Who is Terrence Ruffin?
IFBB Professional bodybuilder Terrence Ruffin hails from Beatrice, Alabama (USA.)
2014 saw him win the NCP Nationals at the age of 21, making him the youngest individual to ever acquire a Pro Card.
Even though Terrence Ruffin epitomizes success, he had a challenging beginning in his adult life after failing an Air Force training test.
While this infuriated and depressed him, he immersed himself in bodybuilding and started competing to regain his confidence.
Today, Terrence is a successful professional athlete who has won numerous IFBB professional tournaments.
He has made a name for himself in the professional competition circuit by winning the 2016 IFBB Tampa Pro and the 2016 Kentucky Pro. It goes like this:
Body Measurements of Terrence Ruffin
| Full Name: | Terrence Ruffin |
| HEIGHT: | 5’5″ (165cm) |
| WEIGHT: | 155 – 165lbs (70.3 – 74.8kg) |
| NATIONALITY: | American |
| PROFESSION: | IFBB Professional Bodybuilder, Air force Airman |
| ERA: | 2010 |
Accomplishments
Competitions
- NPC Panhandle Showdown 2013, second place
- the inaugural 2014 NPC Panhandle Showdown
- 2014 NPC National Lightweight Championship, first place (Pro Card)
- IFBB Prestige crystal cup, third place in 2016
- Tampa Pro, 2016 IFBB champion
- Showdown at the 2016 IFBB Olympia, 9th Place
- Dayana cadeau classic, second place in the 2016 IFBB
- IFBB Kentucky Muscle 2016, first place
Biography
Bodybuilding’s First Experience
Terrence was born and raised in Beatrice, Alabama (USA.) At the age of 13, he sneaked into the gym of a friend of his mother to play with the weights, getting his first taste of bodybuilding.
His enthusiasm for weightlifting grew over the years, and in his first year of high school, he finally joined a nearby gym.
He admits he was ashamed to begin because “he could barely bench the bar on its own” even though he greatly enjoyed the workouts.
He began lifting small weights as he continued to show up and realized that his strength was steadily becoming better.
Looking to Join the Air Force
Terrence enjoyed exercising, but he didn’t always enjoy school. At the age of 17, he decided to enlist in the air force as a means of escaping. He didn’t want to go to college, so he looked at joining the military as a chance to get new skills.
He decided to enlist in the Tactical Air Control branch of the air force and started his training. Sadly, he lacked the physical capabilities needed to complete the week-long field training exercise in the woods.
He was devastated since he had to go back home and find another line of work.
A New Dream: Bodybuilding
Terrence Ruffin, who was still adamant about staying in the air force, turned to weightlifting as a means to cope with his disappointment.
He returned to the same gym where he had previously trained, establishing friends there and rediscovering his passion for the sport.
He claimed that around this time, “when I went to the gym, all the problems and troubles and whatnot, they all simply sort of left… It acted somewhat as therapy. You get the opportunity to vent any frustrations, and afterward, you are too exhausted to worry.
Pursuing Victory In Competition
Terrence was transferred to Mississippi’s Keesler Air Force Base for avionics training. As he continued to lift weights, he met several air force coworkers who also enjoyed weightlifting after they saw him in the gym.
Various of these friends encouraged Terrence to participate in some amateur tournaments after noticing the significant advancements he was making.
He claims that he could always notice his improvement and that he truly liked it when other people could see the physical changes in him that he sometimes couldn’t.
He consented to start competing, and in April 2013, he participated in his first amateur tournament.
In the teen division, he placed second, and in the lightweight 150-pound category, he placed sixth. He qualified for another event in Miami because of this victory, which he easily won.
Trying To Get A Pro Card
Terrence decided in 2014 that he could now try to earn his Pro Card. He felt eager and confident when he entered the 2014 NPC National Championships, but he wasn’t convinced he could win.
He was utterly “shocked” when the judges for the lightweight division read out his name in the first place. He had earned his Pro Card with this victory, making him, at the age of 21, the youngest contender ever to do so in 2014.
“I prefer to amuse…
It’s enjoyable to perform in front of an audience and get them fired up.
Competing Professionally In 2016
After earning his Pro Card, Terrence decided that 2016 would be his year to shine and compete against the best athletes in the world.
He participated in 5 significant competitions throughout the year, and at 4 of them, he finished on the podium.
His two victories at the IFBB Tampa Pro in 2016 and the IFBB Kentucky Muscle in 2016 represented his best efforts to that point in his career. He demonstrated to everyone that he was capable of achieving anything he set his mind to.
Training
Unconscious Method
According to Terrence Ruffin, the best method to train is to do what feels right. Most days, he claims, he doesn’t have a workout schedule before hitting the gym; instead, he “comes up with anything a few hours before training.”
While he works out instinctively, his split is always prepared in preparation. He exercises for eight days straight, each day concentrating on a different body region. This is how he separated.
Chest on Day One
- Quads on Day Two
- Fourth Day: Rest
- Day Four: Return
- Day 5: Weapons
- Hamstrings on Day Six
- 7:00 Day: Shoulders
Free Weights And Equipment
Terrence Ruffin chooses both machines and free weights when given the option. He loves to use every new fitness equipment that comes out since he thinks anything that can help him look better deserves consideration.
Cardio
Terrence enjoys doing a lot of cardio and showing off his physique, although many bodybuilders want to completely avoid it. He says that a lot of his competitive victories were made possible by his cardio.
Five times a week, for around 20 minutes, he performs aerobic workouts. He makes time to utilize the treadmill and elliptical equipment on his own in addition to running occasionally as part of his air force schedule.
Nutrition
Upholding A Strict Diet
According to Terrence, his success is mostly a result of his tight diet. He consumes six meals per day when bulking up. Below is a sample menu for a bulking day in 2016.
- Morning Meal: 10 egg whites and three whole eggs and oatmeal
- Second Meal: white rice and eight ounces of chicken, beef, or turkey
- Third Meal: white rice and eight ounces of chicken, protein shake
- Fourth Meal: white rice and eight ounces of chicken, one potato
- Fifth Meal: Potential cheat meal (see below) or rice and chicken
- Sixth Meal: 10 egg whites and three whole eggs.
Stealth Foods
Terrence allows himself two cheat meals per week—either pizza or another fast food item—during the bulking season. He claims that because his meals tend to be very bland throughout the week, these dinners are essential.
Water’s Vitality
He also consumes more water than a gallon daily. He appreciates this water consumption for hydration because he sweats a lot when doing cardio, as well as for protein synthesis.
Terrence Ruffin’s Lessons For Us?
A lesson on persistence can be learned from Terrence Ruffin’s experience. When he initially failed his Air Force training, it had a significant negative impact on his life.
Although he was reassigned, he didn’t let this impact his performance and devoted himself to bodybuilding.
With his unwavering resolve, he became the youngest Pro Card holder ever in 2014 at the age of 21. To establish a new path toward your fitness and life goals after experiencing a setback, it may be helpful to learn from Terrence’s experience.