Adam Hayley Interview

As any long time readers of the site, or viewers of my youtube channel will know, before i competed in bodybuilding, i quite often trained following “powerlifting” and “strength” style routines.

Its refreshing for me to me able to interview someone who has competed as a bodybuilder, along with competing in a powerlifting meet. Oh and his name is Adam to! Coincidence?

In my most recent interview, I got to pick the brains of PT Adam Hayley of http://www.adamhayley.co.uk/

For anyone who may not know you, tell us a little bit about your background & what you do.

OK, well – in a nutshell I’m essentially a huge geek when it comes to all things related to how the body works. More specifically; body composition training, anatomy, supplements and especially nutrition.

What all that then allows me to do is the job I have a huge passion for – Personal Training.

I work for arguably the largest and most successful personal training company in the UK, Ultimate Performance (owned by Nick Mitchell).

Aside from the work side of things, I’ve competed as a BodyBuilder twice and also competed at a Powerlifting meet. So, I like to think I have a slightly unique blend of being a bookworm coupled with real world experience.

When did you first get into weight lifting and exercising?

When I was 13. I bought my first Men’s Health magazine. I started with press-ups and sit-ups in my room and by 14 had taken out my first gym membership.

What was it that inspired your to get started?

Well, being 5’6 and ¾ (yes, that ¾ makes all the difference) I soon realised I wasn’t growing any taller.. So, I decided to grow wider! On a serious note, I just envied the physiques you see on the front of the magazines, and wanted to emulate it.

Once I started I thought ‘who better to ask about getting huge and ripped than bodybuilders??’

That then led me down the route of the slightly more ‘hardcore’ training than the typical Men’s Health biceps focused workouts..

As an aspiring bodybuilder, to me, working out and nutrition is more than just a hobby. Its a lifestyle. When did fitness become more than just a hobby to you?

Honestly, VERY quickly. I had both legs surgically broken at 15 years old and was in a wheelchair with pins & plates in my knee’s. Once I was able to walk again, I was so embarrassed by how small my legs were due to the muscle loss that I gave it everything I had.

I paid a coach to set me an initial diet, I’d designed my own 4 day split (though of course it was too advanced at the time) and had ordered my first tub of whey protein. Fruit Punch flavour.. I would never recommend that to anyone!

Haha I remember my first tub of protein powder, Body Fortress. Thankfully I discovered MyProtein and their impact whey and true whey not long after!The world of fitness can be confusing, with so many methods, training plans and ways to achieve a good physique. How do you personally workout?

Hmm, traditionally I’ve always trained relatively low volume. I get burned out very quickly with high volume training, and I really enjoy training with a lower rep range (5-8 typically).

That said, there’s two drawbacks to focusing on constant pound progression:

• Niggles and injuries

• You’re limiting yourself to just one training stimulus, so actually missing out on potential growth.

I realised I needed to be doing more volume but struggled to get the balance right.

Over the past 6-12 months though, I’ve been following John Meadows’ stuff (MountainDogDiet.com) and he has a pretty unique way of training.

He mixes brutal intensity with periods of high volume and/or frequency. BUT, he also structures his exercises in such a way you’re still able to enjoy heavy basic lifting, without the damage to your joints. I’ve also consulted with him via Skype and he’s a clever dude all round.

Give us a run down of your training split.

My basic split right now looks like this:

Monday – Legs

Tuesday – Chest & Shoulders (Heavy)

Wednesday – OFF

Thursday – Back

Friday – Chest & Shoulders (Pump)

Saturday – OFF

Sunday – Arms

And would you apply this exact same method to your clients? Or do you view every person as needing a different solution?

Naturally, every client needs a different approach.

The bulk of my clients at Ultimate Performance are lawyers, bankers, accountants, IT consultants etc. Due to their long work hours and stressful jobs, the majority of them have huge biomechanical disadvantages and impaired movement patterns. Just getting them moving properly and safely is often the first task.. So, this style of training is DEFINITELY not needed.

I then also have certain online clients that are actually Personal Trainers themselves – so can handle some more advanced type stuff.

And on top of that, I’m getting more and more involved in physique contest prep. Where we could definitely apply certain principles for my own training. Though, again it would depend on the category. For example a male bodybuilder needs complete development all over.

Whereas a female competing in bikini would need less emphasis on muscles like the chest & biceps and more volume/frequency on shoulders, upper back, glutes & hamstrings.

What are some of the more unconventional things that are in your routine. Exercises people might look at you and think “why the hell is Adam doing that?”

