Akim Williams achieves IFBB Pro card at 2013 North Americans: An Exclusive Interview
They say, there's a difference to E
ast Coast training versus that of the West Coast. And it would seemthat whatever this year's IFBB North American Super Heavyweight and Overall winner did at Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym, it certainly paid off.
Between grueling training sessions, the expertise of RxMuscle's Dave Palumbo, and a strong work ethic that'ssurely attributed to his heritage, Akim Williams has gone Pro. Get ready for a unique interview, where I and several of my friends from RxMuscle's Muscle Central Forum, interview champion among champion!
Christian Duque:Akim, first and foremost, welcome congratulations on winning your class and the Overall at the 2013 NPC/IFBB North American Championships! It must be an amazing feeling to be an IFBB Pro Bodybuilder. Please tell us a little about yourself – full name, age, height, weight, where you're from?
Akim Williams: My name is Akim Williams. I am 29 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches. My contest weight is around 245lbs. to 250lbs.and in the offseason I usually get up to about 280lbs. I live in Brooklyn, New York but my background is Grenadian, a small island located in the Caribbean.
CD: Although it may seem clichéto ask, what got you started in bodybuilding? Were you a fan from childhood ordid something just happen, you walked into a gym, and became a superstar?
AW: Actually, I was talked into bodybuilding. I started working out when I was 22 years old and saw results really quickly. Naturally, most of my friends told me I should compete but I was too scared to do it. It so happened that one day, on my way home from school, I ran into a retired professional bodybuilder’s wife on a bus in Brooklyn. At the time I was wearing a tank top because it was really hot outside. She took one look at me and introduced herself and told me all about her husband and the wonderful world of bodybuilding.
Turns out her husband’s name was Leon Brown. I found out later at he was also a very close friend and workout partner of Arnold Schwarzenegger . A few days later I went to meet Leon. He wanted to meet me because his wife could not stop talking about me. He wanted to see if I had any potential. He took one look at me and he decided that I was going to do my first show two weeks later – the 2010 NPC Bill Grant Classic out in PA, a show which I won the novice heavy weight and overall novice.
CD: Talk to us about your game plan. Why the North Americans? Had you competed in other National qualifiers and/or what was your mindset going into the contest? Were you hoping for a Top 5 placing, some publicity, or did you go in gunning for number one and nothing short of it?
AW: Why the North American? One of the feedback from the judges for 2012 shows I did was that I needed to make improvements on my back and I felt that if I skipped the USA’s 2013 and waited for the North American will give me the time I needed to make those improvements.
After a 5th place finish in the super heavyweight class at the 2012 USA’s, I decided to make another attempt to earning my pro card at the 2012 National, however I finished a very disappointing 9th place which left me a little depressed. I wanted to end the year on a good note, so I decided to do the eastern USA’s out here in NYC where I took the super heavyweight and overall.
CD: Dave Palumbo, owner of RxMuscle and Species Nutrition, prepared you. Talk to us about your experience working with Jumbo Palumbo. What was the diet like and how happy were you during contest prep?
AW: Well, I have been working with Dave Palumbo from the beginning of me starting this journey and what I can say is that it was a pleasure working with him. He makes dieting for a show effortless and all I have to do is stick to the plan, trust his judgment, and send update pictures once a week. I d
on’t think you can get any simpler layout than that.
CD: Talk to us about stimulants. It seems pre-workout drinks are loaded with stims these day and people can't seem to train without them. What's your take on these powders and what's your take on caffeine for training purposes? Does your body respond well to it?
AW: As far as pre-workouts, I really don’t use them unless I’m a few weeks out from a show. They do give me an extra boost when I’m feeling really drained.
CD: I think everyone wants to know more about the show. Many people actually wanted to watch it live but couldn't. Share your thoughts with us insofar as how the presentation was run, the depth of the lineup, and if possible tell us who, if anyone, had you concerned in your class (anyone you thought could be trouble come scoring time)?
AW: The show ran very well. The weigh-in was a breeze and the prejudging went by so fast that I was back in my hotel room at 12p.m. resting.lol As far as competition, I wasn’t really worried about anyone because this was not my first national level show, and most of the guys that were in the show, I have competed with them before. However, there were some guys on my radar. Guys like Kevin Jordan and Dusty Hanshaw. These guys at anytime can bring a crazy package and win any national level show, so, yes, they were in the back of my mind.
CD: Let's talk some training, and forgive me for asking you this after winning the biggest show of your life and going pro, but... what bodyparts are you most impressed with and what bodyparts (if any) would you like to bring up to walk onto the prostage?
