Breaking
Status Fitness Magazine
Ad
Ad
Ad
Author

Rodney Jang

Browsing
Cover Models

SUSIE WOFFENDEN

By
Living a fitness lifestyle is a real balance. If you have ever wondered what it takes to create a world-class fitness physique and run your own business, then you should get to know this issue’s Status Fitness Magazine Cover model…..

Susie, congratulations on all your success on the WBFF world stage.  What has this experience been like for you?
Competing with The WBFF has been such a positive and rewarding experience for me. The support network amongst the Pro family is incredible and the collective energy when we all meet together for the World Championships each year is something very special. I have now competed on the World Pro stage three times, making a top 5 placement each year. Each event is unique and unforgettable. It is a very humbling experience to stand next to the fitness models who inspired me to first compete and to now share the stage with some of my best friends and the biggest names in the fitness industry. Each one of us has a fierce competitive spirit on stage, but we are divas competing only against ourselves. The love and support transcend from the top and are very present amongst competitors, this is what makes The WBFF so unique.

You have evolved your physique every year. How do you do this?
My passion for competing represents personal progression. Each time I step on stage, I want to showcase my improvements and bring a fresh and new look to the stage. Fitness has become my lifestyle and I train consistently all year round. I work hard in my off-season to bring improvements and always have a clear vision of where I want to take my physique. I am never afraid of pushing myself to achieve everything possible at one given point in time. I am very proud of what I have accomplished to date but I always know that each year, my foundations become stronger and the best is yet to come.

I WANT TO SHOWCASE MY IMPROVEMENTS AND BRING A FRESH AND NEW LOOK TO THE STAGE.

What is it like running your own business in the fitness industry?
My career has historically been rooted in advertising and marketing. I worked agency side for many years and most recently combined my passion for fitness by moving client-side to launch lululemon fitness clothing brand in the UK. It was a role that really furthered my business and operational skills as well as grounding me in my own goals. I became clear in creating a legacy around inner empowerment using fitness as a catalyst and sharing my own experience to inspire others. It sparked a fire inside of me to start my own business that I could not ignore. Earlier this year I launched my own brand StrengthWithin and I’m working alongside a number of clients 1:1 and online around the world to achieve their goals. It is by far the most challenging project I have taken on but also the most rewarding. It takes a lot of time and dedication to set up effective business systems and to juggle investment with financial return however when you create a career from your passion, it never feels like work. It’s a blessing and a lifestyle that I could never change now.

IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND DEDICATION TO SET UP EFFECTIVE BUSINESS SYSTEMS AND TO JUGGLE INVESTMENT WITH FINANCIAL RETURN HOWEVER WHEN YOU CREATE A CAREER FROM YOUR PASSION, IT NEVER FEELS LIKE WORK.

What are your fitness goals?
To keep progressing and challenging myself in different areas of fitness. I do not focus on sport-specific training but I do incorporate a lot of variety into my training. Gaining strength to improve aesthetics is always the foundation of my training but keeping balanced feminine proportions is absolute key. It’s what has inspired me and what I want to continue to represent to inspire others.
Personal goal?
One of the things I love about competing with The WBFF is being able to bring my sense of style to the stage. I love creating new trends and always work very closely with my designers. I have a strong sense of style and was actively involved in providing feedback to the design team during my time at lululemon. I am passionate about creating my own line of activewear that has all the technical specifications to perform during workouts but also does not look out of place transitioning from street to evening socials. I’ve gained quite a reputation for my footwear so again reinventing performance trainers with my own unique and signature style will definitely form part of my own StrengthWithin activewear range.

What advice do you have for aspiring fitness models?
Invest wisely in a range of portfolio images that represent you as a brand. Choose photographers wisely and do not jump at any opportunity to shoot where you have no control over the images. Working with the right photographers can really open the doors with a number of brands and commercial opportunities. I have learnt invaluable knowledge from working with experienced photographers and which played a key role in helping form and shape my own brand positioning.

WORKING WITH THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHERS CAN REALLY OPEN THE DOORS WITH A NUMBER OF BRANDS AND COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES.

What does it mean to you to grace the cover of Status Fitness Magazine?
It has always been an ultimate goal to achieve an international cover shot and I could not wish for this dream to come true in collaboration with a more highly regarded and industry-recognized publication as Status magazine. It is a true honor to be featured alongside the biggest names in fitness and my own inspirations who have also graced the covers. I have been following Status magazine since I started competing in 2013 and it’s always provided such educational content and valuable knowledge. Status magazine remains true and reliable, generating mass appeal from the discerning fitness enthusiast through to professional athletes across multiple disciplines. I have always been inspired by the stories I have read from the featured athletes and there is no greater sense of reward to now have the opportunity to share and inspire others myself.

