Nathan's Fitness and Russian Kettlebell Blog: Kettlebell Planet Interview with a Strongman Champion, Paul Vaillancourt

Today is a real treat for the readers of Kettlebell Planet, a good friend of mine, Paul Vaillancourt just won the 105kg Canada's Strongest Man Competition and also placed 11th at Canada's Strongest Man (the real deal)! Paul is an extremely strong, tough and intelligent strength athlete so I was really excited when he agreed to do an interview for my blog.

Here is the interview with Paul Vaillancourt:

KB. What is your overall training philosophy?

PV. Train hard, win easy. I try to make my training reflect my competitive needs and I always want to be bigger and stronger. The more difficult and strenuous the training sessions are, the easier competition feels.

KB. How long have you been training seriously?

PV. I have been training seriously for about 5 years. I first got serious about training to do a couple of bodybuilding shows and then switched over to strongman and powerlifting. I like the fact that I can keep my pants on and still compete. I've been a typical gym rat since high school (1994)

KB. Who has been your biggest inspiration or mentor in the strength game?

PV. I've had many influences. You got me started into powerlifting with the fitness warehouse push/pull comps. Brian Dunham really pushed me in the right direction when it came to strongman. I would say he's been a big mentor. I try to take something positive and beneficial from everyone I meet. Dave Tate and Jim Wendler are both pretty big inspirations.

KB. What are some of the lifts you are most proud of?

PV. I'm proud of my 655 deadlift but I hope to smash that soon. With strongman and it's lack of standard lifts, I don't really have any standout favourites. I did a 310 log back in march of 2008, that was a big milestone for me. I also remember the first time I pressed 315 and finally made it into the 3 plate club.

KB. What are the contests you are most proud of?

PV. The whole 2008 season has been great. I finished second at Ontario's Strongest Man, 11th at Canada's Strongest man (this was really cool, I felt like and was treated like a pro athlete, TV and autographs make you feel like a rock star) And of course the climax of the season was my dominant win at the 105kg Canada's strongest man. I won 5 of 6 events and got my ASC Lightweight pro card. This was a big step in the right direction.

KB. Since you own two gyms, are married, compete and build your own equipment, plus used to have a full time job during all this insanity, where the hell do you find the time?

PV. I make the time. I live to train and compete so the rest of my life gets built around that. My wife is awesome and very supportive of my athletic endeavors. She also competes in powerlifting so we spend a lot of time in the gym together. I am a firm believer that if you don't have the time to do something, you just don't want to do it bad enough. A lot of things get neglected and take a back seat to training, competition and the business. I love my job running the gym and training clients and athletes so it never feels like work. I don't see my family very often which I feel badly about and I don't many friends outside the iron game. I forget where I heard the quote but "You can't be great at anything without making sacrifices in all other aspects of your life."

KB. What is your height (don't lie) and weight?

PV. I'm pretty short as far as strongmen are concerned. I'm about 5'11" and I weigh 240lbs most of the time.

KB. What does your weekly diet or lack of, look like?

PV. Nutrition is paramount to not only performance but also to looking good. I always start everyday with either eggs and toast or a giant shake. I prepare all my meals for the week on Sunday so I can always have good food at my finger tips. I eat a lot of extra lean ground beef. I make burgers and Chile and spaghetti. I love Mexican so I make a lot of tacos and burritos. I also like fish and eat fish and chips at least once a week. Chicken breasts and steak are also staples. I get sick of eating things over and over so I'm always looking for new ways to cook my meats. I don't eat low carb but I definitely eat a reduced carb diet. I usually bump up my carb intake on training days and I always drink a waxy maise/protein drink after training. I usually eat junk on Saturdays after training. I like just about everything but I don't get enough veggies so I've started drinking low sodium V-8. I'm not sure how much it's going to help. I keep my supplements pretty simple. Protein powder, creatine, glutamine, and waxymaise. I've also started using Beta alanine which seems to work pretty good.

KB. How much sleep do you get each day?

PV. Unfortunately I only get about 7 hours each night. I'll squeeze in a nap whenever I can in the late afternoons but my schedule is pretty hectic sometimes. I feel that sleep is the most important recovery modality. It's easy to do and it works.

KB. What is your favourite implement/movement these days?

PV. I love doing atlas stones. They are just fun, plain and simple. They also kick the crap out of your entire body. I've been working hard at bringing up my overhead shoulder strength lately.

KB. What does your current training split look like?

PV. I train 4 days per week using my own version of a West side template. Sunday is DE upper and it's always an overhead pressing movement. Supplementary work is usually heavy close grip benching off of various boards. Accessories are pretty standard, rows, chins, dips, triceps extensions. Tuesday is DE lower. Usually box squats and speed pulls. Followed by accessories like lunges, leg press, Glute ham raises, RDL's, weighted abs, hanging leg raises, DB side bends. (of course we just choose 2 or 3 per session). Thursday is ME upper. We rotate our main lift every 3 weeks. Same accessories as DE upper but we also throw in some DB pressing. Saturday is events and I classify it as ME lower. We usually hit 3-4 events in a session that last about 3 hours. Stones, Farmers walks, log press, axle press, tire flipping, yoke walks. Our training group is pretty lucky to have just about every piece of equipment for strongman training.

KB. What are the three most important movements for people trying to build strength?

PV. Squats, Deadlifts, and any type of pressing.

KB. Strength training, hypertrophy or both when first starting?

PV. I would have to say a combination of both. I like to start new guys on a 5X5 template with their main lifts and then accessories are just done bodybuilding style. Get that pump on. 5X5 allows guys to learn to lift properly and still handle some decent weight.

KB. What is the worst competitive experience you have had (injury, getting owned, etc)?

PV. I travelled to the states to compete in a pro qualifier strongman show back in 2006. I was half way through a 16 week contest diet for bodybuilding and I got my ass handed to me. I thought I was a lot better than I actually was. But it was a very important learning experience for me. I got my shit together and became a better athlete. A favourite quote of mine by Abe Lincoln I think "A smooth sea never produced a skilled mariner." I take that as, you've got to get your ass kicked a few times before you reach greatness.

KB. Any advice regular people trying to take their training to the competitive level?

PV. Find some guys in your area that compete and see if you can go train with them. Read as much as you can, talk to people that compete and just get out there and start doing it.

KB. Training partners, yes or no?

PV. Absolutely. Very important.

KB. Great, last question, Kettlebells, do you use them? This is a kettlebell blog but answer honestly, the readers can take it!

PV. I don't fake anything. I have a kettlebell. It's a 53lber and I use it for throws, swings and snatches. I sometimes head over to the park near my house and do some GPP work. I also use it to train my athletes. I have them so swings and snatches. Often using it as part of a medley including a sled and sand bag.

Paul Vaillancourt is a professional strongman and owns two gyms in Eastern Ontatio with his lovely wife Sarah. For more information he can be contacted at:

http://www.ultimatefitnessgyms.com/gyms_renfrew.html

Ultimate Fitness Renfrew is located on the third floor of 282 Raglan Street South in Renfrew, Ontario. It is on the S.E. corner of the Raglan Street S. and Prince Ave. W intersection.
613-433-8282
Ultimate Fitness Arnprior is located in the lower level of the Quality Inn at 70 Madawaska Blvd in Arnprior, Ontario.
613-623-9726