About Carlos

Carlos DeJesus

My interest in exercise began at age 12 and by the time I was 16 I had saved up enough to buy my own 110 lb. set of barbells. I would train almost non-stop and twenty-one years later I would become the first Natural-For-Life Professional World Bodybuilding Champion.

But it was during the journey there that I continued to learn more and more about the mystery of exercise. My interest prompted me to look further into the activity I pursued. And over the years my interest in exercise would lead me to the study of kinesiology, exercise physiology, anatomy and nutrition, and as a result a national certification as a professional trainer. From the very early years of training I always experienced lower back pain. Not really knowing why I never thought much about it, except that I always had severe pain. At age 19 I was already in the military and stationed in California. One day while training on base I dislocated my left shoulder doing a 300 lb. bench press without warming up. It was at the base hospital that a doctor told me after examining my x-ray that what ever it was that I did, I would probably not do that again. That would later prove to be wrong because in time I would go on to bench press almost 100 pounds more. But I don’t want to get ahead of the story.

Few if any knew anything about proper warm-up in the 1960’s. Knowing only what I had read in the Bodybuilding magazines I decided I would join a local gym in San Diego.

Fortunately for me the owner was Gene Dickerson, a champion bodybuilder/power lifter and an inspirational motivator. I told him I could not do bench presses and asked for a suggestion. He suggested that I do Incline Bench Presses. To my surprise I was able to do them. I continued to do them until I was able to use 300 pounds in that exercise, which enabled me to return to regular bench presses and even increase my bench press by 95 pounds. This was my first introduction to “Training around so that you can train through” an injury.

I applied this model to my back and had the same kind of results and success. As a personal trainer I was in a position to help others with their fitness goals but that certification did not prepare me to help others like me who had chronic problems or injuries this, I learned, was a Special Populations category.

In order to reach my target group of special populations I continued my training and studies and I became a certified Medical Exercise Therapist. With this additional specialized training I can develop conditioning programs for clients with special needs such as limited range of motion, decreased strength, lack of endurance, balance and coordination dysfunction, and diminished functional capacity for daily activities. So now, I not only provide exercise for fitness and athletes but I can also provide Exercise Therapy for those who desire medical benefits from their programs.

This certification would give the well-rounded approach to exercise that I wanted to provide for my clients because “Therapeutic exercise is the key to long term management of most medical conditions”.

1979 – Present – Inventor
Invented the Wooden Fitness Center. Designed, developed and built 10 different ergonomically correct exercise machines. The Portable Device For Exercising Front Thighs was awarded a US Patent February of 2000. US Patent # 6,022,297

PUBLICATIONS
Iron Man September 1984 Vol. 43 No. 6 “Natural vs. Chemical” Editorial
Iron Man “What Is The Correct Diet?” Editorial
Muscle Up Sept 1985 “The Wooden Gym, Build Your Own Bench”
Muscle Up October 1985 “Build Your Own Thigh Extension/Thigh Curl Machine”
1983 Webster’s Ninth College Dictionary. Defined the “terms” Bodybuilder and Bodybuilding.

TELEVISION APPEARANCES
1984 – 1985 Public Broadcasting Stations WCVU and WCVE, Host and script writer of the show “Pumping Wood – Fitness Naturally”
1983 PM Magazine CBS, WXEX Feature “The Bodybuilding Couple”
1981 PM Magazine CBS, WXEX Feature “Natural Mr. USA”

BODYBUILDING TITLES
1985 Winner – Professional Natural Mr. World
1981 Winner Natural Mr. North America and Best Presentation
1981 Winner Natural Mr. USA and Best Poser
1980 Winner Mr. Old Dominion (Virginia State Champion)

WEIGHT LIFTING AWARD
1968 Junior National Power lifting Championships 198 lb class – Silver Medallist

AWARDS
Ambassador Of Sport.
Virginia AAU Sport of Physique 1991
Award Of Distinction By the American Natural Bodybuilding Conference.
“With Gratitude From The ANBC Acknowledging The Efforts Of A Pioneer Of Natural Bodybuilding” November 12, 1988
Award Of Recognition From The Virginia Chiropractic Association
“To honor and recognize the Champion of a drug free sport by the participants of a drug free profession” September 24, 1988

Contact me directly at Exercisetherapy1@aol.com