Growing up in a small rural town, sports were everything to me, especially football. I started working out with the hope that it would help me become a better football player. However, soon after high school was over, I realized that my football career was also over. I found myself sticking to my routine and regularly went to the gym during my first year of college. I remember specifically that my brother, one of my closest friends and supporters, and I searched Bodybuilding.com for workouts. We discovered a workout plan by Cory Gregory called “Get Swole” and it quickly became our favourite. I remember having a moment where it felt like I had found my calling. After that day, there was no turning back and I was hooked. Hooked on working out AND the joy that came with setting a goal, achieving it and creating a new one. I went through workout plan after workout plan, learning everything I could about fitness, nutrition, and supplementation. I started watching Steve Cook, Christian Guzman, and various other fitness influencers on YouTube, as well. I suppose you could say I was obsessed. I loved everything about the fitness lifestyle and I couldn’t get enough of it. I was noticing a lot of progress with my own physique and had added over 20 lbs of muscle to my body. I was addicted to the way the gym made me feel and I knew I had found my passion and purpose. Later that year, I declared my major as Exercise, Sport, and Health Education with a specialization in Fitness, Strength, and Conditioning. I wanted to continue learning as much as I could and become a Personal Trainer. I knew I could show other people that they could also have the physique they always dreamed of. I started a fitness Instagram account and people started to follow along my journey. I had a vision for what I wanted to be and I refused to stop until I reached it. My page grew continuously and I ended up landing my first major sponsorship with EVL Nutrition, which showed me a side of fitness that I had yet to be a part of yet. I decided to take my own fitness to the next level and compete in a Natural Bodybuilding show, where I won all 4 classes that I competed in. I was awarded my ANBF Men’s Physique Pro Card. I remember the gruelling 12 weeks of prep and everything I learned during it, but it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. That fueled my passion for fitness even more. I graduated college with my Bachelor of Science in Exercise, Sport, and Health Education with a Specialization in Fitness, Strength, and Conditioning. I became a certified Personal Trainer through ACE and later became an ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist. I have further refined my abilities with Coaches Education and Lifting Certification through Totten Training Systems and becoming an ACE Sports Performance Specialist. I have competed in three other body-building shows and brought home 6 first-place trophies, along with the overall title at the NPC Virginia Natural. To this day, I have over 6 years of experience working in the fitness industry. I have coached two clients to their Men’s Physique Pro cards and helped hundreds of people take their fitness to a level they never thought possible. Completely changing their lives also changed mine, which is why I remain dedicated to my client’s success.
Today, I reside in New York City and I’m the Founder and CEO of Blake Holman Fitness where I have the privilege of training some of the world’s top executives, entrepreneurs, and high performers. My signature workouts are based on the principles of strength training, empowering my clients and producing massive results.
I have also had the pleasure of working with some of the top companies around the globe including Bodybuilding.com, C4 Energy, EVL Sports, MyProtein, BodyArmor, VADE Nutrition, and many more. In doing so, I’ve been able to travel across the country to fitness expos and have created an extensive network across the entire industry. I have also built my Instagram account to a community of over 130,000 followers where I share motivational content, fitness tips, and much more.
I have been featured in Muscle and Fitness, New York Weekly, AskMen, The American Reporter, Medium, and The Los Angeles Wire.
Age:
28
City, State/Province:
New York, New York
Country:
United States
Occupation:
Private & Virtual Trainer
In your opinion, weight loss is more of a fitness issue or a health issue and why?
I think it’s more of a health issue. Being even slightly overweight can increase the risk of disease and cancer.
If you have 100 tokens in total and you could apply them to the following categories, how many would you apply to each?
- Fitness level: 50
- Health level: 50
Thoughts on HIIT, Powerlifting, TRX, Yoga, bodybuilding, others?
As a personal trainer, I think it’s very important to incorporate different types of workouts/exercises/variations in your program, but ultimately it depends on your goals. Personally, I tend to focus more on weight training and bodybuilding to best support my overall fitness goals. However, I love a challenge and want to be the best I can be, physically
How did your passion for fitness start? And what was the biggest challenge you have faced on your journey? The biggest challenge I have faced on my fitness journey was the pandemic. It was the first time I wasn’t able to go to the gym and it drastically impacted my life. I lost over 15 lbs of muscle and achieved a body fat percentage that was higher than one I’ve ever had. This also had me at one of the lowest points of my life, but I didn’t give up. I had very limited weights and a pull-up bar at home and did the best I could to keep pushing. Although this has been a difficult time for everyone, I feel like I came out a stronger person.
Share your unique training/coaching methods?
