Shelby Starnes interviews Troponin Athlete Joe Lyons

We’re starting off our Troponin Athlete Interviews with Joe Lyons, a phenomenal young bodybuilder from Charleston, South Carolina who recently won the light heavyweight class as well as the overall at the Palmetto Cup, and then the following week won the light heavyweight class at the South Carolina State Bodybuilding Championships. Both of these wins gave him national qualification, and this was the first year he attained such a distinction. It’s probably no surprise that this was also his first year with Troponin Nutrition. Let’s get to know a little about Joe…

Shelby: Tell us a bit about yourself, Joe.

Joe: My name is Joe Lyons. I currently live in Charleston, South Carolina, but I was born and raised in Millinocket, ME. It's a tiny town in the middle of the State of Maine. There's 2 stop lights in town and it's a 40min drive to the nearest department store or Walmart. When I was growing up it was a small powerhouse football town. The entire town lived through the football team and I was a 2 year captain.

Shelby: So how did you initially get involved in bodybuilding?

Joe: I've always been a fan of bodybuilding. Like many others I was drawn into bodybuilding by Arnold. I remember watching Conan and saying I want to look like that someday. Going through school I trained primarily for football. I would later get my degree in Exercise Science and become a Strength Coach. When I moved down to SC I went to a gym called Steel City and met Tres Bennett. My wife and I walked in and Tres was behind the counter and stopped us and said "Hey, you two ever think about competing?". From there that's when it all started.

Shelby: What is the bodybuilding scene like in Charleston? Are there many pros there? What shows does Charleston have?

Joe: The bodybuilding scene in Charleston isn't what it used to be, but there's still a strong presence in the gyms. 4-5 Years ago there was a gym, Tres Gym, where all the competitors used to train, but it closed. There was a time when Tres gym had 30 competitors at the state show! Steel City opened, Tres owned that too. There were still a fair number of competitors there, but it closed as well. Now we are scattered all over Charleston.
Local pros in the area are all Figure and Fitness. Michelle Adams, Shannon Meteraud, Tessa Wood. Unfortunately there are no male bodybuilders.
Shows in the Charleston are are the Excalibur and Jr. USA's. Last year they held the State show here and plan to do the same next year.

Shelby: Who did you look up to when you first began training?

Joe: Arnold from the old days. From his physique, to his charisma, I've always been a fan. I really like how Arnold persevered throughout his life coming from nothing and then becoming governor! Hard work and dedication in the gym, and in life, made him who he is. I'd like to do somewhat the same in my life, and think I have for the most part.
Then it was Dorian, Jay Cutler, and Mark Dugdale.
I've been a fan of Dorian because of his grainy conditioning and back development. No one had a back like his, and it set him apart from everyone else. Then when I watch Blood and Guts, I was hooked as a Dorian fan for life!
Jay had a great physique even as a teen and I remember seeing him in Muscle and Fitness. I start to follow him a little because of his leg development, but I didn't know much about him. Then when he won the NOC and started to make a name for himself, I'd always buy the Flex and Muscle and Fitness issues that featured him. What I admire the most about him is his dedication to his family. In a sport about individualism, he values his family above all else. He keeps his family close to him all the while improving his physique, marketing his website and sponsors, and traveling to all of his appearances. I've also met him on a number of occasions and was able to talk to him for a couple hours when he guest posed at Jr. USA's.
Mark encompasses everything I aspire to be as a bodybuilder/husband/father. His physique is exactly how I'd like to look. I have no desire to EVER be a Super Heavy Weight and the way Mark proportions his physique with good balance and symmetry is awesome. Jess and I spent time with him and Christina here in Charleston, you can tell how much they care about each other just by how they look at the other. His three daughters are the world to him and they always come first. I admire that.

Shelby: You recently won your class and overall at one show, then the following weekend won your class to get your first national classification. Tell us a bit about that:

