Lionel Beyeke

Professional Bodybuilder

Born in Cameroon, but later migrating to France, Lionel Beyeke is an IFBB professional bodybuilder.

Lionel made waves in the fitness industry after finishing as a runner-up behind Roelly Winklaar at the 2009 NPC Arnold Amateur Championships. This is where he also earned his Pro Card.

From there, Lionel continued to impress bodybuilding fans; winning the 2012 Flex Pro, as well as participating in the world’s most renowned bodybuilding competition – Joe Weider’s Mr. Olympia.

This is his story:

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Athlete Statistics

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Accomplishments

Competitions

• 2015 IFBB Arnold Classic Brasil, 8th
• 2015 IFBB Arnold Sports Festival, 12th
• 2014 IFBB Toronto Pro Supershow, 5th
• 2014 IFBB New York Pro, 4th
• 2014 IFBB Arnold Classic Brazil, 4th
• 2013 IFBB EVLs Prague Pro, 7th
• 2013 IFBB Arnold Classic Europe, 9th
• 2013 IFBB Olympia Weekend, 10th
• 2013 IFBB Nordic Pro, 2nd
• 2013 IFBB Dallas Europa Supershow, 3rd
• 2013 IFBB PBW Tampa Pro, 5th
• 2013 IFBB Wings of Strength Chicago Pro-Am Extravaganza, 2nd
• 2012 IFBB Arnold Classic Europe, 11th
• 2012 IFBB Olympia Weekend, 10th
• 2012 IFBB Arnold Classic, 6th
• 2012 IFBB FLEX Pro, 1st
• 2011 IFBB Toronto Pro Super Show, 2nd
• 2011 IFBB New York Pro Bodybuilding, Figure & Bikini Championships, 4th
• 2010 IFBB Phoenix Pro, 6th
• 2009 NPC Arnold Amateur Championships, 2nd
• 2008 NABBA Mr. Universe, Medium-Tall & Overall, 1st
• 2008 NABBA Universe – Pro, 2nd

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Biography

Making Noise in Bodybuilding

Lionel Beyeke was born in 1980, and is originally from Cameroon. A fan of martial arts as a child, Lionel turned to bodybuilding at the age of 19; wanting to become a professional bodybuilder.

His first two contests were the NABBA Universe, and the NABBA Mr. Universe in 2008. Lionel came as a complete outsider in these contests, but he impressed everyone by finishing in 2nd place at the NABBA Universe, and also taking home the NABBA Mr. Universe title several weeks later.

However, this was only the beginning of Lionel’s impressive streak on the stage. Just one year after his debut contest, Lionel finished in 2nd place at the 2009 NPC Arnold Amateur Championships, behind Roelly Winklaar; claiming his IFBB Pro Status along the way.

Lionel’s Life as a Pro

Following his success at the NPC Arnold Amateur Championships, Lionel impressed once again – gaining 30 pounds of muscle in less than a year.

Lionel then put the spray tan on his improved physique, finishing in 1st place at the 2012 IFBB Flex Pro.

It was after this competition that Lionel became a highly-respected name in the bodybuilding industry, as numerous sports commentators took note of his achievements.

In fact, Lionel’s feats on stage were so impressive, that many bodybuilding gurus predicted him to win the Mr. Olympia title sometime in the future.

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Training

Lionel always starts his workouts with two sets of warm-up exercises. His working sets are comprised of 8-10 reps, which are followed by two forced reps.

The last set is usually more extreme – during that one, Lionel goes for 8-10 reps, 2 forced reps, and then 3-5 partial reps to maximally exhaust the muscle.

His rest periods between each set last between 90-120 seconds. The only exception is leg exercises, between which Lionel rests a bit longer.

Packing on Muscle

Already weighing 225 pounds when he first turned Pro, Lionel went on to shock everyone when he put on an additional 30 pounds of muscle in less than a year.

He says there are several rules he followed in order to achieve this. They are;

• Change it up – Lionel never lets his body adapt, changing the exercises he does and the order in which he does them every three to four weeks.
• Rest – According to Lionel, this is one of the most overlooked components of building muscle. He advises taking two days out of the week off from any strenuous physical activity, as well as paying attention to getting at least eight hours of quality sleep per day.
• Goals – Lionel says he moves forward one small step at the time. Meaning, he’ll set small weight-gain goals each week, gradually achieving progress on his physique. As Lionel says; “Don’t just expect to put on a ton of muscle in one year without checking yourself along the way. Set weight-gain goals every 2-4 weeks and evaluate the results.”
• Maintain – Lionel believes taking a week or two off from the gym can sometimes be useful to break, or prevent plateaus. He says, it’s not necessary to completely stop training, but it’s wise to “back off a little”, and let the body ‘catch up.’

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Cardio

Lionel performs cardio three to four times per week. Each of his sessions lasts 20-30 minutes.

His preferred cardio methods are the Stairmaster and treadmill.

