#Kevin and Raymond are from an older generation so I tried to make them both a bit clueless
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Angst HC with fluff potential, Kevin has anxiety. Most of the time he deals with it with his and Holt's signature stoicism-and-snark combo, and he does get flustered easily. Rarely, though, things are just too much and he reverts back to a behavior he developed as a child from dealing with his father. He shuts down. He lowers his gaze, goes vacant and does nothing. Ray freaked out the first time this happened but since then has learned to deal with it, but is always deeply concerned. Thoughts?
 The first attack he remembered having was when he was young.Â
He had broken something. He didnât remember exactly what it was, all he remembered was the rush of his blood cooling all at once as he realized what heâd done.
What was coming.
His mother had sent him to his room without any anger, her own face trying to be stern and comforting all at once as she told him that his father would be home soon. That sheâd try to calm him down before he found the wreckage.
Oh, a pen. Yes, it had been a pen. He had taken it from the top of his fatherâs desk and it had broken as he wrote.
He felt like his heart was going to explode.He was going to throw up.He was going to die.Yes, he was going to die.
The thought kept circling around his head as Kevin sat with his ink-stained hands shaking and then laid down with his whole body trembling and spasming with something he couldnât quite identify. Fear?
Heâd never been this afraid before. It had never rendered him speechless and immobile.
His father had waited half an hour between finding the pen (He could hear him roaring with rage and then talking in loud disappointment âThat kid Marie, that kidâŚâ before it was all silence and waiting waiting waiting) and coming upstairs.
He stood outside the door for another minute before opening it. âSit up.â He demanded and Kevin did.
Then his memory blinked out. A lightbulb with faulty wiring. When it came back on he was washing his hands of the ink as his father looked on.
âIâm proud of you.â He said, resting a hand on his still-shaking shoulder.    âYou didnât talk back.â
He wouldnât have a name for them for years, until well into his adult life one of his friends told him âThat sounds like anxiety.â
âBrilliant.â Heâd struggled to reply, everything around him unfocused and too much. âI can see why youâre a leader in your field.â
âI mean anxiety disorder.â His friend had clarified, gently leading him out onto the balcony for some air. âYou absolute dick.â
Heâd researched it the moment heâd been able to.
âWhy are you reading about anxiety disorders?â Raymond asked, coming up behind him and resting his chin in the crook of Kevinâs shoulder.
âI believe I might have one.â He replied, reaching one hand up to idly scratch at Raymondâs hair. Neither of them commented on it.
Raymond closed his eyes (much like a cat, kevin often thought but would never voice) and hummed a matter-of-face âI see.â Before quieting and eventually leaving his boyfriend be.
âAre people not always worried?â Kevin asked one day a few weeks later. His researching had given way to formulating hypotheses and questions. âDoes the average man walk around oblivious to the world around him?â
Raymond scoffed. âThe average white man.âKevin smirked. âThe average straight man.âRaymond nodded appreciatively.
âPerhaps you have no disorder, your life circumstances are just differing from the norm?â Kevin examined his boyfriendâs face for any derision and only saw curiosity. âPerhaps.â He said, thinking back to his childhood. Differing from the norm, indeed.
Whether or not he had anxiety was giving him anxiety.He had a half-dream when he was half-asleep in bed, brain dipped forever in worry, soaking it all up. In his dream one of his colleagues (the annoying one trying his damnedest to grow a mustache) was giving a lecture and pointing ineffectually without a pointer. JustâŚusing his hands. Like an imbecile.
âAnd here we see Prof Kevin as a wonderful example of dramatic irony.â He was saying in his trying-to-be-humorous voice. The projector showed Kevin pacing around his and Raymondâs apartment.
Kevin woke up when he felt Raymond shift. âMm.â He muttered.
âIâm sorry, did I wake you?â His boyfriend whispered and Kevin shook his head.
âReynolds.â He tried to explain, one eye still closed.
âYour colleague with theâŚwell, Iâm feeling charitable. The moustache?â Kevin nodded. âYou were dreaming about him? Iâm jealous.â
Kevin smiled slightly. Some might call this a smirk, especially given the intense aura of smug dislike emanating off the man. Raymond called it a slight smile. âDonât be. He was being veryâŚReynolds.â
âAh.âÂ
    "He called me âprof Kevinâ out loud.â    "Dear God.â
They laid in silence for a minute before Kevin spoke again.
