Who is Lionel Beyeke?
Lionel Beyeke is an IFBB professional bodybuilder who was born in Cameroon but subsequently moved to France.
Short Career of Lionel Beyeke
Following his second-place finish in the 2009 NPC Arnold Amateur Championships behind Roelly Winklaar, Lionel Beyeke gained notoriety in the fitness world. He obtained his Pro Card here as well.
From then, Lionel kept thrilling bodybuilding fans by winning the 2012 Flex Pro and competing in Joe Weider’s Mr. Olympia, the most prestigious bodybuilding contest in the world.
Body Measurements of Lionel Beyeke
| Full Name: | Lionel Beyeke |
| DATE OF BIRTH: | 10 September 1980 |
| ERA: | 2000, 2010 |
| PROFESSION: | Professional Bodybuilder |
| NATIONALITY: | French |
| AGE: | 41 |
| HEIGHT: | 5’10″(177.5cm) |
| WEIGHT: | 235 to 245 pounds (106.6 to 111.1 kg) |
Accomplishments
Competitions
- 2015 IFBB Arnold Classic Brasil, 8th
- 2015 IFBB Arnold Sports Festival, 12th
- 2014 IFBB Toronto Pro Supershow, 5th
- 2014 IFBB New York Pro, 4th
- 2014 IFBB Arnold Classic Brazil, 4th
- 2013 IFBB EVLs Prague Pro, 7th
- 2013 IFBB Arnold Classic Europe, 9th
- 2013 IFBB Olympia Weekend, 10th
- 2013 IFBB Nordic Pro, 2nd
- 2013 IFBB Dallas Europa Supershow, 3rd
- 2013 IFBB PBW Tampa Pro, 5th
- 2013 IFBB Wings of Strength Chicago Pro-Am Extravaganza, 2nd
- 2012 IFBB Arnold Classic Europe, 11th
- 2012 IFBB Olympia Weekend, 10th
- 2012 IFBB Arnold Classic, 6th
- 2012 IFBB FLEX Pro, 1st
- 2011 IFBB Toronto Pro Super Show, 2nd
- 2011 IFBB New York Pro Bodybuilding, Figure & Bikini Championships, 4th
- 2010 IFBB Phoenix Pro, 6th
- 2009 NPC Arnold Amateur Championships, 2nd
- 2008 NABBA Mr. Universe, Medium-Tall & Overall, 1st
- 2008 NABBA Universe – Pro, 2nd
Biography
Noise-making in Bodybuilding
Born in 1980, Lionel Beyeke is a native of Cameroon. As a young martial arts enthusiast who wanted to compete professionally, Lionel switched to bodybuilding at the age of 19.
In 2008, he competed in his first two competitions, the NABBA Universe and NABBA Mr. Universe.
Lionel entered these competitions as a complete outsider, but he surprised everyone by placing second at the NABBA Universe and winning the NABBA Mr. Universe title a few weeks later.
However, Lionel’s amazing performance on stage was only getting started.
A year after his first competition, Lionel placed second behind Roelly Winklaar at the 2009 NPC Arnold Amateur Championships, earning himself IFBB Pro Status in the process.
Lionel’s Professional Life
Lionel continued to impress after winning the NPC Arnold Amateur Championships, adding 30 pounds of muscle in less than a year.
After that, Lionel applied a spray tan to his better physique and won the 2012 IFBB Flex Pro.
Following this contest, Lionel rose to prominence in the bodybuilding field thanks to the attention that his accomplishments received from different sports analysts.
Lionel’s performances were so spectacular that many bodybuilding authorities anticipated he would eventually win the Mr. Olympia title.
Training
Two sets of warm-up exercises are the first thing Lionel does to begin his training. His working sets consist of eight to ten repetitions, followed by two forced repetitions.
To fully exhaust the muscle, Lionel often performs 8–10 reps, 2 forced reps, and then 3–5 half reps during the last set.
Lionel Beyeke takes 90 to 120 seconds to relax in between each set. Leg exercises are the lone exception, in between which Lionel takes a little bit longer to rest.
Putting on Weight
When Lionel first entered the professional ranks, he was already 225 pounds, but he later shocked everyone by packing on an additional 30 pounds of muscle in less than a year.
He claims he followed several guidelines to do this. They do;
- Change it up – Lionel never lets his body adapt, changing the exercises he does and the order in which he does them every three to four weeks.
- Rest – According to Lionel, this is one of the most overlooked components of building muscle. He advises taking two days out of the week off from any strenuous physical activity, as well as paying attention to getting at least eight hours of quality sleep per day.
- Goals – Lionel says he moves forward one small step at a time. This means, that he’ll set small weight-gain goals each week, gradually achieving progress on his physique. As Lionel says; “Don’t just expect to put on a ton of muscle in one year without checking yourself along the way. Set weight-gain goals every 2-4 weeks and evaluate the results.”
- Maintain – Lionel believes taking a week or two off from the gym can sometimes be useful to break or prevent plateaus. He says, it’s not necessary to completely stop training, but it’s wise to “back off a little”, and let the body ‘catch up.’
