Interview With Manny Kirby
Bodybuilder of the Month - May 2010
Interviewed by: Tammy Renee'
How did this guy go from a High School nerd, to a ripped break dancer, all the way to a massive bodybuilder? Might it be due of his diet which consists of 3100 calories with 385 grams of protein, 30 grams of carbs, and 140 grams of fat a day? Or, could it be due to him pumpin' iron like a madman?!
Those, both, could be some of the reason. But, the real reason began in 1996; when he had a serious car accident, where he sustained a fractured sternum; two left front and two right back ribs being cracked, a head injury, with his face and mouth bashed up.
This is where, and how, his bodybuilding journey began!
“I'm where I am now by not giving up on what I wanted. I know I don't have the best genetics for bodybuilding, but I've busted my hump for years trying to get the shape I wanted. There has been many a night, in the past, I was afraid to go to sleep knowing I would be in so much pain that I would cry. Just to release the pain, I cried like a baby!”
WP: I heard that before you became a bodybuilder, you were a dancer! Ha-ha! You have to tell me this story!
M: Ha-ha! Yep, I was a dancer and musician before I got into the bodybuilding lifestyle. I lived in MPLS, MN, right after the Purple Rain craze. There, I found my nitch, and without a doubt, started my career as a dance.
To make a long story short, I met certain people in the business and started making a name for myself; performing at various night clubs, going to parties, and making my life and mark. One day, I decided to go into a local gym without any reason; just by chance, meeting up with a friend, Paul Peterson, talked a bit, and did some things such as abs and pushups! It was great! Bruce Lee was a factor in my life when I was younger. I used to get called, “The little black Bruce Lee”, because I was so thin and ripped; all those hours of dancing must have paid off. Break dancing in the early 80’s must have done the trick! Ha-ha!
I did my life; if you want to call it that, met someone, and moved to NYC in the early 90’s, and it just so happened I lived right across the street from a gym…
”Hmmm”, I thought to myself, “Is this a sign?”
I used to watch all the people come and go every day, watching them work-out from my window, then a few months later; I walked in feeling a little uneasy, because there a few women bigger than me. Ha-ha! So, I just chilled and did what I remembered from watching these muscled people on TV. I just did abs and watched at this time. I started doing Bar and Bat Mitzvahs.
Dancing and DJ’ing at parties were my main source of income, while working on a demo tape and eating junk food. Dunkin Donuts was my best friend, considering I lived next door to one. Ha-ha.
WP: What was it that made you know without a doubt that you wanted to go into bodybuilding?
M: I jumped into bodybuilding due to a car accident, in 1996, where I sustained a fractured sternum; two left front and two right back ribs being cracked, a head injury, and face and mouth bashed up. Me, being the stubborn person that I am, I made several attempts to walk away from the accident. Needless to say, it didn’t work. Three weeks later, I’m at home with my parents, being laid up in bed made me think a lot about my life. Weighing around 135 lbs. and not being able to do much, much less then sit up in bed, I started reading up on Bruce Lee. Hearing about how he hurt his back doing simple things such work-outs like the good mornings and being told he would never be able to fight again. That was what got me get out of bed and started doing something.
Around that time, I had heard about Flex Wheeler being in a car accident, too, which broke his neck and people had counted him out from competing. Back then, bodybuilding was on ESPN, and you could watch the bodybuilding shows, the fitness shows, and strong man shows.
Reading about how Bruce overcame his back problem and Flex beating the odds, and winning the Arnold Classic, was enough to put me in the mood! The mood to get up off my back and do something!
WP: How long have you been lifting?
M: I have been lifting, or rather toying around, with weights for years! I really started after the car accident. After reading so much material, I decided to give it a try, so I’ve been lifting since 1996, and fell in love with it! I loved how people would stare at me in awe!
“Look mommy, he’s bigger than daddy!”
That must’ve been the pumped they talk about, because an hour later, I was back to normal. I hulked out only to become Brice Banner again. Ha-ha!
WP: Okay then, Mr. hulked out, what are your best lifts?
M: My best lifts would have to be:
WP: So, how are you going to prove all of this to me, then? I need proof before I will believe this! I guess you just expect me to take your word for this! Ha-ha!
M: I think I have video footage of almost everything I done. Ah! The wonders of the internet! Ha-ha!
WP: Smarty! Ha-ha! Do you have any advice to people that wish to build more mass and more cut?
M: From my experience in trying to add more mass, Big Macs and shakes, uh, I don’t think so! I made that mistake years ago. Besides being able to clog arteries, they are mostly empty calories. Been there, done that, ok?
The best way I added mass was doing hard core workouts. Now, that doesn’t mean lifting like Ronnie Coleman or anything like that; just lift heavy as you can with proper form, drink plenty of water, and eat dense meals, with a good amount of protein at each meal.
