Drew “Bronzy” Cose – Male Fitness Model Statistics
Name: Drew “Bronzy” Cose
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 188 pounds
Date of Birth: March 5th, 1969
Hair Color: Brown
Waist: 32″
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Website: bronzythemodel.wix.com/bronzy-the-model
Drew “Bronzy” Cose – Male Fitness Model Interview
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Drew Cose and my modeling name is Bronzy Cose. I’m a certified personal trainer and entrepreneur looking to model full time. I played over seven sports growing up throughout elementary and high school including football, basketball, baseball, track, racquetball, swim team and golf. I play the saxophone as well.
I made all state and even had scholarships offers to me from several music schools. I ended up in Louisiana after getting a full scholarship for baseball. I had a chance to play professional baseball until I had an injury. I became a personal trainer after my injury and I have been training people since 1994. I only recently became a model in fitness, runway and commercial. I just very recently started acting. I also just finished a film.
How did you get started in the fitness field?
I was injured from playing baseball and I was back in college going to school trying to get back in shape to play professional, so I began training real hard. My former college baseball coach said that I could be the assistant weightlifting coach while training to make extra money for school because my scholarship was over. After about 5 months, I could not get my speed back to where it should be for playing center field and to steal all the bases that I was known for. I loved what I was doing and was getting great results, so I made the decision to become a personal trainer and got certified.
What is the #1 thing you like best about being into fitness? First and foremost I love to train, plain and simple, always have. Being athletic and skinny in high school, I went away to college and we had a great strength and conditioning coach that I learned so much from. I put on 25 pounds of pure muscle in the first 6 months of college. It made me stronger, it helped me feel better, and most importantly made me more confident as an athlete. This confidence in high performance athletes is probably the most important thing out there.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in the fitness field?
I think my biggest accomplishment, besides training some other friends that were high performance professional athletes at the top of their game, would actually be my own body and maintaining my health and body composition over all these years. I am a professional model now and everyone thinks I am 25 or 30 years old, and they have no idea what my real age is. It is a huge compliment modeling with 20-year-old men to me, which tells me I look the same age. My body speaks for itself and my accomplishments in the gym and everyone who is around me, wants to train with me because I am my own advertisement.
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?
The best way to get started would be to contact all the photographers in the industry and other models that are around you to find out how they started. Like “Nike” says, “Just Do It”. Talk, open your mouth and ask questions, then talk with the agencies and agents, and then the managers that they hired. Get to know everyone in the industry and hustle. Do everything you can.
Please describe a typical day for you. What is your daily routine like?
A typical day for me, “WOW”. I own my own Headquarters Remodeling and Renovation company, so I get up and grab a my first meal which is egg whites, oatmeal, or something else and then head to my job and get busy. If I have time the night before, I usually prepare some meals for the next day. Today with everything being fast food and the price of food that is actually nutritional for you, you just have to make your own food. There is no way around it. Or, you can pay high prices for a meal.
Work is also strenuous. I am a hands on guy so most of the work is done by me with helpers. I eat about 4 or 5 small meals a day and I get done working about 7pm. I start late and end late because Atlanta traffic is crazy. Then I hit the gym for about 2 hours. I workout, then make my protein shake and get on the computer at the Recording studio. Headquarters Recordings is the company that my business partner owns. I try to help him get organized or do whatever I can to contribute for the team. I go over my office work, check email and relax. I have very long days.
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?
The best cardio I know is by far, swimming. However, if a pool is hard to come by or winter has set in, the second by far for me is my work. But as far as cardio in the gym, for me its the rowing machine. Its a great full body workout that you can do in a short amount of time and it really burns it up. It’s far better than the stairclimber, bike or treadmill.
How much weight (pounds) should I focus on losing every week? What is a safe amount to make sure I keep it off? I would say 2 to 3 pounds. It is safe that way. The weight loss will be gradual when hitting the gym on a consistent basis which will maintain a healthy life style and maintain good lean body mass which is critical in keeping it off.
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?
Healthy eating and small meals throughout the day if by far the best. Better than any diet pill, vitamin or protein drink. Besides eating healthy, I only take a real good multivitamin, one that will digest in the body. I also take the nonfat ISO Pure Protein drink and I do take all natural root ginseng for just overall healthy living. I drink all natural green tea which is decaffeinated of course. I drink this at night for my antioxidants and for good sleep.
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 personally do not like junk food, cakes, cookies or candy. I do eat crackers from time to time. Here is the thing. If you eat 4 to 6 small meals everyday, there is no cravings, binge eating or fast food desires. That is the key. I do not eat until I am full nor do I starve myself for hours. Eating healthy is eating small meals all day. Call them want you want but it eliminates the need to snack. I do not diet either. That starves you out and causes you to lose lean body mass which is critical when working out.
