I'm shifting gears this time and interviewing a male bodybuilder who also happens to be "MAX32"-- one of our RX Muscle forum members. His life seems to have picked up some serious momentum lately. He's one week out from the NPC Junior Nationals, he's currently the 
Midwest Regional Manager for Gaspari Nutrition and his girlfriend is IFBB Figure Pro Katina Maistrelli. Life is good for the Super Heavyweight Texan, Max Fairchild! Read on to get the full story.
RX: Alright, Max. I gotta tell ya, one of the first things that caught my eye about doing an interview with you was the fact that you've done a photo shoot with Dan Ray.
MF: (Laughs) Yeah...my girlfriend was like: "You know you're like the only guy ever to shoot with Dan!" Dan's really cool. Before Katina went pro, he was planning on doing a shoot with my girlfriend and since we were both doing the same show Dan offered to do some shots of us together and then some for me. That 
was at the 2007 NPC Lonestar. Since then we've stayed in touch and we have this running joke that if he wants to keep shooting my now Pro Figure girlfriend, then he has to take me, too. But it's all in good fun. We just recently did a shoot while I was working out at Metroflex in Plano.
RX: You took the Heavyweight division and the Overall at the Lonestar in 2007, but you didn't compete at all in 2008?
MF: Yes. Toward the end of my prep for the Lonestar I was working through some major shoulder pain. I wasn't able to use any free weights for my upper body. I tried every therapy you can imagine, but shortly after the contest I found out I needed surgery. So I spent my 2008 season rehabilitating my shoulder and getting my physique ready to compete again in 2009.
RX: California State Bodybuilding Championships was next, right?
MF: Right again. I decided I wanted to try a west coast show. So I chose the Cal State and I won the Super 
Heavies and took second Overall. I'm a little disappointed in myself. Two days out from this show I weighed 238 lbs. and at the show I weighed in at 229 lbs. I got there and started freaking myself out and second guessing everything I ever knew and I flattened out so bad. I could have looked so much fuller! I'm just one of those guys that nail my conditioning, so I think that's what saved me.
RX: And now we're approaching the Jr. Nationals. Have you done anything differently after the Cal State to prepare for this one?
MF: You mean besides spending three days cheating on my diet? No. My friend and mentor, Jeff Dwelle is my 2nd pair of eyes. He helps me with my diet adjustments and my prep, but we decided to stick with our plan. I think my nerves played a big role in my physique at the last show. Jeff had to calm me down a bit. I would have thought that I'd be more nervous at the Junior Nationals, but I feel very prepared and ready for this show. I'm not going to be the heaviest SuperHeavy, but my conditioning is where I usually do well. My goal originally was for top 5, but I'm realistic. I know you can't control who else shows up at a show. I know that as long as I show up at my best, then I'm happy. Plus, with pizza on the horizon....
RX: How do you feel about the current trend in the judging? Do you see a trend and do you like what you see?
MF: I actually DO see a trend and I like it! I think that the mass monsters don't seem to be winning everything anymore. I like the tighter, more aesthetically pleasing waist and the X-frame. I like the younger pros like Evan Centopani and Phil Heath. I'm pleased with the direction it seems to be going.
RX: Where do you train?
MF: Well, I'm on the road a lot with Gaspari, so I train at a number of gyms, but the one I'm gonna give props to is MetroFlex in Plano. They let me film my videos there and you just can't beat the atmosphere.
RX: Can you describe what you do for Gaspari Nutrition?
MF: Sure. The best way to describe it is similar to a pharmaceutical rep in the medical industry. I do the same type of work only I visit gyms instead of doctor offices and I present all the Gaspari Products to them. I also work at all the Texas shows that Gaspari attends as well as the big shows like the Olympia and the Arnold Classic. It's a great company and I love my job. I'd like to say that before I made the move to Gaspari, Author L. Rea gave me my start in the supplement industry - ALR Industries is also a great company with great products.
