Skip Wood Athlete Profile

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Skip Wood
Quick Stats
  • Skip Wood
  • 1973
  • Gilbert, AZ
  • 12
  • 5'10"
  • 175 lbs
  • Back
  • Deadlift
  • Whey Protein
  • MuscleTech, Cytosport, and Cytodyne
Experienced and shredded model who has his sights on landing magazine covers. He was previously featured in a popular Hydroxycut TV commercial.

Your Background

I competed in high school and college basketball, and when I finished, I knew I needed a new outlet to fill the void. I started lifting weights, and have been hooked ever since. As far as getting started in fitness modeling, I entered and won a model search competition for ‘Hot Skins’ fitness clothing in 2003. I got to do a photo shoot on the beach in Santa Monica, CA with some well-recognized models (Timea Majorova, Lena Johansson, and Julien Greaux) and knew it was something I wanted to continue to pursue. Since then I’ve appeared in several ads for a few different supplement companies, including the popular ‘Hydroxycut’ TV commercials for MuscleTech.

Training

I don’t try to re-invent the wheel.What is your training philosophy?

“Tried and True” training philosophy for me. I don’t try to re-invent the wheel as far as exercises or sets/reps schemes. Off-season, I’ll lift heavier weights with fewer reps and back off of cardio to add size. In season, I’ll do a lot of supersets, drop sets, use shorter rest periods and increase cardio to 5 or 6 times/week. No matter what season, I like to be efficient - 45 minutes to an hour in the gym is all the longer I take!

Which workout has worked best for you:

All exercises are 4 sets x 8-10 reps.

  • Monday - Legs. Squat, front squat, leg press, lunges, lying leg curl, straight leg deadlift, seated leg curl. Get a good warm up! Hit the hamstring exercises prior to the quad exercises every other leg day.
  • Tuesday - Chest. Incline dumbbell press, bench press, weighted dips, incline dumbbell flye. Do incline push-ups against a machine or the dumbbell rack between sets.
  • Wednesday - Back. Pull-ups, bent-over row, dumbbell row, seated row, deadlift. Start the workout by getting 50 pull-ups, no matter how many sets it takes! The deadlifts are performed from the floor. Only use straps if needed.
  • Thursday - Triceps and Biceps. Rope press down, alternate dumbbell curl, lying triceps extension, straight bar curl, dumbbell overhead extension, preacher curl, close-grip bench, incline dumbbell curl. Superset one triceps exercise with on biceps exercise. Do the rope press downs first to warm-up your elbows.
  • Friday - Shoulders and Traps. Seated rear delt machine, dumbbell overhead press, dumbbell lateral raise, front raise, upright row, behind-the-back shrug. Try an underhand grip for the Front Raises and mix up grip width for the upright rows. Only use straps if needed.
  • Saturday - Calves, Abs and Forearms. Seated calf raise, standing calf raise, leg press calf press. Hanging leg raise, side-bends, decline crunch.  Reverse-grip wrist curl, wrist curl. Calves- Alternate foot positions (toes pointed in, toes pointed out, toes pointed straight ahead).
  • Sunday - OFF

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

Squat, deadlift, and bench press. These three pretty much cover all the bases, and can be performed at any gym/weight room.

Any other info you want to add about training?

Be consistent, but know when to take a break. Taking one day off/week works best for me, but I have friends who only workout 3x/week. You have to find the formula that works best for you and your schedule. As far as cardio goes, I like to do 3-40 min. on the stair climber, stationary bike, or treadmill first thing in the morning. To mix things up, I’ll go hiking outside on one of the weekend mornings.

Nutrition

What is your philosophy on nutrition?

I’ve learned to be a ‘food label reader’. I’ve always eaten pretty clean, but not until I started crunching the numbers of my caloric intake, did I start seeing the results I wanted. Also, to be able to eat every 3 hours or so, there has to be some time set aside for food preparation. Plan ahead!

You have to find the formula that works best for you.

Give us a typical day in your diet (off season):

  • Meal 1 - 8 egg whites (one yolk), 1 cup oatmeal, 1 banana.
  • Meal 2 - 8 oz. steak, 1 cup brown rice, 2 slices Ezekiel bread.
  • Meal 3 - Whey protein shake w/creatine.
  • Meal 4 - (post workout) Protein shake in Gatorade, 4 rice cakes, apple sauce, oatmeal w/raisins and honey.
  • Meal 5 - 8 oz. ground bison, 1 cup white rice.
  • Meal 6 - Casein protein shake w/ handful of almonds.

Give us a typical day in your diet (in season):

  • Meal 1 - ½ cup oatmeal, 8 egg whites (one yolk), ½ cup blueberries. 
  • Meal 2 - 8 oz. tilapia, ½ cup quinoa. 
  • Meal 3 - 8 oz. chicken tenderloin, ½ cup quinoa. 
  • Meal 4 - (post workout) 8 oz. turkey breast, 1 cup white rice. 
  • Meal 5 - 8 oz. chicken tenderloin, ½ cup quinoa. 
  • Meal 6 - 8 eggs scrambled (one yolk), 2 cups hash browns.

What are your favorite meals and foods?

I’m big on fish (tilapia, orange roughy, and cod) when dieting, and have started eating a lot of quinoa as a carb source.

Favorite cheat food?

