Steven Guillen

Bodybuilder

Steven Guillen began his fitness journey at a very young age, without realizing it. He would play-fight with his brothers and over time, developed the desire to grow stronger as he realized what the power of strength felt like. Steven’s initial workout routine began during his late elementary school years and consisted of basic exercises that he was familiar with, such as push-ups, sit-ups, and running.

Steven officially joined wrestling at his high school during his sophomore year. Since then, his love for health and fitness have only grown and remain a constant source of encouragement and enjoyment for him every day. Steven exercises when he is happy, sad, upset, or just needs time to de-stress. He describes the gym as his “nirvana,” a place where he can spend time letting loose and working through his thoughts.

Steven first began his exercise journey with the goal of growing muscle, but has since changed his focus. One of Steven’s close friends who participated in bodybuilding shows would sometimes ask him for help with spotting him at the gym. After first hearing about bodybuilding from his friend, Steven developed an interest in this type of training. In February of 2021, Steven started training for the Battle of Texas Super Show that will take place on December 4, 2021. This bodybuilding and fitness competition will feature numerous class competitions including men and women’s bodybuilding and men and women’s physique. Steven will be competing in the men’s physique class, which focuses on competitors’ muscle proportion and definition. The primary focus of physique is to achieve the maximum amount of muscle without looking overly muscular.

Steven continues to prepare for the Battle of Texas in various ways, all of which will help him achieve his ultimate goal of cutting weight while simultaneously gaining muscle. Steven follows the rule of maintaining a BMI below 12% six months prior to his competition date and a BMI within 6-8% in the weeks leading up to the competition. Steven mentally prepares himself for his competition by truly believing that he is going to win and continuously working to guarantee that he is the hardest worker in the gym. He enjoys seeing results and takes pride in knowing that the time he has dedicated to his personal fitness has reaped rewards. Steven feels that “participating in bodybuilding competitions will help me accurately measure where I am in regards to my fitness goals and also put my work on a scale.”

"Bodybuilding is much like any other sport. To be successful, you must dedicate yourself 100% to your training, diet and mental approach.”

  - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Steven not only works to be one of his own greatest supporters, but also remains motivated by looking to other bodybuilders for useful advice and overall inspiration. He has found that the most helpful information during his training can be found in bodybuilding and physique training program PDF books written by bodybuilding champions such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Cbum (Chris Bumstead). Cbum won first place for the Classic Physique Olympia champion in both 2019 and 2020. Steven especially favors “The Shredded” training program PDF book, written by Ulisses Jr. Steven takes tips from different training program PDFs and creates the best plan for his goals and his personal physique. He trains in hopes of becoming like Romaninan bodybuilder Andrei Deiu.

Some of the bodybuilding programs that Steven follows focus on push-pull training, a regimen that targets certain muscle groups each day according to whether the strength exercises require a pushing or pulling action. This type of training optimizes recovery time in athletes by allowing them to avoid training the same muscle multiple days in a row, which can result in over-stressing the muscles and possible injury. For example, athletes who utilize this method may strengthen their upper body muscles using pushing movements one day and pulling movements the next day, or after a rest day. Then, they might follow their upper body training days with lower body and core strengthening days, sometimes separated by another rest day. Push-pull training allows athletes to give their muscle groups a full 72 hours of recovery before training them again and is seen as one of the most effective ways to build muscle while also burning fat. Other exercise programs focus on improving the circulation of blood flow by pushing blood from the legs to the upper body.

Some of the bodybuilding programs that Steven follows focus on push-pull training, a regimen that targets certain muscle groups each day according to whether the strength exercises require a pushing or pulling action. This type of training optimizes recovery time in athletes by allowing them to avoid training the same muscle multiple days in a row, which can result in over-stressing the muscles and possible injury. For example, athletes who utilize this method may strengthen their upper body muscles using pushing movements one day and pulling movements the next day, or after a rest day. Then, they might follow their upper body training days with lower body and core strengthening days, sometimes separated by another rest day. Push-pull training allows athletes to give their muscle groups a full 72 hours of recovery before training them again and is seen as one of the most effective ways to build muscle while also burning fat. Other exercise programs focus on improving the circulation of blood flow by pushing blood from the legs to the upper body. 

