Extreme nutrition athlete- Shane Copley

I train and own Body Works Gym, Featherstone West Yorkshire

Q.1 Why did you start training and did you have any goals of competing to begin with?

A. 1 Initially I started training to gain size/strength to help with rugby. I had always idolised muscle however. I always wanted to be big and muscular, even as a very young kid. To this day I love to see huge muscles even on racehorses or cattle. I just think muscle looks cool.

Q.2 Were you into sport growing up? If so which ones?

A.2 Big time. I played all sports growing up, Rugby League, football, cricket, athletics and even waterskiing. I was pretty good at most of em too.

Q.3 What is your current training schedule like? How does it differ between pre-contest and off season? Do you do much cardio work?

A.3 Off season and pre-contest differs only by the weights I’m using, pre-contest my energy levels dip therefore so does my strength. Other than that, pre-contest I also add in several cardio sessions each day. My training split and the exercises I choose don’t really change, I try to keep the intensity high right up until the final few weeks before a show.

Q.4 How long have you been competing?

A.4 2001 was my first show, so 9 years to date.

Q.5 What are your main competitive achievements?

A.5 My biggest win is of course the 2010 NABBA Mr. Universe. Other than that I have won the north east, UK, England titles all with NABBA and I also won the Novice class at the Britain in 2002.

Q.6 Who are your main sources of inspiration in your training and whose physiques do you most admire?

A.6 I got really into bodybuilding in the early nineties, so guys from that era were my main inspirations I guess. So that would names like Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, Kevin Levrone, Paul Dillet, Mike Francois and of course some fella by the name of Coleman.

Q.7 What are your current competitive goals?

A.7 My aim each time I compete is to be the best version of myself I have ever been. My aim hasn’t changed regardless of what title I have won. I plan to continue being bigger and better for many years to come.

Q.8 Why do you feel you have been able to make continuous gains over the years?

A.8 Dedication and consistency. Bodybuilding is my life, no one is more dedicated than me and I have adopted this approach for many years now. It’s no good being gung ho for a few months then disappearing off to the pub for a few months then coming back to the gym. Bodybuilding is a lifestyle and as such, you must do it every day of every week for years if you wanna be your best.

Q.9 What supplements do you use?

A.9 Currently I’m using Extreme Whey 3 to four times a day. Because I eat so regularly I prefer to use Extreme Whey, otherwise I’d use Pro-6 as it’s slower digesting. I take Glutamine Complex and Kr-Evolution every day, and use BCA’s post workout. I also use a multi vit/mineral supplement every day.

Q.10 How much do you feel supplements and sports nutrition help your training?

A.10 Proper nutrition is invaluable. Simple as. You must feed your body with the right nutrients it needs to repair and grow, everyone knows this. But you must also feed your body with the right nutrients to fuel your workouts and day to day activities as well as providing your body with what it needs to stay healthy and maintain an effective immune system, as this is placed under terrific stress in hard training athletes and is a vital instrument in ones ability to grow.

Q.11 What is it that motivates you through a hard session?

A.11 The Challenge. I love the battle between your own body and mind. The fact the physicality of what you are doing is so intense that your own instictive human reaction is to quit. But if your desire is strong enough, you can delay the body’s will to give in. It’s the confrontation between what the body is telling the mind and what the mind is telling the body that keeps my interest in bodybuilding. The greater ones desire, the greater the battle.

I’d like to say thanks to a few people:

I’d like to thank all my friends at Body Works gym, especially my business partner and closest friend 2008 Ms. Universe Rachael Grice, my training partner Paul Mason, James Braddock and Adam Vergeson for their continued support and input and of course everyone at Extreme Nutrition for sticking by me.