1.Introduce Yourself!

Hey my name is Dino Estrada, I was born and raised in Venezuela and came to the United States when I was 12. I lived in a small town called Urania, Louisiana, for about 10 years before moving to Texas shortly after graduating from Northwestern State. I lived in Austin for a few years and then decided to relocate to San Antonio, where I‘m currently living.

2.Why did you start getting into fitness?

I was an athlete throughout the entirety of my childhood and played three sports in high school. I went on to play college baseball, which kept me very active throughout my college years as well. The passion I had developed for health and fitness transitioned into life after college and I was introduced to the sport of bodybuilding upon moving to Austin; the passion has grown ever since. Pursuing this journey in bodybuilding as well as in health and fitness has provided me the opportunity to motivate, encourage, and positively impact those around me as they progress along fitness journeys of their own.

3. What is your personal training philosophy?

As for my personal training philosophy, I strongly believe that there is no ‘golden rule’ or ‘perfect equation’ that works for everybody; everyone’s body is different and what‘s extremely effective for one person, may not work at all for another. Another important thing to consider is the fact that everyone has different goals as well —each demanding different techniques and training styles in order to be successful. It’s all about familiarizing yourself with the basics and then taking the time to figure out how your body responds to different variables. Yes, it may take some time, but persistence and patience is key and it’ll be worth it in the end.

4. How do you keep motivated?

I stay motivated by maintaining the mentality that each and every day is a new opportunity for improvement, for progression, and for tiny victories that in time attribute to greater ones. The hunger for success and desire to become the best possible version of myself is what fuels the fire and pushes me to work harder as I chip away at fulfilling my goals and making the most out of the chances I have to leave an imprint on the world.

5.Who is your inspiration?

My mother is my greatest inspiration; she is the strongest women I know and has guided me in becoming the man I am today. I have always admired her for all of the sacrifices she’s made for my family, as well as the courage it took for her to leave home permanently and relocate to the United States in order to ensure a brighter future for my siblings and I.

6.What does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day for me starts at 6AM; I wake up, get dressed, let my dog out, and then head to the gym for fasted cardio. When my session is over I go back home, take a shower, prep my meals for the day, and make breakfast before getting ready for work. I usually leave for the office at around 10AM and spend the majority of the day managing my sales team and delegating appointments. I typically stay until around 6PM and then go home to make dinner and let my dog out again. Due to my work schedule I have adjusted to training pretty late and often find myself getting to the the gym anywhere between 9-9:30PM —and training until about 11. After my session, I come home, eat my post-workout meal, and then head straight to bed for the night before waking up to start the cycle again the next morning.

7.What is your favorite workout?

My favorite workout overall is definitely upper body. I enjoy being able to train multiple muscle groups simultaneously in order to make the most out of my workout sessions. I’ve created a personalized upper body split that I have found incredibly useful and effective; this workout consists of several of my favorite upper body movements: cable chest flies, chest machine press, side laterals, rear-delt-focused side laterals, EZ bar curls, and tricep pressdowns.

8.What are your career goals?

My primary career goal in terms of fitness is to expand my outreach to a global level while continuing to motivate, encourage, inspire, and enlighten as many people as possible throughout their individual fitness journeys. I also strive to refine, develop, and perfect my brand image as well.

9.Your favorite cheat meal?

My favorite cheat meal is a Sweet n’ Spicy Bacon Burger from Whataburger (a popular fast food restaurant in TX) with a side of large fries, an apple pie, and a chocolate shake. It’s the ultimate post-workout cheat meal, no doubt ;) ..and their fries are unbeatable.

10. How have you been dealing with Covid19 and quarantine?

Throughout the majority of this difficult time concerning COVID19, I was fortunate enough to have access to a private gym; however, in an effort to comply with recommended safety precautions as well as provide guidance for my followers unable to leave their homes, I would opt to complete at-home bodyweight or band workouts several days a week. In addition, I’ve sought to capitalize on the downtime created by this global pandemic and have activity pursued ways to improve not only my physical condition, but my mental state as well —whether it be reading a new book, seeking new avenues of success within my career, or discovering new opportunities to make a difference within the lives of others during this time of need.

To continue following Dino's journey, follow him on Instagram @dinoestrada14 

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