Tom Schaaf

Written by Eric Broser

In this installment of Natural Freak Spotlight I want to introduce readers to a gentleman who was a total stranger to me ten years ago, but now is one of my closest friends, and someone I normally refer to simply as “brother.”

Tom Schaaf grew up in Chetek, WI and now resides in Barron, WI, where he moved to about 12 years ago. Husband to his wonderful wife, Karen, and step father to five step children (four boys and one girl with ages ranging from 31 down to 13), this 48-year-old natural-for-life lifter has built and maintained a physique that most guys half his age could only dream of attaining!

Nicknamed “Tank”, Tom is not much smaller than one at a height of 5’8” and an off season weight of nearly 260 lbs! That is massive for a bodybuilder using performance-enhancing drugs, let alone one that is 100% natural!

Recently I sat down with Tom in order to learn more about him and “steal some knowledge” from a man with 33 years of experience “punishing the iron” and building a physique that’s as powerful as any TANK!

E: You have been at this a long time. What keeps you motivated to keep pounding away in the gym?

T: It’s the overall health aspect of it now. My father and grandfather have had strokes and heart attacks. I don't want to go through that. The other things is, while I'm in the gym, I m helping younger high school athletes with their form and technique. If I'm gonna talk the talk, I have to walk the walk! I still want to be the big dog on the porch I guess!

E: Ha! I love it! What is the main difference in your training now vs. say 20 years ago?

T: Oh man, when I first started, it was the basic Mon/Wed/Fri split with the same body parts and pretty much the same movements every workout. Talk about going stale! Now, I'm doing X- Reps, Drop sets, Giant Sets and more. Plus I'm doing 4-day splits these days. I understand more about getting proper rest, sleep and nutrition. The supplement world has changed a lot in the last twenty years, which is also a big factor! I was an intense lifter back twenty years ago, but even more so today I feel.

E: You and I have known each other for about ten years now, having "met" on a discussion board where I introduced my POWER/REP RANGE/SHOCK training program. You were one of my first major proponents of the system and have continued to use it all of these years! What about P/RR/S has kept you sticking with it year in and out?

T: As I mentioned earlier, I became stale in my workouts. I kept gaining muscle and strength, but it just seemed to be so slow. With P/RR/S the gains in strength and size keep coming…and I am still getting bigger at age 48! I'm sold on P/RR/S and your other training system, FD/FS. Not to sound cliché, but you really DO “grow without plateau” on your programs. I have several clients on P/RR/S, both male and female, and they love it!

E: Talk to me a bit about diet. As we get older we have to make some adjustments in order to continue gaining muscle, but while keeping body fat accrual to a minimum. What is your strategy these days?

T: I have better understanding about nutrient timing now –mainly when it comes to carbs. Some people think carbs themselves are the enemy, but in truth it’s the amount and kinds of carbs that you are eating that are important, as well as when you consume them. I keep it simple these days. I go for something complex in the morning like 40-50 grams carbs from raw oatmeal and nine scrambled egg whites with four whole eggs. My second meal is generally 3 oz beef, 3 oz venison, and 1/4 cup brown rice. For meal number three I usually have 7 oz chicken breast and 1.5 cup fresh broccoli with one tablespoon of extra virgin olive mixed in. My next meal is pre-workout and consists of a medium sized apple with a whey protein drink. After training I go for another whey protein shake, but mixed with EFX’s LBA’s and 100-150 grams of Karbolyn. I finish my day by eating one tablespoon natural peanut butter and a cup of cottage cheese. I usually have a cheat meal on weekends, usually at lunch time. I don’t feel guilty doing so, because I usually do something active after I cheat to burn it off!

E: You and I are big proponents of a solid supplementation program year around for continuous gains in muscle, even into our 40's and beyond. What staple supplements do you stay on basically 365 days per year?

T: As I said earlier, the supplement industry has changed in leaps and bounds over the past twenty years. With the age thing creeping up on me, I need that extra edge in the gym. All American EFX has two of the top supplements available for helping me out in this regard - Test Charge and K-OTIC. I use Test Charge to dramatically raise my testosterone levels and K-OTIC for that intense/focused workout that I need. I also use EFX’s LBA's for in-between-meal snacks, NF Pro for my protein shakes, Kre-Alkayn in morning before work, and to keep my joints feeling good I also take Joint Rehab daily! As I mentioned, I recently added EFX’s new Karbolyn into my regimen, and absolutely love the strawberry flavor! I use it pre, intra and post workout mixed in with whey protein, BCAA’s and glutamine.

E: Soon you will enter your 50's and you are still bigger and stronger than guys in the gym half your age! How long can you keep doing this? Can you keep getting better and better?

T: Well as you know, I have had both shoulders repaired, due to rotator tears, and yet I'm still in the gym lifting and holding my own. All of this has to do with listening to my body, and continuously changing the way I approach P/RR/S and FD/FS workouts. One of the biggest hurdles I have had to face after my surgeries is putting my ego aside and using the tempos that you prescribe in your workouts. But in doing so, my body has reacted greatly in terms of how I feel and the progress I make! My joints feel great and I have not been having any problems with my shoulders!

E: You are, and always have been a 100% drug free bodybuilder, although looking at you it is hard to believe! What has kept you from the "dark side" all of these years?

T: I have always worked extremely hard at everything I ever did, from wrestling to track to football. I was usually the first one at practice and the last one to leave…period. For me, it simply has to do with my own morals. That said I do not judge anyone who chooses to take a different path than my own. Some of my own friends have chosen to use drugs in their training and that is their right and choice.

E: What advice do you have for the younger guys just getting into bodybuilding?

T: Number one - be patient! If you are working hard it will happen – but it takes time. If you belong on any forum or discussion board that I am a member of, please feel free to message me for info. Always ask questions! Also, don't get stuck in the rut of needing “hard scientific evidence” before you try a supplement or a workout routine. Be your own scientist! Most of us seasoned lifters didn't need studies to get where we are…we just had this “brotherhood” of body building that we coupled with determination and faith. We taught ourselves based on “in-the-trenches,” real world experience!

E: Any more plans to compete? What does the future hold for the "Tank" in this industry? What do you still want to accomplish?

T: Yes, I plan on trying a few more shows starting in the fall of 2012. With the shoulder surgeries I have had a few delays getting back on stage, but I would love to get my pro card at the age of 49, and then go into my 50's kicking butt. And Eric, somewhere along the line, I am anxious to sit down with you at a buffet table (LOL) and discuss life!! Plus I want to thank you in person for your all of your valuable time and knowledge! (Note: Although Tom and I have known each other for over ten years and have become as close as brothers we still have never had the opportunity to meet!)