Interview With 16 Year Old Aspiring Fitness Model Jack Grace!
Name: Jack Grace
Age: 16 (5th sep 1995)
Height: 6’3
Weight: 190 pounds
How Did You Get Started In Bodybuilding?
I’ve always been a fairly active person, since I was a little kid I’ve taken part in a variety of sports, Swimming, Cricket, Basketball, Football and Motocross. Then at the age of 14 I decided to go to the gym one day to see what it was like, needless to say after a few sessions that’s where all my focus was going and 5-6 days a week that’s where I was. Having a good body is something I always wanted; I mean what little kid doesn’t? But I never really saw myself going to the gym until I made the last minute decision to go that day, and I’m very glad I did.
What Is Your Best Accomplishment So Far? Proudest Moment?
My best accomplishment so far is probably being where I’m at today, I’m nearly 17 years old and already I’ve had several fitness interviews with websites and magazines. Also I have my first photo shoot in a few weeks so I’m pretty happy about that aswell!
What Workout Routine Has Worked Best For You?
There is no set workout that has given me the best results, what has given me the best results is focusing on form over weight, and constantly changing my program every few weeks. The other thing that has given me the best results is incorporating mostly multi-joint exercises into my workouts; I always go heavy in the big lifts such as Bench Press, Squats and Deadlifts. By doing this I ensure that my body releases much more amounts of testosterone and other hormones than if I was doing a Lat pull-down or leg extension. I also ensure that I target higher threshold motor units, which have the most potential for growth and development. My current routine looks something like this:
Jack’s Routine
Monday: Chest/Calves
Incline Bench Press: 4×10-8-6-10
Flat Bench DB Press: 3×10
Seated Chest Press: 3×10
Cable Crossovers: 3×10
Dumbbell Fly’s: 3×8-10
Tuesday: Back
Pull-Ups: 3x Failure
Deadlifts: 3×6-8
Bent Over Rows: (Pronated grip) 3×10
[Lat Pull Downs: 3×10
[Seated Row: 3×10
Wednesday: Legs
Giant Set
[Squats: 4×10-8-6-10
[Seated calf Raises: 4 x 14
[Single Leg Extension: 4 x 14
Stiff Leg Deadlifts: 3x 10
Leg Press: 3 x10
Thursday: Shoulders
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 4×10
Cable Upright Rows: 3×10
Rear Delt Fly: 3×10
Front Raises: 3×10
Cable Lateral Raise: 3×10
Friday: Arms
Barbell Bicep Curl: 3×8
Seated Hammer Curls: 3 x10
Rope Curl: 3×14
Tricep Dips Weighted: 3×8
Close Grip Bench: 3 x10
Tricep DB Extension: 3 x12
Saturday: Rest/Recovery Day
Sunday: Rest/Recovery Day
[[ = SuperSet (When two or more exercises are performed one after another in a circuit without stopping)
Top 3 Favourite Exercises and Why?
Incline Barbell Press: I have a pretty solid upper chest and it is something that a lot of other bodybuilders lack, the Incline barbell press really allows me to add a lot of mass to my chest and I love it when my chest is pumped after this exercise!
Deadlifts: I love deadlifts, if I had to pick an exercise that has developed my body the most, it would be deadlifts without a doubt! Show me someone with a well-developed physique and I guarantee they do deadlifts.
Barbell Bicep Curls: Biceps are one of my favourite body parts to train and there’s no better feeling than smashing out heavy barbell curls!
Favourite Form Of Cardio?
My favourite form of cardio would be HIIT. Strolling along on a treadmill is just placid and boring and I’m not really into it. Also I don’t want to burn any muscle when I do cardio so High Intensity Interval Training ensures I only burn fat, and continue to burn calories for a long time even after I’m finished.
What Is Your Diet Like?
My philosophy on Nutrition is to eat healthy whole foods and to stay away from processed foods. Diet should be made up of lean meats, vegetables and foods that are as natural as possible. Another thing that I stay right away from is alcohol. Alcohol is detrimental to any bodybuilders’ gains and it has so many negative effects on the body, especially if you are trying to gain muscle and lose fat.
