IFBB Pro Evan Centopani Q&A

[Gabri]

You sound like you yourslef are pretty level-headed; avoiding the gear and what not. I applaud you for this. You don't know how many kids who I assume are still in high school approach me and start to talk about bodybuilding and training and then, ultimately it becomes apparent that all they really want to know about is gear. This agravates me. You hit the nail on the head when you said "really feel that if you're not getting failry big while drug-free, steroids aren't going to do much at all as there are genetic limitations and other aspects (poor diet, sleep, etc) that limit the help steroids provide. " That is in fact 100% true. If you are not getting results WITHOUT them, then what does that say about what your prosepective results WITH them? Doesn't look good. This should be taken as a sign. I remember one time my dad saying "you can't make chicken soup out of chicken shit". And that's true. If your training is bad, your nutrition is less than optimal, and you have bad habits outside of the gym that contradict the bodybuilding lifestyle, it doesn't matter what you put in your body. Another vey intelligent notion which I was glad to hear you mention is waiting as long as possible and then still having the option at a later time to us or not use the gear. Simply put, the farther you get without it, you're going to be that much further along with it. Through proper nutrition, training and lifestyle it is definite possible to achieve results comparable or in some cases better than those of someone who is on the gear. Then what happens if you decide to add it? You then have the potential to easily surpass those who were comparable to you. The best advice I can give is to wait as long as possible and master your training and nutrition first and ride out the benefits of your own hormones. I'm glad you posted this question, you sound like a smart kid. Good luck.

Great post...

[Billy Guns]

when you gonna put up a website evan???

[Evan Centopani]

Evan, I know Dave advocates an extremely low carb (around 30g/day) high protein/fat approach for precontest nutrition with the occasional carb meal to "put a little gas in the tank". I have tried this approach myself with success but it takes time to get used to it initially because the brain and body has to metabolically switch from carb burining to fat burning. Do you ever use this method or do you follow a more conventional moderate carb diet that cycles?

I know what you mean about the transition being kinda rough. However, a lot of that can be mental simply because it's been driven into our minds that carbs are the body's ultimate energy source and without them we get stupid and lethargic. I don't believe that. I am walking proof that carbs are NOT essential for energy. Getting ready for the nationals, I went 10 weeks no carbs with one cheat meal per week. Honestly, I felt fine training with weights for an hour / day and doing 1.5 hours cardio / day. I feel, after trying Dave's approach, that fats are an awesome energy source and they also prevent the roller coaster that rising and falling blood sugar levels can create. In my opinion THAT is what zaps your energy. Ever had an insulin spike after eating a very glucemic food? THAT's what will make you feel tired and lethargic.

[Evan Centopani]

when you gonna put up a website evan???

That is a main priority for me right now. You guys can expect something within the next month. It's gonna be good.

[chuckattude]

Hey Evan
I was curios, what kind of training do you follow?? i.e. high volume/low volume or in between...

Thanks Evan

[Evan Centopani]

Hey Evan
I was curios, what kind of training do you follow?? i.e. high volume/low volume or in between...

Thanks Evan

My training has always been more towards high volume. However, I'm finding that the more developed I get and the more experinced I get, I am able to sufficiently train different muscle groups with less sets/ spending less time. I have also found that with more muscle mass and development, the potential to overtrain becomes greater. It's defintely a balancing act and involves being the best judge of your own body. You knwo how when you are training you reach a point in your workout where your pump is maximal and then you begin to flatten? I try not to train too far past that point. I hope this helps.

[chuckattude]

I re-read your tris workout here on the home page. and it looks like you do about 16 sets... is that typical?? i use to do 15 set but wnt down to 12 sets.... I'm a huge fan of Jay Cutler.. so, i follow his training style a lot. I don't get as pumper up with the lower volume tho but somedays I do..

[combat_potato]

Damn, I have to say I'm impressed. It seems like you put a great deal of thought into all your posts and really care about your fans. You are exactly what this sport needs. You earned yourself another fan, which (by the way you are) will be one of many.

