Interview With Thomas Bermudez
Personal Trainer of the Month - July 2010
Interviewed by: Tammy Renee'
"...Without question, experience sets me apart from other personal trainers! While this is what I do for a living, I feel blessed every time I take on a new client. I do not value selling memberships or sessions more than meeting the individual needs of my clients. My clients put a certain level of trust in me and I care about what I do for them.
WP: We are so honored to name you the Personal Trainer of the Month. Let's begin with telling our readers a bit about yourself.
First, let me thank you for the opportunity and honor to appear in your magazine and the privilege to be interviewed about my passion which is bodybuilding and fitness. My name is Thomas Anthony Bermudez and I was born in Detroit Michigan to a former combat Marine veteran father and a very doting mother. I grew up in Dearborn Heights Michigan, the youngest of three siblings; older brother Edward Jr. and older sister Rosa.
This past May I celebrated my 43rd birthday and 25 yrs in the bodybuilding industry. I’ve been bodybuilding since age 1l (well at least that’s what I thought I was doing back then). As I grew older, the love of bodybuilding and training flourished and continues to be an essential part of my life today.
Initially, my dreams were to compete on stage. As I strived toward this goal, I discovered that my real passion revolved around helping others learn and train. I may consider competing in a Masters competition, but for now I am doing what I love the most; training others.
WP: How long have you been in the fitness industry?
I have been in the industry since age 18, working in local gyms. During this time, I began cultivating the ideas and theories that would later help mold the trainer that I would eventually become 25 years later.
WP: What made you decide to get into the fitness industry?
Ultimately, it was my love of bodybuilding as a child. I always loved super heroes, especially Marvel Heroes such as the Hulk, Spider Man and many others. I had no idea that people could actually look like the heroes in the comics. My only exposure to weight training at that time was what I viewed during the Olympic Games. Vasiliy Alekseyev was the man to admire during the Olympic Games. The body building physiques were quite a bit different then and I had yet to discover them.
Eventually my dad bought me my first bodybuilding magazine and a copy of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s The Education of a Bodybuilder. He also bought me the book titled The Barbell Way to Physical Fitness by Bruce Randall and my own DP Jr. Barbell set.
As the years moved ahead, I became very interested in the science behind the sport and this took over my desire and endeavors to compete. I became very analytical and studious. Using myself and my friends as test subjects for the various training protocols I had studied, I began to train people with good results. Furthermore, I began honing my skills and developing my own training protocols and theories long before the myriad of certifications that abound today.
I have worked in and around the industry for a few decades. I have also worked in other fields outside of bodybuilding, only to find myself gravitated toward my passion, which is training. Today I have chosen to solely invest my time in training.
Without question, competence builds confidence. I am a very good trainer with 25 yrs of experience under my belt and a love for the essence of training. This is what I do and this is where I belong.
WP: What is your educational background? What are your certifications?
I have a fairly extensive CV that takes up at least two pages in its abbreviated format so I’ll give you a brief over view. I have an extensive medical back ground having received training from numerous State, Federal and DOHS, DOD, Agencies. I have accumulated a considerable array of certifications in Emergency Medical Services and Fire Service. I currently hold an ASFA CPT Certification with an ISSA Certification pending. But most importantly I have 25 years worth of experience in the field.
WP: How long have you been a personal trainer?
I’ve been in the business for 25 years. My formative years in the industry have been spent honing my skill set and learning, which I am still doing to this very day. I can comfortably say that I have been a personal trainer for 20+ years.
WP: What do you feel sets you apart from all other personal trainers out there?
Without question, experience sets me apart from other personal trainers! While this is what I do for a living, I feel blessed every time I take on a new client. I do not value selling memberships or sessions more than meeting the individual needs of my clients. My clients put a certain level of trust in me and I care about what I do for them. My goal is to help them achieve what they are looking for and this takes a certain level of time and commitment on my part. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen other trainers handing out cookie cutter routines or the routine of the month from the latest issue of a popular magazine. These trainers confuse what is new or trendy with what is relevant. What may be new and popular in the magazines may actually be meaningless if the training is designed without purpose. My clients are people with individual variables and needs. I treat my clients with special care and respect and I am genuinely interested in their concerns and individual needs.