Lionel Beyeke Workout Routine

1st Day – Chest

• Flat Dumbbell Presses, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Hammer Strength Incline Presses, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Machine Flyes, 3-7 sets of 8-10 reps
• Weighted Dips, 3 sets of 8-10 reps

2nd Day – Legs

Hamstrings A.M.

• Stiff-Leg Deadlift, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Seated Leg Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Lying Leg Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Quads P.M.

• Leg Extensions, 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Squats, 5 sets of 8-10 reps
• Hack Squats, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Leg Presses, 6-7 sets of 8-10 reps
• Walking Lunges, 3 sets of 8-10 reps

3rd Day – Back

• Wide-Grip Pullups, 4 sets to failure
• Reverse-Grip Pullups, 3 sets to failure
• Deadlifts, 5 sets of 8-10 reps
• Wide-Grip Pulldowns, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Barbell Rows, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Close-Grip Pulldowns, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Back Extensions, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

4th Day – Shoulders

• Seated Dumbbell Presses, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Bent-Over Cable Laterals, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Incline Bench Rear Laterals, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Behind-The-Back One-Arm Cable Laterals, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Prone Incline Bench Front Raises, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Dumbbell Shrugs, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Machine Shrugs, 3 sets of 8-10 reps

5th Day – Arms

• Dumbbell Preacher Curls, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Spider Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Concentration Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Hammer Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Pressdowns, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Close-Grip Bench Press, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Bench Dips, 3 sets of 8-10 reps

6th Day – Calves, Abs

• Standing Calf Raises, 3 sets, 10-20 reps
• Seated Calf Raises, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
• Reverse Crunches, 3 sets to failure (knees to elbows)
• Hanging Knee Raises, 3 sets, 15 reps

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Nutrition

The Importance of a Good Diet

Lionel says that even with perfect training, an increase in muscle and strength will be minimal with an incomplete diet. Therefore, he advises eating a lot of quality foods that come from sources rich in protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats.

“If you want to grow, you’ve got to eat, and the most important key to growth is a caloric surplus. The excess calories will fuel growth and provide you with the energy to train.”

Lionel Beyeke Off-Season Meal Plan

Meal 1 – 10 AM

• 5 Whole-Grain Pancakes
• Natural Peanut Butter, 1 Tbsp
• Egg Whites With Filet Mignon, 1 Cup Whites, 4 Ounces Filet Mignon
• Fruit, 2 Servings (Any Fruit, Such As Berries, Banana, Grapefruit)

Meal 2 – 1 PM

• Chicken Breast Tenders, 10 Oz.
• Sweet Potato, 12 Oz.
• 1/2 Avocado
• Pineapple, 1 Cup

Meal 3 – 4 PM

• Filet Mignon, 10 Oz.
• White Rice, 1 1/2 Cups (Cooked)
• 1/2 Avocado

Pre-Workout – 5:15 PM

• Carb Supplement, 1 Scoop
• Pre-Workout Supplement, 2 Scoops

Post Workout – 7:30 PM

• Recovery Supplement, 2 Scoops
• Carb Supplement, 1 Scoop

Meal 4 – 8 PM

• Filet Mignon, 10 Ounces
• 3 Ounces Gluten-Free Pasta, 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Meal 5 – 11 PM

• 10 Oz. Salmon, Tuna Or Chicken
• 10-12 Ounces Of Potato Or Pasta With Olive Oil

Meal 6 – 1 AM

• 75 Grams Whey With 1 Tbsp Eanut Butter

Macros:

• 6,098 Calories
• 351g Protein
• 502g Carbs
• 283g Fat

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Lionel Beyeke Dieting Rules

• Balance your proteins – Lionel consumes proteins from all food sources, including meat, fish, plants, and dairy.
• Where’s the Beef – Beef is one of Lionel’s favorite bulking foods, as it’s rich in the essential amino acids, B vitamins, iron, and healthy fats.
• Junk it up – Eating cheat meal once or twice per week is something Lionel recommends to everyone. He says this is great for boosting his metabolism.
• Balance your carbs – Lionel says there is no reason to be afraid of insulin spikes. He believes that if timed correctly, for example in the morning or after a workout – they can be extremely beneficial for replenishing the muscles.

Lionel’s Supplement Stack

• BCAAs
• Creatine
• Whey
• Fast-Acting Carb Supplement

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Idols and Influences

Lionel is inspired by many bodybuilders from the 90s. Some of them are Kevin Levrone, Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, and particularly Thierry Pastel.

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What we can learn from Lionel Beyeke

Lionel Beyeke has taught us that success is in the reach, you just need to work hard and be patient to achieve it.

Lionel set a goal of becoming a professional bodybuilder for himself, and from that moment on, he did whatever it took to achieve that goal. His dedication was eventually rewarded – he turned Pro just one year after making his debut on stage.

If you want to realize your own goals, then looking up to hard-working individuals like Lionel might be a good idea. Their stories can show you what is needed in order to lead a productive and healthy lifestyle.