Kyle Hunt is a fitness blogger and trainer. We recently were able to sit down with him for this interview.
Hey Kyle, thanks for being with us today. Give our readers a run down as to what you do and what your website,kylehuntfitness.com is all about.
Thanks for having me! KyleHuntFitness.com first and foremost is the home for my online training and nutrition coaching business. I work with clients all over the world ranging from highly competitive athletes to your average Joe just trying to get in shape. Besides that, we also publish multiple articles a week on all things fitness. Myself as well as my two writers Nick Smoot and Joe String pride ourselves on providing the best information possible.
With a degree in Exercise Science, along with ISSA certifications, you’ve got the knowledge to back up what you talk about. What do you learn in these courses compared to from broscience teenagers on the bodybuilding forums?
I’m not going to say you can’t learn anything from a forum but the majority of information is false and like you said “broscience”. I prefer to get my information right from the source and that means spending a lot of time reading research. One of the best aspects of the exercise science degree was it helped me better understand how to read and understand research papers in the exercise and nutrition field. The fact is you can read all the literature you want on PubMed but if you don’t know how to comprehend it none of it matters. Also a major point to understand is much of the information you want is NOT in the abstract. To really understand what the researchers were going for and what they found you need to dive into the paper and look at the nitty gritty of it. The certifications are more of a formality then anything. You need to have them in order to train people but the information you gain through a certification is not equivalent to a bachelors degree. However, the information in a certification can sometimes be more practical.
When i graduated from business school I almost did my Masters in strength and conditioning but leaned away from it as i found it it was more to do with general fitness and team sports. How did you education prepare you for what you do now?
My education definitely provided me with some necessary tools to succeed with my business but at the end of the day I feel I have learned the most just by working with people and learning as I go. Education can provide the “textbook” knowledge from what you need to do but sometimes its whats not in the book that matters. A lot of what I do revolves around little things you cant really learn any other way besides doing.
What is your favourite style of training?
I have always enjoyed training heavy and being athletic. Lately I have started to incorporate my CrossFit style training into my programming and really enjoy it. CrossFit allows me to do a little bit of everything which I really enjoy.
You do crossfit. How do cope with this type of training compared to when following something like a bodybuilding split?
CrossFit is definitely A LOT more intense and challenging than any bodybuilding program I have ever been on. After doing CrossFit for a a while, when I go back and train with my friends who compete in bodybuilding it doesn’t even feel like I am doing anything lol. I have noticed I need to be more on top of my recovery and sleep to keep performing at the level I want since I started incorporating more CrossFit into my training. That being said bodybuilding programs are the best for hypertrophy (building muscle) and CrossFit is an entirely different animal centered around performance.
You’ve got some great meal ideas and recipes over on your blog. How important is a varied diet of tastes to you?
I feel people generally get too restrictive with their diet. I promote a flexible dieting approach centered around hitting specific calorie and macronutrient targets. If you don’t enjoy what you are eating it makes reaching your goals that much harder. From working with hundreds of clients over the last few years I have noticed that the ones who get the most creative with their foods and make sure they like what they are eating tend to have a much easier dieting experience.
How would you help people out who are stuck in the rut of eating plain chicken breast, plain rice, and have to force themselves to eat?
Well going back to the last question I feel once people understand the flexible dieting concept it is a lot easier to get out of the mind set where you have to eat “clean” all of the time. I actually have a YouTube video series on this, all of the videos can be found here: http://www.
How important do you believe supplements are for those who work out?
While I think supplements do have their benefits, training and nutrition is a lot more important. I feel like people are too quick to spend a bunch of money on supplements before they even have their training and nutrition dialed in. Without training hard and following a good nutrition protocol spending a lot of money on supplements is really a waste. That being said if you are training hard and do have your nutrition dialed in there are a few supplements I feel are beneficial.
Which supplements would you recommend to those reading this article?
I feel these are the three supplements that will benefit the most people.
– Creatine Monohydrate
– Multi-Vitamin
I have a detailed supplement recommendation
Burning muscle and losing fat at the same time. Teenage bodybuilding forums say it can’t be done. I managed to do it last year during my 10 month bodybuilding transformation. What are your thoughts on matter?
It’s definitely possible depending on your starting body fat percentage. If you start a fat loss phase with a higher body fat percent you can most definitely lose fat and gain muscle/strength at the same time. However, if you start a fat loss phase with a lower body fat by default you’re doing to need a little bit more of a deficit to facilitate the fat loss. So building muscle and losing fat at the same time in that instance wouldn’t be possible.
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What difference is there between someone who trains as a hobby, and someone who makes a living from fitness such as yourself?
I’d say the major difference is I take my training a lot more serious than someone who does it as a hobby. I love training, it’s probably one of my favorite activities and I’m lucky that I get to do it for a living. However, seeing that it is my profession, it requires a level of discipline and it’s not always just for fun.
How long does a typical workout last for you?
A typical workout starts with a 20-25 minute warm up, and then I train for anywhere between 90-120 minutes.
Talk us through you current training split.
I squat 4 times a week, bench 2 times a week, deadlift once a week, do a lot of accessory push and pull movements, along with some Crossfit metcons. Training on average 6 days a week.
Do you separate cardio from weight sessions, and how often do you perform cardio a week?
I don’t separate them from weight sessions, I don’t do any traditional cardio. The only cardio I perform is high intensity cardio for short durations. I do high intensity cardio around 4 days a week.
How does a typical day of eating look for you? How much do you aim to eat per day?
I follow flexible dieting so no day really looks the same. However, my current macros are 205 grams of protein, 100 grams of fat, 425 grams of carbs on training day, and 385 grams of carbs on rest day.
How often do you space your meals, or do you just eat when hungry?
I just eat when I’m hungry which tends to be 3-4 times a day.
For anyone who loves training but wants to make a jump like you have and get a proper education in it, what courses would you recommend?
If you want a proper education then I would recommend getting a bachelor’s degree in an exercise related field, such as biomechanics, kinesiology, exercise physiology, or exercise science.
How does Youtube, Facebook and Twitter help your profile as a trainer?
It’s definitely huge for someone with an online business, social media is probably the most effective marketing tool. It’s important as an online trainer to get your information out to people and social media is where they’re at.
For those without a formal education, but want to start blogging or vlogging about fitness, what 1 tip would you give them?
Try to learn as much as you can. There’s a lot of good information online you just need to know where to look. The most important aspect of providing information online is consistency.
Do you have any final words for your fans?
Follow me on twitter and instagram @huntfitness and subscribe to my youtube channel huntfitnesstv – thank you!
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Adam Foster is an aspiring bodybuilder, and has been training since a teenager. As the founder of the website & youtube channel 'Shreddybrek' he shares his experiences and knowledge via informative videos and articles. Get in touch if you have any questions!
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