Filipe Martins is an athlete in the Men's Physique category who started competing this year and is already making waves.
In addition to excellent results at national level, he recently went to the Mr Olympia in Liverpool to take second place.
Get to know him better in this interview.
- Name: Filipe Martins
- Age: 24
- Height: 1.70m
- Weight: 73kg
- North regional championship – Absolute champion
- National championship – Champion up to 1.72m
- Portugal Classic Powerexpo 2015 – Absolute Champion
- Arnold Classic Europe Madrid – 12th place
- Mr Olympia Liverpool – 2nd place
How and why did you start training?
I started training when I was around 18, the beginning was a bit strange because I was a very skinny boy and weighed around 45/50 kg.
I started training basically because I didn't feel good about myself, and I didn't feel good because the seniors at the time always tended to pick on me, as I was very rebellious and always had a ready answer, and after some fears or bad luck in nightlife, I decided I wanted to join a martial art, and consequently a gym.
I started practicing Muay Thai until my love of the gym and lack of time made me choose what I liked most.
What made you want to compete?
I've always been a sports lover, I've always played 11-a-side football and I've always enjoyed challenging myself. My taste for the gym and fitness grew, along with my physical shape, which thank God kept up with me.
I have always closely followed the paths of foreign fitness athletes, but also some Portuguese ones, such as Ricardo Correia, Francisco Macau, Rui Pedro Batista and Tierry Vilson, who for me are influential people in the sport.
The taste grew until last year I was present at Power Expo in Maia and then I really decided that I wanted to belong to that world, that stage and live that experience that made me feel so ecstatic even though I was on the outside.
What type of diet do you follow?
My diet throughout the year, whether in the bulk phase or in the pre-competition phase, is always as “clean” as possible. In other words, I rarely go off the diet, except on the supposed trash day, to try to obtain the highest possible quality performance.
I personally have some difficulty gaining weight, because as I just mentioned, my diet is very restricted to avoid gaining high percentages of fat as much as possible, which would only make it difficult for me in the pre-competition process.
Here's a sample of a diet I've already followed, to give you a little idea of the type of diet I follow.
- Meal 1
- 6 egg whites
- 2 egg yolks
- 85g oats
- Meal 2
- 2 scoops of whey
- 2 slices of rye bread with peanut butter
- Meal 3
- 220g chicken
- Broccoli
- 200g rice
- Meal 4
- Sweet potato
- 1 green apple
- 2 cans of tuna
- Pre and post workout with appropriate supplementation
- Meal 5
- 300g beef
- Spaghetti
- Green bean
- Meal 6
- Fish fillets
- 30g walnuts
- Meal 7
- 2 scoops of casein
- Low-fat Greek yogurt
What type of training do you follow?
I basically follow adaptation training, and I say adaptation because thank God I was lucky enough to be accompanied by a professional, who in addition to my PT, my master and my friend, is also a very attentive professional.
In other words, my training comes in phases, phases that our body goes through for an entire year, with ups and downs obviously, and which aims to overcome the breaks that our body takes.
We normally work with repetitions of 15, but I myself am not an advocate of using the same type of training for a long time, as our body stops assimilating it so easily when it gets too used to a routine.
Leg Workout Example
- Abductor Machine
- Leg Extension
- Press
- Standing unilateral leg curl
- Dead weight
What are your three favorite exercises?
- Free bar squat
- Incline dumbbell splits
- Tricep with ropes
Where does your motivation come from?
My motivation comes mainly from myself, from trying to be useful in something, from being proud of myself in something, but also a lot from those who accompany me, my family, friends, my girlfriend and my teacher who never gives up on me. me not for a second.
These are examples of motivation that I focus on, because when you feel that there is someone who trusts you even for a second, who spends even an hour to see you go on stage, and who tells you when you need it most that they are proud In you, there is no better feeling in the world, so that is part of my motivation.
But obviously, following the current Mr Olympia, for example, Jeremy Buendia It's a motivation in itself, and of course I'm an attentive follower.
What supplements do you use?
Since I started competing, I have always used the same supplement brand, which is Biotech USA.
Then, I use different supplements, from vitamins to proteins and muscle recoverers.
Any tips in particular for those just starting out?
Yes, I have some.
1st – Never be in a hurry.
I say this because nowadays there are many people who train, or who start training, and think that the results appear from one day to the next. In reality it's not like that, things come from work, sweat, sacrifice and dedication!
2nd – As the best ever Arnold says: “Never be afraid of failing”.
Because if you strive or commit to something out of fear of failing, falling and not getting up, things don't work out, so you should never be afraid of failing.
3rd Always believe in yourself and try, because it's better to die trying than to die thinking that you should have tried but didn't.
Goals for the future, what are they?
My future goals include giving some importance to international competition now, I hope to have a much better year in 2016 than this one.
I certainly hope to reach the top of the competition and consequently the said PRO Card.
Finally, I hope that my work and dedication is valued in the best possible way.
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