Interview 15 - Chase Burns

Hello! What's your athletic background and what initially motivated you to transform your body?

Hi, I'm Chase. Growing up, I played every sport I could in school. Basketball, soccer, baseball, golf, track — as long as I was competing in something, I was happy. But once I finished college, I was left with a void in that area. That's where bodybuilding started to become a part of my life. When I started, I was 5'10" and about 160 lbs. I was more of a casual lifter, going to the gym 3 or 4 times a week. After about 2 years of this, I decided to participate in a Tough Mudder course with a couple friends. Halfway through the course I fell and dislocated my shoulder, which tore my labrum and detached my bicep. After surgery, I was left with a bolt holding my shoulder together and a fear of engaging in any type of physical activity. For 3 years I avoided the gym and my weight dropped to under 150 lbs. This was about 2 years ago and the point where I decided it was time to get back to the gym. I started out lifting in the gym at work for the first year. But 1 year ago I found On The Rise Fitness in Cincinnati, Ohio. This is where I found my passion for weightlifting and where I found people with the knowledge to help me grow. They taught me how to train right, how to eat right, and what it was like to be part of a real "fitness family". They put me through a bulk season, and then a cut season (which had me at a lean 170 lbs), and now back in a bulk season that has me at a solid 190 lbs.

What's your approach to diet and nutrition?

I purchased a meal guide from On The Rise Fitness that was designed for my body and activity type. I follow it every day of the week, with some exceptions on the weekends. Each day consists of 6 meals, spread out evenly from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed. I have a specific amount of protein, carbs, and fats that I aim to hit with every meal. I try to time my workout about 1 hour after a meal so that I will be ready for the next meal when I finish. What I found that works best for my schedule, is prepping all my food on a Sunday, weighing out all the meals for each day, and freezing the meals for the 2nd half of the week to keep them fresh.

An example of a daily diet would be:
∙ Breakfast: Oats with Whey Protein
∙ Meal 2: Ground Turkey and Rice
∙ Meal 3: Chicken Breast and Sweet Potato
∙ Meal 4: Ground Beef and Rice
∙ Meal 5: Chicken Breast and Red Potatoes
∙ Meal 6: Protein Waffles (Egg Whites and Whey Protein)

Do you supplement your nutrition with any sport supplements?

I'm a strong believer in using supplements to fill those nutritional gaps and to aid in recovery. I use Whey Protein with my first and last meals of the day. I also start my day with BCAAs, Fish Oil, Multi-Vitamin, and Glutamine. Before my workout, I always take Pre-workout along with Arginine & Citrulline.

What does your typical week of working out look like?

A typical week of working out has me in the gym Monday - Friday and a lot of Saturdays. I like to dedicate a whole workout to one muscle group, usually lasting for 1.5 to 2 hours.

My current schedule:
Monday - Chest
Tuesday - Back
Wednesday - Legs
Thursday - Shoulders
Friday - Arms
Saturday - Back
Sunday - more of an extra day for me so I use it to work on the muscle group I am most focused on building at that time.

I don't really stick to a specific workout plan every week because I like to keep my workouts interesting and exciting. But I do follow a certain structure for each workout: 2 heavy lifts to start with and then at least 3 accessory lifts.

For example:

Monday (Chest)
• Flat Bench Press 3x8
• Incline Dumbbell Press 3x8
• Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes 3x12
• Decline Cable Flyes 3x15
• Superset: Wide Grip Pushups to failure

Tuesday (Back)
• Lat Pulldowns 4x10
• Bent Over Rows 4x10
• Seated Cable Rows 3x15
• Cable Pullovers 3x12
• Superset: Lower Back Extensions 3x20

Wednesday (Legs)
• Squats 4x8
• Leg Press 4x10
• Leg Extensions 3x15
• Superset: Weighted Walking Lunges
• Leg Curls 3x15
• Superset: Weighted Calve Raises 3x30

Thursday (Shoulders)
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press 4x10
• Front Raises 3x12
• Lateral Raises 3x15
• Superset: Reverse Flyes 3x15
• Upright Rows 3x15
• Around The Worlds 2xAMRAP

Friday (Biceps and Triceps)
• Close Grip Flat Bench Press 4x10
• Barbell Curls 4x10
• Skullcrushers 3x12
• Superset: Dumbbell Hammer Curls 3x12
• Dumbbell Curls Drop set 4 sets
• Tricep Pushdowns Drop set 4 sets

Have you found anything to be especially helpful or advantageous?

My fiancee is a personal trainer and half owner of the gym I go to (On The Rise Fitness) as well as a Figure Competitor, so she has a lot of experience and knowledge to share. If I want to focus on growing a certain area or muscle, she will give me tips and ideas for workouts to do. This is why my workouts have so much variety and tend to change often. The gym also has trainers who specialize in powerlifting, which gives me other views on things I can do to build strength or to help with my form.

What mistakes have you made along the way?

I have made many mistakes along the way. When I first started, I thought I knew enough about dieting and lifting. My diet consisted of clean foods, but I would only eat 3 meals a day. I wasn't giving my body the nutrients it needed and my progress was limited because of this. In the weight room, there were multiple things I was doing wrong. I would always sacrifice good form to lift heavier weight, which led to multiple injuries. I would ignore or slack on certain muscle groups because I didn't feel like they were important or I didn't know enough about them. All of these things can be avoided, I just didn't feel the need to ask questions or get educated, which I really regret.

What are some of the best tips you can offer for others trying to follow in your footsteps?

The best advice I can give from the experiences I have would be:
• Leave your ego at the door when it comes to the weight you are lifting and when you're learning. There is always room for improvement.
• Be open to trying different methods of lifting. Find what suits your interests or desired goals.
• EAT! Do not rely on the gym to get the results you want. Getting your nutrition in check one of the most important parts of bodybuilding.
• Take progress pictures. Sometimes it is hard to see progress just by looking in the mirror even though changes are happening.

Where can we find out more about you?

You can find me on Instagram @chaseaburns where I share my fitness journey, workout videos, and daily meal pictures. You can also find the gym here if you have any interest in a membership and being part of the family, getting personal training sessions, or attending fitness classes.

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The content on our website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to replace a relationship with a qualified healthcare professional. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, and make sure that there is no conflict between any prescription advice, procedure or medication and non-prescription substances or activities.