1. Biography
• Name: Alex Liska
• Age: 23
• Height: 5’5”
• Weight (Contest): 125-130 lbs.
• Weight (Off-Season): 140-145 lbs.
• Body Fat: Contest: 6-8 %, Off-Season: 12-15 %
• Hometown: Toronto, ON
• Gym: Goodlife Fitness (West Metro)
• Profession: Personal Trainer / Nutritionist / Contest Prep Coach
2. What got you started in bodybuilding / fitness?
I started working out at home when I was 14. I would do tons of ab exercises, push-ups, squats etc. and go for jogs around the block. I didn’t know much about nutrition but I ate what I thought to be healthy. It wasn’t until I joined an actual gym and started really trying to get the best results possible that I discovered the bodybuilding / fitness industry. I would see those girls on the cover of Oxygen Magazine and wonder how they got so incredibly lean and sculpted. Through trial and error and asking other trainers at the gym for tips and advice, I found what worked best for my body and decided to start training for my first fitness show at age 19.
3. What keeps you motivated to train?
Seeing results and also being able to influence other people to get in shape and pursue a healthy active lifestyle really motivates me! This sport can be very ego-driven but also fan-driven, so having that balance, where you may “look good” physically but also help other people look and feel great is very motivating. It’s not just about you anymore; it’s about helping others out too! When my clients see results and they are happy, that makes me feel great and I feel like I’ve accomplished something.
4. What workout plan has worked best for you?
Monday: Back / Biceps
• Wide grip pull-ups- 4 sets x 8 reps-failure
• Wide grip lat pull-downs – 4 sets 8-12 reps
• Seated Rows- 4 sets 8-12 reps
• Standing Dumbbell Bicep curls- 3 sets 12-15 reps
• Barbell Bicep curls- 3 sets 10-15 reps
• Preacher curls- 3 sets 8-12 reps
• 45 minutes on the treadmill (power-walk on a high incline)
Tuesday: Cardio / Abs: 3 sets 15-20 reps each
• Wide grip hanging leg raises
• Decline crunches
• Plank (on-to stability ball usually) – hold for 60 seconds minimum
• 45 minutes on the Stepmill
Wednesday: Chest / Triceps
• Incline Dumbbell Chest presses- 4 sets 8-12 reps
• Pushups- 4 sets 25reps-Failure
• Flat Bench Chest Press- 4 sets 8-12 reps
• Decline Chest Flyes- 4 sets 12-15 reps
• Tricep Pushups- 3 sets 20reps
• Tricep Extensions w/ Rope- 3 sets 10-12 reps
• Single arm cable extensions (triceps)- 3 sets 10-12 reps
• 45 minutes cardio: ARC-trainer or elliptical (intervals)
Thursday: Legs / Glutes
• Leg Extensions- 4 sets 20 reps
• Seated Leg curls- 4 sets 15-20 reps
• Barbell Squats- 3 sets 15-20 reps
• Stiff-Legged Deadlifts- 3 sets 15 reps
• Single leg hamstring curl (standing- cable station) – 3 sets 15 reps
• Jump Squats- 3 sets 25-30 reps
• Walking lunges -150 reps each leg
• 45 minutes cardio: Speed-walking on an 8% incline- treadmill
Friday: Plyometrics: 50-100 reps of each
• Jump Squats
• Crunches w/ feet up
• Step-ups
• Push-ups w/ feet on medicine ball (some wide push-ups, some with hands closer
together)
• Squats on Bosu ball
• Burpees
• Jump Lunges
Saturday: Abs / Cardio: 3 sets of 20 reps each
• Ab roll-outs (using a barbell)
• Hanging knee-raises
• Air bikes or stability ball-exchange crunches
Sunday: REST: The most I will do on this day is stretch.
5. What is your philosophy about cardio?
I think cardio is very important because it helps keep your heart healthy and also helps burn fat. However, I think some people (especially a lot of women) focus too much on doing tons of cardio when this can actually shed lean mass at the same time as fat if done in excess! I like to do low intensity cardio after my weight workouts 2-3 times a week and I will do HIIT cardio 1-2 times a week in the morning right after my first meal, which is usually something light.
6. What is your philosophy about weight training?
Weight training very important! It is primarily responsible for helping sculpt and build lean muscle mass, which in turn burns fat by raising the body’s metabolism. This form of exercise is extremely important. Without it, we cannot reshape nor properly sculpt our physique to create a nice, symmetric and balanced silhouette!
