How did you get started with bodybuilding?
Started training at home when I was around 14 years old, just with body weight exercises and a pair of dumbbells that a friend of the family gave me. Since then I just got progressively, more and more serious about my training and now here I am.
Photography Credit: Charles Lowthian Studio
Where does your motivation come from?
My motivation comes from wanting to be the best natural bodybuilder that I can possibly be and I get enjoyment out of doing the things, I know I have to do, to get me there.
Aaron Curtis – Chest/Biceps Training
What workout routine has worked best for you?
Probably a 5 day split. But I have almost always been on a 4 day split, as 5 days a week tends to flare up my tricep tendonitis. My training is based around progressive overload and training to failure. I tend to do lower overall volume and train each body part once a week.
I focus on full range of motion on all exercises, no use of momentum and holding the peak contraction on applicable exercises whilst emphasizing the stretch on others. Rep range are 6-15. 6-12 more so on upper body compound, 8-15 on upper body isolation, 8-15 on quads/calves, 6-12 on hamstrings.
In the offseason, I do 1 work set per exercise, that set will include, one or more of; forced reps, negatives, drop set, super sets or rest/pause. Later on in my comp prep (when my strength diminishes) I will add in multiple sets, as I can no longer overload my body with one heavy set.
Sample Routine:
- Monday: Shoulders/Calves
- Tuesday: Back/Rear Delt
- Wednesday: Rest
- Thursday: Triceps/Biceps
- Friday: Quads/Hams
- Saturday: Chest/Abs
- Sunday: Rest
Aaron Curtis’s Progress – 1999 to 2010
Example of some recent workouts. Recently changed to a 5 day split, up from a 4 day. Will continue on a 5 day split until triceps tendonitis starts to flare up, then change back to a 4 day split, where biceps are trained after chest and triceps after shoulders. Calves and/or abs will then be hit on a ‘rest day’.
Monday: Shoulders/Calves
- Seated Military Press 80 x 9
- Hammer Strength Shoulder Press 50/side x 9
- Lateral Raise (seated) 15 x 11
- Lateral Raise (cable) 20 x 12
- Shrug (barbell) 170 x 11
- 3 x Tri Set (front/side/rear raises) 12.5 x 12/12/12
- Calf Raise (standing) 180 x 10
- Calf Press (leg press) 190 x 9
Tuesday: Back/Rear Delts
- Chins (shoulder width, neutral grip) 30 x 8
- Pulldowns (wide, pronated grip) 90 x 8
- Barbell Row 110 x 10
- Hammer Strength Low Row 60/side x 10
- Rear Delt Cable Fly 20 x 10
- Deadlift 170 x 8
- Pullover (standing, with high pulley) 20 x 8-12 (lots of sets, very short rests)
Wednesday: Rest
- Recovery
Thursday: Triceps/Biceps
- Close Grip Bench 115 x 7
- Dips (parallel Bars) 35 x 7
- Dumbbell Kickbacks 12.5 x 15
- Overhead Behind The Neck Close Grip Press 35 x 10-15 (lots of sets, very short rests)
- Barbell Curl 65 x 9
- Dumbbell Incline Curl 22.5 x 10
- Reverse Grip Cable Curls 35 x 8
- Front Double Bicep Cable Curls 20 x 10-15 (lots of sets, very short rests)
Friday: Quads/Hams
- Squats 140 x 10
- Leg Press (45deg) 340 x 10
- Lunges (walking) 80 x 12/12
- Seated Leg Curl 90 x 8
- Straight Leg Deadlift 110 x 9
- Lying Leg Curl 30 x 8-15 (lots of sets, very short rests)
Saturday: Chest/Abs
- Barbell Bench 130 x 8
- Barbell Incline 100 x 8
- Hammer Strength Incline Press 50/side x 9
- Decline Fly 27.5 x 8
- Hanging Leg Raise 0 x 10-15 (*Super Set)
- Ab Wheel Roll Out (on knees) x 10-20
Sunday: Rest
- Recovery
Aaron Curtis Leg Day
What is your diet like?
Clean. I have to eat more calories than most people, currently bulking on 5400cals and I think my last comp prep only got down to around 3500. I eat all my carbs at breakfast/pre training/post training, other meals are more fats/proteins. I like the Paleolithic diet for general health, but as a bodybuilder, I also include a lot of starchy carbs around my training and grains at breakfast.
Current Bulking Diet:
- Meal 1: 2 cups muesli, 333g low fat plain yogurt, 166g cottage cheese, 1 apple.
- Meal 2: 250g kangaroo mince, 2 lettuce leaves, 1/6 avocado, 1/2 tomato, 1 celery stick,1 small mushroom, nuts, seeds, apple cidar vinegar, 30ml flax oil.
- Meal 3: (Pre Workout) 2 cups brown rice (cooked), 270g tuna, lemon juice, sweet chili sauce, 1 banana.
