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The cult of the pumped-up male body has given birth to many great athletes. Today, to stand out among your peers, it is no longer enough just to have a mountain of muscles. When bodybuilding is not an end in itself, but just something you like to do. Branch Warren is one of those who lives just this way.
Childhood and youth: it all started with a magazine...
William Warren is from Texas. His middle name, “Branch,” was given to him by his father, a famous football player, who called him in childhood (“branch” - “child”, “son”). He had the desire to be first from an early age. At first, young William, like his father, was interested in American football.
But as a teenager, he came across a magazine featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Platz. Since then, the priorities of the future bodybuilder have changed. True, football is still one of his sports preferences.
At age 17, Warren won the Mr. America Teen title. This was preceded by regular exercise in the gym. True, Branch did not have money to visit him, and he “cooperated” with a friend who had a subscription. The friend officially came into the hall, and then let Warren in from the back door. There the boy was noticed by Ronnie Coleman's partner, and then brought to Metroflex, the legendary training hall. Its owner was Brian Dobson.
A year after Mr. America, Warren won the National Teen Championship. And then he plunged headlong into his studies for 6 years and received a higher education. He returned to the sport in 1999. Next came participation in championships among juniors, then adults, and in 2001, the first professional victory in the “Night of Champions” tournament.
Branch finished eighth, but this paved the way for him into professional sports.
Looking ahead, we note that he had another break in his career - from 2007, when he took first place in the New York Pro, until 2009. Most likely, this was due to a triceps injury. But already in 2009, Warren received second place at the Mr. Olympia competition.
“Happiness should be real, love should be eternal, and the barbell should be heavy!” Branch Warren
Branch Warren Performance History
| Tournament | Category | the date of the | Country and city | Place |
| Arnold Classic 2016 | Open category bodybuilding | 2016 | Columbus | 5 |
| Levron Pro Classic 2016 | Open category bodybuilding | 2016 | Gdansk, Poland |
Image of a man
For several years in a row, Warren was recognized as the most muscular of bodybuilders. He really differs from his “colleagues” in his downright sculptural physique. True, it looks more like a dream sculpture that was carved out of granite using a hammer and chisel. But for one of the most famous and powerful bodybuilders on the planet, muscles are not a way to once again show off in front of the public and not even a business.
Branch just has his own ideas about what a man should look like. He hunts a boar with a knife in his hands. In addition, meat comes to his table as a result of buffalo hunting. This is the image of a wild and brutal man, who at the same time remains a gentle and loving husband, a caring father.
runaway Bride
On the one hand, Warren does not like to advertise his personal life, but he is always happy to talk about his wife. He met Trish at the gym the year he returned to sports after studying at university. You can say, “I came, I saw, I fell in love . I proposed to my future wife right away, and she... ran away in fright. They got married in 2005, seven years later a daughter was born.
The spouses not only have common sporting interests, but also business interests.
Trish has proven to have excellent business acumen, which is why the family-owned and operated transportation logistics company is thriving, shipping cargo all over the world. Just like the production company making films about Branch. In addition to his wife, the athlete is also assisted in his business by his mother, whom he always speaks of with great respect and is very grateful for everything she taught him in life.
Personal life
We have already written that Branch is a very modest person. And everything that concerns personal life is hidden under a veil of uncertainty. Despite this, he talks about his wife with pleasure. In 1999, he met his future wife under the name Trish. She was his colleague, and they met in the gym.
Branch fell in love at first sight and literally immediately proposed his hand and heart to her. Trish was taken aback by his proposal, turned around and ran to the locker room. But apparently Branch did not give up and in 2005 they got married. They spent their honeymoon in Australia. Branch really likes Australia; he states that this is the only place where he could live other than Texas.
The married couple is different from other bodybuilding stars. They are not only devoted to the sport, but also care about their future. With the money they won at the 2006 Arnold Classic, they opened their own logistics company. Despite the fact that the business is not easy, they manage it very confidently.
