NATHAN HARMAN
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
PREP WHIZZ NATHAN
ANSWERS YOUR
QUESTIONS
Q My arms have always been
quiet big, but I’ve never had a great
bicep peak, and really look flat in
some of my poses on stage. What
exercises can I do to help achieve
this?
Charles, Worthing
A This is a great question that I get
asked a lot of the time. Like all body
parts, genetics play a major role.
Most people will never ever have a
huge peak like Phil or Kai. But you
can make small adjustments to help
as much as possible. Holding
contractions for longer periods has
certainly helped athletes in the past.
I’d recommend around 3-5 seconds.
Q My arms are my weakest body
part, what do you recommend to
try and change this?
Chris, London
A Firstly I always recommend
training a weak body part twice per
week. In this case you will hit arms
three times in total. Train biceps and
triceps together on a Monday, then
triceps and back on a Wednesday.
Lastly, triceps and chest on a
Friday.
The reason I split them this way is
because back and biceps are pulling
muscles and chest, deltoids and
triceps are pushing muscles, so you
will be pretty fatigued if you use the
pushing muscles in the same
sessions and same with the pulling
groups.
As arms are the weaker body
part, I would also recommend
training them as the first muscle
96
FLEX | FEBRUARY 2018
NATHAN’S BIO
Nathan’s passion for nutrition and training
first started when he fell in love with
cycling, after watching the great Tour de
France on TV. At the age of ten, he entered
his first competitive cycle race around the
old motorcar circuit at Crystal Palace.
Despite being diagnosed with diabetes in his
teens, Nathan later went on to represent the
Great Britain cycling team.
At the age of 23, Nathan felt it was time to try his hand at a new
sport. Having used weight training to enhance his cycling performance,
he found his interest in aesthetics had grown.
“I remember looking at Flex magazine for the very first time when
I was 14, my cycling coach was a firm believer in resistance training
and seemed to own every single copy of the magazine ever printed.
I was fixated- I couldn’t believe how the body could look that ripped.
It’s astonishing what can be achieved through hard work and
dedication. I knew from that day onwards the fitness industry was
for me and decided it was time to increase my own knowledge of the
human body,” says Nathan.
After gaining a whole host of top level qualifications, Nathan went
into show prep. 2010 was the first time he prepared someone for
a show.
“If you knew me back then, I weighed about 12 stone and any
bodybuilder I spoke to about prep would look at me like I was a
nutcase,” Nathan laughs. “So I came up with a plan- I started
working with female competitors and built a very strong team including
IFBB PRO Figure and PRO Bikini athletes.
“In 2011, I was introduced to Shaun Joseph-Tavernier. We met the
week of his IFBB Pro debut. Here he placed 5th in the 202lb class.
Unhappy with the outcome, he asked my thoughts on his physique.
We started working together and began prepping for the Toronto
Pro show.
“Just three months later, Shaun hit the stage 22lbs heavier (10kg,
1.8stone). For all his efforts he was awarded 1st place and crowned
IFBB Toronto Pro 202lb class winner. It was the first time I had ever
worked with a male athlete, and only one year after actually helping
any athlete!
“I felt incredibly proud of what I’d achieved. First male client, first
show, first win and the first time an English man had won a pro show
since Dorian Yates some 10 years earlier! We were on the way to
Vegas baby- ready for the Olympia. Shaun placed 5th and was
awarded rookie of the year 2011. This was an amazing achievement
ºfor us both- and the start of many great results.”