Who is Erik Fankhouser?
Erik “The House” Fankhouser is a sponsored athlete from West Virginia, USA, and an IFBB professional bodybuilder.
He is admired for both his commitment to the sport and for having powerful quadriceps and calf muscles.
Short Career of Erik Fankhouser
Erik Fankhouser enjoyed playing football in junior high and high school because he was a passionate athlete as a child.
He excelled at the sport to the point where he was awarded a scholarship to play for his hometown institution. Here, while attempting to bulk up for football, he discovered his love for bodybuilding.
Today, Erik has a striking body and a successful career that has allowed him to compete on the Mr. Olympia stage.
He has competed against the top athletes in the world, winning sponsors who enable him to keep doing what he loves.
Body Measurements of Erik Fankhouser
| Full Name: | Erik Fankhouser |
| DATE OF BIRTH: | May 30, 1980 |
| ERA: | 2000, 2010 |
| PROFESSION: | IFBB Professional Bodybuilder The House Nationality Profession |
| NATIONALITY: | American |
| AGE: | 42 |
| HEIGHT: | 5’9″(175cm) |
| WEIGHT: | 215 to 225 lbs; 93.0 to 102.1 kg |
| ALIAS: | The House |
Accomplishments
Competitions
- 2004 NPC Upper Ohio Valley, 1st
- 2005 Mid Atlantic Grand Prix/West Virginia States, 1st
- 2006 IFBB North American Championships, 4th
- 2007 NPC USA Bodybuilding & Figure Championships, 16th
- 2007 IFBB North American Championships, 1st
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2008 IFBB 15th Annual Sports/Fitness Weekend & Europa IFBB Super Show, 11th
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2010 IFBB Olympia,18th
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2010 IFBB Europa Battle of Champions, 11th
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2010 IFBB New York Pro Bodybuilding & Bikini Championships, 5th
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2012 IFBB British Grand Prix, 7th
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2012 IFBB Wings of Strength Chicago Pro-Am Extravaganza, 7th
Biography of Erik Fankhouser
Sports Starting Points
Wheeling, West Virginia, is where Erik was born and reared (USA). Growing up, he participated in a variety of sports, so maintaining his physical fitness and maximizing his strength was always a priority.
Football was one of Erik’s school sports favorites. Throughout high school, he was an excellent player and was able to secure a scholarship to play at West State Liberty College in his native West Virginia.
First-Time Lifting Weights
It was here that Erik first learned to lift weights. He initially began going to the gym to bulk up for football, but he quickly grew to love weightlifting and proceeded to learn new methods every day.
In 2004, he triumphed in his first professional bodybuilding competition, the NPC Upper Ohio Valley. He won first place in the junior section and thoroughly enjoyed his first time posing in front of the public.
After that, he put in a lot of work in preparation for the 2005 Mid-Atlantic Grand Prix/West Virginia States.
He ended up giving an outstanding performance and won Mr. West Virginia with ease.
He immediately realized that he wanted to advance in the sport.
First National Competitions
Erik’s only option at this moment was upward. He decided to try and win National contests in 2005.
He put in a ton of work in preparation for the 2006 IFBB North American Championships, finishing an amazing fourth.
He finished a dismal 16th at the 2007 USA Bodybuilding & Figure Championships after this contest.
Erik felt that this kind of performance simply wasn’t good enough, so he trained even harder to get ready for the IFBB North American Championships that same year.
Erik was able to earn a first-place finish in his class at this show as a result of his diligence. He also received his pro card and the title of overall tournament winner.
This was a very amazing and memorable day for Erik which he recalled throughout his career.
Getting His Name Known
Erik gained notoriety as the first person to ever win a Pro Card in West Virginia when he started to compete against the best in the world.
He was admired as well for the effort he’d put into developing his legs. Particularly, his calves were among the best in the industry.
2010’s Mr. Olympia served as Erik’s introduction to television. Erik competed in a major event alongside bodybuilding legends Jay Cutler, Phil Heath, and Dexter Jackson.
Even though he only came in at number 18, he thoroughly enjoyed performing for a global audience.
On Social Media
Erik gained a lot of media attention as a result of his achievements in the bodybuilding community.
Erik has been interviewed by well-known publications like muscular development and FLEX to discover more about his diet and training regimen.
Training of Erik Fankhouser
Training Method
Erik splits his workout schedule into five days. With each workout, he performs 25, 20, 15, 12, and then 10 repetitions.
The average strength training session lasts about 75 minutes, and cardio is frequently interspersed throughout the day.
