Interview with Kevin Sanders

Featured Bodybuilder - July 2010




Interviewed by: Mike Hall


"I make most of my money from selling and promoting training programs. Most guys think nothing of dropping 200 bucks a month on supplements, yet they won’t spend a hundred bucks to learn how to train; they’ve got things backwards! I really wish some of the stuff I currently promote had been around 20 years ago when I first started training. It would have saved me a lot of time and money."

WP: Hello, Kevin. You are the owner of strongandfit.net. Can you tell me more about the site?

I started strongandfit.net about a year and a half ago. I had already had a personal blog and saw it was a powerful medium for communication. One night I was giving a young man some advice on getting big and strong. “Why don’t I start a fitness blog?” I asked myself. That’s how it got started.

Strongandfit.net has basic training information, motivational articles, videos, supplement reviews-whatever I think would help or inspire my readers.

WP: Tell us a bit about the man behind this successful website.

I grew up in Pinson, Alabama (near Birmingham). I currently live in Manila, Philippines. I’ve been here about 8 years. I do college ministry and I’m also an author and radio co-host (none of this stuff is related to fitness).

WP: What made you decide to go with the no-nonsense type of articles?

It’s the whole golden rule thing. I’ve kind of been a “victim” of the bodybuilding industry. I was clueless about how to train, what supplements to take, etc. The genetically typical, natural trainee just doesn’t need to do the same thing a professional bodybuilder does. I’ve learned a lot through trial and error (not to mention wasted money), and I want others to learn from my mistakes.

WP: What type of reactions have you had from your articles on your website?

Most people have responded very positively. There have been a few idiots; one guy claiming the current Mr. Olympia is natural (steroid-free); another guy telling me I shouldn’t be bashing a certain supplement (he had no scientific data to back up his points). One of those guys pimping infomercial gimmicks even threatened legal action against me. But, most people appreciate an honest voice in the fitness industry.

WP: So far, what is the best supplement you have reviewed?

I’d probably say creatine monohydrate. I like Prolab’s brand, but I don’t think the brand matters much as long as you stick with a reputable company. Creatine monohydrate has been thoroughly researched; it’s one of the few things out there that really works.

Fish oil is the latest legit thing I’ve seen. Research keeps coming up with new benefits to using it.

One of my most visited article is the one on the ECA stack (ephedrine, caffeine, aspirin).

WP: I’ve actually taken that stack before and it worked great for me. What was it that made you know without a doubt that you wanted to go into bodybuilding?

Well, I was a bit chunky and out of shape as a kid. One of the first things that piqued my interested in weights was doing bench press with my cousin. I was around 11 or 12 at the time. I remember I couldn’t lift the same amount of weight he could (we were the same age, but I really hadn’t hit puberty yet). That frustrated me, so I asked my parents for a weight set and started doing some lifting.

I started training for football when I was about fourteen. I was a late bloomer, so I wasn’t very strong. I still remember the first week of training with the team; I was so sore I could barely move. Football training whipped me into shape and I finally got leaner. I never was a good football player (too slow), but it got me hooked on weights.

That’s how I got into training and I’ve never looked back. I think my childhood memories are why I’ve never been fat as an adult. I never want to go back to that.

Having said all of this, I’m not a competitive bodybuilder. I’m not terribly interested in competing and I don’t follow the sport very closely.

WP: You do articles about scams. Can you tell me which the worse scam you have seen was?

There are really too many to name. The ones that really crack me up are those infomercial ab machines. Abdominal training is relatively unimportant in having visible abs, yet people watch those commercials and think they are going to get a six-pack from some worthless gimmick.

Then there’s the bodybuilding supplement industry. How many supplements are actually backed up by scientific research? How many show an increase in size and strength when a double blind, placebo controlled test is done? Not many.

Here’s the neat thing about the internet: a guy like me can spend a few bucks on a website and compete with those multimillion dollar ad campaigns.

WP: How long have you been lifting?

I started as a teenager and now I’m 38, so I’ve been training for over 20 years.

WP: Do you have any advice to people that wish to build more mass and more cut?

Different answers here:

For mass, I’d advise a sensible program consisting mostly of compound exercises (I promote a lot of good training programs on my blog); that combined with adequate protein and calories.

For getting “cut” (fat loss) my number 1 recommendation would be getting control of your diet.

WP: You look great! How do you keep the physique you have? What is the hardest thing for you to face when it comes to keeping your physique?

Thanks! I train about three times a week using basic exercises (squat, bench press, etc). I try to get about 200 grams of protein a day (I weigh about 200lb). My diet is not super-strict but I try to eat “clean” and avoid liquid calories (except for 2% milk and protein shakes).

Once a week I eat whatever I want. I have found that “cheat meals” or “cheat days” are good for keeping yourself on track the rest of the time.

The hardest thing for me is to make time to train. I’m very busy with ministry so my schedule can get hectic. But I’ve learned to look at my gym time as an investment. I know a lot of ministers who end up having problems because they are so out of shape (I always joke about the “Baptist preacher midsection”). I can be a much better minister if I’m strong and healthy.

WP: What supplements do you take?

I use Whey Protein Powder, Creatine, fish oil capsules, and a generic multi-vitamin.

For fat loss, I use the ECA stack or Yohimbine hcl (note: never use these at the same time. I explain why on my blog).

WP: Smart advice! Where do you want to be in 5 years?

I plan to keep training and show the world you can look great into your 40’s. I’d also love to get into martial arts if I can find the time.

It would be great if the blog became a significant source of income. This may never happen, but at least what money I’ve made comes with a clear conscience.

WP: Who had the most impact on you growing up?

Definitely, my parents had the most impact on me. They taught me to love God and love others.

WP: Anything you would like to see change in the bodybuilding world?

I’d love to see them go back to the look of past eras: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, etc. But I doubt this will happen. Professional bodybuilding seems to appeal to a specific subculture that demands freakish mass at any cost.

WP: Anything else you would like to add?

I make most of my money from selling and promoting training programs. Most guys think nothing of dropping 200 bucks a month on supplements, yet they won’t spend a hundred bucks to learn how to train; they’ve got things backwards! I really wish some of the stuff I currently promote had been around 20 years ago when I first started training. It would have saved me a lot of time and money.

WP: You have been a pleasure to interview! Thank you for your time and good luck in your future bodybuilding endeavors!

Thank you!