INTERVIEW

Collegian & Fitness Model Newcomer SCOTT CHAIN Muscles In On the Action

My friends, prepare yourselves for change. Unlike the 'typical' fitness interview, wherein reps and curls and other such gym minutiae are discussed in detail, this profile of newcomer Scott Chain emphasizes pure personality.

The reason for such a unique approach is simple: ever since I began with Men's Workout, I've looked forward to discovering a fitness model and featuring him in an exclusive interview. A few opportunities presented themselves here and there (some mighty intriguing), but circumstances always prevented me from moving forward, despite arrangements made and anticipated. With Scott, all my angst is now history, and our meet-up made it worthwhile.

Mr. Chain finds himself amongst excellent company, a brotherhood of muscle that includes Nick Soto, Greg Plitt, Rico Elbaz and Jim Romagna, to name but a few. Obviously, if a model graces the pages of Men's Workout, he has what it "takes, but connections sometimes play an integral role. Maybe an athlete's agency-sponsored or recommended by famous photographers like Ardenti, Oehmen and Reiff. Scott and I found one another via photographer John Mitchell, who forwarded me sample pix and asked, "Is he Men's Workout material, Rod?"

One glance at Scott's exuberant smile and rugged physique answered that question. At 21, he's bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and champing at the bit. Will waves be made? Will the earth move? If I were a betting man, I'd wager a resounding yes. Give it up, guys—Scott Chain is in the house!

Ah, at last, everything is right with the world. I've discovered a Men's Workout fitness model: Mr. Scott Chain. Cue the applause machine!

SCOTT: Dude, I am flattered, seriously. When John Mitchell told me he was sending my pix your way, I thought, who the heck would want to write about me? I haven't been on the cover of a magazine, I don't have a website. And I can't believe you flew all the way out to Indiana for this!

Yep, I clock a lot of frequent flyer miles, but I consider it experience well earned. Each stop has given me the golden opportunity to meet and greet, interview great guys, and exercise like a freakin' demon!

SCOTT: I just got done at the gym. Feel like a stroll?

That I do. Mind if we go bareback, chief? Gotta work on my tan, ya know!

SCOTT: Gym, tan and laundry all day. Let's do it, bro!

What, are we on the Jersey Shore?

SCOTT: Ha ha! Jersey, Indiana-style!

What does a young dude like you do for fun up here, besides watch corn grow?

SCOTT: You're lookin' at it!

Walking shirtless?

SCOTT: Actually, I'll let you in on a little secret: I'm not the type who strips down in public. People automatically think you're cocky, and I don't want to be judged by my outside.

That was yesterday, bro. You're a genuine fitness model, now. Goodbye, shirt, hello, skin!

SCOTT: You've convinced me (whips off tank tap). Heh!

Now, we're cooking. Who cares about critics? Most everyday folks aren't in shape. The built ones are unusual. They're muscle gods!

SCOTT: Yeah! Too bad it isn't summer yet. We could hit the waves at Lake Michigan.

Wait a few months, and I'll go with you. Up for a beach strut?

SCOTT: We're there, bro. Two jacked guys catchin' rays! Chicks, watch out!

Part of the interview process is going back to your childhood and where all this madness began. Since you're a brand new model, the world is dyin' to hear your story. Unleash!

SCOTT: Gladly. I was born in Marion, Indiana, what I consider my hometown. At the end of my 8th grade year, we moved to Converse, Indiana.

Did you adapt well to your new surroundings?

SCOTT: For me, the worst part was leaving my old friends. That sucked, big-time. It's no fun being the new kid, especially when you're small and just starting out in high school. Here's something funny—other guys picked on me as a freshman because of my size.

But weren't you an athlete?

SCOTT: I played frosh football.

That was your introduction to the gym?

SCOTT: We had to lift for strength and endurance. I liked it! Sophomore year, I joined the wrestling team and kicked up my training, hardcore.

What was your weight class?

SCOTT: I wrestled varsity, at 171, but I weighed closer to 153.

And ripped to shreds, I'll bet.

SCOTT: Hell, yeah, man! I was also stronger than everyone. Speed and strength were my best skills. You need those on the mat, and good technique comes in handy, too.

While you were wrestling, you were still exploring the wild world of reps and curls?

SCOTT: Not only exploring, but going forward and notching gains. My gym-time was and is very important to me. I find it much more challenging than team sports. And I've never had anyone help me, either. My best teachers were magazines, research and trial and error. Part of it was instinctual—but I definitely could've used the expertise of a trainer or a mentor.

