Regan Grimes: His Time Is NOW!





Interview by Ron Harris



For nearly two decades now, since Dorian Yates ushered in the era of “mass monsters,” bodybuilding fans have been divided into two camps: those who prefer to see athletes with outrageous amounts of sheer size, i.e., the freaks; and those who favor aesthetics; bodybuilders with beautiful shape and symmetry. Many feel that the Classic Physique category was created to satiate the latter camp. But what about those rare athletes in open pro bodybuilding who possess both qualities? 28-year-old Regan Grimes is just such a man. Until recently, he needed more overall mass and lacked the “wow factor” to compare with the bigger men in open, but that’s changing rapidly. After teaming up with coach Milos Sarcev immediately following the 2021 Mr. Olympia, Regan returned to the stage just two weeks later in Reno, Nevada with a significantly rounder, fuller look than we’d ever seen from him before and placed second. Over the next couple of weeks, he brought that look to Egypt for a win and to Prague for a third-place finish, and it was clear that Grimes was finally making good on the predictions many had made of his future greatness when he first landed on the pro scene five years ago. Recently he relocated to Las Vegas, where I caught up with him to talk about his rising stock in the IFBB Pro League.





When did you start thinking about moving from your native Canada to the USA? And what made you ultimately choose Las Vegas as the best place for you to live?





Right after the 2021 Olympia in Orlando, I got set up and connected with Milos. A day later, I flew out to Las Vegas to stay with my manager, Matt. I trained with Milos every day leading into the Legion Sports Fest show in Reno. I got a good taste of the Las Vegas fitness community and lifestyle in those two weeks. I already knew Matt, Milos was here, and I have a few friends in Las Vegas too. There are tons of gym and so many things to do. Las Vegas is just a really cool place, and the perfect environment for a bodybuilder.








Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler has been in Las Vegas for many years now. Have you gotten any good advice from him?





Yes. He’s super close with Matt, and we’ve gone down to his office a couple of times. We did his podcast a few weeks ago and that was a really good time. He comes by the gym all the time to check my posing and gives me tips and advice on all kinds of things. It’s really cool that he takes the time to do that because I know how busy he is. Jay is just a great guy who sincerely enjoys giving back to the next generation.





Speaking of gyms, do you still own your gym up in Ontario, FlexPlex Muscle and Fitness?





I had it for five years in the original location. That was the term of the lease. Two years ago I moved it to a new location and made it into more of a semi-private facility with a very limited membership. I just named it Regan Grimes Gym. It started off as my own private place to train, then I opened it up to a limited amount of members. It’s still operating with a few private trainers and a membership that’s at capacity. It kind of runs itself at this point. When I go home I train there.





What are the biggest differences between Las Vegas and Ontario?





The most obvious difference would be the weather. It’s hot and sunny here all the time, which is really nice when you’re coming from a place where it’s cold and overcast half the year. It’s also a 24-hour city. Since I moved here, I’ve been in prep. You won’t catch me going out at 3:00 a.m. for food or hanging out at a club. But once I am back into off-season mode, I might start exploring the city a bit more. It will be cool to be in a place where things stay open all night and there are always tons of people out and about.









You turned pro at 22 in 2016, which is incredibly young compared to the average bodybuilder. Is it odd that you’re still in your 20s and could already be considered a veteran of the pro stage, having been up there 15 times and with three wins?





I have done a lot of shows. I just love to compete, and every year I’ve gotten up there at least a couple of times. Now I just need to make the improvements to continue moving up the ranks. This year I am bringing a larger physique to the stage than ever before with the same condition I had in Reno, which so far is what I consider my best look. Hopefully I can make a big splash this year.





We all marveled at the transformation you made from the 2021 Mr. Olympia to the Legion Sports Fest show just two weeks later. You looked so much fuller. What was the actual weight difference?





At the Olympia I was just under 250, like 247 or 248. I stepped on a scale backstage at the Legion Sports show and I was 255. The crazy thing is that people assumed I had been carbing-up every day since the Olympia. We pushed down for those two weeks. There were only two “carb days” and the rest were zero carbs. We were pushing hard for conditioning. Then we filled out for the last two to three days. It was an excellent peaking process and the first time I had ever worked with Milos.





How did you start working with Milos Sarcev?