Name 4 things people don’t know about you.
-I’m a science geek at heart… I spent 3 years studying Chemistry at university before entering a career in advertising and marketing.

-I’ve been lucky enough to travel to some remote corners of the world… cycling across the Himalayan peaks to Everest Base Camp and kayaking down the Antarctica peninsula.

-Growing up I was not a sporty child at school but I did have a fearless mindset that took me into competitive ski racing for my university.

-I’ve always been fascinated with whales and had the opportunity to swim with humpback whales in Tonga and observe the unique stranding behaviour of Orca whales in Patagonia.

QUICK ANSWERS
Fav city?
Los Angeles

Fav Activity?
Dumbbell weight training

Occupation?
Fitness and lifestyle coach

Craziest thing you have done?
Skydiving over Namibia sand dunes

Fav supplement?
Reflex Nutrition Creapure Creatine powder

One obscurity about you?
My hypermobility makes me as bendy as I am strong!

What do you like in a man?
Hard work and ethics

What you dislike in a man?
Small calves(!)

Relationship status?
Single

Fav body part on a man?
Chest

Fav on women?
Glutes

Favorite motivation quotes?
To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise, we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear ~ Buddha

The body achieves what the mind believes.

Don’t dream of winning, train for it.

Keep Reading
By
Cover Models

NICOLE COSTA

By
Bikini and Fitness Model Champion Nicole Costa

When an aspiring fitness model enters into the fitness industry, the most common goals are to do well in fitness competitions, get published in fitness magazines, sign with a quality sports nutrition company, and perhaps break into mainstream media advocating the importance of a healthy lifestyle. In order to achieve these goals, you need to be a very special, talented, and driven person. That is exactly who Status Fitness Magazine’s cover model is – Nicole Costa.

Nicole is the Miss Bikini Universe champion of 2004 and an NPC national-level physique competitor. She has graced numerous fitness magazine covers including Oxygen, and now Status Fitness Magazine.

“Nicole is one of the nicest people I have met in the fitness industry. She is always smiling and friendly regardless if she’s competing or not. When we had a chance to work together on this cover I knew it would be one of the easiest shoots I would do. You know how some models make every photographer look good? Nicole is definitely one of those models. The moment I opened up her photo set to select photos for submission to Status Fitness I realized something I had never before experienced. She didn’t need any editing. In fact, when Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang contacted me with his final selection for cover, I opened the photo in PhotoShop, looked it over, and closed it. There was nothing I could do to make it look better. That hasn’t happened before or since. Awesome working with you Nicole. Thanks for making my life so easy.”

Status Fitness had the opportunity to catch up with the stunning and equally charming Nicole Costa.

Nicole, you are seen as one of the most beautiful fitness and bikini models in the industry today. To what do you attribute your success? Wow! Thanks, Rodney! I attribute the majority of my success to my determination.  My motto as a fitness model and in life in general is: If you want something, don’t wish for it, work for it! I promised myself a long time ago that I wasn’t going to just talk about the things I wanted to do in life, but better yet adhere to my goals and try my absolute hardest to make them happen! I feel so blessed!

When did you start competing in fitness events? What do you enjoy most about competing?
I won my very first fitness modeling competition in April of 2005.  I’ve been hooked ever since.  What I think I love most about competing is all the people I have had the opportunity to meet from around the world and the common bond we all share as fellow competitors.  Even if we don’t speak the same language, we understand each other simply through the recognition of what we’ve all been through to get on that stage!  We have a lot of respect for each other and I love that!

I understand you just competed in the WBFF World Championship Fitness show. What was it like and how did you do it?
Haaahhahahaha!!!! Clearly, someone lied to me and told me I was Victoria’s Secret model on the runway that day.  The kicker is that my mom was the first one to tell me and I didn’t believe her….until you made fun of me!!!! LOVE IT!!!

What drives you to continue to step on the competition stage? 
Besides the fact that it’s a great way to stay motivated and in shape, I simply just have so much love and respect for the sport.  Competing fulfills that part of me that loves a good challenge.  When I’m sitting around my friends drinking iced water 3 weeks before a competition while they’re eating nachos and sipping on margaritas, the thought pops into my head “Why the heck am I doing this to myself?” That question always answers itself the second I step on that stage!  There is no better feeling than knowing you’ve worked so hard and have made it to the finish line.  It’s a testament to your dedication not only as a competitor but as a person.  I guess you’ll never fully understand unless you’ve actually been through it! I learn something new about myself every time I train for a show!

