Bones To Buff: An Interview With Joey Vaillancourt

Joey Vaillancourt is a former skinny guy who turned his life around by searching for answers on how to get a better body. Now, 5 years later, he is a certified personal trainer, in the best shape of his life, and has recently released Bones to Buff, a highly anticipated fitness program. Joey is looking to compete in early 2010 in his first fitness model competition, and hopes to gain his pro card in the very near future.

Muscle & Strength: Joey, you started out like most guys - at a normal weight, very little muscle, and carrying around some extra fat. What was your lifestyle like during this time, and what exactly inspired you to finally make a change?

Joey Vaillancourt: Electronics technology. I was living the typical lifestyle of a college kid which included late nights, partying, drinking and over indulging on all the wrong foods! Of course, I had always been training on and off through college, but I really knew nothing about what it took to get serious results. I wasn’t really focused in my workouts and my nutrition needed much improvement.

To give you an idea, I was convinced that by eating bacon, sausage and fried eggs every morning, pizza for lunch and a plateful of chicken wings at night, I was going to get ‘big and strong’ (lol). And to tell you the truth, I remember I did get big and strong…but not muscular! However, I did see some results, but I was not consistent with my gains or my training and most times any progress I made in gaining muscle would be wiped clean by a night of boozing or bad diet the following week. This pattern continued on throughout college.

After finishing my schooling, I stopped working out completely for a couple of months. I quickly lost whatever gains I had made in the past and I started to really suffer from low self esteem and I just didn’t like the path I was on. But feeling that way still was not enough for me to want to change. It was only after meeting a girl that everything changed. Go figure, a girl changed a man’s life (I know, kind of cliché). But it’s the truth.

For whatever reason, this girl who was WAY out of my league, took a chance on me and we began dating. However, I was still not happy because I felt as though my competition for this girl would be fierce and I needed to step up my game, even though she didn’t push me into it. I didn’t want to be intimidated by other bigger guys anymore.

So I began my ‘fitness Googling'’ days and I started to frantically search for the best ways to gain muscle and transform my body to the point that I would feel better about myself! After feeling low and lacking a lot of self confidence, I decided enough was enough. I was going to find the answers to accomplish my goals of getting a muscular body!

Muscle & Strength: Googling can be a confusing thing to do, with so many opinion on what works. How did you weed through this mountain of information, and what are some basic diet and training approaches that worked for you?

Joey Vaillancourt: Yes, the Internet, and general health and fitness information you can find on the Internet, can be very overwhelming and there are many things to watch out for. My number one tip for anyone currently searching and ‘Googling’ for tips and advice on getting into the best shape ever whether it be fat loss or muscle building is to just find one authority figure they can relate to. By this I mean, find someone with a similar story to your own because more than likely that person will have designed a program that fits your goals much better than the average program out there.

Secondly, it is always important to research the program. If you only have time for 3 workouts a week, then obviously, make sure the program or workouts you are going to follow match your time constraints.

Lastly, don’t concern yourself with finding that ‘perfect’ program or workout. It doesn’t exist! Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some programs that will work better than others, but in the end, the person who commits to a specific plan, progresses within his workouts and doesn’t deviate from the plan will get much better results than the person who consistently ‘program hops’.

Some basic stuff that has worked for me in the past for packing on mass with my ‘skin and bones’ genetics have been;

Mass building:

• 3 Day a week workouts, 1 day on 1 day rest.
• 2-3 cardio sessions on off days.
• Timing the majority of my carbohydrate intake in the morning, pre and post-workout.
• Basing my caloric intake by 20x bodyweight for a more lean muscle gain approach.
• Basing my caloric intake by 25x bodyweight for a more mass building approach.
• Taking the essential supplements such as a multivitamin, fish oil and protein powders.
• Always progressing in my workouts in some way or another (less rest between sets, more weight etc.) even if it is for only one or two sets.
• Switching my workout variables every 5-6 weeks depending on my progress.
• Keeping a workout journal of my lifts.

Muscle & Strength: What exercises do you believe provide beginners with the most "bang for the buck", so to speak?