WP: Where do you train your clients? Do you train them in a gym, at home, or where?
I typically train my clients at the training facility of their choice or their home or office. I never train my clients at my home. Home is where my loved ones and I come for refuge, sanctuary, peace, and comfort. At the end of the day, my home is not for business. Well, maybe a little business since I do spend a great deal of time in my office.
WP: How much time per day do you typically spend with a client?
On an individual basis this can vary quite a bit. Each client has different needs. For example, a new client may need more time initially do to my training methodologies and routines as there is a learning curve to consider. An ongoing client may have issues relating to performance that may require more time. Lastly a competitor prepping for a show may require more specialized time and attention. So while there are individual variables with each client, a typical session runs about an hour. Some sessions may be a combination of training and consultation where my client and I map out individual training needs and goals. I am invested in them as much as they are invested in me. Unfortunately in an industry filled with a lot of trainers trying to make a name for them, they lose sight of the human aspect of training. People are complex. My clients say one of my greatest assets is my ability to motivate and inspire people in addition to showing a genuine interest in their safety, well being and progress toward attaining their goals.
WP: How many days do you suggest your clients to work out in a week?
There is no cut and dry answer for this. On a very basic level, 3 times a week has been shown to aid in the development of a base level of physical fitness. Past that, all the variables begin to come into play such as what the client is trying to achieve, the level of experience, athleticism, age, health, time, schedules, nutrition, and most importantly recovery needs of the client. As stated previously, each client is dealt with on an individual basis with a program designed based on their level of commitment and realistic goal set.
WP: What helps you get up each morning?
Knowing I’ve been given one more chance to best what I accomplished previously.
WP: What motivates you?
I have always been a very passionate person about the things, places, and people in my life so it’s hard for me to pinpoint just one thing, but I can say this: it really doesn’t matter what your source of motivation is just as long as you find it. For me, I guess it is the knowledge that I have made a difference in people’s lives.
WP: What forms of exercise do you find to be the most effective for the following: To gain mass:
The following is important to gain mass:
While that may sound complicated it’s not rocket science but it’s the proper practical application of these parameters that facilitates hypetrophy. It’s not so much the individual workout it’s the overall programming.
WP: To lose weight:
This question is one of my pet peeves. I try to get my clients to not look at body composition from a weight loss perspective. When you speak in terms of weight loss, this encompasses any and everything that registers on the scale. Let’s say you lost 20lbs but 10lbs of it was muscle. What positive thing have you done for your self? There are variables as I have spoken of. The focus of the client and the trainer should be on losing body fat while maintaining as much lean tissue as possible. So, I don’t care much for the usage of the term weight loss. It is too general and keeps people focusing on the scale too much when body composition and the mirror are far better indicators of progress. You can have two people same height, same weight but different body compositions so in that case weight is irrelevant. Body composition is the issue. Simple weight loss is a matter of calories in versus caloric expenditure but the wrong make up of those calories will not affect body composition favorably. Weight loss as a rule is an entirely different animal than getting lean. I state it like this, when you simply lose weight you just look like a smaller version of your self with subtle changes in appearance. It is only when you get lean that your physiques starts to take on angles and definition and you begin to have a completely different look to your self along with a difference on the scale but the body composition will be radically different.
WP: To cut:
Cutting or contest prep is best approached from my experience in a very structured systematic approach. The best results are seen when the cutting is done over a longer period such as 12-16 weeks a longer time frame allows for small subtle changes to the physique each week allowing the physique to adjust and tighten. Allowing longer time frames also allow for tweaking of the nutrition, supplementation and training along the way as the need arises. I follow my athletes closely, fine tuning along the way. Just the smallest change sometimes can make a dramatic difference come show time. It is this structured and fine tuning approach done over a longer period of time which brings a much more conditioned athlete to the stage in my experience. So while there is a base level of parameters to begin with, all my programming is custom tailored to the individual. It’s not just the recipe, it’s the chef and how he puts those ingredients together.
