Taylor Normandeau is March's Rx Muscle Member of the Month!

[Curt James]

Taylor Normandeau is March's Rx Muscle Member of the Month!

Rx Muscle's Member of the Month for March 2013 is the artist formerly known as Chode Logan, one Taylor Normandeau.



This 5'10” 228 lbs. 25-year-old brown-eyed Gemini prefers Coke over Pepsi and is currently taking part in the popular M4BTEAM transformation challenge. Let's learn more about this forum superhero!

Would you share the bodybuilder's A/S/L - height/weight/"How much u bench, bro?"

5'10 1/2, 232 lbs (changes all the time).

I don't bench press anymore really, and I usually train alone. But I got 130's on incline dumbbell press for 11 reps last time I had a trustworthy spot, I was pretty happy with that. I am not much of a presser and most of my "strength" comes in that I can handle pretty heavy weights for high reps, I never mess around below 7-8 reps much. I want to enjoy a long career in the gym and I so far am relatively healthy and uninjured.



How did you first discover bodybuilding?

I have always been intrigued by being jacked haha. I remember always wanting to choose the biggest character when playing video games, and any game that allowed you to create a character I always wanted to them as muscular as possible.

I was one of those kids who hit puberty several years earlier than the rest, and was always built much thicker and stronger than my peers when I was young, and I loved WWF (Yes, WWF not WWE) up until I became a teenager...really don't know how grown men watch that shit now, but back in the day it was pretty inspiring to me haha.

When I started lifting weights in high school and responded quickly, I was sold. Then I saw Pumping Iron, I was extra sold.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ8aqP2NWk8

I shot past my friends pretty quickly. I was absolutely never an athlete, and I honestly find team sports pretty boring. Never interested me (except the occasional hockey game, I am Canadian after all).

The thought of relying on others and just how structured they are kind of repulsed me...I was nagged to join the football team a lot by the coach but had no interest. I was too busy getting stoned, lifting weights and playing guitar.
I stopped lifting after high school and got extremely fat and gross, I should add.


That was then.

Own up to one of your guilty pleasures.

I like watching Gordon Ramsey yell at people, and I'm not sure why....

What was the last muscle magazine you bought?

Do I get disqualified if I say MD? It's been a long time. I don't bother with the print magazines anymore as the ads drive me nuts and the information is old, but I will admit I miss having something in my hands to read, as opposed to having to use the computer. I will also admit I have a subscription to Men's Health...the workout info in there hurts my soul but I enjoy some of the articles and it is decent bathroom material.

What are the three most important things in life to you?

1. Family
2. Honour
3. Fun

What makes you laugh?

Almost everything, I spend most of the day with a stupid grin on myself. To be completely honest, it's people taking things seriously that makes me laugh the most. Save for funerals and serious injuries, there really isn't anything worth getting riled up over and I think it's pretty silly how people make dramatic situations out of such small things.

We are such goofy creatures with our habits, bodily functions, and just how we live that to see people act like they are somehow higher beings and above all that is pretty funny.

What is one of your favorite places?

There is so much beautiful scenery around me here in BC, it's hard to narrow down. Vancouver can be a very overwhelming and off-putting place, but it's just so alive. The ocean on one side and mountains on the other, and it's just lush and green (the only benefit to it being rainy all the time haha).

Outside of my homeland, Clearwater Beach in Florida is my favorite spot. Spent several weekends there and it is the polar opposite of where I'm from. Love that place!

What music are you listening to these days?

I am a complete music nerd and it's by far my favorite art form. It's hard to explain but I love music too much to ever list a favorite artist or even 10. I am mostly intrigued by metal because it is just so extreme yet also holds the most creativity, it's the only genre I can think of where new bands are always pushing the limit and blending new ideas.

I am all about creativity and expression, if I get the sense anyone is just doing something for the sake of doing it, I get turned off really easily.

On the contrary, if you catch me on the ride home from the gym or lounging around the house, don't be surprised if I am listening to solo jazz piano or ambient music.

