Fit Team Member Spotlight: Brock Braden, BIONIC BROCK

Brock did his time in the music scene but found a home in the supplement industry. He’s the guy in customer service who helps you in the rare occurrence that something goes wrong. If you’ve dealt with him, you know that he’s committed to making it right!

This young bodybuilder is aiming for the stage now that his days of chugging brownie batter are over. Check out his program and his nutrition plan and you’ll see how he’s packed on so much muscle!

Q Tell us about your job.

When orders get returned, I make sure the customer receives an exchange, refund, or in-store credit. Then I email the customer to let them know the status of the return.

This helps the company by providing a pleasant customer experience. I also assist the customer service representatives in fielding customer inquiries.

It’s all about customer satisfaction and retention for me—making sure people get what they want. The site states that if you don’t like your results, we’ll send you another product. If it’s unopened, you have six months to return it.

The support team is amazing here. We’re all similar but bring our own flavor to the mix. I absolutely love my team and my position with this company!

What did you do before working here?

“The support team is amazing here. We’re all similar but bring our own flavor to the mix.”

I went to Los Angeles and worked as an audio engineer. I got an internship at Interscope Records and a job at Suretone Records as an executive assistant. I quickly realized I wasn’t organized enough to be an executive assistant to a producer. This guy was traveling all over the world, from Germany to Barcelona.

Our working relationship was like something from “The Devil Wears Prada.” I brought him a coffee one time and the straw didn’t fit well, so it got kinked. He yelled, “You got me the wrong straw!” and threw the coffee across the room.

I got to meet some cool people, like Cisco and Shwayze at their home studio. I met Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit, 50 Cent, Akon, The Game, and The Pussycat Dolls. I got to meet Jimmy Iovine’s business partner at Interscope Records, Thom Panunzio. They grew up in Brooklyn and moved to the west coast at age 16. Tom was a sound engineer and Jimmy was kind of the brains of the business. They built an empire at Interscope. I had a four-hour car ride with him to Huntington Beach. He had some great stories.

I also worked at Gold’s Gym Venice Beach at the front desk for about six months. I got to meet Jay Cutler down there and became friends with Lou Ferrigno’s son Brent. I also trained there with IFBB pro Will Harris.

What made you decide to start pushing it in the gym?

I started working out from when I was around 16 years of age. My brother started then, and I started doing what he was doing. I just never really understood what I was doing until I started working here. Then Shay Massey helped me a lot. She taught me how to eat properly. That was something I was drastically lacking.

I would eat straight brownie batter with a spoon, just pounding it. I’d eat Eggo waffles for dinner and mix in Red Baron pizzas. I wasn’t eating right, but I was still lean, like 8-10 percent body fat. I was just lucky with my genetics. But she helped me dial that in, and three years later I’d gained 40 pounds.

“I just never really understood what I was doing until I started working here.”

What have supplements done to help you achieve that kind of transformation?

My endurance during workouts has improved thanks to Vitargo and creatine. My strength has increased with creatine. My recovery is shorter due to amino acids and glutamine.

Supplements have been a game-changer for sure, and the ready access we have at Bodybuilding.com has been helpful.

Early on I was focused on a lot of gainer shakes because I wasn’t a big eater or a clean eater. I couldn’t eat 24 ounces of clean protein every day. Russian Bear 5000 was my go-to, believe it or not. It worked really well if you just did one scoop.

Brock’s 1,000-calorie Power Gainer Shake

2 tbsp natural PB
1/2 cup steel-cut oats
2 scoops Arnold Mass
1 scoop Dymatize Elite casein

Put the oats in a blender and blend to a powder.
Mix all ingredients into a shaker cup, shake, and drink!

Brock’s 1,000-calorie Power Gainer Shake PDF (222 KB)

You recently competed at the Emerald Cup. What did that experience do for you?

It was an excellent experience that definitely helped me to realize I wanted to focus on bodybuilding versus physique competition. So in that respect, it has made my drive and focus stronger.

That made me a stronger athlete. I really like the ego boost of lifting heavy, but aesthetics win bodybuilding competitions, not your max bench, squat, or deadlift.

What types of activities do you enjoy outside of work, outside the weight room?

I’m a boring person. I like Netflix and hanging out with my family—and more specifically my 1 1/2-year-old niece Harper. She’s the light of my life!

What is your favorite feature on Bodybuilding.com?

The BodySpace workout tracker! I used it consistently until I crushed my phone with a dumbbell. I now have an outdated phone so I’m not able to use the workout tracker. I honestly feel as though my progress is slowing because of it.

Brock Braden Bench PR 385 for 2 reps
Watch The Video – 00:29

Workout Regimen

Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip
30 warm-up reps, 5 working sets of 5 reps (triple dropset on 5th set)
Cable Crossover (Low to high)
5 sets of 20 reps
Decline Barbell Bench Press
5 sets of 5 reps
Dips – Chest Version
5 sets of 15 reps
Leverage Incline Chest Press
5 sets of 10 reps with triple drop on fifth set
Pushups (Wide Hand Positions)
5 sets of 15 reps