Written by Team MD
27 May 2021

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Mr. Olympia 2020 Champion Big Ramy Talks Training and Nutrition

 

Q: Ramadan presented special challenges for Muslim bodybuilders. What are they, and how do you adapt your training and nutrition for the Mr. Olympia contest during this holy month?

 

A: So the main gift of Ramadan is the abstinence from food or drink from sunup to sundown. This can present major challenges to my training protocols, but the season and faith are important to me, so my trainers and I make it work. This usually means working out very early in the day before most people are even awake, and shifting the most hardcore training and the dietary needs to a different rhythm.

 

Q: You are the first Mr. Olympia from the Middle East since Samir Bannout won in 1983. Do you take a certain pride in representing that part of the world, especially since the sport of bodybuilding has usually been dominated by Americans?

 

A: I am certainly honored and proud to be a part of the Mr. Olympia journey, and proud of my #egyptiangenetics, my great coaches, and friends, like Dennis James and all the people I can’t mention that helped me bring the house down in 2020. I believe that the world is a big place, and there are many cultures and people that need to be represented in bodybuilding and in other sports. I am humbled to be a part of that, and I thank Enhanced Labs for embracing that and helping to share that vision of the sport and industry.

 

Q: You probably have the biggest legs in bodybuilding today, perhaps the biggest of all time. What were the key exercises and techniques you used to build your legs? Did they always grow easily, or are there certain areas that were more difficult for you to grow? And finally, have you ever considered not training your quadriceps for a while because they are already so huge?

 

A: Leg day is ultimate day. The training that all of us do is well known to get massive legs. The variety comes in the frequency, intensity, genetics, and diet. I would say my favorite exercise for legs is the Bulgarian split squat.

 

Q: It was said years ago that you don’t eat as much as many people assume you would. How many meals do you typically eat a day in the off-season, and in contest prep? What are your daily calories off-season and in prep?

 

A: Ha! Right now I am taking in a good amount of food. I would say in off-season I am putting in 4,500 to 6,000 calories, bulking it can get as high as 9,000 calories, and cutting right around 2,500 to 3,500. If you want to read more about my cuts, check out my new book Ripped to Shreds available at https://www.bigramysupps.com

 

Q: Your good friend Dennis James was a big help to you in the final weeks before your Mr. Olympia win in 2020, training you in the gym and working you hard in multiple daily posing sessions. How often were you posing, and how long were the posing sessions? Do you feel your ability to hold your poses without getting tired was an advantage at the 2020 Mr. Olympia?

 

A: Dennis and I are great friends. I will be in the United States after the UK tour, and be spending some time with Dennis working on these things all again. Posing sessions could last even up to an hour or two, and were tedious, but worth it. It paid off in 2020, but I expect the competition to be prepared in 2021. It’s going to be a great show.

 

Make sure to stop by and see me at the Enhanced Labs booth, and just a tease, by then my STIM pre-workout will be out, and Dennis will have his Amino product out. So from posing to supplements, all things are looking great for Mr. Olympia 2021. Thanks for having me.

 

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