I honestly love every form, except I find that country and rap are pretty much just useless commercial dog shit and offer nothing to me (except 90's rap, Biggie is classic).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ8aToTItfk

What is your favorite film of all time?

It's a toss up between Forrest Gump and Dumb and Dumber. Strange choices probably haha. I enjoy documentaries too, but I mostly like movies that just make me laugh but are well written while being stupid.

Who is your best friend?

THE IRON, BRO.

Just kidding.

I mostly spend my (very rare) free time with the same select few from high school, although just 3 or 4, and a few I have met through music and played music with. Those kinds of experiences always make you close with people in a fast period of time....or makes you hate them if they are annoying.

What is the best advice you've ever received?

That you have the right to not accept others negativity. Many people feel like you are responsible to join them in whatever misery they want to share with you, and sadly most people feel that responsibility themselves. Once it clicked that no one can control how you feel except you, I changed.

I refuse to join anyone in the dumps, there's too many energy leeches out there. Of course this does not mean one shouldn't be sympathetic to others. We are magnets and we attract what we put out.

When is the last time you were truly frightened?

Probably when I was 12 or so and was always paranoid someone was going to break in the house when I was alone haha.

Who is someone you really admire?

Probably a predictable answer, but my dad. He is the hardest working human I have ever seen. He never complains, never gets angry or upset, and is always searching for the solution to every problem instead of dwelling on the problem itself. He can fix anything that is broken and play at least a half dozen instruments. He truly makes me feel lazy haha.

What would you like to see happen related to Rx Muscle in the next 12 months?

More of the same. With the level of passion that exists in the staff, it's just going to take time for it to become what it is destined to be. The other media outlets are so old school and formulaic that it's a no contest.

I would like to see the actual bodybuilding community and organizations break out of their stubborn shell and make it easier for people like the crew at RX to cover the sport.

Currently it seems like they are infiltrating venues and offering as much as they can, I would like to see bodybuilding shows open up and welcome having a media presentation, take a cue from the sports world.


Taylor Normandeau, October 2012

You've worked with Aaron Singerman and Rx Muscle in a professional capacity? Can you tell us a little about the experience?

I moved to central Florida in December 2011 (my wife is from there). I was honestly very bored and was having a hard time finding anyone that I could even hold a conversation with.

I knew Aaron lived in Tampa, and figured what the hell and sent him an email. He knew me from the boards and I pretty much just explained I had moved to Florida, was bored as hell and if they wanted any help with any of the shows down there, let me know.

He responded and said they might need me for the Orlando show. Sure enough a month or so later, there I was at the Europa with a press pass in my hand, in a new country, and a then 3 week old baby.

Dave and Aaron were a lot of fun and felt like old friends, it's funny meeting someone who you have listened to and seen a lot of already. It was impressive to see the pace Dave holds and how hard they work.

When the Tampa show came around I just shot a quick text to see if we were still on, and then did the same there. It makes you realize how silly all the internet crowd is with their gossip and rumors, when these guys are just normal people. The whole crew was more than welcoming to me and the family.

I initially emailed Aaron cause I felt like he was just like me, a guy with a bit of a past who simply loves bodybuilding and relies on his passion to take him where he wants to go. Him and Darielle are good people and he's always been willing to offer advice and help when I've asked.

What's your current line of work?

I have worked in all sorts of crappy jobs at gyms and sales positions. I actually am now working in an Optometry clinic as basically a receptionist and optician, helping with the basic stuff and otherwise just organizing the doctors books and ordering prescriptions and eye glasses.

It is definitely not an area of passion for me, but I do enjoy that I get to dress in nerdy clothes and it's a complete contrast to who I am outside of it. It's kind of like being Clark Kent, just need to figure out the Superman part.

I am a lifelong musician though and that was my original passion. I have been writing and recording music since I was 13, and played in a band for many years. It has taken a back seat in my life since the family has come into play, but I spend 2-3 nights a week as sort of a "hired gun" to record guitar parts and just help bring recordings to the next level.

I would love to make a living doing that but the music industry is just as flaky and unrewarding as the bodybuilding one, unfortunately.

