About the athlete Steve Cook

Data from Steve Cook:

• Age: 30 years old
• Status: IFBB Physique Pro, fitness model, contract work for Optimum Nutrition, ABB, Bodybuilding.com, 6 Pack Fitness

Steve Cook height and weight

• Height: 186 cm
• Weight: 95kg

The history of Steve Cook’s performances at the competitions:

• 2010 Bodybuilding.com Fit Body – 1 place
• 2011 NPC Ironman Magazine Championship – 1 place
• 2011 US Junior Championship NPC – 3rd place
• 2011 National Junior Championship NPC – 1 place
• 2012 IFBB Houston Pro – 1st place
• 2013 IFBB Olympia Men’s Physique – 8th place
• 2014 IFBB Dallas Pro – 1st place
• 2014 IFBB Olympia Men’s Physique – 5th place

Information about Steve Cook from his site, as well as from an interview with CutAndJacked.com:

Steve Cook is one of the people who most embodies the present-day fitness industry. Steve is a professional participant in the Men’s Physique category of beach bodybuilding, the face of Optimum Nutrition and Bodybuilding.com, and an international fitness model. Through Bodybuilding.com, Optimum Nutrition, and his various social networking platforms, Steve Cook teaches millions of people how to move closer to their fitness goals. Before he began to perform on shows and act as a model, Steve was a college football player who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in both Biology and Psychology from Dixie College.

“More. Faster. Stronger.” was a family motto when Steve Cook grew up. This was the motto Steve heard every day as the son of a coach and sports manager. He was the middle child of his parents’ 7 children, and all of them played sports. Like many middle-children, Steve Cook did his best not to get lost in the chaos of a large family. Under the supervision of his father, he began to thrive not only at the stadium but also in the gym from a very young age. He was not allowed to watch TV or take a walk with friends until he did push-ups. He also fanatically did push-ups before going to bed. This type of regular intense exercise formed his brain-muscle connection. This neuromuscular connection was the keystone of Steve Cook’s future success in sport and bodybuilding.

Steve did his first set of burdens when he was still in high school. By the sixth class, he could already squeeze 92kg. He continued with burdens later on, not because it gave him an advantage in other sports, but simply because he liked the process. In the 9th grade, Cook was already lying 144 kg and was one of the strongest children among his peers.

During his time at college, Steve Cook became bigger and stronger. Unlike other players in American football, who only did football-related exercises, Steve was still interested in the formation of his muscles. In order to learn how to build muscles and build up mass, Cook read Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding. Once his career in football came to an end, Steve decided to continue training as a bodybuilder. By 2009, Steve Cook was already heavily involved in the bodybuilding industry.

On 21/11/2009 in Las Vegas, Cook won the first competition he ever competed in, and instantly made a name for himself in bodybuilding at the national level. This was an incredible achievement for an amateur bodybuilder. But not all was going well for Cook. In early 2010, Steve Cook and his wife decided to divorce after four years of living together,. This was a huge blow to Cook, and he recovered the only way he knew how- by going back into the hall.

In April 2010, Steve Cook took first place at the ABFF Show / Boise Golds Gym Classic and received a professional card.

Steve Cook Q&A

His favorite bodybuilders:

“I really like the aesthetic figures. Of course, my favorite athlete is Arnold, I met him when I was 7 years old, and from that moment I’m his fan. I also like Steve Reeves, Frank Zane, Bob Paris, Serge Noubre, Lee Labrada.”

How much time he spends in the hall:

“From 1 to 1.5 hours. I like to change the training schedule every 2 weeks. When I’m working on developing strength, I often train for 45 minutes only. “

His pre-competition diet:

“My diet does not change much during the year. I usually do not [stray] in the offseason from a competitive weight of more than 2.5 kg. In the offseason I allow myself more carbohydrates, I enjoy fruits and milk. Closer to the competitions or photo sessions I start to cut carbohydrates (I’m cycling them). Protein a day I eat 250 to 300 grams, fat – from 50 to 70 grams. I eat on average 6 times a day. The basis of the diet – low-fat sources of protein like turkey, chicken fillet and fish. “

Steve Cook diet (off-season):

First meal:

• 8 egg whites
• 2 whole eggs
• Vegetables (spinach, Bulgarian pepper) – 1 serving
• Oatmeal – 60-80gr

Second meal:

• Protein source with low fat (white fish, chicken, turkey, steak) – 200gr
• Source of complex carbohydrates (brown rice or sweet potatoes) – 70gr

The third meal (after the workout):

• Protein powder – 40gr
• Maltodextrin – 50-100g

Fourth meal (about an hour after the previous one):

• Low-fat meat – 200gr
• Complex carbohydrates (pasta from whole wheat flour, brown rice or sweet potato)
• – 70-90gr
• Vegetables – 1 portion

Fifth meal:

• Low-fat meat – 200gr
• Vegetables – 1 portion
• Sources of healthy fats (almonds or almond oil, avocado or olive oil) – 10-20 gr

Sixth meal:

• Repeat the fifth, or eat a protein bar

Seventh meal (before bedtime):

• Casein protein – 1.5 scoops
• Sources of healthy fats (almonds or almond oil, avocado or olive oil) – 10-20 gr

On the avoiding the temptation of harmful food:

“I [make sure not to] feel hungry. I eat every 2-3 hours, and if I still want to eat between meals, then I find some useful alternative for a snack like almond oil. “

Beginner Cooking Training Program

Get ready for the best lesson of your life. Steve Cook will teach you how to eat, how to eat, how to succeed and how to grow. Learn the basics of building muscle: build your body!

