The Solution is Rx Muscle's Member of the Month for September 2014!

[Curt James]

The Solution is Rx Muscle's Member of the Month for September 2014!

The Solution, a.k.a. Bob Kupniewski, has been a member of Rx Muscle Forums since 2010 and was voted the 2013 Rx Muscle Member of the Year. He is a manager, an educator (business education major with a minor in economics), has competed in two bodybuilding competitions, and – for my money – creates some of the best bodybuilding meals and treats to be found online in any bodybuilding or fitness forum around! Let’s learn some more about September 2014’s Member of the Month!

Bob, what’s your general location?

I live in Erie Pennsylvania. I have grown up here and was born here.

Height and weight?

Currently 172 pounds, and around 5’7” on a good day. I have been to both ends of the spectrum being a 200-plus-pound lineman in high school, and went nearly anorexic at 125 pounds when I was trying to get in shape and started to “eat healthy”. I took dieting to the extreme and my parents almost kicked me out of college due to how I looked and how I started to negate my social life and balance. I have competed in two shows (as a LW) coming in at 142 (2010) and right at 154 (2012).

How did you learn about Rx Muscle Forums?

Through posting on other forums (BB.com, Muscle and Strength, Get Ripped Nutrition, Anabolic Minds, Cellucor Black Ops, etc.).

What’s your favorite part of Rx Muscle Forums?

Training and Contest Prep Section. More serious posters in there, a lot of people like to troll in the generic sections. I also enjoy reading the Q&A threads from some of the others on here to see their stance and suggestions. It is always great to see how others do their work in nutrition and training. It never hurts to take a grain of salt and apply it to yourself to see how it works.

What would you do to improve the site in general and the forums in particular?

Nothing really, there is always going to be a wide variety of subsections on the forums for everyone. Different site sponsors, those who post to record and track their progress, those who want to just post random stuff in generic threads or misc threads, there is a place for everyone and RX does a great job at welcoming everyone with open arms to post on their forums.

How were you introduced to the weights?

I played football my entire life growing up (8 years total throughout high school). It was a requirement for high school, when we got recruited in middle school our final year we began lifting for freshman football. Soon after that I was in there 4-5x a week on the training program our strength coach outlined for us. Since then I have been hooked, been a major passion of mine!

What is your favorite part of the iron game – strongman, bodybuilding, Men’s Physique, Bikini, etc.?

Bodybuilding.

Have you competed?

I have competed in two contests:

2010 Great Lakes Grand Prix in Columbus Ohio (3rd place)
2012 Teen/Collegiate/Master Nationals (5th place)

What's your favorite thing about bodybuilding?

The passion, dedication, and consistency required to build a physique. It’s not a very easy sport, nor is it a cheap sport. Nowadays you drop $1000 just for a show… which is nuts and walk away with a $5 plastic trophy. Not a very easy thing to do for a living and make it a living. While it is a hobby for most of us; it really helps us find balance in our lives between weights, our friends/family, and our jobs. I have met a lot of cool people through bodybuilding and established a lot of my friendship around people eager in this hobby as well.

Another great aspect is seeing transformations from other bodybuilders. It is incredible to see where people started and where they are now. It is motivating to see these people and how much they have changed their lives from being out of shape to being on stage. It is motivation itself seeing others transform their bodies for the better and using a hobby to fuel their passion.

What's your least favorite thing about bodybuilding?

For many it could be time constraints for those who live crazy lives (I work close to 60 hours per week) the only other downside to bodybuilding is that it can show a lack of balance in the individual. They place too much time into their training and diet and neglect their friends, family or social occasions which is a major no no.

I have also seen a lot of people go through severe periods of eating disorders due to bodybuilding because they limit their food sources and think if they eat X or Y food it’s bad and do not practice any form of moderation.

While it’s great to eat “Clean” as some people call it, there is a reason about 99% of us will never collect paychecks off this sport, and that we should find better balance and moderation into our lives when it comes to our social life, our job, and also our relationship with food.

