Athleducate - David Hoch

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

Hey my name is David Hoch. Growing up I always did boxing and MMA but had no real interest in the gym. I went into the Air Force when I was 19 and everyone at my first duty station went to the gym every day. I decided to give it a try and after a few weeks of going consistently, I started to notice muscle I never had before. I was hooked after that and started doing my own research and learning from the older guys in the gym and have been improving ever since.

What's your approach to diet and nutrition?

My diet is pretty strict. I limit myself to complex carbs and healthy fats and lean meat. Some examples: sweet potatoes, oatmeal, brown rice, almonds, olive oil, egg whites, and chicken breasts. My protein and fats usually stay the same, but my carbs change every week according to my goals. If I'm trying to gain weight I increase my carbs a little each week. If I’m cutting weight, they decrease every week. It’s also good to have low carb days and a few high carb days every week. This way your body doesn’t store too much fat and the metabolism is increased on the high carb days.

For example:
• Monday - Wednesday - 150 grams
• Thursday - 300 grams
• Friday and Saturday - 135 grams
• Sunday - 425 grams

These numbers should be different for every person and will change every week or every other week.

Do you supplement your nutrition with any sport supplements?

I use most of my supplements on my training days. After my morning cardio I take essential amino acids to help with recovery. Later in the afternoon before my weight training, I take 1 scoop of Intracell 7 and Vasogorge by Primeval Labs and 10 grams of vanadyl sulfate. These help get nutrients to the muscles and prepare them for the workout. During training I take another scoop of Intracell and aminos to help with recovery between sets. Post-workout I have a protein shake with a cup and a half of egg whites, 1 scoop of protein powder, 1 scoop of real food by 5% nutrition and 5 grams of creatine monohydrate. At night I take Xanix by Primeval Labs. This helps my brain and body relax so I can go to sleep faster and start the recovery process. If you’re not recovering you’re not growing.

What does your typical week of working out look like?

I’m usually only in the gym for 1 hour at a time, 4 days a week.

Monday
• 3x 7-9 reps of chest press
• 3x 7-9 reps pull-ups and bent over rows
• 3x 10-12 reps dumbbell curls and close grip bench

Tuesday
• 3x 10-12 reps smith machine lunges each leg and squats
• 3x 7-9 reps dumbbell shoulder press
• 1x 25 reps side dumbbell lateral raises

Wednesday (off)

Thursday
• 3x 7-9 reps incline dumbbell press
• 3x 7-9 reps pull-ups and dumbbell rows
• 4x 25 reps barbell curls superset with rope push downs

Friday
• 3x8-10 reps leg press
• 3x 10-12 reps squats
• 3x 7-9 reps side lateral raises superset with 20 reps of rear delts

Weekends (recovery)

Since I’m only in the gym 4 hours a week, it’s important that I train with high intensity. That means training to failure on every set of every exercise. This is the best way to stimulate muscle growth. Otherwise, you won’t get the most out of your training and your results will be slower.

I do 15-20 minutes of steady state cardio in the morning before breakfast. After 2-3 meals and drinking plenty of water is when I do my weight training. This type of training stimulates my metabolism all day and keeps me lean even when I'm bulking.

How do you stay motivated?

I hear a lot of people say that they want to get in shape but just don’t have the time or motivation. They do good for a little bit but eventually life gets in the way and they slip back into old habits. So how do you keep the motivation even on bad days? The answer isn’t glamorous but it’s the truth. It may not be for everyone. It takes a lot of time and dedication. You can’t expect to get instant results. If you do, you'll most likely be disappointed and give up. It’s not a temporary diet or training program, but a lifestyle change and constantly making changes and pushing yourself to be better than the day before. For me, just making progress is the goal. I don’t need to be perfect, just better than yesterday. The top bodybuilders in the world started somewhere. Even they are trying to figure out how to be better. Everyone has days when they want to stay in bed, but if your goal is to be in shape or be successful, you can’t. Think of the bigger picture. If it were easy, everyone would do it.

Have you found anything to be especially helpful or advantageous?

I spent several years doing my own research and trying different diets, training programs, supplements, etc. I found some things that worked for me and others that didn’t work. In the last year the thing that made the biggest difference for me was hiring a coach. They have plenty of experience and have seen just about every training and diet situation and can help you figure out exactly what to do to get the best results in as little time as possible. Just make sure before you hire someone, they have plenty of experience and a good track record. If you don’t want to hire someone, Google and YouTube are excellent resources!

What mistakes have you made along the way?

The biggest mistake I made early on was not taking care of my body. I used to spend no time warming up my joints and ligaments and used more weight than I should have for my size. One day I hurt my rotator cuff from using too much weight. It took about 6 months before I could use a heavy weight again and even then I was limited to certain exercises. Even today I can’t use the flat or incline bench press. I’m limited to dumbbells and machines for a lot of things. So just make sure you take the time to do a proper warm up. Your muscles take a lot less time than your joints and ligaments to warm up. That's how injuries happen. And if it’s bad enough, you may never fully heal.

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

Do a little research every day. Learn about proper form on exercises, warm-ups, how to stimulate metabolism, macro and micronutrients, carb cycling, how fat is metabolized, different hormones in the body, complex vs. simple carbs, different types of cardio, different body types, all the different supplements, etc. There are too many things to give specifics on, but just learn one new thing every day. Eventually, you'll be an expert.

Where can we find out more about you?

I post updates, motivation and advice on my Instagram @daveycrocket712. Send me a message if you have specific questions.

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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.