For some time, Branch was the owner of a modern sports club. But a little later they sold it, as work in the hall began to take up a lot of time. Instead of the hall, a production company has set up shop that makes films about Branch. This activity also brings considerable profit, with minimal labor costs.
Branch has great respect for his parents. He has great respect for his mother, who taught him a lot: “I am grateful to my mother, who taught me a lot. I began to understand a lot of her advice only now.” His mother is already old, but, nevertheless, continues to help Branch in all his affairs.
Branch also has good friends. He considers professional bodybuilder Johnny Jackson to be his best friend.
Branch loves hunting. He constantly hunts big game - boars, wild bison. Moreover, he sometimes goes after wild boars with only one knife. And this is a very, very dangerous activity. But apparently good skills and superhuman strength help him cope with wild animals. And then Branch showed business savvy - he opened hunting tours in Texas. This is right, a real man should have a lot to do.
Warren currently lives in Keller, Texas. The champion is married (to a bodybuilder), he and his wife are the owners of a cargo company that transports around the world. Branch also has his own gym in Texas. The athlete communicates well with Brian Dobson, owner of Metro Flex gym. Warren has also been the organizer of The Branch Warren Classic competition (https://www.npctexas.org) under the auspices of the NPC since 2007.
Branch is the owner of one of the best bikes in the world, the athlete created the image of a “cool biker,” which attracted many fans. This athlete’s special pride is his fantastic legs, which some experts consider the best in the history of bodybuilding.
Friends and Hobbies
Warren is surrounded not only by real and loving women, but also by true friends. Some of them are also involved in professional bodybuilding, while others have nothing to do with bodybuilding. By the way, one of Branch’s close friends is the same Dobson, the owner of the gym from which the athlete’s ascent to the heights of fame began. Today, Dobson also trains Branch.
They make hunting trips for wild boars and bison together. Moreover, Warren’s practical ingenuity found a way out here too - he organized hunting tours throughout Texas.
A real man has a lot of things to do, hobbies and passions. Therefore, Branch is also an ardent fan of motorcycles, his bike is considered one of the best in the world, and among bikers there are a lot of his fans thanks to his passion for motorcycles. Many consider Branch to be the best illustration of the triumph of masculinity.
And bodybuilders gave him the nickname "Quadrosaurus" - for his impressively developed quadriceps.
He rarely watches TV shows and prefers metal when it comes to music. Training takes place to this music. Favorite movie is “Braveheart”, among the actors Russell Crowe and Jason Statham enjoy his favor.
The only place he could live, other than Texas, is Australia. Warren spent his honeymoon there with his wife, and he really likes this country.
John Warren now
Over time, the format of the program “Let's go, let's eat!” expanded, and Warren began traveling not only around Russia, but also around neighboring countries. The presenter practically never takes vacations; he spends all his time constantly traveling. Over the course of six seasons, fifteen crew members changed, and only John did not miss a single business trip. In December 2020, he was awarded the prestigious Food Show Awards for Best Cooking Program Presenter. Interview with John Warren about life in Russia Warren is the author of his own television project “Male Dignity”, in which, in the company of charming co-hosts, he tries to figure out what a real man is and which of the modern representatives of the stronger sex can be considered a role model.
Secrets of a professional athlete
Warren's training routine includes close squats with a weight of about 320 kg for five repetitions. And about once every month and a half, Branch trains his legs for up to 100 repetitions.
Joint injuries help him avoid stretching for each muscle group, which the athlete does without fail after each workout. And before starting the main exercises, be sure to warm up and do a lot of warm-up approaches.
He works very carefully with the weight, controlling it throughout the entire movement. You need to hold the barbell correctly on your shoulders and place your legs so that the load is aimed at the muscles, and not the back and joints. Uses knee wraps only for heavy squats and extensions. He has been using them since he was 16 years old.
Walks, rock and strong coffee
For Branch, training is akin to the battlefield, so he considers the word “warrior” to be his best description. Most of his exercises are strength exercises, which involve a huge (for most mere mortals) weight.
