quads, when I logged my leg breakouts over the course of those two years, my legs grew the most.
00:50:54.559 --> 00:50:54.639
Yeah.
00:50:54.880 --> 00:51:01.440
And it was visibly visible and it was spoken about by my audience letting me know that I've grown it.
00:51:01.519 --> 00:51:05.360
That's how I knew I grew it, is because other people told me how much it grew.
00:51:05.440 --> 00:51:13.119
You know, like I didn't even really like I didn't even really see the difference, except for maybe a little in Broadress pictures, but you kind of judge yourself a little hard when you're in bodybuilding.
00:51:13.199 --> 00:51:13.360
Yeah.
00:51:13.599 --> 00:51:22.400
But then, you know, like, for example, right now, sometimes I get in these moments where I don't fucking log my goddamn incline Smith press.
00:51:22.480 --> 00:51:24.239
I don't like, what the hell am I doing?
00:51:24.400 --> 00:51:30.880
And it's the moments that I realize, like, oh my gosh, like I'm still doing the same fucking weight as I did like like a month ago.
00:51:30.960 --> 00:51:32.079
This is a fucking problem.
00:51:32.159 --> 00:51:33.199
Yeah, this is a fucking problem.
00:51:33.280 --> 00:51:39.599
I'm wasting five we I feel like I wasted five weeks on cycle because I didn't progress, dude.
00:51:39.760 --> 00:51:40.079
You know?
00:51:40.719 --> 00:51:43.280
So there's gotta be something that needs to change, dude.
00:51:43.360 --> 00:51:48.400
I I I subconsciously did like progressive overload with my legs.
00:51:48.480 --> 00:51:54.639
Like before I knew about law book and before I met Joe, uh I was known for my legs, right?
00:51:54.800 --> 00:51:58.880
And like the only reason I think they grew so much is because I had a specific goal.
00:51:58.960 --> 00:52:01.920
I wanted to be like Tom Platt's and like squat like 500 pounds.
00:52:02.000 --> 00:52:12.159
So I was progressing as often as I could on that, but I didn't do that with any other body part, and like I didn't do, I just did whatever.
00:52:12.320 --> 00:52:16.000
I just whatever, but yeah, that was the only thing I had a specific thing I wanted to progress to.
00:52:16.400 --> 00:52:24.320
Um, and the same thing with you said, man, is like when I stopped log booking, that's when I stopped making a lot of progress in the gym, man.
00:52:24.480 --> 00:52:28.559
And um, yeah, I'm I yes, definitely very important for me.
00:52:28.719 --> 00:52:29.039
Yeah.
00:52:29.280 --> 00:52:32.079
What is the biggest thing that changed in your leg training?
00:52:32.239 --> 00:52:40.639
So from your second competition, you were doing like almost upwards of 16 sets of like quads with four different exercises, one exercise of hamstrings.
00:52:40.800 --> 00:52:42.079
Now you're working with Joe.
00:52:42.239 --> 00:52:44.800
What did the leg workouts end up looking like?
00:52:45.280 --> 00:52:48.400
We dropped the volume tremendously.
00:52:48.960 --> 00:52:51.360
Uh we pushed sets a lot harder.
00:52:51.519 --> 00:52:52.960
Like that was that was a big thing.
00:52:53.039 --> 00:52:56.639
Like I thought I was training hard, and then I realized I actually really wasn't.
00:52:56.800 --> 00:53:09.679
Like I was able to still grow because of the amount of volume I was doing, but my intensity was actually pretty low, you know, and that's the only way I could do that much volume, you know, now that now that I think about it.
00:53:10.159 --> 00:53:15.440
Uh so yeah, he really, really raised my my level level of effort like in each and every set.
00:53:15.840 --> 00:53:19.199
He he taught me like, yo, each and every rep is important, you know.
00:53:19.360 --> 00:53:24.960
Um whereas before I would just go up, down, up, down, up, down, like everything needs to be meticulous.
00:53:25.199 --> 00:53:30.639
So he definitely changed just the way I thought about each and every rep.
00:53:30.800 --> 00:53:31.199
Yeah.
00:53:31.519 --> 00:53:37.760
Do you remember how do you remember how much the volume was reduced?
00:53:38.159 --> 00:53:44.800
I mean, now, like he's redu we've reduced it even more now, but like I would say when we first started, right?
00:53:44.960 --> 00:53:48.639
Because now you don't have to grow your legs just as much as you did before, right?
00:53:48.800 --> 00:53:49.119
Yeah, right.
00:53:49.280 --> 00:53:50.880
Like that's not your one of your priorities.
00:53:51.360 --> 00:53:55.280
I think back was probably a bigger priority for you back in the last few years and arms.
00:53:55.840 --> 00:54:02.960
So but so like we would probably do let me think back then when I first started.
00:54:03.039 --> 00:54:13.280
We were doing like a push full legs variation, and we would do maybe two to three sets on everything, probably three, two to three sets on everything, yeah.
00:54:13.440 --> 00:54:18.159
Um, but we would do a leg extension, a hack squat, and a leg press.
00:54:19.039 --> 00:54:25.360
And then occasionally, like when I got into prep, he would have me do these sled pushes, which was awful.
00:54:25.440 --> 00:54:37.280
And his three was um, you know, you you uh you you fatigue and you get the your muscles break down from like negatives, so like there's no or eccentric.
00:54:37.440 --> 00:54:40.400
So but with sled pushes, there's no eccentric, it's all concentric.
00:54:40.559 --> 00:54:46.159
So he said, This is a way to get extra volume, but no, like none of the the um the negatives, you know.
00:54:46.480 --> 00:54:46.960
Interesting.
00:54:47.119 --> 00:54:47.440
Yeah.
00:54:47.679 --> 00:54:56.719
Granted, this is all like like when people if if people want to talk about it's you know science-based and whatever, this is stuff that we were doing like like seven years ago.
00:54:56.800 --> 00:54:59.519
So like the the in the all the level of knowledge is different now.
00:54:59.679 --> 00:55:10.719
But I think Joe was one of the first people like to really, really his main principle was like trying to get more out of doing less, which is like kind of what a lot of the science-based lifting is now.
00:55:10.800 --> 00:55:14.400
Like you don't need as much volume to grow and things like that, you know.
00:55:14.639 --> 00:55:18.000
It's it's it's just a little bit more, it's like taken to the next level now.
00:55:18.079 --> 00:55:21.039
I would say I feel like there's a balance.
00:55:21.199 --> 00:55:23.920
I don't know, I feel like there's a middle ground in science-based lifting.
00:55:24.000 --> 00:55:28.159
Like it sounds like Joe, with you, you guys, you learned intensity.
00:55:28.800 --> 00:55:33.599
I think that's the problem with some of the way that science-based lifting is described these days.
00:55:33.920 --> 00:55:41.840
Because it gives the the idea for a lot of people that they maybe need to pull back more than they actually do just because of three R AR, for example.
00:55:42.079 --> 00:55:45.280
Yeah, we didn't really do any of the other reps in reserve back then either.
00:55:45.360 --> 00:55:47.519
It was everything, sh everything was to failure.
00:55:48.159 --> 00:55:49.199
All of it was to failure.
00:55:49.360 --> 00:55:49.760
Damn.
00:55:49.920 --> 00:55:51.440
Yeah, all yeah, all of it.
00:55:51.679 --> 00:55:55.840
Um was it like not like every every single set, though, right?
00:55:56.000 --> 00:55:56.880
Every set was to fail, yeah.
00:55:57.039 --> 00:55:57.920
God damn, what the fuck?
00:55:58.079 --> 00:55:58.800
Yeah, yeah, bro.
00:55:58.960 --> 00:56:01.199
Yeah, all this reps in reserve stuff is fair.
00:56:01.440 --> 00:56:03.440
Well, well, John was doing reps in reserve.
00:56:03.519 --> 00:56:04.639
Um John Meadows?
00:56:04.800 --> 00:56:05.039
Yeah, yeah.
00:56:05.119 --> 00:56:08.719
Cause you know, so I've been blessed because I kind of work with you know every both problem, yeah.
00:56:09.039 --> 00:56:11.519
Ton of fucking yeah, dude, ton of G's, dude.
00:56:11.679 --> 00:56:16.639
But but did more volume though, uh compared to Joe as well.
00:56:16.880 --> 00:56:19.519
Like, yeah, some of his programs were insane.
00:56:19.599 --> 00:56:22.159
Um, insanely high volume, too.
00:56:22.480 --> 00:56:27.039
So what was the hamstrings in the leg workout with Joe?
00:56:27.280 --> 00:56:30.000
Um so we three extra quads.
00:56:30.239 --> 00:56:31.840
Okay, right um hamstrings.
00:56:32.079 --> 00:56:40.159
Um, so when he got with me, we moved every hamstrings to the beginning of the workouts because you know, the first thing you do in your session is gonna get the most growth.
00:56:40.239 --> 00:56:42.320
And so we would do that.
00:56:42.639 --> 00:56:47.840
We tried to do stiff legadellos, but dude, my body, like I always get issues with my psoas.
00:56:48.079 --> 00:56:51.199
Every time I get past a certain weight, it always happens.
00:56:51.440 --> 00:57:00.559
Um it literally happened this prep to uh try to do try to do uh T bent over T bar rolls and like it spasmed or whatever.
00:57:00.880 --> 00:57:03.039
Okay, I was I was gonna ask, what does that normally feel like?
00:57:03.280 --> 00:57:04.320
It feels it hurt.
00:57:05.039 --> 00:57:08.320
Yeah, hurts uh it's uh no shit now.
00:57:09.360 --> 00:57:22.239
No, it's uh I have trouble like um moving at the hips once it happens and like uh to the point like um I can't uh like like lift my torso off the bed.
00:57:22.320 --> 00:57:26.880
Like like on when I'm in bed, like I can't like lift up, you know.
00:57:27.039 --> 00:57:36.239
Um the worst has been was like three, four years ago, and like I couldn't even like I would have to like lay like this, I couldn't even lay all the way back, or I can I couldn't sit up.
00:57:36.480 --> 00:57:38.320
It was like in a lot of pain.
00:57:38.559 --> 00:57:38.960
Damn.
00:57:39.199 --> 00:57:39.840
Yeah.
00:57:40.159 --> 00:57:50.639
So I have to be real careful with like hip hinges, but like when we first started, that was the goal was to do the a hip hinge move at first, then do seated leg curls.
00:57:50.880 --> 00:57:52.719
Can I just like spit out a theory?
00:57:52.800 --> 00:57:53.039
Yeah, yeah.
00:57:53.280 --> 00:57:56.320
You know how like bigger cores are better for power lifters?
00:57:56.559 --> 00:58:00.320
Okay, uh, I fucking have problems, man, with any hip hinging movements.
00:58:00.400 --> 00:58:03.280
It's just and it's it's gotten worse as I've grown bigger.
00:58:03.519 --> 00:58:05.440
Like now it's like, dude, I can't.
00:58:05.519 --> 00:58:23.039
I I do I love doing I love doing rowing patterns that require some kind of hip hip hinge stabilization or or movement, such as like uh bent over barbell rows or like cable cable rows, because I feel like I can really do a full stretch and do a full contraction, like Arnold or something.
00:58:23.119 --> 00:58:30.880
Yeah, but dude, if I do that and then I'll also do like uh hack squats for legs at the same week, I'm fucked, dude.
00:58:31.199 --> 00:58:31.920
I'm fucked.
00:58:32.239 --> 00:58:33.679
But yeah, that must be it, man.
00:58:33.920 --> 00:58:40.559
I'm like, I don't know, maybe maybe like having a smaller waist is just like maybe you have to manage that a little bit more, you know, do less volume for your lumbar.
00:58:40.639 --> 00:58:41.280
I don't know.
00:58:41.519 --> 00:58:43.760
Yeah, because yeah, I would love to be able to do it, man.
00:58:43.920 --> 00:59:00.480
The only way I've made I've been able to do a hinge movement is if I'm using um like the glute builder 45 degree thing, uh, or like there's some other machines like that will have like pats on your hips and like uh it's almost like a good morning machine.
00:59:00.719 --> 00:59:03.920
Those are the only ways I can do it without like messing my backup.
00:59:04.159 --> 00:59:07.119
Honestly, we could list out a long list of all the peptides that have helped us.
00:59:07.280 --> 00:59:11.360
You guys have heard these peptides and these research chems in the podcast maybe a million times.
00:59:11.599 --> 00:59:25.599
Peptides I've used from APRs such as BPC157 and TP500 for soft tissue healing, retitrutide, and other GLPs, mitochondrial support such as SS31, MOTC, FIME 01 and Q, methylene blue, SLU.
00:59:26.000 --> 00:59:27.199
There's a bunch of others.
00:59:27.360 --> 00:59:28.960
Obviously, the list goes on and on.
