Francisco Montealegre Athlete Profile

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Francisco Montealegre
Quick Stats
  • Francisco Montealegre
  • October 17th, 1976
  • Texas
  • 5'10"
  • 176 lbs
  • 10
  • I would say it is my mind
  • I don't have one
  • Protein Powder
Francisco Montealegre hit the stage for the first time in 2007. In his 4 competitions, he has three 1st place finishes, and one 2nd place finish.

Your Background

Competition History

  • 2007 Campbell Cup (1st place – light heavyweight Class)
  • 2009 NPC Texas Shredder Classic (2nd Place – Middleweight Class)
  • 2009 INBF Southwestern States (1st Place Middleweight and Overall Champion)
  • 2009 WNBF Mid-America Pro Am Bodybuilding Championships (1st place – Lightweight)

What is your background and how did you get started in bodybuilding?

I grew up being a skinny but active kid. I got involved with a lot of sports (swimming, baseball, football, etc...). That way I discovered my first passion... martial arts.

I practiced Karate Renbukai (Full Contact Karate) for 7 years. I was very competitive and successful in competitions as a teenager, but when I turned 18 and I had to fight against adults, I got my @ss kicked a few times. My problem was that I was too light for my height (135lbs @ 5'10"). My father suggested I start lifting weights in order to get stronger. This is how I started my journey in bodybuilding.

It's been more that 10 years since I lifted my first dumbbell - I am no longer practicing Martial Arts and bodybuilding has become my new passion. I am a lifetime natural bodybuilder and it took me many years to fill out my frame due to my ecto-morphic body type, but I am finally getting there... the hard work is finally paying off.

Why do you love bodybuilding?

Bodybuilding is more than just a sport for me. It gives me discipline and self control. I see it as a way of living that helps me to become a better individual, not only physically, but also mentally. It helps me to become a better son, a better husband, a better person. Bodybuilding is a path of labor, a path where we need to devote a great deal of effort and energy, a path were we forget ourselves, a path of many deprivations but everything is worth it because at the end of this path  you will find strong and stable people that succeed in life. We must loose in order to gain.

Training

What is your training philosophy?

I believe that frequency is one of the major players in muscular development. For that reason my workouts are based on high frequency. Normally I train each body part 2 times per week. Sometimes when I need to develop a stubborn muscle or a week point I train it 3 or 4 times per week. I know what you are probably thinking “overtraining”! Nahh…the trick is to start slowly and let your body (muscles and soft tissue) improve its ability to recover. Frequency is recovery dependent and if you still don’t believe me just look around! Gymnast for example…they have big backs and arms! They do hundreds of chins everyday! They have forced their muscles to develop higher rates of recovery.

On the other hand my pre-contest and off-season training never changes. I keep everything the same. There is no reason to do something different. My philosophy is simple.  During offseason I focus on building strength and pre-contest I focus on keeping my strength as an indication of muscle retention. As a matter of fact during my last pre-contest season I got a little stronger on some lifts by applying the same progression methods that I used offseason.

What's a good workout routine that has given you results?

Monday - Back, Shoulders, Chest, Biceps and Triceps - Reps in the 5-10 range. Sets vary.

Tuesday - Quads, Hamstrings and Calves - Reps in the 5-10 range. Sets vary.

Wednesday - Cardio

  • High Intensity Interval Training

Thursday - Back and Chest - Reps in the 15-20 range. Sets vary.

Friday - Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves - Reps in the 15-20 range. Sets vary.

Saturday - Shoulders, Biceps and Triceps - Reps in the 15-20 range. Sets vary.

Sunday - Cardio or Rest

  • High Intensity Circuit Training or REST

If you have to pick only 3 exercises, what would they be and why?

  • Wide Grip Pull Up for Upper-body (Because it work your back, biceps, forearms, core and delts)
  • Dips for Upper-body (This one because it work you chest, Triceps, Delts and your core)
  • Squat or Deadlift for Lowerbody. (Well because this is the king of all exercises LOL!)

What's the best training tip you could give to others?

Be persistent not only with your training but also with your diet. Muscles are made in the kitchen and you are what you eat. Also try to learn as much as you can! The more you know the more you will grow.

