How did you get started with bodybuilding?
I don’t really consider myself a bodybuilder since I don’t train like a bodybuilder. Plus, I have been told on numerous occasions that my physique is between a fitness model and bodybuilder so I don’t fall in either categories. I started training with weights right after college. I was in limbo and I hate being Idle so I joined a gym.
It was a great way to release tension, but more important it gave me a sense of purpose.
Photo Credit: Jason Ellis Photography
Where does your motivation come from?
My motivation has evolved over the years. Initially the motivation came from the desire to be bigger, stronger and healthier in that order. Nowadays the motivation is to become healthier, stronger (basically better than I was) and help more people to attain the physique they want. I’m really not that concerned with size anymore. Another source of motivation comes from competing and doing shoots. I register for the contest and schedule the shoot and this way there’s no way out! If you ever read the art of war the worst thing you can do when fighting an enemy is leave no room for escape. When your enemy knows he’s going to die anyway he will fight his hardest so its said always leave an opening for an escape when fighting your enemy. So I create my no room for escape mindset by registering and buying plane tickets/booking hotel room within two days of deciding to compete this way I can’t back out. Now I’m forced to give it my all otherwise I have just wasted money and time. Plus you don’t want to look like an idiot on stage or during a shoot. This gives me a clarity of purpose (an awesome motivator by the way) that I initially had when I first started. Once you have a clarity of purpose that is to know exactly what you want to accomplish you become a juggernaut. The other motivating factor for me is helping people achieve their goals in regards to fitness.
This motivation manifest itself in my reading habits. I read everything on nutrition that I can get my hands on then I apply it in the real world. This enables me to help as many people as possible.
What workout routine has worked best for you?
Heavy compound movements with a 5 x 5 scheme done with minimum rest in super sets has worked very well for me in the past but as everyone knows its always wise to change up your routine. Still, my routine generally centers around pull ups/chin ups, standing barbell press, deadlifts and squats front/regular. I have found when you perform these movements with minimum rest between sets, there’s little requirement for cardio or abs because of the intensity and the fact that your abs are engaged to a large degree.
Try doing Standing barbell press super set with weighted pull ups/chin ups , go heavy (shoot for 5 x 6 or 4 x 8) with a minute to a minute and thirty seconds rest between super sets. I also interlace my routines with tabatas, farmers walk and pylometrics.
Monday: Legs (Low Reps)
- Front Squats 5 x 5
- Leg press 3 x 10
- Walking lunges
- Calves seated 5 x 5
- Calves standing 4 x 8
Tuesday: Back & Shoulders (Low Reps)
- Weighted pull ups 5 x 5 (superset with)
- Standing Barbell military press 5 x 5
- Weighted chin ups 3 x 10 (superset with)
- L’s
- Weighted V bar pull ups 5 x 5 superset w/
- Face pulls 3 x 10
- Deadlifts 5 x 5
- Upright rows 3 x 10
- Dead hang leg raises 3 x 10
- Windshield wipers 3 x 10
Wednesday: Chest & Triceps
- Incline press 5 x 5
- Guillotine press 4 x 8
- Weighted dips 5 x 5
- Incline flyes 3 x 10
- Rope extensions 4 x 8 (superset with)
- Flat bench dumbbell extensions 5 x5
- Reverse close grip bench press 3 x 10
- Pull overs 3 x 10
- Standing 4 x 10 (superset with)
- Seated calf raises 5 x 6
Thursday: Off Day
- Rest
Friday: Legs (High Reps)
- Front Squats 3 x 12-15
- Leg press 3 x 12-15
- Walking lunges 3 x 12-15
- Calves seated 3 x 12-15
- Calves standing 3 x 12-15
- Dead Hang legs raises 3 x 12-15
- Wood choppers 3 x 12-15
Saturday: Back & Shoulders (High Reps)
- Weighted pull ups 4 x 12 (superset with)
- Standing Barbell military press 4 x 12
- Weighted chin ups 4 x 12 (superset with)
- L’s
- Weighted V bar pull ups 5 x 5 superset w/
- Face pulls 4 x 12
- Deadlifts 5 x 5
- Upright rows 4 x 12
- Dead hang leg raises 4 x 12
- Windshield wipers 4 x 12
Sunday: Off Day
- Rest
Kelechi Opara – Heavy Leg Day
If you have to pick only 3 exercises, what would they be and why?
- Standing Barbell Shoulder Press – It actually carries over to the real world more so than the bench press.
