Some places really do live up to the photos.
This was taken in Santorini, Greece, in September 2018. The island is famous for its whitewashed buildings, blue-domed churches, and dramatic cliffs that overlook the caldera — a huge volcanic crater created by one of the largest eruptions in recorded history.
I remember spending time just looking out over the Aegean Sea and appreciating how different the landscape felt from anywhere else I’d been.
My latest YouTube video is now online, taking you behind the scenes of my competition day at Janet Layug’s Battle of the Bodies Pro in Florida last month.
I arrived at this competition feeling confident about my conditioning and the improvements I’d made since Santa Cruz. I was happy with my preparation and excited to get onstage, but the day brought some frustrations, especially during prejudging. With so many athletes onstage, the comparisons were challenging, and I wasn’t entirely satisfied with how things went.
In the video, I share my experience before and after the competition, my thoughts on the judging, and the feedback I received. I also discuss something I’ve been considering lately: whether Men’s Physique is still the best category for me, or whether Classic Physique might be an option in the future.
I finished in fifth place, and although I had hoped for a better result, I’m proud of the improvements I’ve made. Every competition gives me something to work on, and I’m already looking ahead to the next challenge.
Watch the full video below.
It’s competition day here in Prague! Today I’m stepping onstage at the EVLS Prague Pro, and I’m excited to see how everything comes together.
Keep your fingers crossed for me! 🤞💪
I just published a new YouTube video taking you back to last month, when I was two days out from Janet Layug’s Battle of the Bodies Pro in Miami.
Looking back, I think this was one of my best preparations, both physically and mentally. My weight was down to 218.6 pounds, my physique was responding well, and I felt relaxed and confident heading into the competition. Of course, my body was tired after weeks of training and dieting, but mentally I was in a very good place.
One reason I chose to compete in Miami was to avoid more traveling and unnecessary stress. I was already there, and the team at Elevation Fitness had been supporting me throughout my preparation. Having a familiar gym and a comfortable environment helped me stay focused during those final days.
In the video, I take you through a light chest workout, share a training tip, spend some time recovering in the sauna, and head to the competition hotel for check-in and tanning. I also received my competitor number — lucky number 3!
I share some thoughts about discipline and controlling your emotions during competition prep, especially when you’re tired and hungry. For me, learning to manage the mental side of bodybuilding has been just as important as improving my physique.
It was a great experience, and I’m happy to share another behind-the-scenes look at the work that goes into preparing for the stage.
Watch the full video below!
You don’t have to walk very far in Rome before running into another incredible piece of history.
This photo was taken in September 2014 in front of one of the city’s many impressive statues. What I enjoy most about Rome is that history isn’t just tucked away inside museums, it’s part of everyday life. You can be walking to lunch or grabbing a coffee and suddenly find yourself standing in front of something that’s been there for hundreds of years.
That’s one of the things that keeps bringing me back to cities like this. There’s always something new to notice.
After a few days in Alicante focused on training, recovery and preparing my physique, the next stop is getting very close. This weekend I’ll be traveling to Prague to compete in the 2026 EVLS Prague Pro.
EVLS has a long history in European bodybuilding and has grown into one of the major bodybuilding and fitness weekends in Central Europe. The event takes place October 10-11, 2026 at PVA EXPO Prague, bringing together professional and amateur competitors, fitness brands and bodybuilding fans from many different countries.
I’ll step onstage Sunday in a Men’s Physique Open lineup of 24 athletes representing countries from around the world.
And it is a strong lineup. Last year’s EVLS Men’s Physique champion, Emile Walker, is returning, along with second-place finisher Palmai Zsolt and third-place finisher Omar Suleiman. Miroslav Juríček, who won Men’s Physique at EVLS in 2023 and finished second in 2024, will also be competing. There are many other experienced professional athletes in the lineup, so I know there will be a very high level onstage.
For me, Prague is another opportunity to continue the work I’ve been doing throughout this season. I finished sixth at the Arnold Classic UK in March, third at the Santa Cruz Pro in August, and since then I have continued competing, traveling and working to improve my presentation and physique. Every show gives me more experience and more information about what I need to work on next.
The weekend is also much bigger than what happens onstage. The EVLS Fitness Expo takes place alongside the competitions at PVA EXPO, bringing together fitness and nutrition brands, athletes and fans. There will be exhibitors, product demonstrations, seminars, contests and opportunities for fans to meet people from throughout the bodybuilding and fitness industry. I’ll be participating in the expo as well, so I hope I have the opportunity to meet some of you while I’m in Prague.
Saturday includes the amateur competition and Pro Qualifier, where athletes will be competing for the opportunity to earn IFBB Pro League status. Then on Sunday the professional competition includes Men’s Open, Men’s 212, Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Figure, Bikini and Wellness.
