JOHN YOUNG – Warrior’s Corner

John Young

I initially started competing because my good friend Tiffany said that I couldn’t do it, so I set out to prove her wrong. I found out about TEAM Warrior Within from my coach, Joe Bender. Joe is a great coach, very knowledgeable about the sport, and will not allow you to make a fool of yourself or the team. He is very supportive, and doesn’t mind being asked questions. All he asks is that you give him 110%. He helps with my training, diet and posing, and truly goes the extra mile when needed. Many other coaches don’t do that for their athletes.

The hardest part of my prep was that I had a long and slow bulking process prior to prep, but it’s necessary because my body responds better by slowly adding muscle, rather than unnecessary fat.

During the difficult times, I relied on my team and my goals for motivation. I would look at previous show pictures and tell myself that I need to blow that physique out of the water this year.

If somebody was looking to get involved with physique competition, I would tell them that they need to understand that it’s hard work, and they shouldn’t look for anything to be sugarcoated or take it for granted. There will be times when you want to stop, but hold strong and reach out to your coach if you can. Even the pros go through tough times, so don’t freak out because you do. Just don’t let your immediate wants take over the gains and steps you have taken to prep for a competition.

During my prep, I learned that I like pain for some reason—in regards to the burn from a great workout!

I’d like to thank my coach and TWW trainer Joe Bender, as well as my training partners Winston Grey and Tommy Collins. Moving forward, I want to keep things simple—destroy last year’s physique in the light heavyweight class, and perhaps one day earn a pro card.

-John Young