From Powerlifting To Body Building: David Rock
Thursday, July 18th, 2019 -- 11:20 AM
David Rock of Stratford was a successful powerlifter but decided to chase his dream of being a body builder - the result....Overall Champion in Classic Physique Division.Going from powerlifting to bodybuilding took a lot more commitment. David says with powerlifting you have more flexiblity with your life outside the gym. You can have more freedom with your diet and time consumption really isn't as much. In bodybuilding your time management has to be great. The overall dedication is quite a bit more. David said not to say powerlifters are not dedicated, but bodybuilding takes a different mindset.
When Rock was 18 he always wanted to be a body builder, but the ability to get resources at that time was limited. You had to know people and have great genetics and Rock said he had neither one, and he kind of gave up on that dream. While being deployed in Iraq, he met some powerlifters and when he came home he continued with powerlifting. Choosing to get into bodybuilding was in part due to his getting into the military. He needed to lose some weight and as he lost weight, his body started to take shape. He went to his diet coach Matt and weight trainer, Kevin Grap and told them he wanted to be a body builder and so they started.
It took about a year and a half to get ready for his first show in Minnesota, last October and he took champion in the Classic Physique Division. His second show was this past June - The Mighty Muscle on the Mississippi in Dubuque, Iowa where he once again was the overall champion in the Classic Physique Division. Rock said even though it took some time, he has found his place. Body building has been quite the trip.
Has David been surprised at how well he has done? He said he is surprised as to how well he has placed but he's not surprised to his ability to put his body through a little torture because of his military training. His said the cardio and conditioning and diet he wasn't too worried about but how he has stacked up against his competition has been a surprise to him. He said it has led him to set higher goals.
David was big into powerlifting, in fact very successful at it. So how much weightlifting is involved in bodybuilding? He said it is quite a bit more in bodybuilding as far as many times you're moving weights. Rock says you lift heavy to a point and then at the end of that process you lower the weight with more reps to maintain the muscle you have gained. In bodybuilding it's more sets with more reps and then there's the cardio. Rock has always loved lifting weights, he says the cardio is where you need to have the ability to shut your mind off for a bit.
As far as future plans, Rock says he is planning on a national level show in 2020. He said probably in fall of 2020. He said the national competition is the best in the nation. When you win a national level show you get the title of a professional. He'll competing against men going for their pro card in Classic Physique in bodybuilding and a national level show will really show David where he stacks up.
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