Real People, Real Muscle
by Chris Shugart

We're sick of listening to pro-bodybuilders dole out advice on training and nutrition. You know why? Because their advice is horrible! Sure, you'd think guys that big and ripped would know what they were doing, but in most cases they look that way despite their training and dieting strategies. They start with exceptional genetics, then augment this with keg-sized portions of steroids and other drugs. They become so far removed from a normal, natural weight trainer that their advice about training and nutrition becomes laughable. If an average guy listens to these ministers of misinformation, he ends up fat, overtrained, and discouraged. Period.

But somewhere out there is a person who's built a great physique with normal genetics and without breaking the law. It didn't come easy for him, but he learned everything he could, experimented with training and diet until he found what worked for him, and proceeded to bust ass in the gym. The result is a healthy, muscular body that looks good and performs even better. Most importantly, his physique is attainable by others. He's a role model, not a bloated freak who scares people away from weight training. To paraphrase TC, he's Batman, not Superman.

This new article series is about real people with real lives who've struggled to build their bodies into something impressive. They don't do this for a living or to become famous. They bodybuild because they love the challenge and love what it does for them both inside and outside of the gym. In short, this series is here to put some reality back into bodybuilding. Welcome to Real People, Real Muscle.

This month's T-man is Shane Stringer, a powerlifter and bodybuilder from Down Under.

Testosterone: Before we get into the training stuff, tell us a little about yourself.

Shane Stringer: I'm 40 years old, married, and have two daughters. I live in Darwin, Australia, where I work as a Juvenile Detention Officer. I'm also a cartoonist. I work for several Australian newspapers and magazines, and am the author of two books which are collections of my Bunji comic strip.

T: Now that's an eclectic workload! Does your size and strength ever come in handy as a detention officer?

SS: My build is the first thing detainees notice about me and often, due to their criminal experiences, they expect me to be a bully. Once they get to know me they begin to understand that strength doesn't always equate to violence. My size and strength certainly does come in handy on the job, as many of the detainees are violent offenders and need to be restrained at times.

T: I understand you've also worked as a bouncer, right?

SS: I've worked as a crowd control officer in some of the roughest bars and clubs in Central Australia for about seven years. I don't know if you know much about that area but it's a bit like the Wild West, full of cowboys looking for fights. I usually manage to do my job without getting into punch-ups. I always prefer talking people down; it's easier on the body and saves a lot of paperwork. I was once king hit from behind by a drunken Aborigine while escorting one of his buddies out of the club, but that's about it.

T: What's "king hit"?

SS: [laughing] Sorry, it's an Aussie expression that means getting punched in the back of the head.

T: Gosh, I hope Ian wasn't the origin of that term! So what got you into training with weights initially?

SS: I've always been active. I remember doing chin-ups, sit-ups and push-ups regularly from about the age of nine or ten. As soon as I got interested in girls, I started fooling around with my dad's old barbell set a few times a week. By this time I was competing in cross country running and long distance track events.

My coach discouraged my weight training, telling me it would be counterproductive, so I didn't do much until I started playing rugby at about age 16. As I needed a bit more mass for rugby I began training three times a week in the school gym and noticed results almost immediately. From then on I was hooked, but I didn't get into serious bodybuilding training until I went to a local competition a friend was entering. I was blown away by the size and definition of the guys on stage and decided to join a gym.

T: What mistakes did you make in the beginning?

SS: My biggest mistake was not paying enough attention to leg training. Sure, I did it, but because I was getting faster gains in the upper body I put a lot more effort into chest, arms and abs. Consequently, my legs lagged until I started powerlifting and prioritized the squat. I also tended to overtrain — double splits six days a week and other crazy stuff I read in the magazines of the time.

T: You've competed in powerlifting and bodybuilding. Why both?

SS: I enjoy a challenge! Also, as a bodybuilder, I was tired of the local powerlifters ribbing us about being "all show and no go." One day I decided I'd do a powerlifting competition and trained with a friend of mine who was nationally ranked.

I didn't place but I was much stronger than most of my regular training buddies so I decided to make strength gains my main goal. The next few years of powerlifting allowed me to develop a noticeable "thickness" which paid off when I next competed in bodybuilding.

To cut a long story short, I want the best of both worlds: the brute strength and mass of a powerlifter and the symmetrical refinement of a bodybuilder.

Bodybuilder Shane above and powerlifter Shane on bottom.

T: It seems that a lot of bodybuilders come from powerlifting or athletic backgrounds, but you did the opposite.

SS: Yes, I discovered powerlifting later in life. I wish I'd started out in powerlifting and then gotten into bodybuilding because the thickness and density you get from the power moves really does wonders for a physique. Most pro-level bodybuilders today include the squat, bench, and deadlift: you can't win a top show today without serious thickness.

