Bios & Interviews
Exclusive Interview with IFBB Pro Lionel "L-Train" Brown
Where can you possibly hide something as big as IFBB Pro Lionel "L-Train" Brown? Get ready to see him on stage in a few short weeks better than before! He competed at the IFBB Tampa Pro and Europa Supershow in 2009 and then took a break..but guess what? HE'S BACK!!!
GM: Hey Lionel is this a good time to talk about your preparation for the Flex Pro?
LB: Hey Greg, yeah I’m actually on my way to the Chiropractor but I’ve got time to talk you for sure.
GM: Ok great, well I’ll keep it quick. You haven’t been on stage since the Europa Super Show in 2009, so tell me what’s new in your world.
LB: Correct, I haven’t competed since 2009, and to be honest I have really been frustrated with my appearances as a professional. My best professional conditioning was in 2008, and before that when I turned professional in Miami at the Nationals in 2006. So I have been taking some time to decompress, take care of my business and my personal life and really get ready to make a good appearance at my next contest.
GM: And what is the next contest you'll be doing?
LB: I’ll be competing in the IFBB Flex Pro on February 18th.
GM: Ok great so you are just about 4 weeks out right now; how is your training going?
LB: Training right now is the best it has ever been!
GM: That’s always good to hear, I hope you can continue to keep training hard up until the show. What improvements do you feel you’ve made since we last saw you in 2009?
LB: I wanted to really fill out my frame during this break and more specifically add roundness to my delts and depth to my back. I have been training hard day in and day out and I feel like I have accomplished those things. I also want to improve upon my best conditioning which was at Nationals, so I plan going even beyond that condition.
GM: Hitting your peak onstage can be a tricky thing. Are you working with a trainer or guru for this contest?
LB: Yes I am working with Metroflex Long Beach Owner, Chris Albert. Chris helped me get ready for a photo shoot with Mike Yurkovic and he really had some good things to say. We became friends when I began training at Metroflex in my home town of Long Beach, but I wasn’t completely sold on the idea of working with him for a show. I knew he was a smart guy, because he has a Ph.D, and I would go home and think about a lot of the things he had to say, and after a while I decided to give him a try. He started to help me with my diet and good things started happening to my physique so I have been working with Chris for the Flex Pro.
GM: I realize that Chris’s program will be what gives you the advantage you’re looking for this year, but can you give us a basic idea of what’s different this year with the program?
LB: I feel like my recovery is far beyond what it’s ever been. I’m eating 8 times per day, which is more food than I have ever eaten during my contest prep. But I tell you what, my body is responding to it. It’s not easy; sometimes I stay up until 1:30 in the morning trying to get all my meals in, but I do it.
GM: Do you have any other plans for this year beyond the Flex Pro?
LB: I want to compete with the best. I know my physique can be an Olympia level physique. So to answer your question I’m hoping to get an invite to the Arnold Classic and compete in this year’s Olympia, as well.
GM: Now I also heard you were doing an upcoming guest posing?
LB: Correct I’m guest posing at Jon Lindsay’s NPC Gold Coast Muscle Classic in San Diego on February 11th. I’ll be 1 week out from the Flex Pro and it will be a good sneak preview of what I’ve been working on since the 2009 Europa.
GM: One week out; does that make you nervous?
LB: I’m actually looking at it as a blessing; it’s been so long since I’ve been on stage I think this will be a great way for me to get out my on stage jitters!
GM: Thank you for taking the time to talk to Rx Muscle; I hope your next 4 weeks go as planned and the Flex Pro is a great success for you. Is there anyone you’d like to thank out there?
LB: Lionel I want to thank God for allowing me to share my gift with the bodybuilding world, also thank my wife for all the support she's provided during my bodybuilding journey.. I also want to thank my clothing sponsor Tracisathletics, for keeping me geared up with nice clothing, And my training partner Richard Williams; also my nutritionist Chris Albert.