Not so long ago, Jonathan DeLaRosa’s life was the envy of many. He was married to the beautiful IFBB Figure Pro Swann Cardot, and together they owned their own retail supplement store. His competitive career was also on the rise. The business, like most small businesses, didn’t make it, and then early last year, his marriage ended abruptly. Committed to competing in a series of contests, he persisted despite the chaos and turmoil his life had suddenly become plagued with. Thankfully, that wasn’t the end of the story. I spoke with Jonathan, now living in Florida, as he was eight weeks out from his seventh appearance at the New York Pro, to learn how he turned things around.
Where to begin? Your life has changed in several major ways recently.
Yes, a lot has happened in my life over the last year or so. as some know, I’m no longer married. I went through a tough divorce— tough on my end at least, more so because it was completely unexpected. there were no signs that things were headed in that direction. Long story short, my life was upside down real quick. that bomb was dropped on me four days before heading off to compete in the 2018 Arnold Classic. I had commitments to the promoters, my fans, and to the companies that sponsor me. not only did I compete in that show, but I also kept competing for most of the season. I did the Arnold, the Arnold Australia, the new york Pro, the Toronto Pro, and the Chicago Pro. It was a long, hard year, definitely the worst year in terms of placings I ever had. I still did oK at the Arnold, I guess because the news was so fresh. eighth wasn’t a bad showing under the circumstances. It was difficult to keep stress under control as time went on. as the season progressed, it got harder to ignore what was going on in my home life, and harder to control my stress levels and get any sleep. It was like fighting an uphill battle, but I needed to do it mentally and for myself. I needed to stay busy and not obsess over that situation. I went from living in my own home to living in my parents’ basement. It was a complete shit show. I left my house with just the clothes on my back. several months later I went back and got the rest of my stuff. It was bad. I’m not making excuses. It was my decision to keep competing. I could have pulled out and my sponsors and everyone else would have understood. I need to keep myself busy. once the season was done for me after Chicago, I kind of looked at my life and figured I needed to make a change.
Is that how you ended up moving to Florida?
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Esta historia es de la edición May 2019 de Muscular Development.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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Best Cardio for Fat Loss - High Intensity vs. Low Intensity
Low-intensity cardiovascular exercise is the most common way to reduce body fat, despite mounting scientific evidence showing this form of cardiovascular training may not burn body fat as effectively as high-intensity cardio. In addition, low-intensity cardio has also been shown to inhibit muscle growth¹2, making the use of this approach to enhance your physique even more questionable.
Are Unilateral Exercises More Effective Than Bilateral Exercises?
Bilateral exercises simultaneously use both limbs to lift the weight, so that the resistance is being shared between each limb.
THE AMAZING POWER OF JULIA DI POMPEO
Pro Figure Champ and Pro Powerlifter!
BRYAN JONES: THE LORD OF CLASSIC RETURNS!
It seems like a decade has passed since the pandemic began in 2020. That was a chaotic year for all of us. MD sent me to Atlanta to cover the Chicago Pro, because restrictions in Illinois made it impossible to hold Tim Gardner's annual extravaganza there. The athletes still showed up in force to compete, and the Classic Physique division alone featured 30 men. When they came out to be adjudicated, one man stood out in a flash as the one to beat. I had never heard of Bryan Jones until that point aside from a vague recollection that he'd won the USA a couple of years before. With his braided and colored hair piled on top of his head in a gathered bun with the ends appearing to be some type of bizarre plant, I dubbed him \"The Kai Greene of Classic.\" That didn't stick, thankfully, because Bryan \"Lord\" Jones is a unique athlete in his own right. I knew I was looking at a man who was going to make waves in that division. A few months later he did just that, placing fifth in his first Olympia appearance. But we only saw him twice more after that, at the Arnold Classic and once again at the Olympia at the end of 2021. Since then, Jones has been working hard to build the additional size needed to successfully transition to the Open category. I spoke with him about his brief but notable time in Classic, and how he plans to make a big splash in Open.
Andrew vs. Hunter: THE BATTLE FOR TEXAS!
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Summer is in full swing, and for the vast majority of bodybuilders that don't compete, this is our showtime! All the many months of toiling away covered up while the sky was dark and gray and icy temperatures had you shivering have led to this. Last month we provided you with eight excellent tips to get ripped and ready, but let's take it a step further. This month, we enlisted the help of Classic Physique superstar and GAT Sport athlete Logan Franklin to come up with his best advice on how to make sure you have the most Classic-looking physique possible to show off on the beaches or at the pool. Here's what he has to say about the Classic look, areas of the physique to emphasize and how, and his best nutrition tips to make sure you turn plenty of heads this summer!
SUCCESS STORY: YANIV ZUR
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HOW MUCH REST IS BEST?
Getting enough rest after weight training is essential for optimal muscle growth and performance. Unfortunately, many get insufficient rest because they simply disregard the fact that weightlifting breaks down muscle tissue, creating the requirement for adequate rest to fully recuperate.
Get Peeled With Extra Virgin Olive Oil
As you know, pathologic fat accretion results in obesity. The medical community and pharmaceutical industry have been struggling to address this burgeoning condition in the Western culture - particularly in the United States. Obviously, individuals have also been struggling in their attempts to avoid or correct unsightly or unhealthy fat gain. Imagine the shame these professionals and people must feel when they realize they may have been ignoring a risk-free, health-promoting, inexpensive dietary ingredient that can enhance fat loss. Bodybuilders seek potent drugs or supplements to force the metabolism to strip body fat to low single-digit percentages, but failing to acknowledge the foundation of diet can sabotage even their extreme measures.
CREATINE: THE BEST FORMS
New products and formulations are introduced to the supplement market every day. However, it is very rare for a product or especially an ingredient to create noteworthy evolution in supplement performance. Arguably, the greatest leap up this axiomatic evolutionary ladder occurred with the advent of creatine supplements in the 1990s. Creatine has proven over and over to be \"the real deal\" in clinical research and broscience. It's a muscle-building, performance-enhancing supplement that nearly all athletes should use.
