Brad Schoenfeld - Strong & Sculpted

S & TRONG Sculpted Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, CSCS, CSPS, FNSCA HUMAN KINETICSLibrary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Schoenfeld, Brad, 1962- author. Title: Strong & sculpted / Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, CSCS, CSPS, FNSCA. Other titles: Strong and sculpted Description: Champaign, IL : Human Kinetics, [2016] | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2015049352 | ISBN 9781492514565 (print) Subjects: LCSH: Bodybuilding for women. | Physical fitness for women. | Weight training.

Classification: LCC GV546.6.W64 S36 2016 | DDC 613.7/045--dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015049352 ISBN: 978-1-4925-1456-5 (print) Copyright 2016 by Brad Schoenfeld All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. This publication is written and published to provide accurate and authoritative information relevant to the subject matter presented. It is published and sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering legal, medical, or other professional services by reason of their authorship or publication of this work. If medical or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. 207. 207.

The reproduction of other parts of this book is expressly forbidden by the above copyright notice. Persons or agencies who have not purchased Strong & Sculpted may not reproduce any material. The web addresses cited in this text were current as of December 2015, unless otherwise noted. Acquisitions Editor: Michelle Maloney Senior Managing Editor: Amy Stahl Copyeditor: Patsy Fortney Indexer: Dan Connolly Senior Graphic Designers: Fred Starbird and Keri Evans Cover Designer: Keith Blomberg Photograph (cover): AYakovlev/iStock.com Photographs (interior): Neil Bernstein Visual Production Assistant: Joyce Brumfield Photo Production Manager: Jason Allen Art Manager: Kelly Hendren Associate Art Manager: Alan L. Wilborn Illustrations: Human Kinetics Printer: Walsworth We thank Premier Athletic Club in Montrose, New York, and The Refinery in Champaign, Illinois, for assistance in providing the locations for the photo shoot for this book. Human Kinetics Website: www.HumanKinetics.com United States: Human Kinetics Australia: Human Kinetics P.O. Human Kinetics Website: www.HumanKinetics.com United States: Human Kinetics Australia: Human Kinetics P.O.

Box 5076 57A Price Avenue Champaign, IL 61825-5076 Lower Mitcham, South Australia 5062 800-747-4457 08 8372 0999 e-mail: info@hkusa.com e-mail: info@hkaustralia.com Canada: Human Kinetics New Zealand: Human Kinetics 475 Devonshire Road Unit 100 P.O. Box 80 Windsor, ON N8Y 2L5 Mitcham Shopping Centre, South Australia 5062 800-465-7301 (in Canada only) 0800 222 062 e-mail: info@hkcanada.com e-mail: info@hknewzealand.com Europe: Human Kinetics 107 Bradford Road Stanningley Leeds LS28 6AT, United Kingdom +44 (0) 113 255 5665 e-mail: hk@hkeurope.com E6638 Contents ivv Foreword My love affair with lifting weights started in high school with one of those home gyms. Nothing fancy, but adequate enough to get a decent workout. I started with a variety of exercises, seeing how much I could lift. When I tried the leg press, I found I could do the entire weight stack. That was a rush.

I loved the sensation of pushing weight, taxing my body to its limit. I was hooked. It wasnt until college that I really got serious about lifting. I attended the University of Florida on a track and field scholarship, where I competed in the high jump. The university had an amazing strength program and a state-of-the-art fitness center. My motivation to train was purely competition related.

All I wanted was to increase strength and power to optimize my athletic performance; I really couldnt have cared less about the aesthetic aspect. I gravitated to performing the Olympic lifts and powerlifting moves. Squats were a favorite; I started with the bar and worked my way up to 275 pounds (125 kg)more than double my body weight. I experienced great satisfaction in lifting as much weight as possible and seeing how it translated to my performance in the field. I got faster. I could jump higher.

That motivated me to train even harder. I ended up earning Junior All-American status, which I attribute largely to my fitness regimen. When I had been out of college for several years, I was still jumping, although no longer competitively. For fun, I began working out with the USA Track and Field team. With diligence and hard work, I was able to clear 5 feet 11 inches (180.3 cm) in the high jumpmy all-time best. My coach said that if I could clear 6 feet (182.9 cm), Id be able to participate in the Olympic trials.

I was focused. All my energies were channeled into eking out that extra inch (2.5 cm) in the high jump. I trained harder than ever. It never happened. I was so discouraged. Id worked so hard to accomplish my goal, and now all hope for an Olympic tryout was gone.

I suddenly had nothing left to train for, no goal to serve as motivation. Shortly thereafter, I was thumbing through a fitness magazine, and a friend suggested that I consider doing a figure competition. At first I dismissed the notion. I grew up as a tomboy, not a girly girl. The thought of parading around in a swimsuit wasnt all that appealing. But without any other competitive aspirations at the time, I decided to give it a go.

At the very least, it gave me something to train for. I won the first competition I entered; my motivation soared. I entered another show and won again. Then I entered and won a national competition, at which I earned my pro card. I placed 10th in my initial pro showthe 2009 Arnold Classicand then took 6th at the 2009 Figure Olympia. After that, I never finished outside the top three.