With the 2003 National Competition schedule closing in on us, one of this years' hopefuls for pro status, Mat Duvall has decided to move back to the East Coast for a more peaceful and focused training strategy. Let's find out how top National contender Mat Duval feels about his placement in last years' Nationals, his chances for turning pro this year, his competition and what his plans for the future entail.

1) Mayhem: Mat, why don't you give our readers a little background on yourself?
a. Age - I am 30 years old, my birthday is October 31, 1972.
b. Where you grew up- I grew up in Northern Virginia, about 35 minutes outside of Washington DC.
c. Where you currently reside- I am back in Northern Va, and cannot wait to buy a home here. I project next spring as a comfortable time frame for me to do so. 
d. How long have you been competing- I have been competing as a men's competitor for 7 years. I did 3 teen shows between the ages of 17 and 19. 
e. Who or what made you decide to get into competition- I picked up a book about training as a bodybuilder, and after seeing pictures of Arnold, Bill Pearl and Sergio Oliva, I wanted to see if I could be larger than they. My motivation was not so much the stage as it was just getting as big and as freaky as possible. 

2) When you began training, how did this come about? Was it brought on by supplemental training for sports you participated in, or did you just immediately know as a teen that you wanted to become a body builder?

I trained early on for football, basketball, and track and field. I wanted to excel in all I did, and I knew that weight training would help in my being the best. 

3) What was the first show you ever won? When was the event? 

I won the heavyweight class at the 1996 Suburban Championships, it was in the spring of 1996. 

4) The first time I ever spoke to you was actually many years ago when you worked for Jan Tana? What was that experience like? Go on Mat, let are readers know the dark side LOL!

There really is not a dark side. When I was in college, Jan and her husband David employed my brother and I. At first it was delivering tanning beds, but then they took over the production of their competition tan products. My brother went to work in the warehouse, compounding the products, and I on the phones helping with distributors, wholesalers, etc. We would travel to shows with Jan to help athletes with their color. At the time it was fun, as I was a young bodybuilder, this gave me the opportunity to meet all the pros. I can remember sitting backstage at the Arnold or Olympia and praying for the day I could be there competing. Working for Jan and David, provided my brother and I a lot of fun opportunities. I got to see early on how the industry worked behind the scenes so to speak...

5) Hopefully this isn't too personal a question, but I know you were married for a while, and since divorced. Do you feel body building was a contributing factor to the divorce, or just a case of irreconcilable differences?

Hmm? This is a tough one. Getting a divorce is something I will never stop being ashamed of. Whether my ex-wife and I were meant to be or not, I took a vow to God, and this is not something to take lightly. I could give the generic answer that I was young, and did not think it through, but again, this would offer little foresight for another athlete contemplating marriage. I allowed bodybuilding to consume such a large part of my life that I never, early on in her and my dating took the time to notice how different we were. I only, as a lot of bodybuilder/fitness athletes do, focused on the physical aspects of it all. She was beautiful, we had a great physical relationship, and at the time, this was all that mattered to me. Now, this is ok, when two people are dating, but to carry it over into marriage when I was still struggling up the bodybuilding ladder? No, I should have realized this and put the brakes on. It was not until recently that I came to the realization that I cannot make everything or everyone ok. It is hard enough for one to focus on himself, but I was going through life thinking I had to make everything better for everybody else. What happened to me was that I thought of everyone but me and cheated myself out of a lot of opportunities. The only person to blame for this is me, not my ex-wife, or anyone else for that matter. I am a man, and I have to realize the necessary changes in order to reach my potential. You can use anything as a crutch, but in the end we can only blame ourselves if something does not work out. I chose my ex-wife, at one time to be my wife, and in the end, hurt myself and others. Getting through the whole thing meant realizing that failing is not about how many times one can fall down; it is about getting up, moving on, and learning a lesson. Sadly enough, in learning this lesson it meant pain for others, something I hope to never do again. When we were together, my ex wife took a lot of pride in what I did in the gym and onstage. She and I are just too different in our approach to life and our goals. I want nothing but the best for her, as she deserves this. Using bodybuilding as a crutch to explain away my marriage would show a great deal of immaturity and a serious lack of character. 

6) For the ladies out there, what is your current status? Are you available, or are you currently dating? Is she within the industry or not?

