It´s only a matter of time before I became one of the best in this game, I know that I have what it takes to become the best.
Could you tell us a bit about yourself and how you started training?
My name is Patrick Lessa. I am 29 years old and a Swedish citizen. I’m originally from DR Congo, a big and rich country in Central Africa. I moved to Sweden 17 years ago with my mother and my 3 brothers. I have always been active in sports. My first sport was soccer. I started at an early age untill I was 20 years old. I started lifting weights at 14. I also tried a variety of sports such as basketball and boxing. I have fought 8 amateur fights in light heavyweight division. I was always good and talented athlete at every sport I got into and this talent led me to a golden opportunity. At the age of 22 I was casted as one of the contenders for the Swedish Gladiators and I won 1st place. I was so impressed by Swedish Gladiators, by their muscle size and definition what made me decide to give weight lifting a chans, so that I could grow to be as huge as the Swedish Gladiators. A friend af mine talked me into american fotboll the same year and I though it was perfect. I played in the highest division in Sweden for one year as a running back. That was a good training experience since I learned how to squat, dead lift and lifting realy heavy. I got kind of tired of it I felt like I wanted to try something new, so decided to compete in bodybuildning and I did my first contest back in 2007 at Lucia Pokalen and I got 3rd. My second contest was 2009 at Swedish Nationals where I placed 9th. My third contest was last year 2010 at the Swedish Nationals where I placed 6th. I´m learning more and more about myself and how my body works and I can promise that it´s only a matter of time before I became one of the best in this game, I know that I have what it takes to become the best. 
Who were your role models when you started training?
My role model when I started training was actually my mother’s friend Christian. He was so muscular. He used to be a soldier and bodyguard back in our homeland, before he moved to Sweden. He knew quite a lot about training and he is the one who introduced me to the weights. He had some weights at home and I remember us training in one of his bedrooms, I didn’t even know what the gym was at the moment. I got to know about bodybuilding professional athletes at the age 0f 24 and that´s when I found out about Ronnie Coleman, Dexter Jackson and my all time favorite Flex Wheeler. I look up to Flex Wheeler’s physique, to me that’s what I consider the ideal bodybuilding physique.
I got to know about bodybuilding professional athletes at the age 0f 24 and that´s when I found out about Ronnie Coleman, Dexter Jackson and my all time favorite Flex Wheeler.
Where did your motivation come from?
My motivation to train and to build a bodybuilding physique comes mostly from myself. Since I started lifting weights I always felt that my body and muscles responded very well to my training and I got good results right away with small effort. That made me curious and asking myself what will happen if I trained harder and harder. So seeing the results from my training made it really fun to train and the will to bring it to the next level. Also, watching training videos of professional athletes and just knowing that I have the power and the control to change my physique the way I want, that motivates me a lot.
What is your current workout routine?
My current workout routine is to lift as heavy as possible, for gaining size. I’m focusing a lot on my back and my chest and I try to hit them twice a week. I hit the gym totally 5 times a week.
What does your pre-contest diet look like?
My pre-contest diet consists of mostly carbs. I usually diet 14 weeks before a competition and start with 650 g of carbs, 300 gram protein and 150g fat. My carb source are rice, potato, oatmeal. My protein comes from fish, meat, chicken, eggs and protein powders and my fats are mostly from avocado and cashew nuts. My calorie intake start at as high as 5200 cal daily and I slowly cut back on mostly carbs. For my next competition I´m going to start with lower carbs, I’m going for a real shredded, dry to the bones look next time I compete!
My pre-contest diet consists of mostly carbs.
Your best tips on gaining size?
How to gain size is individual. Depends on you genes, how you work out, what you eat, how often you stimulate your muscles. But what works absolutely the best for me is a high carb diet and training very heavy. I include exercises such as dead lift, squats, bench presses, military presses, leg presses once a week.I don’t believe in light weight training. To stimulate your muscle fibers properly and to grow you need to lift heavy and eat a lot.
Your favorite exercises and why?
My favorite exercises are very heavy dead lifts, squats, leg presses. Because I get pumped up in the whole body and I like that feeling. I even get pumped up in my biceps and chest after squatting heavy.
I even get pumped up in my biceps and chest after squatting heavy.
What supplements do you use?
I use all my supplements from B.M.R Sports Nutrition I like Protelux 360 Creamy Chocolate flavor. I have taken alot of supplements in my days, but that is one of the best or maybe the best I ever had and I just love it. Duramax Amino is another favorite product that I during my workouts or throughout the day when I need some extra amino acids. Sometimes I just drink it because it tastes so good. I take Animus before training. It gives me the boost that I need right before lifting heavy and the high amount of EAA is just a plus since my eating habits are mostly carbs. I simply love all the products from BMR Sports Nutrition and I’m really excited about this year’s contest prep. I will keep you guys updated on my progress.
The best thing about being a bodybuilder? Anything negative?
The best thing about being a bodybuilder is that I have learned a lot about myself and how my body works. I live very healthy. I like the feeling that I have the power of shaping my body the way I want to and mostly the discipline that you get by being a bodybuilder. Since I started with bodybuildning I have learned that if you put enough time into something and struggle with it, you will get good results, hard work pays off!. I even apply that theory in my real life and I´am very patience when I want to achieve my goals. I have learned that it takes time to build quality. So being a bodybuilder has made me a better person, more patient and disciplined. 
The negative part of being a bodybuilder to me is that I have sacrificed a lot in my life, specially when it comes to social life. I don´t get together with my friends, brothers and family as often as I would like to because beside my job I have to train, prepare my meals, rest and that takes most of my time. That´s a choice I have made but I´m not complaining since bodybuilding has given me much in return now and I see it as a blessing in my life and I’m looking forward to the future.
What is your greatest achievement so far?
My best achievement in life is that I have won Swedish Gladiators as a contender and now I’m one of the cast members of SWEDISH GLADIATORS for the new season. That´s so far the best achivement in my life. Being a Swedish Gladiator is a great life experience and it has opened many opportunities for me, I just feel blessed and a part of it is thanks to bodybuilding. I want to be a great role model for younger kids and show them that in life anything is possible if you work hard enough.
My best achievements in life is that I have won Swedish Gladiators as a contender and now I’m one of the cast members of SWEDISH GLADIATORS
What is your favorite quote(s)?
” If it ain´t broke, dont fix it”. “Ain´t nothing to it but to do it”
If you could go back in time, what would you change in your training, diet routine?
I would not change anything about my routine or training if I went back in time. I have made every possible mistake there is and still keep making them. But we all learn from our own mistakes, that has made me smarter and more experienced and also gives me the opportunity to share my mistakes and experiences with others I train or those who approach me and keep asking me about training, supplements or diet. I wouldn´t be the person I´am today or have had this physique if I didn’t make those mistakes.
What are your plans for the future?
We have just finished filming the first season of Swedish Gladiators. So right now I´am just resting and taking it easy. I’m planing to compete on Lucia Pokalen in Sweden in December 2011, but I haven´t decided yet, I will keep you posted.
Patrick ‘Baron Samedi” Lessa