RX: I noticed that you have a rather large tattoo on your shoulder and that you have some pictures of tattoos on your MySpace page. Do you have a special interest in tattoos?
MF: Yeah...that one you saw on my MySpace page is Katina's. I tell her all the time since she's a pro now, she oughta do it up like a rockstar. I love that tattoo! She just laughs at me. The one on my shoulder is a tribute to Amanda Jo Savelle. It's a giant angel wing and Amanda's eyes. I actually had Amanda's tattoo artist use one of the more popular pictures of her eyes and he tattooed them on my shoulder. She was a very close friend of ours and besides being a tribute to her, its meaning is that I'll always have an angel looking over my shoulder.
RX: I know a lot of people miss her. I've noticed that Texas has a pretty tight community of bodybuilder, fitness and figure athletes. Which part of Texas do you live in?
MF: Born and raised here in Dallas and I plan to eventually raise a family here. And yes - we are a very close-knit community.
RX: Well, we already know you're dating figure pro Katina Maistrellis, so you're not single. How old are you and what's your sign?
MF: I am 28 years old. I will be 29 on July 9th, which makes me a Cancer.
RX: How much fitness modeling have you done and do you have any scheduled photo shoots coming up?
MF: I haven't really done that much magazine work. I learned a lesson early on with that - you're gonna think this is funny! The LoneStar in 2007 was my very first show and I did what nearly everyone does at least once and post show I ate everything under the sun. I actually put on 39 lbs. in 4 days!! My ankles and feet looked like Froto from Lord of the Rings. It was insane! My feet were so swollen I couldn't even wear flip flops. Then, I got a call from Muscle & Fitness asking me to do a photo shoot in two weeks. I was like, "uhhhh....can I have three?"
RX: Oooohh! That doesn't sound like much fun at all! So, the photo shoot went well after all? When was that issue?
MF: It actually came out pretty quick. I think it was in the early fall of 2007. But the lesson there is not to eat too much shit after a show and ease back to basics with your diet.
RX: Speaking of eating shit - what's your favorite cheat meal?
MF: That's going to have to be a three way tie. I like sushi, a good filet and Campisi's Italian Restaurant pizza here in Dallas. It was the very first Italian restaurant in Dallas. Jack Ruby actually ate at this restaurant just before he went to kill Kennedy. They say he had a meeting in the back room.
RX: You're full of interesting facts!
MF: Yup - huge movie buff, too.
RX: Really? How about your favorite movie characters that you admire?
MF: Hmmm...Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday in Tombstone, Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers, Russell Crowe in Gladiator, Christian Bale in American Psycho, and, of course, Arnold in Pumping Iron.
RX: Any real-life heroes?
MF: Only my parents. I'd have to say both my Mom and my Dad.
RX: How would you describe yourself?
MF: I'm self-motivated, outgoing, very competitive....and pretty emotional. That applies to the good and the bad. I've been known to cry at a chick flick.
RX: Do you have any words of motivation for our RX Muscle friends?
MF: Don't do anything half-ass! If you're gonna bother doing something, do it all the way or why bother?
RX: What industry related future goals have you set?
MF: I'd like to earn my Pro Card, of course. But I'm pretty realistic that a pro card doesn't equal a major pay day. I think I either have to have something amazing to offer or be a good businessman like Jay Cutler. I'm a big supplement nerd; that's one thing I pride myself on. I try to know everything possible about my products and other lines as well. So I don't really see myself leaving the Supplement Industry. Besides, it's one of the few industries that's still making money and growing today
RX: Is there anyone who has contributed to your successes in bodybuilding that you would like to thank?
MF: Definitely. First, I want to thank Katina Maistrellis for putting up with me and being an inspiration to me. My parents, Jeff Dwelle - he's the closest person I have to a mentor, all of my friends and family and Gaspari for being extremely supportive.
RX: Alright Max, it's been a pleasure getting to know you. We wish you the very best at Junior Nationals. Would you like to share a website for your new fans?
MF: I am working on a website, but for now, look me up on MySpace under Max Fairchild!
