Page 43 - NGA NATURALmag 2018 SPRING-SUMMER Issue

Teen Machines
Spring-Summer 2018
RICHaRD SaaD
Hometown: Education:
Current Age: Competition Age: Age: coMpetitionS
Greenville SC
J L
Mann
College of Charleston 22
19
NGA NGA Red Rose City Classic
NGA NGA State College East Coast Championships
clASSeS
Bodybuilding Open Middleweight Junior Divisions
inSpiRAtion
I I started working out while I I was a a a a a a swimmer in in in in high school for YSSC Spar Aquatics and fell in in in in love with weight lifting When I I I got to to college I I I devoted myself to to bodybuilding and school I I I started train- ing ing for for my my first competition one year before the show and went from 155 lbs lbs to 172 lbs lbs stage weight For the last four years I have been been guided by John Defendis who was Mr USA in in in 1988 He has been been a a a a a a a a tremendous influence in in in in in my my life both on on and and off stage He helped me me land my my my first personal training job shortly after I won my my NGA PRO Card at at 19
years old John has always encouraged me to stay natural why did you chooSe the ngA?
Kennett Washington helped me to to to to decide to to to to compete in in in fin in the NGA after I I reached out to to to to to to to him trying to to to to find shows Also I I knew that in in fin in in order to to to to be able to to to to compete on a a a a a a a a a level playing field with other natural athletes I had to improve my body yearly why nAtuRAl?
I chose to to stay natural because it allows me to to show my clients as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist what they they can achieve as as as long as as as they they train hard and and eat the the the right things I I love when someone looks at at at what I’m I’m doing and and and thinks it’s impossible without drugs and and then I’m I’m able to say that my results are an an an outcome of the the work I’ve put in in since I I I I was 15 years old I I I I feel like I I I I can also lead by example to to others my age who are vulnerable and tempted to to try PED’s I can show them them what’s pos- sible without them them Also being natural helps me me to to prove the the doubters wrong and this drives me me to to work hard in all areas of my life tougheSt pARt oF coMpeting
The hardest part is having to to zone in in in and say no to to the social aspects of life Bodybuilding can can be a a a a a a a a a a selfish sport and during prep you you can’t eat or or do things because they may may may affect your results Even if a a a a a a a a a a a a food may may may be be healthy it fit still may may may not fit into a a a a a a a a a a a a prep diet and and having to to to to explain that to to to to others is difficult and and and exhausting School helped me me to to to stay busy while I was prepping and and this made the the time go by quickly Towards the the the end staying focused on school and the the prep was hard but my profes- sors gave me me me some leeway that helped tremen- dously Overall the prep was enjoyable because I had a a a a a a a a a a a clear goal and didn’t let anything get in in my way how do you bAlAnce eveRything?
It was difficult to balance everything I I lived with my best friends in in in in a a a a a a a a dorm at the the time and and they were were also into bodybuilding and and and were were sup- portive School was tough to to to to keep up up with and and I had to to to have good time management My program doesn’t incorporate cardio because of of the the high volume/intensity of of the the weight training so I didn’t have to schedule more than one workout each day and this helped NGA NATURALmag
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