Large Boogie Vitality!
Blessing ‘The Boogieman’ Awodibu Has BIG Plans for 2023
By Ron Harris
‘This yr goes to be the start of The Boogieman’s reign.’ -Blessing Awodibu
Few athletes have generated as a lot pleasure lately as MuscleTech athlete Blessing Awodibu aka The Boogieman. Initially from Nigeria, he grew up primarily in Eire earlier than lastly making his approach to the USA a few years in the past. His rivalry with Nick Walker was most likely essentially the most fascinating narrative in professional bodybuilding within the spring of 2021, main as much as Blessing’s professional debut after incomes that standing again in 2017. Although he did not dwell as much as his personal hype on the Indy Professional and New York Professional, he redeemed himself precisely one yr later by successful each reveals back-to-back. His Mr. Olympia debut in December 2022 didn’t go as deliberate, so Blessing went again to the drafting board. Right here’s what he’s been as much as and the way he plans on bringing a model of his physique none of us have ever seen earlier than for the 2023 season.
We talked on the Arnold Traditional, and also you informed me this has been your finest low season ever. You’re the most important you’ve ever been at virtually 310 kilos. You additionally mentioned this was the healthiest you’ve ever felt at over 300 kilos. How had been issues totally different previously?
The low season isn’t comfy for any open bodybuilder, particularly while you’re attempting to get as large and jacked as doable. You’re holding additional water and physique fats. It’s even worse for a man like me who’s naturally skinny, then going to 305 or 310 kilos. I acquired up near that weight earlier than when Abdullah Al-Otaibi was working with me for an low season. I used to be 300, 301, and that was tough. I feel a number of it needed to do with it being the primary time I had ever been that heavy. My joints, particularly my knees, had been hurting. Even my decrease again was giving me hassle. My efficiency within the health club sucked. None of that has occurred this low season. I really feel contemporary, I really feel good. I’m obese, sure. Total, my efficiency is sweet, I really feel sturdy and wholesome.
One other space that’s higher now’s my sleep apnea, my loud night breathing. Once I’m prepping it’s not so unhealthy. It acquired worse than ever not too long ago. I had tried a CPAP machine and it didn’t work. I didn’t prefer it. I used to stand up in the midst of the night time and smash the machine as a result of I couldn’t sleep with it. However I acquired a brand new one, and inside every week I used to be sleeping like a child. That’s a giant purpose I really feel so good. When you might have sleep apnea and also you snore like loopy, your blood strain goes straight via the roof. You get up within the morning exhausted. Any of you guys on the market who snore have to get it checked. Sleep apnea is a silent killer, bro.
Somebody near you additionally informed me you might have been utilizing much less of the “tremendous dietary supplements” this low season too.
Precisely. I’m grateful for all my previous errors and ups and downs as a result of I study from them, they usually make me higher. I’m nonetheless contemporary on this sport heading into my third professional season. The primary two seasons taught me a lot, particularly my first Mr. Olympia final December. I discovered quite a bit about my physique, and proper now I’m not working with any coach, simply my family and friends. They care about me and about my well being. Whenever you work with a coach, they only need you to win and may do no matter it takes to win. There are issues I might be doing with a coach that we’re staying away from. What we actually push is meals. That’s all the time been my drawback with previous coaches. They underestimate the quantity of muscle tissue I carry and the way a lot meals I would like. That’s why I all the time had an issue of being flat onstage. Getting in form isn’t an issue for me, it’s holding that roundness and fullness. Even once I received in Indy and New York final yr, I used to be on the flat aspect. Now I really feel I’m prepared to satisfy my full potential.
I additionally heard you switched up your coaching to a extra high-intensity fashion.
Sure, we have now cranked up the depth and introduced down the amount. Burning an excessive amount of glycogen is unhealthy for my fullness. Proper now, I’m coaching two days on, two days off, for a complete of three or 4 occasions every week. Typically I do at some point on, at some point off. The remainder days are completely key for me. I do a number of supersetting now, particularly for my legs. We acquired away from that very heavy fashion. It doesn’t work for me. I’ve acquired one of many worst knee joints in all of bodybuilding. I ought to by no means have been a bodybuilder, however I selected it anyway. It’s all about being sensible. We nonetheless push some heavy weight, nevertheless it’s all about excessive depth now. I do a number of supersets, large units, and drop units. It’s nonstop. That is bringing my physique to an entire different stage. I’ve by no means been this spherical and full earlier than in my life.
What led you to make such a dramatic change to your coaching?
It got here with expertise and failure. Failure is one of the simplest ways to study. I’ve tried all types of coaching types. I used to coach twice a day, 5 – 6 days every week. I began bodybuilding as a result of I liked coaching a lot, placing my physique via that grind and torture. However extra isn’t all the time higher. I bear in mind studying about how Dorian Yates by no means skilled greater than 4 days every week, for 45 minutes to an hour. It made no sense to me. How might he do this and be one of many largest mass monsters we’d ever seen? Now I perceive how that’s doable, particularly for a man like me who has a extremely quick metabolism.