I had made a list of a few different coaches I was considering working with, and he just fit the criteria I was looking for. He’s done a lot of shows himself and he has tons of experience with so many competitors. Milos is also super passionate about the sport and his clients. You can tell he genuinely cares about them as people as well as wanting them to win. After I reached out to him, we sat down at the host hotel at the Olympia for what I thought would be a 30-40 minute talk that ended up being more like three to four hours. He had me posing right away and I was like OK, let’s do this. We’ve worked really well together ever since.








What were the biggest changes he made to your nutrition?





The biggest difference has been the protein intake. I worked with Chris Aceto earlier in my career. He’s super high-protein, low carbs and low fat unless you’re having something like salmon or beef once a day. I also worked with Dorian Hamilton. He was more moderate with his protein intake for me. Chris had me eating 12-14 ounces of meat per meal, six times a day. Dorian had me eating 6 ounces most of the time; sometimes it would be 8 ounces. Milos has me doing 12 ounces flat, every meal. We keep it pretty high so I get 300 grams of protein every day.





We have all seen the brutal workouts Milos puts you through. Did your previous coaches have much input with your training? How much of a difference does it make to have a coach like Milos who not only oversees your training, but actually personally puts you through the workouts?





It’s a pretty awesome opportunity for me. Not everyone gets that type of push from their coach. But Milos is super dedicated to his clients. He really wants me to win. He meets me at the gym six days a week to train me. Every single workout is 100 percent, squeezing every last bit of energy out. We leave it all on the gym floor, for sure. It definitely makes a huge difference. There’s no room for any bad workouts or slacking in any sense. It’s been really good.





How different is the way you train with Milos from what you had been doing before?





Most people know Milos is famous for his giant sets. Usually we incorporate one in every workout, sometimes two. It produces such an extreme pump because you’re doing upwards of 100-200 reps per set. That really drains the tank and also stretches out the muscle fascia when you’re squeezing and squeezing. Milos calls it “super squeeze.” I would describe the training style as high-intensity, high volume, and it’s heavy. It’s all of the above. It’s not like we’re going super heavy with low volume, or light with higher volume only. It’s all mixed into one workout and so far the results have been amazing.








You have excellent shape and a big frame, which is why a lot of people had been wanting to see you add a little more mass for a while now. It seems as if you have made the first significant gains in a while over the last few months. Is it just an illusion because you were fuller, or have you actually added new lean muscle tissue?





I competed in the 260s in the early 2022 shows, which was up a good 5-6 pounds from the fall 2021 shows and more than 10 pounds up from that Olympia before them. I’m happy with that because we did Legion, Egypt and Prague and then only had about a six-week break before I started prep again for the Arnold Classic and Boston Pro shows. With more time after those to be able to eat more and grow, I am very excited about the improvements I can still make this year.





In 2018 you dropped down to 222 pounds to try Classic Physique and did well. You won the New York Pro and placed eighth at the Olympia. Do you follow Classic? Who are your favorite athletes in that division?





I’ve gotten to know Logan Franklin pretty well. He works with Milos and he’s been out here to Las Vegas. I’m a big fan of both his physique and his posing abilities. He’s one of the best, and he helped me with some of my own posing. I’d love to see him get up into the top five, or better yet, top three, at this year’s Olympia. It’s an exciting category. I love the look, and there are some excellent new guys coming up. It’s fun to watch and follow along.





I’m surprised you didn’t mention your follow athlete from Ontario, Chris Bumstead?





Chris is fantastic. I see him winning the Olympia for at least another two years.





You were only in the Classic Physique for about six months in 2018, but you were successful because you had the qualities Classic is looking for. Do you feel that your physique now could be considered a “Classic” open physique? You have the same structure and shape as when you won the New York Pro, but now with 30 or more pounds.





I feel like I am sort of a hybrid, right in the middle. We’re tipping the scales now where I’m heading more toward the “bodybuilder” look. I definitely see a lot more muscle maturity and density since I started working with Milos last October. If we’ve been able to do that in just a few months, I’m very excited to see what we can do in a year or two. I still want to keep my classic lines and my small waist, the big shoulders and flaring quads. I want to keep that look as I gradually add size. Milos would never let me lose those things anyway.








