Cory Burdock Interview

The word I would use if asked to describe Cory Burdock is, Achiever. Whether it being competing at the national level in Figure skating, graduating youngest in her class, quickly picking up weight training and getting on stage or closing in on her Nursing degree, she has achieved what she has set out to achieve. Like many, her goal is an IFBB Pro card. That is the goal of many but reached by few. But if I had to put my money on someone to achieve their goal, I would always bet on the person who has made a life of achieving their goals, such as Cory Burdock.




Q: First, Cory, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this.
A: Most definitely :-)

Q: Can you start out by telling a little about yourself.
A: I come from a small town, raised on a farm. I was home schooled and graduated youngest in my class at 16.

Q: Before the gym were you an especially athletic person? Play any sports or anything?
A: I figure skated for 14 years and competed at the national level, and played soccer in the off season to complement my training.

Q: What initially led you into the gym?
A: I picked up running 4 years ago and began racing in half and full marathons, so I decided to hire a trainer to help me to build more muscle so that I could run faster/better/more efficiently.

Q: Was training something you picked up fairly easy? How long before you started to see results?
A: I picked up training incredibly fast! I think it surprised both my trainer and myself as I had always been the anti-gym type.

Q: What made you decide to compete for the first time?
A: After a couple months of training and seeing awesome results and making huge gains in my running, my trainer suggested that I think about competing. (she is a national figure athlete) She observed that I had great body-mind connection and my self-determination to succeed at every rep/exercise.


Q: Is competing something your family and friends supported?
A: Friends and family were unsure of what to expect from it, but supported my passion to do well and become a better me...

Q: Was competing what you expected or did anything surprise you about it?
A: Competing completely surprised me in that I didn’t think I would enjoy or do well at it. However, both happened and I will never turn back! I have learned so much about myself and love all the people I have met along the way.

Q: Can you share your contest history
A; I competed in the 2009 Sandra Wickham fall classic, the 2010 BC Provincials and will be competing at the 2011 ABBA Provincials.

Q: As far as body parts, what do you feel is your best one?
A: I would have to say my abs and my legs.

Q: Do you have a part you most like to train or favorite exercise?
A: I really enjoy training legs (specifically glutes). I know, strange. But there is something so empowering and rewarding as a completely exhausting leg day with step ups, leg press, butt blaster, deadlifts and cable pull throughs.

Q: What is your normal training routine and diet like and how do you alter it for contest prep?
A: My “off season” and “on season” training and diet are not drastically different. I prefer to fuel my body properly and enjoy working out hard. Instead, I vary intensity and reduce cardio in off season to give my body a bit of a break. My body responds well to a traditional 4 day split, with HIIT cardio for contest prep. (i do have to restrain myself with running however, as it is my favourite form of cardio!) I have to keep my muscles guessing as they adapt very quickly. As I began competing in fitness, I am used to using alot of core, and plyo movements. These are functional and have benefited both my workouts and my everyday life as they help prevent injury. And on that note, I am a huge stretching fanatic. Stretch, stretch, stretch everyday.
My “diet” is more of a lifestyle, as I have learned 10 years ago that I am allergic to both dairy and gluten. My normal world of eating is used to not eating out or eating prepackaged foods. *Most* of what I eat, I cook/bake for myself. Oats, green veggies, pumpkin, berries, egg-white protein powder, fresh chicken, egg whites, avocado, almond butter, mahi mahi, game meat are my staples, with stevia, flavour-drops and mustard as condiments.


Q: When someone sees your physique or hears you compete for the first time, what is the most common reaction? More positive or negative?
A: It is mixed. Either they say “oh isn’t that bad for you” or they say “that explains it.”

Q: When they see it that first time, what is the one question or comment you are most sick of hearing?
A: I am tired of hearing others comments on why I don’t rebound after competing. “Why don’t you gain 40 lbs like everyone else does a couple weeks after competing?” I think that this view is changing as more people realize the effects of yo-yo dieting in general and strive instead to “eat to live” not “live to eat.”

