Although Bodybuilding is an individual sport, you will never be successful without a quality “crew”of supporters; A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. 

For my “Chain of supporters, “:
Dr. Craig Sollose, Dr. Michael Kane, Tatyana Myslovskiy, my massage therapist, Rob Delavega, owner of Powerhouse Gym, Brookfield, CT , The Montanari brothers of Gold’s in New Haven, CT, Kenny Wallach, my posing coach, Dave Palumbo, the nutritional genius, All my great friends, Guy, Mark, Jayson, Phil, Ted and all of my brothers of Iron in the gym, My entire family, mainly, my Mom and Stepdad, Karen and Richard Newton, who have been here for me through thick and thin, and most especially to my wonderful girlfriend, Nicole Vitale , my #1 supporter and biggest help in so many ways... I am Grateful.  Without this crew , I couldn’t be where I am today. 

The support you all provide means so much to me... I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart, I love you all!

            My full name is Philip Drew Braun Jr, but I only use PJ.  I was born on February 6, 1981 at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut.  I grew up in New Fairfield, CT, where I played football for as long as I can remember.  I joined the Pop-Warner league in fifth grade and when I got to High School, I already had NFL aspirations.  There was one problem with this dream; I wasn’t big enough to play with the big boys.  My mom made the suggestion for me to call my biological father and ask for his help because he wanted to be a bodybuilder at one time and he could probably show me how I could improve. 

            I never saw my father because  my parents were divorced when I was eight, and he had a new family.  I made the call to him anyway and he was exited to teach me what he himself loved.  I remember being happy just to spend time with him, I had missed him so much through the years.  He would pick me up from school and take me to the local gym, needless to say I was hooked.  I loved everything about training; I read every book and bodybuilding magazine that I could get my hands on, plus, I got to bond with my father.  For Christmas that year, he gave me his childhood weight set, ancient shit you’ll never see in a gym, but I put it in my bedroom and I would workout constantly...When I was bad, my parents wouldn’t ground me, they’d take away my weights!

            One day my father didn’t show up at school to pick me up for our workout, I walked to the gym that day.  He didn’t show the next day either, so I called to see what happened and he explained that he wouldn’t have time to train with me anymore, but he said I would be just fine on my own.  I was broken-hearted, he had abandoned me AGAIN!  My tears quickly turned to determination, and I couldn’t stop thinking about something my father had said to me... “there’s always someone bigger and better”.  I decided that I was going to be the biggest and the best! 

            I joined the Powerhouse Gym in Brookfield, CT and became friends with the owner, Rob Delavega, a champion 242 lb. powerlifter.  Rob critiqued some of my movements, and I asked him to show me the right way...he and a bunch of the other powerlifters there had taught me the fundamentals that I still use today.  I competed in powerlifting in my teens and won numerous events.  Finally, when I was 22 years old I wanted to step on the stage, bodybuilding was what I loved, and I knew I could do it.  I picked the Bev Francis Atlantic States and everyone called me crazy, and said I’d get my ass kicked.  I wanted to compete against the best competitors, I could see how I stacked up against them, and if I did place, I would know that I had a future in the sport.  After truly working my ass off, I competed as a novice light heavyweight at 189 lbs.  I took fifth place out of 24 guys, I was the youngest in the class.  SUCCESS, this felt amazing, and I was now  addicted to the sport for life!

The following year, I hooked up with a trainer named John O’Reagan.  John helped me to take 3rd in the light heavyweight the next year and 2nd in the Open light heavyweights at the Garden State Classic in 2004.  I decided to take some time off to grow.  I went to school, studied, and started my own training and nutrition business-Braun Fitness.  By 2006, I was ready to hit the stage bigger and better.  I competed at the ‘06 Jr USA in Charleston, and took a controversial 4th in the heavyweight class, at a solid 220 lbs.  The following week, I was geared up to compete at the New England Bodybuilding Championships.  Two days prior to the show, John Stavidris, one of my best friends had passed away.  I was devastated , my heart was broken , and I didn’t want to compete.  I cried with friends who made me realize that John really admired my bodybuilding, and looked up to me as a result.  I decided to compete and win that show in John’s honor; I did!!!  That winning moment was so surreal, it will live with me forever.         
              
John, I think about you every day, and I know that you’re in a better place, and we will train together again someday...

Following a year long layoff, my good friend, Guy Cisternino, introduced me to Dave Palumbo. I was impressed with Dave’s knowledge, and I promised him that I would be the hardest worker he had ever met if he would help me get to the top.  Under his tutelage, I got into the best shape of my life for the 2007 North American Championship.


            I look forward to my first off-season under the Genius Palumbo . . .

I want to thank www.speciesnutrition.com for their continued sponsorship!!!