00:59:29.119 --> 00:59:41.039
One of my favorite things, though, that I've been utilizing, such as during my last prep, that has allowed my blood work to come basically pristine, aside from slightly elevated liver enzymes at about 60 and 130 one week after the show.
00:59:41.119 --> 00:59:44.320
And this is after a leg day because my dumbass doesn't want to skip a training day.
00:59:44.480 --> 00:59:46.719
These are probably the things that I think are the most important.
00:59:46.800 --> 00:59:58.239
So this includes like your injectable glutathione, injectable, or even just normal NAC, liposuble glutathione, GI AIDS such as oral BBC, oral TB, uh, KPV.
00:59:58.639 --> 01:00:12.880
A lot of these things have probably been very substantial in uh reducing oxidative stress and keeping all my blood markers down and thus keeping me as basically health fee as fucking possible that you can be while you're bodybuilding.
01:00:13.039 --> 01:00:27.519
So I couldn't be more thankful to Mike for literally showing me the ropes and also providing me with all of these things, even the compounded supplements that he creates for blood pressure and reducing oxidative stress on all your organs, including your cardiovascular system, your liver, and your kidneys.
01:00:27.679 --> 01:00:31.280
All of these that he creates have been very substantial, honestly.
01:00:31.519 --> 01:00:35.360
So you can find any of these at his site, APR Health Solutions.com.
01:00:35.519 --> 01:00:40.960
And he has offered me a code, code NILE, for you guys to use, which will offer you a 15% discount off of all of that as well.
01:00:41.119 --> 01:00:44.159
If you guys end up using those and you like him, please let me know.
01:00:44.320 --> 01:00:46.800
Shoot in a comment, just give me a DM or something.
01:00:46.880 --> 01:00:49.679
And if you ever have any problems or any questions, I'll be here too.
01:00:49.920 --> 01:00:53.840
This is a community for me, even though I don't have a fucking Discord because I'm lazy as shit, but I fucking should make one.
01:00:54.079 --> 01:00:58.480
So love you guys and um keep training hard.
01:00:58.639 --> 01:01:04.320
I would really love to hear from the audience what they think about the um about your package and the outcome for Olympia 2.
01:01:04.480 --> 01:01:05.280
You know what's funny, dude?
01:01:05.360 --> 01:01:12.719
I think like I put out that video, that Gilko video, and then the first response was like, Oh, I was really off and water and soft.
01:01:12.880 --> 01:01:20.639
And in that video, it doesn't look the best, but then when I look at every other video and every other photo, I'm like, it looks completely different.
01:01:20.719 --> 01:01:26.960
So like, yeah, I I definitely see if people just saw that video, like I'm like, yeah, that doesn't look the best, you know.
01:01:27.360 --> 01:01:33.679
But I was just looking like at the NPC photos, I'm like, holy shit, no, this is really, really good.
01:01:34.159 --> 01:01:36.639
The comparisons were pretty clear, the difference.
01:01:36.719 --> 01:01:41.920
And okay, this is obviously you know, bodybuilding is subjective, so is my opinion.
01:01:42.559 --> 01:01:50.639
But you know, I was I was there in person and pre-searching in the inside the VIP section, so I was kind of I was pretty close to you guys.
01:01:51.840 --> 01:01:56.800
I don't want to say like I don't want to put down anyone else that was in the top five, for example.
01:01:56.880 --> 01:02:02.719
Yeah, but when I saw comparisons, like uh you you were one of the best backs on stage.
01:02:02.880 --> 01:02:04.159
Wesley's back is pretty crazy.
01:02:04.400 --> 01:02:06.719
Wesley's back is pretty crazy, probably takes it.
01:02:07.039 --> 01:02:11.280
Wesley Mike, like just the back up, you had the full back double.
01:02:11.360 --> 01:02:14.079
I think I like I was looking, I was like, dude, this looks really good.
01:02:14.320 --> 01:02:22.079
You had the third best back on stage, I would say, especially like with your back double butt, which is a great improvement from you before.
01:02:22.239 --> 01:02:25.599
Um a lot of time on the back this this all season, yeah.
01:02:25.920 --> 01:02:33.519
Your legs are also fucking amazing, and that's that's common, that's consistent, yeah, you know, especially the shape, but like from the back and the front.
01:02:33.920 --> 01:02:44.559
I feel like I would have to look more at like what the um side relaxed looked like, how much that was judged and pre-judging, maybe that making uh making an impact, as well as maybe like the side chest.
01:02:44.800 --> 01:02:46.239
I don't have an opinion on that.
01:02:46.320 --> 01:02:47.760
That probably made a bigger impact.
01:02:48.000 --> 01:02:51.519
Niall's side chest and side relaxed is pretty fucking crazy.
01:02:51.679 --> 01:02:52.079
Yeah, yeah.
01:02:52.159 --> 01:02:52.639
His yeah.
01:02:52.880 --> 01:02:55.280
He's got some he's got some fucking thickness.
01:02:55.519 --> 01:02:59.119
Uh and from the front, you know, your V taper takes it.
01:02:59.199 --> 01:03:03.199
And I think it's a big I think there's a lot of guys who have this genetically.
01:03:03.360 --> 01:03:09.440
I do, for example, whenever we pull like a vacuum, for example, our mid section tends to look a lot more washed out.
01:03:09.679 --> 01:03:20.400
Um uh so I didn't see that for you as much as your previous years, but obviously, genetically wise, yeah, ours would probably get more washed out compared to the other guys when they're doing it.
01:03:20.480 --> 01:03:26.800
For example, even like Ramon, who's like core still looks fucking dice when he's doing a front double bicep, you know.
01:03:26.960 --> 01:03:36.159
Uh but whenever you did your like avanthighs, for example, conditioning was so on point, everything looked great, your proportions were there, everything was full as well.
01:03:36.320 --> 01:03:38.639
I didn't think there was really anything lacking, honestly.
01:03:38.719 --> 01:03:47.599
So, in my opinion, I told the guys next to me during pre-judging, I also told him during finals, and we all kind of agreed that you looked like, in my personal opinion, the most balanced on stage.
01:03:48.159 --> 01:03:50.239
That was my yeah, it's been my goal, man.
01:03:50.320 --> 01:04:04.320
Like always, is like um I it's more so because of Joe, like I didn't again, I didn't know like how to do any of that stuff when I started, and he was the one that taught me how to like program stuff to like get things to grow, you know, at a certain rate.
01:04:04.480 --> 01:04:17.039
And so no, I uh my first the first bodybuild I ever saw was Dexter Jackson, and I think he was known for being very, very symmetrical, and like that's always been like what I want to look like, you know.
01:04:17.280 --> 01:04:19.599
Yeah, I think you did a great job there, man.
01:04:19.760 --> 01:04:21.119
Um, yeah, dude.
01:04:21.280 --> 01:04:23.119
I think you did an amazing job, dude.
01:04:23.199 --> 01:04:28.239
Like, I I uh I'm I'm the biggest fan of like the late 80s, early 90s.
01:04:28.320 --> 01:04:36.159
So like Sean Ray, um Flex Flex Wheeler, like a young, young Ronnie Coleman, like maybe the first year he won.
01:04:36.400 --> 01:04:43.760
And like I felt like I've probably I definitely still need more size, but like an early Sean Ray, I think I was pretty close to at this show.
01:04:44.000 --> 01:04:47.039
Not like maybe not like him like full blown, but like his early career.
01:04:47.119 --> 01:04:49.840
I'm like, yeah, this is kind of the look I have, I think.
01:04:49.920 --> 01:04:50.159
Yeah.
01:04:50.400 --> 01:05:01.280
I have an opinion for I mean, this isn't specific to you, this is more so for uh all the athletes, or what I think I saw a lot personally in this Olympia.
01:05:01.440 --> 01:05:12.800
But I think um some of the classic and open competitors can kind of work on keeping the core more intact more often during transitions, both during pre-judging and posing as well.
01:05:13.039 --> 01:05:18.880
I think during posing I also saw more of like a real relaxing in between.
01:05:19.119 --> 01:05:19.679
Oh, okay.
01:05:19.840 --> 01:05:20.079
You know?
01:05:20.159 --> 01:05:23.840
Yeah, um, but that's for everybody, but also that's like that's the posing routine.
01:05:24.159 --> 01:05:26.800
So it's the least judged of everything, you know?
01:05:27.199 --> 01:05:27.760
Yeah.
01:05:28.719 --> 01:05:30.079
Yeah, but that's that's about it.
01:05:30.320 --> 01:05:41.440
Um I wanted to ask this later, but I mean, since we're already on the subject, I think it makes sense to ask now when do you feel what what's your plan moving forward now?
01:05:41.519 --> 01:05:43.039
And did you get any feedback yet?
01:05:43.280 --> 01:05:44.639
I got feedback, man.
01:05:44.719 --> 01:05:46.400
Um, I always give feedback after shows.
01:05:46.719 --> 01:05:47.599
That's always my thing.
01:05:47.679 --> 01:05:54.159
Is like if I'm being judged by somebody, like and they determine how I place, why not see how I can do better?
01:05:54.559 --> 01:05:59.760
Uh there's some bodybuilders that refuse to give feedback, dude, and then they wonder why they you know.
01:06:00.079 --> 01:06:01.519
Up in the same place every year.
01:06:01.599 --> 01:06:05.280
But um, I got uh uh feedback from three judges so far.
01:06:05.440 --> 01:06:06.719
I would like to get more.
01:06:06.880 --> 01:06:09.440
Um, I I can never remember how many there is.
01:06:09.519 --> 01:06:16.000
I think there's nine or something, but I usually get feedback from five because um I think they're being madness the most.
01:06:16.079 --> 01:06:20.639
I don't know, but I'm not gonna say any names, but uh one judge did not agree.
01:06:20.880 --> 01:06:22.719
Um, one really, really high-level judge.
01:06:22.800 --> 01:06:24.400
He was like, dude, I don't know.
01:06:24.800 --> 01:06:30.320
Uh yeah, so uh, you know, they they get rid of the high and the low score, so maybe they got rid of his high score.
01:06:30.400 --> 01:06:30.880
Uh-huh.
01:06:30.960 --> 01:06:36.000
Um, another judge said my conditioning was off, which I was like, okay.
01:06:36.239 --> 01:06:46.880
Um, and I had at the time I had not seen any photos like that, you know, because I I literally asked him when they're going to take a pea break in between the in between the classes, like when it's really, really fresh.
01:06:47.280 --> 01:06:53.280
And then another judge said he felt like I faded, um, which may have been the case.
01:06:53.360 --> 01:06:53.760
I don't know.
01:06:53.920 --> 01:06:54.079
Okay.
01:06:54.559 --> 01:06:58.079
Um, I did pump up more than I normally do.
01:06:58.239 --> 01:07:05.280
Normally I don't really pump up at all uh uh going into the first time I'm on stage.
01:07:05.360 --> 01:07:07.840
But for whatever reason this year, I was like, I'm gonna pump up, you know?
01:07:08.000 --> 01:07:08.320
Right.
01:07:08.559 --> 01:07:15.360
But um I should have I usually wait till uh they do the individual posing and I'll pump up then.
01:07:15.599 --> 01:07:27.039
Because we with so many dudes, man, it's like we're on there's like an hour break in between like when we first go on stage to when we actually do the actual callouts, you know?
01:07:27.519 --> 01:07:31.519
And you can end up trying to pump up three times if you do it every single time.
01:07:32.159 --> 01:07:37.760
So I could see that, but then again, I look at the photos and I'm like, I don't know, you know, I don't know.
01:07:37.920 --> 01:07:38.960
When were these photos taken?
01:07:39.599 --> 01:07:40.239
Yeah.
01:07:40.480 --> 01:07:47.360
Um so those are the three the three judges I spoke to in their feedback so far.
01:07:47.760 --> 01:07:55.199
But man, honestly, at this point, I feel like I just should just do like I should just refer, I just should do what I think I should do, you know?
01:07:55.519 --> 01:07:59.760
So I don't think I'll reach out to the other judges and and ask, you know.
01:07:59.840 --> 01:08:02.960
I think I'm just gonna focus on what I think I need to do.
01:08:03.039 --> 01:08:06.320
And like I still have room to grow, so we're gonna do that.
01:08:06.559 --> 01:08:16.720
And I think um once we get to the point where these other guys are where I'm actually struggling to make weight, the condition is gonna be even better because I have to get down to that weight.
01:08:16.880 --> 01:08:27.680
Yeah, and uh, you know, I think my biggest issue my entire career is and like in life in general is trying to do too much.
01:08:27.840 --> 01:08:43.119
Like I have I say yes to everything, like, and because I always see it as like an opportunity, but like I was talking to a buddy today, and I'm like, I'm gonna stop calling them opportunities and I'm gonna start calling them distractions.