How is your new job and what does it entail?

It's not bad. As a mix of musician and bodybuilder, you can imagine that a 9-5 is like Kryptonite to me! haha. But you have to do what you have to do. So far I am enjoying it. I am basically a glorified receptionist and book all the doctors exams and deal with the patients, and order their prescriptions etc. Better than some of the other jobs I have had.

What's the best part of your job?

It affords me to live and my family to eat.

What's the worst part of your job?

It's not in a field I am passionate about.

You're married?

Yes sir

With children?

Yes sir, one crazy little 10 month old son.


Cade Normandeau!

How did Taylor Normandeau propose?

We took a day trip up in the mountains to a small town and were relaxing taking in the scenery. Stupidly I started thinking about it instead of just doing it so there was a good 15 minutes where I was anxiously kind of standing around looking at the lake and stuff before I manned up. I'm not one to get nervous, but the key is to just act and not think! It's a beautiful day though and the scenery was right.

What's the best part of being a father?

Definitely a priority changer. The urge to provide is much stronger.

My son is the most energetic infant I have ever seen so he keeps us busy, but it's clear he is going to be a smart kid. I was a stay at home dad full time for the first 6 months of his life, due to the fact there is no maternity leave in Florida so I got a good hands on experience haha.

I also worked 35-40 hours a week in the evenings and weekends so it was a very hard time that tested me and I learned that I am capable of more than I thought...but I am very glad it's over! We are living back in my home town of Vancouver BC now and my wife is a full time mom.


Father and son jam session!

What's the most frightening or frustrating part?

The most frightening part is thinking that he might turn out like me!

heh :-) Let's back up a good bit. Though you state you lifted religiously in your teenage years, you took a several year hiatus from the gym between 2005 and 2007. What was the reason for this fitness layoff?

It was a cocktail of several things. Even before I stopped training, I somehow adopted the "You can eat anything you want as long as you exercise" and when I was 18 or so I put on a lot of fat with the muscle. I would skip breakfast, lift for 3 hours, then just eat cafeteria burgers and sodas and shit all day and night time just pig out microwavable garbage.

The summer after high school, I joined a band and got my first full time job, while trying to spend as much of my free time with my then girlfriend (we all know how serious those high school relationships are...jeez). So more or less I kept the same horrible eating habits and then slowly phased the gym out of my life.

I naturally tend to hold some muscle, and we all know with some muscle and a lot of fat you can look somewhat big when covered up. In my head I thought I was just a few months off track, but after 2 years of this behaviour or so I had a reality check.

I was also quite a party fiend, and quickly after the changes I mentioned before with all the new schedules, the girlfriend and I broke up (WHO SAW THAT COMING!?!?!?) and I substituted that down time with lots and lots of alcohol and partying. In the years of 18-20 or so I went from a "solid" 210 or so to a very very sloppy 285 lbs.

I remember having to buy 42" waist dress pants for a job I got....not a good experience. I guess I was really coasting off the memory of being the "big kid" and took a little long to realize I was now a fat guy.

I honestly believe I would probably be a half decent bodybuilder right now if instead of going off the rails, I buckled down at 18 and learned more about nutrition....That set back robbed me from probably being where I am now many years earlier.

But damn did I have some fun! I have no regrets as I got all the immature stuff out of my system and lots of valuable lessons were learned.

What exactly is the “non-midget white man syndrome”? (referenced in your M4BTEAM journal) Although since most IFBB Pros seem closer to the 5'6” mark than your own 5'10” self I guess it's self explanatory?

Haha. It's not meant to be offensive, I simply am referring to what happens with a lot of the guys who are of average/tall height (5'10-6'1). A lot of us tend to not photograph very well.

The longer muscles and frame just don't pack that visual WOW in a photo, where in essence everyone is reduced to the same size (structure wise). So a shorter guy with short popping muscle bellies might look like king kong in a photo, when in reality he isn't exactly ultra impressive compared to some of the bigger guys who just don't wow in photos.

