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.