Leg exercises
This strategy has produced some significant benefits. Erik is renowned for having among the largest calves in the professional arena and for having broad legs. Below is his exercise program for this muscle group:
Week 1
Monday: Quads
- Leg Extension (4 sets) (12 reps)
- Squat (4 sets) (12 reps)
- Lunge (4 sets) (12 reps)
- Leg Press (4 sets) (12 reps)
Wednesday: Hams
- Seated Leg Curl (4 sets) (12 reps)
- Reverse Leg Curls (4 sets) (12 reps)
- Stiff-leg Deadlift (4 sets) (12 reps)
Friday: Calves
- Seated Calf Raise (4 sets) (12 reps)
- Leg Press Calf Raise (4 sets) (12 reps)
- Reverse Calf Raise (4 sets) (12 reps)
Week 2
Monday: Quads
- One-leg leg press (4 sets) (15 reps)
- One-leg leg extension (4 sets) (15 reps)
- One-Leg Smith Machine Squat (4 sets) (15 reps)
Wednesday: Hams
- One-leg Leg Curl (4 sets) (15 reps)
- One-leg Stiff-Leg Deadlift (4 sets) (15 reps)
- One-leg Reverse Leg Curl (4 sets) (15 reps)
Friday: Calves
- One-leg Smith Machine Standing Calf Raise (4 sets) (15 reps)
- One-leg Donkey Calf Raise (4 sets) (15 reps)
- One-leg Reverse Calf Raise (4 sets) (15 reps)
Cardio Approach
Erik claims that as he performs his pre-contest aerobic workouts, his legs get bigger.
He frequently uses the stair-master, which helps him build muscle definition and raise his calves.
Erik prefers to spread out his cardio workouts throughout the day rather than doing it all in the morning or evening when it comes to scheduling.
He claimed that he had learned from his past errors and that his excessive aerobic exercise had harmed his achievements.
Each session typically lasts for 45 minutes. This, according to Erik, is the ideal amount of time to spend working out without going crazy. He consumes amino acids before his cardio session to avoid any muscle deterioration.
Training Split
- Day 1: Chest
- Day 2: arms/abs
- Day 3: off
- Day 4: back
- Day 5: shoulders
- Day 6: off
- Day 7: Chest
- Day 8: legs
- Day 9: off
- Day 10: back
- Day 11: arms/abs
- Day 12: off
Nutrition of Erik Fankhouser
Understanding His Mistakes
In the off-season, Erik claims he has spent many years experimenting. He claims that following his debut performance, he made the “rookie mistake” of indulging in as much food as he could.
He claims that he was consuming an excessive amount of fat and was feeling lethargic all day despite eating pizza, ice cream, weight gainer smoothies, and any other fatty food he desired.
After his second performance, he started to adopt a new strategy. Again, he went about dieting incorrectly, eating as healthfully as he could throughout the year without adding carbs when it wasn’t competition season.
He was unable to change his body in any way as a result and had to take a different approach.
Erik finally discovered an effective approach. During the off-season, he consumed as many calories as he wanted, but he set boundaries.
He also limited the amount of weight gainer shakes he consumed to prevent overconsumption of calories.
Protein
Erik gets his 600g of protein each day from several sources in addition to these weight gain whey protein smoothies. His first two meals of the day must include 10 to 16 ounces of meat or 8 to 12 whole eggs.
Throughout his period, he may choose a wide variety of meats, but he almost usually prefers lean meats like chicken, turkey, and beef. He also enjoys eating fish because of the high-quality protein and omega-3 it provides.
He consumes 2.5 grams of protein for every pound of body weight he is carrying throughout the off-season.
To cut swiftly and limit his calorie consumption during the season, he starts to cut back on this protein intake 20 weeks before a certain show.
Carbohydrates
Additionally crucial to preserving his overall body development are carbohydrates. He consumes more carbohydrates than usual on training days because he needs the extra energy.
Erik then rotates his carns on a high/low cycle 20 weeks before a competition.
A high day can be between 150 and 200 grams, while a low day can be between 30 and 60 grams. He then reduces this intake to zero before the show and eats fish for every meal.
Meal Plan
Meal 1: 10 whole eggs and 1 cup of oats
Meal 2: Weight-gainer shake and 1 cup of oats
Meal 3: 12 ounces of beef and one large sweet potato
Meal 4: Weight-gainer shake and 1 cup of oats
Meal 5: 12 ounces of ground turkey
Meal 6: Whey shake and 1 cup of oats
Influences and Idols
The affection he receives from his family is Erik’s primary source of motivation in sports.
They have respected him for choosing to pursue his dreams and have given him their full support throughout his fitness journey.
Along with this affection and support, he also appreciates Andy Bartolovich, his trainer, for treating him with respect.
What could Erik Fankhouser Teach Us?
Erik exemplifies the virtues of resilience and hard work in the face of setbacks.
When he finished 16th at the NPC USA Bodybuilding & Figure Championships in 2007, he suffered a significant setback. However, he did not let this discourage him, and the following year, he returned even stronger.
His career has been distinguished by his readiness to learn from his errors. In both success and failure, he has been humble and has learned from his mistakes regarding nutrition, exercise, and competitiveness.