Dedication, Discipline, Work Ethic...
The Keys to My Bodybuilding (and Life's) Success
No Nonsense Magazine Vol 24, #1
By: Ryan Stanton, IFBB Professional
Photo by Jason Ellis
At a Glance: Ryan Stanton
Age: 45
Occupation: Personal Trainer
Family: Wife, Tiffany, and dogs, Vegas and Elvis
Current Residence: Bloomington, IN
Years training (total): 38
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 205 (off-season), 190 (contest)
Favorite Bodybuilding or Fitness Meal: 96% lean beef, jasmine rice, and veggies
Favorite Supplements: My favorite supplements are the Graham Cracker and Angel Food Cake flavors of Beverly’s UMP protein powder, Up-Lift, Super Pak, 7-Keto MuscLean, and Glutamine Select.
What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before? For someone that is just starting to take supplements I recommend Beverly’s UMP protein powder, Up-Lift pre-workout and Super Pak (multivitamin). For someone looking to lose fat I recommend adding 7-Keto MuscLean.
Music: Rap and Hip Hop
Most Inspiring Book: "A Season on the Brink” by John Feinstein
Hobby or interests outside bodybuilding: Spending time with my wife and puppies
Words to live by: “Live life with a purpose.”
I graduated college with a criminal justice degree and took a position at a prison for two years, where I was the Riot Team Fitness Instructor. After two years at the prison, I decided to pursue a career in personal training and started a personal training business out of the Iron Pit Gym in Bloomington, IN. My personal training business is now in its twentieth year. I give the work ethic that I learned from my parents credit as the most important reason my business has been successful for this long. I train a wide variety of clients, from people who just want to live a healthier life to elite bodybuilders and athletes. My favorite part about personal training is, I get to help people change their lives.
I was first introduced to Beverly International products from a member at the Iron Pit Gym back in 2007. The first supplements I used were UMP, Lean Out, and 7-Keto MuscLean. In 2011, I heard about a new division that was about to be introduced into bodybuilding called men’s physique. I did some research and found out that it was a division for people who want to focus on an athletic look, and in 2012 I competed in my first men’s physique competition. From there I was hooked. For the next two years I competed and won a number of contests culminating in earning my IFBB Pro Card in 2013.
I continued competing over the next few years – but without Beverly International supplements. You see, on winning my pro card I was offered a sponsorship by a different nutrition company and as part of the deal I couldn’t use Beverly. However, I decided that it was more important to use and recommend the best products on the market, even if I did have to pay for them. I’m happy to say that I am now a Beverly International distributor and able to recommend them to all my family, friends, clients, and followers. Now, with Beverly again in my supplement stash, I’m back on track to train and successfully compete again in 2020.
One more thing I’m kind of proud of – my photo is on the cover of a recent novel, Reign by Elizabeth Knox, and will be on the cover of at least seven more novels that will be published soon.
In the rest of this article I’ll detail my current diet, supplement, and workout plans.
I follow a pretty strict diet year-round so that I'm always just a fewweeks away from top condition for a contest or photo shoot.
Year-Round Daily Meal Plan
Meal #1: 6 egg whites and 1 whole egg, 1 cup jasmine rice, half an avocado
Meal #2: 2 scoops of UMP protein mixed with ¹⁄₂ cup oatmeal
Meal #3: 8oz lean meat, 1 cup of jasmine rice, 1 cup veggies
Meal #4: 2 scoops of UMP protein
Meal #5: 8oz chicken breast, 1 cup jasmine rice, 1 cup veggies
Meal #6: 8oz tilapia, 1 cup veggies
Year-Round Supplement Schedule
Super Pak: 1 pak with Meal 1
Muscle Synergy: 2 full scoops before workout
Up-Lift: 1 full scoop before workout
Muscle Mass: 5 tablets with pre-workout and post-workout meals
(10 tablets total)
UMP: 2 scoops twice a day
Pre-Contest Adjustments
My pre-contest diet adjustments are minimal. I drop the whole egg from meal 1 and drop the rice at meal 5. I also substitute tilapia for chicken at meal 5.
Supplement-wise, I add Glutamine Select and 7-Keto MuscLean to my year-round supplement program. Battling low energy during contest prep is one of the hardest parts of competing, so I use Beverly’s Up-Lift to give me the boost of energy I need to have a good workout. Glutamine Select helps my body recover so I can continue to work out hard even when my body is running on low energy. 7-Keto MuscLean makes losing those last couple pounds of bodyfat (at my age, 45) possible.
Training
4 on/ 1 off
DAY 1: BACK
Pull Ups 4x12
Dumbbell Rows 4x10
T-Barbell Row 4x10
Lat Pulldowns 8x10
Cable Rows 6x12
Rack Pulls 4x10
Dumbbell Shrugs 4x10
DAY 2: CHEST / SHOULDERS
Flat DB Bench Press 4x10
Incline DB Press 5x10
Decline DB Press 4x10
Incline Flyes 4x12
Cable Flyes 8x12
DAY 3: ARMS
Triceps Extensions 8x12
Skull Crushers 4x10
Kickbacks 4x12
Straight Bar Curls 4x10
Hammer Curls 4x10
Machine Curls 8x12
DAY 4: LEGS
Squats 4x10
Leg Press 4x10
Walking Lunges 4x20
Leg Extension 8x12
Leg Curl 4x12
Calf Raises 4x20
DAY 5: DAY OFF
ABS
2-3 times a week doing 4 sets of one or two exercises. As I’m getting closer to a competition or photoshoot, I add more sets and/or exercises.
CARDIO
I always try to get in 30 minutes of slow and steady cardio 4-5 times a week. If a contest is approaching, I’ll increase the number of days depending on how my body is responding.