Meet MP Competitor Duane Brickhouse

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Published on Wednesday, 28 August 2013 18:28

Written by Ian Lauer CSCS

Meet MP Competitor Duane Brickhouse. Congrats on a great showing! What made you decide to compete in the Men’s Physique Division?

Thank you very much. I have followed bodybuilding for years and I started attending the Olympia in 2010, which is really what made me want to be a part of the bodybuilding world. I was very excited when the Physique Division was created, because I felt like it was a perfect fit for me. With some encouragement from my wife, I decided to take the leap and give it a try. It is very exciting to be around like-minded people that are consistently focused on improving themselves. It really is a great community of individuals. 

Can you tell us a little about the show in which you most recently competed? 

 My most recent competition was the Master’s Nationals in Pittsburgh. It was a well-run show with a large amount of competitors. And as usual, I met a lot of great competitors. 

How did you feel after pre-judging? 

In all honesty, I was in the second call out, so I was a little disappointed. However after looking at some of the pictures, I felt pretty good about both my physique and my stage presence. Personally, it is very important to show improvement in each competition. I feel like I have seen consistent improvement in some of my weaker areas, but the biggest improvement for me is my confidence (or appearance of confidence) when stepping on the stage. 

How did you feel about the final results of the show? 

I finished in 5th place for my class, so it felt good to get back into the top 5 at the national level. Definitely disappointed to not get one of the top two spots, but it is a journey that I am truly enjoying. 

What are your thoughts on the Men's Physique Division and what it may be able to do for your career? 

For me, it has already done a tremendous amount. Last year I was too shy to step on stage, and I’ve now competed five times this year! From a competition/fitness standpoint, I am going to keep pushing for the ability to compete as a pro. 

Also, competing has really helped push me in other aspects of my life – whether  personal or professional – towards constantly working on improvements. Focusing on giving my best with everything I do is a direct reflection of how competing has changed my outlook. 

Age: 37 

Hometown: Ettrick, Virginia 

Current city: Ellicott City, Maryland 

Years training: I have been training for around 10 years and competing since September of 2012. 

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Leadership Studies from the University of Richmond (Spiders!) 

Occupation: Finance for a healthcare organization 

Favorite type of training: I primarily use free weights, however I have a new-found love for plate-loaded machines. I am very traditional with my training style, generally starting with compound movements with each work out. 

Favorite body part to train: Back 

Favorite exercise: Pull-ups, with incline chest dumbbell press being a close second. 

Rep range: Usually 10-20 

Number of sets: 4 or 5, but I usually go until it feels right. I don’t start with a specific number in mind. 

Typical workout duration: Around 1 hour depending on how much cardio I do. 

Training split: I generally work one body part per day, and I am in the gym every day. When I get closer to competition time I start to do more high intensity work while training multiple body parts. 

 Typical daily eating plan: Can vary, but typically

Meal 1 – Oatmeal with a scoop of protein & chicken breast

Meal 2 – Chicken & broccoli

Meal 3 – Chicken, broccoli & brown rice

Meal 4 – Tilapia

Meal 5 – Chicken, asparagus & brown rice

Meal 6 – Sweet potato

Favorite supplement: BPI B4 & 1.M.R.

What peaked your interest in training? 

Getting stronger for sports is what started me in the gym, but the ability to constantly improve and reinvent yourself is what really lit the fire. Training has really taught me that there are no limits to what you can accomplish if you are willing to work for it. 

Who influences/influenced your training?

I primarily train myself. I get every fitness magazine out there in addition to being a certified trainer. I have also worked with a few great trainers along the way that have helped tweaked my diet and posing. 

Sports: Basketball & football. Of course bodybuilding has now surpassed those two and I really enjoy watching Crossfit. 

Special interests: Reading comic books and spending time with my kids. 

Physique, fitness, bodybuilding competition history: 

Muscle & Fitness Model Search 2012, 1^st 

Shawn Ray Grand Prix 2012, 1st (Overall & Masters) 

Baltimore Gladiator Classic 2013, 1st (Overall & Masters) 

VA Max Muscle 2013, 2nd (class B) 

Junior USA’s 2013, 3rd (class D) 

Team Universe 2013, 10th (Class C) 

Master’s Nationals 2013, 5th (Class C) 

Awards and/or accomplishments: 

The M&F model search means a lot to me since it was my first time ever stepping on stage. The Overalls in my first two NPC shows validated that win, however my 3rd at Jr USA’s really stands out as being a milestone moment. 

Next planned competition: 

North Americans on Aug 30-31 

What keeps you on track towards reaching your goals? 

This has become my passion. At this point, I am stepping on stage to compete against others and win a pro card, but I take a tremendous amount of pride in seeing my personal progress along the way. This is important to me, and I refuse to let an excuse stop me from doing my best. 

Also, I have friends, family, competitors, and other individuals that have truly been supportive along this journey. Even though I often train and step on stage alone, I feel like every single one of them is there with me along the way, and I am not going to let them down by not giving 100%. With that type of support how can I not stay focused? 

Interesting fact or something you would like our readers to know about you: 

I am a 37 year old father of four girls, and my last name is really "Brickhouse!" Those are probably the things that surprise the other competitors the most! 

Website and Facebook:

www.duanebrickhouse.com [1] 

www.facebook.com/duane.brickhouse [2] 

Contact Information: I can be reached through my website or at [email protected] 

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