From the time that the first physique enthusiasts & bodybuilders ever started choking down extra chicken breasts, steaks, and vile concoctions to increase their protein intake for the purposes of gaining muscle; the question of just how much protein is optimal has been debated.  Fast forward more than half a century and people still debate the same question without much of a consensus.  Many people believe that protein is already over consumed by the typical person and bodybuilders and athletes have no need to take in extra, while there are those who will tell you that there is no upper limit to the benefits of protein.  In reality the answer to this question probably lies well within the middle of these two extremes.  The question of protein quantity at a meal and frequency of protein consumption has been debated almost as often as total protein consumption.  Quite often we see the question, “what is the max level of protein that one can benefit from at a meal and how long often should I consume it?” Fortunately for us, this question actually has some data that we can start picking apart to get some general guidelines for protein size and frequency at meals.

Many ‘experts’ or gym know-it-alls out there who will tell you to only consume “X” amount of protein at a meal because only “X” amount of protein can be absorbed by the body at a meal (I’m sure you’ve all heard this one before).  Let this nonsense stop here and now.  To begin with, this entire train of thought isn’t even on the correct track.  Hell it didn’t even depart from the right train station!  Assuming that you have a healthy digestive system, the absorption of the amino acids from a meal containing protein is very efficient and almost never a limiting factor.  Absorption only refers to nutrient uptake & absorption via the digestive track (most absorption occurring in the small intestine).  If our digestive systems didn’t absorb most of what we eat than anytime you had a big meal you would have diarrhea like clockwork from the undigested material in the gut!  It also makes very little sense from an evolutionary standpoint to be very wasteful with nutrients when primitive man may have only been able to eat one large meal in a day at times.  Our species would not have survived very long if we were wasteful with nutrients and did not absorb amino acids beyond a certain level.  In reality, the body has an extremely high capacity for amino acid absorption.  What these people who spout this nonsense are really referring to is amino acid utilization.  You see, even if we absorb 100% of the amino acids we ingest, that doesn’t mean they will all reach the skeletal muscle and input towards building muscle mass.  In actuality a very small percentage are used for that role.  The cells of the small intestine and liver extract a huge amount of amino acids for energy and their own synthesis of new proteins in first pass metabolism before they ever reach the bloodstream!  Once in the bloodstream amino acids can also be taken up and utilized by other tissues such as the kidneys, heart, skin, etc.  So it is not a question of how much protein/amino acids can be absorbed at a meal, rather the question is what level of protein at a meal gives the maximum benefit for muscle building?  Essentially anything below this level would not maximally support muscle building, while at a protein intake above this level, the body would merely oxidize the excess amino acids for energy.

In order to start answering this question of optimal protein intake at a meal we first must make clear as to what defines a “maximum level of benefit” from protein intake.  Using rates of protein synthesis as a measure for this definition is logical as increased rates of protein synthesis would be required for the addition of new skeletal muscle tissue.  To put it more plainly, in order to build muscle the body must increase the rate at which it synthesizes muscle tissue above the baseline rate.  Decreasing the rate of skeletal muscle breakdown also can lead to increased tissue accrual, unfortunately data on protein breakdown is much more difficult to obtain, interpret, and it is much more variable than the synthesis data.  It is very difficult to measure short term changes in skeletal muscle breakdown as it has a very slow turnover rate so the focus on this article will be on protein synthesis, which likely plays more of a regulatory role in tissue accrual/loss in muscle than degradation since synthesis is the more regulated energy dependant process.

To find the optimal level of protein intake at a meal we must determine what the optimal level of protein at a meal for stimulating muscle protein synthesis is.  It appears that maximizing skeletal muscle protein synthesis requires approximately  ~15g of an essential amino acids^1,2.     It has been postulated that the amino acid leucine is responsible for the stimulatory effect of dietary protein on protein synthesis³ and 15g of essential amino acids would contain 3.2g of leucine.  Thus in order to determine how much protein from a specific source is required to elicit the maximal response it may be useful to back calculate how much leucine is contained in the source.  One could then determine how much of the source must be consumed in order to reach the leucine threshold.  For example, whey protein is approximately 12% leucine per gram protein, therefore about 27g of protein from whey would need to be consumed to reach the threshold for maximal anabolism, whereas a source like chicken, which has a protein content of about 7.5% leucine would require 43g of protein to reach the leucine threshold required for maximal stimulation.   So it appears that the maximum benefit level for protein at a meal is varies depending upon the source of protein.  It is important to note that most of these studies were done on individuals who weighed approximately 155-165 lbs on average.  So if you weigh less than this you might want to aim for the lower end of the threshold whereas if you weigh more you may want to aim for the higher end of the threshold.

