Chris250
MuscleChemistry Registered Member
One-on-One with PJ Braun
AZ: I remember a comment you said one of the judges told you last year. Basically, they said you looked like a professional from the font, but when you turned around, you lost it. Have you been working on this? And did that comment sting, or you just took it in stride?
PJB: No, it didn’t hurt me in the slightest. It’s something I knew going in.
I can see my hams and glutes are a weakness with my own eyes. Evan had said it to me before the show. There simply wasn’t enough there yet. So, I wasn’t upset at all.
I will say that it’s very frustrating, and I am sure everyone can relate in some way, when you train an area as hard and smart as you can, and it doesn’t respond the way you want it to.
This whole off-season I was sure to keep my weight in control, to not stretch the skin back there any more. I did lots of extra glute and hamstring work to really overly isolate the area.
Everyone will see the improvements in Atlanta!
AZ:I know you do contest prep for others. Can you, and do you, do your own prep? I’m asking because Shawn Ray always did his on his own, yet no one these days seems to think you can.
PJB: Yes, I did my own prep.
It’s funny you say that. Evan was just telling me how proud of me he was that I am mentally strong enough to do this on my own.
That means a lot coming from him. I believe in myself, and when you truly believe in yourself, you have no fear in doing this yourself!
Of course, I have great friends that are always here if I need them!
AZ:I think it was on facebook I saw that you “almost made it down to Heavies”, but could not go that low. So, you’re competing as a Super this year?
PJB: I will make Heavyweight! I am almost there!
I could have gotten on stage in the low 230's in the best condition of my life, but seeing the parity in the heavyweight class this year has driven me to push down one last time and take my crack at that title I so desperately want.
I feel if done properly, I can be 230 on stage in that class, looking like a monster!
AZ:You placed 12th at Nationals last year. What are your expectations for this year?
PJB: I want to win. Every time I compete, I want to win. I feel I have a great chance this year. Call me out first and see!
AZ: I know I and many others have enjoyed seeing the friendship between you, Evan, and Guy. How important is it to have friends in this industry. Meaning, friends who understand exactly what you do, how hard you work, and what you go through in a contest prep.
PJB: Well, to be honest, those guys were my buddies before any of us made it this far.
I actually trained Guy for the first show he won in the NPC! He and I go WAY back!
Evan is like my brother.
It’s good to have friends in the industry that understand what you’re going through, but I don’t judge friendships on whether or not we both bodybuild.
Most of my closest friends don’t compete.
AZ: To me, you have a somewhat dark- horse potential, because I haven’t seen any pictures of your problem areas from last year. I’ve seen you from the side. I can tell your glutes are shredded, but I haven’t seen you from the back to see the size or thickness of your back and glutes. Is this a calculated move on your part? And when will we see you from the back?
PJB: Yes, I decided I didn’t want to show anyone my improvements this year. I wanted to show up and surprise people.
I will tell you that I was overwhelmed by the amount of E-mails that I got from fans wanting to see pics, so I recently felt they deserved to have a sneak-peak. Their loyalty means so much to me!
The finished product is going to be entirely different than what I brought last year. To be honest, I was pretty pleased with myself last year, but this is a whole new PJ.
AZ: Anybody you would like to thank?
PJB: I would like to thank so many people that I don’t know if there is room!
Thanks to all the awesome people on the boards and facebook!
Also, thanks to all my great friends in the sport like my brother Evan, Guy, Nick, Flex Lewis, Kris, Jillian, Kat, Melissa, and, of course Nicole,
Thanks to my mom and step-dad who are amazing, my sponsor, you, Adina, for giving me this opportunity!
So many others!
AZ: I remember a comment you said one of the judges told you last year. Basically, they said you looked like a professional from the font, but when you turned around, you lost it. Have you been working on this? And did that comment sting, or you just took it in stride?
PJB: No, it didn’t hurt me in the slightest. It’s something I knew going in.
I can see my hams and glutes are a weakness with my own eyes. Evan had said it to me before the show. There simply wasn’t enough there yet. So, I wasn’t upset at all.
I will say that it’s very frustrating, and I am sure everyone can relate in some way, when you train an area as hard and smart as you can, and it doesn’t respond the way you want it to.
This whole off-season I was sure to keep my weight in control, to not stretch the skin back there any more. I did lots of extra glute and hamstring work to really overly isolate the area.
Everyone will see the improvements in Atlanta!
AZ:I know you do contest prep for others. Can you, and do you, do your own prep? I’m asking because Shawn Ray always did his on his own, yet no one these days seems to think you can.
PJB: Yes, I did my own prep.
It’s funny you say that. Evan was just telling me how proud of me he was that I am mentally strong enough to do this on my own.
That means a lot coming from him. I believe in myself, and when you truly believe in yourself, you have no fear in doing this yourself!
Of course, I have great friends that are always here if I need them!
AZ:I think it was on facebook I saw that you “almost made it down to Heavies”, but could not go that low. So, you’re competing as a Super this year?
PJB: I will make Heavyweight! I am almost there!
I could have gotten on stage in the low 230's in the best condition of my life, but seeing the parity in the heavyweight class this year has driven me to push down one last time and take my crack at that title I so desperately want.
I feel if done properly, I can be 230 on stage in that class, looking like a monster!
AZ:You placed 12th at Nationals last year. What are your expectations for this year?
PJB: I want to win. Every time I compete, I want to win. I feel I have a great chance this year. Call me out first and see!
AZ: I know I and many others have enjoyed seeing the friendship between you, Evan, and Guy. How important is it to have friends in this industry. Meaning, friends who understand exactly what you do, how hard you work, and what you go through in a contest prep.
PJB: Well, to be honest, those guys were my buddies before any of us made it this far.
I actually trained Guy for the first show he won in the NPC! He and I go WAY back!
Evan is like my brother.
It’s good to have friends in the industry that understand what you’re going through, but I don’t judge friendships on whether or not we both bodybuild.
Most of my closest friends don’t compete.
AZ: To me, you have a somewhat dark- horse potential, because I haven’t seen any pictures of your problem areas from last year. I’ve seen you from the side. I can tell your glutes are shredded, but I haven’t seen you from the back to see the size or thickness of your back and glutes. Is this a calculated move on your part? And when will we see you from the back?
PJB: Yes, I decided I didn’t want to show anyone my improvements this year. I wanted to show up and surprise people.
I will tell you that I was overwhelmed by the amount of E-mails that I got from fans wanting to see pics, so I recently felt they deserved to have a sneak-peak. Their loyalty means so much to me!
The finished product is going to be entirely different than what I brought last year. To be honest, I was pretty pleased with myself last year, but this is a whole new PJ.
AZ: Anybody you would like to thank?
PJB: I would like to thank so many people that I don’t know if there is room!
Thanks to all the awesome people on the boards and facebook!
Also, thanks to all my great friends in the sport like my brother Evan, Guy, Nick, Flex Lewis, Kris, Jillian, Kat, Melissa, and, of course Nicole,
Thanks to my mom and step-dad who are amazing, my sponsor, you, Adina, for giving me this opportunity!
So many others!
