How did you get started with bodybuilding?
I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but I grew up in Texas and New Mexico. My family owned auto dealerships and saw some opportunities in New Mexico, so we moved there. I was at a cross roads between football and working out to improve my physique. After a failed attempt to play professional football I made the move into bodybuilding. My main focus was keeping my competitive levels high; getting on the bodybuilding stage was the answer for me at the time.
What gets you motivated?
I dealt with childhood obesity until I was about 13 years old. My older brother actually played a huge role in my transformation, having introduced weight training and proper nutrition as a teenager. I had an extremely supportive family around me.
How did you make the transition?
I came to the realization that I could be very good at football but not among the elite. Then I heard that one of my inspirations from “Pumping Iron,” Serge Nubret, was living in New Mexico and training at a local gym.
I sought him out and asked if he would train me. I believe that was around 1997.
What happened when you worked with Serge?
My first workout with Serge was chest, calves and abs. It lasted 2 1/2 hours! I went home feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. I have to tell you, that workout owned me. I was scared to go back. Seriously. After all the years of football training, I wasn’t sure if I could handle Serge’s workouts. They were intense, fast-paced and long.
But you went back and took the challenge, right?
Yes, I did. With Serge you don’t handle as heavy a weight, but you do lots of sets and reps with very short rest periods. He’d have me doing 2,000 crunch situps every workout. It was brutal. I developed a blood blister on my tailbone.
We also did isolation exercises, which I had never done before, and we did the basics but for many more sets than I had been used to.
Two thousand crunch situps a day? What were the results?
My waist went in three or four inches; my body totally changed. I went from a bulky, blocky football player body to a more aesthetic and shapely bodybuilder look. I competed in several WABBA events, and in 2000, I competed in Europe.
I was fifth in the world, 21 and under.
What is your training philosophy?
It has changed throughout the years. Initially I trained to be the baddest SOB in the gym. My first actual contest was a power lifting contest, where I attempted to set a natural teenage record in bench press. I missed the record by 10lbs, hitting 315lbs. I know it doesn’t seem like a lot but at the time it felt like a ton.
If you have to pick only 3 exercises, what would they be and why?
- Squats
- Military Press
- Pull-ups
I would include flat dumbbell press in a close 4th place. If I was stuck with just those I believe I would still stimulate growth in nearly every muscle in the body
Anthony Presciano’s Hypertrophy (Size) Routine
How do you overcome training plateaus?
I go 180 degrees away from what I was most recently doing. If you want to break through a plateau, go from heavy to light, from a few reps to many, from circuit to single-part training, etc.
When trying to cut down do you prefer to use HIIT or just normal cardio?
Cardio for me is in the form of speed walking, running outdoors and Stairmaster. My additional training (with weights) is extremely fast paced.
I can actually get close to shredded with my simple yet taxing training split
What is your philosophy on nutrition?
Eat for a purpose; ie, to grow, to get shredded or to maintain adequate nutrient uptake.
Talking about getting and staying lean, what’s your diet strategy?
You would be surprised. I eat very little while dieting. It’s almost impossible for me to drop to the weight necessary if I eat any carbs! I find myself indulging in foods that are readily available in the area where I live downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It’s very easy to grab a high-quality piece of fish and greens. For instance, I just had some amazing steamed sea bass with a side of asparagus. Basically, you can count on me eating chicken and fish with all sorts of vegetables every day until I’m at the bodyfat and weight desired.
Oh, I almost forgot: Flaxseed oil is key for me, to the tune of about four tablespoons per day
What does your most recent shopping list look like?
Protein:
- N
Y Strip - Tilapia
- 93% Lean Ground Beef
- Grilled Chicken Breast
Carbs:
- Minute Rice
- Low Sugar Oatmeal single serv packs (variety flavors)
- Sweet Potatoes
- Linguini
Vegetables:
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Red/Yellow/Orange Bell Peppers
- Onions
Miscellaneous:
- Sugar Free Jello (assorted flavors)
- Guacamole
- Fresh Salsa
- Sugar Free Popsicles
- A-1 Sauce (Peppercorn flavor)
- Shula’s Steak Sauce
- Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
- Spray Butter
- Extra Virgin Olive Oli.
What are your favorite meals and foods?
Sushi and fat-ass burgers with bacon and cheddar. When it comes to getting shredded I crave tilapia steamed with lemon juice, a bit of olive oil and asparagus with chopped salsa.
Favorite cheat food?
Sushi
Which era of bodybuilding had superior physiques? Yesterdays Bodybuilders Or Today’s?
Today’s bodybuilders are far superior in everyway.
This has little to do with personal drive and commitment and everything to do with natural advancement of the big three- training, nutrition and supplementation. Evolution cannot be denied.
Favorite Bodybuilders?
Serge Nubret, my mentor. There are no others.
Favorite Quote?
Never strive for success, strive to be your best and success will follow.
Website: AnthonyPresciano.com
