Fábio Lopes is one of the biggest names in national bodybuilding and increasingly also internationally with his excellent performances. O …
Fábio is an athlete Myprotein and in 2015 he went to the United Kingdom to win the Mr Olympia in his category.
As if that wasn't enough, he also achieved an excellent 3rd place in the Arnold Classic in Madrid and an incredible 4th place in his debut at the World Championship in Spain.
Get to know him better in this interview.
- Name: Fábio Lopes
- Height: 1.70m
- Weight: 90kg
- Classic Bodybuilding 2009 – Champion up to 1.70m
- Portugal Cup 2010 – Champion
- National Champion 2012 – Up to 75kg
- Arnold Classic 2013 – Top 6 up to 75kg
- Arnold Classic Europe 2015 – Top 3 up to 80kg
- Power Expo 2015 – Absolute Champion
- Mr Olympia UK 2015 – 80kg Champion
- 2015 World Championship – 4th place at 80kg
How and why did you start training?
I decided to start training after leaving team sports, the last being Basketball.
I was always quite thin, and I didn't like it, so the solution I saw for that was to start training at the gym.
I can say it was literally love at first sight at the gym.
I loved feeling the muscle “pump” and noticing each muscle working, in addition to that it aroused a lot of curiosity in me and from then on it was routine until today.
What made you want to compete?
The gym where I trained had bodybuilders who took the sport really seriously and that influenced me.
At the time, also trying to learn a little more, I bought bodybuilding magazines regularly to improve my knowledge.
This was enough to awaken my desire to compete.
And of course, I had a lot of support from those close to me to go on stage.
What type of diet do you follow?
Above all, I have a very varied diet.
I always try to keep my calories constant and, for example, I don't choose to cycle carbohydrates.
I always have meals with carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats throughout my day.
- Meal 1
- 100g Instant Oats
- 50g Organic Muesli
- 250ml Vegetable Milk
- 8 Egg Whites or 1 Scoop of Albumin
- Meal 2
- 1 Fruit
- 100g Rice
- 220g Chicken Breast
- Meal 3
- 100g Organic Pasta
- 220g Red Meat
- Meal 4
- 1 Fruit
- 100g Oats
- 50g Impact Whey Isolate
- Meal 5
- 100g Organic Bread
- 180g Tuna or Mackerel
- 30g Dried Fruits or 30g Peanut butter
- Meal 6
- 200g Potato
- 300g Fish
In addition to this, I also eat a lot of salads and always eat a good amount of greens daily.
What type of training do you follow?
Normally my trainer changes my training every five weeks, however, I can say that drop sets, super sets and pyramid sets are constant in my training.
I am a perfectionist when performing each exercise and I try to recruit each muscle I work in the best way.
I need to feel the contraction of the fibers and I don't lift the weight for the sake of lifting it, I train the muscle and not the ego.
In terms of muscle division, I do something like this:
- Monday – Chest and Gemini
- Tuesday – Back and Abdominals
- Wednesday – Quadriceps and Calves
- Thursday – Rest
- Friday – Shoulders and Triceps
- Saturday – Biceps, Femorals and Calves
- Sunday – Rest
Where does your motivation come from?
My motivation comes and grows with the results I obtain, when I look back and see how far I've come, there's no way I can't help but feel motivated and continue.
I've always believed in work and dedication, whatever it may be, and I've proven to myself that it's worth it.
What supplements do you use?
There are supplements that are always present in my routine:
- Multivitamin
- Coenzymes
- Omega 3
- Antioxidants
- B complex
- Glutamine
- BCAA's
- Isolated Protein
- GABA
- ZMA
- Vitamin C
After a full 2015, what are your goals for this year?
I am particularly focused on my evolution.
This year I have Myprotein with me giving me enormous support and together with my team (Trainer, osteopath, my brother Fernando Piedade, Brachial) I want to emerge in 2017 in a much better condition.
If I chose to compete this year (2016) I wouldn't have enough time to grow and mature in terms of muscles, and I would be further away from my big goal.
I want to be heavier, bigger, so I can compete in a category above my current one.
Any tips in particular for those just starting out?
Be dedicated and work correctly, only then will success appear, whether on a stage, professionally and in everything in your life.
They are simple words, I know, but sometimes difficult to apply.
Follow Fábio Lopes on social media.
Instagram Fábio Lopes (@fabiolopes_1)