After researching numerous training programs and implementing various exercises into his fitness routine, Steven has seen that dedicating about one and a half hours of exercise per day has shown to be the most beneficial. Steven’s favorite workout regime consists of separating each workout day by a different muscle group such as legs, arm, and back. When he is trying to trim fat, Steven focuses on cardio and jump roping for about 15-20 minutes per day. Steven completes all cardio exercises before lifting weights and typically warms up his muscles by running a mile to increase blood circulation. When Steven is not exercising at the gym, he enjoys powerlifting heavy weights to focus on conditioning. Too much powerlifting builds bulky muscle and counteracts Steven’s goals of physique over strength. To avoid building bulky muscle, Steven routinely lifts light weight for longer periods of time, which helps him build more defined muscles.

Physique training differs from regular bodybuilding because it requires constantly “cutting” fat to avoid building “thick” muscles. Bodybuilders often consume a surplus of calories during their off seasons in order to gain weight that will be converted into muscle. Steven explains that “rapidly gaining this weight can result in gaining body fat, which makes muscles appear ‘puffy’ and less defined.” Many physique bodybuilders decrease the amount that they lift and increase the number of reps as they progress through each set. The heavier sets increase muscle strength by shocking the muscle and the lighter sets increase muscle size. Steven visits vitamin and supplement stores with InBody machines. InBody scans allow you to view your body composition balance by showing weight, body fat percentage, lean muscle percentage, hydration level, BMI (body mass index), BMR (basal metabolic rate), and more. InBody scans help Steven track his fitness and determine if his routines and diet are effective. For example, defined and trim muscles can only be seen if the body has a low enough body fat percentage.

Exercise is only one aspect of preparing for a bodybuilding competition. Without a consistent and proper diet for their goals, bodybuilders cannot achieve their desired build. For Steven, cutting out fats two-to-four months prior to a show is the most difficult diet change that he must make. Fats are very important and are not “bad.” However, fat provides many calories in just a small serving. Bodybuilders who are looking to bulk up often choose foods with high fat content to easily and quickly meet their daily caloric intake. Eating too many calories, from any macronutrient, will cause weight gain. Physique bodybuilders aim to only gain small amounts of weight that are almost immediately converted into trim muscle. Over-consuming fat-dense foods will cause physique bodybuilders to rapidly, rather than gradually, gain fat. Because of the effects that fat-dense foods have on the body, Steven considers red meat to be a “cheat day” food because of its fat content.

Steven includes fish and chicken, instead of red meat, in his diet as he prepares for a competition. Chicken breast, tilapia, and salmon are especially lean. Overall, Steven chooses farm-raised meat when possible. When it comes to vegetables, Steven mostly eats spinach, asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower. He prefers broccoli and cauliflower the most because of how filling and low-calorie they are. Steven also tries to eat quinoa because of its many amino acids and brown rice because of its many vitamins and minerals. About six months before competition, Steven begins his new diet that consists mostly of quinoa, brown rice, tofu, and various protein milks. Steven also incorporates more glutamine, creatine, and fish oils (for the omegas) into his diet, in addition to the multivitamins and fish oils that he is already taking. He chooses not to take any steroids because of the side effects, such as altered moods or skin reactions. However, Steven takes supplements to aid with muscle recovery and “chasing the pump.”

Bodybuilders aim to achieve “the pump” right before competition. “Chasing the pump” is done by lifting weights, specifically with short rest periods and in high reps, to pump the blood into the muscles faster than it can leave them. This causes the blood to collect in the muscles and make them appear “pumped” and boosted in size. The "O" Creator Stack by Evogen Nutrition, are some of Steven’s favorite supplements that help him effectively “chase the pump.” Although many supplements, including The “O” Creator Stack, help with muscle recovery, it is important to consistently take care of yourself when performing any type of exercises that are continuously working your body. Steven has found that a combination of deep tissue massages, epsom salt baths, and working out the same muscles can help relieve and decrease muscle soreness. Cupping is also another option that speeds up the recovery process by increasing blood flow in overworked muscles. 

Steven loves to talk to others about his and their own personal fitness journey and enjoys encouraging them to continue. He feels motivated and uplifted when seeing other people exercise at the gym alongside him. Steven says that although beginning a lifestyle that includes regular fitness can be intimidating and confusing, there are many people, especially at gyms, who will gladly offer their help and advice regarding exercise routines. If you see a person who you admire and hope to be like, ask them what works for them and consider implementing their recommendations into your own health journey. If asking a stranger is still difficult, look to the internet for advice. There are millions of free exercise routines and videos online. Steven typically browses Instagram for workout advice and influencers.

Steven has found that “having a gym buddy or accountability partner is one of the most helpful motivators when working out. You not only have motivation, but also a close friend.”