My attraction to the weight room began at a young age through competitive sports. Over the years I was able to work with many coaches (good and bad) that provided me with a solid foundation of strength and conditioning principles.
Once my pursuit of professional athletics ended, my training focus shifted on to building the most aesthetic physique possible. I began the same way most did…the encyclopedia of bodybuilding by Arnold (which still has a ton of relevant info!). This book, along with many others, fostered my passion for bodybuilding and physique transformation.
After university I went down to the large commercial gym in my hometown and took a shot at personal training. This was a very formative period for me as I trained every type of client possible. Unfortunately what I also found was the commercial gym was not going to allow me to work with the type of people I wanted to. I left the commercial gym and worked for a colleague at a small studio he opened. This guy was a wealth of knowledge and continues to successfully operate that studio today. During my time at the studio I was able to work with a great roster of athletes playing at a professional level.
In total I spent 6 years in the personal training industry. Over that time I was able to attend many courses and certifications, and learn from some of the greatest minds in the game.
About 5 years ago my career took me in a direction outside of the PT industry, however I never stopped learning and training. I continued attending courses and seeking mentoring opportunities. I competed multiple times in the men’s physique division, and took on the provinces best at the Provincial Championships. The competition world really took my love for coaching to a new level. The drive, discipline, and focus of the competitors is unlike anything else.
To sum it up, I spent the past 15 years of my life in the gym. I have had the chance to work under some of the worlds best coaches including Charles Poliquin, John Meadows, Derek Woodske, Clark Flynn, and many others. As valuable as those opportunities were the bulk of my success has come through trial and error in gym. You can read a million books and be taught by the best, but until you can properly and successfully apply the information, the knowledge holds no value.
My theories of training and nutrition are always evolving, however the basics will always hold true. In an age where information is at our finger tips we must keep in mind that almost nothing is new. No one is re-inventing the wheel, just refining it.
Shawn Bourgeois
Canadian Protein Athlete/Coach