Joe: The first show was a national qualifier as well. The show was the Palmetto Cup, held in Columbia, South Carolina. When I started the contest prep with Justin, I told him I wanted to peak for the South Carolina State show (the second contest I competed in). I asked him what he thought about competing the week before as a warm up show. He said it would be hard to peak in consecutive weeks. He also said it would help me get tighter so we decided to do it. (My other goal for this year was to get Nationally qualified.)
So the week comes before the Palmetto Cup. Justin said to treat it like a normal week. We'll carb up a little on Friday, but we were not going to change water or sodium intake for this show. I was having tons of sodium during the entire prep and on that Friday I did the usual, salt each bite of meat and use lots of Soy Sauce on my rice. I went to weigh ins that night and weighed 197.25lbs. It was nice, because when I got down to my trunks to weigh in, one of the Judges said "Wow, you've improved this year!" After that my confidence went up!
Saturday morning comes and like normal it's a medium carb day, so I had little carbs before prejudging. This is the only time I didn't take in water. I had no water before prejudging. When we got back stage I was looking around at the other competitors and honestly thought I might get 2rd if I'm lucky. There was one guy there from the front was hard as nails and had very thin skin. From the back he was soft in the hamstrings/glute area. There were two others that I thought looked good as well. My class was the biggest at the show with 8 people.
We went for quarter turns, then 60 sec routine, then comparisons. They called us out in numerical order, and the guy I mentioned earlier was first out, then me, then 2 others. We went through our comparisons, and then they put us back. The rest of the competitors went out for their comparisons. Then they brought the first group out and went through 4 poses. Front Lat, Front Double Bi, Side Chest, Rear Lat. After those call-outs I knew things were changing in the judges eyes, and again my confidence went up. Those are strong poses for me and I got to show my best poses in the final comparisons.
After getting dressed I went out front to the audience and everyone was talking about me. It was a little weird for me, because I didn't think I looked that good. I was told to pound down the water now and try to drink as much as possible. Food stayed the same, but I was allowed a burger patty from Ruby Tuesdays and a salad.
Night show comes and everyone back stage is telling the other guy how great he was and that the show was his. I sat back in the corner with my feet up. Skip ahead to the results. I'm standing waiting as they call out the 5,4,3 placings and I'm thinking...well I'm next, and instead they called his number. I was shocked, but elated that I had won my first class victory. I had never compete in the Novice or Jr. Divisions, I just went to the open division when I started bodybuilding.
We then had the pose down. That's one of the most exhausting things you can do the day of the show! Wow, that takes a lot out of you, but at the time the adrenaline is flowing, so you don't feel it till after. I knew I had a shot at winning the overall because there was only one super heavy, and the heavyweight winner wasn't as conditioned as he would have liked to have been. When the announcement came I was in shock. It didn't really hit me. It was amazing to be the only one left standing on stage! All the photos and the class winners were set together for more photos. It was a great experience.
Now prep week for the State show. It's the South Carolina State show held at the Kroger Center in Columbia, SC again.
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were low carb days, very high water and high sodium days. My weight had dropped down to 188lbs on Tuesday morning. We started the carb up on Wednesday. Water stayed high till Friday and then it was lowered a bit. Mentally it was a challenging week for some reason which I still can't explain. Justin, Nate, and Shelby all helped me through this time just to stay focused and things will be fine.
Friday comes and I'm feeling good now. I'm much tighter then last week at this time. I've never looked like I did, so it was a new and exciting experience. I weighed in at 193lbs.
Saturday I did the Troponin carb up protocol, and go back to bed for a little while. When I woke up I was dry and hard...veins everywhere. When I went to prejudging I was flat again, hard, but flat. I found out there were 12 people in my class this time, and again I felt I didn't belong there. Everyone looked great. I was hoping for a top 5 placing. One guy there, finished 3rd, beat Jay Cutler as a teen!
Same routine for the class, quarter turns, 60 sec routine, comparisons. We were called out for comparisons, 4 of us in numerical order. I was told I looked flat and a little washed out, but I was excited to be in the first call out. We went through our poses and no one was moved around. Then we were put back and they brought out the rest of the class. There was a lot of moving them around. While standing to the side I was told I was starting to get real hard. They brought the first group out again and moved people around this time, but not me. I felt good leaving prejudging. A solid 2nd place was mine.
I talked with Justin 3-4 times between the morning and night show. He was great...very supportive and accessible. Something I didn't have in the past.
Night show comes and everyone is talking about the Super Heavy so I know the overall is out of the question. They call out the top 5 and again I knew I wasn't lower then third. They call out the 5,4, and 3 spot and I'm still there so I'm getting excited. The guy I thought won the class was in 3rd. It was down to me and a guy I beat last week. When he was called next, I was pumped! I was extremely excited. I had achieved the goal I set for the year. All the cardio and 4:30am wake up calls were worth it! This time I realized it at the time and I couldn't have been happier. The crowd booed, but I didn't care. I accomplished my goal and now it was down to the overall. In SC you get a NPC ring when you win and I wanted the ring! There was just 240lbs of muscle in the way. I lost to the Super Heavy, but I was ok with that. If I was judging, I would have given him the nod too.

Shelby: How do you personally cope with the rigors of contest prep? (physical and mental)

Joe:
Physically - I tried to rest as much as possible. I would take naps every chance I got. There was no letting down on the training and cardio. If anything I was working at higher intensity level, so I didn't have a problem getting a nap in. I didn't sleep well the last 6 weeks of the prep either so naps were a life saver.
Mentally - This is the tough part. I did my best to stay busy and keep my mind occupied. I get a lot accomplished during a contest prep because sitting around drives me nuts! The other aspect that helped mentally was talking to Justin, Shelby and Nate Wolfe. Shelby and Nate were extremely important to me because they could relate to what I was going through and they gave me great tips on how to deal with difficulties I encountered. Shelby was great with putting things into perspective as well as going through a lot of the same things at the same time. It was good having people to vent too.

