Joe Ray Romine

Full name: Joe Ray Romine

Date of birth: September 4, 1982

Height: 5’9”

Off-season weight: 240-250

Contest weight: 215-220

Current residence: Pinckney, Michigan

Years training: 11

Occupation: Union plumber

Marital status: Married

Children: None—dog, Wyatt

Hobbies: Eating!

How did you get into bodybuilding? I’ve been interested in bodybuilding for as long as I can remember. I always wanted to compete but never really knew how to get involved with the sport until 2004, when I just jumped into a show and won the overall. Ever since, I’ve been addicted.

Who inspired you when you were starting out? Without a doubt, Flex Wheeler. His physique was the closest to perfection I had ever seen in a human body.

Top titles: ’04 Natural Mr. Michigan, heavyweight, 1st, and overall; ’07 NPC Michigan, light heavyweight, 1st, and overall; ’08 IFBB North American Championships, light heavyweight, 6th

Favorite bodypart to train: Legs

Favorite exercise: Squats

Least favorite exercise: One-arm dumbbell rows

Best bodypart: Legs or chest

Most challenging bodypart: Arms—and I find training them to be pretty boring.

Obstacles overcome: Mainly eating enough to grow. I have never had a big appetite.

Do you have a quote or a philosophy you try to live by? No, I really don’t, but I feel that if you work hard enough at something, you’ll be happy with the end result.

How do you stay motivated? Just trying to be the best at the sport that I can be, putting 100 percent into it every day.

How would you describe your training style? Very intense, with a lot of heavy weight.

Training split:

Monday: Chest and abs
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Shoulders, traps and abs
Thursday: Off
Friday: Biceps and triceps
Saturday: Quads and hams
Sunday: Off

Favorite clean meal: Peach tea oatmeal

Favorite cheat meal: Pizza (really original, huh?)

What is your favorite MuscleTech supplement, and why? When I’m dieting for a competition, nothing beats Hydroxycut Hardcore X for getting those deep cuts. In the off-season I love Mass-Tech. For a guy like me who isn’t an eating machine, it’s a lifesaver for helping me get in all the quality protein and calories I need to make gains.

Goals in the sport: To go as far as I can go. If it takes me to a pro card one day, that would be very cool. If not, then I’m cool with that as well because I know that I will have put 100 percent into the sport. There’s no dishonor in trying your best and falling short of your goals—only in not trying.

Daily diet: Precontest
Meal 1: 10 egg whites, 1 cup oats
Meal 2: 8 ounces 96/4 beef, 2 cups rice
Meal 3: 8 ounces chicken, 2 cups rice
Meal 4: Nitro-Tech shake, 1/2 cup oats
Meal 5: 8 ounces chicken, 2 cups rice
Meal 6: 8 ounces tilapia, 1/2 cup rice
Meal 7: 12 egg whites

Full Training Routine

Chest
Hammer Strength incline presses 4 x 10-12
Flat-bench presses 5 x 8-10
Incline dumbbell presses 4 x 10-12
Cable crossovers 4 x 10
Flat-bench flyes 4 x 15-20

Back
Pullups 3 x 25
Bent-over rows 5 x 8-12
T-bar rows 5 x 8-10
Lat pulldowns 4 x 10-12
Seated cable rows 4 x 10-12
Dumbbell rows 4 x 10

Shoulders
Hammer Strength shoulder presses 4 x 10
Front raises 4 x 12
Dumbbell lateral raises 4 x 12
Bent-over laterals 4 x 10
Dumbbell front raises 4 x 10
Standing military presses 3 x 10

Arms
Dumbbell curls 4 x 10
Hammer Strength curls 4 x 15
Barbell curls 4 x 10
Cable curls 4 x 20
Skull crushers 5 x 10-15
Cable pushdowns 4 x 8-15
Overhead dumbbell extensions 4 x 10

Legs
Leg extensions 4 x 20
Squats 6 x 6-12
Leg presses 4 x 12-15
Hack squats 4 x 6-12
Abductor and adductor machines 3 x 12
Lying leg curls 4 x 12
Standing leg curls 4 x 12
Dumbbell good mornings 4 x 12

IM