A few years ago, I saw a profile of a young bodybuilder on Bodybuilding.com that, while brief, nevertheless stuck with me. He was cleaning house in amateur competitions at just 22 years old, but more impressively, he already had the type of development that other guys spend their whole lives pursuing. The makings of a world-class physique were plain to see: clean lines, incredible definition, and the aesthetics of a young Flex Wheeler. I thought: This guy is going places.
I was right. Brandon Curry continued to squash the amateurs, and he earned his 212 division pro card in 2008, serving notice that he was here to stay. He became the subject of an ongoing web series called "Brandon Curry: Unleashed," and complementary cover stories started showing up in "Flex" and elsewhere with headlines like "10 Things We Hate About Brandon Curry."
Since then, Brandon has grabbed a dozen top-10 finishes as an IFBB Pro, including an eighth place finish at the 2011 Olympia, and most people expect him to keep climbing the ranks. At 31, he is still one of the younger pros at that level, but Curry's humble attitude and work ethic will keep him in the race for the big one. With his legs coming up in size and better timing in his conditioning, I'm convinced Brandon has the ability to push into the top five in the world.
Other than picking the right parents, how does a prospect become a prodigy? With hard, straightforward training and an airtight nutrition and supplementation plan that's built to last.
A Man on the Make
Take a look at Brandon's programs, and it's clear that he puts heavy emphasis on his weak points, rather than focusing on what he's best at. That's one major difference between a seasoned pro and the amateurs who fantasize about becoming one.
While he trains most muscle groups with high volume once per week, Brandon's legs receive a double treatment, splitting each session into two parts so he can pour all his energy and focus into his quads and hams. Additionally, he doesn't do a lot of direct ab or arm work.
Brandon has excellent arms already, and his small waist accentuates his aesthetic build, giving him that classic bodybuilding look. Too much additional abdominal work would likely only serve to make him appear bulky, and "mass monster" isn't Brandon's game.
A high-performance machine like Curry also has to take in a lot of fuel. He's eaten as many as eight meals per day in recent years, but is currently happy at six daily meals made up of large amounts of lean meat alongside small amounts of clean carbs. He selects fats carefully and satisfies his sweet tooth with nonfat Jello pudding or nonfat frozen yogurt.
Once a week he indulges in a cheat meal. This is a simple strategy that will work well for his followers, but they should be advised to monitor the quantities unless they are feeding as much muscle as Brandon does.
Brandon's supplementation is similarly built around the classics: protein, BCAAs, and carbs. He stays stoked for growth with 20 grams of aminos when he wakes up and intra-workout, along with a hefty amount of BSN Volumaize. Since his diet is pretty lean, Brandon also augments his fat intake with essential fatty acids.
Here's what a recent five-week cycle looked like for Brandon:
Weeks 1-3
- Monday: Quads, Hams, and Calves
- Tuesday: Chest and Back
- Wednesday: Shoulders and Arms
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: Quads, hams, and calves
- Sunday: Chest and Back
Weeks 4-5
- Monday: Chest
- Tuesday: Back
- Wednesday: Legs
- Thursday: Shoulders and Arms
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: Quads, Hams, and Calves
- Sunday: Rest
- Cardio: 30 minutes after workout or in morning, 5 days per week
Weeks 1-3
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
Days 4 and 5: Rest
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
Brandon's Nutrition
BCAAs
(BSN AminoX)
Coffee
Beef Tenderloin
(lean)
Egg Whites
Grits
Toast
(whole-wheat)
Chicken
White Rice
Broccoli
Olive Oil
Chicken
Potato
Asparagus
Olive Oil
Salmon
White Rice
Salad
Egg Whites
Protein Powder
(BSN Syntha 6)
Walnuts
Supplements
Upon Rising:
- BSN Amino-X: 2 scoops
Pre-workout:
- BSN N.O. -Xplode RTD: 1 serving
During Workout:
- BSN Amino-X: 2 scoops
Post-workout (And on rest days):
- BSN True Mass 1200: 1 serving
- BSN CELL Mass 2.0: 1 serving