Carlos: How did you get started with bodybuilding and what influences or who did you look up to growing up in the sport?
Mags: My journey in strength training started really early in life when I was just 14 years old. It began when i found out that the wrestlers in WWF lifted weights in order to look good & wrestle well. I knew that my dad had some old rusty barbells somewhere in the house so I looked for them. I learned how to train with those for a year then convinced my dad to enroll me in a commercial gym because it was a lot safer. I was training for a good three years then I eventually got busy with college, neglected strength training and decided to focus on my college sport which was Fencing. I eventually played for D.L.S.U. in the U.A.A.P. games. It’s funny how I pursued a sport where you needed to be skinny to be advantageous because the bigger and more muscular you get, the easier it becomes for your opponent to hit & beat you. Since that was the case, they discouraged me to do hypertrophy training so I stopped going to the gym totally and just focused on cardiovascular exercises. I eventually finished college and started working in the world of food & beverage.
I asked my fittest friend where to begin & he showed me a YouTube video of how to start a training program & what to eat. I was surprised to see that a lot of the information now was free & that they were very goal specific as well. You can now get almost all the information online for free. Back then, we had to bring our Bodybuilding books & magazines to the gym locker. Since it was now easier to learn online, I went from 1 program to another until I progressed enough that I was now confident that I was fit enough to take the test again & expect better results. I stayed sober as well & avoided going out. Voila, not only did I heal from my sicknesses but I was in perfect health once again.
Carlos: So, with bodybuilding, this year in season versus off-season training, does it differ? What does it look like?
Mags: It does differ, at least for me. I used to just do the same thing over and over again and I realized that it wasn’t the most optimal way to do it. My body easily adapts to what it’s used to and my progress usually plateaus. With this, I realized that 1 of the things I need to focus on is to build my strength during off season instead of focusing on hypertrophy training all year round. So I recently tried to do powerlifting program for several months. I dropped almost everything & just focused on bringing the weight up for the 3 basic conpound lifts (squat, bench & deadlift). And true enough, my strength did increase and it eventually helped me to have better hypertrophy training after. And eventually, of course, have better output.
Carlos: So, what are the key principles that make up your training philosophy? And how did you shape that throughout your years of training? Like, do you have a certain philosophy embedded into your training?
Mags: Well, training used to be very one dimensional for me back when I was starting out. I used to just do the same exercises with specific number of sets & reps. Now I realized that you really have to change things up from time to time when something isn’t working anymore. Basically, try to do it all. And I’m one of those people who give everything a shot. If you invite me to do yoga tomorrow, I’ll do it. If you invite me to do Pilates, I’ll do it. If you invite me to Powerlift, I’ll do it. If you invite me to do CrossFit, I’ll do it. I want to understand every discipline and get the benefits from each. I’ll keep the ones that work & eventually take out the ones that don’t.
Carlos: So if I put up a strongman novice competition next year, would you be willing to go with it?
Mags: Sure. I will surely say yes as long as it is aligned with my other fitness commitments & goals during that period of time.
Carlos: Yes, I can teach you. So, with that being said, since you balance out strength training and hypertrophy in certain periods of time, do you also like to periodize or work up your cardio? How is cardio looking for you?
Mags: Cardio is one of those things that I’m guilty of neglecting. Because the intensity of my workout usually enough to burn enough calories. I push myself to do cardio after my usual training sessions only two months before a show. What I’m doing now on my current prep is just running and swimming, but I extend the length & intensity depending on my target bodyfat percentage & weight.
Carlos: So aside from cardio, what approach do you take into consideration when it comes to your dieting? Do you diet strictly or more flexibly?
Mags: There are a lot of schools of thought here and I’ve tried many different approaches to diet that I now know what I can put up with and what works best for me. Although I usually am flexible most of the year, I believe that sticking to the same food over and over again during prep season is easier because the output is more predictable. For instance, I don’t eat potatoes all year round, I won’t just introduce it to my diet a few weeks out from a show because I wouldn’t be so certain of how my body will respond to it.
Carlos: Well, I don’t like potatoes either so kudos. In regards to dieting, how do you approach your meal timing or your macronutrient breakdowns? Does it change in between prep? Your macros or your meal plan?
Mags: My macros change depending on how fast my progress is. It goes lower the closer I get to a show. If my body fat is still high and my deadline is near, I won’t bring it down in small increments & follow a more drastic approach. Usually my fat % stays the same at 25-30% of my total calories. My protein usually stays the same but goes down a little when I get closer to show day. But my carbohydrates are the ones that I adjust.
Carlos: So like on easy days, would you say lower carb intake and then on harder, more intense days higher carb intake?
Mags: Unfortunately, that’s not the case. If my target, for example is 170 pounds and I’m still 180 pounds 2 weeks out, I will need to bring down the carbs & total calories and increase my cardio. Last year I went as low as 1,200 calories for three weeks because I needed to bring my weight lower with very little time left.
