Body Engineers International Coach – Tavi Castro

Tavi Castro Interview conducted by simplyshredded.com

Quick Stats:

Age: 23
Height: 5’10” – 178cm
Weight: 191lbs – 87kg

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

Growing up in Canada I played football (soccer) my entire life. I was always very active and spent a lot of time in the gym building up my strength. At 15 I moved away from home to play for youth academies in Europe after being scouted onto the Canadian Youth National Team. About 4 years later I stopped for various personal circumstances and entered university for Aerospace Engineering at the Technical University of Delft, in my new home The Netherlands. The gym sessions being the only thing left from my football days, started to get serious when I came across a bodybuilding federation called Musclemania.

This was an all-natural event where using anabolic substances was banned. I made the choice to stay away from that side of bodybuilding and that’s where it all started.

Where does your motivation come from?

In the beginning my motivation to hit the gym hard was to help relieve emotions left over from the end of my football career. These slowly evolved back into the competitiveness I had while I was still playing. I wasn’t sponsored, had no coaches, and would take the train to school without paying for tickets so I could afford my supplements. I was determined to do something that no one else around me thought was possible. That was my motivation initially. Thereafter, my motivation was fueled by my wins at Fitness Britain, Musclemania Europe in Paris, and Model America in Las Vegas. The wave of people inspired by my story is amazing and this is my main motivator.

I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say because of you I didn’t give up

What workout routine has worked best for you?

Full Routine:

Monday – Legs

• Squat Wide Stance 4×8
• Squat Narrow Stance 2×8
• Stiff Legged Deadlift 4×8
• Leg Press Wide Foot Placement 3×8
• Leg Press Narrow Foot Placement 3×8
• Leg Curls 3x drop set
• Leg Extensions 3x drop set

Tuesday – Chest/Biceps

• Flat Barbell Bench Press 4×8
• Incline Barbell Bench Press 4×8
• Dips 3x drop set
• Flat Dumbbell Press 3×8
• Incline Dumbbell Press 3×8
• Barbell Curls 3×12
• Heavy Hammer Curls 3×12
• Cable Curls 3x drop set

Wednesday – Back/Traps

• Deadlift 3×8
• Bent Over Barbell Rows 3×8
• Bent Over V Bar Rows 3×8
• Cable Rows 3x drop Set
• Barbell Shrug 4×8
• Dumbbell Shrug 4×8

Thursday – Shoulders/Triceps/Abs

• Military Press 3×8
• Barbell Upright Rows 3×8
• Side Raises 3x drop set
• Rear Pec Deck 3x drop set
• Skull Crushers 3×12
• Cable Tricep Extension 3×12
• Over Head Cable Tricep Extension 3×12
• Kneeling Cable Crunches 3×12
• Standing Cable Crunches 3×12
• Weighted Leg Raises 3×12

Friday – Chest/Calves

• Incline Dumbbell Fly’s 3×12
• Flat Dumbbell Fly’s 3×12
• Incline Cable Fly’s 3×12
• Pec Deck 3×12
• Calf Raises 3×50
• Seated Calf Raises 3x drop set

Saturday – Back/Abs

• Wide Grip Pull Ups 3×12
• Wide Grip Pull Downs 3×12
• Close Grip Pull Downs 3×12
• Machine Pull Downs 3×12
• Crunches 3×30
• Ab Rows 3×30
• Leg Raises 3×30

Sunday – Rest

• Recovery day

If you had to pick only 3 exercises, what would they be and why?

Squats, Deadlifts and last but not least, Bench Press. They build the most mass and keep your body in balance. These exercises develop the foundation of any impressive physique!

What is your diet like?

My diet changes to whatever my goal is at that particular moment.

• Meal 1: 8 Egg Whites, 1 Whole Egg, Oatmeal, 1 scoop Whey Isolate
• Meal 2: 2 slices of Whole Grain Bread with Peanut Butter & Zero Carb Nutella
• Meal 3: Tilapia & Sweet Potato
• Meal 4: Chicken & Brown Rice
• Meal 5: 2 scoops of Whey Isolate, Oatmeal, Dextrose (Post workout shake)
• Meal 6: Greek Yoghurt mixed with 1 scoop Casein

What is your supplementation like?

• Animal Pak
• Omega 3
• Vitamin C
• Green Tea
• BCAA
• Creatine/Agmatine
• Beta Alanine
• Arginine
• ZMA
• 

Favorite Quote?

Strength is the product of struggle, you must do what others don’t to achieve what others won’t – Henry Rollins

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tavicastrom
Youtube: www.youtube.com/bodyengineers
Website: www.body-engineers.com