Articles Bios & Interviews 2013 Junior Nationals Overall Winner: Allen Richards: An Exclusive Interview
2013 Junior Nationals Overall Winner: Allen Richards: An Exclusive Interview
The NPC Junior Nationals is a compe
tition that’s been known to produce future stars. In the past few years we’ve seen athletes like Anthony Pasquale, Kevin Jordan, and Jon Delarosa take the overall crown on their way to becoming NPC stars and, in the case of Jon Delarosa, an IFBB Pro. The 2013 Junior Nationals were no different as we saw Allen Richards take home the overall crown and have his name added to the already impressive list of champions. I recently got a chance to speak with Allen and discovered just how this young budding star found his way to the winners circle in this Rx Muscle exclusive interview.
Q.) Before we discuss your win at Junior Nationals let's take a look back at how you began your journey there. You were first introduced to bodybuilding through your sister, who's currently a National level figure competitor. When you first began training, did you find that you responded well immediately?
A.) Yes, actually. When I first got into the gym I hadn't lifted since highschool, so I found that my body responded incredibly fast. I remember putting on ten pounds in the first six weeks and thought to myself "Man, how far can I take this?" By the end of the first year, I grew from 140 lbs. up to 175 lbs., if I remember correctly.
Q.) As we know, the bodybuilding lifestyle is very demanding and requires a great deal of sacrifice compared to other sports. Was this something that was difficult for you initially?
A.) I think it is somewhat of a struggle for anyone to make the transition into the bodybuilding lifestyle. It was a little strange to limit myself from activities based on whether I would or would not be able to get my meals in. However, it didn’t take long for it to stick. I found that the healthy lifestyle fit me much better than my previous lifestyle. It was probably harder for my friends and loved ones to adjust.
Q.) During your early stages, how big of an impact did your sisters have, given their competitive experience and knowledge of training and nutrition?
A.) Laura was the first of my sisters to compete; she helped me tremendously! I remember all she would say was, "You're not eating enough; you wuss! Eat more Allen; everyone else is." Every time she spotted me without food in my hand, she would jokingly hound me to eat. Regarding training, they would give me pointers. However, the majority was self-taught; searching for exercises online or in the magazines. Bottom line, without them, I may never have discovered my love for this sport.
Q.) How long had you been training before you decided to step onstage for the first time? What was it that motivated you to ultimately test the waters of competition?
A.) I started training 
at the beginning of 2007 and first stepped on stage at the NPC Colorado State in 2008. When I first started, I had no intention of ever stepping on stage. I was just unhappy with being so skinny and wanted to add a few pounds. As I started to grow, so did my admiration for the great bodybuilders. I secretly wanted to follow their footsteps but I doubted my ability to. As I grew and grew, I started to consider taking that step and chose to do the Colorado State since both of my sisters were also competing in that show, Laura in figure and Dana in bodybuilding. So, as a family we entered and my main motivation was that I just wanted to see if I even enjoyed being under the lights. I weighed in at 181 pounds and from the moment I stepped past the curtain I was hooked!!!
Q.) Since you began competing you've managed to pack on a tremendous amount of quality muscle. Those gains have to be attributed to having incredible consistency during both offseason and pre-contest dieting. Could you give us an example of what a typical day of eating looked like for you this past off-season.
A.) I have to stay fairly consistent in my off season due to having frequent stomach issues. The dirtier the foods the worse my digestion gets so it’s important that I stay fairly strict with about 2-3 cheat meals a week. My diet is literally the same every single day besides those cheat meals. I believe cheat meals are a necessary, and I am a sucker for pizza!
I eat 7 meals a day;
Meal #1 Egg whites, cream of rice and a banana
Meal #2 Beef and white sweet potato
Meal #3 Whey isolate and cream of rice
Meal #4 Chicken, white rice, and spinach
Meal #5 Chicken and white rice
Meal #6 Beef, white sweet potatoes, and spinach
Meal #7 Whey isolate and cream of rice
Q.) Let's talk about your experience at the 2010 Junior Nationals. You came into the show fairly confident given the success you'd had at the local level, but ultimately ended up taking 16th. How did that moment change you as a bodybuilder and as a person?
A.) It changed me tremendously. I remember the disappointment and the embarrassment I 
felt, and the sudden realization of the fact that I wasn't ready to be there. I finally picked myself up and vowed that would never happen again. I would never be last place. As a bodybuilder it made me push myself harder than I ever had before. It made me stick to my off season diet much more than I had in prior years, and over all taught me that if I didn’t give it my all then I would always have a chance of coming in that dreaded last spot. As a person it taught me that if you have a passion for something or a dream you have to chase it and never give up till you get it.
Q.) Instead of allowing that loss to define you, in a sense, it actually gave you the opportunity to redefine yourself. How did you go about reformulating your approach to bodybuilding?
A.) I would say more than anything it woke me up. It made me see firsthand how hard it was to be competitive at the National level. It made me realize that I had to work harder, train better, and eat more to get to that level.
Q.) In 2011you began working with Dylan Armbrust, and it seems the two of you have found a winning formula. In your opinion, why have the two of you had so much success together?
A.) We've had success because we have become good friends. We are close and communicate well which makes it easier to stay on the same page. He has a tremendous amount of knowledge so it’s easier for me to trust him. He tells me what to do and I do it. Dylan is also extremely honest and will never say something just to make me feel better, a sort of tough love approach. If I’m off he will be sure to tell me! I think honesty and trust is vital if you want to have a successful prep.
Q.) Let's talk about your win at Junior Nationals. Heading into the show were you confident that the improvements you made would allow you to compete for a chance to win?
A.) I was confident in my improvements, yes. However, was I confident that I had a chance to win? Well, that’s a different story entirely. I can see my flaws as clear as anyone else, and I know the areas I need to improve. I knew I had fixed a few of my lagging body parts but there is always more work to be done. I was just hoping my hard work would pay off, but was aware I was going to be up against amazing athletes. I try not to think about having a chance to win or not as I prep for a contest. I work harder every day and won’t give up no matter what. If that was enough for a win then I'm happy. If it wasn’t, well then it’s time to work harder.
Q.) After prejudging was over did you have a sense that an overall title was within reach?
A.) When prejudging ended I was only focused on my class. I hadn't even gotten a chance to think about the overall. I was just happy that when I looked at the comparisons p
ictures I looked like I belonged up there. Dylan started to say it was a possibility, so I just buckled down to finish out the night.
Q.) What was your first thought after finding out that you'd just won the overall title?
A.) My first thought was "Is this really happening? Is this real?" Then I was filled with a sense of relief, as if a lot of pressure was taken off my shoulders. I just could not believe I had done it, that I succeeded. When you hear your name called out as the overall champion it’s somewhat unreal. You diet for twelve weeks, do countless cardio sessions, practice posing hours on end, and stress an enormous amount to get ready for that one moment. So, when the outcome is an overall, it’s one of the most rewarding moments possible.
Q.) What advice would you give to young bodybuilders who have had poorplacings at a shows and may be feeling deflated?
A.) I would say it’s just a number. So what if you didn't come in exactly where you were hoping you to. There is always something you can do better, or a way you could work harder. If it’s really a passion for you and it’s truly a love for you, than use it as a way to fuel your training. Vow to never make the same mistakes and vow to work harder. I believe it’s important for a bodybuilder to lose a competition. If you can make it through that then you have an opportunity to learn so much more about yourself, and learn more about dedication and determination.
Q.) If someone would like to get in contact with you for potential sponsorships or guest posing opportunities how can they reach you?
A.) The best way to get a hold of me is through my athlete page on Facebook, or through my email [email protected]
Winners are successful because of their losses, not in spite of them. They don’t view a loss as a failure. Instead they view it as a teaching moment, as an opportunity to learn how to become a winner. That’s exactly what Allen Richards did. He didn’t allow his loss at the 2010 Junior Nationals to define who he was. Instead Allen used that loss as springboard that propelled him at warp speed to the head of the class and now he has an overall title and his name etched in the record books along with some of the greats. The 2013 Junior Nationals wasn’t just about victory, it was also about redemption. For Allen it signified his sacrifice, dedication, and hard work coming to fruition. Success.
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