In preparation for his workout, on the way to the gym (which takes about 20 minutes), Branch listens to hard rock music and drinks a cup of strong coffee. He used to drive a Hummer, now it's a Ford Yukon. All his thoughts at this moment are directed to the upcoming training. Or, as Branch himself says, “to prepare for war.”
The basic principle of training is that as soon as the execution technique is violated, he drops the (working) weight. And the total number of repetitions should reach 100.
Branch Warren Warrior, Titan, Quadrosaurus
As in boxing and other popular sports, fans and the media love to give athletes nicknames and nicknames. This fate did not spare Warren either. But he has more than one nickname, he is called a warrior, a titan, and a quadrosaurus. The athlete himself is sure that “warrior” suits him best. This is due to the fact that he prepares for training as if he were going to war.
Indeed, his training reports resemble battle reports. He devotes most of his training process to heavy strength, downright brutal training. The weights are off the charts, and the number of repetitions is not high - 5-10. Often on the Internet you can find pictures of a champion doing push-ups on uneven bars with huge chains.
Read more: Arnold Schwarzenegger - bodybuilding
This isn't posing for the camera, it's actually Branch's regular workout routine. For pull-ups, he attaches a large number of plates to himself. The champion's training video is breathtaking and fills you with endless motivation. Everyone loves to talk about numbers. In the case of William, it would be a shame not to remember the numbers. On the bench press he lifts 225 kilograms for 6 reps, on the incline bench - 110 kilograms for 10 reps. In the squat, Branch loads the barbell up to 315 kilograms and does 5 repetitions with it; for the biceps he takes 100 kilograms for 10 repetitions.
Branch doesn't like changing gyms. He still works out in the gym he joined at age 17. And this despite the fact that he himself owns a modern sports club. But the athlete prefers the old, brutal rocking chair.
Branch got his nickname, the quadrosaurus, because of his huge legs. Probably, at the moment, he is the owner of the most powerful legs among professionals. This is not surprising, because William loves to train his legs most of all, and his favorite exercise is squats with a barbell. Despite this, in 2005, at the Mr. Olympia tournament, the title “Best Wheels” was played out, which means “best legs” and was won by Jay Cutler. Branch fully supported the judges' decision, as he stated that Cutler's legs were huge back then.
The champion himself is very modest, does not have a drop of pathos, and has always been considered fair and even a little silent and withdrawn into himself. Perhaps this is the ideal of a real man, less words, more deeds, because deeds will still better show who is who.
Nutrition: at least 1 kg of meat for lunch!
When it comes to food, he adheres to reasonable measures, more realistic, in his own words. As the bodybuilder himself says, during adolescence, someone gave him stupid advice to eat everything in order to gain a lot of weight. Ice cream, burgers, pizza... But the guy felt bad.
Quickly understanding the situation, he switched to a cardio training regimen that he follows to this day.
His current diet includes meat (Branch loves it), and he gets almost the majority of his 500 protein intake from meat and eggs. Protein-based shakes make up for the missing grams. A “standard steak” for Warren is about half a kilogram of red meat. Either beef or “hunting trophies” - boar or bison. And also about a kilogram a day of chicken breasts, 10-20 egg whites and two yolks. The athlete drinks at least 4 liters of water per day.
The only meal that never changes for him is breakfast. What follows is absolute impromptu. For most bodybuilders, eating during the day is an almost sacred event.
And Branch says:
“My schedule is constantly changing, so I eat very irregularly. Although I get everything I need in a day.”
However, the foods Warren eats are not always correct from a nutritional point of view. But with a weight of 120 kg. It’s hard to get by on healthy food alone. Branch's favorite food is spaghetti. If he wants the same pizza, he will eat it, but mostly he tries not to deviate from the basics of healthy eating.
Branch Warren Diet
Food is one of William's weaknesses. He even says at one point that if I don’t eat my big stack, I’ll feel bad. He is a true meat eater. Meat is everything to him; he eats a lot of it. Branch consumes 500 grams of protein per day, and gets this figure almost entirely from meat products.