To be cut; try not to do what everybody else is doing. What works for them sometimes won’t work for you. Meaning, 1200 calories works well for some, where as you may weigh 200 lbs., it won’t work for you unless you want to eat that low. Play around with your diet and see what works for you. Maybe you can’t eat fish, or maybe you can’t stomach all the egg whites. I hope you understand where I’m coming from with this.
WP: I think what you are trying to say is that not all people react to the same thing as other people. Try different things.
So, talking about not being able to stomach all those egg whites, what do you eat in a normal day?
M: Ah! What I eat on a normal day question! Believe it or not, I just about eat whatever I want. The only thing, I don’t eat out much anymore, unless it’s a chicken sandwich or fish. If it’s fries, maybe 5 pieces only. I eat a lot of ground turkey, chicken, rice, oatmeal, cereal, loves my mom’s homemade bread, chili, (Yep, I said chili) and drink tons of milk! I, also, love chocolate and milkshakes! Hmmm, milkshake!
WP: So, I guess this is a good time to ask if you allow yourself a cheat day. Ha-ha!
M: Yes, yes I do. When I cheat, its pizza! Pepperoni in the house! Domino’s pizza is the best! It used to be that “Uncle John’s” or “Father John’s”; something like that.
WP: Do you mean Papa John’s? Ha-ha! With all this junk food you are mentioning, I hope you are taking a great multi-vitamin! What supplements do you take?
M: The supplements I currently take are my sponsor’s NRGXLABS. I take the Maxx Pump, OverDose, Xtreme Greens, Beta Maxx, liver Maxx, Cee 3000 and Tren 13-Ethyl, a multi Vitamin (Megen Sport) and www.buybulkwhey.com , their Whey Protein.
And from www.swoll-up.com, I take their Swoll 02. It’s a Nitric Oxide Formula.
WP: Could you tell me a story of how you have gotten where you are today?
M: I’m where I am now by not giving up on what I wanted. I know I don’t have the best genetics for bodybuilding, but I’ve busted my hump for years trying to get the shape I wanted. There has been many a night, in the past, I was afraid to go to sleep knowing I would be in so much pain that I would cry. Just to release the pain, I cried like a baby! Ha-ha!
There was a time I did legs so bad, that it felt like the quads were peeling away when I tried to turn over. My Shoulders hurt so bad and were so tight, I either had to have help taking off my shirt, or cut my way out of it.
Being told when I was smaller, that my shoulders weren’t wide enough or I wasn’t thick enough, made me want to prove them wrong. Anything is attainable if you want it bad enough! We’ve all been there and heard that kind of junk before. That’s what drives us; the people who doubt us. Now, look where we are! Ha-ha!
WP: That’s a good point you just made. I think a lot of people become successful after doubters tell them they will never become anything. You are so right!
On a more positive note, do you have anyone you can thank for helping you get where you are?
M: Bruce Lee is no longer here, but his wisdom was a huge stepping stone. I still read his writings to this very day. Mike Mentzer is not with us physically, but his way of working-out opened a door for countless others! I told Flex Wheeler a while ago that he was an inspiration towards my getting back on my fight.
I would like to thank:
Collette Nelson for always being so positive towards me;
Dave Palumbo, for blocking the door way back when we first met;
Bill grant for believing in me;
Victor Martinez for being a great friend;
Victor Munoz for pushing back in the day and giving crap;
Heather Foster for not beating me up when she’s getting ready for her show;
Rhonda Rydell for being a sweetheart;
Kevin Richardson for being Naturally Intense (when I saw his pic in the 5th Ave gym, I said “Wow!”);
Tim Dax for being the most humble person I have ever met;
Betty Moore for still being my friend;
Roxanne Edwards for making her dreams come true, and then some;
And Jamilah Ryan; without her, I would be just...there.
There is a huge list here. Please, forgive me if I left anybody out.
WP: Lotta love there! Where do you want to be in 5 years?
M: My goal is not to be in an old folk’s home eating pudding. Wait a minute! That sounds kinda good!
WP: Ha-ha! I will bring you some pudding while you’re in the rest home! How do you keep the physique you have? As always, you look great! But, I see some changes happening! What is the hardest thing for you to face when it comes to keeping your physique and what you done differently? You’re getting bigger.
M: Thanks! The hardest thing for me keep looking the way I look is trying not to go too crazy with the size game. I have clothes I refuse to get rid of because I may lean out. If they still look good, I’m going to keep them! Ha-ha! I bust my hump in the gym to keep my body the way it is, so when I take some time off from working out I don’t have to play catch up, because the body responds well to rest!
WP: Tell me about your future projects. Have any in sight?
M: The projects I am currently working on right now are; wanting to create a barbell club, setting up a few seminars where people can come get the answers they seek when it comes to competing, working out, or dieting. I also want to improve my website to where you will say, “Dang!” when you see it.
WP: I hear you are almost married! Is this true?
M: I’m not married yet, but coming this year in July, I will be!
WP: Congrats! She seems to be a great gal for you, too! Who had the most impact on you growing up?
