Athleticism of an Olympian

Building an Olympia level physique while simultaneously executing an elite level fitness routine is a craft that requires a strategic training schedule, an unwavering ability to sustain a rigorous workout regimen, a meticulous nutrition plan and the best supplementation you can get your hands on! Do you have what it takes to be obtain the athleticism of an Olympian?

Competing in the IFBB fitness division is by far the most physically demanding of all the categories and takes a lot of athleticism. It requires all the training of a figure or physique competitor with the additional element of choreographing and performing a high flying, dynamic and entertaining all-out 2 minute fitness routine.  

I'm fortunate enough to have the two best two coaches in my corner - Hany Rambod who is my physique coach and Renzo Coste who is my routine choreographer/trainer. They are both tops in the sport and are integral in helping to bring my best overall package to the Olympia stage. Each excels in their own area of expertise.  

Where the knowledge and experience of my 6 years as an IFBB Pro comes in to play is ensuring I balance both aspects of my training so I can optimize my overall development, execution and recovery.

Hany has me maintaining an aggressive weight training program and regularly utilizing his FST-7 protocol in order to continue to bring up my overall muscle development and symmetry while still providing the athleticism needed to compete in Fitness.

As a natural athlete, I need to hit my muscle groups heavy and often in order to make the changes I am seeking. Currently, I follow a 6 days per week training schedule, working each major body part once per week and then those body parts I am looking to further develop twice. I am a firm believer in the physical benefits of cardio for both physique and performance and incorporate cardio 5-6 days per week in both my on and off seasons. I tend to stick to HIIT training for the majority of my cardio sessions as I find my body responds best to this method and it helps build my cardio threshold for my routine performance.

A typical day will include 35-45 mins AM cardio and a two hour PM weight training session.   When it comes to creating my routine, preparation needs to begin months in advance. That way, once I am full steam in to my competition prep I am fine tuning my skills, focusing on my execution and performance and most importantly building up my endurance. Heart rate can reach upwards of 200 bpm during a routine and 2 mins can seem like an eternity so you need to be in peak condition to not only execute your routine seamlessly and with precision but also making it look effortless! No easy feat!

The wear and tear of tumbling, jumps, kicks and splits can be grueling so it's imperative to listen to your body, rest when needed and get regular physical therapy and massage to keep your body functioning. Two hours a day, 4-5 days per week is typical during competition prep for routine training.  

Balancing resistance training, routine performance and cardio can certainly be a challenge while maintaining athleticism. Not only in terms of time management, but in terms of avoiding overtraining.

Proper nutrition, adequate sleep and proper supplementation are essential to ensure I am fueling my muscles for optimal growth, endurance and recovery. I have been using EVOGEN nutrition products exclusively for over 3 years now and the physical changes have been dramatic.

Not only am I seeing significant growth, but my recovery from training has dramatically improved, allowing me to train harder and perform at a higher level. Although I incorporate all the EVOGEN products in to my supplement regimen, my top 3 picks would definitely be Aminoject, Cell Kem and EVP. I literally could not get through my competition prep without them!!!

So.... add all those hours together and you will get a sense of just how much training is required to compete at the elite level! Is it tough?? You bet it is! But, would I trade it for a slower pace of life? NEVER! I've learned I can push myself both physically and mentally to my absolute limit. Each Olympia prep I say I couldn't have done any more, trained any harder - and this year is no different! I feel I'm 100% prepared and bringing my best physique and performance to the stage. And for an athlete there is no better feeling of satisfaction!!!

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