Now On Stage: PJ Braun
Diet Guru of The Week!
Name: Philip (PJ) Braun
Date of birth: 2-6-81
Hometown: New Fairfield/Danbury CT
Career: Owner of BraunFitness Nutritional Consulting and Training Services
Sports background:
Football grades 5-12
Short stint in wrestling as well as MMA
Competitive powerlifter ages 17-19
What do you like best about being a diet coach? To me, its like a chess match. Me versus the person I'm working withand their genetics. How can I use my knowledge to alter this persons physique in the most efficient way. It's exciting for me. Plus the opportunity to change someones quality of life and even increase their years through nutrition is a "gift" I do not take for granted. I love what I do!
Competition history:
Powerlifting
I won the AAU Teen American Championships at 198lbs
I also won the ADAU American Championships
A bunch of other small state titles in the USPF
Bodybuilding
2003- Atlantic States- Lt Heavy -Novice 5th place
2004- Atlantic States- Lt Heavy- Novice 3rd place
2004- NJ Garden State Classic- Open Lt Heavy- 2nd place
2006- Junior USA- Heavyweight- 4th place
2006- New England Champs- Heavyweight -1st place
2007- North Americans -Heavyweight- 11th place
2008- North Americans - Heavyweight- 9th place
2008- Atlantic City ProAm- Superheavyweight and Overall Champion
2009- Eastern USA- Heavyweight- 1st place
2009- National -Heavyweight -11th place
2010-Nationals-Heavyweight -9th place
What Cardio Type Would You Recommend for Fat Loss and or Pre Contest, High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) or Low Intensity Steady State (L.I.S.S.)? It depends on the individual and how I am prepping them. I use a variety of approaches, I will say I very seldom have clients run or jog though.
How do you diet your clients? Using the carb cycling approach, keto? Both, I have turned 2 girls pro in 2 different divisions using Keto, but overall I would say I only keto about 25% of my clients.
What is your protocol for filing out days prior to stepping onstage? Again this depends on the individual and how I prepped them. No two clients are alike!!
What is the most challenging aspect of dieting clients? Well as long as they do EXACTLY as they are told, it's rarely a challenge. The challenge is getting the ones who don't (which is many, lol) to still look perfect!
A good whey Isolate
Fish oils
Evening primrose oil
A mineral sup
High dose Vitamin D3
High dose Vitamin C
Liv 52
Probiotics
Glucosamine and MSM
BCAA's
What is the oddest question you have ever been asked by a client? One kid emailed me at 16 weeks out and said "PJ is it true that having sex will really hurt my performance? I told my gf and we got into a huge fight! I want to do whatever it takes to win, but I don't want to lose my GF!!"
I let it go for a week before I told him who ever told him that was a fool and to please go have sex before his gf dumps him! Lol
Do you also provide training programs to clients? If so, how do you determine the best program for each individual? Yes I DO EVERYTHING. I like variety. If I like someones current program I will alter it slightly. If I hate it I will change their whole world! Change is good. People tend to get stuck in a rut of doing what they like all the time rather then what is best for them.
What formula do you use to determine how many macro nutrients to give each client? I take what they are already doing versus what they look like and adjust accordingly. It usually takes me about 2 weeks to figure out exactly what needs to be done with the individual.
Do you have clients manipulate water prior to getting onstage? If so how? Not anything dramatic unless they have to make a weight class. Manipulating water is a mistake. Look at how you look in the morning even when you haven't done a thing different. Your always dry! When you start tinkering with your water your body adapts fast and will fight irregularity.
What is the best way for potential clients to reach you?
Email me! [email protected]
Or on facebook http://facebook.com/pj.braun
Or my website www.pjbraun.com
Subscribe to RxMuscle on Youtube
