Champions - Ange Galati
Power Lifts our Award
BY Todd Cardy
Moorabbin Glen Eira Leader - Wednesday February 22 2006
BENTLEIGH power lifter Ange Galati was crowned the Moorabbin Leader’s top sportsman at the 2005 Leader Sports Star of the Year Awards presented last week.
Galati has set six world records since first breaking the Australian power lifting record in 1994. His latest two records were achieved last year at the World Power Congress National Championships in Darwin when he lifted 212.5kg in the squat bench and 210 in the bench press categories.
Holding the Mr Australia title in 1998, 1999 and 2000, Galati said he trained for u to 21/2 hours, six days a week to remain at the top of his sport.
“It is really addictive,” he said.
“The only problem with being good is that you have got to keep breaking your own records.”
Galati won the Moorabbin Leader senior sports category and was presented with $900 cheque by Malcolm’s Real Estate.
Lifting To New Heights
BY Elisa Tubecki
Australian Ironman
A stand out on stage with bleached blonde spiky hair and a huge smile, Ange Galati just loves competing. But if you’re looking to take him on, don’t be fooled by the smile – Ange competes to win. With strong desire to keep challenging himself, the current Mr Australia and Australian bench-press record holder plans to take his talents overseas. He talks to Elisa Tubecki about the barbells, the bench-press and his future plans.
IM: When did you get involved in bodybuilding?
AG: It was quite a while ago, I was about 20 when I started. I was very skinny and just wanted to do some training. I didn’t have any friends that were doing it; I just headed down to the gym by myself and really enjoyed it.
IM: Can you remember your first time on stage?
AG: My fist comp was a Southern States comp in ’97, I didn’t think I would ever compete, but there were a few changes in my life that sort of led me to compete. I was really nervous but placed second in that first competition.
IM: You’ve had the Mr Australia title for a few years now.
AG: Three times, Mr Australia and four times Mr Victoria – both for the under 75s. I also wont the under 80s at the Victorian Championships. It had taken up the last five years for my life but I absolutely love it.
IM: How long have you been benching for?
AG: I have been benching since 1994 and have won all the Australian titles since then.
IM: How did benching lead to bodybuilding?
AG: I was benching in the gym and this guy, Barry Murray, came up to me, we clicked and he started training me. I was doing comp weights in the gym and he said you should do a competition. So I said, ‘Yeas, I’ll do one” and ever since then I have been breaking my own record until now, It was in ’96 when a few other things changed my life and I said well I’m going to go for a bodybuilding competition, so I changed my routine a bit and did both.
IM: How has Barry helped you?
AG: Barry has looked after me from the day I started benching. He is more than just a training partner, he is like a bird on my shoulder all the time – when I hear his voice so much strength comes out of me. He is in his third year of naturopathy and repairs all my injuries when I put my body though its limits – he gives me a massage every week. I would never have reached this without him; he has made me focus on goals that I have only dreamed about. To me he is like a brother, he writes the program and puts so much time and effort into me.
IM: How do you train for both sports
AG: It’s pretty hard, well very hard, because you’re dieting and at the same time you need the strength.
IM: What is a typical weekly session pre-bodybuilding?
AG: I train six days a week. When I am competing I walk in the morning, train in the mid-morning or afternoon and then I walk at night time. Training is usually for and hour to and hour and fifteen minutes and I do one body part a day. IM: What’s your diet during this time?
AG: I eat six or seven times a day, consisting of carbs and protein. It’s mainly seven meals of protein but the first four are with carbohydrates because I never have carbs at night.
IM: You also check your water for sodium.
AG: yeah, I do. I’m very fussy and that’s why I get so lean. I have done it every year that I compete and I look at all those things and add my own sodium to the foods. I would rather have foods with no sodium and the put my own salt on it so I know how much I am getting.
IM: How does it differ when you’re training for a benching competition?
