Written by Guy Cisternino
01 August 2015

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Guy Cisternino's Online Q&A - July 2015 Edition

 

 

Keeping a Journal During Contest Prep

Guy, I have to ask, why the journal during contest prep? Do you really get something out of writing all that stuff down?

 Man, I hear that so much and get my balls busted for it, time and time again, LOL. It’s something I have done since my first show in 2003. Do I NEED to do it? NO. After doing it for 12 years, it’s just something that as soon as I start my prep I have in hand. I simply write down how I slept, how many hours, my morning weight, when I eat my meals, when I take my supplements and lastly, I write down what I trained that day and what I did for the workout. It is especially helpful the week of the show and the day of. Not only does it give me guidance as to what I did for my last show, but I also take my prior year’s journal with me in case Chris Aceto has a question, or wondered what we did for my last outing. Many times, he doesn’t need it because he goes by how I look and his gut feeling, rather than my journal. Hopefully, one day if I ever prep people, I have a good guide as to what I did to get in shape— and might be able to utilize my journals to help others out as well.

 

Hard Work Is the Best Training Method

Guy, I know many people have training principles they follow in the gym like Y3T, FST-7, etc. Do you follow anything like that, or a certain training method at all?

 To be honest, bro, and nothing against those methods, but when it comes to training, no method works better than hard-ass fucking work! Lifting as much as you can, for as many reps as you can, with controlled, proper form and GOOD time under tension. I’m not a powerlifter but I love training heavy. It was something instilled in me since my high school football days, and nothing gets me more fired-up than loading the bars with a ton of weight and banging out reps after reps. I am more impressed with someone who can squat 500 pounds for 15 reps than someone who can do 600 for one rep.

 I have been blessed to train with Charles Glass for the past two years. Every day, going to the gym, I call him and he gives me my workouts over the phone and rep range to follow, and I do it to a T! Charles doesn’t have any “training methods” … he utilizes what he has learned from years and years of training the best of the best, and tweaking machines and exercises to hit muscles in a different and unique way. Charles loves pushing heavy weight, but controlled for 12-15 reps and really focusing on time under tension. That, to me, is simple training for everyone.

 People should stop overthinking all the BS they hear and put that focus on training their asses off in the gym, rather than thinking there is some magic formula to get big and ripped. Busting you ass, every single day in the gym, lifting some heavy fucking weight, following your diet and doing your cardio is the recipe for success. Period. END OF STORY!

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Top Pros Push Me to the Max

 How is it being so close with some of the top open guys, and being able to train with them like I see in your videos on Instagram @guycisternino?

Man, it’s honestly awesome. I have had the pleasure to train with Jay, Phil, Branch, JOJ and especially Shawn Rhoden. Training with those guys, especially being a 212 competitor, really makes me push myself to the all-time limit. Shawn is one of my best friends and we train A LOT together. He as been by my side since day one, and believes in me more than most people do. He actually flew into New Jersey just to be here to watch me compete in the New York Pro because he said he wasn’t going to miss watching his little bro winning the show. Thank you, Shawn, for all you have done. You really are like my big brother and I love you to death, kid! Bad boys for life!

 

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