Scott Volquartsen

Give us a little background on your training history, what brought you to the RSC in the first place, and how you’ve changed since you joined.

 I didn’t get started in training until later than most. I was in my early 20’s and had allowed myself to gain a lot of weight through college. I graduated high school at 170 and finished college at 250 to give you an idea of how I had let myself go. One summer I decided I had enough and had to get back in shape. I knew very little about training or nutrition but started running, biking etc and eventually dropped all of the extra weight I had put on. It was at that time somebody suggested I start lifting weights so I decided to give it a go and was hooked. Once again, I knew nothing in regard to strength training so I was always searching for new programs.

Luckily in 2009 as I was once again searching I came across Jay’s site. Ironically, it wasn’t even a training article that caught my eye. It was a tribute that Jay had written called, Goodbye, My Friend dedicated to his step dad. I knew right then that the RSC was going to be something different.

My knowledge and strength training have obviously changed since I have joined and how I wish I had that knowledge back when I started. More importantly to me though is I have changed as a person. I now focus on getting better each day in whatever I do, whether it be raising kids, running a business, or being a husband I am always trying to improve.

What has led you to excel in the RSC so much?

I honestly think it has a lot to do with being able to attend a seminar a few years back. I had been a member here for a couple of years however attending the Renegade Seminar allowed me to really see what Jay’s methods were all about. The intensity of that weekend was unreal. I met several guys at that seminar that I still stay in contact via email and phone calls. It is great to be able to bounce ideas off each other and works as a great motivational tool.

If you had to pick three exercises for the rest of your training career, what would they be?

Trap Bar Deadlift has always been my favorite and then probably farmers walks and pull ups.

What’s one thing about you that our fellow RSC members might not know?

I am a technology freak. I always catch myself having to have the latest phone, tv, tablet, etc. I realize this is a bad habit to have but I really enjoy constantly learning about new technology.

What’s your ideal Renegade meal?

Grass fed ribeye, sautéed spinach and jasmine rice.

If you could give one piece of advice to a guy who has just joined the RSC, what would it be?

I would say that realize everybody is slightly different so experiment around with what works for you. The RSC and Renegade Diet is a great template to work within but there is no one plan that will fit everybody.

Who’s your favorite Renegade in history? 

This may be cliché but I would say my Dad. He was working a job that he hated and decided to make a change. He went out and turned a hobby of his into a very successful business that my brother and I run today. It would have been easy to stay at his job as it was a state job with great benefits. We were a family of six with very little money so most people would have stayed with that job for the security it provided. It wasn’t for him, he knew he wanted to do more and one day got fed up with his boss and said he couldn’t live that way anymore. He was fortunate to turn a passion of his into his full time job.

What is the single most important message or lesson you have taken away from the RSC? 

So hard to answer this with only one answer as I feel I have learned a ton. Probably the most import lesson is that training and nutrition should improve your life but don’t let it control your life. It I read that somewhere and unfortunately don’t know who it came from but it is so true. It is easy to get sucked into the trap of over analyzing every aspect of it.