Jeremy Buendia interview and profile

Name: Jeremy Buendia

Date of Birth: October 26, 1990
Contest Weight: 175 lb.
Height: 5'8"
Hometown: Roseville, CA
Currently Resides: Murrieta, CA
Trains At: Self Made Training Facility (@selfmadetrainingfacility)
Years Training: 9 years
Years Competing: 8 years
Contest History: Bodybuilding: 2010 NPC Contra Costa Teen Bodybuilding, overall winner; 2012 NPC LA Grand Prix Middleweights, 2nd place; 2012 NPC Cal Middleweights, 2nd place.
Physique: 2012 NPC Sacramento, champion; 2012 NPC Excalibur, champion; 2013 NPC LA Grand Prix, champion; 2013 NPC Junior USA’s, champion (earned IFBB pro card); 2013 IFBB Greater Gulf States, champion, 2013 Olympia, 2nd place; 2013 IFBB Sacramento, champion; 2014 IFBB San Jose, champion; 2014 Olympia, champion.

Social media:
Website: jeremybuendiafitness.com
Facebook: buendiaproperformance
Twitter: @mrJeremyBuendia
Instagram:@Jeremy_Buendia

MUSCLE INSIDER: While it’s now incredibly popular, men’s physique got a little fun poked at it when it first debuted. Our own John Romano even jokingly called it “men’s bikini” in our last issue. But jokes aside, do you think men’s physique is now getting the respect it deserves? What would you change about your sport?

JEREMY BUENDIA: Yeah, I definitely feel men’s physique is earning its respect throughout the industry. We are athletes and train hard. We’re here to compete, just as every other division is. I believe everyone can see that and can also see that it’s given the sport some sort of rejuvenation.

MI: You usurped Mark Anthony Wingson to take the 2014 Mr. Olympia men’s physique championship. That must have been quite a thrill after finishing in second place the year before. Tell me, what impact did the loss in 2013 at the inaugural show have on you? Are you going to be the first man in your division to successfully defend his title in Vegas this year?

JB: I don’t like losing. In fact, I hate losing. I hate being second place, and I hate knowing that someone beat me. It made me angry. It made me train angry, and when I train angry, I don’t let anything fall between the cracks. I’m still angry. So yeah, I plan to repeat!

MI: You obviously train very hard. Is there any difference between how you and a pro bodybuilder trains? Do you ever feel you have to dial back your training as not to risk ruining your aesthetics?

JB: There certainly are differences between how we train but also a lot of similarities. I avoid super-heavy lifting and any exercises that may overexert my core such as deadlifts and squats. I still train for the pump each day—and I still lift pretty heavy—but my priority is to keep my waist tight and small but build everything aesthetically around it.

MI: Rumour has it that you’re also incredibly strong. I hear your bench is ridiculous. Can you tell us some of your best lifts?

JB: My strength is pretty good. My squat and deadlift used to be better, but I can still put up some good weight. I haven’t benched in over a year due to my shoulder injuries, but prior to that, I hit 455 pounds for a single. I’ve hit a real clean 405 pounds for 3 reps at my strongest. I can shoulder press 120s for reps and dumbbell incline 135s for reps—all at a weight of about 185 pounds.

MI: When you started competing, you obviously had to ensure your physique was balanced and symmetrical. Which body parts for you were the natural standouts, and which ones did you need to work harder on to bring up?

JB: Genetically, I’ve been blessed with a tiny waist, big chest, and big triceps. My lagging muscle groups that I have brought up have been my shoulders and biceps.

MI: Do you think men’s physique will ever replace the bodybuilding division as it has on the women’s side?

JB: No way!

MI: The aesthetics of your physique are outstanding—very classic lines that remind me of Reeves or Zane. Tell me, who were your inspirations? What physiques did you want to emulate in your youth?

JB: Steve Reeves and Frank Zane are some of my favourite physiques of all time. I looked up to Arnold the most growing up. He really is the epitome of success all around.

MI: Bodybuilding has had some great rivalries over the years. Is it like that in physique? Whom are the athletes that you consider the toughest competition? Which ones are you good friends with?

