United World Fitness owner back into bodybuilding
GILROY – When 32-year-old personal trainer Tad Inoue took over ownership of United World Fitness Gym in Gilroy, he decided to “practice what he preaches” and returned to a steady regiment of bodybuilding.
Inoue – who wanted out of the technology software sales business where he was successful but not satisfied with his work – had taken a seven-year absence from his true passion of bodybuilding and badly wanted to jump back into it.
“I was into bodybuilding ever since I was 15,” said Inoue, who has competed in between 15-16 shows in his lifetime. “When I bought the gym in September, it really sparked my training back up.”
The five-foot-seven lightheavyweight – who has lived in the garlic capital for the last three years after moving down from the Bay Area with his wife – quickly neared his old form and decided to give competitive bodybuilding a whirl once again.
After placing sixth in the heavyweight class at the Emerald Cup in Seattle, Inoue trimmed down and toned up for the Contra Costa Bodybuilding Championships on May 3 – finishing in third place in the open lightweight division.
“It was a short diet. I knew I would be a little short on conditioning. I really just wanted to get back into the game,” said Inoue, who graduated from Oregon State and went to graduate school at the Wesley Theological Seminary. “I felt pretty good about it. There were a lot of people who said I deserved second. I didn’t mind as long as I’m getting better with each show.”
Inoue also received high regards from the district chairman of the National Physique Committee – encouraging him to continue his quest to become Mr. California in the Cal State Championship in Los Angeles next weekend. The local bodybuilder said he wants to be around 197 pounds for the meet.
“I really enjoy the process of bodybuilding. I’m the sort of person who needs something to push towards. I didn’t get it out of my blood,” said Inoue, who wants to qualify for the USA Championships. “That’s why I’m going to the Cal State Championship – because I want to test myself against the best.”
If he places in the top three in the state-wide competition, Inoue will head to the national event this year or else he’ll hit the weight room and prepare for next year.
“Conditioning is the only thing I really need to pick up… I’ve got good structure and genetics for sports,” Inoue said. “If I went into Contra Costa in the shape I’m in today, I would have definitely won – but the Cal State meet will be even tougher. I’m going to carb up a little next week and see what happens.”
During the competitive season, Inoue hits the weights six days a week with a cardio workout multiple times per day. He’s already began his heavy training for the state competition and will have 10 full weeks in by the time he gets on stage.
“That’s about how long it takes me to get into shape,” said Inoue, who works out at United World Fitness and is also a personal trainer on the premises.
Inoue specializes in the nutritional side of bodybuilding and believes that body chemistry is a misunderstood side of dieting to either lose or gain weight.
When Inoue was in graduate school, he was as heavy as 275 pounds and competed in several bodybuilding events. But he is now set in the lightheavyweight division – which ranges from 176 1/4 pounds to 198 1/4 pounds. He currently has around three percent body fat and wants to dip under that before the state championship.