When you are not on stage you work as a school teacher.  What is that like? How do your colleagues and students react to you when you are preparing for a show? I imagine they become a little disappointed when a substitute teacher fills in for you! 
I try to keep my personal life as private as possible when at school.  Sometimes it’s hard to do, especially when a student goes to the grocery store and sees me on the cover of a magazine…LOL, but they do think it’s REALLY cool. I’ve actually had parents come in and ask me to autograph their magazines.  The message that I hope I send out as a fitness model/competitor is that anyone can do this.  You don’t have to be a supermodel to be healthy and in shape.  I have a regular job just like most people.  It’s all about choices, establishing a routine, preparing for the day ahead, and being consistent.

You are clearly making an impact in the fitness competitions, evident by all your magazine covers and spokesmodel endorsements. What does it mean for you to sign with and represent a sports nutrition supplement leader like ALLMAX?
I can’t say enough about ALLMAX.  I couldn’t handpick a better nutrition company to represent.  I think it’s funny when spokes models claim to live by their nutrition company’s products but in reality, do not even use them.  They just take the pictures for the money or exposure.  I feel so lucky because when you see me in those ads for ALLMAX, the smile is real, people!  I truly do use so many of their products and I kid you not when I say they are the best of the best!  Not only are the products great but the people behind the brand are some of the greatest people I have had the opportunity to meet!

What products do you take personally that help create and maintain your world-renowned, amazingly fit physique?
What don’t I take is the question…LOL.  Most of the products I take can be found at allmaxnutrition.com Trust me when I tell you it’s worth every penny: RAPIDCUTS FEMME, the new AMINCORE (I love LEUTOR but the stick pack is delicious!), Glutamine, ISOFEMME, and ISOFLEX protein powder, CLA90, BCAA, fiber, vitamin C, ground flaxseed, and lecithin are some of the products I take during competition season or even afterward. Oh and Chocolate Chip Cookies. No? Okay fine! ☺

Let’s switch over to training. I’m sure our readers are very interested in your training regime. You have a great balance of lean muscle mass and curvy sex appeal! What does a typical training week look like for you?
Well, training during competition season is a lot more intense, to say the least.  I have to give A LOT of credit to my amazing trainer and fellow Allmax brother Andre Rzazewski.  He is brilliant!  I am currently in the best shape I have ever been in thanks to him! Andre has me doing everything from full-body circuit workouts to yoga, plyometrics, isolation movements, cardio, and everything in between.  He even makes me walk backward on a treadmill.  Haha! Gotta love it! If you’re looking for a great trainer, do contact him!

You did an exclusive photoshoot for Status with David Ford. What was it like to shoot with David? What advice do you give to up-and-coming fitness models when looking to shoot with photographers?
David Ford! What can I say, the man is brilliant. Remarkable, both as a photographer and as a person to say the least!  He made me feel so comfortable.  It was like I had known him for years!  He is so humble and down to earth…I’m a big fan!  Advice that I would give to up-and-coming fitness models is to first decide what magazines you would like to be published in, find out who the major photographers are for those particular mags, and try to contact them.  The worst that can happen is that they say no!  If that’s the case, keep trying until they say YES! The industry is not going to come to you.  You have to put yourself out there and make yourself seen.

Status is producing its Super Fitness Model calendar with TC Chang. You recently shot with TC for the Calendar. What do you think of the Calendar and what does it mean to you to be selected to be featured in it?  
The one word I think of when I think of TC Chang and the Status Fitness Model Calendar is “Colossal.” It’s a BIG deal.  I sort of comparing it to a beauty pageant contestant being chosen to represent her country in the Miss Universe Pageant.  It’s the best of the best condensed into the greatest calendar that the fitness industry has EVER seen.  What an honor!

What does it mean for you to grace the cover of Status Fitness Magazine?
No words can really describe this for me.  It serves as proof that your dreams and goals in life really can come true if you work hard enough.  As corny as that sounds, I never thought in a million years I would be where I am today.  It’s times like this where I wish my vocabulary and ability to express my thoughts were greater.  Thankful, blessed, and accomplished are words that only begin to express what this means to me.  All I can say is THANK YOU!

Please share any last thoughts for your fans and the Status Fitness Magazine readers.
I can’t say it enough.  You only have one life.  Be productive, be the best YOU can be. Stay focused, positive, and driven for success. I do want to thank my family, husband, friends, and fans for always supporting me.  I would be nothing without them!

Who taught you your famous “horse walk” when competing on stage?  JK  LOL.
Haaahhahahaha!!!!  Clearly, someone lied to me and told me I was Victoria’s Secret model on the runway that day.  The kicker is that my mom was the first one to tell me and I didn’t believe her….until you made fun of me!!!! LOVE IT!!!