As mentioned above, my workouts are based on the principles of strength training. I utilize the 7 fundamental movement patterns to build strength, keep clients functional, and empower.
Training Plan:
My current training plan consists of a 5-day split.
Day 1: Push Day (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Day 2: Pull Day (Back, Biceps)
Day 3: Legs (Quad Focused)
Day 4: Upper Body (Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms)
Day 5: Legs (Hamstring Focused)
Nutritional Plan:
I am currently in a long off-season and haven’t had a return to the bodybuilding stage date yet so my nutrition has been more lenient than usual as I am not tracking macros. However, I still eat very healthy and always incorporate balance in my diet as I teach my clients the same. An example of a normal day:
Breakfast: 4 eggs, 1 cup of mixed berries
Lunch: 8 ounces ground beef, 1 cup of jasmine rice
Dinner: Chicken breast and mixed vegetables
Snacks: Granola, Protein Bar, Greek Yogurt & Granola
Post Workout: Protein Shake and banana
I always have a free meal (cheat meal) every week and always get whatever I have been craving throughout the week! (pizza, burger, etc.)
Do you prefer to take and recommend all-natural (no sugar, no artificial colours/flavours/sweeteners) supplements or supplements with artificial flavours and sweeteners? And Why?
I don’t currently take supplements that are “all natural, but I do make sure the supplements I take and recommend are clean and are from a reputable company.
Please describe the importance of mental health?
Mental health is extremely important and something has been at the forefront of headlines over the last few years. Mental health affects your overall well-being and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Men’s mental health has been a trending topic and something that I would like to get more involved in.
Take us through a typical day in life for you?
A typical day in life starts with grabbing coffee/energy drink and journaling. After that, I will read a chapter in a book and then write down my goals for the day. I then start tackling work, work out in the afternoon, my fiancée and I walk my two dogs at the park and then finish the day by spending time with friends. Most of my weekends are spent recovering/goal setting. I’ve found that when I build in time to prepare mentally for my week ahead I’m happier and more successful.
What separates Status from other fitness magazines?
I have followed Status Fitness Magazine for years and have always loved the informative articles, interviews, and amazing content!
If you could ask Status Fitness Magazine Editor in Chief Rodney Jang any industry question, what would that be?
What has been your most influential habit that contributed to your success?
Status Fitness Magazine runs model searches across North America including the largest one at the Arnold Classic for the Status cover. As part of the Status family, you will receive a special participation invite. How excited are you for this opportunity?
I had no idea I would be receiving an invitation to join the model search. I am extremely excited and very grateful! I’ve always wanted to represent Status Magazine and this opportunity means a lot to me.
Describe your coaches and the impact they have on you?
If it wasn’t for my first coach, Zane Perkins pushing me to do my first bodybuilding show I am not sure I would be in the position I am in today. He has had a monumental impact on my life and I can’t thank him enough for the knowledge, push, and role model he was for me early on in the fitness space.
Do you have a sponsor? List them and what they mean to you?
I collaborate with many brands but only work with brands that align with me and my goals. I don’t currently have any sponsorships but do have some in the works.
Can you share with us your goals for fitness and life?
My goals for fitness and life are to change as many lives as possible through fitness and through my mantra and favourite quote “Better Every day”. I want to build my business to a point of training some of the most influential people in the world and be known as one of the best trainers around the globe. I have always dreamed of becoming an IFBB Pro and being on the cover of a magazine someday.
5 things people don’t know about you?
- From a very small town named Wytheville, Virginia
- I am an introvert!
- I enjoy a glass of wine or whiskey.
- I have two small dogs Oliver (Maltipoo) and Otis (Toy Poodle).
- I get my haircut every 2 weeks on the dot. Shoutout to my barber Arthur for keeping my fade on point!
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is nothing in life worth having comes easy. The most rewarding things I’ve accomplished and been able to do have been after some of the toughest times.
5 most important attributes you see in a person?
Work ethic, character, trust, ambition, and compassion.
If you could inspire one person, who would that be? And why?
I would want to inspire someone that wants more out of life. Someone who might be from a small town but has big dreams to be somebody and to be able to help others.
Who inspires you? And why?
Ryan Serhant is a big inspiration of mine. I’ve read his book and listen to his podcast often. I’ve learned a lot from him about the business world that I’ve been able to put into my own business. He’s a huge inspiration for me because of his hard work ethic and “never give up, gets shit done” type of attitude.
What is your number one tip for people on their fitness journey?
Don’t give up. Even on the hard days when you want to eat a cupcake.
What does success look like for you?
Success to me is living life on my own terms while doing what I love.
What is your favourite quote to live by?
Better every day.
Connect with Blake: IG | Website | FB
Photos By: Michael Speed