01:08:44.079 --> 01:08:57.279
And I I spoke to another guy and I was like, man, uh, because he was trying to tell me, like, I turned down something today, like there was, oh, they were going shooting uh Jay and a lot of a lot of pros.
01:08:57.520 --> 01:09:02.399
And I'm like, originally I said yeah, because I was like, I'll do, yeah, I can go do that, I can go network, I can hang out.
01:09:02.560 --> 01:09:08.479
But then I thought about it and I was like, man, this year I told myself I'm gonna live in a box, like Jay Color, right?
01:09:09.039 --> 01:09:11.760
And I felt like like this is the first test, right?
01:09:11.920 --> 01:09:20.960
I got the opportunity to go shooting with Jay, and I already told myself, like, literally like two days ago, I was like, You're gonna, you're gonna stop all that, you're gonna say no way more often.
01:09:21.279 --> 01:09:28.960
And so that's the plan this year is to really like stay locked in the box, stay at my house, travel a lot less, only when it's necessary.
01:09:29.680 --> 01:09:33.039
Um, all this guy tried to argue with me.
01:09:33.119 --> 01:09:38.960
He um I know him, he lives in Mississippi, he's a pro in Mississippi, and he was like, dude, you know, you could have done that and been fine.
01:09:39.039 --> 01:09:58.159
And I'm just like, yeah, you're probably right, but like every single Olympia champion I know, Keon, um Nick, uh Jay, uh Phil, um Sydney Gillon, they didn't go anywhere, they didn't do anything, you know what I mean?
01:09:58.399 --> 01:10:03.439
And like, yeah, I've I've like over the past years, I've gotten a lot of cool experiences.
01:10:03.600 --> 01:10:08.800
You know, I've gotten to see the world, do a lot of cool things while they stayed at home.
01:10:09.359 --> 01:10:20.319
But now they're retired, they got all their Olympia wins, like Sid and Chris in particular, and now they get to go have fun while I'm still trying to get that same goal, you know.
01:10:20.720 --> 01:10:25.359
So, like I'm like in my mind, I'm like, let me just try their way, you know.
01:10:26.319 --> 01:10:30.399
So that's the goal, that's the plan is to to travel a lot less.
01:10:30.560 --> 01:10:41.840
Even backstage, I was talking to Keon and his his uh wife, and she's like, dude, if I could just get you like to live with us and like I would lock you in a room and just feed you and let you out the train.
01:10:42.000 --> 01:10:42.720
That's awesome.
01:10:43.279 --> 01:10:48.560
So I'm like, if if Iris Kyle told me the same thing, dude, I was in Japan and she told me the exact same thing.
01:10:48.800 --> 01:10:51.039
Tim the most Olympia wins in history.
01:10:51.119 --> 01:10:52.239
She told me the exact same thing.
01:10:52.399 --> 01:10:52.720
Yeah.
01:10:52.880 --> 01:11:00.640
So I'm like, there's been enough people now in my like who have the thing that I want, and they all tell me the same exact thing, you know?
01:11:01.520 --> 01:11:03.039
So I'm gonna do it, you know.
01:11:03.199 --> 01:11:10.159
I'm really, really sit down and like for 100% 365 days until next year, just lock in on it.
01:11:10.399 --> 01:11:12.079
I uh I very much agree with that.
01:11:12.239 --> 01:11:14.560
Uh I think that's one of the biggest problems that I have as well.
01:11:14.640 --> 01:11:30.800
And I think a lot of people in the industry can say that they do, and it's it's the fact that you are, I mean, it maybe maybe for some people it's different what they're doing, but I think a lot of us want to achieve a lot, and a lot of us are go, go, go.
01:11:30.880 --> 01:11:38.800
Yeah, and your sympathetic drive is always turned on, and that's just not it's not what you need for someone who has become Mr.
01:11:38.880 --> 01:11:39.359
Olympia.
01:11:39.600 --> 01:11:51.840
And I think, man, I think they they the you don't get me wrong, you can be good at a lot of things and still go out and have fun, but like to be the best, I really think it takes a bit more sacrifice, you know?
01:11:52.239 --> 01:12:06.079
It's not even just having fun, it's like actually like doing mental work as well, like being on, like for example, like like for example, that this is just a personal example, but there's a lot of other examples, like for example, like I don't know, like more place, more dates always making videos and like the studying and learning and shit.
01:12:06.159 --> 01:12:08.800
And then I don't know someone else that has to manage something like that.
01:12:08.960 --> 01:12:15.840
Um like maybe you have to manage a gym like 10 hours of the day every single day, and you have to continuously be on calls all the time.
01:12:15.920 --> 01:12:16.640
That's another example.
01:12:16.800 --> 01:12:21.199
Or for me, like the biggest example is like consistently doing podcasts.
01:12:21.439 --> 01:12:24.560
Normally these days, the entire day I am just on.
01:12:24.720 --> 01:12:26.720
Yeah, the entire day I am just focused.
01:12:26.880 --> 01:12:32.159
The entire day I'm like, there's no relaxing, there's no cordisol decrease until I go to bed.
01:12:32.239 --> 01:12:39.039
And even then, there's a lot of things that sometimes I have to implement for myself to be fluid during the day that affects my sleep.
01:12:39.279 --> 01:12:45.680
So that's a whole day of recovery, yeah, and potentially a portion of the night of recovery that's taken away.
01:12:46.079 --> 01:12:52.319
So um imagine that on a consistent basis for an entire year, it does definitely make an impact.
01:12:52.640 --> 01:12:58.319
So like like you said before, you truly believe that you can only give 100% to one thing.
01:12:58.479 --> 01:13:04.319
And I think unless you are some fucking gifted freak, it's always gonna be true.
01:13:04.479 --> 01:13:06.319
Yeah, you know, you can choose your battles.
01:13:06.640 --> 01:13:07.039
Yeah, man.
01:13:07.119 --> 01:13:17.119
And like the thing is, is like I like I see I have very unique opinions about bodybuilding, and like I see people say um bodybuilding itself is selfish.
01:13:17.199 --> 01:13:20.159
And I I really don't think bodybuilding within itself is selfish.
01:13:20.319 --> 01:13:25.920
You can eat your meals and go hang out with friends, and you can go train with buddies, you can train like honestly.
01:13:26.000 --> 01:13:28.960
Now, dude, like with science-based lifting, you can train three days a week, you know.
01:13:29.520 --> 01:13:30.880
That's not very selfish.
01:13:31.119 --> 01:13:36.159
But what I do believe is if you want to be the best at something, that requires a lot of selfishness.
01:13:36.399 --> 01:13:43.680
Like, and like it's gonna, you're gonna like that selfishness is gonna be in bodybuilding, it's gonna be in business, it's gonna be in whatever it is you want to do in life.
01:13:43.840 --> 01:13:57.119
You know, I and I've I I read a lot and like I see it in every industry, like whether it's um entrepreneurs, whether I've I've read 50 Cent's book when he was uh building his album, like you can't escape it.
01:13:57.279 --> 01:14:01.520
Like, it's not just bodybuilding that that requires that a level of attention, you know.
01:14:01.680 --> 01:14:06.640
Uh even Kobe Bryant, like basketball, any sport will require that, you know.
01:14:06.880 --> 01:14:11.520
So I I think people try to I don't like people trying to downplay bodybuilding.
01:14:11.760 --> 01:14:18.800
I'm like, it's it's not bodybuilding itself, it's you trying to be the best at something, and that's that's gonna happen no matter what you do, you know.
01:14:19.119 --> 01:14:19.760
Yeah.
01:14:21.279 --> 01:14:26.560
Before I'm before I move on to ask you about like how you've managed everything that you're doing now.
01:14:26.640 --> 01:14:32.560
Yeah, uh, do you mind me asking a little bit of your time with Matt Porter?
01:14:32.640 --> 01:14:34.159
Yeah, your experience.
01:14:34.319 --> 01:14:34.640
Yeah.
01:14:35.199 --> 01:14:37.600
Yeah, no, I I'm uh I see Rachel every year.
01:14:37.680 --> 01:14:41.600
I'm in town, his uh widow, and um and his son too.
01:14:41.680 --> 01:14:42.880
I saw that they were at the show.
01:14:43.199 --> 01:14:46.000
I was supposed to hang out with them again yesterday, but I got a little busy.
01:14:46.079 --> 01:14:48.880
But yeah No, Matt was awesome, man.
01:14:49.119 --> 01:14:59.600
Um he was the first, I mean, not the first, but like the first, like big name to believe in me, you know.
01:14:59.680 --> 01:15:03.359
Like he never turned pro, but like he was doing really well in the industry.
01:15:03.520 --> 01:15:05.840
Like he was a really, really good coach.
01:15:05.920 --> 01:15:09.199
He had a supplement company, he was doing really well for himself.
01:15:09.279 --> 01:15:15.520
He has crazy so following on social media, like he was vlogging before like I even knew vlogging was a thing, dude.
01:15:15.680 --> 01:15:20.000
Like um, Matt Matt was a really good guy.
01:15:20.159 --> 01:15:28.079
Um, and I'm very, very blessed to like have him as like my first major coach, like a first person to take me through the pro league.
01:15:28.319 --> 01:15:34.640
Uh, he taught me, he taught me a lot, you know, and um it was a really cool experience.
01:15:34.800 --> 01:15:39.119
Like, and to be quite honest with you, he he was very strict in a sense, dude.
01:15:39.199 --> 01:15:49.920
Like, I I'm I I like it because going from him, like the way he would have things done versus like when I went to John, John John was a lot more relaxed and more easygoing when it came to coaching.
01:15:50.239 --> 01:15:54.800
Like, but with Matt, dude, like I remember he would put in the plans, like uh, I even made a little shirt.
01:15:54.880 --> 01:15:57.840
It was like no jam and no no jam or bullshit.
01:15:58.000 --> 01:16:00.079
Like that was something he would always say.
01:16:00.159 --> 01:16:10.159
Um, even with my like cheap meals or like uh refeeds, um, he would give me specifically a soap waste sandwich, double turkey, no mayo, uh, mustard.
01:16:10.399 --> 01:16:21.119
You could have mustard, and that would be my my refeed, like with my 20, 20 plus week uh preps, you know, and that would happen maybe like two, three times during during that process.
01:16:22.000 --> 01:16:25.359
Um he was no, he was awesome, man.
01:16:25.439 --> 01:16:25.840
Yeah.
01:16:26.159 --> 01:16:30.399
Were you were you still be coached by him when he uh passed away?
01:16:30.640 --> 01:16:31.359
Yeah, yeah.
01:16:31.600 --> 01:16:39.119
Um yeah, I remember I found out like literally at MR40 in the gym, some guy just came up and told me.
01:16:39.279 --> 01:16:45.680
I didn't really think that was the right way to go about it, but yeah, I literally found out like mid-training session.
01:16:46.319 --> 01:16:50.319
Um I couldn't even afford to go to that's when I was struggling.
01:16:50.399 --> 01:16:51.760
This is when she gave me that money.
01:16:51.920 --> 01:16:54.640
I couldn't even afford to go to the funeral, you know.
01:16:54.880 --> 01:17:01.680
And I remember like there was this like group chat called Geared Up, and like it was an awful experience.
01:17:01.760 --> 01:17:12.239
Like, some dude in the group chat like said so much shit about me not going, and I'm like, dude, I could I literally don't have any money to go, you know, and he's like still shitting on me, dude.
01:17:12.640 --> 01:17:18.159
So um, nah, it was a very difficult experience, you know.
01:17:18.960 --> 01:17:19.359
Yeah.
01:17:19.600 --> 01:17:21.520
How do you feel like you dealt with it?
01:17:21.920 --> 01:17:26.800
Um I don't know the best I could, I guess.
01:17:26.960 --> 01:17:30.319
Uh I I wasn't in the best place either, you know.
01:17:30.399 --> 01:17:32.560
Like I said, I was trying to get back on my feet.
01:17:32.800 --> 01:17:36.640
Um, I just um I it's kind of a blur.
01:17:36.720 --> 01:17:41.199
I didn't, I was kind of fell off with the meal plan quite a bit.
01:17:41.439 --> 01:17:46.800
Um training wasn't very consistent, it was just kind of all over the place, you know.
01:17:47.600 --> 01:17:52.800
And then um yeah, yeah, it was a little difficult.
01:17:53.920 --> 01:18:00.560
I think um I just like the what kind of snapped me out of it was like like I wasn't doing well financially.
01:18:00.640 --> 01:18:02.880
I was like, I need to get my shit together and figure something out.
01:18:03.520 --> 01:18:10.960
Um, I had known John the that whole time too, and like I would go, I actually met John before Matt.
01:18:11.119 --> 01:18:13.760
John uh was at Nationals when I turned pro.
01:18:14.640 --> 01:18:27.199
And um every time I would do a pro show, he would have like for whatever reason have like his uh seminars there, and he would just let me sit in on like I would literally do my weigh-ins like like for Toronto.
