Interview With Adam Fabbri
Bodybuilder of the Month - December 2009
Interviewed by: Tammy Renee'
WP: Adam, you have always played competitive sports throughout your life such as basketball, soccer, football and baseball. How did you become a drug-free bodybuilding?
AF: I have lifted weights since I was in the sixth grade. My cousin and I would workout with a small set of dumbbells and rubber bands that my uncle had in a spare bedroom. When I was going into the eighth grade my stepdad Dr. Bob Fritz, who worked for the University of Virginia, introduced me to John Gamble who was the strength coach at the university. John was a power lifter who has set world records in the sport. He gave me my first lesson in weightlifting. That inspired me to want to play college football. My stepfather had a gym at his office and at home. He continued to train with me and teach me about exercise and fitness. If you can believe this I started out doing squats with an Olympic bar and wooden cutout plates that looked like 45 pounds plates. From then on out weight lifting and sports has been a big part of my life.
How I became a drug-free bodybuilder is kind of a funny story. I was working-out at Arizona State Fitness Center when a person by the name of Roscoe Kirby came up and asked me if I was training for a competition. I told him, “No, I am not like those guys in the magazines”. Roscoe said, “No, I mean the drug-free bodybuilders; you look like one of them”.
My wife and I laughed and he said that I should think about doing a competition. Later on that week, I saw Roscoe in the gym and we talked more about drug-free bodybuilding and how he just became a personal trainer. Roscoe trained me for my first competition after that day. He showed me the basic posing routine and put me on a strict diet and workout regimen. We only trained for seven weeks for my first show, the ANBC Phoenix Natural Bodybuilding Competition in 2003. It was a learning process for the both of us. I placed 1st in the Men’s Novice and 3rd place in the Men’s Open Medium Class. Roscoe continued to train with me and prepare me for my next two competitions, which I did well in. After competing in a few competitions, I was hooked on bodybuilding. It is very challenging at times, but it is worth the hard work.
WP: You must have been good at sports because in college you were nominated as a Most-Viable Player as a redshirt freshman defense player. What caused you to stop playing football?
AF: I played as an inside linebacker at Western State College of Colorado. I was one of the smallest linebackers on the team; weighing in at 165 lbs. I was nominated as MVP Redshirt Freshman as defensive player by our defensive team and coaching staff. They liked how I put my heart into the game and gave the team 100%; on and off the field. To me, size did not matter.
Towards the end of the football season my sophomore year, I started to get what they call a “stinger” after a tackle that I made when I was on the kickoff team. The injuries became recurring through the rest of the year. The next year at practice, I took a hit doing tackling drills and ended up losing feeling in my right arm and having tingly sensations at my fingertips. I waited for it go to go away over the weekend, but I still had problems with my right arm. I immediately notified the coach and trainers during Monday’s practice. The team trainer made an appointment for me to see a doctor. I was told, after many tests, that I was stretching the brachial plexus nerve from my C7 vertebrae. This was causing the weakness in my right arm. The doctor explained to me that it could be a very dangerous situation if I end-up ripping the nerve, causing my right arm to be paralyzed. I was told that I could never play football again, or any type of contact sport. It felt like the world came crashing down on me. After 13 years of playing football I had to quit the team, and clean out my locker. I struggled with that for the rest of the year, watching my team out on the field practicing and playing on Saturday. To this day, it is hard to watch a football game.
WP: I am so sorry to hear that. It must have been devastating. But you went onto better things. After football, you and a friend opened up a fitness club at your college. Have you been back to see how it is doing?
AF: My close friend, Brice, was like a brother to me; who also played football. He had to resign after having a re-occurring injury, as well. Our college had just built a brand-new gym facility for athletes that we chose not to use. We decided to instead use a fitness center that was open for the students. The fitness center was pretty run down due to the heavy use and lack of money. When equipment would break down it would sometimes take weeks, or months to be repaired.
Although the fitness center was sometimes in disarray we liked it, because it overlooked the snow covered peaks of Colorado. We decided to raise money for the center by starting a fitness club. The club was for anyone who needed someone to work out with and to help raise donations for the center. Our club was called The Fitness Innovators, which is no longer in existence, but lasted for a few years. We spearheaded the project with help from a professor and some other students. We decided to raise money by adding a $10 optional fee on the student’s tuition at the beginning of each semester. The fee would be a small amount per student, but it would go towards the fitness center repairs and expansion. This fee was put in place after two years of hard work and persistence, but we never got to see changes made because we graduated before the fee was established.