Again, I will stress that recently I came to the realization that I cannot just bring someone into my life and focus solely on them. Even after my divorce, I started to do this again. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is tell ourselves that we cannot change the world, or anyone else in it. I always went into relationships thinking I had to make someone's life better for them, rather than just being me. I now realize that being me should be more than enough. I can give to someone, but based on my wanting to, not being made to feel that I have to give and give until there is nothing left. I do not like playing the field, dating one person after another, hoping they are the "one". Instead, I would rather find a best friend, and build from there. Taking the time to be a ladies best friend is something I have never done. This is proving to be a tough task in that being a Scorpio, I have that intense "desire" shall we say, whenever I get around a female I like. Right now it is best that I focus on me. Sure, I meet females that are physically all a man could want, but finding a true soul mate is not as easy as some think. Sadly, a lot of people go through life settling, even for the mate they choose. I do not want to settle ever again. I want to spend my time with a lady that does not go through life worrying about what others think, or say. I want a strong woman that is not afraid to express her feelings toward me. A lady that is proud of my accomplishments in life, while at the same time doing for herself, and allowing me to share the joy of her personal success. Writing this down? It sounds like one can pull up to a drive through and order the blonde with a great body, with "super-sized" ambition. "Super-sizing" could apply to other areas as most that know me, know what I look for first on the physical level, but we do not have to go there.... I do not want just a lover, or just a friend, I want a companion that I can share everything with. Someone that stimulates me as much mentally and spiritually as they do physically. Being available? Or being with someone in the industry? This will have to wait as I am really making the effort to be selfish with my time right now. I do not mean this in an arrogant or hurtful way, it is necessary in order for me to find what I really want in someone. 

7) Many people have mixed feelings about relationships when both parties are both into competition? Do you feel this hurts or helps the relationship and why?

I feel it can be a benefit when two people are willing to throw their egos out the window. This being done in this industry is near impossible. There are couples that have accomplished this, but sadly more have not. The ways it can help is that both have a healthy understanding of what the other is going through during a diet, or close to a competition. The draw back's? As mentioned, egos get involved and it becomes a test of who makes who better, even worse, who is more popular? This is stupid; as two people should be able to share each others success, and know that they not only won on their own, but helped their soul mate reach another level. This is a true Karma boost, yet sadly, most cases, jealousy rears it ugly head and ruins what was supposed to be a highlight in one's life. Two people, in any relationship, need their own identity. Living through another is the best way to set one's self up for HUGE disappointment. Making the choice to be decent and to do the right thing in any relationship is much easier talked about than carried out. So, that leaves me with no real answer. It just depends on the two involved and how much they truly want to share their success, or their failures. Lessons are learned in both scenarios that can actually bring two people closer. Personally, I would rather be with a female involved in fitness. Why? I like the idea of being with someone that places as much interest in their outer and inner self as I do. Fitness requires much of a lady, way more than bodybuilding does of a male. Me? As far as bodybuilding goals go, I eat, train and sleep. A fitness competitor has to juggle so much in order to be a success. They must work endlessly at perfecting new and more exciting routines, while still improving their physique. Also, unlike bodybuilders, they cannot just show up with the same suits show after show, they have to invest in new suits, hair, makeup, etc. Physically? What better feeling than showing up somewhere with a lady that exudes health, beauty, and the highest level of sexuality! 

8) I know you used to follow Trevor Smith's "Beyond Failure" training principles. Now that you are back on the East Coast, do you still follow this type of training, or have you revamped your workouts?

Following "Beyond Failure" was great when I had Trevor to do it with. What I mean is that the success of this program is in the intensity applied by both sides. Many training partners are incapable of this level of pain, discomfort what have you... Now, I have taken what I learned about my body, and combined it with a high volume approach to training. I am being more instinctive when I enter the gym. There are days that if I am supposed to train chest, but my mind is lagging, I will throw my body off by training legs. What better way to piss off the body then doing legs! Even though it is my favorite body part to train. Any training system can be productive; one just has to have the proper mindset. Being home, more than anything has enabled me mentally to get back to a place I like to be. Productivity in any way, shape or form starts on the mental level. I revamped my training to learn more about me, but this does not mean in any way that I do not like or still do the BFT training put together by Trevor. I know that BFT will always be a work in progress as Trevor is a thinking person's bodybuilder, that always challenges himself to think of new ways to torture the musculature, and then pass on that pain to any training with him. 

9) These days, it seems any athlete with large arms and/or shoulders are being accused of using the oil based substance, Synthol. I know that you have been criticized for and accused of this - maybe you can put this to rest for us?