Carlos: That’s tough. It’s very insightful to see it from the point of view of a bodybuilder. That’s so cool.
Mags: You have to always make sure that you are mindful & aware whenever you’re on a calorie deficit. It really affects you physically and even more so mentally. The lack of nutrients affect your emotional well-being. Some people I know fall into depression. I do too so always check up on yourself and make sure that the people around you are aware so they can check on you and give you the support that you need.
Carlos: How do you stay motivated and hungry when you’re literally hungry?
Mags: I drink a lot of water and I really just use my mind to take control of my physical self. I always go back my ‘why’ whenever the going gets tough. I do my best to stay fixated on my goal and why I have to try to reach it no matter what. If your ‘why’ is strong enough, you’ll stay resilient and be able to power through any adversity.
Carlos: So It’s kind of like a point of obsession sometimes.
Mags: Yes it is but I realized that your pain threshold increases the more times you do something hard. My 1st prep was the hardest. The next ones got easier and easier because my pain threshold develops over time.
Carlos: So can you share any mental strategies that you use to break through like mental hurdles?
Mags: Surround yourself with people who are driven because if you’re surrounded by people who have the same goals as you, they’re going to affect every aspect in your life. I see it as energy. They’re going to affect your thought process. And it can really help to be surrounded by people who have the same goals as you and are going through the same experiences.
Carlos: So do you have a team that you’re with or do you have a coach specifically?
Mags: My coach is a good friend of mine. I would like to thank him for all the help he did because at the start, I didn’t even know how to prep properly and I just went on stage in my 1st show after doing OMAD (One Meal A Day) for 2 weeks. I recently went thru some of my old videos and that made me realize how much improvement we’ve made & how patient my coach was. I promise to always keep listening in order for me to keep improving. L
Carlos: Would you say that there is a balance in living a bodybuilding lifestyle?
Mags: There ca be if we try. With what my business sells, it’s hard but it’s not impossible. I sell alcoholic beverages and I believe that in life, balance is always an essential aspect in order to thrive. For me, the reason I prioritize fitness & health now is because I know I can maximize this now. And then, one day in my later years, I won’t I be able to anymore. I can perform better now. I have at most a decade left as a natural bodybuilder. As a natural bodybuilder, my hormones will eventually go down as I get older so I want to maximize it now while my hormones are still on my side.
Carlos: What are your hobbies or interests outside of wine and lifting, if any?
Mags: I do a lot of swimming. Apart from swimming, I do yoga regularly. It really helps with mobility & recovery. But for now, my life pretty much revolves around work & training. That’s pretty much all I do now.
Carlos: So we talked about having bad knees earlier. With regards to recovery, recovery practices, do you have some that you swear by?
Mags: I have a friend who does Trigger Point Therapy. Apart from that, I rely a lot on yoga. For healing, I recommend Yin Yoga. It’s perfect for bodybuilders like me. I also believe that supplementing with collagen is good for your joints & connective tissues. Apart from that, I recommend everyone to get a blood test regularly.
Always consult a professional to interpret the numbers & try to make sure that you’re not micronutrient deficient. You might be okay with your macronutrients, but the micronutrients might not be enough.
Carlos: Speaking of your advice to drink collagen. What advice would you give to aspiring bodybuilders that would like to reach your level of having a pro card in the future? Or share lessons that you’ve learned throughout your journey?
Mags: There’s people who can help you reach your full physicalpotential. That’s important. But the most important is finding your ‘Why’. Why are you doing this? And if your ‘why’ is strong enough, everything becomes more tolerable.
When I was growing up I had Muscle mag, Flex, muscle and fitness. I had maybe 150 magazines. I had posters of these guys on my wall to constantly remind me of what I can aspire to be.
Carlos: In regards to your goal to reach your genetic potential as a natural athlete. What are the other goals that you’re aiming for in bodybuilding-specific accomplishments? Like, for example, I want to win Arnold’s Amateur one day, as a strongman. So, how do you envision your legacy panning out before you…
Mags: I just want to be able to compete internationally. Hopefully, someday I’ll make it to the IFBB Elite sanctioned Arnold Classic in Spain, Europe. If not that, IFBB Mr.Universe would also be a dream competition for me. And if I’m able to join in any of these shows, I believe that it will be enough for me to stop competitive Bodybuilding.
Carlos: Do you have any parting words for people that might be reading this interview or listening to it?
Mags: Well, always ask yourself what you really want. Because life is not really long, so you have to ask yourself what you really want to do. If I only had X amount of time left, this is what I’m going to do, because we’re all only here temporarily. So just go out there, do whatever you want, but just make sure you make the best out of it. If you can find it now, just do it. Just do it. Just go and aspire to reach your full potential. Maybe I’ll have my own gym, right? When you’re in a state of what they call Dharma, time flies, you feel fulfilled, content and happy. Every single day is living a dream and never feels like a chore.
