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Bodybuilding Expert Dwayne Hines Interview
Dwayne Hines is the author of Fast Muscle Growth Zone – a new approach to building muscle size
And Conditioning For Fighting – a mixed training approach for those who want to improve their fight conditioning.
Q. Can you give us some background about yourself?
A. I am a bodybuilding and fitness writer as well as a personal trainer. I work for a state agency for my primary job, and I write part-time. I am married and have two active young boys. My goal is to raise them to be Godly young men.
Q. What got you started in bodybuilding and fitness?
A. I started lifting weights for football (I made the All-State Football team my senior year) but migrated over to bodybuilding. I competed at the teenage state level, but during the following few years drugs were already making their way into the sport so I started just lifting to stay in shape. I went to college and took some classes in the area of nutrition, etc., but got a business degree. Today I am mostly interested in overall fitness, which includes running (I have ran a couple of 10k races) and explosive type of training. Weight training will always lie at the core, however, as it is the most powerful manner in which to change the body and keep the body in condition. I also was blessed by running into a former bodybuilder and pro football player, Ollie McClay, who trained me for awhile and provided a ton of motivation and information.
Q. What are your favorite and least favorite exercises?
A. The squat, clean & push/press and chin-up fall into this category. They are difficult to do correctly (with a full range of motion and good form) and painful but nothing changes the body like these exercises. So they are both hated and respected.
Q. What are some tips you can give for the beginner, intermediate and advanced?
A. For the beginner, I would encourage a long-term viewpoint – don’t cheat; learn the basics of good form, and stick with the basic compound exercises. Stick with a strong focus on legs and back until you get some real size.
For the intermediate, this is the point where you start to build some knowledge about your body and how it responds. And it is at this point that you need to start respecting rest and recuperation more.
For the advanced, the key remains motivation – can you still light that fire? Also handling the injuries that crop up over the years, and finding a way to bounce back. If you can, you can still gain.
Q. Where do you stand on the use of steroids and supplements?
A. I am absolutely against steroids. I believe they harm the body, and really, they are a crutch. Take the steroids away and the user shrinks back to where they were before. They are also illegal, which some people tend to overlook. As far as supplements go, some are good and some have way too much hype. I think that brewer’s yeast, fish oil tablets (and cod liver as well), black strap molasses, and fiber supplementation are all great for the natural bodybuilder and athlete as well. The best fiber I have found is Yerba Prima’s formula, which includes five types of fiber in one spoonful. As far as daily vitamins and minerals, I would rather get it from my daily food source.
Q. What is the toughest part about bodybuilding and fitness for you?
A. Pushing to that necessary edge where growth occurs. It requires a hard-core mental approach on a constant basis and the ability to handle pain daily, to keep the growth going.
Q. What are your workouts like?
A. I focus on the basics – squats, chin-ups, bench press, clean & push/press, EZ curls. I want to get in a mix of power and strength training. With a family and a couple of jobs going, it requires compound training to keep it brief and effective. I also ride my bike to work, get in some martial arts training, take a longer run on Saturday mornings and try to get in sprints at least once a week.
Q. What is your diet like?
A. I eat fairly strict during the week and then back off on the weekends and allow myself a few treats. During the week I center my eating around eggs, tuna, oatmeal, figs, prunes, nuts, good bread (Ezekiel brand or similar) a little cheese, lots and lots of spinach, some bell peppers, some milk (after my workouts) and fresh fruit in season.
Q. What are your future goals?
A. My goals are to keep writing for a variety of publications (magazines, books, and online publications). I currently have a book coming out from OnFitness magazine, Natural Advantage, and write for them as the magazine’s editor-at-large (I really like their natural, healthy approach). I am constantly looking for magazines to write articles for. I also have several other books on the market, including some for Truly Huge and some for MuscleMag.
Q. Anything else you'd like to add?
A. Conditioning the body is the second most important thing in life (the spiritual is the first). It is important to make it a lifestyle as the benefits are great and only get better as you get older.
Dwayne Hines is the author of Fast Muscle Growth Zone – a new approach to building muscle size
And Conditioning For Fighting – a mixed training approach for those who want to improve their fight conditioning.