The Man Behind The Champions....
A Conversation With Chad Nicholls...The World's Most Renowned Nutritionist/Bodybuilding Coach

In bodybuilding, particularly in the mid to late 90's, the role of a coach or nutritionist is something that began to become more of a requirement than an oddity. Training, nutrition and supplementation began to get more advanced than ever before and top competitors began looking outside of their own circles to find ways of vaulting themselves to the next level. Unfortunately, this opened the door for so-called "gurus" of bodybuilding. People who vicariously live through the accomplishments of competitors and often take on a svengaly persona that often leads those who follow down a path of lessened success. However, there are a few people who have risen above and proved themselves to be tremendously knowledgeable and valuable to competitive bodybuilders looking to maximize their potential and minimize their mistakes (especially when it comes to the intricacies of pre-contest dieting).

One of these people is world-renowned nutritionist and contest prep advisor Chad Nichols. 
Since this article is being written three weeks before the 2002 Mr. Olympia, I feel very fortunate that Chad was able to take time from his insanely busy schedule (Chad is prepping and working with 10 of the Mr. Olympia competitors this year) to give us an insight into how he got started in bodybuilding, how he began advising athletes and some of his thoughts on the current state of professional and amateur bodybuilding. So without further banter, let's get right to my conversation with Chad.

TS: I hate to ask the typical cliché interview questions Chad, but I want to get a little background on you. So, how did you get involved in bodybuilding?

CN: The typical story of a tall and thin teen - I was always lean and athletic looking (track physique) - but didn't have the muscular build I wanted - so at about 18 I began lifting weights and around the age of 19 became very serious about weight training and body building. When I was 21, I began dating Kim - she was teaching aerobics and had a great natural physique, we began training together and a few months later I competed in my first show. From that point, obviously Kim's body building career took off and literally 2 years later she turned pro and from that point, we both have been extremely involved in the sport.

TS: I remember when Kim came on the scene after her win at the North Americans. Soon after she was dominating the sport with a physique that seemed years more advanced than her competitors, obviously much of her rapid success was a result of your input. But back to the cliché interview questions, where were you born? 

CN: I was born in Decatur, Illinois.

TS: Did you grow up there?

CN: No, I grew up and went to school in a VERY small town just south of Decatur called "Moweaqua". After high school, my family and I moved to Decatur and lived there until the early 90's, where I was a police officer for 4 years. Kim and I also lived in Chicago for a small period of time (her amateur body building days) and moved to Springfield, Missouri in late 1994 and are still here.

TS: So you currently live in Springfield, Missouri. Do you enjoy living there or is there an ideal spot that you would like to be someday?

CN: Springfield is a great place for us now, as we travel constantly. We can come back here, relax and enjoy Midwestern living - unlike the hectic fast life of travel all the time. However, Springfield isn't the place we will stay for the rest of our lives. 
The ideal spot for me would be a huge log home up in the mountains, possibly Colorado - maybe Montana, but I would still need a condo in the John Hancock building, downtown Chicago.

TS: I can appreciate that. I myself would like a quiet place away from all the grind, but I would also need to have a place where I could experience the grind when I was missing it. Although it is pretty well known that you are the nutritional advisor to many pro's and amateurs, do you have a "technical" occupation?

CN: Yes, President of "Dynamic Nutrition" - my Sports Nutrition Company. 

TS: All right, that is enough background info.... let's get right into it. Who is the first pro you ever worked with, besides your wife Kim, and how did that come about?

CN: In terms of complete nutritional advice - it would have to be Nasser El Sonbaty and Paul Dillet at the '97 Mr. Olympia in Long Beach. Kim and Paul both turned pro at the '92 North American Championships and we all remained friends from that point. 
I became friends with Nasser in 1996 and one thing led to another and I assisted him with nutritional advisement for the '97 O. This is how things kind of kicked off for me as many people felt Nasser could have easily beaten Dorian that year and word got out that I helped him get into that conditioning, then other athletes began calling me and the rest is history.

TS: Nasser looked unbelievable at that show and easily could have won the contest. I was not aware that you helped him for that show. After seeing how he looked for that year, I thought for sure he was the heir apparent to the Mr. Olympia.... but then along came Mr. Coleman which leads me to my next question. How did you wind up getting involved with Ronnie as his coach?

