Ryan Stanton - IFBB Pro, Physique Model, and this issue’s Cover Man
No Nonsense Magazine Volume 25 #3
By: Ryan Stanton
Fun Facts: Ryan Stanton
Age: 49 years old, 50 before the year ends
I live in Bloomington, Indiana, with my girlfriend Amanda Bolin and our cat Little Bear
I have been training for 39 years (I started at the age of 10 doing pushups and sit-ups daily)
Accomplished high school athlete at Bloomington South and collegiate athlete at the University of Indianapolis
25 years running my own personal training business. I train a variety of clients ranging from youth to elderly population, athletes, and overall general health.
Started competing in the Men’s Physique division in 2012. Won a few amateur shows and became an IFBB Pro Men’s Physique Athlete at the 2013 NPC North Americans.
For the last eight years, I have been focusing on photoshoots for magazines and romance novel book covers. I have been fortunate enough to shoot with:
- Jason Ellis “AKA King of Covers,” has landed over 500 magazine covers
- Reggie Deanching has 1200+ licensed and published cover images
Thoughts on being a Successful Personal Trainer
A huge part of being a successful personal trainer is increasing client motivation. I do this by communicating with a positive attitude, keeping a smile on my face, and projecting positive energy to help them get the most out of their training session. While working with my clients, I like to make sure their goals are realistic and attainable. Let your client know that their fitness journey will have ups and downs, but to not get down on themselves. Teach them to accept what happened and get right back on track. It is essential to focus on the progress and short-term goals they are achieving while keeping their long-term goal in mind. Emphasize consistency in their training and nutrition plans.
How I get Photo Shoot ready
I’d like to share with you how I get photo shoot ready. Preparing for a photo shoot is similar to preparing for a bodybuilding competition. When prepping for a competition, conditioning needs to be a priority for the criteria of your division. When preparing for a fitness photo shoot, you will want to achieve similar conditioning to stepping on stage. I like to do a peak week protocol by depleting, then carbohydrate loading and water manipulation. For romance novel book covers, fitness, conditioning, and aesthetics are important; however, the authors often request a slightly less ripped appearance to make the model more relatable to the reader of the particular genre. This look may be comparable to a physique 4-6 weeks out from a competition. When you go into a photoshoot, be in the moment, have fun, and you will end up with memories showing off all your hard work and dedication that will last a lifetime.
Training Schedule
I’ve followed a 4-day training cycle for about 8 years now. I’ll train every body part over 4 days, then take a day off or repeat depending on how I feel. I’ll add another recovery day if my body needs it. I often switch up the body parts I work together on a particular day.
Day 1: Chest/Triceps
DB Flat Bench 4x10-12
DB Incline Press 4x10-12
Hammer Strength Incline Press 4x10-12
Cable Press Machine 4x12
Machine Flyes 7x10-12
Triceps Pushdowns 8x12
EZ-Bar Skull Crushers 4x10
Cable Triceps Extensions 4x12
Day 2: Back/Bis
Lat Pulldowns 7x10-12
Rack Pulls 4x10
DB Rows 8x10
Hammer Strength Rows 5x12
Close Grip Pulldowns 4x12
Cable Rows 5x15
EZ-Bar Curls 5x10
DB Hammer Curls 5x10
Cable Curls 10x10-12
Day 3: Legs
Hack Squats 5x10
Leg Press 5x10
Walking Lunges 3x12
Leg Extensions 7x10-12
Seated or Lying Leg Curls 3x10-12
Calf Raises 6x15
Day 4: Shoulders
DB Military Press 5x10
DB Lateral Raises 7x10-12
DB Front Raises 3x10-12
High Pulls 4x10-12
Cable Lateral Raises 8x10-12
Cable Rear Delts 4x12
DB Shrugs 4x10
Day 5: Rest, then repeat the 4-day cycle
Ab Routine: 3 days/week
Hanging Leg Raises 4x12-15
Cable Crunch 4x15
Bicycle Crunch 4x30 second intervals
Plank 4x30-second intervals
Cardio: 30-60 minutes daily
Meal Plan
My meal plan stays consistent throughout the year, though the amount of food will change, pending the time of year and goal.
Meal One
1 cup egg whites, 1 whole egg, a handful of spinach, 1 cup jasmine rice
Meal Two
2 scoops UMP protein mixed with ½ cup oatmeal
Meal Three
6oz extra lean turkey, 8oz baked potato, and 1 cup green beans
Post-workout
2 scoops Muscle Provider
Meal Four (snack)
6oz grilled chicken breast, 1 cup rice, small side salad w/ 1 tbsp macadamia nut oil
Meal Five
6oz lean beef, sauteed zucchini and bell peppers
Meal Six (snack)
1 scoop UMP, 1 tbsp almond butter
Lean Beef Meatballs
One of my favorite ways to prepare lean beef is to make my “Lean Beef Meatballs.”
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- 1lb very lean ground beef
- ¼ cup fresh salsa
- 2 tbsp no sugar added ketchup
- 1 tbsp hot sauce of choice
Form into eight meatballs on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes.
Supplements
I was first introduced to Beverly International supplements in 2007. My first supplements were UMP, Lean Out, and 7-Keto MuscLean. Since 2019, I have been fortunate to work with Roger and Sandy Riedinger as a Beverly International distributor. I feel good being able to promote quality supplements from a trusted company to my family, friends, and clients.
Supplement Base Plan:
Super Pak with Meal 1
Density 5 tabs with Meal 1 and 5 tabs post-workout
UMP 2 scoops
Quadracarn 3 tabs 2x/day
Pre-Workout 1 scoop Muscle Synergy, 1 scoop Up-Lift
Glutamine Select 1 scoop 2x/day
Cutting Supplement Plan: Base as outlined above PLUS
Lean Out 4 capsules daily
Fast-Up 3 capsules before workout
7-Keto MuscLean 3 capsules 2x/day