I think ‘Rear Delt Swings’ is likely the most that turns heads. I’ve even had other trainers say ‘Dude, WTF? Why are you not using a full range of motion?!’

The reason for it, is it takes the mid-traps and rhomboids out of the equation which would usually assist during a traditional rear delt flye.

Instead the rear delt swing isolates the posterior head of the deltoid (shoulder) and man is it effective! The burn you get from it is insane when performed for higher reps.

Are there any exercises that you would never recommend to someone?

Not really, I think most exercises could be useful in certain situations. The problem is, most don’t ever think WHY they are doing an exercise.

For example; an Olympic lift. When done for singles etc as an Olympic lifting athlete would at competition, is absolutely fine.

However, you’ve got idiots that have just started training, barely learnt basic movement patterns, go along to their local CrossFit box and attempt these complex Olympic lifts for TIME. To me, that’s just a disaster waiting to happen. It’s no wonder sports therapists love CrossFit – it’s keeping them in business!

Same with balance/wobble boards etc. They probably have a great use in ankle rehab, but does that mean you should try and squat on them with a loaded barbell on your back? No!

What is your approach to training for muscle mass, compared to training for fat loss?

This depends on the demographic I’m training.

Fat loss for clients that have very little training experience = full body routines, PHA based training, very little rest and I try to get them used to as many positive movement patterns as possible.

In contrast, fat loss for a bodybuilding competitor wouldn’t  change much at all from a mass gaining phase (except in the final few weeks leading into the show).

• Whatever built you that muscle is probably going to be the best thing to maintain it. (So, if low-moderate rep strength work got you jacked.. Don’t suddenly start doing the light weight high rep crap you read about).

• That 1 hour of the day should be geared toward GAINING or at least retaining muscle. I let the cardio and diet take care of the fat loss.

Moving onto diet and supplementation. Tell us about the supplements you use.

I’m very simple and minimal with supplement usage to be honest.

I’d say my staples would be:

– Fish Oils (unless eating oily fish 2-3x per week)

– Probiotics (70-80% of your immune system is in the gut, so it makes sense to me to protect this if training is going to be intense/stressful)

– Whey Protein (no min. / max. amount here, use as needed)

– Creatine Monohydrate (Tried & tested)

If you have a little extra cash and want to try some different supplements that could be viewed as the ‘cherry on top of the cake’:

– Caffeine (Pre-workout to enhance focus and fat oxidation)

– Agmatine Sulfate (Pre-workout to enhance bloodflow and potential nutrient uptake)

– Citrulline Malate (As above)

– Beta Alanine (Pre-workout to help reduce the onset of lactic acid)

– Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin W/ EAA’s (INTRA-workout to aid recovery)

 

We have a ton of choice when buying supplements online these days. Bulk suppliers such as My Protein, Protein Works, Go Nutrition and the likes are gaining ground with more established brands such as BSN, Maximuscle, Opmtimum Nutrition. Do you think people need to go with the ‘big brands’ or do you think the bulk suppliers deliver equal quality?

I think ‘most’ bulk suppliers are OK. Especially for single amino acids etc..

Having said that, I do know of certain brands in the past that have been guilty of ‘amino spiking’.

Without going into it properly – they’re underdosing the protein that consumers are buying.

A few years back I remember one company claiming their protein percentage was 80%. The product tasted great and was v v cheap compared to other companies offering protein of around the same quality.

After being sent off to get tested – it came back to be something ridiculous like 23% protein! The rest was fillers/sugars etc – hence it tasting so good!

What is your go to brand of supplements?

Reflex Nutrition.

What is your favourite supplement from their range?

Definitely their Peptide Fusion. It’s a ‘time released’ protein that consists of:

33% Whey Protein (rapidly digested)

33% Egg White Protein (average digestion time)

33% Micellar Casein (slow digested)

For those that pay attention to this kind of thing, it’s also worth noting the whey comes from grass-fed cattle.

Do you use different protein supplements such as whey protein at certain times in the day, and then casein before bed?

I’ve pretty much answered this above actually.. I use the Peptide Fusion which means I’m good to take it whenever. That said, I do take free-form EAA’s INTRA workout due to their fast absorption.

How do you incorporate supplements into your diet, so that you have a good mix of whole foods and supplements?

Generally I try to keep the majority of my meals throughout the day as whole food meals, and try to keep liquid/supplemental nutrition to around the workout perimeter.

