Fitness Model & Natural Bodybuilder Joe Daniels Talks With Simplyshredded.com

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

I played football in high school and had lifted some weights there but like most people I knew nothing about bodybuilding training and nutrition. After high school I played music in a few bands and I got myself into some bad habits. Along with the bad habits came bad relationships. I finally caught myself on a downward spiral and I had no goals at all. Not even college was helping, so I decided to go to a gym because I remembered feeling good playing football and lifting weights. I started training on Oct 8 2003 and I didn’t know what I was really doing at the time. I looked like a stick so I started lifting more and doing what the people I respected were doing. I started building muscle and was really dedicated and then someone told me I should try a Bodybuilding show because it was a great goal and incredibly hard. I immediately set my mind to it and asked some seasoned people how to start. I competed in my first show on Oct 8 2005 and did very well. I was hooked and finally got my my life back on track from traveling and playing music.

I’m proud to now have done 9 shows, one overall win, a Jr National Show, and now am proud to be a Scivation sponsored athlete!

Where does your motivation come from?

My motivation comes from challenging myself to become better physically and mentally everyday for my family and the people around me.

What workout routine has worked best for you?

For bodybuilding, I’ve always made an ON THE GO program based on how I feel day to day as I never do the same workout exactly every time. I like changing small angles and arcs for each set. I train muscle groups not parts and train them as soon as I feel recovered and one day of rest for the group usually a 3 on 1 off 3, 2 on 2 off schedule. I’ve got a lot of experience so it’s easy for me to stay away from over-training.

Sample Routine:

Monday: Pulling exercises/biceps predominantly (low volume heavy weight)
Tuesday: Leg strength – training torso (low volume heavy weight)
Wednesday pushing: Shoulders/Tri’s (low volume heavy weight)
Thursday: HIIT cardio or mountain biking
Friday: Pulling predominantly, pulldowns (medium volume medium weight)
Saturday: Explosive legs, such as speed squats and plyo’s (medium volume medium weight)
Sunday: Pushing/different angles (medium volume medium weight)

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

Double Kettlebell Clean & Jerk: This movement produces a full body explosive power and heavy shoulder work as it hits everything and builds torso and hip strength.
Barbell Squat rotated with Double Kettlebell Front Squats: Killer workout and great for the quad & thigh development, although extremely intense!
Single Arm dumbbell Ladder Rows: This movement makes my back incredibly thicker by allowing to lift heavier weights for more reps.

What is your diet like?

I rotate between high fat and high carb depending on type of activity I’m doing. right now it’s a little higher fat.

Meal 1: 2-3 whole organic eggs/egg whites and oat/flax meal probiotics
Meal 2: Protein shake (usually solution 5) small apple
Meal 3: Chicken or fish/oats/almonds
Meal 4: Protein powder or chicken mac nut oil quinoa and berries
Meal 5: Turkey/sweet potato or rice salad/greens
Meal 6: Shake/almonds

They say that the pre and post-workout meals are the most vital meals for the day, what do yours consist of?

Depends on what type of nutrition I’m doing but for the last few shows I’ve been pretty high carb, usually my macros are around 40/40/20. So preworkout is usually something easily digestible, low glycemic such as protein powder, quinoa, macadamia nut oil and berries.

Postworkout would be usually farm raised turkey (I get my meat straight from the farm) and sweet potato or white potato/jasmine rice with some efa tablets.

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

I am an avid mountain biker and I go whenever I can and I go HARD. But contest prep has to be progressive so I stick to Low intensity cardio pre and post workout and on my days off I do HIIT. I love doing Tabata protocol with the battling ropes in my studio as well I find this extremely intense and fun.

Supplementation?

I am sponsored by Scivation and also I’m really into balancing cortisol levels and the adrenals. So I am into a lot of herbal and eastern medicines although I still like the basics: