World Physique

Interviewed by: Tammy Renee'
Photos by: Mike Byerly

As most people know, World-Famous Obi is our Cover Model for our Winter 2010 magazine issue which came out in December 2009 and will be available on the stands and in stores this month. We held an interview with Obi that wasn't featured in the magazine. We wanted to feature the entire interview so you, our readers, can learn more about this amazing man.

Since I've gotten to know Obi pretty well while working on the cover with him and working on his feature inside the magazine, I am pleased to announce that Obi has became apart of Team World Physique. Beginning our Spring 2010 issue, you will begin to read articles by Obi and he will also have a Q & A Column in each magazine. So, keep a eye out for these up coming additions.

Obi has a B.A in communications, B.S. in Computer Networking and a Masters Degree in Information Systems. Although fitness has been such an important part of his life, education has been even more important. He graduated Cum Laude with his 2nd bachelor's degree and his Masters Degree. He was also a top Division I sprinter at Cal State Fullerton where he held the title as the fastest man in school history for a 5 year period. He attained athlete of the year honors before graduating and was a two-time all big west conference honors. He also held three school records before graduating from the school in the 100, 200 meters and 400 relay.

That is his life outside of the fitness industry. We will explore more on his accomplishments in the fitness industry during this interview.

WP: You know what success means. With all of your success, not only in life but in the fitness industry as a whole, what does success mean to you?

OO: My success has derived from understanding how to market myself. There is nobody that can market you better than yourself and I've understood that concept very well. Another key I would tell fitness models is never taking no for an answer when trying to get into a fitness magazine. If an editor says no now that doesn't mean that they will say no a year later.

Most fitness models in the fitness industry don't have a clue in how to market themselves or get in the magazines. Their whole focus is competing in so many fitness competitions which at times isn't the most marketable thing to do for your fitness career. If you work hard at this providing you have the look and physique you will attain success. I truly believe that but you have to believe in yourself and you have to be willing to work very hard at this. There are many good looking and fit fitness models but the ability to differentiate you from the pack is the sheer drive.

WP: What has been your stepping stone to get where you are today?

OO: My stepping stone has been just working my butt off tirelessly to being one of the best in the industry.

WP: I know you work tirelessly on everything in your life. Where do you draw your strength from?

OO: I draw my strength from my mother as she is the hardest working person I know. I learned from her that if you work hard and stay true to yourself that good things will happen to you.

WP: You are so many people's role model. Who are your role models?

OO: My role models are: My mother and father. They instilled me that you are nothing in this world without your education.

WP: You have the perfect physique that so many people are thriving for. What has it been like to maintain your physique?

OO: I train consistently 4-5 times a week and I follow a very high protein and low carb diet. I think if you're consistent with living a healthy fitness lifestyle then you can maintain the same physique you had 10 years ago.

WP: Where do you reside?

OO: I live in city called La Verne which is 30 minutes east of Los Angeles and is based out in Southern California.

WP: You were pretty good in sports. It hasn’t been long since I learned about you being a sprinter. Can you tell me more about that?

OO: Yes, I ran track in high school and college. I was a top Division I sprinter at Cal State Fullerton where I held the school records in the 100 and 200 meters. Track and basketball were the two sports that helped me develop my love for fitness. Training for these two sports allowed me to enjoy working out.

WP: Are you dating anyone? Tell me about your family.

OO: I am single and I am not dating anybody believe it or not. I guess I am pretty busy with my career that I don't really have the time to put into a relationship at this moment. I have two younger brothers who I am very close with and I have a great relationship with my mother and father who I spend a lot of my extra time with as well.

WP: I get the chance to ask the famous Obi a question I have wanted to ask you for so long before I got to know you. What has modeling taught you thus far?

OO: Well, fitness modeling has allowed me to inspire many people all over the world stay in shape through being in great shape. To be able to help inspire someone just by wanting to be the best person that I can be is a rewarding feeling. That is the best part I love about fitness modeling. Fitness modeling has given me a great platform to help many people get in the best shape of their lives and I take that honor very seriously. To be able to be seen as a role model is something special in the industry.

WP: I love your answer! What was the hardest thing for you to overcome when you first started?