This 12-week muscle building course will teach you how to train to maximize your benefits, eat well and budget, use food supplements and sports nutrition wisely, and manage your time successfully. If you want to train smartly, this is exactly where you should start.

Get bigger, stronger and more confident in your personal muscle building plan from Steve Cook. 

This program has been specifically designed for beginners. You will learn how to apply weightlifting and fitness tricks in your life, study, and work.

Clear goals are essential for fitness success. Learn to set, achieve and exceed your weight goals.

Too many people go to the gym without a clear goal. It is sometimes difficult for beginners to determine whether they want to gain five kilograms, increase their strength or develop stamina. This program will help you set, achieve and exceed any goal.

Plan your workouts around your life, your daily activities and responsibilities. Plan extra time for cooking. If you need to train in the morning before work or study, then fix this time clearly for the gym. These are fairly basic basics, but they may seem tough for beginners. Remember: if you do not plan, you plan to fail. Structure your life for success.

Whenever you are time limited, maximize your workout efficiency. Use supersets, relax less, or even use outdoor activities for cardio. Instead of planning a separate cardio session outside of your weightlifting exercises, do plyometric exercises between sets. Make the most of your time at the gym.

Share your workouts. If you do not have a full hour, divide your workout into two 30-minute sessions. In the morning, workout on one part of the body, and in the evening on another.

Supplements  will never replace good nutrition and exercise with maximum effort. Nevertheless, they are important for everyone who wants to become more powerful, stronger and faster.
Protein powder is  essential for tissue growth and repair. More than any other macronutrient, it helps build muscle. Steve Cook recommends 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. Protein powder is an easy way to achieve this norm, it is an ideal protein for recovery after training, as it is quickly digested.

Your body needs more than proteins, carbohydrates and fats. You need trace elements in vital amounts to cover the gaps in your diet. Iron, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin B and others – all this is important for good health. Vitamins and minerals play an important role in various biological functions. Athletes and active people usually need more vitamins and minerals than people with a sedentary lifestyle, so Steve Cook recommends adding multivitamins to your diet that combine vitamins, minerals, and additional nutrients.

Below is a training plan for 7 days, use it for your 12-week course.

Steve Cook’s training program (off-season):

Day 1 (thighs, drumstick):

• Extension of legs on the simulator: 2 * 15 (warm-up), 1 * 10-12 to failure
• Foot press : 2 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 10-12 to failure
• Gakk-squatting: 2 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 10-12 to failure
• Bending legs on the simulator while sitting: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 10-12 to failure
• Deadlift with straight legs: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 10-12 to failure
• Shin in the training apparatus for bench press: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 3 sets in rest-pause mode, rest between sets 10-15 seconds
• Shin in the simulator sitting: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 6-8 to failure

Day 2 (chest, biceps, press):

• Bench press lying down on an incline bench: 2 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 6-8 to failure
• Dumbbell bench press lying on an incline bench (head up): 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 6-8 to failure
• Dumbbell lying down: 1 * 10-12, 1 * 6-8 to failure
• Concentrated lifting dumbbells on the biceps: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 6-8 to failure
• Hammer: 2 * 6-8 to failure
• Lifting the bar to the bicep: 2 * 8-10 with the use of cheating and negative repetitions
• Raising the knees on the uneven bars with a superset with twists: 3 approaches to failure, slow controlled movements
• Twisting using a superblock with a lifting of the legs lying on an incline bench: 3 approaches to failure

Day 3:

• Cardio

Day 4 (back, triceps, drumstick):

• Pullover with dumbbell: 2 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 to failure
• The thrust of the vertical block with a narrow grip: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 to failure
• Thrust of dumbbells in slope: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 to failure
• Thrust horizontal block wide grip: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 to failure
• Deadlift: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 to failure
• The triceps on the block: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 to failure
• French bench press: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 to failure
• French bench press sitting: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 to failure
• Shin in the training apparatus for bench press: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 3 sets in rest-pause mode, rest between sets 10-15 seconds
• Shin in the simulator sitting: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 6-8 to failure

Day 5 (deltas, trapezium, press):

• Dumbbell press sitting: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 (warm-up), 1 * 6-8 to failure
• Mahi dumbbells in the sides: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 to failure
• Thrust on a horizontal block with a rope handle to the chin: 1 * 6-8 to failure
• Mahi dumbbells in the sides lying belly on an incline bench: 1 * 10-12 (warm-up), 1 * 8-10 to failure
• Shagi with dumbbells or a barbell: 1 * 12-15 (warm-up), 2 * 8-10 to failure
• Thrust narrow grip to the chin standing: 1 * 12 (warm-up), 2 * 8-10 to failure
• Raising the knees on the uneven bars with a superset with twists: 3 approaches to failure, slow, controlled movements
• Twisting using a superblock with a lifting of the legs lying on an incline bench: 3 approaches to failure

 Day 6:

• Cardio

The next day, this 6-day cycle is repeated again.

Rest between sets for 1 minute, unless otherwise indicated.