Interview With Allen Smith
Competitor of the Month - August 2010
Interviewed by: Angela Courduff Moreno
Photos by: Charles Bristow photography
Allen Smith is 46 years old and on his 5th year of being cancer free. If that does not inspire you enough, then let us tell you that he just won his first all-natural bodybuilding competition on June 12, 2010 at the Carolina Super Naturals! Miracles can happen and Allen is living proof!
"When I was discovered to have Cancer (Squamous Cell Carcinonoma) and I asked the doctor what my options were, I remember him saying if we don't do surgery and quick, I won't be here in 6-12 months to see my children grow up. And even then, the future isn't guaranteed.” Allen recalls.
That must have been devastating!
"He did about a ten hour surgery to remove the cancer. He also had to remove a trap muscle and nerve in my shoulder along with a list of other parts such as tonsils, lymph nodes, and saliva gland; just to name a few.”, says Allen.
Can you imagine being a bodybuilder and having your trap muscle and nerve removed?
“As I was in recovery, my doctor came in and apologized for having to remove the muscle and nerve, because he knew I enjoyed lifting weights. I remember him telling me at this time that I'd never be able to use that shoulder to lift again, yet, he was surprised at what mobility I still had in it.”
So, with God's grace, surgery, and 6 weeks of radiation, Allen was on his way to recovery. He recalls weighing somewhere close to 265 pounds before the surgery, and a year later, he was down to 215 pounds.
“I probably had a body fat count of around 18-20 percent. However, during the first few months after the surgery, I couldn't eat any real food so; I lost most all of my muscle. In fact, the last two weeks of radiation, I lived off three I.V’s. When the radiation has made my throat so raw that I couldn’t even brush my teeth, drink water, or anything else without gagging, then all of a sudden, taking in "protein" isn't a big deal.”
“It took a year for me to get any real strength back; and by strength I mean having strength left over after a day of work. After the second year after the surgery, I'd kind of gotten lazy and wanted to see how couch potatoes lived. Besides, the doctor told me I'd never "lift again" because of the shoulder, right?”, says Allen.
As he became a couch potato, he gained back up to about 260-270 pounds. This time, it was mostly fat.
“It was during my third year that I decided enough was enough. I decided to hit the gym again and just see what I can do. It was tough to start with. Benching 135 pounds for a few reps was a challenge. However, one day led to the next, one gain led to the next, and although there were exercises I couldn't do because of the shoulder; I focused on what I could do.”, says Allen.
Allen has lifted weights off and on since he was 16, but he was never really serious about the bodybuilding lifestyle until after he started lifting after cancer.
“In fact, I was going to compete in my first show 4 years out from surgery; however, during the last six weeks of my training, some personal issues derailed my training. So, all last year I ate and trained with this year’s show in the back of my mind.”
“January 2010, I weighed 235 pounds with a body fat count of around 14 percent. I began eating clean, continued using all my supplements, doing cardio, and training 7 days a week. The day of the show, I weighed 200 pounds and had a body fat count of around 5 percent. I won first in Open Heavy and 2nd in my age group.”, says Allen.
With all that said, he told us that his prize wasn't the trophies; it was being blessed with more time here on earth to spend with his loved ones. For more in-depth information reflecting this story, you may read the interview we held with him below.
WP: Hello Allen! Congratulations on being nominated as World Physique’s “Competitor of the Month” for August! Tell us a little about yourself!
AS: Thanks! I’ve been a reader of World Physique for a while now. I’ve been impressed with all of your past winners, and I’m honored to have been selected this month.
I’m a deputy, and I’ve worked for the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office for over twenty-six years. I'm assigned to the courthouse and provide security during trials. I’m currently single; however, I have three awesome children: Amanda, A.J. and Austin. I also have three beautiful granddaughters: Kerri, Scarlett, and Aaliyah. In my spare time, I've coached my son's Little League sports teams (i.e.: baseball and basketball).
WP: We are glad to have you as an avid reader of our magazine! Twenty-six years with the same organization is extremely impressive!
AS: Well, it’s not hard when you enjoy helping others and work for and with a great group of people.
WP: I understand you just competed in your first bodybuilding show! How did it go?