Joey Vaillancourt: Most beginners simply want to start a workout that they might have seen in a magazine that pro bodybuilders are currently doing which is WAY too much volume and is not the best approach to take when starting off. Although it is tempting to think that if you were to just follow that same routine, you too would be in the shape the pros are in. It's not the case. The beginner needs to focus on the basics before moving onto more complex routines.

In my experience, beginners should focus on basic compound movements that recruit the most muscle such as deadlifts, squats, bench press, military presses and bent over rows. Beginners should master good form and technique in these exercises first before increasing the amount of weight they lift. By concentrating on proper technique, the stress will be properly placed on the target muscle.

Besides the obvious benefits these exercises serve, they will also demand the most muscle with the least amount of time. Beginners should start off with less time in the gym and less overall volume. Especially since their bodies are not yet accustomed to training, they will see better results by training with compound movements for less time rather than training for 2 hours only using isolated movements. That's not to say isolation movements don't have their place, but as a beginner, the benefits will be far greater by sticking with the big compound movements first.

Muscle & Strength: Everyone wants results fast. Do you believe it's possible for a skinny trainee to make great gains in 5 to 10 weeks time?

Joey Vaillancourt: Absolutely! I actually believe that skinny, untrained guys have some of the best potential for fast growth in very little time. I myself gained 30lbs in the first 5 months of serious training.

The best muscle gains normally happen in the beginning stages provided the trainee is familiar with the exercises and how to perform them properly and is consistent with his training and nutrition. But, in order for someone to achieve great results in short amounts of time, they have to be 100% committed. They have to be willing to follow every little detailed program prescription.

The ones that get the best results are the people that trust the program plan and they don’t question it. Too many people question variables, skimp on certain parts or simply don’t follow through the complete program. In my Bones To Buff program for example, I have a 5 week cycle program that is designed to pack on 10lbs in 5 weeks in the initial cycle. I have had client after client get these results and I also tested the system myself and I gained 12lbs after my competition back in April.

Of course, this rate of growth will not continue after the initial 5 weeks, the client will still see impressive muscle gains in the following 5 week cycles. So to fully answer your question, I believe it is entirely possible for the skinny trainee to see fast and dramatic  results in 5 to 10 weeks so long as they commit to nutrition, workouts, recovery and proper progression.

Of course, to follow a plan, you NEED a plan. I would recommend getting a specific plan that is tailored for specific results the trainee wants. Then dedicate yourself to that plan and follow it all the way through.

Muscle & Strength: Tell us about "Bones to Buff"...What is it, and what can readers expect?

Joey Vaillancourt: First, let me give you a brief background on how I came up with the idea for Bones To Buff. As you may know, I started out in the fitness industry as a ‘fitness Googler’ who was completely clueless about muscle building and why I couldn’t gain weight. It was only after discovering the power of an online fitness program that I started to see REAL results all those many years ago. After getting a taste for it, I became obsessed with gaining more knowledge and developing even better muscle building methods.

After relentlessly researching, experimenting, gaining certifications and winning my pro fitness model status, I was finally convinced I developed a bullet proof plan to help others in their quest to gain muscle. I sat down and I basically wrote a step by step manual that I wish I would have had access to when I first started out. It’s a ‘fitness Googler’s’ dream come true. Because I was once in their shoes, struggling to gain muscle and desperately searching the Internet for answers, I am the #1 resource to providing unique answers to their specific situation. Ok, I know, that sounds kind of infomercially :) But it is just the way that it happened.

Now onto the good stuff. Bones To Buff Revealed - The Secret to Gaining at least 10lbs in 5 Weeks. Through many experiments, researching and trial and error,  I was finally able to crack the code on what it takes to build at least 10lbs of lean mass in 5 weeks or less…

The 5 Week Cycle Workouts. The power is in the cycle workout plan. Included with the Bones To Buff package is a 5 Week Anabolic Growth Triggering Workout Program. The 5 weeks are designed so that your body experiences a new muscle gain stimulus each and every week. Each week, there is a different powerful training phase.

