Building Strength In and Out of the Office: The Journey of Christian, Haydon’s Director of Precon and Bodybuilding Competitor

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Christian Davis, Haydon’s Director of Preconstruction, has a story that extends far beyond the typical 9-to-5 narrative. By day, he’s a dedicated member of the Haydon team. But in his other life, Christian is a Men’s Physique bodybuilding competitor who has achieved remarkable success through discipline, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to self-improvement.

From a young age, strength and transformation captivated Christian. Elite bodybuilder and action star Arnold Schwarzenegger inspired him, and he envisioned achieving an ideal physique built through hard work and discipline.

“I just got a natural high from being able to exercise and being able to lift weights and being able to be strong, and I just enjoyed how that made me feel,” explained Christian. “I always had this thought process of making sure that I was doing the most with the gifts that I have – whether that’s your mind, whether that’s your body or whether it’s your career.”

Christian’s passion for weightlifting began at the age of 12. While he played baseball, the gym became his true training ground. The challenge of lifting heavy weights and seeing progress fueled his drive to improve. Later, as his career in construction grew, he saw parallels—both require patience, dedication, and mastery over time.

His daily routine became a foundation for success. Waking up at the same time, eating similar meals, and adjusting workouts around fluctuating work hours instilled an incredible level of discipline. Even though he’s not currently competing, this structured approach continues to guide his training, job, and family life.

“The way I manage projects and estimate jobs – everything has a process,” shared Christian. “I noticed that if I could schedule things out accordingly with exercise and diet, that I could fit it into my career, which was important to me.”

By his mid-to-late 20s, Christian realized nutrition was the missing piece. Building muscle was one thing, but sculpting a physique required precision. He meticulously researched and experimented with meal plans, mirroring the attention to detail required in construction.

A typical show prep takes 16 weeks of strict dieting and intense training. Christian tracked every meal, timed workouts precisely, and maintained a rigorous cardio routine, losing 20 to 30 pounds while preserving muscle. His hard work paid off when he started placing at amateur shows and then eventually winning the Whitney Jones Classic and qualified for the NPC Nationals in Orlando.

At Nationals, despite battling a stomach illness the night before, Christian made the first callout—a sign of top placement with the top amateur body builders in the country. He ultimately placed fourth overall, just shy of earning a professional bodybuilding card. The experience fueled his determination to one day return and claim that pro status.

Balancing his career with bodybuilding was no easy feat. In April 2023, Christian took over Haydon’s Preconstruction Department, adding significant responsibilities. At the same time, he and his wife focused on growing their family. Extreme dieting and training were put on hold, but the goal remains—when the time is right, he plans to compete again.

Christian’s journey is a testament to resilience and discipline. While peak competition conditioning is temporary, the mindset and habits developed through bodybuilding continue to shape his personal and professional success.

“You have to be disciplined in your career and be able to put in a lot of hard work, especially when the construction industry,” said Christian. “It requires time and experience, and the only way you get that experience is to work harder, longer hours, learn more and be involved as much as you can. Same thing with exercise. The only way you can really improve your body is by continuing to work it and continuing to push it to its limits.”

At Haydon, we take pride in the strength of our workforce—not just in the projects we build, but in the personal achievements of our team members. Christian’s journey exemplifies what’s possible when passion meets discipline—a philosophy that defines Haydon every day.