Statistics

Competitive Record

Introduction

Michael Francois can breathe a sigh of relief. After bagging both the Chicago Pro-Invitational (his pro debut) and the prestigious Night of Champions, this 1993 Nationals champion has entered the elite of our sport with such a bang that he probably has certain IFBBers shaking in their posing trunks. Yes, Mr. Francois has arrived. But what lies behind that impenetrable wall of muscle and might? It may surprise you. Intelligence, sincerity and friendliness form the cornerstone of this man's personality, and what strangers might perceive as arrogance is, in fact, shyness. The bodybuilding world has a new pro to be not only in awe of, but also proud of. Meet Michael Clarence Francois.

The Interview [long]

Where were you born?
Cascade, Iowa.

Is that where you grew up?
I lived there until I was in kindergarten and then we moved a couple of times. I call Denison, Iowa my hometown because I lived there from the second grade until I graduated from high school.

Do your parents still live there?
No, they moved when I was in college -- it must have been about 1985 -- to Springfield, Missouri.

How tall are you?
I'm five-eight and three-quarters inches tall.

What is your off-season weight?
It's different all the time -- usually around 270. I compete at about 235.

Do you come from a large family?
Yes. I have eight brothers and sisters.

Whoa! That is a big family. Where do you fit into the clan?
I'm number seven. I have one older brother, five older sisters and two younger brothers.

What to they all think of your bodybuilding?
They're very supportive. Of course, when we were growing up in Iowa, bodybuilding was practically nonexistent. It's something they're not real familiar with.

So they're not really into bodybuilding but they're into your career?
Exactly. They are very supportive of whatever I do.

What were you like as a child?
I was introverted and shy, almost to a fault. It really hindered me and I had a very hard time. Like, if I was at somebody's house with my parents and they offered me something to eat, I'd be like "no, no" because I didn't want to draw any attention to myself. In high school I'd usually walk down the halls with my head down and not look at anyone in the eye just because I was so shy.

Did you have a lot of friends?
Yeah, I had a lot of friends. Around those guys I was fine, and I dated and everything, but, I don't know what it was. I'm still a shy person by nature but I've overcome a lot of that fear and anxiety. You know at college you have to do a lot of public speaking? Especially when I was studying to be a priest, that brought me out quite a bit, and, of course, the bodybuilding really helped.

It's like you don't really overcome shyness. You just learn how to deal with it.
Right. I think if you're a shy person you like time by yourself. I still enjoy being alone sometimes. My wife often doesn't understand that.

What sports did you play when you were younger?
Everything: baseball, basketball, football, wrestling, track.

Did you become serious about any of them?
I was probably going to play college football, but I hurt my knee playing in high school and that ended any hopes of it.

Was it the injury that got you into weight training?
It actually did -- not to repair my knee but because I wasn't able to participate in any other athletics after I hurt my leg. So I started lifting and it just continued. It was basically the only thing I could do.

Do you think bodybuilding has helped your knee?
I think all the muscle around it has helped stabilize it, yes.

Well, you've got a lot of muscle around it, that's for sure.
Yeah, it's weird how my lower thighs developed like that. It must be genetic because I don't think I do anything differently from anyone else.

You don't use knee wraps though, do you?
No.

That might have something to do with it.
True.

Were you a good student?
I was an average student -- about a B average. I never really studied in high school. THen when I went to college I had a roommate who was a brain and he always studied. The first days I saw people studying and I was like "studying?" (laughter). All of a sudden I realized that's a big part of it, and I ended up graduating with honors from college. I never completely finished graduate school theology but I ended up with a 3.5/3.6 grade point average on a 4-point scale. I just never applied myself in high school.

Did you have a favorite subject in high school?
Probably history.

So when you graduated, did you go straight into...
Straight to college.

But was it straight into theology?
I wanted to study for the priesthood so I went to a school that had a seminary within it, but the school isn't a seminary school per se. It's a private, Catholic, liberal-arts school that has 2,000 students, both men and women. I was in their seminary program.

How long before that had you decided to pursue a life of religion?
My family are all strong Catholics, but I wasn't pushed into it or anything. We went to church every weekend and my dad was always involved in church activities and still is. Both my parents set good examples for me, more by their lifestyles than anything that they actually said.

So it was you own choice after high school to pursue it.
I had thought about it ever since second grade. I would see the priest and what he did and think, "Wow! That seems neat." So it was always in the back of my mind but I never really knew what a priest did. In second grade I didn't think he did anything outside of saying mass! When I was in junior high, we had a mission that came to our church, and these two monks gave talks for a whole week. It really struck me then because they put things in black and white. THey made me realize what was right and what was wrong. Even though I was living what I considered to be a pretty well-adjusted life, that experience just made me emphasize what I was doing even more. I wasn't thinking 'priesthood' at the time, but it changed me inside. I was still thinking I'd play college football, but then my knee injury made me realize there was more to life than athletics. That's when I decided to pursue the priesthood -- to at least see what it was all about.

