10 ON Supplements

10 OPTIMUM NUTRITION SUPPLEMENTS I USED DURING MY CONTEST PREP

Leading up to the Miami Pro Uk Championships I was very particular about the amount of each macronutrient I was consuming each day and the timing of these nutrients in relation to when I was training. I used various supplements to aid my nutrition throughout my preparations, and felt these were necessary to help maintain muscle mass whilst reducing my body fat levels.

Below are 10 Optimum Nutrition supplements I used throughout my contest prep: 

1)      Platinum Hydrowhey – Morning & post-workout.

2)      Gold Standard Casein – Before bed.

3)      BCAA caps – Morning, pre-workout, post-workout & before bed.

4)      Glutamine powder – Morning, pre-wrorkout, post-workout & before bed.

5)      Creatine Powder – Post-workout.

6)      Amino Energy – Pre-workout and intra-workout.

7)      Platinum Pre – Pre-workout for big sessions.

8)      ZMA – Before bed.

9)      Fish Oil – Morning & evening.

10)   CLA – Morning & evening.

 

Fitness Competitions - The beginning!

 WHY DID I START FITNESS COMPETITIONS & FITNESS MODELING?

One of the questions I get asked a lot in the gym working as a gym manager is; how do I get into fitness modeling and what advice can I give to someone who wants to get into fitness modeling? Many people expect my answer will give them a clear route into become a “fitness model” and provide them with a foot in the door. However, there is no clear route and there is no clear destination, as I am still unsure exactly what a fitness model is. I personally wouldn’t class myself as a fitness model, but more as a physique competitor. However, for argument sake and to make it easy to explain to people what I do in my spare time then fitness modeling will generally cover this.

What I do know, is that to succeed as a fitness model it comes down to a combination of hard work, persistence, networking, constant learning, taking risks, being proactive and not to mention being in the right place at the right time. These are generally the characteristics any successful person will possess, so it makes sense that these similar qualities are required in this field too. In addition to this, time needs to be dedicated for training and preparing food to ensure your physique is camera or stage ready.

So where did it all start for me?

Since I first trained in the gym with weights at the age of 16, I knew I wanted to be bigger, stronger and fitter. Due to my very competitive nature, I wanted to train harder and lift more than others my age. I used to train hard, which allowed me to be relatively successful at rugby throughout my teenage years. I would try to tailor my training to meet the demands of my position as a fullback/winger. However, the whole time I played rugby and aspired to be an international player, I still always wanted to have a cover model physique.

My rugby career was hampered in my second year of University when I tore a tendon in my hand. After an agonising 18 months of therapy and 2 operations I returned to the sport. My confidence slowly returned after a couple of games and my love for rugby came back. Unfortunately, my bad luck continued not long after my comeback and within 2 minutes of my first appearance for Beckenham’s 1^st XV in South London, I tore my ACL and MCL in my knee.  This second injury ruled me out for another 12 months, but I was determined it wouldn’t stop me. So I stuck with the physiotherapy and returned to the pitch in 2011. However, this was just one injury too many and my knee wasn’t capable of the demands of the sport, so it was no more rugby for me.

 

With my love for training and competitive nature I needed to find another interest to keep me occupied and give me new challenges. This was when I decided it was time to take up sculpting my physique to look like a fitness model and see how I could transform my body. I took inspiration from the BodyPower Expo 2012 and Muscle Mania 2012 and researched how I could get involved. Not knowing exactly the right route to take I made a profile on Model Mayhem and got some experience in front of the camera with some new and experienced photographers. I gradually developed my portfolio and entered Miami Pro 6 months in advance as a goal to aim for. I developed my profile on social media and as a result became the face for Gorilla Sports Uk.

 

Where am I now?

I am currently a sponsored athlete with Optimum Nutrition, have competed in 2 Miami Pro competitions, competed at Fit Factor and Physique of the Week at BodyPower, and currently training for Miami Pro October. My competitive nature has meant that I am not satisfied with a few good photos and being in a few magazines, instead I want to compete and ultimately win as a physique competitor. I have to try and achieve this whilst managing Go-Gym in Sutton, which I must admit takes up the majority of my time, but I am determined this will not hold me back!

So that’s an overview of how I got to where I am now! I will be blogging fitness and nutrition related blogs from now on, as well as my preparation leading up to my next shows, so no more life stories, yawn!!!

Thanks for reading and apologies it wasn’t the most interesting first blog.

Follow me on Twitter @Tim_Chase1