Branch loves steak. His “standard” steak is prepared from half a kilogram of red meat. Moreover, it is not always beef, it can be a cut from wild boars and wild bison he has shot. Yes, yes, Branch is also a hunter. In addition, per day he eats up to a kilogram of chicken meat and 10-20 whites from chicken eggs, plus two yolks.
In the off-season, he consumes up to 400 grams of carbohydrates per day, and these are not always carbohydrates from healthy foods. During the period of preparation for competitions, the amount of carbohydrates is reduced, but he never removes his favorite “duty” steak from his diet. At the Arnold Classic, he ate his steak the morning before the tournament itself.
The athlete doesn’t particularly care about fats. He believes that there are enough of them in meat and egg yolks. But he treats water with respect. The daily norm is 4 liters.
The most interesting thing is that Branch doesn’t really watch his diet. The only thing he never changes is breakfast. Next comes improvisation, that is, there is no specific meal plan for the day. This makes William very different from other athletes who treat their eating regimen as a sacred ritual.
Three secrets of success
When asked about the secrets of success, Branch says that 75% of the result is just proper nutrition and well-chosen supplements, 25% is training.
The athlete believes that many of those who train the same way as him could not achieve the same effect precisely because they did not eat correctly.
Warren prefers cardio training over diets. He begins intensive training when 2.5-2 months remain from the competition and devotes half an hour to it during the first week. Then up to 45 minutes in the second week, then up to 1.5 hours. He finishes training two weeks before “hour X” and simply monitors his form. This makes him look fresher on stage.
He sleeps little, according to him, five hours is enough for him, but he wakes up no earlier than the alarm clock rings.
“My body is not the result of three months of training. This is what I’ve been working toward for 20 years of my life.” Branch Warren
How to pump up your legs using the Branch Warren method
The main exercise, the athlete believes, is squats with a barbell. However, you should not use only one technique. It’s better to switch from strength training to multi-repetition training and vice versa. The second important point is the use of drop sets. An auxiliary exercise is leg extension. 3 sets of 20 or 30 repetitions. A short pause is required at the top point.
The next exercise for the quadriceps is lunges with a barbell. This is an essential element of leg muscle training. Just before you start, you should definitely do some stretching and warm-up. This will prevent injury.
Another basic rule of Branch Warren is common sense. It's about not using excessive weight. You need to start with small loads, gradually increasing them.
Here's how Branch Warren does it:
Branch Warren: one of the best!
At the Mr. Olympia competition in 1994 he received second place. Warren won first place at the 2011 Arnold Classic. He is respected not only by fans, but also by competitors. 2012 - 1st place at the Arnold Classic and the Australian Grand Prix.
Since 2007, he has been the organizer of his own competition, The Branch Warren Classic. Muscular development magazine, widely known among bodybuilders, chose him as its “face”. He currently lives in Texas, continuing to train.
From the very beginning of his ascent to athletic heights, he did not show weakness, and he has no intention of doing so to this day. What does Warren think it takes to become a great bodybuilder?
"...be loyal and persistent. No matter how difficult the path is, you need to find the strength to overcome its difficulties and continue to move forward."
Branch's favorite exercises include leg presses, weighted pull-ups, dips, and squats. His weekly training schedule is as follows:
- Monday - chest;
- Tuesday - legs;
- Wednesday - hands;
- Thursday - deltoids and calf muscles;
- Friday - back and trapezius;
- Saturday - hands;
- Sunday is rest.
The bodybuilding star is characterized as an excellent athlete, a wonderful family man, a successful businessman and simply a good person. He is one of those from whom you can safely follow an example. If you have a very strong desire and work hard, then everything will work out. Warren is heading to professional heights, the main of which, according to experts, is still ahead. But even here he remains himself:
“I don't like making predictions. I don't like to think about opponents. I'm focusing on just one person and his name is Branch Warren. This is because I can only control myself. I cannot influence the form of others.”
Branch Warren Performance History
| Tournament | Category | the date of the | Country and city | Place |
| Arnold Classic 2016 | Open category bodybuilding | 2016 | Columbus | 5 |
| Levron Pro Classic 2016 | Open category bodybuilding | 2016 | Gdansk, Poland |