Q: What is the biggest misconception about women who train and compete or the one thing you wish people understood?
A: I think that the most common misconception is that women who compete are super vain, self centered and superficial. It is indeed true, that we do care about our appearance and bodies, but it is more than that. If women truly understood the connection between their minds and bodies, that they are inseparable and feeding/tending to one, improves the other, they would take better care of their bodies too. In our super charged, stressful lives, we have to make a concerted effort to take care of our mental and physical health. This is a gift that we give not only to ourselves, but also contributes to the health and well being of others!

Q: What is the best and worst part of training for you?
A: The best part of training is the sense of accomplishment I feel when I workout. Even with the worst workouts, the –drag-your-butt-ones, I still am proud that I made it there. The worst part of training is the-drag-your-butt-out-of-bed-early-in-the-morning part lol.

Q: Do you have any favorite competitors or any you admire?
A; I admire both the physiques and the passion for the sport that both Nicole-Wilkins Lee and Jessica Paxson-Putnam have.


Q: Do you have a favorite cheat food?
A; Homemade high protein chocolate chip cookie dough. Not really a cheat. But tastes like one!

Q: If another woman told you she wanted to start training, what is the one piece of advice you would most want to give her?
A: Make sure you find a reason that is for YOU as to why you are doing it. Then it will be way more enjoyable and sustainable.

Q: Do you think its becoming more common to see women using the weights in the gym as opposed to just doing cardio and things?
A: I do. Women are slowly starting to realize that lifting weights does not mean you have to scrutinize macros or spend ours in the gym in order to have benefits. You just have to set you re own goals and find someone who supports them and can help you fulfill them.

Q: Outside of training, any other hobbies or activities you enjoy?
A: Well, right now my life is devoted to completing my nursing degree. I am 7 months away, so training is actually my stress reliever from this. Otherwise I am an avid baker (I almost compulsively create and make recipes), enjoy the sun and play the piano.

Q: Can you describe a typical day in the life of Cory Burdock
A: There is no typical day haha. On average, I spend 4-5 hours with school work. I hold a 15 hr a week partime job, and train.
0730 Meal 1: ¼ c. Pumpkin and ¾ c. Egg white pancake (with stevia, butter and rum flavourings)
0800 Weights
0930 post workout: 20g protein, 20g carb homemade banana bread
1100 Meal 2: 1 c. Brussel sprouts with 3 oz chicken
1400 Meal 3 1c. Green beans with 4 oz mahi mahi fillet sprinkled with lemon Mrs. Dash
1700 Meal 4 shake: ½ c almond milk, 2 c. Spinach, 1 sc protein, ¼ c blueberries, dash coconut flavouring and stevia
2000 Meal 5 ¾ c egg whites, 1 tbsp chia seed, cinnamon. Cooked as a pancake.

Q: Describe Cory Burdock in five words.
A: Passionate, Caring, Resilient, Intelligent, Friendly

Q: Any set plans for the near future as far as competing or anything else?
A: It is my dream to become an IFBB pro....and to open my own fitness baking online store. Together, these two dreams would enable me to encourage and support healthy lifestyles for athletes and competitors in the future.

Q:Anything you want to take this opportunity to plug or promote?
A; One of my inspirations for just being a better me, is Jenny Grothe otherwise known as Recipes for Gals in Figure and Bodybuilding.

Q: Are you looking for sponsors? If so how can they reach you and what are they getting in Cory Angel the athlete and competitor?
A: I would LOVE to become sponsored by Optimum Nutrition. I use their products faithfully and am eternally grateful for making the egg white protein, Vanilla Custard as this protein is the only one I have found that is palatable that fits my restrictions. It’s actually way more than palatable-it’s fantastic!
I can be reached by email, sun85angel@yahoo.ca

Q: Cory, again, I thank you for taking the time to do this. Any last words before you go?
A; Here’s to being the best you that you can be!