1. Biography
• Name: Dave Bohr
• Age: 27
• Height: 5’9”
• Weight (Contest): 195-200 lbs.
• Weight (Off-Season): 228 lbs.
• Body Fat: 7 %
• Hometown: Detroit, MI
• Gym: LA Fitness
• Profession: Personal Trainer & Fitness Model
2. What got you started in bodybuilding / fitness?
My best friend in high school got me started when I was 15. I remember he was picked on growing up and turned to weights. They were plastic and sand-filled. I quickly wanted to join in too and test myself. I was hooked ever since I first picked up the bar.
3. What keeps you motivated to train?
My health has always been a huge motivation. I feel much better in my own skin when I know I am dedicated to a consistent training schedule. Regardless of the external positive effects like gaining LBM. I like to know training is helping me keep cholesterol under control, maintain a healthy lipid panel, as well as blood pressure. Being a trainer, another huge motivation is that I feel it’s my duty to always remain in shape to lead by example.
4. What workout plan has worked best for you?
I have used dozens of routines on myself and clients. I like to integrate a little bit of everything to avoid any weaknesses. But I currently have been focusing on strength using a Powerlifting / Bodybuilding Hybrid. Each workout, I have the goal in mind to “progress” in some sense, or to break an old personal record from the previous time I trained the same muscles or split. I like to alternate my starting exercises for each split from workout to workout putting most of my strength efforts into these first initial exercises. It may be something as simple as trying to break a new strength record for my first exercise on DB Hammer curls when training biceps—going from 90s one week to 95s the next, trying to match or surpass the last workout’s rep range. I usually stick to a low rep range on my first 1-2 exercises keeping the range from 2-8, and will get a few assisted reps when possible.
Typically later in the workout, I shift back towards a higher rep range (12-15) and I use a lot more isolation work. I also put more focus on the eccentric motion of the exercise. When focusing on power movements in the beginning, my style is more of a concentric/explosive.
I usually train about 9-12 sets per muscle group and like to train 2-3 groups per split. I alternate the structure of the splits each week (i.e. Chest / Back one week, Chest / Tri’s, Back / Bi’s the next). I try to integrate advanced techniques into each workout. So I may use compound sets, supersets, stripping, wide / narrow grip / stance movements, and variations of pre-exhausting synergist muscles, as well as pre-exhausting specific heads of muscle (i.e. DB front raises before doing an over-head press). I also try to switch to high volume about once a month for the entire week and get a few pool workouts in focusing on my strength and conditioning work.
5. What is your philosophy about cardio?
I don’t have much philosophy on cardio from a broad perspective, as it can be very beneficial to your physique and health if used correctly. If you were to branch into sub categories of cardio such as AM / Fasted cardio, how much and how often you should include it into contest prep, or HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) vs. LISS (Low Intensity Steady State), I could get deeper into my philosophies. For bodybuilding purposes there will always be some form of cardio and diet used to achieve your goals. Some have to include a lot more cardio in their prep than others. I know of some bodybuilders personally who never do cardio and can still get to < 4 % body fat. It’s usually a combination of genetics / metabolism and compensating with long training sessions, and / or circuit training with a very clean diet.
6. What is your philosophy about weight training?
I tried to cover a lot of this when speaking about my own training. I think overall there are many paths to same destination. You can get from LA to NY by foot, car, train or plane. All mediums will get you there, and there are even different routes for each. So I don’t favor one method of training over all others.
I think if you were to take 10 Olympians from the last decade at random and evaluate their weight training, you would see a large variety of training styles. Some may even seem to conflict with each other. You have some guys performing 9-12 sets per muscle group at high intensity, while others are going for 35-40 with high volume, and both athletes may have similar physiques or muscle mass. Over the years, I have learned to integrate many styles of training—usually rotating styles every so often or creating hybrid routines.
7. Do you prefer HIIT or steady state cardio?
I prefer both; they both have their time and place. If it’s an AM fasted session, I would usually stick to LISS to avoid catabolic effects. For a client who has a hectic schedule, I may use HIIT specifically post workout to work around their schedule. I think HIIT should be utilized if time is an issue for you, or if lack of muscle glycogen is not. It should also be used if cardio heart / health is a priority along with fat loss. I also prefer HITT over LISS if you plan to have a cheat day following the session due to the elevated RMR effects. Typically though, I use a combo of both with most athletes.
8. What are your top 5 favorite exercises?
My personal favorite exercises are not necessarily the most effective, just the ones I look forward to doing each week. I would have to say in no particular order:
• DB Hammer Curls
• Decline Bench Press
• Lying Cable Curls
• Tricep Hammer Extensions
• DB Rows
9. What is your philosophy about nutrition?
In respect to bodybuilding, my philosophy is very similar to my response about training philosophy. There are many effective diets that work well that may completely conflict on paper. I think the biggest secret to dieting is consistency and dedication, regardless of your sport or goal. You should always try to balance out nutrition to reach your specified fitness goal, while still staying healthy internally.
I think there are many effective fat loss diets that exist that are just not healthy. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen are diets that are too low in fiber. Many athletes for contest prep will stick to low carbs and get the majority of their macros from fat and protein, lacking sufficient fibrous veggies or even a fiber supplement. While this may get you ripped it’s far from ideal for your health. I am a huge fan of low carbs, but even when complex sources drop to nothing. I still will supplement with fiber and try to get in 4-5 cups of green veggies per day.
