Musclemania Pro Athlete Tuan Tran Talks With Simplyshredded.com

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

My best friend, Chris Heitman, always wanted to be a bodybuilder, so he asked me to help him with that considering I was already a personal trainer at the time. However, I felt that there was a lot of information that the books were not able to cover. So in order for me to become a better coach/trainer I felt that I had to go through the process myself.

So in 2006, I entered the sport of bodybuilding and that’s where it all started, and I haven’t looked back since.

Where does your motivation come from?

There are many things that motivate me. From making my family proud, to becoming a role model for others to do it without the use of performance enhancing drugs and to train others to be on par if not surpass me in the sport. As I told one competitor at one of my competitions, “Not only am I looking to win and become a champion in bodybuilding, but I also want to create champions as well”.

I love the challenge it brings on all the different levels when it comes to strict training and dieting in order to achieve my goals.

What workout routine has worked best for you?

It all depends on what is my current goal is. There is no such thing as a perfect workout program that will give you all the results you are looking for at the same time. However, considering the site is called “Simply Shredded,” I will give you one of my favorite workouts that has worked well for me.

Full Routine:

Day 1: Shoulders

Barbell Stand Push Press
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20
Arnold Presses
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 10, 15, 20
Any Kind of Rear Delt Fly
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 15, 20
Ab Planks
4 sets for 1 min

Day 2: Legs

Barbell Squats
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20
Leg Curls or Leg Extensions
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 10, 15, 20
Lunges (reps are for both legs, so 20 each leg means 40 total)
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 15, 20
Seated Calf Raises
4 sets of 10 to 15 reps

Day 3: Back

Deadlifts or Rack Pulls
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20
DB or Cable Rows
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 10, 15, 20
Lat Pull Downs (any grip)
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 15, 20
Hyperextensions
4 sets of 10 to 15 reps

Day 4: Chest

Barbell Bench Press or DB Flat Bench
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20
Incline or Decline Barbell or DB Chest Press
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 10, 15, 20
Flyes of any kind
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 15, 20
Ab Planks
4 sets for 1 min

Day 5: Legs and Shoulders

Leg Press
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20
Barbell Up Right Rows
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20
Lunges with DB Lateral (Side) Raises
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 15, 20
Seated Calf Raises
4 sets of 10 to 15 reps

Day 6: Biceps and Triceps

Barbell Curls or DB Curls
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20
Close Grip Bench Press or Weighted Dips
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20
Cable Curls superset with Overhead Cable Extensions
Sets and Reps: 20, 15, 15, 20
Ab Planks
4 sets for 1 min

Day 7: Rest

Recovery

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

Without a doubt I would choose:

Barbell Squats (below parallel)
Barbell Deadlifts
Bench Press

These are the biggest and baddest movements when it comes from the 3 kings of bio mechanics of the Squat, the Pull, and the Push.

No other 3 exercisers will engage more muscle fibers create more tension with it comes the pulling, squatting, or pushing.

In your opinion, what is the best approach for training specifically for hypertrophy?

Volume and the right rep range. The 8 to 12 rep range is where I feel hypertrophy works the best in my case. Also, not doing single joint movements but hitting the multi-joint complex movements so that your body forces more muscles to work per rep.

What is your diet like?

Just depends on what I am training for. It changes every month, or depends on how my weight is changing as well. All I can really tell you is that first, I find out what my BMR is. Then, depending on my goals and the stress factors of my workouts and normal day to day living, I modify my calories to fit the demands. But 1 thing that does stay pretty consistent all year, is that I keep my protein at 1 gram for lbs. of body weight I am. Other than that, nutrition is a science. The more you educate yourself, the more power and freedom you have in changing your body. Remember, food is the greatest tool when it comes to controlling your body’s hormonal functions for every time you eat or drink anything, there is a hormonal response of some kind. You just better know if it is one to make your body move in the right or wrong direction.

But when I am in pre contest, I will reduce red meat and eat more complex carbs and only simple carbs depending on what I finish training. Also, because I am a meso-endo (somato type or body type), I have to reduce my carb intake in order to get ready for a competition.

Sample Diet:

Meal 1: Egg Whites, Oatmeal or Rice Cakes
Meal 2: Whey Protein, Fruit
Meal 3: 8 to 10 oz. Lean Meat with Green Beans
Meal 4: Cliff Builder Bar
Meal 5: Beef Jerky or Whey Protein
Meal 6: 8 to 10 oz. Lean Meat with Veggies
Meal 7: 2 table spoons of Peanut Butter with Rice Cakes

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

I do both. because of my somato type (body type), conditioning is very difficult, so I have to do HIIT to build up my vascularity, but I still have to do normal fat burning cardio to help shed the fat off. Now here is where I will go away from the norm when it comes to bodybuilding. I love learning and practicing martial arts and instead of always hitting the treadmill, bike, pre core, jump rope…etc.

I will train on what I have learned in martial arts and use it to build my conditioning and at the same time drop some serious body fat, so one must always figure out fun and new ways to challenge the body to keep improving and progressing.

What is your supplementation like?

Multi-vitamin, Whey Protein, Glucosamine Conjointant. My stomach cannot handle too much meat in a day, so Whey Protein is a life saver. The Multi-vitamin is just a great way to make sure the body is running 100%. As much processing food and produce are going through these days, I highly doubt we are getting the nutrient dense food we need on a day to day basis. Glucosamine conjointant keep my joints happy.