Keep Reading
By
Featured Models

BENNY BENAROCH

By

I started weight training at the age of 15 and I did my first bodybuilding competing at the age of 16. Since then, I’ve competed in over 10 shows, winning first place multiple times and competing at the national level. I’ve also been published in 4 fitness magazines, 1 of them being Status magazine and 12 of them that were international. I’ve been working in the Fitness Industry for over 10 years and recently got voted 2nd best Personal Trainer in all of Montreal. I’ve worked with hundreds of local individuals in addition to those across the world, through my online coaching system. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with celebrities such as former NFL superstar Larry Johnson.

Keep Reading
By
Articles

STATUS FITNESS MAGAZINE ADDS MASTER TRAINER ADAM BONILLA TO THE STATUS TEAM

By

Status Fitness Magazine adds Master Trainer Adam Bonilla to the Status team

Denver, Colorado – Status Fitness Magazine has signed master trainer Adam Bonilla to its all-star fitness and editorial lineup. Adam is one of the world’s top trainers in the area of contest prep, trusted by many of the IFBB’s top ranked female and male athletes. Adam will share his vast knowledge and expertise in all areas of physique change and contest prep for Status Fitness Magazine.

Adam Bonilla shares his thoughts on joining the Status Fitness Magazine Team
It’s an honor and privilege to be joining such an esteemed publication such as Status Fitness Magazine, I have read and watched what Status has been doing for years and am very excited to be help-ing Status’s followers take their physique to the next level.

Status Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang shares his thoughts on Adam Bonilla
Since 2006 its being Status Fitness Magazine’s mission to provide the industry-leading minds and ideas to our readers. Today, with the signing of Adam Bonilla, is a huge day in honoring this commitment. We are thrilled to have Adam, the founder of the prestigious “Team Elite Physique” and his incredible fitness mind and experience join our editorial team. His training methods and work ethic have influenced many of the top fitness people over the years. Status is excited to provide Adam with the Status media platform in the form of his own ex-pert column to reach millions of people and support them in reaching their fitness goals.

About Adam Bonilla
Adam Bonilla started in the fitness industry at the young age of 16 working at Nutri-Sport nutrition stores where he began designing supplement programs for fitness competitors in southern California. At the age of 18 he began training with 24 Hour Fitness in California where he excelled with clients and at 19 years old was put in charge of the 3rd largest club in the company with 19 trainers under his leadership. As the years went on his skills progressed, he began training personal trainers on the proper training practices at a district level for the company. With this position, he was also given the task of training special conditions clients, fitness competitors, high-level athletes, and post-rehabilitation clients with severe injuries that have limited movement. Now working in the fitness industry for 21 years and as a trainer for 19 of those years he has honed his skills to the level of Master Trainer and specializes in the area of the field in which he loves, contest preparation.

Adam’s goals in life are simple, to be the best contest prep trainer who ever existed. Achieving that goal is a little easier said than done but one thing’s for sure nobody will try harder than him.

About Status Fitness Magazine

Status Fitness Magazine is a fitness media company founded in 2006. Geared towards the fitness enthusiast to the hardcore competitive athlete, Status delivers current, reliable and valuable knowledge to anyone interested in fitness as a lifestyle.

Status is well known for its Print Magazine featuring the likes of George St. Pierre, Brock Lesner, Jennifer Nicole Lee, Ashley Kaltwasser among others, Status Model Searches, and Media Production Studio, YouTube page and Athlete team. All of these avenues help focus on presenting its information with the highest quality photography, design, layout, and in the case of its print publication, paper stock. Status is not only available as a high quality, attractive print publication, but is also available through various technologies, allowing access to the masses.

Contact
To learn more about this announcement, please contact:
Julie McGraa, Media Relations
CANADA: 3920 Francis Road Richmond BC. #120
USA: 1922 Raymond Ave, Los Angeles, California 90007
Office: (888) 304-3201
julie@statusfitness.com

Keep Reading
By
News

STATUS FITNESS MAGAZINE SIGNS BHUWAN CHAUHAN TO THE STATUS TEAM

By

Vancouver, BC – Status Fitness Magazine is excited to announce the signing of IFBB Pro Bhuwan Chauhan to the Status team. Bhuwan’s role will be both a Status athlete and expert author.

Bhuwan Chauhan shares his thoughts on joining the Status Fitness Magazine Team

Status Fitness is not just another fitness magazine but a magazine. Status is a magazine that believes every person matters, whether it’s a hardcore competitive lifter or a fitness enthusiast, it caters to everybody with not just fitness based articles but also balancing life in general, This truly makes it unique and I am ecstatic to be a columnist and an athlete for the magazine.