AS: Yes. I won the Open Heavyweight Class at the Carolina Super Naturals in Spartanburg, S.C. It was a drug-free, drug-tested event.
WP: Congratulations! Winning your class in your first show is quite an amazing feat. You must be so proud! And, you had gotten a later start than most into bodybuilding!
AS: Yes, I did! It seems I get started late doing a lot of things. I was in my late 20’s when I finished my B.S. degree from Southern Wesleyan University, and I was in my mid 30’s when I completed my Master’s at Clemson University. But, as the old saying goes, “Better late than never”!
WP: You are absolutely right about that. You went through a life-changing event 5 years ago. Can you tell me about it?
AS: Well, I’d always been a “gym rat” or “weightlifter” until about five years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer. It was Squamous Cell Carcinoma. In simple terms: neck and throat cancer. I remember after one weekend of fighting fever and chills, I was sitting in my doctor’s office on my 41st birthday when he broke the news. It took a few weeks to diagnose, and that whole experience, as scary as it was, is a whole story in itself.
The short version is that I had to have surgery to remove the cancer. I had to have my tonsils, lymph nodes, salivary gland, and a host of other things removed. I also had a nerve removed from my shoulder and my trap muscle on my left side. Following surgery, I had radiation treatment for five days a week for six weeks to treat it.
At the time of my diagnosis, I weighed 265 lbs. and was at about 18-20% body fat and thought I was in great shape. After my surgery, the surgeon told me, “You’ll never be able to lift weights again, at least not like you’re accustomed to”. That was a hard thing to hear.
WP: Allen, you really went through a lot and it could not have been easy. We’re all extremely glad that you overcame cancer and are able to share your story with us today. Can you tell me about your recovery?
AS: You know how we always hear “eat at least six meals a day”? Well, when I was having radiation treatment my throat got so raw that during the last two weeks I couldn’t even swallow water. I lived off of three IV’s those last two weeks. I went from 265 lbs. before surgery to 215 lbs. after the radiation. But, I had great abs! Ha!
WP: It’s great that you are able to have a positive attitude through such a difficult time. How long did it take you to get back to your normal self?
AS: It took about a year to get any strength back to do anything more than just go to work and get back home. Then for about a year after that, I was just lazy. I wanted to be a couch potato for a while. Besides, the surgeon told me I’d never lift again. I gained weight back and was back to 265 lbs., but now I was a fat 265lbs. It wasn’t pretty! I’m here to tell you that there’s a big difference between a 265 pound “gym rat” and a 265 pound “couch potato”.
WP: When did the ‘couch potato’ decide to get himself back to the gym?
AS: It was two years to the month that I decided to get back into the gym. I was the “new guy” (we all know what that feels like) and I was the “fat new guy” at that. I could barely bench for any reps with 155 lbs. I babied my shoulder because there was so much I couldn’t do (there’s still exercises I have problems with), but I concentrated on the things I could do. I took it one day at a time, one small gain at a time until I had about a year under my belt and muscle memory seemed to be taking over. I started eating right, taking supplements, and doing some cardio and before I knew it I had lost a good bit of weight and was starting to look fairly decent.
WP: So, how did you get into bodybuilding?
AS: The owner of Greenville Athletic Club, Mike Apps, told me I should think about competing. Well, I never thought I’d ever be able to get in competition shape, but Mike has seen a few competitors in his day. In fact, Lee Haney worked out at the same gym many years ago on a regular basis!
Competing interested me and I was planning to compete last year, unfortunately, some family issues derailed my diet and training. I figured my fifth year anniversary of being cancer-free would be a good time for me to compete. I really didn’t think I’d win; I just wanted to be able to stand on the same stage as real “bodybuilders” and look like I belonged there.
WP: Well, you achieved that and then some! You certainly looked like you belonged there and what a journey you traveled to get there!
AS: Thanks! I have to give God the credit for healing me. Many people were praying for me because unfortunately a lot of people don’t recover from that type of cancer. And, he not only healed me, he blessed with the physique to go out and compete-even as old as I am!
WP: You are extremely fortunate. You are proof that prayer and positive thinking can make all the difference. So, what does the pre-contest routine of a champion look like?
