Written by Guy “Quadro” Cisternino
05 May 2015

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Guy Cisternino's Online Q&A - May 2015 Edition

 

 

Hate Cardio? Time for a Reality Check

 What do you tell people when they ask for advice about what to do if they hate cardio or feel hungry while on their diet, etc.? A lot of times, I find myself dreading cardio or starving throughout the day, praying that the minutes pass and waiting for my next meal. Any tips or advice on how to overcome the issues I’ve mentioned?

 I absolutely love this question— because I give the same answer every single time I’m asked it. It may not be the nicest way to put things, but it will sure as hell put things in perspective for you, real quick.

 When someone asks what to do if they are starving, this is how I reply: “You’re starving? Well, you are eating five or six times a day. There are people in this world who don’t eat five or six times a month, let alone a day, so complaining about starving is bullshit to me. You get to eat and drink fluids all day long, so you have nothing to complain about. You should be counting your blessings that you have the privilege of eating all those meals.”

 When people talk about hating cardio, again my response is blunt and to the point. I tell them, “You hate cardio? Well, there are people born without legs, people who lost their legs in freak accidents or overseas fighting for our country, who would die to be on the StairMaster or running on the treadmill— so feeling sorry for yourself, when you have the ability to do cardio with your legs, while some people wish they could be doing it, to me is complete bullshit. If doing cardio and dieting on six meals a day makes you complain, then you need a damn reality check. Be blessed with what God has given you and be thankful— and don’t ever take ANYTHING for granted. PERIOD!

 

Train Hard and Motivate Yourself

 Guy, I love your videos on MD. They really get me motivated in the gym. What are some things that get you motivated to train or prep for a show? Are there certain things you do before or during your training session? Is there anything you do before you take the stage at a show? Thanks for all the motivation. I have no doubt that you will soon me Mr. Olympia in the 212s.

 Thank you, my man. That is very humbling to hear, and I appreciate the kind words. What motivates me, first and foremost, is myself. It sounds clichéd, but I want to beat me— I want to beat the physique that was onstage the last time I competed, and I want to beat what I thought to be my all-time best physique.

 I always say, “I may not have the best genetics, I may not win every show, but there’s one thing I know: I will not be outworked.” Anyone who knows me or has trained with me will attest to that statement. When Jose Raymond was asked in an interview who the hardest-training IFBB pro he had trained with was, he answered, “By far, Guy Cisternino.” That meant a lot to me, coming from Jose, someone that I look up to as a pro.

 Besides training hard, I am also a realist. And with that mentality, I always keep in the back of my mind that as hard as I am training, there is always someone out there trying to out-train me, do one more rep than me, or throw 10 more pounds on the bar— and that pushes me every single day in the gym. I don’t need crazy pre-workouts to get me motivated. I am healthy, living a life/dream that I never thought possible, and that alone is enough fuel to light a fire under my ass every day in the gym.

Before a show, there’s nothing really to do— the work is done. Backstage, all you need to do is get oiled up and pump up a little, and it’s “go” time. Backstage is fun, though. I’m always sitting next to my boys like Jose, Flex, David, etc. We are all there lying down, joking, laughing and busting each other’s chops, but once it’s time to strip down and get ready to take the stage, all of our demeanors change and it’s like we are going to war. Then, after we get offstage, it’s back to being our regular goofball selves again. But something I always do before I step onstage is get on one knee and say a prayer, and thank God for all my blessings and good fortune he has bestowed upon me— and ask him to be with me through the show and help lead me to victory. And if you ever watch my routines, I also always bless myself before I walk offstage.

 

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