And the diet fell into step? Even with wrestling and its associated dietary demands?

SCOTT: At the beginning, I was super skinny. By eating healthier and taking supplements, my body responded like crazy, and I gained solid muscle mass. Protein shakes also helped. I drank those three times a day, pre-workout. Wrestling was never a problem. If anything, it motivated me to work out consistently and with precision.

There are thousands of people who start weight-training programs, only to stop before anything real happens. You've stuck with it. That spells dogged determination in my book.

SCOTT: Bro, you're lookin' at determination! The gym is an addiction. It's like, I can't stop, I just gotta keep going and going. Finding new ways of developing muscle is exciting. Really, I'm learning with every passing hour. Call me enthusiastic!

Were you tagged as a gym rat in high school?

SCOTT: Not like now. Noteworthy changes didn't start happening until after graduation. I suddenly had 24/7 to work out and took full advantage!

College doesn't cramp your style?

SCOTT: Not at all. One of the things I've learned is to find balance. Work, gym and college are all I do!

And laundry. You forgot that part.

SCOTT: I do manage to squeeze that in, along with tanning!

The best plans sometimes go awry. Nothing's perfect. Then, what?

SCOTT: My schedule is tight, with not much time for relaxation, but I never shirk responsibilities. Going to the gym is a given. So is school. Should something get screwed up, I never freak. It's just not in my personality. Instead, I smile and go with the flow.

What's your training program like?

SCOTT: I never miss a day. Mondays, I do chest and triceps; Tuesdays, biceps and forearms; Wednesdays, traps and shoulders; Thursdays, just back, and Fridays I do legs.

You were doing the bodybuilding thing but without any intent to compete?

SCOTT: I'm not big enough to be a competitive bodybuilder. I train for myself, not competition. It's a personal endeavor. Plus, I prefer being clean and chemical-free.

Even with that, people think you're on the juice, don't they?

SCOTT: It's an old subject! I've been asked flat-out if I'm on steroids, and the answer's a resounding no. I lift for health, longevity and looks. No way do I want to screw up my life with drugs. I want to live forever, so if anyone knows how to do that, please let me know!

Your abs are insane. How often do you work those?

SCOTT: Every day, my bro, every frickin' day! I love workin' abs. Monday through Sunday. Saturday and Sunday are also my cardio days, when I run or do stairs or elliptical, treadmill, and jump rope.

Are you still the architect of your program?

SCOTT: Totally, and I know I'm moving forward. People comment on it all the time. Encouragement from others spikes my insulin level, and then I attack the weights like a pit bull!

Stay back, dog! I've got a whip!

SCOTT: Ha! A whip can't stop me!

I'll agree there. You're one put-together dude. Dang, you put me to shame!

SCOTT: Dude! That's not true. Flex those pythons, bro! See, bigger than mine!

I feel like such a wimp.

SCOTT: Day-um! No wonder they have you doing these interviews.

Though I do love the subject matter, enough about me! Here's what I want to know: how does a young guy from the wilds of Indiana find himself in a famous fitness publication?

SCOTT: After working out for five years I hooked up with a lady photographer in Marion. She wanted to try a fitness shoot and had heard about me through word of mouth.

Were you happy with the shots she took of you?

SCOTT: Ecstatic describes the feeling best. Looking at them was weird. I never thought of being a fitness guy.

And it was mere word of mouth that brought you two together? Talk about serendipity.

SCOTT: Just word of mouth. She was toying with the idea of a fitness shoot, and someone told her, I know this guy, he's the best looking one around here, and he'd be perfect for it. Her specialty is senior pictures, and ours was the first fitness-oriented session she'd ever done.

Lucky you decided to go for it. Otherwise, we wouldn't be kickin' back in Indiana and prepping for your big debut!

SCOTT: Truly, it's been like a dream, a weird Twilight Zone kind of thing. I posted some of the photos on my Facebook page, John Mitchell saw them and contacted me. 'I'm a professional photographer,' he said. 'Would you like to shoot for a magazine?' His message came out of left field, and I was apprehensive. Then, John contacted one of my buddies and convinced him to do it. Ok, I thought, we'll go together. Dude, you gotta remember, I didn't know what the heck to do or how to do it!

Any expectations from that one collaboration?

SCOTT: Nope, none at all. I doubted any magazine would be interested in an amateur. Instead, I had fun, and that pretty much shows in my face. The smile is genuine.

Were you surprised at how much a professional modeling session entailed?