01:18:27.520 --> 01:18:35.279
Um I did my weigh-ins and I would just go sit and like listen to him talk, you know, and give his um his um seminar, he would let me go for free, you know.
01:18:35.520 --> 01:18:44.720
And um I just reached out to him and like, hey, I was one of I inquired to him about coaching, and uh it was cool, man.
01:18:44.800 --> 01:18:47.199
He was like, hey man, like I'm not gonna charge you.
01:18:47.359 --> 01:18:51.920
The only thing I ask is if you come up to train with me every couple months so I can get some content.
01:18:52.239 --> 01:18:55.680
And um, I was like, Yeah, let's do it.
01:18:56.159 --> 01:19:00.399
And um that's kind of how things started moving forward again.
01:19:00.479 --> 01:19:01.119
Yeah.
01:19:03.279 --> 01:19:04.399
What happened after that?
01:19:04.560 --> 01:19:06.159
Yeah, so we started working together.
01:19:06.239 --> 01:19:10.640
We we won uh Niagara Falls in 20 at the end of 2019.
01:19:10.800 --> 01:19:14.479
So before Matt passed, so we went to Olympia a few times.
01:19:14.560 --> 01:19:22.479
We got ninth place, we got sixth place, and then we dropped back down to ninth um in 2018.
01:19:23.039 --> 01:19:26.880
And at that point, me and Matt was like, yo, I need to get bigger and I need to take time off.
01:19:27.119 --> 01:19:34.560
So uh we skipped the 2019 Olympia.
01:19:35.760 --> 01:19:53.119
We the plan was to skip the 2019 Olympia and come back and do the Arnold the next year, and so I was he he he passed in that time, and um I just went on to okay, well like I said, I found John.
01:19:53.520 --> 01:20:02.800
We did that show in uh 2019 Niagara Falls, and then we came to the Arnold the following year, and we played second there.
01:20:03.199 --> 01:20:09.520
And um, that was super difficult, man, because like like I had built this up in my head as like I'm gonna get this done for Matt.
01:20:09.760 --> 01:20:13.119
And like when I came up short, like it was really, really hard.
01:20:13.279 --> 01:20:23.359
Like I like it, I don't know what what it was, but like I cried after every pro show I did for like like two years.
01:20:24.079 --> 01:20:32.239
Um I cried after that when I cried both times I got second place at the the Olympia, and I don't know what it was.
01:20:32.319 --> 01:20:44.800
I just felt like Matt had believed in me to like um and like and knew I could get to that point, and I was super sad that he couldn't be there to to see it actually happen, you know?
01:20:45.039 --> 01:20:47.760
And like yeah, it was really, really hard.
01:20:47.920 --> 01:20:55.520
And then when John passed, I was actually able to go to his funeral, which was really good, like closure-wise.
01:20:56.159 --> 01:21:09.760
And then um I think at that point, I just being able to go there and do that, it I don't know, it kind of felt like it put me in a better spot, and like that I didn't cry after every show after that.
01:21:09.920 --> 01:21:10.079
Right.
01:21:10.239 --> 01:21:12.800
But uh but yeah, yeah.
01:21:13.439 --> 01:21:19.199
This might be a little bit of a tough question, but you spoke earlier about how mindset is important to you.
01:21:19.600 --> 01:21:22.159
And I think you've always had quite a stoic perspective.
01:21:22.800 --> 01:21:27.920
What's your perspective on loss and what do you feel like you gained from these two really difficult experiences?
01:21:28.560 --> 01:21:48.159
My perspective on loss, like I think I think death is a part of life, and like you know, while I was in the military too, I I worked in uh I did six months as a uh in the honor guard where we handled funerals for for like the state.
01:21:48.399 --> 01:21:55.279
Any veteran that passed away, we would have to go uh handle the bodies, um not handle the bodies, sorry.
01:21:55.439 --> 01:22:00.960
Uh, you know, the casket, the flag folding, the the shooting, the trumpet, all of that.
01:22:01.520 --> 01:22:16.000
But I yeah, I've I've handling losses obviously hard, but I try to think about like like the positive, like what were they able to do in their life and like try to take value from the things that I learned from them.
01:22:16.800 --> 01:22:20.239
Uh I think that's I guess that's the way I deal with it.
01:22:20.319 --> 01:22:26.000
I maybe I don't deal with it the best, but yeah, that's that's what I try to do now as I as I'm getting older.
01:22:26.399 --> 01:22:29.039
It's just to try to think about about it like that.
01:22:29.279 --> 01:22:34.479
Like, you know, I try to frame things as positively as I can, you know?
01:22:34.720 --> 01:22:35.039
Right.
01:22:35.279 --> 01:22:35.680
Yeah.
01:22:35.920 --> 01:22:36.159
Yeah.
01:22:36.319 --> 01:22:38.960
It's never easy and it's never even an easy subject.
01:22:39.279 --> 01:22:39.600
Yeah.
01:22:39.760 --> 01:22:49.039
I mean, I don't know what I mean gained, I mean, like perspective-wise, I guess just like life is you don't know how long you're gonna be around, you know?
01:22:49.199 --> 01:22:53.199
Like so that's that's that's about all I could take away from that, dude.
01:22:53.279 --> 01:22:56.800
Like both of them like passed away very suddenly.
01:22:56.880 --> 01:23:06.159
Like uh I remember Matt, the way it happened with him was uh he went to the doctor not feeling well, and the doctor said he's fine, and then the next day he he passed away, you know.
01:23:06.319 --> 01:23:08.880
Or maybe not the next day, but like very soon after that, yeah.
01:23:09.279 --> 01:23:14.239
And with uh Sean, I think it was some something very similar, you know.
01:23:15.119 --> 01:23:17.199
Uh take it, yeah, yeah.
01:23:17.439 --> 01:23:20.239
So I don't know, yeah.
01:23:20.479 --> 01:23:21.119
Yeah.
01:23:21.520 --> 01:23:22.000
Yeah.
01:23:22.239 --> 01:23:24.880
Something I've had to think about a lot in the last 10 years.
01:23:25.039 --> 01:23:28.079
Um, I think one of the keys is not to think too much about it.
01:23:28.880 --> 01:23:29.279
For sure.
01:23:30.079 --> 01:23:44.960
But uh I think also you said it plainly and clearly that uh I could be more thankful to have the experiences I did with my boys, you know, with my people, with the guys that changed me, with the people that helped construct me to who I am.
01:23:45.359 --> 01:23:58.800
Um I feel like I wouldn't have the positive perspective I have over world the world and what's to come for me if I hadn't met my boy Ryan and hadn't had those long, long years together.
01:23:59.600 --> 01:24:04.399
Uh if I didn't have that positive influence, that positive perspective that he had to offer for me.
01:24:04.560 --> 01:24:07.520
Um if I didn't have that support and that friendship, you know?
01:24:07.680 --> 01:24:07.920
Yeah.
01:24:08.560 --> 01:24:16.640
And I think the only thing I can think of moving on from that is like, damn fuck, it sucked and it still does, but he's like a part of me now, you know?
01:24:16.800 --> 01:24:17.199
Yeah, yeah.
01:24:17.439 --> 01:24:19.680
He lives on, they live on within within us.
01:24:19.920 --> 01:24:29.119
And I think now we have been offered the opportunity to deliver a piece of them to others.
01:24:29.439 --> 01:24:30.560
Yeah, yeah.
01:24:30.720 --> 01:24:32.560
And I I didn't think I never thought about that.
01:24:32.640 --> 01:24:33.840
Yeah, it is very true.
01:24:34.000 --> 01:24:36.399
And it's it's um it's been a blessing, man.
01:24:36.479 --> 01:24:47.279
Like I'm always surprised with people ask me, like, what's the you know, something I learned from John, or and like being able to tell people that is is is really cool, you know.
01:24:47.760 --> 01:24:50.399
Yeah, and I I like I really do live by it.
01:24:50.479 --> 01:24:56.079
Like I remember one time he said, he's like, if I'm able to tell somebody something and it helps them, why not share it?
01:24:56.159 --> 01:24:56.720
You know?
01:24:56.960 --> 01:25:02.720
Because growing up, like what I did, is just like ah, if you know, you just keep stuff to yourself, it's private.
01:25:02.800 --> 01:25:08.560
And then, you know, you I learned through him is like yo, everyone's going through stuff, man.
01:25:08.720 --> 01:25:17.840
Like there's no reason to be ashamed if you're struggling in life or something doesn't go perfectly, because to be quite honest with you, nobody's life is going perfectly, dude.
01:25:17.920 --> 01:25:24.560
Like, and once you share that with someone, like they realize it and they feel a lot better.
01:25:24.640 --> 01:25:39.520
And they like, okay, I'm not a complete screw-up, like everyone's gonna dealing with something, and on top of that, most likely that someone has dealt with the same exact thing you've done with and gotten through it, and that brings a lot of people comfort, I think.
01:25:39.760 --> 01:25:40.800
Yeah, yeah.
01:25:41.119 --> 01:25:46.319
A lot of life is a lot of life is lived in your mind.
01:25:46.960 --> 01:25:48.880
That's a that's a problem, yeah.
01:25:49.119 --> 01:25:51.520
But also you can turn that into a strength, right?
01:25:52.000 --> 01:25:57.760
And that's why perspective is what constructs your reality, what you experience.
01:25:58.079 --> 01:26:08.479
So I think by delivering this perspective to other people, by you sharing the stories of John and what you've experienced, I think that gives the lens for other people to live a much better life.
01:26:08.720 --> 01:26:15.520
And they might not even see that like that going into it, be like, oh, you know, this happened, but like I still have my struggles.
01:26:15.840 --> 01:26:24.000
But slowly over time, you realize that the way that you look at things changes what happens to you and it changes what you do.
01:26:24.159 --> 01:26:26.800
And then later on, it changes your entire fucking life, man.
01:26:26.960 --> 01:26:27.279
It's cool.
01:26:27.600 --> 01:26:28.079
It's cool things.
01:26:28.159 --> 01:26:28.560
Yeah, you know.
01:26:28.640 --> 01:26:31.680
A few of you have asked where I get my farmal grade Annivar and IGF 1.
01:26:31.760 --> 01:26:37.520
And of course, it's not through Vinny in the parking lot, it's opticed HP, prescribed and through a doctor.
01:26:37.760 --> 01:26:47.279
And the reason why I helped start this clinic instead of joining an established clinic like Merrick is because I wanted a real say in how our clients are taken care of.
01:26:47.600 --> 01:26:51.920
And the honest truth, it also helps me make living.
01:26:52.079 --> 01:26:53.680
But I couldn't do it through selling snake oil.
01:26:53.920 --> 01:26:54.880
Here's the honest truth.
01:26:55.119 --> 01:26:58.640
Is in a sport where everybody takes it, stops being cheating.
01:26:58.960 --> 01:27:00.159
The game just changes.
01:27:00.800 --> 01:27:03.039
Now instead, it's about who uses it smarter.
01:27:03.520 --> 01:27:05.920
But your health is part of the scoreboard.
01:27:06.159 --> 01:27:13.520
You know, we go back and forth between pharma versus the screen market here, and while it does help you travel, I really don't have the answer.
01:27:13.840 --> 01:27:14.640
That's your call.
01:27:15.199 --> 01:27:18.000
However, every bodybuilder should be getting quarterly blood work.
01:27:18.479 --> 01:27:19.520
Yes, even you.
01:27:19.840 --> 01:27:21.279
The guy who says he feels fine.
01:27:21.600 --> 01:27:23.119
So we built the membership around that.
01:27:23.359 --> 01:27:26.079
The bloods are free, and the membership is just what we call the discount.
01:27:26.319 --> 01:27:28.079
My accountant hates this next part.
01:27:28.319 --> 01:27:30.319
DMs are free always.
01:27:30.800 --> 01:27:32.079
Link is in the description.
01:27:32.319 --> 01:27:33.920
Sign up with code NILE.
01:27:34.159 --> 01:27:35.600
Send me a DM on Instagram.
01:27:35.840 --> 01:27:36.640
I got you personally.
01:27:37.119 --> 01:27:39.359
How was uh 2023 for you?
01:27:39.600 --> 01:27:46.560
I think that might have been the year where maybe you feel like you've experienced a worse placing after years.
01:27:46.960 --> 01:27:50.800
Oh yeah, that was when I dropped from second to uh yeah, six.
01:27:51.039 --> 01:27:59.439
It's funny to think about that because six isn't terrible, but like for me it was like it was like really bad, and like maybe because I didn't handle it the best.
01:28:00.239 --> 01:28:07.520
Um because even like this year I dropped in placing, but like everything is still going for fine.
01:28:07.600 --> 01:28:12.399
Like business wise, it's been a couple it's been like a two days, but everything is going fine, right?
01:28:12.479 --> 01:28:12.720
Yeah.
