What got you started in fitness modeling?
I was born to less than desirable parents and when I was turned six the state of Utah acknowledged my situation and decided to remove me and my two sisters from the home we were in. My sisters went into foster care and I was basically institutionalized in the children's hospital and later moved to a boy’s home. I had a lot of emotional issues from abuse and the lack of care that every child should have for healthy development. During this time I had very little interaction with my family with the exception of my grandma, who kept in touch making every effort to get me and my sisters out of our situations. When she would come up to visit she would tell me stories of my uncle’s bodybuilding efforts and his story of becoming Mr. Utah several times. He was a great guy who was handsome and had an amazing muscular physical body, I was sold. I thought to my self, how could I be a bodybuilder? That was when the dream started; I was only 8 years old. A year later I was adopted by a wonderful couple who had no children of their own and moved into the biggest house and yard I had ever seen. So at nine, I was reborn into a better life with parents that showed me love I never knew. Because of everything I had been through, wrapping my mind around all of this at that age was very difficult. The lack of love, nurturing, attention and just basic things that parents teach children, I lacked. Basically I became socially inept and had no understanding of the process “think before you talk or do” and that is how I lived most of the last 20 years of my life.. not thinking or caring before I did things. I am a good guy and have tried hard at just about everything I did, but without the thinking ahead, all my efforts were in vein. There were things that I should have known, like simple relationship and friendship skills, which I didn’t know. So at thirty I woke up single, fat and unemployed with a terrible attitude. One day a couple months after my birthday I received a call from the gym in the afternoon. I literally had a bottle of Jack Daniels in my hand when I picked up the phone. The guy from the gym told me that I did not have to pay the old debt of my unused gym membership if I would just start up again. Well I am a symbolic guy and a realist, but I could not discount this sign. I could kick my own butt and it was cheap, way cheaper than drinking all day. That day I put down the bottle and went to the gym to workout and get my fat tested. When I saw that it was 26% I was pretty upset and it taught me a lesson, I basically quit drinking that day. I did not miss the gym for almost 70 days after that, Mothers Day, Fathers Day not a single day and for more than half of those days I went twice. I wanted to get out all this frustration that I felt from everything that I was unhappy with in my life and it was the only place I could do it positively. I decided to make it my job until I had one and I work hard so I took that ethic plus anger to the gym. During all this time my dream never left my pillow, sometimes my life was hectic and busy but it was always there. After months of unemployed random efforts in the gym I got a call to be in a commercial, I was incredibly surprised and I had no idea this industry really even existed. I guess somebody did not show up that day and this director had heard that I was in good shape from a girl on set, so he called hoping that my unemployed starving working for free everyday wannabe bodybuilder was willing to be paid 500 for the day to come over and be in this commercial with a pretty girl. I was pretty excited. So needless to say when I found out people get paid to be in shape and take pictures, all the sudden my efforts did not seem in vein anymore. I had already lost the fat and my attitude was getting better but I was dragging my feet getting employed because there was nothing out there I wanted to do. My passion was fitness!!! So when this whole industry appeared in front of me I decided to alter my dream a little by” Make money in Bodybuilding”. Unfortunately being a bodybuilder doesn’t pay your bills! But if I could earn a living doing this it would make going to the gym twice day and not have a job seem better. It all starts with a dream, I have learned that most people forget their dream for so long they can’t even remember it, that almost happened to me but I was able to get it back and enjoy the financial benefits the allows me to do what I love.

Where do you draw inspiration from?
I haven’t made the best choices in my life and I have made many changes to move my life in a new direction. When I think of all the people that I love who are watching me and cheering for my success, this inspires me to work hard and gives me the drive to succeed.

What is your training schedule?
I train 10 times a week and I train my full body 2 times a week or more. I believe in the “Fighter workouts”. Basically I make my workout cardio as well. Here is a little story. I was wrestling with a friend of mine and with in a minute I was spent. So I decided to change my training. I could curl 50 lbs in each hand 10 times. But I couldn't defend my self for 1 min. I can’t see you training in a gym all day if you can't defend yourself for three min anyway. So I use a regime that is multiple sets of 3-minutes.

What does a day of food intake look like?
Because of the way I train and the importance of pre and post workout drinks I do 4 shakes a day and two meals. I do a lot of tilapia, chicken, broccoli and asparagus.

How tall are you and how much do you weigh?
6’1” and 200 lbs.

What do you do when you are not modeling? In other words how do you pay the bills?
I don’t do anything but modeling. I train a good portion of my day and the rest of the time I am at auditions, working on the computer and marketing myself to further my career. My days are long though, my goals are set pretty high and I have a 2 year plan that without action will never be followed or met. So I try to fill all my hours with some sort of personal growth. What supplements do you currently use? Necessity: EFA’s (pharmaceutical grade), Whey protein, Meal replacement protein, Creatine, Glutamine, Multi (whole food, no synthetic) , Fiber, antioxidants. Asea is one of my favorite supplements. It has made a huge difference in my training. I have faster recovery, higher endurance and am building better muscle. Luxury: NO2 and Fat burners (Isaoslim is my favorite), Sugar, probiotic, digestive enzymes, Adaptogens, Vit. C, Gluten free products, Organics, If you were on a Desert Island and you could only take or do one of the following what would it be? Food A good friend of mine told me the other day that I am a fat guy waiting to happen. I have urges to eat mass amounts of food and he has seen it, so being honest, I would like a lot of food. Exercise? My favorite exercises has to be Dips, I used to try to beat the old school record which was 100 with the coach watching to make sure the elbow went past 90. I find them very challenging and they work many muscle groups. Food? I think I could live on Lasagna, if there was a way it could keep, that is what I could eat everyday. Hmmmm

CD?
Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon, It is a staple of mine.

Book?
The Bible, I think being on a island alone without god would be way worse than with.

Girl?
I am not sure I would take a girl on a island alone, I would want a woman 🙂

Friend?
Take my buddy and put him on deserted island with me and a girl, Clark you are funny, but if I did have a friend there, he would have to be an Eagle Scout as I am to earn his fair share of the Lasagna.

Magazine?
Muscle and Fitness, I have grown up with this magazine, it is what I used to buy when I was a kid or read in the stands waiting for mom to finish up at the store. Web Site? ESPN.com, I would go crazy not knowing what is going on back at home, and I love fantasy football. Supplement? I would want a Meal Replacement Protein that tastes amazing with water and has carbs.

Clothing Article?
Hoodie, I love to wear my Utah style where ever I am and a hoodie is part of it, If the weather was right I would always wear them.

When is your birthday?
Dec. 6 1977

If you could say something to motivate your fans what would it be?
No excuse!! Take every excuse that you have ever heard and throw it out. Find out what your true potential is and run towards it. Most people never even ask themselves this and can't even imagine what that would feel of look like.

What is something about you that your fans would be surprised about?
Other than you being fat before! I have overcome substance abuse. I have a personal understanding of demons and how difficult it can be to overcome this type of addiction, but back to excuses, I got rid of them. I watched my closest friends die from it, I have spoken at funerals and even thought that might be me one day. I had to stop and I am grateful for