Another very effective diet is the TKD (Targeted Ketogenic Diet). While this diet can be manipulated to be fairly healthy, some take advantage of the rules and the majority of their nutrients come from sources like bacon, pepperoni and cheddar cheese. I don’t think it’s even necessary to get into the effects this can have on your cholesterol.
Regardless of your goal, you can still eat “healthy” and reach it. Even if your food choices lack nutrients, you can still supplement with what’s lacking at the very least. I also feel there is no reason that bodybuilders should get out of shape during the off-season. They should always strive to maintain healthy body fat.
10. What nutrition plan has worked best for you?
I am not stuck on one type of diet. I use everything from carb-cycling, intermittent fasting, consistent balanced macros with a daily calorie deficit, to a diet I created called the CC / Keto diet. I am working on an article that explains this in detail which should be finished soon. It’s basically my variation of carb-cycling while integrating stages of ketosis weekly. One of the reasons I feel it works so well is the majority of your cardio work is windowed around your keto days, while the majority of heavy training is when muscle glycogen is at its peak. It has many of the benefits of a traditional carb-cycling diet and ketogenic diet (without some of the drawbacks such as low supplies of muscle glycogen with a pure keto style diet). It’s the first diet I have used where training and cardio are directly correlated with what phase of the diet you’re in.
11. What is your favorite cheat food?
Sushi, cookie dough, and chocolate cake.
12. What is your favorite health food?
Lean turkey burgers, chicken breast with brown rice, and shrimp fried rice cooked in olive oil.
13. What supplements have given you the greatest gains?
For the last couple of years, I have mainly used MuscleTech bodybuilding supplements. From the product line I liked Prototype216, NANoX9 and Vitakic. I like Optimum Nutrition’s HydroWhey and Synthepure by Synthetek the best when it comes to whey. I also take fiber, 5-HTP, arginine, fish oil and zinc / B6 / magnesium / melatonin at night.
14. What does your pre and post workout nutrition consist of?
Usually it’s just whole food rather than supplements. Pre-workout I like medium GI carbs like brown rice with some form of lean protein and veggies and higher GI carbs like white rice and chicken for post workout. If I am being very strict, I will use Waxy Maize & whey at different ratios depending on goals. If lean bulking, I like a 1.5:1 ratio of the above.
15. Which tools have helped you most with your nutrition and training?
I have been self-educating myself through many different resources over the last decade, but by far applying trial and error over the years has been more beneficial to my nutrition and training over anything else. I know exactly what works for my body— and what works for me, may not work well at all for the next guy. Documentation during a trial and error phase can be priceless—everything from physical stats, gym lifts, to a daily food log. This is the method I use on any new client the initial few months in an attempt to see how their body responds.
16. Have online resources (social networks) helped you in your training? If so, what are they and how have they helped you?
I’m a member on a few boards such as Professional Muscle and Bodybuilding.com. Both have been helpful—I started contributing on the forums back in 2002. But I wouldn’t rely on a public forum for learning, but rather sharing ideas and theory. There are many good resources online though such as research and medical studies from universities that are published publicly. I find these very useful.
17. Where is the first place you turn to when looking for training / fitness / nutrition advice?
On a broad spectrum, I don’t have a particular go-to person or resource for any of the above topics. I respect the opinions of many other established professionals and trainers such as Charles Glass & Dave Palumbo. So I will watch some of the media they release to hear their opinions on today’s topics.
18. Who are your favorite fitness / bodybuilding competitors or role models?
I would have to say Kai Greene is my favorite bodybuilder. I like his character as well as his physique and incredible posing ability. He’s extremely talented and represents the sport well. It’s very inspiring also to know he came from basically nothing as a foster child to where he is today.
19. What obstacles have you had to overcome (injury, illness, relationships, etc)?
I won’t say I have had it easy up until this point, but I try not to focus on any obstacles. I think the moment you label something as an obstacle with your attention; you give it power, and widen the gap between you and your goals.
20. What was the biggest mistake you made when you first started training?
I would say focusing too much on my strengths rather than weaknesses. Everyone wants to consistently do the exercises they are strongest with, and avoid the ones they are the weakest on. But this will only further push your physique out of balance, and make your weak point stick out even more. I neglected lower back the first years I started training which resulted in weak stabilizers and lower back pain. I was able to fix it by integrating hyper extensions twice a week as a form of therapy.
21. What tips would you give to a beginner?
Before you start any regimen, first you should evaluate and figure out your goals. Next you should attempt to understand what it realistically will take to achieve them. If you don’t want to hire a trainer to guide you, at least self-educate yourself to the best of your ability rather than waste your time with assumptions in the gym and risk injury. There are many great books out there, e-books, and Internet resources that can at least get you pointed in the right direction.
22. What are your future fitness goals?
Personally, I plan to release a training video series soon demonstrating some of the advanced exercise I use as well as the basics. Also my MuscleTech sponsorship will be fulfilled soon, so I will be exploring other companies for a sponsorship hopefully.
23. Where can we find you on MuscleDog.com?
Check out my profile ApexContestPrep for photos, training info and more.