01:28:13.039 --> 01:28:17.760
But for whatever reason, dude, like everything like fell apart um that year.
01:28:18.319 --> 01:28:23.600
Like uh I I like like lost sponsorships, my business started to fail.
01:28:23.680 --> 01:28:30.079
Like I did a coaching business, and like the amount of leads we had like dropped like tremendously, like like in half.
01:28:30.560 --> 01:28:34.880
Um, it was it was a very, very hard time, dude.
01:28:34.960 --> 01:28:49.039
I like I was used to make a certain level of money and like my lifestyle was set up that way, and then very quickly I didn't like with the with the drop in funds, like I was struggling to pay like everything, you know?
01:28:49.600 --> 01:28:53.680
So yeah, yeah, it was not it was not an easy time.
01:28:53.840 --> 01:29:04.239
I think part of it was definitely just me maybe like a self-fulfilling type of thing, like oh I think everything's gonna get worse and like everything did get worse because like probably me.
01:29:04.800 --> 01:29:26.800
But um some of it is like was true, like like in terms of like people like uh reached out less and for for like uh events, like I got way less calls for events, I got um way lower offers in terms of sponsorship deals, like all like that part was like reality, you know.
01:29:27.039 --> 01:29:34.399
Yeah, I don't think it's that bad anymore, but like for whatever reason at that point in time, like it like it was crazy.
01:29:34.479 --> 01:29:34.800
Yeah.
01:29:35.039 --> 01:29:36.560
How did the story change over time?
01:29:36.800 --> 01:29:37.439
What do you mean?
01:29:37.760 --> 01:29:39.760
Working through that tough period of time?
01:29:40.079 --> 01:29:42.319
Um, it's the same as anything, man.
01:29:42.399 --> 01:29:53.520
Like I I just like I like for a while, you it like it sucks, and then like for what like in my mind, I'm just like, well, if I sit around and do nothing, I'm gonna be homeless.
01:29:53.760 --> 01:29:59.439
So like I need to get to I need to figure it out and get to work and like keep you know, get things moving, you know?
01:30:00.000 --> 01:30:00.319
Yeah.
01:30:00.560 --> 01:30:02.720
And then slowly over time it kind of just got better.
01:30:02.880 --> 01:30:03.520
Yeah, yeah.
01:30:03.680 --> 01:30:06.880
So um I ended up moving to that's when I moved to Houston.
01:30:07.520 --> 01:30:10.960
Um, kind of like a reset, which was really nice.
01:30:11.119 --> 01:30:13.119
You know, like I guess a lot of people don't know.
01:30:13.199 --> 01:30:18.640
Like I love, yeah, I left Tampa like very quickly, but I just felt like I didn't need to be there anymore.
01:30:18.720 --> 01:30:21.439
Like Joe was kind of ramping down training as well.
01:30:22.159 --> 01:30:26.960
Uh, we used to like I said, we used to train every single day together, and they got to a point where we would train like maybe twice a week.
01:30:27.119 --> 01:30:29.760
And I'm just like, this is like the main reason I came here, you know.
01:30:29.920 --> 01:30:30.000
Right.
01:30:30.159 --> 01:30:31.760
So like that was changing as well.
01:30:31.840 --> 01:30:34.720
So and I think something also about your relationship.
01:30:34.960 --> 01:30:35.520
Yeah, yeah.
01:30:35.680 --> 01:30:38.640
Me and my ex um we split.
01:30:38.880 --> 01:30:48.640
Um, and then even like going into that relationship uh relationship, we were supposed to be working as a team with the coaching thing, and then that ended up being all my responsibility.
01:30:49.199 --> 01:30:51.600
And uh that was a lot, man.
01:30:51.680 --> 01:30:53.359
Like it was a lot more than I expected.
01:30:53.439 --> 01:31:04.640
I was going into that Olympia, I was working like 12 hours a day trying to get all the systems in order and things like that, which is like brings me back to like me always trying to do too much.
01:31:04.720 --> 01:31:08.720
Like looking back, I probably should have just been like, hey, let me let's slow this down.
01:31:08.800 --> 01:31:14.640
I need to focus on this, and like um, but I don't know, I was like trying to do everything, you know.
01:31:14.720 --> 01:31:17.760
I didn't want to be seem like I wasn't capable, you know?
01:31:18.000 --> 01:31:22.000
Yeah, so um, yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:31:22.239 --> 01:31:28.399
That was of a lot of life lessons and learning lessons during that year.
01:31:28.479 --> 01:31:28.800
Yeah.
01:31:29.119 --> 01:31:30.960
Those years fucking suck, dude.
01:31:31.840 --> 01:31:32.640
Yeah, dude.
01:31:32.720 --> 01:31:40.079
But like, it's cool, man, because now I can like like um I can I I can tell people like about that experience and help them avoid it.
01:31:40.239 --> 01:31:43.920
Like um there's like I literally just talked to a 212 guy today.
01:31:44.079 --> 01:31:52.800
He lives in the UK and he's he's telling me he wants he's got an offer to move to the States, and it's it's a it's a different situation, but like I'm like able to tell him, like, hey bro, be careful.
01:31:52.880 --> 01:31:54.560
Like that's a big, that's a big move.
01:31:54.720 --> 01:32:00.319
Like, and like I'll I'm telling him, like, um, make sure the offer is solid.
01:32:00.560 --> 01:32:05.279
Like, he's upset that the other company isn't paying him as much compared to influencers, and I'm just honest with him.
01:32:05.439 --> 01:32:07.039
Like, hey, I'm I'm just honest with them.
01:32:07.119 --> 01:32:09.439
I'm like, bro, are they selling more than you?
01:32:09.520 --> 01:32:11.119
Because that's gonna be the case anywhere you go.
01:32:11.199 --> 01:32:15.119
They're gonna treat the people that's making them the most money the best, you know.
01:32:15.359 --> 01:32:20.479
Um so just I I like yeah, I don't know.
01:32:20.560 --> 01:32:30.560
I I really wanna be able to get back to the sport, and like even though these situations sucked, you know, I'm able to help like people avoid certain things, you know, um, that I had to go through.
01:32:30.720 --> 01:32:33.439
Yeah, whether it's business or relationship or whatever, you know.
01:32:33.680 --> 01:32:33.920
Right.
01:32:34.079 --> 01:32:34.560
Yeah.
01:32:34.800 --> 01:32:58.720
It's funny that uh I actually had a couple people come up to me at the expo and uh at the at Dragons outside of the expo asking me this question about like what would you have to say to people that are struggling right now that don't think there's that aren't working towards something or that don't think that there's light on the other side, or that uh don't think they'll ever get there.
01:32:59.680 --> 01:33:06.319
And that seems to be something that you've fought and been able to overcome consistently over the course of your entire career.
01:33:06.479 --> 01:33:07.840
Yeah, that seems to be the theme, you know.
01:33:08.159 --> 01:33:08.960
More than anybody, man.
01:33:09.039 --> 01:33:09.600
It's funny.
01:33:09.760 --> 01:33:16.880
Like my my the my most popular thing, uh posy song is Survivor, and I feel like that's like kind of my my story, dude.
01:33:17.119 --> 01:33:23.199
Like people, like every every year, dude, there's something like people saying I'm I'm not gonna be able to do this or do that.
01:33:23.600 --> 01:33:30.399
Uh I remember I'm not going from uh the year the first year I sat out, they said I was done.
01:33:30.479 --> 01:33:34.960
Like every only tall people are gonna be good in classic, and then I came back and played second.
01:33:35.199 --> 01:33:39.680
I remember the year I went from second to sixth and then sat out.
01:33:39.840 --> 01:33:44.000
It's funny, we're cool now, but um he's over at Dragon's Lair.
01:33:44.159 --> 01:33:45.279
He was like, Yeah, bro, you're done.
01:33:45.439 --> 01:33:48.880
Like you know, I'm just like, No, dude, just give it a give me a year.
01:33:49.119 --> 01:33:50.880
I promise you I'm gonna be all right.
01:33:51.199 --> 01:33:55.199
And uh yeah, dude, it's I'm so used to it now.
01:33:55.279 --> 01:34:03.760
Like, uh, I get literally after this, after this show, I still got people saying, like, hey dude, um, you're gonna be like Brion, they're gonna slowly push you out until you and until you just leave.
01:34:03.920 --> 01:34:05.680
And I'm just like, okay.
01:34:06.159 --> 01:34:06.800
I'm like, okay.
01:34:07.680 --> 01:34:09.520
That's a crazy thing to fucking say.
01:34:09.760 --> 01:34:27.119
Bro, it I you know, and like my my biggest thing is is like whether it's someone else saying it, or or even in my mind, like you know, if I ever have like a negative thought, like I'm very quick to uh not accept it.
01:34:27.279 --> 01:34:34.880
Like, even to the point where people are trying to like trying to be nice to me, they'll be like, oh bro, you know, you would win if you were two inches taller.
01:34:34.960 --> 01:34:37.359
And I'm like, no, I'm not accepting that, dude.
01:34:37.520 --> 01:34:40.079
Or like you're not winning, like every single reason.
01:34:40.159 --> 01:34:46.079
I've had people say, like, I'm not winning because I'm short, because I'm black, because of like I'm bald now.
01:34:47.359 --> 01:34:48.399
Every reason, dude.
01:34:48.479 --> 01:34:58.079
And I'm just like, no, I will I and they they want they say it as like like they try to say it as comfort, like, hey man, it's it's okay, it's it's not because of the you know your physique, it's because of this other thing.
01:34:58.159 --> 01:35:00.880
And I'm like, I won't, I I'm not, I'm not gonna accept that.
01:35:00.960 --> 01:35:07.039
And I will tell them like that, no, and I will give them reasons to why they are wrong, yeah, you know, right.
01:35:07.279 --> 01:35:09.520
Um, you know, whether it's it's just it's a short thing.
01:35:09.600 --> 01:35:12.640
I'm like, I've beaten every single person on that stage, you know.
01:35:12.800 --> 01:35:17.279
Um, I have the most pro wins in classic, I have the most Arnold Classic wins.
01:35:17.359 --> 01:35:19.600
I'm like, no, that's not the case, you know.
01:35:19.840 --> 01:35:27.600
If you really think about how you how if you really think about you having to deal with that feedback, that's just fucking crazy.
01:35:27.840 --> 01:35:32.319
It's a bunch of people coming to you telling you that no, it's okay, you're wrong.
01:35:32.399 --> 01:35:33.119
Don't worry about it.
01:35:33.199 --> 01:35:34.640
It's just something you can't control.
01:35:34.800 --> 01:35:37.680
Yeah, so you you know you might never get there because you're bald now.
01:35:37.920 --> 01:35:40.319
You know, it's just like fucking crazy, bro.
01:35:40.640 --> 01:35:42.960
So no, dude, it's it's it's wild, man.
01:35:43.039 --> 01:35:51.359
I and like my whole thing is like I I think words have power, and like I just won't, I just don't, I don't want that in my head, man.
01:35:51.520 --> 01:35:52.159
Yeah, yeah.
01:35:52.720 --> 01:35:54.079
What are you doing with business now?
01:35:54.239 --> 01:35:56.880
Yo, so um, obviously the gym.
01:35:57.039 --> 01:35:59.199
Um, I helped design equipment with bolts.
01:35:59.439 --> 01:36:03.279
So um I have a equity in that, which is really, really cool.
01:36:03.439 --> 01:36:05.680
Um that's nice, that's a nice feeling, right?
01:36:05.840 --> 01:36:06.720
Yeah, dude.
01:36:06.880 --> 01:36:09.359
Um, very cool, man.
01:36:09.520 --> 01:36:17.840
And then uh outside of that, it's just like the personal brand stuff, which I'm I've I feel like I'm 10 years late on that, dude.
01:36:17.920 --> 01:36:19.439
Like, I'm just not figuring it out.
01:36:19.600 --> 01:36:25.680
Like, literally just to hear about personal branding and things like that in social media, you know.
01:36:25.840 --> 01:36:48.880
Like, I was really dude, I'm I'm very like understanding of like people, what people go through now, because I'm like, when I got on social media, there was like no one doing social media, so like it was really easy for me to grow my page and do all this stuff and stand out, and like even in terms of like just the bodybuilding in general, like that's why I like to show the old picks.
01:36:49.039 --> 01:36:53.439
I'm like, bro, I was a top Olympian, like looking like that, and you look better than that.
01:36:53.520 --> 01:36:54.800
So, like, be proud, dude.
01:36:54.960 --> 01:36:59.680
Like, you may not have the placing you want, but like it was honestly easier back then, dude.
01:36:59.760 --> 01:37:00.079
You know?
01:37:00.720 --> 01:37:02.399
Um, same with social media.
01:37:02.479 --> 01:37:08.479
Um, but yeah, I have an I'm doing an app now, which I've been wanting to do for like three, four years.
