When An Nguyen began weight-training at the age of 12 it was to help him eventually excel in the typical high school sports. But as his high school days on the field and in the gym progressed he soon saw the gain, and when it came time for college he had to choose: continue playing football or seriously start bodybuilding. He chose bodybuilding.
Striving for a shape with rounded muscle, yet still athletic, Nguyen set his sights on Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, and Kevin Levrone, while devising his own nutrition and training plan. He trained five days a week, setting aside 30 minutes a day for cardio and doing more pushups and situps than anyone would think possible. And once a week he would spend an hour solely on posing.
He was finally ready to compete. Nguyen entered the INBA Oakland Silver and Black Muscle Classic competing in the teenage class and placed first. He went on to compete in more amateur competitions before receiving his pro card.