- Front Squat – Harder to do than regular squats because it engages the core more due to the positioning and its less stressful on the lower back.
- Pull ups – Its arguably the best exercise you can do for the upper body. There’s EKG studies now that validates this exercise as the best exercise for back and BICEPS. Do 200 and watch how you feel the next morning. It’s what squat is to the lower body.
Photo Credit: Jason Ellis Photography (1st Photo) & Ralph Dehaan (2nd & 3rd Photo)
What is your diet like?
My diet is non-linear. My calorie intake varies depending on the activity in the gym that day. If its going to be a hard day at the gym, I will carb up that day. For instance, I carb up on leg days but I wouldn’t on a day that I do chest and biceps or any other small muscle group. My nutritional philosophies and training for that matter are both based on science and real world application, not hear say. A lot of my nutritional philosophies comes from Alan Aragon. The AARR (Alan Aragon Research Review) keeps me abreast of what works and doesn’t work. The timing of meals isn’t always consistent meaning I don’t always eat every 3 hours etc . I just make sure the total amount of calories I have allotted for that day is met .
Nutrition: (Serving size and food item)
Meal 1:
- 1.25 cup oat meal
- 3 whole eggs 3 egg whites
- Optimum multivitamin
- 1 cup spinach
Meal 2:
- 1 apple
Meal 3:
- Regular potato 10.8oz (62g) skinless trimmed chicken thighs or breast 6oz (48grams)
- 1 cup spinach
Meal 4:
- 1 apple
- 1 cup broccoli
Meal 5:
- 30 minutes before workout 30 grams of gold standard whey protein. Amino energy 15 mins after
- After workout Nitrocore24 (blend of fast/slow proteins) 50 grams + 100 gram carbs (potato or oatmeal or brown rice or sweet potato or even natural granola cold cereal )
Meal 6:
- 1.33 cups brown rice along with fish oil capsules
- Nitrocore 24 or 5 oz steak 40 grams protein
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 apple
Later on during the same week this is my Nutrition for the last 3 to 4 days of the week. Note it calories is less to go along with the nature of my training later on during the week which is more reps with less weight.
Meal 1:
- 1 apple
- whole wheat toast
- 3 whole eggs 3 egg whites
Meal 2:
- Skinless trimmed chicken thighs or breast or steak 5.25oz
- 1 cup spinach
Meal 3:
- Regular potato 10.8oz skinless trimmed chicken thighs or breast or steak 6oz
- 1 cup broccoli
Meal 4:
- 30 minutes before workout 30 grams of gold standard whey protein. Amino energy 15 mins after
- After workout Nitrocore24 (blend of fast/slow proteins) 50 grams + 100 gram carbs (potato or oatmeal or brown rice or sweet potato or even natural granola cold cereal )
Meal 5:
- Nitrocore24 or skinless trimmed chicken thighs or breast or steak 6oz
- Brown rice 1/2 cup
- 1 cup spinach
Photo Credit: Jason Ellis Photography
Kelechi Opara Chest Day
Back/Shoulders – Kelechi Opara
Favorite Bodybuilders?
- Arnold
- Flex Wheeler
- Frank Zane
Photo Credit: Alex Ardenti
Supplements?
- Nitrocore 24 (a mix of cassein & whey)
- Gold Standard whey
- Enteric coated fish oil
- Amino Energy
Favorite Quote?
There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our inherent weakness of purpose.
Kelechi Opara is a Bodybuilding.com & Optimum Nutrition/American Bodybuilding Athlete
Bodyspace: http://bodyspace.com/Madtitan/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelechiopara
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Unreal physique – dude is shredded and jacked
Awesome physique and unreal striations!!
Great dedication man
Bro we hail o!!!! looking good up there…. Physique is mad…..
low body fat…..
Ive been following this our bros for a long time now….
He has high calves and he has managed to do them justice…..
Keep repping bro…..!
Appreciate the response guys !! If you need any help with your programs the place to find me is on the interview!
Wow ive visited this interview 20+ times in the last two days nice physique!! and also like the fact of the knowledge (the art of war)any tips for more of a beginner??? and any other good books???