It gives me the opportunity to share my experiences as an international engineering student who was able to graduate with first-class distinction while balancing part-time jobs and following a strict diet and fitness regiment that ultimately led me to obtain my pro card while working as a full-time engineer. I believe this will help the countless students and professionals who have a hard time organizing time and finding the motivation to go to the gym after a long day at university and/or work. In addition, I get to share my knowledge with all those competitive hardcore lifters on training and dieting strategies that have led me to become an IFBB Pro and a Mr. Olympian.

I am ecstatic to be a part of the Status Fitness Magazine.

Status Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang shares his thoughts on Bhuwan Chauhan

We are thrilled to have Bhuwan join our Status team. Coming from India to Canada, earning his engineering degree before winning his IFBB pro card proves Bhuwan can accomplish anything he puts his mind to. Bhuwan’s perseverance and commitments is an ideal match for our Status team and community.

About Bhuwan Chauhan

Bhuwan Chauhan is the first Indian IFBB Pro and the youngest Canadian Men’s Physique Pro.

Training and dieting for the past 8 years and started competing in 2016, Bhuwan has won all his shows since then, moving from local to provincial to national level and ultimately obtaining his IFBB pro card. After winning the 2019 VanPro show, Bhuwan is now preparing for the Mr. Olympia 2019. Everything is possible. EVERYTHING!

About Status Fitness Magazine

Status Fitness Magazine is a fitness media company founded in 2006. Geared towards the fitness enthusiast to the hardcore competitive athlete, Status delivers current, reliable and valuable knowledge to anyone interested in fitness as a lifestyle.

Status is well known for its Print Magazine, Status Model Searches, and Media Production Studio, YouTube page and Athlete team. All of these avenues help focus on presenting its information with the highest quality photography, design, layout, and in the case of its print publication, paper stock. Status is not only available as a high quality, attractive print publication, but is also available through various technologies, allowing access to the masses.

Contact

To learn more about this announcement, please contact:

Julie McGraa, Media Relations

CANADA: 3920 Francis Road Richmond BC. #120

USA: 1922 Raymond Ave, Los Angeles, California 90007

Office: (888) 304-3201

julie@statusfitness.com

Keep Reading
By
Supplements

IS YOUR CLIENT’S LACK OF SLEEP HINDERING MUSCLE GROWTH?

By

As a health professional, you have to do everything in your power to help your client reach his or her goals.

It is your responsibility to inform them of every possible detail to increase quality results.

Some of the personal training methods you may be accustomed to giving your clients may involve training frequency, proper diet, and cardiovascular fitness.  But have you ever thought of how lack of sleep may affect muscle growth results?

This overlooked factor could be the difference between average results and maximum gains.  As a trainer, knowledge counts, and providing your clients with accurate information about how sleep impacts muscle growth may be the hidden gem to your client’s success, and ultimately, your success.

Your clients may want to be in the gym as much as possible, and they may think the more they are in the gym, the more results they may experience.  This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Rest is paramount to experience increased muscle mass.  Your clients may have the drive to reach their desired results, but not getting an adequate amount of sleep can hinder quality gains.  Let’s take a look at how lack of sleep may affect muscle growth.

How Sleep May Affect Muscle Growth
Glucose is a type of sugar that is stored within the body that is used for energy.  Without an adequate amount of sleep, your client’s energy levels will suffer, because the glucose will not be stored as effectively.  This will, in turn, lead to poor results.

Human growth hormone is an important hormone within the body, as it helps with recovery and muscle growth.  Having a quality amount of human growth hormones in the body aids the ability to consume amino acids from protein foods, which will help enhance muscle gains.

By getting the proper amount of sleep, your client will have the necessary levels of growth hormones for optimal results.

We can now take a look at a study conducted by Dotello, Antanes, Medeiros, Neto, Souza, Tufik, and Mello in 2011.  This particular study validates how sleep deprivation may affect muscle gains and recovery.

The study involved individuals who lacked sleep for 72 hours, and it resulted in muscle atrophy or muscle loss.  This study pertained to a 14-day calorie-restricted diet that compared individuals that slept a total amount of 5.5 hours, and 8.5 hours.  Here is what they found in regards to muscle mass:

5.5 hours of sleep-60% less muscle mass

8.5 hours of sleep-40% more muscle mass

What does this indicate?  This is a direct result of how lack of sleep can be detrimental to muscle growth.  The evidence also indicates that sleep deprivation is a key element that negatively influences proper muscle recovery.

