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THE BIG PICTURE

COMPILED BY GARY PHILLIPSPHOTOGRAPHY BY GARY PHILLIPS PHOTOGRAPHY

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NAME: Matt McleanAGE: 46PLACE OF BIRTH: Nobel Park, MelbourneCURRENT RESIDENCE: MelbourneHAIR COLOUR: BlondCOLOUR OF EYES: GreenHEIGHT: 5 ft 8 ins (173 cm)CONTEST WEIGHT: 90 kgOFF-SEASON WEIGHT: 100 kgOCCUPATION: Personal trainer

ATTACHED/UNATTACHED: Unattached

FAMILY: Three younger brothers

ANY PETS? No

FAVOURITE CAR: I don’t give a damn about cars.

FAVOURITE COLOUR: I’m legally blind, so it doesn’t matter.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Bodybuilding is not only my hobby, it is my life!

WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX? Drink bourbon and Coke.

BRIEF BACKGROUND: I couldn’t partici-pate in sport because of my sight and I wanted to compete as an equal. Body-building gave me the opportunity to do that and my sight didn’t hinder me.

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WHEN AND WHY DID YOU START WEIGHT TRAINING? I started lifting weights in PE at school. The school would let me borrow the weights in the school holidays so I could train.

HOW HAS WEIGHT TRAINING AFFECTED YOUR LIFE AND SPORT? It’s the best thing that happened to me. It gave me direction and a career. It’s also given me, a legally blind kid, the opportunity to travel the world. It created me.

WHERE DO YOU TRAIN? Doherty’s Gym, Brunswick, Victoria

DO YOU HAVE A TRAINING PARTNER? No

TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK: Each body part once a week; I train one body part a day.

REPS/EXERCISES: Heavy free-weight movements like squats, deadlifts, dumbbell press, military press and dumbbell rows.

ANY TECHNIQUES USED: High intensity, low rest workouts/drop sets and supersets. I don’t believe in partial reps—half reps don’t count.

FAVOURITE EXERCISE: Squats because it’s the most challenging exercise.

HATE-TO-DO EXERCISE: Abdominal work

THE ONE EXERCISE EVERYONE MUST DO: Squats

BEST BODY PARTS: Legs and chest

ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO IMPROVE? Calves and arms

BEST/BIGGEST LIFT: I am not a power-lifter.

COMPETITION HISTORY:1991 Mr Bendigo, overall champion2001 IFBB Mr Australia, overall, 2002 IFBB Australian Grand Prix, 2003 IFBB Australian Grand Prix, 2003 IFBB New Zealand Grand Prix, 8th 2006 IFBB Country Classic, Open, 2nd

2010 FBB Victorian Championships, Masters, 1st 2010 IFBB Australian Masters, 1st2011 FBB Victorian Championships, Masters, 1st2011 IFBB Australian Masters, 1st2012 IFBB Australian Masters 1st2013 FBB Victorian Championships, Masters, 1st2013 IFBB Australian Masters, 1st

MOST MEMORABLE COMPETITION MOMENT: Competing in the NZ Pro show

and placing 8th in a line-up with some of the best, including Ronnie Coleman and Chris Cormier; also hanging out and partying with them both afterwards.

WORSE/MOST EMBARRASING COMPE-TITION MOMENT: None

COMPETITION DIET: Keep it basic—tuna, chicken and rice cakes

SUPPLEMENTS USED: International Protein RTG

FAVOURITE DIET FOOD: There is no such thing as a favourite diet food. I don’t eat for taste, just results.

WHEN DIETING IS FINISHED, WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD? McDonald’s

FAVOURITE DRINK: Bourbon and Coke

WHO DO YOU ADMIRE MOST IN THE SPORT? Ronnie Coleman and Sonny Schmidt

WHO HAS HAD THE MOST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE? Tony Doherty. He introduced me to the sport, gave me a job and has always been there for me.

GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS FOR THE FUTURE IN YOUR SPORT: To be best I can be each year.

HOPES AND AMBITIONS FOR YOUR PERSONAL LIFE: I would like to pass on my knowledge to my sons.

BEST TIP YOU COULD PASS ON TO SOMEONE STARTING OUT IN THE SPORT? Be a doer and not a dreamer

ANYONE YOU WANT TO THANK? Tony Doherty and Sam Papas FLEX

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