Fuel Your Workout and Show Up Everyday

Q & A with NPC Figure Competitor, WPD Competitor and On Repeat Sports Brand Ambassador: Alex Edwards

ORS: When and why did you start lifting? When do you feel like you became a serious lifter?

Alex: I started lifting in 2014. I initially started in the gym as a cardio bunny just trying to lose some weight. The treadmills overlooked the weight section, and there was one girl who had an incredible back. I wanted to look like her so bad! I feel like I got really serious in 2016, when I started training for my first powerlifting meet.

ORS: What time of day do you train and why?

Alex: I prefer to train midday, because I feel like I have a good amount of food in my body to fuel my workout. Also, the gym is usually pretty empty that time of day, so I get to use whatever I want whenever I want.

ORS: What do you listen to on repeat at the gym to get you into beast mode?

Alex: My favorite guilty pleasure song is Miley Cyrus "Party in the USA", but my ultimate hype PR song is Pantera "Sandblasted Skin."

ORS: Do you have a favorite exercise?

Alex: My favorite exercise changes depending on my current goals (and let's be real, whatever I'm strongest at), but right now I'm loving using the plate loaded hammer strength lat pull down with my Angles90 grips.

ORS: What is your main fitness goal for the coming year?

Alex: My primary goal for 2023 is to bring in a little detail based on feedback from the judges at the Olympia Amateur, and to set myself up for success for a competition season in early 2024.

ORS: Do you write down your goals?

Alex: I do write down my goals! I take a little time at the beginning of each month to see what areas I'm doing well in and what areas need some work (spoiler alert, I usually need improvement with mobility and sleep schedules lol).

ORS: What has led to the biggest improvements in your training or physique?

Alex: The biggest improvement in my training and my physique came from focusing on process based goals, rather than outcome-based goals. When I focus on what's right in front of me, the work stacks up and the results speak for themselves.

ORS: Who inspires you in the gym? Do you have a hero?

Alex: The people that inspire me the most in the gym are the newcomers who commit to showing up for themselves, even though they're intimidated and overwhelmed! It's refreshing and invigorating to watch people develop a passion for fitness. Not to be conceited, but I am my own hero! I've overcome some really difficult things in life, so showing up for me every day with my fitness and nutrition is a big win and something I don't take for granted.

ORS: What is most overlooked when it comes to getting the results you want in the gym?

Alex: Rest is definitely the unsung hero. Often times people focus on work to get results; the work is the fun part! Lifting weights, hitting PRs and being lean is awesome and gets good engagement on social media, but ultimately resting is what leads to bigger and stronger muscles. Also, spending time not in a calorie deficit or being worried about staying super lean is when the real growth happens, mentally and physically.

ORS: What advice would you give someone new to the gym?

Alex: The best advice I have for someone new in the gym is to take things one step at a time! Too frequently people try to overhaul every aspect of their lives...diet, training, cardio, etc. Instead, focus on making small shifts. Build a habit of getting to the gym and learn to enjoy the pursuit of strength. Make little changes to diet and focus on what you're adding, not what you're taking away.