Vital Stats
Name: Eric Brawley
Bodyspace:
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Eric Brawley Before: |
Eric Brawley After: |
Why I Got Started
My main goal was to get in shape, better my life, and train for high school sports. I began with no previous experience in bodybuilding or fitness. I knew I was unhappy with myself and my performance.
I wanted to begin playing football but I lacked the strength and stamina to do so. I began researching how to regain my life and undo the previous lifestyle I once had. I knew that getting in shape would provide the confidence and athleticism I wanted.
When I began I didn't know a carb from a clean 'n jerk, so I poured over countless articles and papers to educate myself. For my 16th birthday I didn't receive a clothes or video games, I got my own home gym.
From there, I used the transformations and inspirational stories from Bodybuilding.com as motivation and trained hard, applying the concepts and principles I had learned to my everyday life.
Hey Optimus Prime, there's a new transformer in town, and his name is Eric.
How I Did It
I received a home gym, researched diets and exercise programs and worked around that! I would do different programs that gave the best "feel" and were most comfortable to me. I think being stagnant and unchanging is detrimental to progress; you need to see what your body adapts to and work with it.
The nutrition came naturally, after years of bad habits, eating healthy had a major and immediate effect. I saw that the combination of nutrition, exercise and lifestyle, plus time gave the simple formula for results. There were no tricks, just time and effort with consistency leading to constant progress.
With things improving weekly, how could I ever stop or turn back?
Who'd walk away from a body like this?
Supplements
I only use supplements to do what the name implies: supplement part of my lifestyle. I don't think supplements can excuse a poor diet, training program or lifestyle, but they can aid you.
For example, if I didn't eat many protein rich foods, I will take protein powder. If I didn't get a broad, diverse, range of nutrients for the day I will take a multivitamin. If I didn't eat any Omega-3 rich foods, I will take a fish oil capsule.
The supplements I use are:
Morning & Before Bed:
-
Now Adam
1 softgel
Morning & Post Workout:
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NOW Omega 3 Softgel 180 EPA / 120 DHA
1 cap
-
SciFit Prota-Lyn
1 scoop
Pre Workout:
-
SciFit Caffeine
1 capsule (200 mg)
-
NOW Green Tea Extract
1 cap
Before Bed:
-
Higher Power Casein
1 scoop
Diet
Diet can be tricky at first. To lose weight is difficult for me because my body naturally holds on to weight, whether it be fat, muscle, or water. However, I played around with different programs and techniques.
I have found that simple healthy eating works well to get in shape, but the best bodybuilding diet plan for me is a high protein/low carbohydrate scheme. It preserves muscle for me, and cuts off cravings and lethargy.
To gain mass is simple for me. I eat as much as I want, of healthy carbohydrate and protein rich foods, until I am no longer hungry. As long as I keep workout intensity up, I gain minimal fat and put on bulk quickly.
There is no typical bulking plan but a cutting plan usually goes like:
Meal 1:
-
Whey protein with almond milk
1 scoop protein, 8 oz milk
-
Peanut butter
2-3 tbsp
Meal 2:
-
tuna with mayonnaise
1 can, 1 tbsp
-
chicken
4-6 oz
Meal 3:
-
omelet
4-6 eggs, 1/4 cup cheese, 2-4 slices turkey bacon
-
mixed vegetables (spinach, broccoli, kale)
2-4 oz
Meal 4:
-
turkey burger with mayonnaise or cheese
4-8 oz, 1 tbsp, 1 slice
-
fish (kippers, salmon, or sardines)
1 can
Meal 5:
-
casein protein with heavy cream or almond milk
1 scoop, 2 tbsp, 8 oz
-
almond, hazelnut or peanut butter
2-3 tbsp
-
vegetable soup (mixed vegetables such as spinach, kale, carrots, tomatoes, onions)
1 medium bowl
Training
I don't have a specific, precise, training program. Sometimes I will interchange workouts, change up schemes and reps or forego certain exercises for others based on how I am feeling the day.
However the intensity and form remain consistent and I simply go with the flow for what's best for me to keep my progress constant and avoid injury. I do not have access to a commercial gym so I only can do a limited range of exercises, but I encourage those with access to free weights and machines to use what's best for them (and it's usually a combination of both free range and machines).
Day 1: Back
Pullups
10 sets of 10 reps
Chin-Up
5 sets of 10 reps
Bent Over Barbell Row
5 sets of 8-12 reps
Barbell Shrug
5 sets of 10 reps
Day 2: Shoulders
Standing Military Press
4 sets of 10 reps
Side Lateral Raise
6 sets of 8-15 reps
Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise
6 sets of 8-12 reps
Front Dumbbell Raise
5 sets of 10-15 reps
Day 3: Arms/Abs
Hammer Curls
3 sets of 15 reps
Concentration Curls
3 sets of 15 reps
Front Plate Raise
4 sets of 1 min holds, each arm
Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench
4 sets of 10 reps
Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension
3 sets of 10 reps
Lying Triceps Press
3 sets of 10 reps
Side Bridge
5 sets of 50 sec holds
Hanging Leg Raise
5 sets of 10 reps
Decline Crunch
3 sets of 10 reps
weighted
Day 4: Chest
Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip
5 sets of 7-12 reps
Superset:
Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
2 sets of 10 reps
on incline bench
Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press
2 sets of 10 reps
on incline bench
Incline Dumbbell Flyes
4 sets of 10 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press
4 sets of 10 reps
Day 5: Legs
Barbell Squat
6 sets 1-12 reps
Standing Calf Raises
5 sets of 10 reps
Days 6 and 7: Rest
Suggestions for Others
My number one suggestion is to forget about the intricacies of bulking, cutting, nutrient profiles, "good carbs," "bad carbs," phytochemicals, and all the technical stuff no one truly understands fully. Instead, just lift smart, lift consistently, and lift heavy.
Even if you don't want to, go to the gym when you need to. Even if it's only for 30 minutes and you don't have an intense session, even if you only use the small pink girl dumbbells, just lift. Because consistency, even with lesser, shorter workouts, beats intensity a few weeks a year.
You don't want to be an "I'll do it tomorrow" type of person. After working out becomes second nature and not something you plan out the whole day, the diet, intensity and progress will naturally follow.
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