Interview Request – Fitness, Motivation, Nutrition, Bodybuilding

I received an interview request from Jett Murdock several years ago on topics such as fitness, motivation, nutrition, bodybuilding and more.  Jett posted the interview on his website for his readers.  Below are the questions from Jett and my answers. – Scott

“Hey! Thanks so much for your time. Here are the questions I decided on. Let me know if you want any changes to be made.

Jett Murdock

Being a former competitive bodybuilder, you definitely know fitness. For readers who don’t know, what was the starting point of your fitness career?

What does an average day of training look like for you?

You know firsthand that when you have a healthy body, life completely comes alive. How important do you think fitness is as part of a successful life?

Do you think that there are any lessons that you can only learn through pushing your mind and body?

We all have days where we just don’t feel like getting out there and moving around. How do you motivate yourself when you have one of these days?

Do you think that there is any type of training that’s inherently better than others? Like, say, weight lifting is better than sprinting is better than running, or do you think the most important part is just being active?

One last question. If someone is reading this who wants to get fit and start being active but is a little intimidated, what steps would you have them take to get started?”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

INTERVIEW FOR SCOTT YORK

Question: Being a former competitive bodybuilder, you definitely know fitness.
For readers who don’t know, what was the starting point of your fitness career?

Answer: I suffered a panic attack in a college classroom at age 21. That raised my
awareness that something wasn’t right. I did some research and determined that stress,
a bad diet, and lack of sleep and exercise were probable causes. It was a scary experience,
and I don’t want to repeat it. I picked up a Muscle and Fitness magazine on my next
trip to the grocery store and read it from cover to cover. The next day, I joined Gold’s
Gym in 1985, fell in love with the process, and competed in bodybuilding for several years
up until 2001. I never suffered another panic attack.

Question: What does an average day of training look like for you?

Answer: I work out 5-6 days a week. These days, my training focuses on preventative
maintenance, strength training, and competing in athletic events. I want to keep my
strength up for as long as possible and focus on Bench presses, Deadlifts, and Barbell
Squats. I use bodybuilding, sprints, jumps, run 1 mile, kettlebells, medicine balls,
sledgehammers, and the Nexersys MMA machine to round out my training.

I do a lot of stretching and use a Rumble Roller at least twice a day. I do a lot of
mental training. I set goals and use past achievements to flesh out the ideal training
regimen. I tap into the energy surrounding past achievements to harness and direct
my willpower. I believe willpower is a resource, like energy – an unlimited one. But
you have to recognize it, harness it, and direct it in the direction that you want to go.
It’s too easy to float along in life with no goals or direction.

Question: You know firsthand that when you have a healthy body, life completely comes
alive. How important do you think fitness is as part of a successful life?

Answer: Eugen Sandow wrote a book called Life Is Movement. Sandow stresses movement and
the freedom that comes with being able to use your body in multiple ways. I agree.
For me, life is about staying healthy and strong – physically and mentally. I have 4 young
boys, so I want to set a good example, and I want to be able to keep up with them in all of their daily
activities. My 10-year-old challenged me today to run a mile with him. I hate to think how I
would feel if I wasn’t able to join him.

Question: Do you think that there are any lessons that you can only learn through pushing
your mind and body?

Answer: I’ve come to realize that, for me, true fulfillment cannot come from any of the 5 senses.
I’ve certainly tested taste by eating lots of junk. In fact, I worked my way up to 250 lbs because
my eating got out of hand years ago. A standard lunch was 2 double quarter pounders with cheese,
2 supersized fries and 2 strawberry milkshakes from McDonald’s. I felt horrible at that weight. My
normal weight these days is around 175-180 lbs, and I’m almost as strong as when I weighed 250 lbs.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my once-a-week cheat days, but I don’t live to eat. I’ve found that
fulfillment and true meaning are in relationships and in experiences. The experiences are usually
hiding in those places outside of my comfort zone.

A couple of favorite quotes are:

“transcendence – going beyond the body by means of the body.” – from the book, “Stronger” by Michael Joseph Gross

“Many people are passionate, but because of their limiting beliefs about who they are and what they
can do, they never take the actions that could make their dream a reality” – Anthony Robins

Question: We all have days where we just don’t feel like getting out there and moving around.
How do you motivate yourself when you have one of these days?

Answer: I mentioned that I have 4 young kids – the youngest is 3 years old. I work from home. At
this point in my life, motivation is not a problem when it comes to having the opportunity to get out
there and enjoy some “me” time and time with my wife. This is one of the ways that I recharge and
reenergize. With regards to my training, I make sure to take a full week off several times through
out the year to avoid burnout and to help avoid injury.

Question: Do you think that there is any type of training that’s inherently better than others?
Like, say, weight lifting is better than sprinting is better than running, or do you think the most
important part is just being active?

Answer: Good question. For me, variety is the key. Bodybuilding is the backbone of my training, and
all of the other activities help add variety and fill any gaps. The best kind of training is probably
the type that you will stick with consistently.

Question: One last question. If someone is reading this who wants to get fit and start being active,
but is a little intimidated. What steps would you have them take to get started?

Answer: First, always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Second, community and support are key. Gyms are filled with like-minded people who will support you and
your efforts.

Third, find activities that you enjoy.

Fourth, spend some time setting goals – both short and long-term.

Fifth, so much of it is mental. Learn to harness your mental power (will power) and direct it towards the things
that truly matter to you and your happiness.

Thanks for the interview, and best wishes!

Scott
www.ScottYorkFitness.com