Nutrition

What is your philosophy on nutrition?

I believe in eating clean all the time and staying lean during offseason in order to take advantage of the improved insulin sensitivity.  Insulin sensitivity is crucial to body composition and it will help you to put on muscle by shuttling the nutrient that you eat to your muscles. I learned this the hard way.

Give us a typical day in your off season diet:

During offseason I have more food variety and I have one cheat meal per week. This is just one sample because my foods vary almost every day.

  • Breakfast: Power omelet (Whole eggs, egg whites, spinach, fat free mozzarella, fat free turkey, green and red bell peppers) + oatmeal
  • Lunch: Extra lean ground beef, baked beans, cashews
  • Pre-Workout: 94% fat free popcorn, whey protein shake
  • After-Work out: 94% fat free popcorn, whey protein shake
  • Dinner: Turkey breast, sweet potato, green salad with olive oil and vinegar

Give us a typical day in your diet (contest prep):

My Diet during pre-contest changes a lot too based on the amount of carbs/fats and proteins scheduled for that particular day. This is a sample of the foods that I typically ate while I was getting ready for my last contest.

  • Breakfast: Whole eggs (2), egg whites (4), spinach (1 cup), whole grain bread and whey protein shake
  • Lunch: Tilapia (8oz), veggies (350-400g), cashews (25g)
  • Pre-Workout: 94% fat free popcorn, whey protein shake
  • After-Work out: 94% fat free popcorn, whey protein shake
  • Dinner: Tilapia (8oz), veggies (350-400g), fish oil (5g)

What are your favorite meals and foods?

A good steak, sweet potatoes, whole eggs, cashews.

Favorite cheat food?

A good hamburger or pizza.

What's the best nutrition tip you could give to others?

Eat clean all the time! And schedule your cheat meals.

Supplements

What supplements do you use that give you great results? How do you use them?

  1. Protein powder to supplement my protein intake (I take it as needed thru the day).
  2. Creatine to increase performance (I take it before and after my workouts).
  3. Fish oil (improve insulin sensitivity, decrease inflammation, overall health).

What brands do you think are offering the best products at the moment?

I use a lot of Optimum Nutrition supplements.

What do you think is a good off season muscle building stack?

Creatine, beta-alanine, multivitamin, fish oil, BCAAs, glucosamine, and protein powder.

What do you think is a good pre-contest/fat loss stack?

I don’t use fat burners…the best fat loss stack is cardio and diet!

Advice For Others

What are the 3 best tips you'd give to someone thinking about competing in natural bodybuilding?

  1. Don’t wait too long! Just do it! You will learn a ton about yourself.
  2. Enjoy the ride! It doesn’t matter if you win or lose. Do your best and enjoy the experience.
  3. Talk to the judges about what you should improve. This will help you to set your goals for next season.

What is your best advice for looking your best on competition day?

Plan ahead and be ready. Last minute fixes never work. Get your foods packed, your music your tan ready and relax.

How do you stay motivated? What advice would you give to someone who's having trouble staying on track?

For me staying motivated is easy because I love and enjoy every part of this sport! I love the struggle; I love the training, the diet and the challenges. Also I see it as a way of life to improve myself and my character. Competitions are only part of it and I don’t really get stressed if I win or lose! The most important part is to have fun.

I would advice other people to find the good reasons behind why you are doing it and remind yourself why you are fighting for, recognize your progress and keep a positive attitude.

Future Plans

What shows have you got coming up, where can we see you compete?

I will be competing again in 2010. I don’t know what contest yet but probably I will do some shows in fall.

What would you like to achieve in your natural bodybuilding career?

My goal is to improve my physique every year.

Favorite Plans

Who are your favorite bodybuilders and idols?

I look up to Dave Goodin. He is a great natural bodybuilder and a great inspiration for me!

How Can People Contact You?

How can people contact you?

Francisco Montealegre's Natural BB Motivational Video

Francisco Montealegre 2010 Natural Bodybuilding Motivation Video

1 Comment
praful alone
Posted on: Fri, 04/09/2010 - 01:59

Owesome...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!