Honestly, in the earlier part of your career you were rarely in the conversation when it came to the bigger contests, but that has changed now that you are filling out your frame and coming closer to your ultimate potential. Did you always believe you could be one of the best in the sport, or has your confidence increased over these last few months as your physique has grown and improved?





I always believed in myself, but those three shows I did after the Olympia did help boost my confidence. The fuller look combined with the crazy conditioning is something I’ve been wanting for a long time. It was really the peaking process that was different. Many times I would look great at a week out but just couldn’t nail it on show day. Being bursting full and dry and having Milos’ knowledge on my side. I feel really good about 2022.





What are your ultimate goals in the sport?





The ultimate goal is to win the Mr. Olympia. That’s what I am currently chasing. I know we have Big Ramy as the champion right now, a total mass monster. Then you have Brandon right behind him, who is not as large but far more aesthetic. It’s going to be interesting to see how the judging criteria either remains the same or changes. Either way, I am going to keep working hard to make sure I bring the best possible version of my physique to that stage this year.





A Future Mr. Olympia? Coach Milos Sarcev Speaks





“I’ve been a huge fan of Regan since the first time I saw him compete in 2017. As everyone knows, I’m very much a proponent of shape and aesthetics. For me, Regan epitomized both. All he needed in my estimation was more size and specific improvements such as a thicker chest, bigger biceps and more legs. When I projected what he would look like with those improvements, I felt he would have the potential to become Mr. Olympia. Some might say that’s a real stretch, because the Olympia is still a size game and you need the type of freaky mass of a Big Ramy, Hadi Choopan or Nick Walker to be a true contender for that title. But don’t forget, there have been eras in the history of the Mr. Olympia when size wasn’t the dominant criteria. Frank Zane was the ideal from 1977 to 1979 at 185 pounds with perfect shape, symmetry and condition. Lee Labrada almost dethroned Lee Haney a couple of times, and we all saw the late Shawn Rhoden beat the larger Phil Heath in 2018. At the 2021 Mr. Olympia, Regan lacked the size to win. We started working together immediately after the show, and in just two weeks Regan brought a completely different look to the Legion Sports Fest, so much fuller and rounder than we’d seen him. Now that Regan is living in Las Vegas, I’m able to train him every day and he is responding incredibly well. He’s a genetic wonder who is hardworking and humble, and by the time we get to the 2022 Mr. Olympia I am confident he will bring a look that can stand next to any man on that stage.”


Instagram @regangrimes


YouTube: Regan Grimes


Complete Contest History





2012 UFE Championships


Winner, Fitness Model, Men’s Middleweight; Second, Junior Men





2014 CBBF Luchka O’Brien Mississauga Classic


Junior Winner, Men’s Heavyweight and Overall





2014 CBBF Ontario Provincials


Second, Junior Heavyweight; Second Men’s Heavyweight





2015 CBBF Canadian Championships


Second, Junior Men; Sixth, Men’s Heavyweight





2016 IFBB Arnold Amateur (Ohio)


Second, Super Heavyweight





2016 IFBB Arnold Amateur Brasil


Super Heavyweight and Overall





2017 IFBB Chicago Pro


Fifth Place





2017 IFBB Vancouver Pro


Second Place





2017 IFBB Tampa Pro


Sixth Place





2018 IFBB New York Pro


Winner, Classic Physique





2018 IFBB Classic Physique Olympia


Eighth Place





2019 IFBB Japan Pro


Third Place





2019 IFBB Romania Muscle Fest


Third Place





2020 IFBB Europa Pro


Fourth Place





2020 Romania Muscle Fest


Winner





2020 Mr. Olympia


15th Place





2020 British Grand Prix


Second Place





2021 Mr. Olympia


15th Place





2021 Legion Sports Fest


Second Place





2021 KO Squad Pro, Egypt


Winner





2021 Prague Pro


Third Place





Ron Harris got his start in the bodybuilding industry during the eight years he worked in Los Angeles as Associate Producer for ESPN’s “American Muscle Magazine” show in the 1990s. Since 1992 he has published nearly 5,000 articles in bodybuilding and fitness magazines, making him the most prolific bodybuilding writer ever. Ron has been training since the age of 14 and competing as a bodybuilder since 1989. He lives with his wife and two children in the Boston area. Facebook Instagram









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