Meet Armon Adibi | Bodybuilder, nutrition coach (dietitian) and owner of 2 supplement companies

We had the good fortune of connecting with Armon Adibi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Armon, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
I would say how much dedication goes into the sport, bodybuilding. It is not as glamorous as it may seem. It entails eating 6-8 massive meals a day, every 2-3 hours and manipulating your diet to achieve a certain look. The hard part is the strict diet, you don’t get to eat whatever or whenever you want. It is allowed to have a “cheat meal” but that only depends on if your body is on point to competition day. Then, you strength train to a high level of intensity pushing your body to the limit each time just so that your muscles grow and then the possibility of getting injured. In which many pro level bodybuilders have multiple injuries/ surgeries. In counting, I have had 14 surgeries. Of course, let’s not forget the cardio. Thankfully, I have a fast metabolism but some people would endure hours of cardio just to shed the very last fat that’s stored. Your lifestyle is very regimented and it is 24/7. It’s not like a basketball game you play then it’s over. The average someone preps for a contest is 12 weeks. The last component to achieve the chiseled look are the “super” supplements which is a hush hush topic but it’s a given in all pro sports for performance. Bodybuilders unfortunately get a lot of criticism for it but it is more than that, it is the dedication and hard work that is put into it all. Another thing that is unknown about bodybuilding is the assumption that it’s a money making or high paying sport. Back in the day, when magazines existed there were different avenues that one can make an income including tv commercials, ads, sponsorships, and fans that would generously pay just to talk or train at gym together. Now that everything is digital the various ways of making an income hardly exists and if they do the pay is unlike before. If you do win prize money (typically the high level pros) it doesn’t cover the expenses that are involved in bodybuilding which include groceries, supplements, entry fees, and the things leading up to competition day. Sponsors pay but barely to what people think and you are restricted to what you can do due to the contract.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started my bodybuilding career at a young age, I was 17. It all started when I played soccer at a high level internationally. My last tournament was in Sweden and Denmark. I had Osgood Schlaters which caused my knees to be too painful to run. I began weight training. My body transformed, I was blessed that I was able to put on muscle quick. During the process of me prepping for a show, I helped out a few of my friends with their diets. They all placed 1st place so I had a gift of being a contest prep coach. To this day, majority of my clients place top 3 in their class. I coach both men and women in all the various classes (bodybuilding, classic physique, figure, wellness and bikini). I not only coach contest prep competitors but I also coach those that want to transform their body. I have been in this industry for 20+ years. When I started there were only a handful of coaches that knew how to dial someone in for a show. Today, everyone labels themselves as a coach if they have competed. Many “coaches” don’t know how to adequately dial one in safely or train someone appropriately. The scary thing is someone’s health could be jeopardized if that coach doesn’t know what they are doing. Every individual is different. Having a coach is helpful, they are your brain especially during contest prep. During prep, your brain is not functioning right from the lack of certain food and your body fat is extremely low. I also have my own supplement company called Adibi Army Supplements. I have learned throughout my career that many supplement companies out there are inappropriately dosed and so much fillers are added. That’s why I wanted to have my own line so that I know what goes in them and know that it will be effective.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Dallas is an overall great place. I was born and raised here. Out of all the places I traveled to I would still choose Dallas as home. I would recommend Tex-Mex and BBQ for the authentic Texas experience. Especially, if you are a sports fan you should attend a game of either the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, or Dallas Stars whoever is in season at the moment. For a night outing, the Reunion Tower has a beautiful view and the restaurant is a must. It is one of my favorite restaurants. I’m not a drinker but I love hanging out at Deep Ellum for the concerts at Trees, The Factory, and Canton Hall. There are always good bands coming through especially rock. Most of my friends love to workout so I’d take them to one of the many great gyms we have here and train them as they all love getting trained by me. 

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mom, Beverly, was my best friend and she supported my bodybuilding career. She was at all of competitions. Unfortunately, her time was shortened by breast cancer. My wife of 8 years has been by my side through all the good and rough times. She believed in me and has supported me in all of my ventures. We make a great team. We have created and owned our supplement line, Adibi Army Supplements for 8 years. Our next joint venture is AMG (Advanced Muscular Genetics) Labz. Bodybuilding is a loner sport since it’s up to you to do everything yourself but a supportive partner to help prep your food and a coach helps you when you’re competing.

Website: https://armonadibi.com/

Instagram: @armonadibi83

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armon.adibi.1?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@armonadibi?si=k5S5X5gPJ0lKTz-u

Other: Tiktok @armonadibi

Image Credits
Jay Fuertez Alex Ardenti