Eddy Ung, Recent winner of the INBA Mr. Victoria, beating Aaron Curtis for the title shares his diets/routines/and how he lives his life as a bodybuilder.

Motivation to get into bodybuilding?

My motivation started from a young age where I aspired to be as athletic and muscular as any one else was in my school. I dived into training at a young age and loved to learn about different training techniques and how to apply it to my sports. Bodybuilding was made a vision to me after I left school and signed up to a new gym. Some of the new people I met were into the sport and opened my eyes to bigger and better things.

What’s your workout routine like and how does it change between bulking and contest prep?

At the moment during pre-contest phase I’m training six days a week, hitting each body part on a different day, allowing me to focus on those muscles as much as possible and hitting them in all different directions. The difference between my bulking prep is less volume and heavier weights. I would also only train 5 days a week allowing two rest days.

I’ve heard that you don’t really do diet plans or If it fits your macros. Any particular reason?

I prefer to have a set diet which I can stick to day in and day out. I don’t believe in allowing for cheat meals here and there, I don’t see the benefits of eating junk which will go straight through me.. I take my diet seriously and only eat foods which will benefit my training. My metabolism is very fast which allows me to eat what I want and I don’t generally put on much weight in the offseason any way. In terms of measuring I have calculated macros when programming my diet and I now know how much food to include or how much to take out by eye, if I need to put on or lose weight.

If you don’t follow macros or iifym… What’s your diet like and how do you get so lean/dry. How do you know when to switch up your diet, add in cardio, etc. if you aren’t tracking?

It’s simple, Look in the mirror and asses your body. If you feel that you are not losing any weight during your dieting phase, then you either need to cut the calories back accordingly or add in extra cardio. I tend to lose my initial weight through dieting and closer to comp I smash a lot of cardio so that I come in dry.

Have you had any coaching towards your success in bodybuilding or more of a self-learner?

I have had plenty of coaching and I have learned much on my own. I have seen several different Trainers who have shown me how to plan my diet which I believe is a very important factor of ones growth. I am forever learning on training techniques and exercises, through the internet, and through talking to people at the gym. Research is key when you are in this sport, but there are many different opinions which work for some but not for others, so it is important to find what works for you and stick to it.

What are your future bodybuilding goals and plans?

Currently training for the 2013 Victorian and Australian INBA titles. I hope to one day win Mr Australia overall winner. After that i would love to excel my career as a natural bodybuilder and compete in the natural Olympia.

Update: Eddy won the Victorian title beating Aaron Curtis!

Ever plan on competing in America?

Yes, I would love to fly to America and compete against the best in the world in the Natural Olympia.

Little insight into your supplementation?

I’m sponsored by AAA supplements Frankston, who supply me with what ever supplements I need and are very quick in delivering to me or restocking my pantry when ever I am running low so I have a broad range of things I use:

Creatine,

Amino Acids

Isolate Protein

Casein Protein

Glutamine

Multi Vitamin

Fish Oil

Pre Workouts

ZMA

What are your passions outside of bodybuilding. Give us the day in the life of Eddy.

Haha, bodybuilding is my life at the moment, However, I am a car enthusiast, I love going for long drives with mates and pushing our cars to the limits. A bit of an Adrenaline junkie you could say…

Seems like you enjoy traveling. How do you manage to diet/prep/lift during your vacationing?

It is very hard, Personally if I am on holidays I leave my training behind at home and enjoy my time away. I usually plan a holiday once a year at the end of the year to allow my body to rest and for injuries to heal. I’ll take up to 4 -6 weeks off training.

Do you prefer heavier weight/explosive movements, time under tension, or a combination of both. What works best for building muscle in your opinion?

I prefer time under tension. It allows the muscles to take shape and gives you greater mind to muscle connection. Explosive movements are good for mass building but I would only do one or two sets like this and then move into my TUT style.

What separates you from other competitors. What’s made you successful in this sport?

I think dedication is key. I am extremely strict with my dieting leading up to comp, and I am 110% dedicated to my training. I never miss a session and ensure I don’t allow external distractions to hinder me. I see people having cheat meals and this and that and it just gives me fuel to push harder knowing that I’m doing that 1 or 2% better than they are, which could separate us on stage. I also put a lot of time and effort into my posing practice which I think some people lack.

You’re known for being a pretty good poser. Mind sharing some tips?

Yes, this is an important factor which is missed by most competitors. leading into comp I spent 10-20 min after every training session posing in the mirror. i wouldn’t care if people would walk in and out of the change rooms giving me funny looks because I’m posing in my underwear by my self. External opinion is also important because you can only see so much in the mirror.

What are your thoughts on drinking?

Alcohol is a big no no for training. It hinders results, and interrupts metabolism. I stop drinking as of my birthday in February, right up until the end of October.

Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

If I had to give a take home message to the younger generation of aspiring bodybuilders and athletes who simply enjoy training at the gym it would be this: If you are serious about your training and want quick results , there are no short cuts. I started at a very young age and built a quick understanding that it wont happen overnight. Learn as much as you can, talk to as many people as possible and workout a plan that works for you. Experiment early on and then fine tune. Trial and Error is the only way to build knowledge in this sport. Enjoy your time at the gym and add variety to your sessions.