WP: Before competition:
I have always used a different approach than most trainers use. Many trainers seem to be stuck on some of the old dogmatic approaches to contest training by adding all these finesse moves, changing set and rep schemes, or improperly applying cardio. They wind up undoing everything they accomplished off season. That is why so many times you’ll go to a local contest only to see what looks like a line up of swimmers not bodybuilders on stage as they have drastically lost a lot of hard earned muscle. Sure, over the course of 25 years I have learned some prep tricks etc. but that is all… they are tricks adding only a few percent to what should be an already prepared physique. If you don’t have the muscle going into the prep, you’re not going to build it before the show. But what you do have you want to maintain and preserve. The conditioning is mostly nutritional manipulation for a repartioning effect along with a controlled amount of metabolic enhancement training i.e. complexes, HIIT, etc. Keeping this in mind, “what got you the muscle is going to keep you the muscle”.
WP: What are your strengths and weaknesses?
My strengths are overall knowledge and the practical application of that skill set. My weakness is my emotional investment.
WP: What problems have you had as far as staying motivated and disciplined to stick with your workouts?
That makes me laugh. I don’t have any problems staying motivated. I simply love to train for no other reason than the love of training. It’s part of my daily routine and a way of life. I can’t imagine a life without it. I look at it no different than basic hygiene or nutrition. It’s what I’m supposed to do and I just happen to love it so staying motivated and being disciplined not an issue in this part of my life.
WP: What problems did you have to overcome in order to stay on track with your fitness program?
Time seems to be an enemy of everyone so if I ever had an issue at any points it probably would have been scheduling. But if you want anything bad enough, you’ll find a way. I always have been able to work it out.
WP: What keeps fitness interesting to you?
Each training session is a new experience. No two sessions are ever the same just like snow flakes. And each session presents a unique set of challenges and even if you have overcome those challenges on previous sessions, you haven’t on this occasion until you have completed this session. So at this stage of the game, there is always a payback in the form of gratification that I overcame those challenges.
WP: Tell me something about yourself that no one else knows. It’s just between us, no one else will know. Ha-ha.
Hmm…. Ok, well how about this show stopper. Approximately 11yrs ago I was hit by a drunk driver and broke my back. No surgeon would touch me for fear of crippling me further or losing my life. Finally, I found a surgeon willing to perform the surgery. I underwent twelve and a half hours of surgery to put me back together again enduring an indescribable amount of physical pain and financial hardship. Medical bills right around a cool million. I was told that I might never walk again and that I may have severe disabilities. The physicians felt that the best case scenario would be that my pain would be lessoned and that some of my mobility function might be restored. They stated that I would confine to a wheelchair or best, walk with the aid of a walker.
I’ll just cut to the chase. I had them remove the morphine pump within days of being placed in the ICU after my surgery. I talked my surgeon into setting up a hospital room in my house. I began going over my comeback in my mind. I meticulously planned every day; after all I had several yrs in front of me. My physician ordered rehab which I did for a short time. I became fed up with that routine and longed for the gym. I stopped going to rehab and dragged my self to the gym starting with just an empty bar and a few minuets on the treadmill. I think my first workout lasted all of maybe 20 minutes including rest periods and cardio. Ok it wasn’t cardio but it was on the treadmill.
Fast forward to present day. I may not stand much taller than 5’4” but I do stand before you well over 200lbs. With no doubt I’m a barbell boy with no wheel chair! Very few people know this story. During my illness and recovery, I experienced a period of great depression. The majority of that time I stayed inside my home. No one came to visit. But once I wrapped my hand around that barbell, after all that time I felt the depression leave me almost to the second the bar warmed in my hand. Since then, I have simply tried to show through my example that life is precious and bodybuilding and fitness saved my life. It literally gave me back the ability to keep a promise to my sons. I had always joked with them that I would always be strong enough to pick them up and that the last day Id’ pick them up would be when they graduated from college. Then I broke my back and wound up in a wheel chair. Now I’m looking forward to them graduating so I can embarrass them and keep my promise! In all seriousness I know I am blessed and not everyone could be so blessed but everyone can improve the quality of their life to some degree by taking care of themselves for their families. I hope every time I share this story it impacts someone for the better even if it’s just a realization that your health is a gift and if you don’t take care of it can be fleeting or compromised without warning.