It has already been a long year of preparation, competitions and travel, and there are always things I want to improve. But right now the work is almost finished. These last days are about staying focused, listening to my body and arriving in Prague ready to show the best version I can bring on that day.
I’m looking forward to being at EVLS, seeing everyone at the expo and stepping onto that stage again.
See you in Prague.
A mid-workout, good morning to my blog readers from Italy. Hope you have a good day!
Bodybuilding is serious… but life doesn’t always have to be.
This photo was taken in Italy in September 2021, when I found myself sharing a quiet moment with a giant teddy bear wearing a face mask. It definitely wasn’t something I expected to see, which is probably why I couldn’t resist sitting down for a photo.
One of the best parts of traveling is stumbling across little moments like this. You can plan where you’re going, but it’s often the unexpected sights and spontaneous laughs that become the memories you remember years later.
While I was in Mexico City, I had the opportunity to sit down with Edmmon Domínguez for his NoexcusesTV podcast. Edmmon is a bodybuilder himself who is working toward earning his Pro Card, and his channel covers bodybuilding and fitness in Mexico and around the world, including competitions, athletes, interviews and news from the sport.
It was my first time meeting Edmmon, and what started as a conversation about bodybuilding became a much wider discussion about my life, the choices I’ve made, what competition has taught me and where I want to go in the future.
We talked about the two sides of bodybuilding that I have experienced. There is bodybuilding as a lifestyle — training, nutrition, recovery, sleep, organization and discipline — and then there is bodybuilding as a competition. Competition takes everything to another level. I love it, but it is extreme, and there is always a price you pay when you want to compete at a high level.
For me, one of the biggest sacrifices is time with my family. I travel a lot, and as my parents get older I think more about the time I am away from them. I want to continue chasing my goals, but I also want to become better at balancing bodybuilding with family, friendships, relationships and the other important parts of my life.
We also went back to the beginning of my bodybuilding career. I talked about growing up with sports, training at home when I was younger, learning about nutrition by myself and eventually entering the gym. When I decided I was ready to compete, I went directly into NPC competition. I finished second in my first show and earned my Pro Card after only a few competitions.
A big part of our conversation was about how my mentality has changed since then. When you compete, you can control your preparation, your training and what you bring to the stage. You cannot control the judges or the result. I have learned to understand this better and to enjoy the experience more. Sometimes improving also means knowing when to stop competing for a while, listen to the feedback and give your body the time it needs to grow.
We talked about coaching too, and why I look beyond somebody’s workout and diet. Sleep, stress, recovery, organization and what is happening in your life can all affect your progress. I was feeling sick while I was in Mexico, so I could use myself as an example. Forcing myself through another workout simply because it was scheduled would not have helped me. Sometimes the smart decision is to recover and come back ready to push again.
And we talked about the future. I know that one day my competitive career will end, so I am building things now that can continue long after my last competition — my coaching, my team, my personal brand and relationships around the world. This is one reason I travel so much. My visit to Mexico gave me another opportunity to meet people and learn more about the fitness community there, and we are already talking about possibilities for me to return for seminars and other projects.
It was a very open conversation about bodybuilding, family, relationships, coaching, business, discipline and some of the experiences that have shaped how I think today.
Thanks to Edmmon and the NoexcusesTV team for inviting me and giving me the opportunity to share another side of myself.
You can watch our full conversation below.
Another trip, another experience.
This time I’m heading to Alicante, Spain, for a few days. It’s one of those places in the world where I really like to spend some time every year.
Alicante sits on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, and for me it has a combination that works very well: good weather, the beach, good food and a pace that lets me concentrate on what I need to do. The local food is very Mediterranean, with plenty of fresh ingredients, seafood, vegetables, olive oil and rice.
Right now, that’s exactly what I need.
The last several weeks have been full of competitions, flights, different countries, work and constantly moving from one place to another. Alicante gives me a chance to close myself into my own little box for a few days — train, eat, recover and concentrate on my physique without too many distractions.
And there is a reason for the extra focus.
I’m now about two weeks out from the EVLS Prague Pro, which takes place October 11, 2026 in Prague. Men’s Physique will be part of the professional competition, along with Men’s Open, 212 and Classic Physique.
So after all the traveling, it’s time to narrow the focus again.
Two weeks out. 💪
Some things never change.
This photo was taken in the summer of 2021, and if you know me, you probably know there’s a good chance that cup is filled with coffee. It’s one of the small daily rituals I really enjoy, whether I’m getting ready for a workout, answering DMs, or simply taking a few reflective minutes before the day gets busy.
Italy has a long coffee culture, and while everyone has their own preferences, I’ve always appreciated how something as simple as a cup of coffee can become a reason to slow down, have a conversation, or just enjoy the moment.
Sometimes it’s the little routines that become your favorites. ☕
A different kind of Saturday Selfie this week, from a few days ago in Mexico City.