Didn't you have any apprehensions about a priest's celibate lifestyle?
I never really did have a big problem with it to be honest, even though that's the reason I eventually left theology; I wanted to pursue a relationship with my now wife, Shannan. But no, it wasn't a major problem for me. We didn't have to stop all our dating at college, but they figured if we were dating a lot then that was going against the lifestyle of a priest so maybe we should reconsider. I dated a little bit my first and second years, but it wasn't that important to me. I actually went six years without dating at all, and then I met Shannan. Things change.

Sure do. What did you and your friends like to do for fun when you were a teenager?
I was so involved in athletics and lifting that, in a small town, we basically just hung out. We'd go out and play a pick-up game of baseball or basketball.

So I assume you didn't experience alcohol and drugs like most big-city kids.
No, I never did anything like that. I'm actually quite proud to say that I've never indulged in those things. They never really interested me. It was also because of my upbringing. My mom and dad will have a beer -- so will my brothers -- so it's not as if my family is against alcohol. It just wasn't something I wanted to do. I always wanted to get better in athletics and make myself a better, stronger person. Not that I was a perfect kid or anything. It just never really interested me.

Did you feel peer pressure?
Yeah, but I never gave into it.

When did you start lifting for bodybuilding purposes?
1987.

Did you have any idols in the sport?
Not really. I didn't know much about bodybuilding and I didn't look at a lot of muscle magazines. I must say, however, that Tom Platz really inspired me. I look for inspiration more in an athlete's discipline and dedication than in his physique. I admire a person for the integrity and discipline that he shows. That's why I like Ron Love. He's always been a nice guy to me. If you meet Ron once he remembers you forever.

When you left your theological studies and went into bodybuilding full time, what did your family think of that?
The reason I left the seminary was to pursue my relationship with Shannan. Bodybuilding had nothing to do with it. I realized after I got out, however, that I could then really concentrate on the sport. That was in 1990.

You must have had a fairly good physique by that time, eh?
Yes, I did. I had competed a couple of times but I was always a light heavyweight, weighing no more than 180 pounds. I didn't know anything about dieting and training.

It's all a learning experience I guess.
Definitely.

So what was your first contest after you left the seminary?
The Upper Ohio Valley, which wasn't even a national qualifier. It was a small show, but my first as a heavyweight. In 1990 I competed four times!

That's a lot for an amateur. What contest qualified you for national competition?
The World Gym Classic was my first national qualifier.

Did you win it?
Yeah, in 1990.

So your first national show was the...?
I don't even want to say, but in 1990 I went to the Junior Nationals and didn't make the cut. My first shot at a national title came in 1993 when I place third in the USAs. Flex Wheeler won it. I placed second the following year and then went and won the NPC Nationals.

What are your strengths as a person?
I like to think I have a lot of integrity and I'm loyal, honest and down-to-earth. Because I'm quiet, some people think I'm conceited or mean. Training's my job now and I can't fool around. It's the way I make my living. SOme people see that in the wrong way, but if they took the time to get to know me they'd see I'm a good person. I would never let myself get a big head.

What would you say your weaknesses are?
I'm still naive. I believe people are always true to their word and they're not -- that's stung me a few times. I'm learning quickly that the world is not perfect. I went straight from high school to college, straight from college to the seminary, so I;ve been very sheltered I guess. Now, getting out into the real world, I realize that people do lie and try to take advantage of you. I'm learning quickly, though.

Is that what annoys you about other people? Dishonesty?
Yeah, dishonesty -- people who go back on their word, who say one thing and do another.

So you like integrity in a person.
Yes. Another weakness of mine is that sometimes I don't enjoy life as much as I should -- especially now with bodybuilding. I always feel the pressure of being on the road on weekends. My training will never take a back seat to the traveling. That's one of my main priorities. When I won my first two pro shows, Shannan said, "You have to enjoy yourself sometimes," but I feel there's never time. I can never relax. Immediately after winning those contests I started thinking about the next one. That's the way my mind works. Sometimes I should relish the victories and what I've accomplished so far.

When and where did you and Shannan meet?
We met at World Gym. I was in the seminary at the time and she trained at the gym. We got together on New Year's Eve 1989. I had returned to school early, so classes hadn't started yet. We went out to dinner, and things took off from there.

So when did the two of you get married?
A year and a half later. It was May of 1991.

What qualities in her attracted you?
We're very much the same: both quiet, health oriented with a strong belief in God, and she's a hard-working person. Plus she's good-looking!

What does she do for a living?
She's an accountant.

Would you like children someday?
Oh, definitely. I have a lot of nieces and nephews and come from a large family so I feel that kids are a big part of life and one of the most important elements in marriage. We want a family, but I want it to be a family, not just people who have kids. I want to be there to enjoy things with them and be a large part of who they are when they get older. I don't want to come home one day and find my kid's in junior high, a troublemaker, and he's into drugs or whatever and realize I should have been there for him and now it's too late. I want to be there every step of the way. Right now we're just trying to get out feet on the ground and get settled so I suppose it'll be a couple of years yet. I want to see where this bodybuilding thing's going to go first. I definitely want at least three or four kids -- as long as they're all boys (laughter).

