To be the best you’ve got to beat the best. Mark Anthony Wingson can lay claim to that, having defeated 15 competitors at the inaugural Men’s Physique Showdown at the 2013 Olympia, proving his physique to be the division’s very best. “Being the first Men’s Physique Olympia champion means everything to me because it’s something I could’ve never imagined but always dreamed of,” says Wingson. “As a teen bodybuilding fanatic, I didn’t know there was going to be a physique division.”
Wingson’s training is consistent year-round: four sets of 15–20 reps, increasing weight each set to recruit more muscle. The lone tweak to his workouts came a few days prior to the Olympia, when he cut his gym time in half in an effort to reduce the risk of injury—he didn’t want to cost himself a good placing at the contest due to a freak injury from training too hard at the last minute.
For cardio, Wingson does S.A.Q. (speed, agility, and quickness) training, which builds his conditioning and athleticism (see “Athletic Cardio,” below). Wingson starts nutrition prep 12 weeks out from a contest, beginning at 5,000 calories a day and dropping the number gradually as the contest date draws near.
“My ultimate goal is to defend my title [in 2014],” says Wingson.
Athletic Cardio
Trainer Reggie Hobson designed this SAQ (speed, agility, and quickness) routine for Wingson, who performs it on an open surface three times a week.
WARMUP
Do each dynamic stretch (starting with the Frankenstein Walk) for 15 yards, followed by a giant-step stride for 15 yards. Repeat once.
8 Jump Squats 8 Jumping Jacks 8 Crossovers1 8 Clap Jacks2 Frankenstein Walk3 Walking Lunge with Knee Stretch4 Walking Lunge with Heel-to-Butt Quadriceps Stretch High Knee
1 Jump, cross your arms and feet, and open back up. 2 Jump feet out while clapping hands in front. 3 Raise your arms in front of you. Raise one leg straight to hip level and then step. 4 As you come up from the lunge, pull your knee to your chest.
*Lie on your back with your legs straight, arms at your sides, and elbows bent. Explosively sit up, bringing your right arm and left knee together. Switch on each rep.