âRaymond I donât know if I haveâŚanything. I am unsure.â Raymond made a noise of understanding and reached out, resting a hand gently on Kevinâs pillow which Kevin took without thinking.
âHowever, I know that I do have certain issues. You remember my episode that took place in childhood?â
âVividly.â Kevin squeezed Raymondâs hand to reassure him of his being alright. It always upset his boyfriend to hear about Kevin being upset even if it was years in the past.
âYes, well there have beenâŚsimilar incidents since then.â Raymond sat up straight.
âWhen?â Kevin sat up as well, rubbing an eye.âI canât remember. Various incidents. Whatâs important is that should such an incident occur again-â
âThere are synonyms of âincidentâ you know-â
â-Iâm very tired Raymond.â
âSorry, I forgot myself. Please continue.â
ââŚshould such an episode occur again, I will require your assistance.â He moved over and rested his head on Raymondâs shoulder, making a slight show of leaning down to do it.
âI will support you in any way I can.â Raymond said, bringing Kevinâs hand up to his mouth and kissing it softly.
They fell asleep like that.
And so, with a horrible pain in Kevinâs neck and Raymondâs back, they went to work.
Kevin to his literal job and RaymondâŚalso to his literal job, but with an additional personal job as well. Researching on ways to assist Kevin if he were ever to have an attack of anxiety around him.
The first few attempts were less than ideal.
ââ (Flashback, Kevin eating breakfast and Raymond washing dishes)-ââ-
Kevin: It looks like rain today.
Raymond (perking up, alert): Does thatâŚworry you?
Kevin: I suppose. The subway is going to be hell.
Raymond (placing a reassuring hand on Kevinâs back): Itâs going to be alright. You are safe.
Kevin: I know. (examining the water on the floor from Raymondâs hand) I will have to change now.
Raymond: Just remember to keep breathing.
Kevin: Iâll try to keep that in mind.
ââ (Flashback ends)âââ
However, he had persisted in his research and as a result been able to assist his boyfriend through a small series of episodes;
When heâd forgotten his phone at work after telling Kevin that heâd be attempting to arrest âYoYo MaMaâ the prolific mother murdering serial killer that day. (Heâd come home to find Kevin had re-organized half their bookshelves and abandoned the task midway through to dust the empty shelves instead.)
Kevinâs first work party that accepted plus oneâs onto the premises. (Theyâd both been nervous for that one but it wasnât until Kevin re-made the ratatouille they were bringing for the third time that Raymond realized he was more than nervous.)
When the news had reported a bomb in the building across the street from Raymondâs workplace. (It had turned out to be a fake threat but when heâd called Kevin after it was all over heâd heard his voice shakier than normal, light with relief.)
And after years of relative peace he had forgotten.
Heâd forgotten that this could happen too.
Everything had seemed fine when heâd gotten home. Kevin was researching for an upcoming paper and Raymond had popped in sparingly so as not to disturb him.Â
When heâd noticed that Kevin hadnât touched the tea or apple slices that Raymond had left him heâd idly remarked that the apples would brown and Kevin had snapped at him that, âI know the damn apples are going to brown.â and then stared vacantly at the wall.
Raymond had stepped inside and gently shut the door. âKevin?â
No response. âKevin, are you ok?â No response, predictably. Raymondâs own heart began to quicken. He didnât know how to deal with this. He was going to screw up, he was going to hurt him he was-
Kevin wrapped his arms around himself but otherwise remained blank.He had to do something.
Raymond reached out instinctively before pulling his hand back. He had to ask before touching but Kevin wouldnât speak. He began to pace, racking his brain.
âKevin can youâŚhear me?â He asked, trying to keep his questions small and yes/no.Â
Kevin nodded his head slowly. Raymond breathed a sigh of relief. âIs it okay if I hold your hand?â Kevin nodded again and Raymond took one of his hands without moving his arm.
He had no idea what to do now. He and Kevin usually talked through any issues they had and having him be soâŚout of it, was disconcerting.
In the middle of trying to puzzle out what to do Kevin suddenly squeezed his hand. Raymond blinked, his heart ached. His Kevin was trying to reassure him, to tell him that he was alright.
