Sil Visser – Male Fitness Model Interview and Photos

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Sil Visser – Male Fitness Model Statistics

  • Name: Sil Visser
  • Height: 5’11”
  • Weight: 182 pounds
  • Date of Birth: 05-08-1989
  • Hair Color: Brown (dark brown)
  • Eye Color: Brown
  • Location: Huizen (Netherlands)
  • Facebook: facebook.com/FitnessmodelSil
  • Instagram: instagram.com/beastmodeawakening

Sil Visser – Male Fitness Model Interview

What is your background?
I was never a sports person until age 18. I have been going to the gym since I was 16 but I did not have the right mentality at that time. I didn’t take notice of my form and had bad eating habits (junk food). When I saw a training of mixed martial arts (MMA), I was hooked and my training routine was set up for optimal fighting performance.

After a few years and some injuries, my doctor told me to take a little break from explosive training (actual fighting training), but I could keep doing weightlifting. During this period I got really addicted to the workouts themselves. Without the stress of injuries from fighting I could push myself deeper with the other workouts without any unwanted pain. At this time my passion for clean nutrition grew and my discipline for eating good meals was a lot better and I also took supplements. I made a lot of progress with my body composition during this time.

sil-visser-fitness-model-6From then on I never got back into mixed martial arts and got more and more into bodybuilding. I began reading a lot in my spare time about nutrition and training techniques and would study for several hours a day. Because I’ve been a vegetarian for many years (I decided to be one when I was 4 but really gave up all kinds of meat and fish when I was 12) I was lacking some nutrients and did not make the progression I wish I would have made. By reading a lot about nutrition, and not only about what to take but also when, why and with what else, helped me gain more size and I was able to shred more fat than I thought would be possible as a natural athlete.

After high school I started several studies, but I wasn’t really passionate about any of them. That’s why I quit those studies. Then I came to notice that nutrition was much more of a factor I had to deal with daily. I started to study foods and diets, which I’m still focusing on.

Between studies I received my fitness instructor license so I could work at the local gym. I had a great time there but the gym had to close a few years later which left me without a job. At that point I started giving individual nutrition plans to clients and coached them towards their ideal physiques. I give free tips at my official Facebook page so people can get started chasing their dreams. My own physique at that point was photoshoot worthy so I decided to take a chance and become a fitness model. I also do fashion modeling when they are looking for a more muscular model. On September 13th, 2014 I had my first bodybuilding contest. I competed in the model class and placed 3rd.

How did you get started in the fitness field?
I started going to the gym when I was 16. I did not have a clue what to do for years so I was not a success story right away but I wanted to see my body grow and I was motivated to pursue my dreams. It took me years to find my way around the gym and learn optimal form. Once I found out that as a vegetarian I could lack certain nutrients (like overall protein intake), I made changes and slowly started to increase in size and mass. I truly went full study mode on the web and read hours a day about nutrition, supplementation and training. The next year I saw my body adapt more to my goals the more knowledge I had. I got hooked on experimenting with different training techniques and also nutrition plans. I read about nutrition and studied everything about how to get the best results. Over a few years I found out what works best for me and so came the results.

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What is the #1 thing you like best about being into fitness?
What I like most about being into fitness is literally sculpting my future. Challenging yourself and getting to know yourself is something I have never found with other passions or hobbies of mine. It’s self-improvement to the max. It’s not only about the physical appearance, because if you’re not mentally strong enough to pursue your dreams you will never reach that physique anyway. Therefore you need to be strong, open-minded and eager to pursue your dreams.

What has been your biggest accomplishment in the fitness field?
sil-visser-fitness-model-11My biggest accomplishment was going abroad for my first contest and placing 3rd (Musclemania Britain model class). I’m also very glad I had the opportunity to do a shoot for a clothing brand since most of the time fitness models are too buff for these kinds of jobs yet I always wanted to do one.

What is the best way to get started in the fitness modeling industry? Should I just contact the photographers directly or should I use an agency?
It shouldn’t matter that much so try to do both and do even more. Take all the chances you can. That is what I’ve learned. Be bold. Give them the idea that you’re “it” and what they need.

Please describe a typical day for you. What is your daily routine like?
A typical day for me is:

After I wake up I drink a large jug of water with fresh lemon juice and a scoop of BCAAs (branched chain amino acids). I wait for 15 minutes and then I will do a fast pace morning walk for 30 minutes. This clears my head and I can take the time to go through my upcoming day.