The "white" element is simply just muscle belly related, as we all can see that (generally speaking), black guys tend to get those popping muscles which make them look huge even when the measurements aren't there.

The plus side to this is that the bigger taller guys tend to look much more impressive in person. Guys like Steve Kuclo/Centopani/Wolf are prime examples.
Yes they do look freaky in photos (duh), in person they are really just that much more HOLY SHIT. Now of course I don't share that last effect with those gentlemen, I just look worse in photos and look bad in person haha. My strengths are ones that don't get captured in snap shots.

I looked through your M4B journal and noted your plan to increase food and force change in your physique. Where do you gather your nutritional and training strategies?

I have devoted so many hours of my life to reading online, I would be scared to see the total. I am not a scientifically minded person though, I more so tend to just "cliff note" it myself in my brain. While the minute details of HOW are interesting and can help understand the process, I just find they bog me down when I just really need to know the WHAT and WHY. It must be the artist in me...haha. I had extreme organization and that anal mentality just gives me anxiety.

Basically I would say my strategies are formed from lots of reading and then personal practice. I tend to just find sources I trust and them see how their ideas react in me. I am absolutely annoyed with the fad of these textbook-bodybuilders who can't form an opinion without quoting a study.

I think it's best to start with the science and mold it from experience...anyone who denies what their body is telling them because a study said it should be the other way, is an idiot. Sadly, on the internet the idiots get the same voice as the brilliant.

This whole lifestyle is fueled by learning and mastering your body (to me, at least) and I feel that since the body is a living organism that changes constantly and every single one is different, it is beyond ridiculous to think there are any "absolutes" and equations that are across the board accurate.

Would you consider Leo Costa as a mentor or resource?

To be completely honest, I don't know anything about him. I usually NEVER follow a "routine" of any kind, as like I previously mentioned my musicians brain hates that organization. The idea of a log book makes me want to vomit. BUT I felt like I needed a change.

I was following Mountain Dog principles for many months and I am a huge fan of John Meadows and his training/diet strategies. But my lifestyle changed around and I needed something new to possibly get equal results with less time in the gym. I was training very high volume but life's demands made it so sleep and rest was not as abundant as it used to be, so I needed something more condensed.

A very large man I know said he liked the program, and it takes the concepts that I liked about DC (Doggcrapp) training but fixed the things I didn't. No log book, and more volume. I really just wanted to shock my body and see how I responded to training muscle groups multiple times a week.

So far I am enjoying it as it gives structure to rest periods/splits/rep schemes but freedom in the form of exercises and weights used. I am not one to follow someone elses outline for long, but right now I'm digging it.

Who are some of the people in the sport you consider trustworthy and genuine?

I haven't met many, but from personal experience I can tell you the Singermans and Mr. Palumbo have been very kind and they are good people. Also, I think it's easy to tell the previously mentioned John Meadows is very passionate and genuine in what he does, traits like that just come across in how people present themselves.

My wife also is a "Braun Fitness" client and PJ has been awesome to her and always willing to help, doing a great job of getting her back to where she was before a child came along.

What would your recommend to people interested in learning more about supraphysiological supplementation?

Never trust anyone who says something is "definite". We all respond differently. Do not just Google away and read forum posts from websites and usernames you have no experience with.

There are plenty of resources with legitimate experienced people pooling their knowledge and experiences together. You can start with the basic profiles, and then go on to read experiences.

And finally, if you are going to take the plunge, find out for yourself and do so carefully. I have read so many horrifying things that get parroted on forums from people with no avatars, that completely just haven't existed in my own experience. Just like diet and training, what works for someone else might not work for you.

What are some of your favorite OTC supplements?

Most of my "supplements" are health based. Vitamin C, multi, Fish oil, coQ-10, baby aspirin, vitamin D. I want to stay as healthy as possible. For bodybuilding supps I use glutamine, creatine, and leucine which I drink with some Gatorade powder while I workout (can't always afford this combo but I try to keep it in, feel it helps a lot). And when I need to ignite the fat burning I will toss in the ole ECA stack.

[Curt James]

What's your favorite food?

