BRAD ROWE IFBB Pro and Trainer to the Stars!
Muscular Development|June 2021
Success in bodybuilding is often assumed to correlate with contest wins and high finishes at the Mr. Olympia and Arnold Classic. Yet there are many other avenues available today, some far more lucrative than relying on prize money or even supplement contracts. One man who exemplifies the level of success possible beyond the stage is Brad Rowe. Though he was no slouch on stage, he gained far more visibility appearing in national commercials for companies like GoDaddy, Coca-Cola, Kia, Taco Bell and Dannon Oikos, some of which aired during Super Bowls. More recently, Brad’s prominence as an elite personal trainer got a major boost when Mike Tyson hired him to be his full-time strength and conditioning coach, training him for his 2020 comeback fight at age 54 with Roy Jones Jr. I spoke with fellow native New Englander Brad about why he stepped away from competing, how he became part of Mike Tyson’s training camp, and his major project that stands to make him one of the biggest players in the growing field of anti-aging and cutting-edge athletic performance.
RON HARRIS
BRAD ROWE IFBB Pro and Trainer to the Stars!

Is it true you were a fitness model and had a supplement contract before you even started competing?

Yeah. I was just a gym rat after college, working out. and I posted some pits from Halloween where I was The Ultimate Warrior. Ed Connors (one of the three owners of the Gold's Gym franchise) reached out to me on MySpace. I had no idea who he was so I ignored him. A couple of weeks later, Adam Silver of Silver Models reached out and asked me if I was interested in fitness modeling. I was if it paid, but I wasn't about to pay out of pocket for a photoshoot. Within a week, I booked a huge GNC job and a Muscle & Fitness campaign. This was right before the 2010 Arnold Classic, and there were giant banners there hanging up with my images on them. I booked more photoshoots there. I went to New York City the next month for a photoshoot, went on an audition, and landed my first national commercial. Adam said I should think about competing because it would expand my horizons in the sport, and maybe I could get an endorsement contract. I decided to do a show, but before I even stepped on stage I signed with Universal. I was like, I think I'm gonna give this thing a shot. I put med school on hold and moved to New York City for a while. Ed Connors found me again early that fall in 2010 and convinced me to come out to California. He flew me out to do the NPC Cal. and I won that. I fell in love with LA. Ed said I needed to be out there. I went home to New Hampshire. sold all my shit, and worked for a couple of months to save up some money before flying back out there with two suitcases. I've been out here for 11 years now.

This story is from the June 2021 edition of Muscular Development.

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This story is from the June 2021 edition of Muscular Development.

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