Good Book : Girth Control by Alan Aragon tell him I sent you
Tip: Nutrition determines 80 percent of your result. Do the majority of your movement with your body weight unsupported as it has now been proven by science and by my personal experience to play significant role in your physique and of course compound movements is best
Thanks for replying , no doubt your a busy person. So compound movement?? got it, still a little confused on the diet (you seem to have a very diffrent diet approach than everyone else) but il buy the book that will probably help.Thanks for everything really appreciate it
Awesome interview!
such knowledge
Hi! This is most motivational article i have ever read. I even set it as my homepage. I want to ask if you cook spinach and how do you prepare it. Same for broccoli. Also I want to ask if You use creatine or L-carnitine. Thnx 4 replying, Majo, Slovakia.
Thanks again guys its much appreciated as I don’t take your kind remarks for granted.
Majo: Broccoli is usually plain. Spinach I use mushroom, onions and tomatoes(with italian seasoning). Mushroom and onions with olive oil in the skillet first until the onions are tender throw in the tomatoes with seasonings let it sit for 3- 5mins then throw in the spinach and cover mix it all together.
L-carnitine : no (doesn’t work) Creatine Yes
Thanks for the sharing of this very valuable info Kelechi! Much appreciated. Great article and awesome work…
Hey kelechi, your physique is unreal… Shredded. your split is very unique ( back/shoulders) more often, I was wondering would you recommend this kind of split for someone who isn’t as advanced as yourself? My shoulders are a weak point and I thought this split made complete sense ( something I’ve been looking for ) thanks in advance!
what is the song name on the chest day video?
Thanks again guys! I don’t take your questions or kind remarks for granted.
Real Quick
Photo Credits: Jason Ellis for the awesome pic where I am standing on a rock with the ocean in the back ground and the back pic too.
Ralph Dehaan: for the pic where I’m doing pull ups and the pic right next to it.
@Drew yes I will still recommend it as you end up almost hitting your entire muscle group twice in a week which is almost the same as doing whole body routines with the exception being you are able to continue using this split forever. Whereas with whole body routines which is typical with people starting out, as you get stronger you can no longer do whole body routines efficiently (because heavier loads require longer rest time between sets and between training bouts) thus forced to abandon it
@Tibor Thanks brother! its much appreciated and I hope the usefulness to the interview is timeless
@Isaac Rob Dougan : clubbed to death
Thanks for the quick reply, so everything twice a week is better than once a week. Lately I have been reading this more and more often. I’ve bookmarked this page for the good read and insane pics. Keep inspiring bro!
That’s my goal physique.
You’re an inspiration Kelechi, love your quotes and how humble you are. Thanks for sharing knowledge.
Do you not work your biceps directly because of the quantity and nature of your back/shoulder workouts?
I first came across a pic in a fitness mag recently and wanted to say thank you. You have given me inspiration to get back in the gym and go hard. Thanks for the name of the song on the chest day video. I’ve heard it at work a number of times and want to add it to my workout playlist and never knew the name.
Thanks guys! sorry for the late reply
Kelechi i just started this workout today with the leg day. Love the front squats! How many reps x sets do you do for the walking lunges and what are the L’s on the back and shoulder days? Thanks keep up your good work and thanks for providing us with all the information you do!
Also, I saw on bodybuilding.com that you use threshold and amino energy. Do you only use that for particular workouts or every workout? And you advise taking a calcium/vitamin D supplement or to make sure we consume enough through whole foods?
Hi Kelechi I have been doing this workout and its been great the best workout ive ever done, however I dont understand why chest and triceps are only worked once a week compared to the other days? Right now I will do LegsBiceps,BackShoulders,ChestTriceps Rest one day then repeat this. I always do the amount of sets you specify so the second chest day has higher reps as that seems to be the pattern. Is there a reason you only work chest once a week? Or on the following Monday would you work your chest again?
Hey, great review! Just one question. What kind of movement is the exercise you name as “L’s?” I have no idea. They are the ones you talk about on the second superset for back and shoulders day’s?
Many thanks!
I’m guessing L’s would be L-Laterals, to hit the side delt. Get that cap shaped nicely, and also hits the traps as you squeeze up keeping the L-shape in your forearms and upper arm.
You need more recognition Kelechi, very underrated. Not only because of your physique, but because you are highly knowledgeable, generous with help, and all natural.
I was wondering how you got your chest to be so developed, considering you only hit them once a week. Low volume, high intensity? or vice versa?
And why specifically back paired with shoulders? does it have to be this way to maximize growth? Thanks.
Kelechi, i just wanted to thank you, ive had some great progress and youve benn great motivation(i watch “Heavy legs” before i train lower body), i saw you in a ad for “fighters only” and decided to buy just becuase of that haha, Thanks again.