It is noted that lack of sleep hurts muscle recovery, as it interferes with protein pathways that is needed for muscle growth.

Due to sleep deficiency, the body is unable to stay afloat with hormonal balances, which causes loss of muscle.  As you can see, a comparison between individuals who slept 5.5 hours versus individuals who slept 8.5 hours demonstrates the effects of sleep in relation to muscle size.

The Hidden Secret For Healthy Sleep
According to the 2008 study by Dr. Bert Jacobson, lack of sleep will hinder energy levels and your client will be susceptible to mood swings.  This will cause them to perform poorly during training.  With proper sleep, your client will enhance his or her workouts, boost endurance, and enhance the frame of mind for quality results.

With the increase in endurance and energy levels, your individuals will experience faster muscle growth.

Now on to the golden secret to getting adequate sleep.  Did you know that sleeping on a newer mattress will improve sleep as opposed to an older mattress?

This new 2008 finding by Dr. Bert Jacobson, reveals how a newer mattress will help your client sleep better, and boost energy levels during weight training sessions.  The study demonstrated that individuals who slept between seven to eight hours of sleep slept on new mattresses participated in more physical activities.  Here are the findings are below:

(Graph goes here)
As you can see the participants showed an increase in physical activities due to the sleep benefits of a newer mattress.  The evidence showed an obvious difference in activities such as running, lifting weights, and aerobics.  This suggests that your client’s sleep patterns are crucial to increase muscle mass—and better sleep means better results.

If exercises are not performed to your client’s maximum potential due to poor sleep habits, then muscles aren’t worked properly to enhance muscle gains.

Though sleep may seem like a simple task, as a trainer or bodybuilder, you may overlook proper sleep, and may not advise your clients accordingly. As life gets busy, getting by with just a few hours of sleep may seem like the norm in today’s society.  But to reach maximum muscle gains, sleep is essential.

The combination of proper sleep, nutrition, and high-quality training will dramatically increase results.

What are some tips for proper rest and recovery?
As tempting as it may seem for your client to work out the same body part two days in a row, allow a 48-hour window between sessions to help your client recover from strenuous workout sessions.

And yes, your client may have a life outside the gym that may involve performing other high-intense activities.  But the key is to advise them to do this within 3-4 hours before bedtime or earlier.  Why? If your client performs high-intense activities just before bed, it will make it harder for your client to get the proper amount of sleep due to the boost in energy levels.

If you think your client has the right to get an adequate amount of sleep by sleeping late and waking up late, think again. His or her night owl tendencies will affect the body because the 24-hour cycle or circadian rhythm must be consistent.  This simply means to go to bed at a decent hour and wake up at the same time every day.

Teach the Power of Sleep
Personal training requires you to play many different roles.  You’re a motivator, psychologist, and teacher.  Your clients may have been taught to increase hypertrophy with weight training, nutrition, and supplements.  And now you can teach your client to build muscle with one of the most basic human actions—rest.  Going above and beyond as a trainer is part of your job.  Your clients put their trust in you—so make them believe in the power of sleep.

Keep Reading
By
Cover Models

MARKUS KAULIUS

By

Over the past 11 years, Status Fitness Magazine has had many of the best male and females athletes in the world in the magazine and on the cover. Bodybuilding stars like Stan McQuay, NFL superstars like Vernon Davis, UFC stars like Georges St. Pierre,  and Hollywood stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme.  The list of big industry-dominating names that represent Status is endless. In this issue, we are adding a different type of Star in the industry of Fitness Entrepreneurship.

Markus Kaulius, the founder of Magnum Nutraceuticals, works equally hard on his physique as he does on his business.  The hard work and balance between these two endeavors, synergistically have led to success in both areas. Find out the driving forces around these successes and learn what it takes to do the same.

Who is Markus Kaulius?
A regular guy with an insatiable passion for life. Husband of Brooke, father to Claire (7) and Bailey (5), a disciple of Jesus, unprofessional bodybuilder, and die-hard entrepreneur. I love capitalism! I love learning about business, adapting, strategizing and, more than all of that, I love developing partnerships. I love finding out what my business partners need and filling that gap.  I started Magnum Nutraceuticals 12 years ago. I founded the company on quality, passion, and integrity.

Talk about your fitness background.
My fitness journey started when I was 14 years old.   At 13, I had a big, Lithuanian-style growth spurt up to 6’4.5 and a whopping 125lbs.  I was a major target for bullies.  When I discovered weights, I discovered myself.  I was transformed – not only physically, but my mind and character. Everything about me was different and I loved it.