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?
Meats to buy include turkey, chicken, and fish. I eat red meat like a healthy steak about 1 or 2 times a month at the most. Include all vegetables. Just make sure you do not cook all the healthy vitamins out of them by over cooking. Fruits are good, salads, and all grain foods are good for the most part but just do not take in too many carbohydrates. I mostly stay away from foods like all the other meats, fried foods, sodas, snack foods, loading your salads with dressing and having too many carbohydrates at one meal.
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?
If you have never started an exercise program, my biggest tip is to get with someone who is certified as a trainer. There is nothing worse than to start any program with bad technique or improper lifts. It causes uneven gains and most importantly, may cause injuries. Technique is the most critical part of an exercise program and the next is overtraining. The body needs proper rest to ensure proper and positive recovery and gains.
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?
Ask questions at the restaurant first off. If you do not know what is in the meal, just ask. Then special order. Just because you are in the restaurant does not mean you have to eat their specialty. Tell them to bake or broil instead of fry. Also stay away from the house sauces and salad dressings that are loaded with calories. Drink water with the meal. If you do not like the taste water, then add lemon. Stay away from juices, sodas and alcohol which are loaded with calories.
What exercises do you recommend for getting a bigger, rounder and fuller butt?
Squats and lunges but make sure you get with a good trainer. There are many different types of exercises that can work all of the muscles in the glutes, not just the main ones. There are so many muscles there and so many different isolation exercises that can isolate each one.
What is the most challenging thing you deal with about consistently staying in top shape?
Eating and food has to be the top on the list. Most people do not even know how critical your eating habits are for staying in top shape. It is not that difficult to get to the gym to train and work out hard, but the key to staying in top shape is eating right. There is no other way around it. Pills, diets and shakes simply will not do it all. There are so many foods that taste good that are not good for you, which really makes it worse. If this is the case, then eat it in very small portions and in moderation, especially if you cannot stay away. Most can not stay away, so do not try. Just eat in small moderation.
Please describe your normal diet. What do you eat in a typical day to stay in shape?
Breakfast: Egg whites, plain old fashion oatmeal with some pure cane sugar lightly for taste.
Mid-Morning Snack: Protein shake or second meal, either tuna lightly salted with pasta egg noodles mixed in and heated for taste. I do not like uncooked tuna! Or, I have chicken breast and brown rice with vegetables.
Lunch: Again, same as above. Protein shake if not earlier or second meal as mid-morning, whichever I feel like eating. I go by feel and I like to change so I go with whatever I am feeling at the time.
Mid-Afternoon Snack: Something light like a protein bar or something to hold me over until after my workout because I workout so late in the evening.
Dinner: Protein shake after my workout.
Last Dinner: Something similar to the second dinner, but different which may include some grilled fish, turkey sandwich or some grilled chicken and vegetables.
What type of exercises do you include in your routine to stay in shape?
Strength Training Exercises: Weight training with free weights 6 days a week. I isolate only one or two body parts a day with the weekend off for rest.
Cardio Exercises: My metabolism is very fast and it is very hard for me to gain weight so my cardio for the most part is my job and my work which are very long days. If it is not as strenuous, I will include some stationary bike or my favorite which is the rowing machine.
Additional Training: I have a fast paced lifestyle. I work hard and I play hard. I like either roller skating with my kids, playing golf, swimming, hiking up stone mountain and riding bikes my kids. It’s always something like that.
What are the top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend for developing toned and defined arms?
1. I do triceps one day, then do biceps on another separate day. Sometimes I will switch it up to shock the muscles and do them on the same day.
2. For triceps, I do the siting overhead dumbbell press with full extensions for real massive muscle gains and strength.
3. For the final tricep exercise, I will do triple or quadruple cable presses with different hand locations with the bar and then grab the rope and finish, until failure.
4. For biceps, I will do slow concentrated seated ez-bar curls with alternating hands grips which are in and out to hit the full inner and outer muscles.
5. For closing with biceps, I will do a quadruple set of varied dumbbell curls which include hammer curls, wide curls, crossover curs and straight inside curs with a 25 pound barbell.
What are your top 5 tips for losing unwanted body fat?
1. Number one tip hands down is eating! How and when you eat is critical and the most important.
2. Proper cardio at varied speeds and distances to get rid of the mundane, boring same old thing.
3. My favorite cardio is the seated row machine for the ultimate full body workout or laps in the pool. Whichever is available.
4. Preparing and eating small meals throughout the whole day. This eliminates snacking, binge eating and craving.
5. Do not starve myself and drink lots and lots of water all day long.
What are your top 5 tips for gaining lean muscle mass?
1. Proper eating and diet that includes vital protein which is lean and not full of unwanted calories.
2. Two protein shakes a day to maintain the proper amount of protein that I need to get the increases in muscle and strength that I want.