When I get back I’ll have breakfast and make my preparations for the day. It depends, if I have to go to college (I’m currently a student), I will go to school or I’ll do my early workout. This workout contains muscles which would otherwise be easily neglected, like calves, abs or sometimes even ab-adductors.

The rest of the day I spend on studying, making nutritional and training plans for clients and doing other work. In the evening I have my main workout which takes about two hours. After the main workout I do my meal prepping for the next day and go to bed.

I don’t have that much time during the day to workout, so I really want to burn major calories in a short amount of time. What is the #1 “bang for the buck” cardio exercise I should do to burn serious calories?
sil-visser-fitness-model-9If you have a helping hand, pushing a car (while the other is behind the wheel just in case) is a great way for some heavy cardio otherwise I would suggest a heavy HIIT (high intensity interval training) session of cardio.

How much weight (pounds) should I focus on losing every week? What is a safe amount to make sure I keep it off?
I’m a real promoter of slow dieting. My cutting periods usual take over 16 weeks and my last one took 11 months. I would recommend losing 1 pound a week max. This will minimize muscle loss and it will keep your body in a position to still give it max during training. It’s not uncommon for me to break some PR’s (personal best) while cutting slowly.

What type of food or supplements should I take before and after my workouts to help me see results in gaining lean muscle and losing fat?
I like to have my carb intake higher after a workout than before training. Before a workout I usually eat brown rice or a sweet potato with vegetables and a protein shake. After my workout I take a post-workout shake containing whey isolate, waxy maize starch, creatine, glutamine and fine oats.

How do you deal with cravings for junk foods, sweets and salty food? I can stay on a diet for maybe a few weeks but I eventually get really bad cravings and binge on snacks and fast foods.
I always plan a meal a day which I like, so I look forward to the moment I can eat that. I plan that meal at a time where I know I have the most cravings. For instance, later in the evening (before going to bed) when I finish my workout I have the most of my cravings. Before I go to bed I have a casein protein shake. I mix this in a blender with almond powder and a bit of cinnamon, which I like a lot. Once a week I have a meal planned in which I can eat whatever I want (while still watching my macro’s a bit). I look forward to this meal the whole week!

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I’m trying to create a healthy shopping list to stick with. What are some of the main foods I should include to maintain a lean and muscular physique?
Things I always have on my shopping list include:

  • Eggs
  • Broccoli
  • Asparagus
  • Spinach
  • Mushrooms
  • Fruits
  • Almonds
  • Flaxseed oil
  • Organic peanut butter
  • Lentils
  • Sweet potato
  • Brown rice
  • Quinoa
  • Coconut oil (when I bake something I use this)
  • Clean protein sources (in my case whey protein powder)

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I’m about 35 pounds overweight. I have never started an exercise program and really don’t know where to start. What tips can you give me to get started on the right track?
First off, just try to begin somewhere. Start with the bigger exercises (compounds movements like squats and deadlifts) and if possible with guidance (trainer, friend). Don’t try to make the impossible happen. Plan your course and go for it. Don’t go full crash on your diet but keep eating several meals spread out over the day. Try training at least 2-3 times a week and prioritize weight training above cardio if the choice has to be made due to any time constraints.

I tend to eat out most of the time and really don’t know what healthy foods to order from the menu. What tips do you recommend for eating out at restaurants to make sure my diet will not suffer?
sil-visser-fitness-model-21When I eat out I adjust my daily nutritional routine. So depending on where you’re going to eat try to calculate it a little. For example, pizza contains a lot of fat and carbs so I try to lower those over the rest of my meals, but not too much otherwise you would barely eat another meal like dinner. I recommend training just before you go out so that the meal will be optimally utilized. I would of course also choose the better option, lots of vegetables and if you’re not a vegetarian like me, a piece of lean meat or fish.

What exercises do you recommend for getting a bigger, rounder and fuller butt?
I recommend doing squats as the big exercise for targeting the lower body. Also deadlifts, Nordic curls, barbell glute bridge and lunges will do fine in a typical lower body routine.