T: So what are your stats now and what are your best lifts as a powerlifter?

SS: I currently weigh 104kg [229 lbs] at about 11% body fat. My height is 5'9". My best competition lifts are 210kg bench, 255kg squat, and 260kg deadlift [that's 462, 561, and 572 lbs, respectively]. I've gone as high as 220kg [484 lbs] bench in the gym. All of these lifts were done in the 90kg division [198 lb], except the deadlift which was in the 100's. All my best lifts have been done as a submaster (35-40 years old) or a master (40-45 years old). I also held the submasters WPC world bench press record for the 90's with a 207.5kg lift [about 457 lbs].

T: How are you training currently? What does an average training week look like for you?

SS: At the moment I'm doing a power/bodybuilding hybrid program of my own design. An average week would look like this:

Monday (chest)

4 sets flat bench

4 sets incline dumbbell

4 sets incline flyes

4 sets dips

Tuesday (back)

5 sets deadlifts

4 sets bent over row

4 sets chins

4 sets seated rows

Wednesday (rest)

Thursday (legs)

4 sets squats

4 sets leg press

4 sets leg extension

4 sets leg curls

5 sets seated calf raise or standing (alternate weeks)

Friday (delts)

4 sets lateral raises

4 sets front raises

4 sets clean and jerk

4 sets rear delt machine

Saturday (arms)

Superset triceps and biceps moves.

4 sets alternate dumbbell curls

4 sets triceps pushdown

4 sets dumbbell preacher curls

4 sets French press

3 sets of hammer curls

Sunday (rest)

T: What's one lift you think everyone should be doing and why?

SS: Single digit, reverse toe lunges... [laughs] Sorry! The real answer is squats! They deliver a full body, anabolic mega hit. Deadlifts, too. But it seems that no one except powerlifters and old timers are doing them.

T: You're 40 years old now. Have you had to change anything about the way you train as you age?

SS: Yeah, I've had to lift smarter. I no longer train without warming up or stretching, something I used to neglect. One thing is certain, I sure as hell refuse to lift lighter! I do try and get more rest though. I like an afternoon nap when I can get it. Crikey! That sounds like an old geezer!

T: Hey, nothing wrong with a little siesta! As someone who's been training for many years, tell us how you continue to make progress. What's the secret to continuing progress?

SS: A couple of years ago I was on holiday and while training in the hotel gym I noticed a guy squatting some pretty serious weight. He had an excellent physique but his face looked well into middle age.

I struck up a conversation with him and he told me he was an ex-East German Olympic weightlifter. He was 62 years old! I asked him the same question, about the secret of continuing progress, and he answered with three simple words: "Never stop training." Those words have become my mantra.

Too many people quit when they turn 30 or when they stop playing football. Or they quit when they turn 40 because they've been told they're now "middle aged." Don't buy it! Keep on training, eating right and getting enough rest and your progress will continue.

T: So would you say that consistency is more important than the specific details of training and diet?

SS: Without a doubt. However, progress will be much faster if you perfect your training and diet. I've seen guys train for years with sloppy form while chowing down on junk food everyday and they don't look any better than when they started back in 1985!

T: Good point. I'm beginning to think that experienced lifters have to prioritize to see any real gains, be it in certain lifts or to improve certain body parts. A training veteran just can't expect everything to improve at once like he did as a newbie. What do you think?

SS: True. I find that when I'm peaking for a bench press competition, I prioritize the appropriate body parts — chest, delts, triceps and lats — while doing nothing more than maintenance for the rest of my body.

T: This column is all about honestly and realism in bodybuilding, so let's talk about your foray into steroids.

SS: I did use very minimal amounts of legally prescribed steroids between the ages of 30 and 35. I haven't touched anything for over five years and I'm bigger and stronger now than when I was using. The 207.5kg bench at 89.95kg was achieved totally drug free.

I have nothing against steroids, but I believe there is "use" and "abuse" and it seems most steroid users fall into the latter category these days. Legally prescribed, authentic drugs with professional health monitoring and a disciplined lifestyle, focusing on hard training, perfect diet and abstinence from alcohol and social drugs, can give good gains with minimal side effects. However, most of the novices I see around the gyms can't train worth a shit, eat nothing but junk, and party with whatever dubious substance they can get their hands on. I've seen guys come and go because they couldn't do it without the 'roids.

T: What's your advice for those guys who are thinking of trying a cycle of steroids for the first time?

SS: Well, being in Corrections and working with teenagers, I'm faced with this question a lot and I always answer honestly, not in the politically correct manner.

First up, from a legal standpoint, unless you're fortunate enough to be able to obtain legally prescribed anabolics from a doctor, forget the whole idea. Otherwise you could end up in jail, waste your money on suspect drugs and worse still, find yourself in the hospital from some contaminated crap the local dealer palmed off on you.