OO: The hardest thing I've had to overcome is if I could really be successful in the fitness industry as an African-male fitness model. There aren't many African-American male fitness models on fitness covers so it was a challenge to me to break that mold and be the guy to help influence more diversity on fitness covers which is what I believe I am doing. I hope my success influences more diversity in the fitness industry. I believe I've broken a lot of color barriers in the fitness industry and I plan on continuing that trend.

WP: What was the hardest thing you had to deal with when it came to your diet?

OO: I'm blessed that I am a naturally lean guy so I don't really have issues with my diet at all. I try to eat clean about 4 to 5 days a week and will have a cheat meal twice a week. Everything is within moderation when consuming a cheat meal. If you are going to eat a pizza on that cheat day that's fine just don't eat the whole pizza. Eat two slices as opposed to the whole pizza on your cheat day. Remember, cheat within moderation.

WP: Great advice! What are the key factors that dictate the way you model today?

OO: I just try to shoot with as many photographers as I can. I do shoot more than most fitness models within a year because I am always in shape. So my philosophy in fitness modeling is be in great shape, shoot as much as you can and then send those images out to the magazines for submission. Your best asset is your physique and the pictures you shoot.

WP: How has your training compare to when you model to when you don't? What do you do differently?

OO: I think my training now is more geared towards super-setting and a circuit training type of workout. Training like that allows me stay lean and ripped all year round. Before I started fitness modeling I would work one body-part a day and I would rest about three minutes per set which was totally focusing on lifting very heavy and focusing on bulk as opposed to building a lean athletic muscle. If you are trying to fitness model your goal should always be staying lean and ripped at al times and how you train should mirror that philosophy.

WP: I know you have a long list, but give them to me. What titles/accomplishments have you thus far? Tell me about them.

OO: Ha-ha! Here is my list:

Voted in January of 2009 of all the fitness models in the fitness industry as the most ripped fitness model in the world by criticalbench.com.

First American male fitness model to land a major European campaign with a nutrition company called Natural Sports Nutrition. I am the new face, name and physique of a new sports performance meal product coming out very soon.

First American male fitness model to be featured in a natural bodybuilding and fitness magazine in Australia. This natural bodybuilding and fitness magazine is called Australian Natural Bodz.

Landed more international supplement campaigns in 2009 than any fitness model or bodybuilder in the world this year with 4 campaigns with four different supplement companies. These supplement companies were with Labrada Nutrition, Dymatize Nutrition, Natural Sports Nutrition, ( UK ) and Power-zone Nutrition ( Australia ).

First African-American male fitness model to be on the cover of Inside Fitness. Inside fitness is the #1 fitness magazine in Canada.

First African-American male fitness model to be featured in 7 different fitness and bodybuilding magazines for the month of March.

The supplement ad campaign that I was a part of for Dymatize Nutrition has been nominated supplement ad of the year by bodybuilding.com.

I was one of the main characters as hmyself about a new documentary film that will be about the subculture of the fitness industry. This feature documentary film is being depicted as the 2nd version of Pumping Iron and will be in theatres. The documentary feature film will start to shoot this past Fall of 2009. Many big fitness names such as Greg Plitt and others have already signed up for this big project.

WP: Those are outstanding! What a list! Where do you see your career and life in 10 years from now?

OO: I hope to see myself hosting my own fitness show and to be the one of the biggest fitness professionals in the world. I hope to be able to influence millions and millions of people to be more healthy and fit.

WP: Can you tell me any photographers you've worked with, or someone you'd like to work with?

OO: I've blessed to have worked with some of the greatest fitness photographers such as Robert Reif, Jason Ellis and Ralph Dehaan. Some of the up and coming new photographers that are incredibly talented that I've worked with that I believe that will be up there with the greats are Mike Byerly, Liana Saadi and Bryan Lamb.

WP: What supplements do you currently take?

OO: I take a basic Whey Protein Isolate drink once a day and I take a Kre-Alkalyn K-4 once a day before working out. I keep it very simple with the supplements I take. I used to take a lot of supplements back when I was in the bulking up phase, but now all I really need is just a basic protein.

WP: What are your pet peeves?