M: My parents and grandparents had the most impact on me growing up, even though I was so far away from them.
WP: Anything you would like to see change in the bodybuilding world?
M: Mmmm, if it were possible, I would like to see them shorten the shows, yea! Ha-ha!
WP: You are not just a bodybuilder, but you are a Personal Trainer, too. How long have you been a Personal Trainer?
M: I’ve been a trainer for about 9 years, I think.
WP: What do you feel sets you apart from all other personal trainers out there?
M: Well, here in NY, there are a lot of trainers who are out just for the money; not really caring about the clients or their form, from my point of view. In my world, I change the workouts almost on a daily basis and cater to the client.
WP: Where do you train your clients? Do you train them in a gym, at home, or where?
M: I train 99% of my clients at Steel Gym in NYC.
WP: How much time per day do you typically spend with a client?
M: I spend close to an hour with most of them. If not, then it 45 minutes. It’s depending on their time schedule.
WP: How many days do you suggest your clients to work out in a week?
M: I suggest at least three days. I suggest my clients at least try to do at least a set of push-ups while not being in the gym with me.
WP: What motivates you?
M: Seeing the changes my clients make. They don’t see it. When showing them their progress through pictures and/or videos, either by email or chats, they are amazed.
WP: What forms of exercise do you find to be the most effective for the following:
To gain mass?
M: The basic movements are, and will always be, the best.
WP: To lose weight?
M: Depending on the person; high reps with medium to heavy weights to get the heart rate up and the glands pouring like a river! Ha-ha!
WP: To cut?
M: I’d say from my experience, it would be to do supersets and/or tri-sets.
WP: Before competition?
M: Find out what was working the best and sticking to it; be it diet, or the workouts; more towards isolating workouts.
WP: What competitions have you entered and what place did you take?
M: I compete every now and then. I haven’t won any titles yet.
WP: You'll be winning one soon. You just watch! How does your routine and life changes when you go from pre-contest to off-season?
M: Not many changes; I just take out the dairy and I’m good to go when it comes to my diet. Everyday life, it changes. I think more and more about the workout, hate doing the cardio, and giving up the chocolate milk and ice cream.
WP: What do you like and dislike about competing?
M: I hate eye watching on the diet, one wrong move on a bad day and its lights out! Ha-ha!
WP: From your past contests, what have you learned you need to correct or work on for the physique you are aiming for?
M: I learned not to stop looking for the flaws; even if it looks like I’ve fixed them. When one goes, another will pop up. And, size isn’t all that matters!
WP: What is your weakness in bodybuilding?
M: My weakness is thinking I’m not big enough.
WP: What problems did you have to overcome in order to stay on track with your program?
M: My problem was getting overly tired of doing two workouts in one day.
WP: Tell me something about yourself that no one else knows. It’s just between us, no one else will know. Ha-ha.
M: If I told you, then you would know. Ha-ha!
WP: Chicken! Bock-bock! How have you changed over the years?
M: I’ve learned more self-control and I refuse to look like I’m my age.
WP: Explain your workouts to me in three words.
M: Brutal, intense, and heavy.
WP: What were you like in high school?
M: I was a nerd.
WP: What are your hobbies outside of working out?
M: I love comics.
WP: OMG! I’m afraid to keep asking these questions! I’m afraid of what I’m learning about you! Ha-ha! What type of music do you listen to? You, a nerd, reading comics!? Ha-ha! Messes with my mental image of you!
M Ha-ha! I listen to anything that gets me going; be it fast, or slow, something I can sit back and enjoy.
WP: Any shout outs?
M: Yep, in no order:
To Jamilah Ryan for being there when I get moody and eating up all the food in the house.
Brian Alvara from Ultimate Takedown;
Joshuah B Smith from NRGX LABS;
Joel Harris from swoll-up.com;
Andy Slagel from buybulkwhey.com;
Ben Benedict from Gaspari Nutrition;
Jason Blackwell from Liguidgrips.com;
Team NRGX,Richard Barnet from Bodyspace,
And, all my friends on Facebook, and Bodyspace; too many names to name...whew!
WP: You should be ready to get some rest after this interview! Ha-ha! You’ve worked hard tonight! If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
M: Hmmm, the one thing I would change about myself is that I’m a Scorpio and if you know about Scorpios, you will know how I am, but I sleep more than the norm. Ha-ha!
WP: Is there anything else you would like to add? Now is the time!
M: Yes! Although I want to be a media mogul...I won’t stop being everywhere! Everyone online is making history as we know it, whether you know it or not! Always strive to be the best you can be no matter what!
WP: You have been a pleasure to interview! Thank you for your time and good luck in your future bodybuilding endeavors!
M: And I thank you for taking the time out to ask me these questions; although a video interview would last for hours! Ha-ha!
WP: Editing all the curse words and the crazy noise out of this interview took hours anyways! Ha-ha! Love you!
