1. Biography
• Name: Paul Califano
• Age: 20
• Height: 5’8”
• Weight (Contest): 173 lbs.
• Weight (Off-Season): 195 lbs.
• Body Fat: ~ 9 %
• Hometown: Naples, FL
• Gym: Gold’s Gym Tallahassee
• Profession: Student
2. What got you started in bodybuilding/fitness?
My dad got me into fitness. I grew up playing soccer so I didn’t spend much time with weights in a gym. My dad is a very big muscular guy so he showed me how to work out and all the basics I needed to learn when I was a freshman in high school. I continued to lift on my own and play soccer. My senior year of high school, I had friends Peyton Perino and Alec Wipperman who both were competing in bodybuilding shows, and that’s how I got the crave to compete.
3. What keeps you motivated to train?
I have always been an extremely self-motivated person. For me, the gym is like therapy—when I am stressed out from school or work the only thing that can get it off my mind is stepping into the gym, putting in my iPod, and crushing the weights. My best friend and roommate Lamar Byrd Jr. also competes in the Muscle Mania bodybuilding competitions so we are constantly battling back and forth to make progress.
4. What workout plan has worked best for you?
I am a firm believer in experimentation in the gym. I do not believe in following a textbook workout plan, but more of taking something from multiple sources and combining them. What may work for someone else doesn’t necessarily work for yourself. That, and in bodybuilding you are going to have stronger and weaker body parts and your workout should be adapted to perfect your proportions. I have used a variety of different workout plans from Hany Rambod’s FST-7, to HIIT style, to regular splits, and higher volume superset style lifting closer to my competitions. What I have found best for myself in the off-season is a combination of them all depending on how I am feeling at that particular time.
Monday: Heavy Chest / Biceps / Calves
• Incline Barbell Bench Press: 1 warm-up set of 15-20 reps, 3 sets of 4-10 reps, 1 drop set of 4-10 reps
• Pec Deck Machine: 5 sets of 15, 10, 8, 8, 15 reps
• Superset:
• Flat Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 heavy sets of 6-8 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Flyes: 3 light sets of 12-20 reps
• Cable Crossovers: 3 sets of 12-8 reps, 1 drop set of 12-8 reps
• Dips (non-weighted): 3 sets to failure
• Plate Loaded Preacher Curl Machine: 1 warm-up set of 20 reps, 2 heavy sets of 4-8 reps
• Flat Barbell Curl: 1 warm-up set of 15 reps, 2 heavy sets of 6-8 reps
• Alternating Arm Incline Dumbbell Curls: 3 heavy sets of 6-10 reps
• Seated Calf Raises: 4 sets of 15 reps each
• Standing Calf Raises: 5 sets of 15, 10, 10, 10, 15 reps
Tuesday: Heavy Back / Triceps / Abdominals
• Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure
• Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets of 15, 8, 8, 6, 15 reps
• T-Bar Rows: 3 sets of 10, 6, 4 reps
• Seated Rows: 3 sets of 12, 12, 6 reps
• Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure
• Deadlifts: 5 sets of 20, 10, 6, 6, 3 reps
• Cable Triceps Extensions: 1 warm-up set of 15 reps, 2 heavy sets of 6-10 reps
• Incline Skull Crushers: 3 heavy sets of 6-12 reps
• Close-Grip Smith Machine Bench Press: 4 sets of 15, 12, 10, 8 reps
• Kneeling Cable Crunch: 5 sets of 10 reps
• Hanging Leg Raises: 5 sets of 15 reps
• Weighted Side Oblique Raises: 3 sets of 15 reps each side
Wednesday: Heavy Quads / Hamstrings / Calves
• Seated Leg Extensions: 1 warm-up set of 30 slow reps, 4 sets of 12, 10, 5, 5 reps, 1 drop set of 15 reps
• Barbell Squats: 1 warm-up set of 15 reps, 4 sets of 10, 8, 8, 6 reps
• Leg Press (Single Leg): 4 sets of 12, 12, 10, 10 reps each leg
• Walking Lunges: 1 set of 20 steps forward, 1 set of 20 steps back
