Today’s post is about what it takes to build an impressive physique that will make you double take three times.
I thought it would be best to have a conversation with a guy who not only has an impressive physique, but has won a competition, my good friend and former colleague, Walter Fune.
1. You were a pretty well known athlete growing up. How has that helped you in your transition to becoming a physique competitor?
It was after high school I realized how much sports can really help you in life. Doing something you love and putting all your hard work into it and then becoming successful in it is rewarding. And you can use that same mindset and apply it to other things in life to accomplish almost anything. I ran track in high school and competed at the states championship as early as my freshmen year. What helped make the transition from track to competing in Men’s Physique a lot smoother are the individual events. Run your own race as they say. It’s just you and the track. Only difference now is, “It’s you and the stage”. And the thing with bodybuilding that some people don’t get is that they focus on other people they are competing against instead of themselves. Do that and I promise you, you will fail. It’s all about improving yourself each time you get on that stage.
2. What was it like prepping for your first show?
The first show I did was back in 2013. And just like everything else when you do things for the first time, you get nervous. It was suppose to be a bucket list thing. Place top three and check it off my list. I didn’t know how I would place compared to the competition. I went through some tough times during that stretch leading up to the show. I decided I was gonna move to Oahu (from Maui) to kind of start off fresh somewhere else. What better way to start off my transition with a show. I had asked some advice from people who have competed. I didn’t really focus too much on the diet being that I was already lean. I just remember eating a lot of healthy foods like kale, sweet potato, chicken breast without much thought about the carb intake. To sum it up, I guestimated my macros — I didn’t weigh out my foods. I ended up placing 4th in my height class. I didn’t feel too bad though because I was surprised I looked pretty good and even made top five. I pay attention to detail, and I thought my shoulders and chest looked the best out of all of the competitors. Following the competition, it just fueled me to do it again knowing how close I was to placing top three. What became a check off the bucket list became an addiction to improving all my weaknesses.
3. Amazing. Let’s talk about training and nutrition. Now that you’ve got more experience under your belt, how does your diet and training look like when your prepping for a show?
After my first show, I tried carb-cycling and that has done wonders for me compared to slowly lowering carbs. It was the leanest I’ve ever been! I did those 5x/week with a moderate and high carb days in between to refuel. Training doesn’t change much. Sticking to the plan that’s laid out and remaining consistent is paramount. It was always about retaining as much muscle as possible while leaning out.
4. Cardio is always a hot topic with regards to getting lean. How much cardio do you do?
I don’t really do much cardio. In the off-season, I place a premium on strength training. When it’s time to lean out I do cardio 4-5 times a week. That said, If I start early I do steady-state cardio for about 30-40min. Couple of those days are fasted cardio. I often implement high intensity intervals 2-3x/week because I’ve found it’s the best way to lean out, while minimizing muscle loss. One thing you have to remember is that the faster you lean out, you sacrifice more muscle tissue. That is why I’m a huge proponent of the slow process because you give your body some time to adjust.
5. Would you recommend your approach to other people?
What works for me might not work for others, so I highly advise others to experiment with what works best for them. It also helps to have a knowledgeable trainer or coach who can guide you. Success is never achieved alone.
6. We were still colleagues back at 24 Hour Fitness when you won your first competition back in 2014, so I have to ask. How did you balance being a full-time personal trainer and win overall in the Stingrey?
I would have to say prepping for that show was the most difficult out of the three I did. The most pertinent issue was obviously time management. It was a challenging task for me to stay focused while still programming my clients’ training. There were days where I just didn’t want to do anything. I would lay there in bed after a long busy day at work and contemplate getting up or just sleeping in. But I would always pep-talk myself. I made a checklist of things I needed to do on a daily basis — meal and supplement timing around training clients as well as when to fit in the workout. I’m goal-oriented so that’s what really helped me in the long run.
7. You put on muscle in a heart beat. In addition to being a freak of nature when it comes to pure aesthetics, you competed in a powerlifting meet. What are your lifts in the Big 3?
Out of the three, the Deadlift is my strongest lift and the only one I’ve competed in (with a record under my name). I pulled 425lbs at 147lbs that broke previous record of 419lbs. My strongest lift for bench was 275lbs. For squats, I’ve done 315lbs for 10 reps and maxed out at 365lbs at my peak.
8. Beast! Any plans competing in nationals?
Yes. There are several national shows coming up during the summer. I plan on doing the one in Las Vegas in July. However, my coach wants me to do a California state show before that one to see how I do against stronger competition on the mainland first. I know for sure I need to get bigger since everything is bigger on the mainland. But I’ve also heard that this year they’re going to decrease the emphasis on size and more on symmetry and aesthetics. That gives me hope to one day earn my IFBB pro card.
9. Thank you for your time, Walter. Last question though, where can people follow you?
Thank you for the opportunity Dre! You can find me on Facebook, Walter Fune, and on instagram @iwalle64.
Dre Delos Santos 