CN: Actually this is an ironic story, as I had began working with and helping Flex Wheeler in late '97 (his prep for the 98 Ironman/Arnold Classic). Flex looked, what I and many others felt, was his best ever. Flex was also friends with Ronnie and Ronnie asked if Flex would talk to me about working with Ronnie. I called Ronnie once and we spoke on the phone, but Ronnie didn't actually come right out and ask me to help him, so I wasn't 100% sure if Ronnie was wanting me to help him or not. Then, I spoke with Flex and Flex asked if I was going to help Ronnie and I answered that I wasn't sure. Then, Flex took it upon himself to call Ronnie to make certain that he wanted my help and advised Ronnie to call me and let me know that. And I've been working with Ronnie ever since. The first show was the '98 San Diego or San Francisco - one of the shows prior to the Toronto that is no longer going on. He lost to Kevin Levrone at this show - as I had overcarbed him - that was the last show that Ronnie lost since I have been working with him. He went on to win the Toronto and NOC a couple of weeks later and then beat Flex at the '98 Olympia in New York - thus the irony of the story.

TS: Just think, if Flex had not been so persistent and such a good friend to Ronnie, bodybuilding history might have been very different. I wonder if Flex ever regrets putting Ronnie in touch with you. Regardless, I remember that year when Kevin beat him in San Diego and then a week later Ronnie bested Kevin at the 1998 Night Of Champions. I remember looking at Ronnie and thinking nobody is going to stop this guy and so far, it has been true. I know Ronnie trains like an animal, which is one of the reasons I respect him so much, but obviously you have been a huge factor in turning him into the freak he is today.

TS: Who is/was the easiest pro for you to work with and why?

CN: Obviously the easiest pro for me to work with is Kim - since I'm with her all the time 24/7 and know her body better than I know my own. Other than Kim, would be Ronnie. Ronnie is just the ideal to work with in terms of heart, work ethic, and dedication and most importantly in listening to what I instruct for him. An athlete can have great potential and have all the tools to win, but if I can't bond with him and have his/her complete trust, the best results will never be achieved and I have this type of relationship with Ronnie. I never have to worry, as he never veers from anything I tell him to do and I never have to second guess if he's done something he shouldn't have. I will never forget after the '98 Olympia, after Ronnie had just one his first Mr. O, we were sitting at the banquet and I had asked Ronnie, just so I would know for future reference if he had cheated on his diet and if so, how many times throughout the diet? Ronnie gave me a puzzled look, like I was asking something crazy and said, "It never even crossed my mind."

TS: Wow, to be honest, I am a bit surprised you said your wife Kim. Only because I cannot get my wife to listen to a damn thing I say (LOL). Seriously though, sometimes it is difficult to effectively coach someone if you are very closely involved with them as emotions can get in the way. On the other hand because—like you said—you are around the person 24 hours, you do know everything that is going on so there is no guesswork. As for Ronnie, just based on the fact that he held a full time job as a police officer even AFTER he won the Mr. Olympia title tells you the type of work ethic he has. So hearing that he is the easiest for you to work with and that he never cheats and listens to everything you said is not at all surprising.

TS: Now on the flip side, who is/was the hardest and why?

CN: Because his body has many ups and downs and because he, in the past has had trouble sticking with the diet, I would have to say Flex Wheeler. Flex is one of the most genetically gifted athletes I have ever worked with. Unfortunately, this gift was also one of his downfalls. Flex's body could look unbelievable at one point and within an hour it could change for the worse - it was completely mind blowing and frustrating. 
This is actually a challenge that I enjoy - the more difficult the physique, the more rewarding it is for me to bring this type of physique into top form.

TS: I have to say Chad, it is very refreshing to listen to someone like yourself and hear the passion in your voice in describing what you do. The fact that you enjoy what you do is one of the clear-cut testaments to your record of success. So many people go through the motions with what they do and then wonder why they failed to achieve their goal. Passion is one of the keys to success and I am glad I hear it coming through loud and clear in your words.

TS: Getting back to your clients, in a typical month you work with how many bodybuilders? How many emails does this equate to you answering per day and how many phone calls do you answer in an average day?

