Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The 300 Hundred Workout

This is Richard - A Bench Freak Alumni

In one of my emails I challenged people to try this crazy Endurance workout.

Not only did Richard have the Balls to do it..He posted this video!!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Ring Workout Video

I have been asked lately about Ring Workouts

Here is a cool little clip that shows a large variety of exercises


Local Bodybuilder Roger Reid interview

Roger, Give us the basics

Well my name is Roger Reid I was Born August 6, 1965, so that makes me 43 Years old at the moment.

How long have you been Bodybuilding?

I have been Bodybuilding for 4 years now, I was just a kid at 37!

How did you get started in Bodybuilding ?

About 4 years ago I weighed myself and I was over 200lbs and in the worst shape of my life.

I was shocked that I had let myself go as I have always been into competitive sports. It was at this time that I decided to embark on my journey to re-invent myself.

What do you weigh now?

Well at 5’5” Tall I have an off season weight of 158 – 165 , when it comes to contest time I am usually around 140 – 145 lbs




Wow that is a truly amazing transformation! But I am sure there was some tough times on this journey.

Can you share with us any adversities you went through?

Well, since I have started I went through a separation/divorce with my wife….this was a devastating time in my life and I could have easily rolled over and reverted back to my old ways.

Instead I decided that whatever I was doing with “Bodybuilding” was not worth losing so I picked myself up and upped the intensity.

Basically my newfound lifestyle of Fitness and Training saved me both physically and mentally.




When did you decide to compete for the first Time.

About 2 years ago someone in the gym approached me and asked if I had ever considered competing and I hadn’t at that time but this person said I should consider it because they thought I could probably do well.

How did you take Action?

It was then that I decided to talk to a trainer to see if there was any potential. I talked to a former co-worker and she told me about her boyfriend’s trainer, Viviane Malette who is a FAME master pro bodybuilder, I scheduled an appointment and went to talk to her.

I had also researched natural bodybuilding competitions and had decided to try and compete in an IDFA show in October of 2008.

After seeing Viviane for the first time we embarked on the journey to my first competition.

So how did you do ?


I did the IDFA competition in October 2008 (IDFA Eastern Canada Classic), I place 2nd in two categories Novice and Masters Men over 40.

I loved the whole experience of competing, the training and hard work leading up to the competition, and the commradery, and friendships I made at the competition. Currently,

I am prepping for my next contest, which will be the IDFA Toronto Classic in July 2009.




Where do You Train?

I train at Goodlife. Mostly Place D’Orleans but my home gym is Goodlife Queen Street and my trainer is at Gym Evolution in Gatineau.


How many Times per week do you Train?

It varies depending on how far out I am from a competition. Currently I am doing only 3 days a week for about an hour or so, were doing this to build mass. The philosophy is to lower the volume, up the intensity, and increase recovery time to hopefully stimulate growth.

When we get closer to the competition we will increase the volume and depending on the levels of fat we will first adjust the diet and only if we have to we will add some cardio.


What Supplements do you use?

The supplements vary but as a general rule we always use Whey/Protein blends, BCAA’s, Glutamine, Multi-vitamins, and Creatine.

The creatine of choice for me is NeoGenixx CX3, this is a great product because my body seems to be responding well to it, probably due to the inclusion of several forms of creatine in one product.



What advice would you have for anyone over 40 who thinks they can’t get in fantastic shape?

I would say that the first step is always the hardest….

That is the day you decide to commit completely to making a change in your life. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Get a trainer. Do exactly as your trainer tells you no matter what. Consistency is key….the transformation doesn’t happen over night it happens as a result of keeping up with whatever program you are on and applying consistently over a long period of time.

Roger, Thanks for the great interview. You are a true inspiration to all of us.

Please keep us posted on your upcoming competitions, you should be very proud of your accomplishments thus far.

You are absolutely right. The first step..Meaning taking ACTION is the most important of all!!