Kevin was who needed him right now, Raymond thought, nodding resolutely and squeezing his hand back. He needed to stop thinking and act.
So he did the first thing he could think of.Â
He began to describe how to make bread out loud, step by step.
âBefore you can begin making bread you will need to feed the yeast. This process will take a minimum of half an hour but can continue for longer if thatâs how you or your guests prefer your bread. Pour one cup of water-â
He remembered Kevin had been planning to bake bread that afternoon. He remembered that when they had first begun dating heâd said to him, âItâs easy and fun. Homemade bread can be a great gift and the process of making it is quite relaxing.â And Raymond had thought he sounded like he belonged on a cooking show.
He remembered hearing Kevin explain things step by step in a low monotone had often lulled him into a state of calm. Remembered how when he was kept awake by nightmares of crime scene photos and missing persons he was not finding, Kevin would explain to him how old houses were built. From foundation to attic, heâd always fall asleep before Kevin could explain the roof to him.
â-After the first rise you will need to punch it down and shape it once more until it resembles a loaf. Spray the inside of the pan with cooking spray and replace the dough. Watch it rise until-â
He remembered Kevinâs eyes. His laugh and blink-and-youâll-miss-it smile. His cat-and-mouse way of teasing or tormenting people. Remembered how much he loved him and thought it hard enough that he hoped it came through in his words. He hoped Kevin would be able to understand, to let that love reach him the way he always had before.
â-Place in the oven and bake for twenty minutes-â
ââŚTwenty?â Raymond paused, hope hanging in the air between them.Â
ââŚYes, twenty minutes.â He waited and was about to continue when Kevin spoke up again, voice soft but there.
ââŚItâs going to be too soft. Itâs much better to cook it for thirty five to forty minutes.â Sensing that he had his boyfriendâs attention, Raymond continued to gently prod at him.
âWell, wouldnât it be less time consuming? You could alwaysâŚnuke it.â It pained him to say the words but that pain was immediately eased by Kevin turning to face him, eyes focused and voice solid.
âNuke it? Itâs a kitchen not a missile launch facility.â Raymond smiled, the familiar sentiment assuring him that Kevin was going to be alright.
âPoint taken.â He agreed, leaning up slightly to kiss him. âWelcome back.â
âI didnât go anywhere.â Kevin stated, smiling gently. âThank you.â
From there they discussed the source of Kevinâs anxiety; Namely, that he had become increasingly worried that he was on the verge of being fired.
Why that anxiety might be irrational; Namely, that he had done nothing wrong, he was a smart and capable man and that Raymond loved him. (Which had nothing to do with the situation at hand but Kevin appreciated it all the same).
And what he could do about it; Namely, ignoring professor Nami who had it in for him and continuing to do his work while keeping his anxiety in mind and taking steps to manage it.
âAnd you can always let me know if somethingâs bothering you.â Raymond said, the two of them now eating the apple slices. âWhether it is related to your anxiety or not.â
âI know.â Kevin replied. âI didnât want to worry you.â
âIâm your boyfriend. I want to know these things, especially things that might worry me.â Raymond replied, picking up the now cold tea in order to dispose of it. âBecause I care for you and want to support you.â
Kevin smiled and turned to his computer once again, picking up his pen and beginning to write. âI love you Raymond.â
âI love you as well.â
#Q&A#anon#thank you anon!!#Kevin and Raymond are from an older generation so I tried to make them both a bit clueless#not completely but just a little like Huh??#they're trying their best#my writing#Anon: thoughts?#Me: (just fuckin..fic)#I can g ive actual thoughts if you'd like
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Training Tips from Teen Champs
Bill Comstock
1987 Teen Nationals class winner Chris Cormier trains 2012â14 overall champ Cody Montgomery.Â
For most of its history, the Teen Nationals was a fertile proving groundâthe place to spot genetic potential and an aptitude for heavy metal and high protein. Eight-time Mr. O Lee Haney won it before the formation of the NPC in 1982, and Shawn Ray, Chris Cormier, Jay Cutler, and Branch Warren were among the class or overall champs from 1985-94. Then came...nothing. The nine years from 1995-2003 have yet to produce a single pro. Since then, however, the Teen Nats has regained its previous status. Eight competitors over the 10-year span of 2004-13 have already qualified for pro. We spoke to 10 former Teen Nationals competitorsâ five who won the overall and five who didnât, but all of whom eventually earned IFBB Pro League statusâto get their best advice for the next generation.Â
CODY MONTGOMERY: CULTIVATE A SUPPORT SYSTEM
âBodybuilding is, of course, a really individualistic sport, but to succeed you need supportive people in your life. To tell you the truth, at first my parents thought bodybuilding was really weird. They didnât tell me not to do it, but they probably wouldâve been happier if Iâd done something else. But theyâve always been supportive of me, and when they saw the success I had at 15 or 16, they came around. And there have been some people in bodybuilding whoâve been in my corner, including Chris Cormier. You need a support system to reach your full potential. If people are negative about what youâre doing, those are probably people you donât need in your life. Surround yourself with positive people and learn from those whoâve come before you.â
At 17, 18, and 19, Cody Montgomery won the Teen Nationals overall three straight years in 2012â14, the first as a light-heavy and the last two as a heavyweight. Eleven days before his 21st birthday, he won the 2015 USA Championships, and he made his pro debut at 21 last year.