I was a slow learner when it came to physical development. Only in the last 2 to 3 years have I really made a serious transformation in my physique (or maybe it really does take 20 years to make real gains!).  But I’m more motivated than ever and the changes are coming daily.  I now have an incredible support network and a social media following that pushes me every day. I’ve established myself as a high-energy fitness lunatic – and I take that role very seriously.

I WAS TRANSFORMED – NOT ONLY PHYSICALLY, BUT MY MIND AND CHARACTER.

Talk about your transformation.
The greatest transformation I have experienced was the revolution of my mind.   I see the world very differently than I did 24 months ago.   I know I can get my body to do whatever I want.   I can control what happens every day – it is one little decision after another to make me whatever person I choose to be.
Talk about your fitness journey to the present day.
Today I am a man obsessed with the human body.   I love challenging the limits of what we are capable of – I truly believe the only limits we have are those we impose on ourselves.   Somewhere along the way, 99% of us got it in our heads that “you can’t do that, you can’t lift that, no one is capable of that.”  I am here to tell the world – THAT IS BULL.   You CAN do that, you CAN lift that, you ARE capable of whatever you decide to do.

This is what gets me in the gym ten times per week, every week.   This is what gets me fired up about sports nutrition.   Most Magnum products were designed very selfishly – for my needs.   I remember going into my VPs office and saying “I need a better multi” and Magnum Primer® was born.  I load Magnum supplements into my body, then I go push myself in the gym to see if I can find a breaking point – this is my fitness journey and what God has put me on the earth to do.

THIS IS WHAT GETS ME IN THE GYM TEN TIMES PER WEEK, EVERY WEEK. THIS IS WHAT GETS ME FIRED UP ABOUT SPORTS NUTRITION.

Talk about your future fitness goals.
I am just getting started.  Every day that I put into this journey I learn something new and I make changes to my body and mind.   I know I will show up every year with an improved physique.     I want to inspire others to train naturally and I want them to inspire me.

What inspires you?
I feed on positive energy.   When I am in contact with someone with high/positive energy, it is like plugging into a power socket – I am flooded with energy and I come alive (some people make fun of my crazy eyes, and that’s okay with me).  I love hearing a voice speaking with passion and conviction– people like Tony Robbins (I know, such an obvious one) or Ibby Ali (of New Edge) – their voices reach down to my soul, grab it by the throat and say “Do more.”

Athletes with REAL problems that they overcome inspire me like crazy!   My man Nick Santonastasso (@nicksanto534) has one arm and no legs and still trains like a beast and has a freakin hilarious sense of humor.   How awesome is that?   Compare that to people who complain about feeling blue, not having enough time to train, “life is so hard”… I’d love to hear them say that crap to Nick.   Nick has every right to complain and ask why, but instead, he picks up the weights and says why not?!  That is a true inspiration.

I am also hugely inspired by athletes who have devoted themselves to healthy living – amazing athletes like Jean-Jacques Barrett, Alain Gosselin, and AJ Ellison.  A major inspiration to me is my friend Micah LaCerte – not only has Micah devoted his life to health and fitness, but he lives a good Christian life every day and runs an amazing business – Hitch Fit.

Talk about your family.
My three ladies are my life.   They are my foundation – my reason for getting up and going.  My wife Brooke is so supportive of my fitness career and that support is never more obvious than at the thousands of dinners where daddy eats chicken, yams, and broccoli while the rest of the family eats something else.

My girls are hilarious.  When introducing me to friends, they often say “This is my dad, aren’t his muscles huge?” I always found this cute – until they introduced me to their school teacher that way. Then it was awkward.

You won’t find my family on social media – my wife and I decided a long time ago to keep my private life, private.  Sometimes I am sad not to share how cute my girlies are, but I believe in keeping them off the internet until they are old enough to decide what image they want to have for themselves.
What is your Training Plan?
My training plan changes every 30 days – a full swap of exercises, sets, reps. It’s brand new every month and it shocks my muscles constantly.  Let me give you a taste of what I am doing right now for my chest day:
12 minutes warm-up and stretch
12 minutes abs (yep, 5 days per week, before I start working out!)

4 sets

2 exercises super-setted

15 reps per exercise
60 seconds rest in-between sets

3 sets x 15 reps dumbbell flys  (45 seconds rest)
5 giant supersets of:

Incline smith machine press x 8 reps  (20 seconds rest)
Flat smith machine press x 10 reps  (20 seconds rest)
Flat dumbbell press x 15 reps  (120 seconds rest)

4 draining supersets of:

Dips x 15-20 reps (20 seconds rest)
Pec deck x 12 reps (instant drop set)
Pec deck x 12 reps (60 seconds rest)

I walk away from these workouts drained, barely able to lift my arms or formulate a sentence or coherent thought.