• Week 1: The Priming Phase
• Week 2: The Oxidative Phase
• Week 3: The Glycolytic Phase
• Week 4: The Phosphagen Phase
• Week 5: The Combinational Triad Phase

By continually varying the way in which the body produces energy via the 5 training phases, the program is successful in developing maximum muscle growth each week.

The Anabolic Growth Triggers. One of my Bones To Buff patented muscle building methods are what I refer to as the Anabolic Growth Triggers (AGT). Each week a specific AGT is included in the training phase to enhance muscle breakdown to stimulate more muscle growth when it is repaired.

• Week 1: 20 Rep Squats
• Week 2: Dropset Training
• Week 3: Superset Training
• Week 4: Advanced Rest-Pause Training
• Week 5: Forced Production Overload Training

The real magic happens in week 5 when you are given 3 Forced Production Overload methods to choose from to progress in every exercise of each workout. Then, you can re-start the cycle. Of course, you will need to make adjustments in calorie intake as well as increase your weights provided you gained muscle (which you will). I explain how to do this properly in the manual as well. There is actually a few components to the program included in the main package:

• “5 Week Roadmap to Muscle Gain”
•  “Bones To Buff’ – Main Manual”
•  “Bones To Buff Meal Plans”
•  “Weekly Coaching Video Collection”
•  “5 Week Anabolic Growth Triggering Workout Program”
•  “5 Week Metabolic Cardio and AB Shredder Routine”
•  8 week money back guarantee

This is not a fat loss plan, bigger arm program or anything like that (although, your arms will get bigger). This is a targeted plan for hardgainers to gain the maximum amount of muscle in 5 weeks and learn the essential principles and foundation of muscle building to continue on this path for a lifetime.

Muscle & Strength: Many athletic people have a love-hate relationship with cardio. What is your take on cardio? When do you perform it, how much do you believe is needed for someone gaining muscle, and what are your favorite forms of cardio, if any?

Joey Vaillancourt: I myself normally include about 3 cardio sessions a week at the moment. My cardio will vary depending on what phase I am in as far as my training goals. I typically rotate high intensity interval training with some more moderate pace cardio. In my experience, I have found this helps with nutrient partitioning and keeps fat levels from creeping up when trying to pack on mass. Now, in the past, some of my best results in muscle gain have happened when I didn’t do any cardio at all! But, I did gain a bit more fat than usual.

As for a recommendation for others, I would say if you are super skinny and you are in desperate need to gain weight, your energy and calories should be devoted to weight training alone at least for the first 3-6 months. This is really an extreme. But for anyone who has been somewhat consistent with their training, I would recommend including cardio at least 2-3 times per week. Also, make sure to alternate cardio sessions between HIIT and pace tempo sessions.

Another tip I like to give people is to train abs after performing your cardio sessions. I typically separate my cardio sessions from my weight training which means I normally do my cardio early AM on an empty stomach. It’s a good way to couple both routines and lets you focus on the bigger exercises when you are in your actual muscle building workouts. If you do your cardio in a fasted state, be sure to include 5g of glutamine, 5g of BCAAs and some coffee or caffeine can help to perk you up.

I believe cardio training is necessary in both fat loss and muscle building phases, but in different amounts as mentioned. If you find it hard to gain weight, I would simply cut it out until you are happy with your gains. Then add it in progressively and continue building more mass.

Finally, make sure to limit your pace cardio sessions to about 30-40 minutes (excluding warmup) and your HIIT training to no more than 15-25 minutes. Doing anymore than this can hinder your recovery abilities.

Muscle & Strength: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Joey Vaillancourt: I see myself lying on a beach out on the coast and enjoying a nice drink by a wonderful sunset…oh you mean in fitness? Haha. Here is my five year accomplishment plan:

• Finish getting my pro fitness model card.
• Get featured in a top muscle magazine.
• Develop more in depth products based on my clients requirements and based on the new techniques I develop.
• Help over 100,000 skinny guys achieve success in their muscle building quest.
• Inspire others to take action in their life.
• Build the Bones To Buff community for all the hardgainers out there.

I really enjoy helping others and it is very rewarding when I see the results that people have with my programs and advice.