CHRIS CORMIER: LEARN FROM YOUR ELDERS
âLearn as much as you can from the guys who went before you. Pick people you want to emulate your physique and career after. Thatâs what I did. I learned it at the University of Goldâs Gym Venice from Gary Strydom, Robby Robinson, and Mike Christian. Also, once you get a quality physique, donât sit there and wait for things to come to you. Go after it. Go get publicity, whether on the Internet or in person. Come to Los Angeles. Post progress photos on Instagram. Ask the champs for advice. Get your face and your name out there. Donât be shy.â
After winning the light-heavy class in the 1987 Teen Nationals, Chris Cormier went on to have an iconic IFBB Pro League career. He won 11 pro titles and finished third in the Mr. Olympia twice (1999, 2002).
 Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>
[pagebreak]
Kevin Horton / Per Bernal
Former teen champ Steve Kuclo leg presses heavy metal at 21.
STEVE KUCLO: DO BASIC TRAINING
âMaster the basics. When youâre a beginner and for your first few years, what you need is muscle size, and the best exercises for that are the basicsâdeadlifts, bench presses, squats, military presses, and barbell rows. Learn how to do those correctly and gradually get stronger in them, and youâll grow. Thereâs no reason to get too fancy. Focus mostly on free-weight, basic lifts and performing them with correct form. If you do that, itâll serve you well for many years.â
Though he won the Teen Nationals heavyweight divisions in 2004 and 2005, Steve Kuclo lost the overalls to fellow future pros both years. So far, heâs won three IFBB Pro League contests.Â
JOSE RAYMOND: DEVELOP GOOD HABITS
âI donât think thereâs a special way to train and diet when youâre a teenager. There are just right ways to do things and wrong ways, so as a beginner and throughout your first few years, however old you are, you want to learn how to do exercises right. You want to figure out which exercises work best for your body and all the little tweaks that target your muscles best. Develop good habits. Donât skip workouts and donât skip meals or skimp on your meals. Learn all you can about nutrition, as well as training. If you learn these habits when youâre young, theyâll carry you throughout your life.â
When he was second in the four-person lightweight class of the 1994 Teen Nationals, no one couldâve predicted the legendary career of Jose Raymond. Heâs won nine pro shows and been near the top of the 202 or 212 Olympia the past eight years, including a second-place finish in 2015.
  Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>
[pagebreak]
Chris Lund
 SHAWN RAY: BE CONSISTENT
âAbove all else, consistency is where you make your gains. There were plenty of guys who started competing when I did who had a lot of potential, but one by one they fell off. Either they didnât have a love for the sport or they got caught up with other things. Theyâd get a girlfriend, and you wouldnât see them in the gym for four months. I was always the consistent one. Do or die, I always got to the gym. The one secret is that there is no secret. Itâs hard work, eating right, genetics, avoiding injuries; itâs all those boring things. Donât look for some secret supplement or drug or magic routine. Just keep eating right and training right. Be consistent and donât get discouraged, because it just takes time.â
When light-heavy Shawn Ray won the 1985 Teen Nationals, Bob Cicherillo was the second-place heavyweight. Proving consistency eventually pays off, it was 16 years later when he made his pro debut, and he earned his only pro win in his final pro show, at 40.
