Interview with John Lee - National Level NPC Physique Competitor

Posted by PredatorAdmin at 17:39 24/01/12

Name: John Lee
Height/Weight: 6'1" 205lbs (competition weight)
Age: 30 years old
Location: TX, USA
 
Contact: www.facebook.com/johnleepage

Hi John. Thanks for joining us. How did you first get into training and competing?

Thank you so much for having me. Really appreciate the support from you guys both for me and for my sponsor, Athletic Edge Nutrition.
I first started training pretty early when I was a fat teenager. Never wanted to settle for mediocrity but really didn’t know where to get started. Being an immigrant from China, it was tough picking up new sports that I never played before, so I started with the basics and went to work with a pair of 15lb Dumbbells every day after school.
I stepped on stage for the first time at the age of 30. Why? Because of the introduction of the Physique Class by the NPC. Before that, bodybuilding on the competitive side didn’t appeal to me. I knew that at my height of 6’1”, to be competitive I’d have to balloon up to almost 300lbs off season. I prefer a lighter weight, and these days almost never go above 220 even in the winter time.

Were there any guys whose physiques you were particularly inspired by?

Arnold Schwarzenegger, of course, just like the millions of other guys who first started in this lifestyle. His superhero-like physique represented strength, power, and determination, while his other successes in life represented the American dream of rags to riches.

 

For those who don’t know, what are your achievements in the sport?

The peak of my career came in mid-2011, when I won 1st place at the Europa Super Show in the tall class of Men’s Physique, a National Qualifier.

What does your current training routine look like?

My training is very instinctive. I rarely do two of the same workouts back to back, primarily because I’m no longer trying to acquire additional size. I’m as big as I want to be. Progress to me means fine-tuning the physique, refining it. I also do a lot of functional training, plyometrics, and core training to complement my martial arts training.

Which area of your physique are you most proud of? Are there any body parts that you have struggled with?

I like my shoulders the most. From day 1, I knew broad shoulder is the key to the illusion of a small waist. I always hammered them, made sure they stood out. The body part that I’ve always struggled with would have to be my triceps. Those “horseshoes” were difficult to come by, but hey, as they say, slow and steady wins the game.
 

From your experience, what is the biggest nutrition mistake people generally make?

Bulking or cutting without knowing their maintenance calories/protein/carbs/fat. Without those numbers, people are just dieting blind. Calculations and guesses cannot replace a complete mastery of your dietary intake. Every day I have people who come up and say things like “I’m trying to cut, how much should I eat”, or “this app told me I should be eating 1600 calories”. To me, those questions and statements defy logic and lacks common sense. Why is it that most people know exactly what reps/sets/weight/exercises they do Monday through Sunday, but when it comes to how many calories/protein/carbs/fat they take in to maintain their current weight, the same people are completely clueless?
 

In terms of supplements, what do you use and why?

I use mainly AEN supplements, with a few additional ones that AEN doesn’t make. Most people would probably roll their eyes with that statement, thinking something like “oh yeah of course he would say he use his sponsor’s products”. Truthfully, I do. Why? Why not? When I joined the company, I didn’t just choose whoever would take me. I made sure the company had products that I’ve used and trusted.
I take PreSurge Unleashed on days when I need a boost, simply because pre-workout supplements are not my favourites. I don’t need to be motivated to go to the gym. I’m always motivated.

I take Intraxcell 3-4 times a week, usually on days when I have 2 workouts, or days when I have cardio/functional training.

Creatine RT I take every day. I believe creatine should be a staple for most weight-training athletes.

Intrabolic I take when I’m dieting, usually first thing in the morning and during my workouts. When I’m bulking up, which is rare, I don’t need EAAs. When I’m in a calorie deficit, I see Intrabolic as the most potent weapon in the AEN arsenal.

I just started taking the test-booster/performance enhancer called APE. It’s our newest product and the ingredients show much promise. Initial impressions are very positive, but I’ll wait until the end of my cycle to make further statements.
Some of my other favourites include Gaspari’s probiotic-infused Myofusion, MN’s X-Factor Advanced, USPLab’s Oxyelite Pro, and PES’s Shift. And of course, I always take a quality multivitamin and supplement with additional Vitamin C to boost my immune system.

In September it was announced that you were joining the Athletic Edge Nutrition team as a sponsored athlete. How did this opportunity come about?

Quite simple, actually. I won the Europa Supershow in Dallas, and AEN just happens to be one of the vendors at the expo, along with hundreds of others. The owner Sebastian and I knew each other for a few years, and the time and opportunity was right this time around for us to collaborate. Of course, my Facebook/email/phone blew up with my win, but after a few days of reflections and discussions, I decided that AEN was the best choice for me. With a small but effective line-up of potent but non-controversial products, I knew I would be happy to represent the company and its products.
 

What’s your favourite AEN supplement and why?

It has to be Intrabolic. Having to maintain a low bf% pretty much year round, it’s a God-send for me as a tool to supplement my diet without adding additional calories in large amounts. It tastes great, mixes very easily, and you simply can’t beat the value of this product. I always recommend this first before any other product when people ask me (unless they are on a dirty bulk, of course, haha.)

AEN base their products around laboratory tested scientific evidence. Have you learnt a lot about the science behind supplements while being around the guys at AEN?
Of course, but then again, I’ve always been a science-first type of guy. I was a science major in college, after all, and I guess that never left my system. Does that mean I won’t try a product in the absence of science? Not necessarily. However, having a scientific backing certainly makes my decision to try a product much easier.
 

Can you offer any contest or pre-contest advice for our readers?

Don’t screw up the last week of your contest prep. I’ve seen people diet strictly for 3 months only to wash it all down the drain because they are mentally broken down 2 days before the show. Believe in the system, believe in the method, and follow through to the end. It always boggles my mind when I see people make great progress for 16 weeks only to freak out thinking they need to try something exotic 24 hours out. Trust me, if you did your job, the only thing you have to do is to keep doing it!

What is next for John Lee?

Who knows? Life’s interesting, you know? Every day, something new happens in my life, and that’s the best part about waking up. My mission in life is to demand more out of it each day, so who knows what I might stumble upon next. The possibilities are infinite. I might go back to taking acting classes again (took 1.5 years before the last round of contests), might go into business with some trusted people, or it might be something entirely different outside of the industry. Fitness to me is not really about changing the body; it’s more about opening up the mind. That’s my approach, and I really hope more people think that way. When you attempt the “nearly-impossible” and actually get there, you can do anything.

Finally, if you have one tip for any aspiring competitor, what would it be?

Focus on the positive, always. Don’t degrade yourself, and don’t let others degrade you. I’ve learned to let go of every negative influence in my life so that I’m only surrounded by the positive. It’s okay to be self-critical, everyone is. Some people just choose to do something about it, while others sulk in it. I don’t mean that people should ignore their problems. I’m saying everyone has them; just believe in your ability to solve every single one of them with the strength within.
 

Interview By David Rowse

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