Cody Montgomery

I TRAIN HARD AND HEAVY, WITH SOME DROP-SETS, BUT MOSTLY JUST HEAVY, INTENSE WORKOUTS.

BIG BACK GRIPS PROFILE INTERVIEW: CODY MONTGOMERY

TEEN CHAMPION 

BBG: First, we’ve known each other for a while. Would you like to tell people how we met?

Cody Montgomery: Well I was given a pair of Big Back Grips by a buddy of mine that was kind of helping me with my training and what not. I was having trouble with my straps on deadlift or rows I think.  I used the grips really liked them. Then I decided I should email you guys, since I liked the grips and also was looking for sponsorships. I talked to Larry, the owner of Big back Grips, and he invited me and my mom out to LA so I could work at the Big Back Grips booth at a show at Muscle Beach Venice. Ever since then Larry and I have kept in contact and I’ve done a few demo booths at local shops in the Dallas area and also just recently helped work the demo booth at the Branch Warren Classic in Houston.

BBG: That’s pretty much we remember it too. Okay, so, tell us a little about yourself: your name, background, where you grew up, etc. What do you want to do professionally? A mini-bio, if you will.

Interview Questions

Cody Montgomery: I’m an NPC teen bodybuilder. I’m currently 16. I was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and we shortly after that we moved to Texas. I have been training for bodybuilding around 2 years now. But I’d been messing around with weights closer for closer to 4 years. My goal is to become an IFBB Pro and be successful not only in the competitive side of bodybuilding but also the business side of it.

BBG: Now, we keep forgetting that you’re 16 years old. And you have a few pretty impressive titles. What contests have you entered? Which ones have you won?

Cody Montgomery: I’ve done the Europa Dallas Supershow, in which I won the teen overall. This was my first competition and after this show I knew this was something I wanted to do for a long time. Then recently this year I did my second show, The Ronnie Coleman Classic, which was actually the biggest show Texas has had. I won the Teen Overall and also I won the Novice Men’s Middleweight. I started working with Jonathan Irizarry for this show and the prep went awesome, hoping to do great things with him on my team.

BBG: The Europa was your first contest and you won. That’s pretty good. When was the contest, and how far in advance did you decide to enter – how long was your prep time? Was it a tough decision?

Cody Montgomery:   It was mid-August in 2010. I had just turned 16, seven days before the show actually. I started getting ready for this competition about 6 weeks out. Not really knowing too much of what to do, I came in fairly well considering I was doing the whole prep blind eyed with no one person helping me out the entire time. It was a good teen show, but felt I had the best package, showing conditioning and some size that helped me pull away the victory at this show.

BBG: What were your expectations going in? Did you expect to win? How did you feel when the announced the winner?

Cody Montgomery: I had no idea what to expect, before this I had never been to a bodybuilding show in my life. I learned a lot from it though and helped me get recognized by mostmuscular.com which I have done a lot of work with since this show.

BBG: What were your expectations going in? Did you expect to win? How did you feel when the announced the winner?

Cody Montgomery: I had no idea what to expect, before this I had never been to a bodybuilding show in my life. I learned a lot from it though and helped me get recognized by mostmuscular.com which I have done a lot of work with since this show.

BBG: And the Ronnie Coleman was your next show. What was the most valuable thing you learned doing the Europa that helped you in the Coleman?

Cody Montgomery: I met a lot of people at the Europa, including Joe Lobell and my mentor Sagi Kalev. Joe introduced me to Jonathan Irizarry a few months after the show and without Joe a lot of the Things that have happened in the past year could not have happened. So I just want to thank him for everything he’s done for me.

BBG: You have really come a long way for a man your age, and it could not have been without help. Is there anyone in bodybuilding who has really guided you?

We sponsored Cody Montgomery for his first trip to Muscle Beach Venice. Female bodybuilder Lauren Powers stopped by to say hello.

Cody Montgomery: My trainer Jonathan Irizarry has helped me tremendously in the past 9 months, also Joe Lobell who i mentioned above. I’d also like to thank my sponsors, Lockout Supplements and Anabolik Clothing. Also my mentor Sagi Kalev who has helped me out a lot in the past year. Lastly I’d like to thank all my close friends and family for supporting me and always being there for me. Thank you.

BBG: Who in bodybuilding do you most admire, either for physique or character or both?

Cody Montgomery: Jay Cutler, obviously because he’s Mr. Olympia but also because he is very involved in the business side of things. I also look up to newly turned pro, Mr. USA Steve Kuclo. I train at Metroflex Plano pretty oftenm and as you know Steve trains at this gym. He’s a very hard working, dedicated bodybuilder and I think he’s going to be the next generation of top pro’s out there.

BBG: Let’s talk about your workouts if we can. First, do you train alone or with a partner?

Cody Montgomery: I train with a partner most the time.

BBG: How long do your workouts last? How do you break up body parts?

Cody Montgomery: Depending on the body part I am training that day, usually around an hour unless it’s leg or back day; then closer to two hours.

BBG: What are your favorite parts to train? What is your least favorite?

Cody Montgomery: I like training just about everything. I do dread leg days a bit more than other days but what has to be done has to be done!

BBG: If they still gave out Best Body Part trophies, what part of your physique do you think would win? And what part of your physique, in your opinion, could be a contender for the “Could Use More Work” trophy?  Feel free to be brutal on yourself.

Cody Montgomery: I think my back would win best body part award, my back was my strongest point at The Ronnie Coleman Classic. The “Could Use More Work Trophy” would go to my legs; they’ve always been lacking. But this offseason getting ready for 2012 teen nationals I’m working my hardest on bringing them up with my upper body.

BBG: We know you did most of the work, but we will take a little credit on the back. Anyway, can you describe your work out style? What should a training partner expect?

Cody Montgomery: I train hard and heavy, with some drop-sets, but mostly just heavy, intense workouts.

BBG: Now, like several people we know, you use various things for gripping the bar depending on the exercise. Where do you find BBGs most valuable? What do they accomplish for you?

Cody Montgomery: I like them for pull downs, pull ups and also on the rope for extensions or pullovers. They give you a sure grip no matter the weight on these exercises.

BBG: What’s next the next competition you have in mind? And what would you tell other teens, perhaps a few years behind you, who have similar goals? What are the most important things you’ve learned about bodybuilding and succeeding that you would like to share?

Bodybuilder Cody Montgomery at Metroflex Houston in a Big Back shirt with a bulldog.

Cody Montgomery at Metroflex Gym Houston

Cody Montgomery: I’m currently in an 8 month offseason, my next show will be 2012 Teen Nationals and also am looking into doing the Southern States. I would tell them to not give up and to be consistent with their diet and training.

BBG: Finally, can you give us your workout for just one body part: back or legs, shoulders, chest or arms, even abs. Just pick your favorite.

Cody Montgomery: Alright well they always change workout to workout but here’s what I did for arms a few days ago.

Triceps

  • Rope extensions
  • Dip machine
  • Behind head DB extensions
  • One arm extensions
  • Overhead strait bar cable extensions

 

Biceps

  • Preacher curl machine
  • Flat machine curl (one arm at a time)
  • DB curls (seated)
  • Cable Rope Curls
  • 3-4 sets with light warm up set if needed