Shelby
Starnes interviews Troponin Athlete Chris Perticari
Full
Name: Christopher Perticari Shelby: Tell us about a typical day / week in the life of Chris Perticari: Chris: I get up at 6am almost religiously everyday as my two dogs are up and ready to go out and eat...I have a Doberman and black lab. Eat breakfast right away and pack my food for the day to take with me. Since I work in retail, my schedule varies and sometimes I either train in morning before work or after. Right now i am sticking to just basics in the gym to save my energy and central nervous system for strongman on the weekends. So Monday would be my push day..chest, shoulders, tris. Wednesday is legs and deads, and Friday is pull day...back, bis, and traps. Rest up on Saturday, as I am usually working anyway. Then on to Sunday where I meet up with the Linden Yard Gang and we train usually from about 1030 to 130, depending on how many people show up. Shelby: Give us a typical Linden Yard Gang workout: Chris: Typical workout at Linden Yard usually we follow the pattern of events that is for the next upcoming show. Usually start with either a log or axle press, yoke walk and farmers walk...really just depends on what events are coming up. We almost always include tire flips and sled drags as they are great conditioning exercises and get you in great shape. Stones are always done last cause you get pretty dirty and tired doing them. Training lasts about 3 hrs or so, depending on the crowd that shows and a lot of times we will break out the grill afterwards and cook out as a group, lots of fun. Shelby: How did you get involved in bodybuilding, strongman, etc.? Chris:
I got involved in bodybuilding by making a huge change in my life.
I had always lifted, not too seriously for football in high school.
But I was a heavy kid, played center and nose tackle for my high school
team, weighing a not good 220 lbs at 5'6" in high school..lol.
After I graduated, I went to my one year at college and just looked
at myself one day and decided I didn’t want to look like this
anymore, so I drastically changes my eating habits and self educated
myself on eating better and in about 1 year I lost 60lbs. I was pretty
skinny, but in pretty good shape and I could see lots of definition
and I was shocked, started learning on training smart and eating right
for training and talked to my gym owner who had competed in bodybuilding
before and he helped me diet for my first show. From there its history
and I love the sport for the challenge, the discipline, and its all
in my hands to get to where I need to be. Shelby: Who do you look up to in bodybuilding and strongman? Chris: I really don't look up to anyone in particular, all competitors do a great job and are very dedicated. I really respect the humble athletes that go up there and do their job in either sport and walk away as if it were just another day at the office. I’m not a big fan at all of the boisterous, cocky individuals that give these sports a bad name. But if I had to pick someone in bodybuilding, it would be Dorian Yates for his work ethic. In strongman, I would say really any of the lightweights (<231class) it is amazing all the weight that they move for their bodyweight, the whole sport truly inspires me. Shelby: What has been your most memorable bodybuilding / strongman experience? Chris:
In bodybuilding, it would have to be the day of the NJ State Show
and the Suburban, they were run the same day one right after the other...I
was so happy to win my class in both and the overall of both...in
my first open class NPC show. Shelby: What would consider to be your main weakness in strongman? Chris: My main weakness in strongman is my overhead press, whether it be log, axle, dumbell, keg, which ever.. they are all not too strong. I am really trying to just increase my strict press in the gym as well as work on my technique to use my legs or do a split jerk to fire the bar over head...just takes practice. Shelby: Can you tell us a bit about how strongman contests are run? Maybe describe a typical strongman contest day? Chris: Strongman contests usually run about 4-5 hrs total length...start at 11am and done by 3 or 4, and that includes all classes: teens, masters, women, novice men, open men..and all sub classes too, lightweight and heavyweight for each division. Usually we have numerous people helping out and they move along fast. Shelby: Tell us about how you got started with Troponin Nutrition: Chris:
My first start with Troponin Nutrition was from a recommendation from
Darrin Dudash. After the 2004 power lifting meet, I was sitting at
260 not good lbs and thought I could use the help to get ready for
the 2004 East Coast BB show in November. So I contacted Justin and
he took me down to 212 for that show. I placed a very respectable
4th in a tough show. I have loved working with Justin for every show,
he is always in contact and very specific to every detail. He always
has answers for anything he wants you to do, as to why your doing
this, etc....he is extremely intelligent and his physique shows the
proof...I wish him luck in July at the USA for the pro card. Shelby: So what is your diet like now, since switching from bodybuilding to strongman? Chris: My diet has pretty much stayed the same for strongman as well as bodybuilding; I try to get in 6 meals a day and eat clean to be healthy and stay in better shape as Strongman takes a lot of conditioning. Although I must admit I do cheat here and there a lot more than I used to as I am not so worried with how I look!! Cold Stone Ice Cream is definitely my weakness and usually gets visited a couple times a month!!! Shelby: Can you tell us a bit about your likes and dislikes regarding bodybuilding as compared to strongman? Chris:
I definitely love the two sports...what I love most about the strongman
is just the idea of it, how unique it is and how it is growing; shows
are getting upwards of 70+ competitors. The athletes are also very
sportsmanlike and fun to be around. The North American Strongman (NAS)
www.nastrongmaninc.com is a great organization and run very well by
Willie and Dione Wessels. I just love the sport cause I am the one
to blame in the end if I fail. Bodybuilding I love for the discipline
and determination it takes to get to where you need to be on stage...I
love the training and training with a partner that has the same drive.
What I dislike about strongman, honestly, nothing....I definitely
have found a sport that I love and respect...maybe one complaint is
some shows take a little too long… but still shorter than bodybuilding.
Chris:
To do bodybuilding again would just be something I would want to do.
I would like to try to do Nationals or USAs just once to see how it
would go. As I said earlier, I don't see myself turning pro so it
would just be for me. Nothing to prove to anything or anyone. When
I first started strongman I tried to do my regular gym workouts for
bodybuilding and strongman on Sundays and it was just too much training,
5 days a week, plus the ridiculously heavy strongman days, was too
taxing on the body. Shelby: My girlfriend wants to know what the weirdest thing you’ve ever lifted was: Chris: Weirdest thing I have ever lifted...Nothing has really been too weird yet..I pulled a 36000lb fire truck with a harness and rope 100' in 57 seconds. Which I was the only lightweight in the class to finish that event in 2005. The atlas stones are def very unique even though they are a standard in most competitions..love to do them. I have loaded a 405lb stone to a 48" platform. That is my PR. Shelby: Any last words for our readers? Chris: I want to thank Shelby for interviewing me and posting it. I want to thank Troponin Nutrition for their help in my success in both strongman and bodybuilding and their faith in me to help their clients achieve their goals. I want to wish everyone good luck in their competitions this year, in whatever sport you compete. Shelby:
Thanks for the interview, Chris. Best of luck to you on whichever
platform you choose to compete. |