Athlete profile
Why bodybuilding out of all the sports you could be doing that made you strive for a bodybuilding stage?
Bodybuilding is about discipline, a structured routine and lots of hard work and pushing your body constantly not just in training but in your diet as well. Other sports have this like bodybuilding does. I myself thrive off structure and being able to follow a routine daily bodybuilding has this. What helps is I started training at 13 years old at Terry Holians Health Studio in Doncaster of which I still use plus others. Going through my teenages surrounded by bodybuilders many retired and many still competing, so was always amazed watching them putting in the hard work and seeing their physiques change. It wasn’t till my late 20’s after watching many shows and being at a place where I felt I had the foundations where I knew it was my time to put in the hard work and strive for my place on that bodybuilding stage. With the help and guidance of Steve Johnson as my coach, that we are at a point of me finishing my off season with the prep starting for my very first show being the Nabba North East.
Steve Johnson is well known for getting athletes in amazing shape and has produced numerous champions. The industry is full of prep gurus and coaches, what does Steve have that they dont?
Everyone has heard of Steve Johnson he’s a champion in his own right. Especially with his success of the 2023 season with his multiple wins and placing 2nd in the over 55’s at the Nabba Universe, what a way to retire!! Not forgetting being a judge in multiple federations. This man knows his stuff, he has been in the game that long they were still writing on stone. This and the amazing work he was done with other athletes was a no brainer that Steve was the right choice for a coach! Steve will always put your health first above anything as he says ‘health is wealth’. We know that in bodybuilding this isn’t always a priority with other coaches in the industry. You are always learning if there is anything you don’t understand he will teach you. At Teamtops Coaching you are made to feel part of a family.
Highs and lows can you tell me about these and how you overcome the lows?
The highs of the bodybuilding journey so far is definitely seeing your physique change especially through the off season, with your weight going up on the scales and the PB’s that you get. One that I’m proud of is with seated shoulder press I was stuck at 35kg dumbbells but now we are pressing 45kg DBs for reps. A low point during the journey was having to spend just over a month in hospital back in the early parts of 2023 which did derail plans unexpectedly and set us back abit. However we overcame this with the right support, from family, friends and my coach and just knuckling down knowing that the goal of stepping on stage isn’t going to get handed to you on a plate you’ve got to work for it. Writing goals down in the low point, looking at it and then put the work in and look at what you have achieved already and that is how you overcome having the right mindset helps alot.
What does a typical off season diet look like for you?
So in a short answer alot of food. Training day and rest day diet is different. Training days is generally high protein with high carbs, with my proteins coming from a mix of extra lean red meats in meals 2 and 5. Then chicken and salmon for meals 3 and 4, with whey protein between for extra protein.
Rest day diet consists generally of higher protein and slightly lower carbs – 10 whole eggs on these days. With my proteins generally coming from eggs on meals 1, 2 and 6. Then from chicken on meal 3 and then from fish on meals 4 and 5. With the opportunity for an off plan meal if I want it each week generally on a rest day.
What does a typical prep diet look like for you?
With this being my first ever show prep the diet is going to go change dependant on progress, but it will be high proteins along with a steady reduction in both carbs and fats. Allowing us to hold on to as much muscle gained through the off season as possible.
How many days a week do you train and why choose this split?
I train 4 days per week following a split of Push / Rest / Legs / Rest / Pull / Legs / Rest. So generally there is three rest days per week, with the option of doing 30 minutes cardio on two of these. Which we have kept low for off season. This split has worked wonders for me and has allowed me to get adequate rest between training sessions.
Thomas Haslam
