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How did you get started with bodybuilding?

I got started my senior year of high school. I was 18 and was in a weightlifting class. Having always been a hockey/lacrosse player, I always had a lot of speed. My high metabolism led me to have a very cut physique. I then went to the gym, threw on 135 on a bench press and it came right down onto my chest. I was barely able to bench 95lbs that day. It was then that the journey began for me. I no longer wanted to be a weakling, and the goals just grew from there. Both in strength and weight until I reached what I am today.

Where does your motivation come from?

To be the best I can possibly be. To push my body to its absolute limit. I’ve gained about 90 lbs since I started and I’m still no where near done. The farther I get, the more I want to keep going.

Having motivation to step on stage and see my friends and family cheer for me keeps me going back day after day.

Even with school and work right now, I sometimes don’t get out of the gym until almost 1am, just to then study for another 3 hours, but nothing will keep me from pushing the iron around in the gym.

What is your training philosophy?

Consistency, weight, and food. Biggest 3 things you could ever think of. If you’re going to skip a few days each week, thats up to like 2 months a year you’re holding yourself back. You need to stick to a plan and keep at it if you want to succeed in this demanding sport. Pushing the weight to your absolute limit. I’m a big believer on heavy weight, but still on volume training to change it up sometimes as well. Also unless you’re eating those calories and keeping your stomach full as much as possible, you can forget about ever packing on anymore muscle at the end of the day.

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

• Squat
• Deadlifts
• Bench

Typical answer though I’d want the exercises that are hitting the most muscle groups as possible. People underestimate the importance of compound lifts, especially when it comes to adding the needed thickness to the muscles.

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

Just normal cardio for me, I rarely do much cardio to begin with. I stay pretty cut without having to do much, though I do slow cardio to help keep my general health and heart in check. You’d never want to just not do any at all.

What is your philosophy on nutrition?

My philosophy is about as laid back as you get right now. I eat about anything and everything. Now not everyone is able to do that, but when I can eat mcdonalds and go to bed and wake up leaner, then I’m going to enjoy myself. I mean I don’t go out of my way and usually buy sweets, I’ll eat relatively lean things if I have my choice, but at the same time, I pack on the calories whenever I can. One of my regular things is a chocolate shake while I’m working with protein powder thrown in it haha.

What are your favorite meals and foods?

Qdoba and mexican food is on the top. Followed by really well made pastas. Though being a busy college student I don’t always have the time to get the best kind of meals. I eat out a lot and make random sandwiches and eat all kinds of bars. Any way that I can get calories I’m going to. Heck I’m even debating on going and getting some taco bell right now and it’s almost 1am in the morning. I make sure I get my protein, and my calories in the day, other than that, it’s balls to the wall!

Favorite cheat food?

Well I have cheat foods everyday since I’m not really on a diet, though I’d probably have to say an oreo smoothie from the nestle place by my work. The employees there have come pretty familiar with who I am by now.

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

Universal Storm – Use this pre workout, usually two scoops. I’ve always just loved universals products and the grape flavor of this, I just throw the powder in my mouth, swish water, and go. Never been very picky when it comes to mixing stuff properly. I’ve seen great results from using this consistently over the last year-two years.
Universal Animal Pak - Multivitamin I have taken for almost 3 years. I definitely notice a decrease in energy if I forget to take my pak during the day. Usually take it any random time, but mostly with some kind of food.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey - I’m all about bulk, so I usually order this in 10+ lbs bags. It’s been great protein for me for the price and has a decent taste. This has probably been the core of my supplements.
Basics:

• Fish Oil 1000mg a day
• Glucosamine
• Iron – 18mg a day
• Milk thistle and hawthorne berry for living/blood pressure

Thats it for supplements. I work at a GNC so I try samples of all kinds of stuff but thats my main core for the last year-2 years. Pre-workouts have never done a ton for me so I don’t usually have them, though I just got sent Cellucor’s new line and their stuff seems pretty good so far.

Favourite Bodybuilders?

Ronnie Coleman, Erik Frankhouser, Kai Greene, Jay Cutler, Frank Mcgrath

Favorite Quote?

“Obsession is what lazy people call dedication”

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

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