#31: Insight into Amateur Physique Competing with James Anagnostopolous

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a Physique Competitor - whether it be pure curiosity or a personal interest? How people get into it, what the training looks like, the food, the posing, and generally how these guys run their life to looking the way they do?

 

If so, then this raw, honest and incredibly insightful interview with James Anagnostopolous is well worth a listen. James is an amateur Physique competitor. 

 

James is a normal guy holding down a career in the Corporate IT Software industry in New York, who just so happens to have a hidden surprising side to his personality and life. Being a life-long runner and lover of hard gruelling physical activities and competitions, James decided to throw himself into he deep-end and put himself into the foreign world of Physique Competing a couple years ago. 

 

With three NPC Physique competitions under his belt from a standing start, he’s learnt a great deal on what it takes to build your very best body and compete against other highly focussed athletes. Most importantly, he’s been on this journey whilst still being a dad, husband and successful corporate professional. It’s encouraging to hear that physique competing is accessible and open to all, if you’re willing to put in the work.

 

This is what we discuss through this engaging interview:

 

1️⃣ - Who is James. Interests, Family, Passions, Work…

2️⃣ - Life previously as a serial Marathon runner and Triathlete

3️⃣ - Why did James decide to get into Physique competing? How did his wife respond?

4️⃣ - What does Training, Nutrition, Supplementation and Rest look like?

5️⃣ - Discussing the painful and fatiguing 2-week pre-competition period called ‘Peaking’

6️⃣ - Embarrassing Posing and Bronzing stories pre-show

7️⃣ - Experiences, nerves and lessons learnt from the three competitions, and being back stage with ‘the circus'

8️⃣ - What about the Bodybuilding space? Is it full of narcissism and orthorexia? Can you have a healthy relationship with the sport and have it be a force for good?

 

INFO ON JAMES ANAGNOSTOPOLOUS:

• LinkedIn Profile - 
• 1st Competition (2016) - On stage pic
• 2nd Competition (2016) - On stage pic & Lineup
• 3rd Competition (2018) - On stage pic & Lineup

 

USEFUL LINKS FROM PODCAST:

• Info on the Importance of Creatine
• Info on Importance of Magnesium
• Steve’s Supplement Stack for Body & Nutrition
• Importance of Adequate Rest & Recovery
• Shredding those extra pounds ahead of starting your physique body sculpting
• AdapNation Phased Annual Training Programme - #HyperWorkouts

 

AUDIO QUALITY:James’ audio quality for a minute or so throughout the whole interview gets a little crackly. The joys of internet calling! Hopefully it’s not too distracting.

 

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