Page 49 - Demo

www.MOSTmag.com || MOST FITNESS || 49important to me. I was so focused on physical appearances and what I saw in the mirror. Then, one day, I couldn%u2019t cross my leg to put my shoe on. My hip thrusters were so tight that I couldn%u2019t do this basic thing. I realized that all the squats and deadlifts are useless if I can%u2019t put a shoe on. I researched flexibility training %u2013 yoga and Pilates. While I%u2019m not a fan of yoga, I%u2019ve been doing Reformer Pilates for nine months. As bodybuilders we don%u2019t think enough about flexibility and mobility. Tightness will cause muscular instability, your body will overcompensate for that and you%u2019ll get injured. All athletes should practice flexibility and mobility to improve overall performance and fitness. There%u2019s a problem with being a one-dimensional athlete %u2013 when it comes to fitness, it%u2019s more than just physical. We should want take health, wellness and lifespan to the next level.MFM: For an average human being, not a super-human like yourself, are supplements important? Why or why not?AC: I do think supplements are important %u2013 especially for an average person. Often, people are not consuming enough in their regular diets to get what they need. There are two supplements I recommend for anyone %u2013 a multi-vitamin/multi-mineral and fish oil. I also often recommend a protein supplement, like Optimum Nutrition%u2019s Gold Standard 100% Whey%u2122. For women, a multi-vitamin with iron is particularly important. If someone lives in a cold climate, a Vitamin D supplement could also be useful.MFM: Can you train to be or compete as an IFBB Pro without the financial backing of a sponsor?AC: You can. But it%u2019s much harder. Competing is extremely expensive. There are the travel costs like airfare and hotel and registration fees (which can be up to $500). Then there are the costs of tanning, bikinis for the women (which can be $300-$700), makeup and hair. And finally, the nutritional expenses. You don%u2019t want to compromise and use low-quality supplements. And most people don%u2019t realize that we can spend up to an additional $400 or $500 a month on food. Unfortunately, I%u2019ve seen some very sad cases of people taking out second mortgages or selling their stuff to fund competing.MFM: Are there many IFBB Pros that have jobs outside of a gym, i.e. where fitness is not their career?AC: I would say about 70% of the people I meet have jobs in the fitness field. MFM: What percent of your life do you have to commit to this kind of career?AC: 100%. It%u2019s how you live your life. When you%u2019re eating, you%u2019re thinking, %u201cWhat is this doing to my body?%u201d When you%u2019re lifting or doing cardio, you%u2019re thinking, %u201cWhat will this do to my body?%u201d It%u2019s taken me ten years to try to have a balanced lifestyle. I%u2019ve gone through divorce and eating disorders. I%u2019ve done high intensity cardio with asthma. I%u2019ve lifted with a raging fever. People tell me %u201cyou%u2019re nuts.%u201d I don%u2019t disagree.