That is the primary time in my life that I’m actually dwelling like a bodybuilder, too. Meaning being a lazy motherf**er! I practice, eat my meals, come residence and simply lie on the sofa and do nothing. This previous Arnold Traditional was an amazing instance. Final yr, any free time I had I used to be off doing coaching movies with different content material creators and influencers. This time I simply labored my hours on the MuscleTech sales space, then went again to my room and rested. That’s the way you get better and develop. I burn a number of energy. The much less energetic I’m, the higher for me. I’m additionally doing cheat meals two or 3 times every week, one thing my previous coaches by no means needed me to do.
I feel you continue to have that “skinny boy” metabolism from while you actually had been a thin boy years in the past.
Precisely. And the larger I get, the more durable it’s to maintain that muscle. That’s why the meals and relaxation is so essential. Whenever you’re prepping a man like me, you’ll burn via every thing in the event you’re not cautious.
Talking of consuming, are you able to please run down a typical day of consuming for you on this low season?
I’m taking in 6-7,000 energy a day.
Meal 1: 125g oats, 100g blueberries, 1 banana, 2 scoops Nitro-Tech™ 100% Whey Gold, 3 slices Ezekiel Bread with jam, 200g steak, 2 entire eggs with 8 egg whites.
Return to sleep for 2 hours.
Meal 2: 350g rice, 280g salmon.
EuphoriQ™ half-hour earlier than coaching.
TRAIN – drink 2 scoops Cell-Tech™ in 1 liter of water.
Put up-workout: 3 scoops Nitro-Tech™ Whey.
Meal 3: 400g purple potato, 280g salmon.
Meal 4: 300g rice, 250g steak.
Meal 5: 300g rice with 250g rooster, cod, or shrimp.
Meal 6: 300g Greek yogurt, 2 scoops Nitro-Tech™ 100% Whey Gold, 3 slices Ezekiel Bread with peanut butter.
It’s been famous that your legs should be larger to match that vast, broad higher physique of yours. Has that been a precedence on this low season?
I’ve all the time been pleased with my symmetry, and I feel I’m fairly balanced. Individuals solely speak about my legs once I’m off. After all, I do want extra legs. If I might purchase larger legs proper now, I might! When a man like me who’s tall and broad and he goes flat, my legs are the very first thing to go. I lose the fullness and separation, and it’s a horrible look. However the stability and symmetry continues to be there. You may’t win a present with out legs. My physique seems extra full once I’m full. I’m working additional onerous on my legs as a result of individuals discuss crap about them. That is why I like criticism. They suppose they’re hating on me or making enjoyable of me, however they’re making me higher. They make me that rather more conscious that my legs have to develop. I by no means have anybody coaching with me on leg days now, they only practice me and push me. I’ve two individuals on my ass on leg days. I do a number of single-leg actions. I usually go proper from a single leg extension to a Bulgarian break up squat for a similar leg. I wish to superset single-leg presses with V-squats, simply burning up my quads. There’ll come a time when my legs grow to be my finest physique half. I’ve good separation and features on my glutes, which a number of guys don’t have. Individuals have seen me at my worst. They don’t know what my finest seems like.
Do you do extra single leg actions now as a result of the truth that one leg is longer than the opposite, and that left knee can go backward? I can see how simply the totally different leg lengths would make squatting a foul concept.
Sure, squats and hack squats usually are not good for me as a result of one leg takes much more of the load than the opposite. That’s why I had that minor harm doing hack squats a few months in the past. I’ve to remain completely centered or else that knee can return. That’s why I say I didn’t select bodybuilding, bodybuilding selected me. And this yr goes to be the start of The Boogieman’s reign.
You’re already introduced the three reveals you’ll enter this season: the Chicago Professional, the Tampa Professional, and the Texas Professional.
These usually are not small reveals! I’m pumped to win all three of these after which roll into the Mr. Olympia.
You’re not working with a coach, however I think most guys can deal with their very own low season. Contest prep is a unique story. To this point, Chad Nicholls and George Farah have each prepped you. Are you speaking with any coaches about probably working collectively?
I’ve little interest in working with anybody else. Bodybuilding is a enterprise, and we don’t receives a commission some huge cash in comparison with different sports activities. We even have a brief window to be our greatest as a professional. For those who’re leaping from coach to teach and never studying from all of them, you’re a idiot. I labored with Neil Hill for a few yr after I turned professional, simply to see what the professionals had been doing. From there it was Chad for the 2 reveals I did as a rookie. After that I did a pair months of low season work with Abdullah. Lastly, I used to be in a position to win two reveals final yr with George. I’ve failed, I’ve received, and I’ve discovered a lot about myself and my physique. I simply want somebody to be that set of eyes for me. No bullshit, no ass-licking, simply let me know the way it actually is. I’m in a very good place. I’ve acquired my coaching accomplice with me. He’s been with me for six years and has seen all my ups and downs. We all know what works and what doesn’t work for my physique. It’s been an amazing low season, and I attribute all of it to meals and MuscleTech merchandise!
