Evan Centopani Q&A | Covering: Lagging Legs, Tilapia, Vegetarian Bodybuilding & More
Evan Centopani Q&A
Covering: Lagging Legs, Tilapia, Vegetarian Bodybuilding & More
My genetics for quads are decent enough. They respond well when I’m in deep heavy training. My hamstrings seem to lag behind, though. Maybe upping the weight and dropping the reps would help; what kind of things did you do to build mass, especially in my long calf muscles? Any insights or advice would be great!
Deep, heavy squats using a wide stance, and also high-rep squats are excellent for ham and glute development— not just your quads. When you say you have “long calf muscles,” unfortunately it sounds to me like you have short calf muscles and long tendon insertions— what we call “high calves.” Dennis Wolf as well as many African-American bodybuilders have that same issue. For people with really long calves that insert down near the ankles like Mike Matarazzo, Erik Fankhouser and Dorian Yates, it’s common to see ridiculous calf development with little or no direct calf training. But don’t give up! You can still make the most of what you’ve got. Try high reps for your calves, and be sure to get all the way up on your toes! A full contraction is most important. Stretch them between sets, too.
Evan, why are you so against tilapia? So many other guys have it as a staple in their diet, and it’s so inexpensive.
Tilapia is farm raised and fed an unnatural diet. As a result, whereas most fish reduces inflammation in the body, tilapia promotes it. Not good. But if you like it and you’re on a budget, that’s fine.
What did you look like in your early 20s?
At age 20 I was about 260 or 270 and not very lean, but I was growing and getting stronger. Those college years and the couple of years after that is probably when I put on the most mass of my career. I knew I didn’t want to compete until I felt I had the size I needed, given my height and structure. At 23 I did my first show and came in peeled at 225, and won the Heavyweights and Overall at a national qualifier— the NPC Bev Francis Atlantic States in 2005.
Hey Evan, what do you think of a fast-acting protein shake with some fast carbs like bananas, first thing in the morning— and then following that up with a proper breakfast like eggs and oats an hour later? Any good, or not worth the early rise?
Not worth it. Whole food kick-starts your metabolism, and a shake just dogs it. I know you will hear other people tell you just the opposite— that you need to hurry up and get whey protein in the second your eyes snap open— but I think that’s a bunch of bull. I personally believe there is nothing better for a bodybuilder than whole food.
I think most people know how to train hard, but not many people know how to train smart. This is something I’m still trying to learn. I love working out and I want to train as long as I can without having to take time off due to injuries. I’m looking for advice and examples of training smarter. My concern is not growing if I’m not going heavy enough.
Just listen to your body. You need to push it, but not to the point of injury. You need to go heavy. Heavy weight doesn’t cause injury. Bad form and inadequate nutrition cause injury. If you get enough rest, drink enough water and fuel your body with the proper nutrients, you should not get injured. Start with your diet! Also, forget about very low reps. Most bodybuilders I know who get hurt do it while attempting a weight they can only get for a couple reps. Bodybuilders have no business ever doing fewer than 6 reps per set.
Have you ever used chains or bands, and what’s your view on using this equipment? I’m 19 and I love bodybuilding, but also love training heavy and using Strongman stuff like keg carries, tire flips, stone lifting, and log pressing. How would you incorporate these into a bodybuilding split?
Never used chains or bands. I have no idea how I would incorporate them! I am a professional bodybuilder, so I have to focus on that type of training. If you want to be the best bodybuilder you can be, you should do bodybuilding training. But if you really love the Strongman training, by all means continue doing it. You’ll have to figure out how to balance those two very different types of training out, because no top Strongman trains like a bodybuilder and no top bodybuilder trains like a Strongman. Again, that doesn’t mean YOU have to choose. Do what you love— and if there comes a time when you decide you enjoy one a lot more or want to compete in one, you can choose that one to focus on.
Hey, Evan— I am a vegetarian bodybuilder. I am 18 years old, and trying to gain mass and weight. What should I do? What should my diet be like? I am not allowed to eat any meat or fish, but eggs and milk are OK. My gains have stopped over the last year. Please help!
Don’t know. All I know is vegetarianism would not be an option for me! No gains in a year? I think you answered your own question. Being a vegetarian may be healthier and I know many feel it’s morally the right thing to do, but adding muscle mass is going to be damn tough. You would make much better gains with at least one chicken, fish, beef, or turkey meal a day. The human race evolved eating meat, and that’s what our bodies thrive on. If you choose not to eat any meat, you should be eating eggs at every single meal. I’ve never been a big fan of dairy, plus you would have to drink quarts and quarts of milk every day to get enough protein from it.
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