Now there is the issue of meal frequency and time between meals.  Assuming we maximize protein synthesis by achieving the required leucine/protein threshold, how long does the effect last?  Several studies have shown that the duration of protein synthesis in response to an oral leucine dose or an essential amino acid infusion is approximately two hours long^4,5.  However, these are purified amino acid solutions and are likely to be digested rapidly and in the case of an infusion, no digestion is required at all.  So it is possible that a whole food meal will have a different impact on the duration of protein synthesis than pure amino acids.  Our lab has recently shown that the duration of protein synthesis in response to a complete meal containing protein, carbohydrates, and fats is approximately 3 hours long⁶.  Therefore, it appears that a complete meal slightly prolongs the duration of protein synthesis.  What is interesting about our findings is that while protein synthesis had returned to baseline after 3 hours, plasma amino acid levels were still elevated above baseline and plasma leucine was elevated almost 3x above baseline!  Accordingly, the phosphoryation of the initiation factors 4E-BP1 & p70S6K followed plasma leucine levels and maintained elevated levels of phosphorylation at 3 hours (phosphorylation of these initiation factors is required to start the process of protein synthesis).  Thus it appears that the signal to maintain elevated protein synthesis is still being ‘transmitted’ but for some reason protein synthesis is becomes refractory after a certain period of time.  This is also supported by data from Bohe et al which showed that the duration of protein synthesis in response to an infusion of essential amino acids was only 2 hours long even though the essential amino acids were infused for six hours⁵!  It is unlikely that eating another meal 2-3 hours after the first meal would be sufficient to induce another rise in protein synthesis since amino acid/leucine levels are already elevated anyway.  It may therefore be more useful to consume larger amounts of protein at a meal and wait longer between protein doses than the typical 2-3 hours that is typically recommended in the bodybuilding community.

Now I know you’ve probably spit your protein shake out all over your magazine, ruining it and now you are cursing me for 1) ruining your magazine and 2) telling you the bodybuilding meal eating protocol you’ve been following for so long may not be optimal for making gains.  Well I apologize for ruining your magazine but I won’t apologize for busting on musclehead dogma; that is just what I do.  There is some precedent for what I am recommending however.  Arnal et al⁷ compared elderly women consuming either 4 small meals per day with their total protein intake evenly spaced out verses those that consumed the same amount of protein but with 80% of their total protein coming in one meal.  The researchers found that the women consuming the large single dose of protein actually had greater nitrogen balance, protein turnover, and protein synthesis rates than the group consuming their protein across four evenly spaced meals.  Now the total protein intake for both groups was only 60g so the group consuming protein evenly only consumed 15g at each meal.  Still it is interesting that the group eating almost all of their total protein in one meal had better results.  Perhaps the group consuming the small meals never reached the threshold required to initiate a significant response of protein synthesis at any meal whereas the bolus dose group ate enough protein in at least one meal to initiate have one significant increase in protein synthesis above baseline during the day.  Now I am not in any way shape or form implying that we are better off just consuming one large protein meal per day.  What I am implying is that it is better to consume larger protein doses spaced further apart and maximize protein synthesis, rather than consume smaller doses of protein throughout the day, since research has shown that protein synthesis will become refractory to constantly elevated levels of amino acids.  It may be that a period where amino acids return to baseline or near baseline is required in order to initiate another bout of protein synthesis.  I therefore suggest that one consume 4-6 larger protein doses per day instead of 6-8 meals and wait 4-5 hours between meals rather than 2-3 hours.

At the moment, there is no clear way to overcome the refractory response.  However, there is evidence that supplementing with free form amino acids with carbohydrates between meals may improve protein synthesis compared to normal meals alone⁸.  It is possible that a free form amino acid supplement could spike plasma levels of amino acids to a far greater level than can be achieved with whole foods and perhaps this supraphysiological response is enough to overcome the refractory response.  It is also possible that the carbohydrates in the supplement have an effect.  The insulin time course in the experiment we performed lasted 3 hours, the same as protein synthesis.  Additionally, Wolfe et al. also showed that the timecourse of insulin seemed to track protein synthesis during an essential amino acid infusion⁵.  Perhaps maintaining elevated plasma insulin levels is required to prolong protein synthesis in response to a meal.  In either case, it appears that supplementing with an amino acid supplement containing ~2-3g of leucine along with some carbohydrates (~20-30g) is an effective way to maximize muscle protein synthesis.