Probably sushi, I am a sucker for salmon sashimi and a giant plate of rolls. We have a gigantic Asian population here and being on the Pacific Ocean, the sushi in Vancouver is amazing.



^^^^

Fucking luxury right here...re-heated shitty fish, 2 slices of organic sprouted whole grain bread with grass fed butter, and SUPER CLASSY folgers instant coffee.

Your favorite cheat meal?

Pizza followed by ice cream, no brainer.

Any tricks to maintain your dieting or eating focus?

No tricks. Honestly, I am so determined to improve that it's not even a struggle. When I mess up, I get so disappointed in myself that it's usually punishment enough. I admit this is a limited lifestyle and a lot of people say it's crazy to deny so many of the pleasures out there, but my mind has to obsess about something or else I go haywire.

It's how I keep myself together. My obsession used to be getting destroyed on drugs and alcohol and partying, so I take this as a welcome change. I approached music the same way. Doing anything casually just bores me to death, If I am not trying to do something to an elite level I just see no point in doing it at all.

To what do you attribute your switch from a seemingly “party” life philosophy to a bodybuilder's lifestyle?

I was always interested in bodybuilding and even when I was fat I still made sure to see who won the Mr.O. I don't remember the exact switch, but I just got tired of feeling like shit. And instead of poisoning myself with things that make me look and feel like shit, I could put things in my body that help me look and feel better.

At first the diet and health side wasn't very important, I just wanted to be big, but as I matured that became a bigger aspect of my passion.

What are some of the craziest lifts you've seen in the gym or in competitions?

I remember seeing some national level bodybuilder bust out 18 reps on the flat bench with 405 without much effort. I'm not much of a presser and I was just doing cardio watching and it made me go "wtf?"

Dropping from nearly 300 lbs. To 225 or so, your approach to diet seems to work very well for you. What's been the most difficult part or what's kept you from becoming truly shredded or gaining that six pack?

I honestly have no clue...I feel like I am always improving to at least some degree, yet never reach the promised land. I go through periods where calories are increased and feel like my metabolism jacks up and I lean out, then I drop calories and feel like I lean out more, like I found the answer, and go back and forth yet never really get to that bodybuilder-lean state. I guess I could still try doing 1+ hours of cardio every day, I haven't gone back to that since I initially started to drop weight.

Care to share some of your favorite authors? Or what's the most recent book you've enjoyed? Are you more a non-fiction or fiction fan?

Definitely non-fiction. Currently I'm reading Arnold's bio...haha. But other than that, I tend to stick to the mind-empowering type ones that some people find to be new age garbage.

I definitely am not a sucker who gets swallowed by all of them, some authors come across genuine and others are complete tools. I more so just use them to re-affirm and get back on track though, even just a few pages a night can flip that switch back to a positive mind set.

I read a very interesting book while I was in the hospital about the mental blocks that really stop us from reaching our potential. It was based more so in the music world, and was written by a jazz pianist, but it was applicable to anything really.

It basically enforced the idea that belief and intent was the essence to getting better at things, and simply using the mind to make your practice much more efficient.

Why were you in the hospital?

The reason I was in the hospital was pretty grim, and probably going to be hard to summarize the whole situation in a few sentences. I suffered from clinical depression throughout my teen years off and on, I hid it from my friends and buried it in a "happy go lucky" attitude and tons of subtance and alcohol abuse.

I was never addicted to any specific drug or booze, but was addicted to getting as messed up as possible and trying anything i could get my hands on really. It never controlled my life and I was not a burn out by any means, I just liked to get high and weekends were usually spent tripping on something or getting black out drunk.

When I was 22, my depression came back to me hard. I was not taking care of myself mentally and a "perfect storm" occurred in my life and by the time I realized how far down I was, it was too late.

I remember one night I just couldn't sleep and was just crippled mentally, just snapped pretty much. Couldn't work or do anything. I saw doctors and was loaded on a bunch of different stuff that spun me into more anxiety and after a long few weeks I had stored up enough of the prescription drugs that were potentially fatal (I did my research).