• Lying Leg Curls: 1 warm-up set of 20 reps, 4 sets of 15, 10, 8, 5 reps
• Standing Single Leg Curls: 3 working sets of 10 reps each
• Hack Squat: 3 working sets of 8 reps each
• Leg Press Calf Raises: 4 sets of 15 reps each
• Single Leg Standing Calf Raises: 4 sets of 12 reps each leg
Thursday: Off
Friday: Shoulders / Traps / Abs
• Barbell Military Press: 1 warm-up set of 20 reps, 4 sets 15, 10, 10, 6 reps, 1 drop set of 15 reps
• Dumbbell Side Raises: 4 working sets of 15, 12, 8, 8 reps
• Superset:
• Barbell Underhand Front Raise: 1 warm-up set of 12 reps, 3 sets of 10, 6, 4 reps, 1 drop set of 15 reps
• Seated Dumbbell Military Press (light, without back): 4 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Upright Rows: 3 wide-grip sets of 12, 12, 10 reps, 3 close grip sets of 10, 10, 8 reps
• Barbell Shrugs: 4 sets of 12, 8, 6, 6 reps, 1 drop set of 25 reps
• Decline Bench Crunches: 4 sets of 25 reps
• Roman Chair Leg Lifts: 4 sets of 15 reps
• Oblique Crunches: 4 sets of 12 reps each way
Saturday: Heavy Hamstrings / Quads / Glutes
• Barbell Straight Legged Deadlift: 1 warm-up set of 25 reps, 4 working sets of 15, 10, 6, 6 reps, 1 drop set of 20 reps
• Seated Leg Curls: 4 sets of 15, 10, 10, 6 reps
• Barbell Jefferson Squats: 3 sets of 12 reps each direction
• Leg Press: 1 warm-up set of 20 reps, 4 working sets of 15, 10, 10, 10 reps, 1 drop set of 20 reps
• Barbell Front Squat: 3 sets of 15 reps each
• Seated Leg Extension: 3 sets of 15, 10, 6 reps
• Dumbbell Step Ups: 3 sets of 15 reps each leg
5. What is your philosophy about cardio?
There are so many different opinions regarding cardiovascular exercise when cutting for a bodybuilding show or just trying to gain lean muscle. What I have found to work particularly well is to do 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill at an incline first thing in the morning before you have breakfast and another 30 minutes prior to bed after your last meal. A good way to bring out quad striations is to involve short distance sprints close to your show (say about four weeks out and under). Another very effective way of getting freaky leg striations is to walk stadium stairs for a long time. It may sound weird but if you can find a big stadium at a college or for a professional team, walk each individual step slowly and do that for about an hour or so. It is much harder than you expect!
6. What is your philosophy about weight training?
I recommend weight training for everyone regardless of your fitness goals. There are many different ways you can lift weights but everyone should include some sort of weight training to their workout regiment.
7. Do you prefer HIIT or steady state cardio?
I prefer to do cardio at a steady rate. When I train with weights it is a very fast high intensity workout which is the HIIT style of training. So when I do my actual cardio, I prefer to do the steady fat burning low intensity cardio. And it has worked wonders for me!
8. What are your top 5 favorite exercises?
• Dead lifts
• Incline barbell bench press
• Squats
• Leg press
• Preacher curls
9. What is your philosophy about nutrition?
I have been able to learn so much about my body through experimenting with diets for competitions. I am confident to say that overall progress and health is at least 70 % in the kitchen and not in the gym.
10. What nutrition plan has worked best for you?
For my last competition, I started the first two months in a ketosis diet, but I found that to be more effective for larger people who are cutting and can afford to loss some mass. I stay relatively lean in the off-season and can’t afford to lose any muscle mass when dieting. I like the results I got from a carb-cycling style diet and will most likely continue to use it for my next contest-prep.