SCOTT: Was I! John wanted me to flex this part and flex that, and I had to be smiling all the way. He'd snap five to 10 shots of the same pose! Phew! What a workout!

That's about the time John contacted me. We've teamed up for Men's Workout a few times already.

SCOTT: Rod, I was thrilled when I heard about you. I jumped up, threw my hands in the air, and yelled, yes! Like in the movies. I kinda wanted to run around the block or go streaking through town—something nuts!

The last thing you need is an arrest for indecent exposure. Keep your shorts on!

SCOTT: I'll try, but it's damned tempting. Wait till the beach. Ha!

You wanna know what sold me? Your face and that incredible smile. Muscles are great, but a handsome face will open doors.

SCOTT: Thank mom and dad for good genetics!

We're not the first mag to get a chance to feature you, though. Boo-hoo!

SCOTT: Wait, this is the first one sold on the newsstands. John submitted a few of my pix to World Physique magazine, an e-publication. He also sent me an interview through e-mail. That came out a few months ago, and while I appreciated the exposure, it can't compare to this wonderful opportunity with Men's Workout. I'm on cloud nine already. Thank you for the honor.

Nah, it's all you, bro. I'm only a facilitator.

SCOTT: I dig the way you facilitate!

What was your initial goal, way back when? You weren't thinking about the fitness industry, I'm certain of that. What was your original motivation?

SCOTT: I didn't enjoy being skinny. My goal in the beginning to was to look like the big guys in the bodybuilding mags. Huge and monstrous!

Juggling everything, from college to lifting to an active social life, has to be a tad stressful.

SCOTT: Stressful? Nah, never. I've worked three to four jobs at a time. Right now, I'm working two different jobs! In the summer, I usually pick up another one. I've worked 24/7—at Radio Shack, construction, a shoe store, supermarkets, hot dog stands, whatever. You do what has to be done to keep on keepin' on.

And school?

SCOTT: I somehow manage to squeeze that in! My major is exercise psychology, the purpose behind exercising.

There must be days when you wonder if you're fighting a losing battle.

SCOTT: For me, it's all about motivating the mind, soul and heart. If you strive for something, you'll eventually accomplish it. I like the down days best; they give me time for reflection, and I can regroup. Above all, you gotta stay positive!

Does the family embrace your fitness modeling aspirations?

SCOTT: The concept is foreign to them. My younger brother is the interested one. He asks me all the time for advice on lifting, and I help him out the best I can.

He a big guy, too?

SCOTT: I can see it in him, yeah. He works out and wrestles, he plays baseball, football, all that. The kid could get into it one day, but not before his big brother!

Will the magazine thing redirect your life? Change it in a fundamental way?

SCOTT: Since I've never had anything like this happen to me, I'm clueless. If I hope for something concrete to come from it, I might be disappointed.

The wheels of destiny are in motion, Scott. Nothing can stop them from their designated course.

SCOTT: I just hope they don't run over me!

Have no fear. The mag's on sale for two months, and hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people will see you.

SCOTT: Yikes! Too much for my poor brain to handle! I'll leave everything to you, Rod. Treat me right, okay?

No sweat. You're in good hands.

SCOTT: Lead me toward the light!

You strike me as a happy-go-lucky cat. Anything pull you down?

SCOTT: It's very, very hard to get me down. I'm a positive person, even when life doesn't cooperate. I know that sounds bogus, but ask anyone who knows me, and they'll tell you the same.

Jeez. Can I borrow a cup of that enthusiasm? I wanna sprinkle it on my corn flakes.

SCOTT: Bro, take all you want! Sprinkle it everywhere! Wake up in the morning with worries and self-doubt, and you're already defeated. I wake up and wonder what's ahead. Will it be a blast? A challenge?

I guess today's one of those days!

SCOTT: It's the best day! I didn't plan for any of this, Rod, it's fallen into my lap. If I hadn't responded to John's e-mail, I wouldn't be interviewed for a magazine, and I wouldn't have met a cool bro like you.

Just wait—the interview's gonna knock your socks off.

SCOTT: Let's make it happen. Yeah! For my final question, where do you see yourself in five years?

SCOTT: In five years' time, I'd like both my bachelor's degree and a sweet job in the fitness industry. Becoming a psychologist is plan B. Everyone asks me why I'm going to college for that, and I say, look, you can't have just one plan in life and expect it to work. You need something to fall back on.

Good attitude.

SCOTT: Attitude's my middle name. Sky's the limit, Rod! I'm flyin', and you're comin' with me! ?



Contact Scott at: scottchainscott@yahoo.com