01:37:08.720 --> 01:37:14.560
Um, I finally figured out how to to properly delegate stuff and not do everything myself.
01:37:14.960 --> 01:37:16.399
Yeah, this is what I was about to ask.
01:37:16.479 --> 01:37:22.800
It's like, how do you feel like you're gonna how do you how do you feel like you're managing all this after just talking about trying not to do too much, you know?
01:37:23.119 --> 01:37:26.479
So the gym thing was way more than I had ever expected.
01:37:26.560 --> 01:37:34.560
I thought I would I thought there would be better systems in place going with the franchise, and like it was still like 99% me figuring everything out myself.
01:37:35.039 --> 01:37:37.119
And it you know, it was a lot, man.
01:37:37.279 --> 01:37:41.520
Um now that that's mostly done, um you know, we're in a good really good spot.
01:37:41.600 --> 01:37:46.079
I have a manager and she's like amazing, you know.
01:37:46.239 --> 01:37:53.600
Um, it was even a struggle like getting that done because we we had to switch managers like three weeks out from the Olympia.
01:37:53.680 --> 01:38:03.119
So I had to like go through and like hire a bunch of people and like or interview a bunch of people, hire people, get them trained up, literally like within a week's time, you know.
01:38:04.399 --> 01:38:08.399
And um, but now it's it's it's uh it's pretty good.
01:38:08.479 --> 01:38:11.359
I'm I'm like I'm delegating things really well.
01:38:11.520 --> 01:38:17.199
Like she knows what she needs to do and she gets it done, and she only comes to me with like important stuff, you know.
01:38:18.079 --> 01:38:22.000
Uh for the for equipment, that's really easy.
01:38:22.159 --> 01:38:23.760
I don't have to come in almost ever.
01:38:23.920 --> 01:38:29.439
Like, like I'd have to make decisions on like equipment, like everything we brought to the the event.
01:38:29.520 --> 01:38:32.239
I had to like sign off on it, so I came in and do that.
01:38:32.720 --> 01:38:36.960
Uh I have to be a part of like hiring athletes.
01:38:37.039 --> 01:38:39.920
So like we brought on Hunter, I had to be a part of that.
01:38:40.000 --> 01:38:50.319
Like, cause um the the founder, he sh struggled a lot with uh athletes in the past, so that's one of my responsibilities.
01:38:50.479 --> 01:38:52.239
And I've been doing a pretty good job of it, man.
01:38:52.319 --> 01:38:56.560
He'll come like some of the some top pros have come to him, and I'm just like, nah, that's not a good fit.
01:38:56.720 --> 01:38:59.600
And literally a month later, he found out why it's not a good fit.
01:38:59.680 --> 01:39:03.680
I don't want to give details, but like he was a really good call.
01:39:03.920 --> 01:39:14.000
Um, there's certain pros and things and gyms like we like gift equipment to, you know, I have to sign off like if that makes sense or not, depending on the gym.
01:39:14.319 --> 01:39:25.920
Um, say for instance, there's a certain retired bodybuilder out of the country that wants some equipment from us, and I was just like, hey, bro, like it's a good idea, but realize he's probably not gonna do any content with it.
01:39:26.000 --> 01:39:32.000
So we need to fly out and get all the content while we we're delivering it, because if we don't, we're not gonna get it.
01:39:32.399 --> 01:39:40.159
So just stuff like that, like consulting things, and then um just some uh some light marketing um advice.
01:39:40.319 --> 01:39:43.520
He likes to do stuff his way with that, but I'll I'll chime in when I can.
01:39:44.479 --> 01:39:54.000
So um, and then with the app man, I've been wanting to do, I have my posing course, which is really cool, and um, I've been having a hard time finding where to host it.
01:39:54.319 --> 01:39:59.600
So uh I did like a white label app um that kind of fit all my needs.
01:39:59.760 --> 01:40:02.560
So um I really want to grow that, you know.
01:40:02.640 --> 01:40:07.119
Like Chris had his like I don't know, like six years, the standard one, like six years ago.
01:40:07.199 --> 01:40:13.520
So it's I modeled it after that, but with the posing course and posing aspect too.
01:40:13.920 --> 01:40:23.119
Yeah, so so yeah, and there's a couple other things we got coming um that require very little of me.
01:40:23.199 --> 01:40:26.560
Like, we're gonna be I'm gonna be parting with the company for posing trunks.
01:40:27.359 --> 01:40:31.760
Um and uh you gotta send those my way.
01:40:31.920 --> 01:40:32.399
Yeah, bro.
01:40:32.479 --> 01:40:33.439
I'm really excited, man.
01:40:33.520 --> 01:40:35.840
It's it's uh I'm super excited for that.
01:40:36.000 --> 01:40:41.520
But like my big thing is like all the new like partnerships I have or sponsorships I have.
01:40:41.680 --> 01:40:47.119
Like, um I I got to talk with Chef, and Chef gave me some really good advice Chef Rush gave me really good advice.
01:40:47.199 --> 01:40:59.119
He's like, bro, anything you do now um with your business, like make sure like it's not just a paycheck, make sure like you have something, whether it's equity or like a signature product or something like that.
01:40:59.439 --> 01:41:07.359
So that's the way I've been kind of handling like the deals with my personal brand over the past like year.
01:41:07.600 --> 01:41:08.800
Yeah, gotcha.
01:41:08.880 --> 01:41:11.039
Okay, but uh yeah, yeah.
01:41:11.119 --> 01:41:21.119
I'm I do I'm still learning to like I said, I feel like I'm like years behind um all of this stuff, but but I feel like I'm I'm getting a handle on everything.
01:41:21.199 --> 01:41:21.439
Yeah.
01:41:22.079 --> 01:41:22.560
Yeah.
01:41:22.880 --> 01:41:24.399
All this shit is hard, man.
01:41:24.640 --> 01:41:25.279
Yeah, man.
01:41:25.359 --> 01:41:37.920
You know, the one that like I one of the biggest issues I had like back when I was placing second behind Chris was like really trying to keep keep up with him in every aspect of things, but not realizing like the amount of help he had.
01:41:38.079 --> 01:41:51.600
Like, like he had the he was getting his brands, the bits, the businesses done, and all of that, but like I didn't realize I didn't think about it, but that was like like a good portion of that was that Matty Milkshake guy, and a good portion of that was Dom.
01:41:51.680 --> 01:41:58.159
And like I'm over here trying to keep up and do it all myself, and like completely like burnt out, yeah, yeah.
01:41:58.560 --> 01:42:01.600
So uh yeah, just learning, just always learning, man.
01:42:01.680 --> 01:42:04.319
I feel like that's my my right story, yeah.
01:42:04.640 --> 01:42:19.279
So I guess I mean I think that already says it all, but I'm thinking about what advice can we give the audience or give other people in a position that are trying to do well in bodybuilding, you know, but also they got their own lives to manage.
01:42:19.680 --> 01:42:27.439
I would say, man, like the big thing, say for instance, if if you so I'm gonna give a really good example.
01:42:27.600 --> 01:42:31.680
Um, I'm not gonna say his name, but he he works at the gym uh with me.
01:42:31.760 --> 01:42:32.560
He's a trainer.
01:42:32.960 --> 01:42:35.439
I I'm like a hundred, he's you're gonna see him very soon.
01:42:35.520 --> 01:42:37.920
He's doing nationals and he's gonna look insane, right?
01:42:38.079 --> 01:42:45.279
But right now, he's uh he's working as a trainer at the gym and as a bouncer at night.
01:42:45.520 --> 01:42:49.119
And my advice to him was like, dude, like what do you want out of bodybuilding?
01:42:49.279 --> 01:43:00.560
He's like, I want to do this like full time, and I'm like, bro, like realistically nowadays, you have to do social media, like there's no just I'm a bodybuilder in that set, right?
01:43:01.119 --> 01:43:19.520
Um, you have to be an influencer basically, and you have to get comfortable like doing that, and I say that because like there are signs that even like the Olympians aren't doing well, and what I what I want to say is like if you see a Mr.
01:43:19.680 --> 01:43:28.319
Olympia or a top athlete constantly changing sponsorships every year, that's a sign that um they're not doing great.
01:43:28.399 --> 01:43:33.359
That means most likely that sponsorship, they had that contract for a year, they got paid really well.
01:43:33.600 --> 01:43:38.079
That sponsor realized, like, hey, you're not making us any money, we need to change the deal.
01:43:38.239 --> 01:43:43.439
So they go hop to another sponsorship, get that money, and they the cycle repeats.
01:43:43.760 --> 01:43:48.239
It's a very, very high-level Olympian that like Olympians that have that happen to them.
01:43:48.319 --> 01:43:50.479
You'll notice it if you pay attention now.
01:43:50.640 --> 01:43:53.600
But with that in mind, I try to tell them that.
01:43:53.680 --> 01:44:02.319
You know, I'm like, you can if you want to live that life, you want to jump sponsor to sponsor, you can do that, but realize like over time that's not gonna, that's not a great way to do it.
01:44:02.640 --> 01:44:13.680
Uh so my mind is like as a bodybuilder, if that's any of everyone's goals is you have to get comfortable doing things that you really don't like doing in order to do the thing that you love doing, you know.
01:44:13.920 --> 01:44:22.640
Like I had to learn how, I mean, I had to learn how to use a camera, I had to learn how to do photography, I had to learn how to storytell now with the YouTube page.
01:44:22.720 --> 01:44:24.640
Like my YouTube is doing a lot better than before.
01:44:24.720 --> 01:44:26.079
Like I just said 100k.
01:44:26.239 --> 01:44:26.399
Great.
01:44:26.640 --> 01:44:27.760
And it was thank you, man.
01:44:28.000 --> 01:44:33.840
Yeah, but it was because like when I first started, like I do, I did not want to look at it, I did not want to think about it.
01:44:33.920 --> 01:44:38.319
I would film uh my video guy would film it and it would post, and that would be it, right?
01:44:38.720 --> 01:44:45.600
But now that I've like, I'm like, okay, bro, I need to just man up and like like get better at this.
01:44:45.840 --> 01:44:55.680
Like, um, let me plan out these videos, let me see what I suck at, and like uh and actually like intentionally try to get better at it.
01:44:55.760 --> 01:45:02.880
And I think too, I told him, I'm like, dude, it's gonna feel weird the first few times you film yourself, dude.
01:45:02.960 --> 01:45:08.079
Like, you gotta be comfortable with being like cringy the first fucking year, you know?
01:45:08.640 --> 01:45:11.680
Um, because no one starts out great at anything, man.
01:45:11.920 --> 01:45:16.000
Like, look at my first I start, I literally showed himself, these are my first YouTube videos.
01:45:16.079 --> 01:45:21.359
I have YouTube videos from literally like 2015, 2016.
01:45:21.600 --> 01:45:30.319
Like, you have to get comfortable doing that, and like a lot of pro bodybuilders or like just the bodybuilders, bodybuilder, they get mad at influencers, dude.
01:45:30.399 --> 01:45:35.439
They're like, oh well, you know, he's not a real bodybuilder or this and that, and why is he making all that money?
01:45:35.600 --> 01:45:38.960
And like, because they actually put in the work on that side of things, dude.
01:45:39.199 --> 01:45:41.199
Like, you can't be mad at them, man.
01:45:41.279 --> 01:45:44.960
Like, they got good at it, and they sucked, they most likely sucked for a while.
01:45:45.199 --> 01:45:45.680
Look at Mr.
01:45:45.840 --> 01:45:46.079
Beast.
01:45:46.239 --> 01:45:53.039
Like, they you see like how he started, like, it took him a long time to get good at what he does, and it was a lot of concentrated effort.
01:45:53.199 --> 01:46:11.760
So, like, to break that down, I said a lot, it would be my biggest advice is one, you have to put in the work, you have to you have to do the thing you need to do a lot, like in terms of social media, in terms of speaking, in terms of whatever it is, whatever part of it that you suck at, you have to do it a lot, right?
01:46:11.920 --> 01:46:14.800
You can't just go to the gym once a week and expect your physique to change.
01:46:14.880 --> 01:46:18.479
You have to go to the gym a lot, and then you start to see the results.
01:46:18.800 --> 01:46:24.319
And then the the second part is is like once you have that body of work, now you can analyze it.
01:46:24.399 --> 01:46:26.800
Now you can learn, grow, and adapt from it.
01:46:27.119 --> 01:46:29.840
And I think those are the two main things I would say.
01:46:30.079 --> 01:46:35.439
Like, with and you can apply it to anything in life, do it more and study it and get better, right?
01:46:35.680 --> 01:46:37.199
Yeah, absolutely, brother.
01:46:37.359 --> 01:46:38.319
Absolutely.
01:46:39.119 --> 01:46:41.520
Keep putting in the effort, just keep moving.
01:46:42.159 --> 01:46:43.600
It's just gonna keep going up, man.