OO: My biggest pet peeve is laziness and dishonesty. I think if you work hard in the United States that good things will definitely happen to you. I can't stand people that are lazy and are given the whole world to them and don't appreciate it. I also enjoy being around people that have high integrity as I believe it is so important when dealing with people in all sorts of life. It is hard to have any relationship with somebody if they have no integrity. High integrity and hard-working are traits that I enjoy in people.

WP: What do you consider to be important in life, and why?

OO: What I consider what is important in life are great friends and family who care about you unconditionally. You can lose all the money in your bank account, get fired from your job, get into a car accident, etc. The people that will be there for you for these life tragedies are your family and friends. Even if when you're having the worst day of your life the people that will be there for you to pick you up off your feet are your family and friends.

WP: How have you changed over the past few years when it comes to thinking, actions, and life in general?

OO: I think how I have changed is thinking more about giving back to the community and society. I think we live in a society where there is so much inequality and I believe I've been blessed with many gifts and so if I can't use my success to help people then it truly means absolutely nothing. My goal is to use my name in the fitness industry as a platform to help people all over the world get in better shape. When you have the ability to help change people's lives then it truly is a blessing.

WP: What are your stats such as height, weight, biceps, and waist?

OO: My height is 6'2", I'm 196 lbs., my biceps are 17-1/2, and my waist is between 29-1/2 to 30.

WP: Any shout outs?

OO: I would like to thank Paul Dillett, and the whole staff of the WBFF, for doing a great job in promoting me in their organization. The WBFF has been very influential in the accolades I've attained in the fitness industry. I also want thank everybody that has supported me this year in 2009, as the love I get from the fans is overwhelming, and is really what keeps me going honestly. I also want to thank you, Tammy, the publisher of World Physique Magazine, for giving me the opportunity to be on the cover of your magazine. I will always appreciate the opportunity that you has given me to grace her cover.

WP: Oh my, Obi! I am the one honored to have you on the cover! I'm the one that should be saying thank you! Everyone wants to know what type of workouts you do for your physique. Will you give me an example of your workout?

OO: A typical Monday workout for me would be chest and biceps. For example I would work chest for one exercise and then I would work biceps for then next exercise. I would go back and forth in a super-setting routine continuously working two opposing body-parts without resting. And I'll try to work abs in between that. This allows me to train aerobically with high intensity and minimal rest. I am a super-setter in every weight-training exercise I do. Do your readers want to stay lean and ripped? Then, I would advise them to train like this.

WP: Only the dedicated will survive! What do you normally eat each day?

OO: I generally follow a high protein/low carb diet. In the morning time I will take a whey protein drink and a protein bar. My second meal would be chicken and vegetables. My third meal would be brown rice and turkey, my fourth meal would be chicken, vegetables and some fruit. That is a typical daily diet for me. I try to eat healthy but as I said before occasionally I will eat some junk food at least twice a week. I eat healthy for 5 days a week and on the weekends, I splurge a little bit.

WP: I always pick one day a week to slurge. It is so motivating to go 6 days straight being good on my diet just so I can be bad on that 7th day. I have overcame a lot of bad eating habits doing it this way. It gives me something to work towards. Could you tell me about your future projects?

OO: The biggest project that I have going on is that I am getting ready to be in a documentary about the fitness industry. We will be shooting this late fall and it will be on the subculture of the fitness industry. I am going to be one of the main characters in this film as myself. I am pretty excited about this opportunity as I believe it will be great exposure for me. (By the time this interviews airs, this might have already passed).

WP: Is there anything I have forgotten to mention that you would like to bring to light?

OO: I just want to say to the readers of the World Physique magazine to always follow your dreams and believe in yourself. Age is not a crutch in getting in the best shape of your life. If you eat right, train hard you will always attain your fitness goals. For anybody that is interested in getting in great shape I have an online personal-training business where I train fitness models, figure competitors and just regular average people in helping them attain their fitness goals through my special nutrition and training programs. If you want to get in the best shape of your life then email me at obifitness@verizon.net and I believe I can help you. Stay fit and be blessed everybody!

WP: It has been my pleasure to interview you. You have a great outlook on your career and life in general. I wish you continued success.