AG: It doesn’t differ a lot, once a week I train the chest. A lot of power lifters train differently but because I still do body building, I still need to do every other body part a week.
IM: How do you train for benching?
AG: You have a 12 week cycle and increase your sets and reps which come down until they reach the zero point. There will be six sets of six at the start, then six sets of six at a different weight, then six of five, six of four, six of three until you get ton one set of one.
IM: How does your training fit in with work?
AG: It’s very hard, I only work part-time. I work a little bit at the gym; I’m a hairdresser as well and now I’m trying to do some other work like modeling and television. It’s not an easy life and it’s hard on your relationships as well.
IM: What is your favourite body part to train?
AG: Chest.
IM: What is the hardest body part to train?
AG: I used to hate legs, but now I’m starting to enjoy it because I’m getting better results. That was my weakest pint but I have got them into a shape that I’m happy with.
IM: How do you work on something like your legs that you don’t like doing and don’t feel you’re seeing any results from?
AG: You really have to focus on that point. When I was benching heavier and squatting less it wasn’t very good. It is supposed to be the other way around and now I’ve started to match them up.
IM: How is your training at the moment?
AG: Training is pretty serious, I’m not dieting 100 per cent but I’m still eating pretty clean especially for the photo shoots. I’ve been eating well and then having he weekends to eat what I want. Plus extra carbs for strength.
IM: What do you eat on your day off?
AG: I eat pizza, chocolate, cake, ice-cream you name it. Sometimes you don’t feel the best eating this way after you’ve been eating so cleanly, so I don’t go crazy. I am a sweet person so I don’t buy Macca’s or KFC. Its more sweets I crave. I can eat chicken and rice meals no problem through the day, but when it comes to sweets I can’t help myself. I still might have something through the day like a piece of chocolate or a cake, just as long as my main meals are clean.
IM: Do you struggle with dieting?
AG: I find it pretty easy when everything around me is going well. If I start stressing out on certain things I want to grab some chocolate and just pig out. I train with other bodybuilders and they hate chocolate and ice cream and then I wonder what they are eating because I think you really need an outlet. I believe if you’re eating clean then you need some sugars but if you’re eating oils and fats, then you don’t need sugars. It weights up both ways, but I would rather eat clean and have the sweets that I enjoy, rather then eat the crappier foods and not have sweets.
IM: When is your next benchpress competition?
AG: March (at time of print) is my Australian benchpress competition, I am going for an Australian recor
d as well and also some money because it’s a professional show. I have been training hard for the benching and doing my personal best lifts each week up to now and I’m right on target.
IM: Would you ever like to go professional?
AG: Maybe, maybe not. I don’t want bodybuilding to be the rest of my life, but I do love the sport and I can see myself competing for the next few years.
IM: There is a lot if stigma surrounding the sport, how do you cope with that?
AG: You just have to hold you’re head up high. You get a lot of positive comments as well, sometime it can be annoying because you’re having dinner at a restaurant, but I just like helping others. Also I don’t want others to waster their time for the first five years like I did. In the beginning I was training but not eating right, playing indoor squash and playing soccer, losing all the bodyweight and not putting on any muscle I had to learn the hard way.
IM: Is it easy to get sponsorship?
AG: I love both sports but I would be easier if the money came in, it’s not a sport that gives you money. I’m lucky I’ve established myself early in life and I can afford to do these things. I’m not married and I don’t have any kids and I can see how hard it would be if you’re working full time and you have a family at home. But still I have so many people that help me out and make it a little easier like Barry who I spoke about before. Tony and Keith from Amino Active, Tony Doherty, Gary from Black and Blue, Fitness First in Highett where I train, Antonio Cortese, the boys at Lambs on Spit in Southern Yarra, Carnegie Poultry and my family and friends for all their help and support and putting up with me when I am dieting I couldn’t have achieved this without them.
IM: Thanks for your time and good luck with whatever path you choose.
AG: Thank you
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