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20yr old Bobby aka Bondons is an upcoming Natural Bodybuilder. He’s a big inspiration especially to the younger crowd on the Bodybuilding.com Forums. The message he wants to give is clear, “Bodybuilding is supposed to be fun. We do it to challenge ourselves and because we enjoy it, not to become the next big thing and win every show we enter.” Here Bobby sheds some insight into his world of competing.

How does it feel to be so well respected by your fellow teens?

Its great! I had a ton of support going into my show.  My contest prep journal had a ton of followers, and they helped keep me motivated throughout my prep.  I’m really glad that so many people took a liking to me, and I enjoy giving back to them with my knowledge of the sport, training and nutritional advice.

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

I decided to take a weight training class at my high school.  I stepped foot in the weight room for the first time at 5’11 and only 135lbs at almost 18 years old.  I bulked up a little bit during the semester and continued to train after the class was over.  After awhile I decided I might as well win a trophy or two for all the hard work.  I started researching bodybuilding online and fell in love.  Nothing has ever challenged me physically or mentally as much as bodybuilding has.

What made you think about competing at such a young age?

To be honest I was hesitant.  I didn’t think that I had enough size to step on stage.  I knew that I was only 20 and that means the youngest in the class, so everyone else had more years of training and experience.  I was going to wait a year or two more. However, various people told me to just get my foot in the door and do my first show just for the experience so I was that much more prepared for my next competition.  I gave in and found a local show and sent in my entry form.

What is the youngest age you can start competing at?

I would imagine 13 years old is the youngest you can compete.  I don’t know of any classes for people younger than teenagers.

What steps do you need to take in order to compete?

First you need to find an organization that you are interested in.  From there look at their website for different shows and try to find one thats close.  After that you just need to fill out the entry form and start dieting!

What challenges did you face trying to compete and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge was figuring out what to eat for my pre contest diet.  I was told many different things but ended up using one of Layne Norton’s articles.  The article basically fills you in on what your macros should be for your prep.  It was a huge help and I based my entire prep around that article.

Did you have a bodybuilding coach help you get started?

The teacher from my weight training class in high school taught me how to train.  He showed me a bodybuilding split to use and what exercises were best.  We trained together all semester and showed me how to have fun with it.  If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be training at all.

What fuels your motivation?

Looking in the mirror.  Every time I look in the mirror I only see things that could be better.  I also look at my competition photos.  It makes me realize how much better I need to look if I want to start winning first place trophies.

So what is the bodybuilding training routine that you use to have that killer physique?

I have always since day one done a five day split.  I train everything once a week.  I think the problem with a lot of people who train body parts multiple times a week is that they never push themselves to the limit.  Since I only train chest once a week for instance, I know I have to destroy it.  If I train half assed, I have to wait another week until I can redeem myself.  That can’t happen.  Every day you have to push yourself harder than the last.

Diet is key for competition, what kind of diet do you use to bulk up and cut for the competition?

Before I began prepping for my competition, I would do a mix of dirty and clean bulk. Half the day I might eat really clean with chicken and rice, then the other half I would order a pizza and go to the local Chinese restaurant.  This probably isn’t the best way to go about things for most people.  I have an extremely fast metabolism so it’s hard to put on fat.  In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been above 9% body fat. During my contest prep I ate around 3,000 calories a day.  These mostly consisted of fish, egg whites, brown rice, and yams.  I did however have my occasional cheat meal.

How do you make yourself stick to the diet?

It’s hard to do!  For extra motivation I would usually watch bodybuilding videos on youtube.  But I did have a very strong support group.  My girlfriend really helped me stick to my diet and even helped cook my meals a few times.

What is your supplementation like? What would be your one must have supplement?

As of now the only supplements I’m taking are a protein powder, Animal Pak, and Animal Pump.  If I had to choose one supplement it would be Animal Pump.  It gets me pumped up for my workouts and even has my daily dose of creatine in it.  It’s really a life saver when it comes to the harder training days.   I highly recommend it.

Who are your idols and who do you aspire to be the most like?

Right now my idol would be my training partner, Big Al from Animal. He has so much knowledge of nutrition and training, and is kind enough to share it with me.  He is a freak!  Big Al moves a ton of weight in the gym and really brings the energy to my workouts.  He has really taken my training to the next level. Honestly, I don’t aspire to be like anyone.  We all write our own paths.  I’m not the kind of person who is envious of others.  I only worry about myself and what I’m doing.  As long as I’m improving, I’m doing something right.

What do you do when you’re not in the gym?

My day is really busy.  I work for a lawn care business so I’m running around all day behind a lawn mower, and when I get home I usually only have time to shovel in some food and hurry to the gym.  But on the weekends I have a lot of free time.  A lot of my time on the weekends is spent in the kitchen with my girlfriend cooking my meals for the next few days.  Other than that, I spend a lot of time relaxing on the couch watching my Office and Smallville DVDs.

Future plans?

My plan is to turn pro and make a living in the fitness field.

Any advice to Teens who idolize your physique?

Train hard!  I read about so many teens trying this or that program, this amount of reps, this amount of sets.  You just need to lift!  In my experience, if someone goes into the gym and has a program that says do five reps, that’s all they will do.  They won’t push themselves to go farther.  Also, stay consistent.  A lot of people try and make excuses for themselves why they can’t go to the gym today, or all week.  Pull up your skirt and go.  You can’t complain about not growing if you don’t put in the time.

Tips for those trying to compete?

You need to do your research.  Learn all of the poses, how to tan, what you need to be eating, and how you need to be training. My contest prep was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.  You just can’t give up.  The rewards are well worth it.  At the day of your show you need to be able to say you tried your hardest and nothing else could be done.

BodySpace: www.Bodyspace.com/Bondons

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