👋 Hi! Tell us about yourself and your training
My name is Christopher Melancon and I am a 22-year-old from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where I still reside!
I just finished at Louisiana State University with my Bachelors’ of Science in Sports Administration with a focus in Sports Commerce and a minor in Business Administration. I am currently at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU getting my Juris Doctor.
I was always naturally athletic growing up and played basketball and football until I received five concussions and was unable to play contact sports.
I found bodybuilding as a competitive outlet and began to excel. I won the teen division and came in second in the men’s division at Greater Gulf States in 2016 (Louisiana’s biggest show at the time).
I am coached by Ryan Hinton as a part of Team Legacy, Ryan has been my coach since 2016 and will be for the foreseeable future!
⏱ Describe a typical day of training
My favorite body part is shoulders because they can make the biggest difference in someone’s physique.
I am a huge fan and proponent of John “Mountain Dog” Meadows. I believe that he makes the best training programs and I have been following them since 2017.
I usually train about five times weekly for no longer than an hour. However, currently I am pushing it to six days a week.
My favorite body part is shoulders because they can make the biggest difference in someone’s physique. I believe in putting in maximal effort in the shortest amount of time.
My favorite exercise is incline DB bench press because it’s arguably my most impressive. I’ve gotten a set of six with the 130lb DB’s at a bodyweight of 185. I rarely do cardio when I’m not in a prep to compete, however when I do prep I usually do 20-30 minutes fasted on an elliptical or stairmaster.
I do not carry a fitness bag, I go into the gym with my wallet, keys, and shaker.
👊 How do you keep going and push harder?
When my motivation is low, I remember where I started and all the progress that I’ve made and that I want to continue to progress and be the NPC Collegiate National Champion my third year of law school and one day become an IFBB pro.
🏆 How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
Currently, I am running John Meadows’ program Colossus. It’s a high effort six-day a week split that requires many days in the gym but not an overwhelming amount of actual time in the gym.
My future plans and goals are to win the NPC Collegiate National championships in either 2021 or 2022 then become an IFBB pro soon after.
Outside of bodybuilding I plan to finish law school in 2022 then pass the bar and work either as a personal injury attorney or sports agent. I have internships for both this summer, which is one of the reasons I’ll be taking time off from competing.
🤕 How do you recover, rest and handle injuries?
Learn to warm up properly! I’m not saying you need to do a full 15-minute ordeal, but get a few warm up sets in, get your muscles firing, don’t be afraid to do some warm up sets on your exercises before you let loose with the big boy weight.
As many of us know, most of the magic with your physique happens out of the gym. I usually attempt to sleep about eight to nine hours a night, which is tough between being in class for four to five hours, studying for three to four hours, training for about an hour, then adding in driving, doesn’t leave much time to really “relax” but you must make the most of it.
Sometimes your schedule is going to get funky, but just stay organized and keep pushing!
When I am traveling, I do my best to workout, I’ll usually go to the nearest 24/7 gym and explain my situation to the manager and they’ll usually let me workout for free.
On vacations, however, I rarely workout. I think it is important to enjoy time away from the gym as well.
🍎 How is your diet and what supplements do you use?
When I prep for shows, I do the normal five to six meals a day with carbs centered around workouts, totaling around 2000 calories including intra workout carbohydrates and EAAs.
I did a practice prep for a month last February and managed to peel off 15 lbs in four weeks. Besides that, I hover around 195lb and I track NOTHING and my body loves it.
Bodybuilding is a long-run sport and I’ve been around for four years and I’ve already seen many people come and go. Enjoy your off-season/growing season, whatever you want to call it.
I drink socially on the weekends with friends and I do not think that people need to completely demonize alcohol the way many bodybuilders and fitness fanatics in general do.
That being said, I have never drank alcohol while on prep because that goes directly what you are trying to accomplish.
When I’m not on prep I will eat whatever is served at any event that I am at. However, while I am prepping I will ensure that I have the meals that I need on me or I will make sure that I ate just prior to going to the event. While not on prep pretty much every day is a cheat day.
I do not believe in being strict all year long, at all. I am not paid to be a bodybuilder or endorse any products so I do not see the use/need to attempt to stay lean all year long.
On my cheat days during a prep, I usually eat some yummy cereal pre workout and sour patch kids. Post workout will be all you can eat sushi, usually followed up that night with a large pizza and a dozen doughnuts.
To handle cravings on prep I become a big proponent of flavored carbonated waters to help keep you full and give you that little sweet/sugary taste that many people want or need. I do not drink coffee or teas but I do drink REIGN energy drinks religiously.
I do not take many vitamins or supplements. I take the Great Value vitamins along with C4 Pre workout and Optimum brand whey protein and creatine. Keep it simple until you have to get more advanced.
👍 What has inspired and motivated you?
The best advice I have ever received is that bodybuilding is a long-term game.
The best advice I have ever received is that bodybuilding is a long-term game. You look at the guys like Dexter Jackson or John Meadows who are older but look incredible. They have paid their dues and they have been able to reap the benefits for many years.
As far as books, I believe that “How to be your own bodybuilding coach” by Scott Walter Stevenson is the best resource anyone interested in fitness could have. It is not an EASY read but it is very in depth and is incredibly helpful.
I always listen to Louisiana hip hop in the gym because I love the uptempo beats and hearing about people, places that are applicable to the things that I have grown up around.
I also listen to Kevin Gates, NBA Youngboy, Lil Boosie, Lil Wayne. I’m not sure if I’ve listened to anything but rap or trap music in the gym since I’ve been working out! The gym is the time for you to dance around and have a good time while bettering yourself!
✏️ Advice for other people who want to improve themselves?
If I could start again, I would find a WELL RESPECTED expert in the field. Not your random local personal trainer, not someone on Instagram that only pushes protein powder or their “29 secrets to getting lean” ebook.
Jeff Nippard is great, John Meadows is great, Dante Trudel may appeal to folks as well. These are people that are really worth following and will give you a great amount of information that is scientifically backed and useful.
I think a lot of people are too worried about small things such as what exact program they’re doing, should they do Keto, etc.
Go to the gym, pick things up in a controlled manner, give it all you have, and eat your food. If you can master going to the gym but more importantly eating how you should, you will get the results you want.
🤝 Are you taking on clients right now?
I treat coaching like a lawyer treats working on a case, you are not just paying for the meal plan or the workouts or the advice, you are paying for the time and knowledge that I have.
I am currently taking clients at Chrismcoaching.com. My coaching is extremely individualized and you get as much attention as you need. I want to help people reach their goals, however I ONLY want people who are willing to listen and learn even if they’ve been told differently or that’s not what their friend does.
If you are paying me or another coach, you are paying for their expertise and if you don’t listen to them you are literally just wasting your money and their time.
I treat coaching like a lawyer treats working on a case, you are not just paying for the meal plan or the workouts or the advice, you are paying for the time and knowledge that I have.
The most common question I get is, “What do I need to start?” My answer is, “A scale, a food scale, a gym, and the willpower to follow the plan, and a food scale. I’m not kidding about the food scale.” People don’t realize how paramount weighing your food is so you know what you’re putting in your body!
📝 Where can we learn more about you?
Instagram: @Christopher_Melancon
Chrismcoaching.com