I’m glad we talked about your every day meals, as a result of lots of people don’t know how a lot meals it takes to help that a lot muscle mass, particularly with a quick metabolism like yours.
Individuals don’t notice that meals is completely every thing. I don’t care how a lot gear you’re taking and even what number of dietary supplements, in the event you don’t eat sufficient, you’ll by no means get wherever in bodybuilding. Take one other man who eats all the proper stuff and by no means misses a meal, and let’s say he takes a fraction of the gear as that different man. I assure you that man will look quite a bit higher. Gear works, nevertheless it’s not the key to success.
Final topic, the rise of the Nigerians! We noticed that on the Arnold Traditional with Samson Dauda successful and Andrew Jacked in third. Did you ever suppose that West African nation the place you had been born would begin producing so many champion bodybuilders?
It’s so superb to see, and the good factor is that I do know each of these guys. I knew Samson since my beginner days in Europe six years in the past. I knew Larry from Dubai when he was coaching with Larry Wheels. We truly skilled collectively for a few months over there earlier than he was even interested by ever competing. To see my two fellow Nigerians doing so nicely may be very motivating and galvanizing. Very quickly, all three of us can be on the prime of the game collectively. Nigerians have loopy genetics. I went again there final yr for the primary time in over 20 years to shock my mother and father, and I attended a contest. The blokes and ladies had been pure, they usually didn’t even know learn how to food plan. They eat African meals all day lengthy, and it’s all carbs, little or no protein. You need to have seen the form on them and the potential.
I’m actually wanting ahead to seeing the brand new and improved model of The Boogieman this yr, Blessing.
It’s going to be a really thrilling yr for me, for MuscleTech, and all of bodybuilding!
Contest Historical past
2013 IFBB Arnold Newbie Europe – Junior, didn’t place
2013 IFBB European Newbie Championships – Seventh, Junior Heavyweight
2014 IFBB Arnold Newbie Europe – Junior Champion
2015 IFBB European Newbie Championships – 14th, Mild Superweight
2017 IFBB Arnold Newbie Europe – Tremendous Heavyweight and Total
2017 IFBB World Newbie Championships – Second, Tremendous Heavyweight
2017 IFBB Diamond Cup Portugal – Tremendous Heavyweight and Total
2017 IFBB Diamond Cup Czech Republic – Tremendous Heavyweight and Total
2021 Indy Professional – Third Place
2021 New York Professional – Sixth Place
2022 Indy Professional – Winner
2022 New York Professional – Winner
2022 Mr. Olympia – Didn’t place
Added Blessing for EUPHORiQTM Pre-workout: New Boogieman Punch Taste
Elite athletes similar to Blessing Awodibu, in addition to thousands and thousands of different weekend warriors and health fans, have found MuscleTech EUPHORiQTM, the world’s first sensible pre-workout fueled by enfinity® for unparalleled efficiency and ultra-clean nootropic vitality. Now the neatest pre-workout packs an all-new punch with Boogieman Punch, an unique, limited-edition taste launching in mid-June with Blessing’s picture on the label.
For those who want a sensible vitality enhance, EUPHORiQTM has acquired you coated. Its distinctive mix of elements, anchored by a revolutionary vitality ingredient, paraxanthine, additionally contains taurine and huperzine-A to ship clear, sustained, easy vitality that retains you centered and alert with out the crashes. The important thing elements of EUPHORiQTM are:
300mg Enfinity® (Paraxanthine)
Paraxanthine is a metabolite of caffeine and brings the advantages of caffeine, like focus and vitality. Paraxanthine is designed to ship simply the good things.
300mg ALPHASIZE®
A novel supply of choline, a vital nutrient, and a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, essential for muscle management.
1.6g NOOLVL®
NooLvl® is a patented, non-stimulant complicated clinically proven to help sure facets of accuracy and resolution making.
100mg NEUROFACTOR®
This patented espresso fruit extract is proven to considerably improve ranges of a key neuroprotein important to studying, reminiscence, and demanding pondering.
Blessing Awodibu has risen to the heights of bodybuilding in just a few quick years and has confirmed to be an brisk competitor onstage. Now that Blessing has partnered with MuscleTech and is backed by the uncompromising high quality and science of their merchandise, he’s on observe for even larger achievements. Give EUPHORiQTM a strive as Blessing has and expertise the distinction for your self.
Along with Boogieman Punch, EUPHORiQTM is on the market as powder type in Yuzu Lemonade, Watermelon Sweet and Icy Snow Cone flavors. For extra data, go to muscletech.com
Ron Harris acquired his begin within the bodybuilding business throughout the eight years he labored in Los Angeles as Affiliate Producer for ESPN’s “American Muscle Journal” present within the Nineties. Since 1992 he has revealed practically 5,000 articles in bodybuilding and health magazines, making him essentially the most prolific bodybuilding author ever. Ron has been coaching because the age of 14 and competing as a bodybuilder since 1989. He lives along with his spouse and two kids within the Boston space. Fb Instagram
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