01:46:43.760 --> 01:46:51.039
Yeah, I'm like, dude, some of these guys, like they they expect to get good at YouTube by doing one video a month and like, or one video a week.
01:46:51.119 --> 01:46:54.880
I'm like, you you're not gonna get good at it doing it that way, you know.
01:46:55.199 --> 01:46:59.359
Um, you gotta do it a lot, even if you don't post it, just practice, man.
01:46:59.600 --> 01:47:02.319
I think you do one video a week, but you need to actually like do it.
01:47:02.720 --> 01:47:04.479
You have to be very intentional if you do it once a week.
01:47:04.720 --> 01:47:06.159
Yeah, you have to be intentional for sure.
01:47:06.319 --> 01:47:06.640
Yeah.
01:47:07.680 --> 01:47:10.800
How did the uh how did this prep go for you for Olympia?
01:47:11.039 --> 01:47:13.760
I would say the all season started off great.
01:47:14.000 --> 01:47:17.840
Then the gym, like two, three months with the gym opening.
01:47:19.279 --> 01:47:20.079
Down.
01:47:20.319 --> 01:47:24.720
Um I was eating maybe twice a week.
01:47:24.960 --> 01:47:36.159
No, twice a day, twice a day, and it was junk, it was McDonald's because like there was no way like I was I was doing so much, there was no way I would be able to get enough calories from healthy food.
01:47:36.239 --> 01:47:36.399
Right.
01:47:36.560 --> 01:47:40.800
So I was like, okay, let me just order like fucking takeout and shit, you know.
01:47:40.960 --> 01:47:45.359
Um, and I was training anywhere from twice a week to three times a week.
01:47:45.600 --> 01:47:48.000
And yeah, yeah, I was I lost like 20 pounds.
01:47:48.239 --> 01:47:49.600
Fuck you were busy, busy, bro.
01:47:49.680 --> 01:47:50.640
Twice a week, dude.
01:47:50.720 --> 01:47:54.239
I was I was yeah, I lost like 20 pounds through through the process.
01:47:54.319 --> 01:47:57.920
Like that's insane, and I didn't even notice it because I wasn't weighing myself, I wasn't doing any of that.
01:47:58.000 --> 01:48:04.159
And then like we had our opening day, and then I put on like a just a large shirt and it was like loose on me.
01:48:04.239 --> 01:48:08.239
And I was just like, okay, what happened?
01:48:08.479 --> 01:48:12.880
Um, and then I look at pictures from the event, and I'm like, holy crap, I lost a lot of weight.
01:48:13.199 --> 01:48:21.039
And um yeah, so from that point on, like even like maybe three, four weeks after we opened, it was still a lot of chaos.
01:48:22.000 --> 01:48:26.640
And then I realized like, oh shit, we're like we're like 10 weeks out from the Olympia.
01:48:26.800 --> 01:48:29.439
I need to get this shit together, like somewhere around that point.
01:48:30.000 --> 01:48:40.000
So me and my coach, we got to work, we started gaining size again, and then like we we got up uh to like 205 or something like that.
01:48:40.560 --> 01:48:50.560
And then I think at that point we're like eight weeks out, and then we started to cut down from there, and you know, and then uh yeah, yeah.
01:48:50.640 --> 01:48:55.119
Um from that point on it was it was on point 100%, you know.
01:48:55.359 --> 01:49:03.840
So getting size up till eight weeks out, you kept it pretty decently lean, like because having an eight-week prep is a pretty short prep.
01:49:04.560 --> 01:49:16.880
Yeah, but you know, dude, like it's funny, like um I've had eight-week preps in the past with uh both of the Arnold's classics I won were very short.
01:49:17.520 --> 01:49:23.920
Um the first one was because I had gyneal surgery um a little later than I wanted, and the recovery took a little bit longer than I wanted.
01:49:24.159 --> 01:49:30.079
And the second was just because um John had passed and like I didn't know what I wanted to do at you know at that point.
01:49:30.239 --> 01:49:38.479
Like we were gonna do like a 12-week prep in the past, and then I kind of sat around and did nothing for a week, and then I tried to do it myself, but like I did it completely wrong.
01:49:38.640 --> 01:49:42.800
No, actually, the second week I looked for coaches and nobody wanted to work with me.
01:49:43.039 --> 01:49:51.920
And uh but do I like it may suck to say, but I really do think the judge the coaches thought I was like cursed or something.
01:49:52.000 --> 01:49:58.159
Like that's the only reason because I was at that point I had one, I had one in Arnold, and I was second in the world.
01:49:59.119 --> 01:50:00.720
Did not want Work with me.
01:50:01.119 --> 01:50:04.800
So I thought, yeah, so I mean I I think that's pretty weird.
01:50:05.520 --> 01:50:10.960
So um yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:50:11.039 --> 01:50:14.560
Um that prep ended up being around the same uh length of time, you know.
01:50:15.840 --> 01:50:18.960
So yeah, well, I don't know how lean I was.
01:50:19.039 --> 01:50:22.880
I mean, people saw pages, I mean, they thought I was fat and I and like behind, you know.
01:50:22.960 --> 01:50:23.840
So Right.
01:50:24.159 --> 01:50:29.279
Well, for for that one Arnold prep, you said um you guys didn't really know what you wanted to do since Sean had passed.
01:50:29.600 --> 01:50:32.319
So you just ended up doing an eight-week prep.
01:50:32.640 --> 01:50:37.119
But yeah, but you ended up being able to manage that to the point where I was pretty lean.
01:50:37.199 --> 01:50:39.920
I will say I was already pretty lean for that one.
01:50:40.159 --> 01:50:44.800
Um the Ghana one I was just small because I would I couldn't train for like three weeks.
01:50:45.439 --> 01:50:50.319
Um but yeah, this one I was I don't know.
01:50:50.399 --> 01:50:54.640
I guess I was I wasn't super lean because people said I was super behind, you know?
01:50:55.119 --> 01:50:55.680
Yeah.
01:50:57.279 --> 01:51:10.800
I think some of I think some of that is just a misunderstanding of bodybuilding, where it's like a lot of these top guys are lean so early because they have to they're actually ready like four to six weeks before the show.
01:51:10.960 --> 01:51:14.239
It's just that they have to continue to suck down to make weight, right?
01:51:14.640 --> 01:51:16.000
So and I don't have to do that.
01:51:16.079 --> 01:51:18.000
I don't have to suck down and make weight, yeah.
01:51:18.239 --> 01:51:18.640
Mm-hmm.
01:51:18.880 --> 01:51:19.359
Gotcha.
01:51:19.760 --> 01:51:22.560
What did the the following eight weeks look like pre prep?
01:51:22.720 --> 01:51:25.039
Like what did you guys do training-wise?
01:51:25.359 --> 01:51:30.319
I just told him, bro, like I was so off because of the the the gym stuff.
01:51:30.399 --> 01:51:32.479
I was like, I want to check in every single day.
01:51:32.960 --> 01:51:34.479
I think that's gonna be best for me.
01:51:34.720 --> 01:51:40.800
And you know, I've been doing the torso limb split, and like I just split that into two sessions.
01:51:40.880 --> 01:51:58.000
So like um normally I would do chest and back and uh delts all at one part, and I just split it to back in the morning, chest in the afternoon, and then arms in the morning and legs in the afternoon, and and then I actually stopped doing like a four-day split over a week.
01:51:58.079 --> 01:52:01.680
I went on I went to do two days on, one day off, and just repeated that.
01:52:01.760 --> 01:52:04.239
So it's really just one extra session a week, but yeah.
01:52:04.479 --> 01:52:04.880
Gotcha.
01:52:04.960 --> 01:52:07.119
Okay, and then what about the uh the food?
01:52:07.840 --> 01:52:09.520
How did that change over time for the cardio?
01:52:09.760 --> 01:52:27.520
I mean, my offseason is gets up to 5,000, but I like the lowest I got was maybe like 2,500 for a couple days, but I would say more so it was around 27 to 2900 calories, and uh cardio didn't get above it was for the majority of the time just 30 minutes twice a day.
01:52:27.920 --> 01:52:35.119
Um maybe like for a week it got up to 30 minutes in the morning, 40 minutes in the afternoon.
01:52:35.359 --> 01:52:39.760
Okay, yeah, so it was we didn't do anything crazy, you know.
01:52:39.840 --> 01:52:41.119
It was pretty mild.
01:52:41.199 --> 01:52:41.680
Yeah, yeah.
01:52:41.840 --> 01:52:47.359
Did you say 27 to 2900 calories a day in the last eight weeks of prep?
01:52:47.840 --> 01:52:48.319
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:52:48.399 --> 01:52:49.199
Somewhere around there.
01:52:49.439 --> 01:52:51.119
Did it ever like drop lower than that?
01:52:51.359 --> 01:52:55.359
It got to like 25 for a little bit, but not not long, like a week or two.
01:52:55.600 --> 01:52:56.800
That's pretty damn good, man.
01:52:58.399 --> 01:53:01.279
I tell people, dude, like my issue has always been gaining muscle.
01:53:01.359 --> 01:53:02.399
It's never been getting in shape.
01:53:02.479 --> 01:53:04.399
I get in shape like like that, yeah.
01:53:04.640 --> 01:53:08.479
So you've I feel like that qualifies as a hard gainer, honestly.
01:53:08.880 --> 01:53:09.439
Yeah, dude.
01:53:09.520 --> 01:53:11.600
I I could get I can get lean really quick, yeah.
01:53:11.760 --> 01:53:13.520
How much do you have to eat in the offseason then?
01:53:14.239 --> 01:53:18.880
I've been up to like a little over 5,000 calories, which is a lot as really hard for me.
01:53:19.039 --> 01:53:22.239
Well, I'd say like for your height, that's that's a fucking lot, bro.
01:53:22.319 --> 01:53:25.359
That's more than that's more than I have to eat, and I'm taller than you.
01:53:25.600 --> 01:53:26.399
Yeah, dude.
01:53:26.479 --> 01:53:32.399
I remember like uh when when Derek was still in the 212, I would eat more than him in the offseason.
01:53:32.560 --> 01:53:33.359
Damn, yeah.
01:53:33.520 --> 01:53:35.039
I mean that's crazy.
01:53:35.279 --> 01:53:36.399
Yeah, yeah.
01:53:37.840 --> 01:53:39.680
Kind of just have to do it, huh?
01:53:40.000 --> 01:53:42.319
Yeah, man, yeah, yeah.
01:53:43.600 --> 01:53:44.079
Yeah.
01:53:44.399 --> 01:53:44.800
Fuck.
01:53:44.960 --> 01:53:53.039
Is there anything with uh with uh the PED regimen that you guys feel like you had to change for this one or that you guys may have tried differently?
01:53:53.359 --> 01:53:53.680
No.
01:53:54.239 --> 01:53:58.960
Um the only thing is I get I get prescribed prescribed tests now, which is nice from Optimize.
01:53:59.920 --> 01:54:00.479
Yeah, yeah.
01:54:00.720 --> 01:54:02.239
Um super nice.
01:54:02.479 --> 01:54:05.359
Yeah, but but no, nothing, nothing different.
01:54:05.439 --> 01:54:10.000
Uh we do tests, masks, um, trend the last like seven-ish weeks.
01:54:11.039 --> 01:54:16.159
Uh and and Navarre and uh Clint.
01:54:17.600 --> 01:54:18.159
And T4.
01:54:18.319 --> 01:54:18.720
There we go.
01:54:18.960 --> 01:54:21.520
And then peaking for this was that was different.
01:54:21.920 --> 01:54:25.760
Was it okay he um we stayed up all night um eating?
01:54:26.319 --> 01:54:26.720
Oh shit.
01:54:26.880 --> 01:54:38.640
Yeah, we yeah, I got maybe like yeah, I was like, yeah, I was sleeping maybe like an hour or so, and then we we I would wake up, you know, polls so you can see, and yeah.
01:54:38.800 --> 01:54:43.119
Now we never done that before, and then we also drunk a lot more water than I'm used to.
01:54:43.279 --> 01:54:50.880
Like normally I would drink like I don't know, I can't dude, I can't remember off the top of my head, maybe like a hundred mil milliliters per meal.
01:54:50.960 --> 01:54:56.079
And we this time we did like 500 milliliters per meal with 300 milliliters in between meals.
01:54:56.239 --> 01:54:56.960
Damn, yeah.
01:54:57.119 --> 01:54:59.359
So I drank a lot of water, dude.
01:55:00.159 --> 01:55:01.119
Yeah, yeah.
01:55:01.359 --> 01:55:05.920
How did you stay up during the like would you have like alarms and shit to like get your meals in there?
01:55:06.159 --> 01:55:09.039
Well, dude, like number one, I I wasn't sleeping very much anyway.
01:55:09.199 --> 01:55:11.439
Um probably all the stimulants.
