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How did you get started with bodybuilding?

Well as most people know, I have a long history of nasty health problems that range from 15 years of severe and life threatening asthma, to spinal scoliosis and a severe back injury, to knee problems that stem from being born absent an ACL in my right knee, which caused multiple knee dislocations and cartilage tears, and severe arthritis. Part of my motivation in getting into bodybuilding was to physically pull myself together again. With all the health issues I suffered from I was physically weak and dysfunctional, and I made a choice at a young age that I was going to be the opposite of that. I wanted to be strong and functional.

Doctors told me that I would never physically be able to lift weights, they told me I should be happy to be able to walk. I just couldn’t except that prognosis, I wanted to become a bodybuilder.

This desire led me to the path of becoming a bodybuilder starting at the age of 11. I began by tagging along with my older brothers to local YMCA where they used to lift weights. Now they were 7 and 10 years older then me and about 10 times my size at the time so to me they looked larger then life. They were among the strongest guys in the weight room so when they went in to lift their big weights, I would be beside them lifting my dinky weights, anxiously awaiting the day I would be able to lift huge weights like they were and have everyone in the weight room watching in disbelief.

What Gets You Motivated?

Alot of my motivation comes from the fact that I never want to be weak and unhealthy again. Another big part of my motivation is that I want to show all the non-believers out there that you can develop a strong and impressive looking physique without chemical and drug use.

It also motivates me to know that there so many awesome of whome I’ve met on these various bodybuilding networks that look to me and what I’m doing for inspiration and the last thing I want to do is let them down!

There are many people of whome I’ve met that felt as though their personal situations made it hopeless for them to build their dream bodies, but after having seen what I’ve become from where I was, they now have hope that they too can experience the kind of success that I have. They are absolutely correct!

What is your training philosophy?

My training philosophy is that in order to experience continuous progress in bodybuilding, as you become stronger and lift progressively heavier weights, that this increase in stress to the body will progressive cut a deeper and deeper inroad into the muscles recovery ability and must be compensated for by decreasing both the volume and frequency of your workouts in order for overcompensation or muscle growth to occur. I guess you could say my training style is somewhat of a cross between the Dorian Yates and the Mike Mentzer high intensity style.

2010 Arnold Classic: Chad Shaw

If you have to pick only 3 exercises, what would they be and why?

Just 3 exercises, I would have to go with Deadlifts, Reverse Grip Barbell Rows, and Bench Press. The reason is that these are all compound, multi-joint exercises that have the greatest stimulation on the central nervous system which increases the basal metabolism. In other words they give you the most bang for your buck.

Chad Shaw Gallery

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When trying to cut down do you prefer to use HIIT or just normal cardio?

I prefer HIIT cardio where I alternate both high and low intensity intervals for about 20 minutes. The problem is that because of the severe arthritis in my one knee, sometimes that knee cant handle the stress of doing high intensity intervals so then I’m forced to just do a low to moderate pace cardio regimen for a longer duration of about 45 minutes. The advantage you have with HIIT is that it saves you allot of time!

What is your philosophy on nutrition?

My strategy for nutrition is very instinctive. In other words I adjust my nutrition based upon whatever activities that I’m forced to do on any given day. For example, there are some days that I show up at work and sit at a desk working all day with almost zero activity and then go home and have to write an article that’s due and end up sitting another few hours, so on days like these I don’t need very much for calories or especially carbohydrates because I’m not physically doing anything. If I were to take in the same amount of calories that I take in on my more active days, then those calories would just end up being stored as fat. On the other hand, there are some days where I work all day, then come home and have to shovel snow for 2-3 hours, then head to the gym to get my workout in. Days like this I’m burning allot more calories so I will take in quite a few more calories in the form of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats to support my bodies maintenance and growth needs.

Chad Shaw Over The Years

What are your favorite meals and foods?

My favorite morning food is protein pancakes that I make by mixing oatmeal, whey protein, ground flax seed, egg whites, blue berries, cinnamon, and a little blue agave and then cook them in extra virgin coconut oil. Mid-day nutrition is tough because I’m always running and never have time to eat so allot of the time my luch will just be a protein shake I slam quick. Dinner I will spend more time making, and my favorite meals for dinner are either grilled, chicken, wild salmon, or steak, with a little brown rice with a big serving of steamed broccoli.

Favorite cheat food?

BBQ Ribs or pizza, then for something sweet I have a thing for anything with chocolate and mint mixed together! Candy bars, cookies, ice cream, ect..ect.

What supplements do you use that give you great results? How do you use them?

I’m a huge fan of USP Labs products. I take Super Cissus Rx for my joints and then I cycle on and off of Prime for lean mass gains. I take them both of these products 3X per day, a few minutes before meals. Pre-workout I love USP labs Jack3d! I take 3 scoops of this about 45 minutes before I train. This stuff will put me in the mood to train no matter how tired I am! Post workout, I take a product made by Sirovi called Endure. This product contains zero sugars and is loaded with branched chain amino acids, humanafort and ecdysterone (a natural adaptogen that speeds recovery). For a protein powder I like Opimum Nutrition’s Hyro Whey plantinum. I will take it normally once, sometimes twice per day.

Favourite Bodybuilders?

Lets see, I would have to say Larry Scott, Arnold (of course), Mike Mentzer, Dave Draper, and of the more modern bodybuilders I would have to say Dorian Yates, and Phil Heath.

Favourite Workout Song?

I like to listen mostly to hard rock. My favorite bands to listen while training are Hollywood Undead, Disturbed, Finger 11, Kill Switch Engaged, and Seasons After.

Favourite Quote?

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.”

Bodyspace: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/thenaturalone1ky/

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