Ribeye steak, twice-baked potato, Caesar salad, and yellow cake w/chocolate frosting for dessert!

Any other info you want to add about diet & nutrition?

Don’t be afraid to have one ‘cheat’ meal/week when dieting. But have it early in the day and hit a workout or cardio session a few hours later to ‘get things moving’ again. 

Supplements

List 3 supplements that you’ve used to with good results, why you use each one, and when/how you use it.

  1. Whey Protein - Used pre and post-workout, or as a substitute for a solid meal.
  2. Creatine - Mixed w/ whey protein shake pre and post workout. Good for increasing (off season) and maintaining strength (in season).
  3. Casein Protein - Used before bedtime to utilize its slower digestion.

Advice For Others

Have one ‘cheat’ meal/week.What are the 3 best tips you’d give to men thinking about competing in fitness modeling?

  1. Become a "Cardio King"!  Attack cardio sessions in the same manner you lift weights.  Have goals, reach them...then set new goals. Also, perform a variety of different cardio exercises - stationary bike, treadmill, stair climber, outdoor hiking, basketball, etc....
  2. Look your best from head to toe. Be well-groomed - tend to your hair, teeth, and skin so your overall appearance compliments your physique. 
  3. Scour the Internet for opportunities. Join websites like modelmayhem.com, fitnessmodelinternational.com or a local modeling agancy to make connections. Get a photo shoot set up, get 'dialed' in, and get the ball rolling for yourself!

What’s your best tip for looking your best on competition day?

Be prepared in advance. Don’t sabotage a successful diet with foolish mistakes at the end (stop doing cardio, cutting water, carb loading). In my opinion, the final preparations for fitness modeling and bodybuilding competitions are very different. I’ve done some dumb things on photo shoot days in the past, then finally realized that if I look solid a week out, to just keep doing what got me there!

Future Plans

What would you like to achieve in your modeling career?

A fitness magazine cover, then another, then another... Something I’d be proud to show my grandkids someday!

Favorite Competitors

Who are your favorite modeling competitors and idols?

I think Clark Bartram embodies what every aspiring fitness model want s to achieve. I’ve look up to and admired him for years. BSN’s Julien Greaux, in my opinion, has the best physique, as far as today’s top fitness models go, and deserves all the exposure and recognition he receives.

How Can People Contact You?

How can people contact you?

16 Comments
Selina
Posted on: Thu, 05/01/2014 - 17:46

miss you and love you tons..

Selina
Posted on: Thu, 05/01/2014 - 17:45

miss you tons..and love you tons..always

Arnish Ashish
Posted on: Mon, 06/10/2013 - 03:26

Looking nice.....I have to also make this type of body.........plz advise to me..........

vincent
Posted on: Fri, 02/15/2013 - 11:12

i want skip wood's body

ilovebuffguys
Posted on: Fri, 02/08/2013 - 12:55

sexy

Anonymous
Posted on: Wed, 01/09/2013 - 01:12

When we're in gym class, all I want you to do is take off your shirt, your so sexy! ;)

Anonymous
Posted on: Mon, 12/24/2012 - 12:16

Skip, you are so buff! Now, you work at ALA and it is so cool to have you as a gym teacher. see you around! ;)

Ben
Posted on: Sat, 12/22/2012 - 23:31

He is my weights coach

michael stephens
Posted on: Mon, 01/02/2012 - 23:10

Hi,i am determined to look to look like you physically but nothing really seems to work.i am 16 and doing high intense training with millitary hoping to become a fitness model along the lines that you are but finding it hard to get anywhere with any agencies, is there any tips and advice on getting noticed by people in the modelling career.

zorach
Posted on: Sun, 06/26/2011 - 13:18

Hi and thank you,I'm a handicapped guy ,I have a rare brain disorder,one of the side effects are tremors,so I can't more than 15lbs. Last year I lost 50lbs,I need to lose another 30-40lbs more.
My ? is shold I use a mass building workout since I can only 15lbs max (like german volume technique)and relie on diet for sliming down or use a cutting routing?
I know my situation is not common,I been cleared medical to workout,my doc.has no leads for me on trainers.
Any advice will be helpfull.

briny felix
Posted on: Sun, 04/17/2011 - 22:07

i was wondering how can i gain weight if i have 2 full time jobs

omar Torres
Posted on: Mon, 03/28/2011 - 00:12

Wat up couch I hope you can teach me some more about weight lifting and I know that with you I can reach my goal.and thanks again

Michael
Posted on: Fri, 02/25/2011 - 12:17

Off - season you lift heavier, can you tell me how long your off season is and if it winter or summer. Thank you.

Sonu Dutta
Posted on: Tue, 02/08/2011 - 01:56

hey,
can any one send me a simple diet chart which is affordable for me.
Being a student , I can't maintain any heavy diet .
so , please mail me simple diet chart including whey protein & other natural food stuffs.

syed fawaz
Posted on: Tue, 01/25/2011 - 04:22

ohh!!!!! its grt to c u lk tht dude gv me some tips regarding u r workout.....

Jeremy Warren
Posted on: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 11:32

Well uhh Coach Wood, looking pretty small still. But it's ok. It'll take just a little time to catch up to me. But you're doing pretty good...I mean, I'm not in a magazine yet, so props to ya Coach! You gotta train me soon so I can get like you.