Darnell “The Action Figure” Ferguson Talks With Simplyshredded.com

Quick Stats:

Age: 26
Height: 6’4” – 193 cm
Weight: 225 lbs – 102 kg

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

I got into bodybuilding shortly after my roommate encouraged me to live a healthier lifestyle and change my eating habits. Up until that point, my diet mainly consisted of pizza and Del Taco. I was in decent shape from daily activities and sports, but he believed I could maximize my physical potential by tweaking my diet. So I cleaned up my diet for about a month and started seeing noticeable changes to my physique. I became consumed with gaining knowledge about dieting and supplementation. Eventually, my friend introduced me to the men’s physique category of bodybuilding. Having a competitive background in sports, I decided to sign up for my first show.

My first show was the LA Fit Expo 2014. I coached myself and won first in my class; the rest is history.

How did you get your nickname, ‘Action Figure?’

After my first show, many of my family and friends that saw photos of me compared me to an ‘action figure’. I went on to win my pro card and the nickname just stuck.

Where does your motivation come from?

My motivation comes from my sports background. I played up to the collegiate level and I’ve never liked to lose. Bodybuilding has given me another outlet that allows me to strive to be my very best.

I believe in living my life to the fullest and I strive to do better with every opportunity I am given.

What workout routine has worked best for you?

I believe in building strength first; then creating size and sculpting. For the first month of a bulk I will go very heavy with reps in the 4-6 range. However, I do not go so heavy that I can’t finish the last rep. After a month of increasing my strength, I’ll switch to a range of 8-10 reps to push more blood into my muscles; this really allows me to grow.

Full Routine:

Monday: Back/Calves

Wide Grip Pull Ups 2 x Failure
Weighted Wide Grip Pull Ups 2 x Failure
Pull Ups 3 x Failure
Chin Ups 3 x Failure
Wide Grip Cable Row 4 x 8
Wide Grip Lat Pulls 3 x 8
Wide Grip Bent-Over Barbell Row 3 x 8
T-Bar Row 3 x8
Dumbbell Back Fly 3 x 8
Cable Back Fly 3 x 8-12

Tuesday: Chest/Abs

Incline Barbell Chest Press 4 x 6-8
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press 4 x 8-10
Incline Smith Machine Chest Press 6 x 8
Seated Incline Cable Chest Fly 5 x 8-10
Standing Cable Fly into Push Ups 9 x 8-10
Flat Bench Barbell Press into Push Ups on Medicine Ball 3 x 20-30
Wide Elbow Dips 3 x Failure

Wednesday: Hamstrings

Bike Warm Up 5 Minutes
Leg Extension 3 x 20
Leg Press 6 x 8-10
Leg Press 2 x 15-20
Single Leg Press 3 x 8
Stiff Leg Dead Lift 4 x 8
Single Leg Barbell Step Ups 3 x 6-8
Good Mornings 4 x 8-10
Walking Lunges 4 x 20 or Smith Machine Lunges 4×8
Leg Curl 6 x 10

Thursday: Shoulders/Abs/Calves

Shoulder Dumbbell Press 3 x 10
Lateral Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 10
Seated Bent-Over Rear Laterals 3 x 10
Abs Circuit 20 min

Friday: Back/Calves

Wide Grip Pull Ups 2 x Failure
Weighted Wide Grip Pull Ups 2 x Failure
Pull Ups 3 x Failure
Chin Ups 3 x Failure
Wide Grip Cable Row 4 x 8
Wide Grip Lat Pulls 3 x 8
Wide Grip Bent-Over Barbell Row 3 x 8
T-Bar Row 3 x8
Dumbbell Back Fly 3 x 8
Cable Back Fly 3 x 8-12

Saturday: Chest/Abs

Incline Barbell Chest Press 4 x 6-8
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press 4 x 8-10
Incline Smith Machine Chest Press 6 x 8
Seated Incline Cable Chest Fly 5 x 8-10
Standing Cable Fly into Push Ups 9 x 8-10
Flat Bench Barbell Press into Push Ups on Medicine Ball 3 x 20-30
Wide Elbow Dips 3 x Failure

Sunday: Quads

Bike Warm Up
Heavy Leg Extensions 3 x 8
Leg Extensions 3 x 13
Leg Press 5 x 30-40
Single Leg Press 3 x 10
Incline Leg Press 4 x 8
Vertical Press-Smith Machine 4 x 30
Leg Extensions 2 x 20
Leg Extensions 3 x 21s
Single Leg Extensions 3 x 10-12
Leg Extension 1 x Failure

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

Pull Ups: It’s a great basic exercise to hit the different areas of my back.
Leg Press: The leg press is easier on my joints than squats.
Barbell Flat Bench: Targets almost every muscle in my upper body; it also demands a lot from your core and back to control the weight.

What is your diet like?

When I’m getting ready for a competition, I have 6 meals per day and consume 8 ounces of lean protein at each meal with about 1-1 ½ cups of carbs. I’ll eat steak or salmon after a chest or back day to help reefed. During the off season my diet is less restrictive. I’ll eat white rice or white potatoes and more red meat. Once a week, I will allow myself to have a couple cheat meals. My favorite cheat is pizza!