- Pre Training Shake: 15g whey, 5g BCAA, 20g dextrose.
- Intra Training Shake: 5g BCAA, 20g dextrose.
- Post Training Shake: 30g whey, 5g BCAA, and 40g dextrose.
- Meal 4: (Post Workout) 200-250g chicken breast, 300-400g potatoes, salt and pepper.
- Meal 5: UPS Pro Form (Meal Replacement).
- Meal 6: 250-300 steak/chops, steamed veg/salad.
- Meal 7: 4 eggs, 1/6 avocado, 90g tuna, 30ml olive oil, salt and pepper.
P400, C500, F200. 5400cals.
When trying to cut down do you prefer to use HIIT or just normal cardio?
LISS over HIIT. I tried both during different comp preps. Personally I felt doing HIIT put too much stress on my body at a time when it was already under too much stress.
Contest Gallery
What is your supplementation like?
Very basic:
- Whey
- Dextrose
- Creatine
- BCAAs
I will try other things from time to time, but nothing other than the above on a consistent basis.
Favorite Bodybuilders?
Ronnie Coleman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dorian Yates, Flex Wheeler, Frank Zane, Kai Green, Evan Centopani.
Favorite Quote?
Success is the accumulation of many seemingly ordinary efforts, that together over time, can be something great. Every meal, every training session, every nights rest, it all adds up.
Bodyspace: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/iron_curtis/
Sponsors: http://ultimateperformance.net.au/
Personal Training: http://www.facebook.com/Body-By-Aaron-Personal-Training
|
Simplyshredded!
Shredded bro – You earned it
Great work Aaron! Huge inspiration
Beast! Great inspiration…nevermind you’re to big to even be considered a beast 0_O
awesome quote! gonna print it and post it on my wall!
Dude looks like a bronze sculpture in the first pics, but he is human! Inspiration overload!
Aaron, awesome physique! Surely the sample workout listed above is not what you do year round. If so, your body sure does respond well to lighter loads. Great job.
Matt, I lift as heavy weights as possible for around 6-15 reps, year round. What you may see as a ‘light weight’ for some, is not for me. I always lift as heavy as I can. =P
He looks great I must say But why do all these people need to change the lighting and camera effects in their pictures to make their muscles look more defined than they really are? Im not hatin on him but if he looks that good why not just pictures with real lighting (which he probably does!). This goes for all the pictures these people use in these interviews.
Photographers change the lighting/effects, not the athletes. =]
you just answered your own question buddy
Matt, I think you interpret his weights as “light” because they are in kilograms, not pounds. Great work Aaron!
Hey Matt, I think those weights are also in Kg’s and not pounds. That’s correct right Aaron?
Affirmative. Weights are in kilograms not pounds. Sorry, should have specified that.
here are his big lifts in pounds just for reference
deadlift: 375lb x 8
squat: 310lb x 10
bench: 285lb x 8
Good read
Awesome physique bro! What does your diet look like when cutting? Also, what do you think of the Leangains program?
Have not heard of the lean gains program, if it has anything to do with staying VERY lean all year, I don’t like it.
Diet is very similar when cutting, just a little more protein, less carbs and less fats.
When do you take 1-3 dimethylamylamine cant see it in your supplementation?
Ivan
Only took it before my comp. lol. Which is the only time it is actually banned. Wish I knew that prior.
Like your split, my fellow “normal” HIT brother! The weights listed threw me off too so I assumed it was your recommendation for beginners, until I watched the leg day video and did the conversion. Then I realized it was kgs. – like the rest of the world uses. I thought my mistake was pretty funny, quite frankly. Shredded to the bone – keep it up!
Aaron, im getting ready for my first bodybuilding comp in september and i was wondering if you had any advice about dieting down? Im planning on taking 20 weeks.
The slower the weight loss the better, for muscle retention and general well being.
Stick to your diet, do your cardio, do everything you have to do, to get in the best shape of your life and you will be confident with what you have to show onstage.
Have you always bulked on that many calories? Ive currently plateaued at 78kg and was wondering if this would be too much for me thanks.
I’m curious as to what ‘natural’ bodybuilder means?
D, Natural for me personally means having never touched anabolic/androgenic steroids, growth hormones/related peptides or any pro hormones.
The definition of a ‘natural athlete’ can differ between the sporting organizations that one competes under, but that is what being a life time natural athlete is to me.
Daniel, no I haven’t always consumed that many calories. You need to increase your calorie intake as you grow, as you need more fuel for all the muscle you add. I wouldn’t recommend copying the volume of food I eat, but no reason why you cant set your own diet up in a similar way, just adjust the quantities to suit you.
Fantastic physique! Interesting training as well!
How does your training, compared to Zyzz’s training, differ from each other? What are your thoughts on his physique? Have you ever tried to get him to compete?
