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Matt Tavolieri Interview with CBB
Age: 21
Height: 5'11'
Offseason Weight: 240-250lbs, Contest-202-210lbs
Hometown: Amherstburg, Ontario
Competition History:
2009 OPA Stratford Festival City Bodybuilding Championships - 2nd Place Junior mens, 4th place light-heavyweights(176.5lbs)
2010 OPA Obrien/Luchka Mississauga Championships - 2nd place light-heavyweights(194lbs)
2010 OPA Ontario Provincials - 5th place light-heavyweights(198)
Have you always been an active person - did you play sports in your youth?
I have always been fairly active even from a young age. I played a lot of high level sports as a youth. Hockey, soccer, and football were my favorite things to play and I wasn't the most athletically gifted but had one of the biggest passions for sports. As I got older and football was no longer an option this allowed me to concentrate solely on bodybuilding.
What made you get into bodybuilding competitions?
I remember a distinct moment in time were I got the bug and got it hard. It was actually in 2006-2007 I believe when I went to my first show with a CBB board member. We watched the level 1 show and as we were leaving we walked out into the lobby. There I seen the new Canadian pro at the time IFBB Pro Lou Joseph. I can remember the feeling I felt after seeing someone of that size for the first time. I HAD TO HAVE IT!
Having been a bodybuilder for many years, what advice can you give to a young competitor just getting into the sport?
Well I still consider myself to be very young in the sport i have managed to grasp one very important concept. This sport is a marathon not a sprint! It takes a life consuming amount of time, dedication, and effort. Its not going to happen in x amount of weeks. It is a long term process and a lifestyle you must adopt if you hope to be successful in this endeavor. When you live the bodybuilding lifestyle everything will fall into place with your physical goals.
How has the sport impacted your life?
I owe most everything i have to the sport. It is my social life. Not in the gym but through the friends and contacts that i have had an opportunity to train with, work for, and compete with. My job i also owe entirely to the sport. Working for True Supplements is a great way for me to share my knowledge and experience with others so it takes some trial and error out of the mix for them.
Who do you look up to in the industry and who has helped you along the way?
One of my biggest influences in the bodybuilding industry has been Jerry Poirier my trainer, coach, and mentor. I owe everything to him and the knowledge that he has provided me is priceless. Not only has he taken my physique to the next level but he is a dedicated workout partner and always there during our preparations. I highly recommend his services to anyone interested in taking it to the next level. Secondly I have to say my team at Canadian Muscle Team has helped me stay motivated and focused when things get tough. If your interested in becoming part of the team or in need of contest preparation or transformation then check out or new website: canadianmuscleteam.com.
Favourite foods for dieting? For cheating?
My favorite food while dieting is an easy one. Eye of round steaks. I love my red meat and i feel that nothing fills me up better while dieting and it also provides a high amount of protein and b vitamins. For cheating anyone who knows me or has followed my logs know that i have an extreme weakness for peanut butter. Not sure why i find it so appealing but i find peanut butter always seems to be the cheat meal of choice.
Are there any sports supplements that you cannot live without?
Id say overall many sport supplements i use i would not want to live without but could get by. The only 2 supplements i find to be an absolute must are: whey protein isolate, and a good quality multi vitamin. Creatine monohydrate is also a very common supplement i use but i would not consider it to be vital to growth but rather a good help.
Having been an active member on various bodybuilding and fitness forums for many years, what do you find positive about interacting with other members on them and what do you find negative?
What i like most about bodybuilding forums is the brotherhood. What i mean is how everyone with a common goal comes together to help each other achieve there best. Forums are an excellent place to learn from a veteran who has been there and made their mistakes. I love to learn from people and I love to research all aspects of the sport and forums allow me to do just that. The only negative part I find is the bashing of new members for asking primitive questions that some of us would consider stupid. We have to remember we were once in their shoes with the same knowledge and we would not like to be treated like that so why does it continue.
What is a typical day for you when prepping for a show?
8:00AM - Supplements + meal #1, Prep meals + Drive 30 minutes to work.
9:00AM -6:00pm: Work(meal every 2.5h)
Training - 1 bodypart a day/6 days a week.
Cooking - spend usually 1-2h cooking/preparing meals
Cardio - depending on many factors either done post workout or in the morning on an empty stomach. Depends on condition but can be anywhere from 20mins-2hours per day 6-7 days a week.
Posing + routine - By at least 8 weeks out i begin posing practice to harden muscle, master poses, practice posing routine.
What do you find the most difficult about this sport?
Maintaining a balance in your life. This is the hardest part of the sport for me as i have a type A personality and live the lifestyle 24/7/365. I become so focused on my goals i have a hard time maintaining a balance in life with relationships, bodybuilding, family life.
When will we next see you on stage?
I am currently training insane this off-season to bring up some lagging body parts and increase overall size. My next competition will be in October of 2011 at the Canadian National Championships in the heavy weight division.
Can you provide us a workout routine for a week?
Currently my split goes as follows:
Monday - Quadriceps, hamstrings, calves.
Tuesday - Chest, sarratus, abdominals
Wednesday - Hamstrings, Calves + 20min LISS cardio
Thursday - Back
Friday - OFF DAY
Saturday - Arms
Sunday - Delts, Traps
**during off-season one more day per week off usually occurs but it is not planned. I go entirely by feel and listen to my body and take a break when needed.
For current contest history, please check out the Matt Tavolieri Profile
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