Interview of Robert Heinamaki – Ronnie Coleman would be proud of him

Robert Heinamaki is known on Instagram as BigRob_auto_financing. Rob is incredibly strongman, with amazing upper body, capable of benching over 600lbs raw, dumbbell incline pressing 200lbers and deadlifting 840 lbs in the gym with minimal hype. Rob works at a Ford dealership in Canada, making people’s dreams of obtaining their dream car a reality. I recently interviewed Rob and this is what he had to say about his training and approach to building muscle:

Please tell the readers your age, and occupation.

I am 37 years old and a finance manager at a Ford dealership.

How long have you been lifting weights? 
I have been lifting for 17 years, since grade 10 in high school. My first time benching I was able to use 205lbs on incline for reps. During Grade 11, I could bench 315lbs for reps and deadlift 500lbs.

3. How long have you been competing in strength athletics?

I’ve been bodybuilding since 2006 before social media and I had no idea I was strong other then everyone telling me!

4. What are your best lifts in Powerlifting?

Unofficial lifts (Done in the gym): Bench 620 Deadlift 850 Squat 800 

5. Any best lifts in Strongman style of events or training?

455lb shoulder press reps  315lb skull crushers for reps 

6. Have you ever done any other type of lifting events such as strict curl,  Olympic lifting, bear wrestling, or dwarf tossing?

Well I live in Winnipeg,Manitoba Canada where we use polar bears instead of guard dogs and live in igloos. So as a kid I’d wrestle the polar bears to train them to guard or igloos.

7. What gyms do you currently train at?

I do my cardio in the a.m. at planet fitness, and when I’m training heavy I go to Atalo gym by my house.

8. Who are your training partners?

No training partners but when I get back into it, Chris Bouffard or Ryan Chetyrok.  Canada has reminded shut down regarding gyms during the current COVID pandemic.

9. Can you describe your current training system?

Right now I’m just taking time off heavy training untill these mask mandates are done, I’ll train heavy again when I can breathe!

10.How did you develop your training system?

My last training system was developed by @jailhouse strong (Josh Bryant ), the hardest training programs I’ve ever done. Prior I’d just do 2 really heavy compound exercises pyramid up to 3 reps. Then higher reps were done for assistance exercises after (powerlifting).  I would do 3 to 4 assistance exercises per workout.

11.How would you train a 13 year old Rob?

If I could have done sport specific training for hockey,  I would have stuck with it! Or got into football!  I would have played professionally in a sport, instead of work, then retire!

12. Any serious injuries you have overcome?  

I tore my bicep and just 4 weeks ago tore my hamstring racing my son and his friend after football practice!

13. What was your rehab like for those injuries?

Bicep rehab was 6 months long but I took bpc and tbt peptides and it worked miracles. For legs,  I trained quads one day while the following day I did hams. On the 3rd day I would then repeat that cycle.

14.What is your diet like? Please describe a day of eating as well as a training week of eating.

Right now I work long hours so I’ll train and fast untill around 2pm then I usually eat:  2 double cheeseburger, 2 mcchicken Fries n Diet Coke. After work I get home and eat chicken or fish 8oz with Minute rice. Then I eat 8 eggs or a protein shake. My last meal of the day is junk food again. With work I miss a lot of meals and I try to get at least 4-5000 cals how ever I can.

15. What is a normal week like in taking care of your family, work, and training?

I work Monday to Saturday  9am-6pm.  Saturday evening and Sundays are spend with family. My son has football 4-5x a week after work.  I train at  6-8am mornings. 

16. Your country, Canada, has a long tradition of strong motherfuckers and bad motherfuckers. Who are some of the baddest mofos you have trained with?

I have trained with professional wrestler Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner, Mike Richards former nhl player and Olympic gold medalist , Professional Bodybuilder Johnny Jackson and Sam Dixon. I would like to train with JF Caron, Larry Wheels and Thor.  

17. Are you sponsored by any products or company? What can you tell the reader about those products?

I’m not currently sponsored I used HD health supplements their liver, kidney and multi vitamin supplements.

18. What are your plans to support and grow the sport in the future?

I plan on beating  the all time Canadian bench press record of 600 and then inch towards the 675lb all time record under 275lb class. With the help of @jailhouse strong, I plan to accomplish this in the next 3 years.

19. What are you going to do to achieve your next goal?

Find a meet when Covid restrictions are over and go balls to the wall training!

20. What do you do to recover from a bench session?

Eat lots of junk food, watch a movie and relax, lol.

21. Who are some of your friends in the Powerlifting world?

Jailhouse strong, Adam Silver, Hugo girard, Larry Wheels, that’s about it! 

22.Any hobbies of interest? What do you drive?

My interests are Finance, real estate, and travel. I drive a lifted GMC Denali, but next is a F350 tremor!

23. Tell the Strength World something that they do not know about you sir.

I love to read and study, sales, real estate, quantum physics and neuro psychology! I would like to help athletes understand the importance of finance because I went broke going all out in bodybuilding and powerlifting. I believe I could of been much further ahead knowing how to create wealth!

24. Who would you like to thank for their support, fellowship, or inspiration.

My biggest supporter was my grandma and always will be god bless her soul in heaven.  My son motivates me to give him everything I never had as a kid. I want to be to him the father I pretend I had!

Thank you so much for your time!