AW: The bodypart that I am most impressed with was my back. I have worked hard all year to make improvements on my back. I still have lots of room to grow, but I was really happy with the gains I made on my back. This offseason I really want to bring up my calves, hamstrings, and shoulders, while keep making gains on my back.
CD: I want to thank you for taking the time to speak to us. I'd like for you to take this opportunity to thank all those that helped you along to this point. Also, please tell your fans where they can go to keep up to date with you
(website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc.).
AW: The best place to reach me is on facebook.com at Ifbb Pro Akim Williams – https://www.facebook.com/akim.williams.31
I will like to take the thank my coach, Dave Palumbo; my girlfriend, Christina: my brother, IFBB Pro Juan Morel; my training partner, Jay Garcia; and my great friend, Ali and his wife, who have been there with me from day one with their support. I'd also like to thank my sponsors, Natural Vitamins.
Guest Questions
Patrick Barnes (LG Sciences Athlete / The Manimal): Hey,Akim,first of all, congratulations on your pro card win. Not many people can be called professional bodybuilders so now you're in a great class of people. I wanted to get your take on now that you are a pro, what do you see your career doing? What is the ultimate goal you have for yourself, not just on the bodybuilding stage but also in life? What kind of legacy would you like to leave on the sport? Do you feel your destined for great things within bodybuilding? And is there one thing you'd like to be known for once you’ve called it a career?
Akim Williams: Thanks, bro. As for my ultimate goal in bodybuilding and life I would say is just being successful at both. In bodybuilding, my goal is to one day place top 5 in the Mr. Olympia, as far as my life, just making positive contributions to help better the world and the people through a healthy lifestyle. As for legacy, I would love for people to know me for my training style, which is heavy. There are too many myths out there that bodybuilders are not strong lifters. The one thing I would like to be known for once I call it a career is my strength. I want to people to say IFBB Pro Akim Williams was one strong mofo(lol) who trained hard all day, every day!
Tu Holmes: Akim, you seem to have had a pretty good contest history... lots of accomplishments. Congratulations on your success. How do you feel about the current state of bodybuilding in regards to what the competitors have to do to get to "contest ready"? Do you think they are having to go too far? Do you feel you had to go to an unhealthy extreme? If not, why do you think so many competitors seem to be taking it to the "ragged edge"?
Akim Williams: Wow. Good question. You won’t believe some of the crazy shit you hear backstage at these shows. I’m not going to go into detail, but, yes, I do feel like competitors today rely too much on the science of bodybuilding rather than just using hard training.
In today’s national level amateur contest, competition is a lot harder. One look at any national level show and you can see many physique that can belong on an IFBB Pro stage. There is a lot more competition out there and taking the unhealthy road to get that win is sometimes the only choice some people have to obtaining that pro card. I am a huge believer in training hard to get a quality physique, it is the reason why I have made so much gains in such a short time.
AVBG: What did you learn from prepping alongside Juan Morel this contest season and did Akim ever think that he would be the perennial runner up at national level shows?
Akim Williams: I have been training with Juan Morel for about 4 years now, so there was nothing really different this year from the past years. We have always trained heavy and hard leading up to shows. As for my prep, a lot of people don’t understand that I have moved up a weight class each year for the past three years. I started as a light heavyweight, then heavyweight, and now super heavyweight.
2013 was the first year that I was able to stay at the same weight, 245 lbs., and same class, and polish my physique. I didn’t need any more size. I just needed more muscle maturity. All of the muscle I put on in the past four years was new muscle and anyone who knows about co
mpeting will know that new muscle don’t separate or get in the same condition as someone who have been training for years.
Johnny Styles: Bodybuilding is such a time consuming sport. What are some of the things you had to give up in order to achieve this package, the one that made you turn pro.
Akim Williams:
1. I had to take a semester off from school to train in the offseason.
2. I didnt really see my family this prep. Most of the time we talked or texted over the phone.
3. I didn't go to any movies this summer because I didn't want to cheat on my diet.
4. I didn’t go to the beach this prep either. My summer was all dieting, gym and posing, but I got that big win so it was all worth it.
I'd like to thank IFBB Pro Akim Williams, as well as buds from the Rx Muscle Central Forum, for a great interview. I have no doubt that Akim will reap all the benefits from his many sacrifices. I know it's only a question of time until he breaks into the Top 5 at the Mr. Olympia. Will it require a lot of patience, a lot discipline? Will it test Akim to the limits? I'm sure it will. And I'm equally sure that Akim will best whatever obstacles lay in his way. These East Coast bodybuilders just never give up!
*** I'd like to thank Mr. Jim Manion for allowing me to use NPC News photos for this interview. I would also like to thank my friend J.M. Manion for all his support.
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