James Collier: Hi Dayo and thanks for agreeing to take part in an interview for all your fans on MuscleTalk, who have come up with some of the questions I am going to ask.
DA: It's a pleasure as well as an honour to be interviewed by MuscleTalk.
JC: You've recently signed a sponsorship deal with Sci-Mentor, who fixed this interview for us. Can I ask why you chose to go with these guys?
DA: I chose to go with Sci-Mentor because unlike any other company I have dealt with before, they seem to be much more in tune with the athlete's real and practical needs and have matched this not only in words but deeds. The MD of Sci-Mentor, Richard Davies, is a man I would simply describe as a man of action and so far he has honoured every commitment he has made to me. Sci-Mentor, though in its infancy, is dynamic, revolutionary and innovative - and this is a characteristic the sports supplement industry lacks at the moment, especially in the UK. It is not a company that waits for trends to catch on in the US before they filter through from across the Atlantic and are copied hook line and sinker as is usually the case. Further to this their products are second to none in quality and they are tested and verified independently as well as backed with certificates of conformity. Now few would argue with that! Finally, he does love Bodybuilding from the heart. For him, it's not just an opportunistic enterprise for his company. In the short and long term I feel he has a valuable contribution to make to the sport of Bodybuilding.
JC: How old were you when you started training?
DA: 29 years old
JC: What made you decide to start working out/bodybuilding?
DA: I needed to keep fit but could only do this indoors as coming from a tropical country (born in Nigeria) the climate in Aberdeen where I was studying was too cold! Things just developed from there.
JC: How long have you been a pro and at what point in your career did you feel becoming a Pro was indeed a real possibility for you?
DA: I've been a pro since 1999. I've never set a target other than that of improving my physique year after year though I must point out that many in the know felt I had pro-potential, this I took as a compliment. The titles I've won are a direct reflection of the fact that I've improved from year to year.
JC: I haven't seen pics of you in the off season, just wondering if you prefer to stay relatively lean or if you like to really bulk up as much as you can like some pros?
DA: Pictures of me in the off-season can be found on my website in the Picture Gallery. I eat relatively clean most of the time and allow for cheat-days, usually at weekends. On a personal and logical note, I don't see the reason or necessity on putting on an extra 2 or 3 stone in the off season only to give yourself more work come competition time. You can still put on quality muscle while being lean and it's much healthier as well.
JC: Have you got any shows coming up this year or early next year? And how well do you expect to do?
DA: The Universe in October. How well I'll do? Well how long is a piece of string? All I pray for is the placing I deserve based on the principles of judging physiques (the package). What I am certain about though is that I won't look out of place in any line up and I would not be an embarrassment to Sci-Mentor or myself.
JC: How strict is your diet off season? Do you eat clean while trying to gain size or do you allow any junk food in your diet?
DA: On a percentage basis I would say 80/20 in favour of a clean diet which would include all the nutrient essentials (micro and macro) to gain size. There's nothing wrong in eating junk food occasionally as long as it's not habitual. Moreover, if we all stopped eating junk food think of how many people would be out of work!
JC: What's the worst piece of bodybuilding advice you have ever been given?!
DA: That you need to copy everything the 'big boys' in the magazines do to be as big as they are.
JC: How many times a week do you train and for how long?
DA: Four times per week, one hour maximum.
JC: Do you ever have problems with motivation for both sticking to your diet and for training?
DA: No problem whatsoever. Stick with positive people, accept constructive criticism, set your target and go for it with the certain belief that your "suffering" will not last forever.
JC: Many beginners who read today's bodybuilding magazines and websites are inundated with complex and in some cases dubious routines for building mass. What worked best for you in the early years and do you still stick to those same principles these days?
DA: Everything starts from a foundation. Get down to the fundamentals, keep things simple and build a solid foundation. With time the rest will follow. Two thirds of my workout schedule is still directed towards compound mass building exercises while the other third are rhythmic, geared towards shaping and refining.
JC: What kind of cardiovascular work do you do?
DA: Cross-trainer.
JC: In brief, what's your typical daily pre-comp diet like?
DA: I do things in ratios of proteins, carbs and essential fats. These ratios aren't cast in stone and are usually 'tweaked' depending on how fast or slow the weight is coming off. If you imagine a plane coming in to land and the runway being the contest and also imagine all the adjustments in speed, wind change etc that the pilot has to take into consideration for a safe landing, you should have an idea as to where I'm coming from!
JC: Which supplements do you use? Do these differ on and off season?
DA: I tend to stick to the basics.
- Protein to assist in muscle building
- Glutamine & Other Anti-Oxidants for immune system buffering
- Essential Oils which my body cannot manufacture and finally
- A Good Multi-Vitamin & Mineral supplement to cover micro-nutrients
That's it. They don't differ on and off season.
JC: Do you have any 'Dayo Audi gems of wisdom' which you could pass onto our readers and members?!
DA:
- Any exercise you perform which allows you to use less weight than you would normally do before the onset of muscular failure is superior to one which allows you to use more weight for the same purpose.
- Learn the art of proper training, nutrition and recuperation before contemplating sticking a needle into your body or swallowing any tablets you probably won't get over the counter.
- The first ever Bodybuilder who gave the first ever piece of advice to the first ever student of Bodybuilding - where did his knowledge come from? FROM EXPERIMENTATION! Don't be afraid to experiment to find out what best works for you.
JC: I notice you have your own website www.dayoaudi.co.uk which has information about you and your shop. Can you give us a quick run down of your supplement business please?
DA: We've been in the supplement business since late 1998. Mainly van sales and gym visits in the Yorkshire area initially. The internet business is relatively new, only 18 months old, but is growing rapidly. We sell many of the popular brands and 75% of our business is still geared towards Trade customers. I've drawn up major plans for a total revamp of the website, which should begin after the Universe. That's all I can say for now.
JC: Lastly Dayo, do you ever visit the MuscleTalk forums or other bodybuilding websites, and do you feel that people's knowledge of nutrition and training has improved since bodybuilding forums, like MT have become so popular?
DA: Because of this interview I've had to go on your website and I must say it is very informative. I just hope your novice and other interested readers can harness this useful information and channel it wisely to suit their individual needs and circumstances.
JC: Many thanks for taking the time to be interviewed and on behalf of all the MuscleTalk members, I'd like to wish you all the best in your future career.
DA: James, you and all your interested members are more than welcome. Thank you.