We opened a poll of questions on Instagram for our loyal followers and we gave our PRO athletes the opportunity to ask anything they wanted: Nelson Rodrigues (@ifbbpro_nelsonrodrigues) to Filipe Martins (@martii.pro).
We made a selection of the best! Get to know a little more about two of the best Portuguese bodybuilding athletes, and which are part of the team GREAT I AM.
Who is/was your biggest inspiration?
Nelson Rodrigues:
Felipe Franco was my inspiration from the beginning when I started competing.
Filipe Martins:
Felipe Franco
When is the next competition?
Nelson Rodrigues:
I don't have any competition in sight yet. But I will only compete again in 2022.
Filipe Martins:
The next competition will be in 2022, but no date has been set yet.
What is the biggest sacrifice to reach PRO?
Nelson Rodrigues:
For me, I don't consider it to be a sacrifice because it was in my third competition that I won PRO CARD in 2015. Honestly, I wasn't expecting anything but it went well!
Filipe Martins:
Endure the marathon and remember that nothing can be achieved in the blink of an eye.
What is the biggest difference before and after being PRO?
Nelson Rodrigues:
It's quite different. In the professional league, the level of professional athletes is much more demanding. In my case, there weren't many competitions in Europe at that time, so I always had to compete abroad, where it was quite difficult to balance it with my work and it was also quite expensive!
Filipe Martins:
Difference? In Portugal, none.
Is it possible to make a living from bodybuilding in Portugal?
Nelson Rodrigues:
Honestly, it's very difficult. There aren't many sponsorships that only allow you to live a professional life!
Filipe Martins:
In Portugal, only if you are a footballer. It is a sport that is still not valued enough, either by people or brands, which makes it difficult to make a living from it alone.
Tips on what to eat pre and post workout?
Nelson Rodrigues:
Carbohydrate + protein foods. Preferably fast-absorbing carbohydrates.
Filipe Martins:
This is difficult to answer. It will always vary from person to person, metabolism to metabolism, the diet each person eats and also the stage they are in. There are millions of possible combinations.
If you were a superhero, who would you be, and why?
Nelson Rodrigues:
HULK. Because he's big.
Filipe Martins:
IRONMAN. Firstly because I like it, then because of the eccentricity, then because of the fact that I can be normal, be a hero and help others.
What is the best age to start competing?
Nelson Rodrigues:
I started late, at 33 years old, but I had already trained for 15 years. I think that to start competing you must have at least 5 years of training, that is, around 23 if you start training at 18!
Filipe Martins:
There is no ideal age, but the earlier the better. Before the age of 23 there is the Junior category, for example.