From what I’ve seen on youtube, I tend to concentrate more on form and range of motion. I’m not sure exactly how my training compares with Zyzz, as I have never watched him train in person or trained along side him. I assume he follows a more standard approach, eg. multiple sets per exercise.
I rate Zyzz’ physique very highly, I think he has great lines and good structure. I have never tried to get him to compete, as competing is a very personal choice and I would never try to talk anyone in to competing who is not already interested to do so.
As far as I know, Zyzz does not train to be a competitive bodybuilder and although I think he looks great and I admire his aesthetics, that doesn’t correlate to success on the bodybuilding stage. To be a good bodybuilder, one has to train as a bodybuilder and develop all areas of the body equally. On stage, balanced proportions go a long way.
Hey Aaron,
Just wanted to say I really admire your physique and training technique. Its a shame about what happened with the 1-3 dimethylamylamine. I currently compete in the INBF (amateur division of WNBF) and although it isn’t banned for us, I have stopped to taking Jack3d. I hope to one day have your size and proportions. Keep up the good work and I hope everything works out for you.
hey aaron,
couple of questions
a) do you drink any milk? and what would be the reasoning?
b) whats the benefit of eating cottage cheese at breakfast rather than before bed?
c) when do you take your creatine?
d) why are BCAA’s necessary when bulking?
e) do you take multivitamin and omega 3 etc?
Dan, Thank you very much, all the best also.
Jason, a) nope, b) no benefit, c) before/after training, d) they aren’t, they are merely a supplement, e) yes/yes
Curtis; I think you are clearly too big for SS.
Thought we were mates.
aaron would there be any negatives of eating carbs at every meal, wouldnt that result in more muscle growth?
also, why do you not incorporate deadlifts into your routine?
Myren, I am too big for SS. I am also to big to be your friend.
illa, I find eating carbs at breakfast/pre/post training and using fats as my fuel source at other times, has allowed me to take in more calories, without gaining as much body fat compared to when I was using carbs as my fuel source with all my meals.
Aaron
Have you ever tried a higher frequency routine? When did you settle on HIT principles? Also, any tips on chest development :) ?
Thanks
Hello Aaron.
Firstly – congratulations on your incredibly hard work + dedication – it’s very inspirational.
I was wondering what your measurements are if you don’t mind?
Regards.
Jeremy, I trained my weak body parts twice a week for about a 6 month period and felt it was not beneficial at all.
Since I started training, I have just slowly progressed to lesser volume. I started playing around with doing 1 work set per exercise back in 2006 or 2007 I think and found my gains were great. I then started reading up about low volume training and found Dorian Yates’ way of training was very similar to what I had been moving towards with my own training. His success made me feel comfortable sticking with the low volume approach, despite what many trainers/bodybuilders said. I have been in love with the ’1 set to failure’ approach ever since. =]
James, current off season measurements I know are: arms 17.5″, thighs 27″, calves 17.5″.
I think there generally comes a point, as a woman, when I look at some male body builder and say “That’s just gross” (vascularity, sheer size, etc) but this is the FARTHEST point from gross. The level of self discipline this takes and the commitment to being more than the average human is absolutely incredible… So motivating.
Aaron you look ripped up man! True inspiration to all those guys who are clean!
One other thing, what’s the track on your chest/biceps video thanks.
aaron would you recommend drinking alot of full cream milk for the beginner to intermediate bodybuilder? what reason would/would not drink milk?
aaron! lookin huge mate. wondering what your thoughts are on eating tuna everyday considering mercury poisoning, do you switch up tuna with other protein sources?
Wow man! Awesome physique. Motivation right there….
Joey, not sure, sorry.
Jimmy, I don’t see a problem with drinking full cream milk.
Antony, I eat tuna twice a day, never had a problem with mercury levels, if you are concerned go get a blood test. That’s what I did a while ago, as I was worried about the same issue.
Aaron, first of all, congratulations ! What are your thoughts on trash days? Also, do you use fasted cardio ?
Not a fan of ‘trash days’ I don’t like polluting my body with poor quality foods. Would much rather eat a big steak and vegetables.
I did low intensity steady state (LISS) fasted cardio, for my last comp prep and it worked very well. Next time I diet, I will do LISS again, but not fasted and see what I think.
Looking shredded bro, very inspiring physique and work ethic. What is your height and weight(when competing and off-season)? What is your ideal weight?
Have you ever run smolov or any other types of speciliazed training routines or do you really stick to your high-intensity set and train by your individual feel all the time?
Hey Aaron, I can never lose this annoying tiny bit of fat around my lower abs and sort of oblique (love handles) just wondering do I taper my diet or do cardio at end of sessions, or both? Don’t want to lose muscle mass though, tried cardio in the mornings on empty stomach and found I lost alot of strenghth and size