Interview 7 - Jake Estes

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

Hey, I'm Jake! To get things started I'll go over some of the basics about my background and how I became integrated into my passion for bodybuilding.

Currently, I am 5'7" and I hover between 170-185 lbs, just depending on whether I'm in a cut or bulk. Growing up, I was always a little dude, and when I graduated high school I was only 5'3", weighing 135lbs. From childhood to adolescence I was always much smaller than my peers. I defied my small body and was a very good athlete growing up; what I lacked in size, I made up for in confidence — I was playing high school baseball as a freshman at the height of 4'10".

Fitness has always been important to me and even during my smaller days I was very lean growing up. After realizing I would never play professional sports I began to spend more time in the gym, and when I began college at Western Kentucky University, I was spending about 3-4 days in the gym, granted not really sure about what I was doing.

It wasn't until I joined the military that I got very serious about lifting. I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but it was actually CrossFit that got me into lifting. There was a CrossFit gym on base, and I loved that I could combine my love for competition with my new-found passion for lifting.

After lifting for about 4-5 years, and getting out of the Navy, I was really starting to make good progress, and it was then that I met my personal trainer, IFBB Pro Wayne Williams. I can still remember the conversation with Wayne as he convinced me that with a good prep, I would be ready to step on stage and place highly. Originally I never thought the stage was anything I wanted a part of. It honestly took a professional bodybuilder to push me in that direction. I've been hooked ever since.

What's your approach to diet and nutrition?

My daily diet varies as I'm in graduate school and limited on time. With that said, I’ll walk you through what my daily diet consists of. I always try to consume a high amount of protein and keep my fats and carbs at what I believe to be a reasonable amount. Everyone's body is different and how they react will vary, so you have to find what’s right for your body. Personally, my body processes fat extremely well (thank you genetics), so I can consume more than the average bodybuilder. I start every morning out with a bowl of oatmeal and skim milk. I'll mix in some brown sugar and protein granola to add some good flavor to it. As I walk out the door I typically grab an apple and eat it during class. In between classes I'll swing back by the house and eat some chicken and rice or 99% lean turkey meat. I’ll also eat about 2 rice cakes with all natural peanut butter and 8 ounces of egg whites. I intertwine different types of nuts and fruits into my day. Other foods you can/should be consuming include asparagus, broccoli, salmon, tilapia, cod, greek yogurt, sweet potatoes, and eggs.

Do you supplement your nutrition with any sport supplements?

I consistently use amino acids and pre-workout. I highly recommend amino acids, as they are the foundation of protein, and to build new proteins within the body you need amino acids. Pre-workout helps fuel me through the workouts, but those aren't necessarily the safest, so I recommend you start with little amounts of caffeine before trying a pre-workout. A lot of you are likely concerned with protein supplementation, but I've found that it is much more beneficial to consume protein through your food. Egg whites are an extremely healthy protein supplementation alternative.

What does your typical week of working out look like?

I workout 6 days a week, and the 7th day is optimal for rest. I structure my workout splits based on what I believe needs the most improvement. Following my last show, March 2017, I decided I needed to work on my chest and back depth, so I began incorporating each into my weekly workouts twice.

Here is what my split looks like:

Monday - Chest
Tuesday - Shoulders
Wednesday - Back (depth)
Thursday - Legs
Friday - Chest
Saturday - Back (width)
Sunday - Rest

I mix all my sets and reps weekly. It's important to mix things up. Sometimes I'll do 10 sets of 10 reps, sometimes 5 sets of 20 reps, sometimes 5 sets of 5 reps. There’s no right or wrong way to do this; people will always argue about the 'best way' to put on size, strength, and cut. However, the most important thing to remember is time under tension and ensuring you're getting that mind-muscle connection.

Have you found anything to be especially helpful or advantageous?

If I had to emphasize the most advantageous aspects of what I've learned through my own experiences I would reiterate some of the things I have already mentioned. The mind-muscle connection is of vital importance for growth — you should never sacrifice form for weight. You are your only competition, no one else matters, so don't let ego lift. People respect you much more when you move weight correctly rather than moving a lot of weight in an unorthodox manner.

Additionally, I find that you should mix up every workout. This ensures that your body doesn't get used to what you put it through. That means different rep/set schemes, as well as the exercises within each workout, the tempo, and the way you move the weight (slow and controlled vs slow and explosive).

I would also highly recommend a strong diet. I’ve noticed some of the best progress when I’ve started eating a much healthier diet. It made a world of difference. Think of food as the fuel for your body. You’ll stop eating for taste, but more so for the health benefits.

What mistakes have you made along the way?

I have made several mistakes throughout this huge learning process. I think it's important to have goals when you're lifting. Whether it's a bodybuilding oriented goal like adding mass or cutting, or a powerlifting goal of being able to lift 'X' amount of weight, those goals provide you with something to work towards. The amount of satisfaction you experience when you attain these goals is so gratifying. But in order to get there, your diet will be of extreme importance. Again, your diet is what fuels your body and allows your muscles to repair and replenish. I would again like to reiterate the importance of creating that muscle-mind connection. I, like many people, am guilty of ego-lifting for the longest time. I was so caught up with trying to become stronger and lift heavier that I often would move the weight incorrectly. I cannot stress enough the importance of moving the weight correctly and focusing on time under tension.

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

Commitment. Commitment. Commitment.

Without the gym, a good diet won't do much for you, and without a good diet, you really cap your progress. If you want to see the quickest progress, you need to be lifting at least 5 times a week, and following a strong diet.

Where can we find out more about you?

You can find me on Instagram at @Shakeweightsjake.

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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.