Off-Season
Meal 1: Breakfast
• 3 cups oatmeal
• 1 apple
• 16 oz black coffee
• Protein shake (3 scoops Elite Whey Isolate) with water
Meal 2:
• 1 10oz chicken breast
• 1 cup sweet potato
• 1 cup broccoli
Meal 3:
• 12oz lean steak
• 2 cups green beans
• 1 cup baked potato
Meal 4:
• 12oz tilapia
• 2 cups brown rice
Meal 5:
• Protein shake (4 scoops Cytogainer) with 12oz low fat milk and 1/2 cup oats
Meal 6:
• 1 10oz chicken breast
• 2 cups whole grain pasta
• 1 orange
• 1 serving asparagus
Meal 7:
• 12oz lean ground beef
• 1 cup brown rice
Meal 8: Prior to Sleep
• Protein shake (2 scoops Elite XT) with 12oz milk and 1/2 cup oats
11. What is your favorite cheat food?
My favorite cheat food to eat would have to be Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I once ate two dozen fresh ones when I had a cheat meal, which I do not recommend for anyone at all. I got so sick from not eating anything like that for so long that I was throwing up in bed all night. The most important thing to remember when including a cheat meal in your diet is to be sure you get something out of it. Don’t go eat a cheeseburger because that is what you are craving to eat but try different types of food varying the carbs, fats and types of food to see which works best at filling you back out.
12. What is your favorite health food?
I love to eat healthy; it keeps me energized and feeling good. My favorite dish to make would be some baked sweet potatoes fries with cinnamon and some grilled chicken and vegetables.
13. What supplements have given you the greatest gains?
The supplements that have given me the greatest gains would be my BCAA supplements and my whey/casein protein combination along with a variety of vitamins and minerals.
14. What does your pre and post workout nutrition consist of?
Pre-workout:
• 30 minutes prior to workout: 2 cups oatmeal, 1 scoop vanilla whey protein, 1 serving crasins.
• Immediately prior to workout: either Black Powder, or Redline. Any sort of pre-workout supplement containing caffeine.
Post workout (immediately):
• Monster Maize (waxy maize starch) approx 40 grams of carbs, fruit (berries, orange, apple), and my BCAA supplement
• 30-40 minutes after my post workout: 12oz lean steak, 1 baked potato, 1 cup broccoli
15. Which tools have helped you most with your nutrition and training?
Working with partners has brought me to where I am today. I have always had a close group of friends training with me and it has paid out tremendously. I actually have the smallest build out of all the people I like to train with and it keeps me motivated to pass them.
16. Have online resources (social networks) helped you in your training? If so, what are they and how have they helped you?
Online resources have helped me a lot with my training. I look at major websites like MuscularDevelopment.com and Flex.com. They have videos of IFBB pro bodybuilders training and writing articles that are very helpful.
17. Where is the first place you turn to when looking for training / fitness / nutrition advice?
The first person I go to is my roommate Lamar Byrd Jr. He is very well informed in most training and fitness plans. I also have a friend Tim Durning who competes at the national level in master’s competitions who knows a lot about nutrition and training. He is who I go to for help with my pre-contest diets.
18. Who are your favorite fitness/bodybuilder competitors or role models?
My role model is my dad without a doubt. If I can live to be half the man he is, I will be proud. My favorite bodybuilder of all time is Dorian Yates. Out of the bodybuilders competing currently, it would be Phil Heath.
19. What was the biggest mistake you made when you first started training?
The biggest mistake I made when I first started training was overtraining. I thought the longer I was in the gym the better. I also thought that I needed to work out every day. I now have a much better understanding of my body and what I need to do to progress.
20. What tips would you give to a beginner?
One tip I would give to other bodybuilders and those who are just starting off in the sport would be to put in the work and diet. If you are competing (especially your first time), it is very important to stick to your diet. If you are working with a trainer for your pre-contest diet you need to follow their diet exactly for you and not take some advice from one person and different advice from someone else. Combining different diet tips in your diet can lead to undesired results. Also, the gym is important but the majority of the game depends on your diet. Do not be ashamed if you just starting off—everyone has the ability to transform their body. All it takes is determination, dedication and motivation.
21. What are your future fitness goals?
I plan on winning the Mr. Olympia! While that may not be the most realistic goal, I will continue to compete. I would like to place first in collegic nationals, and eventually win a men’s overall title.
22. Where can we find you on MuscleDog.com?
Check out my profile, paulcali for more info!