What is your goal so far as the weights go?

Continue to focus on progressive overload over the years, build my physique, and after competing in my last show (2012 Collegiate Nationals) Shelby Starnes and John Meadows both stated I would have to grow into a middleweight at 5’7” to be competitive, and bring up my hamstrings and chest thickness.

Do you have any favorite bodybuilders or strength athletes?

Too many to name. Just a few off the top of my head (sorry for the ones I forget)…

• Seth Feroce (college training partner)
• Doug Miller
• Layne Norton
• Brian Whiteacre
• Kurt Weidner
• Phil Heath
• Dexter Jackson
• Jay Cutler
• Phil Ricardo Jr.
• Paul Rivelia
• Brian Yersky (use to train at my home gym)
• Jason Theobald (nutrition coach)
• Shelby Starnes
• John Meadows

Again, I could probably list another 30+.

Did you emulate anyone when you first became involved in the iron game?

Not really. I was genetically far from anyone when I started out. I was just hungry for improvement in the mirror and on the bar. I just focused on trying to lift smart, complete the lift with a full range of motion and also focus on not killing myself in the process. When I was younger and starting out in high school our strength coach was a major factor on longevity and also doing everything correct before adding weight. I have lived by that motto ever since.

Who is someone you look forward to meeting and perhaps picking their brain?

I have never met Kai Greene, only seen him guest post and compete in the O/Arnold, someone who would be cool to meet/talk to for sure. I could probably list a few more, but one that popped off the top of my head, who is a major Pro.

What has been the most effective workout you’ve followed?

I currently am using INOV8 Elite Performance for my training, and ever since Austin Stout (one of the Inov8 coaches) took over my training I have grown leaps and bounds, even if it is not on the scale but strength-wise. Diversifying my tempos (eccentric, pause, concentric, and flex), changing mesocycles every 4-6 weeks, and prioritizing different bodyparts and exercise schemes shows what reacts well to one person and what should be thrown out, and what should be kept in based off the individual, their mind muscle connection, and proper time under tension for that individual to seek gains. A lot of exercises and rep tempos don't always work for some. It’s about finding what feels best and gives you the best results. It will differ from one person to the next.

Growing up I ran a lot of upper, lower splits, PHAT and found that hitting bodyparts 2x a week has been the best thing for my gains on top of a good caloric surplus.

What supplement company or brand does it right?

I am a big Cellucor guy because I have worked for the company for almost three years now. In the past I worked for Scivation for three years and absolutely love Xtend and their whey, not to mention Primaforce their bulk line which is great to add to other products to help increase the dose on products. I am also a major fan of PES, Xtreme Formulations, Controlled Labs (use their oxi-omega/Orange Triad). Those are possibly my five favorite companies on the market.

Favorite TV show?

Do not watch much TV, but SportsCenter comes to mind. Besides that, shows on Food Network (Man v. Food; Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives; Unwrapped).

What are three things you couldn't live without?

Work – to pay the bills.
Food – I am a foodie and love eating at nice places when I travel.
Family – without them I would not be the person I am today. They set the standards for me growing up, and I cannot thank them enough for what they have done and supporting me over the years.

What is your macro or food breakdown? Do you count calories, do calculations, and weigh your food?

Always weigh my food since competing.

Macros for me are usually moderate protein, high carb and low fat. I respond best to this. If I go high fat I get bloated easy, my performance drops, same with my energy levels.

I count all calories (even BCAA’s, veggies, etc.). If you are going to be consistent, all variables are factors. Especially in a dieting phase when getting the last bit of fat off. Those kcals can add up over time or over the 7-day weekly period, which could make a good 700-1,000 kcal difference over the week and be a total adjustment for some.

Check out the solutions recipe thread... @ http://forums.rxmuscle.com/showthrea...-recipe-thread

Other than hitting the iron, what do you enjoy doing the most with your free time?

