Nationality Australian | ||
Born Nov 21, 1980 Sydney Occupation Director of Eco Superfoods Known for INBA Mr Universe 2009 Title | ||
Billy simmonds world vegan day melbourne 2016 interview
Billy Simmonds is an entrepreneur, martial artist, bodybuilder, performer and winner of the 2009 INBA Mr Universe title. An authority in health and nutrition, he has served as a strength and conditioning coach to athletes around the world for more than 10 years, and is a founding director of Eco Superfoods.
Contents
- Billy simmonds world vegan day melbourne 2016 interview
- Career
- Bodybuilding Powerlifting Fitness
- Lifting Stats
- Competition History
- Advocacy Work and Public Speaking
- Martial Arts
- Inspired by
- References
While diverse in his pursuits, most notably, Billy is an advocate for human health, the ethical treatment of animals, and the environment.
Career
On the day of his 18th birthday, Billy attended a ‘Speech Power’ Toastmasters course, and registered his first finance business called the 'Australian Credit Network'. He pursued a career in finance for approximately 15 years, working as a broker, financial planner and corporate banker. In 2011, he was awarded ‘Corporate Solutions Executive of the Year’ by The Commonwealth Bank.
In 2012, Billy left his career in finance to launch PRANAON, a natural and vegan-friendly range of fitness nutrition products.
While developing PRANAON, Billy worked as a live action performer specialising in dance, martial arts, and fire artistry. He was in the fight cast at Movie World on the Gold Coast, where his favourite character to perform was Batman.
In 2013, Billy co-founded Eco Superfoods, a 100% vegan company which has rapidly grown to become a multi-million-dollar success. Today, the Eco Group of Companies develops, manufactures and distributes brands such as PRANAON internationally throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and South East Asia.
In 2015, PRANAON was awarded ‘Vegan Supplement Brand of the Year’ and also ‘Best Natural Product of 2016’ by Australia’s largest retailer of sports nutrition, Nutrition Warehouse.
Bodybuilding, Powerlifting & Fitness
In 2009, Billy made one of his greatest achievements and won the INBA Mr Universe title in Hollywood, California. He was the first vegetarian/vegan to win the title since Bill Pearl in 1971.
While the myth exists that a professional bodybuilder needs to consume vast amounts of meat and dairy to build muscle, Billy is a vegan. During an interview in with Vegan Magazine, Billy stated "Vegan Bodybuilding is not only possible, it’s optimal. Within three years from first lifting weights properly and walking on a bodybuilding stage as a novice, I had won Mr Universe and become a professional Bodybuilder. Steroids? Meat? Not a chance!" Billy is 100% natural, proven by Olympic standard testing, and lives a clean, healthy life.
In 2014, Billy Simmonds was one of five professionally classed 'natural' male bodybuilders in Australia, as defined by the World Anti-Doping Authority.
Billy is also a competitive Powerlifter with the worldwide organization the IPF, a large powerlifting organization which follows the IOC and WADA drug testing standards. In 2011, Billy placed within the top five of his powerlifting division in Australia and won gold in the 102 kg Queensland State Titles.
In 2011, Billy broke two world records on national TV in front of 45 million home viewers.
Today, Billy regularly trains and participates in CrossFit, incorporating Olympic lifting and functional training to support his martial arts training.
Lifting Stats
Competition History
Advocacy Work and Public Speaking
Billy Simmonds has been a guest speaker at Green Earth Day, The Sustainable Living Festival, Vegan Business Lifestyle Tour, The Australian Fitness Industry and Leisure Show and World Vegan Day.
In 2016, Billy became the key spokesperson for a national high school speaking tour titled Strength in Kindness, which inspires young Australian’s to lead fulfilling, ethical and healthy lifestyles.
Similarly in 2016, Billy partnered with Clean-up Jakarta Day and toured several high schools in Indonesia to teach students about recycling and the environmental challenges of a fast growing economy.
Billy has since expanded his outreach to groups experiencing hardship, such as those recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, to help individuals pursue meaningful lives and to overcome adversity.
In 2017 Billy will publish his first book titled Strength in Kindness: How to break limitations, smash stereotypes and cultivate limitless power and energy, through mindfulness and compassion.
Martial Arts
Billy holds a second degree martial arts black belt in Hapkido and a third degree black belt in Taekwondo. He is skilled in many styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Capoeira, Wushu, Brazilian Jujitsu and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Billy has also partaken in professional martial arts training in South Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong.
In 2004, Billy spent an entire year in South Korea where he lived in the coastal mountains of Busan and taught Hapkido. In 2015, he returned to South Korea to advance to an even higher level of black belt at Kukkiown, headquarters of the World Taekwondo Federation. Billy was awarded ‘Senior Student of the Year’ by the Tans Taekwondo organisation in 2015; he also competed in the 2016 Pan Pacific Masters Games winning 4th place in technical breaking and 2nd place in power breaking.
Inspired by
Billy is inspired by Bruce Lee, Elon Musk, Tony Robbins, Richard Branson and Arnold Schwarzenegger.