Anyway, I do have some questions. Lately I've been taking an approach that seems similar to what you and Dave do. I am consuming a good deal of protein and fats with very little carbohydrates. I agree that this is certainly a viable and safe way to shed some extra pounds. Anyway I have been dying for some chocolate, Nutella (hazelnut chocolate) to be exact. My question is: What do you crave on low carb? What do you crack open immediately after your competitions?

Finally, I intend on doing my first competition this coming summer. I'm looking at the NPC Fox Cities in Appleton, WI. My only issue thus far is posing. I have a hell of a time presenting my physique. I was wondering what you learned from your trip into a top national competitor. Are there any tips or tricks you have for nailing any poses?

CP

[chuckattude]

I second that....

[Sandpig]

I second that....

Agreed. I really appreciate the time and thought you put into your answers, and I have learned quite a bit from this thread.

Especially about diet.

Thanks and good luck, Al.

Hey, where is Trumbull?

I'm originally from Providence and my father in law lives in Haddam, CT. That's over by middletown off of Route 9.

[Evan Centopani]

I re-read your tris workout here on the home page. and it looks like you do about 16 sets... is that typical?? i use to do 15 set but wnt down to 12 sets.... I'm a huge fan of Jay Cutler.. so, i follow his training style a lot. I don't get as pumper up with the lower volume tho but somedays I do..

I would say that for me 4 exercises x 4 sets each totalling 16 sets is fairly typicall. There may be some more sets to finish things off if I feel I need it.

[Evan Centopani]

Combat Potato: Thanks man I appreciate it. I really enjoy responding to the questions that my fans have. Craving Nutella huh? My first time dieting with Dave's method I was craving everything and on my cheat meals I would go pretty crazy. I feasted on Nutella and pretzels before. What else did I crave? Anything with carbs pretty much. The second time around for the Nationals, I think my body was more balanced (inside) and my cravings were almost nonexistent. They say that craving are a sign that your body is out of balance. I made sure to eat a ton of things such as spinach, green beans, alfalfa sprouts etc and I seriously believ they reduced my cravings. In my mind high quality fats, proteins, and good fresh green veggies will have you feeling pretty good. Greens oxygenate, cleanse, and build your blood. The better your blood chemistry, the better you look and feel. When I did have my weekly cheat meal dieting for the nationals it would usually consist of my normal meal with the addition of some rice and maybe a desert. A bowl of oatmeal with bananas and pumkin pie spice did the trick for me. I would cheat but in a good way. You have to listen to your body though. Sometimes you need shitty food like something from the Diner to kick start your metabolism. I usually don't feel my body needs it and if I go overboard on that meal I'll feel too crappy and regret it.

[Evan Centopani]

Sandpig- Trumbull is in Fairfield county right next to Bridgeport. It's about an hour from Haddam.

[Steve56]

Hey whats up Evan...you have been awesome responding to all the questions man its great to see guys like yourself in the sport... i have a question about your back training im not sure if you answered this already but do you deadlift on a regular basis and if you do are they full deads from the floor or do you do partials? thanks big guy and have a happy and healthy new year

[1400total]

Evan, when I read the first article profile about you in MD I could relate to fact that as a teen you put weight on quick, but were somewhat chubby. I have a metabolism like that, and it was like that through high school. Made dieting for shows difficult. I'm now older and wiser. Do you feel that a person who puts on weight easily (but mostly fat), is indication that they are more sensitive to carbs, and should try a low carb diet?
Also, I have a 14 year old son who is chubby, who I would like to see get in better shape. I lift at home (I have a nice free weight home gym set up, with various cardio equipment as well). He never was interested in lifting with me, but now he is taking a weight training class at school and wants to get in shape. Is a low carb diet for someone that young ok, or should it just be a more tradditional lower calorie diet?