The only time this changes occasionally is if I go through periods of having a poor appetite. Then I may alternate my meals so they go:

Whole Food Meal

Liquid Meal

Whole Food Meal

Liquid Meal

Etc etc

How do you establish macros for weight gain?

Typically I’d get a prospective client to do me 3 day food diary and guestimate it from there..

Failing that – depending on bodyfat % – I’d multiply bodyweight (lbs) by 16-18.

How would this caloric intake differ when trying to lose fat?

In some cases it may actually not. Females for example, due to their lower bodyweight already tend to have lower calorie diets before they come to see me. In this case rather than reduce calories further – I tend to increase output.

More than one way to skin a cat, you don’t always need to immediately start reducing calories when starting on a fat loss endeavor.

How important is meal timing to you? Do you eat every 2.5-3 hours , or do you not worry about timing, as long as you hit your goals for the day?

Really depends on the person. For me, I prefer 4-5 larger meals per day as opposed to the traditional 6-8 small meals.

In a nutshell I really don’t think it matters a great deal – as long as it all adds up to the same totals at the end of the day.

What does a typical day of eating look like to you?

Meal 1:

50g Peptide Fusion

75g Cream of Rice

40g Almonds

Meal 2:

220g Chicken Breast

100g Oats

2tbsp Almond Butter

Meal 3:

220g Chicken Breast

2 Wholemeal Tortilla Wraps

2tbsp Almond Butter

INTRA-WORKOUT:

40g Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin

20g EAAs

PWO:

75g Peptide Fusion

80g Cereal (Coco Pops, Chex, Rice Krispies etc)

Meal 4:

250g 5% Beef Mince

125g Cooked Rice

Meal 5:

500g Total Greek Yoghurt

Small sprinkle of granola for texture

Are there any foods you completely eliminate from your diet, and would never eat them as they’re too ‘unhealthy’?

I try not to label any particular food as forbidden as we all tolerate foods completely differently.

My one rule of thumb is; if you KNOW you don’t digest a certain food well – don’t eat it. Seems like common sense, but many ignore it. Eating foods that you don’t tolerate well on a regular basis can cause a lot of inflammation. Which can end up being detrimental to progress long term.

For example, I digest gluten just fine, so I don’t need to avoid it. However, I have a hard time digesting milk – so I’ll use alternatives such as Coconut or Almond milk.

When it comes to cheat meals, do you see these as a free meal or do you factor them into your caloric intake?

I have quite a few ways I approach this with various clients but I’ll try keep it short & simple.

In the off-season for the ‘average’ person that gains muscle at an OK rate I don’t recommend them to help with muscle growth directly. It’s more a case for mental sanity! I tend to let them have 1-2 ‘free’ meals a week where they can relax but try not to go OTT.

It’s VERY rare, but if I have a client that has a super fast metabolism then I’ll get them to use v calorie dense cheat meals to try and increase caloric intake easily. I’ve probably only had 1 client like this in the last 2 years though. If ‘good’ food intake is high enough – 99% of people should grow well.

With fat loss, it really depends on client psychology.

What I prefer and think is most beneficial is to lower protein & fat intake and increase carbohydrate rich foods; rice, potatoes, cereal, cereal bars etc.

This is due to the effects on leptin (hormone mentioned above).

In some cases though, this ‘triggers’ some clients into bingeing as they’re still craving fatty foods.

If this is the case then I’ll go back to the ‘free meal’ scenario – whereby for 1 evening they can go out for a meal with their partner or whatever and forget about the diet. Food choices here tend to always be fatty; pizza, curry, fish & chips etc. Out of the two I consider this less optimal in terms of what a refeed is meant to do… But, if it increases client compliancy on the diet in genereal – I’m really not too fussed!

One thing I will mention though… Is I believe most people start cheat meals / refeeds too early and way before they ‘deserve’ them. The whole point of a refeed is to stimulate leptin/T3. If you’ve barely dieted a week or two, these hormones won’t have been affected yet so is pretty pointless! You need to earn those cheat meals / refeeds!

What is your go to cheat meal?

I can never narrow it down to just one. It’s always EITHER sausages & mash or a decent home made roast dinner!

What does 2015 hold for you?

The early part has me focusing on adding some more lean muscle. I’m taking skinfolds every 2-3 weeks to ensure the weight going in remains lean. I’ve been guilty in the past of just chasing scale weight – it’s a recipe for disaster!

Then, around April/May I’ll begin contest prep for the UKBFF Midlands Championships in September!

Where can our readers follow you?

www.AdamHayley.co.uk

Twitter: AdamHayleyPT

Facebook: Adam Hayley PT