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Derek Poundstone Pre-Arnold 2012 Interview


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Thought some of you guys might like this, one of my friends got the interview so I can't take credit for it. I thought I'd post it up here as it's likely to remain an unpublished interview. Hope you all enjoy it MF.

 

Poundstone is a busy man. Got married, opened a new gym, training for the Arnold, working full time, doing the Poundstone Power radio show, eating... you get the idea. I asked Derek if I could do a quick interview with him about his Arnold prep. A bit apprehensive at first due to his crazy schedule and my lack of tech savvy (inability to record phone calls, or lack of knowledge on how to do so) he quickly changed his mind and agreed to a quick email interview.

 

He not only does what he does, overcomes injuries, balances a crazy life but also still takes time for the "little guy". He is the best ambassador of the sport hands down. Enough of my yapping, heres the interview with his responses in red:

 

1 - Did you have any direct focus for this years Arnold training? Maybe bringing up a weak point or elaborating on a strong point?

My focus this year was to increase my static lifts when relating to the Arnold (deadlift and overhead press ) to rival the best static lifters in the world.

 

2 - I noticed on Facebook you mentioned that you were hitting several PRs in training the past few weeks. Coming from slightly more of a PLing background we try to peak on the platform rather than the gym. I take it you don't worry about peaking too early?

Peaking too early is a concern of mine, no one said my PR's were max attempts. In the recent YouTube video compilation pay particular attention to the 450 lb log press and 1005 lb reverse band pull, they weren't max effort. Im leaving my best for the competition, I'm pretty sure I will surprise a few people. The weight I've been moving has been insane lately and I have more in the tank.

Me: true. if you notice in the video his 450 log press is quicker and smoother than his 440.

 

 

3 - In the 2 most recent FB pics you posted you are 330 and very lean. Is that conditioning a focus of your training or a side effect of the way you train. Curious since many strength athletes are not as lean? Do you feel this condition will be beneficial in such a short heavy contest?

*For the readers: The Arnold is a 2 day event with brutal weights versus WSM which is 2 weeks long typically with "slightly lighter" events which require more athleticism (relatively speaking of course, they are all heavy!)

The perceived "conditioned" look is not a byproduct of cardio, I did none for the last month. I eat clean, train smart and respect what my body is capable of. The results of my desire to control every variable of what I put in my body and what work I can put out has resulted in my appearance. I find the low bf% helps my recovery. On a side note; I find myself in a sort of no-mans land. Fans of bodybuilding comment on my body fat being to high for their liking and fans of strength give me grief for being lean. I figured after being a professional strength athlete for 8 years now, people would get used to the idea that I'm a leaner athlete.

 

4 - New gym, full time police officer, Poundstone Power Radio, silly internet interviews... you are obviously very busy. How much sleep do you average a night? Do you feel more rest would yield better performance?

At times I go stretches with 4-5 hours a night but I feel best with 7 hours. Unfortunately that's not always possible but I live by the mantra, "no excuses".

 

5 - Diet/Nutrition - Anything new? Your Poundstone shakes became a popular conversation piece. You still drinking those? Calorie estimate per day for Arnold prep? And finally, how were the Birthday cake Oreos? I love Oreos!

The Oreo's are good but its Kristins way of living vicariously through myself. My calories are over 6,000 daily while prepping for te Arnold. What I'm doing different this time around; I've been spending more time working with my coach Thomas Ciaffiglione. He's been a great help since 2005 but now we work together daily plotting my training and food. The best part is he is the manager and was trainer at Poundstone Performance Training Center. We've found that the lessons learned by tweaking my workout have a direct application for the average person that wants to lose body fat and feel better about themselves. To date I've helped 4 average formerly obese guys lose over 100 lbs, I'm working on my 5th client who's down over 70 lbs since Nov 2011 and the most rewarding part is I haven't charged a penny. It's been my way of passing on the knowledge I've learned. These guys never asked for my help, it was just a seamless process. Because of time constraints my current project, his name is Bubba, will be my last. Tom and I are taking this knowledge and using it with out current gym clientele. Interesting enough, all my help has been over email or phone as a consultation and 3 of the guys are long haul truck drivers. This only proves my idea of "high performance living" that anyone can achieve greatness as long as they get the proper knowledge and someone to support them. If you think you're interested in making a change in your life, anything from losing a few lbs, getting in shape or reaching you maximum potential as an athlete, Tom and I can help, call my gym at (203) 721-7066 and leave a message or for you text junkies, text me your info to 505-433-PPWR (7797). We're building te Poundstone Performance website so for now phone and google text are best. Also check out http://www.poundstonepower.com

 

Good Luck Derek! Your always a crowd favorite. Shorter, leaner, overcoming injuries, opening gyms, doing radio shows, etc... your hard guy not to root for. Thanks for your time!

You're to kind. I don't think in a crowd favorite, I just think it's easy to root for all the athletes at this level. We all love what we do and it comes across to the fans.

 

http://muscleandbrawn.com/forums/attachments/appreciation-threads/4055d1330383378-derek-poundstone-appreciation-thread-poundstone.jpg

 

For someone that is weighing 330lb in that photo above, that type of conditioning is simply amazing.

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I just can't take steroid users seriously.........

 

I just can't take supplement users seriously.........

 

I just can't take protein powder users seriously........

 

I just can't take ______ users seriously........

 

 

Yes, most people don't agree with steroid use, but it has been done in the pros for ages now, and it's not likely to stop. Whether he is 'natural' or not (creatine isn't 'natural' by the way, etc., etc.) doesn't affect his training and diet regimen, which I'm sure is strenuous. He is an example of what the human body can do when you throw modern chemical science, genetics, and training into a person. So don't plan on hitting those lifts at that body weight, but you can still learn about training and technique and also just watch the dude lift really heavy crap.

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I just can't take steroid users seriously.........

It is what it is.

 

Even without any chemical assistance, this guy would be right at the top of the pile in terms of strength. It's just like the icing on the cake ~ and everyone is 'on' at that level which means at least it's a level playing field.

 

I always said the day that I try a steroid cycle is the day I start eating meat haha

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I just can't take steroid users seriously.........

 

Fair enough, but that pretty well means that you'll need to not take pretty most all professional athletes in common (and also in uncommon) sports very seriously. Most major sports are riddled with steriod use, all the way from baseball to swimming to track athletics to MMA to long distance cycling and beyond, it won't be easy to find anything in the arena of traditional (read: non-X Games stuff) sport that hasn't been dominated by people who are using anabolics/androgens, blood doping drugs, etc. for increased performance. That's just the reality, and I don't believe we're ever going to see that change. As long as there's money, endorsements and glory to be had, people will ALWAYS find a way to get an edge over the competition in any manner possible.

 

I agree with Fallen_Horse, even if you're not interested in how someone trains when they're on something you're not (giving them perks you won't be enjoying to the same degree), there's still something to be enjoyed by watching them at their best, not to mention you can still learn something from them even if you take the clean route!

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I just can't take steroid users seriously.........

 

Fair enough, but that pretty well means that you'll need to not take pretty most all professional athletes in common (and also in uncommon) sports very seriously. Most major sports are riddled with steriod use, all the way from baseball to swimming to track athletics to MMA to long distance cycling and beyond...

Completely true. My wifes cousin is a Professional triathlete, she was at Beijing in 2008 and she's been selected for the London Olympics again this year. I know firsthand what goes on at that level ~ from triathlon, girls hockey, even the race walkers !! I bet out of all of the athletes that are competing at the Olympics you could count on both your hands the amount that are genuinely, 100% drug free.

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