CN: I would say I work with anywhere from 15-25 a month. These are pros, amateurs & national level athletes and both for pre-contest and off-season programs - so thank goodness they aren't all competing at the same time! 15-25 is just a basic number - there have been times where I have had as many as 40-50 at a time - which is completely CRAZY - which is why I'm trying to keep the numbers lower now. Basically my day consists of e-mails and phone calls - all day and all night. I've got two (2) phone lines just for athletes - one holds around 15 messages the other around 20-23 messages. At any point during the day or night, if I leave home for any length of time, when I return the memories are full - and this happens several times a day - every day. E-mails usually range in the 50-75 daily (just for athlete inquiries) - if I'm lucky I may get to 1/2 of them each day - this is even with Kim's help.

TS: So I bet you were really excited when you received my email asking to do an interview with you a month before the Mr. Olympia? (LOL) All kidding aside, that is one crazy schedule, hats off to you for being able to handle it each day and again, I really appreciate you taking time from this schedule to do this interview, so let's get back to it so I can leave you alone and you can get back to your work.

TS: How do you manage to handle the all your clients simultaneously?

CN: This is obviously the hardest part of the job - as you know - from working with athletes. One is hard enough - let alone 10 or 20 at the same time. For example I have 10 athletes going to the Olympia this year. I actually could've had more and I'm not sure how I ended up that way, because last year I had seven in the show and Kim made me promise I wouldn't do that again . . .so, what did I do, I went and got 10 athletes in the show. 
At that point - at the show, it's all business; there is no time to sit around and B.S.. in everyone's room, plus everyone wants to make sure they get "their fare share of time". So, I set up "rounds" throughout the day and night. I'm in every athletes room at least every couple of hours and it's like this up until around 2-3:00 a.m. - then back up at 8:00 a.m. to start again - needless to say, Kim and I sleep a lot after the Olympia is over with - and usually end up sick! 
Leading up to the show and as soon as I pick up an athlete, they go into my filing system - from this I keep track of their diets, changes in the diets, supplementation, weight, pictures, etc. This helps, so when I am talking to them, if I need to refer back to anything - I can just pull a file and go right to the info I need. However, most of the guys have been with me for long enough and I know their bodies so well, that I can just click their changes off the top of my head. However, it is tough to keep track of 20-30 athletes at the same time.

TS: This is kind of the second part to the above question. Some coaches/prep guys are very coddling to their clients..you-much like myself-don't strike me as the type that tolerates this well or even wants to deal with it. Can you elaborate on this facet of working with people? I find it the single biggest reason why I NEVER want to work with anyone again

CN: First off - there is NO coddling with me what so ever! However, you are right, not all, but the majority of athletes want to be babied. I don't believe in that and feel it only hurts the athlete in the long run. I've been around this sport for so long that I've run the gamut of seeing trainers and nutritionists who constantly tell the athlete how great they look - or tell the athlete what he/she wants to hear - whether it is true or not. 
With me, I'm totally the opposite - I'll tell you exactly where you stand and won't color coat anything. If you are behind schedule I'll tell you - if you look good, I'll probably leave you hanging or won't say too much, as I have found that too much praise for the athlete, for some reason, makes him/her feel they have the right to slack off a little - I'll give all the praise they deserve after the show. In fact, most of the athletes call Kim after I leave the room to find out what I really thought - because I render myself emotionless during an evaluation - it keeps them on their toes. 

TS: I wonder if this motivates the athletes to really go the extra mile to be the first one that gets adulation from you BEFORE a show. Interesting psychology Chad, I like it. Now continuing with the theme of athletes that you work with are there any bodybuilders that you would like to work with that you think you can take to the next level?

CN: At this time, I don't really feel there is anyone out there, that I'm not currently working with, that fits that bill. It's been a long time since a Kim, Ronnie, Flex, etc. has exploded onto the scene, however, that's not to say that someone may appear at the nationals or their first pro and really light up the stage.