Free time is very rare for me for the amount of jobs I do work.

Personally, I do not have many hobbies due to work, but I would enjoy playing football, golf, traveling to see friends/family, sometimes a movie if something good is on, and going to concerts (I have attended close to 75-100) in my time. I am a major junkie for good music (metal, especially).

[Curt James]

You said “if something good is on”… do you have a favorite movie?

Rudy, Caddy Shack, Billy Madison, or Half Baked are all Classics.

Can you say anything about your occupation?

Manager at Five Guys (four years, opened store 12/12 in Erie, PA).
Substitute Teacher in seven school districts (Business Education Major, Minor in Economics).
Help my Mom, a medical technologist.
Help my Dad, a worker at a private golf course plus head coach of my previous high school for the golf team.

What about hobbies or pets?

Hobbies… I grew up playing football all throughout middle and high school. I played five years of basketball (middle to high school), golf (my brother was a captain for his HS, and my dad is a golf coach and has worked as a pro for over 10+ years at a local clubhouse). Music and attending concerts (Warped Tour, Mayhem Fest, and various other local shows), movies are a long shot – I do not watch them often, but enjoy seeing them to relax a bit.

Pets… I had a goldfish for over 10 years before it passed away, and I also had a German Shepard as a dog that was vicious and would eat anything in sight and ended up choking on a chicken bone (Mom brought home KFC) and dug its nose into a chicken leg and the bone got stuck in its throat and we had to put it to rest.

What currently drives you nuts?

People who make outrageous claims (can’t drink diet soda because it will make you fat).
Lots of children in one place screaming their ears out (being a teacher this happens often).
Liars or people who stab you in the back.

What frustrates you?

Struggle; it comes with all aspects of life. Whether it is job related, stress related, or things that you cannot control (death, shootings, or other crazy things that you see in the news every day). Sad to see what the world is truly coming to with obesity rates rising, younger kids having kids and cannot afford them and have to survive off welfare, and also drug use at an all-time high.

Seeing younger people drinking and smoking and leaving bad habits for the future and placing more faith in “wants’ when it comes to spending their money compared to “needs”. Being an economics minor, I am real picky with how I spend my money. Seeing people spend paycheck-to-paycheck in a matter of minutes makes me scratch my head on how people will grow up and be successful and have a decent family and provide for them.

What motivates you?

Success and determination. Seeing others make visible and life changes is also very rewarding. Not to mention friends or supporters online via boards (Rx Muscle, for instance) make an incredible transformation, compete in shows, and drive you to success, seeing how well they shaped up.

I am motivated to always improve in all aspects of life whether it is my job, being a good guy, or being a better bodybuilder. I just enjoy being well-rounded and hope to motivate others to do the same because it leaves good traits for the future.

Thank you for sharing some of your story, Bob. Wishing you continued success in the gym and out. I admire your organization and drive and look forward to reading (and viewing) more of your posts!

[Virtual Trauma]

Congratulations!

[Hoss06]

Congrats Bob!

[KnightXavi]

Congrats to you, Bob.

[BIG DUB]

Congrats man

[Hit-Girl]

Ya congrats, solid dude forsure!

[Joel's hamburger]

Reps!

[Sandpig]

Awesome choice and great read.

[Granite-Dawg]

Congrats Bob!! Great interview!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mac]

Congrats Bob

[swingslammer]

I knew a bit about Bob through the forums but it was nice to learn some more, humble and smart fellow.

Congratulations!

[Ironbrian82]

Congratulations pal, got some good wheels on you,

[The Solution]

A big thank you to Curt and RX Muscle. The amount of work he puts into these MOM's is incredible. Also appreciate the great comments in here. Hopefully you get to know a bit about myself, and what i have to offer to the boards. Appreciate everything guys!

[data4]

Great job Bob and well deserved. The write up here is excellent too!