Even if you do have legal access to steroids, you have no right "crossing to the dark side" until you have at least five or six years of serious training under your belt.

T: What about supplements? Do you use Biotest products? Go ahead, you can be honest…

SS: I'd love to try Biotest products. I tried to order some a while back and they dont ship to Australia because we have BULLSHIT customs laws.

T: Fair enough. What personal challenges have you had to face as a lifter?

SS: The first big challenge I faced was trying to fit the training into a very busy lifestyle. It can be difficult juggling family, career, training and all life's little distractions. I'm deeply grateful for the support of my wife, Noemi, who's been a constant motivation and rock solid support for me through the years. Without her I believe I would not have had the opportunity to excel in the iron game.

T: What do you say to those that "just don't have time" to workout?

SS: Oh, I hear this all the time! "I don't have time to train for an hour three times a week. Monday I have to attend Pencilnecks Anonymous, Tuesday is stamp collecting club, Wednesday I have to polish my goat…." Pul-ease! If you have a serious desire to improve, you'll make the time. All it takes is dedication. Get up an hour earlier in the morning! Some people are just looking for excuses.

T: As a regular guy who lifts weights and watches his diet, do you ever run into "opposition" from non-training folks?

SS: Honestly, every time some whiney pencilneck or fat turd calls me a freak (which never happens to my face incidentally), I consider it a compliment! After my first few years of lifting, some idiot drove past in a car as I was walking along the roadside and yelled out "steroids!" Well, I was thrilled to think I'd achieved a level of development that the average non-lifter considered steroidal. But I don't have much respect for losers who badmouth lifters. It's nothing but jealousy and ignorance.

T: Is it ever hard for you to stay motivated?

SS: This may sound surprising, but I've never had a problem with motivation. I love training and very rarely miss a scheduled workout. I guess having a father who's written several books on motivation has helped. [His name is Col Stringer and he's a Christian author and teacher.]

T: I always have a lot of respect for guys who are still training hard past the age of 40. In truth, it seems that very few continue the lifestyle after the age of 30. Have you noticed that?

SS: Yes. I was pleased to catch up with a guy not long ago who competed in my first ever bodybuilding show back in the 80's. He's now in his early 50's. We were talking about the guys in that first show and out of a field of about twenty, we only knew of one other who is still training seriously. For inspiration I enjoy talking to the veterans at powerlifting competitions. These guys are still lifting good weight in their 80's!

T: Gotta' respect that! What's your diet like? Have any dietary philosophies to share?

SS: My diet has evolved over the years. These days I try and avoid processed foods as much as possible, with the exception of MRP's and good quality protein bars. I also steer clear of refined carbs. My main staples are brown rice, skinless chicken, tuna, lean steak, oats and fresh vegetables. I try to eat every three hours. For supplements, I use creatine, protein powders and Tribulus. I'm also a strong believer in the benefits of green tea, which I drink a couple of times a day.

T: Since you're an experienced guy, do you still need a food log to track your calories, or is diet pretty much instinctive by now?

SS: I haven't logged my food intake since my 20's. It's now pretty instinctive. I know the protein/carb amounts of my everyday foods and calculate it in my head through the day. As long as I get my 30 grams of protein every three hours and don't overdo the carbs, I'm happy. If I'm trying to lose weight I'm a bit more careful.

T: Ever go crazy and eat a bunch of junk food?

SS: Ooh yeah! Pepperoni pizza is my weakness, oh and chocolate. I don't allow it in the house because I can't stop if I start eating it. As long as I don't see it I'm okay.

T: I'm the exact same way, only with cheerleaders. Tell me, what mistakes do you see men making when it comes to training and diet?

SS: The number-one training mistake is overtraining! I see novices in the gym hours on end every day. Add to this the abysmal form they use and you have a recipe for burnout and/or injury.

The number one diet mistake is eating too little, especially protein. You can't build a physique without the materials to do it!

T: What does the future hold for you, Shane? What goals do you still want to reach?

SS: I intend to compete in the WPC World Championships in Darwin, Australia this year and not disgrace myself. I'm hoping for a medal in the bench. I'd also like to enter a bodybuilding contest again in the next couple of years.

T: Well, I'm sure you'll reach your goals! Thanks for the talk, Shane!

Wanna chat with Shane? Head over to the T-mag Forum and say howdy. And if you want to check out his cartoonin', visit www.shanestringer.com.

Think you deserve to be featured in this column? Just send us your photo and a little background info to cs@t-mag.com. Put "Real Muscle" in the subject line. All ages and sexes are welcome. And while this isn't a contest, we'll thank participants for their time by sending them a fat box of Biotest goodies.

© 1998 — 2003 Testosterone, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

PUBLISHED 
Discuss | Rate | Add Favorite | Print Version