7. Do you prefer HIIT or steady state cardio?
I like a mixture of both, but I’d have to say HIIT cardio feels best! Nothing beats that accelerated heart beat, crazy sweating and energy rush that come from doing HIIT cardio! I like steady state cardio to burn fat after a workout. If I had to choose between the two, I’d rather do HIIT.
8. What are your top 5 favorite exercises?
• Walking Lunges
• Pull-ups
• Push-ups
• Incline Dumbbell Chest Presses
• T-Bar Rows
9. What is your philosophy about nutrition?
Nutrition is the key to seeing results from all the hard work you do at the gym. It is the most important component in any body transformation. Without proper nutrition, it is impossible to advance and see changes. We need to eat the right balance of proteins, fats and carbs in order for our bodies to absorb all the vitamins / minerals from the foods we eat and put them to use to repair and rebuild muscle fiber and promote new growth. All too often the nutrition component of a healthy lifestyle is overlooked and the main focus is placed on exercising!
10. What nutrition plan has worked best for you?
I believe in eating whole foods and whole foods only. I am not a fan of using supplements, aside from whey protein and EFAs and a good multivitamin. I also prefer the low-carb / low-glycemic approach. I find that I stay leaner when I eat mainly protein, greens, and essential fats and limit my carb intake to a few complex carbs and some fruits (mainly berries). I like to eat low carb for a few days and then do a mini re-feed once a week—where I will eat a larger serving of complex carbs or a cheat meal that contains more natural sugars / carbs (still clean though).
11. What is your favorite cheat food?
Chicken wings, ice cream and vodka / rum.
12. What is your favorite health food?
Whey protein smoothies with berries and essential fats.
13. What supplements have given you the greatest gains?
Cod liver oil, Omega-3 capsules, Greens Plus and whey protein isolate.
14. What does your pre and post workout nutrition consist of?
Prior to any workout, I must have something to eat. Before cardio, I’ll typically have a protein shake with berries / EFAs and I’ll have a lean protein source after—usually egg whites / meat, greens and healthy fats. Right before weight training, I have a serving of complex carbs 20 min. prior and I’ll have protein right after.
15. Which tools have helped you most with your nutrition and training?
Trial and error has been the key to finding what works best for my body. I would Google different diets and try them out and then combine my favorite aspects of each to create my own personalized diet. As for training, I would go on Bodybuilding.com or other sites, or simply use my own knowledge from different personal training courses I took to put my workouts together. Again, trial and error has been the key, because you don’t know how your body will react to anything unless you try it out first!
16. Have online resources (social networks) helped you in your training? If so, what are they and how have they helped you?
Yes, sites such as Bodybuilding.com which as the social network area called “Bodyspace,” along with Facebook, Twitter and a new site I just joined called “Nutraguys.com” have really helped me find motivation. I’ve met other fitness enthusiasts and learned new training / nutrition tips from them. It’s also great to be able to post updates and pics from my own personal health and wellness journey on these sites!
17. Where is the first place you turn to when looking for training / fitness / nutrition advice?
I am now training with IFBB Fitness Pro / Super Trainer, Mindi O’Brien and her husband Dennis, so anytime I have a question I will email them right away!!! They are the most reliable sources of info for me. So far, all the advice and programs they have given me have gotten me to a level that I couldn’t have achieved on my own. ïŠ
18. Who are your favorite fitness / bodybuilding competitors or role models?
My coach Mindi O’Brien and Figure Pros Gina Aliotti and Monica Brant to name a few…
19. What was the biggest mistake you made when you first started training?
I was following a low-fat diet and training abs every single day!!! That was the worst mistake I ever made. I used to eat stuff like granola bars, skim milk, bananas, tons of whole wheat cereal, fruits and not enough protein. I wasn’t gaining any muscle and I was burning fat at a very slow rate. Clearly, I was over-training my abs, and by doing thousands of crunches I was only working superficial muscles so I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted.
20. What tips would you give to a beginner?
Set small goals, and take things one day at a time! Don’t expect to see results overnight, focus more on how great it feels to know that you are making a commitment to yourself and pursuing a healthy active lifestyle. Don’t focus on the numbers you see on the scale, as they are a poor indication of how much muscle you have versus how much fat you have. If you have a bad dieting day, where you ate poorly and over-indulged on cheat foods, don’t punish yourself for it—this will only cause stress and raise cortisol levels. Forget about it, and start fresh the next day!
21. What are your future fitness goals?
I would love to earn my pro-card in figure one day and open up my own fitness facility. I am very passionate about sports nutrition, so recording a few cooking DVD’s would be awesome!
22. Where can we find you on MuscleDog.com?
Check out my profile missalex. On there you can see my photo gallery, fitness stats and more!