One day my brain just went from "I'm going to take all of them next week", next week turned into tomorrow, and within an hour or two it dawned on me that I was going to do it that very day. I downed about 35-40oz of vodka and used it to swallow all of the pills, which was over double what was documented as a fatal dose.

I threw in a crapload of the other pills as well for good measure, threw on my headphones, wrote my letter, left a message on my parents phone and closed my eyes with absolute 100% certainty they wouldn't open again. Thankfully, they did.

My parents got the message shortly after and called an ambulance. I can honestly say it wasn't a cry for attention, there wasn't a single part of me that thought I would survive.

I can't relate to feeling like that anymore, it's hard to think back on. Anyways, I had my stomach pumped and drank that lovely overdose charcoal stuff they make you drink, and was locked up in ER for 2 days. I have vague memories of ripping out all my IVs as I was so mad that I was still alive and was also just completely blacked out from all the crap I put in my body.

Three days later my brain snapped back to reality and I was in the psych ward. I spent two weeks reading, thinking, and writing music. They could tell I was not a threat like some of the other patients and let me have my guitar and kind of do as I please.

After two more days they let me leave for 2 hours a day to go train, and my parents brought me lots of good food to eat. I am not a conventionally religious man and I think organized religion is a major problem, but after that experience I truly felt stupid for being one of those stubborn 100% atheist know-it-alls.

There are spiritual factors out there, some are dark and some are light. I had no real control over myself in that dark time but something kept me alive through it against all odds and it changed me.

Since then I have learned that our attitude and thoughts really create our life and happiness is really a choice that you simply have to make, that's all there is to it.

Now, for me to think that all the things I have had happen to me in the last 3.5 years would have never existed if that went as I thought it would, is overwhelming.

It's only been a short time and I have a beautiful wife, an amazing son, and have done a lot with music and bodybuilding that I didn't think I would have so quickly.

You're very fortunate, surviving a brush with death like that. I can only imagine how that must change a man's perspective on the value of life. I'm going to keep your quote in my memory, Taylor.

"Since then I have learned that our attitude and thoughts really create our life and happiness is really a choice that you simply have to make, that's all there is to it."

Tell me about your move across the continent. What spurred the relocation? And how has this cold and flu season treated you and your family?

I moved to Florida from BC because my wife is from there, and she had a career and a house, while I was just renting and working a job that wasn't much. The cost of living was also much much cheaper down there.

She had been to Vancouver a few times and I went to visit her and was denied access to the country and banned from the US until I got a visa. We were pretty devastated.

We began the visa process in March 2011 and she spent the summer of 2011 with me in Canada while we waited. Shortly after she returned home, she called me to tell me she was pregnant.

Now I was stuck up in Canada waiting for my visa, while she was all alone, pregnant, 5000 miles away. It was a long 2-3 months before finally my paperwork went through and I eventually made it down there for December.

A lot of good things happened in 2012 in Florida but it was also a very difficult year for us, by the fall we had decided to jump ship and we moved back to my home town right before Christmas 2012. Now we are going through all the same paperwork crap for her! But at least this time we are together for the wait.

Cold and flu season fucked us up, Curt. The baby got sick, then I got sick, then the wife got sick, and we pretty much passed it back and forth and it took 5-6 weeks for every one to get back to normal.

How has your “10 month old little beast” :-) affected your training and diet?

Honestly, not much. It keeps me on my feet more but I still make it to the gym as much as I need to. You have to be a lot more flexible but if you are determined, it's no excuse. Sometimes planned morning workouts get pushed to evening, etc.

You just have to be smarter about your timing when it comes to cooking, have to take advantage of those short bursts of time that he's distracted or napping!


Dave Palumbo and Cade Normandeau

Here's Palumbo nursing my child when he was 6 weeks old....The amount of people who thought this was his baby on facebook was very amusing.

How has fatherhood impacted your lifestyle in and out of the gym?

I was already tamed down before he came along so honestly not much has changed there in terms of lifestyle. Life itself is different, but I was pretty boring for the year or two leading up to his birth haha.

