Why I decided to transform
I was a chubby kid until age 12. As I aged, I was introduced to soccer and began playing competitively at a local club. I played soccer throughout middle and high school and got skinny at 135 pounds.
As a high school junior, I decided to quit soccer because I didn't feel passion for the game anymore. My parents were always at the gym, so after quitting soccer, I went with them to work out. I initially went to the treadmill and elliptical because running was all I knew.
I lifted with my dad one day and instantly noticed how weak I was. I barely benched 75 pounds and proceeded to see my dad bench 315 pounds for reps. I took time to explore bodybuilding, started lifting for a few weeks, and fell in love with the sport.
How I accomplished my goals
A few weeks into bodybuilding, my friends Joel and Jake showed me how to lift to gain mass. I started a periodization program and continue on that program today. I started to eat more clean food to maintain a nice physique. After a few months, I changed my workouts, added intensity, and changed rep ranges to shock the muscles.
Good results take time and effort, so I never worried about overtraining. I was in the gym for nearly two hours per day and trained hard. As long as my nutrition was on point, I knew that I could work out hard with a big payoff in the end.
What aspect challenged me the most
The aspect that challenged me most was the beginning phase of lifting. I was shy and got nervous at the gym because I thought I was weak, but I grew out of it when I built mass.
Getting up early to lift was a challenge, but I did it to have time for homework, family, and friends. After a few months, my body grew into the habit and is used to getting up at 4:30 a.m.
My future fitness plans
After I finish the current school year, I will begin a more intense program. I'm heading to Virginia Tech University for college and hope to use its gym for two-a-days to gain more strength and mass.
I hope to be competition ready in 2-3 years and plan to compete until I'm of old age. I want to become a trainer at a local gym in college to inspire others.
Suggestions for aspiring transformers
- To gain mass, you must work hard 24/7 in and out of the gym.
- Don't under-train.
- Nutrition is the most important aspect of bodybuilding.
How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals
I found lots of helpful and inspirational articles on Bodybuilding.com. The workouts on the site are fantastic, the exercise catalog is very useful, and the articles push me to new heights.
Razvan's Top 5 Gym Tracks
- "Disco Inferno" by 50 Cent
- "Echo" by Bad Meets Evil
- "Forever Young" by Jay-Z
- "TKO (remix)" by Justin Timberlake (Feat. J.Cole, Pusha T, and ASAP Rocky)
- "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry (Feat. Juicy J)