01:55:11.520 --> 01:55:17.119
Like, dude, I the whole like last two weeks, I was sleeping maybe four to five hours a night.
01:55:17.279 --> 01:55:18.000
Holy shit.
01:55:18.159 --> 01:55:21.680
Yeah, I like it because I get a lot of work done.
01:55:22.399 --> 01:55:25.359
But obviously, probably this is a conversation we keep having, man.
01:55:25.520 --> 01:55:27.199
Yeah, I yeah, dude.
01:55:27.359 --> 01:55:34.239
My girlfriend, like I should she like I will be working and then she'll fall asleep, and then when she wakes up, I'm still working.
01:55:34.319 --> 01:55:35.439
So she's like, Did you sleep?
01:55:35.520 --> 01:55:40.640
God damn, because I'll I'll I'll sleep maybe like at one midnight or one a.m.
01:55:40.800 --> 01:55:43.439
Yeah, and then but I would wake up at like four or five a.m.
01:55:43.600 --> 01:55:45.600
and I'll be back up doing stuff, yeah.
01:55:45.760 --> 01:55:50.079
Yeah, so and she she sleeps from like 11 to like eight, I think.
01:55:50.239 --> 01:55:54.159
Okay, yeah, she sleeps good, like she sleeps good, yeah, yeah.
01:55:54.640 --> 01:55:57.119
And you were able to just kind of handle that, huh?
01:55:57.279 --> 01:56:10.159
Like, did that you you guys never felt like that uh caused excess fatigue to you know go into the picture faster, or like you had to I I if I can tell the difference, you know.
01:56:10.319 --> 01:56:11.760
I feel like everything worked fine.
01:56:12.239 --> 01:56:12.960
Okay, cool.
01:56:13.039 --> 01:56:14.319
Yeah, damn, brother.
01:56:14.399 --> 01:56:19.039
Oh well, it seemed like it worked out because your physique, your package this Olympia was fucking nuts, man.
01:56:19.119 --> 01:56:20.159
In my opinion, it was crazy.
01:56:20.319 --> 01:56:20.720
Thank you, man.
01:56:20.880 --> 01:56:24.880
I seeing it in person, close up, the conditioning to me looked amazing at pre-judging.
01:56:25.039 --> 01:56:25.840
I wasn't there, yeah.
01:56:25.920 --> 01:56:29.039
I wasn't close up at final, so I can't say that, but for prejudging for sure.
01:56:29.279 --> 01:56:35.920
Yeah, I got really good feedback, man, even from uh Cameron Cheat, you know, I'm cool with him, and like like he went out of his way to say, like, hey man, this you look crazy, man.
01:56:36.000 --> 01:56:40.399
I'm like, yeah, thanks, you know, and I I trust his eye and his look, you know, a lot.
01:56:40.479 --> 01:56:40.640
Yeah.
01:56:41.199 --> 01:56:42.000
Yeah, I do too.
01:56:42.239 --> 01:56:43.600
Cameron has a great eye.
01:56:43.840 --> 01:56:45.199
Damn, okay, cool.
01:56:45.359 --> 01:56:50.239
Well, um, maybe uh I think you have to head to your thing.
01:56:50.479 --> 01:56:55.840
Yeah, but uh I got one last question for myself, and then maybe if we can pick one random QA.
01:56:56.399 --> 01:57:04.159
Uh what are the top three things you feel like you got from or you learned from your time with John Meadows?
01:57:04.560 --> 01:57:06.079
If you had to choose, might be tough.
01:57:06.319 --> 01:57:12.880
I already gave you the main one, is like if you could share with something um, you know, to help somebody, why not?
01:57:13.039 --> 01:57:14.239
That was the biggest one.
01:57:14.479 --> 01:57:21.279
Um another one I was surprised he said was like if I could uh it's it sounds actually the same.
01:57:21.439 --> 01:57:22.960
If I could make a friend, why not try?
01:57:23.119 --> 01:57:37.840
You know, so instead of like uh him like going out his way or like not even going out his way, but just us uh letting people like have negative whatever, he would just man up and speak to him, like, hey, uh you know what's going on, this and that, just very direct communication.
01:57:38.159 --> 01:57:50.720
Um other thing I would say is he never said this out loud, but like just watching his career is like you don't have to be a top pro to to make it in bodybuilding, you know.
01:57:50.800 --> 01:57:55.039
You don't even he didn't he you don't even have to be a pro to make it in body to in bodybuilding.
01:57:55.119 --> 01:58:02.720
Like he was already way more successful than most pro bodybuilders before he even got his pro card, you know.
01:58:02.880 --> 01:58:04.720
So those yeah, yeah.
01:58:05.600 --> 01:58:07.119
Those are those are good men.
01:58:07.840 --> 01:58:09.439
Okay, let's see if we can pick one.
01:58:10.720 --> 01:58:11.439
Sorry, guys.
01:58:11.520 --> 01:58:11.840
Yep.
01:58:12.239 --> 01:58:17.359
Beaver Thomas asks, what is a piece of advice you didn't listen to and regret not listening to or implementing?
01:58:17.600 --> 01:58:18.159
I don't know, man.
01:58:18.800 --> 01:58:22.079
I gotta think uh advice I didn't listen to.
01:58:22.319 --> 01:58:26.560
The only thing I think of right now is kind of like very specific, it's not super helpful.
01:58:26.720 --> 01:58:41.279
It was uh with the gym, a guy told me to uh just knock down more of the walls, and I didn't, and now I have to spend like uh tens of thousands of dollars to do something that would have been baked into the cost already.
01:58:42.079 --> 01:58:47.039
Um I if I can think of something better, like that's more apical to people, I'll think of it.
01:58:47.119 --> 01:58:49.920
But right now, that's the first thing off the top of my head.
01:58:50.159 --> 01:58:56.000
Is there anything about him that made you feel like I don't know if I want to take his advice?
01:58:56.239 --> 01:58:58.319
He was very nonchalant about it, dude.
01:58:58.399 --> 01:59:00.800
It wasn't very clear the way he did it.
01:59:00.880 --> 01:59:02.960
So he he runs the Ghost Classic show.
01:59:03.359 --> 01:59:05.680
Um, and he was like, That's a lot of rooms, man.
01:59:05.840 --> 01:59:07.439
And that was it, that was the way he said it.
01:59:07.520 --> 01:59:09.439
Yeah, you should like you sure you want to have all those?
01:59:09.600 --> 01:59:13.680
I'm like, I wasn't aware enough to like pry deeper.
01:59:13.760 --> 01:59:15.600
I should have asked more questions, you know.
01:59:15.680 --> 01:59:29.840
I should have been like, Oh, why why do you think there's a lot of rooms, you know, and like figured out I would have like it would have been easier if he just told me, hey man, I think that's too many rooms because XYZ, you know, but he was very like around about around away, you know what I mean?
01:59:30.000 --> 01:59:31.279
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:59:31.520 --> 01:59:35.199
So yeah, I would I just wasn't what's the word?
01:59:35.359 --> 01:59:38.720
Um in the moment enough to catch it, I guess.
01:59:38.960 --> 01:59:39.359
Gotcha.
01:59:39.600 --> 01:59:40.560
Okay, cool.
01:59:40.720 --> 01:59:42.399
Um, and this last one's super fast.
01:59:42.560 --> 01:59:47.600
Angel Droggler asks, says legend, and then says, How long do you plan on competing?
01:59:47.840 --> 01:59:48.399
I don't know, man.
01:59:48.479 --> 01:59:54.159
I kind of want to like I've maybe another 10 years, we'll see, dude.
01:59:54.319 --> 02:00:00.479
I uh I'm like, if I I always Brion's like, like you said, in his 40s, and I'm 32.
02:00:00.640 --> 02:00:07.359
So I literally like, and you know, dude, I talked to Kai and I talked to Phil, and he's like, bro, yeah, you're not even like you're like you're maybe halfway through your career.
02:00:07.520 --> 02:00:09.680
Like I'm like, oh you're not even 35 yet.
02:00:09.840 --> 02:00:11.520
Yeah, so I'm just like, okay.
02:00:11.920 --> 02:00:14.159
Well, because you know it's weird, dude.
02:00:14.239 --> 02:00:20.560
I get people asked, I don't know if other pros get this, but every year people ask me, like, are you like, oh, are you are you still gonna compete?
02:00:20.640 --> 02:00:23.439
And I'm just like, what do you what do you mean?
02:00:23.680 --> 02:00:32.800
Like, like you mean like raw, like um the manager at Raw, he's like, I saw him yesterday and he was like, So you're gonna you're gonna do the Olympia again?
02:00:32.960 --> 02:00:36.960
And I'm yeah, bro, it's my job.
02:00:37.119 --> 02:00:39.199
Like, what do you I get that question all the time.
02:00:39.279 --> 02:00:43.840
People always are asking me, am I still gonna compete, or if I'm retiring?
02:00:44.079 --> 02:00:47.199
And I'm I was just like, I don't know, why do you I don't know.
02:00:47.359 --> 02:00:49.359
I don't know why they always ask me that.
02:00:49.600 --> 02:00:54.399
Um, but yeah, I I think I'll compete for a very long time.
02:00:54.479 --> 02:01:08.079
And the other question people ask me all the time is if I'm going to 212 or the open and be quite honest with you, no, um, I don't I might do a 212 show before I retire because I started in bodybuilding, but to do the full on switch, I really don't care too, man.
02:01:08.159 --> 02:01:13.600
Like the amount of weight I would have to gain, and like I haven't gained, it's been 10 years, bro.
02:01:13.680 --> 02:01:14.159
I haven't gained it.
02:01:14.239 --> 02:01:14.800
Like, people right.
02:01:14.960 --> 02:01:16.640
You're still not at your cap.
02:01:17.039 --> 02:01:23.680
Yeah, I'm like knee hat's like what 23 and like he's at his cap after two years of bodybuilding, you know.
02:01:23.840 --> 02:01:28.239
Like I don't have those those muscle building genetics, you know, um, to do that.
02:01:28.399 --> 02:01:37.199
And then this is I I don't mean this as a dig or anything, but to be honest with you, like financially and commercially, like classic is more popular.
02:01:37.279 --> 02:01:42.159
So like I don't I don't see why I would switch to 212 from like a business perspective either.
02:01:42.319 --> 02:01:48.479
The the only reason I would do 212 is if like I could be like at 212 pounds and push Keon.
02:01:48.880 --> 02:01:52.800
And I don't like I don't think that's like happening anytime soon.
02:01:52.960 --> 02:01:53.199
Yeah.
02:01:53.439 --> 02:01:55.600
Like you said though, it'd be fucking fun to see it once.
02:01:55.760 --> 02:02:03.119
I will yeah, yeah, I'm I would I would probably I would definitely do it once like the like Keon did Pre Art Prague or Sean did, you know, those shows.
02:02:03.279 --> 02:02:04.159
Yeah, yeah.
02:02:04.319 --> 02:02:06.239
Do you have any advice for hard gainers?
02:02:07.359 --> 02:02:11.680
You gotta be meticulous, like like with your logging, that's number one.
02:02:11.760 --> 02:02:17.279
And number two is I personally think like higher frequency, lower volume is gonna be best.
02:02:17.600 --> 02:02:20.720
And lastly, like I know the food stuff is hard.
02:02:21.039 --> 02:02:22.960
You really have to be on top of your food.
02:02:23.039 --> 02:02:30.800
Like with me, if I'm like inconsistent with the times in the off season, it gets really hard for me to stay on track because like I have to eat so much.
02:02:31.039 --> 02:02:36.960
There's sometimes I have seven meals a day, and if I'm off for like 30 minutes, dude, like it fucks up my whole day, you know.
02:02:37.119 --> 02:02:52.960
Um you'll notice if you stay really consistent with the times you eat in the off season, is it it's it's easy, it's easier and smaller increases in food, you know, will probably be your best bet, you know.
02:02:53.199 --> 02:02:53.600
Gotcha.
02:02:53.760 --> 02:02:55.119
Yeah, cool, cool, bro.
02:02:55.199 --> 02:02:55.920
Thanks for coming on.
02:02:56.079 --> 02:02:57.600
Of course, that's fucking sick, dude.
02:02:57.760 --> 02:02:58.479
Hell yeah.
02:02:59.039 --> 02:03:02.960
Love you guys, Terrence Ruffin, um Rough Diesel on Instagram.
02:03:03.119 --> 02:03:03.520
Yes, sir.
02:03:03.760 --> 02:03:05.199
Rough Diesel everywhere, yeah.
02:03:05.680 --> 02:03:06.960
And uh get your blood work done.
02:03:07.039 --> 02:03:08.880
We can both get our blood work from Optimize.
02:03:09.600 --> 02:03:12.239
And uh we're still here, so it's working to work, I guess.
02:03:12.399 --> 02:03:13.840
So love y'all.
02:03:14.000 --> 02:03:14.319
Peace.