Now I will be the first to admit that the research is just not specific or broad enough to address the size and frequency issue with absolute certainty, but I believe these recommendations are a good general starting point.  What is clear is that certain protein sources have a stronger impact on protein synthesis than others, and also that it appears that keeping amino acids constantly elevated by smaller protein doses throughout the day may NOT be optimal.  Hopefully future research will address more specifics with regards to these issues.

—

Dr. Layne Norton has won multiple natural pro cards in bodybuilding, competed in pro contests, married the love if his life, and finally graduated with his PhD in Nutritional Sciences. There is one thing, however that he has yet to do … step on the pro natural stage with top athletes n the world.

2.  Tipton KD, Ferrando AA, Phillips SM, Doyle D Jr, Wolfe RR.  Postexercise net protein synthesis in human muscle from orally administered amino acids.  Am J Physiol. 1999 Apr;276(4 Pt 1):E628-34.

3.  Norton LE, Layman DK.  Leucine regulates translation initiation of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle after exercise.  J Nutr. 2006 Feb;136(2):533S-537S.

4.  Anthony JC, Lang CH, Crozier SJ, Anthony TG, MacLean DA, Kimball SR, Jefferson LS.  Contribution of insulin to the translational control of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle by leucine.
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2002 May;282(5):E1092-101.

5.  Bohe J, Low JF, Wolfe RR, Rennie MJ.  Latency and duration of stimulation of human muscle protein synthesis during continuous infusion of amino acids.  J Physiol. 2001 Apr 15;532(Pt 2):575-9.

6.  Norton LE, Layman DK, Bunpo P, Anthony TG, Brana DV, Garlick PJ.  The leucine content  of a complete meal directs peak activation but not duration of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and Mammalian target of rapamycin signaling in rats.  J Nutr. 2009 Jun;139(6):1103-9.

7. Arnal MA, Mosoni L, Boirie Y, Houlier ML, Morin L, Verdier E, Ritz P, Antoine JM, Prugnaud J, Beaufrere B, Mirand PP. pulse feeding improves protein retention in elderly women.  Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Jun;69(6):1202-8.

8.  Paddon-Jones D, Sheffield-Moore M, Aarsland A, Wolfe RR, Ferrando AA.  Exogenous amino acids stimulate human muscle anabolism without interfering with the response to mixed meal ingestion.  Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Apr;288(4):E761-7.

His name is George Lopez and he’s an amateur bodybuilder/physique model out of Chicago. More importantly, he’s a damn cool dude who exhibits the physique that most gym-goers aspire to. MuscleWeek sat down with G-Lo recently to learn about what makes this pussy magnet tick.

MW:  Wassup George! Tell us a little about yourself. Give the readers a little BIO so we can get familiarized with you.

GL: Well. First thing is I am fucking sexy, Shane (no homo) That’s what people really need to know. LOL!. I’m kidding. Kind of. I love Dubstep music even though I have no idea how to dance to it. I work at a health food store and I’m actually in nursing school. I’m going to be a Murse. I train at XSport Fitness in Chicago and I love being big. I’m 5’7 and 191lbs and I have visible abs. Other than that I am considering training in MMA since I think serious bodybuilding is a joke. 

MW: How often do you hear comments about the boring comedian George Lopez? You don’t think he’s terribly funny do you?

GL: All the time. I always get… “Oh! George Lopez. I watch your show at night.” I usually roll my eyes or sometimes I give them a “Fuck yourself” but only if I am feeling nice. 

MW: How did you fall into this mess called Bodybuilding? Was it sort of a transgression from sports like so many?

GL: I don’t have a crazy story. Like most kids I was 5′ and weighed 90lbs and wanted to have a 6-Pack because I thought girls would like it then after a short time training I blew myself up to be a monster. 

MW: Do you just train to be BIG or do you have aspirations to strut it on stage?

GL: I used to. I thought it would be cool to compete but after a while it wore off. I like being big, I like to train hard and I like looking fly but when I realized what you have to do to be competitive on stage I was like… Ehhh. Forget that shit. 

MW: I like hearing that, George. Competition is not for everyone and you’re right. You have to do some serious gambles medically and legally to compete. Do people hassle you about getting in stage?

