BY ANGIE FENTON | PHOTOS BY EVAN RIVARD
JARED HOPF was once the smallest kid in his class. SAMANTHA MISZKIEL is just starting on a journey to get über fit. Soon, the two Southern Indiana residents will take on competitors from around the country when they step onto the stage in their respective divisions in the 2015 Kentucky Muscle Strength & Fitness Extravaganza.
Despite having busy schedules that include serious training and focused dieting, Jared and Samantha took the time to give us a glimpse into their worlds and offer up a bit of inspiration and advice.
SEE THE SHOW | Kentucky Muscle Strength & Fitness Extravaganza
Nov. 13 & 14
Kentucky International Convention Center
221 S. Fourth St. in Louisville
WHAT CATEGORY ARE YOU COMPETING IN AT KENTUCKY MUSCLE? Bikini.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THIS CATEGORY?
Bikini is the pageant-like category. The physique of the competitors resemble bikini models.
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU COMPETED AND IN WHAT OTHER CATEGORIES? This is my first year.
DESCRIBE YOUR TRAINING.
My training involves mostly weight lifting six days a week, fasted cardio and HIIT workouts. HIIT stands for high intensity interval training. The goal of these workouts is to get your heart rate up and is generally described as a circuit. One example of a HIIT workout that I’ve done involves a quarter-mile sprint on the treadmill, squat jumps, lunges, step ups and jumps squats repeated four or five times. You want to try to move from one exercise to the next with few breaks in between. Fasted cardio is done in the morning, before eating, after the body has burned off most of its calories from the previous day. The idea behind it is to target more fat because readily available sources of fuel, such as carbs, have yet to be taken in by the body.
DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT DIET.
My coach, Addison Traughber, has calculated my macronutrients (protein, fats and carbs) based on my height, weight and activity level, which makes it completely personalized. I weigh my proteins on a food scale and measure all of my carbs and fats out according to his calculations.
WHEN YOU’RE NOT TRAINING FOR A COMPETITION, HOW DO YOU STAY FIT? Weight lifting and light cardio.
WHEN YOU’RE NOT TRAINING FOR A COMPETITION, WHAT IS YOUR DIET LIKE?
I still prefer prepping my meals and eating clean. You have to make it a lifestyle. The only difference is I don’t beat myself up as much if I stray off my diet for a meal or two.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EXERCISE? Dumbbell shoulder press.
WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE EXERCISE? Anything with a combat rope.
HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN IN SHAPE?
Yes. Playing volleyball in high school and club for Prodigy kept me in shape.
WHO OR WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION?
My motivation comes from within. I’ve come a long way and overcome many obstacles throughout my fitness journey. I’ll be sincerely proud of myself no matter what the outcome may be when I get on stage at Kentucky Muscle in November.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF, HEALTH-WISE, IN 10 YEARS?
I see myself being in the best shape of my life from all of the knowledge and experience this journey is going to give me. I’m just getting started.
WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO?
For training: Think fiercely, train, sleep, repeat. For life: Aspire to inspire.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO GET FIT?
Stick with it! Results in fitness aren’t instantaneous. There’s no magical pill, food or exercise. You truly have to want it and be consistent about it.
WHAT CATEGORY ARE YOU COMPETING IN AT KENTUCKY MUSCLE? Open Middleweight Bodybuilding.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THIS CATEGORY?
Competitors in my class weight 165 to 176 pounds and have low body fat.
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU COMPETED AND IN WHAT OTHER CATEGORIES? I’ve competed for two years. I started out in physique and was told I was too big, so I moved up to bodybuilding.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO COMPETE IN THE FIRST PLACE?
The idea of doing something that a lot of people can’t or won’t ever do. I witnessed a close friend go through contest prep; it almost seemed torturous. He taught me a lot and really inspired and convinced me to give it a shot.
DESCRIBE YOUR TRAINING.
Right now it’s seven days a week. I start off with morning cardio on an empty stomach for one hour. Then, later in the day, about a two-hour long workout followed by 20 minutes of high intensity cardio. I work a different muscle group daily; as the show gets closer a little more training technique is added.
DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT DIET.
Right now it’s extremely low carbohydrate and low fat with very high protein. I eat six meals a day of mostly lean meats, vegetables, egg whites, oats and sweet potatoes. All my meals are timed around my workout and other activities. I average drinking about two gallons of water a day.
WHEN YOU’RE NOT TRAINING FOR A COMPETITION, HOW DO YOU STAY FIT?
I still workout about five times a week. The offseason is the time to grow: I train a lot heavier on my lifting and occasionally throw in cardio. I try not to ever let my diet get out of control.
WHEN YOU’RE NOT TRAINING FOR A COMPETITION, WHAT IS YOUR DIET LIKE?
It’s not nearly as strict as it is during prep for a show. I don’t necessarily watch the numbers of carbohydrates, fats and grams of protein I eat, but I do still know to eat clean and healthy foods. Every now and then I’ll pick a day or two where I let myself eat whatever I want.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EXERCISE? Barbell bench press.
WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE EXERCISE?
Walking lunges with a weighted barbell on my shoulders. They’re awful.
HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN IN SHAPE?
No. In high school I was easily the smallest, lightest and shortest kid in my class. It’s a big part of why I started weight lifting.
WHO OR WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION?
My family and friends are definitely my biggest motivation; my coach Julian Domiray also plays a big factor in motivation. He always knows what to say to get me going and keep me on track if I’m ever slacking or feeling down.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF, HEALTH-WISE, IN 10 YEARS?
I definitely hope to keep competing in bodybuilding shows. I see myself improving every year competitively and hopefully by that time I’ll have my shot at a pro card.
WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO?
You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO GET FIT? Want it as much as you want the air you breathe and you won’t fail.