I just recently spoke to Chris Martinez, who is a full-time employee at the recreation center. He was glad to speak with me about how the $10 optional fee paved the way for a great Recreation Center to be used by all the students at no cost. The fee is now up to $25; and since 2005 they have implemented a lot of activities such as a bouldering cave and a rock wall, which are used in competitions. I told him that my old saying was, “A healthy student was a happy student.” He told me that they are starting a power lifting league this year and have more plans for the future.
WP: It’s amazing how many people’s lives you changed just by caring. Now, tell me about the Body for Life you and Brice did. How did that go for you both?
AF: The Body for Life Challenge helped me in many ways. Brice told me about the Body for Life Challenge and he also encouraged me to get back into the gym. At the time I was in a rut, feeling sorry for myself because I had to quit playing football. Brice got me out of that rut by challenging me to do the Body for Life. Brice helped me change my attitude about my injury and helped me in the weight room to build my strength. Before I got hurt I could bench press 300 pounds, squat 480, and Cling 255 pounds. After my injury I had a hard time bench pressing 100 pounds, and I could not even put weight on the squat rack. So, with a lot of determination and goal setting, Brice and I pushed ourselves to complete the Body for Life. We did not receive any recognition or hear anything back from the promoters, but we saw the results that we wanted. We felt like we did win the challenge because of how it changed us personally. In fact, after I graduated Brice, and another friend of ours, did the challenge again.
WP: You have such a positive attitude toward life! That's is outstanding! After the Body for Life Challenge is when you decided to get into competing. Tell me more about your accomplishments in the competition world.
AF: I completed the challenge in Colorado in 2000 and did not start competing until 2003, after I had married and settled down in Phoenix! My competitions and accomplishments include:
2003 ANBC in Phoenix, Arizona placed 1st in the Men’s Novice and 3rd place in the Men’s Open Medium Class.
2003 INBF Muscle Showdown in Phoenix, Arizona placed 1st place in the Men’s Novice division and 1st place in the Men’s Open Lightweight Class.
2004 INBF Best of the West Bodybuilding Championship in Phoenix, Arizona placed 5th in the Men’s Open Lightweight.
2006 OCB Charm City Classic in Baltimore, MD placed 5th in Men’s Open Lightweight.
2008 OCB Yorton Cup Nationals in Bowie, MD placed 3rd in Men’s Open Middle Class.
2009 OCB Battle for the Sword in Pittsburgh, PA placed 2nd Men’s Open Lightweight.
WP: Are you planning to compete again in the future?
AF: During the 2010 season, I plan on competing for my Pro-Card. I am currently looking at several different competitions in the OCB (The Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders).
WP: What has it been like to maintain your physique? Have you done anything different lately?
AF: To maintain my physique and strength I workout five days a week at the gym doing different workout routines and by watching what I eat. Maintaining the physique and strength is a lot of work! Some days it is hard to be motivated, and other days I don’t want to leave the gym. I stay motivated by setting goals and training for my next competition. It is all a work in progress because it requires that I make necessary adjustments to achieve a particular goal. For example, if I need to put on mass, I have to increase my intake of protein. If I need to trim the fat, I reduce carbs, fats, and increase my cardio. It is a balance between the arts and science. I can scientifically plan out a workout and diet, but it is an art finding the right balance between the two to meet my goal.
WP: What has competitions taught you thus far?
AF: Competitions have taught me that no matter what age you are, you can compete in drug-free bodybuilding. It also taught me that it takes dedication and determination to be a bodybuilder. I came to the realization that you can take first place one day and then last place the next day. No matter what though it is not about winning all the time (although it sure feels good to win), it’s even better to know that you have improved your physique the right way, the drug-free way and you can be proud of that. I really advocate for drug-free sports and I hope to be role model for new comers.
WP: Any advice that would help a new comer in competitions?
AF: For a new comer entering into drug-free bodybuilding, stay drug-free and set small achievable goals in the gym. It takes time and persistence, so be patient. Do not compare yourself to other bodybuilders; leave that up to the judges. Practice, stay determined, and be honest with yourself. If you do the work you will get the results. Because the last week is so critical in preparing for a show, it is imperative to be precise with your diet and exercise. You will not be able to overcome this with a scientific approach; instead it will become an art determining what works best for you and practicing. I highly recommend experimenting with your diet before you compete so that you do not peak after the show; there is nothing more frustrating.