TS: I hate to do this to you, but I know people will be interested to know. Describe Chad's weekend, from start to finish, for a typical Mr. Olympia contest including the number of athletes you typically work with

CN: This could fill an entire interview all in itself - but I'll try to give you the condensed version. This year I have 10 competitors - 9 Mr. Olympia and 1 Ms. Olympia competitor. The weekend actually isn't a weekend - it begins Tuesday before the show. Most of us will arrive on Tuesday - the remainder will arrive on Wednesday - plans are made in advance, to get as many of my athletes on the same floor as me - to make the running around a little easier -- however, we never all end up on the same floor.
The day usually begins anywhere from 7-8:00a.m. in the morning - depending upon which athlete calls me first. From 7 until around 3:00 a.m. - its constant monitoring and rounds to each one's room - changing foods and meals, monitoring water - calming people down - keeping everyone motivated. One thing - that is key but also very difficult is remembering what everyone looked like the previous time I went to the room and what changes had occurred since I had been to the room. When you are dealing with 10 different athletes it's a challenge to keep everyone straight, however, this is one of the things I'm good at - visualization. As the hours approach more closely to the show, of course, the visits to the room come more frequently and the scrutinization of the physique is very much like putting the athlete under the microscope - which has to be done, as each athlete's body has it's own little quirks that you have to keep an eye on. Basically everything comes to a close on early Saturday morning, with me leaving the rooms with a feeling of satisfaction knowing that we have done our work - the rest is up to the judges.

TS: Impressive to say the least. Like you said before, working with one athlete can be very exhausting, so I cannot imagine working with 10 athletes. This leads me to my next questions. How do you adjust and accommodate the different and probably difficult personalities during that time period. I mean, they are all dieted down and all want your 100% attention...do you ever encounter feelings that you are paying more attention to one athlete-say Ronnie-than the others...and if so, how do you handle the situation

CN: For the most part, the athletes I work with have a good respect for me - so I never deal with attitudes. They know I am there to help them and if they have a chip on their shoulder or give an attitude, that's not acceptable. In terms of athletes worrying about other athletes getting more attention. There have been problems with that in the past. --Not on my part mind you. It was a case of paranoia and he said/she said. In this sport there is so much of that, that if an athlete gives into that, he or she will go crazy. I'm a straight shooter and right now I have a great group of athletes. They trust me and vice versa and this year at the Olympia, it will definitely show.

TS: What is your reaction when guys come to you out of shape, obviously not
having done their own homework, and then look to you to work a miracle in the
last few weeks before the show? And is this something that happens
frequently.

CN: This is something happens more than I would like for it to -- not with athletes that I work their entire diets with - but the last minute athlete who comes to me a couple of weeks before the show wanting me to pull a miracle out of my hat and bring them into the best shape of their life. My reaction? In a way, it's a compliment when an athlete comes to me like this because they feel that I'm so good that no matter what they look like, I can whip them into shape. In another way, it's frustrating, because you can't work magic overnight, and I take pride in giving athletes a finished product. So, it's a compliment, but not always the greatest circumstance to be in.

TS: What are some of the boundaries you set for working/not working with someone?

CN: I have several guidelines - 1. *I never work with an athlete who is already working with another nutritionist - this is completely out of respect for my fellow nutritionists. 2. I have to be able to get along with and trust the athlete; 3. The athlete has to have enough respect for me to work only with me and listen to my advice - and finally, the athlete has to put 100% effort into the program and show - I can only give the athlete the advice to make them look the best possible - but they have to do the work and apply that advice - I can't do it for them!

TS: Do you find that a good portion of bodybuilders-amateur and professional-tend to run from person to person always looking for someone else to make it happen for them while at the same time abdicating themselves for their own lack of success?

CN: Yes, there are many body builders that fit this description. I have found that these are the athletes who will sing your praises as long as they win and everything is going their way - but as soon as they don't win or place like they want, then you are the devil - it's all your fault - they did nothing - you made them look like crap.
However, on the flip side of this - I have seen nutritionists out there as well, that have athletes that they keep making the same mistakes with over and over again - and blame and badmouth the athlete for the mistakes. One thing I pride myself on is that if an athlete is off and it is my fault - I will take responsibility for that. With the human body it's impossible to hit it 100% - one hundred percent of the time - you just have to make sure that you are damn close! Also, when and if you do make a mistake - you make sure you never make that mistake again. 

TS: I couldn't agree more. Honesty is something that is a dying art...especially in bodybuilding. I am constantly making mistakes, but the thing is I embrace the mistakes as they are wonderful opportunities to grow and enhance yourself and if you learn from them correctly, you do not make the same mistake twice. I find it is those that have an inherent refusal to take responsibility for their actions are the ones that are doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over and over again.