1. Biography
• Name: Adrian Melia
• Age: 27
• Height: 5 ft 8ins
• Weight (Contest): 205
• Weight (Off-Season): 228
• Hometown: Galway, Ireland
• Gym: Galway City Gym
• Profession: I run a sports supplement company and help run a personal training studio.
2. What got you started in bodybuilding/fitness?
I mainly got started through training for boxing. I had been doing a lot of push-ups, chin-ups and sit-ups and I loved the pump I got in my chest and back. There were weights in the gym I boxed at and I started playing about with them. I started seeing results and got stronger, which improved my boxing. I also loved comic books and loved the super hero look and it inspired me to try and get the super hero look. I kept training and continued to see results. I entered junior powerlifting contests and won a few titles but I always preferred the bodybuilder look and decided to train as a bodybuilder again.
3. What keeps you motivated to train?
Seeing results motivates me. I feel I am against myself in the gym and nobody else.
I do not want to sit around and be out of shape I want to feel good and look good and I feel empowered by the feeling of being in shape. Also I feel more confident myself and this helps me with my day to day work whether it be meeting prospective clients or people in general if your confident people usually take notice (hopefully in a good way).
4. What workout plan has worked best for you?
Personally I always used HIIT training and recently mixed in FST training it worked great
at bringing up my weaker body parts.
WEEKLY TRAINING SPLIT
MONDAY: Quads, hamstrings and calves [unilateral day]
TUESDAY: Chest and triceps
WEDNESDAY: Back and biceps
THURSDAY: Off
FRIDAY: Quads, hamstrings and calves
SATURDAY: Shoulders and traps
SUNDAY: Off
MONDAY: LEGS [QUADS, HAMS, CALVES]
• Unilateral leg extensions [one leg at a time]
2 working sets [2 min rest between sets] of 10 reps [ I always keep reps a little higher on the legs. Ten to fifteen reps work better and has bought them up a good bit for me in the last 6 months].
• Unilateral Leg press
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets] of 15 reps
• Hack squats
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets] of 12 reps
• Unilateral leg extensions [one leg at a time] FST 7 sets
7 sets of 10 reps 30 seconds rest in between
• Unilateral Leg curls
2 sets of 10 reps 2 min rest between sets
• Stiff legged deadlifts
2 sets of 8-10 reps
TUESDAY: CHEST AND TRICEPS
CHEST
• Dumbbell incline presses
2 sets of 8 reps [2 min rest between sets]
• Dumbbell incline flies
2 sets of 8 reps [2 min rest between sets]
• Barbell Decline bench press
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Hammer Strength bench presses
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Cable crossover FST Set
7sets of 10 reps [30 seconds rest in between]
TRICEPS
• Pushdowns with rope attachment
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Dips [weighted]
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Close-grip bench presses
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Lying tricep extensions
7 work sets [30 seconds rest between sets]
WEDNESDAY: BACK AND BICEPS
BACK
• Wide-grip pull-ups
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Bent-over rows [overhand grip]
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• One-arm dumbbell rows
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Reverse Grip Pulldowns
7 work sets [30 seconds rest between sets]
BICEPS
• Standing EZ-bar curls
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets] 10 reps
• Hammer curls
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets] 10 reps
• Machine preacher curls
7 work sets [30 seconds rest between sets]
THURSDAY: OFF
FRIDAY: LEGS [QUADS, HAMS, CALVES]
• Leg extensions
2 working sets [2 min rest between sets] of 10 reps [ I always keep reps a little higher on the legs. Ten to fifteen reps works better and has bought them up a good bit for me in the last 6 months]
• Hack squats
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets] of 12 reps
• Leg press
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets] of 15 reps
• Front Squats
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets] of 12 reps
• Hack squats FST set
7 sets of 10 reps [30 seconds rest in between]
• Unilateral Leg curls
2 sets of 10 reps [2 min rest between sets]
• Stiff legged deadlifts
2 sets of 8-10 reps
SATURDAY: SHOULDERS AND TRAPS
SHOULDERS
• Side Lateral Raises
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Smith machine military presses *
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Dumbbell front raises
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Bent-over dumbbell raises
2 work sets [2 min rest between sets]
• Seated Dumbbell lateral raises FST set
7 work sets [30 second rest between sets]
TRAPS
• Behind the back barbell shrug 3-4 sets of 15 reps
• Super set with Barbell shrugs 3-4 sets of 15 reps
5. What is your philosophy about cardio?
In the off season, I do some MMA and boxing just to keep my heart healthy and also since I am eating a lot more, it really helps keep my metabolic rate up.
Pre contest: I do not do that much. I start off high as this is when I have the most amount of fat to burn and slowly stop it at about 2 weeks out. I keep my heart rate at about 130 bpm and do 45 min of cardio.
6. What is your philosophy about weight training?
Mix HIT and FST together.
7. Do you prefer HIIT or steady state cardio?
Steady cardio.
8. What are your top 5 favorite exercises?
• Incline dumbbell press
• Bent over rows
• Dumbbell curls
• Dumbbell skull crushers
• Hack squats
9. What is your philosophy about nutrition?
Keto style diet for pre contest. I just add about 70-80 carbs to my keto style diet in the off
season and extra meals.
10. What nutrition plan has worked best for you?
Pre contest keto diet.
11. What is your favorite cheat food?
Pizza and waffles.
12. What is your favorite health food?
Steak and salmon.
13. What supplements have given you the greatest gains?
• Iso Lean by Cellucor
• Dark matter By MHP
• M5 by Cellucor
• Xtend by Scivation
• Hemodraulix by Axis labs
• Up Your Mass by MHP
14. What does your pre and post workout nutrition consist of?
Pre workout I usually use M5 by Cellucor in the off season 45 min before training and 1.5 hours I usually have some waxy maize and ISO sport lean. Post workout I use 3 scoops of Dark Matter by MHP.
Pre contest I use Hemo Draulix and NO Extreme 45 min before and 1.5 hour before, I use 1 scoop of natural peanut butter with ISO lean protein and post workout, I take ISO lean and 2 scoops of peanut butter.
15. Which tools have helped you most with your nutrition and training?
I would have to say message boards and forums and places like MuscleDog.com, RX Muscle, Muscular Development and Bodybuilding.com.
16. Where is the first place you turn to when looking for training / fitness / nutrition advice?
Muscular Development magazine, RX Muscle forums and MuscleDog.com. I also ask questions on the boards.
17. Who are your favorite fitness/bodybuilder competitors or role models?
My favorites are Flex Wheeler, Dexter Jackson, Victor Martinez and Frank Zane.
18. What was the biggest mistake you made when you first started training?
Training too long. I followed a Bill Pearl book I found and did all his workouts. They were brutal, but made me love to train and gave me the knowledge of different angles and exercises. Also, I would under-eat at the start and this made my gains slow but once I read more and experimented on what foods made me grow the best, it became a lot easier. Steak worked the best for helping me gain muscle mass.
19. What tips would you give to a beginner?
Be consistent. There is no magic pill or formula that will give you the physique of your dreams—it’s just hard work and great diet. Groundhog Day every day—LOL!
20. What are your future fitness goals?
To win the RIBBF overall.
21. Where can we find you on MuscleDog.com?
Check out my profile and add me as a friend when you find me.