What is the most challenging thing you deal with about consistently staying in top shape?
The most challenging thing I deal with about consistently staying in top shape is that even when life puts you down you have to keep going forward. Keep your goals in mind and push harder. If things at work, school, family or friends go bad you still have to be in the gym that day.

Please describe your normal diet. What do you eat in a typical day to stay in shape?

  • sil-visser-fitness-model-20Meal 1: 3 eggs, small cup of oatmeal, small cup of blueberries and a protein shake.
  • Meal 2: 20 almonds, tablespoon of flaxseed oil, protein shake, tablespoon of lentils and 2 cups of green vegetables.
  • Meal 3: tablespoon of flaxseed oil, tablespoon of peanut butter, protein shake, tablespoon of lentils and 2 cups of green vegetables.
  • Meal 4: 1 sweet potato, 2 cups of vegetables (whatever kind) 2 tablespoons of lentils and a protein shake.
  • Meal 5: post-workout shake (waxy maize starch, oatmeal whey isolate, glutamine and a bit of cinnamon).
  • Meal 6: cup of quinoa and 2 cups of green vegetables.
  • Meal 7: 20 almonds, tablespoon of flaxseed oil and a casein shake.

What type of exercises do you include in your routine to stay in shape?

Strength Training Exercises:

  • Low rep exercises (2-6 reps)
  • Normal rep exercises (8-12 reps)
  • High rep exercises (16+ reps)
  • Drop sets
  • Super sets
  • Iso-tension sets

Cardio Exercises:

  • Fast pace walking
  • HIIT
  • Going for a ride through the forest on my bicycle

Additional Training: Early morning hack (sissy squats against the door post).

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How does your family and friends react to and deal with your strict fitness lifestyle (dieting, eating out, workouts, parties)?
At first it was hard for my family and friends to cope with my lifestyle. They understood that I had to be strict, but not in the way I was doing it. Even with special occasions I’m most of the time doing what I have to do. I tend to minimize parties to almost zero and have only one cheat meal a week and I always try to have the most brutal workout just before I cheat (which is mostly a leg workout). After a few years my family now knows how important this is to me and supports me to the max.

What are your top 5 tips for losing body fat and getting ripped?

sil-visser-fitness-model-181. When you workout make sure to give 100%. Make your workouts tough and full of intensity.

2. Cycle your macronutrient intake (one day eat more carbs and fat than the other). This will shock your body throughout the whole cutting period.

3. Keep eating! Do not starve yourself to the extreme. Your body will respond (in a negative way). Therefore, try eating several meals a day, all with a protein rich source and keep your calorie deficit around +/- 600 calories a day.

4. Eat your vegetables!

5. Do not neglect protein or fats. Every macronutrient has its place. Carbs are often seen as the enemy, which in my opinion they’re not. The thing is that carbs can be more easily cut than protein or fats. Protein is essential for your body to recover and to keep your muscles from being re-synthesized. Fats are needed for a lot of hormonal functions and therefore important to have in your diet. Don’t get me wrong, carbs should be eaten, but they can be shifted in the diet much more easily.

What are your top 5 tips for building muscle and packing on size?

1. Train the muscles as they should be and leave your ego at home. Of course training heavy is good but always watch your form. If you’re not training correctly then you’re missing a lot of potential muscle gains.

sil-visser-fitness-model-152. When bulking up and building mass, keep track of your macronutrients. Keeping track while cutting is accepted by most people but keeping track of them while bulking up is mostly a taboo. “You’re bulking right? Then you can eat this dude” is heard a lot in gyms. But also when gaining mass it is important to monitor your intake and moments of intake. This will maximize your potential for growth.

3. Rest as much as you can even during the day. Try sleeping 8 hours a night at least and a power nap during the day is always appreciated.

4. Make use of the 5 second rule with your tough sets. After you do your set rest 5 seconds and immediately try doing some more reps or even half reps for max muscle fatigue. I use this technique with the bigger exercises (bench presses, deadlifts, t-bar rows and bent over rows).

5. Always bring your food with you and be prepared. When I had to go to college and I would be home at 3pm, I would bring meals with me until 5pm just in case. Wherever and whenever I go out I bring my meals. People would always see me with a bag!

What is the most important thing you recommend for staying motivated on a fitness plan and truly making a healthy lifestyle change?
The most important thing I recommend for staying motivated on a fitness plan is to set goals and also set intra-goals. Working towards these goals gives you the strength to carry on even when you’re feeling down. Buy a big poster with a good quote, a mirror to look yourself in the eyes or a motivational wallpaper to let you remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing, how you want to do it and what you’re trying to get out of it.

