Biography

Born September 24, 1968, Rich Alvarez was raised in Harrington Park, New Jersey. During his youth from, seven to fourteen, his main athletic focuses were on baseball and basketball. Every season as a baseball player he led his team in home runs, stolen bases and batting average making him MVP every season. In his final season playing for Harrington Park, Rich was asked to play for the Bergen County All Star travel team. During his youthful basketball career he was a power forward, and even with a height disadvantage he had the power, speed and jumping ability to keep up with the best of them. Rich believes that dedicating time into a sport or hobby can give a child the confidence and desire to work and improve at something that can be used for the rest of a child’s life.

In High School at St Joseph Regional in Montvale, New Jersey, Rich played football as a running back and defensive back. Weight training had been a major focus at this time, and he did many power movements such as squats, power cleans and dead lifts combined with speed work and agility drills to keep quickness along with strength. As a freshman in high school Rich weighed about 120 lbs, but by the time he was a senior he was 170 lbs. He was not only bigger, but stronger and faster. Rich believes that weight training gives a person more strength and flexibility that can not only be used in sports, but in everyday life.

As a sophomore in high school, Rich played varsity football and received Honorable Mention All-County Running Back in his junior and senior years. In the off-seasons, Rich ran varsity 100-meter and 200-meter dashes to maintain his speed and quickness, and during his senior year Rich held the school record for the 200-meter dash. Because of his football accomplishments, smaller colleges offered Rich full scholarships for football, but he decided to attend Rutgers University for educational reasons. While at Rutgers University, football was replaced by bodybuilding which became his passion.

During his collegiate years at Rutgers University, there was a bodybuilding show open to anyone affiliated with the college. The winner, “Mr. Rutgers,” was judged by the National Physique Committee (NPC) although it was not NPC sanctioned. In his first contest in 1990, Rich finished 5th out of 30 light-weight competitors. Rich was thrilled just to be on stage, and this is where the bug of competing began. Weight training became part of his everyday life, like eating and brushing your teeth, and Rich decided to make a career out of it while learning more about the human physique. College also became more enjoyable because he was interested in the topics he was learning.

While attending Rutgers University, Rich also worked at Gold's Gym in East Brunswick and Old Bridge, New Jersey. In 1992, he graduated from Rutgers University with a double-major in Exercise Science and Sociology. In 2003, he received a degree from the Fitness Institute, lead by Dr. Anthony Abbott, and became certified with the National Strength & Conditioning Association.


Fitness Accomplishments
1990 Mr. Rutgers Lightweight 5th
1991 Mr. Rutgers Lightweight 5th
1992 Mr. Rutgers Lightweight 2nd
1992 Rich Gaspari Classic Lightweight 2nd
1992 Natural Mid-Atlantic Lightweight 2nd
1992 Natural Eastern Classic Middleweight 6th
1998 Southern States Lightweight 5th
1998 Muscle Fitness Classic Middleweight2nd
1998 Diamond Classic Natural for life
Middleweight 3rd
1998 South Florida Middleweight 7th
1998 Gold Cup Natural Middleweight 3rd
1999 West Palm Middleweight 5th
1999 East Coast Natural Middleweight 2nd
1999 Coast to Coast Natural Middleweight 4th
1999 Diamond Classic Natural for life
Middleweight 2nd/Best Poser
2000 Greater Fort Lauderdale Middleweight 1st
2000 East Coast Natural Middleweight 1st
2000 Diamond Classic Natural for life
Middleweight 2nd
2001 Diamond Classic Natural for life Middleweight 2nd
2001 Typhoon Bay Natural for life Middleweight 2nd
2002 Diamond Classic Natural Middleweight1st/Best Poser
2003 Typhoon Bay Natural Mixed Pairs 1st
2003 Diamond Classic Natural for life 1st /Best Poser/ Overall
2003 Ruel Griffin Humanitarian Award
2003 NPC Natural Bodybuilder of the Year
2004 Florida Masters over 35 Lightweight 1st
2005 Southern States over 35 Lightweight 1st
2006 Florida Gold Cup Team Trophy Award


Personal Trainer
Currently, Rich is a personal trainer at One2One Fitness in Coral Springs, Florida, and owns Manda's Deli in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Based on personal experience, Rich is able to show clients how to make time for physical fitness while raising two children (Lexis age 11 and Avery age 9) with his wonderful wife ( Kerry - together for 15 years), and owning a business at the same time. The more strength and energy a person has, the more quality a person can get out of life not only on recreational activities, but in normal everyday life activities. Rich believes that physical activity becomes more enjoyable, and less of a struggle, when a person is in shape.

Rich has competed more than twenty times in over sixteen-years, and recently won the 2003 Diamond Classic Overall in Rivera Beach, Florida, which is drug tested and natural for life. Rich was also honored with the RG Humanitarian Award, and 2003 NPC Natural Bodybuilder of the Year Award, which states that Rich is Florida’s most outstanding natural athlete that combines athleticism with a social conscience. In 2004, Rich won the over 35 lightweight class in the Florida Masters State Championship in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

In 2005, Rich was second in the masters over 35 class at the Southern States Bodybuilding Championships held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 2006, Rich won the Florida Gold Cup Team Trophy Award for having the best competitors in the show. He also helped many competitors at the Ultimate Athlete Competition in 2006 located in Deerfield Beach, Florida.

Currently, in 2007 Rich is helping many competitors in bodybuilding, fitness and figure for the National Physique Committee, and is working with some clients who plan to run in a 5k race, a duathalon and a triathalon. Rich is also working towards getting his certification from the American College of Sports Medicine, and doing continuing education units for the National Strength & Conditioning Association.

Rich believes that hard work, perseverance and consistency overtime is a true formula to reach your fitness goals no matter what level a person wants to reach.

"Rich"

Personal Trainer - Fitness Competitor