You don't want any girls?
I suppose one would be OK (more laughter). You've got to have boys first to protect the girls.

Is that why you don't want them?
You have to worry more with a girl than with a boy. You know, you have to protect her and make sure that she doesn't get taken advantage of.

How do you relax? Do you have any hobbies?
Shannan and I like to go for long rides -- drive around and look at houses.

Do you live in an apartment right now?
Yes. We're looking at houses but that's in the future. Finally we're at a point where we really don't have to struggle, and if we buy a house we'll be struggling again in order to make the payments. We want a period of relative calm.

So no hobbies really?
I don't have a lot of time. I train during the day, come home to rest and eat, and then I leave town on weekends. Shannan rollerblades a little bit and likes to shop. I like to read but lately I haven't had the time to get into any good books. I like history and subjects like that.

Do you get excited when you see yourself in the magazines?
I never really get too excited about it. That's another one of my faults: I never let myself enjoy that aspect of it. It's fun and I need it, especially as a pro, to get publicity and work. When I look at my pictures I think, 'There's my weakness, there's my weakness' (laughter), and I can't even enjoy it. Every so often I'll see a good picture of myself and I'll look at that for a while.

Do you like music and movies?
I've never really gotten into music. I like movies, though. We rent them once in a while and go out to then sometimes. We're real homebodies.

Do you have a favorite movie?
You know what movie I really like? Rudy. It's about a kid who's small, not as big as most college football players, and he wants to play for Notre Dame. He ended up playing a little in one of the games. He used every bit of potential he had and just worked really hard.

So it's pretty good, eh?
Very, very motivational.

So you don't listen to much music?
No, not really. We don't have a big stereo system or anything. I like listening to certain music when I'm lifting, mainly hard rock. You know whose music I really do like? Steve Miller. I'm not a dead-head but I like the Grateful Dead. I like different songs for different reasons. I enjoy country music a lot -- it's probably my favorite type of music.

Do yo have a dream car?
I like the Dodge Viper.

What color would you get?
Red.

Is that your favorite color?
My favorite color is probably purple.

What's the best thing that has ever happened to you? I know that's a hard question.
In a sense it was my baptism and marriage. You want one specific thing?

Overall.
Even though my marriage is right up there with it, overall I'd have to say being blessed with the parents I have. They're very down-to-earth people who'd do anything for anybody. THey have a strong faith in God and raised us the best they knew how. Who I am as a person, everything that's happened to me since then, is a result of that. That's why Shannan was attracted to me -- because of the person I am and the upbringing I had.

What performance in the gym makes you the proudest?
There are so many. One of the first times I ever went over to a gym where I train in Columbus, Louie Simmon's gym, Westside Barbell, I had a workout of incredibly high intensity. The mindset of the whole workout was awesome! It's animalistic there, purely gauged towards getting stronger and bigger. I thought, 'Wow, this is what it's all about!'

You're a great squatter. What kind of weight and reps have you done in that exercise?
I've never maxed out, but I've squatted 735 for sets of five.

That's amazing! What do you think is the biggest problem in out society?
The deterioration of the family. You hardly meet anybody today whose parents are still together. People give up on marriage too easily these days. They're like, "Well, if things don't work out we can always get a divorce." You can't take that type of attitude into a marriage.

Do you like animals?
Yeah, I do. I don't have any pets right now because we live in an apartment and I don't think it would be right. If we eventually get into a house that has a big yard, I'd like to get a dog. I had a German shepherd until the second grade. I loved it but I was too young to know how to take care of it, so when we moved we left it with somebody. We just had cats after that.

How long do you want to stay in bodybuilding?
I think it'll take me about three years before I reach my peak as a bodybuilder. I have a lot of growing to do. I'm probably 50 to 60 percent of what I can be. I'd say I'll be in the sport for about another six or seven years.

Where would you like to see yourself in 10 or 20 years?
I'd like to have a family and be there for them. I want to do something in the fitness industry, maybe be a spokesman or something. If some day the church accepts married priests, I'll definitely consider that. In the meantime I can be a deacon at the age of 35. A deacon can do baptisms, funerals and marriages, but can't consecrate. A deacon can do most of what a priest can do and can be married. If his wife dies, however, he can't remarry. He doesn't live at the church, and he can still have a job and work outside of it.

Do you still go to church every Sunday?
Yes, definitely. It can be difficult when I'm on the road, though.

Is there anything else you'd like to say before we finish this interview?
I;d like to thank all the people who've supported me and stood behind me all the way. THe people who are really, truly happy for me make me feel really good, and I can tell the people who are because they're around not only after I win, but also when I lose. I'd like to thank my family, Shannan, God, Chris Aceto, because without him I wouldn't have been able to do what I've done and he's become a good friend of mine. I wouldn't be a pro today if it wasn't for Chris. I'd also like to thank Marty DeMirjian, Don Caster, World Gym/Columbus, Ed Connors, Champion Nutrition and all of my fans.

Thanks, Mike. We at MuscleMag really appreciate it.
My pleasure, Rob.

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