What is your training routine like?

Monday (Legs):

  • sil-visser-fitness-model-7squats (5 sets 6-12 reps)
  • leg extensions (2 sets 12-16 reps)
  • sissy squats + hack squats (4 super sets 12-16 reps)
  • leg extensions (3 drop sets)
  • leg curls (4 sets 8-12 reps)
  • stiff legged deadlifts (3 sets 10-14 reps)

Tuesday (Chest and Calves):

  • flat Smith machine chest press (3 sets 6-14 reps)
  • incline Smith machine chest press (4 sets 6-14 reps)
  • incline cable flies (4 sets 8-12 reps)
  • cable crossovers (4 sets 16+ reps)
  • seated calve raises (8 sets 10 reps)
  • leg press calve raises (4 drop sets)

Wednesday: What I think is best that day (mostly shoulders)

Thursday (Arms and Abs):

  • dumbbell bicep curls (4 sets 6-12 reps)
  • ez bar standing bicep curls (4 sets 6-12 reps)
  • rope hammer curls + dumbbell bicep curls (4 sets 8-16 reps)
  • cable concentration curls (3 sets 10-14 reps)
  • tricep rope pushdowns (3 sets 16-20 reps)
  • tricep V-bar pushdowns (3 sets 8-10 reps)
  • weighted neutral grip dips (4 sets 20-30 reps)
  • dumbbell overhead tricep extensions (4 sets 8-14 reps)

Friday (Back and Hamstrings):

  • single arm t-bar rows (looks like db rows) (5 sets 6-20 reps)
  • wide grip pullups (4 sets max reps)
  • lat pulldown + pullovers (5 sets 8-12 reps)
  • seated cable rows (4 sets 8-16 reps)
  • face pulls (4 sets 8-12 reps)
  • lat pully machine (3 sets 20-30 reps)
  • seated hamstring curls (5 sets 10-16 reps)
  • stiff legged deadlifts (3 sets 12-20 reps)
  • dumbbell lying leg curls (3 sets 12-20 reps)

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Saturday: Rest

Sunday (Shoulders and Abs):

  • reverse cable flies (3 sets 14-16 reps)
  • behind the neck presses (4 sets 8-20 reps)
  • dumbbell rear delt raises (4 sets 12-14 reps)
  • lateral dumbbell raises (4 sets 8-12 reps)
  • cable upright rows (4 sets 10-16 reps)
  • cable ab crunches (4 sets 12-16 reps)
  • hanging leg raises (4 sets max reps)
  • cable oblique crunch (3 sets 16-20 reps)
  • triset low-high-full decline crunches (3 sets 15 reps each)

What type of nutritional supplements do you currently use and which ones do you recommend for a beginner getting started on a fitness program?
sil-visser-fitness-model-17For being a vegetarian I use a lot of supplements to maximize results, and also fill the gap of nutrients I lack or get less of since I’m not eating meat or fish. Something that I always use is whey, BCAAs (branched chain amino acids), glutamine, multivitamins and creatine. For beginners, I would recommend BCAAs and multivitamins first.

What is your favorite healthy food or meal you really enjoy eating? Also, what is your favorite cheat meal or food you like to indulge in from time to time?
My favorite non-cheat meal food is spiced rice with eggs (I always use a lot of spices and herbs to flavor my food). I also really enjoy my oatmeal pancakes which consists of 1 egg, half cup of oatmeal, 1 scoop of chocolate flavored whey topped with half a cup of blueberries and cinnamon. I eat this as breakfast together with 2 boiled eggs.

I have a “cheat meal” once a week. Mostly I eat pancakes with vegetarian cheese and syrup or homemade pizza. I make these cheat meals myself so I can still track my macro’s a bit even while “cheating”. I always choose food rich in animal protein and fats (vegetarian cheese in this case). That way I can still get my protein in and also some saturated fat which is good for overall hormonal balance.

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3 Comments

  1. Virginia A Jimenez on

    What was the reason you decided to become a vegetarian? Is it because of animal rights, or health benefits or both? I’m looking into cutting back on meat consumption and would like some tips. Thank you.

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