GL: Yea. Sometimes. Guys I know in the gym are always asking me and always telling me I should. One guy called me a “waste of muscle” and I told him to get fucked because I use my muscle to my advantage. I like to eat and fortunately I have good genetics so I don’t get fat but I don’t want to eat bland food every day to get on stage to win a stupid sword or some t-shirt or something. 

MW: How does someone your age grow so much muscle so quick? Good genetics or do you have a “good hook up” ?

GL: LOL! I have crazy genetics. Even when I was little I was still muscular. I remember being like 13 and older guys would ask me if I worked out and how much I benched. It was crazy. People forget. It’s 99% genetics if you ask me. I could probably not diet ever and eat junk food and get on stage and win but I don’t want to. 

MW: What are more of your most impressive lifts? I hear you have some pretty crazy lifts and exercises you’re particularly strong in?

GL: Nothing too crazy. I can incline barbell press 315 for 10 reps without a spot. The other day I was squatting 465 for 10 without a belt or knee wraps. I can probably go heavier but why risk injury? I’m already jakked to shit. 

MW: What do you like most about bodybuilding?

GL: I could be standing in the dark and still feel like there is a spotlight on me. 

MW: Working in a health food store that has a major sports nutrition section, do you ever get delusionites coming in asking you if you shop sells steroids?  You ever get customers who think a tub of Cell Teck is going to make them HUGE?

GL: Every single day, man. I am sick of it, too. The other day this douche comes in and returned a half used tub of Cell Teck. I asked him what was wrong with it he said “Oh. It didn’t work.” Then he bought Size On with his refund money and left. Haha. Like that’s going to work. Guys come in all the time thinking after one protein shake they are going to wake up looking like a pro bodybuilder. 

MW: George, you’re a young good looking cat (no homo!). You have a killer physique. How often do schmoes and creepy men with a fetish for muscle try to Holla at you in the gym?

GL: All the time. It’s worse on facebook. I get e-mails every single day with guys asking me direct how much I would charge them to let them have sex with me or they ask me if I am gay. I just block them after that. Know what’s crazy is I know a lot of bodybuilders from the gym who take guys like that up on their offers. 

MW: You ever get people on facebook privately messaging you about “sponsorship?”   How do you handle it?

GL: I usually block them. They first try to sound legit like they have connections to supplement companies and movies or they know people in music who are shooting videos so if I show interest they ask me for naked picture to “show their boss” then I just block them. Hahahaha!

MW: So you never got down with meeting some weirdo in a hotel room some where along Cicero Ave near Midway Airport to give them a strip tease for a few hundred bucks?

GL: Hell no! I know bodybuilders that would, though. It seems like most of them do that stuff. Not me man. I’m all about Vag. 

MW: How does at your age and physique have a girlfriend? Aren’t you constantly tempted to plow every single slut with a lower back tattoo in a 30 miles radius?

GL: It’s hard when I am literally walking testosterone but I have a really good girl and been with her 4 years. I usually just jagg off when I feel the urge and go to sleep then I forget about it. 

MW: Marry. Fuck. Kill.     Ready?    Hayley McNeff.   Monica Brant.  Dana Linn Bailey.

GL: I’d marry Hayley McNeff. I see her in the gym all the time. I want to bounce a quarter off of that ass. I’d fuck Monica and Dana at the same time and wouldn’t kill them afterwards. Okay, fine. I’d kill Dana and keep Monica in my rape dungeon for 10 years.

MW: If you were stuck on a desert island and knew you were going to be there forever and the island had a fully equipped gym. Would you still train?

GL: If it was just me on there? No. Hell no. I’d just jag off on the sand all day long. 

MW: You seem to post lots of pictures of yourself on facebook. What’s the strategy behind that? Is that D.L. for some DTF broad to private message you?

GL: Hahaha. No. I never get that from girls just gay guys who want to see me naked or want to give me money to have sex with me. Most girls know I’m taken so they show some respect. I know a lot of hoe’s who don’t care, though. I can’t stand hoe ass bitches, though.

MW: If you had unlimited funds and access to anything. Outline for us what you would use to get even bigger.

GL: If I had unlimited funds I wouldn’t be in the gym. Ever. I’d be living it up. Having lots of money trumps having muscle any day. You think Mark Zuckerberg isn’t having fun somewhere right now? To answer your question, though. I’d do a pro cycle and get crazy huge. 

MW: What do you see for the future of men’s bodybuilding? Is it going to be shattered by the introduction of Men’s Physique?

