Interview: Powerbuilding and Creating an Apparel Company

Today I am interviewing Mason Gates, the founder of Grind Attire, a gym clothing apparel company, and a powerbuilder (a combination of bodybuilding and powerlifting). Mason goes into detail about his experience with working out and entrepreneurship. Mason is only 17 years old but has already accomplished so much which made me excited to interview him on the blog! I hope you enjoy this interview!

Tell us about yourself!

Hi there! My name is Mason Gates. I'm 17 years old, and I am from Kansas City, Missouri. I thoroughly enjoy watching movies, learning about government, politics, history, etc., and I also used to play tennis competitively. In the past year though, I was fortunate enough to find my passion for working out, and powerbuilding in particular, which is the combination of bodybuilding and powerlifting. I would regard myself as an entrepreneur simply because I have started about three companies in my time, and I find much pleasure in developing something from nothing, which is the true essence of entrepreneurship.

Tell us about your progress through your weight lifting journey. What goals have you achieved and what goals are you working towards?

My progress through weightlifting has been an exciting and consistent journey. As far as goals go, I have never been the one to set realistic expectations for myself. I view goals as checkpoints, more than a finish line. Since I started, at just about 105 lbs, I have put on over 55 lbs of pure lean mass and water weight. My overall body fat percentage has actually decreased while my strength and muscle mass has increased. I went from not being able to bench a bar, to benching about 205 lbs in just a year. But, I think the most rewarding compound lift for me has been the squat. In June, I took on the challenge of completing the tedious, and painful Russian training program known as "Smolov". This program combines volume, consistency, and intensity all in one to increase your compound lifts exponentially. I started out with a squat at about 135 lbs with horrendous depth. I am now proud to say that I have started my third round of this program, and have achieved a squat at a mere 365 lbs (at 160 lbs body weight). The squat is a painful lift, but it yields such tremendous physical and mental benefits. My goals by December of 2021 ara as follows:

Bodyweight: 160 lbs -> 180 lbs

Skeletal Muscle Mass: 83 lbs -> 100 lbs

Body Fat Percentage: 9% -> 5%

Bench: 205 lbs -> 315 lbs

Squat 365 lbs -> 495 lbs

Deadlift 385 lbs -> 545 lbs

I also intend to powerlift competitively at whatever post-secondary educational institution I choose. I have currently narrowed it down to Arizona State University where I would be part of the ARTOC program or the United States Military Academy at West Point.

                                

What is a typical workout like for you?

A typical workout for me is at a minimum about two hours, at a maximum four. A lot of people would say that it is unnecessary to work work out for that long, which could be true for them, but your workout time will depend on what your goals are. I personally need more time to work out because I train with short, powerful bursts of energy so sometimes I'll rest for long periods of time than the average person. That is so that I can truly use the most energy possible to get the lift that I want.

From your experience, what's some advice you would give to someone wanting to get into weight lifting?

I think the best advice I can give to someone who is interested in getting into weightlifting is to do it yourself. I started lifting simply because I got rejected by a girl. But through the process, and seeing measurable progress, I slowly developed an addiction to the gym and never looked back. Doing it for myself has been extremely rewarding and has drastically improved my mental state. 

Why did you start Grind Attire? What makes it unique compared to other brands?

I started Grind Attire because while other companies may have some quality garments, I never thought the prices they charged customers were warranted. Additionally, I was very frustrated with how a lot of companies should be to satisfy customers before engaging in political dumpster fires. We're unique because of 1) how young of a company we are. 2) I am only 17 years old, and I make all of the clothes by hand in my parent's basement storage room. 3) Our goal has and will remain constant: pair quality of with affordability. The entire company up to this point has been self-funded and managed by one person, myself. I actually sold my lawn care company so that I could put everything I had into this.

Why did you name your company Grind Attire?

I named the company Grind Attire because the word actually originated from the idea of grinding the ball back and forth in tennis. However, this brand has taken on a new meaning since the relaunch this past September. Now I feel the word "grind" can be used to describe someone who works hard, every single day of their life. This can be the single mother working three jobs so that you can pay for her kids to go to daycare. This can be the everyday student, studying for countless hours to achieve a degree while falling into debt. It can be a man, working hard, putting hours after hours into the gym on a daily basis to get himself into shape. But whatever it is, it is an undeniable fact that in our lives we are faced with adversity. And the question is, how are you going to combat that, against all odds, achieve your goals? That is the grind.

How do you balance owning your company, working out, life, etc?

I balance all of my endeavors in life by planning my days out ahead of time. I know exactly what I intend to do the next day, and I follow the plan accordingly. I ensure that I got optimal sleep (8 hours) to fully recover both mentally and physically, and I also drink an energy drink every morning to get me going. It's not the most admirable or healthy habit, but it's better than anything else.

What are some future Grind Attire clothes you want to make? What other goals do you have for your company?

Some clothes I want to make in the future are men's shorts, socks, belts, knee sleeves, and many other garments and accessories. I also want to expand much more in the women's clothing niche, and I have been actively communicating with a custom manufacturer to bring a lot of my dreams to life. The simplest and most measurable goal I have for the company is to make it a seven-figure company by next December. 

Thank you for reading! Check out Grind Attire's Instagram page by clicking here and click here to view the website.

Gabby