In the gym I would like to think it has inspired me more to be better, faster. I do not want to be holding a bodybuilding dream in 10 years while still placing 6th in local shows, so it has pushed me to want to really take it to a higher level now, so I can know what lies ahead for me in that realm.

If it's pretty clear within a few years that I am going to become the guy at the gym who always talks about how he's going to compete or really gonna "show em next year", I will kick it down a few notches on my priority list and just do it for fun. The time would best be invested elsewhere if that's the case.

How big is your family? How close are you?

The best thing is even if you don't see them often, it always feels like no time has passed. I have just one brother, he is a half brother but he is my brother, we lived together for most of our lives. He is 7 years older than me though. We are very close and I couldn't imagine not having him. I actually just saw him for the first time in over a year as we both moved away (although I came back).

My parents are still married and my mom's extended family is very close, and crazy. It used to be embarrassing but as I have gotten older and spent so much time away from them, I appreciate it a lot more now.

What competition have you set as your goal?

There's really only one show here to do for your first, the tier system up here is pretty limited. The Sandra Wickham Fall Classic is the only real show to choose so that'll be it.

Do you have any favorite supplement companies for your glutamine, creatine, etc. or do you alternate among several brands?

Trueprotein is usually my go to, I like to buy things in bulk for cheap! And Dante is one of the good guys.

Is your approach/philosophy on meal planning instinctive.. based on experience or is it a viewpoint culled from reading/working with a specific trainer or athlete?

Not a specific trainer or athlete, I try to absorb what I can from the people I respect, mash it all around in my brain, then try it all out for myself. So I guess all of the above!

You mentioned your wife suffering from an allergic reaction. I was relieved to read in your contest journal that she's better now. How well does the Canadian health care system work?

There's pros and cons to either system (US and Canada). I have had extensive experience with both. I think it's probably very difficult to go from the US system to ours here, as the US system is more of a business. They keep their hospitals in top condition, try to battle each other for business etc. But you pay for it, and it seems bizarre to me. If you have a lot of money so you don't care, you'd probably be better off in the US.

Here, our medical system is there to fix you. That's it. Not make you feel luxurious cozy, impress you, etc. Our hospitals are smaller, dingier, but the doctors are equally qualified and less likely to "upsell" you.

Personally I don't think ones health should be viewed as a business or cost money, and if I am hurt I don't give a shit if the place has mahogany counters. I also have never seen a medical bill in my entire life. It's a personal preference thing. Personally, I don't like having to check my bank account to see if I can afford to go see a doctor.

And you mentioned “Dexter”. Any other must-see TV?

Boardwalk Empire is my favorite show, I absolutely love it. The writing is excellent and I like the time period it's set in (20's). I usually wait until the whole season is over so I can just go on a marathon! No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain is another favorite. Dexter is good too.



Other than those, I like Shark Tank (and the Canadian original Dragon's Den), and just mindless classic comedies. I have seen every episode of The Simpsons, Seinfeld... God, I don't even want to think about the rest. The Simpsons in the late 90's I think was probably the best show I can think of.

Who do you attribute your wide shoulders to? A family member or did the bodybuilding gods simply smile on you?

I have no idea, but I am very thankful! My saving grace, balances out the fact I don't have a wasp waist line. I believe in really taking advantage of your strengths, and trying to strengthen your weaknesses.

I guess I could say it's probably 20% training too and that I have taught myself to really target the delt, but that only explains a bit of the muscle itself not the frame. I didn't look exceptionally wide before I started lifting though.



How has your M4BTEAM experience been so far? Did people miss the boat by not participating? And how has the contest affected your motivation?

Contest has been great for motivation, and came at the exactly right time. So far it has been very enjoyable for me, and I think it's a great opportunity for the guys involved. It has forced me to analyze what I'm doing more than I already do, and I love to share my ideas with people. I try to avoid talking to people at the gym cause I just can't stop, I love to help people with their training but tweaking their form and things like that.