WP: How have you changed over the years?
I am far more appreciative than I have ever been in my life. I am definitely wiser. But I think for the most part I haven’t changed much personality wise but I’d like to think I’ve grown as a person. Physically, it has definitely been tons of positive changes.
WP: Any shout outs?
I’d like to shout out to Anytime Fitness of Oxford MI and my friends Kelly and her husband, Kelly is the Manager of Anytime Fitness in Oxford MI and you are not likely to find two finer people than her and her husband anywhere. Also to Justin who is the young man I am instructing in the accompanying photos. I’d like to shout out to two of my best friends Dave he’s been a solid supporter and friend over the years and Patrick the great observationalist and conversationalist. I would like to shout out to all the IFBB Pros and the Promoters of this past Olympia Weekend! Where I was a VIP and had the time of my life! And last but not least I’d like to shout out to a very special client and someone who has meant the world to me. Annette she inspires through the shear magnitude of her fierce determination and focus, she truly bridges the gap between goals and accomplishments and I am very proud of her and always will be she has earned a special place in my heart. Oh wait I have two more then I’ll stop or we’ll be here all day just giving shout outs! Steve Blechman thank you for stepping up and helping promote women’s bodybuilding and giving it the recognition it deserves. And a big shout out to the IFBB for reinstating the 202 Division! Ok I’m comfortable leaving it at that I’m sure I would have left someone out anyway. Ha-ha.
WP: Explain your workouts to me.
Let me preface this by saying how I train is unique to me and how my body responds. I have been training since I was 11 yrs old. So my training is just that, my own and is not a reflection of how I may train my clients. Currently 3-5 days a week, relatively high volume, 3 or 4 day body part split on a rotation depending on my own auto regulation comprised mostly of compound movements with complexes and steady state for cardio.
WP: What is your diet?
My diet consists of mainly heavy Protein. I try to stay as close to 2 grams per pound of body weight as I can. Most of the time I try not to go to heavy on the carbs as I don’t handle them well but, at this stage, I’m not worried about leanness so much and my activity level keeps my weight fairly consistent.
WP: Who had the most impact on you in your life thus far?
I would have to say that is a tie between my parents, and my sons. I am blessed in that both my parents are still with us and can enjoy my sons. I can truly state I was very much loved by my parents and that has been the greatest gift they could have ever given me. I had the distinct privilege of delivering all three of my sons and it never cease to amaze me I still remember the first time I held them and looked into their little faces and I said to myself how in the world can I love this little guy so much. I don’t even know him but, they were my sons and I did love them so much. My youngest one had some medical issues when he was born and spent some time in the ICU. I never left his side. I changed him I fed him I slept next to him I calculated his meds I knew his chart inside out (I’m a retired FF/Paramedic as well) I really understood how my parents loved me and I tell my sons all the time you’ll never know how much I love you till you have a son of your own. So, yes my parents and my sons definitely a tie.
WP: What were you like in high school?
I was quiet and reserved not quite as outgoing as I am now. I kept to myself and a few select friends; I excelled at the ROTC Program becoming the youngest officer in the state up until that time. I was also in a MAGNET Program for the gifted like my eldest child I had a penchant for art.
WP: Please describe a typical day for you. What is your daily routine like?
While it varies a bit throughout the year my day starts around 5am Mon-Fri I work in my office fielding e-mail corresponding with clients etc. Shower dress prepare breakfast for my children and myself and get them ready for school I’m out of the house by 7:15am I drop my sons off at school then head to the gym to train myself or work with clients, depending on how many clients I have scheduled I may head back to my office for more correspondence ph consultations etc. work with more clients or whatever I need to attend to in my office. Around 3:15pm I head back to school to pick up my sons then we have dinner, do homework, etc. Then its either back to my office or more clients somewhere amongst this I work in meals my own training and I try to give my sons at least 1-2 hrs of my time just being dad. I am in bed by 11:00pm at the latest by 12:00 midnight so from 5am till 12am I’m on the move. If I need it I schedule a nap late morning or midday. During the summer it’s a little different but I always have worked it out I’m proud to say I have always kept my appointments! If I have clients at odd times I give them priority and make it happen. If I can’t I don’t make appointments I can’t keep I’m a good trainer and if they want my services they wait till I have a slot available.