I WALK AWAY FROM THESE WORKOUTS DRAINED, BARELY ABLE TO LIFT MY ARMS OR FORMULATE A SENTENCE OR COHERENT THOUGHT.

What are your Nutritional beliefs?
Because I torture my body and bring it to its breaking point daily, I need to fuel it properly.  Since I am well versed in the many “tricks” companies use to be more profitable, I trust only Magnum to provide the nutrition I need.  I love popping my pills and taking my pre-workout while visualizing how they will help me drive through the extra reps and sets.   I love pushing those extra reps and sets and thinking about the amazing food I will consume after to fuel my body so I can come back tomorrow and destroy it again.

I believe food is the most important “supplement” that people ignore.  There is no out-training a bad diet.   I use a meal prep company (MealsAWeight.com) to prepare my meals.   They prepare food for my macro needs and they use high-quality, delicious ingredients.  Having my food prepped for me means I can use that extra time (not shopping, not cooking, not prepping) to focus more on my business and my training.   When you factor in your grocery costs, shopping, and cooking time, you will be surprised how affordable food prep is.  Plus, how can you put a price on your health?     If you truly can’t afford food prep, why not do your own food prep once a week? Cook up a big bunch of chicken, yams, and broccoli.   This planning will help you avoid making hangry decisions in the heat of the moment.

What is your Supplement program?
Oh boy, I hope you designated like 15 pages for this article.

For the 120 days leading up to this shoot with Status Fitness, here was my average day (5 days per week training):

Wake up and pop: 3 Carne Diem, 3 Heat Accelerated, 1 Rocket Science, 4 DNA, 2 Tonic

60 minutes treadmill cardio (15 inclines, 3.4 mph walk) with 2 scoops Hi5, 2 scoops Opus, ½ scoop Limitless, 2 scoops G

With meals: 1 Mimic (4-6 per day), Primer Performance Packs (2 per day), 2 Acid (6 per day), Quattro (2-4 scoops per day)

Pre-workout: 6 Big C, 4 Volume, 3 Carne Diem, 3 Heat Accelerated, 3 Thrust, 8 DNA

70-minute workout with 2 scoops Hi5, 2 scoops Opus, 1 scoop Limitless, 2 scoops G

30 min before bed: 3 Thrust, 4 G-Spring, 1 Tonic, 3 E-Brake, 3 After Burner

Sure, you might say I am taking a ton of supplements, but I expect and receive a ton of gains, so what do you expect?  To be a champion, I supplement like a champion.

Talk about your coach and his influence?
Jean-Jacques Barrett is my phenomenal coach.   This guy gets you real results – not just because of his incredible knowledge and experience with the human body, but with his support, his constant texts and Skype sessions. He pushes me and makes me feel accountable.  The fact that he is also a lifetime natural athlete with a flawless physique and work ethic motivates me so much more – he is living the life.  I told JJ on my first day with him that I would be his best student and the best transformation ever.  I don’t ever want to let him down.
What are 5 things people would not know about you?
1 – I am super sensitive to bullying.     Because I grew up being bullied, I am so sensitive to it. I’m quick to jump in when I see someone else being bullied.
2 – I play Clash of Clans.  Enough said.
3 – I don’t have an artistic bone in my body.   I do have strengths and talents, but being artistic is not one.   If I drew you a stick figure, you would say it is substandard… for the average 3-year-old
4 – I moisturize daily. Yeah, that’s right, I like smooth, pretty skin – can you handle that?
5 – One of my driving forces in business, something I love most at Magnum – hiring.   I love bringing new people into our family.   Not for the obvious reason that if we are hiring it means we have been growing, but because I know this company will change the life of everyone who walks in this door.   We have created an incredible environment here where people are pushed past boundaries – both in their work and personal life.   Employees of Magnum go home satisfied knowing they are part of something exceptional – a company that is 100% focused on integrity and making this world a healthier, happier place.   They also know that every person here is as dedicated as the next and everyone has the same goal and focus – we are here to change the world.

As an official Status Fitness Magazine cover model, you are being offered your personal and official Status Column, where you can share with the Status readers your expert fitness thoughts and advice each issue. Thoughts on this?
What?  That would be amazing!  I hope your readers like getting fired up and pushed to break through plateaus.   This is a huge honour – I have been a Status reader and fan since day one.   This magazine was the first to switch industry gears to the more aesthetic physique – the exact switch Magnum made.   I love the focus on the “attainable” physique – something anyone can get to if they are willing to put in the time and effort.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my story, to grace your cover, and to work closely with you and your awesome team.

Keep Reading
By