Interview With Personal Trainer & Success Coach Christopher Mitchell Interviewed by Ben Tatar of CriticalBench.com - April 2009
CRITICAL BENCH: Critical Bench is here with Christopher Mitchell. Chris introduce yourself to Critical Bench.
My name is Christopher Paul Mitchell. (I go by Christopher.) I was born on January 9th, 1979 in Houston, Texas. I have lived in many places throughout my life. Born in Texas, then to Ohio, Tennessee, California, New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois, and in June of 2008 I moved to Orlando, Florida. I'm currently a Professional Fitness Coach with a company called Lifestyle Family Fitness (LFF). LFF has about 60 locations around the globe in about 5 different states. Throughout the entire company there are over 500 Personal Trainers. Out of those 500 Personal Trainers I am currently ranked #1. I also run my own home based business (Tahitian Noni International) on the side. People can read more about me by going to either of my websites: www.muscularchris.com and www.itstimetogetrich.com
CRITICAL BENCH: So far in your bodybuilding journey, what have been your favorite, craziest, funniest, most inspirational moments?
My favorite moment was definitely back in July of 1997, a week after I graduated high school. That's when I took my life savings and bought a plane ticket to sunny California. When I arrived I went to the famous Gold's Gym in Venice Beach and "got discovered" as they say.
My craziest moment was before I was a Christian. I grew up in an abusive home and carried that with me for many years. Though I've never done steroids, I had a "Roid Rage" of an attitude. Before I surrendered to God there were a few times in my early bodybuilding days when my bad attitude would have me getting out of my car in the middle of an intersection and pulling someone out of their car and beating the crap out of them. No kidding. I use to be crazy. Thank God I got saved.
My funniest moment (or maybe my most embarrassing moment) would have to be when I was in the seventh grade riding the bus home from school. Some friends of mine dared me to moon the driver in the car behind the bus. So, when the bus came to a railroad stop I pulled my pants down and pushed my bare butt up against the glass of the school emergency door. The driver sped ahead of the bus and told the bus driver what I had done. I ended up getting suspended from school for 3 days.
The moment that has changed me the most was when I threw my hands up in the air and surrendered my life to God. I gave him total control over my life and my life keeps getting better and better every day.
CRITICAL BENCH: What gym do you train at and what is it like?
I train at the gym that I work at: Lifestyle Family Fitness in Orlando (Hunters Creek). It's a nice size gym with all of the cardio and weight equipment you would ever need.
CRITICAL BENCH: Tell us about your diet and what are your favorite supplements?
My diet is pretty much the same as it has been for the last 12 years. I eat a lot of eggs, tuna, beef, cheese, oatmeal, green veggies, and protein shakes. The only brand of supplements that I use are from Tahitian Noni International. I use the protein shakes, Noni juice and the HIRO beverage.
CRITICAL BENCH: Give us your workout routine?
My current workout regimen is as follows: Triceps, Biceps, Forearms, and Calves twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. I do Quads and Hams on Tuesday, intense Plyometrics on Wednesday, and Back and Chest on Thursdays.
CRITICAL BENCH: What makes the difference between champion bodybuilders and average lifters?
Champion bodybuilders are very rare. They are the few who are willing to sacrifice going out and partying on the weekends, they're willing to prepare their meals ahead of time, they don't make excuses, and they truly love to lift weights.
CRITICAL BENCH: What have been the 5 high lights of your bodybuilding career?
Five highlights of my career would be competing in my first bodybuilding show (a non drug tested show) and getting second place, appearing in all of the magazines I've appeared in over the years, dead lifting 550 pounds without the use of steroids, wrists straps, or a weightlifting belt, being featured in movies with big named celebrities and changing lives through Personal Training.
CRITICAL BENCH: What are your future goals?
My future goals are to make motivational movies that inspire people, create a world class training facility to train Professional Athletes, write books and possibly build the world's biggest church and become a minister.
CRITICAL BENCH: What do you enjoy doing away from bodybuilding?
I enjoy going out to eat, going to the movies, traveling the world and helping others any way I can.
CRITICAL BENCH: What is the best advice you were ever told and what was the worst?
The best advice I ever received was to be careful with who I associate myself with because who I hang around with is who I'll soon become. The worst advice I ever received (which I totally ignored) was to set realistic goals.
CRITICAL BENCH: What are some of the biggest reactions you have ever gotten towards your god like physique?
I have seriously had women offer me cold hard cash if they could massage my body.
CRITICAL BENCH: What motivates you to be the best you can be?
Success motivates me. I want to be remembered forever.
CRITICAL BENCH: What is your advice for the younger bodybuilder who looks up to you?
Spend most of your time eating clean foods and training correctly. Hire a Professional Fitness Coach who knows what they're doing. Study people who you want to become like. Do what successful people do and you'll have what successful have.
CRITICAL BENCH: What is your favorite thing about yourself?
My favorite thing about myself is that I have never given in to peer pressure. I have always been a leader and did what I believed in.
CRITICAL BENCH: How do you want to be remembered?
I will be remembered as someone who strived to be like his Heavenly Father. Someone who never gave up. Someone who did whatever it took to succeed. Someone who changed the world.
CRITICAL BENCH: What is new in the life of Christopher Mitchell?
As of today, everything is new. My car is new, the city I live in is new (Orlando, Florida), my attitude is new, my goals are new and life is new. God gave me a new start. I'm excited about my future.
CRITICAL BENCH: Give us pointers to getting ripped!
Eat only organic foods.
Train with heavy weights.
Drink HIRO by Tahitian Noni International.
Don't drink anything that has calories in it.
Eat out as little as possible- Prepare your own meals.
Stay away from simple carbs- They only make you fat.
Do cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Don't eat more than 20% of your total calories from carbs.
CRITICAL BENCH: In closing who would you like to thank?
I would like to give a HUGE thank you to Ben Tatar of www.criticalbench.com for taking the time to do this interview with me. Ben is a great person with a lot of accomplishments of his own and it is an honor to be interviewed by him. I would also like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for EVERYTHING. He is amazing!
CRITICAL BENCH: What do you enjoy doing away from bodybuilding?
