For those of you that have never surfed around on eliteFTS.com, first of all shame on you for missing out on the best resource for training and performance info, and secondly you are probably asking yourself, "who in the hell is Shelby Starnes".
Well I'm gonna bring everyone up to speed on who Shelby is, and what exactly it is that he does. I feel pretty lucky to be able to snag a big time guest like this for an interview on the SERIOUS ABOUT STRENGTH BLOG.
Sarah and I both hired Shelby about 10 weeks ago to get us ready for the provincial powerlifting championships and the world light weight strongman championships respectively. The results have been nothing less than extraordinary. I've had a pretty good grip on nutrition for a long time but working with Shelby is on another level all together.
Before Starting with Shelby (240lbs)
Week 9 of working with Shelby (236lbs)
Without any further delays lets get to the questions.
PV-First of all Shelby, Welcome to the Serious About Strength Blog
Where are you from and where do you live currently?
SS-I was born and raised just north of Detroit, Michigan. I still reside there.
PV-How tall are you and how much do you weigh?
SS-I'm just under 5'7 and my offseason weight is usually around 220 lbs. (110kg.). My competition weight has been right around 176 lbs. (80kg) the last couple years, but I'm trying to bump that up to 185-190 this year or next.
Shelby Starnes (Offseason)
SS-I've been interested in the nutrition aspect since I started lifting weights in 1997, when I was 20 years old. I realized right from the start that nutrition was a crucial element of bodybuilding and weightlifting, so I studied it extensively.
Growing up, I was never a very athletic person and I smoked, drank on occasion, etc. When I was 20 I realized that my dad was in much better shape than me (he exercised daily on his treadmill) so I decided to get into better shape.
I started by using his treadmill, and gradually developed more of an interest in a healthy lifestyle, some light weightlifting, etc... eventually it morphed into full-fledged hardcore bodybuilding.
I got out of bodybuilding in 2003 for a variety of reasons, and decided to just lift weights recreationally. That didn't last long, and I developed an interest in strength (rather than size) so I ended up heading down that path, eventually getting involved in competitive powerlifting. That lasted from mid-2003 to early 2005.
Now I'm back to bodybuilding but still follow powerlifting, train with powerlifters, and occasionally dream of growing a goatee and getting fat again.
PV-What are some of your best lifts as a powerlifter and your best comps as a bodybuilder?
SS-I always competed as a 198 in powerlifting, and my best lifts were a 600 squat, 435 bench, and a 600 deadlift.
In terms of bodybuilding, at my first show I won the overall in the novice division and took second place in the open middleweight class. Since then I've competed twice at the NPC Jr. Nationals, placing fifth in 2006 and sixth in 2007.
PV-When do you plan on hitting the stage in a banana hammock again?(It's cool, I've pranced on stage in the past too.)
SS-I'm tentatively planning on competing at the NPC Michigan State Bodybuilding Championships in May, 2009.
PV-Do you have any plans to do another powerlifting meet in the future?
SS-Probably not. I was going to do a meet last year - just as a diversion from my bodybuilding offseason- but I ended up rupturing my pec about a month out from the meet.
PV-How long have you been putting together diets for other people?
SS-After my first competition in 2005 I started helping some friends with diet plans, and it quickly grew from there.Nowadays I have clients all over the country as well as the world (Canada, Australia, UK, Belgium, Greece, etc.).
PV-What is the name of the company that you currently are involved with, doing diet and training plans?
SS-Troponin Nutrition. We also carry our own line of supplements, as well as books, videos, and strength training equipment (we just came out with our "Motor City Squat Yoke", which is a combination front squat and Zercher harness). Check us out at http://www.troponinnutrition.com/
PV-How did you get hooked up with Troponin and Justin Harris?
SS-I hired Justin to prep me for my first bodybuilding show back in 2005, and I've been working with him ever since.
PV-I know you do a lot of work with men and women that compete in bodybuilding, figure and now strength sports, do you have any clients thatare just looking to lose fat for health reasons or to just look good naked?
SS-Yes, a lot of my clients aren't competitive in any particular sport - they just want to shed some fat, get healthy, and, as you said "look good naked". I will work with anyone that is committed to making a change.
PV-What are some of the things that you are able to do with your clients besides just getting lean?
SS-I do a lot of offseason plans to help clients gain maximal muscle while staying lean, and also do plans for clients looking to drop water weight for a competition weigh-ins, setting up an optimal eating schedule for meet day, etc.
I also offer customized training consultations for those interested in having me do their training as well as nutrition.
PV-I know you are a CARB CYCLING guy, can you give us a summary of what that means?
SS-Carbohydrate cycling is a method of eating that can be modified for weight gain, weight loss, and also weight maintenance. Put in simple terms, carbohydrate cycling involves consuming a high carbohydrate diet on some days of the week, and a low to moderate carbohydrate diet on other days.
The high carbohydrate days raise the body's insulin levels, fill glycogen stores, keep the metabolism burning efficiently, and stave off muscle catabolism. The low carbohydrate days are the "fat burning days." They keep insulin levels low enough to allow for maximum fat burning while retaining muscle.
PV-Is there ever an age that people reach that would make it difficult for them to benefit from your diet plans?
SS-As we age our metabolism slows, but the same physiological principles still apply. As such, carb cycling is still my method of choice for older athletes.
I should mention though, that while I predominantly use a carb cycling approach, I will use other approaches if the situation warrants it.
PV-I found out about you when you went on board at EliteFTS.com, how did it come to be that you got onto the Q&A staff?
SS-Dave made me promise not to talk about that (the initiation rituals are illegal in most states).
Seriously though, Justin had been on the team for a while and I think they just wanted to diversify their reach, so they asked if I would be willing to lend a hand. What's it like to be a part of the elitefts team?
The exposure has been great. I'm very thankful to be on a team of such great athletes and individuals, and hope to be able to contribute and be part of the team for some time to come.
PV-I've met Justin Harris at a Seminar and he was way the hell over everyones head with his science and book words. What's it like working with that guy?
SS-He's definitely a nerd trapped in a super heavyweight's body.
Seriously though, besides being a great nutritionist, bodybuilder, and powerlifter, he's also a great business partner and friend. Like with Elite, I look forward to a long prosperous future together.
PV-I'd like to thank you for doing this interview, is there any shout-outs or thanks you'd like to send out?
SS-I definitely want to thank all my clients for kicking ass on a regular basis, and supporting me in what I do.
I also want to thank Justin Harris, Dave Tate, and the EliteFTS team for all they've done for me. I'm very fortunate to work with such a great group of people.
PV-If people want to get in touch with you and have you help them look and perform better, how can they reach you?
SS-I can be reached via email at shelbystarnes@troponinnutrition.com and my webpage is here:
www.troponinnutrition.com/shelby.htm
I am also on the Q&A staff atwww.elitefts.com/
If anyone has any questions or comments, feel free to drop me a line!
PV-Thanks again Shelby, I can't say enough great things about your services,and I don't really have to because I walking around looking and feeling like an animal and people notice everywhere I go.
SS-Thanks for the opportunity, Paul.
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