Fitness lessons from a bodybuilding champ
In November of last year, we were introduced to the new international franchise manager, Tamer El Guindy, in Los Angeles. The firm hand grip and the big smile were warm and reassuring. In time, he became my Facebook friend and I discovered his passion and commitment to bodybuilding. Apparently, he was the 2009 National Physique Committee (NPC) USA champion or Mr. USA (light-heavyweight) and was dubbed “The Razor” for being the leanest competitor. In his blog, he detailed his preparation for the 2011 NPC held end of July in Las Vegas where he bagged the Mr. USA title again for the second time. Amid all the celebration and I am sure endorsement deals, he found time for a little interview. Excerpts:
THE PHILIPPINE STAR: Was there ever a time in your life that you were overweight or underweight? What motivated you to change?
TAMER EL GUINDY: I was always a very skinny kid when I was growing up. I think all kids have this fascination and dream to be a super hero. But kids also know that is all fantasy. Everything changed when I was about 16 years old and I entered a gym. I saw a picture of Lee Haney, Arnold and Dorian Yates, all of them were bodybuilding champions and I thought: “Wow, super heroes do exist!” From that point on, I started training and dedicating myself to the gym to became one.
What sport dominated your growing-up years? How often did you play? How did this sport influence your career now?
I was born in Brazil so soccer is a must. I was really active when I was growing up. I was involved in swimming, track and field, and tennis also, but soccer dominated the majority of my time. I play soccer every day and the discipline and determination to have succes in any sport are the same. I obviously carried this over to bodybuilding. The main difference is that bodybuilding is an individual sport and all the responsibility of success or defeat falls on you.
When did you start body building? What or who influenced you to get into it?
I started bodybuilding in Brazil when I was 16 years old. Initially, I wanted to improve my performance in soccer, but my body response was so great that it made me take it more seriously. Then the employees of the gym started motivating me to take my nutrition and training to a new level.
What was your biggest break in bodybuilding? Why are you called “The Razor”?
The biggest break for me was in 2005 when I placed in the top 10 here in the USA. This was an amazing accomplishment as the USA championship is considered the biggest amateur show in the world. This allowed me to get some media exposure in the USA and gave me the confidence to pursue the title some day. I am known as the Razor due to my condition. I pride myself on being the leanest competitor in the stage. This requires unbelievable commitment to diet and cardio.
What were the difficulties of balancing the rigors of training and doing your job effectively? How did you manage?
You always must keep in mind that every person in the world has challenges and difficulties, but what makes you a winner is your ability to overcome challenges and never use them as an excuse. Winners always find ways to win, while losers always find ways to lose. Recently, a wrestler here in the USA won the national title with only one leg. He did this because he never uses his leg as an excuse. This is the most fundamental aspect of a champion -- the mental ability to overcome any challenge. It is very difficult to train and diet while working. I have done cardio at 2 a.m. after long sessions of providing training internationally. I do what is needed to be a champion.
How long did you train for the competition? What was your exercise regimen?
I normally take between 12 and 16 weeks to get ready for a competition. I train six days a week and do every body part twice a week. I also do cardio on an empty stomach in the morning for one hour to accelerate my metabolism. During the morning hours before breakfast is the time when I maximize the fat- burning effects as your body is obligated to use the fat reserves as a source of energy.
What’s your diet like?
I eat a diet rich in protein and I only eat complex carbs such as green vegetable, oatmeal, and brown rice. I eat seven times a day. I mostly find a good restaurant overseas that has clean food and I just order it for the whole day. It is helpful that I am visiting gyms around the world and I always find inspiration from the employees and members to keep me going.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned from bodybuilding that has helped you in life?
The most important lesson I have learned in bodybuilding is that the strongest muscle an athlete has is not his/her legs or arms but his/her heart. I never train my body, I train my mind and my body follows.
What makes a bodybuilder a champion?
Your uncontrollable desire to pursue a dream against all odds is what makes people champions. When you have a dream, a goal in life, you must want that more than anything and never let anything make you believe that you will not reach your dream. You must be like a thunder that just stops when it hits the ground. A champion is like a thunder, nothing can stop it!
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Post me a note at mylene@goldsgym.com.ph or mylenedayrit@gmail.com.