I was invited to record a podcast while I was there, and it gave me a chance to talk about my life, bodybuilding, my recent competitions and some things I haven’t shared much about before.
It was also interesting to learn more about the fitness community in Mexico. There is a lot of enthusiasm for bodybuilding there, and we are already talking about possibilities for me to return in the future, maybe for a seminar or training camp.
The podcast will be coming to YouTube soon, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you.
For now, here is a quick preview.
Airport bathroom selfie means one thing… changing country again.
After a short stay in Mexico, I made it to the airport today with what feels like half of my life packed into my luggage. I’m feeling better than I was yesterday, which is good news because now I have a very long flight ahead of me.
Getting everything packed, carrying all the luggage and making it through the airport was a little stressful. I think this video from the moment I finally sat down on the plane explains it better than I can. 😅
Now I can finally sit, relax and hopefully get some rest.
I also have a lot of hours in the air, so I’ll be doing something I often do on these long flights: answering your questions. Send me your Q&A questions to my Instagram and I’ll work through some of them while I’m somewhere over the Atlantic. ✈️
Next stop: back home to Europe. 🇪🇺🇮🇹
The last month has been a long one.
I came to the United States to compete, first at the Santa Cruz Pro and then at Janet Layug’s Battle of the Bodies Pro in Florida. Between the competitions there was training, traveling, work, photo shoots and trying to keep everything moving while staying in competition condition.
After Florida, I made one more stop in Mexico City to participate in a podcast. It was a great experience and something a little different for me. I’ll share the YouTube video as soon as it is available.
But apparently my body decided Mexico was also where I finally needed to slow down. 🤧
Today was my first full day feeling sick. I’m resting with some tea and hoping tomorrow I feel better, because I have a very long trip ahead of me: Mexico to Barcelona, and then finally back home to Italy.
Travel can put a lot of stress on the body, especially after weeks of competition prep. I arrived in Mexico City after very little sleep, and the altitude here is more than 2,200 meters. When I woke up, some of the numbers I track were already showing changes from my normal baseline.
I put together a few slides showing what I was seeing this morning and how I approach a situation like this when I still have fitness and competition goals to think about.
My resting heart rate was elevated, my HRV was lower, my skin temperature was above my normal baseline and my blood oxygen was lower than usual. Then came the symptoms.
Hydration is one of the things I pay particular attention to when I’m traveling. Long flights, dry cabin air, changes in altitude, disrupted sleep and the stress of travel can all affect how I feel and recover.
And hydration for me means paying attention to electrolytes as well as water.
Sodium, potassium and magnesium all have important roles in hydration, muscle function and recovery. This becomes something I pay even more attention to when I’m traveling frequently and trying to keep my body performing at a high level.
Right now I’m using VAST Sports Hydro Salt + Electrolytes. I normally use it around travel — before a flight, after arriving and again when I wake up.
If you want to try the same product I use, you can find it at vastsports.eu and use my code ALE.
Then there is the question every athlete eventually asks when getting sick: should I still train?
For me, today the answer is no.
When you’re motivated and focused on a goal, it can be easy to think discipline means following the plan no matter what. But I also have to pay attention to what my body is telling me. If my temperature is elevated, my resting heart rate is unusually high, I have symptoms and I’ve slept badly, forcing a hard workout isn’t going to help me prepare for my next competition.
So today I’m concentrating on recovery: some easy movement if I feel up to it, plenty of fluids and electrolytes, enough protein and carbohydrates, and hopefully a long night of sleep.
A few days of adjusting my training isn’t going to erase the work I’ve done. I want to recover properly so I can get back to productive training as soon as my body is ready.
And I’m definitely ready to get home now. 😅
It has been an intense month. Two competitions in the United States, traveling between cities, training, work, the podcast in Mexico and everything else that comes with trying to maintain this lifestyle while being far away from home.
I’m looking forward to getting back to Italy, sleeping in my own bed and having some time to recover from all of it.
It won’t be a long break. I have another competition coming in a few weeks, and soon my attention will turn toward preparing for the next stage. But right now, getting healthy and recovering from this month comes first.
For tonight, I’m staying on the couch with my tea and hoping tomorrow morning brings some improvement. ❤️🩹
And if you’re working toward your own fitness goals and want help finding the right approach to training, nutrition and recovery for your body and your lifestyle, you can apply for a free consultation with me here.
Life doesn’t always have to be moving at full speed.
This photo was taken during the summer of 2021. Training, work, travel, and preparing for competitions can make life feel like a constant race, but I’ve learned that taking time to slow down is just as important as knowing when to push hard.
Some of my best ideas come during the quiet moments, when there’s no workout to finish, no schedule to follow, and no distractions demanding my attention. Those moments give me a chance to reflect, recharge, and appreciate how far I’ve come while thinking about where I want to go next.
Sometimes doing nothing for a little while is exactly what you need to move forward.