GL: Bodybuilding is dead, man. You know that. It isn’t even cool anymore. Bodybuilding is so 3 years ago. Guys like Jay and Phil are eventually going to be on the stripper pole for their “private sponsors” when their supplement contracts dump them for some MMA guy or Men’s Physique guy. Men’s Physique is where it’s at now. Women want to be with a Men’s Physique guy. Dudes want to be with a bodybuilder. That’s why I don’t want to get bigger. I like being where I am at now. 

MW: Pick just one supplement. Just one. What do you use or believe in most?

GL: Protein powder because it’s actually something your body needs and it has calories. 

MW: How does someone contact Big George Lopez if they wanted to touch your muscles, fondle your balls, or just jerk it to you from across a seedy motel room. E-mail address? Facebook? Where can you be found?  Any shout outs to anyone? Want to plug anything?

GL: They can e-mail me at glopez175@yahoo.com or find me on facebook. I’d like to give a shout out to Hayley McNeff. Holla at me in the gym, baby! Also to you guys at Muscleweek. I read Muscleweek all the time and laugh my ass off. You guys are brutally honest about bodybuilding. 

WHOA! Really? No shit!

Here’s the thing. What if you believe that a lousy food is really ok to eat? Or what if you are just so compelled by a lousy food that you can’t control your own choice? What if you stand powerless over the memorizing forces it exudes over you rendering you defenseless against your will?

Open up your ears, sit up in your chair and read this relationship analogy that drives home my point.

I know a very successful competitor in the fitness industry. Never married and in her mid thirties very attractive and well educated. Over the last two years her dating resume has been a train wreck of poor decisions and grossly unqualified suitors.

Have you seen Bravo’s series “Millionaire Matchmaker”? Well this girl got the Dollar Store version; at half off.

Her history is littered with more wrong turns that a blind mouse in maze. I’ll keep it to the last two years alone. The first of the top three highlights would be the long distance alcoholic who lived four states away. No, a local alcoholic just won’t do, we need to travel four states away to find someone who has substance addiction issues.

Next was the pro athlete with six illegitimate kids from four different women and to top it off he had been arrested for felony charges. Nothing speaks to the valure of responsibility and commitment like sporting six illegitimate rug rats polished off with some probation time.

“He gave $10,000 to charity!” she quipped!

Yea, and that’s the financial equivalent of me dropping a nickel in the Salvation Army bucket with the old guy ringing the bell next to it.

Finally was the twenty one year old adolescence, 14 years younger than her and at a totally different place in life. My first response, “I hope for your sake, he is the hottest guy this side of the Mississippi”. “No” she replied, “He doesn’t even look that good.”

And boy she wasn’t lying.

Her battle cry was always “I’m looking for a man who can be a husband” but she flocked after the polar opposite; men and even a boy who were sorely lacking of the ability to be a husband, at least for her or better yet anyone.

“So what the heck does this have to do with my relationship with food!?”

Simple, just plug in a piece of unapproved food for each unapproved guy! You truly think that both will fulfill an emotional need that you possess but neither is up for the task.

This is obvious.

The more compelling questions remains- why wasn’t the female able to see the pernicious relationships ahead of time? Why weren’t thirty five years of life experience on earth enough time to provide the discernment that someone fourteen years younger would never work?

Simple, the choices were based off emotion and not prudent logic.

Same thing applies with food.

Why weren’t you able to realize that if you ate the same “diet” foods you have been eating the results aren’t going to be any different? Did you believe that if you just ate “less” of them that would solve the problem?

For one you believe that the traditional “healthy” or “diet” foods you read about in Out of Shape and Carbon Dioxide magazine are actually legitimate.

How do you explain after your thirty or even forty something years in the world you still lack the wherewithal to make competent decisions about what to shovel into your mouth?

It’s a very compelling question isn’t it? So compelling in fact that often times even when a client signs up for a customized diet program from me that they still revert back to their pernicious habits within a few weeks; unable to even complete a full month of smart, healthy, plentiful eating.

A reoccurring theme I keep seeing is clueless women asking other clueless women what they should be eating.

I also see women who think they are experts in nutrition giving unsolicited advice to others. Problem is that these women aren’t experts nor are they even competent. Most of them know little more than the basics; which are wrong anyway.

Most of the time the young broad will read an article by a famous expert and all of a sudden anoint themselves as an authority figure and claim they actually know something more than the average spinning class regular & cottage cheese eater.

Let me say this very loud and let me say this very clear. I have never ever seen a female who is following or has ever followed a healthy, effective and optimal fat loss diet program. Heck I’ve only seen a couple of men who I would deem as competent in doling out extremely effective fat loss programs but never once a female.

