Amateur Bodybuilder Of The Week: Chauncey Wilson Kicked Football And Became The Shredder!

Vital Stats

Name: Chauncey "Shredder" Wilson
Email: cdwils2@yahoo.com
Location: Louisville, KY
Age: 30
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 206 lbs
Years Bodybuilding: 7

How did your bodybuilding journey begin?

I began playing football when I was 10 years old. I loved running people over and winning. I played free safety and running back, all the way up through my freshman year of college at Hanover College in Indiana, where I was a tailback. I had to give it up due to reoccurring inflammation in my lower back. I was actually really good at football.

I traveled to Australia to play in the Down Under Bowl 2002 with my All Star Kentucky team. We played against other U.S. teams there and my team won one game and lost one. The experience was amazing. At Hanover College, we won our conference championship in 2002; I still enjoy wearing that ring on my finger.

I had great mentors around me who knew the bodybuilding industry and helped me get where I am now: Lewis Oliveros, Alonzo Ryan, Michael McAtee, Justin Compton, and Annette Onks, just to name a few. I began lifting to change my physique when I was 14 years old, because I was tired of being this small, skinny guy. I became a regular at GNC and a frequent reader of Bodybuilding.com and FLEX magazine. Football, along with lifting, gave me an outlet for my anger. That is when I started to become addicted to the gains and improvements I was seeing in my body.

In 2004, I began working at GNC to get discounts on my supplements and to learn the facts about the supplements in the store. I wanted to learn all I could about how to create a winning physique. I eventually graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology.

I worked backstage at the Kentucky Muscle 2006 and saw the physiques onstage, thinking to myself that I could beat the people who were competing in the weight class I would have been in. My mentors believed in me so much. Before my uncle passed away, I promised him I would get on stage and compete. After his passing, I took it to the next level and began training more intensely to compete in my first show. I got my feet wet at the Kentucky Bluegrass Competition—Tricky Jackson's show—in 2007. I got the reassurance I needed to compete again and went on to compete at the Kentucky Muscle Bodybuilding Competition in 2007. I found a drive within myself and proved in both shows that I could do well in this sport.

At the time, I was still in college and I couldn't balance the competition season with school, so I kept training hard until I graduated in 2011. Then I stepped back on stage to compete as a middleweight. I love winning and I fed the hunger with each win. I won the Kentucky State 2011 and Kentucky Muscle and became Mr. Kentucky Muscle 2011. I've also competed at Nationals in 2011 and 2012, trying to earn my pro card.

How did your passion for bodybuilding emerge?

Knowing that the efforts I put into my physique, both nutritionally and physically, ultimately creates a fine-tuned package, fascinates me. The challenge of building this physique that nobody else can recreate, because I am an individual, is amazing. Learning the science behind the sport, using that knowledge, and committing to become the end result, makes me feel success on a whole different level. I aspire for the professional status, along with the travel, competition, appearances, guest posing, and the feeling of success that comes with it.

What or who motivated you to be a bodybuilder?

Looking in the magazines and seeing other people at contests definitely motivates me. Hearing people in the gym talk about how I have the genetics for the sport, gives me more of a drive to work harder because I know genetics are only a part of the recipe for what I need to succeed and become a pro. Having fans follow me and tell me that I inspire them helps keep me focused when I sometimes feel like I don't want to do something. Knowing I have people watching me motivates me like nothing else.

Where did you go for inspiration?

I think back to why I started. I think about my goals, my dream, and the fact that the next person is out there getting' it and I cannot slack. I also remember the promise I made to my uncle.

What are your future bodybuilding plans?

I want to turn pro. Once I become a pro, I want to make an impact. I want to be one of the best and give back and motivate others who are trying to improve their overall health or get where I am.

It will be a full 21 months since I last stepped on stage when I compete again. I took that time to pack on mass because the judges told me that I was too tall for my weight class as a middleweight.

I will be jumping weight classes this year and competing as a light heavyweight. My immediate plans are to compete in August at the Kentucky State Show and then to go right into North Americans at the end of the month.

What is the most important bodybuilding tip?

To reach your dream, you have to live everyday like it is your job. You waste your time when you are not serious enough to prep food, hit the stacks, or learn your body well enough to transform it. Bodybuilding is a science and a sport. Educate yourself and if it also your aspiration, then go for it full force. This is not a sport you can half a$$.

Who is your favorite bodybuilder?

Kai Greene hands down. I really like how he puts art into body building. His motivational videos are inspiring to me and his hard work speaks volumes to his physique. The knowledge he shares shows how humble he is and by far, has the best posing routines.

How did bodybuilding.com help you reach your goals?

Being able to go to the website to look up meal plans, workout programs, and featured bodybuilders helps me for sure. I like that it is a reliable source to find information and contest coverage. I use the site to look up supplements, information on certain supplements and exercises. I also use the site to get inspired by other athlete's stories. Everything I do on the site helps me to reach my goals.

Chauncey's Favorite Gym Tracks

Biggie Smalls
"Sky's the Limit"

Maino and T-Pain
"All of the Above"

Eminem and Jay Z
"Renegade"

Lil Wayne
and Bruno Mars
"Mirror"

Contest History

2007 Kentucky Bluegrass Bodybuilding Championship

2007 Kentucky Muscle

2011 Kentucky State Bodybuilding Championship

2011 Kentucky Muscle

2011 NPC Nationals (Miami FL)

2012 NPC Nationals (Atlanta GA)