3. To create more muscle mass, I do slower methodical movements during training with my bigger muscle groups. I do this with more intensity and less reps.
4. Do not starve yourself! The more you don’t eat, the more lean body mass you lose!
5. My carbohydrate intake helps me support and maintain my lean body mass. Some others may not be able to do this because they might be trying to keep off weight. I am different because of my metabolism and I can eat more carbs without adding body fat.
What are the top 5 tips you recommend for staying motivated on a fitness plan and truly making a healthy lifestyle change?
1. Make a plan that you can maintain. Not something so strict that you would want to cheat everyday.
2. More frequent smaller meals throughout day to get rid of snacks and binge eating desires.
3. Make a plan that you can see results with and that will keep you motivated.
4. Watch others workout for ideas and ask questions from the ones that know what they are doing and have attained the results you’re looking for.
5. Don’t make a plan or have goals that are too easy because you will not see the results and you will not stay motivated.
What is your training routine like? (Please include a few details – training split, sets/reps, exercises, types of cardio, etc.)
Monday: Chest only. Start with flat bench most of the time and I will change it up to shock the muscles with incline bench. Dumbbell training is 4-5 sets of heavy weight for 8 reps after warm up. Dumbbell fly’s are next with 3 sets of 6 slow reps which are concentrated and heavy. Then I do incline the same way heavy weight for 4-5 sets of 8 heavy reps. Dumbbell fly again. Next is the chest free weight machine that is isolated on each arm for even training. I do triple slow heavy sets of 6 reps and go the heaviest I can go then I drop the weight and go lighter, then lighter again. 3-4 sets of this until failure. Then, again on incline bench machine. I finish up with cable crossovers. The first pull down crossover is 3-4 sets and then I do pullup crossovers with full extension.
Tuesday: Triceps only. Sometimes I start with close grip bench for 3-4 sets of 8 reps. Next, I do heavy weight for 5 sets of seated dumbbell over the head presses with full extension for 8-10 reps (heaviest I can do). Next is laying down barbell above the head press for 3-4 sets with slow, methodical presses for only 5-6 reps, alternating hands in and out. Next are cable press downs with the bar for 3-4 triple sets with one hand in and one hand out. Then I do reverse hands, alternating the weight. I finish up with the rope cable presses until failure with 3-4 sets and low weight. Stomach is next with decline bench with weight on my chest for 5-6 sets of 60 reps. Then 20 reps with two 25 pound weights, then 20 reps with only one then 20 reps with none (triple sets). Next is the seated stomach machine with both legs on each side for obliques.
Wednesday: Legs. Seated leg squat machine for 5-6 sets with heavy weight until I get to the heaviest weight with sets of 10 reps. Next is front squat machine for 5-6 sets of heavy weight. Then I do lunges with weighted bar until failure for 3 sets. Next is leg extensions for 5-6 sets with heavy weight. I then do leg curls with sets of 15 reps. I finish up with toe raises until failure with 6 sets with medium weight.
Thursday: Shoulders only. Dumbbell military press with heavy weight for 5-6 sets and 8-10 reps. I then do 3-4 sets of upright rows with the curl bar. Then I do triple sets of shoulder dumbbell raises which work the rear, middle and frontal deltoids and I do these to critical exhaustion (6-8 reps). I then do sitting machine military press for triple sets of heavy medium and light weight, back to back. I finish up with cable rows and cable deltoid work of 3-4 sets until failure.
Friday: Biceps only.
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
What are the top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend for losing fat around the stomach and developing a toned and defined midsection?
1. Again, the most important thing is diet. What you eat and when is critical. Make sure to eat lots of small meals.
2. Don’t starve yourself! Eat something healthy often and don’t wait to get hungry.
3. Stomach crunches not full sit ups. Don’t keep doing the same amount and the same routine. Change the reps and sets to shock the muscle for better gains.
4. Variety! Don’t just do crunches either since there are so many different ways to do crunches. You can do different ab exercises for different muscles of the AB region like the upper and lower abs.
5. My favorite for the obliques is the internal and external areas. Many people leave them, don’t like them or don’t think they are not important. The are critical and very important so hit them hard and often for the best results.
What are the top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend for toning the thighs, hips and butt?
1. Lunges for thighs are the best. Leg extensions are great also. Get with a trainer to find out all of the different types of lunges if you want an advanced routine.
2. Lunges for the hips as well are great. They work the thighs and hips very well.
3. For the butt, again lunges and squats are great.
4. There are many types of plyometrics you can also incorporate that are great for the thighs, hips and butt.
5. If you are just starting out, a great way to advance up to the lunges and squats is to get with an aerobic instructor who specializes in this area. They can help you increase strength and tone up.
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