Rising Star: Matthew St George Talks With Simplyshredded.com

Quick Stats:

Age: 23
Height: 5’10” – 178 cm
Weight: 198 lbs – 90 kg

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

It all started when I was 16 years old and was watching TV, and while flicking channels, Pumping Iron came on. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s physique captivated me and so did the rest of the bodybuilders shown in the film and right away I knew it was a lifestyle that I wanted to adopt. During my high school years I was quite a chubby kid and I had a very big appetite. I hadn’t played sports in a few years, so with these factors combined, it was a physique disaster. I realised I wanted to change, and in the coming months I set myself on a path of fat loss and initiated a weight training program.

I saw results relatively fast, started to receive attention at school, and have been training consistently and trying to improve my physique ever since.

Where does your motivation come from?

I am very intrinsically motivated and I constantly strive to achieve a better physique. My inner desire to continually improve and reach my goals is what drives me to train each and every day. Life is what you make of it and I know if I want to achieve what I have set my mind to, I must give it my best each and every day.

Passion, drive, success, and improvement are what motivate me to train.

What workout routine has worked best for you?

For me I have always responded well to a routine where I train each body part multiple times in the week. I like to base my training around the main compound lifts i.e. squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press and I combine this with a large volume of accessory work e.g. rows, pushes, pulls, curls.

All my workouts are performed to achieve a volume total and will usually be composed of the following format depending on my training cycle:

Day 1 – Primary Day

Squats: 5 sets of 5 reps @ 80%
Bench: 4 sets of 7 reps @ 70%
Overhead Press: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 65%

Day 2 – Accessory Day

Dumbbell Row: 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Hammer Strength Row: 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Single Arm Cable Curl: 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
One Arm Preacher Curl: 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Tricep Pushdowns: 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Overhead Dumbbell Extension: 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps

Day 3 – Primary Day

Deadlift – 5 sets of 5 reps @ 80%
Bench – 4 sets of 7 reps @ 70%
Overhead Press – 4 sets of 10 reps @ 65%

Day 4 – Accessory Day

Seated Machine Crunches – 5 sets of 10 reps
Standing Calf Raise – 10 sets of 10 reps

Day 5 – Accessory Day

Dumbbell Row: 4 sets of 12 reps
Hammer Strength Row: 4 sets of 12 reps
Cable Crossovers: 4 sets of 12 reps
Single Arm Cable Curl: 4 sets of 12 reps
One Arm Preacher Curl: 4 sets of 12 reps
Tricep Pushdowns: 4 sets of 12 reps
Overhead Dumbbell Extension: 4 sets of 12 reps

Day 6 – Primary Day

Squat – 5 sets of 5 reps @ 80%
Bench – 4 sets of 7 reps @70%
Overhead Press – 4 sets of 10 reps @ 65%

Day 7 – Accessory Day

Seated Machine Crunches – 5 sets of 15 reps
Seated Calf Raise – 10 sets of 15 reps

4. If you had to pick only 3 exercises, what would they be and why?

Deadlift
Squat
Bench Press

I believe these to be the most important exercises for overall muscularity and strength gains.

These movements allow for a large degree of progression and overload in terms of weight on the bar. They will also help develop and strengthen a wide range of muscles indirectly, and certainly make sense from an evolutionary standpoint.

What is your diet like?

I am a flexible dieter (follow IIFYM principles), and my diet will be consumed according to a certain caloric intake and macronutrient targets that are aimed to achieve a certain body composition. I predominantly eat a diet composed of lean, high quality protein sources e.g. chicken, tuna, turkey, red meat, and i combine this with a high vegetable intake and a moderate amount of starchy carbohydrates and fat sources.

A typical daily diet for me would look something like the following:

Meal 1: 200g Oats, 30g Whey & 30g to 50g Peanut Butter
Meal 2: 200g Lean Red Meat & 500g Mixed Vegetables
Meal 3: 200g Turkey Mince & 500g Mixed Vegetables
Meal 4: 2 Whole Eggs, 4 to 6 Egg Whites, 1 to 2 Tomatoes, 1 to 2 Zucchinis & a handful of Mushrooms
Meal 5: Dessert – 200g to 300g Low Fat Ice Cream, 4 Ice Cream Cones & Ice Magic / Milo

When trying to cut down do you prefer to use HIIT or just normal cardio?

I will usually start my prep with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) cardio but will transition into MISS (Medium Intensity Steady State) once the deficit gets larger and energy output decreases.