Amateur Bodybuilder Of The Week: Stefan Lives The Hypertrophy Odyssey!

How did your bodybuilding journey begin?

I started on the basketball court, which was my passion growing up. I wanted to play in college, but I was unfortunately injured my senior year and schools lost interest and pulled scholarship offers.

My goal was to get back on the court, so I started lifting because I couldn't play basketball for a year. I saw changes in my body and loved it. As my knee came back to health, my body became stronger. When I realized my basketball career was most likely over, I decided to try something new, and here I am.

I'm following in my mother's footsteps. She helped me get started in this lifestyle and used to compete. We plan to compete together soon.

"I decided to try something new, and here I am."

How did your passion for bodybuilding emerge?

Bodybuilding provided meaning to my training. I always wanted to be fit and healthy, but didn't have a defined goal when my basketball career ended. I needed a new passion to look forward to and decided to train for a competition. I won the overall in my first show and have been hooked since. I'm a competitive person and this challenges me to be better every time I step on stage.

What/Who motivated you to be a bodybuilder?

My motivation comes from people I see every day. People talk about doing something special but can't bring their actions to life. I will continue this lifestyle for years. I have time to impact people because I'm still young. I always lead by example to prove that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. My motivation is to motivate others!

Where did you go for inspiration?

When I struggle and feel like giving in, I think of professionals in any profession who didn't stop on their way to the top. I think of people who want to be successful.

What are your future bodybuilding plans?

Being relatively new to this sport, I'm surprised how much I enjoy eating healthy. I will continue to compete and plan to go pro in men's physique and middleweight bodybuilding. I'm currently a student at The Ohio State University, so I won't be able to travel to many competitions during the school year. I plan to eat healthy and eat clean for the rest of my life.

What is the most important bodybuilding tip?

If you know what you want and have a plan for success, you must surround yourself with people you admire. Surround yourself with happy, positive people who support your journey. If it's not positive, you don't need it. Happiness and success come with hard work!

Who is your favorite bodybuilder?

My favorite bodybuilder is my mother, Raquel Rivera-Hill. She isn't famous nationally, but she is to me and lots of people in Ohio. She is in her mid-40s and looks like she's 25. She's committed to a fit and healthy lifestyle. She earned a pro card in the WNBF six years ago and holds the world record for the longest abdominal plank by a female (40:08 minutes). Her success inspired me to work harder every day.

How did bodybuilding.com help you reach your goals?

Bodybuilding is a great resource to shop for protein or look for new workouts and motivation. I love reading about transformations posted and shared on the site. There's always something I can read and use to my advantage to expand my fitness knowledge.

Stefan's Top 5 Gym Tracks

"Heads Will Roll (A-RakRemix)" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
"I Can't Stop" by Flux Pavillion
"Can't Be Touched" by Roy Jones Jr.
"Lose Yourself" by Eminem
"Sail" by Awolnation

Contest History

2013 Kentucky State Championships - 1st Place Men's Physique