Will Dinwiddie, Multi-Sport Competitor!
Will Dinwiddie, age 33, is the owner and head strength and conditioning coach at Epic Fitness Solutions – http://www.epicfitnesssolutions.com – in Springfield, Oregon. Dinwiddie has been "actively competing since 2004 in bodybuilding, strongman, powerlifting, MAS wrestling, arm wrestling, and Highland games..." The 5'9" 230-pound athlete was an "Airborne Ranger in the U.S. Army from 1999-2002," and has "three years undergraduate work towards [his] human physiology major..." He is also "EMT-Basic certified." Let's learn more about this iron athlete and coach!
Q: How did you get introduced to the iron – by family, sports, friends, or your own interest?
A: I got introduced into lifting as an 88-pound bullied kid and wanted it to stop, so when I found a way to make myself stronger I spent all my time in the gym. Three to five hours a day 5+ days a week and that has been consistent since then.
Q: Eighty-eight pounds? How old were you at that time? And what advice would you give to kids who are dealing with bullies?
A: When I was 88 lbs., I was 15 years old. I was bullied and the best advice I would give is start standing up for yourself even if you risk injury because you will gain only self-respect when you demonstrate courage that could lead to injury. It will teach a person about what they are made of inside when they are confronted with conflict. You need to face fears at all costs I feel like. The military teaches that and that's why we have the greatest soldiers... at least when I was in. ;)
Q: What's your favorite part of Epic Fitness Solutions?
A: My favorite part about Epic is everything... it's a living part of my mind. I created this image of what I believe in and want it to grow to enormous proportions!
Q: Why should someone train at EFS?
A: If you train at Epic Fitness Solutions you are guaranteed results.
Q: What is your specialty and how did you choose it as your focus?
A: My specialty is everything strength related... and full body muscular development along with full body physical ability.
Will Dinwiddie at Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center.
Q: What sports did you play growing up?
A: I wrestled, played basketball and football and tried track from middle school to 10th grade.
Q: How long have you been coaching others?
A: I have been coaching others since 2006 when I originally formed Epic FS.
Will and his daughter Madison MAS-wrestling!
"Again, never forget you are their first & best role-model.... (Image: Will Dinwiddie of Epic Fitness Solutions sharing the love -- respect!)"
[Mas-wrestling! More on this sport @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mas-wrestling ]
Q: I have to confess my ignorance… what is the tug-of-war with the dowel you’re doing with the little girl? Mas-wrestling? I’d never heard of it until this interview. How were you introduced to this sport?
A: Yes, it's MAS wrestling... I took interest when one of my welders that build my equipment had one and I asked what it was. He told me it was a MAS board and explained there would be a tournament the day following the strongman state championship, so I told him I wanted one and I would also be competing in that contest, which I did and took second place as an overall heavyweight.
Q: Are you Mas-wrestling with your daughter Madison in that pic?
A: Yes.
Q: Any advice for those wanting to get into the sport?
A: My advice to anyone wanting to get strong is start immediately and focus on all compound movements and explosive movements as the backbone of your training.
Q: What is your overall training philosophy?
A: My overall philosophy with training is everything works some of the time, nothing works all of the time, but your results ultimately will materialize from consistent intensity... meaning give your best 100% of the time, nothing less.
Q: How long have you been training seriously?
A: I have been training seriously since the day I started... eighteen-plus years.
Q: Who has been your biggest inspiration or mentor in competition?
A: My biggest mentor to date now is a man named Mark Wechter and my lil bro Zack McCarley... but for the first 10 years it was none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger! :)
Q: How did you meet Mark Wechter? I watched his Husafell Stone video. Awesome.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAweqcqQ6fM
A: I met Mark Wechter in 2005 at my first strongman competition and clearly remembering wanting to have his abilities when I saw him beat everyone there as a lightweight Pro.
Q: And how did you meet McCarley? I just recently interviewed him.
http://forums.rxmuscle.com/showthread.php?127660-The-Strength-Series-Interview-8-Zack-McCarley!
A: I met Zack McCarley, formerly Nims, in 2007 when he was a teenager at a strongman contest in Washington.
Q: And do you have a favorite Schwarzenegger movie?
A: My favorite Schwarzenegger movies are Conan the Barbarian and Pumping Iron.
Q: What are the contests you are most proud of?
A: I'm most proud of winning the 2011 Oregon's Strongest Man overall lightweight... it was seven events in one day and I won five of the seven. But also I'm most proud of the two contests I won – the overall championships – following my biceps being torn off and surgically repaired.
I came back both times four months after reattachment to dominate. Those were the 2012 Snowman Invitational Strongman and the 2012 Northern Nevada's Strongest Man.
Q: What does your weekly nutrition, eating, or meal plan look like?
A: My weekly eating is pretty much the same and has been since 2008 – 1 dozen eggs for breakfast, a bowl of granola or oatmeal for next meal, protein shake w/ lots of fruit (3-5 servings, apples, bananas, juice, strawberries, etc.), a pound of meat, and at the end of the day another dozen eggs and/or granola.
Q: Do you recommend any supplements?
A: The supplements I recommend are multi-vitamin, fish oils, creatine, protein powder, and ibuprofen – to be taken sparingly. ;)
Q: How much sleep do you get each day?
A: I sleep average 8 hours a day.
Q: What is your favorite event at this time?
A: My favorite thing to train right now is everything. I love it all equally and that's me being honest. Nothing is more valuable or more intriguing than mastering all strength sport movements.
Q: What does your current training split look like?
A: I train legs/core, shoulders, back, chest and arms, and armwrestling whenever and as much as possible.
"New arm wrestling partner Shawn Rees aka banana hands;)"
Q: What are the three most important movements for people trying to be successful in competition?
A: The three most important movements in my opinion are squat, deadlift, and all overhead movements which also include all variation and assistance exercises.
Q: What is the worst competitive experience you've had (injury, etc.)?
A: I tore both my biceps off five months apart due to prideful lifting in the gym... just couldn't tell myself no when my body asked me not to.
Q: Any shout-outs?
A: I'd like to shout-out Dione Wessels the president of North American Strongman for her efforts to grow the sport that solidified my personality and who I am as a strength athlete. Strongman is my foundation. I'd like to shout-out Scott Brengel for mentoring me and providing an example of excellence as a promoter and practitioner of Strongman. I'd like to shout-out my daughter Madison Dinwiddie. Her presence makes me want to continue to strive for excellence at everything I do. And I'd like to shout Curt James out for expressing this interest in me.
Q: How can people contact you (email, social media, etc.)?
A: You can contact me through email: [email protected], my phone 541-914-6832, my website http://www.epicfitnesssolutions.com, and my FB Will Dinwiddie.
And be sure to check out Epic Fitness Solutions on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/EpicFitnessSolutions
Thank you for sharing part of your story, Will. Wishing you all the best in the many sports in which you compete!
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