Shelby: What are your future competitive plans? What do you want to accomplish with bodybuilding?

Joe: One step at a time. I plan to do Jr. USA's next year if they move the show to October like they plan. I'll make my decision after that show for what's next. I know I'm not pro material and will never be. I want to go as far as my genetics will take me.
I also have plans to start a family in the very near future and that will factor in my decision process as well. We'll have to see how things play out.

Shelby: Tell us a bit about the gym you train at, whether you have a training partner, a bit about him/her, what it’s like having a partner, etc.

Joe: I workout at a commercial gym. Nothing hardcore about it. Lots of guys with ILS and lots of cardio queens! It's got what I need to improve my physique and the staff leaves me alone, unlike other gyms in the area.
I do have a great training partner, 2 actually, but one's not on the competitive level. Tim is my training partner and has been for almost 2 years. He's young, but hungry, and he doesn't allow me to slack at all. He's everything you need in a good training partner. He's consistent, passionate about bodybuilding, driven to surpass me, and will call me out if I am dogging it at all. What more can you asked for in a training partner?
I lifted for years by myself, but I haven't made the gains as fast as I have with a good training partner.

Shelby: What principles guide your training, and do they change from off-season to precontest?

Joe: Training principles, I don't have any consistent ones I use. I train as hard and heavy as possible with good form. Sometimes we add in Drop Sets, Rest Pauses, and Super Sets.
My off-season and contest training doesn't change at all aside from the weight used. Like Dante and Justin said..."what built the muscle will keep the muscle".
This year I'm focusing on the Mind-Muscle connection and feeling each rep. I'm going to incorporate then "Peak Contraction" Principle this off-season. I feel this will help make the improvements on my weak points in my physique.

Shelby: How has working with Troponin Nutrition changed your outlook on bodybuilding?

Joe: COMPLETELY!!! There's no more stress come contest time. I trust TN completely and I know what I'm doing is what's going to make me successful. The nice thing is TN is they make things simple. Bodybuilding doesn't have to be this complex process to get results. It's about consistently doing the big things right...Training and eating. I don't have to second guess if the things I'm doing are going to work.
It's also been a tremendous learning experience. I'm not a mindless follower in anything in life and I'm always asking "why am I doing this?" Justin takes the time to answer all my questions and sometime he will write a book on a simple question. I love that part about working with him. I get explanations for everything and I know there is a reason behind what he's telling me to do.

Shelby: Your wife Jess competes in a related sport, figure. Tell us a little about her, and what it’s like having two competitors living under one roof.

Joe: Jess was the first of the two of us to compete. She won her class in her first show, took the overall at her second show (NY Metropolitan), and then placed 5th at her fist national show (Jr. USA). This past year she placed 4th at Jr. USA's in the short class and is now prepping with Nate Wolfe for the USA's in Vegas at the end of July.
Having two competitors in the same house can be rough, but it's VERY rare. We are more understanding and supportive when we are getting ready together. We also help each other out with all the cooking and daily chores of owning a home. She's the best thing to happen to me, and I don't know if I'd have done as well without her and her support.

Shelby: What advice would you give to newcomers to the sport?

Joe: Keep it simple! Consistency is the secret to success in the sport. Find someone you trust and listen to them only. If you are getting ready for a show with 10 people telling you what to do you're not going to do as well as you would like. I was always second guessing my first nutrition coach because I had many others trying to add their $0.02.
A few mistakes I made that others can learn from...when you nutritionist says you can eat green veggies unlimited...DON'T. I would eat 5 lbs. of green beans a day and wondered whey I didn't get lean!
If you are a night time eater, don't have Peanut Butter in your house. My second show was sabotaged by me waking at night and subconsciously eating the entire jar of PB. I'd wake up the next morning and wonder where the jar of PB went. LOL Happened twice so I don't keep PB around during a diet any more.
Protein to high - Yes there is such a thing as too much protein during a contest diet. I would eat 10oz cooked protein servings and again didn't realize why I wasn't lean!

Favorite cheat foods?

Double Cheeseburgers, Cold Stone Ice cream, any kind of cake!

Last question – what did you eat today?
5 cups of Coco Krispies, skim milk, 6 Egg Whites
4 oz of Chicken Teriyaki, 2 cups of white Rice
Sushi Spicy Tuna Roll, Eel Roll, Chicken Teriyaki Roll
10 oz of Multi Grain Pasta, 4oz 99% lean ground turkey, 1/2 cup tomato sauce
It's 2:30pm now and I'm going to cook 2 cups Steel Cuts Oats and 4 oz Turkey Tenderloin

Thanks for the interview Joe.

As you all can see, Joe is a very dedicated and driven young man who still manages to keep balance in his life (something we should all strive for!). I look forward to watching him progress this offseason on his journey to becoming a legitimate heavyweight contender for the 2008 Jr USAs.
Best of luck, Joe!