I also truly love to hear people say I have inspired them. Seeing people who are beginning their journey of transforming say that they want to do what I did feels beyond amazing, and it just makes me think of how I was them 3-4 years ago. I remember feeling kind of hopeless and seeing guys on the forums and thinking "shit, I wanna look like that!". It's an honor to help anyone with their goals.

If you had to dedicate a song to your love handles what would it be? :-| (Hey, gotta go with some left field questions, right? Wrong? Ahem.)

"Fuck you" by Cee lo, or whatever that guys name is.



What are some of the resources you rely on when it comes to bodybuilding knowledge?

Rx Muscle is my home for all bodybuilding news when it comes to the competitive side. You're either reading Rx Muscle, or reading info someone else read on Rx Muscle.

When it comes to training/diet/supplementation, there's a few other sites that have some serious members on there who I try to soak up what they say. I pretty much will e-stalk anything written under the usernames Mountaindog1, DoggCrapp or Shelby Starnes. Of course when Dave or Aceto talk, I listen as well.

I'm quite excited to see the chem section of Rx grow and hope the other areas do too, and I am excited to be a part of it!



What was the name of your band and what kind of music do you or did you perform?

I have always written and recorded my own music by myself, but for a few years I played guitar in a band called Cetra and played a lot of shows around here.

I started as a very green 18 year old who was a bit of a guitar hotshot but had no experience, and by the end I was pretty seasoned. I was a metalhead so the music got heavier as I wrote more, but we were kind of like a Deftones/Tool type thing but with a bit more of a metal thing going on.



That's me on the left with the orange guitar.

After that ended due to the usual shit a few years later (girl), I went back to my roots of doing everything (almost) myself and recorded my death metal stuff under the name Nopodium and the more accessible poppier stuff under the name Common Ideals. I miss music and haven't been very active in it for a few years now, except the few nights a week recording other peoples stuff for them.

The two projects below are my babies, and I played all the guitars and keyboards, as well as all the vocals. I had my drummer and bass player help out for their parts, but I wrote everything.





The human mind and spirit offer as much to marvel at as any feat of strength accomplished by the physical body. the bull eso triumped over adversity and you survived a trip to the very edge of existence. Best wishes in the M4BTEAM contest and thank you for being Rx Muscle Member of the Month for March. I'm glad you're here to add to the community, Taylor Normandeau.

[Big Barry]

Now THAT'S an interview!!!

I feel like i've known Taylor forever after reading that... I think this is my favorite MOM so far - it's long enough to be a book! LOL

What a life Taylor has led, from the depths of despair and a suicide attempt to the amazing highs of becoming a proud father!

There's no doubt Taylor has many strings to his bow, or guitar as the case may be... and the guy is a phenom at body transformations too!

[cook]

Congratulations Taylor

[TheRage93]

That was one hell of an interview man. Lots of good in depth stuff there... Now I feel like I've known "Tayor" (inside joke) for a while now. Never knew a lot of the stuff I just read. I bet helping out RX was a hell of an experience at the shows though. You Sound like a good person Taylor!

[heavyiron]

Great interview!

We need a cliffs version. LOL!

[knockout ted]

Good write up Curt, Deserving MOM. congrats fellow BC brah

[M4BTEAM]

Congratulations Taylor!

There truly is nobody who's more deserving of this. He's led a colorful and varied life, he's a great character, he's a fighter, but above all... he's a true gentleman!

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Honored to be on the same Forum with Taylor.


Baldie

[the bull eso]

good shit bro...looking on point too

[Wheels]

Primo interview right there. Props to laying it all out there, man. When I read your posts I would have never thought you had hit such a low before; you're generally always positive. Well done Curt-o !

[pillowtalk]

Great interview, Chode Logan! Congrats! May I ask why you moved back to Canada?

[lastson]

Congrats Taylor!! Great interview. .

[pillowtalk]

So much has happened in the past 2 years for both of us. Seems like yesterday when we were all posting in The Dumbass Club...

[russg]

Thank you for sharing your story. It takes great strength to be that real. You are a true man of admirable character and an inspiration. Your music is real like you and refreshing. You have so much to offer the world. God works through you to bless others. Amazing.