Brolic Beats: What is your favorite muscle to hit at the gym and why?
Nick Spangenberg: My favorite muscle to train has to be my chest, most people hate Mondays but I can’t wait for it because its chest day! I think personally for a while my chest was my weakest feature but has responded quickest to my new workout routines and has grown and became much stronger very quickly.
BB: At what age did you start lifting and how did you get into it?
NS: I starting going to the gym when I was about 17 but I was doing everything wrong and didn’t get serious into lifting until about two years ago when I became an Exercise Science major at MSU (Montclair State University. I realized if I was going to be successful there were going to be two things that will get me there, my grades and my body, anyone in the upper echelon of the training world would never hire the overweight or scrawny kid so I knew I had to step it up.
BB: What made you decide to participate in the physique/bodybuilding competition and why that specific one?
NS: I think a few things made me decide to enter into the physique competition. At one point about 2 months ago I realized that I was beginning to be at what consider my physical best and getting bigger and in better shape, and then a thought came into my head, what if my training and 6 days a week in the gym had a purpose. I thought what would be the ultimate challenge would be to become a competitor in the NPC. I chose physique because I liked the idea of having the aesthetic look. I give credit to the bodybuilder who have insane mass and vascularity with almost no fat but to me the aesthetic physique look is something I’d rather have and I can succeed in doing.
BB: How do you go about partying? Are things different now that you have to focus more on your body?
NS: What’s this thing you call partying? Haha I can’t say I’ve been to the bars much lately but I definitely enjoy the occasional night out with my girl or some friends. Also at dinner I’ve been thinking healthy lately, at times substituting a soda or cocktail with a nice red wine ( I sound like an old lady I know lol)
BB: Let’s hear your opinion on supplements. Which to take and why?
NS: Supplements… I love my current stack, I think theres nothing wrong with proper supplementation. My whey protein that I’m using and absolutely love is Platinum Hydro Whey (cookies n cream). Some people may say its too expensive or not worth it, I did the research, it’s the best there is at that price. For creatine I like Concret because they make a strand of Creatine HCl which is shown to make more Adenosine Triphosphate or ATP, the essential energy source for muscle tissue. Also I take casein at night and use a few different pre-workouts on different days ( I like 1mr and ripped freak)
BB: What is the best meal to gain weight?
NS: The best meal is a consistent balanced one, to gain weight it’s 50% diet, 50% lifting heavy, and 100% dedication. Everyday I have 4 meals of an 8 ounce tuna, steak, chicken, tilapia and salmon mix with brown rice, quinoa and a mix of veggies. During my bulking period I cheat often but I make sure to keep my cheating meals healthy and balanced.
BB: What is the best way to cut fat but keep muscle size?
NS: Best way to keep the muscle and lose fat is proper dieting, to lose the weight eating right is most important. I believe in the saying abs are made in the kitchen not the gym. You need to have a great balance of cardio, lifting and eating right. Only then will you hold on to your muscle gains. Whatever you do, don’t let your lifting fall to the side in importance.
BB: Any advice for gym novices?
NS: Get a trainer! Don’t be like me having wasted my hours, days, months of learning how to workout the wrong ways. It wasn’t until I became an exercise science major until I learned all of the things I was doing wrong. But before you go out and get a trainer, FIND OUT THEIR BACKGROUND OF STUDY. They have to tell you and if they don’t its because they’re embarked of there b/s weekend certification. A good background and educated trainer may have an NSCA, ACSM certification or a bachelors degree in adult fitness or if your lucky find a trainer who has a bachelors of science is exercise science.
BB: Give us your take on what “Massing” means.
NS: To me ‘massing’ sounds like bulking. Putting in those gritty never ending hours of dedicating lifting to gain every ounce of muscle mass.
BB: What does being “standard” mean?
NS: Standard is being legit, that guy whose epic and is the real deal, being standard is being awesome.
We want to thank Nick for taking the time and effort to do this interview as we greatly appreciate it. Stay tuned for some exclusive workout regimes and meal plans from the one and only Nicky Spankz!