NICK MEDICI: KEEP A LEVEL HEAD
âDonât judge yourself against guys who are pros and 10 years older than you are. As a teenager bodybuilder, there are limits to how big youâre going to be. Use the photos of the pros for inspiration and learn all you can from them about how to train and diet. I look up to a guy like Flex Lewis because heâs been where I am. He was a teen champ, and he kept a level head and never tried to be someone he wasnât. If you feel as if youâre not growing fast enough, donât compare yourself with some pro. Look at photos of yourself from a year before or two or three years before. Then youâll see the progress youâve made, and youâll know this is sometimes a slow, long process, but the gains will come if you do the work.â
As a light-heavyweight, Nick Medici won the 2010 Teen Nationals. In 2015, when he won the Nationals light-heavy class, he became the ninth overall NPC Teen Nats champ to earn pro status and the third in a four-month span, after Cody Montgomery and Gerald Williams.
 Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>
[pagebreak]
Kevin Horton
Twelve years before competing in the Olympia, Williams curls.Â
GERALD WILLIAMS: EAT QUALITY FOOD
âI dieted [for the 2005 Teen Nationals] during finals [at Morehouse College]. Studying hard, training, and doing cardio, all that stuff was definitely difficult. I was taking 19 credit hours per semester [15 is average] and playing in the school jazz band on top of that. Nutrition was the biggest challenge of all. Dorm food sucks for bodybuilding. Itâs all burgers and pizza and stuff. I bought all my own food, which is a really big expense, but I had to do it. I helped other students eat as clean as they could in the cafeterias, but itâs never ideal. Living on campus is not healthy. You have to really work to keep up a bodybuilding lifestyle.â
The 2005 Teen Nationals light-heavyweight and overall winner, Gerald Williams, won the California Pro in May. This month, he becomes the eighth Teen Nats competitor to ex in the Mr. Olympia.
Courtesy of Jay Cutler / Weider Health & Fitness
JAY CUTLER: TAKE TIME TO GROW
âDonât be in a hurry. Kids want everything right now, but it takes years in the gym to build quality muscle. The other thing I would say to a teenage competitor is that moving up to open shows is a big step. Suddenly, youâll be standing next to 30-year-olds whoâve been training and dieting for 15 years. Pick your next move carefully. I didnât compete again until I was 22, and then, though I was living in Massachusetts, I competed in California [winning the prestigious Tournament of Champions], because I knew thatâs where I could get noticed and build a name for myself. It worked. The next year, I won the heavyweight class of the NPC Nationals and a pro card.â
When he was just an unknown 216-pound kid with potential, Jay Cutler won the heavyweight class of the 1993 Teen Nationals. How did he fulfill that potential? He earned 15 pro titles, including four Mr. Olympias (2006â07, 2009â10).
 Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>
[pagebreak]
Per Bernal / Courtesy of Weider Health & Fitness
BRANCH WARREN: HAVE PASSION
âStay consistent. Train smart. Warm up, stretch and use proper form, because nothing will stop your gains faster than an injury. Overall, you need to train for the right reasons. Do it because you love it. If youâre doing it because you think youâre going to get rich and famous, youâll never get anywhere. You have to have a passion for bodybuilding.â
At 18, Branch Warren won the light-heavyweight and overall 1993 Teen Nationals, in the process defeating 19-year-old heavyweight Jay Cutler. Warren, who has won nine pro shows, was second to Cutler in the 2009 Mr. Olympia.
Chris Lund
Just after his teenage win, Huh poses for Richard Jones.
JASON HUH: EAT MORE TO GROW MORE
âI feel as though a lot of young guys just donât eat enough. When youâre a teenager, your metabolism is ramped up. You can pack away a lot of calories without gaining a pound. Thatâs one of the advantages of youth, but it can be a disadvantage to a young bodybuilder who wants to grow. I ate eight meals a day, including [protein] shakes, every day. I consumed around 4,000 calories a day in the off-season when I weighed 250, and I kept my carbs in the 400 [grams] to 450 range. You need all those extra nutrients to grow.â
In 2004, Jason Huh beat Gerald Williams in the light-heavy class and heavyweight Steve Kuclo for the overall Teen Nationals title. Since winning the 2010 USA Championships, Huh has competed in four pro shows.
 Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>
[pagebreak]
Bill Comstock
NPC TEEN NATIONAL COMPETITORS WHO WENT PRO
As of November 2017
Frank Santoriello | YEAR: 1984 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Bob Cicherillo | YEAR: 1985 | HIGHEST PLACING: 2nd, Heavyweight
Shawn Ray | YEAR: 1985 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Shane DiMora | YEAR: 1986 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Chris Cormier | YEAR: 1987 | HIGHEST PLACING: 1st, Light-Heavyweight
Capriese Murray | YEAR: 1992 | HIGHEST PLACING: 1st, Lightweight
Jay Cutler |Â YEAR: 1993Â |Â HIGHEST PLACING: 1st, Heavyweight
Branch Warren | YEAR: 1993 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Craig Richardson | YEAR: 1994 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Jose Raymond | YEAR: 1994 | HIGHEST PLACING: 2nd, Llightweight
Jason Huh | YEAR: 2004 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Steve Kuclo | YEAR: 2004-05 | HIGHEST PLACING: 1st, Heavyweight
Gerald Williams | YEAR: 2005 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Nick Trigili | YEAR: 2006 | HIGHEST PLACING: 4th, Heavyweight
Aaron Clark | YEAR: 2008 | HIGHEST PLACING: 2nd, Light-Heavyweight
Nick Medici | YEAR: 2010 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Dominick Cardone | YEAR: 2012 | HIGHEST PLACING: 1st, Heavyweight
Cody Montgomery | YEAR: 2012-14 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
 FLEXÂ
from Bodybuilding Feed https://www.flexonline.com/training/training-tips-teen-champs via http://www.rssmix.com/
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Training Tips from Teen Champs
cody-montgomery-chris-cormier.jpg
Bill Comstock
1987 Teen Nationals class winner Chris Cormier trains 2012â14 overall champ Cody Montgomery.Â
For most of its history, the Teen Nationals was a fertile proving groundâthe place to spot genetic potential and an aptitude for heavy metal and high protein. Eight-time Mr. O Lee Haney won it before the formation of the NPC in 1982, and Shawn Ray, Chris Cormier, Jay Cutler, and Branch Warren were among the class or overall champs from 1985-94. Then came...nothing. The nine years from 1995-2003 have yet to produce a single pro. Since then, however, the Teen Nats has regained its previous status. Eight competitors over the 10-year span of 2004-13 have already qualified for pro. We spoke to 10 former Teen Nationals competitorsâ five who won the overall and five who didnât, but all of whom eventually earned IFBB Pro League statusâto get their best advice for the next generation.Â
CODY MONTGOMERY: CULTIVATE A SUPPORT SYSTEM
âBodybuilding is, of course, a really individualistic sport, but to succeed you need supportive people in your life. To tell you the truth, at first my parents thought bodybuilding was really weird. They didnât tell me not to do it, but they probably wouldâve been happier if Iâd done something else. But theyâve always been supportive of me, and when they saw the success I had at 15 or 16, they came around. And there have been some people in bodybuilding whoâve been in my corner, including Chris Cormier. You need a support system to reach your full potential. If people are negative about what youâre doing, those are probably people you donât need in your life. Surround yourself with positive people and learn from those whoâve come before you.â
At 17, 18, and 19, Cody Montgomery won the Teen Nationals overall three straight years in 2012â14, the first as a light-heavy and the last two as a heavyweight. Eleven days before his 21st birthday, he won the 2015 USA Championships, and he made his pro debut at 21 last year.
CHRIS CORMIER: LEARN FROM YOUR ELDERS
âLearn as much as you can from the guys who went before you. Pick people you want to emulate your physique and career after. Thatâs what I did. I learned it at the University of Goldâs Gym Venice from Gary Strydom, Robby Robinson, and Mike Christian. Also, once you get a quality physique, donât sit there and wait for things to come to you. Go after it. Go get publicity, whether on the Internet or in person. Come to Los Angeles. Post progress photos on Instagram. Ask the champs for advice. Get your face and your name out there. Donât be shy.â
After winning the light-heavy class in the 1987 Teen Nationals, Chris Cormier went on to have an iconic IFBB Pro League career. He won 11 pro titles and finished third in the Mr. Olympia twice (1999, 2002).
 Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>
[pagebreak]
steve-kuclo.jpg
Kevin Horton / Per Bernal
Former teen champ Steve Kuclo leg presses heavy metal at 21.
STEVE KUCLO: DO BASIC TRAINING
âMaster the basics. When youâre a beginner and for your first few years, what you need is muscle size, and the best exercises for that are the basicsâdeadlifts, bench presses, squats, military presses, and barbell rows. Learn how to do those correctly and gradually get stronger in them, and youâll grow. Thereâs no reason to get too fancy. Focus mostly on free-weight, basic lifts and performing them with correct form. If you do that, itâll serve you well for many years.â
Though he won the Teen Nationals heavyweight divisions in 2004 and 2005, Steve Kuclo lost the overalls to fellow future pros both years. So far, heâs won three IFBB Pro League contests.Â
JOSE RAYMOND: DEVELOP GOOD HABITS
âI don��t think thereâs a special way to train and diet when youâre a teenager. There are just right ways to do things and wrong ways, so as a beginner and throughout your first few years, however old you are, you want to learn how to do exercises right. You want to figure out which exercises work best for your body and all the little tweaks that target your muscles best. Develop good habits. Donât skip workouts and donât skip meals or skimp on your meals. Learn all you can about nutrition, as well as training. If you learn these habits when youâre young, theyâll carry you throughout your life.â
When he was second in the four-person lightweight class of the 1994 Teen Nationals, no one couldâve predicted the legendary career of Jose Raymond. Heâs won nine pro shows and been near the top of the 202 or 212 Olympia the past eight years, including a second-place finish in 2015.
  Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>
[pagebreak]
shawn-ray.jpg
Chris Lund
 SHAWN RAY: BE CONSISTENT
âAbove all else, consistency is where you make your gains. There were plenty of guys who started competing when I did who had a lot of potential, but one by one they fell off. Either they didnât have a love for the sport or they got caught up with other things. Theyâd get a girlfriend, and you wouldnât see them in the gym for four months. I was always the consistent one. Do or die, I always got to the gym. The one secret is that there is no secret. Itâs hard work, eating right, genetics, avoiding injuries; itâs all those boring things. Donât look for some secret supplement or drug or magic routine. Just keep eating right and training right. Be consistent and donât get discouraged, because it just takes time.â
When light-heavy Shawn Ray won the 1985 Teen Nationals, Bob Cicherillo was the second-place heavyweight. Proving consistency eventually pays off, it was 16 years later when he made his pro debut, and he earned his only pro win in his final pro show, at 40.
NICK MEDICI: KEEP A LEVEL HEAD
âDonât judge yourself against guys who are pros and 10 years older than you are. As a teenager bodybuilder, there are limits to how big youâre going to be. Use the photos of the pros for inspiration and learn all you can from them about how to train and diet. I look up to a guy like Flex Lewis because heâs been where I am. He was a teen champ, and he kept a level head and never tried to be someone he wasnât. If you feel as if youâre not growing fast enough, donât compare yourself with some pro. Look at photos of yourself from a year before or two or three years before. Then youâll see the progress youâve made, and youâll know this is sometimes a slow, long process, but the gains will come if you do the work.â
As a light-heavyweight, Nick Medici won the 2010 Teen Nationals. In 2015, when he won the Nationals light-heavy class, he became the ninth overall NPC Teen Nats champ to earn pro status and the third in a four-month span, after Cody Montgomery and Gerald Williams.
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Kevin Horton
Twelve years before competing in the Olympia, Williams curls.Â
GERALD WILLIAMS: EAT QUALITY FOOD
âI dieted [for the 2005 Teen Nationals] during finals [at Morehouse College]. Studying hard, training, and doing cardio, all that stuff was definitely difficult. I was taking 19 credit hours per semester [15 is average] and playing in the school jazz band on top of that. Nutrition was the biggest challenge of all. Dorm food sucks for bodybuilding. Itâs all burgers and pizza and stuff. I bought all my own food, which is a really big expense, but I had to do it. I helped other students eat as clean as they could in the cafeterias, but itâs never ideal. Living on campus is not healthy. You have to really work to keep up a bodybuilding lifestyle.â
The 2005 Teen Nationals light-heavyweight and overall winner, Gerald Williams, won the California Pro in May. This month, he becomes the eighth Teen Nats competitor to ex in the Mr. Olympia.