Thanks

[Evan Centopani]

Hey whats up Evan...you have been awesome responding to all the questions man its great to see guys like yourself in the sport... i have a question about your back training im not sure if you answered this already but do you deadlift on a regular basis and if you do are they full deads from the floor or do you do partials? thanks big guy and have a happy and healthy new year

It's awesome to see people enthusiastic about bodybuilding; that's what inspires me. I ALWAYS deadlift. Going into the Nationals I was doing them twice per week; once on back day and once with hamstrings. I always do them off the floor 'cause I never really liked partials. I always felt like partial anything only equated to partial development. Maybe that's narrow-minded of me but that's been my reasoning so far. On back day I focus more on the squeeze at the top and pulling my shoulders back. For hamstrings I try to focus on pulling with my hamstrings and glutes and not bending my knees. I sometimes switch up on the stance depending I how I feel/ what I think is needed. A Happy New Year to you too.

[Evan Centopani]

Evan, when I read the first article profile about you in MD I could relate to fact that as a teen you put weight on quick, but were somewhat chubby. I have a metabolism like that, and it was like that through high school. Made dieting for shows difficult. I'm now older and wiser. Do you feel that a person who puts on weight easily (but mostly fat), is indication that they are more sensitive to carbs, and should try a low carb diet?
Also, I have a 14 year old son who is chubby, who I would like to see get in better shape. I lift at home (I have a nice free weight home gym set up, with various cardio equipment as well). He never was interested in lifting with me, but now he is taking a weight training class at school and wants to get in shape. Is a low carb diet for someone that young ok, or should it just be a more tradditional lower calorie diet?

Thanks

This is an awesome question and I'd be gald to put my two cents in. Let's start from the beggining. I am a big believer in the notion that certain people are genetically predisposed to utilizing different macronutrients more efficiently/effectively than others. While some may burn through carbs (glucose) like crazy, others may be more likely to store them as they are not their ideal enrgy source. I believe that, generally speaking, you break people down into three groups:
A. Those who look and feel better on a higher protein/ higher fat diet
B. Those who look and feel better on a higher protein/ higher carb diet
C. Those who can eat whatever the hell they want and look and feel great.
I myself am not fortunate enough to fall into group c. I have learned that a high protein and fat diet works very well for me. I do in fact believe that the tendency to put on weight very easily is most likely (unless there is some other type of metabolic condition such as a weak thyroid) due to one's insulin response to the food they eat. Now, the thing to understand for the sake of your question and how this may relate to your son is that he may simply not be eating correctly for his body type.
But before you go switching up yours or his diet dramatically, I will say this. Carbohydrate ingestion is, in my eyes, only a problem if A. they are eliciting a drastic insulogenic response that is telling your/his body to just start storing calories or B. they are simply a source of excess calories. Assuming that they are not a source of excess calories, you may want to consider a couple of things first. 1. supplement yor diet with a good fish oil supplement. Omega 3s will sharpen your insulin sensitivity therefore reducing the amount of insulin your body will manufacture. Less insulin = less calorie storage. 2. stick to carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. Barley, lentils, old fashioned oats, quinoa all have a low glycemic index and will digest slowly. Slower digesting carbs = no blood sugar spikes = no insulin spikes = you don't get fat!
You could consider a low carb diet for your son but I don't know that I would recomend it. I would advocate low calorie either. At 14 he's growing and needs PLENTY of food. It just has to be the right stuff. If he naturally opted for a high protein and fat diet and shyed away from carbs then I would say his body is telling him what it wants and to roll with it. Regardless, the first thing I would do is make sure there is no crap in the house; no chips, cakes, pies, packaged or processed foods. If it's there he'll eat it. Stick to the maxim that if you can't pick it or kill it don't eat it. This usually solves a lot of problems off the bat. Be sure to incorporate sufficient essential fatty acids into his diet as these will help with fat buring and serve as a good energy source and basis for healthy hormone production. High quality proteins are a must and I would give some low glycemic carbs a shot before cutting them out. He needs good food. While I am a true believer that some people function better on different macronutrients than on others, we should all be able to process carbs, proteins, and fats with no problem and look good doing it. Just pick the right ones.