My Daily Diet Looks Like This:
Meal 1 – Whey Protein Shake, 6 egg whites, 1 cup oatmeal, 1 tsp peanut butter
Meal 2 – (Pre-workout meal) – 1 can tuna, 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1/4 avocado
Meal 3 – Whey Protein Shake, 8 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup white rice, 1/4 avocado
Meal 4 – 8 oz. salmon, 1 cup brown rice, 1/4 avocado
Meal 5 – 8 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup brown rice, avocado
Meal 6 – Casein Protein Shake
Any Staple/Classic Healthy Meals That You Always Eat?
Although I try keep my diet pretty much the same every day, sometimes this isn’t possible and I will have to compromise with something else, but one meal that I will eat religiously is chicken breast, I absolutely love it and I could eat it all day everyday!
I usually have 1 cheat meal per week and it will vary, but if I had to choose a favourite it would be either pizza or noodle box!
What Supplements Do You Use?
I don’t go crazy on the supplements, although I do take a few, I am a firm believer that all your needs can be achieved through proper nutrition and diet. But in saying that, the supplements are there, most of them are great and they do keep things interesting!
At the moment I am taking;
– Mesomorph Pre Workout or Jack3d.
– A good quality whey protein.
– Casein protein.
– Fish oil capsules.
What Are Your Tips For Success?/ Do You Have Any Tips For Beginners?
If you want success then the main thing you have to focus on is persistence. Your not going to have success as soon as you start something, you have to work and work and work, and your going to need to learn to accept failure and rejection because you will experience both at some point. Nothing worthwhile is going to come easy, so work hard now and make sacrifices. Then later on down the track it will be worthwhile.
What Is The Best Advice You Have Ever Been Given?
The best advice I’ve ever been given is to dream big and go big. I have big goals for the future and I set myself the highest standard. What’s the fun in living an average life with an average salary, I think if you choose to do something then you should aim to take it all the way and go to the highest level you can. While I do have big goals I know that I will achieve them, I am still very young and I have already come so far and achieved so much, so there is no stopping me from going all the way.
Did You Make Any Mistakes When You First Started Out?
The main mistake I made when I first started was with my diet, I had some pretty terrible food choices and it’s taken me a long time to be able to have a diet that’s pretty much spot on. At the start it was all about training but now I realise how important your diet really is. I really started to notice big changes in myself once my diet was on par.
The other mistake I made was not drinking enough water, so many people overlook water but It is absolutely vital and building muscle and losing fat. As soon as I started drinking lots of water I immediately noticed my training sessions improve and my gains improve. Drink water! I Can’t stress it enough.
Your Best Tips To Getting Into Contest Shape/Losing Those Last Few Pounds?
The key to losing those last few pounds for a contest or photo shoot is all about water depletion and carb depletion, while there is a lot that goes into it I will sum it up in short. Water depletion is consuming say 4 litres of water a day in the weeks leading up to a shoot, when you do this you are urinating constantly and flushing the water from your body, so then in the last week you drastically cut the water intake to say a glass a day and your body continues to flush it out while a minimal amount of water comes in, so by the time your body realises it’s already to late and you have lost a lot of water weight!
What’s Your Gym Playlist Like? Favourite Song To Play While Running?
I am a big fan of progressive house and trance music, this is what my playlist mainly consists of. Although I don’t mind some hip-hop and rap every now and then.
Where Does Your Motivation Come From?
My motivation comes from a few things, I have a huge desire to succeed and achieve my goals. So with every tasteless bit of food I eat and every hard painful workout I go through, I know that I’m one step closer to being where I want to be and that’s what keep me going!
Apart from this it’s all the comments I get from people and knowing that people come to me when they need help or advice, I love helping other people achieve their goals and seeing their satisfaction when the do is awesome!
Favourite Bodybuilders?
The guys I look up to are people like Steve Cook, Rob Riches and Sean Harley. They have great aesthetic and natural physiques and I admire what they do and how they have done it!
Favourite Quotes?
– Suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret.
– Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever.
For More On Jack Please Visit:
His Website: JackGraceFitness.com
His Instagram: (Jack Grace)