WP: Great advice! What was the hardest thing for you to overcome when you first started?
AF: One of the hardest things that I needed to overcome was getting the support from my family and friends to compete. What I mean by that is they did not understand why I wanted to do bodybuilding. They also did not understand the diet and the hard work that it takes to be a competitive bodybuilder. They could not get over the stereotypes of bodybuilding. After they saw the results of my first competition in Phoenix they have been supportive all the way.
WP: What was the hardest thing you had to deal with when it came to your diet?
AF: Contest preparation diet used to be one of the hardest things to deal with. Staying on my diet at first was hard. After a few contests, dieting has become more manageable. I have learned how to manage my meals throughout the work week by planning and preparing my meals one week ahead of time. One of the hardest things is if you go on vacation or are invited to a family party you want to eat what they are eating. I overcame that by reminding myself what I have set out to do and to stick to it. I work too hard to ruin it all by eating something that will only give me a pleasure for the moment. So you learn to love the foods you can eat and keep a positive attitude when you can’t always eat anything that you want.
WP: What are the key factors that dictate the way you train today?
AF: Some key factors that dictate how I train include when the next competition is and what goals I need to accomplish before that. Right now, I am off-season and I am trying to put on more muscle mass as well as increase my strength. I will pick workout partners that are also trying to meet the same goals as I have.
WP: How has your training changed over the years?
AF: There is one constant thing about training; it is constantly changing. Our bodies and goals are constantly changing, which requires a change in the exercise and diet. I try to learn new programs and new techniques by keeping an open mind and asking questions. Right now I am working with Justin Bowers, a friend of mine, who is a personal trainer at Gold’s gym in Carlisle, PA. He is teaching me different ways to pack on more muscle. We work out with a small group of other bodybuilders who are getting ready for next season.
WP: Where do you reside now?
AF: I am currently living in Pennsylvania. My wife and I moved here from Phoenix, Arizona four years ago after she graduated from Arizona State University.
WP: What other sports or activities did or do you enjoy?
AF: I mostly enjoy outdoor activities such as fly-fishing, kayaking, and mountain biking.
WP: Tell me about your family. In addition, are you married, single, or dating?
AF: I have been married for almost 9 years. I met my wife Alicia in Hilton Head Island, S.C. when I graduated from Western State College of Colorado. We do not have children yet, but hopefully someday soon. I have a big Italian family that lives throughout the United States.
WP: What supplements do you currently take?
AF: I am currently taking multi-vitamins and using Whey Protein. Those have been the only supplements that I have taken throughout bodybuilding. I am looking for different supplements that are acceptable with the drug-free bodybuilding organizations, so I can put on more lean mass for my next competition.
WP: What are your pet peeves?
AF: My pet peeve is when I am in the gym using a piece of equipment and someone is hovering over me asking if I will be done with it soon! They see that you’re breaking a sweat and you can barely talk, but they insist on asking you a question. That has to be one of my biggest pet peeves.
WP: How have you changed over the past few years when it comes to thinking, actions, and life in general?
AF: I have changed my way of life by remembering why I am here and reflecting on the word of God. One of my favorite passages is: 2 Samuel 22:33: God is my strength and power: and He maketh my way perfect.
WP: What are your stats such as height, weight, biceps, and waist?
AF: My height is 5’9”; my off-season weight is 175 lbs.; my competition weight is 163 lbs.; my waist is 30”; and my biceps are 15 & 1/2".
WP: Any shout outs?
AF: I would like to make a shout out to my first sponsor, Last Round Best Round.
To The OCB.
Roscoe Kirby, who is a trainer and owner of Miracles of Phoenix Fitness.
Justin Bowers, who is a trainer and owner of Adonis Fitness.
WP: Could you tell me about your future projects?
AF: I am currently working to become a Certified Personal Trainer and my goal is to establish a small business. I have been looking into promoting a bodybuilding show for the OCB. I am also working on getting sponsorships to give me more of an edge on my competition. I know I can be a good spokesperson and role model for a company that would like to sponsor me. It would be an excellent way to get their message out.
WP: It has been a pleasure interviewing you! I wish you all the best of luck!
AF: Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. It is an honor to be recognized and have my story published by World Physique.
