Body Transformation: Shota Ida Gained Fitness Knowledge And Muscle!

Vital Stats

Name: Shota Ida
Email: shotaida@hotmail.com
Location: Nelson, Canada

Why I decided to transform

I've been interested in healthy living and being fit since sixth grade when I got involved in competitive soccer. I started doing push-ups and sit-ups every night. No matter how tired I got, I was determined to finish my set number of push-ups.

As I got older, one of my friends started going to the gym and invited me to come along, which I did starting in March 2009. Setting foot in the gym gave me motivation. I forgot about my stresses and focused on my workout.

I was one of the taller guys in my grade, but I was skinny. I was determined to build more muscle mass to help me play sports.

I had no idea what I was doing during my first two years of working out, but I read articles and learned proper technique, form, and nutrition from my friend. I look up to Steve Cook. He inspired me to reach my goals. Everyone should have a person to look up to.

I've improved the most during the last two years. Now I'm a high school senior and am 17 years old. Every time I enter the gym or go for a run, I concentrate on improvement. I've put on 30 pounds of muscle mass in the past two years and my sports performance is at an all-time high. Strength and cardio training helped improve my health. I sleep better now and am sick less often.

How I accomplished my goals

You can't cut corners or take the easy road if you want to succeed in this sport. You have to work hard and push toward your goals. Lots of people train but forget about dieting. In my opinion, dieting is more important than working out. Improvement is never-ending.

There are days when I feel like giving up and going home, but then I think of how much time and energy I put into everything. Going home and quitting would be a waste. When that thought crosses my mind, I talk myself into resting later so I can focus on what matters.

A great way to accomplish goals is to gather information. I did lots of research and it was extremely helpful. Inspiration from the best in the field will keep you on track and in the zone.

What aspect challenged me the most

Dieting challenged me most. It was extremely difficult to keep track of my diet due to home-cooked meals by my parents. It was also hard to control junk food cravings. When I got older, I started eating healthier food and made my own meals. Calorie intake was hard to track, but it eventually became easy. Finding time to hit the gym is tough with soccer, school, and work.

My future fitness plans

I want to enter a competition, but it's not a main goal. I like to work out for myself and like how it makes me feel. I'd like to go to school for something sports-injury related like kinesiology or sports medicine. I like to help others in the gym.

Suggestions for aspiring transformers

Never stop trying. If people insult you, use it as motivation and remember that you're the one who's working hard to achieve your goals and become stronger than them.

Lift comfortably and get your form down. Don't be the person who puts too much weight on the bar and looks foolish. Remember that 70 percent of gaining muscle is nutrition.

How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals

Bodybuilding.com articles are packed with knowledge and there's a great forum for beginners to find advice from knowledgeable sources. The Bodybuilding.com Store provides many great supplements and apparel. Many of the articles remind me why I started the fitness life, which was to reach new goals.

Shota's Top 5 Gym Tracks

Thanks