Cardio
Three to four times a week, Lionel works out with cardio. His sessions last 20 to 30 minutes each.
The StairMaster and treadmill are his go-to cardio machines.
Lionel Beyeke Workout Routine
1st Day – Chest
- Flat Dumbbell Presses, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Hammer Strength Incline Presses, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Machine Flyes, 3-7 sets of 8-10 reps
- Weighted Dips, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
2nd Day – Legs
Hamstrings A.M.
- Stiff-Leg Deadlift, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Seated Leg Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Lying Leg Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Quads P.M.
- Leg Extensions, 4 sets of 12-15 reps
- Squats, 5 sets of 8-10 reps
- Hack Squats, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Leg Presses, 6-7 sets of 8-10 reps
- Walking Lunges, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
3rd Day – Back
- Wide-Grip Pullups, 4 sets to failure
- Reverse-Grip Pullups, 3 sets to failure
- Deadlifts, 5 sets of 8-10 reps
- Wide-Grip Pulldowns, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Barbell Rows, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Close-Grip Pulldowns, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Back Extensions, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
4th Day – Shoulders
- Seated Dumbbell Presses, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Bent-Over Cable Laterals, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Incline Bench Rear Laterals, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Behind-The-Back One-Arm Cable Laterals, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Prone Incline Bench Front Raises, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Shrugs, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Machine Shrugs, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
5th Day – Arms
- Dumbbell Preacher Curls, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Spider Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Concentration Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Hammer Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Press down, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Close-Grip Bench Press, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Bench Dips, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
6th Day – Calves, Abs
- Standing Calf Raises, 3 sets, 10-20 reps
- Seated Calf Raises, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
- Reverse Crunches, 3 sets to failure (knees to elbows)
- Hanging Knee Raises, 3 sets, 15 reps
Nutrition
The Value of a Healthful Diet
Even with ideal exercise, according to Lionel, an inadequate diet will result in a negligible improvement in muscle and strength.
He thus advocates consuming a lot of high-quality foods that are derived from sources that are abundant in protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
“If you want to develop, you need to eat, and a caloric surplus is the most crucial growth factor. The extra calories will promote growth and provide you with the energy you need to exercise.
Lionel Beyeke Off-Season Meal Plan
Meal 1 – 10 AM
- 5 Whole-Grain Pancakes
- Natural Peanut Butter, 1 Tbsp
- Egg Whites With Filet Mignon, 1 Cup Whites, 4 Ounces Filet Mignon
- Fruit, 2 Servings (Any Fruit, Such As Berries, Banana, Grapefruit)
Meal 2 – 1 PM
- Chicken Breast Tenders, 10 Oz.
- Sweet Potato, 12 Oz.
- 1/2 Avocado
- Pineapple, 1 Cup
Meal 3 – 4 PM
- Filet Mignon, 10 Oz.
- White Rice, 1 1/2 Cups (Cooked)
- 1/2 Avocado
Pre-Workout – 5:15 PM
- Carb Supplement, 1 Scoop
- Pre-Workout Supplement, 2 Scoops
Post Workout – 7:30 PM
- Recovery Supplement, 2 Scoops
- Carb Supplement, 1 Scoop
Meal 4 – 8 PM
- Filet Mignon, 10 Ounces
- 3 Ounces Gluten-Free Pasta, 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Meal 5 – 11 PM
- 10 Oz. Salmon, Tuna, Or Chicken
- 10-12 Ounces Of Potato Or Pasta With Olive Oil
Meal 6 – 1 AM
- 75 Grams Whey With 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
Macros:
- 6,098 Calories
- 351g Protein
- 502g Carbs
- 283g Fat
Lionel Beyeke Dieting Rules
- Balance your proteins – Lionel consumes proteins from all food sources, including meat, fish, plants, and dairy.
- Where’s the Beef – Beef is one of Lionel’s favorite bulking foods, as it’s rich in essential amino acids, B vitamins, iron, and healthy fats.
- Junk it up – Eating cheat meals once or twice per week is something Lionel recommends to everyone. He says this is great for boosting his metabolism.
- Balance your carbs – Lionel says there is no reason to be afraid of insulin spikes. He believes that if timed correctly, for example in the morning or after a workout – they can be extremely beneficial for replenishing the muscles.
Lionel’s Supplement Stack
- BCAAs
- Creatine
- Whey
- Fast-Acting Carb Supplement
Influences and Idols
Lionel draws inspiration from a variety of 1990s bodybuilders. Some of them are Shawn Ray, Flex Wheeler, Kevin Levrone, and especially Thierry Pastel.
Why Lionel Beyeke is a good teacher?
Lionel Beyeke has shown us that success is within our grasp if we put in the necessary effort and perseverance.
Lionel decided that he wanted to be a professional bodybuilder, and from that point on, he did everything it took to get there. His perseverance was soon rewarded; one year after making his theatrical debut, he got professional.
Looking up to ambitious people like Lionel may be a good option if you want to achieve your ambitions. Their experiences can help you understand what it takes to have a fulfilling and healthy life.