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Courtesy of Jay Cutler / Weider Health & Fitness
JAY CUTLER: TAKE TIME TO GROW
âDonât be in a hurry. Kids want everything right now, but it takes years in the gym to build quality muscle. The other thing I would say to a teenage competitor is that moving up to open shows is a big step. Suddenly, youâll be standing next to 30-year-olds whoâve been training and dieting for 15 years. Pick your next move carefully. I didnât compete again until I was 22, and then, though I was living in Massachusetts, I competed in California [winning the prestigious Tournament of Champions], because I knew thatâs where I could get noticed and build a name for myself. It worked. The next year, I won the heavyweight class of the NPC Nationals and a pro card.â
When he was just an unknown 216-pound kid with potential, Jay Cutler won the heavyweight class of the 1993 Teen Nationals. How did he fulfill that potential? He earned 15 pro titles, including four Mr. Olympias (2006â07, 2009â10).
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Per Bernal / Courtesy of Weider Health & Fitness
BRANCH WARREN: HAVE PASSION
âStay consistent. Train smart. Warm up, stretch and use proper form, because nothing will stop your gains faster than an injury. Overall, you need to train for the right reasons. Do it because you love it. If youâre doing it because you think youâre going to get rich and famous, youâll never get anywhere. You have to have a passion for bodybuilding.â
At 18, Branch Warren won the light-heavyweight and overall 1993 Teen Nationals, in the process defeating 19-year-old heavyweight Jay Cutler. Warren, who has won nine pro shows, was second to Cutler in the 2009 Mr. Olympia.
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Chris Lund
Just after his teenage win, Huh poses for Richard Jones.
JASON HUH: EAT MORE TO GROW MORE
âI feel as though a lot of young guys just donât eat enough. When youâre a teenager, your metabolism is ramped up. You can pack away a lot of calories without gaining a pound. Thatâs one of the advantages of youth, but it can be a disadvantage to a young bodybuilder who wants to grow. I ate eight meals a day, including [protein] shakes, every day. I consumed around 4,000 calories a day in the off-season when I weighed 250, and I kept my carbs in the 400 [grams] to 450 range. You need all those extra nutrients to grow.â
In 2004, Jason Huh beat Gerald Williams in the light-heavy class and heavyweight Steve Kuclo for the overall Teen Nationals title. Since winning the 2010 USA Championships, Huh has competed in four pro shows.
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Bill Comstock
NPC TEEN NATIONAL COMPETITORS WHO WENT PRO
As of November 2017
Frank Santoriello | YEAR: 1984 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Bob Cicherillo | YEAR: 1985 | HIGHEST PLACING: 2nd, Heavyweight
Shawn Ray | YEAR: 1985 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Shane DiMora | YEAR: 1986 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Chris Cormier | YEAR: 1987 | HIGHEST PLACING: 1st, Light-Heavyweight
Capriese Murray | YEAR: 1992 | HIGHEST PLACING: 1st, Lightweight
Jay Cutler |Â YEAR: 1993Â |Â HIGHEST PLACING: 1st, Heavyweight
Branch Warren | YEAR: 1993 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Craig Richardson | YEAR: 1994 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Jose Raymond | YEAR: 1994 | HIGHEST PLACING: 2nd, Llightweight
Jason Huh | YEAR: 2004 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Steve Kuclo | YEAR: 2004-05 | HIGHEST PLACING: 1st, Heavyweight
Gerald Williams | YEAR: 2005 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Nick Trigili | YEAR: 2006 | HIGHEST PLACING: 4th, Heavyweight
Aaron Clark | YEAR: 2008 | HIGHEST PLACING: 2nd, Light-Heavyweight
Nick Medici | YEAR: 2010 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
Dominick Cardone | YEAR: 2012 | HIGHEST PLACING: 1st, Heavyweight
Cody Montgomery | YEAR: 2012-14 | HIGHEST PLACING: Overall Winner
 FLEXÂ
from Bodybuilding Feed https://www.flexonline.com/training/training-tips-teen-champs via http://www.rssmix.com/
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