WP: What are your hobbies outside of fitness?
It’s all about Movies, DVDs, and Select TV programming. I have been a student of the cinema for the majority of my life and this has been and is a great bonding activity for my sons and me. I am and always will be a Bodybuilder at heart so when I’m not working or with my boys I am immersed in the latest research or muscle magazine or listening to one of the many Bodybuilding Podcasts in particular Pro Bodybuilding Weekly. (What I would have given to have that as a kid!)
WP: What type of music do you listen to?
I have very eclectic tastes thanks to my parents who exposed me to a virtual cornucopia of great things as I was coming up allowing me to develop a great appreciation for a vast array of experiences. From Chopin and Mozart to Duke Ellington, from John Philips Sousa to John Lee Hooker, Marvin Gaye to Rhianna I love a lot of everything but not necessarily everything in every genre, if that makes any sense?
WP: Tell me about your family. Your spouse, kids, etc.
I am currently married to Jennifer a natural born athlete golf, volley ball, skiing, track etc, and I’m the proud Father of three beautiful boys which are my other passion in life, Jamal 16, is my oldest and is quite the talented artist, Sergio 10, is my Middle son and is the academic and scholar, he is also named after my childhood hero 3 times Mr. Olympia Sergio Oliva. My youngest son Carlos 8 lives his life as a Super Hero from the time he wakes till he lays his precious head down for the night his love of Marvel Superheroes may just be the beginnings of another bodybuilder in the family but only time will tell.
WP: What supplements do you take and why?
I have used Optimum Nutrition products since they first hit the shelves around 1987 I believe; in particular I use their protein powders specifically their 100% Gold Standard Whey is my favorite. Optimum puts out a quality product with a large assortment of flavors to choose from which all have easy mixabilty in just plain water in a shaker cup. It was also voted best Protein Powder of the year 2005-2009 as well as Best Overall Product of the Year in 09 and I couldn’t agree more! I am also a fan of their Platinum Standard Hydro-Whey which was introduced at the Olympia Fitness Expo in 09. I am a big proponent of supplements and especially protein which I believe most people simply aren’t taking enough in.
Additionally I take Ester-C 500, this is one of those supplements I just have to have I have experimented with various dosing through trial and error and much research I have arrived at 500mg for my personal dosing I am of the opinion it majorly contributes to my recovery and immune system. If I am ever without it for a few days there is a cold in my very near future when I’m on it I have never gotten a cold or at least one that held on for more than half a day.
Next would be Glucosamine Sulfate or a Joint Formula which Contains Glucosamine Sulfate my preference over the HCL version. In my particular case this has been a major saving grace in pain management for me do to some old injuries and is a must have (Non Training related I have never been injured training). I take a full spectrum multi vitamin for a nutritional base. Branch Chain Amino Acids for recovery, as well as a micro dosing of Creatine Monohydrate for the same reason and occasionally I use some Waxy Maize Starch in my post training shake also for recovery.
Rounding out my current regimen is Vitamin D probably the least utilized yet most deficient vitamin. And Fish Oil, I have noticed everything from increased recovery to a dramatic sense of well being good for the heart and joints, also once I increased my dose of Vitamin D my strength and size gains increased rapidly as well being noticed by others not just myself.
WP: What are your future projects?
I have several different things in the pre production stage that aren’t quite ready to be formally announced yet but I am very excited about. But, hopefully, will come to fruition in the very near future and you will be amongst the first to know.
WP: What accomplishments have you achieved thus far in your life that you are proud of?
There are a lot actually but, the four I can’t seem to best are my three sons and the fact I’m not in a wheel chair.
WP: How would you like to improve, if any?
There is always room for personal growth on many levels and I welcome the opportunity to do so.
WP: Anything you would like to mention before we close?
Just that I had a great time and once again I appreciate the opportunity. It was a pleasure talking with you and I look forward to doing so again in the future.
WP: It's been a pleasure interviewing you!
