Rede Frisby, Southern Hunk, July 10

Where do you live and train?

Invercargill at World Health and Fitness, Leet Street / INFINITY Training Studio

How did you get into bodybuilding in the first place and when?

Began at gym in Oct 1998 - first comp Sep 2007 after many years of ‘friendly' persuasion from others....

Contest achievements 2nd South Island Champs NZFBB U70kg Novice 2007 1st South Island Champs  NZFBB U70kg Novice 2008 1st NZ Nationals NZFBB U70Kg Novice 2008 1st Asia Pacific International ANB U70kg Open 2010

What's the highlight of your BBing career so far?
NZ Nationals and Asia Pacifics without a doubt!


How often do you compete?  And why?  Ie do you believe in competing a lot of shows/year, each year.

Totally go for quality approach over quantity. Doubtful that with too many shows (if you're truly pushing to your limit), you can keep making any significant improvements in between times. So aim to compete 1-2x every year (or so).

You came in great condition for the ANB Australasians, what factors did you attribute to your lean and fullness? 

Amazing help from Daniel Hibbs (Overall NZFBB Mr NZ 2008). Diet - reverting to moreso how our ancestors ate (a wide variety of proteins and good fats). Training - adequate volume on a weekly basis that I had been missing in certain areas.

How long was your contest diet and what's your typical contest diet ?  Invited to compete in Asia Pacifics on Dec 24th 2009 - just great day before Christmas day treats etc  lol. Began ‘cleaning' up diet 2nd week of January 2010. Typical diet high in a variety of protein sources, good fats, low GI. Rotated over a few days. Remove dairy, cut down on sauces and sodium at certain time periods out from the comp.

I intend to change this a little in future but it was - Mon glutes/hams, Tues quads, Wed calves/forearms, Thurs back/bi, Fri chest/tri, Sat shoulders. Abs 4xweek. Cardio 5-6 days 30min to an hour.

What will you focus now on in the off season ie particular bodyparts or general mass - how will you go about developing them.

Legsize overall (esp out sweep of quad), leg hardness - more running year round...have been a bit lazy (lucky?!) with cardio in offseason previously but as nearing closer to 30 want to make that more of a focus.

            

Do you let yourself go in the off season - between shows? Do you have a weight you don't go above?  How do you maintain it.

As mentioned above have been a bit lazy with weight in that it doesn't typically fluctuate too much. BUT knowing what I do now; I would like to remain a little ‘tighter' year round ie only 5-6k above contest weight. I believe eating and training right I can do this and still add muscle size, hardness and detail. Once again quality over quantity.

Has there been someone who's had a big influence on your bodybuilding career? And how have they helped you?

Daniel Hibbs - Inspired me when I first started training and saw that ‘classic' Metaphysics poster that appears around the place still (Muscle+Fitness etc etc)....perfect example of a natural physique (ie 100% drug free) and what can be achieved through sensible diet and hard, consistent training.

Do you take a lot of supplements?  What kind and what do you take during precontest and off season?

NO. Try to get majority of nutrients via food eaten, Offseason - flaxseed/omega, protein shake post train. Pre Comp - flaxseed/omega, sports multi, bcaa, glutamine when body immunity naturally tends to be on the lower side of normal.

Have you had a role model - perhaps a physique - who's inspired you?

In NZ Daniel; internationally the likes of the old-school bodybuilders ie Frank Zane and Shawn Ray. Quite calculating and methodical in their approach. I believe Zane was a maths teacher and had a few theories on the "Golden Ratio'...entirely evident when you examine his physique. Some of the 202 Olympia class these days that have preserved some symmetry and proportion and aren't ‘freaks for freaks sake' ie Flex Lewis.

What was your favorite part about competing?  And the worst?

Best - getting to travel somewhere different and having a lot of support back home (family, friends and clients). Worst - coming down from such a big buildup psychologically, feeling quite flat and not being able to slot back into a routine as being in a different country to home. Need to work on that.

                        
What common mistakes do you think athletes make when preparing for contest?  Diet - people drop to much crucial stuff out to bodily functioning and really set themselves up to suffer. It can be done without this - we should be peaking and not flat as a pancake.

Training - people changing their training too drastically from what they've been doing all year otherwise ie going to super high reps and light light weights. Lose a lot of solid muscle gains in doing so.

* Getting too fat in the offseason through uncontrolled eating ie calling it ‘bulking up' but really just putting on extra fat, not muscle and then having to lose all this extra anyway.....

What advice/tips would you give to some of the young men starting out on their Bodybuilding journey?

Paticence is the key. Learn the basics well, gives a solid foundation leading to better understanding, better technique, less injuries and greater longevity.

Do some scientific reading ie human anatomy, physiology and training principles - look past the b.s. in bodybuilding mags ie routines the pros may use but only because they can afford to do so by being on so many drugs that they can work under these training loads....

Train your legs as much, if not more than your upper body and the ‘mirror muscles'. Over cliché'd as it is, Arnold was onto something there when he cut the bottoms off his trackpants to try motivate himself....

My only competition as far as Im concerned, is myself. If there is something I could do to come onstage at 100% and I don't do it. That is the day that I will be disappointed - not by what others around me are doing. If anyone trains harder or more consistently, then they deserve to beat me. BUT they've got to realize that I too will be working damn hard!

What's your bodybuilding philosophy?  Improvement is a constant process - its what keeps things challenging and interesting. Be honest with yourself and what needs the most work - work harder on these areas and not those that are already your strong suit.

Drugs - I will never go down this path because I believe anyone can be an average trainer and get some results with these. What's the challenge in that?! Fewer people can be a great trainer and achieve great results without. But that is what drives me - why be lost in a crowd of others?! I think it's a more significant and special achievement if you work harder for it (in all regards). I know the people on drugs will say this is all relative  - but then what's your motivation for being on something in the first instance?!....

What is your ultimate goal in bodybuilding and life?

Ultimate goal in building - change people's perception/ appreciation for the sport and what can be achieved naturally. Attend a Musclemania event in America one day; the ultimate in natural competition.

Career - INFINITY Training Systems N0.1 in Invercargill - Who you come to for sound, professional, friendly advice.

Life - Find a good balance between all aspects; relationship, work, training, social etc