Without a doubt bodybuilding is a tough pursuit to be successful at, especially if one takes it to the competitive level. There is an enormous amount of time and effort that must be put forth, as well as a level of sacrifice that few could imagine dealing with. However, Matt Soeder is a man that not only does everything it takes to be one of the best drug-free bodybuilders in the country , but accomplished this as a single father of a 3-year-old little girl, while also going to college full-time and working 35+ hours per week! If that in and of itself is not inspiring and motivating, then I do not know what is! This week I sat down with Matt to learn more about this incredible natural bodybuilder, and see what makes him tick!

E: Hey Matt, pleasure to have you as my Natural Freak of the Week! Where are you from?

M: Thank you for having me! I was born in Wisconsin but moved to Ohio at a young age and have been raised near Akron, Ohio ever since.

E: How many years have you been training?

M: I've been training for about eight years total, but have strictly been doing bodybuilding-type training for the last three.

E: I understand you just recently earned pro status as a natural bodybuilder! How does it feel to have accomplished such an achievement?

M: Yes, I just won my WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro card at the 2011 Naturalmania out in New York City. Obtaining my card has been my dream since I started and a goal that I firmly set in place for myself this past February. It still hasn't hit me yet that I've won my natural pro card, and I don't know if it will until I step on stage for the first time against all the other pros - but I am glad all my hard work has paid off.

E: No doubt it has! So tell me why did you decide to be a drug free bodybuilder, and what does it mean to you?

M: I've decided to be a drug free bodybuilder as a personal choice because I feel natural bodybuilders look better overall and I don't want to take a chance at destroying what I've worked so hard to build. Being natural or not is your own choice and you ultimately have to live with that yourself, but to me it's the lifestyle I've decided to go.

E: What kind of challenges do you feel you face as a natural as opposed to someone using “gear?”

M: Everyone faces challenges whether they're using drugs or not but as a natural athlete I believe I have to work ten times harder at everything I do, from the food I eat, amount of hours I sleep, time I rest between workouts, right down to the specific supplements I take.

E: I understand exactly what you mean. So with that in mind, and everything else you have going on what drives you to keep training and competing at this level?

M: One of the things that keeps me focused and driven to compete at this level is my daughter. I want to be a positive role model in her life. Also, there is a fire that burns inside of me to be the best that I can be, and now that I'm a professional athlete I feel that I need to step my game up even more to stay at this level and show everyone exactly why I was given my pro card.

E: Ok, so not that you are a pro what are your short and long term goals in bodybuilding and this industry?

M: My short term goals are to place in the top five at my pro debut this April and do my part to help All American EFX spread the word about why remaining drug free is the best choice. As far as a long term goals I would like to win a WNBF world title, do my part in helping all the natural bodybuilding federations come together to make one unified federation, and be a positive role model for all the up and coming bodybuilders, as well as the younger generation in general.

E: That is awesome! What show is up next for you?

M: After earning professional status I was looking forward to taking off a full year from competing, but under my rules and regulations I need to compete within the 12 months of receiving my pro card before I can take time off. So I'm looking to do the WNBF Tournament of Champions April 14, 2012.

E: You recently were brought onboard to do in-store product-demo work for All American EFX. What is it that drew you to this company, and how has EFX played a part in your success?

M: At first, believe it or not, it wasn't the supplements that drew me to All American EFX. I went to the Arnold Classic this past March and while at the EFX booth I noticed the athletes wearing "Natural Freak" shirts, which really caught my eye. When I got home I looked up EFX's website and just totally fell in love with the fact that the company is all about being drug free, which is exactly what I stand for. I ended up trying some of the samples I had gotten at the booth and enjoyed them very much, so I ordered some more. EFX products helped me to retain all of my muscle mass while dieting down. Typically I lose a little bit of size and strength during contest prep, but not while using EFX supplements! I can't wait to see what happens when I utilize the products for my offseason growth phase! Also, just being a part of the All American EFX team inspires me even further to remain drug free and accomplish all I can as a natural bodybuilder.

E: And you Matt inspire us with all that you have accomplished with everything you have on your plate!