Tyler Stines

IFBB Physique competitor, personal trainer

Tyler Stines is an IFBB professional physique competitor, personal trainer and entrepreneur from Ohio, USA. He is well known for his success in the physique competition world, as well as his personal training advice.

Tyler started weight training in his freshman year of high school when he was on the high school wrestling team. During his four years on the team, he began to fall in love with the weight room and learn basic techniques which would help him throughout his career.

At college, he began to take his lifting more seriously; he built a professional training routine while studying for a Bachelors degree in Health Education, Exercise & Fitness . This would allow him to build a physique worthy of competition posing – starting a successful career and becoming a personal trainer to help others with their fitness goals.

This is his story:

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Athlete Statistics

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Accomplishments

Career

• Bachelors in Health Education- Exercise & Fitness (University of Cincinnati)
• ISSA Certified Trainer

Competitions

• 2013 Jr USA’s, 1st
• 2013 Team Universe, 3rd
• 2013 North Americans, 1st
• 2014 Dallas Europa, 5th

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Training

Training Approach

Tylers workouts are constructed by Mike Ferguson – a well-known trainer in Ohio. In his off-season workouts, he focuses on gaining more mass by performing complex lifts and training heavy while training smart.

His workouts never exceed 45 min to an hour. He says that “too many people think that gaining muscle requires 3 hours in the gym, which is total nonsense.” His workouts also only consist of 30-45 sec rest periods between his sets to ensure that he stimulates his muscles constantly throughout the session.

Very Little Cardio

Tyler says that his workouts are so intense that cardio is not required during his off-season sessions. When he is cutting before a competition, he introduces High Intensity Interval Training sessions, as well as sessions on the StairMaster or the bike.

When he is using the StairMaster, he likes that he can complete a cardio session, and hit the calf, quad and glute muscles at the same time. Because of this, he usually incorporates the StairMaster at the end of his leg session.

Routine

•  Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 12/10/8/6 reps
• Butterfly Machine: 4 sets x 15 reps
• Flat Bench Press: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Cable Crossovers: 3 sets x 15 reps
• Standing Barbell Curls: 4 sets- 10reps
• Hammer Dumbbell Curls: 4 sets- 12reps

 

• Deadlifts: 4 sets – 10/8/6/5 reps
• Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Barbell Rows: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Pull Ups (weighted): 3 sets till failure
• Close Grip Bench Press: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Cable Tricep Pushdowns: 3 sets x 20 reps

 

• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Presses: 4 sets x 10/8/6/6 reps
• Lateral Dumbbell Raises: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Barbell Front Raises: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Upright Cable Rows: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Cable rear delt flys: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Hanging straight leg raises: 4 sets x 25 reps
• Decline Sit ups: 4 sets x 15 reps

 

• Leg Extensions: 4 sets x 15 reps
• Squats: 4 sets x 12/10/8/6 reps
• Lunges (weighted): 4 sets x 10 reps each leg
• Lying Leg Curls: 4 sets x 15 reps
• Leg Press: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Standing weighted calve raises: 4 sets x 15 – 20 reps

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Nutrition

Nutritional Approach

Tyler likes to stay lean all year round while building muscle – seeing no need to bulk or cut dramatically. His nutritional regimen also remains the same and he only makes slight adjustments during the competition season if he has to lose some fat.

When it comes to cooking, Tyler likes to cook all his own food and he cooks in bulk. He prepares his meals 4-5 days in advance of eating them, so that it is much easier for him to come home after a session and eat straight away.

Tyler also keeps in mind his macronutrient needs while cooking.  He aims for just short of 3000 calories a day, to ensure that he can put on adequate muscle.

Supplements

He gets most of these calories from whole foods, lean meat, vegetables and eggs, but he also uses supplements daily to ensure he gets a constant stream of protein to his muscles. His usual daily stack is below:

• Creatine
• BCAA’s
• Whey Isolate Protein
• Pre-workout

Off-Season Diet Plan

In the off-season, Tyler eats big. He usually includes 6 meals a day and eats a combination of eggs, lean meat such as chicken, and healthy and nutritious carbohydrates such as sweet potato.

One of his favorite meats is ground beef. He chooses 96% beef and includes this meat in various meals such as beef and rice, as well as spicy dishes. His daily meal plan in the off-season is below:

• Caloric intake: 2,839 cals
• Macros: 232g Carbs, 274g Protein, 86g Fat

Meal 1:

• 7 egg whites
• 1 whole egg
• 48g oats

Meal 2:

• 40g whey protein
• 15g almonds

Meal 3:

• 6-8 oz chicken breast
• 1 cup broccoli
• 15g almonds

Meal 4: Pre-Workout

• 40g whey protein
• 1 cup broccoli
• 170g sweet potato

Meal 5: Post-Workout

• 160g lean ground beef (96%)
• 205g white potato

Meal 6:

• 40g whey protein

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Idols and Influences

Tyler is influenced a lot by the famous bodybuilder Kai Greene. He appreciates Kai’s attitude to the sport and his dedication to push through setbacks in his career.

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What we can learn from Tyler Stines

Tyler has shown us how important dedication is in bodybuilding. He has worked with a trainer and is totally dedicated to a career in the fitness world – becoming a personal trainer himself to help others on their journey.

If you want to make it anywhere in the fitness industry, show as much dedication and passion at Tyler and who knows where you might end up.