Iowa maybe more known for its corn farms and election primaries than its roster of up and coming male fitness models, but 20-year-old JC Salter is slowly putting a spotlight on The Hawkeye State, as a recent discovery of Michael Downs.

JC recently competed at the Arnold Classics, the official event that kicks-off the competition season for the bodybuilding world and one of the largest and most prestigious of its kind. He participated at the amateur division with friend, Kevin Lisak, whom he met through Kevin’s online personal training business.

Kevin introduced him to Michael. He shot with him for a three-day photo shoot in Tampa, FL right before he flew to Ohio for the Classics. Asked about his experience with the shoot, JC says, “it was great, laid-back and relaxing, but it was a hard work shooting all day.”

JC was a four-sport athlete at Ottumwa, the Southern Iowa city where he grew up and currently lives. He has always loved sports, but as a high-school student didn’t care what he ate. “I had no knowledge of nutrition,” he said. That changed when he started to take bodybuilding more seriously.

“I grew up always playing – captain of the football team, always big but never really in-shape,” said JC.

After high-school, JC began playing baseball for his college’s team, but felt that his collegiate sports career was becoming more of a job. His attention and passion was slowly shifting to something he had to do as a part of his baseball team training – working out and hitting the gym regularly.

It was a newfound interest that he has been familiar with ever since.

“I have always admired how the guys look the way they look, and enjoyed learning the nutrition and training and hard work they put into it,” said JC, referring to the models on fitness magazines. He’s a huge fan of IFBB Pro and sponsored athlete, Steve Cook, and the world’s number one fitness model, Greg Plitt. Both of whom he considers a great inspiration. Incidentally, Greg Plitt was the subject of a series of photos by Michael Anthony Downs.

It was while he was in college that his passion for lifting increased and he gained the determination and drive to further develop his physique, transforming it to its current shredded form, practically photo shoot-ready all year round.

In an interview with the Ottumwa Carrier, JC said ““I never really planned on doing it [fitness modeling], it just kind of fell into my lap.” However, he further shares that it was something he truly enjoyed.

In much as the same way that numerous people have inspired him, JC hopes to do the same for others.

He has begun offering online personal training programs and is currently working at his local gym as a personal trainer. Ask about his goals as a fitness model, JC said that he basically aspires to be better every time and be part of the industry for the long-term.

“I don’t want to someone just involved for a little while. I want to get my name out there and meet new people as well as gain friends in the business,” JC said. “I also eventually want to get my IFBB Pro Card and land a big name sponsor.”

JC just recently graduated and now has an Emergency Medical Training degree and will soon be doing firefighter training. His immediate career goal is to become a firefighter.

As someone who is naturally competitive and self-motivated, JC keeps in mind where his goals are. He wakes up motivated and with a sense of purpose and every day he takes a step towards accomplishing his goal.

“You’ll see more of me,” JC said. Him and Michael Anthony Downs are scheduled to do another photo shoot this May in LA.

The Iowan is certainly growing his presence in the industry and it will be exciting to see where his passion and dedication to his building up his physique and becoming an accomplished bodybuilder will take him.

You can follow JC by liking his Facebook Page or following him on Instagram.

You can see a full set of photos and videos of JC at All American Guys.