“You sexist jerk! How dare you say you’ve never seen a woman who has followed a highly effective fat loss diet!?”

Well, because I haven’t. It’s not like the chances are much better with a guy though; I mean your chances only go from .00% to .01%

Anyway, getting back to the reason you’re still not equipped to make competent eating choices is because of the “buzz” words the diet industry manipulates.

“Say what?”

Companies love to package foods with buzz words like “organic(s)” or “All natural” or ”Zero calories” and females of all ages eat them up!

Literally.

Females take the bait hook line and sinker every time.

Every heard the old saying “You can’t polish a turd?”

Well that’s exactly where naïve newbies all the way up to the middle aged know-it-all’s go wrong every single time. They think if a processed, refined food has “All Natural” or “Organic” on the label all of a sudden if raises the standard.

Wrong! Just because you slap the word “Organic” on the label of yogurt doesn’t make it a good food! It’s still a turd no matter what the label says.

I can just picture it now these crafty “health food” companies have thousands of confused females by the leash by simply slapping the buzz word “Organics” or “All natural” or “Zero Calories” on their can or label and your little mouth starts to pool up and drool with saliva as your beady eyes oggle these almost hypnotic hot button words!

It’s totally hilarious, you read the words “Zero Calories” or “Sugar Free” on a label and you think the previously unapproved food mysteriously turns to gold!

Hell you shouldn’t be eating cottage cheese, greek yogurt and heavy cream anyway, I don’t care what the label says.

But when the antsy young chicken sees the word “Organic” on the label a switch goes off deep in here cerebral consciousness and she is automatically rendered powerless against her will and caves in and slurps up the creamy product.

Take a look at the fridge photo below that proves two of my previous points.

1. Remember above where I said I have never seen a female who was eating a truly effective and healthy fat loss diet? Well this photo happens to be from the inside of a fridge of a female who considers herself an expert and claims to offer the “best interactive fitness and diet tools available”.

You seriously can’t make this stuff up people!

Your fridge should never look like this……if fat loss is what you’re after.

I truly have to laugh out loud when I see how delusional this young wiper snapper is. She actually thinks by paying nearly 20% extra for canned and bottled products with “Organics” on the label that it’s actually healthier!

I can just see her guzzling down loads of this lactose loaded “All natural” beverage under the false impression that it’s actually going to help her get leaner.

You can learn a lot from your romantic relationships but just because you make poor decisions with your lover doesn’t mean you should make the same mistake with your food.

Weight Loss Tips By Wet Wolf

MuscleWeek: Hi Steve, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with MuscleWeek. Let’s talk about the upcoming USA show. Other than yourself, who do you see as your biggest competition for the USA?

Kuclo: There are a lot of great guys that are stepping on stage in Vegas. As the show approaches I typically am on the computer less and less and spend more time in the gym, so I’m not always up and up on who is competing in the show or looks good. You hear rumors but it’s all about who shows up the day of the show.

MuscleWeek: Gotcha. We often hear NPC guys going on and on about grabbing that elusive ‘Pro Card’. How would winning a Pro Card improve or affect your life?

Kuclo: Regardless if I am a pro or not I am still Steve Kuclo. That does not change where I’m from and what I stand for. The obvious that comes with pro status is being able to compete for prize money which is exciting and shooting for the ultimate goal of one day being Mr. Olympia.

MuscleWeek: Other than that, in what way(s) would being an IFBB Pro allow you to have a positive impact on your community/society?

Kuclo: I have recently started to work with kids and am putting together community work and programs with inner city kids. I’m calling my program, “Kuclo’s Kids.” I’ve always said I want to be a pioneer of the sport and have a positive impact on the sport from the public persona. Working as a firefighter/paramedic has shown many people that having a demanding full time job and prepping for a show is possible.

MuscleWeek: That’s definitely something admirable that differentiates you from other guys who don’t do anything except bodybuilding. Let’s talk about your heavy training style. When lifting extremely heavy (200 DBL presses), is there ever any concern over injury?

Kuclo: So much of lifting heavy weight is mental and having the confidence to push yourself to new levels is critical.

MuscleWeek: Do you think you’d regret lifting so heavy if a major injury did occur?

Kuclo: As soon as you second guess the lift or lose that mind-muscle connection you can lose it and risk injury.

MuscleWeek: Well then, don’t lose that connection bro! Best of luck at the USA.

Kuclo: Thank you for your time Jason and the interview!