Bodybuilding.com Writer: Ian Matthews - Certified Personal Trainer!

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Did you know?
Ian is a certified personal trainer!

I'm a personal trainer and certified nutritionist, so I use my knowledge and experience to help other people as well as continue to make progress myself.

Ian Matthews

Background

I was always small when I was young. When I started lifting at age 14, I was 5'6" and weighed 128 lbs. I was doing a lot of push-ups, but a powerlifter named John Sykes got me started lifting weights. The first time I ever benched with olympic weights, I did 150 lbs. for 2 reps. Two months later I weighed 140 lbs. and could bench press 225 lbs. as a 14-year-old 10th grader. I wrestled for a few months in 10th grade, coming down to 125 lbs. while still benching 225 lbs., but I ended up fracturing my neck and discontinued wrestling.

By my 16th birthday, I weighed 140 lbs. and could bench press 280 lbs. Two months later I could bench press 325 lbs. weighing 160 lbs. Over the years I continued lifting, competing in numerous bodybuilding and bench press contests. Some of my best benches are 385 lbs. at 167 lbs. when I was 19 and 410 lbs. at 170 lbs. when I was 22. On July 31st, 2002, I tore my left pectoral attempting to bench 415 lbs. at a bodyweight of 205 lbs. On November 14th, I was cleared to begin lifting for chest, shoulders, and back after a 15-week layoff.

These days I'm lifting more to be healthy rather than to win contests or lift insane weights. I'm a personal trainer and certified nutritionist, so I use my knowledge and experience to help other people as well as continue to make progress myself. I still have the desire and the ability to compete, and I still want to get a big as I naturally can, I just focus more on the long term and being healthy for life.

He can be contacted at ez_ian@hotmail.com.

Vital Stats

Age: 26
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 190
Bodyfat: 13.5%
Waist: 32"
Arms: 17.5"
Legs: 26.5"
Calves: 17"

Pictures

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Contest History

Articles :: Sorted By Date

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Coming Back From An Injury
On July 31st I tore my left pectoral muscle while attempting to bench-press 415 pounds. On November 14th, after 106 days of recovery, I was finally given clearance to train chest, shoulders, and back. Learn what I did to recover.
Section: Training :: Dec 02, 2002

Coming Back From An Injury: Part 2.
In the past month I had not only regained some muscle, but I had also lost an appreciable amount of fat that I gained during the months when I couldn't train my upper body. Learn how I lost the fat...
Section: Training :: Dec 03, 2002

Coming Back From An Injury: Part 3
I gained almost 24 pounds of lean body mass in two weeks while only increasing my body fat by 1.5%! Learn how!
Section: Training :: Feb 21, 2003

Glycogen Supercompensation.
Have you ever gained 22 pounds in 11 hours? Have you ever dramatically improved your strength in a single day just from changing your diet? Learn how with glycogen supercompensation!
Section: Nutrition :: Mar 17, 2003

The New High Intensity
There are many theories on HIT, and many HIT workouts such as Max-OT among others, but I'm here to talk about a new HIT philosophy.
Section: Training :: Apr 19, 2003

The New High Intensity # 2.
Remember, when the force of a repetition becomes too great for the type I fibers, the type II fibers must be recruited to continue moving the weight. Find out how what you need to know about type IIb fibers!
Section: Training :: May 15, 2003

Cheat Meals Are Not Necessary!
Cheat meals have some nutritive value, and while such food can serve a physiological need, refeed meals will provide all the physiological benefits of cheat meals while maximizing fat loss.
Section: Nutrition :: Mar 16, 2005