AS: I do about 4-5 exercises per muscle group, and I vary my sets and reps ranges. I work my abs every third day using a variety of exercises, including crunches, leg raises, roman chair sit-ups w/ weights across chest. I work my oblique’s separate from abs, every third day, including side sit-ups, bar twist, and side bends. I also work calves every third day (after my oblique day) doing standing calf raises one day, seated on the next. For cardio, I alternate H.I.I.T. (High Intensity Interval Training) for 20-30 minutes on one day, steady state cardio for 25-30 minutes the next and then take the third day off. I usually try to make sure my cardio days were not the same day as my leg days.
My champion routine is as follows:
Monday: Quads
Tuesday: Chest
Wednesday: Back
Thursday: Hamstrings and lower back
Friday: Shoulders and traps
Saturday: Biceps and triceps
WP: Very nice! How about your pre-contest diet plan?
AS: Twenty weeks out from my show, I consumed approximately 330g protein, 240g carbs, and 20g of fat in 7 meals each day. I mainly eat egg whites and a half cup of oatmeal for breakfast, followed by a protein shake, then tuna with either a can of spinach, green beans or broccoli and sweet potatoes or brown rice for lunch. Midday, and prior to my workout, I’ll have 2 pieces of tilapia and another half cup of oatmeal. I’ll drink another shake after my workout then have tilapia or tuna for dinner and another shake before bed.
A lot of people may ask, “Where do you get your fats?” I get them from my supplements. I take CLA, fish oil, and flaxseed oil. I found that I had plenty of energy and the cardio I did was burning up previously stored fats and any excess carbs I may have taken in during the day.
WP: You are so thorough with your diet and training, it’s no wonder they resulted in a 1st place win! Do you ever allow yourself to indulge in a cheat meal?
AS: I didn't cheat once I started dieting 20 weeks out. As far as now, my diet is pretty clean because I'm trying to gain lean muscle and not just gain weight. However, once every two weeks I go to Best of Friends Café, owned by my friend, and eat "Chicken Bog". It's a combination of chicken, sausage, and white rice with a Cajun type sauce that is out of this world!
WP: That sounds like a great combination! Are you planning on competing in any upcoming shows?
AS: I want to gain 10 lbs. of solid muscle before my next show and I'm trying to do this by adding more protein to my diet; I'm up to about 400 grams a day now. In order to accomplish this, I have to keep a protein shake with 40-50 grams of pure protein by my bed so that at night when I wake I can drink it.
WP: Is there anyone you look up to in the bodybuilding industry? Any idols?
AS: Well, my favorite bodybuilder would have to be James “Bo Bo” Eason. He’s an all natural bodybuilder from Greenville; I know he’s won some National titles and he may have won some World titles. He does a lot of personal training now.
WP: What are your future plans for your bodybuilding career?
AS: There are a few things I’d like to do: I’d like to continue to compete, I want to try to work on some weak areas and gain a few pounds, I would love to get into modeling-well, okay, with my face maybe I need to think about being a foot model (laughing)-and I’d like to eventually pursue personal training.
WP: You are too funny! With the body you’ve created, your phone should be ringing off the hook with modeling offers! What have you learned from competing?
AS: Besides the obvious, that the bodybuilding lifestyle is more than lifting heavy weights, it’s about lifting weights the right way, proper nutrition, proper supplementation, and rest. I’d say I learned a lot about carbohydrates; everyone seems to approach them a little bit differently. I’ve read where some people take in 500-600g of carbs a day and some take in 30-40g.
WP: You’ve got your first show, and your first win, under your belt. What was the secret to your success?
AS: What I found that works best for me is taking in about one gram of carbs per lean pound of body weight. And, I don’t take in any carbs after 6:00-7:00 p.m. Maybe I’ll get invited back and I can explain my thoughts behind that and my workout routines (smiling).
WP: Any shout outs before we wrap up?
AS: Yes. I’d like to give a shout out to my brother, Jonathan Smith. He’s been my biggest fan lately and now that he’s lifting seriously too, he’s a real inspiration to me.
WP: Thank you for sharing your story with World Physique, Allen! You are truly a man to admire and extremely deserving of our “Competitor of the Month” title. All the best to you in your bodybuilding career!