I answered this on your board, and surprisingly received a lot of positive feedback. There was a time when an athlete could come along with a freaky body part and be hailed as the second coming! Arms, calves, quads, you name it; at some point the industry has had a freak in each of these categories. All athletes in this industry, in some way utilize sight injections. Whether they are injecting 3cc's of Deca or 3cc's of sight enhancer, into their arms, shoulders, etc. it is still, a "sight" injection. What happened is that some where a long the way, guys started thinking they could create body parts with oil. Instead of "enhancing" a specific muscle group, they started injecting massive amounts of Synthol in order to, as they believed it would, create a set of arms, delts, etc. like some guy who is genetically blessed in that category. Anyone with half a brain cell knows this cannot and does not happen. Have I site injected? Of course, but does it give me the 22(+)" arms I have, hell no! I came to a popular spot in the industry at a time when there was a witch hunt going on. You had guys going onstage looking horrendous! Thinking they looked good. This in turn, prompted officials to take a certain stance on the obvious abuse of Synthol. Where this stance is wrong, is that one can use anything to make a muscle look like shit, whether it is Synthol, or as mentioned, an anabolic of any kind. Saying that Synthol is banned is ludicrous in that there is no test for it. I have attended shows where a guy that has gone way overboard in his arms or delts is judged down, but a guy that site injected proper wins the show?! There are many athletes that love to point fingers, but they forget what a small industry this is... They are 9 times out of 10, the ones mis-using something the most! Also, by constantly discussing the issue, it accomplished the real goal of those producing it, meaning that Joe wannabe bodybuilder is going to run out and start buying Synthol by the case! Do you really think those that make it care if they sell a bottle at cost to a pro?, no, but in doing so, it is there best marketing tool to those wishing they looked like that professional in question. 

10) On a similar subject (arms), Muscletech claims that you have the strongest arms in the sport, within their ads. How do you feel about this type of marketing and are you constantly asked to prove this claim?

I get a kick out of it. Muscletech has a staff that is true fans of the sport, and when they have an athlete that is strong in one or more ways, they get psyched! Greg Kovacs is extremely strong, and at one time they, (Muscletech), depended on this as a marketing tool. I have stated numerous times that out of respect for strength athletes around the world, I do not claim to have the strongest arms. Muscletech has achieved so much with the way they advertise their products to the public. They try to take each athlete and "introduce" them to the public. An example? I can be anywhere, be it the grocery store, mall, movies, and I get at least half a dozen inquiries, if not more, that, "I am the Superman guy!", or, "Hey, that's the cell tech guy!" Mission accomplished on the part of Muscletech. This is why, that as an amateur athlete, I am better known than most pro bodybuilders. I am projected in a positive light to the public, this I will always be appreciative of. Some bash Muscletech for their approach, but, the ads they do have REAL athletes, unlike ads of old that claimed 60lb gains in 30days! 

11) With regard to Muscletech, this company does a huge volume of advertising and lately, you have been their most visibly advertised athlete, even though you are still an amateur. Have you taken criticism from athletes, maybe even fellow Muscletech athletes, who may be pro, because of your visibility and celebrity over theirs?

There are other athletes that criticize me for being so heavily pushed in the editorials. This is their problem, not mine, as they do not do it to my face. I do not ask to be utilized as much as I am, but I am proud of the fact that Muscletech sees fit to use the best bodybuilder for that particular ad. I am happy for other athletes when they appear. I get tired of seeing myself. I get motivated seeing an awesome physique like Dexter! Perhaps if those complaining took that energy into the gym, they could achieve the physique it takes to get the attention of those in Marketing?

12) Now, let's get to the matter of competition - namely, Nationals. Last year, you were the favorite going in and ended up in some of your best conditioning ever, yet placed a disappointing 3rd place. Give us your true feelings about your placement and what went through your mind at that point in time.

I was crushed to say the least. One will not come across a bodybuilder more realistic at contest time. I know when I am ready, and I had, until last year floundered since 1999. Yes, I showed up at some events good enough to win, but this is not enough for me. I want to know that I am the best athlete onstage the day I earn my pro card. Going into last year I was elated, due to the fact I was finally working with you, Chad. I had wanted to work with you for the previous 2 years, but had allowed others to talk me out of it. In both cases, of being talked out of working with you, it was by one wanting me to work with them. Finally, I arranged to work with you and right away I felt a confidence in all you sent for me to do. It was simple, to the point, and void of any uncertainties on your part. I feel the outcome was the physique of a National champion. I assessed the way I looked as compared to others in the class, and felt in terms of muscularity, conditioning, and symmetry I was the easy winner. It was the first show I was ever able to relax, and just smile, as opposed to my normal uptight feeling. I am a competitor at heart and still have a hard time not wearing a game face on the day of a show. Some mistake my intense nature for that of a nasty muscle head, but nothing could be farther from the truth. The 2002 Nationals hurt! Period. I respect every guy up there with me, and mean no disrespect to them by feeling the way I do. I go to win, and on that day, I feel that I did. My feelings were re-enforced by the reaction of the crowd present and to this day those that see more pictures than those placed in magazines. Sadly, the bodybuilding publications cannot run numerous pictures as there are other topics that need to be covered. I have looked over hundreds, maybe even over a thousand pictures from the Nationals and still feel I was the winner on that day. Now, will I be a baby about it?, no, again, l want too much from life, than to get hung up on one day that did not go my way. I will make necessary improvements between now and November, along the way asking the opinions of those that judge, and on that day of the 2003 Nationals, finally earn my pro card. This will allow me to mentally turn the page in life and move on, rather than live life frustrated about this goal being unfulfilled.