Townsend : "Don’t neglect your water intake. And nutrition is really the
determining factor on how far you will be able to go towards achieving
your goals. Training is important, but you can only go as far as your
body will take you."
Article updated: 3/30/2010 8:35:09 AM
Lots of people have a curiosity about the sport, but may not be sure
how to get into it or decide if it’s right for them. The winter months
offer the perfect opportunity to do some research on a potential new
challenge. Townsend shares some of his knowledge and experience about
weightlifting and what it means to him.
How did you get into weightlifting?
I was in my early teens when I got into the idea of being a Navy SEAL, and I started doing a lot of running and a lot of calisthenics and lots of pushups and climbing rope and stuff like that. That got my base musculature at a young age. From there I was always athletic and always active in sports. When I was 19 years old, I just decided I was going into fitness and bodybuilding and see what I could do there because I just loved training so much and loved being in the gym. I love the feeling of setting a goal to lift a certain weight and getting that goal achieved.
What are the nutritional concerns for someone starting out weightlifting?
Assuming the goals are to tone, develop lean muscle mass and maybe lose some fat tissue, a concern would be to attain an appropriate protein level in the diet on a daily basis. One gram of protein for each pound of body weight would be the base line requisite for maintaining muscle mass. Two grams of protein a day for each pound of body weight would help gain muscle mass.
Keep a moderate to low carbohydrate intake. You want to keep sugars low in particular. Glucose is the highest on the glycemic index. Your pancreas in response to sugar will secrete insulin. This will develop fat growth. A diet high in sugar is also unhealthy because it creates insulin resistance.
Don’t shy away from healthy fat. Obviously fat is the most efficient way to achieve any energy level as there are 9 calories in 1 gram of fat as opposed as 4 calories in a gram of carbohydrates or protein. So going the wrong way with fat can be very detrimental to attaining any goals. But going the right way can be very healthy and also help you achieve a lean, toned, and muscular physique.
What advice do you have for beginners and those who haven’t worked out in a while?
My advice would be to not overdo it with the training. Don’t neglect your sleep. You need 8 hours of sleep. Nine hours is really ideal. Don’t neglect your water intake. And nutrition is really the determining factor on how far you will be able to go towards achieving your goals. Training is important, but you can only go as far as your body will take you. If your immune system is down because you haven’t slept and eaten properly, then it’s not going repair all the damage you’ve done to muscles to grow them bigger and stronger.
What are some of the things that you attribute to the success that you’ve had?
For me it’s been trial and error. I’ve been lifting now for almost ten years with weight-resistance training and calisthenics. I did SEAL team training in Richmond with John McGuire and that was pretty much my starting point. I was 15 years old and I’ve done a lot of things wrong and I’ve learned the hard way via injuries, poor nutrition, not seeing the results in the time that I should have.
What keeps you going during tiring and painful moments in your workout?
Having a sound positive attitude and being able to visualize my goal. Imagining that I’m already there and the feeling for whatever it is that I might be headed towards whether it’s a bodybuilding competition—which is my personal goal—and getting a contract with a major supplement company or just having a body that looks right at home, on a beach or just getting attention that way and getting confident.
What advice would you give for setting up a weight-training schedule?
It always goes back to your goals. If you have a baseline goal that you are going to set up--let’s say you want to lose ten pounds and hit a certain number of repetitions in the gym on a certain exercise. You should be going to the gym at least 3 times a week. I would always recommend a baseline of 3 days a week for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. Otherwise you’re really not going to be putting the time that I think is really necessary not just to develop the physique but to get the idea of what your doing. I try to get in there 5 to 6 days a week. I’m 240 pounds now and my target weight is 270. I am at about 12% body fat. It’s a lifestyle change.
What do you enjoy about the process?
I enjoy the process of training. I love the workout. I feel like it’s something I am very good at. It is something that has been a constant in my life for nearly 10 years. The weight is always there and I see how many doors have been opened for me because I lift weights, whether it’s in athletics or socially. I could do security at clubs and things like that. People listen to me a lot more when I talk. I love to train. It’s a discipline. It’s an art really if you think about it. You’re trying to build this physique that looks like a Greek sculpture. It’s competitive at the same time and it builds discipline and self-esteem.
Article first appeared in SBQ Issue #12, January/February | 2010