JB: According to social media, I guess people say Sadik Hadzovic is my competition. He’s a great guy. I see it as that I have more than one person that I have to beat again. Jason Poston is always coming in on point and conditioned. Jason is my closest friend that I compete with. I’m good friends with guys like Geobanny Paula and Matt Acton, amongst a long list of other IFBB pros. It’s a relatively small community, so you get to know a lot of people.

MI: How important is diet in your sport and to you personally?

JB: Diet is everything. I can’t break it down any more than that. It’s what makes you grow, it’s what makes you lean, it’s what makes everything. 

MI: When you see someone like Dana Linn Bailey, it’s clear that part of success nowadays depends heavily on social media. What are your thoughts on using social media to stay in contact with all your fans?

JB: I think it’s important to give back to the fans by allowing them to see inside our lives to a certain degree. I feel we owe it to them. Being the champ or just being some sort of fitness icon, it’s our job to share our knowledge and experiences with the world. It gives people something to strive for and a form of motivation. If we don’t motivate others, then who will? Personally, I use Instagram the most just because it’s simple and really easy to interact with my followers.

MI: Unlike bodybuilders, it looks like you stay closer to contest form year-round. What’s the off-season like for you? How long does your contest prep phase take?

JB: I had a pretty good off-season and time off after the Olympia last year. I got up to 213 pounds at my heaviest, a very soft and uncomfortable 213 at that. I felt much better at an off-season weight of 198 to 201 pounds. This year we started prep about 20 weeks out, but really turned it up a notch at 12 weeks out.

MI: You spend a lot of time in the gym. But your physique looks chock-full of functional muscle. What kind of activities outside of the gym do you enjoy to stay active and improve your fitness?

JB: I enjoy team sports like baseball and basketball, but with my traveling schedule this past year I haven’t been able to join any local recreational leagues.

MI: You look amazing on our cover this issue. And you took the shoot with Jason “King of Covers” Ellis on very short notice. Do you have any tricks for dialing it in for a photo shoot so quickly?

JB: No, not many tricks. I fortunately am in good shape relatively early for the Olympia, so it allowed me to just walk in to the shoot as-is and nail it. I didn’t have much water the day of the shoot, and I utilized fats more so than carbs to keep me full and tight.

MI: You’re currently the reigning Mr. Olympia, men’s physique division—the king of the castle. What other goals do you have in the sport? What are your goals beyond the sport?

JB: My goal is to continue to win title after title. This is just the beginning of the legacy I’m creating, and I believe that I can go down in the sport as one of the greats if I continue to do the things I know I have to do in order to succeed. I want to build a strong foundation for the physique division to stand on and continue to do my best to be a good representative of the sport. Beyond the sport, I have plans of living life to the fullest in whatever avenue I plan to go.

MI: Any last words to wrap up this interview?

JB: I have to thank my sponsors, Evogen Nutrition and Hany Rambod, Live Fit. Apparel and Randall Pich, my girlfriend, Narmin Assria, my family, and all my loyal fans and supporters for keeping me on top of my game. Every single one of you plays a certain role in my success.

Eat Like an Olympian

Personally, my diet varies throughout prep. At 5 weeks out, I’m eating the following:

Upon Waking
1 scoop Evogen Cell K.E.M.
2 scoops Evogen Carnigen Plus
1 pill Evogen Lipocide

Meal 1
1¼ cup liquid egg whites
¾ cup oats

Meal 2
6 oz. chicken breast
6 oz. sweet potato
½ avocado

Meal 3
6 oz. chicken breast
6 oz. sweet potato
4 oz. green beans

Pre-Workout
1 scoop Evogen Carnigen
1 heaping scoop Evogen EVP Plus

Intra-Workout
1 scoop Evogen AminoJect

Post-Workout
2 scoops Evogen IsoJect Whey Isolate
1 scoop Evogen Cell K.E.M.

Meal 4
6 oz. chicken breast
4 oz. sweet potato
4oz. green beans

Meal 5
7 oz salmon
½ avocado
Large green salad (cucumber, tomato, lettuce)

Meal 6
½ cup oats
¾ scoop Evogen IsoJect
1½ tbsp peanut butter