Malachi McKoy Talks With Simplyshredded.com

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

I had always been interested in having the bodybuilder look. Since I was a kid watching Lou Ferrigno as ‘The Incredible Hulk’ on television I dreamed of having the ‘superhero’ physique. I got into martial arts in my teens and began to train for that modality. Friends noticed how well my physique responded to weight training and after ALOT of convincing I was persuaded to enter my first show.

Where does your motivation come from?

My motivation come from within. I am soooo hooked on competition. I’ve placed as high as 3rd at a national show but now I need to win.

What is your training philosophy?

I love to train hard. However, I’ve learned over the years that its better to train smart as well and get some moderate training in to allow the body to recover.

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

If I had to pick three exercises they would be the squat, deadlift, and flat dumbbell press. These exercises give you the most bang for your buck. The squat stimulates the quads, hamstrings, lower back and abs, hip flexors, etcetera, etcetera. Ditto on the deadlift with more emphasis on back muscle involvement. And the dumbbell press works the chest, triceps and shoulders. So just with those three exercises I can gain muscle or burn fat depending on my caloric intake.

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

High intensity isn’t necessary for me. I stick to regular cardio that concentrates on getting rid of that last bit of fat before a photo shoot or competition. For me personally, the HIIT method puts my hard earned muscle at too much risk.

What is your philosophy on nutrition?

Better out than in, I always say. Just kidding. I’ve found that nutrition is definitely extremely important in reaching my fitness goals, no matter what they may happen to be at the time. Without proper nutrition, I don’t have the fuel I need to do an effective workout or to recover effectively.

What are your favorite meals and foods?

I like sweet potatoes, brown rice, sirloin, green beans, squash, lettuce(romaine), chicken breast, dirty rice (made w/brown), tuna and salmon, eggs and oatmeal….Oh! grits, corn, um…how much time do we have?

Favorite cheat food?

Lasagna! mmmm!

What supplements do you use that give you great results? How do you use them?

The supplements I use most are whey protein, glutamine, and creatine. I use whey first thing in the morning right out of bed, right after a workout and sometimes in the middle of the night if I wake up to ‘ease nature’ :) I use glutamine pre and post workout and also creatine.